Hello sweet friends! It is hard to believe that it has now already been a week since the festival. I am still sifting through hours of video footage and hundreds of photos. It was a true gift and privilege to witness the amazing artistry that went into Creating The Little House Simi Valley Festival.
This will be the first of several posts that will feature all the sets, the wonderful people who created them, and much more! I hope you will enjoy these behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Creating The Little House Simi Valley Festival
This was my happy viewpoint for all three days of the festival. The entry into the Little House was across from the costume and exhibit areas.
The attention to detail was truly astounding.
Doesn’t this make you smile?
For a visual references of this life size set I am 5′ 4″ (162.56 cm) tall.
My friend Trisha Novoa, along with her talented husband Hector, create miniature replica fronts including the Little House and Oleson’s Merchantile. Their company is Casa Bella Creations.
My sweet girls, Lou and Megan, ready to enter the Little House.
The Little House Interiors
When I first viewed the Little House my eyes filled with tears. Prop and Set Dressers Melanie Schultze-Cavaness and Gretchen Morales did an absolutely spectular job! As an interior designer I truly admired their meticiulous attention to detail.
Here I am with my charming friend, Charlotte Randall Yerke. Charlotte was a crew member on NBC’s Little House on the Prairie from 1975-1982.
In a future post I will be sharing the exhibit area that she helped to create and also ran durning the festival. I ADORE her!
Most festival attendees only saw the Little House from in front of the rope. Are you ready to go behind it?
Throughout my childhood I dreamed of standing in this sweet home.
The fire even crackled!
There was perfect placement on the mantel from the bible, Pa’s pipe and Ma’s china shepherdess.
I could almost imagine Pa stepping right outside the door a moment before.
Due to insurance reasons I couldn’t climb the ladder to the loft.
However, I bet my friend Todd McCraw has photos of the area. Fingers crossed he’ll share them with me and I’ll add them at a later time.
UPDATE: Dear Eric Caron has provided a photo of the bed in the loft!!!
Bonus, you can see the “Sweet Sixteen” dress that I made out the window.
I was so ready to help Ma prepare a meal!
The Downstairs Sleeping Area
Everything was so sweet and cozy.
As a sewist I took a moment to admire the lovely quilt and charming doll.
Ma and Pa’s bed.
They even included the popcorn!
Meet The Creators
In terms of fabulous creators, I think a good place to start is with Eric Caron. Monsieur Caron provided all the schematics, drawings, and reference materials. His blueprints were used by builder Derek Hecker to create the Little House set.
Eric has loved Little House most of his life and it shows.
My kids were absolutely thrilled to meet him!
I personally owe so much to Eric. He provided me with many of the close up television stills/images that I referred to again and again while sewing the costume collection.
Eric has created some gorgeous Nellie Oleson and Miss Beadle themed paper dolls. The images were gathered together on two amazing posters that he gifted me with. I cannot wait to frame them both. They will hang in a place of honor in Mrs. Whipple’s sewing room here at my home.
You can find the paperdolls HERE. An art print is available HERE.
Olan Paz
If you have been following the costume journey for the past several months you may be well familiar with my dear friend Olan Paz. Orlando de la Paz is a truly gifted painter. He has worked as a Disney Character Artist, a freelance Children’s Book Illustrator, Scenic Painter for Children’s Theatrical Productions, as well as a scenic artist for numerous Professional Theatrical Productions.
Olan’s most recent work has been bringing to life the 50th Anniversary of Little House the Series: The Experience. Olan and his team have created interior sets as well as flat facades of the original exterior buildings from the iconic show at Big Sky Movie Ranch.
We kept saying we were going to get a photo together but it was non stop from dawn until way past dusk. Luckily, we will be traveling together at several Little House anniversary events this year.
Olan sells miniature versions of his incredible Little House portraiture and facades at events. You also can find him on Facebook.
Images courtesy of Olan Paz.
Behind The Scenes
I hope you have enjoyed this behind the scenes tour of the Little House set.
Huge “props” to the extremely talented Beau Pucket and a round of applause to Production Manager Todd McCraw.
My dear friend Dale Keister kept me fed during during the long week. (I’m still dreaming of that taco truck and magical green arm bracelets.)
Photo shared by Dale.
Image courtesy of Beau Pucket.
Image courtesy of Beau Pucket.
Coming Soon!
Panels, Vendors and More Oh My!
There will also be a video on my YouTube channel.
As well as numerous reels on my Instagram page.
I’ll be back on Monday.
Laura
You are welcome to use the images shared by me in the post. Please credit either myself, Laura Ingalls Gunn, or my website www.decortoadore.net
Thank you!
Oh wow! So much loving and meticulous detail. I’m looking forward to the rest of the posts.
Fabulous, Laura. Congratulations! I do hope you’re taking good care of yourself with no health issues to report. It was a very stressful.peruod for you! Happy Easter!
So much detail! Are these reunion sets being preserved and moved elsewhere for visitors to see in the future?
Laura thank you for sharing. You have lost some weight which is to be expected I guess but I hope and pray that you are well. I know how dedicated to these Little House projects and I certainly love seeing all the behind the scenes. As you know I still have all the books and I especially cherish the apron you made and I wear it often. Take care my friend and I am looking forward to your future posts of your namesake. Happy Easter to you and your family.
Laura, what an amazing experience to have participated in!! I know you’ve been working on this for months, and I know it was well worth it. The little house is wonderful. What a sense of pride you must feel for being a part of this. Congrats for a job well done and surviving!!
Laura, I’m so proud of what you have accomplished and in how you have been so successful. This is just amazing. I got a little emotional looking at the interior set. Oh, the evenings spent during my life imagining how cozy the little house was with snow and wind whistling outside, the fireplace crackling and the smell of a pie baking or popcorn. popping. I bet the real Mr. Ingels must have felt very content when all the children were safe in bed and it was time to blow out the candle.
Ginene
The workmanship of the craftsmen & women on the Little House is just amazing! Everything from Pa’s fiddle to Ma’s china sheperdess! My sister’s priority when we went to the museum gift shop at Rocky Ridge farm was to buy a china sheperdess! I was also happy to see a period correct quilt in the house. I was watching an interview with one of the characters & they showed a clip of the one of the early shows & they had baby Carrie wrapped in a 1930s Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt. Oops!
This is just fascinating. I’m always more fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of things (theatre, television, events) than the events themselves. The detail here s magnificent and created with such love and care. I’m impressed with all of this, not the least, your magnificent contributions. I can’t wait for more. (I hope you made it through this well. I’m glad the kids were with you.)