Dollhouses: Prêt-a-Porter

Casas de Beltrán - Spanich architecture, refreshingly different from the usual crop

Image by Upon a Fold
A less practical dollhouse but very pretty in all its pristine paper whiteness.

Maileg Mouse Milk Carton House

More Paper:
Kroom's cardboard dollhouse.

Joe Freedman's beautiful but 1/2" scale paper dollhouse.


Wood:
Image by Playsam
Check out the curves on this beauty by Eva Schildt, available from Playsam.
Image by David Lee Design
This is an intriguing design from David Lee Design. Be sure to visit his site for more pictures of it unfolded. It should be available in October. I am waiting to hear back how much it will cost. I am a bit worried about its scale. It seems a bit small for 1:12.
17.xi.10 UPDATE: I read somewhere that this is not 1:12. What a dreadful shame! I believe it is 1:18 or something along those lines.

Image by Our Children's Gorilla
Nice geometry here with punchy colours.
Available from Our Children's Gorilla and other retailers.

Decor:
Image by Chen Karlsson
And if you do not have room for a dollhouse, not even a roombox, you can shell out for this clever display.

Plans:
Betsy McCall Dollhouse No. 150W

Digital:
Online subscription based Digital Dollhouse.

Art:
Heather Benning's giant dollhouse installation.

And I must not forget I still have this hiding on top of the refrigerator. Tsk, tsk.

2011 Xmas Toys

Melissa & Doug's Folding Castles - Fold & Go Castle
and the even better Folding Medieval Castle (hmmm, I can see some decorating possiblities there!)
Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

Connect Four

It is all Making It Lovely's fault: a dreamy photo of Connect Four, being played by her darling daughter, and mention that the pieces are pink and brown!
Now, what is not to like about Connect Four? And how to resist one that is as pretty as this one? I am even willing to overlook the JC packaging.
My rationale is that it will make an excellent fine motor skills development tool for Big Boy. As for the pink, well, he can use the brown discs.

19.x.11 UPDATE: CB2 is carrying a beautiful version of this in Monkey pod wood and rubberwood. Sold!
Image by CB2.

Big Wooden Boats

Image by Postlerferguson
What
Where
And here too.

Tops

Colourful and beautiful Klaus Mader tops at The Wooden Wagon
Handcarved Japanese Wooden Tops at The Curiousity Shoppe - I have one of these and they are gorgeous.

DIY: Exploration Bottle

I first saw one of these up close at the vacation house we stayed at recently. It seemed to be geared towards grown up but even Big Boy was curious about it. Then recently, I saw a lot of online buzz about The Crafty Nest's nicely executed DIY versions.

SHOPPING LIST:
Empty bottle - Vanessa uses a Voss bottle in her tutorial and I think she nailed it aesthetically. I had a terrible time sourcing the plastic version of the bottles locally but finally found some at the local Bristol Farms.
Tchotkes - anything non perishable and interesting that you can fit through the neck of the bottle. My button jar is a bit bare but I hit the motherlode online at the Sausalito Ferry Co. Other sources could include Etsy and Tiny Things Are Cute.
Filler - the tutorial uses popcorn but I am toying with using rice or orzo.
Glue

I will post photos once it is complete!

Big Boy: Travel

What to bring for distraction.

Eye Like Sticker Books

Dover Little Activity Books like Little Airport Sticker Activity Book

DIY Magnetic Play Set at Chez Beeper Bebe

Big Boy: Steve Jenkins

Eric Carle eat your heart out.
These are some really beautiful collages.


Video by Steve Jenkins.

Actual Size has some lovely illustrations.
I cannot wait to share these with Big Boy!

Steve Jenkins Website

DIY TARDIS

Mateo's Dad has built, possibly, the best one ever.

The Blue Box Project - blueprints and more

The TARDIS Library

The Doctor Who Technical Manual

A Google Sketch Up model

the RPF - a rambling roundup of helpful links

TARDIS Builders discussion board - for further questions.

Big Boy: Marble Runs

These are probably "too old" for Big Boy now (i.e., too many small parts). But here is what is available.

A nice roundup at HubPages

Cuboro - Swiss, modular, beautiful, and expensive (but there is even a trampoline add-on!).

Old Fashioned Toys - check out the Archimedes model!

Haba has a ball run

Just Think Toys makes a tub version called Waterblocks

DIY Run at MOMMade

Big Boy: Naef Bauhaus Bauspiel Blocks

Image from Fawn & Forest.

In the configuration pictured, even DH might covet these lovely blocks designed by Alma Siedhoff-Buscher (1924).
Available from Fawn & Forest.

Big Boy Room: Strategy

Lisa Mahar (Kid O) lays down the law - she seems to have some space and resources unavailable to me but I like what she has to say.

Jordan Ferney's (Oh Happy Day) closer to home SF Toy Area

Jordan Ferney also has a helpful and resonant post about toys.

World's Longest Marble Run

AT Kickstarter - get funding for your great idea(s)

Big Boy: Colourframe Blocks

Making It Lovely does it again: she has me yearning to buy something with her beautiful photographs of it.

Colourframes Blocks are available at The Whitney Museum Store, Modern Teaching Aids, and Learning Materials Workshop

Big Boy: Growth Charts

Measure me Stick by Studio 1 AM

Scale Railroads: Coffee Table

Liatorp Coffee Table Hack at Ikea Hackers

Toy Theatres

Image of Peter Baldwin's excellent reference book.

Sarah Jane Studios Peter & the Wolf Puppet Theatre

Cardinal Designs Muppet Show Theatre

Big Boy: Legos

Lego Books at Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
Time to get cracking on a Legos compendium post!

Piccoli Paselli's tutorial for a reversible Lego Table
GoGo Sac

Big Boy: Bike

Images by Wishbone, Y Bike, Skuut, and Strider.
Someone has a birthday in May.
And someone is probably ready for a running/balance bike.

Wishbone - my favourite but expensive
Y Bike - kissing cousin of the Wishbone but without an adjustable seat
Skuut - the entry from the Netherlands
Strider - the seat can go really low

They can all be found at Amazon.

Technology: iSight House

Ryuji Nakamura designed a house that provides a Gulliveresque POV for your iSight camera.