A Cozy Attic Bedroom

As a girl, I always loved the character Pheobe from Lousa May Alcott's novel Eight Cousins. In the book, Pheobe is a maidservant who becomes a successful singer, and ends up marrying one of the sons of the family she use to work for.
So when I found a pretty maid doll for my house, I had to name her Pheobe. I've taken a little liberty with her backstory. My Pheobe's sweetheart is a sailor rather than a son of the household. There are several scrimshaw trinkets (made by BoneArt)  he's sent her scattered about the room.

The brass bed was a two year search. The only ones I could find were the wrong size, badly made, or far too elaborate. I finally stumbled on this one during our trip to England. A local shop (now closed) used to carry the crocheted blankets. I plan to move one of the blankets around eventually, when I finish the crazy quilt I'm slowly embroidering.

 

This little writing cabinet is one of my very favorite miniatures, but I've never found it a true home. It was painted by Rosemarie Torre.

 

 

This ironing board has a matching dummy wearing a half-finished dress. It was a birthday gift from the uncle who built this dollhouse.

The dressmaker's dummy is tucked behind the dresser. Can you see the tiny birds hiding in the wallpaper? This wallpaper is my favorite wallpaper of all time. The problem is, I have no idea who printed it, or if it's still available. I mislaid the manufacturer information about a decade ago, and it's never turned up again. The only thing I remember is that it was patterned after a real historic wallpaper.  If anyone knows where I might find more of this paper, I'd love to know.

I've been gradually filling this work basket with sewing supplies. The knitting done on pins is incredibly tiny.  I just wish I could transfer it on to the sweet little wooden knitting needles. If the hatbox it sits on looks a little tattered, the wear is legitamate. It was made by my mother for her childhood dollhouse!