4.09.2007

Our Little House


Do you know about the Freecycling Network? I borrowed these next few lines from their site---is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them's good people). Membership is free.------ Freecycle is a wonderful thing. I joined perhaps a year or so ago in the hopes of finding free dirt. Yes, free dirt to fill up an old well that is in our back yard. I have given things away and gotten several things, an old mirror that will be in our hallway as soon as I finish painting it (the hallway) and a box of plastic beads for Olivia. Well, the best thing happened over the weekend. A sweet woman posted that she had a dollhouse to go to a good home. I emailed right away and after we chatted a bit through emails she chose me. (yay me!!) I am on cloud nine and so is Olivia. She is playing with it right now. Kelly just took it upstairs for me and we have it on a table in our nook area. (In the pic of the nook you can see that I am in the process of stripping wallpaper. I am down to a layer of paint and then what looks like two more layers of wallpaper underneath. i just had to mention this as I know just how bad it looks. the ceiling is even worse. the ceiling upstairs in the hall is coming down hopefully this year.) The dollhouse needs a bit of repair but not anything that overwhelms me and what is does need I think will be fun. Part of the roof is broken off but I have that to glue back on. Olivia and I have plans to put up new wallpaper and make rugs. Paint the exterior. Oh, so many plans. I will post our progress here.

Then, as promised a few pics from my outing on Friday. I got to hang out with my dear friend Marni, a local collage/assemblage artist who is soon to have a blog). She gifted me with a cool drawer from a vintage sewing machine. I had never seen one like this before. I love it! I have hopes of creating an assemblage piece with it. She also gave me a cool tin with goodies and this incredible paper with birds and nests.


I will ask where she got it as I know there are a lot of us with a thing for birdies!

We had a great time. We went to a little junk shop and then to an antique center. Marni scored some cool things like an old scale but I didn't think to get pics. I took some pics of my finds when I got home but should have waited til morning when the light was better.


Hope all is well where you are.

xoxo,

Tricia




12 comments:

Shona Cole said...

What a precious photo of Olivia playing with the dollhouse, the lighting makes me think of the magic of childhood. what a great gift that lady gave you. I have never heard of freecycle, what a great idea.

Heather - Speckled Egg said...

The dollhouse is gorgeous! I'm sure you two will have so much fun playing with it and fixing it up! The photo of your daughter playing with it really is magical. We have kits to make our own dollhouses for the girls.... I'm eager to start them now!!!

Kari said...

Wow, quite the haul, Tricia! Fun stuff!!! What a score on the dollhouse. Love it!! Love Freecycle:)
Kari

vicci said...

I have a doll house also...love it! and looks like you had a good timewith all the goodies! :-)

Southern Heart said...

I love the picture of your daughter with her dollhouse...that is frameworthy! I'm so pleased for you on your finds!

FrenchGardenHouse said...

Wow, Tricia, how exciting, a freecycle dollhouse...what a fun gift! Your Olivia looks so sweet playing with it.

I kept the dollhouse my girls had when they were little. I am planning on redecorating it a bit when I have grandchildren. (and then I can play with it, too!)

Heather, start your kits now. Quite a lot of stress and sleepy nights went into ours when my husband assured me two months before Christmas was plenty of time to get it done. right!:)

cookievf said...

oh yes, frameworthy! Maybe along with a pic of the dollhouse BEFORE you fix it up, as in two pics side-by-side in one frame. Certainly this will all be a treasured memory for your daughter.

What a lucky little girl!

- vicki xo

Anonymous said...

The picture of your daughter with her dollhouse is wonderful. I hope you save that for her, so when so gets older she can look back at her time with you.
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Robin

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the picture of Olivia and the doll house in your nook! You truly are an artist Tricia, in every post on your blog there is something absolutely beautiful... Olivia is growing up with so much beauty... :)

Renee said...

Wow,how funny,I actually just missed out on getting a great dollhouse from freecycle,too.We were so disappointed,but maybe one day we'll get a nice one.Yours was a great find!Anyways,I saw you are in VA....we will be moving to the Roanoke area soon from Michigan...are you close to Roanoke?I would love to know more about the area.Thanks.
Renee

Mippie said...

Thanks for sharing the Freecycle link! I've never heard of it before! I love all of your sweet gifts and most of all the beautiful picture of your sweet little one playing with her dollhouse! xo-Melfie

lauren said...

I loooove the photo of your daughter playing with the dollhouse. It's just beautiful the way it is silhouetted against the window, so pretty. What a great item! (and all the other goodies too!)