~Tiny Doll Displays~

Special thanks to Charles Stephan, Carrie Atwood of The Sleeping Elf Lmtd.,  Grace of Jpopdolls, ‘winternight” (Ginnie Kichura), and “Wilkies” (Wilma).

Tiny Doll Displays

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFmiQ9Wsdn8″>Tiny Doll Displays

The tiniest of BJDs generally fit into the category of 1/12 scale.  This scale is the most common size for doll houses and dollhouse furniture and accessories.  It isn’t surprising that many people have been inspired to create special displays and houses for their diminutive dolls.

I became a first-time owner of tiny BJDs this year.  My first doll in the 1/12 scale was a Fidelia Firefly Faerie made by the talented Charles Stephan of Charles Creature Cabinet.  She has since been joined by two Felix Brownie dolls (and their extra heads!). Soon after receiving them, I realized that an old dollhouse we had stored away would make a good home for them. The little house was hand-made in the Shenandoah Valley. Since brownies and faeries need a dwelling a little out-of -the-ordinary, I decided to create a  woodland cottage with an ivy-leaf roof and rustic furnishings. The project was started in early summer, and was worked-on in my spare time.  The house is basically finished, but will be refined in the next few months.

While working on my house, I mentioned my project to Grace of Jpop dolls.  She was also working on a special house for her Fidelia, and she agreed to send photos.  While my and Grace’s houses were both inspired by the same doll, they are quite different in interpretation.  The Woodland Cottage is small, and cozy and rustic, but  Grace imagines her tiny dolls in a colorful world with themed rooms such as the Victorian Room and the Sherry-sipping Room. There is a Diva Bedroom in the eaves  for Fidelia with animal print rug and furniture. Meanwhile, Carrie Atwood of the Sleeping Elf mentioned working on a display for her dolls, and I asked for photos from her as well.  Carrie sent pictures of her cabinet-style large doll house, and also her new project; an amazing little home that is made in the shape of a pumpkin.  The pumpkin house is made of fiberglass and has two floors and working lights! Carrie wrote “My dollhouse was a kit bought from Ebay Uk. I bought it specifically for housing my tiny resin ball joint dolls. It’s a basic 1/12 scale kit house. My Husband and I spent a long weekend putting it together. A lot of the walls and floors are decorated with fabric and scrapbook papers. I thought they were so pretty, and I do mix up the scales on the inside, I have 1/12, re-ment, 1/16…as long as I like it and its pretty, anything tiny goes. The Pumpkin was made by a friend. it was a giant pumpkin they bought from a farm. He then made a mould and made the Pumpkin out of fiber glass and it weighs a ton! He then gave it to us, and we finished it off; adding a second story, adding the lights, and decorating it. I love this house! It’s total fantasy and its perfect for my Elves. I just think these resin tinys and dollhouse miniatures are perfect together.”

Owning a dollhouse is not necessary to create wonderful tiny doll displays.  Arranging them in a cabinet or on a shelf can be just as rewarding.   I was introduced to two other collectors through Charles Stephan; winternight (Ginnie Kichura) and Wilkies have created displays with tiny furniture, props, and natural materials. Ginnie wrote, “I’ve always been fascinated with things small, and when I discovered Carrie Attwood’s tiny Whitley Woods dolls, they really charged my interest in the small dolls. Each one seemed to have such personality and all I needed to do was bring that out. Then along came the Charles’ Creature Cabinet dolls and they were so wonderful, original and unique…  and everything seemed to just work so well in my little imaginary world of fairies and elves.”  Ginnie has created magical environments with  various props and dolls in different scales. Currently she is working on a diorama project for her dolls.

Wilkies creates miniature arrangements anywhere in her home, but she has turned a glass cabinet into a special vitrine displaying various magical places. There are rooms for woodland creatures and another special place for mermaids. Wilkies is quite adept at arranging her dolls to look completely at home in their surroundings. The little Woodling Faun dolls are especially active, playing with toys, climbing trees, and getting into everything!

Whether a collector wishes to acquire an elaborate house with all the accoutrements for for their dolls, or decides to take a shelf in a room and fill it with plants and natural objects to display their dolls in a miniature jungle, the possibilities for taking their dolls beyond their boxes is limitless. After  I finish the Woodland Cottage, I am already considering a few more locations in my home that could be colonized by tinys…

Photos Above: Fidelia Firefly Faerie by Charles’ Creature Cabinet, owned by BJDcollectasy, NariPon by Notdoll Lab owned by Wilkies.

The Sleeping Elf Lmtd dolls are sold exclusively by Carrie Atwood through her main site The Sleeping Elf Lmtd., and Etsy store The Sleeping Elf, Etsy .