Neighborhood ‘Happy Place’ celebrating 2-year anniversary

Miniature Dollhouse Creations is celebrating its two-year anniversary and owner Del Ashe could not be happier with how things have gone in year two.

“Everybody calls this place their ‘happy place,’” she said.

A former customer from Minnesota even mailed Del a sign recently saying exactly that on it, “Happy Place,” and she hung it right up on the wall.

Del was recently invited to be a vendor at the Philadelphia Miniaturia Show, the largest of its kind on the east coast, which is a testament to her success and how quickly her business has grown.

Del started making miniatures as a hobby about 20 years ago before finally deciding to open up her own shop.

The shop is filled not just with dollhouses and dolls in varied period dress but all sorts of shops, sheds, shacks, cabins, cottages, rooms, and outdoor settings as well.

There’s also an incredible variety of accessories, including everything from mini tools for a shop setting and a tiny computer for an office to a little box of Huggies for a nursery.

The selection is always expanding, too, as Del also buys estates of all sizes.

“I always get new stock in, all the time,” she said. “The estates are coming here. Be it small, be it large.”

Whenever she gets a new collection in, Del said she’ll reach out to customers if she spots something that looks like it could work for a piece they’re working on or developing.

Miniature Dollhouse Creations doesn’t just offer an impressive collection of miniatures, though, as the shop also takes consignments in addition to building and restoring dollhouses.

“If (people) have a house in the attic or one they grew up with that needs fixing, bring it in and we’ll go over everything and see what we can work on,” Del said.

The shop is also still offering classes to help educate the community in addition to continuing its “Feature of the Month,” featuring an item from one of the most renowned craftspeople in the field along with some information about the person, both in-store and on the shop’s Facebook page.

Miniature Dollhouse Creations is open seven days a week and also offers customized layaway plans.

You can visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/miniaturedollhousecreations to learn about upcoming shows and classes or to learn more about the shop in general.