Dollhouse Miniatures - Issue 44 (2015-03-04)

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MINIATURE ARTISAN ALTHEA CROME KNITS WORKS OF ART. March / April 15 ISSUE 44

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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

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Dollhouse Miniatures 68132 250th Avenue Kasson, MN 55944

Phone: (507) 634-3143 Fax: (507) 634-7691 Toll Free: 1-866-606-6587 E-mail: [email protected] UK: PO Box 2258 Pulbrough RH20 9BA Great Britain Tel: 01903 884988 Publisher: Kelly Johnson Email: [email protected] Editor: Auralea Krieger Email: [email protected] Advertising Manager: Sara Vix Email: [email protected] Customer Service: Email: [email protected] Distribution: Alex Schwemmer Email: [email protected] Designer: Auralea Krieger Ad Designer: Alison Smith, Lauren Nielsen Cover Photo: Scene by Moonyeen Moller. Contributors: Jo Bevilacqua, Diane and Howard Birnberg, Julie Campbell, Kris Compas, Althea Crome, T. A. Gozeski, Auralea Krieger, Johannes Landman, Gabriele Layne, Maria Malmström, Martha Puff, Mercedes Spencer, Jan Stuart, Deb Weissler, Jan Yinger

Issue 44 March/April 2015

contents 7 23 36 49 54 75

Published by Ashdown Broadcasting

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 1 year (6 issues): $45.99

Canada $65.99 CAD; UK £43.99; Europe €74.99; Rest of 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. Subscription 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. Reproduction in whole or 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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PROJects A sleeper for baby

Follow along with this tutorial and make a cozy little outfit for your miniature baby.

Light up your small world

Add some charm and whimsy to your 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.

FeatURes

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 .

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welcome

As I laid out this issue of DHM 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

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he or she could have hoped to achieve. Then there are the moments of 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 makes a masterpiece. 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

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 tail in miniature

The ever-popular fairy tale, Little Red Riding Hood is brought to life by IGMA Artisan Julie Campbell.

A house with many rooms

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 for every peddler

Jan Yinger shows us some of her peddlers carts and shares a few tips and tricks.

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ReGULaRs ReG Your letters

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 and Keeper’s Cottage!

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yourLetteRs Star letter winner

This month, our Star Letter 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 6

Write to DHM, 68132 250th Avenue, Kasson, MN 55944 or email [email protected]. Letters may be edited, if necessary.

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!

Gina McCarthy Philadelphia, PA

Happy contributor

FEATURE

months ago and The transforming I couldn’t imagine that the decided to finish it power of light 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. Francisco del Pozo Parés I know that I’m probably not the first Girona, Spain one to e-mail you about labels, but I think this is very important for many Facebook winner miniaturists. I’m a beginner in the miniatures What I would like to see in the hobby and I have never ever dealt cut outs in DHM, are a set of period with miniatures before. I have also kitchen and/or bathroom and or/books never had a dollhouse or worked with covers, labels, and boxes. In each polymer clay. issue from different period, maybe even I ordered an annual DHM with some historical background? Martyna Zalewska, subscription few days ago; it’s going Malbork, Poland to be my first magazine on the topic. I’ve never read your magazine, but I’ve Martyna’s idea for our Facebook cut read a lot of good things about it and outs contest was chosen for this issue of some miniaturists told me to subscribe Dollhouse Miniatures magazine. We hope only for DHM. That’s important for me, some of these cut outs will help her in her as I live in small town. mini journey! I bought a dollhouse about four Spain’s Francisco del Pozo Parés takes us on an illuminating journey to show us the importance that light plays in our miniature homes. By Francisco del Pozo Parés

ith a background in architecture, Francisco has a deep understanding of the power of light and how it can influence an environment. In fact, his career path seemed inevitable as he explains, “My great-grandfather was an architect and engineer; my grandfather an engineer, my father an architect and engineer. It was not very difficult to imagine my future.”

When I make a miniature work, I want it to be as realistic as possible. And, in order to achieve this realism all details, even the smallest ones, are important.

You may have seen some of his magnificent structures in DHM34 and Dolls House World (DHW248). Although he isn’t concerned with setting up scenes or putting dolls in

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TOP, ABOVE, AND RIGHT: Arco lamp from Achille Castiglioni was made in the sixties. This light mainly shines on the floor, but also on the ceiling because of the holes in the metallic lampshade. Shown in 1:12-scale.

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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 outfit for your miniature baby.

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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.

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.

Hood

Cast on 28 sts. K 26 rows. Cast off.

Make up

Sew in ends. Join shoulder seams, underarm seams and back of hood.

YOU’LLneed u DMC cotton 80 OR u Anchor pearl 12 u Size 22 needles u Scissors

u Beads or buttons

Sew in sleeves and join hood to neck edge. Sew on beads or buttons. DHM

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FEATURE

Easter in the antiques barn Mercedes Spencer celebrates her love of pastel colors by decorating her antiques barn for Easter with bunnies, eggs, and baskets. By Mercedes Spencer

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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, those colors just 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 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

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!

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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

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It’s always a thrill to be able to use things I remember from my childhood in my miniature scenes.

’

lives in Holland, made the gorgeous bunny Easter cardholder and the knitted child’s jacket, which was the perfect color to add to the festive display. When rummaging in a consignment shop I found the sweetest old

ABOVE: Mercedes used all sorts of resources to fill her little Easter themed barn. A rabbit hole-punch 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 most perfect little Easter basket with a bunny and I wove another pastel colored basket from paper string and added a rabbit from an inexpensive Easter earring to it. Tiny eggs were made from polymer clay to fill up D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

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 12 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

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FEATURE

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, one of the ladies from the dollhouse club

Helping hands make it extra special. I used to go to. I had seen pictures of American barns filled with antiques and wished there was something like that here. As there wasn’t, I decided to make one in miniature. Anne and I had great fun creating the barn. Anne’s husband, Derek, who

is 80 years young was once a builder and he made sure we did everything by the book. So it’s built just as a real barn would be. It measures 15” (39cm) wide by 12” (31cm) deep and 17.5” (45cm) high. Another lady at the club, who is D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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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

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 on the upstairs floor of the barn. I also found

a piece of plywood 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 the making 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.

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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.

Wheelbarrow Before the wheelbarrow, heavy things were moved around on a kind of stretcher that needed a person at each end to lift. But by the 13th century the wheelbarrow made an appearance in Europe, with long, slim handles and a front wheel. This gave a good center of gravity for lifting heavy weights, and meant that only one person was needed for the job. For a time the stretcher and wheelbarrow were used side-by-side, right into the mid-15th century when use of the wheelbarrow completely took over. Hose Horticultural hoses for watering gardens appeared around 400 BC and were originally made of ox gut. Jan van de Heide in Amsterdam developed the concept of the leather garden hose in 1672, although these were largely ineffective as the leather sections were stitched together and could not withstand water pressure. 16

In 1807 two firemen from the Philadelphia fire service devised a way to strengthen the leather joins with metal rivets. Various clumsy and heavy versions existed until 1843 when surgeon William Montgomerie noticed local people in Malaya using a rubber substance from trees to make handles for their tools and delivered the news in a lecture. Two years later entrepreneur Henry Bewley obtained a patent for making bottles, tubes, and hoses, which could be supplied up to 328 feet. At this stage hoses were still very heavy and needed to be maneuvered around the garden by means of a trolley, barrows, or on wheels.

Lawn mower Engineer Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawn mower in 1830 in Britain, originally to cut the grass on sports fields. This was at a time when “dear old Blighty” was good at sports and had recently introduced many lawn-based games, such as croquet, tennis, football, and rugby. Budding got the idea after visiting a local cloth mill and saw a cutting cylinder mounted on a bench to trim the cloth to a smooth finish. He figured that a similar mecha-

ABOVE: Birdhouses made by Peter Clark.

nism would cut grass, if it were mounted onto wheels to allow the contraption to be moved forward.

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FEATURE

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 cylinder in the front. 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 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 and built a nine-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 and nature reserve. As part of this venture he also invented the nesting box for birds.

Croquet You could be forgiven for 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 the idea from a group of nuns in Ireland. John Jacques had seen them 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 containing hoops, mallets, balls, flags, and pegs. DHM D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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subscription offer EXPLORE ANCIENT WORLDS IN MUSEUM SCENES BY TOM ROBERTS May / June 13 ISSUE 33

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THE WORLD OF MINIATURES IN A NUTSHELL

Price US $6.95 Canada $7.95

PROJECTS

lovely linens and BEAUTIFUL BEDDING

Standing male doll Bread loaves and slices Vintage knit baby dress Frosted brownies Picnic basket for a beach Lemon meringue pie And so much more!

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Beautiful Reutter Porcelain gifts F R E E when you subscribe! You save on the iMag and TV channel

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When you subscribe to the print version, you qualify for big savings on the Dollhouse Miniatures iMag digital library. With the iMag you will be able to read all the current magazines on your computer, plus you get access to back issues of Dollhouse Miniatures in the iMag library. Receive each new issue as soon as it’s ready. Also, don’t miss dollshouse.tv! It’s like having a workshop in your home. You can watch programs 24 hours a day via the internet on your computer or on your mobile device.

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Subscribe to the print edition of Dollhouse Miniatures for one year and we’ll give you the lovely Rooster Soup Tureen with Ladle Set. Subscribe for two years and we’ll send you the delectable Rooster Sandwich Board Set. Take advantage of extra savings by subscribing for three years and we’ll send you BOTH gifts for FREE! Subscribe today. It’s easy online or call the DHM office toll free at 1-866-606-6587.

easy ways to subscribe Online at www.dhminiatures.com Call toll free in the US at 1-866-606-6587 or 507-634-3143 UK +44 (0)1903 884988 By mail using the form on the right

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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

I

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PUFF & JOHANNES LANDMAN

nternationally acclaimed painter Johannes Landman is passionate 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 in a multitude of historical periods and styles, and likes to interpret them with his own flair. His favorite 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

self-discovery. Trial and 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, factoring in what will look best insofar as composition and changes to surrounding background. Typically, I 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 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 difficulty in working in 1:12 scale is to maneuver the brush in the right direction LEFT: Peacock parakeet pelican crane and poultry, after M. d’Hondecoeter, Dutch (1636-1695).

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FEATURE FAR LEFT: Portrait of a Woman, after N. de Largillierre, French (1656-1746). LEFT: Francois Armand de Gontaut, Duc de Biron (1714), after N. de Largillierre, French.

to where the brush strokes create that magic moment. Producing the illusion of a large-scale painting does not mean cramming in the maximum amount of detail. Rather, it means being technically and artistically on the mark. All of my frames are individually custom built for each painting. I do not want to put a cheap plastic frame around work that had been meticulously created. It is a huge

undertaking–beginning with the carving of the wood and ending with the gold leafing or wood finishing. Sizes vary. The framed “Portrait of a Young Girl” shown here is only 2” tall x 13/4” wide. Some paintings I have created are even smaller. The largest miniature painting included is “Peacock Parakeet Crane” (M. d’Hondecoeter). It measures 41/4” wide by 33/8” tall. I start with a big piece of Western

Yew (Pacific Yew) wood since the grain is to scale. Yew lends itself to so much clean detail when carved or machined. I finish each frame with genuine 22k gold-leaf or a dark wood finish. Traditional frames 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 Toy & 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 A. Harlamoff, Russian (1842-1925). BELOW: Marriage of Cupid and Psyche (1756) after P. Batoni, Italian.

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FEATURE 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. 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. Recently, I undertook a commission for a ceiling medallion using a Boucher painting. I had to

ABOVE: Self portrait of Nicolas de Largillière, French painter (1656-1746). Commission. RIGHT: The Goldfinch, after C. Fabritius, Dutch (1654). BELOW RIGHT: A Still Life with a Pewter Flagon and Two Ming Bowls (1651, J. Treck). BELOW LEFT: Her Favorite Pets, after Sophie Gengembre Anderson, French (1823-1903).

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 so much to explore– whether that is collaboration with another miniature 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 have been able to pursue this career that I have loved from the start. They are as much a part of my paintings as myself. DHM

GETINtouch Johannes Landman 2629 Arbutus Road, Victoria British Columbia, Canada V8N 1W4 Phone: 250-477-7927 Email: [email protected] Upcoming 2015 Shows April 17-19 - Chicago International Show Oct 10-11 - Good Sam Show, San Jose, CA

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PROJECT

Light up your sMaLL WORLD

Add some charm and whimsy to your mini world by making this fun chandelier. Maria Malmström will walk you through in this helpful tutorial. By Maria Malmström

C

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!

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 the remainder of the wire and paint with acrylics.

YOU’LLneed u 24-gauge wire and a thinner one u Wire cutters

u Pliers (rounded to facilitate bending) u Acrylic paint u Beads

u Jewelry findings, Christmas bells u Tweezers

Step 1: Cut six pieces of wire approx. 10”

u Polymer clay

(25cm) long.

u Super Glue

Step 6: Now you can take the six twisted wires from and bend them to shape.

Step 4: Select two beads, one 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

tightly together. Set the wire pieces aside.

Step 5: Once the paint is dry, thread the

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.

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PROJECT Step 8: Connect the rest of the wires

around that piece the same 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 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: You 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

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Specializing in Doll Houses and Miniatures Hand Painted Leather Zebra Sofa

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FEATURE

Experience April in Paris Deb Weissler combined her admiration of an inspiring room box design with her favorite musical and created a charming patisserie. By Deb Weissler

P

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, 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 Parisian bourgeois flaunt their wealth on streets and in cabarets. 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 has brought 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 of Whitledge-Burgess had ‘A Georgian Style Shop’ on display,

I fell in love. “This room box was one of our most successful workshops until it was officially retired in 2010,” explains Scott. “Our goal was to create an elegant shop interior that would appeal to the broadest audience, including overall design, classic architectural detail, and neutral color scheme.” The shop was English-inspired, but a quick change of window scenery and the shop could be in any large European city. With a large display window, three walls of mirrored shelves, brass lighting (Clare-Bell Brass Works), walls of gold silk, ebony and gilt columns, and elegant woodwork, the interior is luxurious, yet inviting. Tres magnifique! I thought about that room box a lot on the drive home and called in hopes it hadn’t sold. Two weeks later, the fun could begin, because a vision of a French patisserie had already coalesced. While waiting for its arrival, I watched my favorite musical, Gigi, a 1950s production starring Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, and Louis Jourdan. Gigi, a Lerner and Lowe production filmed in 1958, was based upon the novel by French author Colette. Young Gigi is being educated in the skills of a French courtesan under the tutelage of her grandmamma, Madame Alvarez,

and her Great Aunt Alicia. As Gigi grows from a young, precocious, and carefree girl to a woman of stunning beauty, her transformation catches the eye of Gaston Lachaille, an eligible but bored bachelor, who has known Gigi and her family all his life. Gaston desires to make Gigi his mistress, but she has other ideas. Filled with fabulous costumes, a memorable score, and delightful storyline, Gigi has charmed folks for decades, and so I thought that by combining a Parisian patisserie with characters from the movie, I could enjoy Gigi’s world whenever I wanted. While searching for the perfect Gigi, I filled the display window and shelves with row upon row of cakes, pastries, confections, and chocolates by such artists as Leslie Burgess of The English Kitchen, A. Rose Gallagher, Diminutive Delicacies by Mary, The Kitchen Captive, Stewart Dollhouse Creations, the late Jackie Dunn, and Emma Martinot and Neil Dyde. There are desserts for all occasions; I mixed and matched, arranged and rearranged. Best of all, I didn’t gain a pound! Furnishings are minimal so as not to overwhelm the delectable inventory. A Bespaq bistro table, with two chairs, features a silver chocolate pot and cup

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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 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 versions. Through much trial and 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 find. When “Mary Alice” went up for auction, I knew I had 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 smile on his face is pure Chevalier, who portrayed Honeré Lachaille, Gaston’s suave and debonair uncle. Honeré is here to enjoy dessert and champagne with Gigi and her favorite companion, Napoleon, a white Standard poodle by Kerri Pajutee. It’s a known fact that French restaurants never hesitate to welcome their canine patrons. In the display window sits a four-tier wedding cake, two-tier chocolate cake, and a pink-ribboned cake designed to attract passersby. The glass shelves are filled with a variety of cakes, a tower of profiterole, baked Alaska, shortbreads, and fruit compotes. A glass jar contains

ABOVE: This mini Parisian patisserie is filled with many amazing works of art!

a chocolate Eiffel Tower. Paris has continued to charm the world for more than a century; Gigi for more than five decades. My miniature world is just a small slice of Parisian society, a postcard snapshot of a time, place, and way of life that has disappeared forever. As April blooms eternal in the City of Light, I can return to 1900 and play, if only for a little while, while listening to Maurice Chevalier sing “Thank Heaven for little girls”. . . DHM

D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

Knitting small works of art Inspirational IGMA Fellow Althea Crome knits magnificent one inch scale miniatures that are truly one of a kind works of art. By Lloyd Cooper

I

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA MARTIN

f you have been looking for beautifully handcrafted miniature knits, then look no further. Althea Crome from Bloomington, Indiana, will make your mini dreams come true. She knits in 1:12 scale and specializes in creating artistic pieces that represent complex images, some of which tell a story. She calls them “conceptual knits.” With a love for knitting, Althea sometimes knits ten hours at a time. So much time goes into her work and 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 may be a few hundred dollars; a more complicated sweater with a cabled or Fair Isle pattern might run between $500 and $1500. The really special pieces that have images knitted into them can be between three and

eight thousand dollars. You can find her pieces online, but if you want to see them in person, she will be attending the Chicago show in April 2015. Althea has always been a “maker” of art and crafts. Her field of study in college was respiratory therapy so she is self-taught as an artist, but has found that the community of miniaturists is a generous one and she has gotten wonderful advice and mentorship from several artists within that

TOP AND ABOVE: and knitted Andy arhol ardigan in one inch scale.

RIGHT AND FAR RIGHT: scale argyle vest and a fisherman s vest.

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FEATURE

‘

I continued to seek out more thin yarn and tried my hardest to find small needles. I used everything from toothpicks, to sewing needles.

’

community. Now let’s get to know this amazing artist a bit better in this exclusive DHM interview.

When did you first become interested in miniatures or how were you introduced to the hobby? My best friend had found a dollhouse in the garbage and rescued it. When I saw it, and the fun she was hav-

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Truth and isdom Kimono shown from the front and the back.

ing decorating it, something clicked. I became obsessed with building my own dollhouse. I made a typical beginner’s mistake and took on a project that was way too ambitious and after a while, I became disenchanted with building the dollhouse. However, what remained was my fascination for the miniatures that I had begun collecting to go inside the house. As one thing led to another, I 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 D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

ABOVE: Greek Amphora art knitted into a scale sweater. ABOVE RIGHT: A cardigan with gy tian art de ict ing King Tut. LEFT: The smallest of gloves with reek designs. BELOW: Knitted nglish cottage tea cozies.

creating a man’s cardigan. The gauge was smallish (about 17 stitches to the inch) and although I knew it was not right, I was in love with the process! I continued to

seek out more thin yarn and tried my hardest to find small needles. I used everything from toothpicks to sewing needles. I made a cigar box full of little clothes and took the whole lot to the nearest miniatures shop (about 2½ hours away). The woman who owned the shop gave me some good input and a 1:12-scale dress form and encouraged me to take my inventive designs and try to make them finer. I realized I needed to be working with thread, not yarn, and I also knew I needed smaller needles. I joined an online knitting and crochet group and got great advice from that group. Eventually I started making my own needles (and still do to this day) and have now gotten to the point where I can work with extremely fine silk threads. Some of my finest knits have a gauge of 80 stitches to the inch.

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FEATURE

LEFT AND ABOVE: The sweater and gloves used in the animated film oraline .

pier than I was when I was going to work every day and coming home worn out and grumpy. There is nothing better than being able to spend your days doing what you love. It is a lesson I am constantly reinforcing to my children.

What do you do for your career? 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 the past several 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.

Who is your biggest fan? My parents and my kids are incredibly supportive and encouraging and I’d have to say they are my biggest fans. I occasionally hear from people within the knitting and the miniatures community who have contacted me to tell me that I have inspired them and that is always a wonderful feeling! Then there are brand new fans that love the work I did for the movie Coraline. Where do you find inspiration? As a knitter there are several designers I love, including Alice Starmore and Kaffe Fassett. Leafing through their books has given me a lot of

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 paintings on ivory. They fascinate, intrigue, and delight 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.

Have you made anything that you can’t bear to part with? When I first started making miniature knits, I was obsessed with a design from Alice Starmore’s book called Tudor Roses and I worked at that design for a while until I had made a satisfactory 1:12-scale version. I then contacted a doll maker named Marcia Backstrom and she made a figure for me who would model the sweater (the figure she made was based on pictures I sent her of me). That piece will stay in my collection. There have been other very special pieces that I have made such as my scuba sweater, which tells a story of a day scuba diving when I lost my BELOW: A colorful Kaffe Fassett ins ired cardigan knitted in one inch scale.

What does your family think of your interest? My kids think it’s really cool because I am home with them now and much hapD O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

ABOVE AND LEFT: This one inch scale sweater de icts a scuba diving tri Althea took. The detail is remarkable at such a small scale.

weight belt. That was an important piece to me because it marked a special time in my life when I was re-discovering who I was after a life-changing event brought me to a very low place. It was hard to sell that piece but it is now displayed in a permanent museum collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, Kentucky, so I feel good that many people can see it for years.

I have a couple of pieces at the Kansas City Toy and Miniature Museum, as well. I also made the star sweater and gloves for the stop-motion animated movie Coraline, directed by Henry Selick. My work has also been featured in two of the Ripley’s Believe it or Not books and had a very small appearance on the Martha Stewart Show. Several of my pieces were also part of a show called “Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting” at the MAD (Museum of Art and Design) in NYC. My work was the only miniature work in the show.

Have you made any special items (i.e. something for a celebrity, a piece on display at a museum, etc.)? The largest collection of my work is at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center in Maysville, Kentucky.

What do you love most about miniatures? I love the magical, Alice-inWonderland quality of miniatures. There is nothing more fun than to see a picture of a beautifully made

piece of furniture or object and then to be amazed that what you thought was a full-scale object was actually 1:12 scale. Well-made miniatures can stand up to a great deal of magnification without revealing the fact that it is a miniature. I also love the fact that they are so portable … pocket-sized works of art that you can work on on-the go by popping it in your purse.

What’s the biggest difficulty involved with working in miniature? Finding the patience to work at it until it is right. I am an insanely impatient person and when I have an idea I am overly eager to see it through to completion, which can make me get sloppy. I need to remind myself to take my time and make it right. What do you think about the future of miniatures? I believe that with organizations like IGMA that are committed to promoting miniatures as a fine art form, we continue to elevate miniatures from a hobby to an art form. I also believe that new online communities like the Fine Miniatures Forum help reinforce high standards for the art. In addition, galleries and art museums are beginning to include miniatures in their shows and this is

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FEATURE

ABOVE: This miniature cardigan was ins ired by a icasso ainting.

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 the field there is a learning curve as far as how to be good business people as well as artists, and I would like to see more workshops that focus on the business side of miniature art. I’d like BELOW: A scale cardigan set ins ired by the King and ueen of earts.

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.

What’s next for you and your creations? I have lots of ideas and designs I hope to make in the next year or so. I am in the midst of designing a very complicated medieval nativity sweater. I am also excited about

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 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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SpringsHOWcase

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-sculpted 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

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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 back 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’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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PROJECT

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

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, 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 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 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: To start, use a circle template

and trace a 9/16” 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.

YOU’LLneed u Circle template u Pencil & paper u Ruler u Wax

u Craft knife

u Scroll saw or band saw u Quilling paper u Elmer’s glue

Step 2: You 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.

u Yellow wood glue

u 1/16” & 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.

Step 3: Now, place your ruler on the

drawing and match up the middle mark on

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PROJECT

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

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.

Step 5: Use wax to coat the side of the

wood pattern to keep the glue from sticking the quilling paper to the wood.

Step 10: I used 1/16”” thick basswood that was cut the width of the diameter of my circle, 9/16”. You can use mat board or any thick cardboard that you have.

Step 7: I wrapped my paper around the form three times applying glue as I went.

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

Elmer’s glue. Apply a little glue on the paper, smear it and wrap it around the 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.

Step 11: Glue your shelves into the sides. using yellow wood glue. It grabs faster than Elmer’s white glue. That doesn’t mean that is like Tacky Glue! I just means the wood glue is going set up faster than the white glue would. D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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PROJECT Tip

You might be 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.

Step 15: Next we are going to make the 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 four pieces of quilling paper 1” long. These are the top and bottom scrolls. 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’s eye to finish the tool.

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.

Step 18: For the inside scrolls that are 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 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.

Your finished! 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!

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FEATURE

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

E

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL PUFF

ach year, at the Annual Good Sam Show there is an amazing array of excellent offerings for the Do-It-Yourself miniaturist. 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, 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. 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. TOP: Eliza’s Tea Shoppe 1:12-scale scene was put together by Betty Herman.

Kits, Small Scale & Display Cases

Phyllis Nishimori

“The Three Bears B&B is the fifth quarterGETINtouch scale kit in the Fairy Land series,” says Grandt Line Products Phyllis Nishimori, Grandt Line Products. Phyllis Nishimori “It was inspired by The Tony Brice Picture 1040 B Shary Ct Book, which Mom read when we were Concord, CA 94518 growing up. It has great illustrations and Phone: 925-671-0143 all my favorite stories. In 2015, I’d like to continue on with the fairy tales. Next on the Email: [email protected] Web: www.grandtline.com list is the Three Pigs Builders Emporium.”

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FEATURE 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 have fun and create quality items at reasonable prices that others have fun with and enjoy.”

GETINtouch B J Miniatures Bruce and Judy Steinke 9927 S Falconview Dr Sandy, UT 84092-3910 Phone: 801-572-6113 Email: [email protected] 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 Dragonfly International Supplies and Kits Phone: 916-783-2907 Email: [email protected] Web: www.dragonflyintl.com/shop

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FEATURE

GETINtouch

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: [email protected] Web: http://www.silverfoxcreations.com

Mel Yost

“My handcrafted quarter-inch scale structures using materials native to my locale in Oregon,” says Mel Yost, 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 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

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FEATURE Cortland 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 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 The Cortland Cases 857 N. Lyman Ave Covina, CA 91724-2260 Phone: 626-332-1747 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cortlandcases.com

2014 Friday Workshops “I took a Friday class from IGMA Fellow Beth Freeman-Kane, South Africa,” says Tricia Weber, 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, 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.” D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE On Friday, IGMA Fellow Sarah Evans offered a one-day workshop to make a hooked rug. “I taught students the intricacies of working with the Russian Punchneedle, 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 Strawberry Creek Designs Sarah Anne Evans 541 Louisiana Street Vallejo, CA 94590 Phone: 707-567-6726 Email: [email protected] Web: coalshedstudios.com

Ruth Stewart, Stewart Dollhouse 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 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 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 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

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FEATURE 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 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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FEATURE 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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FEATURE 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 & Techniques 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 C inspired by a scene shown on Pinterest by Pascale Garnier of France. Pascale G has become known for her fine miniature flower kits with instructions in French and English. The doll was created E by the talented Melissa Drapeau, Ocala, Florida.”

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FEATURE

A Weer of Miniature Makers

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 you have it!

To keep informed about the 2015 Show, visit: http://goodsamsho case.miniature.net. Blog: http://goodsa show.blogspot.com. Facebook: GoodSam ShowcaseOf Miniatures

GETINtouch Dollhouse Land Laura Crain 27134A Paseo Espada, Ste 304 San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 Phone: 949-496-9841 Email: [email protected]

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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, “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: BluTack, 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 D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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PROJECT from all of your favorite artists, then you would not want to permanently glue them down, especially if there is an artist’s signature on the bottom. Personally, I would have issue putting 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 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. 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

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 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, 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!

a scene with many small items on 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.

Wax

Finally, there is museum wax 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

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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 Big 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 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 e-commerce 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 luck!

The great little nut hunt

Snickers was found on page 21 of DHM issue 43 (Jan-Feb 2015), by the Venetian 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 amazing objects are part of the 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 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’s House” was made c1762 and 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”. The more robust furniture made by Evans & Cartwright was also to a large extent made using child labour, with the

Waffle on a plate giveaway

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.

Amanda Phillips has donated this 1:12-scale waffle on a plate to giveaway! 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.

An S.O.S. from a fellow miniaturist

For further information please contact: Janey Abbott, Communications Officer, Bath Preservation Trust. Phone: 01225 338727. Email: [email protected]

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! D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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PROJECT

construct a GRanD entRy Follow along with Jo Bevilacqua in part two of this extensive tutorial and create your own magnificent framed miniature entrance way. By Jo Bevilacqua

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his tutorial is a continuation from Jo’s step-by-step creation of a 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!

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

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.

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

Step 2: Put 3 to 4 tablespoons of

Step 4: Moisten a stipple brush with

Preparing the stone Step 1: Sort out all of the stone by size

spackling in six small sealable containers.

water, dry it off with a paper towel and then

YOU’LLneed 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) 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 brush

u Box cutter with breakaway blade u Tub-and-tile caulk in a tube u Painter’s blue tape u Masking tape

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PROJECT 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 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, front 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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PROJECT to the arch wall. Mark on each side of the front arch wall.

Step 4: Dry fit the steps on the front sub

the left and right walls along the perimeter sides where the subfloor touches the walls and across the ceiling up to the arch wall.

floor, centered on the archway wall. Pencil the area on the front arch wall where the steps come up to the arch wall.

Step 7: 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.

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.

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.

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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PROJECT 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.

Step 5: Lay the stone across the entire top, corner to corner then begin working on the

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, file or sand that down now.

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.

Step 2: Once the fascia is

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

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

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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FEATURE

A fairy tail in miniature 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

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airy tales have been a part of human culture for thousands of years. They are a part of our childhood and, perhaps, the lessons we learned from them at a young age carry on with us as adults. In fact, they could even be viewed as tips for survival to new generations. Julie Campbell has always loved reading fairy tales, so it is no surprise that fairy tale characters have always been a big part of her doll making. She remembers when it all started.

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Julie Campbell has always loved reading fairy tales, so it is no surprise that fairy tale characters have always been a big part of her doll making.

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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 char-

acters from the stories to life. If they couldn’t be made, then I would spend hours sketching them. Then my focus turned towards giving makeovers to Barbie, Tressy, and Daisy dolls. They would get new handmade outfits and radical haircuts. I suppose things haven’t changed that much really!” Professionally, Julie has been enjoying making miniature dolls for twelve years. She is a full-time doll maker and her dolls can be found online and at a select number of European miniature shows.

She hopes to return to the Chicago miniature show in the future. The magic all happens in her garden studio at her home in Tyneside,

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.

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FEATURE 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 arms and legs.

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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.

You can see 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 always one of Julie’s favorite fairy 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 had! You can see by studying 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 D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE Fun fact

The earliest versions of the 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).

ABOVE: The inside of the box was painted to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood by showing Grandma’s house in the distance.

one little bit.” Creating the wolf was something new for Julie, but she dove right in and the results were magnificent. “I always thought that for Little Red to stop and talk to the wolf, he must have seemed rather friendly. So I made my wolf a dapper fellow and dressed him in a dashing silk waistcoat and cloak. I don’t often make animal sculpts, so he was a challenge for me. It was a lot of fun to mark his fur and give him a suitable canine face. I also loved making his costume with the beautiful silk brocade. He

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I have such a love for miniatures because I am fascinated that we can create incredibly detailed miniature versions of life-size objects and hold them in the palm of our hands!

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was a real treat to work on.” Julie made the tree from wire, floral tape, layers of paint, and scenic scat-

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 a papiermâché 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 from an antique book of fairy tales. The other side was painted with a scene showing grandma’s cottage in the distance. For a finishing touch she put together some Bonnie Lavish paper flower kits to add to the scene. What a wonderful way to remember childhood fairy tales in miniature! “I have such a love for miniatures because I am fascinated that we can create incredibly detailed miniature versions of life-size objects and hold them in the palm of our hands! It’s all about the detail for me, and with my dolls I really strive to make them look like tiny little people. The expression on their faces, the wrinkles, and tilt of their head down to the tiny detailing of costumes and draping give them the realism I strive for. I just love everything about creating miniatures, as well as being a collector, too.” DHM

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FEATURE

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 magnificent collection. By Gabriele Layne

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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, 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 blue and the front 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 many happy hours opening shoeboxes and un-

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 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 o en.

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FEATURE 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 anti ues. This sho s ecialized in ewter but there are many other exciting items throughout the s ace including antique bedwarmers, vintage cash registers, and walking canes.

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FEATURE 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 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 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 are named after family members and friends. Wilhelm and Maria were my grandparents; Walter and Rosa Maria were my parents. 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 learn the names of 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 comes from a family 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 his dream of opening 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 m orts 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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FEATURE

ABOVE: A beautiful fan is the backdro for tiny kee sakes and vases. xotic birds are dis layed 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 einhard s desk. t s all in the details!

a gramophone that is on the floor. Retired now, Walter passed on the business to his oldest son, Reinhard, who has taken 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 are allowed to visit him anytime and play with the family dog Tippy, but they have been told not to touch anything on his desk or his

The antique store specializes 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 is Mrs. Bandmann, she runs the shop with expertise acquired from many years in the business. Her dog, 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

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FEATURE

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. DHM

ABOVE AND RIGHT: The girls are en oying utting together a uzzle as well as many other games in the family room. There are many different activities for them to en oy in this room. A random 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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FEATURE

The new 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

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ome step into the miniature metropolis of Smallsea! Located in Carmel, California, Smallsea depicts the city center of a fictional city in Edwardian England circa 1900 to 1905. From the bakery to the brewery to the seaport to the city’s town hall—it is all there to see in meticulous detail. In addition to the buildings, there are horses and carriages, busses, and early automobiles. A population of more than 1,000 miniature dolls goes about the daily routines of city life. Smallsea is the collection of Diane and Howard Birnberg. Together they build the structures and collect all the miniatures and dolls. Artists and premier dealers from all over the world have assisted in making their miniature city come to life. Diane gives us a tour of the latest addition to this community. A porcelain shop was always on our list of buildings for our little town of Smallsea, but I have a strict rule that we only start construction when I have a good part of the items for the interior of a building collected. We waited eight years for me to start the design process on Palliser’s Fine Porcelains. During those years, besides collecting for this shop, we were also

on a building spree adding building after building. Last year, with only two new buildings on the agenda and a couple of renovations, the timing was perfect. As always, I drew up the plans, decided on the exterior finish, windows, and doors, and sketched out the interior design. As my husband, Howard, built the structure and finished the exterior, I bought the furniture and fittings for the shop. For Palliser’s, I also used a couple of vintage pieces from my collection including a Spielwaren dining table that, though it is slightly out of scale, works as a display

table. 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

TOP: The exterior of the new addition to Smallsea. RIGHT: This lovely little store is full of the finest porcelain collections.

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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 them all in full size. Meissen and French majolica, Fiesta ware, and Catalina… my tastes were wide and eclectic. I even went through a year-long craze for Arts and Crafts pottery and antique porcelain bathing beauty statues! This is an obsession that 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

become an avid miniatures collector, so I started to pick up porcelain pieces here and there. Hooray! I was back at it, just on a smaller (though not necessarily less expensive) scale. Placing all the pieces in the cabinets and on the tables was very time consuming but what fun! To finally dig into the many boxes and bins of my collection was like opening Christmas presents. The first thing I did was to sort through it all and LEFT: These beautiful pieces were made by Beate, Gerd Felka, Beatricce Miniaturas, and Nickan-Maria Mattsson.

ABOVE: The porcelain shown above is from Amanda Skinner and the gorgeous gold lacquer bowl is from Ligia Dunstan.

organize the collection in several of those plastic divided boxes. This was done by color and by style of item: plate sets, vases, statues, etc. Now with it all in front of me and sorted, I could work with each piece of furniture and design a display. This to me is always the best part of our project—the detail work. The two main display tables are loosely done with a color theme: one aqua blue and the other red/rose and gold. Many well-known artists are represented and on the back or on the bottom of each display is a list of their names. To finish off the scene, I added four dolls from my collection to represent the sales clerks and customers. Three more dolls were added to the exterior to create the street scene. The outside D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

ABOVE: Porcelain by Deborah McKnight and Mzia Dsamia. ABOVE RIGHT: Many pieces 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 seasons, particularly for the winter/holiday months. The response by visitors to Palliser’s Fine Porcelains has been terrific. People who are new to miniatures are blown away by the amazing skills of the artists. Those who already have

an appreciation of miniatures love to see so much displayed in one building. Howard and I are thrilled with the feedback. For me, it is a special collection and a special new building for Smallsea. And just to let you know, I am still collecting dishes—albeit small ones and there is space for more in Palliser’s and the rest of the 50 buildings in Smallsea. DHM

GETINtouch 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]

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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

ILLINOIS

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

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

IOWA

Ms. Peggie’s Place 5063 Cass St. San Diego, CA 92109

Dollhouse Dreams 613 Avenue G Fort Madison, IA 52627

My Dolls House 1218 El Prado Ave Torrance, CA 90501

KENTUCKY

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

FLORIDA Ron’s Miniature Shop Inc 751 W Colonial 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

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

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

276 Rt 101 #1 Amherst, Nh 03031-1732

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 Fingertip Fantasies 2985 West Dutton Mill Rd. Aston, PA 19014 Lynlott Miniatures

223 Commercial Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15215-3054

SOUTH CAROLINA

TENNESSEE 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 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

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TIPS AND TRICKS ON PREPARING TO DOWNSIZE YOUR COLLECTION

May / June 13 ISSUE 33

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BEHOLD WEST COAST WONDERS IN OUR GOOD SAM GALLERY

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Build a fairy garden Sculpt a garlic braid Convert a dress to Steampunk Fill your can with sardines Light your own pumpkin Crochet dogs with sweaters And so much more!

PROJECTS

Standing male doll Bread loaves and slices Vintage knit baby dress Frosted brownies Picnic basket for a beach Lemon meringue pie And so much more!

Cut and bind two books Glue together a dog bed Construct a writing desk Set up a wall shelf Give your sofa a leather look Build a Victorian washer And so much more!

PROJECTS

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calendarLISTINGS 2015 March 7 Sarasota, FL

“Mini Spring Cleaning” Flea Market. Ramada Waterfront Sarasota. 10am – 3pm. Same location as Molly Cromwell’s January Miniature Show. For more information, please contact: [email protected] or Maryb49@ verizon.net.

March 7-8 Seattle, WA

Seattle Miniature Show. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton - Seattle Airport/ Southcenter, 16500 Southcenter Parkway, Seattle, Washington (located in Tukwila). Doors open both days at 10am. Free parking! Handicap accessible. Food on location. Workshops. Children’s classes - free. Exhibits. New website: http://www. SeattleMiniatureShow.com. Contact: Pat Bennett. Phone: 503-362-6012 evenings & weekends. Email: PatBennett@ SeattleMiniatureShow.com.

March 14 Boca Raton, FL

Les Petits Collecteurs of South Florida will hold their Dollhouse Miniatures Show and Sale on Saturday, March 14, 2015 from 9:00 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. at the Boca Raton Community Center, 150 NW Crawford Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33432. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for under 12. There will be many dealers, a large exhibit room featuring What’s Cooking?, free Make It and Take It demos, and lunch facilities. Workshops will be held on Friday, March 13th, 2015. Proceeds from our show benefit Kids In Distress and AVDA. For show information, contact Marilyn Freedman, [email protected]. Website - http://sites.google.com/site/ 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, $2.50 children under 12 and $4.50 seniors. Dollhouse & Miniature Exhibits, quality vendors and artisans, door prizes, people’s choice voting, refreshments, free parking,

no sales tax! Rte. 13 North at I-95 by Delaware Memorial Bridges. Partial proceeds to charity. Please, no baby strollers. Info: show@firststateminiclub. org or www.firststateminiclub.org.

April 18 Worcester, MA

Friends Thru Miniatures Club is presenting their 14th Fun Day on April 18, 2015 from 8am to 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.

April 18-19 Boise, ID

35th Annual Mini Les Bois Miniature Show and Sale located at Best Western Vista Inn at the airport, 2646 Airport Way, Boise, Idaho. Saturday 10am5pm and Sunday noon-5pm. Adults $4, children (5-12) $2. No strollers please. For more info, contact Bobbi Hargett c/o Mini Les Bois, PO Box 4482, Boise, Idaho 83711-4482. [email protected]. (208) 377-9154.

April 24-25 Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga Miniature Society announces their annual Fun Days, featuring displays, sales and workshops. “May Day” will be held Fri. April 24 and Sat. April 25, 2015 in the meeting rooms behind Innovative Miniatures on Lee Hwy in Chattanooga, TN. For information on registration, hotels and class offerings, contact Ginger Morrison at gingerchatt@ comcast.net or by phone at 423-3448502.

May 1-2 Fenton, MO

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 raffles. There will be workshops Friday and Saturday. Free Kids Make and Takes both days. Come join us for a great weekend of miniatures, fun, and friends. For more information: Miniatureshows. com [email protected]. T & D Miniatures 2599 Willow Brook Park, Fenton Mo 63026. Phone: 636-296-3818

May 8-9 Kansas City, MO

The Kansas City 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 raffle 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 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 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 raffle, 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] Ph: (507) 634-3143 or 1(866) 606-6587 Fax: (507) 634-7691 Dollhouse Miniatures 68132 250th Avenue Kasson, MN 55944 D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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FEATURE

A cart 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

J

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAN STUART

an Yinger, one of our favorite and long-established artisans, has gone rustic! That’s not to say that Jan’s skills have become rusty, as one look at her latest, amusing, 1:12 scale miniature handcarts will show. But, why call them “rustic?” My well-used dictionary identifies that word as meaning “country-like, spare and simple, with a hand-made appearance.” You could not ask for a more faithful description of Jan’s latest work. It follows, then, that a country life is surely being lived by the peddler dolls that are these carts “owners.” Theirs would seem to be a hands-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 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 was a little girl, her Father, who was my Grandfather, 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

pushing it’s way out around the lid. That’s when a beer barrel cart would surely have been welcome on a hot day.” As for the ale cart owner, Jan tells us he has sampled a bit too much of his own product, and that he tried to steal one of the pigs from their cart, too, but didn’t succeed. When asked the story behind the Pig’s Cart, Jan quotes that well-loved children’s English nursery rhyme, “To market, to market, to buy a fat hog.” Then, when detailing the Chicken

Cart’s origins, she claims a farmer’s wife was setting out the cart to sell eggs, but the chickens took it over. As for the Chimney Sweep’s Cart, who else could have inspired it, but Jan’s favorite movie character, the soot-smudged Bert, from the classic Disney movie, Mary Poppins? And, Jan confides, “The Coal Man is his English friend.” TOP: A chimney sweeps’ cart in 1:12 scale. BELOW: Tow vintage hot potato carts.

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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.

Last, come Jan’s Hot Potato Carts. She explains, “My friend, miniatures dealer Suzy Yee, found a photo of an old-time one from England and had some kits made up, following the basic pattern of the original one, plus some basic cart patterns of our own design.” One is made of sheet metal and the other type is made of wood with a corrugated metal roof. The condiments for topping the hot potatoes were easy for Jan to add, using polymer modeling compound and caulk: butter, cheese, sour cream, bacon, onions, and a surprise pate’. “After all,” Jan says, “it’s a fantasy story.” As for more and different fantasy hand carts of your own making, Jan advises: “Think back to long-lost relatives in Early America or the Olde

World and surmise what kinds of bartering they might have done or jobs they might have had. Such as, a gardening ancestor would surely 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 quilts off to sell, and so on. Any hand cart of your delight is easily made and can be personalized just by adding some items that might speak of your own family’s history.” To add interest and authenticity to your rustic cart and it’s contents, Jan advises the following: Cloth should be simple muslin, checks, or calicos, possibly aged; wood items for trade should be unstained and appear hand-assembled, perhaps very slightly crooked here

and there; fruit, 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 signs can be 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, your cart should look well used, inside and out, with rubs, nicks, and faded or weathered 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 growing alongside. For 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

RIGHT: A cart full of chickens and fresh eggs.

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FEATURE Jan has made a miniature mobile jail complete with one guilty party!

BELOW: A pig cart with two pigs and a burlap bag of pig food.

might have for trade will do. With those things happily accomplished, 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 single day. After all, nothing you create is meant to be kept in the dark, only to be brought out for guests to 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 it. You may be 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 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.

where I can enjoy it while washing my hands every day and turn out the light when I leave. Then, too, there’s the dim corner in the kitchen, 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

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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!

surface. Be sure to center them. I like the glue stick for this because you can easily adjust the centering. Let them dry.

YOU’LLneed

u Printed designs for block and stand-up

Step 1: Wood blocks usually come

already sanded smooth. Apply your choice of craft paint or stain them and let dry.

u Craft glue and/or glue stick u Card stock

u Jewelry eye or head pins u Jewelry clippers u Scissors

u Drill with a tiny bit

u Wood cubes (I chose ½”.) u Craft paint or stain

Step 2: Choose your paper designs; one

for the stand-up and five for the block’s 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.

Step 3: Apply glue to the back of each

piece, place paper, press and smooth onto

Step 4: For the stand-up piece, cut two

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 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.

Step 6: Place your pin piece onto the

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.

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, 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

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 images and designs to use is fun. Besides the ones that DHM 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.

76 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

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APPLE JAM

APRICOT JAM

RASBERRY JAM

BLACKBERRY JAM

PEAR JAM

LABELS FOR CANS AND BOTTLES PEACH JAM

FIG JAM

2 mm 10 20

1 : 1 2 Music book.

30 40

58.qxd 26/08/2005 12:49 Page 1 ge 158.qxd 26/08/2005 12:49 Page 1

BLUEBERRY JAM

DOLLS HOUSE WORLD cutouts

GRAPE JAM

Works of art to frame and hang in your proj ect.

1 American Miniaturist 8

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Permission to photocopy

CANCAN LABELS ANDAND PRODUCE POSTERS fromfrom thethe 1940s LABELS PRODUCE POSTERS 1940s

ion to photocopy

D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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5

Permission to photocopy

DOLLSminiatures HOUSE WORLD- cutcutouts Dollhouse outs

STRAWBERRY JAM

Snippets

Inches

DOLLS HOUSE WORLD cuto

Images may be cut out or copied for personal use only

10/04/2006 11:08 Page 1 1:12-scale vintage pantry labels.

Photocopies of this cut outs page may be made for personal use only.

cutouts page 165.qxd

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STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION 1. Publication title: Dollhouse Miniatures 2. Publication number 1094-1916. 3.Filing Date: 09/17/2013. 4. Issue Frequency: Bi-monthly. 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 6. 6. Annual Subscription Price: $39.99. 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known office of Publication: 68132 250th Ave., Kasson, MN 55944. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 68132 250th Ave., Kasson, MN 55944. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Kelly Johnson, 68132 250th Ave., Kasson, MN 55944. Editor: Auralea Krieger, 606 Leight Road, Abingdon, MD21009. Managing Editor: None. 10. Owner: Kelly Johnson, 68132 250th Ave. Kasson, MN 55944. Ashdown.co.uk Ltd, PO Box 2258, Pulborogh, RH20 9BA, UK. 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. None. 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months. 13. Publication Title: Dollhouse Miniatures. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: November/December 2014. 15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: Subscription & Single Issue Sales a. Total Number of Copies. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 4035. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 3955. B(1). Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies). Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 3395. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 3305. (2) Mailed In-county Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies). Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: None. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: None. (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 344. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 324. (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail). Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 251. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 245. C. Total Paid Distribution. Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 3987. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 3874. D. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1) Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: None. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: None. (2) Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: None. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: None. (3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed or Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g. First-Class Mail). Average no. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 4. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 5. (4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means). Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: None. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: None. E. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution. Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 0. e. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 0. F. Total Distribution. Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 3987. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 3874. G. Copies Not Distributed. Average No. Copies Each issue During Preceding 12 Months: 48. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 81. H. Total. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 4035. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 3955. I. Percent Paid. Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 100. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 100. 16. Total circulation includes electronic copies: A. Paid Electronic Copies Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 2131. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 1681. B. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c)+ Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) Average No. Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 6118. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 5555. C. Total Print Distribution (line 15f)+Paid Electronic Copies (line 16a) Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 6118. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 5555. D. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100) Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months 100%. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 100%. I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above a nominal price. 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership. If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed in the Mar/Apr 2015 issue of this publication. 17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publication, Business Manager, or Owner: Kelly Johnson, CFO.11/19/2014.

American Miniaturist

MORE THAN 300 - paper punch shapes to make petals and leaves for flowers and plants. Some punches exclusively designed by Ruth Hanke of Hanky Panky. Send for actual size punch shapes catalog for $2.00 U.S., foreign $3.00. Complete catalog $4.00 U.S., Foreign $8.50. Hanky Panky Designs, 212 N. Galbraith Box 8, Blue Earth, MN 56013. Ph: (507) 526-3110. Email: [email protected] Web page: www.hankypankycrafts.com

93

80 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

Many Choices! Sizes! Price levels! Years of Joy! 10 Quarry St. - Barre, Vermont 05641

802-479-2217 on the web: www.RealGoodToys.com 049_MA15_p079-080.indd 80

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IN A NUTSHELL

A light will guide the way Kathleen Ferrari has finished her Sea Mist Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage and is excited to share it with other miniaturists.

K

athleen enjoys the outdoors and the gift of creating. She has been involved in the hobby of miniatures for more than twenty years. She also enjoys working with premature infants, young children, and their families. Her journey in this hobby began years ago during a trip to West Virginia with a friend after they came upon a miniatures store. She has been busy working on a small country cottage, flower shop, and a few more dollhouses. In this issue of DHM, she will be sharing her newest project with us, the

Sea Mist Lighthouse and Keeper’s Cottage. Relax and enjoy the tour with Kathleen in her own words. Perspective is something to be considered when looking through the eyes of life. I have gained much, in my near fifty years, looking through that lens. I am a Christian. My salvation in Christ, as well as my husband, family, and creativity are gifts for which I am truly thankful to God. The seacoasts of Maine, Oregon, and the Florida Keys are dotted with lighthouses. Many are over a hundred years old. Technology has changed and

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 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.

D O L L H O U S E M I N I AT U R E S

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IN A NUTSHELL LEFT: Fishing gear is stored in the entryway of the lighthouse. RIGHT: The bathroom is tucked away under the stairs.

ABOVE: The hall of the Keepers Cottage. RIGHT: A full view of the cottage interior.

wind blows and the fog rolls in. The keeper’s cottage is a cozy nook. Its bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and den are filled with treasures that were brought back from foreign ports and safely stored here. The sea captain still experiences memories from old adventures and voyages. They come flooding back each time he walks through a room and sees the treasures he has collected. The lighthouse entry has fishing gear, tools, and a lantern. There is a

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 loft. There is a cozy fireplace and a desk for writing. There is also a parrot for companionship. The ladder in that room leads to the roof deck where there is a chair, binoculars, seagulls, and a pelican. What a view! I started this project in September of 2013 and finished in August 2014. Some ideas for rooms I have made have come from old movies I have seen and books that I have read. I loved picking the colors and trim for this lighthouse. I like to work with wood. The wallpaper is scrapbook paper. The rugs are made from doilies, a potholder, and felt. The radio in the kitchen is a bracelet charm from childhood. The hardest part was assembling the tower and hiding the wires beneath the beams and behind walls. Cutting trim for the angles

was a learning experience. There are a few battery-operated lights. This project was a new discovery. I am thankful to have discovered new shopping sites on the computer. I continue to enjoy searching out items at flea markets and yard sales. Making items is much fun and brings me much joy! When I light the lighthouse and keepers cottage, I think that the real ones must have been reassuring sights to sailors long ago. I hope you enjoy the Sea Mist Lighthouse and Keepers Cottage too! DHM

82 D O L L H O U S E M I N I A T U R E S

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AM magazine is now available to read on your favorite device, including the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Samsung Galaxy Tab. Buy the latest issue anywhere in the world at a fraction of the cost of the paper edition. Download your FREE App today. Simply search for ‘American Miniaturist Magazine’ in the Apple App store or Android Market.

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1/23/15 2:35 PM

Auntie Em’s 5625 West Glendale Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 623-435-0783 Dollhouses, Trains & More 300 Entrada Drive Novato, CA 94949 415-883-0388

In the Spotlight

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 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

69 West Washington Street Morgantown, IN 46160 812-597-4346 Great Lakes Craft & Hobby 43055 Van Dyke Sterling Heights, MI 48314 586-254-1600

HW Mar-Apr '15 DM-full.indd 1 049_MA15_p084.indd 84

Fao Schwarz Dollhouses & Miniatures 767 Fifth Ave at 58th St. New York, NY 10153 212-644-9400 x3124 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

The Dollhouse Factory 157 Main Street Lebanon, NJ 08833 908-236-6404

Miniature Cottage, Inc. 410 East Iris Drive Nashville, TN 37204 615-298-2872

Toy Box

770-923-8500

Circus Dollhouse 445 Route 23 South Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 973-839-7990

The Little Dollhouse Co. 612 Mount Pleasant Road Toronto, Ontario Canada M4S 2M8 416-489-7180

es many inventory includ Their extensive cts du Houseworks pro

2388 Pleasantdale Road Atlanta, GA 30340 770-448-6596 Fax 770-448-3350 www.houseworksltd.com Email: [email protected]

Owners Ken and Bev Simon

Toad Hall Toys 54 Arthur Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3B 1G7 204-956-2195

1/19/15 12:39 PM 22/01/2015 09:08