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Thursday, July 18, 2019

PLAYING HOUSE


When I was a little girl
I loved playing house.
I never had a
REAL playhouse,
but I laid out floor plans
with stones to outline rooms.

Growing up on a farm,
in a rather isolated area,
meant playing alone much
of the time.
I had a brother that was
four years younger,
 but when you are kids
that is a significant
age difference
and he sure didn't want to
"play house".

When we moved to our house
on the bay,
I begged for a
REAL PLAYHOUSE.
My wonderful brother-in law,
and son
made my dream a reality.
For several summers the
playhouse was open
for business.

 Summers were always busy ones
and I loved
cleaning up the playhouse
for Summer
 Dreamdays and Parties.

The little garden

and window boxes
whispered sweet childhood
songs..

This flag outside the door
welcomed everyone..

And the front door,
complete with hat,
offered a sweet invitation
to enter.

You could sit a spell in the
newly painted wicker
furniture.  A rare find
for $2.99 per piece
at a thrift store.
They used to be natural
wicker but looked so much
fresher in white.
Pillows and baby dolls
were the perfect accessories.
The little rose mirror
was a real original and a
$4,00 find and the little
rose picture
is from my friend, Donna,
over at
My Shabby Chateau.
The "hutch" was another
$4.00 find
And the sweet picture above
the settee was $2.50.
I found a close out miniature
chandelier, complete with flowers
and crystals for a few dollars.
It hung over the little
wicker table covered with a
little tablecloth that my mother
hand embroidered when she was young.
Look! Real leaded glass windows
from the salesmen's samples
left over when we sold
our home improvement company.
A playhouse to love.

Built with love,
for the kids we love...
the ones that sat on the grass
in front of the playhouse
and dreamt their childhood dreams..

Then, hearing the call of fairy voices
beckoning them to play,
 they were off and running.

SweetCheeks
ran too far, too fast,
I wanted her to
stay little just a little while
longer...
I loved that she
believed in magic and fairies
and a Nana that could make
any wrong right.

The house is sold to another
and the playhouse is 
NO LONGER A PLAYHOUSE
it serves another purpose,
but-
just for a moment in time
it was a mine.
It was a
dream-come-true 
for me.
I lived a childhood
through the eyes of 
grandchildren that I love.

Can't get any better than that!
Hope you have something
that special in your life
that makes you smile
everytime you remember 
something about it.

71 comments:

  1. Oh Diana, such a sweet post of all those lovely memories created in your play house. I'm sure all your grands good so many special memories of it in their hearts! We left our daughter's play house behind when we moved as well - I was surprised how sad I was to do that! I still wish there had been a way to bring it along. Jane

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  2. Diana, I loved seeing the playhouse and all the sweet girls. They were the cutest little princesses. Yes, the time went way too fast...even as we watched. I would love to have my own sweet princesses back. :):) Hope the girls hung onto some of the cute treasures. Beautiful memories. I used to tell my daughters that when we get very old , all we have are pictures and memories. Because when their grandma Francis moved to a senior place ...she wanted all her picture albums and boxes. Blessings and hugs my dear friend, I know that bittersweet longing. Love you, xoxo, Susie

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  3. What a fun and unique playhouse! I had a much simpler and smaller one for my grands to play in...made of plastic, but it had a roof, a door and windows. They loved it and had such fun. Good memories for sure. Mine is gone too, and the kids are growing up fast, but memories do make us grateful for sure ! And the wonderful thing is that there is always new memories to be made!

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  4. Because of the wonderful memories you created, perhaps one day those original princesses might make something similar and special happen for someone in their lives (their own children or grandchildren). Your legacy of love of all things pretty and fanciful will live on! -Jenn

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  5. What a lovely post...Memories. I try to make every moment with the grandlittles count as time flies by so quickly.

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  6. That was a beautiful playhouse. My Granddaughter would have gone nuts over it since she was in love with the color pink.

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  7. Oh Diana, so well written and expressed. I love it. Yes I remember my older sister and her imaginary play houses. I played house with her, jumped rope and had tea. I didn't know boys weren't supposed to do that at 3-4 years old. LOL
    Loved it. WHAT a detailed playhouse. Nice to have had some of the supplies.
    Sherry & jack

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  8. What a sweet place and great memories! I think most any child appreciates a playhouse, I know I would have loved one! Yours was adorable 💕

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  9. I love your playhouse, I had wondered if you took it with you when you moved or gave it to SweetCheeks. When my grandchildren were little, I kept them while their mothers work. My hubby built them a playhouse also. They enjoyed it so much and when we sold our house in 2002 we gave it to my granddaughter, her daddy came with his long trailer and moved it to her house. Precious memories!

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  10. What a beautiful post. So lovely you were able to live your childhood dream and give your grand children wonderful memories for the rest of their lives, and they will remember..

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  11. I absolutely adore that playhouse!!! It's so cozy and sweet! How lucky you had it in your life, if only for a while! :) I'd be in there all the time! :)

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  12. Kids grow up way too fast, don't they? What magical memories they'll have though. I just know years from now at holiday gatherings they will all share stories of magical moments spent in that house. ❤️

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  13. What a lovely, sweet playhouse...but even sweeter memories:) When I was little a friend had a playhouse and I wanted one so badly but my parents couldn't afford it. I still want a playhouse/she-shed!!! But unfortunately we have 2 HE SHEDS in the back!!!! I have many wonderful memories of fun activities and experiences with my grandson and granddaughter and now that they are teenagers I know those days are fast coming to an end...and that makes my heart hurt!!! But I do believe they both will have great memories of our times together...and memories are so very important. (Loved the way you presented this post...beautifully written.)

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  15. How adorable! A playhouse would be so much fun. And this one is so darned adorable. What beautiful memories you are building for your sweet ones!

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  16. Wow! That is the nicest playhouse I've ever seen!

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  17. What a beautiful and sweet post. I would have loved a house like that when I was little. I am so glad you shared all the pictures with us. My sister and I had our own little house -- a lilac bush where the center had died. My dad cut out the dead part and we would push the green outer branches aside and have the center for our tea parties. Such good memories.

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  18. Since I was born and raised in the depression times, I never had a doll let alone a playhouse. Your playhouse looks like a mansion compared to what we had. Even in the bad times, you can be happy. One thing sure, if you do not lose your mind, the memories are there. Some I would like to forget.

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  19. What a lovely playhouse! What great memories too!
    Sounds like you miss that all....but at least you had it for a while...
    take care...
    Nancy

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  20. What a beautiful little house for your grandchildren. The joy on your grandchildren’s face says it all.

    There is no place like home, and like you, I always wanted my own space. As a child that meant a sheet over a table. I got my daughters’ a small playhouse when they were small. It wasn’t beautiful and fit only two, but it was a great place to giggle with a friend and dream dreams. One of the reasons I bought my present home was because it had a swing set and little playhouse. My granddaughters used it sometimes but it mostly got ignored and small animals moved in. The girls are grown now but I still have the playset. Maybe I will live to see a new generation on those swings and we can fix up and decorate that house again.

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  21. And you got to enjoy this with your grandchildren! My Mom didn't think my sister and I needed to do kids things, we were expected to raise our brothers and younger sister. When my son was young, I would watch a film with him and tell him, that I didn't see it when I was a kid. Never mind Mommy,he would say, you can watch it with me!

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  22. What a wonderful post, Diana, full of the love and joy of being a Nana. Magical times with your grandchildren are memories that you will always treasure, as will they.

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  23. That playhouse was definitely a child's dream come true! I would've *loved* something like that when I was growing up. My sister and I, along with my best friend across the street, would play "house" all the time in our basement recreation room. :-)

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  24. Oh, I wish you could take this sweet playhouse with you. But you will always have the memories, as you said, and some wonderful pictures to go along with that. I love the one of the kids sitting on the grass when they were little. That's a treasure. I like everything about this playhouse, especially that Pink door.....oh, the fairy garden. ; )

    ~Sheri

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  25. I too always loved little doll houses. It's so nice that you had one on your property for your grandchildren to play in. You had it painted and decorated so pretty! I know you GC will have so many nice memories playing as you will too!

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  26. I smiled the whole time I read this. I love it! Heck, I want one of those playhouses in my back yard now.
    We played a lot in the woods. I remember my brother made me a small log cabin to play house in along the trails we made. It had dirt floors and stump chairs. It was all fun until a snake took over. The wooded area has since been torn down for real housing.
    Lisa.

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  27. A dream come true for you, and those little's. Precious.

    My brother built one for his granddaughter which looked much the same except not painted. Front porch, window boxes. I used to like scrunching down in there with Hunter and Ella.

    xoxo

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  28. How precious! Your own fairy world!

    I always wanted one as well, on our farm. Didn't happen, but we had a barn loft.

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  29. What an awesome playhouse that is/was!! And what fun for the grandkids! I always wanted a boxcar for the kids to play in, but it never happened. When I was a kid, living on the farm, we made playhouses out of the old barn foundation across the road, and with haybales set up in the pole barn and with stones laid out (looked kinda like Roman ruins look in England - Ha!) And sometimes a corncrib. Those were the days. So much fun! Love your pics of that darling house and the grandkids enjoying their dreams. xo

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  30. So wonderful, I loved this post, full of great pictures and the most wonderful memories. It's what life is all about :)

    All the best Jan

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  31. Wow!! Such a little girls dream house and a big girl as well!! I Those fairy chasers look absolute darling in their tutus and dresses.
    I never had a playhouse, we just built forts in the woods and driftwood caves on the beach. I did have barbies and my brothers had GI Joe's. Those GI's were always kidnapping my Barbies, darn brothers haha.

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  32. Now I'm missing something I never knew I wanted! :) There's a she-shed to end ALL she-sheds!

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  33. I'm so glad you took lots of photos and shared your special memories! And spent time with the girls there! You made memories...the best kind! It makes us smile just to think about it being a dream come true! Hugs!

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  34. Oh my, what a sweet playhouse. Any girl would love to have that

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  35. Oh, I love your playhouse. what a special place! My play house was my grandparent's basement, not nearly as cheerful and inviting. Thank you so much for sharing it with us.

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  36. It was a darling playhouse and I remember these photos you shared of the girls when they were much smaller. No one can ever take away your memories.

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  37. Oh my, you brought tears to my eyes, sending you my love,

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  38. Sweet memories were made there. It is a shame you no longer have it. Maybe one day, your sweet princesses can create a doll house for their very own children. The cycle of life. I never had a doll house. We played in the fields, building tree forts, etc. Lots of love 💕 to you Diana. I am still resting. The doctor says everything looks great.

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  39. How lovely. What a dream for any girl to own. I love all the pink, since it is my favorite color. Thank You for sharing this beautiful playhouse.
    Marilyn

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  40. Ah, heck, I loved this post. Beautiful, Diana.

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  41. I remember seeing the outside of it in another post and how sweet to see the inside and hear the story behind it all Diana. I built a much simpler playhouse for my daughter and when we moved it stayed behind. I have too many things to do and cannot build another but I wish I could.....

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  42. So beautiful! it reminds me my childhood days. My sister was never for of playing with dolls, but I was. I didn't have such dollhouse. But my mom gave me a small table of low hight which put on the landing of staircase of the house, and kept all my dolls and their belongings. That table naturally made little harder to go on the roof. Nobody cared about , but my sister. She used to hate my little play area. :D :D :D

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  43. What a darling playhouse and what cherished memories you will always have close to your heart. Love this post so much!

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  44. Oh, what a darling playhouse and the story of how it became a reality. What a marvelous gift! I would love such a place, even though now I am downsizing and trying to give up such sweet fancies, but my little girl heart still longs to play. In our new house there is a room that I have already dubbed my den/studio/not sure what to call it room. I can't decide if I want to make it real girlie, or if it will be something else...This gives me ideas...since I can't get a "she-shed" (the shed will be a "he-shed"), just maybe this room will be my special "playhouse" in the middle of the house...we shall see what it becomes. Your dreams make me dream...thank you for sharing.

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  45. ...about 15 years ago when I was still in the nursery business I bought a playhouse for my two oldest grandchildren. It was sitting at the nursery one spring while we waited for the my son's backyard to dry out enough to place it. A customer saw it and wanted to buy it and I sold it for double what I had paid for it. Needless to say the grandkids were devastated. Grandma had to tell them how grandpa earned a living, he bought and sold things. That week I went and bought a second one for them from my supplier.

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  46. I was in a all boy family, we never had the playhouse or the play kitchen

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  47. What a lovely little playhouse! It must've been a lot of fun for you to search for all the little bits you described in the post--like a treasure hunt :-)

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  48. Lots of lovely memories...and so nice to have the photos, too! Where does the time go, Diana? In our hearts, I guess...

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  49. That's so sweet, Diana! Love the memories. It looks like a child's dream come true. Love the adorable photos but especially the memories to hold dear.

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  50. How lovely! Such wonderful memories. xo

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  51. Wonderful Diana . . . reminds me of the playhouse my neighbor friend had back in the forties.
    Her name was Jeanne and we played together there every single day.
    Sad to leave the playhouse behind . . .
    but what memories you have stored in your heart and in the hearts of those who played, visited there. Thank

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  52. Hi Diana, A beautiful post indeed. Love the little house by the water! Wishing you a happy weekend ahead! John

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  53. Such a sweet post of such happy memories..Bittersweet..so sorry that you no longer have it..It seemed perfect..Time flies and things change along with it..Glad we have our memories..Hugs

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  54. Such beautiful words! I think the little girl in all of us yearns for a playhouse.
    Brenda

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  55. Diana thats the cutest and most amazing little playhouse I've ever seen! and I've seen quite a few. Love the pink door, the sign, the fence and little garden, the flowers and most of all....the windowboxes!! What a cute place to dream and to play.....so glad they got to experience that!! Our little granddaughter still believes in fairies....time is fleeting.

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  56. What a sweet little playhouse and sweeter memories! We lived on a farm and I have wonderful memories playing house in the barn and lining out the walls of a house with pine straw outside:) Enjoy your evening dear friend, HUGS!

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  57. Oh my word, if that little house isn't the sweetest thing ever!! Thanks for sharing it.

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  58. Lovely lovely story💕
    Certainly a dream house for sure...
    Maybe you’ll get another!🏡
    Cheers!
    Linda:o)

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  59. Awww...my Dad built me one as well!!
    Porch, fencing...windows,,,shingled roof...furniture, the works!
    Today is his birthday...funny, you should have posted this and I read it on his special day...
    Thanks Diana for this sweet memory... <3
    hughugs

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  60. What a lovely memory to share.
    I would have loved to have a playhouse like that.

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  61. I had always wished for a playhouse as well and even a tree house. Neither ever happened. You were a lucy one!

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  62. This is great! I love your story! I always wished for something like that when I was little, but we knew not to ask because we didn't have extra money for things like that. That's okay, Barbie and my worn out teddy bear "Brownie" were my friends. :-)

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  63. Oh the joys of being a nana. I have one that is still young, well, 7, but the rest are too old for such things. I do love to see them intereact together. It's a rare event nowadays.

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  64. I absolutely love this. I'd like to come and live in the playhouse.

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  65. Diana, Wonderful memories that were made in a sweet time of life. We had a playhouse too, although it wasn't as cute as yours. My sister and I, and our brother who came along kicking and screaming, had some wonderful times back then. I had a small garden with Jake and have fond memories of that time too..Happy Monday..xxoJudy

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  66. Such a charming play house. I think your granddaughters have been blessed by your dreams.

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  67. This is a wonderful post. Like reading an article in Victoria Magazine. I always wanted a playhouse too. Yours was beautiful! Mama always gave me a closet in the house to call my own. I lived with my dolls in the bottom. :) I still love a playhouse today.

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  68. What fun it must have been to play in that charming little house. I know your grands must have the best memories!

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  69. What a beautiful dream come true! Every little girl (who wants one) should have a playhouse and princess/fairy clothes and all
    the pretty things.Childhood is too short but I'm sure those darlings will treasure their memories.

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  70. Awww..My husband always built a playhouse for the girls..:) Now I have a she shed..never were they fished inside..they were rough..inside..:) Still they had their little table and chairs etc..
    The little sofa you had there? I had one!! In one of our daughter's bedrooms:)It brought back memories! And that ME flag? Be still my ♥!Cute cute post I don't know why I don't get your posts.

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  71. Wow! This touched my heart more than you could know! WHAT a wonderful story!

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