Friday 29 October 2010

the world in miniature

I have always had a thing about tiny things! And as a child I really loved playing with the Dolls House my parents made me for my 10th birthday. In fact, it wasn't so much the playing with I enjoyed, as the Interior Decorating. Now that I have daughter's of my own I'm desperate to get my old Doll's House out, redecorate and 'modernise' the whole thing. Unfortunately I think I have to wait a couple of years before the girls will truly appreciate this. However a really good friend of mine, with the same obsession, is much braver than me and has decided to give her 2 year old daughter her childhood Doll's House (more for mother's benefit I'm sure!). Anyway. old habits die hard and I was quick to volunteer some Interior Decorating help. Whilst I've no idea of the size or style of the house I offered some fabric scraps, and then an idea developed.

In the summer I visited the wonderful shop RE (A fab shop hidden behind a petrol station in Corbridge, Northumberland. It really warrants a post of its own) and here I found these wonderful tiny french labels, about the size of a finger nail. I couldn't resist buying them even though I had no idea what I could use them for, in fact I loved them so much I had to buy Sarah some too. The thought then occurred to me that if I made a load of miniature brown parcels then I could use the labels on them.

I find it so exciting when an idea comes together, I decided that I would send not only mini rolls of fabric, with tiny brown luggage labels but a whole set of bedding too. The children happened to be playing together happily (doesn't always happen) and I sat at the sewing machine and made a tiny mattress and pillow.

I love the cotton sheets and pillow case that I edged, using an embroidery setting on my machine, and then I wrapped them up with ribbon and this tiny antique flower, and the blanket is made out of an old jumper. And then I couldn't resist making a set of 3 books to go by the bedside, Tiny Tim, Tom Thumb and Mini Mouse (well I wanted Thumbelina but my writing really wouldn't go small enough).

6 comments:

  1. Hiya Jo, lovely post. Always have been keen on miniatures & have a few dollhouses to feed my obsession!! Lizzie x

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  2. Just lovely.
    So glad I looked just before I go to bed, maybe I'll dream of being a liitle person in a little house !!!

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  3. your blog is a feat and a treat. so glad i have found you. im draw to miniature i like to decorate wee tins for homes for tiny dolls. so thank you for that post. from hesta http//green-glamour.blogspot.com

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  4. You are amazing. My daughter is four and has my old barbie house that my dad built me. It's pretty retro and not so miniature as some doll houses. She's not into furniture yet, even though I have made some beds and sheets. It will be nice when she's older to something like this.

    I love the little books!

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  5. Amazing, maybe you could redo a room in my old dolls house, it looks more like Amityville horror in the deepest darkest depths of our under stair cupboard! x

    poor old thing, I adored it when I was younger.

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