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QUALITY GARDEN THEMED CUT OUTS

Introducing
Tru2scale

DollsHouse
Tasty treats Paint this! Mini mosaic
www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk
THE UK’S FAVOURITE MINIATURE AND PROJECTS MAGAZINE

£4.25 May 2016 Issue 264

The Chintz Bedroom W I N!

Nation
Georgian splendour at Nostell Trust
al
Passes

perts...
Interviews with the ex
>
05

9 770967 491135

Jamie
Karon Cunningham Lars Mikkelsen Carrington
Also in this issue we look at: Georgian, Edwardian, Aztec, Modern, Contemporary and 1/48th scale

p01 May 2016 v5d.indd 1 14/04/2016 16:59

 Contents
Regulars
03 Tools for the Miniaturist from Hobbies
Resident expert Ann Sutcliffe gives you the lowdown
on those key purchases from the Hobbies catalogue.

05 The Miniature Scene

The latest news in the small world.

11 SUBSCRIPTIONS for overseas readers

Find out how to save with a digital subscription.
7
15 My Blog
This month we take a look at Buttercup Miniatures.

42
53 SUBSCRIBE in the UK
Turn to page 11 to find out how to save an incredible
£1 on every issue.

62 Reader Projects
Share your creations with the readers of DHMS.

68 A Brief History of…The Fridge

Enjoy Moi Ali’s brief history.

69 DHMS Collectable Cut Outs

This month we’ve selected 1/12th and 1/24th scale
seed packets.

28
Projects
10 Kati’s House 42 1/12th Scale Drop Leaf Kitchen Table
If you’re a keen gardener, you’ll love these 1/12th scale Suitable for a skilled miniaturist, this lovely little table
potted plants. relies on simple pull out slats.

12 A-Z of Miniature Crafts 60 Aztec Interior

Jane Harrop shows you all you need to know ‘zooming.’ Inspired by the
gorgeous
20 Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor Hutladen, 1914
landscapes and
Stephanie Guy provides detailed step by step images
colours found
to recreate another classic masterpiece.
in traditional
28 The Great British Picnic South America,
Sausage rolls, picnic loaf, Scotch eggs and more! learn how to
All made from polymer clay. make a
34 An Alpine Ski Chalet: Part 4 woven rug
Working in 1/12th scale Martin Pearce continues with and mini
his ski chalet build. mosaic floor.

And don’t forget 66 Dates for your diary. 71 What’s in the June issue.
60

VISIT WWW.DOLLSHOUSEANDMINIATURESCENE.CO.UK FOR MORE GREAT FEATURES AND PROJECTS

2 May 2016

2-3 Contents and hobby may 16.indd 2 14/04/2016 15:01

 Collections, Features & Reviews
7 Playing Shop
Miniaturists in Aberdeenshire will be delighted to read
Tools for the miniaturist
about a brand new shop. from Hobbies
13 Shopping Guide: Light up and Shine
Continuing the series on tools from the
This month we shine a light on lamps and lighting.
Hobbies catalogue, this month there is
16 Precious Art and Collectables something a little different,
We preview a special exhibition in Basel, the theme as we take a look at their mini anvil.
being vintage enamel signs. By Ann Sutcliffe.
25 All Change As everyone will know, an anvil is a block with a hard
Sharon Lascelles describes how she converted a grimy surface onto which a blacksmith will hammer heat treated
basement room into a dedicated space for her collection. metals to form useful objects for the home, farm, garden etc.
Anvils are very ancient tools and early mentions go back
32 Tales from the Travelling Miniaturist as far as Biblical times, although even earlier stone anvils
were used in pre-history.
Viva Las Vegas! Karon Cunningham stocks up in Vegas.
This miniature anvil is made for precision work from

47
hardened drop-forged steel in the classic shape with

68
two horns. It works in exactly the same way as its larger
cousin, but rather than using heat treated metals, the anvil
is primarily to be used with softer metals for making and
shaping jewellery and miniature objects.
In the doll’s house, the uses are less obvious. I have
planished a sheet of soft copper into a miniature bowl,
using the anvil with the fabulous little hammer I told you
about three issues ago, also available from Hobbies. If you
have to bend wires or metal rods into a particular shape to
make railings for example, then again the anvil will come
in useful. If you are a lover of vintage dolls houses and
accessories, then gently hammering out bends and dents
in metal windows and doors etc., can be achieved more
easily with the use of an anvil.
This anvil is actually a perfect size to use as a miniature
in its own right, if you happen to be making a model
blacksmith’s forge it could be just what you are looking
NEW for. It would also make a great paperweight on the desk
feature
39 Treasure Hunting of a metal worker, and of course if you mend or make
WIN miniatures with precious metals like gold, silver or pewter,
In this new series we travel around the country
Nation ! it is a tool you will undoubtedly use again and again.
a
opening the doors to dolls houses on display Trust l
passe
in our beloved National Trust properties. s

44 The Quartermaster
Moi Ali finds out from a Californian couple why quarter
scale makes them tick.

47 At Home with the Broadwoods

Bea, Tony and Mo are on the move to pastures new,
but somewhere a lot closer to home.

49 Artisan Profile…Jamie Carrington

Jamie Carrington creates the most exquisite 1/12th scale
porcelain dolls. Available from:
www.alwayshobbies.com
52 About…With Mette Breminer
01508 549330 Cost: £16.95 + P&P
Millefiori beads are the subject of this month’s feature.
Coming next month: Flexi neck magnifier
54 For the Love of Arts & Crafts
Self-taught woodworker Lars Mikkelsen recreates Do you have a tool which you would like
miniatures with such fine detailing and precision. Ann to road test? If so, please send an email to:
[email protected]
58 Kit Review with the name of the tool.
1/24th Scale Olivier Cabinet Kit from Jacominis.

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 3

2-3 Contents and hobby may 16.indd 3 14/04/2016 15:41

 Editor
Carl Golder
Tel: 01778 391146
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Sally Jarvis
Tel: 01778 392433
[email protected]
Advertising Sales
Hayley Comey
Welcome
to the May 2016 issue
Tel: 01778 392445
[email protected]
Production Secretary
Sue Woodgates You may not know this, but I am a bit of a West Yorkshire. I won’t give away too much,
Tel: 01778 392062
[email protected] secret history buff, I love nothing more than but it’s an excellent read and Nostell has been
Marketing Manager
Aeveen Oke watching a TV documentary about the Romans, added to my list of trips for this year.
Tel: 01778 392459
[email protected] Saxons and Normans. I also enjoy looking at Elsewhere, world renowned artist Jamie
Design old maps of places I’ve visited and when time Carrington speaks to us about his ideas and
Jacqueline South
Publisher allows, I especially like to explore National Trust inspiration. Deb Weissler chats to Lars Mikkelsen,
Lucie Dawson
Tel: 01778 392061
properties, my favourite being Corfe Castle in a woodworker inspired by the Arts and Crafts
[email protected] Dorset. The story of its construction is fascinating, movement of the late nineteenth and early
Warners Group Publications Plc,
The Maltings, West Street, its location with stunning views makes it all the twentieth centuries and Sharon Lascelles
Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 9PH.
Printing more appealing. Anyway, I am rambling, what describes how she converted a run-down
This magazine is printed
by Warners Midlands plc. I wanted to do was introduce a fabulous new basement into a devoted space for her collection.
Martin Harris
Tel: 01778 391000 feature to the magazine, entitled Treasure Hunting: Also included in this month’s magazine are
Newstrade Distribution
Warners Group Publications Plc,
we open the doors to dolls houses on display brilliant projects from your favourite contributors,
Vicky Courton
Tel: 01778 391150
in our beloved National Trust properties, including a wonderful 1/12th scale drop leaf table
[email protected] beginning with the stunning medieval Nostell in by Ruth Flewelling Lesbirel.
Subscriptions, reader offers
and back issues
Tel: 01778 392007
[email protected] Enjoy the issue.
Turn to p53 for the latest offer

Copy deadline for your news and views, new products

Guarantee your copy of and press releases for the July issue 266 is 6th May 2016

Carl Golder
Guarantee your copy by subscribing FREE INSIDE!
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DollsHouseDollsHouse
Kati’s House
Tasty treats Tru2scale
Memoirs Madness! Beautiful Bonsai

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Knit This!
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AND PROJECTS MAGAZINE

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263
£4.25 May 2016 Issue 264

you, most newsagents are happy Create thi

s! The Chintz Bedroom W IN
Georgian splendour at Nostell Nationa!
to do this free of charge. Trus
Passest
l

By calling 01778 391150 you can

obtain details of your nearest
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If you wish to obtain back issues, Ed’s Pick Join Us On Facebook Interviews with the experts...

>
04

>
call 01778 392007.

05
9 770967 491135

9 770967 491135
Marvel and
Jamie
Dolls House and Miniature
Karon Cunningham
Royal

Come and join the

e Completion of the Theatre Lars Mikkelsen Carrington
Elizabeth an Excellenc thisScale
Also&in1/48 issue we look at: Georgian, Edwardian,
Art Nouveau, Modern, Asian Aztec, Modern, Contemporary and

Scene is published 12 times a

Edwardian,
at: Elizabethan, Victorian, 1/48th scale
Also in this issue we look p01 May 2016 v5d.indd 1 10/03/2016 15:33

wonder at
14/04/2016 16:59
V3.indd 1
p01 April 2016 Cover

year on the fourth Thursday of

DHMS Facebook
each month. No reproduction
of any part of the magazine is stunning figurines group to keep up to Subscribe to DHMS
permitted without prior consent
of the publisher. DIY articles are created by Jamie date on all things Would you like to pay less for each issue
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commercial exploitation permitted. Carrington. miniature…we look forward and have it delivered to your door?
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Contact us... Georgian Splendour at Nostell

Turn to page 39 to read more.
[email protected]

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DHMS Magazine Warners Group Publications PLC.

The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH

www.facebook.com/dollshouseandminiaturescene

www.twitter.com/dhmsmagazine
The Chintz bedroom. © National Trust Images/Robert Thrift.
www.youtube.com/dhmsmagazine
Thanks to our contributors
Moi Ali, Claire Beal, Bea Broadwood, Sadie Brown, Mette Breminer, Jamie Carrington, Candy Chappill,
www.pinterest.com/dhmsmagazine Karon Cunningham, Judy Davies, Stephanie Guy, Jane Harrop, Kati Kainulainen, Ruth Flewelling-Lesbirel,
Sharon Lascelles, Lars Mikkelsen, Martin Pearce, Frances Powell, Ann Sutcliffe and Deb Weissler.

4 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p04 Eds May dhms.indd 4 14/04/2016 17:01

 NEWS

The Miniature
Scene
Miniature news on the go...

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

www.facebook.com/dollshouseandminiaturescene

www.twitter.com/dhmsmagazine

Club & Society News

Cheltenham Miniaturist Club
In September 1996 the Cheltenham Miniaturist Club was formed by a
small group of friends who were interested in miniatures and later on
this year at their AGM they will be celebrating 20 years.
Have you been involved with their club at any time over the past
20 years? If so, the club would like to hear from you, and hope that you
can join in with their celebrations, including an exhibition of work from
1996 – 2016.
For more information contact Marlene via 01452 505388,
alternatively send an email to [email protected] CMW Miniatures Workshops
You can now book your chosen workshop at the CMW Workshops.

CLUB NEWS This year they’re taking place in Peterborough from 14th - 16th October.
Miniature toymaker, Sandra Morris of Tower House Dolls is offering three
Is your club doing anything exciting, got a new project on the go, different workshops:
raising money for charity or tackling a project from Dolls House Friday 14th October (evening session) Everything Alice!
and Miniature Scene? Let us know your news by emailing A selection of wonderland themed toys in 1/12th scale, including a playset,
[email protected] nursery blocks and boxed paper dolls.
Saturday 15th October (full day) Make a wonderful Parisian-style toy
kiosk, including lighting and landscaping. The kiosk is filled with tiny toys,
lithograph animals, puppets, games, puzzles, toy theatres and more.
Coming soon… Sunday 16th October (full day) Dress an exquisite Jumeau-style porcelain
Our very own feature writer,
toy doll, complete with decorated wooden trunk and a selection of
Moi Ali, has a new book published
accessories in your choice of colour.
in June. Moi’s written around 20
Places are limited so it’s advisable to book early via:
books for leading publishers in
http://www.cmwminiaturesworkshops.co.uk
her professional field of marketing,
For more information contact Sandra on: [email protected]
but this is her first book on her true
passion – dolls’ houses!
The book also features the work
of some DHMS Magazine readers.
The publishers, Amberley Books,
said: “In this book, Moi Ali sketches
the fascinating history of the dolls’ house,
and describes how to begin your own collection. From scale to style to type
of house, and from where to buy to budget and key manufacturers to look
for as you start collecting, Moi provides a detailed guide that will be an
invaluable aid to the new collector and an interesting read for the more
experienced. Restoration and display of the houses are also covered, to
help bring your collection to life.
” Dolls’ Houses and Miniatures: A Guide for Collectors and Enthusiasts”
is available from 15th June for just £14.99 at www.amberley-books.com.

Weaverthorpe Dollshouse Miniatures

Pauline Millard’s shop in the charming village of
Weaverthorpe is not your usual miniaturist’s shop.
They have now included a miniature world visits
centre, where dolls’ house groups can meet and view the
extensive amount of projects, in aid of their dog charity.
Step through the door and you can be sure to expect a
warm welcome from Pauline. Pauline’s recently taken
over Platt’s Mini Packages and after a very busy weekend
at Miniatura she’s now getting ready for her next show.

07811 115020
www.weaverthorpe-miniatures.co.uk

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 5

p05-06 Minature scene may.indd 5 14/04/2016 15:40

 NEWS

Counting down to York

On Sunday 5th June, York Racecourse will once again host the bi-annual
York Dolls House & Miniatures Fair. The show will boast three floors of
superb exhibitors selling every imaginable miniature in a range of
scales. In addition to the 80 plus traders that will be attending the show,
the following talks and demonstrations will be taking place on the
mezzanine. (No booking required, places are first come, first served on
the day).
11.30am Hazel Dowds Littlepeople - Silk Bonnet: This workshop
quickly filled up at the November fair so for those of you who missed the
chance to create this beautiful bonnet, there will be another opportunity The Toll House by Vivien Greene
in June. All the materials will be supplied. Cost: £5.00 Student conservators at West Dean College, Brighton have begun
1.00pm Jane Harrop - ‘Sunny Days’: Join Jane for a talk on holiday conserving The Toll House created by Vivien Greene (1904 to 2003),
themed miniatures. a leading authority on dolls’ houses and wife of English novelist,
2.30pm Miniature Needlework Society - Miniature Crazy Patchwork: Graham Greene. The dolls house, part of The Edward James Collection
The MNS are giving eight show visitors the opportunity to learn how to and described as ‘A Surreal interior, inspired by Monkton House and a
make a scissors keeper or cushion using miniature crazy patchwork. meeting with Edward James’, will be on public display for the first time at
All the materials will be supplied. Cost: £5.00 the annual West Dean House Opening, Saturday 30th April and Sunday
Visitors can also look forward to two free prize draws on the day - 1st May. Students across the college’s disciplines will be working on the
there is a Deluxe Materials Modelling Kit up for grabs worth over £90, different elements of the interior and the conservation project will be
and a beautiful potting shed with an RRP of £60.00 displayed for visitors to see how the work will be carried out.
Those who book tickets in advance can save 30% against on the For more information contact: Irene Caswell
door prices, enjoy thirty minutes early entry to the show and will be [email protected]
automatically entered into an exclusive competition to win a £10.00 voucher 01243 818283
to spend on the day! (Courtesy of Elite Petite Interiors). If you’re part of a
club and want to book on behalf of all your members, you can earn two
free additional tickets for every ten you book. To book today or for further
information visit www.yorkdollshousefair.co.uk or call 01778 391123.

Tell us what you’re doing!

Is your club doing anything exciting, got a new project on the go, raising
money for charity or tackling a project from Dolls House and Miniature
Scene? Let us know your news by emailing [email protected]
• Send a letter (and photos) to Carl Golder,
Dolls House and Miniature Scene,
Warners Group Publications,
West Street, Bourne, Lincs, PE10 9BR
• Keep in touch through our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/dollshouseandminiaturescene
News copy deadline for the June issue 265 is 6th May 2016.

www.twitter.com/dhmsmagazine www.facebook.com/dollshouseandminiaturescene www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

6 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p05-06 Minature scene may.indd 6 14/04/2016 14:43

 F E AT U R E

Playing
Shop
With so many dolls’ house
shops closing, Moi Ali is
delighted to report on the
opening of a new shop,
The Hobby Barn, in Scotland!
Wow! How many shops have this for a view?

I
remember when Edinburgh, my nearest city, inspire them into the world of dolls’ houses and Like so many dolls’ house enthusiasts,
had a dolls’ house shop. In fact, we had two. miniatures. It is also a place where I can show off Diane’s interest in the hobby was nurtured from
Sadly both have long since gone, along with my own dolls’ houses – I have quite a few and an early age. “I have been into miniatures since
one in Perth. It’s a trend replicated in towns and have run out of space at home to display them! I was five years old, when I got my first dolls’
cities across the United Kingdom. Rising rent and It is so sad that dolls’ house shops are closing. house, a tiny 1/24th scale Toy Works house.
rate bills, and the proliferation of online traders How are people going to see what a wonderful I built my first 1/12th scale house (a Dolls House
have made it a struggle for the proprietors of hobby it is, if they can’t see inspirational shops in Emporium Classical) when I was 17. At that time
high street miniature stores. their local town?” you could only buy Victorian-style furniture and
Plucky miniatures enthusiast Diane Pearson Diane has weighed up the risks of opening a accessories. These didn’t really inspire me and I
has bucked the trend by opening a dolls’ house new miniatures business when so many others got a bit bored.”
shop when others are closing! Hers opened in have closed completely or moved online: “It is a For over two decades Diane’s interest was
December 2015 in Dunecht, Aberdeenshire. risk doing what I’m doing, but I am also going to put on the back burner, only to be resurrected
I asked Diane why she decided to open a be inviting other craftspeople to hold workshops, again in recent years. “When my daughter was
shop: “I have always wanted to have my own which will hopefully cover the costs of running eight I took my old dolls’ house out of hiding
shop selling something I was passionate about. a shop. I’ve already arranged a fun ‘learn-to- to let her play with it. Unfortunately she wasn’t
I’ve been selling dolls’ house miniatures online knit’ event. I also plan to do some miniature really interested preferring instead her Sylvanian
for a few years now and really workshops myself.” Given the dearth of dolls’ Families. The house was a bit tired looking so I
wanted to open an actual shop house shops and events in Scotland, I imagine decided to do it up a bit and add some working
where I could meet people that Diane’s plans to run workshops will attract lights. I was amazed to find so many modern
face-to-face and hopefully interest from far and wide. pieces to buy online and that got me interested

An Amersham, one of Diane’s favourite vintage houses. A traditional-style Scottish house, currently on sale.

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 7

7-8 May.indd 7 14/04/2016 14:47

 F E AT U R E

This fully furnished and lit Dolls House Emporium property is on display in Diane’s shop.

in dolls’ houses and miniatures again. I have been one Amersham, one Kitfix, an Oakleaf, a Tin Plate fabulous hand-built old Scottish-style dolls’ house.
pretty much obsessed ever since!” Mettoy and a 1/6th scale Sindy house. Some of Oh, and I have a huge lot of hand-painted metal
Diane now has a large collection of dolls’ my houses are on display in the shop but most dolls’ house miniatures too!”
houses, some built from kits and other of them are still at home. Luckily I have a hobby The danger with a collector owning a shop
vintage and needing a bit of TLC: “I have nine room (which used to be our garage), and a large is the huge temptation not to part of any
1/12th scale houses, mostly built from Dolls shed to store them all in 1”. of the stock! Luckily Diane’s passion for
House Emporium kits, including a few older The lovely thing about a proper shop is the miniatures is tempered by her sound business
discontinued models. I also have a couple of ability to handle the goods and to see the quality. head, which means that her counter-intuitive
hand-built houses made by Julie Bennett. I only That can be so much harder when shopping decision to open a proper presence, when others
started collecting vintage houses a couple of online. Quality is something that Diane has given are going online, is bound to pay dividends! MS DH

years ago, but already have a very large much attention to when stocking her shop.
collection dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. “I have some of Jane Harrop’s gorgeous kits
These include a fully furnished 1970s Lundby, and some lovely miniature needlework kits too.
three Tri-angs, four Toy Works, five GeeBees, One of my favourites in the shop just now is a

A table and chairs set up ready for miniatures and

crafting workshops.

Information
The Hobby Barn, Nether Corskie, Dunecht,
Aberdeenshire, AB32 7EL
www.thehobbybarn.co.uk
www.facebook.com/dianeshobbybarn
The Hobby Barn has vintage dolls’ houses alongside new.

8 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

7-8 May.indd 8 14/04/2016 14:47

p09_dhmsmay16.indd 1 14/04/2016 11:15:58
 WEEKEND PROJECT

1/12th
Scale
pots
with
plants
You will need:
Materials required
❑ Cardboard egg box
❑ Silk ribbon (7mm wide)
Tools required These adorable shabby chic inspired plant pots
❑ PVA glue can be made in a matter of minutes.
❑ White acrylic paint By Kati Kainulainen.
❑ Green paper raffia
❑ Sharp knife
❑ Sand paper

1 Carefully use a sharp knife to cut the pots 3 Paint the inside and outside of the pot with 5 Finish off the pot by adding a decorative bow.
from the bottom of your egg box. white acrylic paint and allow the paint to dry.
6 To make the leaves cut 3cm long pieces of
2 Form a smooth edge around the top of the 4 Take a short length of 7mm ribbon and raffia. Open the raffia to create and shape leaf
pot with a piece of sand paper. wrap it around the pot, gluing in the middle. like pieces gluing inside the pot with PVA.

1 2 3

4 5
Stockist information
10m Green paper raffia
£1.50
www.craftasmic.co.uk

01823 230723

10 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p10_dhmsmay2016.indd 10 14/04/2016 14:36

 WEEKEND PROJECT

A-Z of miniatures crafts We’re nearly at the end of the A–Z of

Z is for Zooming
basic crafts and we’ve covered many
aspects of the hobby, but what if you
need a little bit more help to see
whilst being creative. That’s where
Jane Harrop will help out with lighting
and magnification and conclude the
We all know that natural daylight is
better for doing close work or reading series, with Z for ‘zooming’.
and when I’m choosing a venue for a
workshop a good amount of windows The diodes use very little energy whilst still
in the room is always a main priority as producing high levels of brightness which is
bad lighting can cause eye strain and instant when switched on. This PureLite Ultra
headaches. In an ideal world it would be Quad Spectrum LED Table Lamp is a perfect
great to work on our miniatures during illustration and the touch sensitive controls adjust
daylight hours and on nice bright days. the brightness to suit your needs at any time of
However, that doesn’t always happen so the day. How clever is that? Also the flexible arm
we need to make some allowances with allows you to direct the light where you need it.
artificial light.
All light bulbs have a precise burning Not everyone has perfect near vision and
coloured temperature measured in Kelvin unfortunately as we get older long sightedness
degrees. Standard light bulbs emit a low can begin to develop. For most a pair of
2700°K warm orangey glow that give prescription glasses will correct this and nearby
our homes a lovely relaxed feeling when objects will be brought back into focus. For mild
the curtains are drawn at night, but not forms, inexpensive off the shelf reading glasses
enough ‘good’ light for crafting. can be helpful, but may not be as beneficial as a
However, help is at hand and bulbs bespoke pair.
producing a high 6000°K white bright
light can replicate the lighting at noon on On occasions, with or without glasses,
a clear bright day. Task lighting specialists it can be difficult to work on tiny objects and
like ‘Craft Lamps’ who have provided magnification will enlarge its appearance.
many of the photographs in this article The power of a magnifier is usually defined by an
sell a huge range of lamps fitted with ‘X’ sign. So a 2X magnifier will make the image
bulbs imitating daylight and I particularly double the size through the magnifying glass.
like this compact portable battery Dioptres are also used to convey power and to
powered ‘Daylight Foldi LED table work out the magnification you need to divide
lamp’ which is super for taking out to a the number of dioptres by 4 and add 1.
miniatures workshop or club night. Hand held magnifiers can be helpful but in
reality are better for checking work than using as
Electrical lamps will of course give an aid whilst crafting.
out more light than battery powered
lamps and it’s here that there is a wide This MAGnificent LED Magnifying Lamp
choice replicating daylight. Each individual (available as a floor or table lamp) incorporates
has their own requirements and in the LED daylight lighting and has a flexible
past the wattage of a bulb will have been gooseneck so that light and magnification can be
significant in your choice. Watts measure positioned exactly where needed making a fiddly
the amount of energy/power needed to task a lot easier to tackle.
light the bulb and the higher the
power the more light produced. When I started writing this article I didn’t
However nowadays with the introduction realise just what choice there was available
of energy saving light bulbs this is to assist in illumination and magnification.
no longer applicable and lumens (lm)
measure the amount of light output to
the human eye from a light source. Information
The higher the lumens, the brighter Craft Lamps as well as supplying the items
the light. As an example a 40-watt mentioned here also have a nifty range of
incandescent bulb is equal to 450 lumens. lit headband magnifiers and even tweezers.
Of course technology plays a big part Take a look at their website
in choosing a task lamp and those fitted www.craftlamps.co.uk to see their
with light emitting diodes (LED’s) are full collection.
now a popular choice for craft workers.

12 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p12_dhmsmay16 Folder.indd 12 11/04/2016 14:46

 SHOPPING GUIDE

Light up and shine

If you’re looking to invest in a suitable lamp for your crafting area or studio,
take a look a few of our personal favourites.

The Professional LED Neck Magnifier

is a deluxe hands-free neck magnifier with cord
for crafting, sewing or reading. This product has
been designed to neatly fold away for travelling
or taking to classes and runs on batteries,
making it an ideal travel companion.
Price: £22.15
www.sewing-online.com
0115 9874422
The Flexilens on Clamp is a hands-
free crystal clear large magnifier, ideal for
seeing detail when crafting, painting or
reading. The strong metal clamp can be
attached to tables or stitching frames and a
long reach flexible arm which is adjustable to
any position.
Price: £24.50
www.jacksonsart.com
0207 254 0077

Wafer 2 Lightbox is one of the latest

generation of lightweight ultra slim lightbox
using fully dimmable LED technology.
The Wafer 2 Lightbox is ideal for tracing,
sketching, stencilling and much more.
Price: £119.95
www.cassart.co.uk
020 7619 2601

The Ultimate Floorstanding Lamp

is a classically elegant lamp, height adjustable,
a flexible arm allows light to be positioned
where required with a base with wheels The Ultimate Table Lamp is a classically elegant decorative
allowing the lamp to be easily moved around. lamp that can instantly transform into highly effective sewing and
Price: £130.15 needlework lights. It has an extendable tilting arm allowing wide
www.sewing-online.com coverage of light over a large surface. It is supplied with a removable
0115 9874422 13cm (5”) magnifier, chart holder and sewing tray.
Price: £79.95
www.sewandso.co.uk
0800 013 0150

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 13

p13_dhmsmay16.indd 13 14/04/2016 14:35

Dolls 2016 June - Master
p14_dhmamay16.indd 1 Advert.indd 1 28/01/2016
11/04/2016 15:57
13:21:38
 F E AT U R E

Blog Name: Buttercup Miniatures

Address: www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk
My Blog resting way
The Buttercup A blog is a modern and inte build
your
of sharing and discussing
Miniatures blog pages
are ten years old this
tion with a
year. Over that time project, collection or exhibi g of shor t
istin
worldwide audience. Cons ing images
they have tried to
publish informative
ny
articles that fire up diar y entries and accompa those who
by
they can be commented on
the imagination.
As they focus on
count.
scale miniatures wish to follow a specific ac
of real life items, they try
to provide historical content in articles
that place their designs in a realistic
miniature setting. The blog is also
a one-stop shop for information and
advice, as can be seen by
the headings across the top
of the page.
Apart from the opportunity
to buy digital patterns there
are lots of hints and tips
including how to get started
in miniature knitting, which
threads and yarns to use,
knitting needle/crochet hook
size comparisons and many more.
A number of free miniature
knitting and crochet patterns are
also available.
For more experienced practitioners
there is also advice on topics of a
more technical nature. But the blog
is not just a one-way communication
and their customer gallery shows
some of the lovely work submitted
by their followers.
Since 2009 they have published
an advent calendar via the blog
and each project is published in
24 daily parts in the run up to
Christmas and is eagerly awaited
by miniaturists.

If you’re a dolls house blogger and wanting to share your success stories with the readers of Dolls House and Miniature
Scene, we want to hear from you. Send an email to the address on page two along with a brief description of your blog.

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 15

p15_dhmsmay.indd 15 14/04/2016 15:44

 EXHIBITION PREVIEW

Precious
art and
collectables
If you’re thinking of heading over to Basel, Switzerland in
the very near future, make sure you pay a visit to the enamel
signs exhibition at the Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel.
It promises to be a very informative and visual day out.
Michael Müller and his collection

For approximately half a century at a time From approximately 1890 up until their zinc, tin and lead stencils were used for this
when adverts were designed to last they functional decline in the 1950s, bright enamel purpose. Later on, plastic, too, was used as a
adorned façades and walls. Today, tin and signs were impressive, colourful features in the durable and cheaper stencil material. The liquid
enamel advertising signs are experiencing a bleak, industrial towns of that time. coloured enamel is applied to the base plate
true renaissance not as advertising, but as The advertising topics were varied: lighting, with a spray gun. The stencil always covers the
collector’s items. fuel, coffee, body care, alcohol, tobacco, part of the drawing that is to be retained.
This special exhibition at the Spielzeug chocolate, food and much more. For this reason, several stencils are needed
Welten Museum Basel, Switzerland shows over for the process, the result being a relief-like
150 wonderful specimens dating between 1890 surface. This process is only performed by
and 1970 belonging to a collection owned by hand and used for signs with simpler designs.
local resident, Michael Müller. Ever since his For more detailed designs, a screen-printing
childhood, Michael’s been fascinated by these technique is used. The motif to be applied
signs and today he has hundreds of these to the advertising sign is photographed and
coveted signs as well collecting the background transferred to a printing screen, which is then
information on the individual signs. covered with an enamel layer.
Tin and enamel advertising signs have
co-written a chapter of advertising history and The history of enamel
handed down some of the most outstanding advertising signs
designs of international commercial art. In the Enamel signs Ludwig Stollwerck is considered the inventor
exhibition, the centenary design for Wybert- An enamel sign is a tinplate sign with a of the enamel advertising sign, the heyday of
Halspastillen by the Basle graphic designer protective coating of enamel (molten glass which was between 1890 and 1960. In 1893,
Niklaus Stoecklin from 1926 can be seen, powder). Varying techniques of different intrigued by the possibility of creating a
amongst other things such as the 1948 Swiss complexity are used to create enamel weather-resistant permanent sign for outdoor
enamel sign classic for Union-Briketts designed advertising signs, each requiring skill and artistic advertising, Stollwerck had the first German
by Fritz Bühler and Ruodi Barth, stage designer talent. For the stencil work, thin stencils advertising signs manufactured at Schulze &
at the Basle Theatre, as well as works from made of soft material that could easily be Wehrmann in Elberfeld – the first industrial
other well-known graphic designers from the cut were traditionally used to transfer the enameling plant for advertising signs in Germany.
heyday of the advertising sign. writing or figurative design. Brass, aluminum, Other large consumer goods manufacturers

16 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p16-18 Feature may.indd 16 14/04/2016 15:45

 EXHIBITION PREVIEW

the arrival of radio and television and the

increasingly rapid turnover of products and
their packaging and designs have rendered
the enamel sign increasingly redundant as a
durable advertising medium.

Enamel signs as
advertising media
From an advertising point of view, an enamel
sign is nothing more than a permanent notice
board that, in order to achieve the desired
advertising effect, must be particularly striking
and pleasing. The characteristics of a good sign
Ludwig Stollwerck are clear letter art and pictorial drawings and
not much text. Often it includes only a short,
quickly recognized the effectiveness of the new concise slogan, and sometimes just the name
advertising medium. Another pioneer in the use of the advertised article or manufacturer.
of the new enamel advertising medium was The manufacturing costs for enamel
Julius Maggi. Maggi had thousands of steel signs advertising signs at the time were enormous,
made for advertising his products throughout the so that only large brands such as Maggi,
European market. Dr. Oetker, Persil, etc. made use of them.
Enamel signs were also suitable for use as Naturally, the more basic text-only advertising
company nameplates or price labels. At the signs were the cheapest to produce, but
entrances to office buildings, some of which were less eye-catching than the multicoloured
had several courtyards, a collection of enamel pictorial enamel signs.
signs could often be found, popularly known Today, however, well-preserved enamel signs
as Stummer Portier (silent porters), with the are sought-after rarities.
names of the companies based there and their Enamel signs have many advantages,
respective floor and courtyard numbers. which made them a popular advertising medium
for a long time. They are very weather-resistant
and do not fade or lose their shine with exposure
to UV light. They are also scratch-resistant,
easy to clean and require little maintenance.
Environmental friendliness and recyclability are
additional arguments in favor of their use as
colorful and attractive advertising media.
As far back as the second half of the 19th
century, the few big-brand products around
were attempting to develop a strong brand
awareness among consumers. Virtually all
the companies from that time that have
survived to this day focused on this concept
Since the 1950s, enamel signs have been from the outset. These include Coca-Cola,
almost totally replaced in the streetscape Nestlé, Suchard and Maggi. The producers
by paper posters. This is partly due to primarily wanted to disseminate their products
high production costs, but also and more nationwide and thereby increase their brand
importantly to changing conditions and the awareness, and advertising signs were one way
fast-paced consumer market. In addition, of achieving this objective.

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 EXHIBITION PREVIEW

Art and advertising

At the start of the 20th century, when the
so-called “sheet-metal curse” was still
raging, many companies recognised that
they could distribute their signs and posters
more successfully by making them artistic,
sophisticated and pleasing to the eye.
A graphically interesting advertising sign with,
for example, exotic designs went down well
with the public, and sales of the product quickly
increased. More and more companies in
Germany, Switzerland and Austria opted
for eccentric or sophisticated advertising. nouveau, Bauhaus and art deco. At the same Enamel signs as collectibles
Advertising agencies at the time mostly time, the advertisements also had to be Today, enamel signs are coveted collector’s
commissioned well-known artists and graphic striking. Large signs positioned along railway items. Among collectors, the signs that are
designers to carry out the artwork for the signs. lines, for example, were often reduced to the of particular interest are those that have
The most famous work of German artist, essentials, as train passengers had to be able an intentionally curved shape. This further
poster designer, graphic designer and to quickly recognise and perceive the brand or accentuates their three-dimensionality,
caricaturist Kurt Heiligenstaedt is the Persil message as they passed. already created by the successively applied
White Lady advertisement. Heiligenstaedt is colours in different firings. Other enamel signs
known for his humorous drawings and elegant Michael Müller, can be flat or have a folded-over edge,
touch. This advertising icon is naturally also sign lover and collector which is intended to ensure increased stability
included in the exhibition. Michael Müller is now not only a lover and for large signs in particular.
Depending on the era, the graphical collector of old advertising signs, he is also a One special type of enamel sign is the door
implementation of the designs and lettering recognised expert in the field. sign, which is often a smaller version of a larger
reflect the prevailing styles, such as art At the age of five, his father took him to a sign. It was intended to be fixed to the entrance
local tavern in his home town of Waldsassen in door or shop counter as a final reminder, so
Bavaria. There, the little boy sat. The atmosphere to speak, not to forget to buy the advertised
was lively, and he saw in the corner the smiling product when out shopping. In recent years, the
monk with his foaming beer mug and the collector’s value of these miniatures in particular
inscription on the base of the sign: Mönchshof- has risen. The value of an enamel sign depends
Bräu. For Michael, this advertising figure on the manufacturing technique used to make it,
embodies part of his childhood, and at the time its condition, rarity, age, design and the product
gave him the feeling of a perfect world. He first that is advertised. Names that are still known
came into actual contact with old advertising today are particularly sought-after.
signs during his apprenticeship as a draftsman. Condition is undoubtedly one of the most
The architect’s office was located in the same important factors. Thus, a well-preserved
building as an old-fashioned corner shop, and enamel sign can sell for thousands of pounds,
in the attic the young man stumbled across a whereas the same sign in a very poor condition
variety of old advertising signs, which he was will hardly be worth more than fifty pounds.
able to purchase and which form the foundation An enamel sign’s condition is classified as
of his current extensive collection. He continues follows: perfectly preserved, small screw hole
to make valuable additions to his collection or edge damage, major border or edge damage,
by attending flea markets, engaging with like- minor isolated damage-spots on the sign,
minded people, and also through the new several damage-spots on the sign,
social media. sign with dull or pale colours, severe damage
Nowadays, for a sign to interest Michael it that impairs the overall impression, sign requires
must have a special theme or be of a special extensive restoration.
type, have an interesting graphic designer or a Signs in absolute top condition are nowadays
special historical significance. At any rate, he is traded at large auction houses as art objects,
constantly on the lookout. and are sometimes sold for five-figure sums. MS DH

Information
The exhibition is open now and runs until
9th October 2016
Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel,
Steinenvorstadt 1,
CH – 4051
Basel
Switzerland
http://www.spielzeug-welten-museum-
basel.ch/en/
+41 (0)61 225 95 95

18 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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p19_dhmsmay16.indd 1 11/04/2016 13:27:14
 SKILLED PROJECT

Great Artists Series:

Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor Hutladen, 1914
In this series, professional artist Stephanie Guy shows us how to reproduce famous paintings in miniature.
This month, Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor Hutladen, 1914 (Lady with Sun parasol in front of the Hat Shop).

August Macke was born on 3rd January 1887 Macke spent his summers with his family in You will need:
in Meschede, Germany. He studied at the Switzerland at Lake Thun, where he was ❑ 300gsm Smooth watercolour paper
Düsseldorf Academy of Arts from 1904 to 1906, drawn to the shops in the old town of Thun. ❑ Sharp craft knife, cutting mat and steel ruler
and shortly afterwards began to take a series of Macke’s painting Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor ❑ Sharp pencil and an eraser
trips to Paris where he was greatly influenced Hutladen was one of these very shops. ❑ 2 or 3 water pots
by the Impressionist movement. In 1909 he Sadly Macke’s career was cut short. On 26th ❑ Size 00 acrylic brush with a good point
met Henri Matisse and was introduced to September 1914 he was killed in action during ❑ Size 0000 acrylic brush with a good point
Fauvism (named from the French word fauves World War 1. ❑ Atelier clear painting medium
meaning wild beasts) so called because of their Macke’s painting Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor ❑ Atelier Interactive Acrylics in
wild use of colour. Macke began to use vibrant Hutladen, 1914, measures 60.5 x 50.5cm. French ultramarine
colours and bold brushstrokes in his work, To find how big yours needs to be simply Titanium white
and when he met the Expressionist painter divide these measurements by the scale you’re Burnt Sienna
Franz Marc they became firm friends, building working in. On a 1/12th scale, dividing by 12 Arylamide yellow deep
on their shared joy of colour, and developing will give us 5.0 x 4.2cm; for 1/16th we need to Arylamide yellow light
abstract ideas. While Marc painted animals, divide by 16 to get 3.8 x 3.2cm; and for 1/24th Crimson
Macke concentrated on the landscape around divide by 24 giving 2.5 x 2.1cm. I’m working at Yellow ochre
him and the people that inhabited it. a 1/12th scale. Pthalo green
Burnt umber

1 Using your steel rule and craft knife, 2 Take a small piece of clear cellophane or 4 Roll your size 00 round brush in clear
cut out the watercolour paper to the correct acetate and trace over your drawing with a fine painting medium and pick up some of the
size. I recommend adding 5mm all around the pointed marker pen. This will help later on if you second blue in from the left. Roll this on your
edges to allow for framing – you can always paint over your lines, you will be able to place palette to make your brush come to a very
trim this off later if your chosen frame does not the acetate drawing over your painting to find fine point and paint in the vertical line in the
require the extra allowance. Divide your canvas out where the lines that you have lost should back corner of the shop window, followed by
into 4 x 4 equally spaced sections (you will need be. I’ve done mine in green to contrast with the the horizontal bottom section of the back wall.
your ruler for this bit). They will not be squares predominant blues and reds in the painting. While this is still wet, clean and dry your brush,
since your canvas is rectangular, but I will call roll it in medium and then pick up some of the
them squares for simplicity’s sake. Please draw 3 There is a lot of pale blue in this painting. palest blue and roll again. Paint a few gentle
your grid lines very faintly so that you don’t need To achieve all the variation we’re going to lines over the top of the horizontal blue.
to worry about paint coverage later on. use a few different strengths of pale blue This will blend in and give the desired almost
This is a very geometric painting and and a directional blending technique. To begin stripy look. Add a touch of pure French
although it looks complicated, once you get with, squirt out a pea sized blob of French ultramarine to the top of the vertical line.
started it’s not too difficult to draw. Starting in ultramarine into your palette, leave a small The painting medium keeps the paints ‘open’
one of the corners, copy the black lines into gap to the right and then squirt out a pea and blendable for longer, and has the added
your chosen square. Methodically moving from sized blob of titanium white. Leave another advantage of thinning the paints without
one square to its adjoining square, continue to small gap to the right and squeeze out more diluting the colour, which makes them much
copy the drawing until yours is complete. titanium white. Add a touch of the French easier to work with on a small scale.
Try not to be tempted to jump around the ultramarine to the middle white blob and
grid, it is all too easy to make a mistake when roughly mix. Spread this mix out to fill the 5 Using the same colours and technique,
counting squares and very frustrating to find gaps, and mix in a touch more of the French paint the blocks on the left hand wall of the
that the drawing doesn’t meet in the middle! ultramarine at the blue side and mix in more of shop window. Use vertical brush strokes and
When you have finished, erase as many of the titanium white at the white side. observe the geometric shapes, varying each
the grid lines as you can with a soft eraser. You should now have a line of blue paint in one in lightness. Notice that within the blocks
Be gentle to avoid damaging the delicate your palette going from dark to very pale and the colours vary too, in general they are darker
watercolour paper surface. then white. at the top and paler at the bottom.

20 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 Skilled PROJECT

Top Tips
for working with acrylics
• To make my own stay-wet palette
I use a small plastic takeaway box
lined with wet kitchen roll on the
bottom and greaseproof paper on
top. When I leave my paints for
any length of time I simply put the
lid on and the paints
stay workable.
• Always store your brushes flat,
never resting on their points as
this will damage them (either in
or out of your water).
• Wash your brush in a series of
three water pots, beginning in
the dirtiest water pot and working
towards the cleanest. You should
find that this means that your
clean water will stay clean for
longer, you will need to change
water less often and your colours
will not get muddy. Dab your
brush on an old rag or piece of
kitchen towel before picking up
fresh paint.
• Always wash your brushes before
leaving them for any length of
time. Dried acrylic is difficult to get
out of brushes and will ruin the
flexibility and point of your brush.
• Tiny brushes can be hard to come
by. If you can’t find one small
enough, take the smallest brush
you can find, fan out the bristles
between your finger and thumb
and cut out some of the bristles
close to, but not right up next to,
the ferrule.
• If you make a mistake, don’t panic!
Either wipe it off with a damp
tissue or wait until it is touch dry
and paint over it.
• If paints in your palette begin to
form a film, spray with water.
• If your paints feel too thick,
you can dilute with a small amount
of water or a medium such as
Atelier Interactive’s Clear Painting
Medium.
• If the paint on the brush becomes
blobby, clean it and pick up more
paint with the tip of the brush.
• Remember we’re painting
miniatures, you don’t need to
squirt out a lot of paint from your
tubes, just a pea sized blob at a
time will suffice.

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 Skilled PROJECT

6 Paint the front block of the shop window in white to the stripes. Put in a few stripes going wall. Add in a shadow in front of the lady.
burnt Sienna. Now mix a touch of burnt umber the other way using the burnt Sienna/ Use the soft grey (French ultramarine/burnt
and French ultramarine and use this to paint the French ultramarine. Sienna/clear painting medium) to add more
dark sections of the walls of the shop window. Next use the same stripey action with shadows right by the wall, again dragging it
Next glaze over the sections on the back wall French ultramarine to paint the middle bit of downwards a small way from the wall.
with burnt Sienna mixed with clear painting the ceiling followed by white over the top of
medium, and brush over the front burnt Sienna the blue on the right hand side. Finally paint 18 Moving on to the lady, paint the whole of
block with a tiny touch of the burnt umber/ in the dark corner of the ceiling using burnt the skirt in burnt Sienna. Paint the outline of the
French ultramarine mix. Finally, add a couple umber/French ultramarine. If you’re going to skirt in burnt Sienna/French ultramarine, leaving
of brush strokes of titanium white to the burnt frame your painting when it’s done, make sure the section between the knee and the foot
Sienna block and the bottom of the back corner that you paint over the outside edges of your without an outline. Draw in the folds of the skirt
dark section. picture – this will make framing easier as you with burnt Sienna/French ultramarine.
will have some leeway, rather than having a
7 Put a brushload of arylamide yellow light on white space around the edges that you have 19 Paint all of the lady’s jacket in crimson,
your palette, dilute with clear painting medium to keep hidden. then add lowlights to the underside of the
and use this to paint the yellow sections of arm and diagonally across the body in burnt
the back wall. Go over the top yellow section 12 Moving on to the outside wall of the shop, Sienna mixed with clear painting medium.
with a very dilute mix of burnt umber/French paint the mid-blues using your strongest French Add highlights with a weak titanium white
ultramarine to darken it slightly, making sure ultramarine/titanium white mix from step mixed with clear painting medium to the top
that the yellow is dominant. Take some titanium three. To get nice sharp lines on your building, of the arm and back of the jacket.
white and lighten the bottom part of the yellow use clear painting medium alongside your paint
on the wall. and roll the brush gently on your palette to make 20 Mix arylamide yellow light with titanium
it come to a sharp point. Trim any wayward hairs white in equal quantities. Split this into three,
8 Paint the floor of the shop window in off your brush if necessary. To keep your painted and add a touch of crimson to one section
Burnt Sienna. There is a yellow triangle on the edges crisp, rotate the picture so that you are and a touch more crimson to another until you
left hand side of the window floor. Glaze this always painting with your brush pointing into have a pale yellow, a pale peach and a stronger
in Arylamide yellow Light mixed with clear the edges. peach. Paint the underside of the umbrella in
painting medium, then add a small square on the stronger peach at the top moving to the
the wall above the triangle. There is a reflection 13 Now using your next palest blue mix, paler peach at the bottom. Paint the top of the
of some sort in the window on the right hand paint in the majority of the building, just leaving umbrella in pale yellow moving to pale peach
side – paint this in diluted Burnt Umber. the red sections at the back and the front towards the lady’s jacket.
column unpainted. Use the pale peach to paint the lady’s face,
9 Moving on to the hats, paint the bottom left and then add more colour to her cheek with the
hat in French ultramarine, leaving space for the 14 Pick up some of your palest blue mix and stronger peach.
ribbon. Ignore the top right hat for now, paint the front column. Vary the blues in each
and paint all of the other hats in French triangle to maintain the geometric look. 21 Paint the lady’s hair in burnt umber with a
ultramarine/burnt umber mix, remembering to Go back over all of the outside of the building burnt Sienna highlight down the middle.
leave the ribbons unpainted. with titanium white, adding in texture using Add a touch of burnt Sienna to French
vertical and horizontal strokes only. ultramarine and use this to paint the hat and
10 Take a little pthalo green and paint the the gloved hand holding the umbrella. Paint
ribbons on three of the hats. Use crimson 15 Mix two parts crimson with one part French the white areas of the hat, jacket collar and
to paint the ribbons on the middle bottom ultramarine and 1 part burnt Sienna and paint sleeve cuff in your palest blue for definition
and middle top hats. Now for the hat we the doorway behind the lady and the windows and shadow, and then dot over it in pure
studiously ignored earlier - paint the whole above the door. Add more French ultramarine titanium white.
hat in arylamide yellow light, then paint the and paint the shadows in the top of the doorway
front of the hat in crimson, blending the red coming down, and add some texture to the 22 Mix pthalo green with titanium white and
along the rim towards the back of the hat. paintwork of the window above the door. a touch of arylamide yellow light and paint the
Take some burnt umber/French ultramarine bottom of the person on the far left.
mix and paint the ribbon on this hat, and the 16 Mix French ultramarine and burnt Sienna Add highlights to the right hand side of the
feather on the middle top hat. Finally, take burnt with clear painting medium to give a soft grey skirts using a pale pthalo green/titanium
Sienna and paint the second feather on the with an inky consistency, and use this to outline white mix. Now paint the long coat in French
middle top hat. To finish off the shop window the edges of the building. Gently tickle over ultramarine mixed with a touch of pthalo
display, paint the hat stands stems in burnt some areas of the blues in the building wall to green. Add burnt umber to a little of this mix
Sienna and the bases in burnt umber/ make it a little dirty, especially at the bottom near and paint over the bottom half of the coat,
French ultramarine. the pavement. leaving a little highlight at the bottom on the
far left. Add soft white highlights to the top
11 Mix burnt Sienna and French ultramarine 17 Now for the pavement. Pick up some of half of the coat along the back by painting
with clear painting medium to give a soft grey. your palest blue and using downward strokes a couple of thin lines with titanium white,
Using a stripey brush action from the front to paint the whole of the pavement. Now pick up cleaning your brush and tickling those lines
the back of the shop, paint the left hand side some of your next palest blue and paint in the until they almost disappear.
of the window ceiling. Use titanium white shadows by the wall of the building behind the I cannot see a signature on this piece so I’m
mixed with clear painting medium to add lady. Drag this downward a little away from the calling it done. MSDH

22 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 Skilled PROJECT

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

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 SKILLED PROJECT

13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20

Information
If you have a go at any of my painting
tutorials I’d love to see your artwork,
21 22 you can share it on my Facebook page
or email it to me.
My contact details are:
www.StephanieGuy.co.uk

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/
StephanieGuyFineArt

@stephanieguyart

You can see Frau mit Sonnenschirm vor

Hutladen, 1914 at Museum Folkwang in
Essen, Germany and online here
http://collection-online.museum-folkwang.de/

24 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p20-24 Feature may.indd 24 14/04/2016 14:49

 FEATURE

All Change
converting a room to display dolls houses

Are you running out of corners for displaying minis?

Sharon Lascelles converted a grimy basement room into a dedicated space for her collection.

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 25

p25-27 - Feature May.indd 25 14/04/2016 14:34

 F E AT U R E

When I carefully packed up my dolls houses in flatpacks fit into our little car so I didn’t need to
spring 2013, I never thought that two and a half hire a van. I then bought some 3m lengths of
years would pass before I saw them again. worktop online so that they could be delivered
We were getting ready to put our real straight to our house because they sure
house on the market. I’d watched enough weren’t going to fit into our car!
property programmes to know that decluttering
was vital, and I didn’t think having several Getting to work
dolls houses in the living room was going It was time to get to work on the room.
to encourage potential buyers to make an The worst job was hoovering up all the
Before.
offer! So the collection went into our self- spiders and cobwebs – and I sure hope their
storage unit, and eventually transferred into cousins don’t come to visit in future. I filled
the removers’ storage while we rented and holes in the wall where previous fittings had
house hunted. We found a period house in been removed, made good the cracked finish
Northamptonshire we really liked but we had to around the two windows with decorators
wait seven months while the owners looked for caulk and repainted the internal window
their new home. Finally in the summer of 2014 woodwork in a nice gloss white. I decided to
we got the keys and my dolls houses travelled paint the wall above the worktop line a sky
up from Surrey with the rest of our goods to be blue as a backdrop for the houses. I cut in all
stored in our converted cellar until it was safe the edges in blue, then my husband David
to unpack them. Flatpacks. did the hard work with the roller to fill in with
Although I’ve been a miniaturist for over two coats. The finishing touch was installing
30 years, I’ve never had a dedicated space to window blackout blinds in a matching shade of
display my houses. After years of squeezing blue, which will prevent sunlight from fading
minis into various rooms around the house the dolls houses.
(including the attic!), I was so excited that our The project turned into a family affair with our
new house had a dilapidated workshop I could son helping to assemble the flatpack cabinet
convert into a dolls house room. I had to wait for carcasses. We were ready for the kitchen fitter,
the renovations on our real house to be finished so he and his mate came along on a weekend
- which took about six months and swallowed in between other jobs and installed all the
most of our money - but in 2015 I could finally Painting. cabinets and the worktop. Suddenly it was
start planning out my dream display room. looking like a proper room rather than a DIY
site. There was one problem though, they’d
Making a plan had to raise up the units so that the worktop
The first thing I did was to measure up the room could float above the radiator, meaning that
and draw a plan on graph paper. The room is the standard kitchen plinth we had bought to
essentially square but with a walled-off concrete fill in the gap underneath the units wasn’t tall
platform in one corner with steps leading up to enough. The fitter came up with a solution:
an outside door, and two buttresses on another we bought a matching tall décor panel normally
wall holding up the chimney stack above. used to finish off cabinet runs, and he cut that
A third wall has a large radiator under the into lengths of ‘plinth’ to neatly finish off the
After painting.
window. My plan was to use kitchen cabinet base of the units.
base units both as a display area and as storage The display area now looked so nice that
for all my materials and kits. I worked out that the rest of the room looked really shabby, so I
I could create a ‘U’ shape of units by placing painted the rest of the walls and the concrete
cabinets on either side of the radiator and steps which made a real improvement. I also
bridging the gap with worktop. There were used my primitive carpentry skills to box in
already power points on the wall for plugging in the unsightly wiring and pipes in the corner of
the dolls house lighting. the room –surprisingly difficult to do as the old
Not having much money, I started stalking walls are neither flat nor vertical, so I basically
used kitchen cabinets on online auction sites, had to sculpt the timber to fit the lumps and
but was outbid time after time – who knew Carcasses assembled. bumps. To avoid losing any precious tiny things
that secondhand units were so popular? I was down the gaps between the worktop and the
getting discouraged. I also asked the kitchen wavy walls, I pinned thin wood strips along the
fitter who installed our real kitchen if I could back of the worktop to block the gaps.
have any cabinets he ripped out on other jobs, I also wanted to have a desk area where I
but again had no luck – he said they were can work on minis. There was a bit of worktop
often in poor condition or were damaged left over and the fitter had cut it to the right size
during removal. to slide between the two chimney buttresses.
I was therefore delighted to spot a 40% off I bought two table legs from a well known
sale on discontinued units at a big DIY chain. Scandinavian home store to hold up the front
I was able to buy the cabinets I needed for less edge, and screwed brackets onto the wall to
than I had planned to spend at auction and the Plinth gap. hold up the rear edge of the desk. By chance,

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Storage. Desk area.

the same store had a sale on a small desk improved with a coat of paint, fits on the
which just fits into the bend of the stairs, concrete platform in the corner to hold all
creating an L shaped work area. I have plans to the patterns and tutorials I’ve ripped out of
install some wall shelves above the desk so my magazines. And two bookcases hold my
frequently used tools are within easy reach. books and collection of old dollshouse
magazines. The only thing still to do is
The big reveal replace the carpeting.
It was time for the big unveiling, all the houses It is so wonderful to see everything again,
in scales from 1/12 down to 1/144, room boxes, and every box was full of memories and
vignettes, boxes of stash and materials, it all surprises. I’m looking forward to many happy
had to be unwrapped and places found for hours sorting everything out in my current houses
Unpackaging.
everything. It took several days and luckily I and building more to join them.
had a week off work just at the right time. It
generated mountains of cardboard and tissue
paper, so David was kept busy ferrying it all to
the recycling centre.
I had a system for unpacking: the carton was
placed on a small table centered on a large
sheet spread on the floor. The cardboard skin
was then carefully cut away to expose the
bubble-wrapped house and the bubble wrap
carefully removed with scissors. Every covering
removed was shaken over the sheet and
examined to ensure nothing small had escaped
and become stuck to it. I had gently stuffed
tissue paper into all the rooms to hold the
furniture and contents in place, so each sheet
of tissue was likewise removed, examined and
shaken. There were surprisingly few breakages
considering how many times the houses had
been moved, although a fair bit of tidying up Finished left.
inside the rooms is still required.
My new cabinets provide loads of storage.
I found some plastic underbed storage boxes
online which exactly stack inside one of my
cabinets, so I’ve been able to put all my spare
furniture pieces laid out on bubblewrap for
easy viewing inside those. Smaller accessories
are stored in lidded boxes and plastic drawers
inside another cabinet, everything is labelled by
category. Kits for houses and furniture waiting
to be made up are in a corner cupboard, along
with wallpaper and carpeting. The opposite
corner cupboard holds my big box of Things
That Might Be Useful, my collection of plant
material and trees and the drawer unit stores
the Fimo and electrical items. Unpacking
everything was a great opportunity to go
through all the stash and organise and label
everything. Now I just need to keep it all tidy!
A big filing cabinet from a charity shop, Finished right.

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The Great British picnic

A traditional picnic is as much about the environment as the food itself and it
combines two of my great loves in the miniature world, tasty treats and landscaping.
By Sadie Brown of Homewardflight.

Over the hills & far away! Rocks and stones The painted rocks were painted with a mixture
Recreating nature in miniature is an experience are always great fun of white, black, raw umber and yellow ochre
to get lost in! Setting to work designing this to make! I have two acrylic paints. It’s the best of fun just messing
spring scene I completely forgot that it was, methods for creating about creating the right look and one thing about
in fact, still the middle of winter! The basis the stone effect and rocks - there’s never a wrong way to do it!
for the hilly country scene in which we’re I’ve used both in the Once baked, the polymer clay flowers were
going to have our picnic is a landscape mat. picnic scene. The base glued onto pieces of unwound 1/12th scale basket
The hills themselves are formed very simply
with crushed brown paper positioned beneath
the mat. I then gave the landscape mat a very
liberal scattering of the wonderfully named
hairy grass! In fact, I’ve completely fallen in
love with the combination of the landscape
mat and the hairy grass, the realistic effect
is amazing! After positioning a bush where I
wanted it in the scene, at the base of the hill, for each one is exactly the same, sahara or ecru painted with mixed light green and yellow acrylic
I piled up some hairy grass around it to give the coloured polymer clay which is then moulded paint before being glued into the rocks. Used
impression of natural sloping grass. into shape. If I’m going to add some flowers sparingly a little bit of moss green lichen amongst
then I add a natural crevice or holes for them to the flowers can look great too.
‘grow’ out of at this point. After that, if you’re Positioning the rocks around the base of the
going to paint the stones with acrylic paints now bush and one or two a short distance away adds
is the time to bake them. If, however, you want to the feeling of a focal point in the landscape,
to create the stone effect with pastels then mix in the same way that a room in a dolls house
grey and brown pastel and brush liberally over might have a fireplace. I also added a couple of
the stone, using a rough brush to add some rocks at the top of the hill. To make sure that they
texture here and there. On these I’ve also added don’t all roll back down again and crash into the
some moss which is mixed brown, green and picnic it’s always a really good idea to add a little
lemon yellow pastel scattered over some Sculpey Tacky Wax to the underside.
Bake & Bond on the rock. There’s even a bit of
purple/fuchsia pink pastel mix in there too for a
bit of added colour. After adding the moss they’re
ready for baking!

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It’s the tiny little details that always intrigue to take on the picnic as well. The toadstool
me, things like the flowers in the rocks or the cupcakes are made from polymer clay with
small bullfinch attending her nest in the bush. the red and white icing painted on after baking
Anyone who recalls the “Magic of Spring” with acrylic paint and the crisps are created
garden log I made a few years ago from their from cream clay, flattened with the back of
online travels will remember the tiny nest a fingernail and brushed on both sides with
hidden away amongst the foliage. Both the a grated golden pastel mixture. I cut the
bird and her nest are created entirely from tiny 1/12th scale crisp packet open and used
polymer clay, the fluffy down inside the nest is superglue to stick the baked crisps inside to
made from fibrous material (toy stuffing) which give the impression of them tumbling out.
has been dipped in watery grey acrylic paint I kept one or two loose crisps back to scatter
and, after drying, glue inside. around the packet on the picnic blanket too
The fluffy down is always a must have because, after all, picnics can be messy.
detail for me since we had a duck’s nest in
the garden when I was a child and there are
early morning memories of her leading thirteen
newly hatched ducklings down to the water!

Another tiny detail is the mole hills!

Again, sparked by lasting memories from
childhood of excitedly looking out of the window
every morning for mole hills in the fields are the so taken with its natural colour once I tried a
two mole hills in our picnic scene. Once more piece of the check material inside along with a
created from polymer clay, they were made from few pieces of food that I decided against – it
a shaped piece of chocolate brown clay which fitted in with the landscape I was creating so
I then textured in the same way you would well just as it is! I made the label for the bottle
some bread or a cake. Then I added a layer of of lemonade on the computer and printed it
Sculpey Bake & Bond before heaping some out – the lemon cakes in the photograph are
grated brown pastel on top. Even the tiny details some 1/12th scale versions I made a few years
have to have even tinier details within though, ago and which just lent themselves perfectly to
hence the wee worm you can just see being part of a brand of lemonade!
amongst the earth on one of the mole hills! So, what else was pulled out of the picnic
Basically, where miniatures are concerned the basket? Any self-respecting picnic needs a
more detail the better. picnic loaf so, along with sausage rolls and
scotch eggs here’s a few final traditional
British classics…

Of course, picnics aren’t all about the

landscape – whether it’s a glorious, sunny day,
or it’s so wet you’re practically sitting in a puddle,
the food is also quite important. A great way to
bring together some of the traditional British When I started out my full intention was to
food made during this series, such as the paint the picnic basket a lovely, rustic colour
ploughmans lunch and the Bara Brith from issue and make it look as though it had had the
260, there also has to be a few new things love and attention of a lifetime’s use but I was

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Sausage rolls
1 To make the sausage meat mix beige poly- You will need:
mer clay with a bit of white along with grated ❑ Polymer clay: beige, white, sunflower
grey and brown pastel. Roll the finished mixture yellow, black, red, sap green, sunflower
into tubes measuring just under 2cm in length yellow, lemon yellow, red, translucent,
and just over 2mm in thickness.
5 Texture the sausage meat with a map pin. apple green, fuchsia pink and brown
❑ Pastels: grey, brown, golden ochre,
2 Mix some cream clay (white with a touch of
6 Mix grated golden ochre, dark orange dark orange cadmium, white, green,
sunflower yellow) and roll out to just a little bit less cadmium and brown pastel, brushing over all the sunflower yellow and lemon yellow
than 2mm in thickness before wrapping around sausage rolls, giving them a lovely, golden finish. ❑ Map pin
the sausage meat, cutting away any excess. ❑ Small brushes
7 Use an old, rough textured brush to very ❑ Roller
3 Roll the tube to a thickness of about 3mm lightly add a small amount of texture to the pastry ❑ Craft knife
and then slice into individual sausage rolls each on top of each roll before adding tiny balls of black ❑ Matte varnish
measuring just under 4mm. clay (as tiny as you can manage, the ones I made 7
❑ Kitchen foil
were about a third of a millimetre in diameter) to ❑ Old butter knife
4 Use a map pin to create a gap all the way each one. These are, of course, poppy seeds! ❑ Small stones for craft/floristry
around the sausage meat where it meets up
with the pastry. 8 After baking, finish by coating with matte 4
varnish.
1 2 3

6 7 8

Scotch eggs
1 Mix translucent clay with sunflower 7 Take a little of the green used for the
yellow pastel and roll into a tube measuring spinach leaves in the picnic loaf, roll out into
5mm in diameter. the thinnest tube you can and take tiny little
pieces, adding them to the sausage meat
2 Roll out some white clay to about 2mm about 1½mm in thickness and wrap around with a map pin before baking.
in thickness and wrap around the yellow tube. the egg, pulling away too much excess at the
top and bottom of the egg. 8 Use an old butter knife to crush some
3 Roll the whole thing to 4mm in diameter tiny white craft/floristry stones into even tinier
and cut a piece measuring 5mm in length for 5 Once you have a round egg shaped ball, little pieces to create little breadcrumbs.
each egg. place in the freezer for a few minutes before
removing and slicing into two. 9 Mix the crushed stones with grated
4 Mix beige clay with a pale pink clay (white dark orange cadmium pastel. Brush the
mixed with just a touch of fuchsia), adding in 6 Texture the surface of the sausage meat outside of the scotch eggs with matte varnish
a small amount of grey pastel to create the with a map pin, being careful to avoid overlap- and, while it’s still wet, dip into the bread-
sausage meat. Take a piece measuring roughly ping into the egg itself. crumb mixture to complete the look.

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

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Picnic loaf equal amount of sunflower yellow for the yellow

1 Take a ball of plain white clay measuring peppers and, finally, for the spinach leaves,
about 1.5cm in diameter and shape into a mix sapgreen, black, apple green and brown clay.
round boule loaf.
10 Roll out the yellow, red and white clay,
2 Mix grated golden ochre, dark orange pulling off uneven small pieces. Cut uneven
cadmium and brown pastel and brush liberally strips of the courgette as well. For the spinach
over the loaf, remembering to add shading grated white, green and lemon yellow pastel. leaves, take small pieces of the green mix clay,
here and there just like a real loaf. Don’t colour the clay too deeply as the colour will flatten with the back of a fingernail, peel off your
alter naturally when baked. As always, it’s a good work surface with a map pin and pile on top of
3 Put the loaf into the freezer, allowing it to idea to bake a test piece of clay to make sure one another.
harden up for a minute or two before cutting a that you’re happy with the colour and that you
11 Layer the items inside the scooped out
couple of slices from it. feel it represents the flesh of a courgette.
bread in the order, from bottom to top, of:
4 Use a map pin to score a line all the way 7 Roll the translucent clay/pastel mixture out courgette, yellow pepper, mozzarella, red pepper
around the inside of each half of the loaf where to 3mm in thickness. and spinach leaves.
you want the edge of the bread to be, a couple of
12 Using the map pin, very carefully score a
millimetres is about right, then scoop out a good 8 Mix sapgreen clay with a touch of black
amount of clay from the inside of the scored and sunflower yellow to create the colour of the line all the way around the outside of the loaf to
lines. This is where the contents of the sandwich courgette skin. Roll the mixture out as thinly as create the appearance of the top having been cut
will go. possible and put a piece at either side of the off. Also make a matching scored line across the
translucent mix. fluffy bread on the inside of the loaf.
5 Texture the white bread round the edges
13 Finally, before baking, use a piece of kitchen
with the map pin. 9 Gather together the other colours of clay
needed for the roasted vegetables: plain white foil to add some texture to the top of the loaf and
6 Starting off with some courgette (or zucchini for the mozzarella, red mixed with just a touch sprinkle with grated white pastel.
if you’re in the States!), mix translucent clay with of black for the red pepper, lemon mixed with an

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11

12 13
Suppliers list
Bush, Javis landscape mat and Javis Hairy
Grass “Spring mix” all from The Dolls House
Emporium
www.dollshouse.com

Picnic basket, blanket, glasses, cutlery,

ceramic plates and bowls, “bag of crisps”
Take a slice! and rabbit from Tumdee Dollshouse Miniatures
To make the picnic loaf slices, score a line round where you want to remove the bread and www.tumdee-dollshouse-miniatures.co.uk
scoop or cut away. Texture and finish the top in the same way as the loaf itself but then bake
the empty slice before adding a touch of Bake & Bond to the inside and loading with filling.
Finally, return to the oven to bake the contents.
Information
Visit the new Homewardflight website
www.homewardflight.scot
www.etsy.com/shop/homewardflight
[email protected]

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 F E AT U R E

Tales from
the Travelling
Miniaturist
My name is Karon Cunningham, a self-confessed miniatures addict and for the past six and a half years
I have been extensively travelling around the world visiting and exhibiting at dolls house fairs.

There are so many talented artists spread together hand crafted miniature makers and
around the world who for one reason or buyers from high street shops, web stores,
another are unable to showcase their talents show sellers and other artisans in a relaxed
at one of the many UK dolls house shows, atmosphere where they can discuss what is
it’s a shame, but that’s where I come in! new to the market and the trends in collecting
I travel around the world meeting and visiting miniatures. The majority of the tables are cash
these artisans and then bring back fabulous and carry while others are order based from a
rarities which I then stock in my online shop. huge selection of items on display.
I’ve got a very busy 2016 lined up, I first visited this show ten years ago
the first date on my calendar was 23rd - 27th when I had my own high street shop in Bath.
January, Las Vegas, USA. Not a place you I was looking for stock that was new and
immediately associate with miniatures, hold their trade show at The Orleans Hotel different so to visit a dedicated trade show
dolls etc but home to one of a handful of & Casino. was great. I remember coming home with
wholesale (trade) shows. Las Vegas is famous for being the mecca suitcases bulging with miniatures not seen
The Vegas show is organized by CIMTA - for gambling but it is also the host to 10’s of in England before. Despite the snow storms
The Cottage Industry Miniaturist Trade 1000’s of business and leisure conferences in Eastern America, this year’s show was
Association inc. CIMTA are a non-profit and shows, exhibitions and competitions no exception, with over 65 tables of artist
organisation run partially by volunteers to each year enticed by inexpensive flights, made miniatures along with many of the
promote and encourage the growth of hotels and food. leading manufacturers. Here are a selection
hand crafted dolls house miniatures and they Vegas is a trade only show and brings of photos from this year’s show.

Twinheart Miniatures.
Serendipity Miniatures.

Patsy Thomas.

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 F E AT U R E

Model Builders Supply.

Paula Gilhooley.

Vilia Miniatures from Italy.

Judy Caulkin of Judy’s Stone House Designs.

Such Things.

Twinheart Miniatures.
Information
If you are a shop or website owner then
this should be your buying trip next year.
Visit CIMTA’s website for more information
and a list of their members and those
exhibitors that were at the show.
http://www.cimta.com

Next time I will be reporting from a venue

very close to home, 12 miles in fact.
MGM Fairs will be in Royal Wootton Bassett.

My Doll House from Texas.

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An Alpine Ski Chalet

Part 4
In this month’s instalment attention
is turned to finishing and detailing
the roof after which Martin Pearce
begins work on the
interior decorations.

You will need:

Tools required
❑ Steel rule
❑ Try square or engineer’s square
❑ Razor saw
❑ Craft knife
❑ Flat file
❑ Scriber
❑ Glue brush
❑ Brushes for wood dye
❑ Paint brush
❑ Pencil
❑ Cocktail sticks With the exterior walls of both the ground and first floors completed, attention is now turned to the
roof. Although this section was partially assembled in part two of the series, the actual roof has yet to
Materials required be glued in place. This is best done after the cladding to the side walls and gables has been glued in
❑ 3/8” x 1/32” (9.5mm x 1mm) jelutong stripwood place. It is then a matter of laying the shingles and fitting the barge boards.
❑ 1/16” x 1/32” (2mm x 1mm) jelutong stripwood Once the roof is fully finished we can then start work on some of the interior decorations.
❑ 3/4” x 1/16” (19mm x 2mm) jelutong stripwood As suggested last month when cladding the walls, it is better practice to check measurements on
❑ 3/8” x 1/16” (9mm x 2mm) jelutong stripwood your own chalet rather than relying on the cutting list before cutting out any parts. It is surprising how
❑ 1.8” x 1/16” (3mm x 2mm) jelutong stripwood things can vary slightly as work progresses.
❑ 1/8” (3mm) MDF
❑ 5 packets of shingles ref HW H7004 available
from Blackwells
❑ PVA wood glue Cutting list
❑ Wood dye ❑ 3/8” x 1/32” (9.5mm x 1mm) jelutong ❑ 4 pieces 10” (255mm) long for barge boards
❑ Masking tape stripwood ❑ 3/8” x 1/16” (9.5mm x 2mm) jelutong
❑ Double sided tape ❑ 4 pieces 13.3/4” (349mm) long for cladding for stripwood
❑ Paint side walls of roof section ❑ 4 pieces 10” (255mm) long for barge boards
❑ Plastic card (optional) ❑ 20 pieces 11.13/16” (300mm) long for cladding ❑ 4 pieces 9.3/4” (248mm) long for cover strip
❑ Medium and fine abrasive such as garnet for front & back gables of roof section to top of barge boards/roof
paper ❑ 4 pieces 3/4” (13mm) long for cover strips ❑ 1/8” x 1/16” (3mm x 2mm) jelutong stripwood
❑ Fine wet and dry paper ❑ 1/16”” x 1/32” (2mm x 1mm) jelutong stripwood ❑ 4 pieces 10” (255mm) long for barge boards
❑ White spirit ❑ 2 pieces 16.1/2” (420mm) long for tilting pieces ❑ 1/8” (3mm) MDF
❑ Scarp card for shingles ❑ 4 pieces 2” (50mm) x 1” (25mm) for
❑ Rag paper (optional) ❑ 3/4” x 1/16” (19mm x 2mm) jelutong stripwood locating pieces

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Wall cladding 3 The gables follow and after gluing the

Roof 1 Cut and glue in place two pieces of bottom three pieces in place, it may be
stripwood to each of the long sides. The top piece possible to finish this area by using offcuts
Earlier in the project the roof section was
is likely to stand proud and will need trimming. of stripwood. Once the glue is thoroughly
put to one side after the gable ends and set (leave for 24 hours) the cladding can be
side walls had been glued to the base. 2 Using a flat file or sanding stick held at an trimmed using a craft knife to follow the slope
The reason for this is that it is much easier angle, trim the top piece of cladding so that it of the gable.
to glue and trim the cladding to this part follows the slope of the low MDF side wall of
the roof section.
of the chalet before the roof is fitted,
particularly those pieces fitted to the gable 2
1
end. Were the roof to be glued in place first
it would call for a great deal of accurate
measuring and cutting in order to ensure
the cladding fitted neatly where it butted
up against the roof on the gables.
The process of cladding the sides and
gables of the roof section is exactly the
same as for the first floor cladding so
it may be useful to refer to the March 3 3a
issue where this was covered in detail.
This also applies to the suggestions for
cutting and dying the cladding. The lengths
of stripwood are dyed to match those of
the first floor which in this case is Colron
Burmese teak.

Roof
1 Glue the roof in place ensuring that its
1
front edge is 2.3/16” (56mm) from the front
gable in order to form a large overhang.
Remember to wipe away any excess glue
before it sets and use masking tape to hold in
place whilst it sets.

2 The area under the roof that forms the

eaves is dyed to match the wall cladding.
Once this is dry, measure, cut and fit the cover
strips at the outer ends of the cladding to the 1a 2
long sides of the roof. The equivalent pieces
for the first floor were covered in last month’s
instalment.

3 Locating pieces cut from 1/8” (3mm)

MDF are glued to the underside of the roof
section. The distance they are set in from the
edges of the walls is exactly the same as for
those used on the first floor. This, and their
use was covered in detail last month.
3 4
4 Although the chimney stack is fitted later,
it is a good idea to make it at this stage.
By doing so, it is to hand and can be glued in
place without interrupting the process of laying
the shingles. Ideally it is cut from 3/4” (19mm)
thick MDF to the sizes shown on the drawing.
As an alternative, two pieces of 3/8” (9.5 mm)
material can be glued together to give the
required thickness before cutting out.

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Shingles
When laying the shingles it is highly likely that you will have more courses on your roof than are shown in the photographs. This is nothing to
worry about and is due to me having to use some slightly larger shingles than those recommended. The process of laying them is however
the same.
Unlike the wall cladding, it may be found easier to colour the shingles with wood dye after they are glued in place. However, if this course
is followed it is essential that any excess glue is removed immediately as glue marks will show up when the dye is applied.

1 Using double sided tape, place a shingle 5 Using the measurement from step 4, 9 Glue the next shingle in place pressing it
at the bottom of the roof and mark a pencil mark a series of parallel pencil lines across up against the first and using the pencil line
line along the top edge of the shingle. the full length of the roof. These lines indicate as a guide. Continue working towards the
The shingle should extend beyond the bottom where the top edge of each row of shingles right hand edge of the roof remembering to
edge of the roof by 1/16” (2mm). will be so need marking accurately. Repeat for clean away any excess glue and keep checking
the other side of the roof. that the top of each shingle lines up with the
2 A second shingle is fitted and should pencil line. The final shingle of this course will
overlap the first by a minimum of 1/16” (2mm) 6 Mark out the position of the chimney probably need cutting slightly in width in order
and is held in place with double sided tape stack. The front edge of the stack should be to fit correctly.
and a pencil line marked along its top edge. 6.1/2” (165mm) from the front of the roof.
The overlap can be greater, for example 1/8” Remember that the front edge of the roof 10 The second course is now laid noting that
(3mm) which gives a very pleasing effect is the one with the large overhang (2.3/16” the first shingle is cut lengthways in half.
but will increase the number of courses and [56mm]).
quantity of shingles needed to cover the roof. 11 Continue working to the right hand edge
7 To lay the shingles neatly, the lower edge of the roof and as work progresses check the
3 Repeat step 2 with another two courses of each one on the bottom course needs bottom edges of the shingles are in line and
of shingles ensuring that the overlap of each is raising slightly. A “tilting strip” is fitted along parallel with the bottom edge of the roof.
the same. the bottom edge of the roof to do this. The last shingle will again need cutting.

4 Remove the shingles to reveal four pencil 8 Working from left to right, the first shingle 12 Using the methods covered in steps 15
lines all of which should be equal distances is glued in place ensuring its long edge aligns to 18 lay the shingles up to the previously
apart. Measure the distance between these with the edge of the roof and its top edge is in marked position of the chimney stack and glue
as they indicate how far apart each course of line with the previously marked pencil line. the stack in place.
shingles should be.

Drawing for Barge Boards and Chimney Stack

1.1/4"
32 mm

Chimney Stack
from 3/4" (19mm) MDF or two
38 mm

thicknesses of 3/8" (9.5mm) MDF

1.1/2"
51mm
2"

5/16"
8mm

Right Hand Barge Boards

2 required 10" (255mm) long

5/16"
8mm

5/16"
8mm

Left Hand Barge Boards

2 required 10" (255mm) long

5/16"
Note 8mm
Dimensions are given in imperial and metric.
Drawing © Martin Pearce & Willow Models 2015 Do not mix them; work in one set only.

36 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 Skilled PROJECT

13 Working up towards the ridge of the roof, 16 The ridge is detailed next and for this 17 Taking measurements directly from the
lay the remaining courses to the left of the shingles laid lengthways are used as ridge chimney stack, mark out and cut shingles to fit
chimney stack. It will then be necessary to cut tiles.Alternatively, they could be cut from around the stack.
shingles to fit around the stack. 3/8” x 1/32” (9.5 mm x 1mm) stripwood.
Whatever is used, each will need one long 18 Once the ridge is completed, the shingles
14 Having worked around the stack, continue edge sanding to a slight angle to form a can be coloured using wood dye, in this case
laying shingles in order to finish this side of neat joint where they butt up against each Colron English light oak after which the stack
the roof. other. Work along the ridge up to the is rendered to match the finish of the ground
chimney stack. floor walls.
15 Repeat the above steps for laying the
shingles to the other side of the roof.

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

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 SKILLED PROJECT

13 14 15

16 17 18

Barge boards 1 Glue together the three pieces of Once cut, check that they fit correctly. The two
It is quite common to find highly decorated stripwood that form the barge board ensuring ends that meet at the ridge may need a little
barge boards on the buildings in many alpine their outer edges are in line. sanding in order to get a tight fitting mitre.
areas. The decoration may be in the form When you are happy that they fit correctly, dye
of complex pierced patterns or elaborately 2 Before proceeding, make a careful study them and glue in place at the ends of the roof.
shaped bottom edges. Even those that may of photograph 2a. The two barge boards fitted
be considered plainer examples can still be to the front (and back) have their ends cut 3 Glue the cover strips in place so that they
decorative in the way they are built up from at opposite angles. When cut, they form a overlap the front of the barge boards very
a number of different sized timber sections. matched pair allowing them to make a mitre slightly. They will need sanding lightly where
It is the latter type that has been chosen for where they meet at the ridge whilst the outer they meet and form a mitre at the ridge.
this chalet and they are made up from three ends are in a vertical plane. The other end will also need sanding in order
differing widths of stripwood. Using the dimensions given on the drawing, they are in line with the outer edge of the
I assembled the barge boards before carefully mark and cut the ends using a razor boards. That completes the roof and we can
applying the wood dye rather than colouring saw. In order to form a neat mitre where they now begin work on the interior. MS DH

each piece before gluing together. If made in meet this calls for accuracy. Before cutting,
this way it is essential that any excess glue is check they are marked out correctly noting the
Suppliers List
cleaned up before it is allowed to set. The dye comments in the above paragraph. It is all too
easy to cut them all the same way – I have Stripwood
used was Colron English light oak to which
been there on more than one occasion. Wood Supplies
matches the colour of the shingles.
www.wood-supplies.com
1 020 8669 7266
Martin’s Top Tip Shingles
Cut some false barge boards from scrap card Blackwells of Hawkwell
to get the idea of what is involved. By doing www.blackwells-miniatures.com
this you can check that the sizes and angles are 01702 200036
correct. They can then be used as templates if
Plastic card and rag paper
they fit correctly.
Model or art and craft shops.
2
www.khadi.com (rag paper)

3a 3b Other items such as wood dye, PVA glue

etc. from regular DIY outlets

© These instructions, drawings and all photographs are

copyright of Willow Models and may not be sold or
reproduced without their permission. They are for personal use
only and any commercial use is an infringement of copyright.
2a

Next Month
Next month’s instalment covers the interior,
roof shingles and barge boards.

38 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 FEATURE

Treasure Hunting: NEW

feature
Nostell in West Yorkshire
In this new series of features we travel around the country opening the doors to dolls houses
on display in our beloved National Trust properties. We begin with Nostell in West Yorkshire.

Close up view of the doll’s house (made c1735) in the south passage at Nostell. © National Trust Images/Mark Fiennes.

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 F E AT U R E

The Winn Family

Nostell was acquired by the Winn family in 1654, following the destruction of the original priory
during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s. The Winn family rose to prominence as
textile merchants in London, with George Wynne being appointed Draper to Queen Elizabeth I and
his grandson George was granted a baronetcy by Charles II in 1660. Through three generations of
the Winn family, the palladian mansion was created, employing some of the greatest craftsmen
of the Georgian age. Sir Rowland Winn (4th Baronet) inherited Nostell in 1722 at the age of 16
and after returning from his Grand Tour in 1727, commissioned plans for an ambitious new house,
employing the young James Paine. Rowland Winn (5th Baronet) inherited Nostell in 1765 at the
age of 26 and rather than asking Paine to continue working on the house he instead employed the
up and coming Robert Adam. Adam started work on the interior of the house in 1766 and over the
next ten years created a magnificent series of rooms alongside the painter Antonio Zucchi,
the plasterer, Joseph Rose the Younger and cabinetmaker Thomas Chippendale. Work on the
house came to a sudden halt in 1785 when the 5th Baronet was killed in a carriage accident
on the road to London. The Winn family continued to live at Nostell and the interests of the
subsequent generations can be seen within the mansion, including Charles Winn’s love of antique
collections and curiosities during the Victorian era, however many of the rooms today remain just The Chinese dressing room.
as they were designed in the Georgian heyday. © National Trust Images/Robert Thrift.

The Winn family doll’s house at Nostell,

West Yorkshire, is a remarkable time capsule
of the taste in country house interiors of the
1730s, almost the equivalent of an interior
decoration magazine like a fancy home
décor magazine.
All of the furnishings and all of the furniture
were created with a high level of precision and
detail, indicating that the house was made as
a decorative model for the adults of the family,
rather than for the children to play with.
All the fireplaces are copied from James
Gibbs’s Book of Architecture of 1728. In the
early 1730s Sir Rowland Winn, 4th Baronet,
was building a new house at Nostell and the
doll’s house may have been commissioned at
that time. The hall. © National Trust Images/Robert Thrift.

The drawing room. © National Trust Images/Robert Thrift.

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 F E AT U R E

History
Built on the site of a medieval priory,
Nostell has been the home of the Winn
family for 300 years. Commissioned by Sir
Rowland Winn in 1733, the house was built
by James Paine. Later additions by Robert
Adam created exceptional interiors.
Visitors to Nostell can explore 121
hectares (300 acres) of parkland with a range
of walks and views. The beautiful grounds
include lakeside walks, a working kitchen
garden, the secluded Menagerie garden and
the popular adventure playground.

The Chintz bedroom. © National Trust Images/Robert Thrift.

While the principal or state bedroom is

decorated with red velvet, its dressing room
next door has walls hung with either Chinese
wallpaper or leather hangings imitating
Chinese motifs. Apart from the doll’s house, expect to see
One of the secondary family bedrooms on a collection of Chippendale furniture made
the floor above has a bed and curtains hung specially for Nostell. Paintings by Brueghel,
with Indian chintz. So while ‘west’ stood for Hogarth and Kauffmann and a John Harrison
formality and grandeur, ‘east’ indicated a more (Longitude) longcase clock.
intimate, informal and feminine atmosphere.
And that characterisation has influenced the
meaning of chinoiserie to this day.

Information
Address: Doncaster Road,
Nostell
The Red Velvet bedroom.
© National Trust Images/Robert Thrift. Nr. Wakefield
West Yorkshire
The late John Cornforth has pointed out
WF4 1QE
how the Nostell doll’s house also illustrates
the function of chinoiserie, or pseudo-oriental www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nostell

a y
decoration, in the less formal spaces of

w
01924 863892 Rowland Winn 5th Baronet and his wife Sabine.

Give a
18th-century country houses.

The National Trust is offering one family pass or two single admission passes to visit Nostell (or any of their other properties, exclusions apply).
You can enter online by visiting www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk Alternatively, send your name, address and email address,
specifying if you would like the family pass or the single admission passes to the address below. The first entry drawn by our independent
adjudicator on 26th May 2016 will win.
&
Name .................................................................................................................... Postcode .............................................................................................................

Address ................................................................................................................... Tel ..........................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................. Email .....................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................. The closing date for all entries is: 26th May 2016
Family pass ❏ Single admission ❏ (please tick)
Send your entry to: National Trust Giveaway, Dolls House and Miniature Scene Magazine, Warners Group Publications, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH.
Warners Group Publications PLC may contact you about products and services that may be of relevance to you via direct mail, telephone or email.
Tick here if you do not wish to receive these details ❏ Please tick here if you do not wish your details to be shared with other reputable third parties ❏
Terms and conditions: 1. One randomly selected entry will win. 2. The giveaway is open from Thursday 28 April 2016 until Thursday 26 May 2016. 3. This giveaway is open to residents of
the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man aged 18 years or over, excluding employees and their families of the National Trust and Dolls House and Miniature Scene magazine, their agents
or anyone professionally connected with this promotion. 4. To enter, visit www.dollshouseandminiature.co.uk 5. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
6. National Trust admission passes must be collected by 26 May 2017. Dolls House & Miniature Scene will advise the National Trust of the winners and their selection. Each single
admission pass provides individual entry for one day to a National Trust property of their choice in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (exclusions apply). The family pass is valid for four
people – either two adults and two children (between the ages of 5-17yrs, or one adult and three children between 5-17yrs) for one day to a National Trust property of their choice in
England, Northern Ireland and Wales (exclusions apply). 7. There is no cash alternative. 8. Winners will be notified by email within 28 days of the closing date. In the event that the claim for
a prize is not received by the promoter within 28 days of such notification, the promoter reserves the right to withdraw prize entitlement and award the prize to a reserve selected at the
same time as the original. 9. The National Trust will not be responsible for any transport or accommodation costs incurred in the fulfilment of the prize.

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 41

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 SKILLED PROJECT

Drop Leaf Kitchen Table

In the March issue of Dolls House
and Miniature Scene Ruth Flewelling
Lesbirel visited the Loyalist House,
New Brunswick, Canada. Inspired by
her visit she shares this 1/12th scale
drop leaf kitchen table.
Photos by Stephen Lesbirel.

The Loyalist House has a simple maple

kitchen table with two drop-leaves and turned
legs. It is very compact, fitting even the
most cramped kitchen spaces. At Loyalist
House, it slides in under the shelves along
one wall. There are no banquet ends or gate-
legs for support as with their custom made,
mahogany dining table. Instead it relies on
simple pull-out slats on each side. The table is
so narrow in fact that it is impossible to fit the
legs of the chairs between the table’s legs at
the ends. Still, the table served many useful
purposes. With the leaves lifted, the servants
could comfortably use it for mealtimes,
while the rest of the time it made a good
work table for making butter, filtering wine,
preparing vegetables, moulding candles, 1 Cutting the major pieces the stripwood slides freely and that the top of
and doing so many other early 19th century From 1/32” thick sheet wood cut two 1” x the strip is even with the skirt’s top edge.
household chores. 3” upper leaves, one 1¼” x 3” tabletop, two
The finished miniature table is set up with 1-1/16” x 3” lower leaves, and one 11/8” x 3”
simple fare for the household staff: a pot of under tabletop. From 1/16” thick sheet wood,
baked beans, with bread, eggs, and cheese cut a ¾” by 2½” base. Mark and cut out 5/32”
for a quick lunch, a bowl of eggs for more square notches from each corner. Also from the
baking later, pans of biscuits ready for the thicker sheetwood cut a ¼” x 2½” mid interior
oven, and under the table, a bushel basket of support, two 3/8” x 7/16” skirt ends and two
potatoes and other vegetables in reserve for 3/8” x 2-3/16” skirt sides.
tomorrow’s family dinner.
*Tip: To cut the notches in the top of the skirt
sides, start by cutting a small V and nibble away
You will need: the sides to make the square. Finish with a file.
Tools required
❑ Small saw and mitre box 3 Preparing the support
❑ Knife and steel ruler slat pieces
❑ Sandpaper From the 1/8” square strip wood, cut four
❑ Needle files 17/32” long slats and four 5/8” long slat stops.
❑ White glue File a vertical groove 1/16” from one end of
❑ Super Glue each slat on both sides. This makes a grip on
the slat, to pull it out.
Materials required
❑ 1/32” and 1/16” thick sheet wood
❑ 1/8” square strip wood
❑ Four 2½” long turned wooden legs, 2 Skirt notches
with ¼” square tops Mark and cut 1/8” square notches in the top of
❑ ¼” Wide gold silk ribbon the longer skirts, ¼” from each end. These are
❑ Maple wood stain to allow the slats which support the leaves to
❑ Satin varnish move in and out. Try a scrap of 1/8” square strip
wood in the notches and file them to ensure

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 Skilled PROJECT

4 Legs and staining 7 Attaching the legs 9 Attaching the tabletop

Trim the top of the legs for an overall length of Turn the base assembly over onto its skirts and Apply a fine bead of glue to the top edges of
2-5/16”. Sand and stain all the wood. glue the four legs into their niches. Make sure the skirt box and to the tops of the legs, well
the top of each leg is even with the top edge of away from the slat notches. Centre the tabletop
its adjacent skirts. on the skirt box. Invert the assembly and adjust
the centre to ensure equal overhang on both
ends and both sides.

5 Assembling the tabletop

Place the wider lower leaves on either side of
the under tabletop with a strong 1/32” between 8 Making and installing the
each piece. Glue three 2½” lengths of ribbon support slats
across these pieces, one in the centre and the Orient the slats with the vertically grooved
other two ½” from each side. Glue two 1” ends closest to you. Super Glue the slat stops
wide leaves to the two outside pieces, with all centred on top of the un-grooved end of the
outside edges aligned. Glue the remaining 1¼” four slats, making T-shaped pieces. Lay the
wide piece onto the centre, with its short edges stop ends facing downwards inside the skirt
aligned with the edges beneath it. Weight this box, two on each side, with the grooved ends
composite tabletop until completely dry. outside the notches in the skirt sides.
Ensure the slats slide
freely across the base 10 Varnishing and
and through the optionally weighting the
notches. finished table
Varnish the completed table. This table
is uniquely narrow and lightweight.
Optionally, Super Glue lead weights to
the underside of the base to improve
its centre of gravity.

6 Mid support and skirts

Mark a centre line on the base from end to
end and glue the mid support upright on this
line. Set the base on a smaller scrap piece
of thinner sheetwood and glue the end and
side skirts around the base. This makes the
base slightly recessed from the skirts on the
underside. Ensure the skirts are higher than the
mid support.

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 F e at u r e

The
Quartermaster
Living the mini life in a big way!
Moi Ali finds out from a Californian couple why quarter scale makes them tick.

Friends assist us with making some of the

pieces that go into our kits.”
Just a cursory look at True2Scale’s website It was time to ask Carol about scale:“I used
gives you a flavour for the people behind this to think that I could achieve more realistic results
successful miniatures business, couple Carol in 1/12th scale, so that was my preferred scale.
and Tomas Kubrican. Carol describes herself I still work in that scale, but to a lesser degree.
as CMO (Chief Mini Officer), the creative After receiving feedback from our customers
force, thinker-upper, chocolate-eater, list-maker, about how they enjoyed 1/48th scale, I decided
sketcher and blogger! Her website states: to give it a try. Now, I am hooked! I’ve found
“Loves: fun purses, new technology, and a lap that I am able to achieve more realism in 1/48th
kitty. Hates dull X-ACTO blades. Often heard because it allows me freedom to work with a
asking, ‘Honey...can you help me?’.” variety of materials that are often too fine for
Tomas is described as CFO (Chief Fun 1/12th scale. I’m overcoming my fear of smaller
Officer), the supportive force, traveller, scales and expanding upon our line of micro
meat-eater, quickbooks whiz, envelope (1:144) scale kits.”
sealer and “Carol’s best critic. Loves a strong I was interested to find out about Americans’
espresso and the Packers. Hates snow shovels. Photograph by Debbie Wright interest in 1/48th scale. “Quarter scale has
Patches up X-ACTO blade cuts. Often heard been very popular in the US for a number of
asking, ‘Does Delta fly there?’.” Creative and of months later, we launched our website, years,” says Carol. “I think that it’s really starting
a bit kooky are words that spring to mind for true2scale.com. Little did I know about the path to catch on quickly in the UK. I’ve heard some
this impressive duo. I chatted with them as that I had started down.” reasons why customers prefer it, including ease
they prepared for the Kensington show in Carol expanded on the key milestones along and speed of assembling scenes in smaller
May, where Carol confessed: “We’re excited that path, including her professional background scales; space limitations for displaying their
about seeing familiar faces at Kensington – and as its relevance to her new career in minis. miniatures; variety of items now available and
to making new friends. Oh, and I’m looking “I’m a freelance graphic designer. My specialty so on. Practicalities aside, I think that 1/48th
forward to trying my first glass of Pimms!” is packaging design for gourmet foods and scale miniature scenes are charming!”
I wanted to know how Carol got into minis gifts. I draw upon my design background to Carol continued: “The available range in
in such a big way: “My mother and I worked create the True2Scale products. My interest in quarter scale is definitely expanding. Our own
on a dollhouse together when I was a child. technology helps me to maintain our website range of 1/48th scale items is quickly growing.
Years (and several unfinished projects) later, and find new ways to create better kits. I’m a Our Gingerbread Village Collection is immensely
I started blogging about miniatures. In 2010, bit of a nerd! I design the kits and wallpaper. popular. We release a new Gingerbread building
I posted a photo on my blog of a thumbnail- kit each year. Now, in its fourth year, we will
size village of glitter houses that I had made. be offering a Toy Shop kit to complement the
Blog followers left kind comments so I thought Cafe, Ornament Shop, and Post Office. We also
that perhaps if I launched an Etsy shop, I could sell the Gingerbread Village Collection in micro
sell a few little glitter house kits. A couple (1/144) scale kits, complete with furnishings.”

44 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 “We like to design and offer 1/48th scale seriously. “I want to elevate the perception of
detail items that are hard-to-find, such as peel- miniatures as an art form,” she says. “This is
and-stick wallpapers, garden tools, tiny knife why I am involved with IGMA, the International
sets, silverware, a grill and tiny grilling tools, Guild of Miniature Artisans.”
decals and tiny dishes... to name a few. I asked Carol to explain why True2Scale is
The list is always growing. Of course, the LEDs different: “Well, I think that our designs set
available on our website are a popular way us apart. The design aspect is what I enjoy
to light the small scale scenes; and we are the most about creating new products, so we
expanding our line of products to include plug-in are able to offer unique kits. Not only are the
style adapters and a remote control.” designs different, we try to come up with kits
I was struck by Carol’s boundless energy: Romantic Reading Room kits. They are small, that employ new materials and techniques that
“There are always new items in the works! quick-build structures that are perfect for adding miniaturists may not have tried. In addition,
For the 2016 Chicago International Show, to a 1/48th scale garden.” we incorporate LED lighting into our designs.”
we are releasing C’est La Vie, a 1/48th scale In terms of her wider ambitions, Carol is Not one to take all the glory for herself,
Art Nouveau style café and boutique. The kit is concerned that miniatures are often considered Carol was keen to add: “I must give credit to
being created in conjunction with Suzanne and to be just a craft or hobby that isn’t taken Tomas (Mr. True2Scale), who is a big help on
Andrew’s Miniatures. We’ve been very busy the bookkeeping and logistics side of
custom-designing Art Nouveau style wallpapers, the business. He’s my constant supporter.
stained glass, furnishings, accessories and In addition to helping with the everyday
lighting the structure with LEDs. In the autumn, activities, he also mans the sales table,
we will offer the Penthouse, a third floor that makes jokes, and pulls mountains of luggage
will complete C’est La Vie. This is a very special through airports. Together, we manage to
piece that we are proud to collaborate on!” make True2Scale a fun and always interesting
As if that was not sufficient, the energetic business!” That sounds quite perfect to me –
Carol continued: “This Summer, we will be perfect place to live, perfect job,
offering the Romantic Garden Room and the perfect husband…and perfect Pimms!

FACT FILE
True2scale is a husband and wife team
who‘ve been designing and developing
miniature kits since 2010. They enjoy
combining their skills to create and offer a
variety of miniature kits in 1/12th and 1/48th
scales. Based in Northern California,
they sell their kits and LED lighting
components through their website and at
miniature shows around the United States
and Europe.
www.true2scale.com

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 F E AT U R E

At Home with the

Broadwoods
Where do you create your miniatures? Do you
Bea, Tony and Mo are on the move
to pastures new, but somewhere a
lot closer to home…

have a designated space at the kitchen table,

a craft room or just a little lap tray? Here at Petite
Properties we’ve found that we desperately
need more room, as we’ve outgrown not only
our office, but the workshop area too! So, like
many miniaturists, we’ve taken the plunge and
decided to upgrade to a garden studio.
However, the reality of moving proved to be
much more complicated than we first thought...

The big move...

Back in 2007, my husband and I made the
decision to sell our family home and downsize.
With our daughters grown up we no longer
needed a large house and so when the
opportunity presented itself we purchased an
old stone cottage set on the very edge of a
pretty Lincolnshire village. The cottage itself is
full of character and not dissimilar to the little
dolls houses that I so often build. Our humble

The original workshop under the Hazel tree

little cottage came complete with beams,

exposed stone walls, latch doors and low
ceilings and although very small, for Tony and I
it was perfect.
Shortly after we moved in we installed a
small purpose built workshop at the bottom of
our cottage garden, affectionately named by
us as the ‘Beehive’. In the years that followed
Inside Bumble Bee cottage
it became my personal workspace, a creative
oasis which I notoriously could never keep tidy!

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 F E AT U R E

As the years rolled by my business, looks when I winced and quietly whispered “bin
(Petite Properties) grew and very soon it it” through gritted teeth. But the process wasn’t
began to outgrow my little (no pun intended) all painful, together we unearthed things that I
workshop. By the time Tony joined the had made, lost and forgotten.
business in 2010 my work had begun to take Treasure found included a 1/12th scale dresser
over our cottage too! In the weeks leading up that I made completely out of card and the
to Christmas 2015, we finally acknowledged original prototype model of our very first 1/48th
that our home had reached bursting point. kit: The Corner Shop. After a very long, dusty day
Orders and mailing bags spilled out of the the deed was done, the workshop was empty
PP office. Construction materials and stock and the demolition process could begin!
boxes were piled high in almost every room. The following day was wet and cold, but our
Only the bathroom had managed to escape the family all came together to help take apart my
Petite Properties invasion. It was clear that the old workshop, in order to make way for the
micro business that had begun on the kitchen ground workers who were soon due to arrive.
table some thirteen years previously had now It was hard to see the workshop broken apart
returned to take over, not just the table, but the and to be honest I didn’t want to be part of the
rest of our cottage too! demolition crew.
Over Christmas, we decided that enough So instead my grandson Noah and I set
was enough, saturation point had not only been about digging up plants that needed to be
1/12th scale card dresser
reached, but it had in fact sailed past long ago. moved for their protection and by the time we
It was clear that a new workspace was needed had finished, there was a lump in my throat,
and the decision was made to build a much Time to move out and clear up the old workshop had gone.

co n t inued...
larger new workshop; a place where the whole Saturday 30th January was a very sad day for

b e
PP team could come together and work as one. me, as the time had finally arrived to move out

to
Choosing a new workshop turned out to be of my little workshop; a quiet, tranquil place that
a little bit more complicated than we initially I have loved so much. Tucked away under the
thought. First we confirmed the official side of hazel tree, I had spent nearly a decade there,
things, then we turned our attention to compiling quietly working on PP designs and every splash
our ‘work place wish list.’ After consoling Tony of paint, every stain on the floor was a creative
when he realised that he would not be able to memory. But the time had come for me to move
install a bar area, complete with wide screen TV out and unluckily for Mo she was my designated
and comfy sofa, it quickly became evident that ‘moving buddy.’ Between us we set about
working together would mean that we would clearing out years of accumulated craft materials
each need our own clearly defined areas. and tools, but when it came to thinning out my
With our wish list in mind, we finally all agreed ‘creative stash’, I can’t lie, I found it hard. It was
on the new workshop building and once it was tough deciding what to keep and what to throw
commissioned, the ‘big move’ countdown clock away, but Mo gently guided me through the
officially started to tick. process, occasionally shooting me reassuring

Demolition time

Are you currently re-locating your

workspace, maybe moving from the spare
room to a custom built shed or even
cottage? If so, we’d love to hear from you.
Please share your experience by contacting
[email protected]

Information
www.petite-properties.com
[email protected]
01526 328 738
The Miniature Beehive - Petite
Properties’ free online forum:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/
Nanna’s little helper - Noah & trolley Theminiaturebeehive

48 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 ARTISAN PROFILE

Jamie
Carrington

Jamie Carrington is a London based

artist who creates the most amazing
1/12th scale and occasionally 1/24th
scale character figures.

How did you get started in What scale do you work in? Are there specific skills
your chosen craft? 1/12th is my natural scale but I will often take you need?
I’ve always been interested in the human commissions for specific figures in 1/24th, There are no specific skills needed to create
form, puppetry firstly. I suddenly found the one usually something I wouldn’t have thought of lifelike figures, we’re surrounded by them in full
twelfth scale world and all sorts of possibilities and often something I think is impossible to size throughout our lives, but the ability to hold
opened up 32 years ago. do in that scale but, as so often happens, the work lightly and make every movement
I’m proved wrong. gently will help not to create cartoon figures,
Is this type of skill something unless that’s what you’re after.
that runs in your family or is it Do you require specialist tools
just yourself? when working in miniature? Who or what inspires you?
Thankfully my whole family is creative and the My tools are very limited, a bamboo sate I’m inspired by other doll makers who are,
message was always ‘you could make that skewer shaped to my requirements, in general, the most generous people in the
yourself’ whenever I saw something I would like an assortment of pin tools and a variety of ball world who gladly share their new discoveries,
to own. That truth, it turned out, was a fact. ended tools usually fits my needs, but there new clays, new tools and their own doubts
My father was a cobbler at the front of the is a box of odd tools that often find their way about their abilities.
house and my mother a dressmaker at the back back on to my worktable.
so there was a host of tools and materials for a
child to play with.

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 ARTISAN PROFILE

What special or unusual What appeals to you most

techniques do you use? about what you do?
I’m constantly open to new ways of working I love the challenge of new ideas, new faces,
and new tools to play with. Searching for a new postures and new themes, which quite
suppliers of micro brushes recently, which I get often we find, we’re all working on.
from miniature suppliers, I suddenly discovered
huge packs of micro brushes for eyelash On average how long can one
extensions from beauty suppliers, wonderful for project take to make?
smoothing off tiny areas other brushes can’t get A whole project, if I know what I’m after, can
to. Plus my latest toy is a full scale root booster take an entire, long, day but I would get burned
for crimping hair. Works so well on viscose hair out if I did that often. I much prefer to take each
and is invaluable for back combing hair to create stage as it comes, sculpting weeks, assembly
eighteenth century wigs and bizarre wigs. weeks, painting and wigging weeks till I’m
ready for the costume weeks.
Do you have dedicated
workshop or studio? Are any of your family
My workshop went from a table under the interested in miniatures?
window in the spare room, to a dedicated My family have no idea why I do what I do and
shed in the garden and now to the converted think it’s rather odd, but then, they’ve never had
coal cellar in my flat. I have no idea of what’s an idea why I’m like I am and have rarely had ‘a
going on in the full scale world out there and proper job’.
no knowledge of time, it’s chaotic and heavenly.
I’ve even been known to occasionally tidy it up Why character figures?
but that never lasts. I’m fascinated by the human form and always
have been, I originally trained as a dancer so
that, maybe, explains
a lot. Plus I love
people, their
originality and
their oddness.

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 ARTISAN PROFILE

Do you have a favourite piece? Is there a certain character or

Each piece I create is unique and for a time, scene that you would love to
it’s my favourite piece, but I then hand it on and create but haven’t managed
another one takes its place. to do?
There are a million pieces that I would like to
Do you take commissions? do, the list is endless. Hopefully, before the
I’m always open to take commissions but list gets longer and longer I’ll have time to get
only if I think I’m the right person to do it. round to at least some of them, it’s the endless
Collectors give me ideas of what they would challenge I find so exciting.
like, the pose, the period, age etc., and I start
to create it. Often it’ll give me another idea so And when you’re not busy
I’ll do another one and I’ll send them pictures making miniatures, what other
and, only then, do they get to choose to buy it, activities do you enjoy?
or not. That takes the pressure off both sides. This is a full time obsession I have very little
spare time, so what I have is spent with friends
Have you ever had any having fun and socialising.
miniature disasters? Were you
able to turn it around?
Frequently I’ve found that I’m just not in
the right place or mood to create and then
disasters happens, that, is then time to clear
the workshop up but I don’t let it happen very
often. Who would want to tidy up? What’s your next stage in
miniature adventures?
My next stage is the start of fairs in Chicago,
Dallas, Kensington (including the IGMA
workshop on costume). Then my ninth year
of teaching in Tune, Denmark, a weekend
workshop in Peterborough, followed by my first
time in San Jose for the Good Sam show.

Information
www.jamescarringtondolls.com

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 PROFILE

For the
Love
of Arts
&
Crafts
The detail of ornamentation,
the beauty of a squared-through
mortise and an elegant corbel inspires
Danish-born artist Lars Mikkelsen to
recreate in miniature the very best of
the Arts & Crafts movement.
By Deb Weissler.
Photos by Lars Mikkelsen.

Lars Mikkelsen

Sometimes the road to one’s chosen For Lars, the road from bookshop apprentice
occupation is straightforward. Other times it to fine miniature furniture maker was a long
twists and turns like a mountain path before one, taking him from Copenhagen to the
finally arriving at its intended destination. high Himalayas, and eventually to California’s
sunny shore. Along the way he acquired an
appreciation for fine art and attention to details
that would serve him well once he settled.
As a bookshop apprentice, Lars longed to
see the world, so at age twenty he set off for
India in an old VW van. He spent five years
among Tibetan refugees in the Himalayan
foothills studying Buddhism and the art of fine
Tibetan painting. This was his first exposure to
working creatively with fine detailing.
After a bout of cholera, Lars returned to
Denmark before packing his bags for Hawaii
Cherry bookcase with mahogany Morris chair
where he became a translator for a Tibetan
and foot rest upholstered in a Morris-inspired print. teacher. Continuing with his art education,

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 PROFILE

Lars taught himself woodworking, supporting free thinkers, creative, and supporters of high
his wife and growing family by building custom standards of workmanship.
cabinets and furniture. It found its birth in Great Britain and quickly
One Christmas, his mother-in-law bought a spread to America, Japan and throughout
video showcasing Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House. Scandinavia. Artist William Morris, an early
Lars was impressed with the skills put forth principal figure in this rebirth, inspired the
by the miniature woodworkers and decided to Arts and Crafts movement. Morris often
try his hand. With only full sized tools, making referred to mass production by machinery as
miniature furniture was just not efficient, “altogether an evil”. Gustav Stickley,
so in the 1990s Lars became a proficient an American furniture manufacturer,
miniature turner instead. His designs attracted embraced the English blueprint and helped
the attention of customers appreciating a found the American Craftsman style.
well-turned vase or bowl, and these became Along with the Greene & Greene brothers
his stock in trade for many years at fairs and Frank Lloyd Wright, well known American
throughout America. Gustav Stickley-inspired dining chairs in walnut architects, the Craftsman style quickly spread
Having retired as a school network upholstered in black leather. across America. The American Craftsman
administrator three years ago, he decided to movement encompassed architecture,
try making miniature furniture again. “I have furniture design, interior and landscape designs,
always admired the work of Gustav Stickley and applied and decorative arts. It continues
and the Greene and Greene brothers and today with numerous revivals and restorations;
this was my opportunity to design and make ironically now being mass-produced in factories
miniature furniture inspired by them,” Lars throughout the world.
explains. Lars’s carefully morticed joints, the lustrous
“For me it is important to make furniture using finishes applied to his finely grained woods,
the same construction methods and details as and careful attention to the smallest details
the full-size pieces.” underscore the influence the movement has
The Arts and Crafts movement of the late had on Lars’s work, and highlights the skills he
nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was has mastered over the years.
a renaissance of sorts, where hand-crafted “I’m often asked which is harder, making
decorative and fine arts flourished from the full size or miniature. I tell folks the challenges
late 1880s to its zenith in the 1930s. are different but I don’t believe one is more
It embraced traditional craftsmanship using difficult than the other,” Lars explains. “Some
minimalist forms, rejecting the growing mass- of the tedious work, like sanding and milling,
produced products of the burgeoning industrial certainly goes much faster on tiny pieces,
age and the over-embellishment of Victoriana Glass top table and two Greene & Greene-inspired but the problem of holding onto something just
and Edwardian. Craftsmen were viewed as cherry dining chairs upholstered in green striped fabric. a fraction of an inch long can be challenging!”

Gustav Stickley-inspired living room set in mahogany. Sage green upholstery inspired by William Morris is a traditional Craftsman color.

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 PROFILE

New solutions
For Lars, making custom jigs and fixtures to
hold his pieces has been as much a joy as
building the furniture. Finding new solutions
to solve old problems is a master craftsman’s
delight. Lars’s portfolio reveals a level of
detailing that some artists only hint at in their
pieces. His growing line also ensures that a
client can furnish a 1/12th scale bungalow or
cottage with several period-inspired pieces for
a cohesive look.
Although Craftsman furniture, also referred
to as Mission style, was typically made
of local hardwoods such as red or white
Greene & Greene-inspired couch.
oak, many hardwood grains are too heavy
for miniature designs. “I work in cherry,
mahogany, and walnut. All three have tight
enough grain to hold the detail needed for of the week. “Retirement is wonderful!” Lars
small scale. I think cherry has the best grain, laughs. “It limits how many pieces I make in a
walnut has dramatic color, and mahogany’s year, but it keeps my enjoyment high!”
pleasing color and grain is a delight.” Because he limits his hours, he stays busy
Now settled in Cayucos, on California’s just making enough pieces to stock his Etsy
central coast, Lars has the perfect workshop store and fair tables at a few Tom Bishop fairs
set up in his garage where he can see the and the fall Good Sam in San Jose. This is
Pacific Ocean and listen to the waves break. the only opportunity Lars has to interact with
In this mild, sunny climate he can leave the collectors and other artists. Sadly, Lars has
garage doors open while he works, the bright noticed a decline in the number of fairs since
light making magnification unnecessary. the 1990s.
With a full complement of woodworking tools,
Lars works two to four hours a day, any day

Close-up of chairs featured in previous photo.

Living room set in walnut with William Morris-inspired poppy

upholstery with traditional Craftsman print. Turnings and pierced bowl by Lars.

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 Profile

Gustav Stickley-inspired bed with mahogany

head and foot boards with square through
tenons pinned with ebony wedges.

Matching night stand in mahogany with fully

functioning drawer.

Like many artists, Lars has turned to selling

online, his only opportunity to reach a world-
Gustav Stickley-inspired bed with cherry head
wide audience. It can also be a challenge, and foot boards with square through tenons
particularly when the pieces you make so pinned with ebony wedges.
accurately represent their full-size counterparts.
“When selling online to a customer
based upon a photo, and her not reading
the description closely, I sold a couple of
nightstands, only to later imagine her surprise
when they arrived in a six-inch square box.
She was expecting full-size pieces!”
At sixty-seven, Lars hopes his eyes remain
sharp and his hands steady for many more
years. Constantly inspired by pieces he sees
on the Internet, getting joy from creating
things of beauty, and the thrill of finding
customers who are willing to pay for his
pieces is high praise indeed.

Lars’s carefully constructed table highlights all

the period details such as square through mortise
construction and decorative corbels.

Information
To see more of Lars’s work visit:
www.etsy.com/shop/BuiltInWood
www.facebook.com/builtinwood
[email protected]

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 KIT REVIEW

Jacominis
1/24th Scale
Olivier
cabinet kit 06 Lego bricks constructed into a
right angle make a very good jig.

Reviewed by Ann Sutcliffe.

You will need:

❑ PVA wood glue in fine tip applicator
❑ Square gluing jig (if you have one)
❑ Paint finish as required
❑ Small knob (optional)

Included in kit:
❑ Pre-cut wooden pieces
❑ Sandpaper
❑ Instructions

The kit comes neatly packaged with the pieces a satin finish to the paint but also makes it
pre-cut in a small sheet of wood. There are full slightly dirty/shabby looking. A gentle rub
instructions in Dutch with English translation, over with the sandpaper on the parts where
diagrams and photographs. the most wear would be and the piece was
The construction is simple and easy, but I feel finished. For a cleaner finish, normal varnish
that the use of a right-angle gluing jig is pretty or just the painted surface is fine.
essential, if you don’t have one, Lego bricks There is no knob in the kit, and it isn’t
constructed into a right angle make a very good essential, but I’ve added one from my own
alternative. The parts fit together beautifully, bit box. The cabinet is then ready to fill with
and the only thing you need to do is sand off the miniatures and place in the doll’s house.
little burs that held them into the wooden sheet. I would recommend this kit and the others in
Once the piece is built, which takes about 20 the Jacominis range to all levels of DIY maker,
minutes, leave it for the glue to set properly and being that it is such a quick kit to finish,
Information
before reaching for the paint pot. I gave it would be perfect for a rainy afternoon or a
Available by mail order and at fairs
this piece 2-3 coats of chalky emulsion in a dolls house meeting. This kit is in 1/24th scale,
Price: £13.50
nice pale blue. Once dry, I used crumpled but there are many available in 1/12th scale too,
www.jacominis.com
newspaper to ‘polish’ the surface; this leaves so please take a look at their website.

58 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 DOLLY’S DAYDREAMS EVENTS
SUNDAY 24 APRIL
Knights Hill Hotel & Spa, South Wootton
KING’S LYNN PE30 3HQ (A148/A149)
Miniatura
World Class Miniatures Show
®

SUNDAY 1 MAY
Felixstowe Leisure Centre, The Seafront
FELIXSTOWE IP11 2AE (next to Pier)
SATURDAY 11 JUNE
The Assembly Rooms, High Street
DEDHAM CO7 6DE (off A12)
SUNDAY 19 JUNE
Marriott Hotel, Southampton Road
PORTSMOUTH PO6 4SH (M27/J12)
SUNDAY 26 JUNE
Holiday Inn Ashford-Central
Canterbury Road, ASHFORD TN24 8QQ Take a closer look
(M20/J9, then A28 to Canterbury) at the world of
miniatures
All fairs open 10.30am to 4pm.
Half price entry from 1pm. Children under 16 FREE! 1st & 2nd
October 2016
DOLLY’S DAYDREAMS National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK
01945 870160/07860 517048 General enquiries - 0121 783 9922
Ticket Hotline - 0844 5811291
www.miniatura.co.uk
No charge for parking
www.dollysdaydreams.com
www.facebook.com/dollysdaydreams

DollsHouse Are you missing an

issue of Dolls House
Miniature Scene
magazine?

BENEFITS INCLUDE
❱ Quick and easy to download
❱ Available across
all devices
❱ No additional postage
and packing costs

To buy your digital back issues and complete your collection

go to www.pocketmags.com/DHMS
DHMS back issues digital ad.indd 1 14/04/2016 11:55

p59_dhmsmay16.indd 1 14/04/2016 11:57

 WEEKEND PROJECT

Aztec Interior
Inspired by the gorgeous landscapes and colours
found in traditional South America, Candy Chappill
has created an Aztec interior, including a vibrant
hand woven rug and mini mosaic floor.

You will need:

For the floor
❑ Thick mount board
❑ Pen
❑ Ruler
❑ PVA glue
❑ Mini mosaic tiles
❑ Grout
❑ Flexible scraper
❑ Sponge

For the rug

❑ Coloured threads
❑ Weaving apparatus
❑ Needle
❑ Masking tape
❑ Scissors

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 WEEKEND PROJECT

Mosaic floor project 2 Using some PVA glue, glue your tiles 3 Once dry, grout your floor by applying a
1 Using some thick mount board, draw out down in an Aztec style pattern. Once finished, layer of grout and spreading it around with a
a grid pattern. Make your board the same size leave to dry under some books, as the flexible scraper. Once all the gaps are filled,
as your room, and your grid pattern slightly moisture in the glue can warp the board. wipe off any excess with a damp sponge.
bigger than your chosen tiles. Leave to dry under a pile of books.

1 2 3

Woven rug project

1 Using your chosen base colour thread, good length of thread, as we will need this to 4 Roughly cut the rug off the apparatus.
set up your weaving apparatus. If you haven’t secure later. Again using your needle, tuck the loose ends
got a loom you can use a strong piece of into the back of the rug, trim any excess length.
board with grooves cut in at either end. 3 Tape the edges of your rug with masking
tape. This is so when we cut it off the apparatus, 5 Once all your edges are secured and
2 Using a thick needle, start weaving your it holds its shape a bit more. Now is a good trimmed, neatly trim the edges of your rug
rug using your selection of coloured threads. time to fiddle if needed to get the rug as square through the masking tape, and then remove
At the start and end of each colour, leave a as possible. the tape.

1 2 3

4 5
Information
Mini mosaic tiles from
www.hobby-island.co.uk
01865 684828

With additional materials available from at

any good DIY shop

For more information or to see more of

Candy’s work visit:
www.candykims.co.uk

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 Reader Projects
We know how much hard work and dedication goes into dressing a doll, creating a room box and constructing a
house, whether it be producing it from scratch or following instructions in a kit form, and we want you to share your
finished project with the readers of Dolls House and Miniature Scene.
For more information on how to share your project, please email [email protected]

The Brambly
Hedge Treehouse

My husband George and I retired at the

end of 2010. In 2012 we started on a new
project, which was to make a model of books over time. And I collect mice! x 9mm MDF, a poster from the book and a
Crabapple Cottage, a tree house for mice, Having already made a corn husk house dream. After numerous sketches, drawings,
which features in The Spring Story, one of from another of Jill’s books (Autumn Story), estimating sizes, etc., we were ready to go.
a series of books by Jill Barklem whose a much smaller project, we embarked upon The plan was to build a series of boxes
illustrations had fascinated me for many the tree house, something I had always starting from the bottom up. This we did,
years. As a lover of children’s books, wanted to make. having to adapt along the way, especially in
I think I have collected every one of her We started with a piece of 2400 x 1200 getting the tree shape right. George,
having a good eye for shape, did the leg
work, and was very particular that it was
just right. Within some levels there are little
passageways, so they had to be fitted in as
we moved up. When the rooms were all
assembled, we cut out holes for windows
according to the illustration – and our plans.

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 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 63

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 Reader Projects
After the box construction, we covered
sides and back with chicken wire (it is good
that we have chooks here), also moulding
that into the shape of the outside. We then
covered that with hessian, stitching, gluing,
however we could manage, in order to attach
it. It sounds quite simple here just writing
about this, but this part, in fact, took a long
time. There was also the tree root, a storage
area, which had to be fitted in the front.
Obviously that could not be a box shape,
so we experimented and used the wire
covered with hessian.
I then painted over all the hessian,
with PVA glue to make it stiff. At the same
time, I painted the insides of the rooms
(I had already painted the outside before the
wire went on) and at the same time and with
the help of a friend, we did the wiring. I think
George’s least favourite part of helping with
any project is the wiring! Using a cardboard
pattern, we made a façade for the front,
using thin plywood, to disguise the
box-like rooms.
Then followed the biggest challenge for
me. I was determined to use real bark.
It was absolutely impossible to mould the
large strips of bark we had stripped (from
one of our old pine trees) into the contours
of the tree. Having spoken to a very helpful
woman at the local hardware shop, I bought
a builders product called builders’ bog.
That was a disaster! As our temperatures
in the workshop were in the 30s, it set so

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 quickly that I could not work it. I then found as the four poster beds, the fireplace,
a modelling plaster, in a newsagent and that the mouse rocker and the hot water tank,
was much easier to work with. Still with which had started life as a Harrod’s tea tin!
the determination to use bark, we collected We had to build up the front to make the
dry bark, in strips, which I then cut with my entrance, door and steps, using a mix of
garden secateurs, spread the plaster and polystyrene foam and the modelling plaster,
pushed the bark into it. It worked. It only to fill in any gaps. Our granddaughters helped
remained to paint the lot as the plaster was with making polymer clay food – crabapples,
white! mushrooms and cake. To make the base look
We then worked on both the inside and like woodland, I used dried tea leaves, painted
outside simultaneously. We used real glass it green and then decorated.
for the windows. I decorated the inside, Anyone who knows the Brambly Hedge pieces of furniture, I then had to make the
using some 1/12th scale furniture, but we books will know that the illustrations are mice (handsewn, using felt), bedding, curtains
actually made a lot of things to go inside, such extremely detailed, so after adding the main and then make the rooms busy and rustic.
I have hardly bought anything. Over time
and with help from a friend who is also an
enthusiast, I have collected lots of things to
use – such as toothpaste lids for canisters,
seed pods to fill baskets, and a lot of different
beads for vases, containers etc. I did buy
a couple of tiny porcelain mice to decorate
the fireplace and to make pictures for the
walls, I cut up little brochures which I had got
with the figurines of Brambly Hedge mice,
collected over many, many years. The list
goes on.
We moved the tree house from George’s
workshop into the house at the end of 2014,
so it had been almost three years just to
that stage. But I am still finding more to add.
It stands about 1130mm high, so we bought
an old table on which to sit it. The base
fits perfectly.

What did I enjoy most?

I think one of the best parts for me was
seeing the growth from a two dimensional
picture to a three dimensional model.
Success with the real bark was great. I also
love the decorating part and adding quirky
things to suit the illustration, such as a tiny
acorn for the toilet flushing handle!

What did I not like doing?

I hate sanding and painting – miniature
or not. The inside of the house was quite
difficult as the rooms were not the normal
1/12th scale size. The passageways were
so narrow that it was impossible to fit a
hand inside, even though they do have false
walls in them. I breathed a big sigh of relief
when the painting was done.

Judy Davies, Meadows,

South Australia

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 MAY 26 June 29 August
1 May
ORGANISERS
Location: Durham Location: Thame
Location: Felixstowe Venue: Locomotion, The National Venue: Thame Leisure Centre,

DETAILS
Venue: Felixstowe Leisure Centre, Railway Museum, Dale Road Oxford Road, Thame,
The Seafront, Felixstowe, Industrial Estate, Shildon Durham, Oxfordshire, OX9 2BB
Suffolk, IP11 2AE Co Durham, DL4 2RE Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams
Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams Organiser: Cleveland --------------------------------------------- D&M Fairs
--------------------------------------------- Miniaturists UK T: 01634 370420
SEPTEMBER
--------------------------------------------- Mob: 07867 528853
13-14 May 11 September
26 June E: [email protected]
Location: London Location: Chelmsford See our advert on page 46
Venue: Kensington Town Hall, Location: Cheltenham
Venue: The Rivenhall Hotel,
Venue: The Jury’s Inn, Cleveland Miniaturists UK
Hornton Street, London, Rivenhall End, Near Witham
Gloucester Road, Cheltenham, T: 01642 870071
London, W8 7NX Chelmsford, Essex, CM8 3HB Mob: 07572060172
Gloucestershire, GL51 0TS
Organiser: Kensington Dolls Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams See our advert on page 46
Organiser: Wendy’s World
House Festival
--------------------------------------------- Dolly’s Daydreams
---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
18 September T: 01945 870160
26 June
15 May Mob: 07860 517048
Location: Maidstone
Location: Ashford
Location: Weston Super Mare E: [email protected]
Venue: Holiday Inn Ashford - Venue: The Hilton Hotel,
Venue: Royal Hotel, Knightstone W: www.dollysdaydreams.com
Central, Canterbury Road (A28), Bearsted Road, Weavering
Road, Weston Super Mare, See our advert on page 59
Ashford, Kent, TN24 8QQ Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5AA
Somerset, BS23 2AH Kensington Dolls House Festival
Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams Organiser: Wendy’s World
Organiser: Wendy’s World T: 020 7812 9892
--------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------- E: [email protected]
JULY 25 September W: www.dollshousefestival.com
22 May
3 July Location: Kent See our advert on page 19
Location: Kent
Location: Lincoln Venue: The Inn on the Lake, A2, Miniatura
Venue: The Inn on the Lake, A2,
Venue: The Pride of Lincoln Hotel, Shorne, Kent, DA12 3HB T: 0121 783 9922
Shorne, Kent, DA12 3HB
Runcorn Road, Off Whisby Road Organiser: D & M Fairs Ticket Hotline:
Organiser: D & M Fairs
Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 3QZ --------------------------------------------- 0844 581 1291
Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams W: www.miniatura.co.uk
OCTOBER
JUNE See our advert on page 59
--------------------------------------------- 1-2 October
5 June Niesje Wolters Van Bemmel
17 July Location: Birmingham
Location: York Eventbureau
Location: Ipswich
Venue: National Exhibition Centre,
Venue: York Racecourse, T: 0031 578 628767
Venue: Cameo Hotel, Old London
Pendigo Way, Birmingham, E: [email protected]
Knavesmire Road, York,
Road, Copdock Ipswich,
West Midlands, B40 1PP W: www.dollshouseevent.com
Yorkshire, YO23 1EX
Suffolk, IP8 3JD See our advert on page 19
Organiser: Miniatura Exhibitions
Organiser: Warners Group Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams
Publications plc ---------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
9 October Warners Dolls House and
AUGUST Miniatures Fairs
11 June Location: Rayleigh
7 August T: Ticket line 01778 391123
Location: Dedham Venue: The Mill Arts & Events
Location: Felixstowe W: www.yorkdollshousefair.co.uk
Venue: The Assembly Rooms, Centre, Bellingham Lane, off High
Venue: Felixstowe Leisure Centre, See our advert on page 14
High Street, Dedham, Colchester, Street, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 7ED
The Seafront, Felixstowe,
Essex, CO7 6DE Suffolk, IP11 2AE Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams

Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams ---------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------- 22-23 October
19 June 21 August Location: s-Hertogenbosch Wendy’s World Fairs
Location: Portsmouth Location: Exeter Venue: Brabanthallen, Diezekade 2, T: 01895 834348
Venue: Portsmouth Marriott Hotel, Venue: Exeter Conference Centre, s-Hertogenbosch, M: 07831 820760
Southampton Road, Portsmouth, Westpoint, Clyst St Mary Exeter, Netherlands, 5222 E: [email protected]
W: www.wendysworldfairs.co.uk
Hampshire, PO6 4SH Devon, EX5 1DJ Organiser: Niesje Wolters Van
See our advert on page 46
Organiser: Dolly’s Daydreams Organiser: Wendy’s World Bemmel Eventbureau

66 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

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 A Brief History of…

The Fridge
It’s hard to believe that the
commonplace convenience of
frozen food was once considered
a luxury. Moi Ali finds out more in
her brief history of the fridge.

Brrrr…it’s like an icebox in here!

A
round 1000BC, the Chinese cut and
stored ice for keeping food cool,
and for hundreds of years snow,
ice, cold lakes and icy streams have been
used by many cultures for that purpose.
Many grand Georgian and even older
houses still retain their icehouses – partially
underground beehive-shaped structures.
Usually built near lakes, this allowed ice
to be ‘harvested’ and transported easily to
the icehouse, keeping perishable food cool
during the warmer months.
As someone living in Scotland, I am
proud to say that artificial refrigeration was
pioneered in 1755 by a Scottish professor,

This affordable white

William Cullen, who designed a small fridge freezer is from
refrigerating machine using a pump Dolls House Emporium.
and diethyl ether. It all sounds highly
technical, but suffice it to say, it had no realistic by including a fridge, stocked with
practical application. edible goodies in packaging related to the
Throughout the 1800s, various refrigeration era of your dolls’ house. You’ll find retro fifties
breakthroughs followed, but it was not until fridges, big modern American-style models,
1913 that domestic fridges were invented, 1970s and ‘80s white larder fridges…and
although they were far more widespread in even commercial-style fridges suitable for
American households than in British ones. shops and bars. Elf Miniatures sell fridges
Cost was a big impediment, in that some in vibrant colours to match your modern
fridges in the 1920s cost more than a Model kitchen’s décor – also available in kit form,
T Ford! In 1940 fridge-freezers came along. along with an under-counter model and an
Modern refrigeration technology such as aluminium commercial fridge. Dolls House
automatic defrosting and ice-making actually Emporium have a wide range of affordable
date way back to the 1950s. Integrated fridges fridges in various styles. Delph Miniatures sell
became popular in the 1970s and ‘80s. a lovely SMEG-style retro fridge among their
As with so many things, we have gone wide range.
full circle. American-style retro fridges with a
look of the 1950s are back in fashion. Far from Next month Moi brings readers a
being concealed behind cupboard fronts to brief history of the microwave oven,
blend in with kitchen units, they stand out as she works her way through
the story of how various domestic
I made this American retro fridge from a block of and shout “look at me!”
appliances came about.
wood for my DHMS Magazine diner project. Make your miniature kitchen more

68 May 2016 www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk

p68_dhmsmay16.indd 68 11/04/2016 15:37

 DollsHouse FREE collectable cut outs

1/24th scale seed packets 1/24th scale seed box

Seed box lid

1/12th scale seed packets Seed box base

1/12th scale seed box

Seed box lid

Seed box base

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk May 2016 69

p69 Cut outs may.indd 69 11/04/2016 15:35

 O RE M
H M E S
M D FR
S H •F

p69 Cut outs may.indd 70

M O
•F S M RE
RE D E
E
•F H FR
FR RE M
M O E S
D M FR •F
H D O
M H M
RE
E
S M D FR
•F S H
RE •F M
M E RE S
D FR E
•F
H O RE
M M FR
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11/04/2016 15:36
S D O
F M FR
 NEXT
MONTH
DollsHouse
JUNE 2016 ISSUE
ON SALE 26 MAY 2016

Make this seafood surprise. Capturing America’s best loved National Park.

Creating elegance, a detailed look As pretty as these dresses look, you don’t
at Victorian and Edwardian gowns. need excellent sewing skills to make them.

Buy your copy online at

www.dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk
at your local newsagents or

p71 Next month may.indd 71 14/04/2016 15:59

 Large selection of dolls’ houses

Dolly
PLUS a huge choice of 1:12 scale miniatures

Daydreams

T: 01256 889111
www.dollydaydreams.net

Elm Park Garden Centre, Aldermaston Rd,

Pamber End, Hampshire RG26 5QW OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Winter dollhouse 2 ad.indd

p72_dhmsmay16.indd 1 3 27/12/201514:48:23
11/04/2016 3:19 pm