I wanted to share some more information about the housewarming party I am giving this weekend.
I started writing about it with THE CENTERPIECE article. I gave you a picture of my neighbor’s house with sunflowers and I showed you pictures of the centerpiece for the table which is a doll house made by one of my daughters.
I am building up to something here – pun intended – and I will attempt to come to a conclusion of sorts in my next article. I would not want to imply that this is a series as each can truly stand alone.
I will apologize here for my photography. There were no steady hands available so I used a chair and a table to convey the hoped for effect.
Houses are us.
Librarian daughter started early and we thought she would become an architect for sure. At age 4 she and her father designed the MOUSE HOUSE.
front view whole house on stool
It was a popular Show and Tell Item for Kindergarten.
It is the favorite hangout of nearly every child who comes for a visit.
Gotta love those shingles!
Librarian daughter also carried the theme into her fundraising project for her high school choir with theses CD boxes (The next year iPods were introduced and CDs were on their way out.)
CD holder
We never did the projects for them – sometimes there was a great deal of assistance. I believe that children really do need to build their own houses.
What do you think about children’s design projects? Did you build your own houses? Did you play house? How about blanketed forts over the back of the dining chairs?
Related reading
The Centerpiece
House Gratitude In Focus
Never Build On Your Food Supply
Someone’s in The Kitchen With Patricia
Looking forward to your good comments which add so much to this conversation:
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 7:20 am
Treehouses, forts with sticks and blankets strung from clotheslines or over railings in good weather, over chairs in bad weather when forced to play indoors – that’s me and my siblings when little and my children when they were growing up. Great finds were cardboard boxes for walls. Endless imagination in constructing playhouses. Yes, children do need to learn how to build their own houses.
Great post, Patricia.
Talon´s last blog ..Fresh…
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 7:46 am
I love dollhouses. For many years I subscribed to Dollhouse Miniatures, and I built my own dollhouse about 20 years ago. It was a lot of fun to make all the furniture and accessories. I gave it away to a neighbor’s daughter, and hopefully she is loving it as much as I did.
Dot´s last blog ..Comment on Dollop by Jannie Funster
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Talon,
Thank you – it is fun sharing these doll houses and projects. I am not sure where the 4 other pictures are for this post? The Shingles are great red hearts painted on the roof? Need to talk to IT girl about this.
Dot,
What a lovely gift. You got the joy of creation and the delight of giving -
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
I agree, kids need to do their own projects. My daughter Kristy entered an essay contest and wanted me to help write it. Instead I gave her ideas and only helped edit it. They never quit trying. She’s 33! Gotta love her;)
On the farm we had crates for produce and used them for forts and houses. They were in abundance so we would find some shade and stack and build like crazy. Then we dressed up our barn cats! Is that abuse or were we ahead of our times. I think the craziest thing is when people dress their dogs etc.
Love the photos and thanks for the memories Patricia!
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Tess,
and I am sure you must have been ahead of your time!
Thank you for adding to the conversations here – they are good memories
on Jan 20th, 2010 at 11:17 pm
I think it’s great that librarian daughter found ways to unleash her inner architect time and again.
on Jan 21st, 2010 at 12:52 pm
JD
Me too…she is now job hunting in the Portland, Oregon area and apt. hunting…will be fun to see how things turn out and move forward.
on Jan 22nd, 2010 at 12:45 am
Hi Patricia .. I remember many hours spent under blankets spread over chairs and tables – I had a dolly, but not sure I made a doll’s house – not having inherited artistic skills from our grandparents .. not obvious or apparent in my parents .. we didn’t make serious toys .. plenty of cobbling together!
Enjoy the weekend and the welcome party – sounds fun -
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Hilary´s last blog ..A bet on the Eleven Cities Tour or the Winter Olympics being held?
on Jan 22nd, 2010 at 10:53 am
That CD holder is toooo cute!
I do remember a lot of winter tunnels dug into snowbanks, that was a hoot!
And I think childrens’ design projects are the very best wonderful stuff of life, too much tv and computer today. Anything kids can design and build is precious in a million waysl
xo
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..“Yes – Kids Sure Do Say The Darndest Things” Part 2
on Jan 22nd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Hilary,
My youth was mainly make do and not as creative as my children were inclined. I do like that Librarian Girl was able to take pictures of her art and use it as part of her resume for university.
Jannie,
We also use them as cookie holders! and plant holders. they are fun. Kids hands on projects are just so good to explore.