At My Doll Cottage, we are committed to preserving and sharing the timeless charm of dolls and toys from our mum’s beloved collection. By turning this passion into a sustainable online museum, we honour her legacy and provide a global community with a virtual space to celebrate the artistry, history, and nostalgia of these treasured heirlooms.
Our vision is to create a digital sanctuary where the rich stories behind dolls and toys inspire joy, foster connections, and spark a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of playthings across generations. We aim to bridge the past and the present, ensuring that this heritage endures as a meaningful resource for families, collectors, and enthusiasts worldwide.
At My Doll Cottage, we believe heritage is a shared social responsibility. By embracing technology, creativity, and community, we ensure the enduring legacy of this unique collection, proving that treasures of the past can inspire futures filled with wonder.
I’m the youngest daughter of Sharon Hovey, the proud owner of this incredible doll and toy collection at the heart of My Doll Cottage. Let me take you on a little journey into the story of my mum and dad, our family, and how I took on the task to share the collection with the rest of the world.
Mum grew up in the South-West of Western Australia, in the small town of Dardanup and later Collie, before settling in Brunswick when she married. Her parents, Tom and Valma Harnett, were hardworking Aussie battlers with Irish and English heritage, and our family’s roots in Australind stretch back five generations. My family were among the first settlers in the area, and our history and stories have been passed down through the years. T
Growing up, Mum cherished every toy she was given, treasuring them with a care that speaks to her love for beautiful things. Many of her childhood toys and her siblings are a part of her collection today. Her appreciation for antiques and their stories only grew over time, leading to a collection that’s as diverse as it is fascinating.
There are six of us kids, and I’m the youngest girl. When I was about three, we moved from Brunswick to Australind and into the home Mum and Dad built in the early 80’s.They stayed in that home until 1999, when my parents built their current home, just outside town, where Mum’s private museum is now located.
Some of my fondest memories are of Mum and my grandmother sharing stories about the past—about family, about life, and, of course, about love for her toys. Those stories lit a spark in me, a love for history and an understanding of how important it is to preserve it. It’s what inspired me to create the website for My Doll Cottage, a way to make sure Mum’s beloved collection, and the stories behind it, can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Through My Doll Cottage, I hope to share a piece of our family history and our love for the treasures of the past with the world. Because heritage isn’t just about the things we keep—it’s about the stories we pass on.
Whenever I asked Mum how it all started, she’d tell me - it began when a friend returned from overseas with two figurines of the Queen’s Guard. This was when I was just a baby in the late 1970s. That’s what she tells me, anyway. But I think it began much earlier—maybe even with her love for her own childhood toys.
Mum still has some of her toys from when she was little, including her Kadar doll and a treasured paper doll collection, which I’ll talk more about in a future blog (it’s something I hold close to my heart). Growing up, Mum didn’t play with her dolls in the usual way; instead, she cared for them like they were treasures. They were prized possessions she simply enjoyed having. This reverence for dolls and toys shaped her passion early on, even if she only officially began collecting about 45 years ago.
As kids, we grew up surrounded by her collection. Dad built a massive custom jarrah cabinet with glass panels that stretched across the living room wall to house it. Each of us had our favourites among the dolls, but it was Mum’s pride and joy.
In 1999, when Mum and Dad built their new home, the cabinet moved too. It was rebuilt with the same solid jarrah design by a local woodturner and friend. (insert Australind wood gallery, https://www.featuredwoodgallery.com.au/ ) Over time, the collection outgrew the cabinet, but with life getting busier, family gatherings moving outside, and Mum focusing on her grandchildren, her collecting slowed down. The occasional doll was bought but most of those were gifts or must have because they resembled her grandkids.
And then came Facebook Marketplace. Big mistake. Introducing Mum to online shopping reignited her collecting passion like never before. In 2019, she came across a massive doll collection for sale in Bridgetown. The photos loaded painfully slowly (thanks to the terrible internet at the time), and with each new image, the price seemed to grow. Dad, ever the enabler, joked, “If you want them, I’ll build you a museum.” Famous last words.
With Dad’s encouragement and the help of my sister-in-law (who, unlike me, didn’t try to talk her out of it), Mum bought the collection. And so began the journey of building a dedicated space to house her growing treasure trove.
Dad, with his building and development background, designed and constructed the museum on their Leschenault property during COVID. The project faced delays due to material shortages, but by mid-2022, the 200sqm building was ready. Over the following year, the family pitched in to create displays, organize the collection, and finally open the space in 2023.
In January 2023, I returned home. I worked in real estate. and sold many deceased estates and properties for families dealing with the tough decisions of what to keep and what to let go when loved ones moved into care and passed away. Helping these families—and my own love for Mum’s collection—made me realise how important it was to create a way to keep our collection together for the future.
Dad had already expressed concerns about how the collection was only documented on paper and wanted it digitised. After researching, I realised that, with the size of the collection, using existing software wasn’t practical—most options were owned by someone else, and the collection was far too large for simpler digital tools. The best solution was to create our own website and database so we could retain full ownership and functionality. Dad, being the savvy businessman he is, encouraged me to begin the process.
Research into the website began in July 2024, and by November, we started the design phase. The idea was simple: preserve the collection digitally and make it accessible for future generations while also creating a platform to share Mum’s passion with the world.
Today, the museum holds approximately 3,800 dolls, with countless toys, dollhouses, and other unique pieces still waiting for their turn in the spotlight. It has become more than just Mum’s hobby—it’s a family legacy.
Through My Doll Cottage, we’re not just showcasing a collection; we’re preserving stories, history, and a passion that spans generations. It’s a tribute to Mum’s love for the treasures of the past and a way to ensure they’re celebrated for years to come.
