A dollhouse sits in the hallway at the Village North Retirement Community re-creating -- in perfect detail -- the perfect home. A Plexiglas cover keeps it safe from prying fingers.
The residents, however, are concerned about the tiny dog that was knocked over in one of the rooms. They take pride in all of the little details of the house, but none more so that Jewel Othman.
Wes Sperr, a former Village North administrator, built the dollhouse from a kit during the 1990s. The house was placed in an empty apartment in the facility, so that it could be completed.
"Wes said, 'Jewel, you're artistic, you take over decorating the interior.' My husband and I worked on it for two years. We had a key to the apartment where it was housed, and we'd let ourselves in for the afternoon or evening and spend some time on it," Othman says.
The nine-room house was eventually furnished with pieces donated by residents and employees, and Othman worked at putting in the finishing touches. She sewed bedspreads, slipcovers and curtains that could fit in the palm of your hand. She crocheted pillows no bigger than a thumbnail. When she baked rolls, she made miniature versions from tiny bits of dough. A multi-layered cake took shape from stacked buttons, which were then iced. Breath-mint containers were transformed into window boxes full of flowers. Doors received miniature hinges and doorknobs. Wallpaper went on the walls and carpeting on the floors.
"When we were all finished, I added a little touch of glue to each leg of the furniture and put it in place," Othman says. In 1997 the piece was completed, and placed on a stand on the main floor of the facility. "Everyone came down to see it. It was all lit up and was really beautiful."
The dollhouse is still a fixture at Village North. Othman plans to sit the little dog upright again when the Plexiglas cover is next removed for cleaning. "I hope it continues to be a source of joy for residents and their visiting families for years."
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