Inspiration- The Doll House Book

Dollhouses and other miniatures have always fascinated me. They have the ability to transport you and send the imagination spiraling. I marvel at the impossible details in such minute craftsmanship. It can seem likely a really frivolous hobby, but I think it embodies the true beauty of “art for art’s sake”. I also love how they seem to mark a place and time like a record in history. Antique children’s toys really strike me as objects with stories to tell, so I never tire dreaming up what story a dollhouse might tell.

I recently came across “The Doll House Book” by Stephanie Finnegan and I highly recommend it. This whimsically shaped book discusses the origin of doll houses and follows them through time to modern day. It showcases many talented doll makers like Dame Darcy and famous personages houses like Queen Mary’s. It even has a section on my all time favorite house, Colleen Moore's "Fairy Castle", which I have dreamed about since seeing it as a small girl. It made me really appreciate how dollhouses have influenced popular culture, children and even history.

Crafting Trips- Nashville, IN

  This past weekend I spent sometime haunting the local craft stores and art shops in the quaint, little town of Nashville, Indiana. I wanted to share with you all some of my favorite shops there in case you live nearby or were looking for an excuse to take a road trip.

Favorite #1- Papertrix
Not only were the owners artists, extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but once they heard we were into Steampunk they went out of their way to show us all the fun stuff they had in-stock. It may look tiny on the outside but they had more papers, stamps and embellishments than any big-box craft store! It was all nicely organized too and they were more than willing to help us look around. There were also tons of examples of how they used the products they sell to make wonderful works of whimsy and art! They even offer classes and have guest artist come in from all over the world! This should be a must-visit for anyone in the Upper Mid-West.

Favorite #2- The Purple Fig
This lady is an exquisite fabric artist and fabric bead maker. The wall hangings and art dolls really stole my heart, but she says the fabric beads are her top seller. She is also looking to offer classes when the tourist season is over and I can't wait to hear how they go!

Favorite #3- Jeepers Miniatures
This is one of the last mortar-and-brick miniature stores left and I was lucky to find it! I love being able to touch and closely examine what I am buying first, so this is the place to get your scale model accessories. On display in the store is a miniature version of Diagon Alley with The Leaky Cauldron and Flourish and Blotts, which will blow you away whether you are a fan or not! I bought a stove kit that I can't wait to put together to show you!


There are many other stores, galleries and artists to see there, so this is only a small sample of what really caught my attention this time around. I look forward to spending more time there hunting through antiques and learning new ways to improve my crafting!