For many of us we were shown or had a dollhouse when we were young. We discovered them one day in a store, we saw them on television, we might have even had a friend who had one. For me it was neither. I discovered miniatures during those long summer days of youth at the Children’s Museum. On the top floor of the museum right next to the vintage carousel sat a big beautiful mansion. It was painted all white and had a carriage house. I was glued to the glass taking in all of the details of the chandelier’s, the dining table set with china and silver. All of the beds draped with lace and fancy rugs on the floor. All of the details. At this point you think I might have ended up with a dollhouse but it wasn’t meant to be just then. Through the years I picked up small things even a miniature village but soon forgot about a dollhouse.

Fast forward quite a few years, I was in an A C Moore in South Carolina in 2005 and walked down an aisle and what did I see but dollhouses and room box kits on the shelves with all of the trimmings. I didn’t buy one that day but went home talking about it but thinking they were expensive. When my friend mentioned that the store usually has coupons 40% and 50% off.  Now why didn’t I think of that. Time to see if they would work. I checked with the store clerk to make sure the coupon would work and it would!

So what did I choose for a first house? It was the Real Good Toys Painted Lady. I think it was the 2nd edition with the scrolling trim. Did it ever get finished, lol, that’s the question. Sadly, no! But was the idea still there? Of course it was. All of the supplies and kits I had acquired got packed up and after a move across the states a new obsession would continue.