Lynette Smith

Spring Fling 2009 entry.

William Anderson Woolsey, my 3g grandfather was a 49'er. I decided to make my house based on a miner's shack. I did lots of research to get the details right, such as the type of mining done during the period he was there.

Anderson, as he was called, was 19 or 20 when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill. He left Missouri and headed west. He had returned to Missouri before his marriage in 1853.

I don't know where he was in the goldfields, but one source placed a large number miners from Missouri in the mining community of Fiddletown. When the miners were snowed in, the younger men played the fiddles, hence the name. Unaware of the community, I chose a banjo as Anderson's instrument to play while relaxing in the rocker on the front porch.

Several items I have collected over the years are interesting pieces which I haven't encountered before. Some have interesting histories. I thought I would share them.

6 1/4" tall.

The Tennyson was acquired in January 2009, for the sum of $20. I purchased it from Jade Garn of Tremonton, Utah.

She said she built the house (I failed to ask whether she meant it was built for her, too late now!) Jade is related to former United States Senator and space shuttle passenger Jake Garn (I didn't think to ask if she was named after him, but Jade is only one letter off Jake).

The house was very sturdy in its construction, excepting the balcony rails.

The house was peach and white when I acquired it. I have been stripping the balcony rails and various trim, which led to me slicing my finger when the utility knife slipped, resulting in six stitches and a prolonged healing period.

I acquired this house at the end of January. I paid $30. Not all the parts were present and some of the bay sections were glued upside down! After getting it home, I left it out in the below freezing temperatures and went to work at the bay pieces with a hammer to break the glue.

Barbies are another of my passions and mine aver very spoiled. I have literally hundreds (and were not talking a hundred and one) of patterns covering the spectrum. These are some of my completed dolls Others are in the works.

Too many hobbies, not enough time!

I purchased an incomplete Pierce kit through Craigs List 3 weeks ago. I am making a record of it's tranformation.