New Friends

Grandfather is waiting impatiently at the front door.

Grandmother Mascabesa is up early too, she knows Grandfather is up to something as he told everyone to meet first thing next morning in the parlor.

You might think from the title I was one of those nice bloggers who welcomes each new followerer to her post... but I'm not...

Grandfather Mascabesa has an announcement. He wants to introduce the son of a friend of the family, so the title of this post refers to the cast of characters.

I like to show real pictures of the dollhouse like this shot of the ceiling of the living room so you can see what it really looks like.

"This is Clyde Van Ness" Grandfather explains. "He has come to San Francisco from La Cuidad de Los Angelos for college."

Charlotta is unimpressed so far.

Rest up...tonight we time travel! C

Happy June!

Summer has arrived in the Bay area.

This month I will be showing my Victorian Dollhouse
It was made in the 1980's by Thomas Cole who owned a hobby shop in our town.

It represents the late 1890's in San Francisco history. It was Mark Twain who named that period "the Gay Ninties".
As I tell a story about the dolls in my dollhouses, those of you who read last month's post will find Carolena, the mother joining her daughter, Charlotta at her parent's house on Nob Hill. It is 1870, next week we time travel, rest up. (My assistant is named Charlotte so all the little heroines of my tales have some derivative of that name, my assistant likes that, and cookies). Carolena has traveled here from her Hacienda in Taos and brought her daughter a pinata from home. Charlotta goes to school in San Francisco and loves the big city with tall buildings and horse drawn trolleys. Carolena finds herself a little overwhelmed after the simplicity of New Mexico,
AND her clothes are VERY out of date! C

Mini Dork Visit!

Mink Dork of Modern Mini Houses Blog http://modernminihouses.blogspot.com/ crossed the Bridge to come visit.

It was so wonderful to talk with someone who shares mini passion!

It was kind of like talking with you guys.

I put out some of my favorite DDR German furniture and my daughter laughed when she saw it and said, "When you said you had a friend coming over I didn't know you meant to PLAY".

We did and it was fun. She made a scene in the MH1 house and we both photographed it.

She is a web designer and she had a lot of good information for me about my blog.

She was quoted in the recent NYT article about mini modern furniture and is beginning her own design studio. She created these purple modern lamps. You know the lack of lighting accessories in mini modern design, how creative are these pictured in the header?
Thank you for coming Mini, come any time... and let me just tell you, she is NO dork! CM

Vaya Con Dios

Carolena and Abuela have prepared for the journey to San Francisco.

Abuela will stay at the Hacienda she loves.

Carolena will join Charlotta at her parents house.

It is time to bid Adios to the Hacienda Dollhouse!

They pray Carolena will have a safe journey.

In Spanish they have a farewell that means this, it is "Vaya con Dios", Go with God.

C

Oh. P.S. I posted a picture of modern lounge chairs on my other blog. http://leftcoastmini.blogspot.com and my buddies on Flickr are asking me what I used to make them. First one to give the right answer on that blog wins a surprise. I think it's obvious! C

This is the view today... It is raining.

"It never rains in California, but man it pours"

Poor little Hacienda House being dismantled.

Southwest 1950's

Well, it is our last week in the Hacienda House and then it is on to the Victorian Italienate representing the Gay Ninties in San Francisco.

This is the Hacienda House with Strombecker 1940 furniture and art by Rufino Tamayo.
Well, miniature copies of it.
Rufino Tamayo was a Mexican artist who painted in the 1950's. He was know for his combination of modernist style with traitonal Mexican themes.

Whose house is this? After Charlotta went to San Francisco for schooling, Carolena eventually joined her at her parents. She left the Hacienda to Abuela and her nieces and nephews.


Abluela loved the Hacienda and then passed it on to her family.
Wicker chairs are antique German Korbi.

Charlotta arrives in San Francisco

The staff of the Mascabesa House on Nob Hill assembles to meet the new arrival.

Charlotta is a little overwhelmed by the bustling city and grand houses. It is quite a contrast to the Hacienda in Taos.

There are 2 maids, upstairs AND downstairs, a cook, a gardener and his son who runs errands, and Grandmother and Grandfather.

She doesn't know where to look first.

Waiting for Charlotta to arrive from Taos

1870'sFashion courtesy of Brendan Hamilton on Flickr

In San Francisco. Grandfather and Grandmother Mascabesa wait for Charlotta's coach to arrive. It is growing late.

Grandfather goes to the door.

He paces to the window.

This is a preview of the Italianate Victorian Dollhouse, representing San Francisco in the 1870's.

The family trunk is dragged out again.

The antique fan, her piggy bank, her straw hat and clothes go into the trunk for Charlotta's new life in San Francisco. Abuela has a gift for her in her hands.

(Be sure to notice the pencil scribbling on the bedroom wall near the cross. My assistant added that. In fact it was mentioned in the agenda of the March 16th post of the dolls board room meeting. I think it adds that certain dollhouse je ne sais quois...)

Charlotta twirls before the mirror in her new sailor suit Abuela has made her. She does not see the tear in her Mother's eye. Carolena quickly wipes it away and Abuela puts a comforting arm around her shoulder. (conveniently hiding the poorly sewn back seam I forgot about...)

Can someone tell me how to erase comment I made in duplicate on my blog ..... Doh!
Thanks SB I managed it. :) C

If you are interested my new modern mini blog is http://leftcoastmini.blogspot.com/

Hang on to your hat it's time to Time Travel...

When I decided to cover one dollhouse a month, I worried I wouldn't have enough to last 4 weeks of blogging.

The reverse is true. There is so much to cover!

I also feel like I don't do the house justice if I don't cover them equally.

So... get ready to time travel.

It is 7 years later and it is time for Charlotta to travel to San Francisco where her Grandparents live. (You'll be amazed how little they've aged...)

They have enrolled her in the Sacred Heart Convent School for girls.

Mother and daughter have a talk in the garden. Carolena is sad to see her only daughter leave Taos and the Hacienda where she grew up . Charlotta is excited to move to the big city. She has heard stories of the Gold Rush and tales 0f the Barbary Coast.

Abuela is going to sew new clothes for Charlotta and a sailor suit to travel in. Carolena has to decide what will go to San Francisco with her daughter in the big family trunk.

White iron chairs and table contemporary imports. Shell fountain made by me using a tile saw to cut small talavera tiles and the sea shells with a safety pin head as the spout.

Love those Texas Tiny boots and Honey and Bee bonnet!

Haven't a clue

This is Charlotta's bedroom in the Hacienda house. She has a little boy who is a family friend visiting.

(I was planning on publishing this post in a couple days... somehow my "post option" didn't work this time.)

Haven't a clue why.

Furniture is Strombecker and Schoenhut. These are the original colors from the 40's.Love those dusky pastels!

Antique tin

For Maria Narbon

Here is the full back view of the Hacienda House.

http://www.dollsnarbon.com/ Oh oh! Have you seen her dolls? They are magnifico! I am going to need one of each for this house... I need a day job... xoxo CM

P.S. It occurs to me as I look at this from above it needs red saltillo tile floors. I have so many rugs and mats I haven't really considered the floor before! CM

fireplace is by Handley House and Aztec Imports

Hecho en Mexico

One of my favorite things about the Hacienda Dollhouse is all the beautifully made handcrafted miniatures. Here are the ones made of straw. Look how tiny the baskets are. I put the wooden guitar in for scale as it's mother of pearl inlayed back side is in a following picture.

Look at this little maroon footed basket.

This little pottery is so perfect and beautiful in color.

Here is the back of the guitar. Isn't it gorgeous? I love the little tin pitcher, strainer, pan and tortilla griddle. There is a wooden round jar with a lid, a perfect little granite looking corn grinding stone with pestle, and shallow dish. The last item in this picture is the wrought iron wash stand with clay glazed pitcher and bowl.

Feather picture

Making pictures from feathers

is a Mexican art. These pictures remind us that the Aztecs made beautiful capes from feathers.

This miniature picture is in Abuela's room.

I collected this handmade fan in a display case from the estate of a collector in Santa Monica California.

The bedroom furniture and the Star Co. antiques came from the same collector.

Carolena and Charlotta spent many hours with Abuela in her room. Abuela did all the sewing for the Hacienda and made a new dress for Charlotta who was growing taller every day.

Back at the Ranch

In the dining room the family had a talk.

Tia Juanita left for her home in Mexico City.

Carolena's parents were traveling on to San Francisco. Carolena could not wait to abandon her black clothes and wear cotton dresses in the heat. It was decided Amy Oakley would tutor Charlotta until she was 10 when she would join her Grandparents in San Francisco to start her formal education. Back at the Hacienda life retuned to normal.

Does this happen to you?

Here is Colette's new home office. I happily arranged all the tiny rement stuff and when I went to take a picture the seat to the chair had fallen off. It is somewhere in my room.

The troubles with miniatures!

The file cabinet is a sideways vintage Fisher Price refrigerator.

Gotta go, I was just invited out for sushi. I will give names of manufacturers when I return.

CM

Red couch minimodernistas

navy arm chair DDR

rubber plant Tomy

desk DDR

office supplies rement

tension lamp Pinchopepper

grey armchair strombecker vintage

chartruse pillow minimodernistas

buddah from Texas Tiny

Rement love

Ohhhh,

I never understood what rement had to offer... BUT I just got a whole set of something called "Girls in the City". Was this before or after the "Sex in the City" craze? I love all of it but will have to paint over some of it's pinkness to make it right for Colette.

CM

House MH1

Colette Caco

bed Minimodernistas

lamp vintage Strombecker

vase Bozart

accessories Rement

My damask adventure

On Dale's Dreams blogspot I saw this beautiful screen she made. I LOVE IT!

http://dalesdreams.blogspot.com/

This is my 1:1 kitchen in my house. My daughter had me buy this black and white damask patterned material. When I saw Dale's screen it inspired me to use some of the left over curtain material to make furniture. So I made the little set up on the right. Blog hopping rocks! CM

Abuela cooks

Modern resin kiva, pottery from Southwest miniatures, tin pots from Mexico, tile on vintage sink by Miniature Dollhouse ceramic tiles and more,

brooms from Mexico, alvacado by Rement.

Kitchens, Cantinas, and Galleys

I love how little girls play with toy kitchens. How they emmulate their Mommy. Little stoves and sinks have always been popular in miniature.

Back at the Ranch... this is the Cantina of the Hacienda.

The importance of Mothers

As you know (post below) Carolena's husband Fillipo was shot to death by the Sheriff when he drew a gun in the Cantina in Taos.

Carolena was now owner of the Hacienda and made plans for Filippo's burial.

Carolena's mother and father rushed to her side and her Tia Juanita extended her stay.

Carolena had been running the Hacienda by herself for some time anyway and took control firmly.

Her parents wanted her to continue on to San Francisco with them where her father had a new diplomatic post.

Her Aunt still wanted to take Charlotta to Mexico City with her for her education.

Charlotta and her mother had a private talk and they decided they would stay together in their home.

Tia Juanita and Carolena's father began to protest but Carolena's mother who seldom was heard from

spoke up and told everyone Carolena

was to decide her own life. The others were nonplussed to hear from her but Carolena smiled and knew her mother understood her.
Her friend Amy Oakely spoke up and said that she would see to Charlotta's education as she went to ladies college briefly in Philadelphia. Tia Juanita was unsure of this move as Amy was one of those new suffragettes.

Happy Mother's Day! CM

Boot scootin'

So I had this doll who was missing one foot. So I pulled the other off too.

And I found

these boots made by Texas Tiny. Most of the boots I saw were resin or leather but too large. This doll is so happy with her new feet she could just do the Texas Two Step. How great are they? CM

Oh. P.S. She is Carolena's best friend who lives on the closest ranch to the hacienda. Her name is Amy Oakley.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Well...we took Colette with us out to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! She had a great time.

When we got to the Cantina who did we find but Filipo being entertained by a Saloon Girl!

Unbeknownst to all of us Carolena's father had arrived in Taos unannounced.

He stopped by the Cantina for directions to the Hacienda. He caught one look of Filipo and marched up to him to give him what for. In his drunken haze Filipo pulled his six shooter out thinking it was some cowhand trying to get between him and the Saloon Girl.

The waiter tried to calm everyone down.

Once Filipo's gun was drawn the Sheriff had no choice but to shoot him to protect the unarmed man in the sombrero.

Now Carolena's father had the unenviable task of proceeding to his daughter's house with the news of her husband's demise.

Take it easy when you fiesta this year amigos!. xox CM and Colette and Co.

and a special Gracias to the staff at Chevy'sWalnut Creek who helped us with everything, even the plot!

(oh and to anyone who was there and goes home and says "Really! There were these little people on the bar! Really" I'm here to tell you... there were.)