"Look at this stuff- isn't it neat?"

I've always had a fondness for  love of  obsession with The Little Mermaid. And of course it found its way into my hobby of creating dollhouses based on my favorite books and stories. A few years ago, I thought to myself once while watching the movie "I wish there was a dollhouse of Ariel's grotto" and then I realized that I should just make one myself. I committed to the idea, and I researched some materials and mediums that I thought could work.

I used my February break week to construct the bulk of it. It's alot of styrofoam, floral foam and newspaper, covered with layers of glue, plaster cloth, spackle and paint. It's not really heavy, but it's a pretty big size. Despite its size, and fragility, it gets hauled around and displayed because it often incites the reaction I love from people who see it: the excited"OH MY GOD! LOOK AT THIS!" with the wide eyes.

I love building dollhouses and miniature scenes. I don't do it to make money, I just do it because it makes me happy. And it makes me even happier when I see other people enjoying the work I've done.

This is the dollhouse that's currently on display in the library, and one encounter made it all the labor (of transporting it) carrying it inside, up the stairs, setting up all the stuff, etc.) worth it. One of the 7th grade students started gushing as soon as she saw it, and she said "You don't know how happy this makes me!"

But I think I do, because I was just as happy.