spring break 2011: the doll house.

one of the most exciting parts of visiting north carolina for spring break was poring over all the tiny details of the doll house my grandparents put together for my aunt. the house itself and all the wood pieces inside were built by my granddaddy. all the decorating was done by my grandmother. there really are no words to explain how awesome it is. i am supremely jealous of my aunt ellen who gets to take it home! i wish i would have thought to request a doll house. :)

during my visit, the only thing missing from the house was inhabitants. grandmother had been searching for dolls tiny enough to fit in the rooms but had come up with nothing. i suggested these peg dolls that she could paint/dress herself, and she agreed they were perfect. they arrived after i left, but i am requiring new photos once the dolls are adorned and at home in the house.

the whole view. grandmother had the yard clean until all the people in her neighborhood starting bringing different animals and plants and things to add to the mix. it's an interesting conglomeration, and she mentioned more than once that she liked it better when the yard was clean. :)

another view.

the entry. that floor is painted by hand.

hand-painted door details and lantern.

even closer on the door.

family room.

hand-painted fireplace, mantle art, furniture and clock. i love the rug, too.

the clock is unbelievable. it's grandmother's favorite.

one of the kids' rooms, and my favorite.

i love the red. and i LOVE the beds.

plus, what kid wouldn't love a swing set in their room?

the bathroom.

the kitchen.

the china hutch. the dishes in the back are little pieces of paper grandmother decorated. i love how white the kitchen is. my dream kitchen is so very white.

hand-painted stove, oven and cabinets. i love the tiny paper towel holder.

another kids' room. and close runner-up for my favorite. maybe i just love that there are beds for six children! :) the room houses my favorite piece of furniture though.

oh, how i wish i had a cabinet like this with quilts to fill each space.

swoon.

somehow, i didn't get a full shot of the master bedroom. but this is the dresser (love) and the art, painted by grandmother (also love).

and the bed, complete with lace party dress and gold party purse. i wonder what fancy thing the lady of the house went to last night. bottom line: this is one of the coolest examples of handmade i have ever seen. it's made with mostly little scraps of fabric and pieces of wood they already had, and it turned into something unbelievable valuable and precious. creating has always been a way of life for these two people, and if i inherited 1/32 of their creativity and skill, i am a lucky, lucky girl.