Okay, here we go with the final Dove Cottage wrap-up. I’m providing as many views of the rooms as I can, given that the house is small and taking photos of the details can be a challenge. Where possible, I will list sources. There are a lot of photos, so enjoy.
The exterior. If you’ve forgotten what it looked like to begin with, see yesterday’s post. I’m quite chuffed about this transformation. The Arthur dollhouse, which this is, was designed to be a cute little cottage with a porch. When I got the house, the porch roof and railings were missing. Barbara sent me her Arthur kit for replacement parts, but I stuck with the entrance level as it is, since I’d decided to create an English cottage and didn’t want an American porch. I made the stones from egg cartons, made acrylic inserts for the windows (a giant pain in the tush,) painted and aged the roof. I had the piece of wood that I made into a step in my stash. I also replaced several window frames and the door frame.
The front door was also missing. Thankfully, I found it in Barbara’s kit. I found the diamond window film at miniatures(dot)com. The door knob is from WestonMiniature on Etsy.
The bistro chair is from Cosediunaltromondo on Etsy.
I made the dolly tub from two Nyquil caps and the flowers are from miniatures(dot)com.
I had the ballast (pebbles) on hand as I used it in the roof garden of Hummingbird Cottage. Easily obtained from a railroad/hobby shop.
The pot of flowers is from miniatures(dot)com. I aged the pot with some paints that I had on hand.
The ground floor of the interior. I can’t remember where I got the wallpaper but I think it was from Itsy Bitsy Mini. I stained and installed the beams, painted the ceiling, and stained and installed the wooden floor. That gorgeous pink toile chair is one of my prized possessions – made by the very famous June Clinkscales and purchased through TinyDollHouseNYC on Etsy. It’s very heavy and beautifully made.
This bookshelf unit was made by Cinen on Etsy. I love, love, love it.
The vast majority of the books are from LandauHouse on Etsy. A few of them are gifts from Ben. He got them at TinyDollHouseNYC. I had the ‘ceramic’ planter in my stash. The clock was a gift from Ben (the guy I coached in the movie.) I had the candlestick in my stash and the shell was found on a beach in Florida.
The beautiful blue pot on the floor is made by Maddie Gerig Shelly. I got it at a miniatures show. Maddie is the niece of the famous miniature pottery maker, Jane Graber.
The table is from Etsy, but I can’t remember the name of the seller. I copied the link and sent it to Don and he gave it to me for my birthday a couple of years ago. The cup and saucer are from LavandeHouse on Etsy. The book was a gift from Ben. The rug is from TinyHomeGoods on Etsy.
The potted palm is from TinyDollHouseNYC. The sofa (another prized possession) is from ArlettesMiniatures on Etsy. The floor lamp is from Victoriaminiland on Etsy. And the beautiful art (a framed stamp) is from MiniMyEye on Etsy.
The crock, which you can see more clearly in other photos, is made by Jane Graber. I got it at miniatures show several years ago. The island is from ViliaMiniatureDesign on Etsy. I painted and aged it, stained the counter, and made that little cupboard into a refrigerator. I recently found that faucet to replace the one that came with the island. I really love it. It’s from TeaseMiniatures on Etsy. The hanging lamps are from Victoriaminiland on Etsy.
Another framed stamp from MiniMyEye on Etsy. The umbrella stand is from TinyDollHouseNYC and was a gift from Don. It came with the walking canes. The umbrella is also from TinyDollHouseNYC. I got the boots from miniatures(dot)com. The boot tray is from LavandeHouse on Etsy.
I got the Aga on eBay. I stole the copper pot from Hummingbird Cottage. I found the kettle in a miniature shop in Paris. And the beautiful platter hanging on the wall is from LavandeHouse on Etsy.
The hutch is also one of my prized possessions. It was made by Barbara Vajnar who sold her creations as Bubbas Country Cupboards. I bought it at a miniatures show. The hinges are handmade by another artisan who Barbara worked with. The interiors of the drawers and the cupboards are impeccably made. Barbara retired over a year ago and I’m so sad! I managed to snag a corner cupboard that she made when she sold off the remainder of her inventory on eBay – that will go in the Beacon Hill.
The plates are from TwelveTimesMoreTeeny on Etsy. The butter crock is made by Jane Graber. I found it on eBay. Some of the mugs and plates I had in my stash. The egg cups are from VictoriaFasken on Etsy. And the covered cake plate is made by Veronique Cornish. I found it in the booth of Little Dollhouse Company (Canada) at a miniatures show. I believe the tin and the blue pitcher were gifts from Barbara. And the wooden bowl was a purchase from WestonMiniatures on Etsy.
The bedroom:
I’m pretty sure the wallpaper is from Earth and Tree Miniatures, based in New Hampshire. I made the floor.
I found the wicker table at a miniatures show – I believe it’s from Uncle Ciggie’s Miniatures – she makes beautiful miniature wicker pieces. The Agatha Christie book is from LandauHouse on Etsy. The lamp is a very old non-working lamp from the Petite Princess line (memories of my childhood!) I’m thinking the cup/saucer was a gift from Barbara.
The bed is from TinyIronMiniatures on Etsy. The dust ruffle is a handkerchief given to me by longtime reader Martha. It was her late mother’s. You can imagine how precious it is to me.
The pillowcases and pillows are from TonisCraftRoom on Etsy.
The quilt was a gift from Barbara, but I’m using the backing as the coverlet. I found the two prints at a minatures show in the booth of the great Patrizia Santi. I’ve been hanging on to them until I found the perfect spot. This is it. The rug was also found at a miniatures show and I had it in the modern dollhouse. I can’t remember the maker.
The wardrobe was found on Etsy – I won’t give you the name of the seller because what was sent to me was very different than I had expected. There was a large gap between the doors. But returning it would have been more costly than the unfinished piece, so I cut a piece of wood to fit the gap, which seemed to work. Then I painted and aged it. Of course, I can’t open the doors, but who cares?
The framed painting was purchased at a miniature shop in Paris. The chair is from ArlettesMiniatures on Etsy – she made the sofa, as well. (It may move to the Beacon Hill in the future…we’ll see.) The room looks fine without it. But it’s here for the foreseeable future.
The art studio:
This space was originally intended to be the bathroom, but I just wasn’t enthused about one of only three rooms in this tiny house being devoted to a bathroom. Boring. So it became the art studio. I think the wallpaper is from Earth and Tree Miniatures. If not, it’s from Itsy Bitsy Mini. I made the floors and painted them. The wood trim on the eave was the solution for a mistake I made with the dimensions of the wallpaper. Sometimes a mistake leads to something really cool!
The painting on the wall on the left is from WestonMiniature. The red piece of art propped against the wall is an old brooch that I used to wear. The chair was in the modern dollhouse and now lives here. It’s from AliceMiniatures on Etsy. The beautiful handmade easel is from AtelierHannasMinis on Etsy. It is amazing, every part of it works and it can be adjusted. The little painting is by yours truly. The stool was a gift from Barbara.
I had the shelf unit in my stash. The bust of Queen Victoria is from TinyDollHouseNYC. The paint tubes and palette and paint box were made by me from a kit I got at miniatures (dot) com. The kit is from Dragonfly International. I also made paintbrushes, but I can’t find them!
And there you go!
Dove Cottage (save for a few little things) is finished.
It’s my favorite creation so far and if I hadn’t gone to recycle when Don was working out of town, it wouldn’t be here. It was a battered little house set aside by the guy who runs the transfer station because maybe a little kid would like it. Probably a kid would like it, but I got to it first! I never planned on it becoming what it is now but, boy oh boy, I’m sure proud of it. The shell is the same, but the exterior is completely transformed. Reuse, recycle. That’s what I love to do.
Thanks so much, everyone.
Stay safe.
Happy Tuesday.
Hello,
I think the man who rescued the doll house would be pleased to see what a beautiful house his “save” turned out to be. It reminds me of the book about the ugly duckling who turned out to be a swan.
Take Care,
Kaye
Thank you for your kind words, Kaye.
Stay safe.
I am quite amazed at what you’ve all done with a rescued landfill dollhouse. Quite the accomplishment…and quite the imagination and resourcefulness. It’s a true labor of love.
Enjoy your day!
It was. I’m very, very happy with it.
Thank you, Donnamae.
Stay safe.
dear Claudia/Don — this house is so perfect — so glad you (with your artistic vision) could make this piece a stand out!! my favorite piece is the lg bookcase — it seems to really belong in this house. we are in a “heat wave” till Fr — 90-96, accompanied by humidity — not my kind of weather!! stay safe/healthy
Oh, I hope the heat wave leaves soon, Linda. Not fun at all.
Stay safe!
Turning the bathroom into an art studio? BRILLIANT!!!
Much more fun at least!
Stay safe, Tana.
What a fun tour! Thanks! You did a great job with everything!
You’re welcome! Thanks for being here, Barrie.
Stay safe.
i am sure this post will be helpful to other miniaturists here … nice of you to take time to share all the resources and your creativity. i am not a miniaturist (i have so many other hobbies already and at present have no room for more), but sure do like and appreciate all your creative ideas and efforts … you’ve turned a thrown-away dollhouse into a work of art! i love the whole thing (including the recycling/reusing of things), but especially the art studio and bedroom.
great job, claudia!
thanks for all you share.
hope you have a good day, sit where you can look at dove cottage and stay cool.
kathy
I always do a wrap up post with sources when I finish a dollhouse. It’s helpful to other dollhouse enthusiasts.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Kathy.
Stay safe.
It’s been such fun watching this transformation! Your imagination, and creativity, absolutely shine with this project! I can’t wait to see what you do with the Beacon Hill🙂
The Beacon Hill seems daunting at present, but I’m getting ready to do some work on it.
Thank you, Debbie.
Stay safe.
Absolutely enchanting! The furnishings are exquisite, and I love the wallpapers.
Thank you so much, Lynda.
I’m so glad you like it.
Stay safe.
This post today; what a treat. I wouldn’t even know where to start on what I like best because I love ALL of Dove Cottage. I could look and look at these photos and never tire of the looking. Claudia, of course we’ve all said it before, but you are mega-talented with these houses. This little house is a real triumph. Please, can I live there! You’ve put so much work into the house and it takes a long, long time to find and collect all of the accessories, to which the house is actually quite priceless. I love how you’ve lined shelves with books and little collectibles, or the hutch with the little tin and the beautiful plates, all the same as if it were a human home. It’s all just so one-of-a-kind wonderful. The wallpaper in the art studio is the bomb. I really enjoy seeing everything. Is good you document it thoroughly here on the blog and/or your i-gram; a visual history of the creation. You should have a very satisfying feeling of accomplishment; the house is a delight.
I needed the photo montage/treat (thanks again) because I’m grumbly about a stately, tall palm tree going down next door. I know it was in the wires overhead and we can’t have that kind of friction with wildfire danger when we’re dry as a bone with no rain and in drought and with the Santa Ana wind conditions, a little of which we have today in this low humidity, but that palm tree had been there for 60 years at least. Maybe 100 years, before our housing tract was ever built in the 50s, when it was a farm with walnut orchards. I don’t like change! We kids used to play under that tree; it’s messing with my childhood memories! I like to keep any kind of trees! When the tree cutter lopped off all the fronds, I was hoping that was where it ended; but, nope, he’s taking down the whole tree. It’s awfully hot outside, but I’m gonna go out in the car for a little, drive away somewhere else, to drown out the sound of that rude chainsaw, then come home and get accustomed to a view now which does not include the tree. Nothing stays the same; must move on/forward. Is just sad for me today.
We drove thru a new housing tract last evening and I began to notice how there are no telephone poles, no draping cables; my husband explained to me, the dinosaur, that any new builds now have all that underground, not overground. These new homes are up against the foothills and I’d never live there due to the aforesaid wildfire danger; I don’t feel they should be building in that location. California keeps being stupid about it. I despair at the loss of the ranch it was; just acres and acres of orange groves. Anyway, it was so quiet, no people yet, the houses still under construction; we watched the full-moon rising to the south/east (magnificent, big, bright moon face; I swear he was smiling); listened to the end-of-daytime sounds of the natural environment which will soon enough be filled with human residents and not all the birdlife; and, speaking of one resident, from behind our parked car came the fastest jackrabbit I think I’ve ever seen, hopping like crazy toward the populated areas of this subdivision, reminiscent of a kangaroo! I kept thinking, “No buddy, go back into the hills; this is no place for you!” Was fun to see, though. I haven’t seen rabbits at dusk for a long time as we lost so much wildlife in our bad wildfires four years ago. Good to see they’re back!
I’ve enjoyed hearing of your deer; it’s so soothing to see your photo of the fawn; sort of creates this hushed feeling deep inside the soul, doesn’t it. Too see such a beautiful thing.
I also dislike change and I hate to see any tree come down. Doubly hard for you as this is the neighborhood you grew up in, so everything has such history. Even in the brief time we’ve lived here, we’ve seen changes that break our hearts. And I can’t go back to the town I grew up in because it’s now way too big and virtually unrecognizable. I understand.
xo
what a sad thing to lose a tree! :( sorry that’s happened, vicki.
hope you are well, staying cool and get some rain soon.
kathy
Oh, thank you so much, Vicki.
I’m especially proud of this one and I never tire of looking at it.
Stay safe.
Charming
When my daughter was small, she, her dad, and I had fun doing one for her.
I fortunately hers disappeared long story but we got her a huge one
She worked on it until
Her three girls came
It sits in their loft
One day…
Love yours
Thank you so much, Brenda.
She’ll get back to it one day.
Stay safe.
This is my very favorite of the houses that you have done! The details are marvelous and I could spend a lot of time in this house if only I could shrink down and fit inside. I think that you are becoming a real artist in your ingenuity, your acquisition of skills, and your eye for creating a mood. Love this house so much!
Oh thank you Carolyn Marie! That means a lot to me.
I love this little house.
Stay safe.
I am in awe. I adore how the pieces work together (especially in the living room) and any doll house with an art studio is one I would automatically love! I could move in there in a heartbeat (apart from no bathroom, but I wouldn’t waste a room on that, either. I’m sure you can find a chamber pot if you don’t have one already!)
Chamber pot, outhouse…
So glad you like it Jeanie.
Stay safe.
It’s a beauty!! Such work you put into it and a showcase of skill and creativity. I can’t imagine who wouldn’t want to spend delightful days there. Well done!
Oh, thanks so much, Nora.
This was a labor of love and I’m very happy with it!
Stay safe.
Thank you so much for posting this detailed source list Claudia, The perfection of each little, wonderfully chosen piece is a marvel 😍
Oh, thank you, Deborah!
Stay safe.
Beautiful!
Thank you so much, Mary!
Stay safe.
Oh Claudia I so enjoyed this post. I am behind on reading due to having surgery. I have AMD but try to enlarge your photos . They are a blessing to see. I feel the creative efforts and patience of the stone siding impressed me most. Once I saw the outside I was sucked in and could envision a small family happily living in Dove cottage. Your renovation is very impressive and thank you so much for the “showing” as I felt like a house hunter on HGTV . If only I could shrink myself . I would sit for hours enjoying the coziness and peace of your Dove Cottage . Thank you so much
I hope you’re feeling better, Patricia.
Your words are so kind! Thank you so much.
Stay safe.
So many little details. I had no idea how complex the world of miniatures is. How fun to remodel a whole house. I would enjoy the furnishings part but not all the tiny construction.
Beautiful work!
Thank you, Kay.
Stay safe.