My Doll Haven

Everyone Needs Playtime

In our hectic, modern lives, many of us focus so heavily on work and family commitments that we never seem to have time for pure fun. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we stopped playing.

When we carve out some leisure time, we’re more likely to zone out in front of the TV or computer than engage in fun, rejuvenating play like we did as children. But play is not just essential for kids; it can be an important source of relaxation and stimulation for adults as well.

There doesn’t need to be any point to the activity beyond having fun and enjoying yourself. By giving yourself permission to play with the joyful abandon of childhood, you can reap oodles of health benefits throughout life.

Sunday

Coming for Christmas

A Practical Magic Victorian House from Gold Rush Bay. The house is modeled after New England Victorian lighthouse-based designs with light tower.

It has a generous porch which surrounds the house and there are minute details such as a flower and potions conservatory, even a hidden stained glass window surprise! The entire structure measures 8.5 inches wide 6.5 inches deep and 8.5 inches high.

An Addams Family Victorian Mansion, also from Gold Rush Bay. This one is modeled after French Second Empire Victorian Mansions, but looks similar to the Nevermore Academy, shown in Burton's Wednesday.

A generous mansard roof surrounds the top of the house dotted with open dormer windows and there are minute details such as a Corinthian columns flanking each window and porch, fishscale tiles on the roof and a semicircular conservatory on the right side. Inside can be revealed by opening up the hinged house, where a staircase connects first and second floors. The entire structure measures 8 inches wide 6 inches deep and 8 inches high.

Both houses have been 3D printed in HO scale, which is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale (3.5 mm to 1 foot), and they are ready to paint with acrylics. The first one I shall decorate in colours which would suit a coastal theme and the second I'd like to paint as a haunted house.

Saturday

A Little Knitting Pattern

This week has been full of ups and downs, mainly due to the worst bout of hayfever I've ever had. Not even my antihistamines have kept the sneezing, runny nose and eyes at bay.

Aside from that, I've been looking for items to add to the kids bedroom, which led me to making throws for the bunk beds. It's a simple pattern which I made up myself as I wanted a loose lacy look which works well for this scale.

Using 5.5mm needles and 3ply yarn, cast on 32 stitches. Finished size 30 x 32cm.

1st row: knit 1, *purl 1, yarn over needle, slip 1, knit 1 and pass the slip stitch over, repeat from * until the last stitch, then knit 1.

2nd row: as above.

Continue until you have the length you require then cast off and sew in the ends.

I then blocked my knitted piece to open up the lacy pattern, by simply pinning it to my ironing board, setting my iron to steam, covering the throw with a tea towel and steam ironing it flat. You can read how to properly block your knitting here.

They are not perfect works of art by any means, but I didn't think they looked too bad on the bunks. Holly had other ideas.

Primrose was very happy with hers, Magnolia insisted I make hers in pink and Holly couldn't resist telling me "They need a fringe at each end." So it appears I have more knitting to do.

Until next time, have a wonderful weekend everyone!

UPDATE: Here's the finished ones.

Not Quite Finished

But I'm getting there. I finished making a bunting for the bedroom in the kiddies cottage this afternoon and wanted to see how it looked, so I took a quick shot with my phone.

The little table is made from a metal pot plant stand with a painted MDF top which hubby cut to size for me. The top is removable and I have another top which I can add when I use the table in Heather's art deco apartment.

The doll house is from AliExpress; the front opens and so does the roof.