The most ridiculous part of building you own dollhouse is

that it keeps collapsing on itself. The part of the I House made by Imaginarium is sturdy and play worthy. The pool extension and front door and family room I added keep falling over. Even just passing by can cause an earth quake. It's more like building a tower of blocks than a house. I need a nail gun, that's all I'm saying.

                         I house livingroom: I cannot EVEN imagine manufacturing, shipping, marketing and
the customer service involved with making a mini house! Most custom one's made of wood are so heavy shipping must be an issue. How difficult to check every box correctly.

The scale issue is a pain too. These made in Japan yellow plastic chairs were offered as Barbie size! Not. They are barely 1/12. They fit in with the Mattel vintage wooden Barbie furniture because that is not truly 1/6 either. I had to spray paint them orange and black... I HAD to.

                              A little "behind the scene" shot.

Credits: Mattel wooden vintage tables, couch and buffet. pinchopepper white tension lamp. Orange Jonathan Adler Barbie big lamp (repainted). Japanese made vintage Eames chairs (repainted) Purse made in Peru from Shale, Black boxes on table from Modern MC, planters shampoo bottle tops and makeup bottle top. Greenery from Michael's. Mexican carved pot and terracotta pot from ebay. Area rug and shell on a stand, Minimodernista. Back drop, old painting. Woven planter, napkin ring.

Cheers, CM

Phantom Chair

            I remember why I started this 1/6 scale  "I house" project.
       Designer chairs! This Phantom chair only comes in 1/6 scale.

                                                           I love it in the I House!
Credits: Couch and coffee table, "put together" vintage Barbie furniture with pad I made, recycled shampoo top planters with Michael's plastic greenery, note pad page for rug, Mighty World cup, plate coffee pot. Antique metal urns, vintage black lattice 1950's dollhouse wood balconey, Barbie TV. Styrafoam packing piece for alcove.

Credits for artwork: Large piece on left, Bozart.

Top and lower right modern art, Imagination house frames with pieces of a National Gallery flyer cut up to fit the frames.

Lower middle: Imagination House with original print.

Upper right: vintage '50's, I think.

Notice antique black metal urns.

These are some recent additions. Princess Patti (left) 1960's Made in Japan yellow plastic Eames chair, I spray painted orange and black (middle) and the Phantom chair 1/6 scale (right).

The funny thing about the orange chair is it was listed in a Barbie lot so I thought it would be bigger. It fits in with the vintage Mattel wooden Barbie set because it is slightly closer to 1/12 size. Size matters...

The only problem with the 1/6 is THEY ARE SO BIG! And I keep tripping over them. I am considering spray painting the couch and coffee table black... What do you think?  Cheers! CM

Front door experiments for the I house, needs Eichler style house numbers

The last 3 posts are about working on the I house.

 Because we deal in ideas I like to credit where I get them. Thanks MiniDork for telling me about artificial plastic plants when you gave us the gift from the SF mini meet up. Here's my try.

The white pot is the plastic top of my sun umbrella. Side wall by tap plastics.

The black pot is a make up bottle top. Carpet by minimodernistas.
Greenery from Michael's. Front door from Jonathan Adler box.

Here is my sun umbrella bereft of it's top piece. I hope it lasts without it!
So what I am looking for are miniature Eichler style house numbers.
And a ball light for the front... Any ideas when I can find them?

These are from http://www.eichlernetwork.com/HDext_numbers.html a net site to help you reburbish your real Eichler.

I really want Mid Century style they show:

I may have to print them and then glue it to the house.

Just playing with my plants.

Credits: Barbie chair repainted, mighty world cup and saucer, Plants Michael's, planters are shampoo bottle tops.

Cheers! CM

Seeing double

"I have no comment at this time".

Credits: Jonathan Adler Barbie lamp, repainted orange. Imaginarium Glitter Suite house stairs, 2 sets. Mattel vintage wooden side table,

silver grid stair guard by tap plastics from Minimodern, white desk, computer monitor, desk phone, Gloria Barbie furniture repainted, black printer Delph miniatures. Shell that fell on the floor at the foot of the bottom stairs and unnoticed by photographer, Mother Nature.

Update: The little Assistant's mother came over and I showed her the I house. She didn't notice and when I pointed out the double stairs she said "Oh she won't even miss them!" and then "I didn't know that dress was a Jonathan Adler, I helped her take it off and put it on Snow White!" CM

Can I steal Candy from a baby?

I want this child's plastic staircase.

It's not like she's using it.... I saw her Imaginarium Glitter Suite house. She put a Barbie to bed with a pink striped wash cloth over her and left her for days. 

"Oh take it" said Barbie, "She probably won't even miss it... she took my Jonathan Adler dress off me and put it on Snow White..."

I transferred my set that came with my house to the second floor. Then I could put HER SET of stairs on the first floor.

I'm afraid if I ask her she will say "NO!" and even after a lengthy discussion about sharing, the Care Bears, whatever, I might not prevail. And then every time she walks by she will keep an eagle eye on them.

What should I do? If I just BORROW them she might not even miss them for a while and I can experiment with them... I could always say her dog took them and she would believe me.... A moral dilemma. What do you think? She is at pre school till 5 today.  The coast is clear...C

Update: My elder assistant reminded me of 2 instances tht might provide deep background on the ebb and flow of items between our two houses.

1. I have a beautiful silver southwestern cuff bracelet I often wear. It dissappeared last July. We searched both houses asking everyone if they had seen it. No luck finding it.

Around December when my little assistant and her parents were nicely dressed and going out, her mother paused to get Grampy to take a picture of them for their Christmas card. "Just a moment" the little assistant said, ran to her bedroom and trotted out with the silver bracelet on her arm.

2. The elder assistant and her sister were watching tv and giggling when the little assistant came in and out of the blue said, "Jessy, you better stop playing with Mommy's makeup"...
I like the saying Mi Casa es su Casa. Literally.

Please help me pick contrasting colors!

The model is wobbly because the walls are not screwed together yet.

The color scheme is Brown on the outside walls with grey trim.
I moved the front door to the left and added a deck with a pool. I hope to make it an infinity pool and add a hot tub. I need to spray paint the purple arched front wall and sides of the pool brown.

The tile is colored xereoxes of the original bathroom tile in the Imaginarium Glitter Suite. You can see a sample in the background.

 Interior walls are white in the bedroom, kitchen, office and tv room. 

The owner of this house is a therapist. Here is her office. I want to paint the natural wood supports grey like the rest of the trim.

BUT it needs some contrasting color. Any suggestions?
Update: I spray painted the styrofoam and it disintegrated. Maybe it will look pebbly like  stone. Have to wait and see. Thanks C

Rule #1 lose the elevator.

It is my intention to not use the elevator that comes with the house and have a grand entry space instead. I am seeing minimodernistas 3 ball light fixture there.

I love the metallic plastic stairs but I think they might be best used outside.

I need to square the Norman curved windows to keep the lines clean.

I am seeding the roof. There is always Chia pet goo if nothing else works. I was inspired by this business card of Dave Anderson of Event Farm. (dave.anderson@eventfarm.com)  He finds palces for events. Farms are popular with the wedding sets right now. 

At first I thought his card was dirty, but seeds are embedded in his business card. It says "plant it, it will grow, really".  And My Little Assistant is very involved with seeds.  Her nursery school projects don't sprout. Ever. I will keep an eye on this living roof. 

The outside is being sprayed a grey brown color.

The interior lower level is white, the second level is beige, the top level has no walls yet.  

Ma Grande Folie

We all know and love the blog: Une Petite Folie http://une-petite-folie.blogspot.com/2010/03/la-petite-maisonpart-5.html. by Linda Carswell.

We love the visions of Paris and delicate workmanship that goes into each scene. It was also nominated for "best miniatiure blog of the year". Want a to relax? Go there. Wile away the hours.

I mention it because I am afraid my I House project will be Ma Grande Folie.

BUT... I'm doing it anyway. Why? For fun. Somehow I am driven to convert (hack, bash, pick you own action verb) a mini house designed in High Barbie Dungess into a Eichler like green house.

So Here goes. I googled "ultra modern house" and got this model on the left. Much later I saw the add "ultra modern doll house" and said why not?   http://www.kabmurungraya.net/2009/04/20/custom-designed-contemporary-homes-2009/

Do you see it?