In my last post, I uploaded an image of the completed DIY Garden Kit. What I failed to mention is that it turns out my daughter is a stealth Ninja. In the past, I'd only worked on it while she was in morning preschool or while she was sleeping at night. But on the day I would finally finish the kit, I decided for the first time, seeing as my sweet child appeared happily occupied in the loft, I went back to our spare room to try to paint some of the remaining pieces. Within seconds I heard, "Mama, what are you doing?" She'd snuck up on me! And as I turned around, it gave her just enough of a view of the garden kit in progress, such that her bright blue eyes went wide with wonder and her little cherub mouth formed a great big O of delight. And honestly, folks, being found out wasn't the nightmare I'd imagined. As I painted and glued and told her all about what I was doing, she stood patiently at my side, seemingly content to stare and comment on all the pieces I'd already completed...looking! But not touching. Like a song on repeat, she made it resoundingly clear that she REALLY wanted the mini bench (which she referred to as a "couch") to be placed inside. It must have been pure agony.
The problem started the next morning, however. She became obsessed with "looking" at it. Only now, her little fingers couldn't resist touching it as well. Try as I might, no matter how I went about encouraging her to use her imagination to play with it instead of touching, it was understandably too big a concept AND too big a temptation. The fact remains, this tiny little garden kit is just too delicate for her clumsy fingers. Something had to be done. That something was to find a dollhouse that could stand in for the dollhouse I plan to refurbish yet isn't even here for me to get started working on.
I managed to find, on Craigslist, the most AMAZING deal on a Melissa and Doug Victorian Dollhouse that had seen very little use. There were no accessories, but it came with a daddy and daughter doll (I don't think they are Melissa and Doug, but I could be wrong) as well as almost all of the furniture, though a couple pieces did require fixing as a leg had broken off both the bed and armoire. Easy enough to fix. In fact, when we went to pick it up, the parents informed me that in the five minutes my daughter had spent sitting on the floor in their dining room exploring the interior rooms of the dollhouse, this was probably more action than it had seen in all the years their child had it on display in her bedroom. Loath as I was to bring something so large into our home when I knew another would soon be on its way, her interest was only growing. I figure my daughter will play with this dollhouse for years to come until she's ready for the more elaborate one I have in mind, and then perhaps this one will become my next "project." Only time will tell.
So, yeah, I picked my daughter up from preschool and told her I had a BIG, BIG surprise for her. We drove in the rain and when we entered their home, the dollhouse was sitting on the floor to our immediate left. For her, it was love at first sight. Thankfully. She's been adoring it these last few days, which means the garden room has been forgotten and is now safely tucked away out of sight. Phew! She uses some of her Fisher Price Little People as well. She also uses the round wood banana slices from her pancake set for plates. When she grows tired of this, I'll have to buy some actual accessories, I think.
I had an idea for another DIY project I can take on while waiting to get my hands on the actual dollhouse I want to refurbish, but it is going to require the ordering of some supplies etc, and so I'll post more on that later. Suffice it to say, the pictures I'm about to post below have everything to do with that project. They also have the added benefit of putting the Erna Meyer dolls I ordered on display (I've received most, but not yet all). Anyway, it gives me an opportunity to show just how precious they really are. As you'll see, I set up some "scenes" in this current dollhouse.
Enjoy!
The problem started the next morning, however. She became obsessed with "looking" at it. Only now, her little fingers couldn't resist touching it as well. Try as I might, no matter how I went about encouraging her to use her imagination to play with it instead of touching, it was understandably too big a concept AND too big a temptation. The fact remains, this tiny little garden kit is just too delicate for her clumsy fingers. Something had to be done. That something was to find a dollhouse that could stand in for the dollhouse I plan to refurbish yet isn't even here for me to get started working on.
I managed to find, on Craigslist, the most AMAZING deal on a Melissa and Doug Victorian Dollhouse that had seen very little use. There were no accessories, but it came with a daddy and daughter doll (I don't think they are Melissa and Doug, but I could be wrong) as well as almost all of the furniture, though a couple pieces did require fixing as a leg had broken off both the bed and armoire. Easy enough to fix. In fact, when we went to pick it up, the parents informed me that in the five minutes my daughter had spent sitting on the floor in their dining room exploring the interior rooms of the dollhouse, this was probably more action than it had seen in all the years their child had it on display in her bedroom. Loath as I was to bring something so large into our home when I knew another would soon be on its way, her interest was only growing. I figure my daughter will play with this dollhouse for years to come until she's ready for the more elaborate one I have in mind, and then perhaps this one will become my next "project." Only time will tell.
So, yeah, I picked my daughter up from preschool and told her I had a BIG, BIG surprise for her. We drove in the rain and when we entered their home, the dollhouse was sitting on the floor to our immediate left. For her, it was love at first sight. Thankfully. She's been adoring it these last few days, which means the garden room has been forgotten and is now safely tucked away out of sight. Phew! She uses some of her Fisher Price Little People as well. She also uses the round wood banana slices from her pancake set for plates. When she grows tired of this, I'll have to buy some actual accessories, I think.
I had an idea for another DIY project I can take on while waiting to get my hands on the actual dollhouse I want to refurbish, but it is going to require the ordering of some supplies etc, and so I'll post more on that later. Suffice it to say, the pictures I'm about to post below have everything to do with that project. They also have the added benefit of putting the Erna Meyer dolls I ordered on display (I've received most, but not yet all). Anyway, it gives me an opportunity to show just how precious they really are. As you'll see, I set up some "scenes" in this current dollhouse.
Enjoy!
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