About a month ago I learned that Dollhouses, Trains, and More will be closing, and I’m pretty depressed about it. I used to live five minutes away and went in there about once a week. Even after I moved, I’ve been making the trip every few months to buy strip wood and other supplies.
Their last day is October 28, and so far I’ve made two trips to stock up during their going out of business sale. The first time I splurged on several half scale pieces that I’d always liked looking at on the shelves.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with the rest of them yet, but the the hand-painted Bauder Pine chest looks perfect at the foot of the bed in the puzzle house.
I built the puzzle house back in 2010 and finished the outside, but never finished furnishing it. Over the years I’ve added pieces here and there, and the bedroom and living room are more or less done, but the nursery and the kitchen are sad and incomplete. No time like the present!
First up, the crib. I built this from a Cassidy Creations kit. This was a finicky kit, especially the slats, which I just couldn’t glue in straight. Originally I stained it with Golden Oak and it didn’t pop enough in the room. Here’s the best picture I could find of that iteration.
About a year ago I made the questionable decision to paint it dark gray, which looked horrible. (Luckily no photographic evidence survived!) Last week I finally repainted it with Sandy Feet, the trim color I used in this house (it’s also the paint color on the bed in the photo above). The paint has gotten thick and lumpy over time and the finish isn’t my best work. It didn’t help that I had to do four or five coats before the gray stopped showing through.
This is the same green fabric I used on the bed I made last year. It had a finished edge that I cut off to use for the canopy and the dust ruffle.
I glued a similar shade of DMC floss over the seam between the canopy sides and top.
To make the dust ruffle, I made a frame out of 1/4″ square basswood and covered it with the fringed fabric.
Since the fabric on top of the frame was lumpy, there was a visible crack when I glued it on. I covered this with DMC floss as well.
Next I made a braided rug for this room. This was made the same way as the one in the Sam & Max roombox, but instead of DMC I used a variegated silk thread I had in my stash. (I think it’s Gloriana.)
It’s finer than DMC, so the braid is smaller. Here it is next to a rug I made with DMC, for comparison.
Here’s the finished (for now) room. The rocking chair is a resin Popular Imports piece that I recently got at a mini flea market for $0.50. I have another one of these on the Gull Bay porch.
I made Humpty Dumpty from a kit, and had the dresser from an eBay purchase a while ago (also painted with Sandy Feet). The rest of the accessories came from swaps.
And since I’ve never really posted pictures of the inside of the puzzle house before, here’s another shot of the bedroom.
Bedspread closeup. This pattern is from Antique Quilts for Dollhouse Miniatures, a June Grigg Designs pamphlet.
I have a kit in progress for the kitchen cabinets and am thinking about changing out or painting the wicker in the living room, so I’ll wait to post closeups of those rooms. Hopefully soon… but maybe in ten years.
My splurge at Dollhouses, Trains, and More also included these two lamps. The small one is half scale and the big one is a 1:12 table lamp, but I’m using it as a 1:24 floor lamp. They didn’t come with plugs, so I had to add them.
Look, the lights in the Queen Anne Rowhouse still work! (The plug is hidden under the bed.)
And finally, when I was digging around in the fabric bin looking for something to use on the canopy bed, I stumbled across this petit point sampler that I stitched back in 2003 or so and never did anything with. It’s an Annelle Ferguson kit.
This is the only piece I’ve ever stitched on silk gauze. I think it originally came with a frame, but if so, it’s long gone. I made my own out of a simple picture frame trim. The finished size is about 2″ x 1.75″.
Emily is a freelance writer, miniaturist, and adventure game enthusiast.
Great finds. The house looks good. I really like that furniture set on the top photo.
I love how the crib turned out!
I also love the crib. Love the idea of the skirt – I never thought of that! That puzzle house looks so nice furnished. Great job on the sampler.
Dear Emily,
It is terribly sad when a well enjoyed brick and mortar shop closes its doors. You have made some lovely purchases at the going-out-of business sale…especially the furniture in the top photo. The work done on the crib and floor mat add warmth and charm to the room. Beautiful hand work on the sampler!
Emily it is looking really nice!!
Very Lovely! Each completed room has a warm and cosy atmosphere and each accessory and piece of furniture, is the Ideal choice!
All the pieces are so very nice. It is wonderful to have things in our stash–if we can remember that we have them–to use. I love the canopy crib. I had one for my daughters. Spent a whole bonus check on the bed, but so many children have slept in it over the years. I love all of the stitching that you do as well. Very authentic.