Bishop and 3 Blind Mice shows – 2012

I went to two of the three shows today and bought a lot!  :O  While I love it all and would like nothing better than to share it all…this post would be overwhelming.  :D  Here are just a few highlights.

Ray Storey Lighting – love his work, and he is a wonderful person to chat with.

Heidi Ott lighting – I saw these online but thought by measurement they seemed large.  But, in person, they are beautifully detailed and the clear glass makes them much more graceful than I had expected.  These might end up on either side of the bed in the Heritage.

Spencer’s Nook – this is a small key and leather fob.  Fantastic detail!  This will be for the Brownstone.

Paulette Svec – love this cat!  :D  It’s a beautifully made fabric stuffed cat with a bow.  I made something so similar in real life when I was young and instantly loved this!  She had many wonderful dolls and stuffed animals.

Sir Thomas Thumb – though I have a number of his tools and such, this time I ended up with a beautiful butterfly.  :D  I’ve put it on a hydrangea I already had.

Ulus Miniaturas – I have drooled over the beautiful miniatures José makes ever since I first stumbled onto his work.  The detail and realism are amazing.  If my mini budget were larger, there would be more of his things in my builds.  I brought home a vintage hand-crank can opener.  I use one of these in real life, not necessarily to be green but it saves counter space compared to an electric one and it’s something I’ve had so long I am just used to it.  :D

Taller Targioni – these are for the Heritage…a beautiful pair of opera glasses…

…and toys for grandma’s attic: a pair of too cute for words piggy and giraffe!

Jane Graber – a beautifully made and whimsical squirrel bottle and a lovely vase.

Patricia M. Wehmeier Miniatures – she has a wonderful collection of vintage and unusual items.  I bought a cane for the Heritage.  This complements Fran’s umbrellas beautifully!

And, a vintage toaster for the Heritage.  :D  Love this thing!

And, these candlesticks and elephant are for the Brownstone.

Alex Meiklejohn pottery – I have many of his pieces, but today I found this whimsical jack o’ lantern.

And, speaking of pumpkins…this isn’t from the shows, but it arrived in the mail today, so it gets grouped in.  :D  It’s a wonderful pumpkin birdhouse by WhimsyCottageMinis.  I’ve been picking up Halloween items for the Heritage since grandma really does it up for the holiday.  She does have the best haunted house on the block, after all.  ;]

Categories: Miniature Shows and Shops
April 20, 2012 | 0 comments

What a fun day at the Bishop Show!

I had my two classes today, and I not only learned a lot but had a great time!  :D First up was the brass and copper Arts & Crafts firescreen in a class by Bill Studebaker.  This class started out with a bang…well three of us banging ball pein hammers on copper metal sheets on metal anvils on a wooden table.  Just a little loud!  :O  When every person taking other classes in the room stopped and stared, we decided we should move outside for that part.  :D  Good thing it was a nice day out.

It was great to work with metal and learn soldering, both of which I had never done before.  Our class ran long, and we didn’t get to finish our screens, but I am nearly there.

As a reminder, here is the class photo showing the finished item.

I need to blacken the finish and add the actual screen.  I’m very pleased with the results considering I am a complete novice with these materials and methods.  I plan to buy a soldering tool soon.  This has really opened up a lot of possibilities to me.

For size reference, here it is in the Heritage, though it isn’t meant for this house.

Right after class, Keli and I had a nice dinner at the hotel and then we both took a class on using a jeweler’s saw taught by Diane Almeyda.  This, too, was a great class.  I learned a lot and again will definitely be using these techniques in the future.  Diane offered the tool set for sale in the class, too…very convenient

My cuts got better as the night went on, but I had to quit early because I was just too sore and tired to go on.  :D  Sawing takes a lot out of you, even in mini!  But, I came home with patterns and other materials to try.

Here are my pieces; we started with copper sheet.  The order goes from right to left, and as you can see my cuts did become cleaner with practice.  Sharp angles are my favorite, but I need more practice on curves.

Categories: Miniature Shows and Shops
April 19, 2012 | 0 comments

Heritage – hallway flooring

Here are three flooring options up for consideration in the hallway. These are color copies and much lighter than the final flooring will be. It will be the same darker coloration as the fancy parlor floor. These are also quick mockups without consideration for the precise placement of the patterns and angles.

First, just plain wood flooring. Perfectly acceptable, and I know upstairs rooms weren’t as fancy as downstairs rooms where guests would be entertained. (April later pointed out that with only one bathroom in the house, guests would likely see this space.)

Second, herringbone in the middle with only the plain wood border. The railings I end up with will not have the bottom bar which obscures the plain wood edge in this photo. This is such a small space, I wonder if the herringbone overpowers the rest of the detailing.

Lastly, herringbone in the middle with the marquetry border inside the plain outer border. This is more polished than the second option, but it also has the same issue of overpowering the room. I don’t have enough of the marquetry border left from the parlor project, so I’ll have to order some more if I do end up using this last option.

The plain floor was the clear winner for me. One nice thing about choosing the plain wood floor for the hallway is the fact that it was done in no time! I had just enough stained flooring with the bristol backing from the parlor floor project that I was able to use the leftovers. This had been previously finished with Minwax English Chestnut and then sanded to bring out the sheen of the wood. The sanding also makes the wood floor look old and well worn.

I installed the bathroom door and the rear piece of baseboard trim, too. I need to assemble the railings for the balcony before I can cut the forward piece.

These are the tall spindles I plan to use.

I got these in a miniatures lot. They are currently unfinished, but I am undecided if I will stain the spindles or paint them. I might do painted spindles with a stained railing. Either way, I’ll finish these with the stair spindles and railings all at the same time so it is a seamless finish from downstairs.

Categories: The Haunted Heritage
April 18, 2012 | 0 comments

Heritage – bedroom flooring and lighting plan

I cut the wood flooring for the bedroom. I was able to cut the entire room from one sheet of pre-made walnut flooring, which was a pleasant surprise. I had thought I would have to piece it from two sheets. I like the rich color of the parlor, so I decided to use the same stain, English Chestnut by Minwax.

Before I can actually apply the wallpaper, I need to plan the lighting layout for the room, including three table lamps. I’ll use my usual faux outlet technique.

I have the vanity light on the outside wall.

I decided these Heidi Ott lamps were the best match for the bed and the overall décor. Even though the Heidi Ott lamps are huge, they are the perfect color and the clear glass makes them the right visual weight.

An elegant Ray Storey ceiling light will add a soft glow.

I have the battery operated light for the dresser in the front corner. This is a rather dark photo, but the lamp has a gunmetal finish.

All of these lamps will complement the vintage feminine ambiance of the room. :]

Categories: The Haunted Heritage
April 17, 2012 | 0 comments

Heritage – round stained glass window

I am turning my focus to the round window. This isn’t a feature of the original Heritage kit but something I added when I eliminated the side bay window and replaced it with the massive chimney. This window sits in the bathroom, and I wanted to find something whimsical for the space.

This is a lovely bird and bee design by Flora at Through the Round Window. Love!

I contacted Flora, and she graciously granted me permission to use the window in the Heritage. Here I’ve printed it on regular paper to test the size. Right now it looks like a painting, but I think it will shine once printed on transparency film.

I edited the image in PhotoShop, turning the bird more grey and removing all stray spots. The white in the bird wouldn’t print on transparency and any spots would be magnified in this small scale. I bumped up the coloration since printing on transparency usually results in some color loss. Beautiful.

I also flipped the direction of the bird in PhotoShop since the printed side looks dull, and I wanted the bird to be facing the same direction as the original inside the room. I’ll cut a piece of plain acetate to cover the dull side so it will look glossy like glass when viewed from the outside.

I taped it in place and checked the view from the exterior. Fabulous.

Finishing here.

Categories: The Haunted Heritage
April 16, 2012 | 0 comments