Stockholm Bar

I got some bottles of beer and wine in the mail and decided to set up a quick scene in the upstairs room, which actually works well for an entertainment area, with its connection to the deck.  I was thinking a black and white color scheme, as you can see, with pops of yellow.   The polka dots are like bubbles! :)

Credits: couch is Reac; bar is an AG Minis couch on its side with its cushion; chair is a vintage eBay find; bar chairs are Battat; lights (thanks, Altera!) are Dolls House Emporium; silhouette wall art and accessories by Manor House Miniatures.

K to the 7th Power

For some reason, I have uncanny luck finding things on Craigslist when I haven't been looking for them.  That's how I found my Villa Sibi for $300.  I was searching the NYC site on Sunday for another dollhouse-related item, and saw TWO Kaleidoscope houses for sale -- unheard of!  I of course went for the one that was 1/2 the price you normally see for used ones and gave a low offer. Which was refused.  Twice.  Until I came up to the asking price. Sucker. There's still a pristine one on there for $2000, by the way.

I CAN'T HELP IT!  I HAVE WANTED ONE FOR SO LONG!!

Anyways, I only have to travel about an hour into northern NJ to pick this puppy up, unlike my odyssey across many states to pick up the Citadel.  The owner sent me some pics today so I have more of an idea of what I am getting into.  No cracks or structural flaws, and even some (somewhat broken) accessories are included.

Now...where does this house go???  I only have until Saturday to figure it out. There's a spot in our living room, but the Villa Sibi kind of dominates there. My "Mommy scary basement" room is already chock full of accessories and three houses (including the Citadel in rehab), so no room there.  Our bedroom is out of the question. Garage is, well, your typical suburban slightly smelly and dark den of motor oil, bent hula hoops, and half-inflated balls.   HELP!

In case you were wondering, this will be my 7th house, hence the title...

I am Laundry

I don't really use dolls in my scenes and was not going to with this one, but then I thought the Warhol Judy Garland was too strong on its own.  I'm not sure if Judy did laundry, but it's not fun, and my person here is, too, wondering what it is all about.  The dog just wants to get the job done, in the hopes of getting some of his owner's muffin.

Credits: Artwork is by Andy Warhol; doll by Bozart; dryer is vintage Bodo Hennig; chair is Reac; white stool is Lundby; orange side table and light are Lil Bratz; dog is from a game called Lucky Puppy Math; accessories by Lil Bratz, Bozart, and IKEA.

Bachelor Pad

My husband jokes that he had a bachelor pad for about five minutes in his mid 20s.  We got together right after he moved into a sweet studio in Greenwich Village in NYC, so he never really got the chance to rock out a proper pad.  Boo hoo.

So, as our 11 year wedding anniversary approaches, I've created his dream pad in the Villa Sibi, complete with a modern bridge, leading from his Mini Cooper into his chill domain!  

He loves remote control anything, so I had to add in a cool little car (with its own docking station!).  

TV is his friend (and nowadays we never make the time to extract ourselves from the kids to watch it), so that has its place here, along with a ball chair for comfy viewing.  I used yet another marble candle base for a plush queen size bed, which is situated next to a lounging area perfect for a cup 'o joe and a croissant.  He loves art, so a colorful abstract enlivens the wall.

He loves the outdoors, so why not use the patio for a place to relax by the pool...nice.

Credits: artwork and side table by Bozart; glass coffee table by Ryan's Room; black chair by Creative Playthings; "bed" from TJ Maxx; night tables and TV by Lundby; lamp is vintage German; indoor plant is from Lolly's; ball chair and white patio chairs are Reac Japan; "docking station" is Lil' Bratz; TV stand is vintage from eBay; patio table is vintage Fisher Price; "bridge" and outdoor plant are from a recent rummage sale; Mini Cooper was a Christmas gift from my husband;  accessories from Lil Bratz, Bozart, Lundby, AG Minis, Re-ment, Manor House Miniatures, our local toy store and the rummage sale!

Viking

This Viking papyrus artwork is far from modern, but I liked the colors and texture so in it went into this scene. The "table" is actually a marble candle base from TJ Maxx. I've seen how other mini bloggers have creatively used bowls, soap dishes, etc., so this inspired me to look at such things differently. The white veins of the marble look like rushing water to me, so that related nicely to our Vikings rushing along to do their thing.

I love the long window in the Stockholm -- it provides nice options and really adds to the scene. I also experimented a bit and added two hanging Lil Bratz lights.

Love coffee, so...

Credits: Kitchen island and table base and chairs from the Villa Sibi; marble "table" from TJ Maxx; loveseat is Bozart; coffee table is Re-ment; blue ottoman is an eBay find; artwork from the store at the Indianapolis Children's Museum; light fixtures are Lil Bratz; accessories from Manor House Miniatures, Re-ment, Lil Bratz, and a recent rummage sale in town!

Stockholm, Baby

I spent my birthday in Stockholm. Well, not really, but you might say I spent it with Stockholm, as in the Lundby Stockholm.

What a neat house. I love the shape, colors, pull out pool, and it's nice to work in a smaller scale and create new spaces. I was also thrilled to not have a complicated assembly -- just snapping in the railings on the top. I will say that I am a bit disappointed in the quality. I knew it was plastic, but I found the finishing not to be 100%. In the bathroom, the wallpaper does not go evenly around the window, and there were spots on the terraces where I could see glue and other irregularities in the flooring. Small. but noticeable to me. After all, I am all about seeing the small! :)

Here's my first attempt setting up scenes. I definitely need to get used to seeing the outlets in the pictures (haven't gotten to the transformer stage), and I felt that artwork was mandatory in the main living space. It looked so bare without it. The floor sculpture is actually a shell I found in (no, not the beach) the store TJ Maxx ($2!).

I love the serene bathroom space, and I was happy to use my first toilet, from IKEA. LOVE this potty, so clean and simple.

In the upstairs I did a simple bedroom with some vintage furniture. I didn't want to over-accessorize, so it too is spare. Dig the wallpaper and carpet in this room.

All in all, I am very happy with my purchase, but hope I can resist the impulse to amass Stockholm-specific items (I also wonder about the quality).

Credits: Console and wenge stool by Paris Renfroe; desk light is vintage German; folding chair is Manor House Miniatures; Le Corbusier and Mies Barcelona chairs by Reac Japan; rug is The House That Jacq Built; side table is Re-ment; "sculpture" is from TJ Maxx; artwork is Colin McCahon; bathroom sink and toilet by IKEA; plant is vintage TOMY; bathroom shelving unit and white stool in bedroom is Lundby Smaland; bed from Villa Sibi; lamp is AG Minis; dresser and chairs are vintage; accessories by AG Minis, Re-ment, ELF Miniatures, Manor House Miniatures, and IKEA.

Sushi So-So

I have continued to play with the the removable panels in the Villa Sibi so as to make the most of the space. This time I took out the back frosted panel and shifted the slatted one to the middle. I tend to use smaller scale items for playroom scenes, so I decided to try out some new (vintage) Lundby furniture -- the chair is pretty awesome.

I really wanted to use the new console from Paris Renfroe, which actually complemented the new butcher block I got recently as well.

As you may guessed, I do not care for sushi, but it is very photogenic!

Credits: couch from AG Minis; loveseat and couch cover from Bozart; console and coffee table from Paris Renfroe; medieval marble busts from my husband's collection; beanbag from The House That Jacq Built; kid's table and armchair are vintage Lundby; kid's storage unit and wall "artwork" are Re-ment; kid's rug is Ryan's Room; butcher block is from Ebay; table is vintage German; folding chairs from Manor House Miniatures; outdoor plants are Lolly's and TOMY; accessories from Ebay, Re-ment, Bozart, AG Minis, Manor House Miniatures, and our local toy store.

Decades

Until I get my Lundby Stockholm (an early b-d gift pour moi!), I am a bit limited in where I can set up scenes. So I keep going back and forth, between the Villa Sibi and the TOMY Sylvanian. I did a quick scene in the Sylvanian inspired by some office furniture I got off Ebay.

It got me thinking about how specific this furniture was to the late 70s/early 80s, and I felt compelled to combine it with other time warp items. So, we have a house with our 70s/80s journalist, joined by a late 50s/early 60s bookworm and a late 80s/early 90s museum curator.

Our bookworm:



Our journalist:

Our museum curator:



One thing they can come together on: food!

Credits: Kitchen island, table, and bases for laptop, 70s/80s phone, and 80s/90s vase from the Villa Sibi; green chair, metal case, and fishbowl table by AG Minis; watermelon rug, striped lamp and peach colored vase by Bozart; wastebasket, bookcases, and white and 80s/90s lamp by Re-ment; 50s/60s lamp by Renwal; Lucite chair from Ebay; white rug by The House that Jacq Built; 50s/60s chair is vintage German; accessories by Elf Miniatures, Re-ment, Manor House Miniatures, AG Minis, Ebay, and our local toy store!

Showing Ugly the Door

I showed ugly the door today and a beautiful thing happened. It left!

I have started to work on the Citadel. There's a lot to do, but the first step is to strip off the wallpaper and then flooring. Lolly referred me to the excellent stuff called Dif, which is a thick blue gel that you spray on wallpaper to remove it. You score the paper and then leave it on for 15 minutes and poof! AND, you don't have to pay the price with stinky, noxious fumes or caustic chemicals that will flay the skin off your fingers. :)

So, this made my job pretty pain-free. I started with one of the swinging doors. Here's the before pics:



Note the stuck-on, unappealing hanging beads...



Plus, there were two, not one, layers of the offensive paper.

Here's during the Dif..



And, the result:

Still have a ways to go, and I am wondering how difficult it will be doing the harder to reach rear walls. But, I'm pleased with this start. Now I just need more time...sigh.

When I do get to the point of actually wallpapering (I assume I'll wallpaper and leave painted walls as well), I need to get my hands on unique styles. I LOVE this paper used in a skater couple's house on the west coast -- it was featured in the NYT last week:




By the way, I couldn't resist placing some dolls in precarious situations in the Citadel. There are two central stairwells missing, but the fiesty tween thought she could manage, to Mom's horror.




Credit: Dolls are Bozart

Spotlight

This is my first attempt to introduce a working light into a scene. It's actually more glitzy than I usually like, but I figured what the heck. Also, this marks the first time I got a clue and (very easily) took out the sliding doors on the Villa Sibi. I almost did not know what to do with the middle space behind the panels that normally obscure things.



The credenza was created in a moment of desperation. I wanted something like a credenza there, but don't have one. I fear that my trademark will be turning refrigerators on their sides (I've done it before), but I think this works here.

I did how the Lucite chairs both disappear and reflect. Such a simple, effective design.



This is a "pregnant pause" moment in time -- the bongos are front and center, ready to be played.

Credits: Couch, white tables, wooden sculpture, and painting by Bozart; chandelier by Calico Critters; small lamp by AG Minis; accessories are from Ebay, Re-ment and Manor House Miniatures; dining table is vintage German; "credenza" is from Lolly's; Lucite chairs and rocking chair are Ebay finds; orange vase is vintage Fiestaware and its base is from the Villa Sibi; awesome wooden wenge stools are Paris Renfroe.

Girly Girl

A girly girl lives here, or at least this is my idea of a girly girl abode (full disclosure: I am not, nor ever have been, a girly girl). She works from home, so takes time to pamper herself inbetween work commitments. She's self-depricating and has a sense of humor and unabashedly likes furry girly things. Her boyfriend gave her the dinosaur, so she likes to keep him close by to moon over while she works. The phone is handy for calls with her girlfriends and her sister and she loves to read trashy mags.

Couch, lamp, large green rug and small bathroom side table by AG Minis; sink from Ebay store Dolly Miniatures; bathroom rug by the House that Jacq Built; living room coffee table by Ryan's Room; dining room table and artwork by Bozart; dining room "rug" is origami paper; plant is from Lolly's; bathroom wall art is by Re-ment; chairs are Reac Japan; accessories by Manor House Miniatures, Re-ment, AG Minis, Elf Miniatures, and Ebay finds; dino is from the store at the Indianapolis Children's Museum :)

Another Clearview is up on Ebay

Yup, another MIAIM Clearview is up for grabs on Ebay. What a phenomenal house. Starting bid is GBP 150 (with reserve). Elaine at MIAIM quoted me $170 for shipping, and let me know this one one was going up. Way too steep for me, especially after my Citadel schlep -- perhaps someone will dive in on this one? If you do, let us know. Altera wrote about the first Clearview auction on Ebay a few weeks ago -- that one went for GBP 235, a bargain considering they retail for GBP 435.

UPDATE, 4/20/09: The house went for GBP 330 -- whoa!

Craft or Cook

I'm not crafty, but perhaps the person is who lives here. I do cook, and I understand the impulse to try to juggle while cooking, but I am more apt to get creative with my kids' homework project than sew or otherwise craft (DH sews better than I do, actually). Sometimes I avoid cooking by getting another task done, so maybe that is what's happening here in the kitchen.

I love the Villa Sibi, but it can be challenging setting up scenes in the space because of the sliding panels. Shooting photos late at night doesn't help either. I tried to create three distinct areas that work together, but it is a challenge. I have been traveling for a week, so I missed doing scenes and also wanted to use some new food, decor, and furniture items.

I am a huge fan of the "Little House on the Prairie" books, and read them as a child. I am now reading them to my kids and we are up to On the Banks of Plum Creek, so...

The kitchen set is from the Citadel, and is the only furnishing type thing that came with the house. I wish the door handles were different (more like the stove), but it is pretty neutral. I haven't really done a full kitchen scene yet, so I took the opportunity to use the items.


Credits: love seat, bed, small white table, and bedroom vases from Bozart; microwave is Theo Klein; other accessories from Lundby, Re-ment, Lolly's, Calico Critters, Elf Miniatures, Manor House Miniatures, and Ebay; black chair is Creative Playthings; Panton chair is Reac; kitchen table is Wolverine.

House Comes Home

Our road trip adventure continues...and the Citadel is on its way home.

We are now headed back to NJ, and are in Pittsburgh for the night. I am still digesting everything that has taken place this week. I (kind of) still cannot believe that we have driven hundreds of miles for a (small) house. We've had fun, though, and I have to say the drive really has not been all that bad. We got a flat tire right outside of Indianapolis, but it was quickly fixed, despite my six year old's prediction of "We're doomed and we will die!!!"

We arrived in Chicago on Tuesday, and picked up the Citadel on Wednesday from the Ebay seller. My sister-in-law came with me for the ride, a short distance from the city center. The house was pretty true to the photos (yes, wallpaper and flooring are as ugly as the pics from the listing), and it was great to finally see it. My sister-in-law could not get over the size, especially the side with the rounded terrace. We carefully transported it to the back of the minivan. I don't think I breathed the entire time I was carrying it. The sellers were trying to be helpful, but really did not want to touch it, in case something broke off. Here's what it looked like right after we put it in the back of the car:

We situated the house, cushioned it and carefully drove back to the city. I was at first scared to drive over 40, but then got more comfortable -- the house is pretty sturdy. When my DH saw it, he said it looked bigger than he thought it would be, but that we'd be able to fit all our luggage around it. My six year old is squished next to it. He has taken to balancing his Legos on the terrace, but I feel I can't really say no.

On Thursday, I went to Lolly's, the store in Elgin, IL, that created the kit for the house. I met the owner, Janet ("Lolly"), who was incredibly helpful and spent close to two hours with me. I walked in and told her I had a Citadel in the back of the car. She didn't bat an eye. She said "OK, let's have a look at it." We took it out of the car into her workshop, where we investigated the whole house. Here's what I learned:

* It is definitely an authentic Citadel.

* It is not clear whether or the house was built by Lolly's or by the owner of the house. Lolly thought that they might have built it, but the owner did the electrical wiring (yes, the house is fully wired).

* In her opinion, the house is in really good condition, very solid and well built. No warping, etc.

* She also thought that (unfortunately) the house was owned by a heavy smoker, as one of the hinged doors is yellowed, and the inside smelled of smoke (she's a former smoker, so was pretty convinced of this).

* Not much structurally needs to be repaired. The side terrace needs to be re-glued, and some trims reinforced or re-glued. Some plexi might need to be glued or replaced. The yellowed hinged door needs to be repainted. Two of the three main stairwells need to be put back into the central portion of the house. The inside needs a good cleaning with water and bleach.

* Only one side of the house has working electrical. She tested the other wires as best as she could, but could not find the faulty line. For whatever reason, the owner ran some of the wiring along the floors, instead of along the ceiling or walls. The owner also folded wires instead of pinning them, which is less reliable for good connections. So, I have a wiring challenge!

* Luckily, the ugly velour flooring came right off (no glue at all), since a lot of wiring is on the floor. We started to pull some of the wallpaper off, and it looks like it will be relatively easy. Lolly let me know that three small sections of the house will need custom wallpaper, since they are larger than the standard.

* The only furniture that came with the house were some kitchen items. Lolly said these were custom items built by the store. They are actually pretty neutral, so I'll put them to some use.

* Lolly gave me some great tips for correcting these issues -- Dif to take off wallpaper; Kilz to take out the smell in paint; techniques and tools for re-wiring; Aleene's Tacky Glue for all gluing; and more.

Another highlight was getting to see the first Citadel ever built. Lolly's Mom designed the house. I asked about whether or not they would do kits again, and she said likely not. If they did anything, they would sell the house built. Apparently, it was very difficult to find a manufacturer to produce the materials, especially for the wood version of the house (they only did wood or stucco). They moved the house to a top shelf in the store, so I was only able to get a few worm's eye view pics:



I held up my camera for that interior shot. Check out the hot tub up on the top terrace:


So, feeling a bit daunted but energized by the prospect of bringing the house back into shape. Lots to learn, lots to do...!

Citadel Road Trip

The road trip for the Citadel has begun. We're actually driving in Ohio as I write, on the way to Indianapolis. We had a great time in Pennsylvania -- the trip started with lots of driving from NJ and a visit with a dear great uncle. It ended with some yummy soft serve at a great roadside place called The Penguin in Bedford, PA.

We spent a bunch of hours today at Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece. I've seen countless pictures of it, but they cannot prepare you for seeing it for the first time. You come upon it, nestled beautifully in rock and trees and it is stunning. Unfortunately, you cannot take pictures inside, but we got some shots of the outside. The house has windows everywhere and there are no blocked vistas. It is all about communicating with the outdoors.



I did venture into the gift shop and made my contribution to keep the place going -- two Reac chairs!

I am planning to pick up the Citadel on Wednesday, and will also make a trip to Lolly's. Can't wait!!

Masked Blogger -- and Origami Paper

Odd, title, I know. I'll get to it.

I've only been blogging since January, so I am new to the whole psychology of opening oneself to anyone who may stumble upon personal writings and pictures. By blogging, you are doing something public, yet I (and many others whose blogs I visit regularly), choose not to be public on identity.

My DH is a bit mystified when I refuse to let him share the fact that I have a blog with family and friends -- "It's private!" I say. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that I am slowly coming out of my dolls' house closet to family and close friends to share that I have reconnected with my lifelong love of minis, intersected with my more grown-up love of architecture and modern design. I'm inherently shy (at least initially), so it's a bit of a leap for me to explain to others why I have various dolls' houses around our real house and drawers full of very small stuff. That I like to play with. And photograph. And write about.

Anyway, I know lots of people are public about the fact they have blogs and perhaps I will be one day too, but I feel at least for now I am not alone in having a small cloak of secrecy...or am I?

OK, so onto the origami paper. I went to Michael's today to pick up storage boxes and saw some really nice looking origami paper that looked like it could be re appropriated for something mini. Rugs or wall coverings occurred first. Rug concept in current house setup was quicker -- this could work!

I'm Game

I'm game for this kind of day -- reading on my new daybed (from PRD!), delectable treats just a step away, and the option to hop upstairs for a nap in a sunny aerie. Chess and checkers are around for more leisure time.

I'm game for a dog, too, but that's not happening any time soon. Not enough love (and hands) to go around with the three kids, hubby, work (and all my minis, of course).

My daughter gets credit for putting the chess set together -- she knows where all the pieces go and has nice small fingers to get everything placed!

Credits: downstairs - accessories by Re-ment, AG Minis and Ebay finds; cypress table and cowhide daybed by Paris Renfroe; kitchen island and table, side tables by Villa Sibi; Barcelona chair by Reac; dog from Lucky Puppy Math game; lamp and vase by Bozart; upstairs - table and chairs and side chair by Fisher Price; bed and side table from Villa Sibi; checkers by TOMY; yellow bed cover by Ryan's Room; lamp from my daughter's collection.

Technicolor Studio

I was thinking about being in college in New York City and living in a super small (400 sq.ft) prewar studio in the west village. I had an odd assortment of furniture, new and old, and squeezed things in, like it or not. I worked, ate, slept, and played in the same tiny space. Miserable? Nah, loved it.

Now, the Villa Sibi isn't exactly slumming it, but I was inspired to pull together colorful, mismatched pieces to evoke my college years. I shot these at midnight last night, so the lighting is not ideal (UPDATE, 3/28/09: re-shot with natural light and replaced some pictures).

The desk is cluttered, of course, with food, paper and books. Always a bag lying around too. And a jump rope to satisfy boredom or to escape doing a paper.

The sleeping alcove can only fit a bed and some very small chairs and a table for late night working and snacking (didn't have a laptop in college, but don't have a late 80s clunky desktop mini!).

Credits: Desk and chair, small white table, rug, bed, lamp, pillow, book on bed and vases by Bozart; bag and other accessories by Re-ment; purple couches by Ryan's Room; cypress table by Paris Renfroe; cafe table and chairs by Battat Our Generation; laptop by Elf; sleeping platform and side table from Villa Sibi.

Zebra Room

The anchor of this scene in the Villa Sibi is a zebra couch that I bought off Ebay. It is actually a Creative Playthings piece that someone painted, and they also got creative with a side chair. I have been wanting to use the Reac ball chair for a while, and I found it can be challenging to place. I think it works here, though, and instantly creates a leisure vibe. This led me to take out the TOMY checkers set! I do not have any shelving units, but I wanted one to complete the scene. So I ended up taking the frames from a vintage white Fisher Price couch and chair set that came with a large lot from Ebay and stacked them. It's not great, but it's something.

Of course, doing scenes only makes you realize what you don't have yet in your collection. I need rugs; vases and other tchotchkes; books; eating accessories; and then some.

Speaking of eating, I am a pasta girl and could eat it 24/7. I purchased a Re-ment pasta dish and love it. I set up a dining scene using some of the new vintage wooden furniture I got recently from Ebay. The table is really great, as are the other pieces, but they can be tricky to place, since the scale is off. But I think it looks kinda neat.

I couldn't resist a pasta close-up. :)

Other credits: Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, and Ebay finds; coffee table and pillows are Ryan's Room; wooden sculpture and leather chairs are Bozart.

Mystery Furniture

I bought a decent sized lot of vintage wooden furniture off Ebay recently and the package arrived today. The furniture intrigued me online because of the mid century lines. The seller did state that most of the pieces needed some gluing of legs and that is indeed the case. Not a big deal, though, and the seller included all the broken pieces. Gorilla Glue is my friend.

I love pretty much everything in the lot, which seems to be sized closer to 1:16, but some pieces are smaller and I think could work well for 1:12. The felt covered chairs are fabulous:



As are the assorted tables:



Of course I'd like to find out more about these pieces. None are marked, with the exception of these little lights, which have just European looking numbers on the bottoms:



The lights are wired, as is the TV set and the fireplace. No transformer though. I have a trusty Dian Zillner book (Antiques & Collectibles), but could not find anything yet. Some of the pieces look Lundby-esque, but I don't collect Lundby nor have any pieces and I am not totally familiar with the catalogue of styles.

I'm all ears should anyone know more...!
I'm off to glue!

UPDATE, 3/25/09: Thanks to *annina*, I have a very big clue on the origins of this furniture. It is looking like the pieces are from Kathrin's House, a German wooden house that dates from the early 196os, pictured on the Puppenhaus Museum website, here. The coffee table, chairs, and side pieces look to be an exact match! Thanks, *annina*!!



This is the house -- very cool:



Kathrin's House photos courtesy of the Puppenhaus Museum website.