MINIATURE ARTISAN ALTHEA CROME KNITS WORKS OF ART. March / April 15 ISSUE 44
dhminiatures.com
THE WORLD OF MINIATURES IN A NUTSHELL
PROJECTS A sleeper for baby Charming chandelier Make a little quilling shelf Options for adhesives Construct a grand entry Victorian decorative accents
Price US $7.95 Canada $10.95 CAD
Spring planting Scene by Moonyeen Moller
m ! o c . c y e m d c a a a t f a a r c y t m u o k c e C h
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18 MARCH 2015 2015 D O L L S H O U S E W O R L D
Dollhouse Miniatures 68132 250th Avenue Kasson, MN 55944 Phone: (507) 634-3143 Phone: (507) (507) 634-7691 Fax: (507) Fax: 1-866-606-6587 87 Toll Free: 1-866-606-65
[email protected] es.com E-mail: info@dhminiatur UK: PO Box 2258 Pulbrough RH20 9BA Great Britain 01903 884988 Tel: 01903 Tel: Publisher: Kelly Johnson Publisher: Kelly Email:
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[email protected] ashdown.co.uk Designer: Auralea Krieger Designer: Auralea Nielsen Ad Designer: Alison Designer: Alison Smith, Lauren Nielsen Cover Photo: Scene by Moonyeen Moller. Jo Bevilacqua, Diane and Contributors: Jo Contributors: Howard Birnberg, Julie Campbell, Kris Compas, Althea Crome, T. A. Gozeski, Auralea Aura lea Kriege Kriegerr, Johanne Johanness Landman, Landman, Gabriele ele Layne, Maria Malmström, Martha Puff, Mercedes Spencer, Jan Stuart, Deb Weissler, Jan Yinger
Issue 44 March/April 2015
contents PROJECTS
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A sleep sleeper er for for baby baby Follow along with this tutorial and make a cozy little outfit for your miniature baby.
Light up your small world Add some charm charm and whimsy msy to your mini mini world by making this fun chandelier with Maria Malmström.
Hang a little quilling shelf Kris Compas shows us how to make a small decorative bathroom shelf using quilling paper.
To glue or not to glue If you are looking for a way to “stick it” then this article by Auralea Krieger may be of some help.
Construct a grand entry Follow along with Jo Bevilacqua in part two of this extensive tutorial and create your own entrance way.
Make a few tiny accents Make some traditional Victorian decorative accents for your dollhouse along with T. A. Gozeski.
Published by Ashdown Broadcasting
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SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 year (6 issues): $45.99 Canada $65.99 CAD; UK £43.99; Europe €74.99; Rest of World World $75.99 USD
2 year (12 issues): $86.99 Canada $123.99 CAD; UK £74.99 GBP Europe €111.99 EUR; Rest of World $156.99 USD Dollhouse Miniatures (ISSN 1094-1916 (USPS 957-440) is published bi-monthly at 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944. 55944. Subscription ption price $39.95. Periodicals postage paid at Kasson MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address corrections to Dollhouse Miniatures, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944. All rights reserved. reserved. Reproduction Reproduction in whole or part part without the written permission of the publisher is prohibited. All material submitted to the magazine for publication in whatever form is accepted solely on the basis that copyright in the work will be vested in the publisher who assumes all rights worldwide, in all forms and in all media. Submitted materials cannot be returned unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope. In any event the publisher can accept no responsibility for loss or damage to contributions. Material is accepted solely on the basis that the author accepts the assessment of the Publisher as to its commercial value. All material submitted to the magazine is subject to editing.
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Easter in the Antiques Barn Mercedes Spencer celebrates her love of pastel colors in her antiques barn for Easter.
History in the making Enjoy learning a few fun facts about the items we use in our gardens everyday.
There’s magic in each stroke Johannes Landman creates masterpieces in miniature that evoke a passion for life.
Experience April in Paris Deb Weissler combined her admiration of an inspiring room box design with her favorite musical .
welcome
As I laid laid out this issue ssue of DHM I I was overcome with admiration for the time and skill it takes to achieve such exquisite works of miniature art. The initial response for some when studying a piece of art that they admire and respect is wishing they had the creative gene to achieve such genius. This reminds me of a quote I read years ago that stated, “If you admire it, you can achieve it.”
I do believe this to be true, but what many don’t see when they are in awe over art pieces is the artist’s journey to achieve such magnificent skills. It’s a frustrating journey of trial and error with moments of bliss when the artist sees his or her vision come to life, and exhilaration upon the realization that the piece attained a higher level than
28 34 40 58 61 66 72
he or she could have hoped to achieve. Then there there are are the moments moments of defeat defeat and digging deep to find the courage to push through in hopes of having that blissful moment again. And, of course, the endless hours of practice and learning new techniques. So when I hear people say, “I love art in all of its forms, but I don’t have a creative bone in my body,” I wonder if they have ever been encouraged to try their hand at creating? I suppose it comes down to how much they want it, and how much they are willing to sacrifice, and also how much time and passion they can dedicate. This is what what makes a masterp masterpiece. iece. I believe viewers, whether they are aware of it or not, see that journey in each brush stroke, finely-knitted pattern, sculpted
piece of clay, or carved wood. I welcome you to discover for yourself as you meander through the works of art in this fabulous issue of DHM . I hope you get inspired in your own way to express your passions and creativity.
Knitting small works of art IGMA Fellow Althea Crome knits magnificent one-inch scale miniatures that are one-of-a-kind works of art.
Spring Showcase
REGULARS
Celebrate the coming of spring with these very talented miniature artists.
Good Sam Showcase Join us in part two of this amazing showcase of miniature artisans’ work including small scale items.
A fairy fairy tail tail in in minia miniatur ture e The ever-popula ever-popularr fairy tale, tale, Little Red Riding Riding Hood is brought to life by IGMA Artisan Julie Campbell.
A house house wit with h many many room rooms s Gabriele Layne takes us on a tour of her custom made twenty-one room cabinet dollhouse.
The new shop in Smallsea Diane and Howard Birnberg add the newest addition to their miniature metropolis, Palliser’s Fine Porcelains.
A cart cart for for every every ped peddle dlerr Jan Yinger shows us some of her peddlers carts and shares a few tips and tricks.
Your Y our lett letters ers
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See what your fellow readers and miniaturists are learning, discovering, thinking, and discussing.
The big buzz Hear what’s buzzing in our mini world! These pages are filled with news updates, events, and contests.
Mini cutouts Cut out your very own vintage can labels, and jam jar labels, as well as other miniature items.
Show calendar Pull out your mini pens and mark your mini calendars so you don’t miss any of these upcoming shows.
In a Nutshell Kathleen Ferrari has finished her Sea Mist Lighthouse Keeper’s s Cottage! and Keeper’
DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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yourLETTERS your LETTERS Star letter winner
research before making her Black House; I think the results show how well she followed the historical culture at that time. I would love to see her do one of the Devon Long Houses for a future project!
This month, mont h, our Star Letter Let ter winner is Gina McCarthy, who was inspired by the historical accuracy in another miniaturists project. Keep those letters coming, readers. We appreciate your comments, ideas, and suggestions, and your kind letters warm our hearts every day.
A link to ancestry
I was excited to read the article on “Recreating a crofter’s home” in the July/August issue of Dollhouse Miniatures (DHM40). The attention to every little detail in the croft was amazing, even down to weaving little baskets. When I lived in the UK my husband and I visited a croft, which had been set up in its original state but as a sort of museum. It was called a “Black House” with good reason since, because of the peat fires in the center of the floor, the walls were smoked black over time! I noticed that Grace White had also included the bed, set into a sort of cupboard, which I saw at the Black House when we were there. It seemed very short, I recall, for an adult to sleep in. I remember thinking that it must have been difficult to sleep in that smoky atmosphere. Still, after a day of digging peat, perhaps the smoke didn’t keep them awake. I also remember seeing women actually spinning on the fragile looking spinning wheels outside their crofts over on the Hebridean Islands, with chickens and other livestock wandering around them. Grace White did so much careful
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DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
Write to DHM, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944 Avenue, 55944 or email auralea auralea@dhmini @dhminiatures atures.com .com. Letters may be edited, if necessary.
Gina McCarthy Philadelphia, PA
Happy contributor
FE AT UR FE AT UR E
months ago and The t tr r ansfo for r ming I couldn’t imagine that the decided to finish it poow er of p of lilig g ht subject of light, which seems in late Edwardian so abstract and “boring” for style. Because I’m a W many people, could be solved perfectionist, I want so elegantly and intelligently to do as much as ‘ as you have done! Thank possible in my house you so much for this article on my own. Yesterday in DHM43 and I feel happy I tried to find some ’ that you mentioned you had period labels for jars, fun working on it! In fact, this bottles, cans, boxes, article could perfectly fit in and containers. any decorating magazine or even in I spent three hours doing my research. an architecture magazine! Thank you I did fine some, but they were low qualagain for your interest and your article ity when printed as minis. Even using a on my work. laser printer didn’t help me at all. Spain Sp ain’s ’s Fra Fran ncis cisco co de dell Pozo Pozo Pa Parés rés ta tak kes es us us on on an an illuminati illumin ating ng jou journe rney y to sh to show ow us us th the e impo importa rtance nce thatt light tha lig ht pla plays ys in our our min miniat iature ure ho home mes. s. B y F r ranci a n ci sco d sco d el el P P oz oz o P ar ar és és
itha backg round round in ar chitec hitecture, ture,F F ranc rancisco has adeepun adee pund dersta erstandin nding g of of thee pow ero f light th light and and h how ow itcan itca n infl influuence an en enviro viron nmen ment t .In .In facct,hi s care fa careeerpa rpat t hseem h seemed inevi nevit t able able ash e exp expllains, ains,““My My g g reat reat -gran grand dfath fatheer w asan a san arch archiitect and en engine gineeer;m r;m y y gran gra ndfat heran eran eng eng in ineer, eer,m m yfa ther an archit ectan ctand d eng eng ineer ineer .Itw . Itw asno t t very very dif f ficult i cult t t oim oim agine agine myf myf uture uture..”
W hen hen I mak e a min inia iatture urewo work, rk, I wa want nt it it to tobe be as realisttic as pos realis oss sib ible le.. And An d, in in o or r der der to to ach chie ieve ve th this is re realis alism m all de dettails ails,, ev ev en en the smalle lles st one ones s, ar ar e impo im porta rtan nt.
Y ou ma ma yhav yhav ee seen seen som somee of his magni agnif f icent icent stru strucctures turesin in DH DHM34 and D oll oll s Hou s Hou se Worl Worl d d (DHW (DHW 248) 248).. Altho ughh ghhee isn’t isn’t con conccerne erned d wit h set t tingupsce i ngupscen neso r r put put t t ingdollsi i ngdollsin
10
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T OP, OP, ABOV ABOV E, AN E, AND D RIG RIGHT HT rco lam : A rco lamp p fro from m Achille Ca Achille Cast stiglio iglioni ni was was m mad adein ein th thes es i xti es. T his his ligh lightm tm ain ainly ly shi shines nes on on th thefl efl oor , buta buta lso on the ce ceilin ilingb gb eca ecaus useo eo fth eh ole oles s in th in the e meta etallic llic lam lamps psha hade. de. Sh Show own n in 1 in 1:12:12-sc scale. ale.
DO LLH O U S E M I N I A T URES
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11 /19/1
Francisco del Pozo Parés Girona, Spain
Facebook winner I’m a beginner in the miniatures hobby and I have never ever dealt with miniatures before. I have also never had a dollhouse or worked with polymer clay. I ordered an annual DHM subscription few days ago; it’s going to be my first magazine on the topic. I’ve never read your magazine, but I’ve read a lot of good things about it and some miniaturists told me to subscribe only for DHM DHM.. That’s important for me, as I live in small town. I bought a dollhouse about four
:3
I know that I’m probably not the first one to e-mail you about labels, but I think this is very important for many miniaturists. What I would like to see in the cut outs in DHM DHM,, are a set of period kitchen and/or bathroom and or/books covers, labels, and boxes. In each issue from different period, maybe even with some historical background?
Martyna Zalewska, Malbork, Poland Martyna’s idea f or our Facebook cut outs contest was chosen for this issue of Dollhouse Miniatures magazine. We hope some of these cut outs will help her in her mini journey!
PROJECT
a sleeper FOR BABY This little 1:12-scale baby is cozy in this tiny knitted sleeper. Follow along with this tutorial and make an outt for your miniature baby.
C
hange the color of this outfit to your favorite and have a quite evening knitting something special. When your finished you can put it on a miniature baby or lay it out over a crib to set the perfect scene.
YOU’LL YOU ’LLneed
Hood Cast on 28 sts. K 26 rows. Cast off.
uDMC
cotton 80 OR
Anchor u Anchor uSize
pearl 12
22 needles
Make up
uScissors
Sew in ends. Join shoulder seams, underarm seams and back of hood.
uBeads
or buttons
Main body Worked in garter stitch throughout. Cast on 20 sts, K 16 rows. Next 2 rows cast on 11 sts at beginning. Work 36 rows. Next row: K9, K2tog twice, K16, K2tog twice, K9. Next row: K8, K2tog, turn. Next row: K2tog, K to end. K 10 rows. Cast off 4 sts at beginning of next row, turn, cast off. Return to next 18 sts. K2tog, K14, K2tog, turn. Next row: K2tog, K12, K2tog. K 11 rows and cast off. Return to last set of sts. K2tog, K8. Next row: K7, K2tog. K 11 rows. Cast off 4 sts at beginning of next row, turn, cast off. Sleeves - work two the same. Cast on 20 sts. K 12 rows. K2tog at beginning of next 6 rows. Cast off.
Sew in sleeves and join hood to neck edge. Sew on beads or buttons. DHM
DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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FEATURE
Easter in the antiques anti ques bar barn Mercedes Spencer celebrates her love of pastel colors by decorating her antiques barn for Easter with bunnies, eggs, and baskets. By Mercedes Spencer f there’s any holiday that calls for cuteness and a full palette of pretty colors, it has to be Easter. And if there’s one thing I really love, it’s pastel pinks, greens, blues, and yellows. Together T ogether,, those those colors just sing sing to me! Easter seemed like the best excuse to make pretty pastel-colored décor to fill my miniature antiques barn. Decorating the barn for Easter was probably one of the most enjoyable miniature projects I’ve done to date. I had a tiny bunny hole punch that was used to create bunny bunny bunting from paper with pretty floral designs on it. But my fun with the bunny punch didn’t end there. I continued punching out bunnies to make pastel
I
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TOP: A mini Easter basket filled with colorful eggs and a bunny. LEFT: Another Easter basket along with a row of potted spring flowers. BELOW LEFT AND BELOW: A chicken pull toy and a chicken statue accent the spring photo of a rabbit sitting with many baby chicks!
FEATURE
painted bunny ornaments and rusty tin garden stakes; I even covered a bunny shape in moss to make a bunny topiary plant. Larger cutout bunnies made perfect bunny chalkboards. I printed my pretty pastel painted bunnies onto fabric and then cut out little squares to make an Easter quilt for an old metal miniature cot that my sister played with as a child. It’s always a thrill to be able to use things I remember from my childhood in my miniature scenes. Antique Easter postcards were also printed onto fabric and made into cushions. My friend Sylvia de Groot, who
‘
It’s always a thrill to be able to use things I remember from my childhood in my miniature scenes.
ABOVE: Mercedes used all sorts of resources resourc es to fill her little Easter themed barn. A rabbit hole-punch helped helped to make lots of fun items to add to this mini scene.
children’s book about Easter, which I knew needed to be miniaturized. Also, vintage Easter postcards were turned into rusty tin signs. A friend in America sent me the lives in Holland, made the gorgeous most perfect little Easter basket with bunny Easter cardholder and the knit- a bunny and I wove another pastel ted child’s jacket, which was the percolored basket from paper string and fect color to add to the festive display. added a rabbit from f rom an inexpensive When rummaging in a consignEaster earring to it. Tiny eggs were ment shop I found the sweetest old made from polymer clay to fill up
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ABOVE: Every shelf holds many special spring themed items. RIGHT: A lovely vintage tray with a handle sits on a wooden bench and holds mini candy eggs in tiny cups. The bunny hole punch also made some rustic iron garden stakes to use as decoration in a bucket full of miniature peonies
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ABOVE: The delicate knitted sweater hangs from a rusted antique umbrella holder. The little bunny quilt in pastel colors accents the sweet bunny art in a frame. RIGHT: With the help of generous friends the barn frame was built to precision.
cups and plant pots. Cute little bunnies and pretty colors—for me, there’s nothing more perfect than those two things to create a miniature Easter display! Building the structure
I built the Easter barn from scratch with the help of Anne Eustace, Eustace, one of the ladies from the dollhouse club
Helping hands make it extra special. I used to go to. I had seen pictures of is 80 years young was once a builder American barns filled with antiques and he made sure we did everything and wished there was something like by the book. So it’s built just as a real that here. As there wasn’t, I decided to barn would be. It measures 15” (39cm) make one in miniature. wide by 12” (31cm) deep and 17.5” Anne and I had great fun creating (45cm) high. the barn. Anne’s husband, Derek, who Another lady at the club, who is DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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FEATURE
ABOVE AND BELOW: Mercedes makes so many little special moments in her miniature scenes; you will always find something new.
90, gave me an arched window and I knew it would be perfect in the back of the barn. Derek wasn’t too sure about the arched window being put in the barn, but in the end he was
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happy with the results and I thought it looked just perfect! Anne has a shed in her back garden that is full of wood. In it, we found some very old strips of cedar that were just right for the wide planks planks on the upstairs floor of the barn. I also found
a piece of plywood pl ywood with interesting grain that we used to line the outside of the barn. In the end it turned out to be a special project full of memories and smiles. DHM
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FEATURE
History in His thee makin th making g Enjoy learning a few fun facts about the items we use in our gardens everyday as well as a few miniature creation from fellow miniaturists.
et’s take a trip back in time and discover the history of a few familiar outdoor objects. Find out when these wellknown garden items would have first appeared in the great outdoors.
In 1807 two firemen from f rom the Philadelphia fire service devised a way to strengthen stre ngthen the leather joins jo ins with metal rivets. Various Various clumsy c lumsy and heavy versions existed until 1843 when surgeon William W illiam Montgomerie noticed local people in Malaya Wheelbarrow using a rubber substance from trees Before the wheelbarrow, heavy things to make handles for their tools and were moved around around on a kind of delivered the news in a lecture. stretcher that needed a person at each Two T wo years later lat er entrepreneur entrepre neur Henry Henr y end to lift. But by the 13th century Bewley obtained a patent for making the wheelbarrow made an appearance bottles, tubes, and hoses, which could in Europe, with long, slim handles and be supplied up to 328 feet. At this a front f ront wheel. This gave a good center stage hoses were still very heavy and of gravity for lifting heavy weights, needed to be maneuvered around the and meant that only one person was garden by means of a trolley, barrows, needed for the job. For a time the or on wheels. stretcher and wheelbarrow were used Lawn mower side-by-side, right into the mid-15th century when use of the wheelbarrow Engineer Edwin Beard Budding completely took over. invented the lawn mower in 1830 in Britain, originally to cut the grass on Hose sports fields. This was at a time when Horticultural hoses for watering “dear old Blighty” was good at sports gardens appeared around 400 BC and and had recently introduced many were originally made of ox gut. gut. Jan Jan lawn-based games, such as croquet, van de Heide in Amsterdam Amsterdam develtennis, football, and rugby. Budding oped the concept of the leather garden got the idea after visiting a local ABOVE: Birdhouses made by Peter Clark. hose in 1672, although these were cloth mill and saw a cutting cylinder largely ineffective as the leather secmounted on a bench to trim the cloth nism would cut grass, if it were tions were stitched together and could to a smooth finish. mounted onto wheels to allow the not withstand water pressure. He figured that a similar mechacontraption to be moved forward.
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Budding teamed up with another local engineer, John Ferrabee, and together they made mowers in a factory at Stroud. These early machines were all made of cast iron and featured a large rear roller with a cutting cut ting cylinder cyl inder in the front. f ront. They were remarkably similar to modern mowers. Birdhouse
The chap who thought up nesting boxes was a bit of a character to say the least. Charles Waterton was an English naturalist and explorer. At the ripe old age of twenty-two he left his home in Wakefield, Yorkshire Yorkshire to take charge of his uncle’s estate in Georgetown, Guyana. In 1812, eight years into his stay, Charles got itchy feet and went on four journeys of exploration. In the 1820s he returned to Wakefield W akefield and built a nine-footni ne-foothigh wall around three miles of his estate, turning it into the TOP: The miniature backyard garden is courtesy of Surrey Dolls House Club. RIGHT: The 1:12-scale gardening doll was made by Feathers, Lace, and Clay.
world ’s first wildfowl world’s and nature reserve. As part of this venture he also invented the nesting box for birds. Croquet
You could be forgiven for You f or thinking that croquet is a genteel English game, played on a warm summer afternoon - it is. The clunk of mallets against wooden balls and the sweet smell of freshly cut grass - what a picture of little England. Croquet was played in 19th century Britain, introduced by John Jacques II. In fact, he pinched pin ched the idea from a group of nuns in Ireland. John Jacques had seen them th em playing something similar with willow hoops and mallets when he visited Ireland in 1830. Having purchased a patent he launched the game at the Great Exhibition of 1851 and rather than selling the items needed for the game separately, he marketed them as a kit packed in wooden boxes conc ontaining hoops, mallets, balls, flags, and pegs. DHM
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FEATURE
There’s magic in each stroke Johannes Landman meticulously creates masterpieces in miniature that evoke a passion for life by use of color, shapes, and light. By Martha Puff PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PUFF & JOHANNES LANDMAN
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nternationally acclaimed painter Johannes Landman is passiona passionate te about the art that he creates. His exciting and innovative work radiates life. He is the acknowledged finest miniature painter of old masters in the United States and Canada–and possibly the world. Johannes finds inspiration inspiration in a multitude of historical periods and styles, and likes to interpret them with his own flair flair.. His favorite favorite 1:12 1:12 scale subjects are Portraits and Still Life. Along with his full-size paintings, he exhibits his miniature paintings in fine art shows and has received several awards. When asked to share more about his miniature artwork, Johannes says: My journey as a miniature painter started seventeen years ago. Painting, however, began as a child inspired by my grandmother’s talents. I am selftaught, which meant a torturous road of 20 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
self-discovery. Trial and an d error gave me a unique perspective into how I do what I do without being influenced by anyone. Favorite periods in which to work in miniature are the 17th and 18th Centuries. In large scale, I lean toward the avant-garde (innovative) works of the 1960s. I look for the mood in the subjects I paint and strive to capture that emotion in light. An image has to evoke a certain emotion. Just like a smell triggers a memory/emotion, a
combination of color temperatures will give you a time or season. Basic research consists of first finding an accurate representation of the work– color wise, etc. I then determine if there will be changes, changes, factoring in what will will look best insofar as composition and changes to surrounding background. Typical T ypically ly,, I start start each day in my studio by doing prep work. I lay out my palette, while thinking about how I am going to approach the piece. My favorite tool for working in miniature is my hands. They They still can do better than any other substitute, although I will sometimes use a toothpick to move the paint. I buy mainly handcrafted French Kolinsky brushes. Of superior quality, they are ideal for precision, detailed work. The main main difficul difficulty ty in working work ing in 1:12 scale is to maneuver the brush in the right direction LEFT: Peacock parakeet pelican cran pelican crane e and poul poultry try , after M. d’Hondecoeter, Dutch (1636-1695).
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FAR LEFT: Portrait of a Woman, Woman, after N. de Largillierre, French (1656-1746). LEFT: Francois Armand Arm and de Gont Gontaut aut,, Duc Duc de de Biro Biron n (1714), after N. de Largillierre, erre, French.
to where the brush strokes create undertaking–beginning with the that magic moment. Producing the carving of the wood and ending with illusion of a large-scale painting does the gold leafing or wood finishing. not mean cramming in the maximum Sizes vary. The framed “Portrait of a amount of detail. Rather, it means being Young Young Girl” shown here here is only only 2” tall technically and artistically on the mark. x 1¾” wide. Some paintings paintings I have All of my frames are individually individually created are even smaller. The largest custom built for each painting. miniature painting included is “Peacock I do not want to put a cheap plastic Parakeet Crane” Crane ” (M. d’Hondecoeter d’Hondecoeter). ). frame around work that had been It measures 4¼” wide by 3⅜” tall. meticulously created. It is a huge I start with a big piece of Western
Yew (Pacific Yew (Pacific Yew) wood wood since the grain is to scale. Yew Y ew lends itself itself to so so much clean detail when carved or machined. I finish each frame with genuine 22k gold-leaf or a dark wood finish. Traditional Traditional fram frames es are my inspiration but I do deviate from them to do my own design. I also make my own miniature wood easels from cherry wood. They are quite delicate and partially machined. While I have done threedimensional creations in the past, I do not do so often since it is very timeconsuming. The Kansas City C ity Toy T oy & Miniature Museum has a fully functioning miniature harpsichord that I both carved and painted. It is also home to a large collection of my paintings. BELOW LEFT: Portrait of a Young Girl, after Girl, after A. Harlamof Harlamoff, f, Russian Russian (1842-1925). (1842-1925). BELOW: Marriage of Cupid and Psyche (1756) Psyche (1756) after P. Batoni, Italian.
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In this journey of miniature painting, I find myself in quite a unique place. One can say there are thousands of large-scale painters. Comparatively speaking, miniature painters are in the minority. m inority. Few Few understand, but do appreciate, the skill involved when they see my work. One of my proudest moments was when a neurosurgeon bought some of my pieces. He understood the dexterity skill needed to do fine work. My prices range from $350 to $6,000+, depending on the complexity of the work and the time involved. Ultimately, a piece is judged for its aesthetics. I will accept installment payments. My miniature easels range in price from $250 to $375. I do accept commissions provided I understand the customer’s needs and taste. tast e. Recently, Recently, I undertook a commission for a ceiling medallion using a Boucher painting. I had to
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ABOVE: Self portrait of Nicolas de ABOVE: Largillière,, French painter (1656-1746). Largillière Commission. RIGHT: The Goldfinch, after C. Fabritius, Dutch (1654). BELOW RIGHT: A Still Still Life Life with with a Pewter Flagon and Two Ming Bowls (1651, J. Treck). BELOW LEFT: Her Favorite Pets, Pets, after Sophie Gengembre Anderson Ande rson,, French French (1823(1823-1903 1903). ).
deconstruct sections and reassemble it from a collection of his paintings to harmonize the scene. Looking ahead, I have found the best plan is no plan. I just dream of realizing an idea and then maybe start working on it. It often happens when looking at a line or shape, color/contrast, and a need to play with that will emerge. There is is so much much to explore– explore– whether that is collaborati collaboration on with another another miniature miniature artist, artist, or a large painting, or some fantastic miniature idea. I might even think of a miniature painting book/DVD. Special thanks to all of my collectors. Without them, I would not n ot have been able a ble to pursue this career that I have loved from the start. They are as much a part of my paintings as myself. DHM
GETINtouch GETIN touch
Johannes Landman 2629 Arbutus Road, Victoria British Columbia, Canada V8N 1W4 Phone: 250-477-7927 Email: jilandman@telus
[email protected] .net Upcoming 2015 Shows April 17-19 - Chicago International Show Oct 10-11 - Good Sam Show, San Jose, CA
PROJECT
Light up your SMALL WORLD Add some Add some ch char arm m and and wh whim imsy sy to yo your ur min minii worl world d by making this fun chandelier. Maria Malmström will walk you through in this helpful tutorial. By Maria Malmström
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handeliers are a great way to add a splash of romance to a special room. This little chandelier can be altered to fit your own personal style depending on the beads and color of paint you chose. Follow along and add something spectacular to your mini room!
YOU’LL YOU ’LLneed
Step 3: Cut a 6” (15cm) long piece of wire and make a loop at the end so that you leave plenty of room for circumvention. Twist T wist the remainder of the wire and paint with acrylics.
u24-gauge uWire
wire and a thinner one
cutters
uPliers
(rounded to facilitate bending)
Acrylic u Acrylic
paint
uBeads uJewelry
findings, Christmas bells
uTweezers
Step 1: Cut six pieces of wire approx. 10”
uPolymer
(25cm) long.
uSuper
clay
Glue
Step 6: Now you can take the six twisted wires from and bend them to shape.
Step 4: Select two beads, one bigger bigger,, which will be in the inside and a smaller one, which will be at the bottom.
Step 2: Fold the wire in half and twist it
Step 5: Once the paint is dry dry,, thread the
tightly together. together. Set the wire pieces aside.
beads in place. Bend the wire around the little bead and then twist the wire up under the big bead.
45mm
Step 7: Connect two pieces together with a thinner wire.
DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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PROJECT Step 8: Connect the rest of the wires around that piece the same way. way. Rotate the end of the wire over the center of the circle for decoration.
Step 9: Prepare the candle platforms using small jewelry findings and parts of Christmas bells. This can also be done with other jewelry findings.
Step 10: Make the candles from polymer clay and bake following the product instructions. You You can use some of the wire to make the heart of the candle or use thick thread.
Step 11: Glue the candle trays and candles in place and then paint them.
Step 12: Y You ou can also add a chain to hang the chandelier if you like. Hang from the ceiling and enjoy your new romantic chandelier! DHM
Step 8
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Molly Cromwell Presents... COMING IN 2015 STURBRIDGE MINIATURES FESTIVAL MAY 30 ~ 31 SATURDAY & SUNDAY First weekend after Memorial Day. Host Hotel on Cedar Lake 366 Main Street, Rte 20, Sturbridge, Massachusetts Special show room block price ~ Reserve now ~ 508.347.7393
TRAVEL EUROPE WITH KINDRED SPIRITS ROMANTIC VILLAGES OF ALPINE EUROPE
Rhea’s Wicker in Miniature See you at the Chicago International Show My last public appearance but will still be open for business taking orders and commissioned work
AUGUST 1 ~ 16 Land Tour Tour Italy * Austria * Switzerland * Germany Make your reservations today!
CHRISTMAS MARKETS ALONG THE DANUBE DECEMBER 1 ~ 6 Cruising Nuremberg to Vienna ~ Lots of Miniatures! Plus, onboard mini miniatures show
Custom work available.
Make your reservations to day! Call: 703.97 8.5353 for a brochure or make your deposit today with GCT call 1.800.59 7.2452. First and last dates are travel days.
Rhea Strange email:
[email protected] 1317 North V St. #157 Lompoc, CA 93436. Phone: 805-736-6323
For more information: www.mollycromwell.com
[email protected] Phone: (703) 978-5353
URBAN ELEMENTZ by
Specializing in Doll Houses and Miniatures Hand Painted Leather Zebra Sofa
Like us on: facebook.com/rainbowhandandkathy www.rainbowhandandkathy.com www.rainbowhandandkathy. com
[email protected] briantep@veri zon.net DOLLHOUSE
MINIATURES
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FEATURE
Experience Apr prilil in Par aris is Deb Weissler combined her admiration of an inspiring room box design with her favorite musical and created a charming patisserie. By Deb Weissler PHOTOGRAPHY BY HAROLD WEISSLER
aris 1900. The city has embraced the Belle Époque period. The arts flourish and Paris has taken its rightful place as the fashion capital of the world. The Eiffel Tower, Tower, built for the 1889 World’s Fair, has become an international icon and the tallest manmade structure in the world. Paris revels as a cultural center on a global scale. The Pa Parisia risiann bourg bourgeois eois fla flaunt unt the their ir wealth wea lth on str streets eets and in cabar cabarets ets.. Maxim’s serves as a gathering place for the wealthy to parade their excesses, French cooking has been elevated to haute cuisine, and Champagne has been fine-tuned to perfection. The World’s Fair Fair has brou brought ght an influx of tourists demanding exceptional dining, giving rise to the café culture. No cafe will display its excesses more than the patisserie, which takes Paris’s famous croissant and Belgian chocolates to new heights. We have arrived at one such patisserie, Bon Appetit , where a young lady is seated, trying to decide what to eat. It took the juxtaposition of the perfect room box, doll, and movie musical to arrive at Bon Appetit , a tiny shop on the rue Royale. Spotting the room box at the 2007 Philadelphia Miniaturia, where the team team of Whitledg Whitledge-Burg e-Burgess ess had ‘A Georgian Style Shop’ on display,
P
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I fell in love. and her Great Aunt Alicia. As Gigi “This room box was one of our most grows from a young, precocious, and successful workshops until it was ofcarefree girl to a woman of stunning ficially retired in 2010,” explains Scott. beauty, her transformation catches the “Our goal was to create an elegant shop eye of Gaston Lachaille, an eligible but interior that would appeal to the broad- bored bachelor, who has known Gigi est audience, including overall design, and her family all his life. Gaston desires classic architectural detail, and neutral to make Gigi his mistress, but she has color scheme.” sche me.” other ideas. The sho shopp was was Englis English-in h-inspir spired, ed, but Filled with fabulous costumes, a quick change of window scenery and a memorable score, and delightthe shop could be in any large European ful storyline, Gigi has charmed folks city. With a large display window window,, three for decades, and so I thought that by wallss of wall of mirror mirrored ed shelv shelves, es, bras brasss light lighting ing combining a Parisian patisserie with (Clare-Bell Brass Works), walls of gold characters from the movie, I could enjoy silk, ebony and gilt columns, and elegant Gigi’s world whenever I wanted. woodwo woo dwork, rk, the inte interior rior is luxu luxuriou rious, s, yet While sear searchin chingg for for the the perfec perfectt Gigi, Gigi, inviting. Tres Tres magnifique! I thought I filled the display window and shelves about that room box a lot on the drive with row with row upon upon row of cakes cakes,, past pastries ries,, home and called in hopes it hadn’t sold. confections, and chocolates by such Two T wo week weekss later later,, the fun cou could ld begi begin, n, artists as Leslie Burgess of The English because a vision of a French patisserie Kitchen, A. Rose Gallagher, Diminutive had already coalesced. Delicacies by Mary, The Kitchen Cap While wait waiting ing for its arriv arrival, al, I tive, Stewart Dollhouse Creations, the watched watc hed my favo favorite rite mus musical ical,, Gigi , a late Jackie Dunn, and Emma Martinot 1950s production starring Leslie Caron, and Neil Dyde. There are desserts for Maurice Chevalier, and Louis Jourdan. all occasions; I mixed and matched, Gigi , a Lerner and Lowe production arranged and rearranged. Best of all, I filmed in 1958, was based upon the didn’t gain a pound! novel by French author Colette. Young Young Furnishings are minimal so as not Gigi is being educated in the skills of a to overwhelm the delectable inventory. French courtesan under the tutelage of A Bespaq bistro table, with two chairs, her grandmamma, Madame Alvarez, features a silver chocolate pot and cup
FEATURE
on a footed salver by Peter Acquisto. A Bespaq sideboard with marble top holds an espresso machine (patented in 1884) by Jim Watt, which sits alongside cups and saucers by Stokesay Ware. Jim also made the framed lithograph of the Eiffel Tower Tower that hangs over the sideboard. A pedestal by Gilbert Mena holds an elaborate flower arrangement. The scene set, all I needed were some dolls. For almost three decades, Gina Bellous has been creating exquisite porcelain miniature dolls. When she first began, larger dolls were very popular, but there was little in the way of information regarding making miniature versio ver sions. ns. Thr Throug oughh much much tria triall and and error error,, Gina developed her own techniques that now serve as standards for many other doll makers. Her dolls and doll kits are in such demand that to have one show up eBay was a rare rare find find.. When “Mary Ali Alice” ce” wentt up wen up for for auctio auction, n, I knew knew I had had found found “Gigi”. Although she looked nothing like the actress, Leslie Caron, the doll BELOW: An overall view of Bon Appetit , a Parisian patisserie. Gigi, by Gina Bellous, enjoys a pot of chocolate with her pet poodle while waiting for her companion.
possessed that youthful, springtime appeal I was after. Next to arrive was Jacques, the quintessential French waiter, made by Gayle Clausen. Jacques holds aloft a platter of meringue cygnets swimming in strawberry sauce, and a silver platter of crème cones. Both desserts are by Paris Miniatures; the silver platter and pie server by Peter Acquisto. Character doll maker Fern Vasi brilliantly captured the look of Maurice Chevalier, dressed in blue serge and straw boater, seen just outside the door. The smi smile le on on his his face face isis pure pure Chev Chevalie alierr, who port portray rayed ed Hone Honeré ré Lacha Lachaill ille, e, Gas Gas-- ABOVE: This mini Parisian patisserie is filled ton’s’s suave and debonair uncle. Honeré ton with many amazing works of art! is here to enjoy dessert and champagne withh Gigi wit Gigi and and her her favo favorite rite com compan panion ion,, a chocolate c hocolate Eiffel E iffel Tower. Tower. Napoleon, a white Standard poodle Paris has continued to charm the by Kerri Pajutee. It’s a known fact that world world for for more more than a centu century; ry; Gigi for for French restaurants never hesitate to more than five decades. My miniature welcom wel comee their their cani canine ne patr patrons ons.. worldd is jus worl justt a sma smallll slice slice of Paris Parisian ian In the display window sits a four-tier society, a postcard snapshot of a time, weddin wed dingg cake, cake, two two-tie -tierr chocol chocolate ate cake cake,, place, and way of life that has disapand a pink-ribboned cake designed to peared forever. As April blooms eternal attract passersby. The glass shelves are in the City of Light, I can return to 1900 filled with a variety of cakes, a tower of and play, if only for a little while, while profiterole, baked Alaska, shortbreads, listening to Maurice Chevalier sing and fruit compotes. A glass jar contains “Thank Heaven for little girls”. . . DHM
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FEATURE
Knittin tting g sm smal alll works of art Inspirational IGMA Fellow Althea Crome knits magnicent oneinch scale miniatures that are truly oneofakind works of art. By Lloyd Cooper PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA MARTIN
f you have been looking for eight thousand dollars. beautifully handcrafted minia You Y ou can find fin d her pieces pi eces online, but ture knits, then look no further. if you want to see them in person, she Althea Crome from Bloomington, will be attending the th e Chicago Chica go show Indiana, will make your mini dreams in April 2015. come true. She knits in 1:12 scale and Althea has always been a “maker” specializes in creating artistic pieces of art and crafts. Her field of study that represent complex images, some in college was respiratory therapy so of which tell a story. She calls them she is self-taught as an artist, but has “conceptual knits.” kn its.” found that the community of minia With a love for knitting, Althea turists is a generous one and she has sometimes knits ten hours at a time. gotten wonderful advice and mentorSo much time goes into her work and ship from several artists within that it truly shows. She is an IGMA Fellow, as well as a member of the online Fine Miniatures Forum and Yahoo’s miniature knitting and crochet group. Her pieces range in price depending on the complexity and time involved. A simple pot holder might be $20, while a simple sweater sweat er may be a few hundred dollars; a more complicated sweater sweater with a cabled or Fair Isle pattern might run between $500 and $1500. The really reall y special pieces that th at have images knitted into them can be between three and
I
RIGHT AND FAR RIGHT: scale argyle vest and a fishermans vest.
28 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
TOP AND ABOVE: andknitted Andy arhol ardigan in oneinch scale.
FEATURE
‘
I continued to seek out more thin yarn and tried my hardest
ABOVE AND RIGHT: Truth and isdom Kimono shown from the front and the back.
ing decorating it, to fnd small needles. something clicked. I became obsessed I used everything with building buil ding my own dollhouse. from toothpicks, to I made a typical sewing needles. beginner’s mistake and took on community. Now let’s let ’s get to know a project that was this amazing artist a bit better in this way too ambitious amb itious exclusive DHM interview. interview. and after a while, I became disen When did d id you first fi rst become chanted with building the dollhouse. interested in miniatures or how However, what remained was my were you introduced intro duced to the hobby? fascination for the miniatures that I My best friend f riend had found a dollhouse had begun collecting to go inside the in the garbage and rescued it. When house. As one thing led to another, I saw it, and the fun she was havI realized that I could combine my
’
love for knitting with my new-found interest in miniatures and at the moment I thought about it, I set out to find the smallest yarn and needles I could. I found a baby weight thread and size 0 needles and spent the night DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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FEATURE
seek out more thin yarn and tried my hardest to find small needles. I used everything from f rom toothpicks to sewing ABOVE: Greek Amphora needles. I made a cigar box full of art knitted into a little clothes and took the whole lot scale sweater. ABOVE to the nearest miniatures shop (about RIGHT: A cardigan with 2½ hours away). The woman who gytian art deict owned the shop gave me some good ing King Tut. LEFT: The input and a 1:12-scale dress form and smallest of gloves with encouraged me to take my inventive reek designs. BELOW: designs and try to make them finer. Knitted nglish cottage I realized I needed to be working tea cozies. with thread, not yarn, yarn , and I also knew I needed smaller needles. I joined an creating a man’s online knitting and crochet group cardigan. The gauge and got great advice from that group. was smallish (about Eventually I started making my own 17 stitches to the needles (and still do to this day) and inch) and although I have now gotten to the point where knew it was not right, I can work with extremely fine silk I was in love with the threads. Some of my finest knits have process! I continued to a gauge of 80 stitches to the inch.
30 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
FEATURE
LEFT AND ABOVE: The sweater and gloves used in the animated film oraline.
What do d o you do for f or your career? caree r?
Up until March of 2014 I was the supervisor of a respiratory therapy department at a small hospital in Bloomington, Indiana. After a hospital-wide downsizing, I lost my job and over ove r the past pa st several severa l months I have decided to have a go at being a full-time artist. I have been a single mom to four children for ten years and having had a salaried job and now being self employed, I can say that the self-employment route is much more conducive to a happy home life.
inspiration. Also, looking through art books from the medieval ages to contemporary art also makes me feel connected to the art world in general and often sparks ideas. I have a small collection of antique portrait miniatures, some of them are on tiny compacts—others are on buttons or brooches, but most are just small oval o val paintings painti ngs on ivory ivor y. They fascinate, fa scinate, intrigue, and delight deligh t me. One of my favorites is almost 300 years old. These marvelous little paintings have inspired me to make some of the most challenging knits so far.
pier than I was when I was going to work every ever y day and coming home worn out and an d grumpy. There is nothHave you made anything that you ing better than being able to spend your days doing do ing what you love. It is a can’t bear to part with? star ted making minlesson I am constantly reinforcing to When I first started iature knits, I was obsessed with a my children. design from Alice Starmore’s book Who is your biggest fan? called Tudor Roses and and I worked at My parents and my kids are incredibly that design for a while until I had supportive and encouraging and I’d made a satisfactory 1:12-scale verhave to say they are my biggest fans. I sion. I then contacted a doll maker occasionally hear from people within named Marcia Backstrom and she the knitting and the miniatures com- made a figure for me who would munity who have contacted me to tell model the sweater (the figure she me that I have inspired them and that made was based on pictures I sent is always a wonderful feeling! Then her of me). That piece will stay in my there are brand new fans that love the collection. work I did for the movie Coraline . There have ha ve been other o ther very ver y special specia l pieces that I have made such as my Where do d o you find inspirat inspiration? ion? scuba sweater, which tells a story of As a knitter there are several design- a day scuba diving when I lost my ers I love, including Alice Starmore and Kaffe Fassett. Leafing through BELOW: A colorful Kaffe Fassett insired their books has given me a lot of cardigan knitted in oneinch scale.
What does d oes your family think of your interest?
My kids think it’s really cool because I am home with them now and much hap-
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ABOVE AND LEFT: This one
piece of furniture or object and then to be amazed that what you thought inch scale sweater deicts a scuba was a full-scale full- scale object ob ject was actually ac tually diving tri Althea 1:12 scale. Well-made miniatures took. The detail is can stand up to a great deal of remarkable at such magnification without revealing the a small scale. fact that it is a miniature. I also love the fact that they are so portable … I have a couple pocket-sized works of art that you of pieces at the can work on on-the go by popping it Kansas City Toy in your purse. and Miniature What ’s the biggest difficulty dif ficulty inMuseum, as wi th working in miniature? mini ature? well. I also made volved with the star sweater Finding the patience to work at it and gloves for until it is right. I am an insanely the stop-motion impatient person and when I have animated movie an idea I am overly eager to see it Coraline , directed by Henry Selick. weight belt. be lt. That was an important impor tant through to completion, which can piece to me because it marked a My work has also been featured in make me get sloppy. I need to remind special time in my life when I was two of the Ripley’s Believe it or Not myself to take my time and make it re-discovering who I was after a books and had a very small appearright. life-changing event brought me to ance on the Marth Marthaa Stewart Stewar t Show . What do d o you think about the a very low place. It was hard to sell Several of my pieces were also part future of miniatures? that piece but it is now displayed in a of a show called c alled “Radical Lace and permanent museum collection at the Subversive Knitting” at the MAD I believe that with organizations Kentucky Gateway Museum Center (Museum of Art and Design) in like IGMA that are committed in Maysville, Kentucky, so I feel good NYC. My work was the only miniato promoting miniatures as a fine that many people can see it for years. ture work in the show. art form, we continue to elevate miniatures from a hobby to an art Have you made any special items What do you love lo ve most about form. I also believe that new online (i.e. something for a celebrity celebrity,, a miniatures? communities like the Fine Miniatures piece on display at a museum, etc.)? I love the magical, Alice-inForum help reinforce high standards The largest large st collection collectio n of my work is W Wonderland onderland quality of miniatures. miniature s. for the art. In addition, galleries and at the Kentucky Gateway Museum There is nothing more fun than to art museums are beginning to include Center in i n Maysville, Maysvil le, Kentucky. see a picture of a beautifully made miniatures in their shows and this is 32 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
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ABOVE: This miniature cardigan was insired by a icasso ainting.
to see miniature artists learn to market themselves as artists much the same way full-scale artists do … with artist statements and a résumé that includes museum and gallery shows.
a great sign that the general art world is beginning to see what we do as legitimate art. I do believe that for many of us in What ’s next for you and an d your the field there is a learning curve as far as how to be good business people creations? as well as artists, and I would like to I have lots of ideas and designs I see more workshops that focus on the hope to make in the next year or business side of miniature art. I’d like so. I am in the midst of designing a very complicated medieval nativBELOW: A scale cardigan set insired ity sweater. I am also excited about by the King and ueen of earts.
ABOVE: Althea had a little fun creating a miniature sock monkey family
a museum show I am co-curating here in Bloomington, Indiana. I am helping to create a show of miniatures (including 10-15 artists) for the Grunewald Gallery of Art, which we hope to t o open in the fall of 2015. I will also be teaching a class in Castine, Maine, in June 2015. It is a fisherman’s vest class. I would also like to offer smaller private classes and workshops in the future. DHM
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Spring SHOWCASE SHOWCASE Celebrate the coming of spring with these very talented miniature artists. They have each shared their love of the season in their beautiful creations.
Beth Freeman-Kane
“I love fresh green growth and flowers, along with plenty of baby birds and animals! Where I live in South Africa that means lots of baby Vervet monkeys, as well as Paradise Flycatcher birds nesting outside my studio—pleasures that I look forward to every year. The only downside is the weather in the area where I live has lots of rain, mist, and grey drizzle for three months, but then I also get to visit the USA each April and see the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere as well! I love seeing the mass plantings of daffodils!”
ABOVE: Spring surprise. A Blue Tit resting on the edge of pitcher full of daffodils. LEFT: A sparrow basket with cosmos and a house sparrow. We love cosmos in South Africa!
FAR LEFT: This Parisian style ballet rabbit is a 1:12-scale doll’s doll. It was hand-sculpted and as antique hand-blown glass eyes. Its dress is made from antique pink silk ribbon and lace. LEFT: An antique-style mechanical toy, this chick pull toy is 1.5” long. It was hand-sculp hand-sculptted and pulls a vintage caravan charm.
Jill Peters
“For me, spring is nature’s renaissance, a nudging out of slumber and new arrivals. Its decorations are newly blooming buds, early butterflies, bird nests, fresh scents, and dramatic rainstorms. It is anthropomorphic rabbits and chicks, colorfully foiled chocolate eggs, peeps and that Easter grass that keeps appearing throughout the house until it’s time to be replaced by the ever-appearing Christmas tree needles. Spring is renewal of life, a refreshed internal awakening in harmony with Nature’s new song.” “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” -Joseph Campbell 34 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
Mary McGrath
“I enjoy working in my real flower garden and that is why I like making the miniature garden scenes. Spring flowers are especially my favorites after going through a long winter. My miniature gardens are weed-free, which I can’t say about my real garden!” LEFT: This wire gate is bountiful with many signs of spring!
Laura Crain
“I just love flowers and gardening. For 2015, I am working on more floral painting and faux finishes on mini furniture. I also want to make more elaborate floral arrangements.” RIGHT: Laura Crain has painted the background of the wardrobe using a mix of many of colors. By using several layers of glaze and antiquing techniques over the hand-painted design, it allows the piece to have a more heirloom feel.
Debbie Dixon-Paver
“As a visual arts teacher springtime, to me, is nature’s way of saying, “Let “Let’s’s party!” I love the flowers in all colors of the rainbow blooming everywhere! I’m happy to shut the door on my drab winter wardrobe, mostly black and grey, and get into some pretty pastel sundresses and to just enjoy the sunny, longer days with renewed energy. Spring also means the return of barbeque season and I really enjoy eating and entertaining outdoors.” LEFT: This little four-inch high porcelain dollhouse doll is dressed in a hand-embroidered silk dress and leather shoes. She looks delighted with her Easter goodies, which were also handmade from polymer clay by Debbie Dixon-Paver.
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hang a little QUILLING SHELF Kris Compas shows us how to make a small decorative bathroom shelf using quilling paper. Join her and make a little something special! By Kris Compas YOU’LL YOU ’LLneed
T
his is a bathroom room box that I made a long time ago. My husband made the box for me and my oldest daughter daughter,, Katie, made the lady that is soaking in the tub. Before Katie started college she was quite the doll artist. She even had an article in DHM some some time ago. The bathing beauty even has cucumbers on her eyes! In this tutorial I am going to show you how to make the little decorative shelf that is on the wall using quilling paper. You You first need to make a form for the sides of the shelf. I used ¼” thick basswood. You can use a shape already made that you find in packaging. Sometimes mints come in packaging that can be used.
Step 1: T To o start, use a circle template
template
u Pencil
& paper
u Ruler u Wax u Craft
knife
u Scroll
Step 2: Y You ou see the top half circle, and then you see the marks in the middle at the 1 / 2” mark. Make another half circle at the last marks you made. There should be an inch between the bottoms of the half circles. Now, remember this is just the size I chose to make, the size for your piece is up to you.
and trace a 9 / 16 16” circle, just to the halfway marks. Slide your ruler to the end of the circle and make a mark there and at the 1 / 2” mark and then at the next inch mark.
Step 3: Now, place your ruler on the drawing and match up the middle mark on
36 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
u Circle
saw or band saw
u Quilling
paper
u Elmer’s
glue
Yellow u Yellow 16” u 1 / 16
wood glue
& ¼” thick basswood
u Quilling
tool
the drawing to an inch mark on the ruler. Measure 3 / 8” on each side of the inch mark, make a mark on the drawing. This is where the shelves will go. Draw your scrolls onto your drawing, you will refer to this later.
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ABOVE: The real size 1:12-scale room box with the little bathroom shelf on the left.
Step 9: With the markings on the drawing that was glued to the form you can transfer the shelf marks to the paper sides.
Step 4: Cut this drawing out and glue it to Step 10: I used 1 / 16 16”” thick basswood that
a piece of 1 / 4” thick basswood. Don’t cut it out on the lines, leave some paper around the drawing. Using a scroll saw or band saw cut your pattern out following the lines on your drawing.
was cut the width of the diameter of my circle, 9 / 16 16”. You can use mat board or any thick cardboard that you have.
Step 7: I wrapped my paper around the Step 5: Use wax to coat the side of the
form three times applying glue as I went.
wood pattern to keep the glue from sticking the quilling paper to the wood.
Step 8: Make one side and let it dry a bit, remove and make the other side. You can put the first side back with the other and let them both dry on the form.
Step 6: Use 1 / 8” wide quilling paper and
Step 11: Glue your shelves into the sides.
Elmer’s glue. Apply a little glue on the Elmer’s paper,, smear it and wrap it around the paper pattern. You don’t have to have glue on the entire length of quilling paper, just enough to get you around to the end to secure.
using yellow wood glue. It grabs faster than Elmer’ss white glue. That doesn’t mean that Elmer’ is like Tacky Glue! I just means the wood glue is going set up faster than the white glue would.
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PROJECT Step 15: Next we are going to make the
Tip Ti p You might be wondering You wondering why I am using white glue. It dries hard and stiff, Tacky Glue always stays flexible. We don’t want this shelf to be flexible because we are imitating metal.
reverse scrolls that are glued in the middle. Cut two pieces of quilling paper 2” to 21 / 8” long. You can play with the length; it depends on how curly you want the scrolls to be. Measure and mark on the paper 1”, it’s the middle of the piece.
Step 12: Now, we add the scrolls. Cut
Step 18: For the inside scrolls that are
four pieces of quilling paper 1” long. These are the top and bottom scrolls.
glued to the middle, reverse scroll cut four pieces of quilling paper 1 / 2” long. Use the tool to roll these, again unroll them slightly. Apply glue to the middle of the reverse scroll and place the little scrolls on the top and bottom middle of the reverse scroll.
Step 13: Use the quilling tool to roll the paper up. I made a tool to spin the paper using a large needle that I fastened into a dowel rod. I snipped off the tip of the needle’ss eye to finish the tool. needle’
Step 16: Use your tool and roll the paper up to the middle mark. Remove the tool and roll up the other end, rolling in the opposite direction this time. Remove the tool from the paper.
Step 17: Slightly unroll the scrolls. Apply white glue to the shelves and the inside of the sides where you see my reverse scroll glued. The scroll will be glued in four places. You can play with the curls with tweezers to adjust the look.
Step 14: Unroll the paper slightly, place a little white glue on the inside of one of the half circles and with tweezers pick up and place the scroll into a half circle. Refer to the diagram above for the direction of the scrolls.
Your finished! You Your You can paint it with acrylic craft paint or enamel paint to make it shiny like a metal shelf. I hope you have fun trying this out. DHM Have fun, expand on it and make it better... Just keep making minis!
38 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
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[email protected]
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Good Sam Showcase Join us in part two of this amazing showcase of miniature artisans’ work including small scale, kits, workshops, exhibits and more! By Martha Puff PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PUFF
ach year, at the Annual Good Sam Show there is an amazing array of excellent offerings for the Do-It-Y Do- It-Yourself ourself miniaturi miniaturist. st. Collectors can always expect to find a fine selection of quality kits in 1:12 scale down to 1:144 scale. Nine Friday workshops were held at the Hotel prior to the 2014 Show. The variety of the offerings was exceptional, with top-notch teachers from within the United States and also abroad. This year, year, seventy seventy four local miniaturists displayed their exhibits in the Exhibitors Gallery that was located in the hotel lobby outside the showroom. Show attendees were delighted with the offerings. The 2015 show will be held October 10-11, 2015 at the Doubletree Hotel in San Jose, California. Come early and take a Friday Workshop. W orkshop. With outstanding miniature offerings and Free Children’s Classes both days, make Good Sam a weekend destination. All miniatures shown here are 1:12 scale, unless otherwise stated.
E
TOP: Eliza’s Tea Shoppe 1:12-scale scene was put together by Betty Herman.
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Kits, Small Scale & Display Cases
Phyllis Nishimori “The Three Bears B&B is the fifth quarterscale kit in the Fairy Land series,” says Phyllis Nishimori, Grandt Line Products. “It was inspired by The Tony Brice Picture Book, which Mom read when we were growing up. It has great illustrations and all my favorite stories. In 2015, I’d like to continue on with the fairy tales. Next on the list is the Three Pigs Builders Emporium.”
GETINtouch GETIN touch
Grandt Line Products Phyllis Nishimori 1040 B Shary Ct Concord, CA 94518 Phone: 925-671-0143 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.grandtline.com
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Bruce and Judy Steinke “We are quarter-scale specialists,” explain Bruce and Judy Steinke, BJ Miniatures. “Our Miss Elvira structure for Halloween has been very popular. Miss Elvira needed a way to get to the Potion Store. So, up popped the Witch Wagon kit. It comes completely furnished.. Our main goal is always to furnished have fun and create quality items at reasonable prices that others have fun with and enjoy.”
GETINtouch GETIN touch
B J Miniatures Bruce and Judy Steinke 9927 S Falconview Dr Sandy, UT 84092-3910 Phone: 801-572-6113 Email: Bjminis@Bjmini
[email protected] s.com Web: http://www.bjminis.com
Deb Laue “My inspiration for the garden patio kits came through an on-line chat group,” says Deb Laue, Dragonfly International. “The theme was gardening and we did flower kits and gift exchanges throughout the year. The patio chairs and gardening bench were designed to display my projects. In 2015, I hope to do more 1:12th scale furniture kits—girl’s bedroom, boy’s bedroom, and additional toy kits to furnish the rooms.” GETINtouch GETIN touch
Dragonfly International Supplies and Kits Phone: 916-783-2907 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.dragonflyintl.com/shop
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GETINtouch GETIN touch
Barbara Greene “Afternoon Tea” depicts a woman in the dining room awaiting guests, one of whom has just entered the living room through the French doors. “My inspiration was to show how some of my quarter-scale furniture looks when put in a room setting,” says Barbara Greene, Silver Fox Creations. “In 2015, I plan to create more quarter-inch scale room settings that can be ordered or custom designed and make new items to accessorize.”
Silver Fox Creations Barbara Greene 3024 Uplands Drive Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1V 9W3 Phone: 613-736-0475 Email: barbara@silverfoxc
[email protected] reations.com Web: http://www.silverfoxcreations.com
Mel Yost “My handcrafted quarter-inch scale structures using materials native to my locale in Oregon,” says Mel Yost, Y ost, Mel’s Miniatures. “Cottage details include: Hand-cut cedar shake roof. Myrtle wood trimmed glass bay window. Red lava rock handmade exterior bricks. Tree and decorative branches of Manzanita wood. Pond with lava rock. Myrtle wood slab base. Open at the back, and electrified. In 2015, my goal is to finish a windmill, game room, clock shop, art studio and, if time allows, a castle.” 42
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Cortland Cortla nd Doan “My miniature display cases come with one blank Interchangeable Insert installed, and with additional blank Inserts available,” explains Cortland Doan of Cortland Enterprises.. “All cases come fully lighted Enterprises with strip LEDs. The Standard Insert working area for the Dollhouse Miniature case is 121 / 4” wide by 51 / 2” deep, with a back wall 8” high. This year, I look forward to doing more shows to share the Cortland Display Cases with miniature hobbyists.” GETINtouch GETIN touch
The Cortland Cases 857 N. Lyman Ave Covina, CA 91724-2260 Phone: 626-332-1747 Email: info@cortlandcases
[email protected] .com Web: www.cortlandcases.com
2014 Friday Workshops
“I took a Friday class from IGMA Fellow Beth Freeman-Kane, Freeman-Kane, South Africa,” Afri ca,” says says Trici Tricia a Weber Weber,, Royal Royal Oaks, CA. “We made a little sculpture vignette of a Lazuli Bunting perched on an ox eye daisy, with meadow flowers and grasses. I looked at this tiny, stark white bird figure and realized that the intent was that I was going to somehow learn to transform it. I followed Beth’s clear, concise directions and felt free to experiment and modify. Here is my finished project.”
“In my half-day Potter’s Wheel workshop, students made a realistic potter’s kick wheel in 1:12 or 1:24 scale,” says Craig Roberts, Roberts, IGMA Artisan. “They also made a number of different tools used in throwing pottery, plus more. We had great conversations and they did beautiful work. Future plans varied from ‘I think I’ll just look at it for awhile’ to creating a two story pottery workshop and gallery.” DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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On Friday, IGMA Fellow Sarah Evans offered Evans offered a one-day workshop to make a hooked rug. “I taught students the intricacies of working with the Russian Punchneedle, Punchneed le, how to work with cotton and/or silk floss, and finishing techniques. The culmination this year was when several students sought me out to purchase new kits to take home and work on.” GETINtouch GETIN touch
Strawberry Creek Designs Sarah Anne Evans 541 Louisiana Street Vallejo, CA 94590 Phone: 707-567-6726 Email: saevans@soni
[email protected] c.net Web: coalshedstudios coalshedstudios.com .com
Ruth Stewart, Stewart, Stewart Dollhouse Creations, Creations, offered a morning of fun making Sliceable Pumpkin Cakes. “Students made pumpkin vines, leaves, and learned some basic cake decorating,” Ruth says. “I had a wonderful time with friends--teaching friends--teaching and learning from them. Everyone did a fabulous job making cakes, and my class was an utter joy to teach.”
Fine furniture maker Layne Halliday offered Halliday offered a Friday afternoon workshop to craft a beautiful Hexagonal Burl Wood Tray. Students learned to cut wood accurately, then sand and varnish the tray. “The class went very well. I had one student who had never held a saw in her hand. She was able to finish and have a nice tray.”
Sue Veeder , IGMA Fellow, offered a Friday morning class to paint a cat. “Each student received a handsculpted, Super Sculpey cat. Class participants learned fine painting details, including the eyes and paw pads. I also taught a technique for adding a longer fur look to the cat. They each adopted a cat and gave it the personality it was asking for, so it was a lot of fun.” 44
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2014 Exhibits
Cynthia Howe “Dutch Baby House in quarter-inch scale.” Exhibitor Cynthia Howe of Santa Maria, CA shares, “This 17-inch Dutch Baby House was made by Bespaq exclusively for Cynthia Howe Miniatures. All furnishings are from my new quarter-scale kits. The lighting includes several of my new 3D printed quater-inch scale lamps.” GETINtouch GETIN touch
Cynthia Howe Miniatures Phone: 805-739-1701 Email:
[email protected] Website: http://cynthiahoweminiatures.com
Connie Sauve “Where to, Lady? was inspired by this wonderful taxi (circa 1931) I found at a HomeGoods store,” says Connie Sauve, Stockton, CA. I costumed the taxi driver and the lady, who is leaving for a big trip. She is carrying Molly, her Miniature Yorkie (which replicates my own Yorkie). I used real hair from my dog on my miniature version.” Connie is the Good Sam Exhibit Chairman and an IGMA Fellow in Figures (Costuming).
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Betty Herman “Eliza’s Tea Shoppe is named for my grandmother,” says Betty Herman, Walnut Creek, CA. “My husband Larry modified and finished the room box by Gary Bernard. I did everything else. Highlights: Stained glass window by Barbara Sabia. Chandeliers by Getzan. Three English dolls by Jill Nix. English tea food by Lesley Kimsal. Silver tea service by Pete Acquisto. Chairs by William Clinger. Porcelain teapots and plates by Valerie Casson and Beate.”
Lynn Miller “San Francisco Millennium Celebration.” “The clock tower was originally designed by Joan McLean, and called Millennium Clock,” says Lynn Miller, Mountain View, CA. “After purchasing Joan’s designs, the MiniCals offered the clock in a 2014 workshop. The name inspired me to redo the 2000 millennium celebration in San Francisco. The project is multi-scale, with a 1:144-scale Victorian town house overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.”
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Judy Pick “Harley Farms Goat Dairy.” “Some friends sent an invitation to their wedding at the Harley Goat Farm. I thought that it was an unusual site for a Wedding,” says Judy Pick, San Jose, CA. “But I was so impressed with the setting that I made this quarter-scale scene as a gift for them!” Judy is in charge of the popular Sunday morning Tools T ools & Techn Technique iquess program program at Good Sam.
Moonyeen Moller “Flowers, Flowers, Flowers.” “Most of the flowers and plants were made by me,” says long-time exhibitor Moonyeen Moller, Foster City, CA. “The project was inspired by a scene shown on Pinterest by Pascale Garnier of France. Pascale has become known for her fine miniature flower kits with instructions in French and English. The doll was created by the talented Melissa Drapeau, Ocala, Florida.”
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A Wee eerr of Mi Mini niat atur ure e Ma Mak ker ers s What happens with talented miniature artisans get together? Answer: They make a “weer” (Old English for “very small”) creation. “It all started with my being invited to teach with Jamie Carrington (doll maker) on the Mini Cruise ‘14,” says Laura Crain, Dollhouse Land. “We set sail in Venice, Italy and cruised around the Grecian Islands. I taught a 1:12 scale workshop showing students various landscaping techniques, then how to incorporate a slate path and hand-built gate. What could be more fun than traveling and making minis at the same time!” Bridget McCarty added, “I made Laura Crain’s garden on the cruise ship out at sea. I had a lot of fun especially since I had not ‘gardened’ in miniature before. Mike Barbour’s peacock is from my personal collection. It looks so beautiful in the scene.” “I loved the garden with peacock when I saw it on Bridget’s table at the 2014 Good Sam Show,” says doll maker Pat Boldt. “I am always looking for scenes to display my porcelain dolls. The little doll is a Bru antique reproduction. She is 4” tall, and dressed in an ecru silk and cotton lace costume. And, there there you have it! 48
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To keep informed about To the 2015 Show, visit: http://goodsamsho case.miniature.net. Blog: http://goodsa show.blogspot.com. Facebook: GoodSam ShowcaseOf Miniatures
GETINtouch GETIN touch
Dollhouse Land Laura Crain 27134A Paseo Espada, Ste 304 San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 Phone: 949-496-9841 Email:
[email protected] [email protected] om
PROJECT
to glue or NOT TO GLUE If you are looking for a way to “stick it” then this article may be of some help. Here are some things to think about when making your choice. By Auralea Krieger
O
ne of the most popular debates in miniatures is do you glue it or tack it? I have heard many different debates and preferences over the years, but there is no right or wrong answer because there are too many variables to consider, which makes it more of a case-by-case situation. When contemplating how you want to approach your decision to glue or tack, you must first ask yourself several questions. -Do you want to move the item in the future? -What surface material will the item be adhered to? -How valuable is the piece to be adhered? -Does the item have an artist signature beneath or behind it? -How do you prefer to clean your miniatures? -What room temperatures will the final project be exposed to? The most important consideration is to determine what needs to be permanently glued into place and what needs to be removable. The best way to learn anything is by experience, but luckily miniaturists are a generous sort. After doing much research online and speaking with various artists and crafters, as well as using my own experience, I was able to put together these tips and facts on the preferred methods of gluing and
tacking. Keep in mind this article is based solely on decorative items and furnishings, not construction.
Permanent solutions Because I am someone who embraces change, for me nothing is really ever permanent. So when I say say,, “permanently glued” what I mean is that the glued item will not let go without causing some sort of damage to the surface it is adhered to. I have listed some of the favorites for miniaturists from the most permanent to the least: Super Glue, The Ultimate! glue, wood glue, Fabri-Tac, Tacky Glue, PVA glue, and hot glue. A few may be easier to “unstick” than others by prying the item up with a knife, but most will securely hold items in place even when turned upside down. These are ideal glues to use for room boxes that will be picked up and looked at with a closer eye, or mini projects that will need to be transported. If you are blessed with a curious cat that can’t resist trying to squeeze into your little dollhouse rooms, then permanent glues will be a heaven-sent solution for you! There are many people who feel each mini project is a work of art and have no intention of ever adding or taking away anything from it once it has been declared complete. In this case, permanently gluing things in place is a must. Another great
reason to glue is if there is a heavier piece of furniture in the room that, if accidently tipped over, could damage smaller more delicate pieces, such as a curio cabinet full of wee treasures. How you prefer to clean your dollhouse is a conversation in itself, which I will be discussing in a later issue. If you use canned air or compressed air to spray the dust out of your dollhouse, than permanently gluing things in place will make it easiest for you. If you are not familiar with canned air, it’s compressed air in a spray can, which is typically used to clean computer keyboards. It is great for dollhouses as well.
Non-permanent solutions There are a variety of products to use for non-permanent sticking. They all seem to have pros and cons, so finding the right one for you will depend on a few factors. The most popular in no particular order are: Blu Tack, T ack, paintable movable glue, sticky dots, glue dots, clear bathtub caulking, museum wax, and tacky wax. These products are ideal for those who are working on an ongoing dollhouse or a project that is always being added to, or for those who enjoy rearranging rooms and decorating them for holidays. If you happen to be a collector and have many pieces in your miniature collection
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from all of your favorite artists, then you would not want to permanently glue them down, especially if there is an artist’s artist’s signature on the bottom. Personally,, I would have issue putting Personally anything under it for fear it would stain or damage the signature, but this is only a personal choice. So let’s go through some of the options available for removable adhesives, starting with the most well-known adhesive, Blu-Tack.
Blu-Tack This is a reusable putty-like adhesive that t hat is pressure sensitive. It now comes in a variety of colors, but the most common color is blue. While this is a quick and easy way to adhere an item in place, there are a few drawbacks. The most obvious is that it seems no matter how small of a piece you use, there is still that small relentless amount of blue sticking out from under your magnificent vase that’s sitting atop your exquisitely made corner table. It’s much like walking out of the restroom with toilet paper stuck to your shoe—it can be a bit unsightly! The other issues are that it is a challenge to get an object to sit level on putty, and it does have a tendency to stain and turn brittle over time. There is similar putty called QuakeHold! that is an off-white color. color. Some miniaturists swear by it and claim it is stronger than other putties. They say even a small amount is still strong.
Paintable movable glue Moveable Miniatures Glue is a tacky adhesive. If you paint it on the base of an item and then place the piece on a clean, smooth surface it will do the trick. Hot temperatures have no effect on its strength. This product will need to dry for one hour between coats and three coats are needed. It is water based, non-toxic, and can be removed with alcohol. Dirt, dust, and moving the object over time will take the tack away.
Adhesive dots Sticky dots and glue dots are doublesided adhesive circles that stick instantly to almost any surface. Be warned that they can be very sticky. To apply, it is easiest to remove them from the wax paper by
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pressing the item you want to stick directly on the dot. Then pull it off and place the item where you desire. There are also mini dots available. These dots do tend to be troublesome to remove. They leave a sticky residue and can sometimes damage a piece because they are so strong. They can also ruin fabric. These are not helpful in hanging frames, as they will give way over time. This product also tends to move over time if it is not used on a flat surface. It is still a good solution for the right item if you have loads of patience. Another similar solution is double-sided sticky Scotch tape or mounting squares. You Y ou can cut a very small piece and place it under your item. But beware, over time there may be residue when you attempt to remove it and it may rip wallpaper.
Clear bathtub caulking I was excited to hear about this one and am curious to try it. Apparently Apparently,, it doesn’t leave a stain and only a very small drop is needed. The drawback may be the drying time, which would be 12 to 24 hours. I would love to hear from anyone who has tried this!
Wax Finally, there is museum wax Finally, and tacky wax. These are my personal favorites, but there are still a few things to be aware of. If the temperature is too warm it will melt. I would not recommend using it for permanently hanging frames on walls because over time it will give way and will also stain wallpaper. It will, however, easily wipe off of wood finishes and accessories. A quick and easy way to clean wax off a miniature item is to use a candle wax remover similar to Weiman Wax Away. Wax may stain unfinished wood or woods with a flat finish. This is a perfect solution for
a scene with many small items on display display.. It only takes a very small amount and once you press the item into place you’re done! If you bring in a few more items or need to rearrange, no problem. Just pick up the item, wipe away any residue left behind and wax tack down your new items. Wax is a perfect solution for projects that are ever changing and evolving. It is also ideal for valuable or expensive items that you don’t want to damage. So there you have it! There are many products, but it all comes down to your personal preference and your needs. If you have any comments or know of more solutions I would love to hear from you. DHM BELOW: The shelf has been permanently glued with Tacky Glue. The items on the shelf have a tiny amount of wax under them. The frame, in this case, was adhered with wax because it is an extremely light wood frame and I may want to switch it out someday.
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bigBUZZ In a nutshell writing contest This issue our nutshell winner is Kathleen Ferrari who has finished her Sea Mist Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage
and is excited to share it with us on page 81 of this issue. We will be sending Kathleen a very special prize for sharing her project with us! We love seeing the variety of projects our readers create, so why don’t you tell us about your favorite creation? Please keep your stories around 500 words, accompanied by pictures of you and your special project. Send to “In a
Nutshell Writing Contest,” Dollhouse Miniatures, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944. You may also send your entries via e-mail to
[email protected]. Please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and email address. The deadline for our next issue is Friday, March 20, 2015.
DHM’s s Big DHM’
Buzz section is the place to check out contests, products, news, and views. Are you celebrating a milestone? Do you have a great product or kit to share? Do you know of a great website? Use these pages to spread the big buzz to other miniaturists like you! Please submit items of interest to: DHM, Big Buzz, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944. Or email
[email protected].
New storefront opens in Hastings-on-Hudson The Metro New York City area welcome a BIG introduction into the miniature world with the opening of D. Thomas Fine Miniatures which will open on Thursday, November 20, 2014. The new storefront on Warburton Avenue in the village of Hastings-on Hudson, is brimming with the charm, wonder and excitement of fine scale miniatures and designed to excite and inspire visitors of all ages. D. Thomas Fine Miniatures is a retail destination featuring artisan dollhouses and top quality collectibles including 1:12-scale furniture and accessories. D. Thomas Fine ne Miniatures will also offer DIY/ workshops and classes taught by master artists and craftsmen in the field. The concept, designed to appeal to collectors, crafters and enthusiasts at all skill levels and abilities, was created, in part, to raise awareness of miniatures as a decorative art form and to introduce the discipline not only to a new generation, but to those who may just be discovering it. The shop also features a galley space showcasing works in miniature by well-known artisans from all over the world. D. Thomas Fine Miniatures was created by Darren Thomsa Scala, a Brooklyn-born artist and brand marketer in the corporate beauty and cosmetics categories. Scala says, “I’ve always had a passion for miniatures. It’s
been my dream to create a space where I could introduce miniatures to the public and generate the same level of excitement I have for these pieces.” Born to Italian-American parents, Scala was inspired at an early age to dream, build and create. While studying at Emerson College in Boston, MA, he further honed in on his creative abilities and earned a degree in the communication arts and sciences. “Miniatures have thrilled for centuries,” Mr. Scala explains, “the pharaohs in Egypt were buried with replicas of full size items and structures they had owned.” Today, some people dedicate entire rooms in their homes and fill them with miniature marvels from commercial offerings to intricately detailed works of fine art.” “There is seduction in scale that transcends time,” Scala explains. “Miniatures truly capture the imagination and provide opportunity to dream, discover and explore.” A fully integrated integrated e-commerc e-commerce e website, to reach a broad audience and to expose new consumers and enthusiasts, will launch in early 2015. The D. Thomas Fine Miniatures retail shop is located at 579 Warburton Avenue #6, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY in the Movie House Mews. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Sundays 12Noon-5pm.
write and let us know of his location, along with sending in your name, address, email address, and phone number to “Little Nut Hunt – Issue 44,” Dollhouse Miniatures, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944 or fax your entry to (507) 634-7691, or email
[email protected]. The
deadline for finding Snickers is Friday, March 20, 2015. Good 2015. Good luck!
The great little nut hunt Snickers was found on page 21 of DHM issue issue 43 (Jan-Feb 2015), by the Venetian Venetia n stand made by T.A. Gozeski. This month, our random winner was Katheen Clynes, who correctly found Snickers. As a thank you for the correct answer, we are sending a Project DVD that will hopefully help her find inspiration for any upcoming projects. We hope you enjoy this mini gift! But oh no! Snickers can’t sit still for long, and in this issue he’s run off to find another new hiding place for his special acorn! If you happen to find him, please
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BIG BUZZ
“Small Worlds” exhibition of historic dolls’ houses from the 18th and 19th centuries A collection of historic dollhouses and miniature furniture made in the 1700s and 1800s, which have never before been on public display, will be exhibited at No. 1 Royal Crescent in Bath from May 9 to November 8 2015. These amazin amazing g ob jects are part of t he private collection of Liza Antrim and will be on display for the first time. This is a rare opportunity to engage a wide range of people with the heritage of childhood and will reveal a fascinating social history of the period. Ten T en dollhouses will be on show in the Brownsword Gallery and within the rooms of No. 1 itself, an authentic Georgian townhouse revealing life above and below stairs nearly 250 years ago. The Small Worlds exhibition will include a dollhouse made in Bristol for the children of local chocolate maker Francis Fry in c1840 (“The Fry House”). The oldest dolls’ house “Bellamy’ss House” was made c1762 and “Bellamy’ shows little evidence of having been played with. Displays of miniature furniture, textiles and dolls will be displayed alongside information about who made these items and how they have survived. Often it was the children from impoverished backgrounds who made the houses and furniture these two centuries ago, to be played with by those in wealthier households. Children from the Ragged Schools, under the direction of Octavia Hill, made fine and intricate items to be sold by the Ladies’ Guild in 19th Century London under the label of “Art Toys”. T oys”. The T he more robust furniture made by Evans & Cartwright was also to a large extent made using child labour, with the
workers involved in every stage of manufacture from pressing and soldering to japanning and painting. With examples on display, Small Worlds will enlighten as well as delight. The exhibition will be supported by a variety of lectures and events, including creative workshops, storytelling and handling collection sessions.
Waffle on a plate giveaway Amanda Phillips has donated this 1:12-scale waffle on a plate to giveaway! You You can win this waffle by entering this contest! Send your entry to waffle on a plate giveaway DHM , 68132 250th Ave., Kasson, MN 55944. You may also send your entries via email to
[email protected]. Please be sure to include your name and address. The deadline for this contest is Friday, March 20, 2015.
For further information please contact: Janey Abbott, Communications Officer, Officer, Bath Preservation Trust. Phone: 01225 338727. Email:
[email protected]
An S.O.S. S.O.S. from a fellow fellow miniaturist Laura Long, from Bradenton, FL is trying to find a Sept 2000 Dollhouse Miniature Magazine for the article on the Town Village Church. She is in the process of building the Village Series and is missing that issue. If anyone can help her please email
[email protected].
Modern chair winner In our last issue of DHM we donated 1:12scale modern chair to giveaway. We have randomly selected Boden Spade of Sagle, ID to be our winner for this modern chair contest! Congratulations Boden!
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construct a GRAND ENTRY Follow along with Jo Bevilacqua in part two of this extensive tutorial and create your own magnicent framed miniature entrance way. By Jo Bevilacqua YOU’LL YOU ’LLneed
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his tutorial is a continuation from Jo’ss step-by-step creation of a Jo’ one-inch scale framed entrance way. Part on of this tutorial was in DHM43. If you have been following along, you now have your structure built and it is time to lay stone and begin putting some things together!
Preparing the stone Step 1: Sort out all of the stone by size on a large piece of cardboard. I used just over two bags for my project. Organize an equal amount of each size and color into six separate groups.
Step 3: Add the paints to create the six different shades that appear slightly different to each container. See list below for the six categories. Once all six colors are mixed, seal up the ones that are not being used (this material dries quickly if left open).
Stone categories 1. Beige mixture: Linen and brown 2. Gray mixture: Linen, black, and brown 3. Grayish-green mixture: Italian Slate, black, brown 4. Goldish-tan and brown 5. Sienna and black 6. Barn wood
u Stone
– Andi’s Mini brick-one bag of brown cut fieldstone and one bag of gray cut fieldstone, it may take a third partial bag u Spackling
– white for acrylic additive for colors (used to stipple bricks) Adhesive u Adhesive
and Grout (unsanded) for wall finish u Folk
Art craft paint – Barn Wood, Burnt Umber, Italian Sage, white, black, Linen, Avocado, Burn Sienna, and a gold/tan color u Stippling u Box
brush
cutter with breakaway blade
u Tub-and-tile
Step 2: Put 3 to 4 tablespoons of
Step 4: Moisten a stipple brush with
spackling in six small sealable containers.
water, dry it off with a paper towel and then
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caulk in a tube
Painter’s s u Painter’
blue tape
u Masking
tape
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apply each stone surface with the paint so that the tops have only a slight texture and color,, but nothing on the edges. The stone color will be pushed tightly together with no grout lines so the edges need to be as they are.
Step 7: The arch wall should be a loose
Step 5: Now take your six painted groups
using the alcove floor, the arch front wall, and the front subfloor. Measure the sides left and right for the mirrors to be cut. You will need this in order to mark the perimeter before you put down any stone. The mirrors were both 41 / 2 ” x 15 ¼”.
of stone and organize them by size.
Step 6: Using the spackling material, Stipple the archway (3 pieces) the bases (2 pieces) the half round strips (2 pieces), the floor trim (1 piece), the balsa strip (1 piece) and the UM28 strip. Stipple all these pieces using 2-3 of the stipple colors. I used 3 layers of colors here. Once all the stone and components have been stippled. Let them dry over night.
component along with the alcove subfloor, subfloor, front subfloor, subfloor, and 2 steps, until installation.
Mirrors and marking the perimeters Step 1: Dry fit the entire box together
Step 2: The mirror should fit slightly loose, but sized to slide in and out without hanging and be about 1 / 8” short of the front edges. Place the mirrors in one at a time using blue tape to secure them.
Step 3: Use a mechanical pencil to tightly mark the perimeter of the mirrors fitting up
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to the arch wall. Mark on each side of the front arch wall.
the left and right walls along the perimeter sides where the subfloor touches the walls and across the ceiling up to the arch wall.
Step 4: Dry fit the steps on the front sub floor, centered on the archway wall. Pencil floor, the area on the front arch wall where the steps come up to the arch wall.
Step 7: Later Later,, the stucco will be applied up to this perimeter. You won’t need to mark the back of the arch wall since it won’t have any paint or stucco added to it.
Step 8: Remove and store the mirrors safely,, you won’t use them until the end. safely
Laying the stone Step 1: We will begin at the top two
Note: Make sure you have the left, right walls marked up to the subfloor and the ceiling all around the top of the arch wall, marked onto the ceiling. This shows when the components are removed your wall perimeters to be painted for the ceiling and walls of the alcove.
Step 5: Using the mechanical pencil, mark the interior of the alcove, entering through the door hole in the back (hold the front arch wall tightly while doing this). Mark on
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corners. Lay the stone where you can still barely see the pencil line and dry fit about six stones at a time and then use craft glue to adhere those stones in place. Also you can draw lines on the front wall as a grid mark to keep as a reference on laying the stone straight. Use a ruler to do this.
Step 2: Avoid lining up the cracks, try to stager laying the stone as much as you can, you will have to do some cutting. Also DO NOT use all the larger stones for convenience; you will wind up with a lot of small stones at the end.
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middle and then downward on each side.
Step 6: Stop a couple of inches before the step area and begin to fit the stone along the pencil line. Fill in to meet the two directions together. Repeat the other side.
Step 7: When
Step 3: Use an X-Acto saw to make cuts. Mark the desired cut line with the mechanical pencil then gently using the saw. Let the weight of the saw rest on the top of the stone. They are fragile and the friction is enough to cut through the stone, once you are down almost half way, use the blade to snap the stone by moving it to the left or right and the stone should snap.
Step 4: Then file the stone smoothly on the cut side or remove more to make it fit. Save any small pieces, they can be used later in tight spaces.
the stone face of the structure has setup, dry fit it into the box, then add the front subfloor with the steps. The steps should fit in smoothly; mark the step area on the top step where the stone on the wall over hangs. This will be the line to lay the stone up to. Everything should fit like a puzzle once the steps are laid in stone. Now would be a good time to test fit the mirrors. If any stone is blocking the mirror mirror,, file or sand that down now.
finished and then repeat on the next step.
Step 4: When the steps are finished, test fit them again on the sub floor, adjust if needed. Let the steps and the structure’s wall dry. Remember you have a slight row of stone to put on the threshold of the arch wall floor (the part where the arch wall thickness is showing). Also the front pathway will need a row of stone up to the front step.
Step 5: Lay out stone on the thickness of the arch wall area from one side to the other on the threshold. Set those stone aside for last.
Seal the stone Steps Step 1: Begin laying the stones on the fascia of the steps (NOT THE TOPS) stopping at the edges, side to side, not overlapping.
Use a matte sealer to spray the stone surfaces. Use two coats on the steps and the front of the structure. Spray outside let it set up in a vented area. This sealer will keep the stone from absorbing the stain like a sponge and will allow more working time. DHM
Step 2: Once the fascia is Step 5: Lay the stone across the entire top, corner to corner then begin working on the
laid, begin by putting stone on the tops of the stepsremember to avoid the penciled areas on the right and left of the top step! The stone laid over the tops can over hang the fronts by 1 / 8” or just under, but do not overhang on the left and right sides.
Step 3: Dry fit the first five stones and then glue those all at one time. Repeat until
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A fair airyy tail in miniatur miniaturee The ever-popular fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood is brought to life in this miniature scene set inside a faux book with the big bad wolf. By Julie Campbell IGMA Artisan airy tales have been a part par t of acters from the stories to life. If they human culture for thousands couldn’t be made, then I would spend of years. They are a part of our hours sketching them. Then my focus childhood and, perhaps, the turned towards giving makeovers to lessons we learned from them at a Barbie, Tressy, young age carry c arry on with us as adults. and Daisy dolls. In fact, they could even be viewed as They would get tips for survival to new generations. new handmade Julie Campbell Campb ell has always a lways loved lo ved outfits and radical reading fairy tales, so it is no surprise haircuts. I suppose that fairy tale characters have always things haven’t been a big part of her doll making. changed that She remembers when it all started. much really!” Professionally, Julie has been Julie Campbell has enjoying making always loved reading miniature dolls for twelve years. fairy tales, so it is She is a full-time doll maker and no surprise that her dolls can be fairy tale characters found online and at a select numhave always been a ber of European big part of her doll miniature shows.
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“As an imaginative child I would make tiny dolls to live inside matchboxes, as well as finger puppets, peg dolls, and rag dolls. I was a voracious reader and would try to bring char58 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
TOP: This little Red has a twinkle in her eye and won’t be fooled by any wolf. RIGHT: The exterior of the book-box was covered in tissue to look like old leather.
She hopes to return to the Chicago miniature show in the future. The magic all happens happe ns in her garden studio at her home in Tyneside,
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UK. With her faithful and most important gadget, a wooden smoothing tool, she first sculpts each character from polymer clay. Most of the time is spent on working out the facial expression to suit the character she is making. Even while meticulously perfecting the doll sculpt, she is already deciding on the coloring and hairstyle the doll will have. Her dolls are painted with Genesis Heat-Set Artist Oils, which give them a beautifully natural coloring. Once the painting process is complete, the doll’s characters becomes perfectly clear to her and often the doll turns out to be quite different then how she planned it to be. Preferring her dolls to have some movement, Julie constructs them with poseable posea ble arms and legs.
RIGHT AND BELOW: Every detail helps to tell this popular story, even down to the buckles on Red Riding Hood’s shoes. Mr. Wolf is dressed with extra flare to help add to his persuasive charm.
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You ca You can n se see e by studying Julie’s Red Riding Hood doll that she is a clever girl with good wits about her.
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“The costumes are permanently hand-sewn onto the dolls. I use natural fabrics, fine cottons, muslins, and silks and strive for as much realism as possible. Although I prefer to work in one-inch scale, every now and then I do something smaller and I also enjoy making tiny toys to accessories my dolls.” Little Red Riding Hood was al ways one of Julie’s favorite fair fairyy tales. She was inspired by Little Red’s determination to ignore the wolf and to continue on to grandma’s house. She also got a thrill from the scary part of the story when Little Red realizes what big teeth grandma gra ndma had! You Y ou can see se e by studying studyi ng Julie’s Red Riding Hood doll that she is a clever girl with good wits about her. “When it came to making Little Red, I gave her some attitude! You can tell from her face she doesn’t trust that wolf DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
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Fun fact The earlie earliest st version versionss of the the Little Little Red Riding Hood story traces back to the 17th century. Some are very different from the fable we have grown to love. In some she escapes with no help from anyone and in others she doesn’t even wear a red cape. The first known printed version in 1697 was titled Le Petit Chaperon Rouge by Charles Perrault and was part of the collection Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals. Tales of Mother Goose (Histoires et contes du temps passé, avec des moralités. Contes de ma mère l’Oye).
ter. Then she fixed it into the front of the book. Looking back, she believes the task of creating the tree took even longer than making both of the dolls. The scene is set inside i nside a papierp apiermâché box that is shaped like a book. She had loads of fun decorating it. A combination of tissue paper and PVA glue were used to create a faux leather effect on the cover. Then she painted it in a deep red. One side of the book was covered with a page p age from f rom an antique anti que book of fairy tales. The other side was painted with a scene sc ene showing grandma’s cottage in the distance. For a finishing touch she put together some Bonnie ABOVE: The inside of the box was painted paper flower kits to add to I have such a love for Lavish to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood by by the scene. What a wonderful way to showing Grandma’s house in the distance. remember childhood fairy tales in miniatures because miniature! I am fascinated one little bit.” “I have such a love for miniatures Creating the wolf was something because I am fascinated that we can c an that we can create new for Julie, but she dove right in create incredibly detailed miniature incredibly detailed and the results were magnificent. “I versions of life-siz life-sizee objects and hold always thought that for Little Red them in the palm of our hands! It’s miniature versions to stop and talk to the wolf, he must all about the detail for me, and with have seemed rather friendly. So I my dolls I really strive to make them of life-size objects made my wolf a dapper fellow and look like tiny little people. The exand hold them in the dressed him in a dashing silk waistpression on their faces, the wrinkles, coat and cloak. I don’t often make and tilt of their head down to the palm of our hands! animal sculpts, so he was a challenge tiny detailing of costumes and drapfor me. It was a lot of fun to mark ing give them the realism I strive for. his fur and give him a suitable canine was a real rea l treat to work on.” I just love everything about creating face. I also loved making his costume Julie made the t he tree f rom wire, floral miniatures, as well as being a collec with the beautiful silk brocade. broca de. He tape, layers of paint, and scenic scattor, too.”
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A house with many rooms Gabriele Layne takes us on a tour of her custom made twenty-one room cabinet dollhouse that was built to store her magnifcent collection. By Gabriele Layne PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA MARTIN
n 2000 my husband built this cabinet dollhouse for me using a plan I had sketched, which included twenty-one rooms. This amount of rooms was required to store my large collection of miniatures. My collection had grown even more after being able to sell my handmade miniatures at shows. While there, I was able to purchase exquisite pieces from many international artisans. Since we had just moved I was not yet employed, employed, so so this was the perfect time to fulfill my dream of having a mansion for my treasures. The dollhouse cabinet exterior was painted in Wedgewood Wedgewood blue and the front f ront door was painted red. Then twenty windows were inserted. Over the next few months I painted, applied wallpaper, laid floors, and inserted doors, fireplaces, floorboards, and moldings. Curtains still need to be added for each window, but the house is an ongoing project. Finally, the interiors were complete and the rooms were ready to be filled with my treasures! I spent spent many happy hours opening shoeboxes and un-
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wrapping the miniatures from tissue paper. Hundreds of pieces were placed carefully into the house. It was like Christmas as I opened hundreds of tiny wrapped presents. Cabinet House tour
Because of my passion for shops, the six large rooms created on the bottom half of the dollhouse all became little specialty stores. On the left side is an antique store, underneath
it is the Oriental Imports shop, and a potter’s workshop is on the bottom floor. On the right side there is a dressmaker’s shop, below it is a bakery with a café, and a florist shop is on the bottom floor. The three rooms in the bottom bottom center include the stairwell. The bottom floor is the entrance with a bench and hat racks, side table, umbrella stand, and mirror. The stairs lead up to the middle floor showing a small
TOP: The cabinet dollhouse when it is closed. RIGHT: Gabriele’s 21-room cabinet dollhouse. hown here with the doors oen.
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LEFT: rs. andmann runs the antique store, which is filled with many historic items. BELOW: This sho is filled with so many wonderful treasures you start to forget that it is a miniature scene and think you are looking at real antiues. This sho secialized in ewter but there are many other exciting items throughout the sace including antique bedwarmers, vintage cash registers, and walking canes.
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cabinet, and the top floor is the office which is used for working on administrative tasks for the household and the shops. The twelve rooms above above that are the living areas for the family and the hired help. The bedrooms on the top floor from left to right include a room for the little girl, the twins, Grandma and Grandpa, and the nanny. The floor underneath of that has has a family room, bedroom for the parents with the nursery adjacent, and a bathroom on the end. Directly over the shops is a living room, which is connected to the dining room, the kitchen, and a utility room with an extra toilet. Every room has either cats or dogs, which I have all named. Among them is Lucky, a German shepherd mix and Smokey the Labrador; these are my true-life dogs. The residents
The people who live in the house ho use are named after family members and friends. Wilhelm and Maria were my grandparents; Walter and Rosa Maria were my parents. pare nts. I created a book with pictures to read to my granddaughter Joy. She received it for Christmas 2013 and I had to translate the text into the German language for her. This way she will wi ll learn the names of o f her grandma’s family to remember when she grows up. She was amused when she also recognized mommy and daddy and some of her family and friends in the story. Walter W alter comes f rom a family famil y of bankers and he purchased the residence, which was built in the city of Berlin, Germany, at the turn of the century. After many years of hard work he fulfilled fulfi lled his dream d ream of openop ening a variety of shops in the same building he resided in. Being a collector of fine art and collectables, he traveled extensively all over the world. He was especially fascinated with oriental artifacts. To be able to bring these items to his customers, he opened the Oriental Imports shop.
TOP AND ABOVE: An overall view of the riental morts sho. There are beautiful ieces of art made from metal wood and china. RIGHT: Exquisite vases and figurines fill the sho along with a few signature ieces of furniture.
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ABOVE: A beautiful fan is the backdro for tiny keesakes and vases. xotic birds are dislayed in a glass case and a tea set sits ato a stylish table with drawers. LEFT: Reinhard’s office reflects his hectic schedule as well as his hobbies. t looks as though he has some visitors waiting for him. BELOW: A close u of einhards desk. ts all in the details!
The antique anti que store specialize spe cializess in pewter items, but also offers an assortment of other vintage items including copper pudding molds, porcelain painted portraits, enamel pictures of ships, coffee mills, weapons, and helmets. There is also a knight’s armor, clocks, watches, ivory and rare wood walking sticks and canes, world globes, bottles, and even a cradle and highchair. The walls are adorned with plates, sconces, and pictures. The shopkeeper shopke eper is Mrs. Bandmann, she runs the shop with expertise acquired from many years in the business. Her dog, d og, Sparky, is with her during the day and he is always curious. Here he is seen peering into 64 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
a gramophone that is on the floor. Retired now n ow,, Walter Walter passed pa ssed on the business to his oldest son, Reinhard, who has taken ta ken over the management and runs the shops from his office on the third floor. He can be found working on the books most of the day and looking in on the shops daily to see if everything is in order. The children chi ldren are allowed a llowed to visit visi t him anytime and play with the family dog Tippy, but they have been told not to touch anything on his desk or his
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ABOVE AND RIGHT: ome little furry friends reside in the aquarium, which seem to have attracted the attention of a bigger furry friend. Walter sits back and relaxes with his family surrounded by other treasures.
precious camera or fishing rod. After many years of working, Walter now enjoys sitting in the family room surrounded by his collections playing the piano and games with his great-grandchildren Katharina, Patric, and Emilie. He also enjoys telling stories of his travels abroad to anyone who shows interest. His extensive collection includes seashells in shadow boxes, ivory carvings, paintings, beer mugs, painted pewter figures, books, and brass figurines. Lucky, the dog, sits patiently in his basket waiting and hoping for some attention and a walk later on. In the next issue of DHM we will pay a visit to more family members and rooms in this treasure-filled cabinet dollhouse dollhouse.. DHM
ABOVE AND RIGHT: The girls are enoying utting together a uzzle as well as many other games in the family room. There are many different activities for them to enoy in this room. A random random collection collection of items lay strewed across the desk. LEFT: A butterfly collection, an intricately carved box, and decorative beer steins add more interest to the room.
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The new new shop shop in Smallsea Diane and Howard Birnberg add the newest addition to their miniature metropolis. Enjoy browsing through Palliser’s Fine Porcelains. By Diane Birnberg ome step into the miniaon a building spree adding building ture metropolis of Smallsea! after building. Located in Carmel, CaliforLast year, with only two new buildnia, Smallsea depicts the city ings on the agenda and a couple of center of a fictional city in Edwardian renovations, the timing was perfect. England circa 1900 to 1905. From the As always, I drew up the plans, decidbakery to the brewery to the seaport ed on the exterior finish, windows, and to the city’s city ’s town hall—it is all there doors, and sketched out the interior to see in meticulous detail. In addition design. As my husband, Howard, built to the buildings, there are horses and the structure and finished the exterior, exteri or, carriages, busses, and early automoI bought the biles. A population of more than furniture and 1,000 miniature dolls goes about the fittings for the daily routines of city cit y life. shop. Smallsea is the collection of DiFor Palliser’s, Palliser ’s, ane and Howard Birnberg. Together I also used they build the structures and collect a couple of all the miniatures and dolls. Artists vintage pieces and premier dealers from all over the from my collec world have assisted in making making their tion including miniature city come to life. Diane a Spielwaren gives us a tour of the latest addition to dining table this community. that, though it A porcelain shop was always on our is slightly out list of buildings for our little town of scale, works of Smallsea, but I have a strict rule r ule as a display that we only start construction when TOP: The exterior I have a good part of the items for of the new addithe interior of a building collected. tion to Smallsea. Wee waited eight years for me to start W start RIGHT: This lovely the design process on Palliser’s Fine little store is full of Porcelains. During those years, besides the finest porcelain collections. collecting for this shop, we were also
C
66 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
table. As As we were going for a very elegant shop with lots of green, gold, and floral accents, I decided to paint a cartouche on the main back wall to imitate a porcelain pattern. I also faux painted the columns and created a decoupage effect on most of the display tabletops. Once the basics of the interior design elements were finished, I wired
FEATURE
the wonderful Heidi Ott chandeliers. Even though this was a small building, we decided to overdo the number of chandeliers to heighten the sparkle of the porcelain pieces and glassware. The effect, once we had everything in place, was just what we wanted. It is true; I am a dishes addict! Oh, but not just dishes—plates of all kinds, teapots, vases, and bowls—I collected collected them all in full size. Meissen and French ma jolica, Fiesta ware, ware, and and Catalina… my tastes were wide and eclectic. I even went through a year-long year-long craze for Arts and Crafts pottery and antique porcelain bathing beauty statues! This is an obsession that started started a long time ago when I was a child and loved my tea sets. As an adult, I collected mostly when I traveled around the world for my business. I would search shops and flea markets, buy at auctions, and even commissioned some pieces. The packages would arrive when I got home and the china closet became more and more packed. Finally, when the shelves started to bow under the weight of my treasures, my husband cried, “Enough!” He was right, as soon it all would have been in shambles on the floor. Also, there could not possibly be that many dinner parties to use even a portion of the stash. This, of course, just made me redirect my passion. I had already
ABOVE:
The porcelain shown above is from become an avid miniatures collector, Amanda Skinner and the gorgeous gorgeous gold so I started to pick up porcelain pieces lacquer bowl is from Ligia Dunstan. here and there. Hooray! I was back at it, just on a smaller (though not neces- organize the collection in several of sarily less expensive) scale. those plastic divided boxes. Placing all the pieces in the cabi This was done by color and by by style nets and on the tables was very time of item: plate sets, vases, statues, etc. consuming but what fun! To finally Now with it all in front f ront of me and dig into the many sorted, I could work with each piece boxes and bins of furniture and design a display. This of my collection to me is always the best part of our was like opening project—the detail work. The two Christmas presents. main display tables are loosely done The first thing with a color theme: one one aqua blue and I did was to sort the other red/rose and gold. Many through it all and well-known artists are are represented and on the back or on the bottom of each display is a list of their names. LEFT: These beauti Too finish off the scene, T scene, I added added four ful pieces were made dolls from my collection to represent by Beate, Gerd Felka, Beatricce Miniaturas, the sales clerks and customers. Three and Nickan-Maria more dolls were added to the exterior Mattsson. to create the street scene. The outside
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ABOVE: Porcelain by Deborah McKnight and Mzia Dsamia. ABOVE RIGHT: Many pieces ABOVE: by Mtokesay, Ginger Wyatt, Anne Dalton, Christopher Whitford, Niglo, and Beate. RIGHT: Miniature porcelain by Mzia Dsamia, Beate, Christopher Whitford, Veronique Cornish, Rachel Munday, and Anne Dalton. BELOW RIGHT: Miniature work by Vince Stapleton, Teresa Welch, Mzia Dsamia, Rachel Munday, Ferd Gelka, and Rachel Williams.
dolls change appearance for the seaan appreciation of miniatures sons, particularly for the winter/holiday love to see so much displayed in months. one building. Howard and I are The response response by visitors visitors to PalPalthrilled with the feedback. liser’s Fine Porcelains has been terrific. For me, it is a special collection and a People who are new to miniatures are special new building for Smallsea. And blown away by the amazing skills of just to let you know know,, I am still still collect collect-the artists. Those who already have ing dishes—albeit small ones and there is space for more in Palliser’s and the rest of the 50 buildings in Smallsea. DHM
68 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
GETINtouch GETIN touch
Smallsea: A Metropolis in Miniature The Barnyard Shopping Village #F22 Highway 1 Carmel, CA 93923 Hours: Wed-Sat, 12 to 5 Phone: 831-250-7666 Web: www.smallseamini.com Email:
[email protected] [email protected] om
dealerlistings
If you’d like to see DHM magazines in your area please encourage your favorite shops to call and order at: 1-866-606-6587
ARIZONA The Mini Time Machine Museum 4455 E. Camp Lowell Dr. Tucson, AZ 85712
CALIFORNIA Larriannes Small Wonders 1890 E Main St. Ventura, CA 93001-3469 Miniature Cottage Shop 1260 Main St. Morro Bay, CA 93442-2008
ILLINOIS Lolly’s 1054 Dundee Ave. Elgin. IL 60120 Tom Thumb Hobby & Crafts 6001 Gross Point Rd Niles, IL 60714
INDIANA Jeepers Miniatures 69 W. Washington St.
PO Box 335 Morgantown, IN 46160-0335
MONTANA On a Smaller Scale 805 16th St W Billings, MT 59102-4117 The Treasure Chest 1612 Benton Ave. Missoula, MT 59801-7818 Theresa’s Dolls & Gifts 5908 Eastside Hwy. Florence, MT 59833
NEW HAMPSHIRE Earth & Tree Miniatures
Ms. Peggie’s Place 5063 Cass St. San Diego, CA 92109 My Dolls House
IOWA Dollhouse Dreams 613 Avenue G Fort Madison, IA 52627
1218 El Prado Ave Torrance, CA 90501 Shellie’s Miniature Mania 732 Laurel St. San Carlos, CA 94070 The Hobby Co of S F 5150 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, CA 94118-2816
COLORADO Norm’s Dollhouse 7300 S Colorado Blvd. Centennial, CO 80122-2200
CONNECTICUT Time Machine Hobby LLC 71 Hilliard St. Manchester,, CT 06040-3001 Manchester
FLORIDA Ron’s Miniature Shop Inc 751 W Coloni al Dr. Orlando, FL 32804-7343 The Toy Box 419 Brevard Ave. Cocoa, FL 32922-7901
GEORGIA Miniature Designs, Inc 3555 Lawrenceville Hwy Lawrenceville, GA 30044
KENTUCKY Mini Mansions Inc 4759 State Rte 54 Owensboro, KY 42303
MARYLAND Forever Friends 2105 Bishops Castle Dr. Olney, MD 20832
MICHIGAN Miniature Makers’ Workshop 28120 Woodward Ave. Royal Oak, MI 48067 Pat’s Village Miniatures & Gift 18518 Outer Dr. Dearborn, MI 48128-1874 Trains & Things Hobbies 210 E. Front St. Traverse City, MI 49684 The Wee Dollhouse Shoppe
140 South River Ave Holland, MI 49423
MINNESOTA Little Enchantments 5013 Ewing Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55410 ures.com tu iniia t min hm d h
Januar y y / F / F e eb r uar y 1 y 14 ISSUE E 3 37
SHELL TS NU T A N URES IN A TU T IA INIA IN ORLD OF M WO THE W TH
T HE E W W ORLD OF F M MIN A I A T URE S IN A N A NUT SHE L L
l ov el y i y i t te ms f r ro t h
DOLLHOUSE
MINIATURES
h e ei i p p e e T L g n a
Miniature Cottage 410 East Iris Dr. Nashville, TN 37204
VERMONT Real Good Toys 10 Quarry Hill Barre, VT 05641
VIRGINIA Bits ‘N Pieces of Ghent 400 West Olney Rd Norfolk, VA 23507
WASHINGTON Alki Beach Miniatures
NEW JERSEY Mini Merchant 11 Patterson Ave. Midland Park, NJ 07432
NEW YORK Chautauqua Miniatures & Doll
Rte 394, 5031 W Lake Rd. Mayville, NY 14757-9607 Niagara Model & Train Dist Inc 3366 Union Rd. Buffalo, NY 14225-5110
OHIO Dolls and Minis 8068 Columbia Road
Olmsted Falls, OH 44138
PENNSYLVANIA
2622 Alki Ave SW, Unit 102 Seattle, WA 98116 CJN Miniatures 9675 Firdale Ave Edmonds, WA 98020 Darlene’s Unique Shoppe 511 117th Ave E. Edgewood, WA 98372-1286
WISCONSIN Hobby Junction 1729 Stephenson St. Marinette, WI 54143
CANADA Craftables Box 3333, 15 Beechmont Crescent, Spruce Gove, AB T7X 3A6
Stock Your Store with
Fingertip Fantasies 2985 West Dutton Mill Rd. Aston, PA 19014 Lynlott Miniatures 223 Commercial Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15215-3054
Call toll free at: 1-866-606-6587 Email at:
[email protected]
I N VI V RI COL Y SHER R OR E B MO & M R & WAGER O DO Y’’S D SUE 38 ISS A pril 14 IS O N ABBE Y / A TO h / Marc h W N T O DO SEE D
EX PLOR E A PET T S SHOP, A AN N A AR T T G GALLER Y , AN D A J ES T ER ’S SHOP
276 Rt 101 #1 Amherst, Nh 03031-1732
TENNESSEE
5 .95 7.9 5 Canada $ 7 .95 $6.9 e US $6 ice Pric
C T S EC O J E RO P R a rm e a l la
se o u s ho Se t a h Se oa s t ro y r da y nd ak e a S u n Bak B moree lt mor he B i lt n u uee t he Co n ti n ve egg ra a ti ve decco r a k e a de Ma M re!! o re mo h m ucc h o m u so d s nd A n
SOUTH CAROLINA Memories, Gifts & Antiques 1670 Folly Road Charleston, SC 29412
calendarLISTINGS calendar LISTINGS 2015
March 7 Sarasota, FL “Mini Spring Cleaning” Flea Market. Ramada Waterfront Sarasota. 10am – 3pm. Same location as Molly Cromwell’ss January Miniature Show. Cromwell’ For more information, please contact:
[email protected] or Maryb49@ verizon.net.
March 7-8 Seattle, WA
no sales tax! Rte. 13 North at I-95 by Delaware Memorial Bridges. Partial proceeds to charity. Please, no baby strollers. Info: show@rststateminiclub. org or www.rststateminiclub.org.
April 18 Worcester, MA Friends Thru Miniatures Club is presenting their 14th Fun Day on April 18, 2015 201 5 from 8am to 4:30pm 4 :30pm at Greendale Peoples Church, 10 Francis St. Worcester, Massachusetts. Breakfast, lunch, door prizes, a souvenir, silent auction, exhibits, and workshops. For more information call Sandra at 860377-0685 Or e-mail her at: iluvministoo@ yahoo.com.
Seattle Miniature Miniat ure Show. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton - Seattle Airport/ Southcenter, 16500 Southcenter Parkway, Seattle, Washington (located in Tukwila). Doors open both days April 18-19 at 10am. Free parking! Handicap Boise, ID accessible. Food on location. 35th Annual Mini Les Bois Miniature Workshops. Children’s classes - free. Show and Sale located at Best Western Exhibits. New website: http://www. Vista Inn at a t the airport, airport , 2646 Airport Airpo rt SeattleMiniatureShow.com. Contact: Pat Bennett. Phone: 503-362-6012 evenings Way, Boise, Idaho. Saturday 10am5pm and Sunday noon-5pm. Adults $4, & weekends. Email: PatBennett@ children (5-12) $2. No strollers please. SeattleMiniatureShow.com. For more info, contact Bobbi Hargett c/o Mini Les Bois, PO Box 4482, Boise, March 14 Idaho 83711-4482.
[email protected]. Boca Raton, FL (208) 377-9154. Les Petits Collecteurs of South Florida will hold their Dollhouse Miniatures April 24-25 Show and Sale on Saturday, March 14, Chattanooga, TN 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. at the Chattanooga Miniature Society Boca Raton Community Center, 150 announces their annual Fun Days, NW Crawford Blvd., Boca Raton, FL featuring displays, sales and workshops. 33432. Admissio Admission n is $5.00 for adults “May Day” will be held Fri. April 24 and and $2.00 for under 12. There will be Sat. April 25, 2015 in the meeting rooms many dealers, a large exhibit room behind Innovative Miniatures on Lee Hwy featuring What’s Cooking?, free Make It in Chattanooga, TN. For information on and Take It demos, and lunch facilities. registration, hotels and class oerings, Workshops will be held on Friday, March contact Ginger Morrison at gingerchatt@ 13th, 2015. Proceeds from our show comcast.net or by phone at 423-344benet Kids In Distress and AVDA. 8502. For show information, contact Marilyn Freedman,
[email protected]. May 1-2 Website - http://sites.google.com/site/ Fenton, MO lespetitsclub.
March 22 New Castle, DE First state Mini Club of Delaware (FSMC) will host the 38th annual Show and Sale on March 22 at the Clarion Hotel “The Belle,” 1612 N. Dupont Highway, New Castle, DE 19720 from 10am to 4pm. Admission: $5 adults, a dults, $2.50 $2.5 0 children under 12 and $4.50 seniors. Dollhouse & Miniature Exhibits, quality vendors and artisans, door prizes, people’s choice voting, refreshments, free parking,
The St. Louis Dollhouse and Miniature show will be held May 1 from 4pm to 9pm and May 2 from 10am to 4pm at the Stratford Inn, 800 South Hwy Dr, Fenton, MO 63026. Admission is $5.00, free gift at the door. Attendance prizes, drawings, and raes. There will be workshops Friday and Saturday. Free Kids Make and Takes T akes both days. day s. Come join joi n us for a great weekend of miniatures, fun, and friends. For more information: Miniatureshow Miniatureshows. s. com ortdminiatures@sbcglo
[email protected]. bal.net. T & D Miniatures 2599 Willow Brook Park, Fenton Mo 63026. Phone: 636-296-3818
May 8-9 Kansas City, MO The Kansas City Cit y Dollhouse and Miniature Show will be held May 8 & 9, 2015 at the Ramada Inn, 1601 Universal Ave. Kansas City, MO. Fri 4pm-9pm and Sat 10am-4pm. Admission $5.00. Free gift at door. Attendance prizes and a rae for a dollhouse. Come join us for a great weekend of miniatures, fun, and friends. For more information: Miniatureshows.com or
[email protected]. T & D Miniatures 2599 Willow Brook Park, Fenton, MO 63026. Phone: 636-2963818.
May 30-31 Sturbridge, MA The Sturbridge Miniatures Festival Festiv al will be held May 30 & 31, 2015, Saturday & Sunday (First weekend after Memorial Day) at the Host Hotel on Cedar Lake, 366 Main Street/ Rte 20, Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Special show room block price. Reserve now: 508.347.7393. Show Includes: Saturday—Pre-registered Preview 5-8, $18 Early Sales, Weekend Admission, Cash Bar & Refreshments. Mail reservation to: Molly Cromwell Presents, 44421 Adare Manor Square, Ashburn, VA 20147. Sunday—Sales Room R oom open early for Preview Attendees. General Public 10-4. $7 Adults, $4 Children. Preregistered Workshops Friday & Saturday.
June 7 Burnaby, BC, Canada The West Coast Dollhouse & Miniature Show & Sale will take place June 7, 2015 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at Gizeh Hall, 3550 Wayburne Ave, Burnaby B.C. Canada. Sponsored by the Miniature Club of B.C. Adults $6.00, Children $2.00, Family $14.00. Vendors, exhibits, hourly door prizes, charity rae, lots of free parking and food available. New vendors and exhibitors always welcome. Contact-Joanne Bailey, ijbailey@telus. net or 604-465-8279. Web: http:// westcoastdolhouseandminiatureshow. webs.com.
Let Us Know About A Show! Email:
[email protected] [email protected] o.uk Ph: (507) 634-3143 or 1(866) 606-6587 Fax: (507) 634-7691 Dollhouse Miniatures 68132 250th Avenue Kasson, MN 55944
DOLLHOUSE
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A car cart for for every peddler Jan Yinger shows us some of her peddlers carts and shares a few tips and tricks to add a certain something to your own creations. By Jan Stuart PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN STUART
an Yinger, one of our favorite pushing it’s it ’s way out around the lid. Cart’s origins, she claims a farmer’s wife and long-established artisans, ar tisans, That’s when a beer barrel barrel cart woul wouldd was set settin tingg out out th thee cart cart to sel selll eggs eggs,, but has gone rustic! That’s not to surely have been welcome on a hot the chickens took it over. As for the say that Jan’s skills have become day.” Chimney Sweep’s Cart, who else could rusty, as one look at her latest, amusAs for the ale cart owner, Jan tells us he have inspired it, but Jan’s favorite movie ing, 1:12 scale miniature handcarts will has sampled a bit too much of his own character, the soot-smudged Bert, from show. But, why call them “rustic?” My product, and that he tried to steal one of the classic Disney movie, Mary Poppins? well-used wellused diction dictionary ary identifies identifies that the pigs from their cart, too, but didn’t And, Jan confides, “The Coal Man is his word as meaning meaning “cou “country-lik ntry-like, e, spare succeed. When asked the story behind English friend.” and simple, with a hand-made appear- the Pig’s Cart, Jan quotes that well-loved ance.” You could not ask for a more children’s English nursery rhyme, “To TOP: A chimney sweeps’ cart in 1:12 scale. faithful description of Jan’s latest work. market, to market, to buy a fat hog.” BELOW: Tow vintage hot potato carts. It follows, then, that that a country countr y life Then, The n, whe whenn deta detaili iling ng the Chi Chicke ckenn is surely being lived by the peddler dolls that are these carts car ts “owners.” Theirs woul wouldd seem to be a hands hands-on, -on, spare, existence somewhere back in time, some place in some old country, underscored by Jan’s wonderful sense of humor, which she nearly always adds to her miniature work. When I asked Jan to tell us the tales of these dolls’ lives, she gave me delightful stories of her own invention to share with wi th you, beginning with my own favorite, the Ale Seller. She explains, “What inspired this one is my handmade barrels. Plus, I remember my Mother telling me that when she she was a little little girl, her Father Father,, who was was my Grandfat Grandfather her,, would take his little tin pail with a lid and walk down the street to the “beer parlor,” then return with the sudsy beer foam
J
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FEATURE
ABOVE: This decorative cart is filled with foods. LEFT: A 1:12scale coal cart with a miniature shovel and scoop.
World and World and surmise surmise what what kinds of bartering they might have done or jobs they might have had. Such as, a gardening ancestor wouldd surely woul surely have have had his own vegetable cart to push to market, while your Granny might have gotten up her nerve, cleaned up that cart, and wheeled her own handmade Last, come Jan’s Hot Potato Carts. quilts off to sell, She explains, “My friend, fr iend, miniatures and so on. Any hand cart of dealer Suzy Yee, found a photo of an your deligh delightt is easily easily made made old-time one from England and had and can be personalized just some kits made up, following the basic by adding some items that pattern of the original one, plus some might speak of your own basic cart patterns of our own design.” family’s history histor y.” One is made of sheet metal and the Too add inter T interest est and and auother type is made of wood with a thenticity to your rustic cart corrugated metal roof. The condiand it’s it ’s contents, Jan advises ments for topping the hot potatoes the following: Cloth should were easy for for Jan to add, add, using polymer be simple muslin, checks, modeling compound and caulk: butter, or calicos, possibly aged; cheese, sour cream, bacon, onions, and wood items for trade trade should should a surprise pate’. “After all,” Jan says, “it’s be unstained and appear a fantasy story.” hand-assembled, perhaps As for more and different fantasy very slightly slightly crook crooked ed here here hand carts of your own making, Jan advises: “Think back to long-lost rela- RIGHT: A cart full of chickens and fresh eggs. tives in Early America or the Olde
and there; fruit, f ruit, flowers, and vegetables should appear freshly dug, picked, or cut, with blemishes and a little dirt that didn’t all wash off. Tin ware, however, should appear bright, as if just made and ready to trade. Hand-lettered wood or cardboard cardboard signs can be applied applied to the cart sides or stuck among the merchandise. And, don’t forget a stack of brown bags if the merchandise calls for it. The owner’s pet bird, cat, or dog can ride along, too. And, a brown bag lunch might be seen tucked into a corner near one cart handle, along with a quart jar of something to drink. Lastly, Lastly, your cart should should look look well well used, used, inside and out, with rubs, nicks, and faded or weathered weathe red surfaces surfaces.. Now, for the cart’s base, easily made from a wood piece landscaped with model railroading materials, perhaps as a grassy or dusty pathway with wheel marks rolled into it and few weeds or wildflowers wildfl owers grow growing ing alongsi alongside. de. Fo Forr extra charm, you might toss down a lost mini ear of pig’s corn, splatter a resin-and-polymer hen’s egg in the dirt, add a spill of “wet” ale sinking into the dust beneath a barrel spigot, or accidentally lose a little crock of caulk “sour cream” off the back of the cart. Or, how about just a chicken feather or two, or a couple of lumps of coal lost along the roadway? A few crumbs or a single piece of anything your mini cart owner
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Jan has made a miniature mobile jail complete with one guilty party!
might have for trade will do. With those those things things happily happily accomaccomplished, it’s easier than you might think to protect your newest creation from the miniaturists’ three main enemies, dust, dirt, and direct light, yet still enjoy it every ever y single day. After all, nothing you create is meant meant to be be kept in the dark, only to be brought out for guests to enjoy. enjoy. Just pick an affordable clear glass dome or plexiglass square to set over your cart and base you’ve made for it. “Then,” Jan tells us, “be mindful where you put put it. it. You may may be tempted tempted to enjoy it under the living room reading lamp by the sofa - the one that’s turned on for hours and hours every evening. Or, you might choose the center of the dining room table, where it can be seen in the sunlight from morning until late afternoon. But, there are many, safer, places for your miniinvestment to reside.” Jan loves to keep her current current favorite on her bedside table, where she can “appreciate it every night and be thankful for my love of miniature art.” She confesses, “Sometimes I even go so far as to move a dome to the darkened bathroom counter corner,
This beer cart owner has had too much of his own product.
BELOW: A pig cart with two pigs and a burlap bag of pig food.
where I can enjoy it while washing washing my hands every day and turn out the light when I leave. Then, too, there’s the dim corner in the kitchen, next next to the fridge, where I keep a mug rack handy for when I want to make a couple of mugs of tea and show off my latest mini-love to my guest.” DHM
74 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
PROJECT
make a few TINY ACCENTS Make some little decorative accents for your dollhouse based on an old Victorian tradition using paper designs and blocks of wood. By T. A. Gozeski
H
ere is a simple idea that originates from an old fashioned Victorian decoration. The Victorians loved making paper crafts just as so many people do today. I decided to make a few of them more old fashioned, like theirs, and a few that are a little more modern. I hope this idea will stir your imagination!
YOU’LL YOU ’LLneed
surface. Be sure to center them. I like the glue stick for this because you can easily adjust the centering. Let them dry.
Step 1: Wood blocks usually come
uPrinted
designs for block and stand-up
already sanded smooth. Apply your choice of craft paint or stain them and let dry.
uCraft
glue and/or glue stick
uCard
stock
uJewelry
eye or head pins
uJewelry
clippers
uScissors uDrill
with a tiny bit
uWood uCraft
cubes (I chose ½”.)
paint or stain
Step 4: For the stand-up piece, cut two Step 2: Choose your paper designs; one for the stand-up and five for the block’ block’ss four sides and top. The image you use for the stand-up can be set to the side for now. Measure to fit the sides and top, and then trim each designs edge.
pieces of card stock for backings, about the same size as your untrimmed image. Apply glue to back of the stand-up piece and position onto one piece of card stock, press and let dry.
Step 5: Once dry, hold the second piece Step 3: Apply glue to the back of each piece, place paper, press and smooth onto
of card stock to the back of the image piece and trim all three pieces at once
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PROJECT
along the bottom edge only. You can now add a dab of glue onto the back of the image pieces, centered and low on the back.
Step 8: Using a tiny drill bit, drill a hole into the top of your decorated block, centering and going in a distance of 1/16” to 1/8.” Blow away any traces of sawdust.
cabs, crystals, and seed beads. Another nice added touch is to add paint along the glued edges of the stand-up, with a small tip brush.
Step 6: Place your pin piece onto the
Endless possibilities
dab, with enough of the top end placed for holding the stand-up, and enough of the lower end extending for inserting into the block. Immediately, Immediately, add more glue to the second card stock piece and place over the back of your stand-up, aligning the pre-cut bottom edges. Press and let dry.
Step 7: Once dry, trim the rest of the edges of the design, through all three thicknesses.
Step 9: Snip the end of the pin on the stand-up to the height you want it to sit once it’s inserted. You can now add glue and insert it into the hole. Be sure to have it standing straight and front before it sets. Optional: You can use craft varnish, in gloss or matte, to give the block the finish you want. You can also add tiny embellishments wherever you like. I used a few faux pearl
76 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S
The card stock and the eye/ head pins are what truly make this project so fun and easy. The card stock pieces make the stand-up sturdy and flexible. The eye/head pins can be clipped to get several lengths from one pin. And again, the pins are both sturdy and flexible. If a stand-up gets bent, you can easily straighten it up! Also,, finding Also finding image images s and designs to use is fun. Besides the ones that DHM gives gives us, you can look through magazines, catalogs, and scrapbook supplies, and there are many sites and blogs online that offer free dollhouse printable designs and images you can download.
I
1:12-scale vintage pantry labels. . y l n o e s u l a n o s r e p r o f e d a m e b y a m e g a p s t u o t u c s i h t f o s e i p o c o t o h P
s t u o t u c S E R U T A I N I M E S U O H L L O D
i
l
l I n c h e s
STRAWBERRY JAM
GRAPE JAM
APPLE JAM
BLUEBERRY JAM
PEAR JAM
APRICOT JAM
RASBERRY JAM
BLACKBERRY JAM
PEACH JAM
FIG JAM
1
2 m m 1 0
2 0
3 0
4 0
-
.
:
DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
77
IN A NUTSHELL
A light will guide the way Kathleen Ferrari has nished her Sea Mist Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage and is excited to share it with other miniaturists.
athleen enjoys the outdoors Sea Mist Lighthouse and and Keeper’s and the gift of creating. She Cottage . Relax and enjoy the tour has been involved in the hobby with Kathleen in her own words. words. of miniatures for more than Perspective Perspect ive is something to be twenty years. She also enjoys working considered when looking through the with premature infants, infants, young chileyes of life. I have gained much, in my dren, and their families. Her journey near fifty years, looking looking through that in this hobby began years ago during a lens. I am a Christian. My salvation trip to West West Virginia with a friend f riend af- in Christ, as well as my husband, ter they came upon a miniatures store. family, and creativity are gifts for She has been busy working on a which I am truly thankful to God. God. small country cottage, flower shop, The seacoasts of Maine, Maine, Oregon, Oregon, and a few more dollhouses. In this and the Florida Keys are dotted with issue of DHM , she will be sharlighthouses. Many are over a hundred ing her newest project with us, the years old. Technology has changed and
K
they are mostly for admiration now. Imagine a retired ship captain in 1925. He recalls many a day upon the open water at sea. Gazing Gazing out at the ocean, his thoughts roll back to his younger years and adventures abroad. His days now focus on protecting ships that sail upon the vast waters. He now lives at the Sea Mist Lighthouse. The beacon sends forth an alerting light of the impending danger of coming too close to shore. Imagine this as the BELOW: The living room and kitchen of the lighthouse are warm and cozy cozy..
DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES
81
IN A NUTSHELL
LEFT: Fishing gear is stored in the entryway of the lighthouse. RIGHT: The bathroom is tucked away under the stairs.
small boat just outside. The kitchen has a radio perched on the pantry for weather reports. The shelves are stocked with all the essentials. An oil lamp provides light whether it is a calm or stormy night. The staircase leads up to the second floor to a lounge area. A guitar and camera are handy for hobbies; a chess board is also there for when a friend drops by. The throne room (a half bath) is hidden behind a partition. The second floor stairs lead up to the captain’s was a learning experience. There loft. There is a cozy fireplace and a are a few battery-operated lights. desk for writing. There is also a par This project was a new discovery. discovery. rot for companionship. The ladder I am thankful to have discovered in that room leads to the roof deck new shopping sites on the com where there is a chair, chair, binoculars, binoculars, puter. I continue to enjoy searching seagulls, and and a pelican. What a view! out items at flea markets and yard I started this project in SeptemS eptemsales. Making items is much fun and ber of 2013 and finished in August brings me much joy! When I light 2014. Some ideas for rooms I have the lighthouse and keepers cottage, made have come from old movies I I think that the real ones must have have seen and books that I have read. been reassuring sights to sailors long I loved picking the colors and trim ago. I hope you enjoy the Sea Mist for this lighthouse. I like to work Lighthouse and and Keepers Cottage too! too! with wood. The wallpaper is scrapbook paper. The rugs are made from doilies, a ABOVE: The hall of the Keepers Cottage. potholder, and RIGHT: A full view of the cottage interior. felt. The radio in the kitchen wind blows and the fog rolls rolls in. is a bracelet The keeper’s cottage cottage is a cozy nook. charm from Its bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and childhood. den are filled with treasures that The hard were brought back from foreign est part was ports and safely stored here. The sea assembling captain still experiences memories the tower and from old adventures and voyages. hiding the They come flooding back each time time wires beneath he walks through a room and sees the beams and the treasures he has collected. behind walls. The lighthouse entry has fishing Cutting trim gear, tools, and a lantern. There is a for the angles
DHM
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Auntie Em’s 5625 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 623-435-0783
Dollhouses, Trains & More 300 Entrada Drive Novato, CA 94949
I n the S potlight potlight
415-883-0388
Miniature Makers Workshop 28120 Woodward Ave Royal Oak, MI 48067 248-549-0633 Pat’s Village Miniatures 18518 W. Outer Drive Dearborn, MI 48128 313-359-0400 Wee Dollhouse Shoppe 140 South River Ave. Holland, MI 49423 616-392-4321
Larrianne’s Small Wonders 3457 Telegraph Road Ventura, CA 93003 805-289-1508
Little Enchantments 5013 Ewing Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55410 612-746-4040
Ms. Peggie’s Place 5063 Cass Street San Diego, CA 92109 858-483-2621
Schaefer’s Hobby Shop, Inc. 11659 Gravois Road Sunset Hills, MO 63126 314-729-7077
My Doll’s House 1218 El Prado, #136 Torrance, CA 90501 310-320-4828
Circus Dollhouse 445 Route 23 South Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 973-839-7990
Shellie’s Mania 732 Laurel St San Carlos, CA 94070 650-593-4921
The Elegant Dollhouse 1120 Fulton Avenue Sacramento, CA 95825 916-484-0411
Norm’s Dollhouse 7300 S. Colorado Blvd Centennial, CO 80122 303-290-0049
In A Nutshell Miniatures 139 E. 4th Ave. Mt. Dora, FL 32757 352-735-6140
Maria’s Dolls 4252 St. Johns Ave Jacksonville, FL 32210 904-388-3992
Ron’s Miniature Shop 751 West Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32804 407-841-9333
M
iniature Designs, known as the “Mini Home Depot,” is a 4,000 sq. ft. shop offering “In-Store Classes” all year taught by local and well-known miniature artisans throughout the US. One of the specialties of the shop is custom building dollhouses, glass room boxes, and doll cases plus all other labor services. Their extensive inventory includes Houseworks products and building supplies, lighting, dollhouse kits, furniture, accessories, landscaping and dolls covering all dollhouse scales. This includes many handcrafted and well-known artisan pieces. They have also added the complete line of Melissa and Doug for younger children.
To quote owners Ken and Bev Simon: “We strive to create a helpful and fun atmosphere. Having lots of inventory is great but what makes us successful is the knowledge and love we have for the hobby. We believe this is a “hobby from the heart.” It’s very important that we listen and help every customer with his/her special needs.” They offer Independent Study Groups for up to 11 people. These groups are made up of individuals who come to the shop for 5-6 weeks on Saturdays to actually work on their own projects with expert assistance. For more information check their website. Another popular celebration is their Annual Garage Sale in April. Customers take advantage of this opportunity and sell their excess miniwares that weekend. Talk about fun! As you can see Miniature Designs is not only a one-stop shop for all of your miniature needs, but a place for fun and excitement too! When in Atlanta, be sure to visit the shop located at 3555 Lawrenceville Hwy in Lawrenceville, GA just 30 minutes north of Atlanta. Hours are Tues-Sat. 10am to 6pm, Thur. 10am to 7pm, Sun. 1pm to 5pm. Closed on Monday. Call 770-923-8500 or check the website www.miniaturedesigns.com for directions to the store.
419 Brevard Avenue Historical Cocoa Village, FL 32922
Miniature Designs 3555 Lawrenceville Hwy Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Morgantown, IN 46160 812-597-4346
Great Lakes Craft & Hobby 43055 Van Dyke Sterling Heights, MI 48314 586-254-1600
Groton Hobby Shop 129 Main Street Groton, NY 13073 877-489-2900 Niagara Hobby & Craft Mart 3366 Union Road Buffalo, NY 14225 716-681-1666 Fingertip Fantasies 2985 Dutton Mill Road Aston, PA 19014 610-494-6401
Happily Ever After 20609 Gordon Park Square Suite 110 Ashburn, VA 20147 703-777-1869
321-632-2411
Jeepers Miniatures 69 West Washington Street
Fao Schwarz Dollhouses & Miniatures 767 Fifth Ave at 58th St. New York, NY 10153 212-644-9400 x3124
Miniature Cottage, Inc. 410 East Iris Drive Nashville, TN 37204 615-298-2872
Toy Box
770-923-8500
The Dollhouse Factory 157 Main Street Lebanon, NJ 08833 908-236-6404
m a n y s m u d e s n c l u o r y i n ntt o n v e n v e i n sii v e n s xtt e r e x eii r e T h e s ctt s p r o d u c s p k s H o u s e w o r k
2388 Pleasantdale Road Atlanta, GA 30340 770-448-6596 Fax 770-448-3350 www.houseworksltd.com Email:
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The Little Dollhouse Co. 612 Mount Pleasant Road Toronto, Ontario Canada M4S 2M8 416-489-7180 O w w ne r r s K K e e n a nd B B e e v v S S i im on
Toad Hall Toys 54 Arthur Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3B 1G7 204-956-2195
