Updates From The Cottage

We have been working on the Can Do Cottage.  The big blue box delivered a load of cement blocks so that our favorite brick layer could build a foundation for the house to set on.

We were glad to wait for him and his crew. He did our previous move on house and we can't say enough about how professional and how perfect and level his foundations are. He uses this device often to make sure that the blocks are perfectly level and plumb. 

We had requested the foundation be about four blocks high on the highest edge, and the foundation crew had to even it out all around. On one corner the blocks are only about two and a half blocks high. They had to build around the iron beams the are still holding up the house. 

They also had to build piers under the house to hold it up at critical points. 

They left with a beautiful, straight foundation. We called our house movers who came out the next day and set the house down on the foundation.  They jacked it up a tiny bit, removed the pilings the beams were setting on and then set it down - corner by corner. 

This house had lost most of it's bottom sills when it was removed from it's foundation, so we had to add some 2 x 10 pressure treated boards to the top of the foundation to replace them.

The house has a carport that's completely under the roof and at the back there is a small storage room. It's only single wall construction and had a washer and dryer in it and a lot of water damage. This part we replaced a bunch of the foundation pieces and our movers took out a vent to make a place for a jack and the  jack supported this area until it could set on the foundation. We know we need to rebuild some of this area which will become part of a new bathroom.

 When it was all set down their winch truck hooked up the beams and pulled them out.

Our little house has touched down and home for good.  Off went the support beams it had rested on since it left it's birth place.

Only now could we call our insurance office and tell them we had a house and they could cover it against loss. They couldn't insure it until it was on the foundation.  It's no longer mobil but a house. 

Money No Object Monday

The Best Loved Hubby and myself have been enjoying some wonderful visiting. He had to go to So Cal for business, so I tagged along and got to spend some time (not enough) with my parents and sister. We just came home and were blessed with the Best Loved Biggest and her kiddlets (who are determined to refute the kiddlet label).  Good times all around.

Even with all this fun I found some covetable dolls. Elizabeth Pongratz is a doll artist and manufacturer in Germany.  She and her husband make a few hand carved and painted wooden dolls each year.

Elizabeth Pongratz dolls/ private collector

 They are usually about 14" tall and their limbs are jointed with a unique spring joint unique to these dolls. Their hair is made of mohair or human hair. There are babies, too. They are usually soft bodied with painted hair.

Elizabeth Pongratz dolls/private collector

I am so in love with them. They are exquisitely designed to be played with but I doubt that any child is ever gifted with one as they cost more than a used pick up.

Blonde Girl in Light Blue

A site called "The Toy Shoppe" has several current ones for sale. This beauty in blue can be yours for $2750. They will make payment arrangements. Babies are less.

Awake Baby in Pink

The above baby is seven inches in length and has a body made of cloth filled with sand so she has some "heft". She's only $625. "The Toy Shoppe" will ship for free is your purchase is over $100.

Ebay has a few dolls listed.  The one below is sweet and can be had for under $1900. 

Ebay listing - starting bid $1700, Buy it Now $1900

The dolls often are dressed in hand knitted outfits, like the one above and usually have one piece knitted underwear that's so sweet. 

Ebay listing shown above

I am so torn by the fact that these beauties, built for play, are too desirable to be put in the hands of children. The Best Loved Baby Boy commented a while ago that in 20 years, no child would be allowed to play with my Noah's Arks due to their being valued too precious for kids. I would be so sad if that were so. One of my favorite buyers (who bought not just an Ark but a Three Pigs Set, also) wrote to let me know that she loved thinking of her son's grandchildren playing with them.  We got a chuckle when one of the Best Loved SIL's was so protective of the Grand girls American Girl Doll because it was so expensive. One of these would give him a heart attack. Would you let your child have one of these?