Over W.I. April Update – Creativity Springs Forth

Our April meeting was full of crafting and creativity. Our recent felting workshop had been a huge success and a fabulous array of felted Easter bunnies were proudly displayed by members who attended the workshop.  We also had the pleasure of welcoming Alison Moore of Cottenham W.I. as our guest speaker. Alison gave a delightful and engaging talk about her passion for dolls’ houses, bringing along a selection from her fascinating collection to share with us.

Her journey into the miniature world began when one of her sons borrowed furniture from Alison’s childhood dolls’ house for a school project. Tasked with creating a Tudor house for a lesson on the Great Fire of London, he incorporated the furniture into his design. Once the project was complete, and her son no longer needed the house, Alison reclaimed the furniture—but upon opening her old dolls’ house, she noticed it was in need of a good dust and a bit of TLC.

What started as a light clean soon snowballed into a full restoration project, complete with freshly painted walls and miniature upgrades. Determined to bring the house to life, Alison even learned how to wire it for lighting—a skill that added a whole new dimension to her miniature home.

Once the restoration was complete, Alison displayed the dolls’ house in the front window of her home, dressed up beautifully for Christmas. It quickly became a local talking point, enchanting both children and adults who passed by. Encouraged by the community’s reaction, Alison began redecorating the house for various seasons and occasions—from Easter and back-to-school to Halloween.

Word of her talent and passion soon spread, and Alison began receiving more dolls’ houses as gifts. With a growing collection and endless creative ideas, she now has enough projects to keep her happily crafting for years to come.

It was a charming and inspiring talk that reminded us of the joy and creativity found in even the smallest of things.

Our next meeting will be held on Monday, 12th May, when we very much look forward to discovering  “How to Become a Roman Empress!”