1979 Barbie Dreamhouse

 

First picture from Internet.  The rest are mine. 

This is the 1979 Barbie Dreamhouse, in my opinion the best Mattel home for fashion dolls.  The room dimensions aren't much different but look at all those windows!  For Barbie, who presumably lives alone, this would be a nice little house.  

 

And this is what I brought home from Goodwill yesterday.  The box is full of parts (mostly windows).

Now, anyone who knows me knows my dolls have never lived alone.  I like to make families, and usually big ones.  My main character family of Barbieville is the Pikes, with a total of eleven people living in the house!  They live in a Wicked Cool Toys dollhouse, but even it is overfull, so I recently gave them an addition.

This.  I put the parents' room, a game room, and the kitchen in it.  The dining room sits on the coffee table, as does the yard.  It looks like the dining room is outside without the "wall" I've already removed between structures. 

The first floor of the Wicked Cool Toys house has become the barn and/or garage. Because I don't like crawling around on the floor to play.  

After cleanup, the front of the house.

Pieces of the house I need to install.  I'm sure something is missing, this being a Goodwill find.

Not bad, really.  Only one louver pane missing, as shown by Fei's escape.  Some of the "hinges" are broken but I've leaned those doors where they belong.  Flowerboxes are totally missing.

Back of the house.  One of these windows in missing both panes.  Flowerboxes are totally missing.  This side of the house will be against a wall, so I'm not so keen on that pair of glass doors.  I've already decided to put the yellow "front" doors where they are.

Closet is problematic.  It sticks out too far in the back, I'd never use it, and one door is broken.

The house originally came with triangular floor pieces to open it up for play.  This is the closest I could open it on my work table, but you get the idea.  This will come in handy for photos!

Time to start customizing!  I switched the left and right sides to put the more closed walls to the back, against the wall in its final location.  Also removed the panes from the large windows for aesthetic reasons, the closet, and the front doors on the center section for easier access. I can get to the sloped sections via the open sides.   

I used a couple of the glass doors to turn that closet into a big window.  Kind of ironic, considering this is the back where I didn't want them.  I'll have to keep my eyeballs open for a really big scenic backdrop!  Kept the louvers even though one is missing.  I'll hide it behind something. Or maybe find a way to make a replacement from the unused bits.  

Contact paper to cover the holes where flowerboxes are meant to be inserted.  Also to cover sticker residue and discoloration.  Marble on the outside, floral on the inside.

I moved the coffee table away from the Wicked Cool Toys house.  This way I can get to those open sides and won't need my faux wall because that space in front can be just a patio!  

Long skinny living room. 

Grandpa Mace and the littles took the loft room.

The parents took the room that had been Mace's/the nursery. 

  

Dining room went in where the living room used to be.  I'm seriously considering sticking a fake door on one of these walls and saying it's to the kitchen.  Because Barbie kitchens suck.  Where the hell is the counter space?!  Or maybe the kitchen can be in that invisible area with the staircases and bathrooms.

I even made a parking spot for The Tank (1977 Star Traveler) so it can come out of hiding.  

The Mini Library

 I saw this online.  It's a tiny library for use as stress relief.  

I bought it even though it was so close to Christmas.  Spank me.

When you get stressed out and want to throw things, the idea is that you can pick up this whole room and shake the poop outta it.    If the shaking doesn't calm you down, putting the books back on the shelf should.  Different ways of destressing.  One of my friends said it would stress her out more to put the books back on the shelves.  Another suggested it would be good for Barbieville.  

**Above photos are from the Internet.  Below, unless watermarked, are mine.**

It came with all the books in that bag.  They're just squares that look like books, but the covers are those of real books.  If you are so inclined, you can even organize them by series or author!  When I was stocking the shelves, I noticed classics and modern works.

As I told my friend, the scale is a bit off for use as a Barbie library.  I was disappointed that the latches for the lid are so big, but that's on me.  Them latches are right there in the pictures!  There aren't enough books to fill the shelves, either.  I can remove the latch from the bottom so it will sit level. Put it on one side or just make sure I hold the lid closed during the quake. 

Here are a few of the books.  I'm pleasantly surprised by this.  This is the area I expected them to fudge instead of the quantity.  Anyway... They are about the same size as my other mini books.

This is a Zuru Surprise Mini Brands book.  It opens and at least a few pages are the actual text of the real thing.  Others are that quasi-print miniature fans are used to.  These were first added to their Mini Toys and are now their own line.  It's started a firestorm of miniature books.  They are all over Etsy and myfroggystuff has printable ones.  Probably other crafters, too but Froggy is my go-to.

****** 

We Barbie folks have certain things we love and always must have in the dollhouse.  Potted plants, pets, artwork... it all depends on the individual.  For me it's books... and I've dealt with some slim pickings.

These are the books that sometimes come with a doll or fashion pack.  The composition books are cardboard, glued closed since the inside was plain.  The others are plastic with varying degrees of detail. None of them open.  Only one has a title "Recipe Book".  One appears to be a science book.  The scale varies, but that's okay because real books come in different sizes.

These are magazines I made.  I just cut out the pictures from subscription cards and glued them back-to-back.  In the case of Catster, I tried gluing it near the spine of a real magazine and cutting that to size.  

My dolls can actually open Catster!

These I got at a craft store.  They're book covers glued onto blocks of wood.  I have them all oriented with the spine to the correct side, to show that some of the covers are upside down!

These are another craft store find.  They're blank, but they open.  Maybe they're journals?

Here all the different types are together.  The mini library books are only slightly smaller than the craft store books.  The craft store journals are fatter but shorter.  Turns out my friend was right about the books working for my dolls.  

I do plan to display and use the mini library as intended.  It's just so much fun to shake the poop outta an entire tiny room!  But have no doubt, y'all, the individual books may very well show up in Barbieville photos.  

Meetings

 KAP  (Kin As Parents) has its first meeting since the disaster, welcoming new members.

Ken:  We don't know what we're going to do.  Peeta's dad pays his tuition, but with Mom and Bonnie gone and having the care of Tommy as well as Ox, I may have to drop out of college. 

Pocahontas: I'm always hiring, but during the off season... 

Tony:  What's your business?   

Pocahontas:  My sister and I own Witch's Cove.  She graduated with Ken and his husband.  I also have custody of a brother the same age as his Tommy and your Marty.  How is Marty?  Any news about his father?

Tony:  Rayshawn might be one of the John Does found, but they aren't ready for identification.  Marty's doing about as well we should expect.  His mother's flying in tomorrow.  

Nova:  How are you and Luna holding up? 

Gwen:  We're a mess.  Neither of us has even gone into Rallee's room, not even to get her work things for the new superintendent.  Guinness is starting the job without a lot of vital paperwork because I can't...  I don't even know if I should be here.  

Midge:  If you need us, you should be here.  I was totally lost when Kamala fell into my lap. 

Gwen:  Yeah, but I've been as good as her parent Luna's whole life.  That part isn't a big transition for me.  I thought about grief counseling instead of this, but I know you people.  That makes it better somehow. 

Ben:  Maybe we shouldn't tell them.  Seems mean. 

Becky:  Yeah, we should wait.

*****  

At the mayor's office, Rose-Grace discusses the dam sabotage with federal agent Carol Danvers.

Rose-Grace:  What do you mean, this might not be related to Hank Higgins?  You have other people in my town in Witness Protection?  And that PI is snooping around about Cash.

Carol:  To the best of my knowledge, Hank was the only person here with ties to organized crime.  But then I found out about Maisie Barnes's birth family.  What do you know about them? 

Rose-Grace:  Maisie?  Dionne's friend?  She has no contact with her birth family.  Hates all their guts.

Carol:  Possibly with good reason.  I have an even thicker file on them than I do on Hank-used-to-be-Cash.  Maisie isn't even her birth name, she legally changed it when she got married.  Presumably to dodge them and any of their associates. 

Rose-Grace:  Well, if you're investigating her, you shouldn't talk to me about it.  Conflict of interest - Maisie's been practically family since junior high.  

Carol: We'll move on to the seismologist that tipped off the saboteurs. 

Rebuilding Begins

 The Barbieville Business Owners Association is focusing on the members impacted worst by the flood.  Mei Chang has lost home, cafe, and husband.  Four Eaton his grandfather/business partner.  Iris Patrick her tailoring business. Whitney Darling's father owned WDLC, was lost in the flood, and she inherited.  

Rose-Grace: This may be weird, but we've never been a normal town, have we?  Sulu suggested this meeting and has offered campsites on his property to anyone lost their home.  Most of the losses were homes, some residents are being housed in motels by insurance, but many are not.  If you know of anyone in need, please send them his way. 

Dionne:  I can't pay near what you were making from the cafe, but Helena House needs kitchen staff.  Do you think you're up for supervising a bunch of kids as they learn basic cooking skills?  We can also offer room and board. 

Mei: You can board all four of us?  We would only need two rooms - one for we girls and a smaller one for Qi - until I find a house. We won't need boarding permanently.  

Dionne: Of course.  Now, let's talk about wages and benefits. 

Pocahontas:  I was discussing you and Dawn with Tierra, my entertainment head.  We could use you for wardrobe on shows.  Tierra's got a lot of ideas.

Iris: It would just be me.  Dawn's moved on.  

Pocahontas: Really?  Well, that's fine.  I really didn't know if I'd have enough work for both of you. We'll order the costumes premade and you'd just have to make alterations and mending.  Doesn't pay much, though. 

Iris: Coby makes more than enough to support us.  My shop was more of a hobby.  

Four:  I don't know if I can make it without Bapo.  I'm still so new at tattooing professionally.  

Whitney:  At least you're trained.  What do I know about running a TV station? 

Okoye: I can help you there, Miss Darling.  I'd like to buy you out.  

Whitney: Who are you?

Four:  That's Okoye, the media mogul.  You just got your butt saved, my friend.  

A man comes in while everyone is conferring. 

Tony:  I'm Anthony Lucas, Rayshawn's brother.  I'll be handling matters for his family for now.  (To Rose-Grace) My brother speaks highly of this town and of the lovely mayor.  I just stopped in to introduce myself and let anyone who might be concerned know that Marty is in good hands.  

After the meeting, Rose-Grace finds Agent Danvers in the parking lot. 

Carol: We need to talk, ASAP, in a secure location.  The sabotage at the dam is way bigger than I thought.  

Rose-Grace: Come to my office in the morning.  

Sulu notices lights on in the greenhouse shop and investigates.

Sulu:  Mattie?!  What are you doing here?!  

Mattie: I came home.  My place is here with my family. 

Sulu: Umm... okay.  Can we talk about that hair? 

Aftermath

 A few days after the earthquake and subsequent flood, Mayor Rose-Grace Pike holds a press conference at the school.

Rose-Grace:  Barbieville is still reeling from our losses.  Everything on the north side of Main Street was destroyed, as well as some structures on the Witch's Cove inlet.  Witch's Cove Amusement Park lost the Overlook event venue and possibly some rides.  The Warehouse district, Lakeshore Townhouses, and Shore Thing cafe are gone.  Many of our families have lost a loved one.  Some of them have lost more than one.

Rose-Grace:  Among the missing or dead are Django Cooper and Kevin Eaton,

  

Rose-Grace: Dorene and Bonnie Carson, 

Rose-Grace: Anna and Elsa North,

Rose-Grace:  Seven Lucas, Genghis Chang, Lara Russo, William Darling, and Rallee Jones.  Owner of The Point, Rayshawn Lucas is missing.  Family friend Tierra Parker has temporarily taken in Marty Lucas, as others all over town have taken in friends and family. 

 

After the press conference, Rose-Grace returns to her crisis post in the mayor's office.  The last thing she needs is more problems. 

Carol (coming in):  We've got a problem.  The dam should have withstood the quake - it was tampered with.