A neighborhood block like no other recently made its way to Anythink Wright Farms: One house was designed for fairies, monsters and witches; one was a “Sound of Music” themed home; another featured an apothecary.
This display resulted from the 8-week Dollhouse Developers program, in which 10 local families made their own custom dollhouses, with every detail designed and developed to their personal tastes.
Each week focused on a new design aspect from creating home furnishings with the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys to making plumbing by using The Studio’s 3D printers to creating dolls and fiber art pieces with assistance Jackie Drummond of Interwoven LLC.
The program culminated in a final showcase on April 25, in which library visitors were invited to view participants’ creations and ask questions while enjoying refreshments.
“I think dollhouses are such a great thing to pass down for generations,” said Julie Crabb-Abbott, an Anythink guide who led the program series. “They are a great way for kids to practice storytelling.”
The course also acted as a “bonding experience” for the children and their parents who took part, she said. “From start to finish, this was a collaborative effort from the families.”
Mother and daughter Kari and Maisie worked together to create an apothecary/tea room-style home.
“I love miniatures, and she loves dolls and to craft, so I thought the idea of making her own dollhouse would be fun,” Kari said.
Maisie said the experience taught her not to get frustrated. “I learned to never give up,” she said.
The class exposed the duo to the many resources the library has to offer.
“I’d been in The Studio before, but Maisie hadn’t,” Kari said. “It gave her a chance to see what The Studio was all about.”
Clara, who joined the program with her son Liam, said the program built on her clothing-making skills while allowing her to use them in a new way.
“It was just using the skills that I had in a way I’ve never used before,” she said. “It’s been really fun.”
Liam offered her insights and opinions about what direction they should take the home’s design.
“He was like my coach,” Clara said.
Liam’s favorite part of their house? The kittens.
He picked out several miniature cat figurines to populate their home.
“It was great,” she said of their experience working on the house together. “It was really fun being able to show Liam how much fun it can be to be creative.”
Now the class is now over, Kari and Maisie said they already have plans on what to do with their dollhouse next.
“We found a spot for it in our living room to display and for her to play with it,” Kari said. “It was too pretty not to.”