In Miniature

I think I mentioned before that all the research I did on play dollhouses before Christmas re-ignited my childhood love of miniatures. For years and years as a kid I asked for a dollhouse and one year I got it. But it was a kit and, of course, it never actually got finished. One year my mom sold the whole lot of stuff for next to nothing. I hadn't remembered much about it at all until I started building this little sofa from a kit I got on eBay. Cutting out the little pieces, sanding the wood, and gluing it together triggered all of these memories. As a kid, I'd say not even 12 yet, I started building furniture for my dollhouse from kits. As I've started browsing eBay, I recognize many of the ones I had -- an entire kitchen, a Chippendale desk, an end table. I want my loot back. I'm not sure if it will happen but I'm on the case and will let you know if we find it. I don't think the people who have it now realize how important it is for me to see the craftsmanship of my 10-year-old self -- how much that will mean to me. As an artist who is making very, very little art these days, I'm hanging on to my creativity with a single strand.

Making this sofa, which has some gorgeous lines and with the right choice of stain will be very modern, made me super happy. I really enjoy it. Now if only I could get over this disease -- probably swine flu or something like it, I could finish it and post some pictures.

I also have kits to make the matching 4 dining room chairs but instead of the blue fabric, I'll be using Liberty of London that is in perfect scale. I've found a dollhouse and it will be mine in a couple of weeks. I've been collecting miniature furniture and accessories with the rabid passion of a 19th century naturalist. And Z and I have been making lots of scenes in a roombox. She has a fantastic eye for space and detail. I added a little gadget thing over there in the sidebar that will take you to the flickr set of our work. Or, just click here. I've been encouraged to start writing posts about my minis so this, I guess, is the first.