One of my earliest memories is of being told by someone to look at the television to see the tiny people running amongst gigantic things. In my mind’s eye I saw some people hiding behind a spool of thread that towered over them.
Then growing up, my favourite movie was ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’, and I have always loved the scene in Cinderella where the mice alter her ball-gown. (There’s a Youtube of it here)
And just last night I convinced Nick to watch the movie Elf with me (yes, I am late to the party on that one), and most enjoyed the scenes of the human immersed in the lilliputian world of the elves.
Suffice it to say that I have had a long standing enchantment with anything miniature. And so was quite charmed last Friday when I went to do some last minute gift shopping at my favourite department store, the downtown location of The Bay, where I took a long look at the store windows. They were decorated for the holidays and featured these cute little dioramas, with so many details to take in.
I had to take my pictures through the windows so the images have some glare and reflection, but you’ll get the idea. To put the size in perspective, the adults stood about a foot high with many of the characters being animated. And the scene with the mice was set up under the floor of the dining room scene.
And then, because I wanted to get a cd for my mother I ventured into the attached mall called the Eaton’s Centre, where I entered a realm of the opposite extreme. The mall was stunningly decorated with huge deer that you walked right underneath, and the walls featured lighted stars that must have been 15 feet tall.
As nicely decorated as it was, I was very happy that the store I needed was very close to the entrance. Even so, I had to wait through a long snaking line-up to pay for my purchase and it was so hot in there that I had to take my coat off. Thank goodness I had worn a nice sweater and jeans, as opposed to my track pants and sweatshirt, that I sometimes sneak out of the house in when I am covered up by a coat!
How about you? Do you have a soft-spot for miniatures? Did you have a dollhouse when you were little? I didn’t but my friend’s cousin had a gorgeous one and I sure loved going to her house to see it. But I remember that her mom always kept a close watch over us when we were around it. In hindsight, the dollhouse was probably just as much the mother’s as it was the child’s.
Thank you for taking a look. If you’re still on vacation, I hope you’re having fun. Things are very calm and relaxed over here. I can’t believe that I woke up at 10:30 this morning. I never do that, but I can’t say I regret it. Well, except that with a blink of the eye it is already 4:15 and already getting dark outside.
xo loulou
