Jewel

Whenever I get sidetracked -- by life, work, the dog, my birthday, kid mishaps, you name it -- sometimes my blog suffers and I am not able to regularly post. The past few weeks have been filled with such events, and I have missed sharing my minis with you. Last night I finally was able to steal a few minutes to put together a little scene with a jewel of a table -- a lovely kitchen round from the 1960s by Petite Princess. I have used the table before, but not in the petite Neville House from CB2.

Working in the house is a bit comical, because I need to fit the furniture in through the side and then squeeze my hands through to try to manipulate everything into place. It's much funnier afterward, believe me...objects tip over and get out of place, and sticking things on the walls is a feat in itself. But, it's worth it at the end; this little house is really a jewel box. And it is still available at CB2, on sale for $49.95.

In the midst of getting sidetracked, I cracked 600 followers on my blog!!! I cannot believe that I started out with just one back in 2009. It means a great deal to me to have your enthusiasm and support. THANK YOU!

Photo courtesy of Amazon.com

For my birthday, I received a little jewel of a book that I have been eagerly anticipating for quite some time: Yvette Wadsted's Scandinavian Design in the Doll's House. I have just started to dig into it, and it is a real joy to read. There are  many lovely pictures that provide close-up views of countless vintage furnishings and houses...it is  my dream book. You can purchase your own here and also keep up with the latest on the book's Facebook page.

My last little jewel to share is a neat cardboard dollhouse furniture set from MUJI, a Japanese company that I absolutely adore. The whole company aesthetic is simple and minimal (MUJI means "no brand") and I love their well-made and affordable products. MUJI is my go-to source for a wide variety of things, including but not limited to pens, notebooks, cotton facial cleansing pads, blazers, and storage containers. You name it, they have it! Recently, I saw a Tweet from the awesome Linda Gavin, the graphic designer who created the Twitter logo (she collects and styles dollhouses too!), about a book of pop out cardboard dollhouse furniture made by MUJI and available for sale on Etsy. I had not seen this before and jumped at a chance to own a set! The book is not available on MUJI's US site nor in their New York City store, so perhaps this was only sold in Japan.

Given how hectic the past few weeks have been, it won't surprise you to find out that I have not yet made any of the cardboard furniture, but I did take some photos of the book.

Neat, huh? I hope to create some pieces soon. Until then, do share if you have this set and have played with it yet! It looks to be 1:16 or 1:12 scale.

Credits: Table is vintage Petite Princess; chairs are eBay finds; credenza is vintage German; rug is a dollhouse store find; plates on the wall are by PetitPlat; plant is AG Minis. Accessories are Re-ment, Manor House Miniatures, Playmobil, eBay finds, and Mighty World.

The time it took me: 33 minutes