The Smallest Room of the Dolls' House is Finished

My cabinet dolls' house has been an on-going project for nearly 30yrs and this is the first room that I am declaring - Finished - Done - Complete.  It is the smallest room.


The dolls' house was started for my daughter but she quickly dis-owned it and over the years, many things that we could not afford in the renovations of our actual house (or that were simply too grandiose) I did in the mini house.

Victorian era prettily painted bathroom fittings were one of those things - indeed in the full-scale house there isn't even enough space to have a bathtub!  But the bathroom set was one of the first things I bought for the dolls' house... I painted all the flowers on about 12yrs ago

cosmetic bottles made of beads

The doll's house bathroom has marble tiled floor, fancy tiles (I painted those flowers too!) and a view of Pont Alexandre III  out the window.  Well, every house should have a view of a Parisian bridge from the bathroom window!! 





Some things I made myself.  The light-fitting is Fimo, towels & face cloth sewn from a stretch toweling baby onesie, lots of beads...

towels sewn from baby-suit

Enjoying a sense of closure here - just so long as I don't think about the other 8 rooms!

Parcels - it's all about parcels

Getting a parcel is wonderful fun.  These days I don't get parcels from my grandmother so I find other ways to ensure that nice little boxes with lots of sticky tape all over them, keep arriving on the door-step. 

One way is to participate in (or organise) swaps of Blythe Doll goodies - which I do through Ravelry.   Violetta got to open the latest parcel ...  




 And she called Bird and Julia over because ...

Another one of US !!!

De-boxing a LPS Blythe can be arduous ...  there are lots of knots and things

Here are last - little Heidi the Hiker.  Julia likes her pantaloons and Bird approves of her ponytails. 

 Heidi offered everyone a 'lick' of her lollypop and then she showed off her
"'tremely cool sunglasses"   but Bird got the giggles ...

Those sunnies are really quite funny

 Meanwhile - Violetta had found more things in the parcel - all in pretty pink paper ...







 








"Well - this certainly IS a lovely dress and beautifully made but somehow I think it is more Audrey's style ... "

and here is Audrey wearing the completely wonderful Audrey Hepburn outfit ... dress, gloves, pearls and tiara!   thank you "Squishy10"   from Ravelry for a great swap outfit. 

I must show you the outfits I made for this swap - in a future post.

The other way to make sure you get parcels is to buy things on the www.  When people discuss the decline of "bricks & mortar" shops & shopping this factor is never mentioned - but surely one of the best parts of on-line shopping is the arrival of the parcel - and by the time it arrives you've almost forgotten what you bought and you get that wonderful 'parcel opening' thrill ...

One of the doll's house / miniatures companies had a special on some kits that you have to put-together yourself ... I couldn't resist getting some natty little tables - very useful bits of furniture for problem corners.

Not sure when I'll get the time to put the kits together ...
Of course I'd bought some other things too ... a jardinière on a pedestal (I'll plant a fake aspidistra in it) a very nice ham with garnish and 3 little mice.   


All very Beatrix Potter's "Two Bad Mice"   (only there are 3!) 
Now to get the "two red lobsters ... a fish, a pudding, and some pears and oranges." 

Tom Thumb doesn't even need to carve this ham - it is already sliced

And the LPS Blythes had a very nice dinner to welcome Heidi ...

Petite Blythe moves in

Seems like the Blythe Dolls are taking over my life!  Certainly the newest (and littlest) Blythe has taken over the Dolls' House.  Bird is a LPS Blythe - she likes Ladybirds and joined the other dollies some months ago.

When I showed Bird the dolls house it seemed that all the furniture was just the right size ... not to big, not to small but just right.  I think Bird has moved in....

Making Biscuits in the kitchen

Replying to her fan mail in the Drawing Room

Playing Bach Toccatas in the Parlour

And making friends with the Cornish Rex Cat

At the dressing table

Running a nice hot bath

Bed-time - tucked up in the Nursery