I Say It's a Dollhouse

I've noticed that a few of you have recently purchased or constructed dollhouses or room boxes. I really envy you because you have the architectural details that I'm craving.  I don't own a dollhouse so I've been working with the IKEA Lekman and the IKEA Glasshouse.  While I was out Christmas shopping, I spotted this little house for $40 at Tuesday Morning and thought it would satisfy my needs for a little bit. I put it together in about three minutes with ten fat wooden screws.  The box says "Ages 5+", and I think it was intended for a five year old to put together.  Ahhh, just my speed!   

This house came with 34 pieces of furniture and a few pieces are just screamin' for a makeover.  I'll get to that on one of those dark, cold, dreary days, when it's too cold to go out and..... oh yeah, we don't get those kind of days, so no tellin' when I'll get to that little project.

It's actually a cute little house and I could see a lot of possibilities.  It has two stories and the partition creates four rooms.

Then, I actually measured the first floor (the dimensions weren't on the box) and the ceiling height is only seven inches.  Very disappointing, but I could possibly get away with it and I can still use the second floor.  So, I removed the partition and second story floor for some further exploration.  I don't know.... it's looking like a combination of the Lekman and the Glasshouse to me!

 This is going to take some thinking out-of-the-box and I have no problem flippin' this baby..

Uhhhh....not so much.

A little better with one eye covered.  

I'm seeing possibilities.  I think it's workable.  I'm determined to use this structure (dare I say dollhouse with real collectors in the midst?)

I'm gathering things for another scene but I have no idea which of my three structures I'll use.  Decisions, decisions.

Gotta go!  Beany

Southwest Vibe

Happy New Year to you all!  Ten days in and all is well!

This past summer, I went to Olvera Street in Los Angeles, which is a Mexican marketplace located in the oldest part of downtown.  It's a tourist attraction with a lot of little shops and some excellent Mexican restaurants, historical buildings and live performances.  I've been there several times and never noticed any minis, but now I'm on the lookout everywhere I go (as I'm sure most of you are), and BOY, did I score!  I found a lot of miniature pottery pieces, food, bright colored baskets, beverage bottles (alcohol), a few furniture pieces, sombreros and blankets.  It was a good day!

I picture this scene to be somewhere in a very hot and sunny southwest state, or somewhere south-of-the- border, or somewhere in the vicinity of Palm Springs, or somewhere in .....  You get the picture.        

Inside looking out to the patio

Outside looking in

Love the colored plates, but they were glued to the shelf

Basket full of mini pottery on Olvera St.

I thought I took a picture of all my purchases that day, but I guess not, but I do recall laying it all out on the bed like I was going to.

The stuff:  I used the glass greenhouse from IKEA.  The cork wall treatment that's serving as shelves are trivets from Pier I.  It would've been nice if the cork had spanned across the whole back wall, but hey...  The dolls are Guatemalan worry dolls (tell the doll your worries and they will do the worrying for you).  If only!  These are wedding favor chairs painted white (saw these on a few blogs some time ago).  Love the dining table and set of wall shelves by minisx2.  The cabinet, most of the pottery and the baskets are from Olvera Street, with some like items thrown in.  The rug is a piece of fabric and the floor is vinyl tile.  Patio:  The background is a picture from the dollar store.  I know you recognize those CB2 chairs.  The table top is a stone coaster and the floor is cork.

Until I post again, Beany.