Doll buggies....

I thought I had scanned this photo from 1999 into my computer, but I couldn't find it, so I took a cell phone shot of it. I have so many photos I don't think I'll ever get caught up! I love this one of little Ashley posing with her maternal Grandma's childhood doll buggy. I should have also had her pose with mine! Ashley is wearing a white dress I wore when I was young.

Here is my smallest doll buggy.

I don't remember where I bought it.

I made the little doll from a kit. Marlene also made one at the same time. I don't know if she kept it or not. It was from a doll business in Toronto, ON.

Here is the little doll close up. I had fun making the clothes.

Here is a photo of my Mom's doll buggy, taken in the house I grew up in, shortly before my parents moved in March 1998. That was 20 years ago this year and I find it difficult to believe! Mom gave me the buggy when she moved. I just love it.

This is my doll buggy, pale blue in colour, which I got for Christmas when I was 5. I loved it so much. I had a blue diaper bag too. 

My parents spoiled us the best they knew how, and not with too much. My childhood was just right, and I wouldn't trade it for anything! My Mom decorated our buggies for a Sport's Day parade at Sir Wilfred Grenfell School. We just loved it! I'm wearing my Mom's going away hat she wore on her honeymoon in 1955! I think she did a great job of decorating with coloured Kleenex!

By Loretta Houben

Miniature kitchen sink for mini dolls.

I found the above image on Pinterest.

Most of the images don't take you to any links, except ones that sometimes get me in trouble because they are rigged. So I don't know who created it.

But I'm putting it here on my blog in order to try to make a similar version of it out of foam board, for my mini dolls.

Then I found the above on FB and it's on a really neat BLOG.

Please click the link to discover how to create a farmhouse sink out of polymer clay.

This also really intrigues me.

By Loretta Houben

My miniature house built in 2001

I finally felt well enough to play with my miniature house yesterday. I dusted it and re-set the scenes and turned on the little lamps. The photos were taken with my iPhone so they're not of the best quality. I made the house in 2001, and crocheted the little table cloth and curtains and the tiny doily underneath the piece of cake. The food was bought in Achen Germany in 2007, and the tea set was from Steveston BC. The tiny Chatty Cathy is an ornament from Hallmark. She has a tiny little string in the back and she really talks!

Here's a closeup of the living room scene with Grandma and Chatty Cathy. I don't remember where I bought Grandma but she's just the right size for tiny Chatty!

The kitchen, next to the living room, is my favourite room! I bought the stove, table and sink from a miniature shop in Steveston BC years ago. We used to have the most exquisite shops here, but now they are long gone, and the things which I loved are no more, but instead all electronics and technical shops which I dislike. Many of the tiny items I bought as a teenager when we traveled to Oregon each summer. I was so happy to put them all in this house which I made from a $15.00 kit in 2001. Aren't the 2 Chatty dolls cute?

Another view of the kitchen. I printed all the wallpaper on my computer. I crocheted the kitchen curtains too, using a miniature pattern book for doll houses.

Here is the bathroom; all bath items from Steveston BC. There's even a toothbrush and toothpaste! I made the tiny towels from a washcloth.

The bedroom, above the kitchen. I didn't add stairs to this house as it would have taken up too much room. The furniture came from Steveston BC, and the other items were collected one at a time. The lovely handmade picture over the bed was given to me as a birthday gift from my Mom 30 years ago. It's such fun to collect miniatures! I made the bedspread and the doll is handmade out of some sort of clay; she was purchased at a wonderful miniature show in Vancouver BC years ago.

And here's the whole miniature house. I enjoyed putting it together all those many years ago. Keeping it dust free is a bit tricky.

By Loretta Houben

Daiso, a Japanese store in Vancouver BC.

I visited Daiso, a Japanese $ store in Vancouver BC last week. I use my dolly eyes now to spot items for the mini dolls which are my newest craze! I bought 3 packages of erasers in the shape of food which I'd never seen before. Here are my two newest Lori mini dolls with their delicious meal. I should have labeled it "Japanese take out" and not Chinese!

I love the Daiso store. For years I only knew of one in Richmond near YVR airport, and that is a long drive. Recently I discovered one in Chinatown and that's easy for me to get to. I visit it about once every 2 months. There are thousands of items in that store. I love the stationary department as I use the binders for genealogy research. 

Last week I found the food and couldn't resist it. One package had 3 bowls with lids and noodles inside; so cute! And only $2 Cdn.

The other 2 packages had a tray of food, with a small mug and chopsticks. I just had to get them. They were also $2 Cdn each.

By Loretta Houben

Vintage Japanese made mini kitchen set for American Girl mini dolls!

Some time ago I bought this cute little vintage set made in Japan. I can't remember where I got it, but I found it in Robert's office closet, and polished it up and it suits little Emily just fine!

There was even a cute vintage toaster just Emily's size! 

Now it needs toast...

And there were things for breakfast; milk, coffee and bananas! Now we need to build a kitchen. I think I'll create it out of foam board.

By Loretta Houben

Miniature printables from a Dutch blog:

My latest passion is discovering miniature blogs with FREE printables. I usually find them on Pinterest.

These adorable printables were found at MINIDESIGN.

Go and check it out!

This is a cute idea for the inside of a bottle cap.

Most of the items used in the blog are household items you'd ordinarily throw away.

There are many cute ideas for children's rooms.

I think some of them are the right size for the mini American Girl dolls, or could be adapted.

The blog is from 2012 - 2014.

By Loretta Houben

Mini dolls and miniatures...

Today, September 3, I had fun!

First I shopped at the local Michael's craft store on Marine Drive, about 15 minutes from our home. This is a very large store. My hubby was on the hunt for glue to repair an item of his.

He got it for 1/2 price due to Michael's online coupons.

Cell phones are handy devices!

I also used a 1/2 price coupon to purchase a set of mini pencils for Grace. They are the perfect size for her.

The above photo was borrowed from this BLOG.

I found it accidentally by clicking on something on Pinterest.

Aren't the items darling?

I'm putting the link here as I'd love to create these for the mini AG dolls. 

Here is a snippet of the printouts provided.

The instructions and everything else is included in the blog link above.

I got something else for Grace today, that was so exciting it needs it's own separate blog post!

By Loretta Houben