29 May 2012

Japanese Dolls House Project

Major apologies for my slack posting. I have so many images and ideas for posts, but real life has got in the way. I will do much much better I promise.

When I was little my very favourite book was Miss Happiness and Miss Flower, by Rumer Godden.  It tells the story of a little girl who moves from India to live with her cousins in cold and rainy England.  Life is horrible until she meets a kindly local bookseller and begins to build her own traditional Japanese Dolls House.   This is a magical book about being a lonely little girl and the wonder of dolls houses and the imaginary world one can create. The book even has (very old fashioned) instructions for building your own Japanese dolls house.  Inspired by this I have decided to build one for my daughter.


Here are two images I found which mine will be based on:





The brilliant thing about this is that it uses an Adams Dollshouse, a kit set, which I have now ordered and is on its way to me here.


As you can see the above tiny house looks amazingly like a real Japanese teahouse:




Here are some others (it is surprisingly hard to find any, as much as I have searched).  This is a 1930s Japanese dolls house. 


I found this on Pinterest.  It looks old and authentic.


To make it a challenge, I have set a budget of $150.  Excluding shipping. Because unfortunately most of these items have to come from US or UK. 

Costs so far:
  • Adams Dollshouse kit - $27.
  • Wooden Japanese teaset from Ebay - $24
  • Tiny Mount Fuji print from Ebay - $1.50
  • Two miniature bonsai, fishbowl, and bamboo plates from My Tiny World (you must check it out) - $45
  • Porcelain japanese vase from store up the road - $10.
  • Wooden shingles from Canada - $12.
  • wooden floorboards (fake oak) - $7.

And I desparately want these two little porcelain mid century Japansese dolls which are on Ebay but am too scared to bid on them because they are listed at $8 which seems so cheap.

And try as I might I cannot find miniature tatami matting.

Wish me luck !!

xo



19 comments:

  1. What a fabulous project! Bid on the dolls immediately, they look perfect! Good Luck! x

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  2. http://www.ebay.com.my/itm/110913969607?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_919

    Such beauty

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  3. What a beautiful world..Japanese dolls. CLICK THIS!
    http://www.ebay.com.my/itm/110913969607?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649#ht_500wt_919

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  4. Hey, I'm researching things for a Japanese room in my own dollhouse. This is the only place I've been able to find miniature tatami: http://www.moonbunnyimports.com/product/mini-tatami-mat-single

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  5. Here's my Dollhouse Pinterest Board if you're interested: http://pinterest.com/vjkk/dollhouse/

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  6. I can't believe I found you! I have been wanting to have a Japanese dollhouse for years. It's incredibly hard to find one. I have been gathering bits and pieces of furniture and accessories from a seller in Oregon on eBay. I am going to order the dollhouse in hopes that I'll be able to make one, too.
    Thank you for attempting this project!!!!

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  7. are you going to post how to make the dollhouse? cuz i would like to make one!(for my nendoroids, lol)

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  8. how big are those dolls that your bidding on?

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  9. Daiso (100 yen shop) sells a couple of sizes of tatami mats and also dollhouse furniture (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdewar/334486546/). The link from above is someone reselling Daiso tatami on the internet. Older Re-ment sets also may have pieces you may like.

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  10. How wonderful that you are attempting to build a Japanese dolls house! I built one following the instructions in Rumer Godden's Miss Happiness & Miss Flower, way back in 1981. It turned out pretty good, for a beginner! LOL! I made the tiny cushions, Japanese scroll, low table, and even the dolls who live in my dolls house. Miss Happiness & Miss Flower was my favourite story when I was a little girl, and I was lucky to find copies of that book in a second hand bookstore! I wish you luck with your Japanese dolls house, and hope it turns out the way you want it to!

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  11. I just got the book for my 5 year old neice for christmas. I loved it when I was a kid, and its the only book I remember from my early years. I have always dreamed of making a japanese doll house and have several books on japanese traditional houses. Thanks for your lovely blog. I'll give your method a go too. I just ordered the Adams.

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  12. I just got the book for my 5 year old neice for christmas. I loved it when I was a kid, and its the only book I remember from my early years. I have always dreamed of making a japanese doll house and have several books on japanese traditional houses. Thanks for your lovely blog. I'll give your method a go too. I just ordered the Adams.

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  13. I to have been searching for a Japanese dollhouse. With no luck would love to know how your project goes. Maybe ill build my own as well. Hope it goes well for you

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  14. My Dad made the Japanese doll's house for me back in the 1970s after I read the book. He followed the instructions in the book. My Dad is now 87 and wants to have some record of some of the big projects of his life. This was one of his 'big projects', and it was also one that we worked on together. We never took a picture of the doll's house, and he doesn't know what happened to it when my parents got divorced and moved to separate houses. I'd really love to find a picture of a Japanese doll's house that was based on the one in the book, so that I could add it to my blog post that I'm going to write about my Dad's projects. Did anyone make the house, and if so, do you have a picture of it? Thanks so much!

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  15. http://www.custommade.com/japanese-doll-house/by/russellmcrae/

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  16. Bit late but the dolls are not Japanese! They look Chinese.

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  17. Hi! I just joined your group. Is anyone out there building a Japanese Dollhouse? I am nearing completion on the exterior of mine and just posted pictures. Would love some feedback or suggestions. Thanks! Stephanie

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  18. My wife just received a Japanese doll house that has been passed down from her Grandmother. My wife had admired it since she was a little girl. All I know is that her Grandmother brought it from Japan about 70 years ago, but we are unsure whether it was old or new when she bought it. The amount of woodworking that went into the house, outhouses (including a commode I believe), and yard with fence is pretty amazing. Is there any place that I can learn more about the Japanese dollhouses of this type? Thank you!

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  19. Hi, is the Adams house the basic one room kit? Thanks

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