the playhouse I never had

Let me take you back about four years ago, if you don't mind, when we decided to build a playhouse.  I'll begin by confessing that this is one of those cases where the Mother wants to give her daughter the one thing she never had (but always wished she did) as a little girl and is simply convinced that her daughter will absolutely adore it.  I suspect that we all do this, on various levels.  Mine manifested itself in a playhouse.  After convincing Hank that he could have it for a shoot shack after the kids had outgrown it, we were on our way. 

The playhouse is roughly eight feet by eight feet, set on pavers.

Construction went along smoothly, and the kids had a good time getting in Dad's way.

Hank cut down an old interior door to approximately four feet in height and salvaged some leftover shingles from the woodshop.  He added a touch of whimsy with the crooked chimney.  And I promptly planted daisies.

And as with most projects around here, Hank does the building and the girls do the painting.

Once the outside was finished, complete with clothesline, it was time to do the interior!

Now this was where I really fulfilled my childhood wish of having a playhouse.  I scrounged old mismatched parts and asked Hank to build a table and armchair which, of course, I painted.  The brown ladder back chair was mine as a little girl.  I sewed a tablecloth and lace curtains for the three windows.

We were given a small cupboard from our neighbor.  The metal dishes were mine as a child, and every time I empty a salt box or can of baking powder, it is regulated to the playhouse grocery supply.  This kitchen is complete with hotpads and aprons!  And the wooden swing that Hank had built when the kids were babies was perfectly retro-fitted with legs and a drop down tray for a dolly high chair.

Homemade wooden baby cradles were a must for Bluebell, Heidi and Boy Baby. The bed was made by my dad; bedding sewn by my mom.  And the cradle was made by a cousin.

And of course 'Playing House' would not be the same without a few cleaning supplies and ironing board.  My daughter asked for the Dirt Devil vac at Christmas when she was three.  What a hoot seeing her all done up in pink princess dress-up clothes, vacuuming the kitchen!

It has been so much fun decorating this little house, and every mother that comes over just gushes that she would have loved one as a child, too.  Unfortunately, my daughter isn't so much the pink princess these days, but turning into more of a tomboy.  Dresses are only for church now, she says.  Both my children are still small enough to fit in this house, and we have snack time here in the summer.  They do like to pick a pot full of thyme and mint from the herb garden and 'make soup.'  But as every child will do, they are growing up.  These carefree summer days go so fast.  That four foot high door shrinks before your eyes and knees bump the tabletop. But while I can, I plan to eat lots of fruit snacks out here!