The house that Tammy built

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Tammy. Ever since she was a little girl she loved dolls and most of all she adored dollhouses. As she got older, she would see lots of dollhouses. There were fancy ones, little ones, toy ones, various kinds that she had never seen before.

Tammy's father, who has since gone to heaven, worked tirelessly before Christmas for a whole week, day and night, to build a very fancy doll house for Tammy and her sister. Tammy was amazed at what her dad had built. She would spend hours upon hours playing. It was the most beautiful doll house she had ever seen in her life. It had lots of tiny furniture inside. Every day she was so happy.

She would put the little dolls to bed at night and wake them up every morning. She thanked her dad every day for the doll house which brought her so much joy and happiness.

As I (Tammy) am older now, I thought it might be nice to start designing a few dollhouses of my own. So I got started, bought some things I would need, and off to work I went on my very own doll house.

I remembered the dollhouse my dear father had made for me all those years ago. It was a Victorian style house with gingerbread trim and very bold wallpapered rooms. I knew I wanted to do a dollhouse as my version of my dad's. I became a huge fan of the Victorian era and vintage things over the years.

I embarked on my journey. I built the house from a dollhouse kit. Once I put it together, I started on a design for each room. I cut out wallpaper with scissors for most of the walls and painted some walls as well. Next, I put the furniture together and painted all of it. I put fancy designs on the furniture as well.

As my dollhouse progressed each day, I remember feeling the joy and happiness that my dad must have felt. Working on a dollhouse brings me so much delight and satisfaction.

I love putting things together, thinking of different designs, and different ways to make them look more realistic.

Dollhouses make me smile when I see them, no matter how they look or how they are designed. I can't ever seem to pick a favourite one. I love them all the same.

I have also become a member of a miniature club on Facebook. When I look at all the dollhouses and tiny pieces that people have created, I find myself getting a lot of inspiration and helpful hints on ways I can improve my work. The feeling that comes over me is indescribable, nothing but joy and happiness.

When I'm working on my doll houses, my creative juices just flow out of me. People tell me all the time, “you really think of everything, don't you?” and I always say “that's the problem.” I think constantly about everything.

I'm so grateful for being so creative and see the beauty and potential in all things, taking things and making something else out of it is pure joy. Seeing something that other people think is trash, and I see it as beautiful because I'm thinking of what it can be, is a true gift.

My entire life I have loved and still love anything to do with art, drawing, painting and building things. Crafts, in general, make me so happy.

It goes so much further than that for me, art galleries, tattoos (I have 14 of them.), the beauty of the world. Animals, the colour in them, the trees in summer and fall, the flowers, different plants, peoples’ beautiful skin tones and eyes. I could go on forever, but I won't, I promise.

I'm very excited for my story of my passion for dollhouses and everything ‘Art’ to be heard. If I win this contest...amazing, if I don't win… also amazing, because my story will be told. In my heart I'm a winner for coming out of my comfort zone and sharing my story.

P.S. If I'm lucky enough to win, I will dedicate this win to my Dad, who I miss so much. Because of him I have this wonderful love of dollhouses. As well, thank you Dad for the painstaking hours you put in so many years ago to make the most beautiful doll house I have ever seen.

Thank you,

Tammy Marsh