Janis & John Steel...
Meet Janis and John Steel, who have been married for over three decades, and making dollhouses for more than a third of them.
After a busy corporate life, they both decided that it was time to do something more meaningful with their time, that didn’t involve commuting or wearing a suit - but what to do? It’s a question many of us ask ourselves at some time, isn’t it?
Making dollhouses actually started by accident, when Janis’ sister wanted one for her family. Talking about it one afternoon, John found himself volunteering to build one for her, a project, which went on to become a fully furnished two-storey mansion. It’s since become a family heirloom and demonstrates the passion and love which John and Janis have built this business on.
What started with one dollhouse for a family member, soon turned into one or two more for friends, another for a neighbour, to grow into a full time business and something of a passion for them!
From that first dollhouse to the range of styles they build today, they have learned a lot about their craft - the most significant being that ‘happiness’ is the most important thing in living a fulfilling life. That’s why they’ve called their place of work The Happiness Craft Workshop, because they both really do get a lot of joy from what they do.
Playing & learning at the same time...
Remember as a child, playing games that let your imagination take you to ‘grown up’ places? Now that you are older, maybe it’s time to foster that imagination in a special little someone too.
These days we live in a technology reliant world that keeps us too focused on screens with addictive games. Wouldn’t it be a delight to encourage some real playtime with your children and captivate their minds with beautifully handcrafted toys that foster imaginative play. We have heaps to choose from, with something to appeal to all ages and personalities.
Whatever your taste is, we hope that our doll’s houses, castles, forts and garages bring you into the world of miniatures and enchant your imagination.
Hand crafted and hand painted, these are not manufactured kits but lovingly built homes to foster and grow your child’s imagination. Durable enough to enjoy genuine play from young children and solid so they can be around long enough to become a family heirloom. Whether you choose a castle or a cottage, a garage or a mansion, you can be guaranteed years of playtime on these beautifully made, collectible toys.
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