Furnishings
2 wardrobes (remember, closets are a relatively new luxury)
1 rocking chair (I love rocking chairs!)
1 china hutch (with a curved "glass" front like the one that belonged to my paternal grandmother)
1 master bed (first things first)
1 writing table (I am a writer after all)
1 coat rack (remember - no closets)
1 tea set (Tea is always served in the Fursdon Households)
Various pots and pans for the kitchen
1 set of 3 real glass canisters
1 watering can
Flower pots made of terra cotta
Clay flowers (not the proper scale, but small enough and so beautiful it was worth the purchase)
1 vintage 1920's style kitchen stove
1 Hoover cabinet (I've always wanted one but Nigel hates them. I guess I showed him, huh?)
2 fireplaces (I love fireplaces and would have them in every room of our house, except for their upkeep!)
1 Jack in the Box (like I had when I was a child, as did my daughters and granddaughter)
1 "toy" rocking horse (again, as I had as a child, as did my daughters and granddaughter)
1 secretary (lovely place to keep writing materials and special books)
4 staircases (3 of which were later returned after I devised a way of "suggesting" stairs were in the back of
the house and, as such, were unseen)
1 bowl of eggs
1 set of "pewter" plates and silverware (Nigel especially loves pewter and we have a fine collection of it)
1 small bag of blank miniature "books" (have to have books! I wrote things in several of them - naturally)
2 Lady bugs (after all, they're for good luck!)
Miniature bricks (actual bricks! I was amazed!)
Molding (first time I ever used this stuff, even if it was miniature!)
NOTE: All of the above were miniatures, in the 1" = 1' scale (with the exception of the clay flowers, which were just slightly off scale). This 1"=1' scale is the most common scale used for doll houses.
I have to admit, I had the time of my life looking for all of these! And once everything was loaded into the car, I immediately went to a store (now sadly out of business) which specialized in unfinished (and therefore, much more reasonably priced) furniture!
I finally settled on a five foot high, two-door "pantry" with movable shelves. Here's another "stupendously marvelous" drawing to show you how it looked:
Once dearest Husband had the "shell" complete, I was in my element! I caulked the holes which had previously allowed the shelves to be moved up or down. I then spread primer on and gave it two coats of a high-gloss warm white paint. I also ordered glass knobs. Now here's one of the best reasons (one of many I should say) to have a doll house. I love glass door knobs! I'd have them throughout my own house if Husband (also Stubborn and Opinionated, like his wife) would agree to it. But he absolutely hates them! And over the years, we've tried very hard to decorate our home as much as possible with things that we can either both agree on, or at least be able to reasonably agree on. Now, where was I? Oh yes, glass doorknobs! Well, if I find it difficult to have something in my own house that I truly love without upsetting the sensibilities of Husband, I put it in my doll house! For instance, one of these days, I'm determined to have a wall - perhaps in the rooftop garden or in the art studio - made out of a mosaic of either shells, or colorful brokEn bits of sea glass, or something! I'd likely never have that in my own home; besides, I might get very tired of it after awhile and then where would I be? But the doll house is another matter entirely! And if it turns out I don't like it after awhile, I simply remove it!
Until the next post! May God Bless, Jan
