All my life I have had a love of dollhouses - custom dollhouses; the kind of dollhouses meant to be admired and set up high out of the reach of children.  In other words, the dollhouses that are built for adults not children.

I bought the book Queen Mary's Dollhouse and drooled over each page and each entry countless times.  (A few years' ago when my daughter went to see Queen Mary's Dollhouse at Windsor Castle she brought back another copy of the book.  We agreed that was the "real" book because it came straight from the site so she gave me the copy she brought back and I gave her the one I had bought years before.)

My mother and I were talking about dollhouses and she said that she had always wanted a dollhouse too and that she would pay for it if I would have the dollhouse made and she could enjoy it here when she came to visit.  I was in my car and on my way to The Elegant Dollhouse before she had time to think about what she had said.

It took me no time at all to decide on the kit I wanted to buy but having the kit and having the dollhouse were very different things.  I inquired about having the dollhouse built and Barbara, the owner of The Elegant Dollhouse, said that they had in the past used a very old man to build houses for their clients but that she hadn't seen him for so long that she thought he might be dead by now.   She added that he had built the kit I bought for another client in the past and that he had commented to her that it was his favorite dollhouse to make.  She gave me his name and telephone number and I left with my kit and headed home to call him.

The dollhouse maker was not only alive but thrilled to get my call.  We got together with the kit and talked about the plans for it.  He sent me back to the Elegant Dollhouse to get the wallpaper, flooring, paint, light fixtures, he would need for the house and we agreed that if he needed more supplies he would just go get them at The Elegant Dollhouse and I would have Barbara run a tab for him that I would pay when Barbara felt that she had carried me long enough.  

My mother and I had talked about it and she wholeheartedly approved of having the dollhouse wired for electricity although she did draw the line at having it fitted out for running water.  The dollhouse was constructed in top drawer fashion because both my mother and I realized that anything else would not satisfy us.

On the 6th of December the dollhouse was finished and the dollhouse builder, J J Haverty, signed the deed that came with the kit.  I now had a dollhouse and I was elated.

We had to rent a UHaul to bring it home as it was way to big to fit into a car or SUV.  The dollhouse was ensconced on the lacquer desk in the center of our living room where it has been the focal piece ever since.

The house was furnished piece by piece.  It has been great fun to see what new pieces might show up in a Christmas present.  It is always Christmas at my dollhouse!  I love Christmas so I get double pleasure from my dollhouse and its perpetual Christmas. 

It is my great pleasure to share my dollhouse with you!

                              

                                    Welcome to my front door.  It is always Christmas at my dollhouse!

 Cookies and milk on the table for Santa Claus

 The light is on in the bathroom.

 The upstairs library with the fabulous ship under glass.

 Master bedroom with door to the bathroom.

 Another bedroom with door leading to the sewing room.

  Dining room with the door to the kitchen.

 The living room is undergoing a decorating redo but there is the Christmas tree!  You can see from the living room into the entrance hall with its hall tree.