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House!

                                                

A new teacher has come into my life.  Come, not unexpectedly, for I have been asking seriously and sincerely for what has occurred.  Thing is, I didn’t realize it was going to be such a vehicle for learning.

The pronoun ‘it’ is not a suitable one for what I wish to convey.  How is it that we have come this far without a word for that special something that is neither masculine nor feminine but a combination of both; which is entirely personal.  He.  She.  It.  !?!  Now I cannot write !?!: it is just too precocious, but I need to feel the reader is aware that, forced to used ‘it’, I am meaning something more than that androgynous impersonal word implies. It: my teacher.

I made its acquaintance on the last Thursday in September at eleven forty-five in the morning.  By three o’clock that afternoon I had been accepted as the steward of it. Nine days later, after all those necessary details of a home inspection, mortgage, lawyers, I was given the keys to the front door.

For each of those nine days I had come by several times each day to see where the sun shone in the morning, in the afternoon, where the moon chose to peer, how the wind wound around.  Came by and nibbled on blackberries, feasted on pears, tasted plums, shared an apple with a worm. Came by and rested head and hand against the warm cream stucco of the house. Came by and poked in the huge compost pile, sat on the ground under a tree that cupped a pear in its branches so that I knew what fruit it had borne, noted the birds in their number and variety and was ecstatic. Of course the house was empty.  The listing realtor said he expected to find I had pitched a tent.  I don’t think he understood.

It is a house and land teaching me how to make it a home and a garden in the most worthwhile way by increasing awareness of self.

The property is forty-five by one hundred and thirty-seven feet in dimension.  The soil of which it consists reminded me of chocolate cake when I shoe’d a shovel into it.  I am told this area was once an orchard.

Ten leyland cypress got planted almost immediately in a meandering line to eventually naturalize the view of the apartment block to the north.  Got planted and gave me some grounding in the first month of possession when the warts and wrinkles paraded – stampeded! – into view.  For this was the first learning.  Not only to be prepared for much camouflaged abuse of abode when taking on a house that has been rented by many people across many years, but to ride the vision down the snakes and up the ladders during the initial renovations and find the body and soul weathered surprisingly well!

Coming so quickly on a house that could be instantly purchased meant that I still had the apartment for the month of giving notice.  It was a godsend and a burden.  More learning.  I felt I was burning bridges with a foot on either shore.   I could go back to a working toilet and bathtub, brush the plaster dust from my teeth, deal erratically with the bonding of the new place and experience fear that it might never fully occur because of those ‘plaster dust’ aspects.  Now, with each small step of personalizing – and I am taking very small steps for some reason I haven’t yet fathomed: perhaps it is to extend the honeymoon period: perhaps I am simply exhausted from the most hectic of months – I allow in, slowly, the joyfulness of commitment.

The house is light and bright and sunny and airy.  It is tiny and cosy, less than a thousand square feet.  Built in 1941 this is a far newer house than those I have owned in the past, far newer than I expected to be buying now.  I love the charm, the history, the depth of old houses.  Then I realized – this house is fifty-nine years old! That put things in perspective.  Thirty years ago when I was buying an 1867 house this may well have been a ‘youngster’.  We have both patina’ed – nicely!

I had planned to live with the garden for a year in the usual fashion to ‘hear’ what it has to tell me.  Already it ‘speaks visually’.  More learning.  I can ‘see’ where pathways are meant to go and have an inkling of where they will lead.  Good lord, I am planning a community of sorts. 

And paths are lined, of course.  With trees and bushes and flowers.  Paths are anchored by stones or chips or other foot guides.  I walk out with wonder…

I have begun the next adventure of a home in Victoria BC.

Dolls : Day 4 doll (from a series of 7)

 

I went to the ocean for Day 4 doll.  After much combing of the beach, this piece of wood that had drifted from I know not where, or even from what kind of tree it originated, presented itself as Doll 4.  The stone came later;  I remembered I had put stones in the glove drawer from a long ago beach jaunt and this was one of them and this was Doll 4 face....waiting.....

Here she is......

Unsure how to dress her.....then linen seemed right....and with tabs like those on garments made for paper dolls.

Freeform machine stitching for detail - and outline - you'll see why in a moment.

The head was adjusted until this position felt right although I wanted a more balanced, tilted angle:  doll did not.

And features on face.....  No.  A definite no.  I considered trying out eyes etc. on the back of the head but I didn't even bother to go get the paints.
A lethargy sets in when one is willing to listen but then thinks to stop hearing.....

This is her everyday dress, the one worn to go out in public.

The reason for the outline stitching is this:

...the casual everyday dress, the one in which there would be no hesitation (there would never be a hesitation and thus the usefulness of an everyday casual dress) to drop to knees and hug a muddy grandchild or climb on a fence to reach down an apple or forget and wipe hands on skirt for whatever reason or sort through the dollar box at a garage sale....no hesitation to do any or all of these things and therefore no regret.

The comic paper dress would be cotton, of course.

Posted on August 23, 2018 at 02:22 AM | Permalink

I went to the ocean for Day 4 doll.  After much combing of the beach, this piece of wood that had drifted from I know not where, or even from what kind of tree it originated, presented itself as Doll 4.  The stone came later;  I remembered I had put stones in the glove drawer from a long ago beach jaunt and this was one of them and this was Doll 4 face....waiting.....

Here she is......

Unsure how to dress her.....then linen seemed right....and with tabs like those on garments made for paper dolls.

Freeform machine stitching for detail - and outline - you'll see why in a moment.

The head was adjusted until this position felt right although I wanted a more balanced, tilted angle:  doll did not.

And features on face.....  No.  A definite no.  I considered trying out eyes etc. on the back of the head but I didn't even bother to go get the paints.
A lethargy sets in when one is willing to listen but then thinks to stop hearing.....

This is her everyday dress, the one worn to go out in public.

The reason for the outline stitching is this:

...the casual everyday dress, the one in which there would be no hesitation (there would never be a hesitation and thus the usefulness of an everyday casual dress) to drop to knees and hug a muddy grandchild or climb on a fence to reach down an apple or forget and wipe hands on skirt for whatever reason or sort through the dollar box at a garage sale....no hesitation to do any or all of these things and therefore no regret.

The comic paper dress would be cotton, of course.

Crow with golden head

(re-post)

I was sitting in my usual restaurant yesterday watching people and birds and leaves and wind : nature, human and otherwise.  

By chance I turned my head strongly to the right and, through the window beside me, noticed a crow sitting on the fence, perhaps eight or so feet away, facing away from me.

A crow with a golden head.

First thought was that it was a carved wooden statue and the start of a wonder at who would have put it there and why.  But then it moved a bit.

It was a crow.  With a golden head. I simply stared.

Then it occurred to me to dig camera out of purse and take a photo of this amazing bird.  But even then, I hesitated;  unwilling to make a motion that would cause it to fly away; willing to continue to simply sit and stare.

It did then fly away.  And I saw that it was a crow with a black head.

I felt caught in some kind of time warp as I went back to eating my lunch and letting the realization evolve.

Which it did.  I had seen the reflection of an amber light on the opposite wall of the restaurant perfectly aligned with the crow's position and the angle of  the sun.

Somehow one's life is altered by such experiences. The mere mortal part of me put it down on paper with brushes and paint.

Posted on November 08, 2012 at 10:59 AM | Permalink

 

I was sitting in my usual restaurant yesterday watching people and birds and leaves and wind : nature, human and otherwise.  

By chance I turned my head strongly to the right and, through the window beside me, noticed a crow sitting on the fence, perhaps eight or so feet away, facing away from me.

A crow with a golden head.

First thought was that it was a carved wooden statue and the start of a wonder at who would have put it there and why.  But then it moved a bit.

It was a crow.  With a golden head. I simply stared.

Then it occurred to me to dig camera out of purse and take a photo of this amazing bird.  But even then, I hesitated;  unwilling to make a motion that would cause it to fly away; willing to continue to simply sit and stare.

It did then fly away.  And I saw that it was a crow with a black head.

I felt caught in some kind of time warp as I went back to eating my lunch and letting the realization evolve.

Which it did.  I had seen the reflection of an amber light on the opposite wall of the restaurant perfectly aligned with the crow's position and the angle of  the sun.

Somehow one's life is altered by such experiences. The mere mortal part of me put it down on paper with brushes and paint.

(re-post)

I was sitting in my usual restaurant yesterday watching people and birds and leaves and wind : nature, human and otherwise.  

By chance I turned my head strongly to the right and, through the window beside me, noticed a crow sitting on the fence, perhaps eight or so feet away, facing away from me.

A crow with a golden head.

First thought was that it was a carved wooden statue and the start of a wonder at who would have put it there and why.  But then it moved a bit.

It was a crow.  With a golden head. I simply stared.

Then it occurred to me to dig camera out of purse and take a photo of this amazing bird.  But even then, I hesitated;  unwilling to make a motion that would cause it to fly away; willing to continue to simply sit and stare.

It did then fly away.  And I saw that it was a crow with a black head.

I felt caught in some kind of time warp as I went back to eating my lunch and letting the realization evolve.

Which it did.  I had seen the reflection of an amber light on the opposite wall of the restaurant perfectly aligned with the crow's position and the angle of  the sun.

Somehow one's life is altered by such experiences. The mere mortal part of me put it down on paper with brushes and paint.

Gracious and Goofy Scarf.

(re-post)

(click on Img to view)

(It is cold and windy outside at the moment and I was looking for something  cheerful and came across this blog entry.  I noticed the salt lamp on the counter as well - haven't thought of those in ages! )

The sight of this drying on the counter tickled my sense of fun and I found myself grinning.  It's knit from Katia linen, a cotton/linen blend, a gift from daughter-in-law and eldest son .

Starting with my beloved (I knit it a lot: I must love it!) yin yang square, once I got to the mid-point (47 sts.) and started in the reverse stockingette stitch for a row or two, "scarf" began to make sense, because, even though it was then 'winter' and wool made more sense for a scarf, the yarn knew spring was (eventually) going to occur.

I had started to knit the square thinking it might be a building block for a blanket or a garment or a hat or....whatever one can construct from a 'building block' - which is pretty well anything!  But, I suddenly heard "scarf!"  So I decreased  to a width that felt right and just kept knitting. 

It was only when I had it spread out on the counter that its resemblance to an arrow struck my funny bone.  (Tangent query:  why do we think our funny bone is our elbow?)

Here it is in its simplest form for wearing.

And here, with a double wrap round neck for chilly spring days, with the cheerful  knitter scarf pin

A single wrap and making use of the other end (I cast off evenly and did not repeat the yin yang square) for some freeform origami with the addition of  two interesting safety pins (I love safety pins!) enhances the funky aspect.

Posted on April 23, 2008 at 04:20 AM

Posted on November 15, 2021 at 10:34 AM | Permalink

(click on Img to view)

(It is cold and windy outside at the moment and I was looking for something  cheerful and came across this blog entry.  I noticed the salt lamp on the counter as well - haven't thought of those in ages! )

The sight of this drying on the counter tickled my sense of fun and I found myself grinning.  It's knit from Katia linen, a cotton/linen blend, a gift from daughter-in-law and eldest son .

Starting with my beloved (I knit it a lot: I must love it!) yin yang square, once I got to the mid-point (47 sts.) and started in the reverse stockingette stitch for a row or two, "scarf" began to make sense, because, even though it was then 'winter' and wool made more sense for a scarf, the yarn knew spring was (eventually) going to occur.

I had started to knit the square thinking it might be a building block for a blanket or a garment or a hat or....whatever one can construct from a 'building block' - which is pretty well anything!  But, I suddenly heard "scarf!"  So I decreased  to a width that felt right and just kept knitting. 

It was only when I had it spread out on the counter that its resemblance to an arrow struck my funny bone.  (Tangent query:  why do we think our funny bone is our elbow?)

Here it is in its simplest form for wearing.

And here, with a double wrap round neck for chilly spring days, with the cheerful  knitter scarf pin

A single wrap and making use of the other end (I cast off evenly and did not repeat the yin yang square) for some freeform origami with the addition of  two interesting safety pins (I love safety pins!) enhances the funky aspect.

Posted on April 23, 2008 at 04:20 AM

(click on Img to view)

(It is cold and windy outside at the moment and I was looking for something  cheerful and came across this blog entry.  I noticed the salt lamp on the counter as well - haven't thought of those in ages! )

The sight of this drying on the counter tickled my sense of fun and I found myself grinning.  It's knit from Katia linen, a cotton/linen blend, a gift from daughter-in-law and eldest son .

Starting with my beloved (I knit it a lot: I must love it!) yin yang square, once I got to the mid-point (47 sts.) and started in the reverse stockingette stitch for a row or two, "scarf" began to make sense, because, even though it was then 'winter' and wool made more sense for a scarf, the yarn knew spring was (eventually) going to occur.

I had started to knit the square thinking it might be a building block for a blanket or a garment or a hat or....whatever one can construct from a 'building block' - which is pretty well anything!  But, I suddenly heard "scarf!"  So I decreased  to a width that felt right and just kept knitting. 

It was only when I had it spread out on the counter that its resemblance to an arrow struck my funny bone.  (Tangent query:  why do we think our funny bone is our elbow?)

Here it is in its simplest form for wearing.

And here, with a double wrap round neck for chilly spring days, with the cheerful  knitter scarf pin

A single wrap and making use of the other end (I cast off evenly and did not repeat the yin yang square) for some freeform origami with the addition of  two interesting safety pins (I love safety pins!) enhances the funky aspect.

Raincoat ...... possibly perfect ...... (mostly) seamless design

(re-post)

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.  Hmmm, maybe a trip to Vancouver .....

Posted on November 21, 2011 at 10:32 AM | Permalink

 

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.  Hmmm, maybe a trip to Vancouver .....

(re-post)

Last week it began to  downpour as I was getting ready to go out on the daily route of errands, library, groceries etc. and so decided it was a great opportunity to test the new raincoat design.  

Well, considering the intensity of the rain,  I should have realized it was, once again, Victoria mimicking her big brother Vancouver to show that she had what it took to raise eyebrows and umbrellas but did not have the wherewithal, or interest, to sustain it.  Rain mellowed to a mere drizzle and then stopped.  But the wind continued.  The raincoat is awesome in the wind: clothing as architecture, housing the body;  it provides a cosy shelter.

This does seem to be (finally!) waterproof (not just resistant!) fabric.

I wanted the coat as seamless as possible so a single piece of the 60 inch material is used (76 inches in all);   the width from wrist to wrist,  folded at the required length from hem to shoulder (for the back), cut off at waist length (for the front).

The material is then cut in from either side to form the sleeves above (which are sewn on an angle -the only inside seams- to make a 7 inch wrist opening) and to also form  the front left and right sides which are  layered slightly over  each other and stitched for the middle front seam.   The end of the material that ends at the waist is stitched  over and to the tops of the right and left front.  I may stitch the very end to the front to form a pocket or muff but so far it is hanging free.

There are no shoulder seams,  upper sleeve seams, side seams or front seam above the waist.

Two slits provide the neck opening and I may or may not add a collar/scarf.

I added an extension to each wrist opening which can be rolled up to form the cuff but  unrolled provides a nice protection for the hands which I usually find get wet in the rain with regular raincoat sleeves and gloves get soaked.  The extension also gives a good means of opening a wet car door or trunk etc. without wetting gloves or hands.

The hood is a simple style with depth that can be adjusted with the fold;  the crossover collar fastened and adjusted with a kilt pin.

That extra material is possibly for the collar to the coat.

The pull over design is loose enough to provide easy on and off .  

I look forward to the next downpour.  Hmmm, maybe a trip to Vancouver .....

Chestnuts and spiders.

(re-post)

Sounds kind of like a recipe.  Maybe  "Spiders and chestnuts"  is better.

Usually I collect chestnuts when the trees have dropped them in their shell which I delight in opening  and viewing those gorgeous, shiny works of the artist,  Nature.

After  they have been in displays around the house, carried in a pocket,  admired on the dashboard of the car they lose their shine and are ready to be put here and there around the house to deter spiders.

On the weekend I noticed a spider on the wall in the kitchen. I prefer not to notice spiders in the house.  Especially since I stepped on one in the dark; actually it was a raisin but I thought it was a spider. Outdoors I like them just fine.

But kitchen spider reminded me I had not collected chestnuts this year.

Just so happened I was in Cook St. Village later that day and the chestnut trees that so grandly line the streets reminded me to get chestnuts.  

Could not find any!!!  Most of the leaves were down.  The ground in the Village had leaves but no chestnuts. Was beginning to think the spiders in my house were going to  have to be deterred by purchased, fancy, foreign chestnuts.  Marrons!  Sacrebleu!

Then I walked away from the Village and finally found some in the next block.

Whew.  Bare feet in the dark are safe.

Now I am wondering why there were no chestnuts under the trees in the Village.  Maybe the squirrels 'went shopping'  for them.

Posted on November 22, 2011 at 02:22 AM | Permalink

 

Sounds kind of like a recipe.  Maybe  "Spiders and chestnuts"  is better.

Usually I collect chestnuts when the trees have dropped them in their shell which I delight in opening  and viewing those gorgeous, shiny works of the artist,  Nature.

After  they have been in displays around the house, carried in a pocket,  admired on the dashboard of the car they lose their shine and are ready to be put here and there around the house to deter spiders.

On the weekend I noticed a spider on the wall in the kitchen. I prefer not to notice spiders in the house.  Especially since I stepped on one in the dark; actually it was a raisin but I thought it was a spider. Outdoors I like them just fine.

But kitchen spider reminded me I had not collected chestnuts this year.

Just so happened I was in Cook St. Village later that day and the chestnut trees that so grandly line the streets reminded me to get chestnuts.  

Could not find any!!!  Most of the leaves were down.  The ground in the Village had leaves but no chestnuts. Was beginning to think the spiders in my house were going to  have to be deterred by purchased, fancy, foreign chestnuts.  Marrons!  Sacrebleu!

Then I walked away from the Village and finally found some in the next block.

Whew.  Bare feet in the dark are safe.

Now I am wondering why there were no chestnuts under the trees in the Village.  Maybe the squirrels 'went shopping'  for them.

(re-post)

Sounds kind of like a recipe.  Maybe  "Spiders and chestnuts"  is better.

Usually I collect chestnuts when the trees have dropped them in their shell which I delight in opening  and viewing those gorgeous, shiny works of the artist,  Nature.

After  they have been in displays around the house, carried in a pocket,  admired on the dashboard of the car they lose their shine and are ready to be put here and there around the house to deter spiders.

On the weekend I noticed a spider on the wall in the kitchen. I prefer not to notice spiders in the house.  Especially since I stepped on one in the dark; actually it was a raisin but I thought it was a spider. Outdoors I like them just fine.

But kitchen spider reminded me I had not collected chestnuts this year.

Just so happened I was in Cook St. Village later that day and the chestnut trees that so grandly line the streets reminded me to get chestnuts.  

Could not find any!!!  Most of the leaves were down.  The ground in the Village had leaves but no chestnuts. Was beginning to think the spiders in my house were going to  have to be deterred by purchased, fancy, foreign chestnuts.  Marrons!  Sacrebleu!

Then I walked away from the Village and finally found some in the next block.

Whew.  Bare feet in the dark are safe.

Now I am wondering why there were no chestnuts under the trees in the Village.  Maybe the squirrels 'went shopping'  for them.

Miniatures change your life

(re-post)

Well, well, well - I have just discovered I can re-post an old post, not just as a link. This initially appeared many years ago. The dollhouse spent time in storage but then it was time for it to 'journey' again and it is now with a new family.

One thing I like about looking at old photos is seeing clothing I have made over the years and about  which I have forgotten.  This picture is from nearly thirty years ago and the first thing I noticed was the overalls;  they were a wide wale corduroy, an unusual material to use  in a child's garment but I liked the European look and they were certainly sturdy.

The dollhouse unleashed numerous memories. 

The ongoing  adventure started on a trip to Bennington, Vermont and a visit to a miniatures shop there.  We had three young boys but a dollhouse is not about gender.  We ended up ordering a kit to make a dollhouse,  a replica (scale 12" to 1") of the Victorian house owned by Harold Gray the creator of  Little Orphan Annie.

Above is  it in its initial stages of construction.  It was set up on a table in the dining room and came to life there over a number of months with almost daily attention.  It was not only a family endeavour but involved the neighbours as well. 
Here it is just completed.  German friends  advised us of the tradition of raising a pole with ribbons at a house completion and supplied one for ours.

We began to look at things differently once the dollhouse became part of our lives:  a glass earring became a hanging lamp;  the lining from a chocolate box became wallpaper;  could a magazine  be reduced to the 1/12 scale - yes!;  was a weather vane needed - of course!;  was it possible to knit a lace coverlet for the bed using piano wire for the knitting needles - well, likely, but not by me.

Here it is years later, after several moves.

The moves were something else!  We had the movers give an estimate for moving contents of our house, then, an extra cost for moving the doll house.  Finally we figured out a way of separating the top floor from the rest and making the whole procedure much simpler.

It now has its stained glass window...and an inlaid  mahogany star in the fir plank floor...and an  entrance to the third floor because one son could not stand that there was no access...and furniture....and accessories.....

Here is the back view.  Every single piece has a history and carries a memory. 

The dollhouse is presently with family in Toronto.

I have these things ready for when next I visit:  a piano shawl, replica of a French hand-painted silk one, and which, since the dollhouse does not (yet!) have a piano, will hang on a wall, as does the original in my home here;   a 'braided' rug (likely for in the bathroom);  a  'woven' rug for the nursery;  some  die cast tools made from zinc at Cominco in Trail, BC.  We'll need a tool box, next, or at least a tool drawer ....

 

Posted on November 16, 2011 at 09:19 PM | Permalink

Well, well, well - I have just discovered I can re-post an old post, not just as a link. This initially appeared many years ago. The dollhouse spent time in storage but then it was time for it to 'journey' again and it is now with a new family.

One thing I like about looking at old photos is seeing clothing I have made over the years and about  which I have forgotten.  This picture is from nearly thirty years ago and the first thing I noticed was the overalls;  they were a wide wale corduroy, an unusual material to use  in a child's garment but I liked the European look and they were certainly sturdy.

The dollhouse unleashed numerous memories. 

The ongoing  adventure started on a trip to Bennington, Vermont and a visit to a miniatures shop there.  We had three young boys but a dollhouse is not about gender.  We ended up ordering a kit to make a dollhouse,  a replica (scale 12" to 1") of the Victorian house owned by Harold Gray the creator of  Little Orphan Annie.

Above is  it in its initial stages of construction.  It was set up on a table in the dining room and came to life there over a number of months with almost daily attention.  It was not only a family endeavour but involved the neighbours as well. 
Here it is just completed.  German friends  advised us of the tradition of raising a pole with ribbons at a house completion and supplied one for ours.

We began to look at things differently once the dollhouse became part of our lives:  a glass earring became a hanging lamp;  the lining from a chocolate box became wallpaper;  could a magazine  be reduced to the 1/12 scale - yes!;  was a weather vane needed - of course!;  was it possible to knit a lace coverlet for the bed using piano wire for the knitting needles - well, likely, but not by me.

Here it is years later, after several moves.

The moves were something else!  We had the movers give an estimate for moving contents of our house, then, an extra cost for moving the doll house.  Finally we figured out a way of separating the top floor from the rest and making the whole procedure much simpler.

It now has its stained glass window...and an inlaid  mahogany star in the fir plank floor...and an  entrance to the third floor because one son could not stand that there was no access...and furniture....and accessories.....

Here is the back view.  Every single piece has a history and carries a memory. 

The dollhouse is presently with family in Toronto.

I have these things ready for when next I visit:  a piano shawl, replica of a French hand-painted silk one, and which, since the dollhouse does not (yet!) have a piano, will hang on a wall, as does the original in my home here;   a 'braided' rug (likely for in the bathroom);  a  'woven' rug for the nursery;  some  die cast tools made from zinc at Cominco in Trail, BC.  We'll need a tool box, next, or at least a tool drawer ....

 

Pocket book slippers

(re-post)

Size 7 needles with 4 ply worsted yarn (or thereabouts - they invite experimenting)

This is a variation on the  basic pattern for pocketbook slippers: cast on 5 stitches,  knit one row, purl one row for  six rows ; then, keeping in stockingette stitch,  increase in the second stitch of each row until  there are 22 stitches. On next row increase in each stitch so there are now 44 stitches.  Change to moss stitch (K1 P1 across first row P1 K1 across second row) for six inches.

  On the next row K2 tog in each stitch (22 sts)  and now decrease by knitting (or purling;  stockingette stitch again)) the second and third stitch together at the beginning of every row until there are 5 stitches.  Continue in stockingette stitch for the next six rows.  Cast off.   Fold in half and join the moss stitch sides together and then join the two 5 sts ends to form the strap.  I crocheted the buttons and sewed them on; they are purely decorative - the slippers are stretchy and slip on and off easily. 

Thay make up quickly and are  nice for gifts.                                                                                                

Posted on November 14, 2008 at 02:11 AM | Permalink

Size 7 needles with 4 ply worsted yarn (or thereabouts - they invite experimenting)

This is a variation on the  basic pattern for pocketbook slippers: cast on 5 stitches,  knit one row, purl one row for  six rows ; then, keeping in stockingette stitch,  increase in the second stitch of each row until  there are 22 stitches. On next row increase in each stitch so there are now 44 stitches.  Change to moss stitch (K1 P1 across first row P1 K1 across second row) for six inches.

  On the next row K2 tog in each stitch (22 sts)  and now decrease by knitting (or purling;  stockingette stitch again)) the second and third stitch together at the beginning of every row until there are 5 stitches.  Continue in stockingette stitch for the next six rows.  Cast off.   Fold in half and join the moss stitch sides together and then join the two 5 sts ends to form the strap.  I crocheted the buttons and sewed them on; they are purely decorative - the slippers are stretchy and slip on and off easily. 

Thay make up quickly and are  nice for gifts.                                                                                                

Dolls: Day 3 doll (in a series of 7)

(re-post)

 I have  been on quite a journey this morning.  When I began to make Day 3 doll I did not expect the extent of this.  I knew I wanted to make a universal doll - and for weeks I have been considering just what this would mean - a doll with ethnic dress, and, if so, from how many countries;  the plainest and simplest of dolls to represent the globe, and, if so, how to indicate the representation without having to explain (or at least explain minimally);  perhaps collect dolls from many countries who look like they had traveled long and far and turn them into one symbolic one.....

Then a map came to mind.  Yes!!!  I wanted to make a doll from a map.   A large map.  I was at a garage sale given by a teacher and she had ooodles of school supplies but no map.  No large pliable map that would have rolled down in front of a classroom.  Darn.  But if  such a thing had been there it would have been a) a collectible with a collectible  asking price  b) likely already sold to the first person at the garage sale  which was not me but I would have been told about it  c) even if I were the first person the map would have to have been very ratty and very cheap for me to even consider cutting it up into a doll - and even then it would have been a hard decision.  A week or so ago this presented:

It is old but not a collectible (at least those people ahead of me at the sale did not think so.)  It is paper but I thought it would work just fine.

You can see the original dollar price;  I paid a quarter.

It is a map of Canada but it includes the world.
I hadn't expected that - I did not unfold it at the sale - and found this feature quite chummy and very Canadian.  If it had only contained Canada there would have been a "Sorry" somewhere on the map and an explanation.

I've been thinking on how to make a doll with it.

This morning I got it out and started. 

Now I did make notes as I went along and planned to give a detailed account of what I did and what I thought and what I felt.

I changed my mind.  Much of a muchness and, as I said, it was quite a journey:  memories were evoked of ancestors and places visited and friends from countries I have not visited and food I love from countries I have and have not visited and place names and shapes of countries and colours of countries and how living in certain countries has influenced my life and .....  you know exactly what I mean. 

Also I had planned to stitch the map doll onto a piece of foamy blanket as backing and then maybe pad it a bit but I must have put the foamy blanket in the bag with other 'stuff' and taken it to the neighbourhood FREE place. Which turned out just fine (as always) because the paper map would have been too stiff to stitch and I had just come across the roll of corrugated lightweight cardboard at a sale last weekend and it worked for what I wanted.

Here it is.   Day 3 doll.  Respectfully submitted.

Posted on August 22, 2018 at 02:22 AM | Permalink

 I have  been on quite a journey this morning.  When I began to make Day 3 doll I did not expect the extent of this.  I knew I wanted to make a universal doll - and for weeks I have been considering just what this would mean - a doll with ethnic dress, and, if so, from how many countries;  the plainest and simplest of dolls to represent the globe, and, if so, how to indicate the representation without having to explain (or at least explain minimally);  perhaps collect dolls from many countries who look like they had traveled long and far and turn them into one symbolic one.....

Then a map came to mind.  Yes!!!  I wanted to make a doll from a map.   A large map.  I was at a garage sale given by a teacher and she had ooodles of school supplies but no map.  No large pliable map that would have rolled down in front of a classroom.  Darn.  But if  such a thing had been there it would have been a) a collectible with a collectible  asking price  b) likely already sold to the first person at the garage sale  which was not me but I would have been told about it  c) even if I were the first person the map would have to have been very ratty and very cheap for me to even consider cutting it up into a doll - and even then it would have been a hard decision.  A week or so ago this presented:

It is old but not a collectible (at least those people ahead of me at the sale did not think so.)  It is paper but I thought it would work just fine.

You can see the original dollar price;  I paid a quarter.

It is a map of Canada but it includes the world.
I hadn't expected that - I did not unfold it at the sale - and found this feature quite chummy and very Canadian.  If it had only contained Canada there would have been a "Sorry" somewhere on the map and an explanation.

I've been thinking on how to make a doll with it.

This morning I got it out and started. 

Now I did make notes as I went along and planned to give a detailed account of what I did and what I thought and what I felt.

I changed my mind.  Much of a muchness and, as I said, it was quite a journey:  memories were evoked of ancestors and places visited and friends from countries I have not visited and food I love from countries I have and have not visited and place names and shapes of countries and colours of countries and how living in certain countries has influenced my life and .....  you know exactly what I mean. 

Also I had planned to stitch the map doll onto a piece of foamy blanket as backing and then maybe pad it a bit but I must have put the foamy blanket in the bag with other 'stuff' and taken it to the neighbourhood FREE place. Which turned out just fine (as always) because the paper map would have been too stiff to stitch and I had just come across the roll of corrugated lightweight cardboard at a sale last weekend and it worked for what I wanted.

Here it is.   Day 3 doll.  Respectfully submitted.

Words scarcely needed except for .... pop .... pop .... pop ...

(re-post)

Snowberry bush ...

As a child I would also put some of these treasures in my pocket but they did not travel well or please my mother on wash day when she checked my pockets. (click on IMG to view)

The ones tossed on the road had a more satisfying result.

Ready .... set ......

pop ... pop ... pop .........

A noise from high in the tree made me look up.

It was not asking  "Who, who, who?"

It was more "Tsk, tsk, tsk,tsktsktsk ...."

Perhaps I had disturbed its nap. 

I am so glad I saw it.

Posted on November 25, 2011 at 02:22 AM | Permalink

 

Snowberry bush ...

As a child I would also put some of these treasures in my pocket but they did not travel well or please my mother on wash day when she checked my pockets. (click on IMG to view)

The ones tossed on the road had a more satisfying result.

Ready .... set ......

pop ... pop ... pop .........

A noise from high in the tree made me look up.

It was not asking  "Who, who, who?"

It was more "Tsk, tsk, tsk,tsktsktsk ...."

Perhaps I had disturbed its nap. 

I am so glad I saw it.

(re-post)

Snowberry bush ...

As a child I would also put some of these treasures in my pocket but they did not travel well or please my mother on wash day when she checked my pockets. (click on IMG to view)

The ones tossed on the road had a more satisfying result.

Ready .... set ......

pop ... pop ... pop .........

A noise from high in the tree made me look up.

It was not asking  "Who, who, who?"

It was more "Tsk, tsk, tsk,tsktsktsk ...."

Perhaps I had disturbed its nap. 

I am so glad I saw it.