Nana's Minis: A Dollhouse Collection
I have been building dollhouses for over 40 years. When I was eight years old I received my first dollhouse, which I got in a trade with my sister, Donna. Being the tomboy that she was, Donna traded me a 1960's tin house with plastic furniture that she had received for Christmas. My love for all things small began, but I so longed for a house that looked more like a real home.
Through the following years I never reached that goal. After I married, my dad and I built a wooden house from some left over plywood. It was an amateur effort at best as I really didn't know anything about scale. Later, I had the privilege of visiting our local art museum, which showcased nine Thorne rooms. I was entranced. I had no idea how much detail and sophistication a miniature setting could contain! On a very limited budget, I set out on a pilgrimage to create a dollhouse that would fit my desire for the "perfect" house.
I am still on that journey because every time I see a new style of house, I yearn to recreate it in miniature. Miniatures have provided an outlet for so many of my interests. I have always enjoyed building things from kits, and as my ability has increased in this area, I have learned to kitbash. I love interior design and architecture. I enjoy working with wood and have build quite a bit of furniture and a few houses from scratch I have created pottery, cookie jars, and food items in my houses, along with paintings and cross stitched bedspreads, rugs, and quilts. There is no better way to spend a weekend than browsing through antique stores searching for a tiny vase or other small item that could find a new life in a miniature setting, especially if that item is actually a piece of antique miniature furniture.
Someone once said, "there's a fine line between a hobby and an obsession." I'm pretty sure, at this point, I've crossed that line. However, the miniature that I'm most proud of is my little granddaughter, Ambria, who is following in her Nana's footsteps, already showing a love of dollhouses and miniatures! I hope you enjoy your visit to my mini homes!