Sharing a love of Dolls House Miniatures - and making time for other creative crafts and the garden.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Thanks For A Super Day!

As you all know by now Thame Dolls House and Miniatures Fair was on Saturday - and that's it for another whole year!  Looking forward to next time already.

A BIG thank you to Felcity and Ron for another beautifully organized fair, especially as they had lots of 'other stuff' on their plates in the weeks before it.



A lovely friend gave me this fun badge, so I wore it on Saturday....well it's true isn't it??

Many thanks to all of you who made purchases or ordered and were so kind with your very nice comments about our work - so much appreciated.  And thanks as well to everyone who also popped along to say 'hello' - it was so nice to see old friends and to meet some of you for the first time.  We thoroughly enjoyed the day.

I have already had some emails enquiring about items still for sale after the fair and I'll get back to you,  if I haven't already.  It'll take me a little while to sort out the boxes.....please bear with me.

Thank you for looking
Robin

Monday, February 16, 2015

Last Minute Bits - And Some Unique Little Scenes

As always I'm packing and pricing and trying to work out the best layout for the Coombe Crafts stand at The Thame Dolls House and Miniature Fair, having finished off the last few items. Last minute pics. coming up!
Items not sold at the fair will be available afterwards so if you've spotted something on your wish list, do get in touch.


Having created a teeny tiny 1/48th scale milkman I decided to use my last 'body' for another milkman, this one in 1/24th scale, he's pictured with a couple of friends.



I also 'found' a 1/12th scale seagull looking very naked without feathers - he's got some now, although he's somewhat scruffy, like all my feathered birds, so he'll look fine with the scruffy parrots!


 A couple of 1/24th scale fat brown hens also got their feathers on and are looking for a back yard to scratch about in.


A few blue tits and robins - handpainted as they're too small for feathering - complete the birds for the show.

Apologies for the quality of this one - I forgot to move the CDs they were sitting on!

And finally I filled up a 1/24th scale display case with a collection of curios, shells and corals which would look perfect in a gentleman's study or antique shop.


And the 'Unique Little Scenes'......well it's like this....Celia and I create a unique scene (usually in two scales) for each of our Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops as well as one for each 'how to' magazine feature....and we're running out of storage space!!!!!!
SO - we shall have a number of the scenes for sale at the fair as we're both running out of cupboards and shelves and have to be ruthless.
  
I shall have 1/24th scale versions on my stand - No 37 - and 1/12th scenes will be on Celia's KT Miniatures stand  - No 30  - conveniently next to us.  We are in the Main Hall near the Exit door and we'll both be delighted to tell you more about the workshops or the September Reserve List for The Little Vintage Toyshop Workshop.
If you're coming to the fair this Saturday you're sure of a splendid time; do come and say 'hello', we're looking forward to seeing many old and new friends.

Just a reminder that in common with many other traders we do not take 'plastic', so cash only please - we can only accept a cheque from someone who is already well known to us as these can no longer be guaranteed with a card.

Thank you for looking
Robin

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Tiny Toys For Tiny Children

Having finally completed as many dolls as possible in three scales - and furniture too - it's been rather fun to turn  attention to some additional original accessories to go with them.  With some little children on the stand it was clear that they just didn't have enough toys, so that's what I've been making. It's been fun!

The Thame Dolls House and Miniature Fair is now only 10 days away!! Standholder friends are comparing notes...are we ready....will we BE ready???   Hmmmmm....Of course we shall - and we're all looking forward to another super fair!

Michael and his little sister Molly are 1/12th scale.  Michael has tadpoles in that jar!
 As I mentioned - the children need some more toys, so we'll have all sorts from small set pieces that will pop straight into a nursery or bedroom to individual toys in both 1/24th and 1/12th scales to add to the cheerful clutter of a child's room or add to a toyshop.


 

The little chairs are by Penny's Furniture who will also be at the fair and they're perfect for these little sets of  toys. There's a definite vintage flavour for me when it comes to toy-making and the little wind-up Musical Carousel was a very satisfying challenge, while the truck with rabbit and golly are well loved and well used.


Of course most toys get used and bashed so it's clear that the 1930s old and rather rusty painted tin pram in 1/24th scale, complete with dolly and antique lace cove,r has probably been relegated to the attic along with the aged tennis set. Many of the toys pictured are one-offs so won't be repeated.

This little 1/24th scale doll's pram has been relegated to the attic
This1/24th scale tennis racquet hasn't been  used for a few years...

If you're coming along on 21st February, do come and say hello, we're on stand 37 towards the end of the Main Hall near the exit door.

Thank you for looking
Robin x

Friday, February 6, 2015

Here Come The Little Ones.....

I've been talking about creating a 'batch' of 1/48th people for ages now - The Thame Dolls House and Miniature Fair in about two  weeks has made it a  matter of some urgency!!  So finally here are pictures of some of the ones that will be on our stand.

The very tiniest dolls are, like their bigger cousins, individually sculpted and poseable so they're all very different little characters.  They also take as long to make, despite being so much smaller, which is why I make so few in comparison to the other scales - fitting a pair of trousers onto a pair of 1/2 inch legs is tricky to say the least.....


I'll have a group of ladies in long frocks as well as more modern outfits of course, and the chaps come in cheery sweaters or 'old boy' shirts with braces and belts so they'll work in a variety of homes. 


I've also had fun with some new characters alongside the policeman, witches and shopkeeper that always seem to find homes very quickly - so this time along with others there's a workman in dungarees and flat cap, a milkman and a couple of tudor peasants.


You may remember the 1/48th stream-side cottage a blog or two ago -  many thanks to everyone who suggested names for it.  I was struggling but have finally decided on 'Dingle Cottage' - The Dingle' being the stream that flows from the ancient mill pond somewhere in Wiltshire.

Thank you for looking
Robin x