Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Life, in miniature

It will be no surprise to any of you that I loved to play pretend when I was a little girl.  My mother would say that I would come downstairs in the morning, have breakfast and then proceed to lay out all of my toys for a morning's play.  While having someone to play with was always wonderful, it was completely unnecessary for me.  I was more than willing to play all parts!

My favourite toys were always those which were smaller than regular size ones.  One of my all-time favourites was a small Disney Castle that had almost all of the key figures from the various Disney movies pre-1971.  I was especially besotted with my 2" replicas of Sleeping Beauty, Malificent and the three fairies!  I preferred Dawn dolls over Barbie dolls. If it was small, I loved it!


If you don't remember Dawn dolls that's okay - but they had MOD clothing!!!  I wish I still had mine - I had to settle for Polly Pockets for my daughter!

And then suddenly, I seemed to start collecting these little treasures in earnest.  It started with a small wooden table and chairs that I bought when I was about 8 years old at a local shop. 



That summer, when we went to visit my grandfather (on my dad's side) at his old house in the country, he and I found an old cardboard box full of little teacups and saucers up in the attic.  I played with them out in the flower garden for hours.  About a month after I arrived home a box came in the mail: that same box, its contents carefully wrapped.  I will never forget the thrill of having such an unexpected gift come in the mail.  I had died and gone to heaven!


The little crock and saucer on the right started it all.  the rest are tucked away in my daughter's room!
 My mother must have mentioned this to her mother, because a month or so later when we went to visit her, she produced a box of miniature doll furniture that she had had made for my mother in the 1930s.  I don't know if she had designed it, which would have been typical of her as she had an artist's eye, but as you can see in the pictures here, the workmanship is exquisite; every drawer opens, you can even see yourself in the mirror.



The little bed has a little woven blanket and a wee pillow filled with sawdust!


You can see they take up a whole shelf in my library - don't ask about dusting it all..


Yes, those chairs are upholstered in purple velvet - could you die?  I have a table almost identical in my living room.



The kitchen table, set with real miniature brass candlesticks that my grandmother found for my mother in the 1930s.  Do you see the dice?



The little wooden buffet has a miniature cast iron clock and a little perfume sample bottle that my mother treated as if it was a nice decanter of cognac!



One of two identical chests of drawers.  And tucked beside the bed, a miniature brass bed with a frozen Charlotte on top:



Once they knew I loved these little pieces as much as I did, my family was always on the lookout for anything tiny and my grandmother, who was an antique dealer, scoured flea markets for the pieces.  We found kits and my dad would make them (the grandfather above for example).  Even my husband has been known to get in on the act, buying me this little guardian angel for my Christmas Stocking a few years ago:



What am I missing?  I am missing a house of course!  And that house will have to be custom made, just like this furniture was, as it won't easily fit a standard size dollhouse.  This may be a retirement project, but I am not mentioning to to Barry yet as he has his own lifesize renos to get to first.  I figure that he will wait until someday when we have a grandchild on the way and then get at it!

Even writing about them makes me want to start collecting again.  Oh dear....

How about you - do you like miniatures?  Did you have a dollhouse when you were young?  Do tell!

On a completely unrelated topic, I mentioned I came across a very nice Calvin Klein double-breasted navy blazer at Winners on the weekend.  They only had a size larger than my typical size, but I bought it anyway, as I was looking for a lightweight, but dressy blazer-like short jacket for Spring.  Did I mention I also bought a fatigue jacket at H&M.  Together, both jackets cost me $100.  Still sticking to the gaps and the budget!

On the hanger:



It is a nice dark navy, with navy enamel buttons and epalauts on the shoulders.

And on, with a tshirt AND another blazer on underneath, which is perfect as  I wanted lots of room for sweaters while it is still cool!



 I wore it for a walk this afternoon, only with boots, not the little loafers I was wearing around the house.  Coupled with a nice scarf I felt tres chic!  Don't you like the little purse - my daughter picked it up at Smart Set last weekend for a song because she loved the colour so much!

So that is a Tuesday!  As always, take care, have a grand day and stay safe out there!

41 comments:

  1. Very nice outfit!!

    I really would like to see your army jacket.
    Did you preorder one of the linen tanks?
    Mine(the hawaian print one)shipped,so maybe yours too?

    Have a great day!

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    1. Hi Ina, will try and take a picture of it today!

      I pre-ordered the banana one - no word yet, but you are giving me hope!

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  2. You have the most amazing treasures, I don't keep or collect anything, I clear out all the time, I don't have a sentimental bone in my body for things.
    It's time for my spring/summer purchases to begin, I need a coat, two light casual dresses, a swimsuit and a cover up, let the shopping begin!

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    1. I would like another light casual dress, but haven't seen anything since the red one I bought last month.

      I am lucky that I like these treasures still as they were kept for me, but it is s bit at times!

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    2. Hurray Tabs, that means more pretty things for us to exclaim over. Although I fear the caot may be a toughie. It will be hard to maintain the standard of furry tangerine dream with some sort of practical spring "Mac".

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  3. That miniature furniture is exquisite! You must must get a house for it to go in!
    I loved mini things too when I was a child and had a lovely dolls' house made by my uncle. My mother's friend made me miniature quilts and pillows for it, and I treasured it for years. Unfortunately it's languishing in my mother-in-laws cellar now....
    I also used to collect miniature soaps; the type one finds in hotels or on posh trains. I had a huge collection of those. No idea what became of them!

    Love your blue jacket - très chic!

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    1. Hi Ruth,

      I really do need the house, don't I! Around here, they encourage you to bring home those soaps and donate them to the women's shelter, which is such a great idea!

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    2. That's such a fantastic idea. I wish I'd kept them to donate, but sadly they're long gone, I think.

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    3. Well you have reminded me about if myself, so next trip I know what I am doing!

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  4. Yes, that's a great idea, it should be more widely taken up.

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    1. Tabs the team at Savoy back a while had hardest time donating a raft of discontinued Gilchrist & Soames mini products. At least then, surprisingly much harder to find either a shelter or a recycling re-use in your neck of woods than here. There are even companies out West in Can. and US that recycle the shampoo and body wash into biodegradable base for car wash etc.

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    2. Yes - ours are always thrilled to get them!

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    3. WMM, if I come on driving visit will have to bring a box for yours. I have scads, pretty literally, occupational hazard.

      An independent hotel I worked with tried for longest time to do bathroom amenities, recycling and women's outreach with the Body Shop but could never get logistics etc. viable for all. Always sorry that one fell through.

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    4. Thanks! Is always a challenge to make those connections, I think!

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  5. ALL DOLLED UP WMM score on that jacket. I am contemplating a JC 2008 piece on EBay for same early coat purpose next fall. Looked at the measurements and again reminded how much sizing has changed.

    I didn't have a permanent doll house (too much moving). But my Dad did make me some pretty cool house and yard small scale versions out of packing boxes and crates, including a general store and a chinmey for Santa our first Christmas abroad. I also adored my Fisher Price kitchen and airport (much better made, varied than current versions). We do have a tiny mini tea set, similar scale to yours, my grandpa saved as part of an in-store and mail order promo/ display at Eaton's back in the day. I think the idea was for mothers and daughters to have the same. It's either Doulton I think, or Limoges, will have to check.

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    1. Thanks, as always for sharing your precious treasures with us. What a wonderful heirloom and keepsake from both sides of your family.

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    2. Thanks GF - I love that your dad did that for you! That is so much fun! It is fun to have these little treasures!

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  6. I am not much of a collector because space constraints here in NY keep us from doing so. We need to cull regularly. I hear you on the fatigue jacket. I used to be a trenchcoat regular until I acquired a fatigue jacket and parka from Madewell last year. I lived in them last fall and winter and my ladylike coats did not get worn this winter. I think I'm entering a mid-life crisis, trying to look like a Brooklyn hipster. Love your outfit & that little red bag...

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    1. Oh that is too funny, Marie! It is funny as I wanted a dressy shorter jacket besides my long trench coat and the one I had is a paris pink and for some reason I am tired of it (it is about 4 years old). WHen I saw the fatigue jacket, I thought of all the places I could wear with my jeans and skinny pants and boots - I am only now acquiring more casual clothes and I hemmed and hawwed over this purchase as I thought "my son also has a fatigue jacket", but then remembered that they have been in style for 40+ years now - remember my teenage cousins wearing them in the 1960s! So gave myself permission to go for it!

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  7. Poor little Charlotte needs a wardrobe makeover, doesn't she. Wonderful that you've saved these tiny things. MLane made a horse barn for our youngest, a doll house for her model horses; it had tiny little cedar shingles on the roof. Still in the basement.

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    1. I know! I imagine in the olden days little girls put cloth around them. They are so delicate! My sister used to collect china horses - so lovely! And remember Johnny and Jane west? I always wanted them!

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  8. As a child I collected tiny china animals, usually in "family" sets. Have no idea where they went. I had saved some special baby clothing that were favorites of my daughters. Had hoped they'd be around when my daughter had a daughter. Well she's about to and I have no idea where that box of clothing is. Makes me a bit sad.
    On the shopping front - need a summer bag. Can't decide what I want though.

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    1. I am still looking for things - my crawl space clean out in May will no doubt be a revelation! You may yet find those clothes! I have my new white bag, but it is snowing! Picked up a little orange bag to cheer me up at our version of TJ max till I can go white! Am sick of the fall colours!

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    2. We've moved about 6 times since I've last seen the box. It's gone :(
      Orange is such a cheerful color. Horrible that you still have snow.

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  9. Oh I loved to look at miniatures too. My sister had a doll house,and those little specialty stores made me gasp with wonderment. I was a "doll" girl. Not only did I LOVE Dawn dolls, but I loved Kiddles, too. The smaller the better. When re-enterered the world of Toys r' us when my boys were babies I was heartbroken that I didn't have a reason to buy a Kelly doll. And, at a visit to the American Girl Doll Store with my niece this year, I was very tempted by the mini versions of the doll. I love your Calvin find. It is a perfect spring coat. and it looks very chic with those pants.

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    1. I must admit I am lucky having had a girl and a boy! My daughter has the Molly American girl doll. I loved kiddles, too and used to have a lily of the valley kiddle perfume bottle that was very dear to me! In the corner above the raggedy anne and andy were kelly dolls that my mother bought my daughter (she had full versions made)- they were both girly girls and my mother adored her!

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  10. I love miniatures too, and your collection is totally charming. I like how we, as humans, tend to have a fascination with larger and smaller than life objects. World's largest chair, world's largest egg beater, world's smallest etc. - and often featured at random rest stops :)

    Hope you're hanging in there with the winter weather. It has been such a long one.

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    1. Abby - that is so true! WHen I was a kid and we used to visit Bangor Maine I would be thrilled to go see the Paul Bunyan statue! Upriver we have the world's largest ax! Years ago, we visited a museum in Quebec City with miniature scenes of every kind of place and I was enthralled!!

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  11. That is quite a collection Wendy, I imagine your grandchildren will enjoy playing with the miniatures for hours on end and listening to the stories of how you acquired your treasures.

    Your coat is perfect, it looks like a coat to me with the epaulets and sleeve tabs. I love blazers as spring/fall jackets. So nice to get a great deal on something you will wear frequently. Nice outfit too, you are indeed tres chic.

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    1. Well that is high praise coming from you and I will take it! I am hopeful that those grandchildren don't come for a little while, but considering how well Kathy is doing with all that, I am inspired!

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  12. Wow, I now know where the land of miniature is..not my house. I think it is great you have these mementos and the accompanying (sp?) memories. My father was in the Army so we moved quite frequently and kept next to nothing because of the costs to move. I have put away some things for my kids and their kids. One of the perks of staying put.

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    1. BB - I hear you - even a lot of our things were given away due to moving constantly as well. can you imagine if I kept it all?? Wait you can - because my bloody crawl space is full of my kids' stuff that I am holding on to!

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  13. I can imagine you playing with your miniatures as a child, how adorable, and what a nice family you had, paying attention to your play habits!
    I did not have a doll house as a child but I did buy one for my children. It's not one of the toys we have kept though I do have plenty stored away in the study upstairs, a train set, dolls, wool felt animals and some musical instruments. Now that my little Miss has stopped playing with her dolls we are working on making some nice bedding for them to hibernate in up in the study.
    Love your new jacket Wendy.

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    1. Our daughter had a fisher price dollhouse which was much prized and which I think she loved better than this old furniture.

      Both of my children loved tea parties and we bought a slightly larger, child-sized tea set and we would drink at their little table for hours! They are both complete tea drinkers now - and Tetley tea as well as herbal! That would have given my grandmother the vapours - she was a KIng Cole gal, though my dad always preferred Red Rose!

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    2. WMM, that tea allegiance thing reminds me of Homeland big reveal. My Nan and DH's family are brand loyal same. Have you ever heard of Typhoo? And do you remember the miniatures that used to come with Red Rose? Bit before my time, but one of my aunties has a charming collection of them in her kitchen.

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    3. Oh GF - I have a whole lot of them in a silver bowl on the secretary in my hallway! They were HUGE when I was a kid - we all tried to collect them all, especially the fairy tale ones! Now I am not sure if that is not why my Dad was a red rose man! I have indeed heard of Typhoo! Aren't tea drinkers the most complex creatures?

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    4. Ooooh, I look forward to meeting that collection at yours some month soonish and taking phone photos for my auntie.

      If we are talking the Brits that surround me sometimes I would have said inscrutable, but complex/ complicated definitely works. Not sayin' I'm straightforward, wysiwyg but...

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    5. GF the Homeland slip: Yorkshire Gold wasn't it! Funny I saw that tea in a shop the other day and I thought, why do I know about this tea, then I remembered Homeland and I rolled my eyes at myself!

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    6. There is something rather eccentric about some of us...

      GF - do come soon, but wait till garden blooms then make mr. GF drive you very fast and stay night for supper and swim and champers!

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  14. I had the Cher Doll Dressing Room Playset. It was all very, very 1970s and covered with American Southwest details. Wish I still had it!

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    1. Oh MY GOD!!!! How cool is that? I loved Cher (still do though I wish she hadn't done the plastic surgery) - she was so cool! I remember that doll now!

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Kindness is a virtue...