Saturday, December 24, 2011

A Childhood Dream.. Come True!

We didn't have a lot as I was growing up, but we always had a warm home, food to eat and clothes to wear.  I did see other kids had bigger homes, more clothes, more attention and nice gifts.  No big thing, but as I went through my adulthood, I would occasionally get to fulfill a childhood dream.  When our kids were young, we got a pony for them, and I got my very own horse.  Check that off the bucket list.  Another thing I coveted all my life was a doll house.  So, here I am.. in my 6th decade, and I am the proud new owner of a vintage Victorian Doll House!  A few days ago I thought.. hmm.. I'll check on craigslist for one and lo and behold, there was a fully furnished, fancy hand built dollhouse!  I emailed the owners and they didn't respond for a few days, but on Thursday he sent a few more photos.  On Friday I called and asked if we could come and take a look... and.... look what hubby got for me!  
The photo below is the living room as it was decorated when we bought it.  Don't you love the tree?  There are a bunch of gifts under it and 3 tiny wooden soldiers - and a tiny basket full of tiny balls of yarn.  See the stockings on the mantel?
Today we spent hours dusting and gluing on the odd bits and broken furniture - and I was amazed at the hand inlaid wooden floors!!  So, I took some pictures of the empty rooms to show you the floors.  There are 3 "crystal" chandeliers - we have to get a battery pack for the light system - it was missing.
Here is the living room with lace curtains, inlaid floor, the fireplace - and each room has a different wallpaper.  See the fretwork over the fireplace and doors to the kitchen?
The wondrous floor.. I am in love with it!! 
The fireplace. 
There are also 2 hand done needlepoint "Persian" rugs! 
The upstairs master bedroom has a chevron wood floor. 
A better view of the floor. 
Here is the foyer with even more fancy inlaid wood flooring! 
Sorry for the grainy photo.. but I decided to leave the carpet off the livingroom floor when I set up the furniture.  Isn't it cute!? 
The master bedroom set up.. although for some reason the wash stand is in the wrong place. :-)  I must say that the furniture is amazing, all wood, all the drawers pull out. 
Here is the tiny kitchen with a pot belly stove, a sink with a water pump, a broom, bag of flour and a water bucket.
Guess who had to check out the new "thing".   
In the 3rd floor of the turret is a sweet little sun room with an adorable wicker table and chairs... and a wicker hanging basket of what looks like a Christmas cactus!  There is a violet in bloom on the table and a few books to read.  The door opens to a little balcony. 
The bathroom -- it's the same kind of toilet that we have here in our old farmhouse!  We also have a similar sink and the same claw-foot bath tub. It also has a medicine cabinet like ours.
Here is the nursery.  It has stained glass windows and toys on the floor. 
Sorry for the fuzzy photo below.. here is the back. 
Here is how I set up the living room -- or the parlour.   
I already have a shopping list.  Better rugs for the bathroom, a Victorian family to inhabit the home, and other bits and bobs.  I also plan to crochet a few pillows and especially a granny square blanket for the four poster bed, using tiny yarn and hook.  What else do you think I should add?  I already envision finding some tiny Christmas lights to hang on it next year.  :-)
We're having a lovely calm Christmas Eve - and tomorrow our son and his family will arrive for a roast beef dinner and PREZZIES!!  Can't wait.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful day tomorrow and be happy and enjoy what you have.  And take some time to think of others that could use some help and maybe we can all do that in this coming year.

❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉
*M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ 
((hugs)), Teresa :-) 


22 comments:

  1. Wow .. that dolls house is just amazing!! What a beautiful Chrissie present and I can tell you're going to have a great time with it. Don't forget a few little crochet pillows for the couch or bed. We've just finished our Christmas dinner here in Australia - prawn cocktail for starters then roast vegies with turkey and ham. Nobody was ready for the plum pudding and hot custard so we'll probably have that later tonight. I hope you enjoy your day.

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  2. Oh what a find!!! I love the colors of the house. Those floors, oh my!!

    Can I shrink myself down to doll size and come live in your little house?

    We have a miniature museum here in Tucson. I'm hoping to take my granddaughter there some day.

    Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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  3. Teresa...Congratulations! It is fabulous! It pulled at my heartstrings, because my Dad built me one, when my girls were little. I treasured it. But then one year, I was I was putting it up into the rafters for a bit, when I needed to put some things away when Noah was born, and the house was full of baby furniture. I dropped it, and it broke. I was sick. I couldn't save it. I had some very cute furniture for it. I don't remember what I even did with it. You have a treasure for sure!!!
    Enjoy your day tomorrow!
    Hugs,
    Kris

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  4. What a wonderful dollhouse--I cannot believe all the work (and obvious love) that went into its construction and decorating! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy your new 'toy'---I know you will have great fun with it!
    Merry Christmas to you + yours,
    Aimee

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  5. How beautiful Teresa - so much wonderful detail! What scale is it made to? One twelfth? Can you let me know please -di_wray@hotmail.com

    Merry Christmas and thank you for your wonderful blog postings! Di xx

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  6. Wow, Merry Christmas Teresa. That is a wonderful doll house.

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  7. Teresa,Merry Christmas to you and your family. My sister is re-doing a doll house a big wish she had as a a little girl. You can visit her blog mockingbirdhillcottage.blogspot.com, she is fascinated with it. I am waiting for my boys to wake up, a big difference from the little ones who were so eager to open presents.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  8. Wow!!! That is gorgeous...I want to live there...LOL

    My neighbors next door, who are in their 70's, have a beautiful Victorian dollhouse set up in their livingroom. They have so much Christmas decorations for it, it's unbelievable :) Hope you enjoy yours as much as they do :)

    Merry Christmas!!

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  9. Thanks for sharing your *dream home* with us! The artistry is amazing, and I KNOW your talent and artistry will make it all the more amazing. I am sitting here smiling and happy for you, as well as for us. Merry Christmas, indeed!!! <3

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  10. Hi Teresa! Your new house is really a dream come true!!! Keep enjoying and sharing with us!
    A pie in the making for the kitchen can be a nice touch!!
    :o)
    Merry Christmas!!!

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  11. Merry Christmas Teresa,lovely to find you. I LOVE your dolls house gift its fantastic!I'm looking forward to the coming months to see how you decorate ,further,its already lovely though.Enjoy the holidays,love juliexxx

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  12. How special that a childhood dream came true for your this Christmas! The doll's house is amazing, I felt as if I was walking around a real one...it is full of fascinating detail and has a real atmosphere.
    Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas, Teresa!
    Helen x

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  13. What a fab find Teresa. We have another days of celebrating here...the whole family arriving soon for even more food ;0)
    Jane x

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  14. Oh my goodness! That is amazing! I would love to shrink down and live there!

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  15. Wow! The dollhouse is fantastic, down to every last detail. I can't get over the inlay floors. Someone really put a lot of love and effort into this. How absolutely wonderful!

    (Psst...I happen to know where you can get some nice baked goods for it too!)
    xox

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  16. Teresa,
    Hello!! I am so pleased to meet another doll house lover and owner!! Your doll house is stunning beyond belief!! I love the outside and the inside is superb!! The floors are amazing!! And I adore those curtains!!
    I bought a lot of my doll house things at A.C. Moore's and on Ebay. There are some amazing Doll House stores on ebay. If interested, let me know and I could send you links.
    I love that your doll house has electricity. Mine does not but as a beggar, I could not be chosey! I am so lucky to have had such a wonderful person build mine for me. Did you read the story of my doll house? I decorate it for Halloween , winter , Christmas and Summer. Mine is on a turntable that we bought the hardware at lowe's and you bolt a piece of wood to it. Since mine is in a corner, I can spin it around to see the inside...
    Please keep me posted on all the fun you will have with this beauty!! And congrats to you too for acheieving a childhood dream....I am signing up to follow you...

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  17. Hi Teresa!!
    I have visited your page for the first time today! What a lovely doll house! I am writing you from Montevideo, Uruguay. I am amazed by the doll house. The interior, the furniture and the details. Just lovely!! congratulations and enjoy it! I am glad you have fullfilled your dream. Lovely,
    Margarita

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  18. this house is absolutely beautiful! The detail and the workmanship is just amazing! You are one lucky lady! Thanks for sharing this treasure!

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  19. Gorgeous dollhouse, I love the details in the flooring. You can tell someone really put a lot of love in that build. Congrats!

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  20. Oh my goodness, Teresa, you hit the mother lode when you found this dollhouse! WOW. It's simply wonderful. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

    xo
    Claudia

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  21. How exciting and fun! It is so well scaled that it looks like photos of real, life size rooms. There are some really great pieces of furniture and little treasures in your doll house. There used to be a miniature store in a nearby town that had so many great doll house things. I used to spend a lot of time in there just looking and occasionally buying something I couldn't resist. They had little bricks, shingles, perfectly scaled furniture that was so real looking...just small, wallpaper, lights....I could go on and on. It was amazing. I haven't seen a store like that in years though. I have an adorable little drop-leaf table with two little chairs that have handwoven seats. I love it. Maybe I should blog it someday so you can see it. It's so cute. Enjoy your wonderful little house! :-D

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  22. This is so charming! One of the prettiest I have seen.

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