Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Picking up the pieces


If it wasn't sad, it would be funny.  Actually, my wonky attempt at a dollhouse is funny!  I started building this dollhouse more than twenty years ago.  At the time, I didn't have any skills, tools, or a proper space to work.
The dollhouse was delivered in instalments every week.  It came with beautiful pictures and lots of promises like 'In any corner of the house, without the need of a workshop or special equipment...' and '...without the need for plans: a simple click, a spot of glue and it's done.'
In reality, the plywood panels arrived warped because they had been shrink wrapped and sent in the post.  None of the pieces 'clicked'.  A spot of glue was never going to hold the house together.

After months of trying, I gave up in disgust.  With a big dent in my pocket and my ego, I dismantled the house and packed it away in boxes.  Those boxes have been moving from one home to the next with me for the last twenty years.

Lately, I've been thinking about giving it another go.  I now do have the perfect spot to put a dollhouse, a workshop with tools, and hopefully, a few more skills than I did back then.  Yesterday I dragged the boxes from the store room, unpacked it, and taped the house together to make sure that all the pieces are still there.

My thoughts while I worked:  
Problems that were insurmountable back then, are no problem now.  Assembling the house will be like building a puzzle for three-year-olds.  Wow, I've learnt some things!
My taste has changed.  What was I thinking with that pink mottled paint in the bathroom??? Yuck!
The house comes with all its furniture in kit form.  It's very basic and not the nicest stuff around.  Is it worth the bother?

The answer is a resounding YES.
  1. Because I can.
  2. Rummaging through the boxes, I still feel the same overwhelming enthusiasm for the house I had years ago.  
  3. It will be relaxing. There are hardly any decisions to make.  Every room comes with a plan and its furniture.  Like paint by numbers.
  4. It's not going to cost anything.  I have all the supplies I need to finish the house.
  5. It would make a stunning photography prop.
  6. I started the house before there was internet.  Now I can go online and search out other people's houses and gather inspiration.  Working on the dollhouse will give me a sense of community.
  7. It's a carrot.
On the 1st September I'm starting a three-month work project.  I'm not looking forward to that at all.  To reward myself for staying on schedule and meeting my targets, I will build the dollhouse in  my free time.  When you see a post about the house, you will know that I've been a good girl!

8 comments:

  1. Hi Megan! So, you had this dollshouse for years...? I'm so glad that you deciced to build it finally. You'll see that for every problem there will be a solution. If I have a problem I just ask it on my blog, there are always people who knows alot about all sort of things. I hope we will see more posts about this abandoned dollhouse, which just need some of your magic and it will bloom, you'll see :D! Good luck with the mentioned project, but now knowing that you have to create a dollshouse in your free time, it will ask your endless creativity and of course, it will be so much fun ;).
    Hugs, Ilona

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    1. Ilona, I'm sure you know how it feels when you try something and it just won't look like the picture in your imagination. Sometimes it is best to put it down for a while and try again (in my case 20 years later, ha ha). I have high expectations of my efforts this time around.

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  2. So looking forward to seeing the progression of your dollhouse. I seem to remember in the past I started to collect dollhouse installments but stopped when I realised how much it would eventually cost me! Also remember the warped panels I tried straightening between two books!

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    1. There have been a few of these offers over the years Marilyn. Although the pieces are not the best quality, and it's certainly the most expensive way to build a dollhouse, I think it has done tremendous good to tempt more people into the dollhouse hobby. I'm so excited about this house! Wish I could cancel all work and just play with it.

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  3. Have fun Megan! This house started my whole journey with miniatures, I will forever be grateful to the publisher! Back then I had no tools and knew nothing about working with wood.

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    1. Thank you Elga! The house is occupying a large percentage of my waking thoughts at the moment. So many possibilities... It won't be nearly as grand as your house when it's finished though.
      Anyone who wants to see Elga's house can do so at the ling below:
      http://elgakoster.blogspot.co.za/search/label/Victorian%20dollhouse

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  4. Thanks for your blog! I always find it motivational & inspirational

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    1. Aww, thanks Lynne. You do the same for me with your beautiful photography!

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