After the Fair.......The Tudors

First of all many thanks to Freda and George for a lovely Exhibition at Haddenham on Saturday - it was lovely to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. I'm sure the funds of Hearing dogs for Deaf People and Leukaemia and Lymphona Research have been swelled as a result.


It was a most enjoyable day and as well as out own individual stands as Coombe Crafts and KT Miniatures, Celia and I had the opportunity of a display stand to show all Nostalgia In Miniature Workshop projects together....they looked super, and we were very thrilled to have so many enthusiastic comments. It also gave us the opportunity to give a first mention of  the New Spring Workshop - Round the Back of the Gardener's Cottage. Details will be finalised in January and up on our website then.  In the meantime if you're interested and would like to be kept informed do get in touch.

I've certainly been tripping around the centuries with my recent commissions and I've loved creating this 1/12th scale Tudor Cook - she looks a cheery soul, although I imagine she had to work very hard to produce a meal in those times.

I've been watching the Tudor Monastry Farm series on BBC2 with Ruth Goodman - brilliant and very inspiring - and I'm dying to make some more Tudor  characters when I have time`

Thank you for looking
Robin

HADDENHAM DOLLS HOUSE EXHIBITION - THIS SATURDAY!!

Are you thinking of coming along to the Haddenham Dolls House Exhibition and Fair on Saturday - 23rd November at Haddenham Village Hall? It will be a lovely day, and is always very popular.
 
We shall be there on our Coombe Crafts stand and, with Celia my chum of KT Miniatures on hers, also manning our Nostalgia in Miniature Workshop display featuring all our past projects in both 1/12th and 1/24th scale and bringing details of our exciting new Spring Workshop .  Do come and say hello!

As you can see I'm still in a bit of a muddle, finishing off some last-minute 1/24th scale characters to bring - we shall also be discounting our handmade furniture in 1/12th and 1/24th scale - just for the day.

Our Nostalgia in Miniature Workshop display will feature all of our projects, so the table will be full -  and we shall also have the unique Seaside Scene, created for the Dolls House and Miniature Scene Magazine which we are selling with 50%  of the sale price to Breast Cancer Campaign. We are happy to take offers on the day, so please come and have a chat if you're interested.

'When Father Papered the Parlour....the week before Christmas!'

 

 

 

 

The Seaside Scene will be for for sale

I'm sure it will be a splendid day from 10.00am until 4.00pm -  Entrance is £4 for adults and £1 for children and this all goes to the two very important charities, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Lymphona and Leukaemia Research.

In addition to large displays by four local Dolls House Clubs, there will be three or four others, including a Lego railway, which sounds fun! AND a very special dolls house, beautifully decorated by James Parker and featured in Dolls House and Miniature Scene Magazine is to be sold by Sealed Bid Auction.

If you're looking treat yourself or perhaps buy a Christmas present for a miniaturist friend, there will be a number of traders this year - so lots to choose from!!  Then of course, there's the charity raffle and refreshments....wonderful cake!!

The Village Hall is in the centre of this lovely village and easy to find  (HP17 8EE) just off the main Thame/Aylesbury road - buses run frequently from Aylesbury and Oxford and the Haddenham and Thame Parkway Railway Station is close by.
Sadly this will be the last Haddenham Dolls House Exhibiton  - Freda and George are taking honourable retirement having run it for many years - so let's make it extra special.

Lucie Roper, the Editor of Dolls House and Miniature Scene Magazine has asked me to put up the link for the next exciting project in the WW1 theme - here it is - enjoy!


Thank you for looking
Robin

Father Christmas and Some Little Friends....

Christmas is creeping up - rather too fast  - so it only seems fitting that Father Christmas should come with me to Haddenham Village Hall next weekend to add some festive appeal to the Coombe Crafts stand. Thought you might like a preview!


As you can see he's a 1/24th little chap and has some young friends with him hoping to find some lovely presents under their own Christmas trees this year. We'll have a selection of toys they might like too...

We're looking forward to attending The Haddenham Dolls House Exhibition and Fair on Saturday 23rd November in the Village Hall - Haddenham is easy to find conveniently situated  between Thame and Aylesbury - HP17 8EE.

This is always a lovely event and Freda and George Dorrell have organised it for years to raise funds for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Lymphona and Leukaemia Research, showcasing the work of a number of local Dolls House and Miniature Clubs.  A small number of artisans have stands including us (Coombe Crafts) and KT Miniatures which means there's lots to look and and purchase too. Celia and I (KT Miniatures) will also be squeezing in our Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops display stand so if you'd like to know more do come and say 'hello' and take a look at  the unique projects that have been created in the workshops and find out about our exciting new one.

This year will be the last time that Freda and George organise the Exhibition so we all want to make it a very special day, have a lovely time, and swell the funds of these important charities to say thank you to two exceptional people.

Thank you for looking
Robin
p.s. If you're reading this P. - I'll take along your very special ordered Santa!

LEST WE FORGET

This Sunday people will gather together on Remembrance Sunday to honour the many thousands of military personnel and civilians too, who sacrified their lives for the freedom we have today. Others paid with damaged health and minds.

The ceremonies - some very large and some quite tiny -  are all moving and important and sometimes very hard to bear for those attending.

On Remembrance Day itself, Monday 11th November we shall pause during the traditional silence and think of them all.

Thank you
Robin

It's All about Variety!

In the last two or three weeks I've sculpted and costumed down the miniature scales from 1/12th, then 1/16th down to 1/24th....haven't got on to the 1/48th characters I need to make.......but I will!

The rather grand late 18th Century gents in 1/12th scale were a super commission which allowed me a bit of fun with trimmings and posh wigging for a change - I enjoyed that!  They do have hats as you can see from the smaller picture, but they weren't fixed permanently to the heads so the new owner could decide if they were to wear them or not, so they do rather sit on top in the photo I'm afraid.

And next came the 1/16th family who are just about to take up residence as lodgers with the very nice old couple in Wales you met in the previous blog. Like everyone else I shall have to follow their adventures on Jenni's blog
http://downdollymixturelane.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/grandma-and-grandpa-take-possession-of.html 
As you can see, they were created in a bit of a muddle!!

Then along come Hilda and May in 1/24th scale!  A couple of cheery ladies who look as if they might be off to brew up with their W.V.S. chums at the village hall during World War 2.

As I said at the beginning....it's all about variety!
Thank you for looking
Robin

Do You Read The Comments??

......well, if you're like me...sometimes you do, sometimes not....If you've dipped in here recently you may have seen some witty and intriguing comments about a certain Grandad and Grandma.

At the back end of last year I created Grandma Jean and Grandpa Roland in 1/16th scale for Jenni, and they moved into their vintage property....vintage dolls houses are often 1/16th scale...
Disaster struck recently in the form of the dreaded WOODWORM and they had to move out pretty fast while remedial work was undertaken.  Very fortunately my great mate Celia - of KT Miniatures fame had exactly the perfect replacement genuine vintage property and they're moving in!! Grandma doesn't like the curtains...but ....

Are you wondering where this is going??? Jenni has a super Blog, so if you'd like to follow the hilarious adventures of this intrepid couple as they sort out the woodworm and refurbish their 'new' vintage home, rush over to ....
http://downdollymixturelane.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/grandma-and-grandpa-take-possession-of.html ....and if you are searching for the perfect Vintage or Antique house as well (and much more), check out Celia's website - KT Miniatures.

What Grandpa probably doesn't know is that Grandma has an identical twin............

...word on the block is that the oldies may have to take in lodgers to cover the costs of repairs ......so watch this space....and Jenni's!

Thank you for looking
Robin