My Vintage Dollhouse, and the Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken

Here it is, my childhood dollhouse — proud and colorful from the front, a little shaky from the back. But isn’t that true of many houses?

Note that the landscaping is painted onto the front of the house… I wonder if I could try this at home? It certainly would be easier to take care of than my 3D landscaping is.

This find isn’t from my basement — it survived in a closet at my brother’s house.

What’s broken?

Alas, I don’t think the garage door opener would work anymore (if it had one, that is).

The door can be repositioned manually, but then, the dolls didn’t drive, so there isn’t a car. The interior decor is painted on too, so the homeowners won’t be redecorating any time soon.

There was still some of its furniture left, and one remaining doll. I’m hoping it all finds a home with a collector who can restore it. And yes, I’m still in love with that idea of painting the landscaping on the side of the house. Maybe then I could donate my yard tools and just paint some on the garage walls like this:

See them to the left of the garage door? I might still need a 3D vacuum though.

Here’s to all our vintage toys, whether they’re soft like the Velveteen Rabbit — most of whose hair had been loved off — or sturdy, but in need of a structural repair and maybe even a modern “staging”, like my dollhouse.

Do you still have any of your childhood toys?

More on the Weekly Photo Challenge: Broken

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A Midtown Garden Tour, and the Weekly Photo Challenge: Enveloped

Imagine you could live in the middle of a busy city, yet still be enveloped by nature in a secret garden. Some lucky people do just that.

Viewing greenery in the heart of Atlanta doesn’t get any better than on this open garden tour. When I’m visiting Sam, we often walk through this midtown neighborhood, admiring homes and beautiful front yard gardens. Yesterday we were able to go behind the scenes and see more. There were vintage treasures…

and vintage music…

And fountains, and picture-book doorways that led to secluded gardens.

If you’re viewing in email, please click through to the website to see the photos more clearly. These gardens are worthy of a closer look.

Are these amazing seats made of driftwood?

Now I’m back at home in the ‘burbs, and feeling inspired. My own back yard could certainly use some attention, even though it will never be as intriguing as these.

I don’t want to slow down the job of downsizing though… do you think pulling weeds counts as clutter control?

For more on the Weekly Photo Challenge: Enveloped

For more on the Midtown Open Garden Stroll

English Ivy, Snakes, Clutter, and the Weekly Photo Challenge: Forces of Nature

Star Wars’ Obi-Wan said it:  “The force is strong in this one.” He wasn’t talking about English Ivy but he might as well have been.

English Ivy, a force of nature (and oh yeah, maybe even the Darth Vader of plants). Here it is, trying to take over the sidewalk.

Some plants may be well behaved at home, but transplant them to an environment that’s a little too hospitable and they’re off and racing.  That’s ivy. When house-hunting, I thought the yards covered in ivy were gorgeous. I thought ivy would be a low maintenance ground-cover. What’s a little trim from time to time, weighed against the watering and weekly mowing that grass needs, I thought. Think again.

This house has ivy in front, at the shady top of the hill. At first, I was all for planting more. Then I noticed how often it needed to be trimmed off the walks, how quickly it climbed the trees, and how the ivy from my neighbors’ yards encroached on all sides. “The first year it sleeps, the next year it creeps, the third year it leaps” — the saying goes.

It can also hold surprises — “Snakes,” said an article in yesterday’s newspaper, “… are just now waking up and can sometimes be found in thick patches of ivy.” Following that were these quotes from the owner of a lawn care company:

“In Georgia, you’re only about 10 feet away from a snake at any given time.” 

“Snakes eat insects, rats and other vermin. Got a nice yard? Thank a snake.”

Snakes? I have made overtures. Here are some photos from a “Walk and Talk” program on snakes that Sam and I went to a couple of summers ago.

They’re about to give me a snake-y lick.

Sam gets to rattle a rattler.

Snakes aside, it occurs to me now that the indoor equivalent of ivy is clutter, yet another force of nature that sleeps and creeps and leaps, putting out tendrils of messiness. I’m striving to get both indoor and outdoor forces under control. I won’t be inviting any snakes to help with the indoors, though, but now that I think of it, didn’t the ancient Greeks have “house snakes”?

More on the Weekly Photo Challenge: Force of Nature

McIntosh Reserve Park

May the 4th be with you, and the Weekly Photo Challenge: Intricate

Here’s an intricate display from a Steampunk Exhibition at Dragon Con…

Aha – could this be a good use for those pesky extra kitchen utensils next time I sort out a drawer?

I’m  not sure what The Device is for, but again, what a great (and sculptural) way to use up “stuff”.

These Dragon Con photos came to mind because it’s May 4 today — that’s Star Wars Day. I’m just barely in time to say, “May the Fourth be with you.”

Dragon Con parade with Han Solo in carbonite

Yes, you can get your own Han Solo in carbonite, and no, there’s not one  in my basement… I’ve checked.

Downsizing-wise, I’m still sorting papers so I’ll be ready for the local shredder event later this week.

Not a Star Wars fan?  — If you’re wondering about Han Solo in carbonite, you can consult Wookieepedia.

Live long and prosper, folks – oh wait, that’s a different universe.

For more on the Weekly Photo Challenge: Intricate