A VISIT TO THE DOLLS' HOUSE

Speaking with my friend Ann recently, she told me she had never seen my dolls' house except for the recent  posting on my blog,'Notes from under the mountain'  Ann has visited us most years  since we moved down here almost 12 years ago, and have to admit I just though like all our Coromandel friends she had seen it. Sorry Ann I will try and share it with you through photos and you can see the real thing later in the year when you next come down. I hope anyone reading this blog will enjoy it too. This is the dolls' house in the middle of the living room, moved there after our front room was flooded in early December.

Paul started building the Dolls' house for me early in 1991, after research about dolls' houses I settled for this drawing of Springvale Station homestead in Hawke's Bay to be the inspiration,I certainly did not want a square box.  We planned it 1/12 scale (1 inch to 1 foot) set in the period of the beginning of the 1900's, and to be front opening like the old English dolls' houses.  The house is 51 x 22 inches and to the top of the turret is 43 inches.

 Some years later we did visit Springvale during a garden tour in the Tikokino District in Central Hawke's Bay. I have called my house "Summerlee" after an early family home in NZ, that is no longer standing, and I am very proud of what Paul built for me. The roof is cedar shingles and there are over 3,000 each glued on separately. The build of the turret  did include a few interesting words !! it was certainly the hardest piece to build.

Living in the house is Henry and Sarah Barker, Henry is just the ordinary ready made dolls house china doll which I dressed and gave a wig to., while Sarah is a beautiful doll  a Pamela Jackson doll kit.,  ( her doll's are really lovely and I am lucky to own several of them)

Their children are  Emma, Caroline and baby John, I just realised I have no photo of baby John, but will do something about that before we visit the nursery.

Next posting we will go inside the house and start exploring the rooms.

 I look forward to sharing with you.