Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Dollhouse

Lillian and the DollhouseGuess what happened? Just guess!

I have an aunt who is the nicest, the sweetest, the coolest, the greatest aunt ever and this weekend she gave me this gorgeous dollhouse that she made herself. It's so beautiful, from the individual wooden shingles on the roof to the attic dormers with lacy valences to the authentic porcelain bath fixtures.

Lillian has sat in front of it for hours playing "I Spy" with each of the nine rooms, discovering all the fascinating details and delicate accessories, getting so wrapped up in the tiny world that she wished she were tiny enough to spend the night in the little pink bedroom and snuggle in with the tiny pink pillows.

I'm sharing pictures so you can enjoy it too.

Dollhouse
I spy a basket of oranges, a mouse and a set of salt and pepper shakers (my aunt says those are her favorite things in the house).

DollhouseDollhouse
She made the living room chairs herself and the area rugs in each room are ribbon that's been mitered and sewn in a rectangle. Love that tiny bird in a cage and the tennis racket.

Dollhouse
See the perfume bottles in the master bedroom? See? See?

DollhouseDollhouse
It's probably the only time in my life when I've seen toys left out all over a bedroom floor and flipped out in rapture. Aren't they just the sweetest things? See the stacking rings and the wagon and wooden train?

DollhouseHere's the wrap-around deck with tiny Adirondack furniture and potted geraniums. Every detail is perfect.

And below is my favorite room--the attic craft room. I'm in love with the dress form and pattern on the wall and the basket with scissors and the bolts of fabric in the armoire. It does not get cuter than that folks.

DollhouseThanks Aunt Ann, we'll treasure this forever.

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68 comments:

branda50 said...

I love it..What a gift for Lillian and you..You have a very talented It's beautiful..

Robin said...

Magic. Simply magic.

We had the most wonderful dollhouse growing up, but the years in my parents damp basement after we grew didn't treat it kindly. My kids enjoyed it when we visited last summer but it's definitely lost a lot of its glory as various bits and pieces were lost or broken. (My 2 year old nephew got his hands on it before anyone realized he was in the room.)

I love yours, it's perfect. Happy, sentimental sigh...

Pam D said...

Oh my goodness, that is just beautiful! Heaven for a little girl, and maybe even a big one! I bet Lillian isn't the ONLY one who wishes she could pull an "Alice" and get very, very small for a little while! Your aunt is a treasure...

Momma Roar said...

That is the coolest thing ever!

Those little pieces and the detail is simply amazing!!!

Can we play with it when you're done? ;-D

CWDkids said...

Your dollhouse is amazing. Your photos brings back great childhood memories.

Thank you for sharing!

Ashley, with CWDkids

carol at A Second Cup said...

There is a little doll house of the doll house! I agree with Robin, it is magical.

jean said...

Wow. I am in love with your Aunt. This isn't just a great gift it's a piece of art! Those little tiny toys are amazing. Your Aunt has alot of talent and patience!

Anonymous said...

Oh how wonderful! A dollhouse! I am squealing with delight for you and Lillian. What special gifts you have received this year.

Jackie @ Lilolu said...

That dollhouse is amazing! She is very lucky to have something like that. And the tiny pieces are just a wonderful piece of art. I just love it.

Jill in MA said...

That is phenomenal! If you didn't have bits of Lillian in the photos, you might think those were actual-sized rooms! It is a work of art -- thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

That is the most awesome dollhouse ever!!!

Megan@SortaCrunchy said...

OH MY GOODNESS! Holy WOW! What an incredible gift. The details are phenomenal!! What a delight that is sure to become an heirloom in your family.

Incredible.

Lynn said...

Wow. I used to work across the hall from a miniatures store in a mall. I always wanted to do one--they are so amazing. This year we wanted to do a dollhouse for our daughter (6). We decided for now to simply go the plastic route (yuck) for play purposes. We have the plans for a wooden one, though, that we're going to build and start gradually decorating so that when she's a bit older she can have a keepsake one. That said, I don't think that we could ever make it as perfect and sweet as yours is. You must be thrilled!

Hazel said...

Thank you Aunt Ann for providing the means for Michelle to share the wonder of the house - never seen anything so beautiful in private hands (lots of lovely houses in museums here in the UK).

Tammy said...

I love it! How special to have that passed on to your family!

RoeH said...

I love it! And your aunt. Will she adopt me??? Doll houses have fascinated me since childhood.

Mirien said...

That's amazing! What a keepsake. And your youngest child is old enough to take care of it. Yes, that was a wistful observation, given that my youngest (15 mos) will be in the house-wrecking stage for many, many more months or years.

Jennifer said...

there is nothing better and more amazing than teeny tiny:)

page2 said...

Oh! What a delightful doll house! Maybe when I am a grandmother I can focus my time and skills on trying to create such a masterpiece for a grand-daughter. That is absolutely amazing. I love it.

Peggy said...

I dream of having a dollhouse like this one. It may have to be shelved until my kids are grown and I have loads of time - then I'll pass it on to my grandkids. What an amazing gift.

Heart2Heart said...

I remember doing a general store much like this doll house about 7 years ago. I loved all the unique details I got to add one by one because they were so expensive. Mine had a doctor's office above the store so I loved finding old pill bottles, a bell that really rang when you opened the door and old medical charts for the walls. It even had real working lights.

Talk about fun?!!! This post just brought all those wonderful memories back. To this day, I can't recall what happened to it, my ex probably took it.

Love and Hugs ~ Kat

Mrs. O said...

I'm ready to pack up and move in. It's simply enchanting!

Superdumb Supervillain said...

Wow! What a fabulous gift!

Annette Lyon said...

Wow, wow, wow, wow, and wow.

Jolanthe said...

Too cute!!!! Love it!

Angela Fehr said...

Oh, Michelle, that is TOO precious! There's a miniature log cabin in the museum here in Dawson Creek (mile 0 of the Alaska Highway, dontcha know) and I remember loving to visit it at the museum as a little girl - later when I became an artist I actually got to know the ladies who created it for the museum.
That dollhouse also makes me think of Hunca Munca in Beatrix Potter's "Tale of Two Bad Mice."

Melissa said...

That is beautiful!!! What a precious gift. You have a very crafty family and I would also say that you are very blessed!

FLmom7 said...

Oh, I love it! Makes me miss being a kid again and playing with my old dollhouse.

Anonymous said...

we have one in our vacation home...love it its so much work and $$$. but a very nice hobby.
your looks great.

Vanessa said...

That is the most beautiful doll house I have ever seen!

Unknown said...

Oh, that reminds me of one my sister made for me when I was little (she's 21 years older than me.) Hers was smaller and not nearly as detailed, but it was special and amazing all the same.

Is it wrong to covet a dollhouse attic craft room? Too cute!

Mandy said...

Whoa!! THAT is amazing! I love dollhouses. I had a huge one when I was a little girl. This is truly a work of art...look at all of the fine details!! Your aunt is AMAZING!

Swellflamingo said...

That is truly amazing - what a talented Aunt!!!! How special to have that...

Michelle said...

That is absolutely gorgeous. It is one of those things you can look at and look at and still find something to enthrall you each and every time. I am speechless at the detail and care that went into making it. Definitely something to treasure forever.

jacjewelry said...

I am in love with it! I see why Lillian wishes she could fit in it - all the little details are the most adorable! What a precious gift.

Carina said...

Absolutely stunning!

You have, bar none, the most talented family I have ever heard of. How long has your aunt been making this?

Missy said...

GASP








envy

a Tonggu Momma said...

Oh my goodness, it's GORGEOUS! What creativity and dedication...

2xmom10xgma said...

What a treasure!!! Your children are fortunate in many ways other than having awesome parents.

Patricia L said...

What a great couple of weeks for you! First the beautiful chests your grandfather made and now a handcrafted doll house. Makes me wonder if we'll have much of that in the future as our tech-y generations get older-- will they know how to do these intricate things with their hands or will they wait 'til a machine can do it for them?

Mimi N said...

A-mazing!!!Another wonderful treasure for your family!

~Mimi

Unknown said...

The dollhouse is great--but I like the Aunt Better!! We're glad "Lillian" is enjoying it.

Love,
uncle jim

Patty Williams said...

OMgosh ! Another homemade treasure ! Beyond gorgeous !

Lori said...

I just told my daughter that we'd get my old dollhouse out of my parents' rafters in the garage. We got it down yesterday and I was noticing we needed to give it a new coat of paint. We did not discuss massive amounts of miniatures! That is the most beautiful dollhouse interior I have ever seen!

We have some work to do on ours. Maybe I'll start by keeping my son's crackers out of there...

Lana said...

Awesome aunt!!! Delightful dollhouse!!!

Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting said...

OMG, I want to live there. What a dream house, seriously. Gorgeously done. Makes me want to make one now, too. So talented. Reminds me of my childhood.

Jen said...

Your gorgeous dollhouse is ten times nicer than my real lifesize house. What a treat for your daughter.
Enjoy!

Momish said...

This is one of the greatest doll houses I have ever seen. It must have taken your aunt decades to complete it with all the love and detail that is in there! You must be a very very loved niece for her to part with it. I don't think I could have ever parted with it myself. I would be so playing with that right now, totally reduced to 10 years old again!!

Cheri said...

WOW! That is amazing! It is so beautiful and I love the detail.

Alison said...

Wow! I remember going to a museum in Chicago when I was 14 that one miniature room after another. I was in love. I've always, always wanted a doll house, and I'm 46. What a treasure. What a generous aunt to pass it along to another appreciative generation.

Anne said...

Oh the fabulousness!

Anonymous said...

That is absolutely amazing. Your aunt is a talented woman!

Michele said...

I want to move in, too! I'll even clean up the toys!

Tamara said...

That is absolutely fabulous! I would have given my eye teeth for a dollhouse like that when I was young.

Chocolate Inspector said...

I never understood why a dollhouse was so fun until now! Your pictures are so captivating and I wish I had one for myself to adore and explore with my daughters. I'm so glad you're enjoying it and Mahalo for sharing this. =)

I can't find my blog said...

I had one as a kid that my grandfather helped build. Alas, my doughter couldn't have been more UNinterested and it fell apart over the years. I think it's still in the rafters in the garage, though.

Carrie said...

That is amazingly beautiful! My grandpa made me a dollhouse when I was a child - now it needs restoring b/c I played with it TOO roughly as a little girl! And we have no room for it now, so it's in my parents' basement. But when we move to our new house (this summer), we will hopefully be bringing it to our house! I can't wait! :)

Robin in New Jersey said...

Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

Wow lucky you. I love it. I want one.. :)


Erika

37 Questions said...

Just lovely. Makes me happy and sad, because my grandmama made amazing dollhouses too - made the drapes, linens, etc - even made the dolls and wired the houses for lights. I really miss her and wish my kids had been able to meet her.

Stephanie Wilson she/her @babysteph said...

That is just like the dollhouse I admired with whispers at an older cousin's house. It was only for looking, not for touching, and I always always dreamed of having one. Maybe Ivy will someday.

Steph

Lori said...

She made that? So precious.

Anonymous said...

Wow. That is gorgeous! I would LOVE something like that for my Baby girl later. So much better then the millions of plastic crap they get as gifts! (I know people mean well, but it seems to take away any imagination to have toys that 'do it all' for you...)

Lisa said...

Just beautiful! I love all the tiny details! Amazing!

PCovi said...

Someday when I have granddaughters...I will give them all this gift!!!

Alison said...

Oh, that is so beautiful. I dreamed of a dollhouse like that when I was a child.

Kim said...

Oh my that doll house is just beautiful!

daysease said...

Oh, WOW!!! That is so Gorgeous!!! I even want to play with it, no wonder she loves it so much. Beautiful gift!! Worth considering such a treasure for any little girl. May have to consider it for my own, soon... Lovely.