The Captain's House
Featured Hobbies
The Captain's House
Miniatures by Margaret
The Introduction
The story of the Captain's House
The rooms of the house: Sewing Room,
Family Room, Kitchen,
Bedroom, Living
Room, Bathroom, Dinning Room,
Balcony, Hall.
Room Boxes
The Hat Shop
The Fisherman's Shanty
The Young Girls Room
The Dinning Room
When I was a very small child in Drumline, I
was given a beautiful doll house, fully furnished as a gift by a friend
of my mother. I only had it a short while when we immigrated to
Canada in 1921, (after the First World War).
We had a great deal of furniture to be shipped from
Scotland. All this meant that some things had to be left behind,
such as our beautiful Chippendale drawing room suite which consisted of
12 chairs, a table, a upholstered in crimson plush, put in storage! My
treasured doll house was left in Druline, as well. I did have a
beautiful doll though, and I was able to bring her with me. She
was the size of a two year old girl. The head was made of wax, as
were the arms and legs. She had brown ringlets all over her head,
and beautiful brown eyes that opened and closed. I loved that
doll.
My brother had been given a toy hammer at
Christmas and did not know any better, and he hammered the doll's
forehead, and of course the eyes were no more! He did not know any
better he was such as young baby, and although I felt very badly about
it, I couldn't blame him, for I loved him more than the doll. I somehow
was sorry that they did not bring my doll house though.
I've always had an interest in miniatures and over the
years there a number of miniatures that I collected, such as Limoge
pieces. These made a dresser or bureau very attractive. Then
there were the pewter miniature place settings that were so perfect for
miniature box rooms. Tea services in both pewter and silver were
also available, as well as china with hand painted decorations, with
gold in the scheme and style. Silver bowls and candlesticks, so
beautiful. I have a special salad bowl of silver with the salad spoon
and fork made specially for me by a friend who made miniatures in
pewter. Perfect!
After my retirement I had the opportunity to pursue my
interest in miniatures and it became a really hobby. I taught
myself how to build tiny things, and sent to the States for patterns and
supplies for miniature furniture and miniature dolls. I purchased
balsa and bass wood and constructed my own furniture. I made many
articles that could be used in a doll house, however I needed something
to hold them. I bought a house that had to be put together, so
instead of doing it myself, I had someone build it for me, because there
were a lot of balconies, a veranda, shingling, and painting to be done.
Then I had the fun of making most of the furniture, as well as a piano,
and a melodeon, which has a shorter keyboard than a piano.
In addition to making the furniture for the house, I
also made the clothing for the "tiny people" in the house, hooked
miniature rugs, painted miniature paintings for the walls, and made
embroidery for table cloths, cushions and bedspreads. I was always
on the look out for something that I could use in my doll house. For
example I needed something for a dining chandelier and the only
thing I could think of was fish hooks. I attached there into jewellery
findings, and then about a half inch of pointed toothpick into that.
I painted these white to simulate candles. Then I glued the upper
part of the ceiling of the room, and it looked like a real chandelier.
You have to be innovative and have an imagination when you are
constructing miniatures! It's amazing what will be entirely useful in
making a miniature item. I also made the people for the house,
dolls (inch to a foot), very dainty people. They needed a home and this
is the one I decorated for them.
Click to enlarge
First of all this is a picture of the house. As it is
winter outside there is a little rink where the children skate. The photographer
is trying to get a good picture of the children trying on their skates. However,
they see Merry Christmas that he has written in the ice. The Captain also
watches from the verandah.
The house is yellow with white trim.
The name of the house is above the balcony and is in the form of a ship’s
wheel. “The Captain’s House”, very well named for a retired Captain. There is
a seagull on the roof ! There is a “Widow’s Walk” on the roof where the
wives of seaman went to see if there were ships coming into the Harbour. These
walks were surrounded by a decorative iron railing, as a safety measure, for
often there are very high winds. That is the history of these structures. The
town of Pictou had many old houses at one time with a “widow’s walk”. There
were Master Mariners in Pictou who could sail around the world. The last one
I remember was Captain Ralph Hemphill, a very brave man, who was decorated
for bravery in the Second World War. He received the DSO and Bar. That
meant that he earned it twice and was presented with the award twice. It
was presented to him by the King.
Now to come to the rooms themselves. The house is on a turntable so that one can see all the rooms. Actually it is the individual rooms that bring it to life, and you can pretend mini-people live there.
Click to enlarge
This is the sewing room , and at present, the young woman is being fitted for her trousseau! Towards the back of the room there is a dress form for adjusting the clothes, a trunk covered with pigskin and a brass nail trim to make it stronger. The trunk has a tray with a fan, gloves, bonnets of straw trimmed with shirred ribbon and lined with rows of lace. There is also some luggage and little bags and cases. Also a new corset made of lace, which is boned, lined with silk, laced up the back with a silk cord to tie in a bow. Her negligee, and night gown, and fancy underwear are already in the bottom of the trunk. She has on a set of fancy lingerie as well as pantaloons. Her beautiful yellow robe is floor length and the sleeves are full in the upper arm and fitted coming down to the cuff. The hem has ruffled lace all around it.
The Family Room
Click to enlarge
This center room is used as a Family Room. It contains the first upholstered chairs and sofa of white brocade and six soft green cushions along the back. There is a table set for tea with plates of food, jars of jam or jelly and small cakes. Mugs with our names on them are set out. The tablecloth is made of linen thread and is one made by my grandmother in a beautiful design as a doily. There is a doll that I constructed and dressed in the way a dress had been designed for my mother, having the overskirt. She is also carrying an ultra suede bag with a gold top, which I made as well. Beside her is a basket made of a round type of grass and woven by Joan Rankin from Cape Breton. She is an extremely clever artisan. Some of her room boxes are shown at exhibits which show the best work Canadian miniaturists produce. I made a pattern for a cat and its bed – the bed is wicker with a Maclean tartan cushion! Of course!
The Kitchen
Need Pic
Click to enlarge
This is the kitchen with a black cast iron Queen stove. The oven door opens, and painted on it in gold are three evergreen trees. There is also a stove lid lifter and a coal scuttle with shovel. Originally, iron utensils came with the stove--a big pot with a handle over the top, an open black pot with a handle, and a frying pan (with eggs in it). Other utensils like the real copper pots and pans and kettle were gifts from my daughter, Sheila. The salt and pepper bottles on the ledge hold the real condiments. There is a Dutch soup tureen and in it I have a pewter ladle made by Peter Aitken of Fredericton, New Brunswick. He had been a machinist who, when he retired, had a wonderful business in miniature pewter. I have quite a number of pieces that he made and may be mentioned later. There is a rocking chair by the stove, with a yellow cushion. A kitchen table is covered with baking and preparations for dinner. Platters and utensils used many years ago- a turkey on a platter, a rolling pin and a whisk, and a pie. There is a bag of vegetables on a chair, a vacuum cleaner near the door. Also a pair of muddy boots on a newspaper, for you can’t walk on the clean floor with muddy boots! The red box is a tool box for any repairs that are needed, and it looks ready to go!
Here is a bedroom with furniture that I made, with the exception of the bureau and the chest of drawers, which were bought. This was the first 4 poster bed I made, with very few tools. The bed has a soft mattress, sheets that I made and edged with lace. The bedspread and bolster I embroidered in colors of my own choice. It is lined with very fine lawn. In the far corner there is the washstand that I made by hand, there is a basin, a jug for water, and towels which I made hanging on the bar. A bar of Ivory Soap is there in its wrapper. In the corner is a wicker rocking chair, which really rocks. There is a chaise (long chair) upholstered in deep purple Panne velvet with lace trim and bouquet’s of silk roses that I made to finish it off. I also made 2 pairs of gloves to give the little lady a choice. I made the doll from the parts, the lingerie including frilly petticoat and pantaloons, lacy and fine. Against the wall there is a huge box of red roses.
The Living
Room
Click to enlarge
This is the living room. It is made from a kit that had to be carefully made and took me about three weeks. The parts had to be soaked in boiling water and pinned out to the pattern with map pins till they dried. The sofa and easy chair had to be treated this way. I made the melodeon from balsa wood of different sizes and carved the legs using an exacto knife, 600 sand paper, and files. The keys had to be exact and placed separately. The rug on the floor was one I bought at a sale. The rocker beside the coffee table rocks very well
The
Dinning Room
Click to enlarge
This is the dining room. There is going to be a party and the hostess is smiling and expects it to be a great success. She is dressed in a lacy dress with two petticoats to make it stand out as do her puff sleeves. Her hair has flowers in it to make her look pretty. The table is set with some of the plates being used for food that will be brought from the kitchen later. There is a silver service ready and special silver muffin dishes that will keep the muffins warm (from Clare Bell Brassworks in the US). The rose butter dish is hand done, as well as a number of other hand painted plates. (I made the linen table cloth and made the tatted lace for it. Eileen Shannon wove the pale mauve carpet on the floor).
The Bathroom
Click to enlarge
This is the bathroom, with tub and sink and all amenities. Face cloths, towels toothpaste, soap, and in the cupboard, cleaning materials, and things like toothpaste.
Balcony
Click to enlarge
At the back of the house there is a balcony with stairs at each side. A beautifully dressed doll is sitting out, getting the air, and she has a taffeta parasol trimmed with lace ruffle all round in two rows. There are silk rosebuds tucked between the rows of lace and ribbon bows on the handle. She has a gold necklace and pearl earrings.
This is the main entrance hall. There is hallstand in the corner and table; also a tall, fine chest with many drawers, which stands on the left of the hall. There is also a “table chair”. It may be used as a table (checker-board), or for other games. Also, if the table is cleared it may be turned up and used as a chair. The lady in tartan is the house-keeper, who is an excellent manager. She is on her days off and is going to put on her red hat!
This is a Hat Shop with a variety of styles and
shades. I made the box so that I could display all kinds. Not one hat
is the same, so the materials used cover a wide range, from plain straw
to textured or patterned straw. The ribbons and laces also cover a
wide range. Some are wide brimmed and have roses and ribbons that
enhance or are a lighter or darker shade. Some are made of taffeta of
pretty shades, and all colors of feathers, whether like marabou or
longer feathers that sweeps down or curve around the hat. There are
some hats on display in the front cases. One is for summer hats and
others that will suit any occasion. The ones with the veils over the
face are as some used to be made, many years ago. My supplier of
materials had been going through her attic trunks and came across some
antique veiling from a hat her aunt had left. I was honored to be given
it, I still have a little of it …you know how you have boxes, big ones,
holding some of nearly everything you have gathered over the years,
sure to come in handy! When? Don’t ask!
The mirror was part of key ring and Russ got the ring part off. It
being oval, I got to work making flowers and leaves out of the Sculpy or
Fimo , baked them
in the toaster oven, cooled them, painted them gold and when dry glued
them around the mirror as a frame. I made the shelf to fit below it and
made the cushioned top stool out of a little paper roll. I put 1/8”
foam around it and a little thicker for the seat. Taffeta with a few
pale flowers, was gathered around the base and a cushion finish with a
little lace so that the ladies could try on the hats and accessories.
The tall decorative post has a tray of feathers and flowers and
ribbons. I made the post spiral and put beads all the way to the top of
the spiral, the only real decoration. The hats on display are pretty
and the one under the mirror is pink satin, wide brim, trimmed with pink
lace and roses. Nearly all the hats have a narrow hatband in each one.
There are several hat-boxes on the floor, violets on the boxes, tissue
inside. The bands are shaped to the head and are covered with pretty
flowers and buds, bows and feathers fitting neatly to the head
Young Girls
Room (Room-box)
Click to enlarge
This is a very special room-box. My
son Russel made it from wood that had been a sign, and he found it
floating in our Mill Dam. It had dried out perfectly and so he made it
so that it could be taken apart if I ever wanted to change the room to
some other type of room. I don’t think I ever will for it is just as I
want it now. The color scheme is all in a very soft shade of pink. The
walls are not papered. I could not find a paper that suited it, so I
went to a shop that sold beautiful cotton yard goods. I got an
extremely fine cotton with pink and gray tiny flowers. It was just
perfect! When that was dry on the walls set it in the grooves that Russ
had made so that it was very steady. I got a beautiful piece of rose
velvet for the carpet, put a very thin foam underlay.
The furniture consists of a four poster bed with an arched canopy. I
made it all myself. Over the pink satin I pleated finely figured net,
and gathered lace around the top. The bed curtains, drawn back, are
tied with pure silk ribbon. The bed is very soft. I made the sheets
and five fancy pillows to dress up the bed. They consist of a bolster
and three small square pink satin and one heart shape, one with lace,
and the last one a neck roll, with lace at each end. The small ribbon
ties are a pale grey, which goes so well with the nosegays on the wall.
I made an easy chair, upholstered in the pink satin. On the
chair are several wrapped parcels as it is her birthday. There is a
round table with lace over pink satin, by her bed. On the table is a
“Gone –With –the –Wind lamp. There is a heart-shaped box of chocolates
which I made and let the box look open to show the chocolates. The lid
has a satin ribbon across it and a rose made of silk. The chest of
drawers is pine, and I made the special back. The toilet set was bought
but I made the perfume bottles from beads. Candle sticks were bought.
The desk and straight chair, I made entirely as well as the flowers.The
parasol adds a nice touch, and I made the wicker chairs and the cushions
on them. The little basket with the kitten in it is her very special
gift. Behind the curtains are pictures of a beautiful garden, so that it
appears as though there really is a garden out there! The beautiful girl
with the blonde ringlets is wearing a silk taffeta gown. She
has been
to a dance and her fan is on the table! We wish her sweet dreams!!
Dinning Room (Room-box)
Click to enlarge
This is the last room I will be telling about. It is a rather dignified room .The panel on the wall facing front, I made so that it was removable, in case I wanted at some point to change to another type of room. I really don’t think that I want to change it now. The pewter plates above the fireplace are Peter Aitken’s work. He lived in Fredericton and was a retired machinist. As his hobby he produced all sorts of pewter. I have quite a lot of what he made and was fortunate enough to meet him at a miniature show which I attended. He was placed next to me and we were able to learn a lot about his interests. The fireplace is my own design as I could not find any patterns. There are andirons and fender in front. The embroidered bell-pull is at the side, so that they can ring for the next course. The table cloth I made and embroidered is made of fine linen that was made from an old center piece of Grandma’s. The place settings I got from the Clarebell Brass Works in New England. The napkin rings are Peter Aitken’s own design. Each has a flat place, so that the ring won’t roll. A very innovative idea!! It works perfectly! I made the chairs, for I thought the ones I had bought with the table were too chunky! I made the entire set of four with crimson satin seats. They are very soft as there is ¼ in foam applied first. The corner cupboards, I made especially for the room. There are ornaments and other things on those such as cheese and watermelon and squash is kept in the lower compartment. The silver service on the side table was the first miniature I bought. I loved it and took it to work with me to show my friends. Beside the tray on each side are two porringers. They were made by Peter Aitkin. In another box room I have a candlestick with a handle on the saucer and a separate candle snuffer. The carpet on the floor is made to scale of a Persian carpet and is one inch to a foot.
