Wish List

We all have that list. Some call it a Bucket List inspired by a movie of the same name or their Wish List, or a To Do list, or just plain My List. Today I crossed off one item that has been at the top of My Wish List for a long time: a visit to the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys. It closed a few years ago about the time I was really getting into miniatures, putting all of the artifacts in storage while they hunted for a new place. Now located just west of the city Denver limits in Lakewood, it has a nice, large building with a lot room to grow that will accommodate their Wish List for future growth.

I purchased tickets online for myself and oldest daughter and waited for the big day. I'll share just a few photos of my favorite house and a few other things that caught my interest.

Wendy greeted the morning's visitors with a lovely smile and lots of enthusiasm for the newly opened museum, and from the first glance, you know that you are about to begin a wonderful adventure back into childhood.

Right now the museum display consist of mostly grand dollhouses that have been exquisitely built and furnished, keeping in mind that they were disassembled, stored, and reassembled.

I have been thinking about adding a greenhouse to the Bellingham garden and after seeing this one, I think I can design and build one.

This farmhouse inspired my wish list for my own Bellingham Farmhouse. I now have a vision for what I would like to do with my house. It will be quite an ambitious undertaking to create such a garden. I won't go such extent, but at least I now have an example, an inspiration for what I'd like to build.

I've been trying to source this chicken wire. Any suggestions? Our own chicken pen is a recycle, rebuilt chainlink dog run, built to keep the fox and raccoons out. I've found authentic chainlink in an Etsy store, Mr. Train that sells supplies for model trains. I've messaged him to see if it will work for my little henhouse.

I love all the farm implements, but I know that they are vintage and will be hard to find and expensive.

Where do people find such old miniatures?

These old farm implements add authenticity and tell a wonderful story.

The front porch invites makes everyone to come sit a spell.

I took an extra photo of the  flower boarder to help me plant mine around the Bellingham. I need more flowers, however.

Not a weed in sight. Now that is enviable. 

This next house really is special. Some of you have met David Nelson who travels the miniature show circuit with his wife, Wendy. I got to know them while visiting his mother's dollhouse store in Denver, which closed a couple of years ago. In the store that his parents owned an operated for over 3 decades  there were two grand houses that his father, Norm, had built, one was this house. I don't remember that the house had furniture while it was on display in the store, but what a grand masterpiece it is. Originally it was built for Mrs. O'Meara,  wife of a well known Denver auto dealer. It, too, is a grand house. The mustang convertible adds a special touch, especially for me. My Blue Farmhouse Now Pink has a red 1951 Chevy Pickup, parked outside a reminder of my grandpa's old truck that I learned to drive in. The Bellingham will have a "67 Ford Mustang GT, yellow with a black racing stripe, just like my first car that now sits under a blanket of dust in the barn. 

 This has got to be the biggest bear family I've ever seen. 

When I see lovely dolls like this one, I have to think of my mother. She used to take about her dolls and how much she loved them and played with them. She admitted to playin with her dolls until she was 16. I have two her turn-of-the century dolls that I made dresses for a while back. 

Still hampered by the pandemic orders, the museum slowly makes progress in accomplishing items on its Wish List, but the young woman who welcomed guests today was so sweet and positive as she explained the future plans for the museum and how she has developed online programs and activities to keep people interested and entertained during the pandemic and until the activities at the museum such as classes and workshops can resume. She has offered some online classes, which she says have proven popular. People need something to do while they wait for life to return to normal. While not a substitute for their big fall show, now canceled for this year, which usually has 80 vendors, their small gift shop did allow us to bring home some little doo-dads for our dollhouses. 

Check out their website and if you visit the Denver Metro area, be sure to make time to visit this wonderful little museum. 

I'm a bit on edge tonight. The night air is heavy with smoke and the sliver of moon is fire  orange as the smoke filter's its silvery light. Jen called just a while ago to say that a new fire has started only a short distance form their house at the edge of the foothills. The fire would have to burn a lot of ground to get to their place and cross the river, but a bad wind in the right direction could make that more of a possibility. Evacuations have been ordered for residents further west of them, so for the moment they are not concerned. Still I reminded her gather up important papers, which she has done, and to get emergency kits ready for their animals: dogs, horses, rabbits, and hens incase they have to move them. There are now 4 fires burning in Colorado, but if you see the map of all the fires burning in the country, nearly a 1/3 of the western part of the county has fires. 

Morning Update: Fire near Jen didn't grow last night, but still has been contained.

Thanks for visiting. I do appreciate you dropping by. 

Next post I will have my kitchen counter finished along with some other projects. Right now I am waiting on a shipment of wallpaper for the Fairfield and the kitchen kits that are coming from Australia. Tracking shows that they have arrived in Denver, but it could take a week or more for them to make it to Ault!