More Happy Snaps

I am back at 'work', wigging the 'family' is finished and will be off to their new home any moment, and the list of  'to do' is being studied seriously.....but in the meantime, just the last few snaps!!

Like many miniaturists I'm a sucker for interesting (full sized) old buildings - my files are full of pictures of them - not to mention corners of walls, bits of roof and the like.  The following are two seen on our Yorkshire trip.

This is The Grand Hotel in Scarborough - or at least a corner of it. It was built in 1863, one of the first purpose built hotels in Europe  and at one time the largest. What is fascinating is that it was designed on the principles of Time - so the sculptures on each of the four corners represents a different season (not sure which this one is), the twelve floors represent the months, 52 chimneys - the weeks...and so on. I loved the sculptures and gothic architecture. Sadly we weren't staying there.

Whitby was full of treasures when it came to buildings tucked away up little streets and bolts and this is one - maybe it was a merchant's house once upon a time. It would be wonderful in miniature....in my dreams.....

Captain Cook served his merchant seaman apprenticeship in Whitby and he is honoured by this rather fabulous statue high on the cliff looking out to sea. I do like a good statue too....not to mention the fact that I've a vested interest in this brave and interesting man and was comissioned two or three years ago to recreate him in 1/12th scale.

I'm sorry that I've forgotten who this stunning memorial tablet in York Minster commemorates - but the scale of this Tudor momument, the design, sculpture and colours was quite wonderful. Many Blogs could be devoted to the magnificent Minster so if you get the chance to go to York - a wonderful City anyway - do go to see it.
Thank you for looking
Robin

Happy Snapping!!

I love taking photographs almost as much as making miniatures and gardening - so now that Spring has arrived, and I'm just back from a lovely visit to family and a holiday in Yorkshire - there have been lots of opportunities to snap away....

Given that there's a whole family of dolls that need wigging, our latest 1/48th piece hasn't been photographed yet, and I'm still tackling the holiday washing  - no pics of miniatures this time!

The Cowslips in my 'wild meadow' (a really tiny patch, to be honest) look wonderful and are spreading. I planted some when we moved here less than three years ago, but find to my delight that they are popping up all over the garden so they must have grown here once before. I love the way that surprise seedlings and plants just appear when you inherit an old garden.

Nostalgia is part of my garden as well - this is quirky corner by our ancient cast iron garden bench. The Auriculas are in old clay pots and the odd collections in the terracotta pans are mostly shells and stones.The table is actually a piece of marine plywood sitting on an old green glass carboy. I've just planted an old fashioned Pink in the leaky watering can...in my mind's eye it will look wonderful. I'll let you know!

Here's quirky!! Spotted in a relative's garden - nasturtiums planted in old baked bean tins which have been punched with holes and hung in the pear tree. I think they'll look super when the plants have grown and spill over in full fabulous flower.....am saving my cans!!

 

I have always thought that there's no better sight at this time of year than a bluebell wood - but I think you'll have to agree that this bank in Scarborough with a drift of bluebells and wild garlic (Ransoms) comes pretty close.
Finally - between Filey and Bridlington on A165 - the life sized Dotterel Shepherd and his sheep march across a roundabout!!! Amazing!! Fabulous I thought, although I gather the sculpture by Ronald Falck gets a mixed reaction. My husband kindly went round twice and parked in a layby so I could take pictures - I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'd have loved to get closer - if you're interested, Google it for more pictures and info.

 

 Thank you for looking.
Robin

Check Out the Shopkeepers

There must be SO many different kinds of shops - and it's fascinating how they've evolved over the centuries and decades. Equally fascinating are shops in miniature. For now I'm sticking to shopkeepers!

Let me introduce you to a couple of  1/24th scale Corner Shopkeepers from the 1960s - 70s......they do look pretty much alike....which at least demonstrates that no two Coombe Crafts characters are ever identical, even if the share the same clothes!

                                            

I loved those shops - my aunt owned little one which was crammed full from floor to ceiling and she sold everything from Cream Crackers (loose in a tin) to shoelaces, sherbet and writing paper. Magic!!

The next shopkeeper - in 1/12th scale - is actually a famous one, certainly in Nottingham where he founded the famous Boots chain of chemist shops and was a generous Victorian benefactor.  Please meet Jesse Boot!  

 

You might like this old photograph of a baker's shop taken around 1920 I think - the pony drawn cart has been loaded up with loaves of bread for delivery around the small market town and surrounding villages. Shops like this were very often at the heart of the community, and the baker here would cook neighbour's Christmas dinners for them in his big oven if their own were too small.

Finally a photograph taken very recently here in Thame - just a lovely reminder of an old shop now long gone, but not forgotten.

Last Sunday Celia Thomas (KT Miniatures) and I held the first in our new series of Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops, also here in Thame. The weather was WET - so thanks to the ladies who braved horrible journeys to attend - but we had a very enjoyable and enthusiastic afternoon and a whole number of accomplished Little Vintage Halls emerged from detailed instructions and prepared kits comprising little more than MDF, pieces of wood and  card, paint and glue! Magic!

For pictures of the workshop and details of the next one do take a look at our Blog.

Thank you for looking
Robin