Tiny things

I finally got out my old doll's house. Ruben is big enough to play with all the tiny or delicate pieces. It needs to be done-up, a project I hope we can do together. It's fair to say I was absorbed (read obsessed) with this doll's house for a good many years. I made countless accessories from fimo, spent all my pocket-money on furniture and enacted complex family dramas including quite morbid death scenes with heads in pianos and ovens (am I admitting too much?). Ruben immediately got stuck into playing with the father doll on the toilet.
A while back we visited a wonderful toy shop called "Kristin Baybars" in Gospel Oak, North London, that specialises in dolls houses. I went regularly as a child and was happy to see it is still open, though dusty and worn and appearing closed (you just need to ring the door bell). Kirstin wasn't there that day but I bought one of her incredible minute jigsaw puzzles that she makes in the back workshop.

On my visit to the V&A Museum of Childhood last weekend I noticed they had some stuffed toys designed by her on display - 70's animals with bold shapes and colours called Ostrobogulous Toys ( I found these images online, but none of her famous owl). I found out she had been part of the Toy Department team at the Heals Tottenham Court Road store in the 1950's which had revolutionised the form and attitude to children's toys in Britain.
I am planning another trip to her shop, to buy doll's house papers and have a chat.

I thought I'd add this photo of me today - my runny nose is so severe Ruben designed this solution.