Sam Oversees Miniature Operations

Sam, my large madcap cat really doesn't like much about miniatures - he's not allowed to play with the dolls since he mistook one for a mouse! It's really all been far too busy for him lately.......

As you can see he retreated in a sulk to the top of the kitchen cupboard, (where incidentally he rearranged my collection of enamelware) while we brought in all the boxes and stands after Haddenham and disrupted his snooze.

He was also less than impressed when I objected to him popping the bubble wrap and shredding the tissue paper I was using packing parcels! Thankfully the last parcel sent off has now arrived so I can show you what was in them! All the dolls are in 1/12th scale.

I hope the two couples aren't sharing the same house - I can't see the suited lady approving of shirt sleeves can you?  I wouldn't mind betting that she runs the W.I., the local choir and irons her husband's socks!

Now meet Edie who has moved to Wales to live with Arthur.  She was a touch offended when Jenni ordered her as a 'Mail Order Bride' - well, really!  After all she'd been writing to the man for years so it was about time he made an honest woman of her.  I think she's secretly thrilled as she's baked him a pork pie and I'm sure they'll be very happy. I do have it on authority that he is quietly delighted doing everything he can to please her,  while she is happily baking and dusting, singing as she goes.
I also think she was rather relieved to leave the muddle that is the Coombe Crafts workbench!

STOP PRESS:
Felicity and Ron who organised the Haddenham Dollshouse and Miniatures Exhibition tell me that £543.40 was raised to be shared jointly between the charities Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Thames Valley Air Ambulance - a splendid amount for a small event on a rainy day - small is beautiful! Thanks to all who contributed.

Celia Thomas my KT Miniatures chum has a fabulous collection of antique and vintage miniatures about to go on sale. Titled the Oxford Collection, there is super back story.  The items, some rare, were rediscovered in the attic in an old house in Oxford  - a collection handed down by various generations of the family from mid/late 1800s to 1930s.
I've been lucky to see just two or three of the pieces - very exciting - and I'm sure if you love old, unique miniatures you'll want to take a look.  I've been drooling over a wonderful antique tinplate long-case clock - never seen anything like it!
Go to her website and enjoy!

Right, now I need to prize Sam off my seat so I can get back to work again.

Thanks for looking
Robin

Haddenham Dollshouse and Miniature Exhibition - Thanks for a lovely day!

Despite a rainy day, it was lovely to see so many friends, old and new, on Saturday. Hopefully a good sum will have been raised for the charities Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Thame Valley Air Ambulance.

Thank you to those of you who came along to say 'hello' and were interested in our work or purchased items - it was splendid to see you.

It's a small, cosy event in a lovely village hall so unusually for us there was a chance to really have a chat, enjoy the many club exhibitions displaying the work of talented non-professionals and have the chance to see what our colleagues have on their stalls. This is never possible at a big show so it was a real pleasure.
As a bonus Freda led a team of great cake and coffee makers so we enjoyed terrific refreshments.
It's possible that in future this will be an annual event - which would be great - I'll let you know.

As you can see I'm either 'thinking' or more likely, contemplating the chocolate brownie behind my stand.....Celia, my workshop colleague took this sneaky picture when I wasn't looking as we set up in the morning - thanks mate! 
In the foreground you can see our joint Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops display stand, which attracted quite a lot of interest as we had crammed 15 original prototypes on there - not least from our husbands who never see the prototypes all together!
It was  crowded....... so we are now selling just a few as we're both running out of storage space.   If you might be interested, take a closer look at them on our website where you can see pictures of all the projects.

Those for sale are:
The Little Vintage Arbour in both 1/12th and 1/24th scales.
The Little Washing Line......in 1/12th scale
The Little Vintage Hall and The Other Room in 1/24th scale (sold together)
Let's Go Camping - Dollshouse and Miniature Scene Magazine 1/12th scale Project.

Do contact either of us if you'd like prices or more details - all but 'Let's Go Camping'  could be posted......the camping project could be collected from one of us in Thame, Oxon.

Many thanks to Felicity and Ron for a lovely day!

Thanks for looking
Robin

Haddenham Dollshouse and Miniature Exhibition - This Saturday - 14th November

Phew....one day to go and after a bit of a rush, I think I'm ready!

If you are looking for one of my character dolls, do come early - as due to commissons and a busy workshop year I haven't found the time to make as many for the stand as usual.  We do have dolls in 1/12th, 1/24th and 1/48th scales and of course they're all fully pose-able and individually sculpted so each is a different little personality. Of course we have original furniture and accessories as always.
Must work hard this winter to rectify the dolls situation before The Thame Fair in February!!

A few of the 1/48th dolls coming along

I found a super metal wheelbarrow, handcrafted some years ago by a friend - it's nicely aged and filled with produce from the garden.  It's on the stand along with other original pieces for the garden.

After a lovely workshop year, creating and  making 'vintage' toys, I really thought I should bring a few along.

1/12th scale toys

1/24th scale Rocking Horse

If you're coming along, do come and say hello, and also take a look at the Nostalgia in Miniature Workshops display stand alongside Coombe Crafts that  I will be putting together with my 'partner in crime' Celia Thomas of  KT Miniatures.
We'll be happy to have a chat if you think you might enjoy one of our workshops, and are hoping to fit in nine or ten different unique project prototypes, and most of these will be in both 1/12th and 1/24th scales. 
We will have the popular 'Little Vintage Toyshop' and also 'Let's Go Camping...' which we created as a 'How to' feature or Dollshouse and Miniature Scene Magazine.

Let's Go Camping

Both Celia and I are fast running out of storage space so we are selling just a few of the prototypes - Let's Go Camping is one of these and would be a really versatile scene to have fun embellishing with little people or teddy bears for a great camping or picnic project.

I've been having a turn-out so there's a box of odds and ends too that I no longer have use for - come and have a rummage!

So it just remains to cross fingers that we shall raise a good sum for the two important charities, Hearing Dogs for Deaf  People and Thames Valley Air Ambulance.....and that the lady who makes such great coffee cake is helping with the refreshments....

Thanks for looking
Robin

Skipping the Scales and the Centuries

I thought as the weather is distinctly soggy and the darker evenings don't exactly lift the spirits, that before I get back to showing the new characters, I'd kick off with a photo of some of the last roses, to cheer ourselves up.

The last of the 'Blue For You' roses

 
I don't often get the chance to make a 1/12th mechanic, previous ones have mostly been in 1/24th scale, so it's been fun to create this cheery chappie - with that wrench in his hands he must have a big job to work on.  Click on the pics. for bigger versions!

Whizzing back through the centuries to a 1/24th scale Tudor Merchant and his wife - if not rich, they do look fairly prosperous so I think they must be doing alright.  This has always been a popular period for Dolls Houses and there are some wonderful examples by artisans like Trigger Pond, whose work I adore. As a dollmaker it's also an great opportunity to indulge in some very different costuming, which I love.

I had a dig in the 'archives' and came up with this tudor group in the same scale - the main characters are wealthy, then we have a monk and a falconer.  The second picture is a 1/12th falconer and I remember being determined to get the falcon just right with authentic detail, especially important in that scale.

For those of you coming to Haddenham Dolls House Exhibition on 14th November - I'm sure you'll be happy to know that Dateman Books, Penny's Furniture and Shepherd Miniatures are also attending - as well as KT Miniatures of course, us, and individual and club sales tables.
If you come along please do come and say hello on the Coombe Crafts or Nostalgia in Miniature Workshop stands.
The organisers are hoping to arrange refreshments at the hall, but there is a local coffee shop nearby - and a lovely garden centre just up the road -  more up to date details on Ron and Felicity's Blog so keep an eye on it!

And finally - my lawn has a fantastic crop of big toadstools, which I find fascinating.  Sadly it's mostly an indication that it's badly drained - I don't mind.  Something clearly loves eating them, but I've yet to discover what. Some of the others in a different part have huge chunks chewed away. We'd rather have an interesting patch than a manicured sward and even had a wild orchid growing in it the summer - we're hoping it will come back and will check carefully before the lawnmower comes out...

Thanks for looking
Robin