Thursday, May 6, 2010

New project -- Edwardian room box!

I've been thinking about doing a roombox for my Mum for a while now, and last week I decided I was going to do more than just think about it.

My darling Mum is 84 years old, and a real child at heart.  She's been a textile chemist, a broadcaster, an author and an educator through her long life, and she has a particular interest in costume history.  She loves the Edwardian period, best of all.  So I thought I'd make her a little Edwardian roombox.

It's been fun planning it and shopping for it.  (It's a nice change of pace from the Tudor period, that's for sure!)

On my trip to Toronto this week I picked up a few things for the project from the Little Dollhouse Company:


It's going to be a simple rectangular roombox, with a window in one end and a fireplace in the other.  It will be electrified.  I bought a ready-made window, and a really cool fireplace.  It is not electrified and had a horrible resin "fire" in it, but the grate pried out remarkably easily and the fire came off, and I  bought a good quality set of logs/flames to take its place, so with a little drilling and some messing about, I think it'll look super. I also think I'll tile the inside of it.

I also picked up a Reutters Tiffany lamp, a ceiling rose, some William Morris-y wallpaper and a little fox terrier.  (Mum had a wire-haired terrier named "Skipper" when she was a girl, to whom she recited "The Burial of Moses" and other poems she was learning.

There will be a woman and a little girl in the roombox, along with the dog.  Now, my Mum was a child in the 1930s, not 1915, so the little girl isn't, strictly speaking, supposed to be her, but just a little girl with dark brown hair who happens to have a terrier :)

I want to make up the basic room box as quickly as possible so I can give it to her before we leave for England on May 20th.  That way, I can bring her some presents home with me from our trip!

My Mum is on the internet (in fact she's the web master for the Costume Society of Ontario website), but as far as I know she doesn't check this blog.  If she does see this before the roombox shows up -- surprise, Mum!

Edited to add the following photo, Edwardian Interior, by Harold Gilman


I love this!  All the paintings and photos on the wall, the textiles on the furniture, the flowers.  This is it!

14 comments:

  1. I love the bits you've bought for your Mum's roombox already, especially the little dog - so sweet!
    I look forward to seeing your (fast) progress with your Mum's roombox, I hope you will keep us posted.

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  2. Me encanta esa epoca¡¡¡¡ mi proxima escena tambien sera de ese estilo: sus primeras compras muy bien ambientadas. Saludos.

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  3. Thanks, MB! David and I are going to work on it like fiends this weekend and give it to her for mother's day, I hope!

    Hi, Carmen (best operatic name, ever :) I'm so glad you like my purchases -- and I look forward to seeing your own Edwardian project!

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  4. Good daughter you are Nina! Fab idea!And great minis! Can't wait to see it done:) I am sure your Mum will love it:)

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  5. I love the pieces you've bought :) It's going to look fab and I'm sure your mom will be SO happy to receive it :)

    Can't wait to see it ready,

    Ira

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  6. What a thoughtful and unusual gift. Good luck with it.

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  7. Que buena idea!!!
    Seguro que te queda genial y a tu mama le encanta.
    Me ire pasando para ver tus avances
    besitos ascension

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  8. A great selection of things for your roombox, look forward to seeing more of it. Your mum is sure to love it.

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  9. It's so good that you're making something for your mum!!
    Love the lampshade.

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  10. I'm looking forward to seeing you work your magic with this one!

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  11. Superb super idea, Nina. Mummy will be so thrilled. I think a handmade gift surpass every other gift, at least for me. Since I picked up this hobby, i have wanted to build all my dearest and nearest something but just never could do it fast enough so I didn't even try..lol.

    I too, will love to see the completed box. And mummy's face when she gets it! :)

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  12. Oh Nina. Your mind is a very delicate and I am sure make happy your mum and she will go back in time, the sweet years of her childhood.
    I like everything that you bought: I ordered some things for Villa Elisa, such as Tiffany lamp with dragonfly that I find absolutely amazing!
    You are tired of full immersion in Tudor times?
    I hope not. Your castle is unique!
    A hug
    flora

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  13. Nina, te quedará preciosa, es una epoca, que a mi tambien me gusta.
    Tu madre quedará encantada, yo estoy deseando ver tus avances.
    Un abrazo Carmen

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  14. What a wonderful gift that will be, your Mom will love it.

    I've made a few flowers for non mini friends but they really just aren't that into it - I'd love to have someone I could make something for as a gift.

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