The House That Suzanne Built...

Anyone who truly knows me, knows that one of my biggest passions is miniatures. I LOVE tiny houses with tiny furniture and stuff in them...I can't get enough! Shortly after my son was born, (over 10 years ago), I bought this kit for roughly $200. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it was close enough......and I knew I could modify it. It had a mansard roof and a tower, so it would be perfect for my vision...a "haunted" house. Well, it became more of a fun Hallowe'en house, because I don't like things that are gory.
I decorated the rooms in a "sort-of" Victorian style, and took many liberties with the furnishings. The couch (above and below) was designed and built by me in a style that made me think of "Beetlejuice"....but toned down. I wallpapered the walls with beautiful Origami Paper.
I had to buy a separate kit for the staircase, and modify it to turn and have a small landing. The house didn't allow much room for a staircase, but if a dollhouse doesn't have a staircase in it, I get upset.
To me, making a dollhouse is like building a REAL house, that if you imagined yourself really tiny and living in it, it would work.........okay, okay....except for plumbing! That's getting a bit ridiculous!
I made an attic....
And a kitchen.....
And an upstairs hallway leading to the bathroom....

Here is the narrow staircase going up to the bedroom and attic. THIS was the only staircase that originally came with the kit.
I know, the wallpaper has a buckle in it. I think I did that on purpose to help give it that "run down" look. In the bedroom, I once again used Origami paper on the walls (which are slanted because of the mansard roof).
Here's a better shot of the Hallowe'en themed bed. I made ALL the bedding, but the bed was already assembled.
I was SO glad to be able to get right into the rooms with my digital camera, so I could FINALLY show that I had a framed portrait of Vincent Price hanging on the bedroom wall. (I got the picture out of a magazine). I was trying to show that the imaginary witch that lived there admired him so.
Here's the second bathroom, in the basement....so damp that a frog is living there! I used an old Chrysenbon kit salvaged from a previous project.
Here's the creepy cellar.
Here's the witch's stash of secret herbs and potions.
And through that dungeon looking door in the cellar is the secret room.....where only the witch and her friends know what goes on! Mwoooooohah hah hah !

Now.....the reason for this post is because I JUST got this house back from my ex. It had been sitting out in his garage for the past few years, and I said I wanted it back. Luckily, he agreed, and I just spent all day yesterday cleaning it up and repairing it. It was FULL of spider webs, dead moths, and even some live spiders!
I want my kids to play with it now, so it needed some TLC. It's been neglected for years.