When I was a preteen, I became interested in miniatures and really wanted a minitaure antique general store. It must have been all those hours watching "Little House on the Prairie" :)
I was the luckiest girl in the world when I received the building for Christmas along with the basics - storefront counter, post office and shelves all created by my Dad. We were fortunate to have a few miniature stores in the area and my mom, sister and I would go shopping to buy more little treasures for the store. Sometimes my mom would help me make things - the bolts of fabric, little letters and packages. And sometimes I would have things in mind that I wanted like the wagon wheels that I couldn't find. So my wonderful Dad would create them, including the cane propped in front of the counter like something out of "Miracle on 34th Street".
Before we knew it the General Store was pretty much done except for little tweaks.
Next up... my very own dollhouse! Another dream come true! The details are endless - a matching little doghouse to hide the transformer to light the house with appropriate light fixtures in each room. Hardwood floors throughout. "Antiques" in the attic along with a handmade ladder and a little tool box complete with tools that my Dad whittled by hand. Grouted ceramic tile floor in the bathroom. Crocheted matching bedroom linens created by my Mom. The list goes on and on.
Some things never change - I would still love to live in a kitchen like this:
Once we had an adult cat jump in to this kitchen and had his entire body inside. When I screamed and he jumped out only one blue willow cannister was tipped over!
When my house was just about done, my Dad built my Mom a dollhouse:
Over the years, there were barns, log cabins and other houses.
The final miniature creation by my Dad and Mom was the ultimate masterpiece:
My maternal grandfather & great-grandfather were florists that owned their own flower shop.
For my grandfather's 80th birthday, my parents surprised him with a recreation of his flower shop, Crawford Floral Co.
Everything but the metal items were handmade by my Mom and Dad.
My Mom quilled the flowers, made the dried flower arrangements and wreaths.
My Dad made the flower cooler, counter, crates and shelves all by hand without any patterns, but memories of the shop.
My Dad is a man's man. An auto mechanic by trade, an avid fisherman, and handyman extraordinaire. With huge biceps, the strongest man I know.
But when he worked on the miniatures, he had a patience and steadiness of hand that you just wouldn't believe.
He had a severe brain aneurysm in his mid-40's and the steadiness of hand was a casualty, so he moved on to larger wood working instead .
But all of his creations stand as testament to his incredible workmanship. Many packed safely away to be shared with future generations.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!
WE LOVE YOU!
Blessings to you as we have been so blessed by your talents!
And Blessings to all of you for letting me share :)
Patti
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