It’s cold outside. We’re hunkering down for the winter.
Every winter, like clockwork, the dollhouse starts to call to me.
Those of you who have been following along with the dollhouse renovation know that this project is ongoing. I feel no sense of urgency. I tend to ignore it in the spring and the summer. But inevitably, winter comes and I find myself turning the dollhouse around, examining the rooms, making a checklist of what needs to be done. (A lot.)
Yesterday, as I started to take some pictures (these minis present a challenge) I noticed that the wood floors were dusty. Very dusty. As was the furniture.
Oh, that’s right, a dollhouse collects dust, too! So I proceeded to clean the dollhouse. If only my cottage could be cleaned as quickly.
Whoops! I missed some dust on the kitchen counter.
This is the beginning of the bathroom. I haven’t trimmed out the window or the baseboards. No wallpaper or breadboard yet.
The craft room/office is a blank canvas – nothing at all has been done there.
And the kitchen needs a chair rail and some more finishing work. Most rooms need some sort of crown molding or trim.
Still needed: a bed, a bathtub, sink and toilet that look real (so many of them I see in catalogs look really fake) a faucet for the kitchen sink, all of the furniture for the craft room/office, rugs and a refrigerator. And that doesn’t cover the little touches and accessories that will make the dollhouse a home.
But I love what I have so far.
If you’re newish to the blog and want to learn more, you can go to the navigation bar and hover over the red arrow next to Around the Cottage. You will see a dropdown menu with a link for the dollhouse that will take you to photos and a timeline for the renovation so far.
I’m off to the dreaded DMV today to renew my driver’s license. Yes, my birthday is a week from today. Yikes.
Happy Thursday.
Love your doll house! I built a Victorian house 35 years ago for my daughter and never finished the inside. Just recently uncovered it and plan on working on it with my granddaughters who are 7 and 11 Thanks for sharing the pictures, you have inspired me to get started!.
Oh, have fun, Connie!
Claudia I am just giddy looking through the doll house. I loved every minute of the tour, now I want one. It is just darling and has a comforting feel about the place.
I love it, it’s such a fun thing to work on, Dawn, especially in the winter. I found mine on Craigs List for $35. It had some water damage and needed quite the rehab, but it was worth it!
If the doll house were big enough I would move in!
So would I, Linda!
Me too!
I’m with Linda. I’m ready to pack my bags and move into that dollhouse! It is as charming as your cottage! I finally remembered to check out your professional page as well. Wow, Claudia, you are amazing! I’m lucky to speak articulately enough in my one and only voice/accent for people to understand me – I am super impressed!!! … Donna
Aw, thanks, Donna! This dollhouse is one of my very favorite things!
I Just Love seeing your Dollhouse! I have checked on it from time to time,and can’t wait to see whats next! -Judy A-
Some tweaks to the kitchen, and some work on the bathroom – that’s what I have at the top of my list.
I just want to move right in to your dollhouse. Do you have a wee duster for it ? :)
xo
Laura
No, but I should! I use paper towels and a small paint brush.
I never tire of seeing your dollhouse! It’s perfect…I wouldn’t mind living there…cozy and comforting! ;)
If only I could repair my house as easily as I repair the dollhouse!
I have been looking for one I can afford since I first saw yours Claudia..no luck yet but I’m sure it somewhere out there just waiting to be found and loved..I’m sure when yours is done it will be as cozy as your cottage is..
You will find not, Nancy. Look on Craigs List.
I had no idea you could get s many things for a doll house. The detail is amazing. Maybe it’s time to stack the fireplace with firewood for the winter and make that house really cozy. I particularly love the stairs! It’s all just so cute!
I’m thinking I need to make some firewood for the fireplace. I did the stairs – the spindles and the railing – myself. I was quite amazed that I actually did it correctly!
Oh its been ages since I’ve seen the dollhouse…cute as ever!
The dollhouse seems to come out for viewing in the colder weather, Deb.
Never knew about the dollhouse before. How cute! Spotted your signature color in several places – in fact it looks like it could BE your real house! Love that little tote bag tucked under the stairs the best! You must have a lot of fun with it. A great wintertime “toy” for the Young at Heart…
My friend Jill made that tote for me. Isn’t it charming?
Claudia, your scale is amazing! I have had dollhouses for about 25 years, but haven’t worked on them for about 24 – just keep moving them from house to house. One of them is lost (in the crawl space, I think.)
Lovely. Thanks for sharing.
Gail
Thanks so much, Gail. It’s always a little shocking how scale can vary from piece to piece. I have some pieces that I just can’t use because they are not to scale and would look huge in the dollhouse.
Sigh, I wish I were tiny enough to live in your beautiful dollhouse!
Me too, Donna!
If I were able to shrink myself I would fight all the others off for a chance to live in that house It is amazing and so very you:)
I have this picture in my head of all my friends shrunk down to mini size, fighting for possession of the house!
I forgot to mention the flip flops in the bathroom….. to die for!! The detail is amazing. I may begin looking for one
Claudia, how have I missed the dollhouse? Perfect. My husband made one for our daughter 35 years ago, we had such fun decorating it. He even made some of the furniture, we wallpapered with quilt fabric. I remember some little Rosebud dolls she had living in it. Thanks for sparking a wonderful memory. BMV is a necessary evil, I suppose!
Well, I haven’t talked about it in several months, Hedy. I usually start to work on it again at this time of year.
DMV went very smoothly. Sigh of relief.
Oh my! I LOVE it! This is something that I have always wanted to do, but have no room for one. I will have to go and look to see more posts about this. I love dolls and have collected for several years. I have paired down to just a few special ones recently. So I have to ask if your house has a family that lives in it?
I look forward to watching your progress. I think it is already quite special.
No family. I don’t want little dolls in it, Carolyn. They always look too large for the scale of the furniture and not very believable. Besides, I fantasize about living in it and remember what’s on my sidebar: I’m am a solitary person who is chatty. I don’t want to share that space!
Love the flip flops! I used to use the tiny Christmas lights in mine and decorate it for the holidays with a tree and presents and wreaths. It has since gone on to a new home as I don’t have the space anymore. I enjoy seeing yours!
I also have a dollhouse and love to decorate, although I’m nowhere near your level of completion nor cuteness. I agree that much of the available furnishings look fake, and I hope to someday have time to make my own.
Wish I lived close enough to come play.
I am in absolute awe of your dollhouse! I will have to look back to your other posts. I was wondering how you came to collect all those shabby chic pieces. Just beautiful!
Claudia, can I hire you to clean all of my dollhouses and miniature scenes? That, for me, is the hardest part of being a miniature builder and collector…. If I did it right, I would have no time to build! Thanks for the tour. Now that it is winters gain, get to work and finish the bathroom!
Oops! Silly iPad! I typed “winter again”. Honest!
Love your dollhouse….It’s hard to tell from the pictures that it’s a miniature house…Love what you’ve done with the place :)
You have such cute furniture for your mini house. I love that you have a copy of Jane Eyre and Little Women on your bookshelf!
Big Texas Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
Claudia, your dollhouse is furnished so beautifully, so full of charm!!.. love it. Mine is at a stand still.. because it now requires MONEY to buy more furniture, and that’s low on the priority list. LOVE what you’ve put in there.
I am so glad to see the doll house featured again!