A Peek Into A Mansion

This is a happy story.

It's about a mansion that was saved from the wrecking ball.

In the mid-1990s, the former summer home of wealthy owners was abandoned.  It even looked a little mysterious.

There were a lot of overgrown weeds and a general aura of disrepair.

When word got around Lenox, the small New England town in which Ventfort Hall is located,  that it might be torn down, a group of people got together to try and save it.

They raised thousands upon thousands of dollars and began to renovate the fabulous old structure.

They also obtained various grants and individual donations to help with expensive renovation.

That just goes to show what a group of people with a cause can accomplish!

Little by little, they opened rooms to the public. They started offering programs there----theater, classes, and even a Medieval Faire.

Today, Ventfort Hall is a great place to visit.

On a tour this Christmas season, a look into the dining room was a heart-stopper. It had been set for Christmas dinner in a Scottish theme. 

All of the photos in this post were taken in that room.

This rose-covered centerpiece included pheasant feathers! 

 More red roses could be found among the branches of the nearby Christmas tree and in the wreath above the mantel.

For a full overview of this magnificent mansion, go to the Ventfort Hall website. 

You can even become a member on one of several different levels!

Thomas Hayes, manager of Country Dining Room Antiques, at 178 Main St., in Great Barrington, another small New England town,  has decorated the dining room at Ventfort Hall every  Christmas for the past decade or ever since the mansion was opened to the public.

He did a splendid job of decorating. He seems to have that magic touch that transforms an already fabulous room into something even more enchanting!

All of the china, glassware, etc., came from Country Dining Room Antiques and are for sale!

DO YOU LOVE TO TAKE TOURS OF  HISTORICAL BUILDINGS?

Manger in a Tin Box

Today, we are joining Show and Tell Friday on Cindy's blog, My Romantic Home. Go check out all the cool entries that come in every week!

Once, in a Mexican border town marketplace around Christmas time, I spotted a very small tin box.

Lifting the cover, there were all of the Nativity figures cut out and painted bright colors.

Several were painted with bright pink, my favorite color. None were more than three inches high.

Mary was there, along with Joseph, and, of course, the Baby Jesus. There was an angel, the three kings, and a little cow, donkey,and sheep.

Each figure had a crude wire attached to the back, to allow for standing.

I couldn't help but wonder who made this endearing set. Just cutting each figure out of tin must have taken quite a bit of patience.

Moving the wires against the backs of the figures allows them to be placed neatly back into the box.

At the time, there was almost no spending money but that little box with the fold-up manger scene came home with me.

This tin manger scene with its simplistic beauty has traveled cross-country with us and now comes out of the tin box every Christmas.

This year it rested on a round mirrored rack.

Pretty soon the little figures will be folded up, once again, and put to rest in the tin box between small squares of tissue paper until next Christmas.

Adios, amigos!

DO YOU LIKE ETHNIC ART?

Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys

So often these days one hears how important it is to be kind to your "inner child," the little boy or girl you used to be.

Our inner children are still very much alive and in need of nurturing and love.

Well, if my own love of anything miniature helps cater to an inner child, I'd say she's A-okay. 

My love affair with dollhouse miniatures has been going on for decades and there's no end in sight.

Could it possibly be an obsession?  Yeah, probably, but who cares?  Miniatures bring immense happiness and joy and no one can put a price on those, right?

When visiting Denver, Colorado, in November, our hosts asked if there was anything in particular I would like to see.

As soon as he asked the question, my response was rapid fire immediate.

"Yes, I'd love to see the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys," I blurted.

So off we went on a mission.

There's just something terribly thrilling to look into a dollhouse and see the details that went into its furnishing.

It makes a person want to become two inches tall so navigating around the inside corners of a dollhouse would be made possible.  There's no telling what one could discover!

When visiting such a place, I could stay for days.  

I hope you enjoy looking at some of the sights at the museum. It was worth the excursion to visit there. 

This last photo is of the shop at the museum.

Visiting there made both my inner child and me very, very happy!

HAVE YOU EVER VISITED A MUSEUM SPECIALIZING IN DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES? 

IF NOT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO?

Dickens Village Wonderland

One of the highlights of this entire Christmas season was discovering a Dickens Village land of total enchantment.

Last summer at a yard sale, a woman  was talking about how she collected Dickens Village houses and accessories. Her devoted husband helps her set them up every Christmas, she said.

Not even aware of how collectible these are, I asked for her name and phone number, hoping she might let a total stranger see her collection.  She told me to definitely call her in December. I did just that and boy, am I glad I did.

Her name is Yvonne and her husband is Don. They are an extremely charming and gracious couple.

When I saw the Dickens Village they created in an entire room, it was like being a kid in a candy factory.

When asked her if I could share her hobby on this blog, she agreed. After all, sharing highlights of life with readers is one of the most joyous aspects of blogging.

So many thanks goes to Yvonne and Don. 

Can't you just imagine what it would be like to walk along the streets of this little village at Christmas time?

Hope you all enjoyed the tour of this fascinating set up that came about because of the imagination, creativity, and ingenuity of two really sweet and talented people!

 DO YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO COLLECTS DICKENS VILLAGE PIECES? 

Souvenirs for the Dollhouse

Dollhouses are a fascinating hobby.

Anything is possible in that tiny world.  If buying a four poster canopy bed for the big house proves impossible, one can buy one for the little house.

No time to bake with your busy schedule?  Dollhouse baked goods have zero calories and can last for years!

On a vacation to Colorado in November, most of my souvenirs took up almost no room in my suitcase. They were all for my dollhouse!

A beautiful doll in a light green Victorian dress, complete with tiny umbrella, came home.  She came from the Molly Brown House gift shop. There's a feather in her up swept blond hair. She made a lovely addition to the dollhouse this past Christmas.

Also found in that gift shop was a lovely piece of lace with an ornate border. It looked great folded up at the end of the canopy bed. 

The other souvenir came from France and was  a pink patterned rug.  Found in the gift shop of the Denver Doll and Miniatures Museum, it looked absolutely great in the dollhouse living room.
 The tiny Christmas tree has actual red and green blinking lights on it and was stationed to the left of the new rug!

If you missed my Christmas dollhouse post and have any interest in reading it, it you can check it out here:     http://writingstraightfromtheheart.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-in-dollhouse.html   

You'll see the new Victorian doll and folded lace in the upstairs bedroom!

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE HOBBY? WHAT IS IT?

The Greatest Gift of All...

The gifts of Christmas, 2011, are mostly opened and some are even put away.

Remembering my parents, who are no longer on earth, I thought about gifts from the past.

The most precious gift my beloved mother and father gave to me did not come wrapped up and tied with ribbons.

It was the gift of faith in God.

When life's storms came crashing down, that gift provided a lifeline. Hanging on with all my might, often with tears streaming down my face, faith carried me through.

Good times eventually returned.

When disappointment or soul-shaking sorrow seared my heart, faith soothed.

No gift since then could ever compare with the gift of faith.

Not everyone receives it.

It's priceless.

It's a treasure.

No matter what life brings, with faith, I know survival is possible.

It can even be used to help others.

I'm so grateful to my parents for everything they ever did for me, but most of all, I'm immensely grateful for the greatest gift of all...the gift of faith. 

WHAT WAS THE BEST GIFT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM YOUR PARENTS?