Life in Miniature

At one point in my life I was almost obsessed with miniatures. It all began with the $5 church sale purchase of a broken down fixer upper dollhouse. I had always wanted a dollhouse and this house was eerily similar to the one I actually live in. I spent the next few years re-modeling it and selecting furniture and accessories to fill it. Family and friends joined in my obsession and invested their own time and money in the mini remodel. I think they got a kick out of being able to play with and fondle objects made both precious and useless by their size and detail.

One day I realized that I no longer found pleasure in re-vamping a space that took up too much space in my actual home. It was a large house that required its own resting surface. After months of finding just the right rugs, kitchen appliances and knick knacks I no longer wanted to "play" with a home that was more comfortable than the apartment I actually lived in so I slowly began to dismantle a contained life. It took me close to two years to work through the guilt of letting go of something I had once longed for and had actually manifested. Each piece held a memory and a story, especially those that had been gifts from my loved ones. In the months that followed I sold, gave away and donated my treasures, even the house itself. The process allowed me to to admit that it was OK to release what no longer gave me pleasure, even if what I was letting go of was in good condition and had value.

In the back of my closet there is a box filled with the few miniatures I couldn't part with. Most are handmade, given to me by friends and family because the objects reminded them so much of my "real" life. Today as I clicked through a Modernist Doll House slide show on the New York Time's website I couldn't help but remember the lessons learned from investing in this hobby and think about that treasure chest. The slide show almost made me consider another doll house but for now my life has no room for it.

Click on title to see slide show