“When I retired, I needed to find something I enjoyed that would challenge me, keep me occupied and not be too physically taxing.” Of course Vince’s inaugural effort was for his grandchildren—a certain five-year-old in particular. “The Dollhouse Nonno Built” occupies a playroom on the main level of Vince’s home. When Windsor was welcoming refugees from war-ravaged Ukraine, Vince heard about a family of four who arrived here with nothing more than a few suitcases. Because the little Ukrainian girl Arina was roughly the same age as one of his granddaughters, Vince had a pretty good hunch that she’d be just delighted with an ultimate dollhouse of her very own. It would take Vince about a month to build, decorate and furnish Arina’s dollhouse; during his downtime, he gathered and packed 9 boxes full of household goods: everything from dish towels to cleaning supplies to cookware and canned goods for the Ukrainian family. “I will remember Arina’s smile for the rest of my life,” Vince says. She adored her dollhouse, complete with its own Ukrainian flag, beds, a kitchen table with four chairs, a stained-glass window and her name on the chimney. The little girl’s eyes widened further when Vince put a crisp new $50 bill in her hand to help with any future upkeep. To date, Vince has built 15 custom dollhouses and he has no intention of stopping. But these heirloom masterpieces are not for sale at any price. “I consider it a labour of love,” says Vince. Before construction can begin, Vince must determine the floor plan and dimensions. Next, he calculates the total number of windows and the exact measurements for each one. This differs,
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depending on the dollhouse size and style (one-floor ranch, two-storey, with/without loft or chalet). “At this stage, I must also figure out how many mini studs I’ll require for the entire house,” Vince adds. Using 2×4 underlay, finished plywood or both, he makes and cuts them all. Crafting all the corner pieces to their exact measurements is a very important step before gluing the walls together; this ensures the house will be sturdy. “The windows take time to paint and decorate; then the finished walls can be glued to the floor and the rafters can measured, cut and installed.” After the rafters are in place, Vince measures and cuts the roof. Bent wood spiral staircases are one of Vince’s specialties. There are no nails involved in any element of construction; he just clamps the bent wood into place, glues it and allows it to dry completely. “The final steps involve making and installing the roof and chimney. Once they’re in place, it’s time to install the front and back doors.” A handmade kitchen table, four matching chairs, two beds and an easel displaying a colourful painting are part and parcel of every ultimate dollhouse. Vince makes his own furniture and accessories, but kits are also readily available at craft and hobby stores to fashion furnishings, interior decorations, dolls, books, wallpaper and even clocks. After seeing how much joy his dollhouses bring to healthy children, Vince is inspired to create and gift them to children living with cancer. “I hope to bring these kids a much-deserved boost to their spirits, happiness and well-being,” he concludes. The rich complexity of dollhouse play makes it one of the best toys ever, but WLM it is so much more than a toy for children of any age! Back to Contents