Here is the story of Jenny Dorsey’s miniature collection as told by Jason Dorsey. She will surely correct him at many points of historical record but he writes from the heart.
In 1980, when she was ten, Jenny Wallace’s family moved home from Peru where they had served as missionaries since 1971. Jenny struggled deeply with her identity: was she Peruvian (she dreamed in Spanish)? Was she American (she now lived in America)?
Jenny noticed that American children collected things so she started collecting things too. She collected stamps, stickers, dolls, and marbles. Then she discovered miniatures and fell in love. Miniatures were the perfect fit for her. She loves little things. She likes thinking about spaces and pretty things in those spaces and a dollhouse filled with furniture made her heart sing. Except their family didn’t have the money to buy a dollhouse.
But her dad, Ron, who loved his little girl, bought her one anyway!
Since I have known her, Jenny has treasured her dollhouse and its furniture. Almost every week when we lived in Seattle Jenny stopped by Dolly’s Dollhouse store on Phinney Ridge and shop for the perfect next miniature. When we moved to Indy, the closest miniature store was in Brown County. We visited Brown County each fall to see the glories of the leaves and to visit that store. Every summer when we took the long drive out to see family on the west coast, Jenny stopped at Dolly’s Dollhouse.
Even after all these years, the exterior and some of the interior rooms of Jenny’s dollhouse weren’t finished. Last fall I persuaded Jenny to showcase her miniature collection at our Christmas show. So she pulled out her dollhouse and worked at our apartment in Redmond on the exterior, painting the shell and windows.
Then she hauled the dollhouse up to our Studio on Camano and set it up room by room. Each piece of furniture collected over the decades, each telling a story, connected to a memory, and with a reason behind it!
The Front Door
The Dining Room
The Piano and Map Room
The Living Room
The Master Bedroom
The Kitchen
The Sewing Room
The Other Rooms, Well
I don’t have pictures of the other rooms so you’re just going to have to come see her miniature house in person!
A Wonderful, Surprising Gift
Then a wonderful surprise gift happened. Laura Laun, who was an artist in last years Christmas show heard about Jenny’s love for miniatures. Laura had been trying to figure out what to do with her miniature collection and she donated it to Jenny!
Jenny had so much fun unpacking the boxes. It was like the most amazing Christmas gift ever!
Laura’s collection was stunning, well loved, and her gave Jenny enough miniatures to fill up the windows. Each became a miniature display.
Jenny’s dream is to someday start a miniature store at the Studio where she can display her miniature collection and sell miniatures to people who share her love for them. If you want to see Jenny’s miniature collection, are interested in growing your own, or have miniatures you’d like to donate to Jenny stop by our Christmas in miniature show. Or contact Jenny at: sunnyshorestudio@gmail.com.
Christmas on Camano
- Saturdays, December 7th & 14th
- 10:00am – 5:00pm
- Enjoy Jenny’s miniature collection
- Ann’s famous cinnamon rolls
- 14+ local artists
- Shop for the holidays and support local artists
