OT - Doll House experiences and questions (xpost)

Hi all,
When my mom went to dental school (I was nine when she started, 13
when she finished), she bought me a dollhouse kit to work on, because
I was nine years old, and it was going to be our first summer apart.
This was the summer of 1978, and the kit cost around $75.

At nine, I really wasn't ready for a project of that magnitude. I
punched out some of the pieces, painted a few, then packed it up and
put it into my parent's basement, where it stayed for the next 12
years. Fast forward to winter of 1990-91, and I was on winter break
from my senior year in college. I got a wild hair to work on the doll
house, and so built most of it over Christmas, and then put the
finishing touches on it over spring break.

It was beautiful. Slate blue paint, white trim, dark blue shingles,
white inside walls, varnished floors. I was 21 years old when I
finished it. I never collected any miniatures for it or anything, at
that point it was the joy of building it that was important. It sat
in my parent's basement covered in plastic until the fall of 2003
(wow..another 12 years - hard to believe 24 years went by since I
started the project). I always planned to get it, but it was big and
cumbersome, and we don't tend to have space in the car when we drive,
and flying with it would be a nightmare. I wanted to give it to my
daughter when she was old enough. Someday.

But last fall, my parents house was destroyed in a fire, and the
dollhouse with it. I found a similar dollhouse online, and made a
claim with my parent's insurance. A similar dollhouse, fully finished
like mine was, would cost around $700.

Now here's the hard part.

If I get a cash payout, I'd get around $175 (75% depreciation). If I
choose to get a replacement, I get a budget of around $700. Here's
the hard part:

I really don't have space to store a dollhouse right now, and my
daughter is much too young (she just turned two in december). I could
have my mom order it, and she'll store it, but we'll have the same
problem of getting the darn thing to me when the time comes.

I could get another kit which is more storeable (and I could get a
fancier one this time!), but I don't know when I'll ever really have
the kind of time it takes to build another dollhouse. It would be a
neat project to do with my daughter when she's a bit older, but it
would take a long, long time.

My husband favors getting one of those wooden block dollhouse by plan
toys, (See http://puffins.com/planpg06.html for an example) which
aren't cheap. But they are for younger kids, and my daughter would be
outgrowing it at just about the time a real dollhouse would be
appropriate.

My husband says that girls who had dollhouse really never played with
them, that they all thought they were cool, but mostly they gathered
dust, so he thinks that would be a silly thing to do - and the plan
toys dollhouse for younger kids are much cooler. My stepson thinks I
should take the cash payout.

What do I think? I really, really wanted a dollhouse when I was a
kid, and never had one (owning a kit doesn't count!). I played with
the ones my friends had. I remember them playing with them to some
extent, but at least as they got older, they really did gather dust.
I also looked forward to passing my dollhouse to my daughter. So what
I want to do is order the one I like - fully put together, and figure
out a way to store the darn thing. But, if my husband is right, and
they mostly don't get played with, I really have to take that into
consideration.

So, first, what do you think I should do? And, for those of you who
had dollhouses, did you like them? Did you play with them?

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

Cathy Weeks wrote:


So, first, what do you think I should do? And, for those of you who
had dollhouses, did you like them? Did you play with them?

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01


I didn't have a dollhouse (I never liked to play with dolls), but my
daughter did. A neighbor who was moving and didn't have room in the new
house gave us a dollhouse her father had made for her when she was
little. It was kind of neat - the outside was covered in this stuff
that looked and felt like brick, the windows could be opened and shut,
etc. My daughter occasionally filled it with Beanie Babies, all
looking wistfully out the windows, but other than that didn't show much
interest. Last year we sold it at a yard sale after making sure the
original owner didn't want it back. It might partly depend on whether
your daughter likes dolls. Mine doesn't care for them, so I can see why
a dollhouse wouldn't be a big deal to her.

Clisby

Cathy,

I'm sorry your dollhouse was destroyed--how sad!

I always wanted a fancy dollhouse and I defintely would have played with one if
I had one.

My daughter has had a variety of dollhouse of the Barbie variety since she was
about three and she has played with them all to pieces. This Christmas she
asked for an almost five foot high house for her Barbies and she has played
with it daily (and she is almost 13!).

OTOH, my sister did have the kind of house you had, fully furnished and all,
that my grandmother made for her, and AFAIK, she didn't play with it much.
It's really going to depend on your daughter's personality.

But if you want to know what I really think you should do, I think you should
get a dollhouse to replace the one you lost. If nothing else, it will be a
beautiful heirloom for your daughter. And it was your house that was
destroyed, so you should replace it in a way that makes you happy.

Leslie, who now lives in a house like the dollhouse she once wished for

Hi -

My mother bought an antique dollhouse when I was an infant, then gave it
to me when I was about 3 years old. I played and played and played with
it, all the time! I remember a litter of kittens being forced to play
in it, too ... I must have been about 6 or 7 at the time. I still have
the dollhouse, but the box with all the furniture, etc. has gone missing
since our last move :-( .

I'd get the nicest dollhouse you can for the money you're being given by
the insurance company. Then turn around and sell it, since you have no
space. In a couple of years, when you see which way your daughter is
tending (to play or not to play with dolls), then get what seems
appropriate.

I only have little boys. They play with castles and knights, but family
dolls have been boring since they turned about 5 years old. Sigh.

My two cents,
--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

NOTE: No email is read at my MIT address. Use the AOL one if you would
like me to reply.

Beth Kevles wrote:


I'd get the nicest dollhouse you can for the money you're being given by
the insurance company. Then turn around and sell it, since you have no
space. In a couple of years, when you see which way your daughter is
tending (to play or not to play with dolls), then get what seems
appropriate.


Agreed 100%
Insurance claims are a huge enormous PIA, and you have a limited time to
claim, so this seems to make the most sense for me AND someone else will
get a brand new dollhouse at a potential savings.

I wish I'd done similar with some things I lost that I knew I would want
again, but didn't have use for right at the time of the fire/replacement.

Dawn

"Cathy Weeks" skrev i en meddelelse
om...
Hi all,
So, first, what do you think I should do? And, for those of you who
had dollhouses, did you like them? Did you play with them?

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

My daughter - now 11 - have a dollhouse grandpa built for her. I have played
quite a lot with it, she hasn't. She never was much into dolls and Barbie
anyhow.

Tine, Denmark

http://puffins.com/

Cool site. I like their toys.

Ethical question: Do you think it is really honest to get a new dollhouse
and sell it? Personally, I don't see the problem with it. Before the fire,
you were free to sell the dollhouse. I don't see why you wouldn't be now.
Just a question.

Anyway, I think I either get the money and buy a dollhouse and sell it (like
you suggested) or avoid the hassle and just take the $175 and get a kit when
the time came. Getting $175 avoids the hassle and some risk, but also means
you get about $300 or so less than if you just buy and resell the house (I
am assuming that the house will sell for around $500, but maybe it will sell
for like $1000 -- who knows?). Either way, I think I would go with the kit.

You might also try to do some research on this and make sure you will get a
decent profit from this to make it worth your time and risk

Jeff

Cathy Weeks wrote:

Hi all,

[snip]

What do I think? I really, really wanted a dollhouse when I was a
kid, and never had one (owning a kit doesn't count!). I played with
the ones my friends had. I remember them playing with them to some
extent, but at least as they got older, they really did gather dust.
I also looked forward to passing my dollhouse to my daughter. So what
I want to do is order the one I like - fully put together, and figure
out a way to store the darn thing. But, if my husband is right, and
they mostly don't get played with, I really have to take that into
consideration.

So, first, what do you think I should do? And, for those of you who
had dollhouses, did you like them? Did you play with them?

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

Get the dollhouse you had/wanted. Because that's the house you lost in
the fire. Then when time comes, if you want, you can pass it down to
your daughter.

FWIW, we got a Lundby dollhouse in a yardsale for DD when she was about
4 years old. She never really played with it, but *I* think it would
still be fun to buy all the (expensive) furniture and decorate it as I
have time and money. I never had a dollhouse growing up which may
explain why I want to play with them now.

Jeanne

"Jeff" wrote in message
...
Ethical question: Do you think it is really honest to get a new dollhouse
and sell it? Personally, I don't see the problem with it. Before the fire,
you were free to sell the dollhouse. I don't see why you wouldn't be now.
Just a question.

I see no ethical question or quandary here. She is not defrauding the
insurance company in any way. They've offered her two choices --- take $175
in cash now, or they'll pay for a replacement dollhouse, which could cost
upward of $500-700 (if I remember the post correctly). Once she makes her
choice and the insurance company has paid her, they are done and out of the
picture, and she can do whatever she wants with the money or doll house. If
she chose the $175, she would not be obligated to spend that money on
another doll house, even though that is what they are reimbursing her for.

I think getting the replacement dollhouse and then selling it for more money
than the insurance company was willing to pay is a good solution, although
I'm still confused why they are willing to spend $500 to replace the
dollhouse, but only $175 in cash. They're still out the money, no?

Anyway, good luck!
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clark_guest,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Handmade Baby Blankets -- www.geocities.com/digit_the_cat/Blankets.html

"Cathy Weeks" wrote in message
om...

So, first, what do you think I should do? And, for those of you who
had dollhouses, did you like them? Did you play with them?



Cathy -

My sister and I shared a dollhouse which my Dad made for us when I was about
three or four. It was a simple 2-story affair with 2 bedrooms/bath/living
room, dining room and kitchen, and *stairs* to the second floor. It had
plastic furniture and several dolls that were about 3 inches tall, iirc. We
loved that thing and played with it often, as did our visiting friends.

My Dad's parents had a metal one, similar up/down stairs arrangement,
similar plastic furniture [no stairs though]. they got it specifically for
their three granddaughters as they had only had sons. We all played with
that thing whenever we visited.

I think I stopped playing with the dollhouses when I was about 11 or 12.
They still bring back fond memories, just like paper dolls and all my Breyer
horses do. If I had a daughter I'd have given her a dollhouse, too, as well
as introduced her to paper dolls. One thing, though, that I've learned with
DS, is that the things which I enjoyed as a child are not necessarily what
he enjoys, so I'd start with an inexpensive version to see what the
reception would be, and then I'd consider the expensive one - if it was for
my daughter.

IF, however, I really wanted it and had a place in my home where it could be
displayed to nice effect, I'd give it strong consideration to buy, now, for
me, and then I'd get into all those doll house collectibles that I see in
the nicer toy stores. You know, toys don't have to be just for kids. ;-)

-Aula, who has her childhood Breyer horses on display