Saturday, June 12, 2010

Cozy Spots, Toys, and Tiny Dancers


Snuggle, snuggle. I've mentioned Brambly Hedge before and I thought you may want to look at these cozy little love nests!

I Googled playhouse interiors because I like the feeling in my heart when I look at little pieces of furniture that fire the imagination. We had a playhouse when I was small. We even moved it when we relocated to a bigger home. I do remember seeing it when it belonged to the previous owner. She was a very organized housekeeper. Tiny little drawers with child size cutlery, little wardrobes with doll clothes . . .
At our house, in the back yard, it served as a play house but it was never the same. We were not so particular and we didn't have little furniture. I remember time in the playhouse drawing Halloween pictures, soaking dandelion stems in cold water (they curl!) and trying to sweep and clean, but I simply didn't have the resources. It was a nice little spot though.
The other day I rode along with Kelli and the girls to check out a preschool for Birdie. The director was lovely. She escorted us around like a perfect fairy godmother. Birdie settled in at the housekeeping area. Do you remember the housekeeping area from your kindergarten days? I liked it best, too. I found the photos below on line. Aren't they pleasing? When Kelli was little, she was watching me cook and she said, "You get to do all the fun stuff." It IS fun to play in the kitchen, scrubbing, feeling the soapy hot water on tired hands, finding just the right dish or bowl, shining up the spotted fronts of hardworking appliances, and sweeping up crumbs off the messy floor. I have never had a perfect kitchen. Mine have always been a bit worn and mismatched, but last night my old kitchen produced fresh corn on the cob, squash chopped and coated by Jenny, sausages and strawberries . . . good food for good people.







And now, down another Pom Pom bunny trail . . . I was considering some of the toys I loved as a child. I begged for this doll. I worked my mother every night when she came to tuck me in. I opened the box on Christmas eve. I took out all her pins and rubber bands and loved her very much that evening. That's all I remember and I do not remember her face looking like this.



Another thing I REALLY wanted was this fuzzy soap. It grew "hair" otherwise known as MOLD. I found it absolutely captivating for twenty-four hours or so.


My sister received Creeple People for Christmas one year and we enjoyed many hours with it. We would pour the goop in the mold, carefully place the mold on the tiny little cooker, watch for done-ness. After the body parts had cooled, we'd peel them out and arrange them on pencils. I loved this process and Karol was so sweet to share with me. All the things I played with when I was young have remained with me and now I like to play with paper, pencils, glue, yarn, fabric, and dirt.



Last, my two favorite ballerinas. We are going to Birdie's show this afternoon. I have happy memories of my own dance shows, Kelli's dance shows, and special evenings at The Nutcracker. I can't wait to watch Birdie dance. They have so many rules backstage. I hope the whole thing doesn't stress her out too much.
It's raining here.
Saturdays are good.



15 comments:

LOVE STITCHING RED said...

Such a wonderful nostalgic post about your toys and dollies. I've never seen creepy people. I don't think we had that here. It made me laugh. It's so nice to have some time to come and visit properly and share what's happening in Pom Pom land. Hope your little ballerina is a star

Lots of love to you xoxoxo

Gigi said...

Love Brambly Hedge books too and would like to live in one of those cosy little tree houses.
And aren't you all lucky to find such an ideal sounding preschool -- not always so easy to do, is it? I love the description of the director as a fairy godmother - so sweet.
My littles were always building makeshift forts and playhouses when they were young, but never had a 'real' playhouse. A couple of years ago, I had an old fish cleaning/dog kennel/potting shed in the back yard of the house out west made into a playhouse for the grandchildren. I think I enjoyed it as much (or maybe more ;-) than the littles. It was so fun shopping estate sales and auctions for bits and pieces of old furniture and kitchen things. The playhouse has a working sink (left from fish cleaning/potting shed days) which they love and can use up an entire bottle of dish soap in a matter of minutes doing the washing up ;-).
I didn't have a playhouse as a child, but I remember turning the back of my dad's old farm station wagon into my little hideout - with makeshift curtains, piles of blankets and my dolls. Gosh I am going and on, aren't I ;-)?
Hugs,
G

jen said...

Hi First time here and what a great post! My playhouse was built by my dad he won a carpentry contest with it, they built them in a mall. I loved it it was an a frame and had gingerbread trim and a big window in the door my brother and his friends were always trying to climb up the sides :) we moved to Hawaii when I was 8 and could not take it with us so we donated it to my schools preschool and it is still there even thought the preschool is now a residence.
Have a lovely weekend! your ballerinas are just precious!

luvs and glitter
~jen

Leslie said...

I had a playhouse growing up that my dad built, too. Last time I checked it was still there. He made a little flap door so our dogs could go underneath (one had her babies under there) and we have a little stove and oven and all our barbies whose hair we cut out there. We had great times our there making mud pies and dolls and eating popsicles.

Vicki said...

Hello, dear PomPom, and thank you for the stroll down memory lane. I always wanted my own little playhouse. I could just imagine the fun I would have feathering my own little playhouse nest. We passed some playhouses for sale the other day, and my granddaughter, Ally, said that she wished she had one. Your little Birdie is a delightful ballerina!! Enjoy your weekend, sweet friend. Love and blessings always~ Vicki

Catharina Maria said...

The little ballerina's are so sweet !
lovely pink weekend !
♥RINI♥

libbyquilter said...

one of the biggest regrets that i have as a mom ist that we never had a playhouse for my girl . . . so much fun can be had in these tiny models of "home"~!!!~
when i was a kid i just scurried into hollows in the hedges and climbed up into trees to find cozy places to read and play . . .

your ballerinas look so cute~! i bet the performance was sweet perfection~!!~

:-)
libbyQ

magsmcc said...

Hello! Am just taking a short break and here you are! Oh the temptations to stay and read- this is my last week and I am going to write POM POM onto the calendar for next Monday which will be spent drinking tea and reading you! I have much I would discuss with you this summer- mostly about teaching and multi-genre projects which I cannot get out of my mind! We have a tree house in the front garden and I will put a picture in as soon as I get back- I also have a photo for you of a little stone bird-house in Gosford Forest! I think you'll like it! Love love LOVE!

Marcie said...

Thank you for that beautiful meander through your life, and childhood, and cozy little places. It reminds me of some of my childhood toys and "nests." My favorite was under the arching canes of an old fashioned rose bush. It made a perfect little dome for two or three small children to play in.

A garden just outside Venice said...

Kelly is such a cutie! Hope you're having a sunny Sunday my sweet friend! xxxx

GwendolynKay said...

What wonderful childhood memories. Those little kitchens are darling. Your little ballerinas are adorable.
Have a blessed day~
Gwen:)

The dB family said...

I never had a playhouse. My dad has been itching to build one out here for his grand daughters. I hope he will yet one of these days.

Wouldn't it be fun to put on a tutu yet? I think it would be nice to pretend that I am a prima ballerina. I hope the show went well for your little sweeties!

Blessings!
Deborah

melanie said...

I LOVE Brambley Hedge, the drawings are delightful! xxx

Bradley W. Maston said...

Watching the little ballerinas dance reminds me why dancing is so important! Lovely!

Anonymous said...

Brambly Hedge was my favourite when I was little! We have a playhouse in the garden, my girls didn't like it once they realised there were spiders in there, so now the ducks live in it instead!

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