Jenny Brown Designs: Dream big

Barbie's Dream House

I remember when my sister got the 80's version of this- Best. Christmas. Ever.

Last weekend I took Pierce for a walk to the lake early in the morning, as I often do. I don't usually take Belmont, I prefer the quiet tree lined residential streets, but chose to stay on the busier street with the crime wave passing through the city, as it always does, when summer finally arrives. Someone was recently attacked by a flash mob in broad daylight right off Michigan Avenue. Though we are not supposed to be calling them "flash mobs", we are supposed to be calling them "gangs"-- as that is what they are--but for some reason it was originally reported as a "flash mob". Clearly I was not the only one confused by this terminology: isn't a flash mob when everyone starts dancing in unison in some random public location? And now they are attacking random strangers- in unison? No, no, those would be gangs. Okay- all clear.

ANYWAY, my usual hour long stroll took two, with all of the excitement I encountered just walking down Belmont at 7am on a Saturday. The most curious encounter by far, was this little storefront I noticed just north on Clark called "Think Small by Rosebud". What?!?!?!

I'm thinking Citizen Kane

I'm thinking of our dollhouse growing up (not Barbie's, mind you), and of Tiny Furniture, the indie movie I watched On Demand this past winter. The best part is that the director who played the protagonist cast her own mother and sister to play the role of- wait for it- her mother and sister in the movie. Brilliant. Mom and Annie, I know we have discussed this already but one of us has really dropped the ball. Not it.

Bust mostly I am thinking, how has this little random store, which has clearly been here for decades,escaped my notice for the last 5 years?

So yesterday, after Pierce's nap, we set out to investigate.

I arrived at the store and was greeted by a nice woman named Carol. Okay, not greeted, she was sitting at a work table painting a miniature paneled glass door, but she did say 'hi'. I asked if I could take a few photos and she obliged after checking with the owner. Pierce and I strolled through the store and it is what you would expect: a lot of little vignettes of mini-furniture and rooms, bedroom sets, kitchens, magazines, cleaning products, you name it.

Upholstery and casegoods

Mini cleaning supplies and food

This reminds me of a Santa's Workshop diorama I made when I was young. I dressed clothespins up as people (and elves) and wrapped legos as little presents.

Carol told me that the shop was opened in 1984 and that people build their own dollhouses in the basement.

I looked at Pierce in the stroller, unhooked him, took him in my arms, and we ventured downstairs.

When we arrived at the landing we came upon a room with an eclectic group of people, crafting away in this wonderful hidden workshop. I mean, seriously, what were you doing that was so important at 1:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday?

A woman with long flowing grey hair stood at the far end of the room. This was Carol--according to the other Carol--the owner.

I didn't want to disturb anyone by snapping away but I did take this picture with my camera. I was trying to be stealth as not to upset the other "miniturists", if you will. I see the appeal and you know I am handy with the glue gun.

Of course, I had to get to the bottom of the name. "Who is Rosebud?" I asked the second (but really first, in command, at least) Carol.

"There were three of us who started the store, and we were all the rosebuds" she explained, "and then there was the fourth, the THORN!"

Ask and you shall receive, my friends.

Pretty little big house.

As I was leaving the store I learned that it was actually closing in about 6 weeks. Carol #2 was packing up shop and moving to Las Vegas. She said that there are usually triple the amount of houses being worked on than what I saw. I guess the internet has hurt her business but I got the feeling that she was happy about the move- and it was time to move on.

I could not go on and on about this without paying respect to the great Mrs. James Ward Thorne (born Narcissa Niblack), who created the exquisite miniature rooms in painstaking detail that are displayed in the Art Institute here in Chicago and some other lucky museums across the country (though I think our collection is the largest. Snap.)

Ms. Narcissa was quite a fan of dollhouses as a child and put her passion to work when she was an adult living in none other than my own home town. Did I know that? Okay, just started to skim her biography, here, and am truly fascinated with this woman. All of these rooms are created in 1"- 1' scale and are historically accurate. Here is a sampling of her fine work. Go here to see more.

Virginia Entrance Hall, 1751-55, c. 1940

Tennessee Entrance Hall, 1835, c. 1940

I was in a Tennessee entrance hall a few months ago, circa 2011, and it looked remarkably similar to this one.

New Hampshire Entrance Hall, 1799, c. 1940

I find I am most drawn to the entrance halls. The architectural detail is the most fascinating to me, even more than the furniture. And I'm a sucker for a sweeping staircase.