aim mag august 2010 issue 25

Regular Features… 5 Editor’s Note: Read Bea Broadwood’s

introduction & welcome to this month’s fabulous

edition of the FREE AIM magazine!

28 Tool Junkie: The latest instalment of Mel Koplin’s

informative column.

46 Getting To Know You: Get to know more about

AIM member Viola Williams.

60 Blog Of The Month: This month we take a

closer look at AIM member Debbie Wright’s

online blog.

62 Cross Over Crafts: Featuring AIM member

Louise Goldsborough.

64 Diary Of An Edwardian Dollshouse: The 6th

instalment of Julie Campbell’s dolls house

adventure!

72 Through The Keyhole: This month we take a peek

at the work space of AIM artisan: Julie Dewar.

80 The Work Basket: Read the latest instalment of

this popular new series.

83 Show Reports: From all around the miniature

world.

84 Aunt Anastasia: If you have a miniature dilemma,

then why not write to our very own agony aunt

for her well considered advice?

88 New On The Web: ‐ AIM This month we take a

look at Paris Miniature’s new website.

98 In Season This Month: This month Vicky Guile

and her fellow AIM food artisans take a closer

look at the delicious ‘summer berries’.

116 AIM Gallery: The High Street... AIM members

come together to celebrate a high street in

miniature.

142 The Miniature Grapevine: Catch up on all the

latest news and announcements from the

international world of miniatures.

Contents… August 2010: Issue No 25, Cover Image: Malcolm’s Miniatures

Artisans In Miniature 2

12 18

20

98

6 Cover Story: Malcolm’s Miniatures: AIM members and artisan

couple Malcolm Smith & Silvia Lane tell us more about their

stunning work.

14 The Hardware Shop: Don’t miss Catherine Davies’ nostalgic

miniature store.

20 Steampunk: AIM member Sally Watson (with a little help from

her friends at AIM) introduces this new mini series.

24 Something For Sir?: A gallery of Gentlemen’s attire.

38 Quarter Scale Shops: Jean Day takes a closer look at smaller

scale miniatures.

50 The Little Flower Shop: By AIM member Linda Master.

54 The Shambles Of York: Research and inspiration by Vicky

Guile.

76 The Catwalk: Wilga Van Den Wijngaart’s knitting

skills are on display in her miniature shop.

86 As Seen On TV!: Regina Passy‐Yip tells us all about

her recent brush with fame.

90 Dolls House Tiles & Ann Marie Miniatures: ‐ We

talk ‘shop’ with AIM members Graham & Ann Marie

Simpkin.

134 Bartholomew & Sikes: Part 1 of the construction of a

Gentleman’s Emporium by Ian Jones.

Free Projects… 26 1:12th ‐ Smorgasboard Of Smores: AIM member

Melanie Navarro shares her stunningly realistic

tutorial.

32 1:12th ‐ Basket: Vicky Guile shows her simple and

adaptable way of creating inexpensive miniature

baskets.

36 1:48th ‐ A Shop Counter: We know you will just love

Bea Broadwood’s innovative quarter scale project

108 1:12th ‐ Blueberry Baking: AIM members Janet Smith

& Betty Hagen share their secrets for creating delicious

miniature deserts using seasonal blueberries.

130 1:12th ‐ Chef’s Hat Tutorial: Annemarie Kwikkel

teaches how to create this tradition kitchen headwear.

140 1:12th & 1:24th ‐ Knitted Dish clothes: AIM member

Frances Powell generously shares yet another of her

fabulous knitting patterns.

Features…


80

38

32

26

Artisans In Miniature ?


CLICK…on Artisans In Miniature

How did you find the Online Magazine??

Did you follow a link? Did a miniature friend tell you about it?

...and do you already know about the Artisans In Miniature Website, and the talented members who have all helped create this Online magazine.?

If not, copy, paste and CLICK now – www.artisansinminiatures.com and come and meet us all. Founded in 2007 by Bea (Fiona) Broadwood of Petite Properties, the website has been created in order to showcase the fantastic work of the individual professional international artisan members who create beautiful and original scale miniatures for sale to the public. Together they form the Artisans In Miniature association. Since its launch the AIM association has rapidly grown and now boasts membership of well over 200 professional artisans, including some of the most talented within the miniature world! On the website you will find further information about them and their work; however, please note new pages are constantly being added and there are many members who are not yet included on the site... If you are a professional artisan who is interested in joining the association, you will find all the information there..... If you are wondering what Fairs may be on in your area – that information is there too… We have lots of links…to Fairs and Events Organizers…Magazines…Online Miniature clubs….Historical reference sites…..Workshops…and more… it’s all there!

If you’d like to contact us, copy, paste and CLICK... we’d love to hear from you!

www.artisansinminiature.com

EDITOR’S NOTE The AIM Magazine’s

Editorial Team:

Bea Broadwood office@petite‐properties.com

Celia [email protected]

Helen Woods [email protected]

Janine Crocker [email protected]

Jean Day [email protected]

John Day [email protected]

Julie Campbell [email protected]

Margaret Cassidy info@mags‐nificent.co.uk

Mary Williams [email protected]

Vicky Guile [email protected]

Please note

AIM is an active association to which all members contribute …

Formatted By Bea Broadwood, Janine Crocker,

Jean Day, John Day, Sally Watson & Vicky Guile

Dear Reader Welcome to the eagerly

anticipated August edition of the

AIM magazine; which is officially

our largest issue to date!

AIM members have been busy over

the summer, working hard to fill

an unbelievable 145 pages with

fabulous miniature content for you

all to enjoy ‐ for FREE!

Now, fresh back after their summer break AIM members have taken a

closer look at the ‘humble shop’. So if you want to find out more about

the talented house builder Malcolm Smith and his doll sculpting

partner Silvia Lane, gaze at the stunning hardware shop brought to life

by Catherine Davies or let Vicky Guile teach you how to make your

very own traditional basket (in miniature of course); then look no

further!

As you will see this August issue of the magazine is packed from cover

to cover with interesting features, profiles, editorials and projects;

covering every aspect of the dolls house hobby.

What more could you wish for!?

I am also excited to announce that over the summer the future of the

AIM magazine grew even brighter, when the editorial team expanded!

On behalf of AIM I would therefore like to officially welcome Celia,

Helen, Jean and John to the magazine’s production team.

Collectively they bring with them a wealth of valuable experience and

energy that will both compliment the existing team and enable the AIM

magazine to continue to grow from strength to strength!

Bea

Editor (& General whip cracker) August 2010 www.petite‐properties.com

Ma


alcolm’s

By AIM Members, Malcolm & Silvia

Malcolm and Silvia of Malcolm’s

Miniatures are pleased to share

their love of miniatures with the

readers this month. Malcolm has

been involved in making models

since he discovered Airfix kits as a

young lad. Over the years he has

made many different types of

models – military models,

vehicles, railways, figures,

buildings and scenery.

For 20 years he was active as a

volunteer model maker for Pen‐

don Museum in Oxfordshire

where the rural scenery of the

1920s and 30s is being re‐created

in 1:76 scale with a village, railway

and the countryside, he was

responsible for modelling

buildings and scenery for them. In

fact, he has worked in all the

popular scales from 1:144 to 1:12.

When Malcolm took early

retirement from a career in

electronics and IT in 2001 he got

the opportunity to make

model‐making his main activity

and set up Malcolm’s Miniatures.

Malcolm & Silvia...

This gave him an opportunity to try another area of model‐making or miniatures which he hadn’t tried

before ‐ doll’s houses, room boxes and furniture. Although new to the doll’s house and miniatures scene,

he was able to apply all the skills from his other work.

One of his pet subjects is the cross fertilisation of ideas and techniques from other fields of

model‐making, for example the military modellers have great techniques for creating realistic figures and

weathering vehicles, the railway modellers have a lot of great techniques for creating buildings and

scenery and these techniques can be applied to the doll’s house world as well.

When he met his partner, Silvia Lane, they found they had a common interest in miniatures and

modelling and so they are now both part of Malcolm’s Miniatures – Silvia specialises in sculpting and

dressing character figures and sculpting

cats and birds, whilst Malcolm focuses

on houses, room boxes and

furniture. One of Silvia’s pet

subjects is that figures should

be doing something, with hands

that grip properly and actually

do hold the objects they are

working with. One of her

specialities is old ladies

falling asleep like the

one shown here.

Artisans In Miniature 8 Old Lady Asleep...

All of their work is ‘one of a kind’ – either to commissions, like the cobbler’s workshop (above) or to their

own designs. Much of their inspiration is drawn from the Victorian and Edwardian painters such as Helen

Allingham, Charles Edward Wilson, Carlton Alfred Smith and AR Quinton. They know these artists were

known for creating a “chocolate box” view of rural life – but isn’t that what we often do with our

miniatures? Another good source of inspiration for them is the rich variety of costume dramas on

television, such as Lark Rise to Candleford and Cranford.

When they are creating miniature pieces they can escape into another world and shape it the way they

want. Working in miniature can be frustrating though when tiny pieces fly across the workshop or bury

themselves in the carpet never to be found again!

Most of their pieces fit into a cottage theme – thatched cottages, windsor chairs, dressers and the

characters that might have inhabited the cottages. Their own creations generally cover the period

between the Victorian era and the 1920s/30s but they can make items to commission outside this period.

Cobbler’s workshop...


They also work in other fields, for example they made a vegetable garden for a 1:43 model railway so their

work is not restricted to the conventional scales of the doll’s house world. Most of their pieces are in either

1:12 or 1:24 scale but they have also produced houses in 1:48 and scenes in 1:43, 1:76 and 1:144. They have

also used Malcolm’s experience in electronics to produce a range of controllers for model railways and he is

currently developing control units for lighting in doll’s houses.

Apart from the ‘one of a kind’ items they produce they also have a range of items for the DIY enthusiast.

These include the range of Brick Impress Moulds that enable you to produce realistic brick, stone, tile and

slate finishes on miniature buildings. The range currently has 14 different patterns of brick, stone, etc in

each of the scales 1:12 and 1:24 and a new range of 1:48 moulds will be available later this year.

The years of modelling for Pendon Museum and a longstanding interest in vernacular architecture

makes Malcolm want to create accurate replicas of houses for the doll’s house market like this half

timbered house.

This means the correct

brick bond or stone finishes weathered to

make them realistic. Malcolm developed the Brick Impress

Moulds originally for his own use but they have become very popular and they

now ship them all over the world, as well as selling at the fairs. To help people

get the most out of the moulds they also have two DVDs explaining how to use

the moulds and other techniques for creating realistic buildings in miniature.

A third DVD about scenic modelling will be available in the near future.


Malcolm and Silvia do offer a mail order service and attend a few fairs each year – you can find them at

Miniatura in Birmingham twice a year and at the Thame fair. One of the nice things about doing fairs is

when they see regular customers returning to buy more items from them – that means that somebody

really appreciates what they make. That happens sometimes with mail orders as well – like this email

from a lady in

Hamburg ...

“The DVD "Model

Buildings" is excellent. I

really love it. Today I

looked it twice. I would

like to thank you for the

brilliant DVD. I like the

mold too. I have not

tried them, because I

have to build a house

first ... lol. Now I want

to order some more

molds.”

Reactions like that

make all the hard work

worthwhile.


Text & Images © Malcolm’s Miniatures


Why not find out more about Malcolm & Silvia’s stunning miniature creations by

visiting their website: www.malcolmsminiatures.co.uk

Edited by Helen Woods. Formatted By Bea Broadwood

AIM membership is only available for professional miniature artisans, selling quality handmade miniatures to the public.

Membership is reserved for artisans who wish to showcase & promote their work,

through active participation within the AIM Association. Please note; A waiting list has now been introduced regarding

new membership applications.

AIM is completely FREE to join and completely FREE to be part of.

So… if you are a professional miniature artisan and you would like to find out more about joining the

AIM Association, please email AIM’s Membership Secretary: Tony for more information:

[email protected]

Or alternatively visit our website… www..artisansinminiature.com

Artisans In Miniature“An association of professional artisans, dedicated to promoting a high standard

of excellence in original handcrafted scale miniatures…”

www.artisansinminiature.com artisansinminiature.blogspot.com

The way in which AIM Association membership

is offered has changed!

Due to an overwhelming uptake of membership over recent months, as

from July 31st the AIM Association now has limited memberships available…

The AIM Association was set up in 2007 in order to provide a global platform for professional

miniature artisans who wish to actively promote their work and actively take part and support the opportunities and promotional facilities which AIM

uniquely offers for free: notably including... The AIM online forum

Monthly FREE AIM magazine AIM Member's online directory

AIM website Aim’s facebook & social networking pages

The AIM blog.

I did not put my hardware shop

together with the intention of its being

an artisan piece. As a miniaturist, my

own specialty is making food and

flowers, so a hardware shop wasn’t

something I’d normally contemplate in

the course of what I do. Rather it was

something deeply personal, a less than

faithful representation from a memory

of a visit to the reconstructed hardware

shop that I saw at the Black Country

Museum in Dudley, England.

This particular real shop is set in the

1930s but I wouldn’t claim that my

version is the same. Truthfully, I

haven’t kept to any precise era. You can most accurately describe my hardware shop as being “old fashioned”, sort

of Victorian, sort of Edwardian probably with later elements thrown in. To me it doesn’t matter. I was aiming to

capture an atmosphere and a feeling of generic age. Were I to burn a paraffin lamp nearby, I would probably even

capture the smell of the place too.

Apart from that, why did I choose to put a

hardware shop together in the first place? I

suppose I was attracted to the clutter of

practicality. The hardware shop used to be

the modern day equivalent of a department

store for home wares. You could purchase

the majority of goods for your home from a

hardware shop in days gone by, and my first

impression of the hardware shop in the

museum was that of clutter.

Tins, packets, bowls, baskets, brushes and

anything else you care to mention were

everywhere; particularly hanging from the

ceiling, not to mention outside the shop. In

miniature terms, that translates as

“anything goes”. The occupational hazard

for most dolls house collectors is

accumulating piles of odds and ends that

have taken our eye for no particular reason,

then end up in drawers waiting for a home.

A hardware shop could be that home.

The building itself is the Sid Cooke corner shop ‐ ok I cheated. It was already built and ready‐wired when I bought it.

I like constructed shells ready for me to move into. I don’t particularly like woodwork and I’m no good with copper

tape, screws and electrics. The nearest I got to woodwork was making the tongue and grooving for the walls. I

could have bought real,

sophisticated miniature tongue

and grooving, but for some

reason I can’t fathom, I chose to

paint individual pieces of wood

and stick them one by one on the

walls. Looking back, I think it

would have been better to have

chamfered the sides first since

they look rather stark, but

they’re stuck solid now, so

they’re staying. And I don’t think

anyone would notice, unless I

told them.

Oh yes, the flooring is wooden as well, but I had the sense to buy that in a sheet and lay it in one piece. The beauty

of creating a hardware shop is that the floor can be as rough, shabby and grubby as you like. In reality, that meant a

lot of staining, sanding, more staining, more sanding, a bit of boot polish, loads of expletives and probably a lot

more boot polish. You can actually throw anything you like on a floor like that while you try to get the right effect.

If it doesn’t work, just take yet another sheet of sand paper to it and if that doesn’t scrape away a mistake, you can

always blame it on the miniature public stomping through the shop in their hobnail boots, bringing in the dirt and

generally making a mess.

The nearest faithful, authentic representation of anything in the museum is the counter. This counter particularly

grabbed me with its quality mahogany top and black body (with some strains of mahogany peeping through cracks

in the black paint). My counter started off as a plain wood cheap import and I first stained it entirely in mahogany.

Leaving the top mahogany, I went on to paint the sides in several coats of matt acrylic black

paint and sanded off a few areas to reveal the mahogany beneath. Similarly with the

shelving, I just bought some plain wood units and stained them roughly in mahogany.


The advertising inside the shop was fun.

A few pieces I bought complete as they

are, others I cut from pamphlets (or dare

I say it, even books). There is a wealth of

material out there, often from curious

places. For example, the notice for soap

flakes (above the mangle and tub

containing soap flakes) was cut out from

some rather original wrapping paper.

I made the Sunlight bars of soap from

small slivers of wood. I actually bought

one real bar of Sunlight soap years ago

from the old fashioned style Apothecary

shop to be found in Howarth, Yorkshire,

England. (This is the real shop where the

brother of the Bronte sisters bought his

drugs in the nineteenth century – I

digress, I know – but it was very

interesting). Back to the bar of soap – I

simply scanned the wrapper into the

computer, shrank it down then printed

several copies to wrap round the slivers

of wood.

I did the same for the

blocks of Reckitts Blue after

having found a real one.

The rest of the tins and

packets were bought ready

made. There is a great

variety available on the

market that to choose from

if you find you can’t make

them yourself.

If you are wondering why the soap flakes in the tub with the mangle look so realistic, it’s because they are real soap

flakes bought from the same wonderful Apothecary shop. Add real water and you’ll get real froth.

The rest of the contents of the shop were the results of years of collecting and hoarding, just like any other

miniature enthusiast. Looked at objectively, I don’t think my hardware shop is full enough, but that doesn’t matter.

Like I said at the beginning, it was never intended to be an artisan piece. It is a piece of my own history, a piece of

one memorable visit to a memorable museum that is organic, like a real hardware shop and I will continue to add to

add to it as I go along. It is a moment in no particular time that will grow with me for the rest of my miniature days.

www.dollshouseheaven.co.uk

Formatted by Vicky Guile Artisans In Miniature 18

I beg your pardon?

Sorry – wasn’t intending to be insulting. . .

An attempt to define the indefinable by AIM member Sally Watson I imagine 3 different reactions to the phrase Steampunk – if you are familiar with it you will grin, knowingly; if you

have heard it but got lost you will feel relief that someone might just explain; if you have never come across it you

will consider me a rude person! Stay with me……

I first came across the term about 4 years ago and thought

it was a fine description of a quirky style. So how do you

define it? Well….you don’t but here are some pointers.

Throughout history there have been thinkers, artists and

inventors who have defied the restraints of time and

reality. Bosch, Da Vinci, Escher, Dali, Heath Robinson, Jules

Verne, H P Lovecraft, H G Wells are but a few that spring

to mind and I already hear folk yelling about the ones I

missed. Some of these amazing minds used machinery in

a futuristic way as they saw it at the time of writing/

painting. Thus, a time machine invented by a Victorian

would have brass bits and cogs and dials and…..STEAM!

Still with me?

Now let’s consider the terminology: steam =power; that’s fairly easy.

Punk, though…. Sex Pistols?

Safety pins? Sid Vicious….?

Malcolm McLaren? Perhaps

we should go further back in

time. The original meaning in

the late 16th century was

prostitute! Shakespeare uses

the wonderful term “taffeta

punk” in “All’s Well That Ends

Well” and “Romeo and Juliet.”

Whilst in “Measure for

Measure” we have “My lord,

she may be a punk; for many

of them are neither maid,

widow, nor wife.” Some other

uses by the bard are best

dealt with elsewhere—we do

have younger readers!

Later it was used in American English among the early settlers to refer

to a kind of burnt corn and in the Delaware Indian language it means

ashes. Perhaps unsurprisingly it became slang for a cigarette in the

late nineteenth century before becoming a derogatory term for a low‐

life/hoodlum/waster. And then in the late 80s it hit the music and

fashion scene.

So with such a chequered

history it seems that punk

has joined with steam to

describe a strange and

eclectic art form which has

permeated fash ion ,

architecture and design via

literature.

The actual term is thought

to have been first used in a

letter written to Locus

magazine in 1987.


Author K. W. Jeter was looking

for a…

“general term to describe his

material set in the 19th century

or 19th‐century‐like worlds, with

strange technology and

wondrous marvels.” It is the

concept of futuristic 19th century

styled worlds that has always

intrigued me. Some are utopian

– others dystopian; love’em

both. Now we are seeing the

creative minds in the miniature

world reflecting this delightful

style; they have taken... and run with it! As in real life it is used in fashion

and jewellery, furniture, interior design, domestic tools and architecture.

The concept provides a multitude of opportunities in various scales as will be demonstrated in forthcoming

articles on this topic. Jean Day will be describing her Steampunk room box and Grimdeva will introduce us to her

spooky take on the style.

Places to look for more Steampunk:

Art by Jane Walker ‐ www.jane.walkerillustration.com

www.theclockworkcentury.com ‐ www.datamancer.net ‐

www.thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com

www.theclockworkcentury.com/?cat=17

Photographs by... Clock and lamp by Grimdeva ‐ Cauldron Craft Miniatures

www.cauldroncraftminiatures.blogspot.com ‐ www.CauldronCraftMinis.etsy.com

Steampunk witch by Nancy Cronin ‐ Nancy Cronin Miniature Dolls

www.nancycroninminiaturedolls.blogspot.com

Fashionable ladies by Mary Williams Dollshouse Dolls

www.dollshousedolls.co.uk ‐ www.marywilliamsdollshousedollsblog.blogspot.com

Attaché and Contraptions with Pipes (below left) by Patricia Paul Miniatures

www.patriciapaulminis.com

Clockwork Calendar & Time Turns in Clockwork Motion by Oberon’s Wood ‐ Sorceress Hollow

www.sorceresshollow.com ‐ www.oberonswood.blogspot.com

Hats by Janine Crocker ‐ Miss Amelia’s Miniatures

www.MissAmeliasMiniatures.com

Steampunk room by Jean Day Miniatures

www.jdayminis.com ‐ www.jdayminis.blogspot.com

Chrono Seidh (below) by Dawn M Schiller ‐ Odd Fae and Autumn Things

www.autumnthings.com ‐ www.oddfae.blogspot.com

Thanks to the willing contributors to this article and keep watching for

further developments.

Text ©2010 Sally Watson ‐ SallyCat Miniatures ‐

www.sallycatminiatures.com

All photographs ©2010 by their respective Artisans.

Formatted by Sally Watson.



AIM Member Melanie Navarro

shares her edible recipe for

delicious ‘Smores’ along with

step by step instructions for

1:12 scale miniature polymer

clay versions.

The REAL Thing...

Ingredients 1 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup white sugar 3 cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 3 cups miniature marshmallows. Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well coated. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the

c h o c o l a t e c h i p s , t h e n t h e m a r s h m a l l o w s . S p r i n k l e t h e remaining graham cracker mixture over the marshmallows and press down with a spatula. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, until marshmallows are melted. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Calories Per Serving: 190

Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...




The Miniature Recipe...

Ingredients

Polymer clay in white, chocolate brown and beige, foil, light brown, red and black pastel chalks.

Directions

Using your white clay, roll small balls and lightly flatten on top to form your marshmallows. You can use the black pastel to shade some of the marshmallows to create a “roasted” look.

Take your chcolate clay and using a rolling pin or pasta machine create a flat chunk approx. 1/8” thick and create both vertical and horizontal lines on top to make your chocolate bar. (Foil is optional)

To make your graham crackers, you need to roll out some beige clay as thin as you can, but not so thin it breaks, then using your light brown and red pastels, shade the clay to your desired colour.

Bake according to clay package. Calories Per Serving: ZERO!!!

Formatted By Vicky Guile

All text and photos ©2010 Melanie

Navarro ‐ Mels Miniatures

www.melsminiatures.com Artisans In Miniature 27

Formatted By Vicky Guile

project...project...project...project...project...project...project...project...project...

a shop counter...a shop counter...


By AIM Bea (Fiona) Broadwood

1:48TH QUARTER SCALE

Believe it or not, it is incredibly easy to make 1:48th scale furniture from scratch. No wood or wood working skills are needed and if you can cut and fold card ‐ there will simply be no stopping you!

Materials… Thin card & Medium card

Brown & black acrylic paint (or colours to suit your own

scheme)

1¼ in ⅜ in ⅜ in

2 in

⅜ in

Cut line Score line Fig.2.

Shelf ‐ Part B

Draw out the shape: part A shown in

Fig.1. onto a piece of thin card.

Cut out, then score along the lines indicated using

the fine point of a scribe, guided by a metal ruler.

The card should be sufficiently scored so that it

folds easily and neatly along the marked lines.

Draw out the shape: part B shown in

Fig.2. onto a piece of medium card.

Cut out and score as appropriate.

Take a piece of medium card and back

it with double sided adhesive tape.

Draw out 5 panels, see picture 3 and cut out and

stick into position. (NB there is 1 panel on each

end of the counter and 3 on the front elevation.)

Score line Cut line

½ in 1¼ in

Front

Side

Side

2¼in

¾ in

Fig.1.

½ in

Part A

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3



Glue tabs

4 5a 5b

Take the pre folded part B and apply

glue to the exterior of the two end

tabs, see picture 4.

Stick into place to form the interior shelf of the

counter. The bottom edge of each tab should be

flush with the bottom edge of the counter,

again see picture 4.

To create the counter top, cut a

rectangular piece of medium card

which is slightly larger than the counter.

Liberally cover the top edges of the counter in

tacky glue, then sit the counter on top of the

rectangle of card, see picture 5a.

Clean away any excess glue. Once dry use a small

pair of scissors to trim away the excess card, see picture 5b

Paint your counter with 2 coats of brown acrylic paint, then distress using a tiny amount of

black paint and a dry brush.

⅜ in

⅜ in

⅜ in

3 /16in

⅝ in

3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

This project was taken from ‘Making Dolls House Furniture In 1:48th Scale’ written by

AIM member, Bea (Fiona) Broadwood. Priced £5.99

To find out more about the project books she has written, why not visit her website:

www.petite‐properties.com

Text & Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010 Formatted by Bea Broadwood

Working with smaller scales has fascinated me for a long time so I’m delighted to be presenting Smaller Scales

articles for AIM magazine. I will try to alternate between scales and include projects and printables which I hope

will inspire you with your own tinier projects. After working in one twelfth scale for a long time, smaller scales can

be a great space saver and the tiny details really have such a delicate appeal.

Quarter Scale Shops is the theme for this month and I’m very pleased to be featuring Janet Smith’s “Shabby

Chic Chocolate Vignette”, Bea Broadwood’s “The Corner Shop” and my own ‘Chubby Cheeks” Toy Shop.

For those not really familiar with quarter scale, 1:48, or 48th scale; one quarter of an inch is equal to one foot in

real life. I always like to use graph paper the is 4 squares to the inch for designing.

The “Chubby Cheeks” Toy Shop

I designed years ago and recently enjoyed finishing it. It was very easy to make using a foam core base, sides and

back. I glued wooden u strips to the top, back and sides, front sides and bottom, so I can easily slide in pieces

styrene plastic to protect this box from dust. The size is 4” (10.1cm)heigh x 6” (15.2cm) wide x 5” ( 12.7cm) deep.

The outside was painted with artist quality acrylic paint to which I added silica sand for a bit of texture. Strips of

wood were added to the exterior for more interest. Then I aged the surface with watercolours. The windows were

made by using plastic containers and set into the foam core walls.

To separate the baby furniture

and clothing side from the toys, I

cut out a piece of archival board. I

have used my made up quarter

scale outfit and furniture kits to

decorate the baby side of the

shop, there is also a baby box with

a layette from my kit. I used larger

Fimo clowns to add a theme to the

shop, there are tiny ones on the

shelves too.

In the toy part of the shop in the upper photo, you can see a train layout I

made in a plastic container and then covered with wood veneer. On the

right side is a made up dollhouse and wizard kit. There are doll kits and

teddies, bunnies, toys and clowns I made from Fimo and a few toy gifts I

have received. Also on the shelves and children’s play area are some of my quarter scale books. Some of the thinner

books are folded cut outs from the printables I’ve included shown above for your personal use. These can be

printed on card stock and should print out about 3” in height for quarter scale. The rocking horse, train and toy

soldiers I scanned from an antique Tuck post card of toys. The books are covers from my antique children’s book

collection. I designed the other toys and found the lamb toy in one of my children’s books. The rocking horse is put

together by gluing the front and back at the top horse part and opening the two sides of the rocker. You can add

fine silk thread to the kites and foam to the back of the train box.

Quarter Scale Toy Printable

Shabby Chic

Chocolate Shop Vignette

Janet Smith designed this wonderful

Shabby Chic Chocolate Shop for an

on‐line class. This vignette is only

2.5” x 2.5” x 2.5” (6.35 cm

x6.35cmx6.35cm).

Janet’s husband is a wood‐worker

and builds these three sided

vignettes for her out of exotic

hardwoods to display her foods in

scenes on her sales table. He used

becote wood on the sides and yellow

heart on the base. The becote is a very hard wood; the results are so beautiful, as you can see from the photo of the

back of the store. The wallpaper and flooring are scrapbooking paper. The border is something that Janet designed

and printed onto paper.

Janet’s wonderful cakes were made using a 1/4” Kemper circle cutter and then painted using 3D paints. Her cakes

are really remarkable in their tiny size. The cookie sheets were cut from aluminum sheets, approximately 3/8" by

1/4", equivalent to a 18” x 12" cookie sheet. The pie tins are about 3/16" in diameter at the top equivalent to a 9"

pan. The pans she used for the brownies and the jelly roll are jewellery findings. Everything in the shop is made

either from polymer clay or paint. The Shop comes with a plastic baseball case, and the whole scene fits inside the

case.

Janet Smith ‐ [email protected] ‐ Desert Minis, Inc. ‐ www.desertminis.com

Artisans In Miniature 38 Photos © Janet Smith 2010

The Corner Shop was the first ‘kit’ package to be released by Petite Properties’ in their exciting new quarter scale

series. The inspiration for this shop came from the traditional red brick vernacular of Hertfordshire where Bea

Broadwood was born.

On her web site Bea says:

“All of my 1:48th scale kits are designed to be a fusion between scratch building and normal kit construction, for

'hands on' miniaturists who wish to build their own houses following step by step instructions, but without the need

for woodwork. There are a wide variety of techniques included in each book which 'once learnt' are of

course transferable to other miniature projects and in turn other scales too; making them incredibly versatile!!!”

Each ‘Kit Package’ within Petite Properties’ unique quarter scale series consists of a precision ‘laser cut’ kit used to

create the structure of the miniature property and is complimented by a high quality booklet which provides step by

step, detailed instructions on how to construct and finish your 1:48th dolls house; both inside and out.

The size of the completed project is 3.3” (8.5cm) wide by 8.3“ (10cm) deep x 5.9”(15cm)in height.

Please note: you will require very basic, inexpensive craft materials to create the interior & exterior finishes, such as

small pieces of paper, card and air dry clay, these are not included in the kit.

The Corner Shop by Petite-Properties

Furniture: To accompany Petite Properties' quarter scale 'Kit & Book' series, Bea (Fiona) Broadwood has also

written a new ‘how to’ series which teaches just how easy and inexpensive it is to make ‘life like’ quarter scale

furniture that will compliment a whole range of property styles and genres.

The first book in this new series: Making Dolls house Furniture in 1:48th Scale, features 18 furniture projects which

have been written exclusively for the smaller quarter scale. Uniquely none of the projects include the use of any

wood, instead inexpensive everyday craft materials are utilized with dramatic effect!!

All of Bea (Fiona) Broadwood's publications & kits are available to order via the new online store; which is

on her website: www.petite‐properties.com

Petite‐Properties has also come out

with a quarter scale room box kit

that would make a shop as well. To coincide

with the launch of this kit, they are very excited

to be launching a new range of ceramic, ready

to paint fireplaces and chimney breasts. been

specifically designed to fit inside their room

box kit.

These versatile fire surrounds are sold

unpainted, however they can be easily brought

to life using either acrylic, emulsion or poster

paints. Indeed one design can be painted in a

multitude of different ways; offering a truly

unique and inexpensive focal point for our new

1:48th room box, or shop.

Choose from either:

1. Full brick

2. Full stone

3. ‘Panelled wood’

4. 1940s style

5. Victorian style

6. Victorian Kitchen style

Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010

Following on from the success of

our first 1:48th scale room box,

which was released back in May,

Petite Properties are now excited to

release a brand new quarter scale

‘Shop box Kit’.

Exclusively designed by AIM

member, Bea (Fiona) Broadwood

this new quarter scale shop box is

directly based on a popular 1:12th

scale shop box which she made

many years ago. However, Bea says,

“I have recently been inspired

by a puzzle game I play

with my granddaughter,

where you have to match

a person’s body to their legs

and to be honest this mix and

match concept got me thinking”

“I have recently been inspired by a puzzle game I play with my grand daughter,

where you have to match a person’s body to their legs and to be honest this mix

and match concept got me thinking...”

Interestingly it appears that there is more to this shop box design than meets the

eye… but in the meantime the new shop box kit is priced at just £14.99 and

comes with full colour, step by step instructions; all you need to do is just add

paint & glue!

This versatile shop box kit will be

available to purchase from the Petite

Properties’ website in August, via

the online shop (mail order) or from

the Petite Properties’ exhibition

stand.

To visit the new online store simply go to our web-

site: www.petite-properties.com

and follow the link... Text & Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010

In this regular feature a brave AIM member answers our probing questions, helping

you to get to know both them and their work a little bit better! This month our willing victim volunteer is the well respected miniature artisan;

Viola Williams...

Can you tell us a bit about your life before Miniatures? As a child my days always revolved around doing "projects." My mother said that as a preschooler I had a

small blackboard and piece of chalk, and that I loved to draw and that people were able to tell the

difference between my "houses" and my "barns". We lived on the farm at that time and would have been

around both buildings so it would not be surprising that I was able to draw them both to be

recognizable. I don't remember those days as I was very young

and dependent on my parents for their recollection of those

times. We left the farm when I was four or five years old

As time passed I continued to like to do creative things. As a

pre‐teen the neighbourhood girls and I would sit outside after

dinner and I would make up stories to tell. Later a new family

moved into the neighbourhood and their daughter took over the

story‐telling because she was so much better than I was. I

remember those days very well because it was such a pleasant

way to spend an evening. One neighbour had one of those

porch‐style swings. A large one that was built outside of the

house instead of on the porch. We girls would sit and swing and

sing. Sometimes I would just listen while they sang because I do

not have a good singing voice.

‘Getting to know you...’

Viola williams


As a child, what were your favourite toys? As a child my favourite toys were always my dolls. One year at about age 7 or 8, I was given a doll with real

hair (not just painted) for Christmas. It was a very special gift and no doll ever had her hair combed and styled

as often as that doll did. I named her "Annabelle Clarabelle". I apparently lacked some name combination

talents. I kept that doll and sewed for her for a very long time. I think I continued to enjoy her until I was

about 12 years old. Whenever I moved I took her with me because she carried so many wonderful childhood

memories for me. I owned her until about 9 years ago when we moved, and the movers lost her.

Another favourite activity was sewing clothes for my dolls. I was allowed to use my mother's sewing machine

but preferred to sew when she was out. I was given permission to do so after I promised to not sew my

fingers. Surprisingly I was able to keep that promise. My mother kept a "rag bag" which held out‐grown

clothes, left over fabrics etc. I would raid it often for my dolls. One day I did so in order to make a skirt (from

the legs of a pair of my father's old pants) and a blouse (from a bleached flour sack) for my younger sister. We

were both pretty young so had no idea how really awful they must have been. For example, I did not know

how to add a zipper to the skirt so it was held closed with pins. We both thought they were beautiful! My

sister begged to be able to wear them to school the next day. I can still remember my mother's

comment: "oh, honey.. everyone will think we're so poor." I had no idea what she could possibly have meant

by that comment. (How could a really pretty outfit make people think we were poor??)

What attracted you to miniatures

in the first place? When I married and had daughters I could

once again justify the purchase of dolls (for

them, of course)....then after seeing a

dollhouse picture in a Lady's magazine, my

addiction moved to a smaller scale. But first

I made a dollhouse, with furniture. Later I

had to add people. At that point I did not

yet know about miniature shops, or

magazines. But someone had shown me

some polymer clay that she had

purchased. So my first dolls were made

from polymer clay. I quickly decided that I

wanted them to be made from porcelain but

had no idea how that would be done. Not

knowing where to go for advice, I chose a

Ceramic shop that had a "doll making" sign

in its window. They taught classes for

making big dolls. By now, however, I was

determined that my dolls would be sized fit

into a dollhouse. Artisans In Miniature 48

You can see more of Viola’s stunning dolls on her website: www.violasdolls.com

Photographs & Text (Answers) © Viola Willliams 2010

I was never really told how to do it because of course they wanted to teach a big‐doll class to me rather than

give away their secrets, but I did glean bits of information and from there it was trial and error and I

eventually came up with a porcelain doll.

I had no idea that I would become so thoroughly hooked on miniatures.. but it's been nearly 30 years and I'm not bored yet!

What was your first purchase? I've never been a collector (except of course for supplies such as fabrics, trims etc). My interest has always

been exclusively in the "making" end of it. The dolls I made were kept in a box until I heard about miniature

shows. Fortunately all miniatures were very popular at that time and they sold quickly. I kept replacing

those that sold, but kept none for myself. When a friend learned that I wasn't keeping anything she

convinced me that it would not be fair to my daughters to not let them have a sample of my "addiction".. so I

did save some for them. They are now adults, and really, I have to say that they do not have an interest in

them at all. They hid it well with profuse thank‐you's... but I never saw that "spark" each time they were

given another doll.

Have you had any unusual commissions? I don't usually accept commissions because my own imagination keeps intruding into the project and it

causes me to stay away from the commission that was ordered. But I did one on my own at one time. I made

a witch and put her into a bubble bath. She had no idea she was less than attractive and was reading a

glamour magazine and looking into a hand mirror (that had cracked after it held her image). On a stool

beside the bath tub was her black gown and pointed hat.

Do you have any hobbies unrelated to miniatures? I've had so many hobbies, crocheting, oil painting, leather work, quilting.. and on and on; but NONE has kept

my interest for as long as miniature making has done. Like most miniaturists, I began by making a dollhouse,

and then furniture and accessories for it. But... a house is not a "home" without a family, and when I made

my first dolls, I never went back to any of the other miniature items. I had found my niche. Doll‐making

seems to use up the majority of my time. If I had another hobby it would be my trying to write stories. I

don't mind that I'm not particularly talented. It's fun. I always loved reading and I think it's just another

extension of that activity.

Any phobias or fantasies? I'm not aware of any. But then, does any miniaturist think their addiction to minis and their fantasies about

them are anything other than perfectly normal and usual? I'm afraid we view others, who seem to be free of

the mini fantasy, to be at least a little abnormal. And we pity them.

Formatted By Bea Broadwood

I had always dreamed of making a 1:12 scale

flower shop and my original plan was to build it from

scratch. I drew up my plans and began to

concentrate on the inside, filling it would be such

fun! I figured in this case, it would be smarter to

create all the ideas that popped into my head and

then build the rooms to house it all.

Then one day all that changed, a friend came to visit

and he had a surprise for me! He had found a little

Arthur dollhouse on the side of the road (in the

trash, would you believe it?). How I dearly regret not

taking a photograph of the state it was in for the

“before” shot. This little Arthur house was all but

destroyed. It had so much hot‐melt glue all over it, was never painted or finished outside and most of the shingles

and trims were gone amongst other things.

I tried to salvage as much of the original house as possible, remaking the missing trim etc. and luckily I was able to

salvage the original porch. I knew that this battered and bruised little house would become my own little flower

shop!

By AIM Member Linda Master

After the initial repairs I knocked out one wall

and built a new room, cut out the other side

and installed a bay window. I constructed and

added lattice for under the porch and now off to the side is a parking lot and

back alley. The close up photograph of the alley shows some of my attention to the smaller details. I don’t know

what was more fun, making the rusty metal dumpster from scratch (the wheels spin just like the real one), or filling

it with trash! I made all the flowers in my little shop from paper and clay.

Upstairs you can see the gift

shop. The card rack, which I

made from cardstock, holds

49 different greeting cards

with 4‐5 of each card and

each has its own working

envelope! Where to find tiny

multiples of the same

picture? Those annoying

little address labels that

keep coming in the mail, of

course!

There is also a bakery for

which I made all the food that

you can see.


An addition to the house is the Bonsai room. I

created the trees from bits of root and other

natural materials.

As you can see, the space under the steps I

modified to become a restroom. The little pink

plastic toilet is one of my very first miniature

toys that I remember from being a child. Can

you see the tiny toilet paper rolls too?

Everything else was handmade by me.

And here are some of the

critters that live at my little

flower shop.

The shop is fully electrified

including handmade and lit

“exit” signs above both

doors. The lamps and lit

ceiling fan are also

handmade and for those I

also installed fake floors

above so that I can access

the lighting layout directly

and install it into the ceiling

on the floor below.

Text and photos ©2010 Linda Master ‐ Miracle Chicken Urns

www.miraclechickenurns.com

Formatted by jdayminis Artisans In Miniature 53

Nestled in the

centre of the historic city

of York, in the North of England,

you will find a tiny street filled with

the quaintest of lopsided, leaning

and overhanging timber frame

buildings. This street is known as

The Shambles.

On a recent whistle‐stop visit to

the city of York I was quite taken

with buildings of The Shambles,

with their wonky walls and

looming overhead stature.

Although I didn’t have a ‘real’

camera with me at the time, I

managed to take a few halfway

decent shots with my husband’s

mobile phone for further

contemplation upon my return

home. I must add, that I really

think that these photos do not do

full justice to the street that was

given the Google award of most

picturesque street in Britain of

2010.

From reading the occasional

plaques upon street walls and

snippets at Tourist Information

points, I learned that The Shambles

was once filled with butchers

shops dating back to medieval

times.... I had to learn more!

Illustration by Bea Broadwood Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com

Once at home from my visit, I sat down at my trusty

laptop to learn more about The Shambles. My first

step, of course, an internet search for ‘The Shambles of

York”. The resulting multitude of finds, led me on a

journey through time spanning over 900 years into the

history of York’s oldest street. The Domesday Book,

completed in 1086, has reference to The Shambles. It is

now thought that the buildings there are of a later date,

most probably around the 14th Century.

So how does such a charming street come to have the

amusing name of The Shambles? If we could re‐wind

the world to Anglo‐Saxon times we would hear this

street being referred to as fleshshammels, which

literally translates as flesh shelves! The most

picturesque street in Britain was once home to over 27

butchers shops and homes, with shammels in reference

to the shelves and hanging rails outside the shops

where the butchers would display their wares.

Butchers display and meats (above) by Philippa Todd ‐ IGMA Fellow ‐ Todd Toys & Miniatures ‐ www.toddtoysandminiatures.com Medieval style Toy Shop (left) by Bea Broadwood ‐ Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com

Today, The Shambles is mostly home to gift and confectionery shops, but by looking a little closer at the

architecture and surroundings you can easily imagine the street as it was in Medieval times. The butchers would

quite often slaughter the animals in the street, looking down at the pavement, between the cobbles and

flagstones, you can see the gulley which was intentionally built so that the waste could run and be swilled

downhill. Many hanging rails on the timber frame shop fronts are still in situ, from which there would have been

an array of hanging meats. Rabbit, hare, pheasant, goose, beef, pork and lamb would all have been available,

along with less costly cuts and meats such as pigs trotters and ears, oxtails, sausages, black pudding and a wide

variety of offal. Nothing was allowed to go to waste by a skilled Medieval butcher!

So how would we go about creating our very own miniature shambles? A Medieval style doll house... meat and

poultry hanging from a rail above the window... possibly furnished inside with authentic period style accessories

and furniture... a Tudor butcher doll and his wife... and not forgetting some animals ready for slaughter???

...I recommend a visit to the AIM Members

directory on...


...to find talented and

professional artisans who can

help you on your way to

creating your own piece of

history in miniature!

Photos of The Shambles and text throughout © 2010 ‐ Vicky Guile

www.njdminiatures.blogspot.com

All other photos and images ©2010 by their respective artisans.

Formatted by Vicky Guile

Hanging Meat & Poultry (far left) by Paul Taylor ‐ House of Mindy www.thehouseofmindyminiatures.co.uk

Medieval Style Shop (above and far left) & Illustration (below)

by Bea Broadwood ‐ Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com


I thought it only fitting that for our blog of the month

we feature Debbie from Tiny Treasures. Not only is

Debbie a very talented miniature artisan she also

regularly promotes the work of other miniatures on her

blog. Debbie originally started a blog so that Family and

Friends, could keep up to date with what her family was

doing in Wales, after moving from Kent just over 5 years

ago. The blog was also a great place to share pictures of

the miniatures that she was working on and to show

what miniatures she was listing on the auction site.

She has been blogging since May 2007. Debbie has made some fantastically wonderful friends from all over the

world, miniature artisans and collectors alike. When she was suddenly taken very ill last year, they all banded

together, to send her get‐well wishes, beautiful presents, cards. They gave

support and encouragement to her children and husband; she feels she can

never thank everyone enough. For Debbie, blogging enables her to keep in

contact with the whole world of miniatures. She told me “We are a huge

virtual family, we share our ups and downs, our miniature projects, leave

comments on each others blogs and ask questions.”

I asked Debbie if she has found blogging beneficial and she replied “I

certainly think blogging has been beneficial, not only to me but most of

the Mini Community for getting the word out about miniatures. I've also

set up a Mini Link Blog: www.tinytreasuresminilinks.blogspot.com where

I've been listing all the Dolls House and Miniature Links I can find. It's

proven so popular, that I've had miniaturists and artisans email me to

add their links.”

Debbie has two favourite blogging widgets and gadgets. The first is her

Blog List, this is a list of some of her favourite blogs. It updates as soon

as someone makes a post, and enables her to keep up to date with

everyone. Debbie’s second favourite gadget, is the Follower Gadget,

this enables her to see who's following her ramblings and also serves

as a link to their blogs. She always welcomes people to her blog and

shares their links, everyone else can pop over to have a look, say

hello and welcome them.


I asked Debbie for her advice for starting a blog. She said “Give it a go and don't be frightened by all the jargon.

Once you've started you might really enjoy it. If you need help just give a virtual shout and someone will help. I

would also advise everyone to have word verification on his or her comments. This helps to stop spammers.”

She is very well known for the miniature food that she makes, but like most miniaturists she will have a go at mostly

anything. Her latest miniatures are inspired by J K Rowlings, Harry Potter books, to fill her own miniature Diagon

Alley and Honeydukes Sweet Shop.

Unfortunately, due to a few on‐going health issues, she been unable to make much at the moment, but she can't

wait to get back to it.

If you do go and have a look at Debbie’s blog, don’t for get to read her older posts from previous years as they are

filled with lots of help and information.

Debbie Wright ‐ www.debbiestinytreasures.blogspot.com

Written by Debie Lyons, Formatted by jdayminis


Cross overCross overCross over VÜtyàá In this issue we are delighted to feature Louise

Goldsborough, of Angelique Miniatures. Whilst she

has become well know in the miniature world for

her costuming, Louise now tells us about her life as

a full size seamstress/dressmaker.

What is, perhaps, surprising is Louise began mak‐

ing dolls attire first, and then progressed to the full

size equivalent. She has gained her City and Guilds

Certificates, in Fashion and Design along the way,

as well as completing a tailoring course.

Louise tells us that she is diminutive in stature and could not buy clothes that fitted her that she liked.

Her other passion for ballroom and Latin American dancing meant she needed suitable dance clothes, so

she resorted to making her own costumes, ones that suited

her personality and were unique to her. Her favourite

creations are evening and dance wear and fancy‐dress, as

they provide her with the opportunity to be creative and to

work with lovely fabrics.

She is inspired by images on television for her evening and

dance wear, but for her everyday wear she makes garments

that she likes and that will suit her. For Louise the shortage

of available time is the main drawback for her. She doesn’t

like to work on garments for a few minutes, but finds that

she works best when she has a few hours together to

maintain her concentration on the task in hand. Her

weekdays are tied up with her miniature career and her

weekends are busy, so finding the time to cut, fit and sew

her garments is limited. She uses a dummy to fit the

clothing, which she describes as a “good likeness of me, but

not a perfect likeness”. However, she has no ambitions to

become a full size seamstress for other people.

Originally, Louise thought that if she could make doll sized clothing, then she

should be able to make full size clothes. “Unfortunately dolls don’t need to move

or breathe” so she had to learn different fitting techniques. She subscribes to

two sewing magazines which she has found very helpful, as well as the training

she has undertaken.

Whilst Louise started working in 1/12th scale, before she progressed to

costuming larger dolls and then to the full sized techniques, a reverse of the path

that the majority of miniaturists seem to have trodden. But, for all that Louise

still works in miniature, even though she uses completely different techniques

from her full size costuming work. She prefers to work in 1/12th scale, although

she also enjoys making ballet and historical costumes for 16‐23” dolls.

“Unfortunately dolls don’t

need to move or breathe”

Louise was asked what her favourite creation has been, and why? It is a

lovely story and it has been quoted as Louise told us; “My absolute

favourite has to be the costume I made for my wedding vow renewal

ceremony in 2008. When I married in 1989, I didn’t have a proper wedding

gown (I was only engaged for nine days so there wasn’t time!). I wanted to

wear a real fantasy gown, a cross between an historical costume and fairy

princess outfit, complete with wings. As it turned out, the dress was very

similar to the way I dress my medieval/fairy princess miniature dolls, so

for me it was the ultimate fantasy

costume.”

This time around Louise had a year notice of her vow date, and found

the perfect fabric and planned her design. However, it was not all plain

sailing for her, as she had to cope with the constraints of not being able

to stand for more than a couple of minutes at a time, because of health

issues, and it took her four weekends to complete the pattern cutting

for the lining, main fabric and overlays. By comparison the sewing

process was easier as she did not need to stand!

Louise recommends that if anyone wants to learn dressmaking skills

they consider classes at their local Adult Education Centre, or see if

local fabric shops can provide information on local courses. There are

some good magazines available on the subject, a good source of

“how‐to” information, as well as some distance learning courses

available via the internet.

If you would like to see more of Louise’s miniature world a

visit to her websites is well worth it. www.angeliqueminiatures.co.uk

Blog: http://angeliqueminiatures.wordpress.com/

Edited by Helen Woods Formatted By Bea Broadwood

Text & Images © Louise Goldsborough

Belles Toy Emporium is expanding!

I know I was planning to begin work inside but I couldn’t re‐

sist first buying something to add to the outside. That’s the thing with dolls house projects…

They tend to keep growing!

I had really wanted to purchase Sid Cookes Orangery kit but my measurements just didn’t add up and the

whole thing wouldn’t have fitted where I wanted it to go.

Now that the house is built and on its turn table on the old chest of drawers in my sitting room I have

measured up again and realised with delight that there is a place for the Orangery.

It is to become Uncle Mortimer’s workshop and the place where the toys are made.

This also solves the problem of the side door, the tradesman’s entrance that leads nowhere.

I decided to add a fake doorway in the back wall of the shop that "leads" to the workshop. The tradesman’s

entrance door will be rehinged on the opposite side and when opened lead into a little corridor with the

fake doorway leading to the workshop for deliveries!

The workshop will also conceal the wiring that will come through the back of the house and be a lovely

"surprise" when the Emporium is turned around on the turn table.

It feels like a great plan!

Now for the inside...!

First of all I had to decide once and for all the layout of the shop floor. Knowing I had the Orangery ordered I

could go ahead with the layout I liked best.

Firstly, to tackle the removable back wall which must be

decorated before anything else can be done.

I cut off the thin piece that went over the right hand top

edge of the wall and then using the wall as a template cut a

piece from MDF to glue into the stairwell cut out on the

back wall.

While this dried I searched my bits and bobs box for spare

doors and found two identical ones which was lucky!


PART

6

DIARY OF AN EDWARDIAN DOLLS HOUSE

By AIM Member, Julie Campbell

Here you see one of the doors glued under

the stairwell.

This will "lead" into Uncle Mort’s work‐

shop otherwise known as the Orangery! I

will fix the other door to the back of the

house in the same position inside the

workshop and it will appear that it opens.

Unfortunately I didn’t notice that this door

was glued on upside down until it was

too late to do anything about it.

One thing this project shows though is

that we all make silly mistakes and in the end they just add to the charm and individuality of our houses!

The tradesman’s entrance will open into this tiny passage way through which the tradesmen would be

able to deliver goods directly into the workshop.

The next bit I nvolved 2 days and much huffing and puffing and tea drinking! I put my newly filled wall

into place and arranged the shop shelves to fit then measured up a back wall to go across the corner

which in turn was glued to the back of the right hand corner shelf.

With some ( well okay.... lots....) sanding and numerous trials for size I ended up with a wall that fit

perfectly into the shop and permanently attached shop shelves which you can see I painted antique

white. I filled in the gaps and added a little decorative trim that covered the join and strengthened the

whole wall.


This is the back of the wall decorated al‐

ready. This is the decor for the downstairs

passage way and entrance to the living quar‐

ters. I chose lovely muted green William

Morris paper from Brodnax . The striped

paper is also used in the tiny passageway at

the other side of the house.

I antiqued the shelves a little more.

The shop is to be old one and a little

bit dilapidated. Uncle Mort let

things run to rack and ruin and

although Belle has cleaned it up a

lot the furniture is still aged with

time.

My preferred method of ageing is to

simply paint some wood stain (I use

Ronseal) over the item and then rub

off the excess immediately, with a soft cloth. The stain settles into the corners and detailing and leaves a

soft colour wash effect which looks like the patina of time.

I am using the most

beautiful grey toile

Brodnax wallpaper for

the shop, you can see it

here. I will be painting

my parquet floor tiles in

dove grey and cream to

match and it should all

look really beautiful with

a slightly fairytale air to it

and a fine setting for the

wonderful toys .

This is the beautiful light

I have bought for the

shop from Ray Storey.


I have bought single versions of the

same light for the passage ways. I am

delighted with them and can’t wait to

get the electrics sorted out!

Here we have the cubby hole under

the stairs. It will never be seen from

this angle as the back wall of the shop

pushes up against the stairs. You can

only see a glimpse of it through the

open side door, the tradesman’s

entrance . I will probably just store a

bit of junk under the stairs.

So finally I was able to get the back

wall of the shop in place. I was very

relieved that it still fitted after

papering and painting!

The soft distressed green is so easy on

the eye and gives a lovely feel to the

place.

While at my local craft shop I

came across this lovely item:

It is meant to be used for 3D card making, but as soon as I saw it I

immediately thought of my shop shelves and how lovely this

would look as trimming. At half price I bought three packs, ready

for a moment to work on my shop.

First though it was high time the windows went in so

with the help of a paper template and some heavy duty

acetate I set to work.

Hind sight is a wonderful thing and I do wish I had

made my templates before I put the house together. It

was a bit tricky but once the pieces were cut I simply

ran a bead of PVA glue round the edges and popped

them in place.


This is the front of the shop.

You can see I have used the

card kit to make a window trim,

I love the effect it gives. You

can also see I have had to

remove the shop doors! They

were such a tight fit they would

not open with the parquet floor

I am planning to lay, so they are

removed and waiting to be

sanded down.

This is the door into

the house. I am

most likely going to

have shelves across

these windows as

the shop counter

will go across this

corner allowing

easy access to the

house and stopping

any customers from

wandering in there

accidentally!

I used some lovely

maple parquet floor

tiles for the flooring. I have decided to

paint and wax them . Very time

consuming but worth it for the effect!

I used just one coat of paint so you can

still see the wood, its more of a colour

wash, in the cream of the shelves and

the green of the woodwork. Then a coat of clear wax and fingers crossed my shop floor will look

beautiful.

Here you can see the floor almost finished. The instructions said to use double sided sticky tape to fix

the tiles but I wasn’t convinced this would be permanent. I used PVA but be warned, the thin wood

tiles curl up quickly. If you use glue have books or flat weights handy to weigh the tiles down until

they dry.

Here is the floor with all the tiles in

place.

It looks so lovely. I finished it off with a

coat of wax to protect it. You can see

here the wax I used, beeswax and it is

simply a case of wipe on, leave to dry

and then polish up.



Here is the finished floor! I am very happy with it. By just using one thin coat of paint I was able to achieve an

old worn look and you can’t quite see it from this photo but the wax has given it a sheen and it looks as if the

floor has been worn and polished many times over the years.

The one thing I didn’t want is a new looking shop. Although it was once rather grand, time has taken its toll and

although Belle keeps her shop as clean as a new pin, but it hasn’t been decorated for many years.

I will probably make some shelves to go across the side window. It is rather awkward , being two arched

windows side by side .The Kit doesn’t come with interior window frames and as I am no expert with wood work

I wouldn’t even attempt to make my own interior arched frames!

The shop counter will also be in front of the window. I want to have some little tables with toys piled high in

front of the shelves.

Next month the decorating begins in earnest!

To find out more about Julie’s beautiful dolls, why not visit her website; ‘Bellabelle Dolls’

www.bellabelledolls.co.uk

Text & Photographs © Julie Campbell 2010


Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have a closer look at the

working environments of AIM’s members?

This month miniature artisan Julie Dewar of Westwinds Miniatures tells us

all about her workspace in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

ello and welcome to my terminally organized

and ridiculously tidy studio. Unlike a lot of

miniaturists I’m unable to create until all the dust

bunnies are rounded up.

Up until last year, I was either working at the dining

table or at a folding TV table, which as you see, I

still do. Why is that? Well, according to the

principles of Feng Shui it is definitely not a good

thing to sit with your back towards a door, so not to

encourage any negative Chi, I sit so that I can see

the door and have good light from the window.


My studio is about 13 feet by 11 feet and has a built in clothes

closet which my husband converted into a fabulous craft cupboard

by installing extra shelves. I love this cupboard. The big plastic

drawers at the bottom hold the fabrics and trims I use for my hats

and lingerie. On top of them you can see my paper guillotine,

which has paints for a current project in a caddy on top of it).

There is my portable ironing board and another set of drawers

where I keep the furniture that I will accessorize. On the next shelf

are bins of glues and paints and two sets of drawers for tools,

paints, palettes and various bits and bobs. Above, I store my

portable daylight lamp, spare baskets (for organizing, of course),

wall paper and card. The shelf above has all my supplies for our

show table.

The top two drawers of storage unit with

the display case on top, hold paper for my

inkjet and laser printers. Next, is a drawer

devoted to things I use for my carnival

masks (including the dreaded, all‐creeping

glitter). Then there is the drawer where the

feathers live. Below that are 2 drawers of

miscellaneous trims, and the final drawer is

my glory hole‐if I don't know where to put

something‐in it goes!

Here is one of the display cases, designed by

my husband that we use at miniature

shows. I have it in my studio so that I can

enjoy some of the miniatures that I make

before they are sold.

I have a long IKEA table which I only work

at when I bring in my Macbook to do some

printing. It has adjustable legs, which is a

good thing because I am a bit (a lot) on the

short side. Here I have my magnifying lamp

which I don't use very often as I am quite

short‐sighted, a set of drawers for my silk

ribbon, bunka and tiny trims and , near at

hand are all my essential tools, brushes,

scissors, pens and most importantly my

collection of glue syringes (they are the

only way to glue tidily!).

Behind my chair is the thing that I love

most in my studio: the fabulous storage

unit behind my chair. It’s really for

scrapbooking supplies (well that’s what it

said on the box that held the bits and took

an afternoon for my husband to assemble).

I have all my essential stuff in labelled

drawers and actually use those to store the

scrapbooking paper for making hat boxes

and shopping bags. There is also lots of

room for my collection of miniaturist

magazines and books too, but I wouldn't

mind having another one ‐ I know I could

easily fill it up!

So, there you have it, a tour of my studio. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did showing it to you.

Well, if you will excuse me, I will turn up my Medieval music and get back to work.

To find out more about the beautiful miniatures that Julie creates ‐ why not visit her website:

http://westwindsminiatures.com Photographs & Text © Julie Dewar 2010


This month we would like to introduce you to Wilga van den Wijngaart, a

miniaturist from Belgium. Wilga has a vast array of miniature skills, but at

the forefront is the world of miniature knitting, including a themed 1:12 scale shop.

In Wilga’s Shop in Belgium, one of the mini projects is a 1:12 shop called The Catwalk. This

shop sells patterns and yarns to knit all kind of clothes. Once a month the shop organizes a

fashion show just outside on a catwalk, hence the name of the shop.

The shop also sells ready made knitted clothes but the emphasis is

on DIY, patterns and yarns in boxes like you see in the picture on the

shelves.

AIM Member Wilga van den Wijngaart’s knitting skills are on glorious display in her miniature shop...

...The Catwalk!

This project really is art imitating real life, it has a vast array of the

designs that are featured in one of Wilga’s many pattern books.

Beautiful multi‐coloured jumpers, cardigans, hats, scarves and baby

outfits, for men, women, boys and girls. It is a delight to see.

Her entry into miniatures began many years ago and about twelve

years ago she worked her way into designing miniature knitting

patterns, in a contemporary style. Wilga tells us that at that time

there were not a lot of commercial patterns available that fitted

what she wanted to achieve, so she set about the design process for

making cardigans and sweaters to meet her needs.

It was important to her that her finished products could be

removable from the dolls, just as a real life garment could be

removed. Wilga also wanted them to be life like, so she

concentrated on knitting items that would be knitted garments in

real life, and trying to replicate them in miniature.

Wilga’s patterns are generally made using size 0.8mm (Europe) (size

24 UK, 8/0 USA) double pointed knitting needles made of piano wire

and various yarns made by Venne, Venus, and Gütermann.

Occasionally crochet needles are used, mostly size 0.4 or 0.5.


In 2000 Wilga wrote her first pattern book called Dollhouse Miniatures 1. First it was written in her mother tongue,

Dutch, and later with the help of miniaturists who have English as their first language, the book became also

available in English. The book not only contains designs for knit work but also patterns for embroidery, flowers and

plants, small furniture, bears and more.

In the subsequent ten years Wilga has published a total of ten books, nine of which are 1:12 scale and one for the

1:24 enthusiast. The Catwalk project is featured in the ninth book, which was published in May this 2010.

Wilga tells us that she just loves to design new patterns and it feels so good that many people have found and

appreciated the books. “Over the years I have received many pictures, from my clients all over the world, of their

dolls dressed in my designs and that is just a great feeling!”

To see more of Wilga’s beautiful work and designs you just need to visit her websites, which are listed below.

Patterns & Books ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/Poppenhuisminiaturen9.html Yarns & More ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/miniatureknitting.html

Wilga’s dollhouse projects over the years ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/Wilga.html

Photos & Text © 2010 Wilga van den Wijngaart

Formatted by jdayminis Artisans In Miniature 79

The Work Basket

If you want to learn more about miniature knitting, crochet and sewing,

then you are going to love this regular feature!

By AIM Member Frances Powell Some full sized crochet patterns can be miniaturised very successfully for personal use in your own dolls

house, without changing the pattern, simply by using a very fine hook and very fine thread. However do bear

in mind that certain types of pattern will work better than others.

The best types of patterns to use are those that need a large hook and thick thread (for example a ladies

shawl pattern may adapt quite well, as the stitches in real life are already quite large). Most baby patterns

will not adapt well to being miniaturised, as the stitches, even when scaled down, will be far too large and the

finished item will look wrong.

It is not possible to give advice on which size hook to use or the thickness of thread, as this is best done by

experimentation with various sized hooks and threads until you are happy with the finished results.

If you are unsure of where to start with miniature crochet, then perhaps it would be best to start by using a

simple full size doily pattern to make a miniature tablecloth or a rectangular mat pattern for a miniature

bedspread. Whatever you choose remember that the finer the thread and hook required in the original

crochet item, the better it will look in a miniature setting.

Full size rugs and afghans (such as the one shown in the photo) may also work well when scaled down, using a

much finer hook and thread.

Unfortunately this scaling down method doesn’t usually work well with clothes, as if you are being true to

scale the stitches would be too big (remember a stitch that is ¼ inch/0.75 cm when worked in miniature will

be 3‐inches/7.5 cm if the garment was scaled up again). Another problem is that clothes are often shaped

over several rows of pattern and this may not be possible when miniaturising the pattern.

But the main problem with miniaturising is to make the items look right in

the scales they are designed for. This means for example that some items

will work in 1/12th scale, but not in 1/24th scale.

Don’t forget that if you are working on making miniatures for a

pre‐Victorian era dolls house, crochet did not exist before that time, but

netting did. Netting can also look quite similar to crochet and in this scale

is probably interchangeable.

Adapting full size crochet patterns for miniature crochet...

Text and photos ©2010 Frances Powell – Buttercup Miniatures www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk

By AIM Member Josephine Parnell...

As I am being continually asked at shows about the sewing

techniques used in the production of my Dolls House Bears and the

kits I sell. I have put together this article on stitches.

The main stitches used for all of my kits and the production of my

Dolls House Bears, are BACKSTITCH and LADDER STITCH. I use

FRENCH KNOTS for the eyes of the small bear kits and for buttons

and false bead decoration on the clothing of the Dolls House Bears.

I also use as decoration, CHAIN STITCH, this one is useful if you do

not have that right shade of braid or you just want something a bit

special. Another useful stitch is BLANKET STITCH or simply over

sewing edges can look very effective on a garment.

For all of my hand sewing I use size 10 or 12 crewel needles as they

have a really big eye, making them easier to thread. With all

miniature work the smaller the stitch the better. There is nothing

worse than a beautiful piece of fabric ruined by huge stitches.

Also get yourself a good book on sewing techniques. Although

they are for full sized sewing they can be an advantage to the

miniature dressmaker. You do not have to go out and buy an expensive brand

new book as you can usually pick one up at a second hand book shop or

charity shop for a few pounds. Or as I did, all those 20 years ago, go

and speak to your local library, they can usually find some thing that

would be of use. I have several good sewing books dating from

the 1930s up to the 1970s but then I am addicted to anything to do with

sewing. They also include details for making up clothing. These can be

used in dressing your dolls.

The process of making up clothing for your dolls is the same as making

up clothing for yourself.

I know a lot of you use copious amounts of glue as an aid to dressing

your dolls. But, as a sewing addict, I would like to say that making

the effort and learning those stitches will give you an extra feeling

of satisfaction and pride. Honestly, knowing that bit of braid was

not glued in place, but securely sewn or even replaced with a neat

row of stitches can make all the difference.

Instead of trying to find the right colour/size of bead or button why not try a

French knot, it’s effective and really does look the part. Mind you in today’s

miniature world there are many very fine buttons to be had. Little Trimmings is

one that comes to mind, do remember they have gone to a lot of trouble to make sure that they can be

sewn in place so please do sew them in place. And leave the glue pot on the shelf...

Sewing Tips & Stitches...


A FEW USEFUL STITCHES…

BACKSTITCH; This stitch is used in all of my work. These are short stitches

placed end to end. The stitches just meet in the row, but the thread is carried

under the fabric for twice the distance.

LADDER STITCH; Used for closing gaps, such as when Bears have been stuffed

and for placing sleeves into position. Start sewing at the very end and to one

side of the gap. Push the needle through from the underside of the fabric so

that the knot is underneath. Bring the needle and thread over the gap and

make a stitch on the other side that begins level with end of the original stitch

and running parallel to the gap. Then take the needle and thread back across

the gap and make a stitch on that side. Continue working ladder stitches in this

way all the way along the gap. At the end pull the thread up, easing along the

seam as you go and making sure that all of the raw edges are tucked in. Then

finish off firmly.

BLANKET STITCH; Worked from left to right. Bring needle up through fabric.

Holding thread under left thumb, form a loop. Then pass the needle through

the fabric and over the looped thread; repeat.

CLOSED BLANKET STITCH; Forms tiny inverted V’s all along the edge. The

needle is slanted to the left as shown in the diagram for the first stitch, the next

stitch starts at the top of the same stitch and slants towards the right, taking up

a bit of the lower edge to hold it firmly in place. Alternate stitches 1 and 2 all

across the edge.

FRENCH KNOT; Bring thread up through the fabric. Wrap the thread over and

under the needle, crossing beginning thread – this can be done several times

for the eyes on small Bears also used for buttons or impressions of beads – in‐

sert needle in the fabric close to where it came out.

CHAIN STITCH; Worked from the top down. Bring the needle up through the

fabric; hold loop with the thumb and insert the needle again at the same place.

Bring the needle up a short distance away with the thread looped under the

needle; repeat.

Happy sewing….

www.dollshousebears.free-online.co.uk

Josephine Parnell

Photographs & Text © Josephine Parnell 2010


By AIM Member

Ana Anselmo

of Miniatures Forever

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The 1st International Dollhouse Show – Andalucia

2010 was held during the week‐end of 12th and

13th of June this year.

The event took place in the Hotel Villa “Flamenca”

in Nerja, a small beach town near Malaga.

There were 52 participants most of whom were

from Spain, but the fair also had participants from

several other European countries, Belgium,

Denmark, Portugal and UK.

The fair was organized by Syreeta Edwards and Matilde

Mora.

The show website said , “To all those who love the world

of dollhouses and miniatures: We are very

happy and proud to finally announce an

exhibition of miniatures in Andalucia. The 1st

International Miniature Exhibition ‐ Andalucía

2010.

It is a show designed to bring together

craftsmen and fans alike, to enjoy and

appreciate the playful recreation of a wide

variety of handmade miniatures under the light

and climate of the Andalucian coast”.

http://feria‐miniaturas‐andalucia.jimdo.com

Syreeta Edwards ww.syreetasminiatures.com/

Matilde Mora: minisparacasitas.es.tl/

Ana Anselmo: www.miniaturesforever.com

Ana and Matilde

Opening

ceremony.

Drinks and

cookies were

served

Ana’s Table

Syreeta’s Table

Dear Aunt Anastasia… I am making carnival masks again and am having great fun, but the glitter is getting

everywhere! Have you any ideas on how to keep the mess to a minimum…you know

what a neatnik I am :‐) I hope you had a nice vacation. Give my best to Trotters.

Tons of love, Julie

Dear Julie, As you know, unlike you glitter on the floor does not faze me, but I asked one of my

chums, Cheryl Clingen who is a member of AIM and she has this wonderful solution that I

know you will love: Take plastic straw and cut off a piece approx 3" off. Cut it at an angle.

Hot glue the straight edge of the straw to a small square piece of cardboard. You have

now made a "Glitter pourer".

Scoop up some glitter into the straw straight from it's container. Sprinkle the glitter over

the glued area you have prepared, and you'll be able to use only on those places without

Aunt AnastasiaAunt Anastasia

Hello, my dears! I am back from my Summer Holiday

and found a question from my niece (you know, the

one who lives in Canada and is married to a handsome

mountie) waiting from me in my inbox that I thought I

would share with you.

[email protected]

Looking forward to hearing from you soon….

Aunt Anastasia


Aunt Anastasia

Dear Aunt Anastasia… I have a new house that I'm doing up myself. It has all white either painted walls, or they

could be melamine (seems more likely), not sure. Very smooth. I put up wallpaper using

real wallpaper and real wallpaper glue. This was about 4 months ago. Yesterday I noticed

all the wallpaper had just come off the walls as if no glue had been applied at all! What

did I do wrong, and how can I fix it?

Thanks , Glued aka Cheryl C

Dear Glued, Oh dear, melamine…very tricky, but there are ways and means of getting that paper to

stay put. I am afraid that you will have to take all the paper off and start again. Rather a

nuisance! Once the paper is removed, I think that a light sanding of the walls wouldn't

come amiss to give the wall some "tooth", so to speak. Now to the glue question: some

people use white glue/PVA with great success, but my favourite adhesive in this case

would be to use the premixed wallpaper border adhesive (also known as vinyl to vinyl

adhesive) which you can purchase at your local DIY emporium. It is not as liquid as

regular paste and you can reposition the wallpaper more easily during application than

with PVA. I have also used it on foamcore board with great success; used sparingly, it

doesn't warp the board. I hope this helps, Cheryl. Thanks for the great tip for controlling

glitter. My niece thinks you are brilliant.

AA

having to dump the whole lot, and ending up having to collect and pour back excess into

your container. You can stand the straw up on the cardboard side so you are hands free

to apply glue to the next area.

You'll still have to shake your material after a while to get rid of excess glitter, and can

pour that back into the container, but less mess, less fuss!

Isn't that clever?!

Oodles of love, AA

PS. Trotters wishes me to convey his best regards.


AS SEEN ON


By AIM Member, Regina Passy‐Yip

. Formatted By Bea Broadwood

Last month I was invited to display my miniatures on a local television station in my home country of Brazil. I had been absent from the miniature scene for a few years, and this televised exhibition has marked my return to the hobby. For a while I felt I had lost my inspiration and could not produce my roomboxes.

But whilst my husband and I were on vacation, celebrating our silver wedding

anniversary, we visited the Postal Museum of Santiago. I found a scene of a desk,

bookshelves and mailboxes. That moment my inspiration came back, I

photographed everything, and on my return from Santiago I reproduced the

museum post office scene in 1:12 scale.

I love old scenes and old furniture, especially the transition between the late

nineteenth and early twentieth century. The dark wood furniture, rich details and

the charm of the historical period fascinates me.

Some years ago I made a miniature of my Grandfather’s bookstore, "Livraria

Lealdade" (something like "Loyalty Bookstore"), which is set at the beginning of

the twentieth century. I did research on the family in our photograph albums, and

printed covers for books and newspapers from those years.

From the same historical period I have made a roombox called "Tempus Fugit," a

shop of antique clocks. I spent half a year researching the time pieces, in books

and museums, and have made some very valuable pieces, including a clock that

works.

Being on a TV show did not scare me; I confess that I did this with some pleasure,

not only because I was showing my artwork publicly, but also because it gave me

the opportunity to present this delicate art to others in my country.

Regina Passy‐Yip

www.reginapassy.com.br

Brazil

The videos:

http://www.redetv.com.br/portal/video.aspx?124,28,113126

http://www.redetv.com.br/portal/video.aspx?124,28,113125

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Bo42JwS9o&feature=related

Photograph & Te

Artisans In Miniature 87 ext © Regina Passy‐Yip 2010

The introduction of ‘Paris MinAIM magazine is the focusWeb’ feature. Whilst Emma

known to many of our readerswill guarantee to whet the

www.parismi

Initially, they decided to design and build the layout in

monochrome with the intention of adding colour later.

But, on completion of the layout they opted to stay with

the monochromatic theme as it seemed to be the perfect

foil for their photographic content. The photographs are

so realistic you will find that that at times, you are unsure

whether they are images of miniatures or of ‘real life’

items.

…or Emmaflam and Miniman, are based near Paris, France

and are well known for their range of 1/12th scale

miniature food, accessories, hand painted tableware,

paintings and furniture. They also produce a wide range

of jewellery based on their food items – perfect for the

ultimate miniature enthusiast!

They have designed and built their newly updated

parisminiatures.com website themselves over the

incredibly short time of roughly one week. With some

previous experience in website development, but the

majority of which being self taught, Emma and Neil

wanted to create something original and using those self

taught HTML/PHP/CSS skills and using Windows Notepad

they have successfully produced an eye‐catching and

consumer friendly website.

In brief, their goal was to create a website that was easy

to navigate, clean, uncluttered, quick loading and

interactive. It also had to be compatible with the PC,

mobile devices, game consoles and tablets as these are

becoming increasingly popular access modes.


niatures’ to the readers of the of this months' ‘New on the

a and Neil’s enterprise will be , their newly updated website e appetite of many more.

niatures.com

Browse parisminiatures.com website very thoroughly,

there is often an Easter Egg tucked away, and the finder

receives a lovely surprise when they locate it!

The website has all the whistles and bells – galleries, show

schedules, testimonials and contact details. Everything is

concise, clear and easy to follow by even the least

experienced browser. The gallery system interfaces with

Flickr, embedded YouTube videos, Etsy widget and

analytics and the newsletter subscription service. It also

links to Emma and Neil’s blog and to their Facebook pages.

Parisminiatures.com is not an active selling device, but an

excellent showcase of their work and explains in detail

where their work can be obtained. An excellent starting

point from where anyone interested in their work can

continue to explore the available options.

...Emma and Neil on your new updated website and thank

you for sharing your know‐how and developmental

experience with the readers of the AIM magazine.


www.parisminiatures.com

This month AIM is delighted to introduce Graham and

Ann Marie Simpkin to our readers. They are specialists

in the making and marketing of scale dolls house floor

tiles and miniature shop fittings. It is also a delight to

see that miniature skills are still being passed from one

generation to the next in a traditional manner.

Graham Simpkin was apprenticed as a joiner/

cabinetmaker and worked in this trade for a few years.

Later, he worked in the automotive industry as a

manufacturing craftsman, mostly programming

industrial robots and setting up and maintaining

automatic assembly lines. He always kept on with the

woodwork and had a workshop full of large machinery

including a monster of a pattern makers lathe over 12

feet long.

His father lived in London and supplied some of the

shops there with miniature furniture that he made in

his small garden workshop. Every time Graham visited

his father used to go on at him to “get rid of all those

great big machines and start making miniatures” he

said it was more challenging, used less wood and

demanded higher levels of skill and accuracy.

Eventually, Graham was worn down and he agreed to

give it a try. He spent three weeks with his father,

learning the how and why of miniature tables, chairs

etc. Graham loved it straight away; it seemed to

combine his love of working wood with the enjoyment

of working to close tolerances as in engineering.

Graham went home and started to sell off his large

tools and set up a miniature workshop.

After the first training session at his dads, in early

1992, Graham started off by making a batch of kitchen

type tables and small side tables, nine in all, and took

them off down to London to get

some “constructive criticism”

from his father.


He said there was room for improvement but

recommended that Graham see what happened when

he tried selling them. Graham went to an indoor market

in Richmond where there was a miniatures stall, the

owner bought seven of the nine tables and gave him

lots of good advice how to improve and what different

items may be saleable. That was it, Graham was

hooked, his first sale. He still continued with the full

time job metal bashing and teaching robots but also

started making small things on a part time business

basis.

A Business of Two Halves

The next step for Graham was developing a range of

items, hopefully a bit out of the ordinary. He went

everywhere looking for inspiration, but his favourite

places were, and still are, The Black Country Museum,

the museums at Ironbridge Gorge and a place in Halifax

called Andy Thornton's Architectural Antiques. The last

one is an old mill building absolutely full of old

furniture, carvings and counters/shelving, including

complete shops, in fact it’s an Aladdin’s cave of a place.

At that time, most people were working on miniature

houses and miniature shops were just starting to gain

slight popularity so he decided to specialise in counters,

shelving and shop fittings for as many different types of

shop as he could.

Graham had nothing but help and support from all the

staff and helpers at these places when he arrived armed

with his camera and sketchpad and about a million

questions. He slowly built up my range of items and

started to add some furniture items such as the

dressers, wash stands and the old favourite kitchen

tables. Ann Marie, Graham’s wife, helps him in every

aspect of running their miniature business. She controls

the stock, helps with the research and design of all new

items in the shop‐fittings and furniture ranges, deals

with the customers and mailing of the orders.

Ann Marie also has a brilliant eye for colours, when

Graham has drawn one of the mosaic floor patterns

getting it ready to go on their website, it’s Ann Marie

who sorts out which colours are the best combinations

and corrects any mistakes. She organises everything,

and this allows Graham to concentrate on making the

items.

They work very much as a team.

While visiting the Museums at Ironbridge Gorge,

Graham became very interested in the Victorian mosaic

tiles and encaustic tiles, the precision of the patterns

and all the complex geometry that turned the finished

floors into such beautiful works of art.

He started to wonder if he could perhaps reproduce

them in miniature. This was the start of the second half

of their business.


Graham spent a lot of time at the Jackfield Tile

Museum at Ironbridge. The Head Librarian, Mr John

Powell, gave him enormous help, allowing him to

photograph the old Victorian catalogues, measure the

tiles, and gave him so much advice on the formation of

patterns, and tile laying.

Graham spent quite a long time designing the range of

tiles, the patterns and most of all, perfecting the

techniques of cutting the tiles as accurately as possible

using engineering techniques. He knew that if there

was a slight error in any of the tiles, it would ruin the

accuracy of the pattern and so destroy the beauty of a

finished floor.

They decided to go for four different product ranges,

the first three are made from high quality laminate.

The tiles are available in 17 different shapes and sizes,

all the shapes are compatible with each other and can

be combined to create an infinite number of patterns

and designs. If you don’t see a pattern that you like,

simply make up your own pattern, decide on the

colour/range that you would like each tile shape to be

made and Graham and Ann Marie will supply the floor

to you. Artisans In Miniature 93

Mosaic Tiles

These tiles have a matt finish to resemble the Encaustic or Quarry

type tiles. These tiles are made in eight different colours; all of the

Victorian patterns can be made up with combinations of these

eight colours.

Graham can easily change the any of the tile colours in any of the

patterns, so this means the floors can be customised to suit most

colour schemes or decor.

Marlike Tiles

These tiles have a high gloss finish to resemble highly polished

marble or granite; they can be used in any combination of the

seven available colours. The geometric patterns seen in the mosaic

tiles can also be reproduced using the Marlike range. Simple

checkerboard patterns or highly complex patterns can be

accurately produced.


Dual

These tiles are a Matt finish. They are available in four

colours and are a mottled effect. They can be used on

their own or in combination with the Mosaic range of

tiles to give even more versatility. They are useful also

for contrasting borders

Truwood

These tiles are made from seven different types of

wood veneers, chosen for their compatibility beauty

and historical accuracy. The Truwood tiles can be used

to reproduce simple block floors, herringbone and

parquet patterns or the most complex tessellated

patterns. All of the mosaic patterns can be reproduced

in wood using the Truwood tiles.

The tiles are extremely versatile; all of the 17 shapes

can be combined to make an infinite number of

patterns. Borders and floors can be customised to the

smallest detail. They are always available via email or

telephone to give help or advise on design, colour (ask

for Ann Marie) or help working out the quantities you

will need for a particular size of floor. This makes it

possible to have exactly the floor you want for any size

of room, borders can be added from their extensive

product range, inserts of different patterns can be

placed in simple floors to give detail and contrast.

Customers can design their own patterns and borders

and Graham will make up the amount of floor packs

needed. The only limit is your imagination.

Shop Fittings

When Graham started making the counters and other

shop related items, he decided that he would try to

design a range that could be mixed and matched.

Rather than having lots of different moldings on the

edges and individual pieces of vastly different design,

Graham tried to make them compatible with each

other. He went for the plain white wood finish so that

miniaturists could stain or paint the items to their own

colour schemes and to suit the type of shops they

were creating.

He also has a complete range of counters available with Decrastone

tops in five different colours. (Decrastone is a combination of real

stone and acrylic, the markings go all the way through the material)

They also sell the Decrastone separately for pantry slabs, work

surfaces, stair treads.

Graham was asked what where the best things, for him, about

working in miniature. He replied:

“1) The precision needed, I have always enjoyed the challenge of

working to exact engineering type tolerances where something is as

near to perfect size as you can possibly make it.

2) Being able to work creatively with wood. Turning and carving

have always been one of my favourite things to do, so to be able to

do it for a living is brilliant.”

When asked about his worst experience Grahams says he hates

dropping a small turned part onto the floor and having it disappear

into the twilight zone, never to be seen again.

a claim to


TILES ‐ www.dollshouse‐tiles.co.uk

Here you will find loads of photographs of the Victorian Mosaic patterns, information on all the available

shapes and ranges.

SHOP COUNTERS www.ann‐marie‐miniatures.co.uk

This site shows all the counters, butchers blocks, shelving and treen.

Mail order catalogues can be downloaded from the sites or are available on CD.

Text and photos © Graham & Ann Marie Simpkin

Formatted by jdayminis

Graham was also asked if he had any claim to fame?

His answer, with typical modesty: “I don’t have a claim

to fame really, the only thing I can think of is that a

magazine once did an article on my work and

mentioned me on the front cover, there on the same

cover was a large photo of the Queen looking at a dolls

house as she attended an exhibition. So, I can say I have

been written about on the same page as the Queen of

England. But, the thing that has made me most proud is

not a claim to fame but when I first exhibited at the

Miniatura, we had our stand next to a gentleman

named Keith Marden. He specialised in treen, and his

work was beautiful, I couldn’t get over the attention to

detail and craftsmanship, the turning was perfect, and

in fact every item was a small treasure. Over the years

we met at various fairs and I always marvelled at his

work. He retired a few years ago and at the last show

he did, he asked me if I would like start making any or

all of the items from his range.

He said that he liked the accuracy of my work and

turning, high praise indeed. He gave me all of the

information on his work, research, drawings,

measurements etc. and even gave me a copy of Pintos

treen, which is the bible for small household wooden

objects. I only hope I can live up to his example, the bar

is set high but I am trying for it.”

At the moment Graham works in 1/12th and 1/24th

scale. When he started making the shop counters it was

all 1/12th but over time he has been asked for lots of

24th items so he decided to duplicate most of his range

in this smaller scale. The tiles have always been suitable

for both scales. The smallest tile he makes is a ¼” x 1/8”

triangle, and four of them form a ¼” square.

Their “C “ range of tile sizes are perfect for the 24th

scale floors. He is working on a new range of turnings in

even smaller scales but they aren’t available as yet.

They are constantly expanding their range but the old

favourites are still there, the counters that he designed

when he first started are still popular. Whilst they do

not make unique ‘one of a kind’ items in the shop

counters and shelving, they will customise “one‐off”

floor patterns and adapt the tile patterns to suit

customer’s requirements. As mentioned above, Graham

will gladly make up packs to suit a customer’s own

pattern for a floor or border.

When Graham started working full time in miniatures in

2002, he realised that he was doing the thing he most

wanted to do. Since turning professional, he has been

able to add a lot more items to both of their websites.

He has more time to research and time to spend on the

computer drawing the patterns and converting them

from the hundreds of original floor patterns he has

acquired from the Victorian catalogues. He has several

projects on going at the moment, including making

“how to” videos on tile laying and construction and the

laying of the Victorian mosaics. (These will be on the

website soon). Also he is creating a design CD, which

will show lots of the original pattern from the vintage

catalogue, and also a few colour variations of each

pattern. Graham is also always looking for different

vintage counters to add to their collection.

Graham and Ann Marie sell their work mostly by mail

order, although they do exhibit at Miniatura twice a

year. They have two websites.


Opposite page (top) by Stéphanie Kilgast www.PetitPlat.fr

(bottom) by Oiseau de Nim www.oiseaudenim.blogspot.com

This page (down right side) by Daisy Carpi www.miniaturasdaisy.blogspot.com

(below) by Amanda Speakman www.amanspeakminiatures.com

Whether you grow your own, pick your own

or buy from the local market or

supermarket, berries have the tantalizing

taste that makes summer desserts

complete!

Probably the most versatile of fruit, summer

berries can be used to create and transform

preserves, cakes, tarts and pies. How you

serve them is up to you! With ice cream,

cream or custard they bring a fresh,

sometimes tart, tingle to your taste buds.

The strawberry for one, not only delicious

on its own, is probably the most versatile of

all the summer berries. Originally grown as

a crop in France in the 17th Century, now as

we all know widely available around the

world, the strawberry is used in many

desserts to bring colour taste and texture.


Strawberries and Ice Cream (and above) and Fruit Salad (above centre)

by Amanda Speakman www.amanspeakminiatures.com

Did you know that raspberries, one of my personal

favourites, are not only available in the traditional

pinky red colour? Black raspberries are also available

(not to be confused with blackberries!) and the

commercial crossing of these with the traditional red

has resulted in a purple raspberry. Nature has also put

this into practice, with purple raspberries growing in

the wild of the United States. Golden, yellow and

orange varieties are also available.

The Scottish tayberry is another fruit resulting from

cross breeding. A raspberry and blackberry blend that

has a much sweeter taste than either, the tayberry is

probably not known widely as it has proven quite

difficult to harvest, having to be picked by hand, but in

it’s native Scotland it certainly is as popular as either.

Loganberries are similar to the Scottish tayberry,

created in California by crossing two varieties of

blackberries, these fruit are more robust and resistant

to pests and diseases than other berries. They can be

harvested over a period of two months, making them a

commercially viable crop. Popular uses for

loganberries are just as any other summer berry, pies,

crumbles and tarts are all delicious, and loganberries

make the most perfect jam.


Mulberry Bush (below) by Jacqui Perrat Ceynix Miniature Trees n’ Trains

www.ceynix.co.uk Charlottes (right) by Stéphanie Kilgast

www.petitplat.fr


Cherries, Tart and Charlotte (top left) andPastries by Emmaflam & Miniman ww

Cherry Pie (below) by Dianwww.dollshouseworldinmi

Quarter Scale Pie and Cake (top rigwww.desertminis.c

Strawberry Jam (top right) by Nwww.NoaMiniatures.e

Tarts (right) and Pie (bottom rigwww.themousemarke

The native North American

blueberry is next on my list, or

blaeberry in Scotland (not to be

confused with bilberries or

myrtilles as they are known in

France). Perhaps I should also

mention bleuets as blueberries

are also known? One berry more

than one name... So confusing!

The only way to tell the difference

between a blueberry and a

bilberry is to look inside, one has

white or green flesh and the other

a deep blue or purple. Whichever

is a blueberry totally depends on

where you are in the world, but in

Chile they certainly know the

difference ‐ growing more than

22,000 tonnes each year!

d Summer Fruit Cakes and ww.parisminiatures.com ne Gregory niature.com ght) by Janet Smith com Naomi Machida tsy.com ht) by Mo Tipton et.com

Whats blue and

goes up and down?

A blueberry in

an elevator!!!


With so many other varieties of berries

available, I would need a whole magazine

to my own to cover them all, so why not

do some searching to see how many

varieties there actually are?

Tarts (above left and below left) by Stéphanie Kilgast www.PetitPlat.fr

Cake (centre left) by Mo Tipton www.themousemarket.com

Cake Prep (above) and Cake Slices (below) By Amanda Speakman

www.amanspeakminiatures.com

W


Blackberry & Apple Baking (top right) by IGMA Artisan Mags Cassidy www.mags‐nificent.co.uk

Cherry Tart (right centre) by Emmaflam & Miniman www.parisminiatures.com

White Chocolate Cherry Cake by Melanie Navarro www.melsminiatures.com

All photographs ©2010 by their respective artisans.

Text throughout ©2010 Vicky Guile www.njdminiatures.blogspot.com



Shopping ladies by Marsha Mees (top right and left) Teresa Thompson (middle right)

Mary Williams (left)

Written and compiled by Janine Crocker of Miss Amelias’ Miniatures

Wednesday of every week,

whether it be warm or bleak,

Mildred and her sister Flo

into Weatherford would go.

Leave the house at 9.15.

Mildred in her coat of green,

With a large felt hat of red.

Flo prefers a shawl instead.

Right on time without a fuss,

all aboard the local bus.

“Morning ladies” twinkles Ben,

driver of the number 10.

Lanes and hedgerows whistle by

And in the blinking of an eye

Flo and Mildred join the throng

“Come on dear, we don’t have long!”

The


(clockwise from left) Oil can, vice, jerry cans, table saw, grease gun by Dave Williams of www.harvington.com

First stop is the Hardware shop. In the High street, at the top.

Flo needs garden shears and more. Mildred thinks it’s such a bore. Flo wants mothballs, any size

Mildred stands and rolls her eyes.

(above) Shopkeeper by Janet Harmsworth of

www.minimannequins.co.uk


(left) Hardware shop shelf display by

Catherine Davies of

www.dollshouseheaven.co.uk

(clockwise from left) Band saw and drill press, set of chisels (they

really cut!), folding stepladder and workbench by Linda Masters

www.miraclechickenurns.com

Petshop owner by Eileen Sedgwick www.Eileensedgwick.com Artisans In Miniature 120

Next door is a favourite place, See the smile on Mildred’s

face. Reg’s Pet shop, here for years,

and there’s Reg “hello my dears.”

Mildred blushes, turns quite pink.

As he gives her such a wink. Puppies bark and budgies

twitter. Flo just needs to find

cat litter.

Aquarium, Parrot on stand, Pet books and ‘Kittens and puppy at

play’ by Pearl, Literature in Miniature

www.literatureinminiature.co.uk

Pet cheetah by Liz McInnes. Wood carved then furred. Acrylic eyes and gold filled collar and chain.

www.elizabethmcinnes.com

(below) Piglet, hand carved and handpainted by Linda Masters www.miraclechickenurns.com

Needlefelted rabbits by Jean Boyd of

www.Miniartworks.co.uk

Walking past the Christmas

shop, Can’t resist a

little stop. What a

wonderful Display.

Only 16 weeks away.


Seems like Mildred’s

stopped again.

Gazing like a broody

hen.

Into a fantastic store,

filled with china, goods

galore.


Top left and centre: Wilga’s China Shop

by Wilga van den Wijngart

www.dewittestee.com

Left: Shabby Chic Shop by Beatrice Thierus

www.myminiatures.net

As they cross ththey spy

Mrs Mountjstanding b

In her tiny antiq“Into there we’ll

Once insideSwamped by t

Vases, lamExotic pie

Mildred likes “Can’t thin

s

This page clockwise from left Silk

handsewn purse and antique style

gloves by Maia at Maias

Twinkle

Miniatures.www.maiastwinkleminiatur

es.com, Egyptian gift shop ítems by

Grimdeva of Cauldron Craft.

Miniatures Hand woven silk and wool

carpets by Ludwina’s Dolllshouse

Miniature Carpets.

www.dekorativ.tripod.com/dollhouse

miniature carpets

Antique luggage from the personal

Collection of Carol Smith.


he street y tjoy by. que shop have to pop”.

e both mesmerized. treasures, hypnotised.

mps, a vintage hat. eces, a china cat. a large stuffed crow,

nk what that’s for” ays Flo.

(Below) Egyptian artefacts on display shelf by

Grimdeva of Cauldron Craft Miniatures

www.artisansinminiature.com/grimdeva

(Right) Art Deco nude dancing girl, (below)

Chinese and traditional standard lamps, (below

left) Ebony walking stick stands

by Kenneth Batty AlTurnAtive Solutions

While we’re here we must stop by at the jewellers, you know why… Cousin Bertha’s birthday gift.

If we forget she’ll be quite miffed. Gazing at the trays inside,

what a choice they can’t decide. Watches, earrings, rubies, pearls.

Diamonds, best friends of the girls. Time is ticking on says Flo,

We’ll take that brooch, it’s time to go.

(right) Silver and

turquoise jewellery

by Maia at Maias

www.twinkleminiatures.com

(above) Swarovski bracelet, boy’s gold watch and a

selection of gold watches by Carol Lester

www.dollshousemall.com

Left and above right:

Jewellery display

cabinet and busts by

Julie Dewar of

Westwinds Miniatures

(above) 12th scale jewellery shop by Carol Lester www.thedollshousemall.com

(left) Jewelry display counter and Below:

bracelets and hand display by Debbe Mize

Last stop now, the Corner shop.

Find the list Flo, from the top. Earl Grey Tea and sweet plum jam,

Gruyere cheese, a pound of ham. Something for my painful corns,

Carbolic soap, and two cream horns

“Well it’s been a lovely day, but the time has come to say,

Ouch my feet are hurting very, Flo, I need a glass of sherry!”

(above) Fresh bake display by Margaret Cassidy IGMA artisan.

(right) Exhausted Lady shoppers by Janet Harmsworth

www.minimannequins.co.uk

(above left) Traditional cheese counter by Fionas

Miniatures.www.fionasminiatures.co.uk (above right) Cake counter by Carol Smith IGMA artisan.

Copyright of photographs belongs to the artisans credited.

Text © Janine Crocker 2010

Formatted By Janine Crocker

By AIM Member

Annemarie Kwikkel ‐ IGMA Artisan

After sculpting a gourmet chef tasting his culinary creation I

needed to make a nice hat for him, here is the tutorial I created.

You will need:

2 pieces of thin cotton: 16x4.5 cm ( 6.3x1.75

inch) and 7x1.5 cm (2.75x0.6 inch). Tacky glue.

Smallest sized pleater. Small bottle cap.

Scissors and tweezers. Needle and thread.

Iron. A clean brush, water and fabric stiffener.

Take the larger piece of piece of cotton and insert it into the pleater following the instructions. With your brush

wet the cotton with fabric stiffener diluted with water. Leave to dry in the pleater, or, you could also use a hair

dryer to speed up this process.

Taking the smaller piece of cotton, fold and glue hems into place along the two long sides

1

2

3




Take the large piece out of

the pleater, it should look like

the second photo on right.

Take the iron and press the

piece, flattening the pleats.

To measure the head I use a

piece of cotton and hold

around the head.

You can also use the bottle

cap as a model.

Cut the measured piece,

leaving a little extra for

overlap.

Cut the small piece of cotton

the same length as the

measured piece.

Make a hem on one short side

of the small piece.

Cut the larger piece the same

length as the small piece.

Glue the larger piece, forming

a tube.

Glue the small piece into a

band, making sure it still fit

the model.

Run a small line of glue along

one edge of the tube.

Glue the tube INSIDE the

small band.

5

7

9

11

4

6

8

10





Way too high !!! Place the hat on

the bottle cap, try to find a cap

where the hat fits.

Cut the hat off to 3.5 cm or 1.4

inches height.

Run a thread along the top edge

of the hat.

Pull the thread and make a knot,

closing the top of the hat.

With a brush make the top of the

hat moist.

Press the top down on the cap,

squeezing the edge to get a

sharp fold.

With a dab of glue close the top.

Now let the cooking

begin!!!

12 13

15 14 16

18

17

19

20




Annemarie Kwikkel I.G.M.A. Artisan Annemarie Dolls

www.byannemariedolls.com

Text & Photographs © Annemarie Kwikkel

Formatted by jdayminis

21

22

Bartholomew & Sikes The construction of a Gentleman’s Emporium...

By AIM Member, Ian Jones ‐ Part One.

Any true gentleman would use a handkerchief to sneeze into, even when alone within his own abode; always

use a separate butter knife, and of course, most importantly, for over one hundred and fifty years buy a high

quality suit from one of London’s Savile Row tailors.

Materials used for such a statemented garment, would be of the highest quality and come from a special mix

cloth from one this country’s leading textile mills. Linings, threads and buttons were of equal importance as

`Sir` would not want to be seen to skimp on these refined embellishments.

Many, many measurements would be taken and paper patterns made, unique to each client, and remaining

within the establishment’s cutting room until notified that the `Sir` would `not be in a position to return`.

The interiors of these churches of the hallowed cloth, were like no ordinary men’s wear shop, more akin to a

Gentleman’s Club with comfortable high back chairs and leather Chesterfield sofas to relax upon whilst Sir

awaited his turn with the tape measure. A warm and welcoming fireplace to keep the cold out of those old

bones accompanied the current daily issue of The Times.


The cutting room was usually in the basement, or the upper floors and certainly out of eyesight of

one’s clients. Cutting room assistants were the `go between` in the transportation of the said suit,

and Sir would be doubly checked for comfort of fit before final hand stitching of the finer details.

The tailors would have an enviable list of high profile clients that would return again and again as

fashions dictated, or the pomp and circumstance of military engagements. Those that were/are able

to display the royal warrants, a sign of trust in faith of quality workmanship to the royal household,

would be and still are, the envy of many.

And so to our Gentlemen’s Emporium. This two part feature is the diary of the build of one such

establishment, reduced in size to 1/12th scale. The building is on three floors and compounded into a

space that would be too small in real life, but we as artisans, have the use of `modelers' licence`, a

very useful tool indeed. Inspiration is drawn from a building on Elvet Bridge in the beautiful city of

Durham in my beloved Northeast of England.

The main structure of this build is from our trusty friend, MDF. Not to everyone’s taste including mine

now and then, but it has its uses and this is one of them. Although very absorbent due to its

constructive nature (wood flour), it does stay flat if protected on both surfaces. Like any other

material, it will warp if laminated on one side only. Don’t forget, MDF is hazardous, so cut outdoors

and wear a mask. (NB. Always follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions)

The base on which it stands is

26x19” and as per usual, I wish it

were a little bigger. Trouble is with

1/12th scale, it takes up too much

room. The main inspiration for this

build is the old bank in the photo‐

graph opposite, now divided into

different uses. It has all the qualities

of a gentleman’s emporium I feel,

and with a few adjustments here

and there, will suit our purposes

entirely. No pun intended.

I wanted this to have the

opportunity of butting up to another

building, so the left hand wall is left

blank with no base overhang. It

would be nice to have more

footpath area at the front, but I have

already trimmed a little off here as it

was a bit tight getting it into the car.

And now to the layout...

The extreme door to the left and the window

above, are missing from this build due to space

constraints, so this leaves the main shop door in

the middle with windows for displays either side,

and the right hand door for staff entry and non

customer uses. Externally, the rear wall is brick,

render to the east wall and dressed stone and

straw brick to the front elevation. All of these

faces will be replicated in this build using my own

techniques with some commercial products as

required for speed.

Internally, the main sales floor area on the ground floor is divided up

into two. The right hand door on the front of the building is to be for

the use of staff and some deliveries.

A rear door in this

`stockroom` is provided

for the raw materials and

there is a goods lift in the

corner with access to all

three floors. It is only in

these modern times that

we see deliveries being

taken at the front door.

Tut !.

The main front door is of course for the use of customers which upon entry, are greeted by a grand staircase

which snakes up the left hand wall to the first floor using two quarter turn landings.

The ceiling is vaulted and supported by columns

and piers. On this ground floor there is to be the

two window displays, a large shelving unit on the

back wall on the right for shirts and ties, a service

counter under the stairs, plus some other display

units to be decided.

The walls on all three floors are to be paneled to

waist height, stained to match a dark timber such

as Oak or Walnut on the ground and first floors,

and plain painted white on the top floor which is

the cutting room.

The 1st floor area is for the fitting of

suits etc and so shall contain a chang‐

ing room area, seated waiting area

with fireplace and a manager’s desk to

see that things are run to order. This is

contained in one big room.

The staircase to the second floor is

directly above the first.

This main room gives the suggestion of

having once been two rooms and now

opened up. This will be seen by the change

in flooring and the supporting iron column

(s).

A herringbone oak floor will adorn the main

area. Floorboards to the other smaller area

are turned to an east/west alignment.

The staircase up to the second floor will

reveal one large room for the cutting room

staff. The walls will be covered with

shelving for cloth, part works and

completed garments, draws for buttons and

threads, paper patterns and suchlike.

There is also a fireplace up here. Cold

fingers cannot cut cloth straight and to a

line. Other parts of the emporium are

heated by cast iron radiators, evidence

of which is supported by the radiators

themselves and the associated pipe

work runs.

The choice of paintwork to the walls is reflected in the

use of the relevant rooms. These walls have been

painted five times with two coats primer, and three top

coats of the chosen colours. A deep Aubergine creates

a grand feel to the entrance and ground floor.

Something a little lighter for the first floor in a Autumn

Red is more warming for those winter days, and a bright

sunny yellow for the cutting room area to reflect the

light and create a bright atmosphere.

The ceilings have also had the five coat treatment as

nothing less would suffice.

Having now completed the main structure of the

building, we can turn our attention to the finishing

details, and as with any project like this, it’s the minor

details that bring the whole thing to life, but also take

the longest to complete.

Whilst waiting for paint to dry

in‐between coats, it is the ideal time to

continue with the other items. The wall

paneling is going to be one of the

longest jobs, so this is a work in progress

at present. There are many other small

items that need painting or staining, so

these too are placed in an orderly

queue. Floor tiles for the ground floor sales area

are to be Travertine style grey speckled

cream 9” square tiles. The staircase is to

represent a marble structure and so is

painted an off white and coated with

glitter glaze to reflect the colours in the

floor.

This is difficult to show here but I will try

to get a good close up for next time.

Everything looks so new and bright at

first, so time spent weathering and

toning down is equally important as

creating the finer details in the first

instance.


This is the first floor vaulted ceiling laid upside down, completed with all the beadings fitted, and in the early

stages of painting. A lot work went into this small area but I think it is worth it. Lighting has yet to be decided.

Talking of which, lighting ducts are cut into the MDF before the floorboards go down. Once the boards are fit‐

ted one is left loose for access at a later date above the light fitting.

Ideas and inspiration for this Emporium are drawn from many places, non more so that the numerous web‐

sites of the tailors actually on Savile Row in London. Some of these have a mini clip film which have proved

invaluable.

Next time we shall see the finer details in close up and reveal a few ideas that may be of use to others toying

with the idea of building something of their own. You are only limited by your imagination!

Regards, Ian

Artisans In Miniature 139 Formatted By Janine Crocker

The Miniature...

New AIM Members

We would like to extend a warm

welcome to the following new members who

have joined AIM in the past month:

Our apologies… Our apologies go to AIM member Ana Anselmo for

incorrectly spelling her name in the last issue.

Desert Minis, Inc. Desert Minis, Inc. can be found at the The Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys Miniature & Doll Fall Show & Sale, "Attic Memories", taking place September 8‐12, 2010. The Shabby Chic Chocolate Shoppe workshop will be presented on Friday, September 10th . To register, go to

www.dmmdt.org/fallshow.htm For more information on Desert Minis, Inc., go to

www.desertminis.com

Town and Country Planner… Town and Country Planner are pleased to announce that the vast majority of our products under `The Salvage YardTM` label, will be available to purchase in store at The Miniature Scene Dolls House shop in Fossgate, York, from the first week of July. There will be no increase in shop prices to the website or at fairs. First of the new range of garden products is a 13 piece 8" diameter Rotunda paving set, available initially in Terracotta and Charcoal. New travertine style floor tiles have also been launched, in cream, blue/grey and black speckles. See the website for more details.

www.townandcountryplanner.co.uk

Anne-Marie Kwikkel…

Anne‐Marie Kwikkel is very proud and happy to announce that her "Paul" sculpture has been made into a miniature doll mold by a professional mold maker, to create a porcelain male doll. The mold is a two‐part mold: a head/torso mold and a hands/feet mold. They are available separate or as a set.

Anne‐ Marie has sculpted Paul’s very detailed face with strong features, eyes and ears. His hands are designed

to hold something, like a glass of wine or leaning on a cane. His feet are sculpted to wear shoes or boots.

More information with picture and purchasing info here:

NEW

GRAPEVINE


Graham Warwick John Day

Jane Templeman Robin Brady-Boxwell

Janet Smith Elena Gerli

Courtney Strong Jean Boyd

Naomi Machida Iulia Chin

Ana Maria Villalon Fuster

Margot Ensink Cristina Cabllero Evelyne Fontaine Diane Gregory

www.byannemariedolls.com/mold.html

Viola Williams… Viola Williams recently spent 2 days teaching her 10 year old granddaughter how to dress a doll kit that was cast fired and painted by Sandy Calderon. It was wired for her to save time, then she took over and did all the dressing, wigging, etc. including the hat, as well as selecting the colours.

Viola is understandably very proud of her granddaughter and wanted to share this with our readers. The doll is now for sale on the MOA website. Viola has more news to share this month! She is very excited that her

dolls will be at Miniatura this autumn. They will be available for sale on Carol Chinn’s table. Carol is new to the show so please visit her table and say hello if you are attending the show.

Dollhouse Kitchen… Sarah Maloney would like to introduce her new website which is finally up and running. Visit her at...

Helen

Bleeker… Helena Bleeker would like to introduce Marcia, one of a new range of clothing.

Miniature Knitting

www.helena‐petitefashions.co.uk

Westwinds

miniatures… Julie and Brian Dewar are proud to announce the launch of their new web site. It is now live and the address is:

www.westwindsminiatures.com

Linda Master… Linda Master aka Miracle Chicken will have

miniature woodcarvings at the 33rd annual Great

Lakes Woodcarvers Show and Sale.

Sept. 25th and 26th

2010

Walter F. Ehrnfelt

Senior Center

18100 Royalton Rd.

(Rte. 82)

Strongsville Ohio

Artisans In Miniature 143 www.dollhousekitchen.com


PMP Fairs...

PMP fairs have now taken over the Dolls House Fair at Worthing, will still be held at The Charmandean, Forest Road on Sunday 7th November. 10.30 till 4. Entrance fees will be £3 adults, £2.50 seniors, children free when accompanied by an adult. For more information on visiting or exhibiting please

visit www.pmpfairs.homestead.com

Liza who runs PMP Fairs says she will do her best to keep the exhibitors to 95% British Hand Made standard. PMP run all their fairs to raise money for Children with Special Needs.

Reader’s post box… We love to hear what our readers think, The double summer edition was very popular and here are a small selection of letters received this month.

I don't know how it can keep getting better than the previous issues when each of those issues left me delighted and awestruck at the quality and variety of articles and projects ‐ but it has. And the covers themselves are works of art. What a pleasure to read over and over again. Thanks so much for all the hard work of both the "staff" and the contributors.... Lydia M

**Major kudos to everyone involved in publishing AIM Magazine! It is so professional, informative, at‐tractive . . . I'm going to run out of adjectives. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and talent. Rosemary The Miniature Cellar

Just want to let you know I enjoy the on‐line maga‐zine. Very talented miniaturists, it's lovely to see their work and the DIY articles. Regards, Anja I love the double bumper Summer issue of the AIM magazine. Yet again a superb publication, thank you to you, and the team. So much work put into it and it is free ‐ what a joy. Karen

Changes to Scribd... As it stands, readers of the AIM magazine can still download the current issue for free… But…. Scribd is now charging a fee for downloading documents from its archive, however please note that the AIM Association does not receive any payment from Scribd at all. Happily readers can still browse through the AIM magazines for free. Obviously these circumstances are beyond AIM’s control and we hope that it will not affect your enjoyment of the AIM magazine.

If you would like to email us your thoughts, we would love to hear them ‐ so why not write to our editor Bea:

office@petite‐properties.com

Petite properties... This month we simply have so much news to share that I am just not sure it is going to fit in! To kick off, August sees the launch of our new extensive 1:24th furniture kit range. The first batch of kits released are only just a tiny taster of what

is to come!!!... With prices starting at only £2.99, our new half scale furniture won’t break the bank either!...

Talking of ‘banks’... We are delighted to announce our unique new ‘Money Box Kit’ range, designed specifically for miniaturists who want to keep their miniature savings separate and safe! Our new novelty dolls house

money boxes come in kit form and make an ideal and truly unique gift!!

There are two fantastic ‘Petite Properties’ inspired designs to choose from: ‘Penny Pincher’s Cottage’ or the ‘Miniature Savings Bank.’ Both kits come with full colour step by step instructions. Money Box Kits are priced at £12.99 each and are available via mail order from our online shop.

Petite Properties are also very excited

to release a brand new quarter scale

‘Shop box Kit’. Exclusively designed by

Fiona Broadwood (Bea) this new

quarter scale shop box is directly based on a popular

1:12th scale shop box which she made many years

ago. Priced at just £14.99, the kit comes with full

colour, step by step instructions; all you need to do is

just add paint & glue! For more details visit:

www.petite‐properties.com

See you in September !!!

Ana Anselmo Annemarie Kwikkel Amanda Speakman

Bea (Fiona) Broadwood Beartrice Thierus

Betty Hagen Carol Lester Carol Smith

Catherine Davies Celia (Oberons wood)

Cheryl Clingen Dave Williams

Dawn M Schiller Debbe Mize

Debbie Wright Debie Lyons

Diane Gregory Eileen Sedgwick

Emma & Neil Martinot Fiona Bateman Frances Powell

Graham & Ann Marie Simpkin

Grimdeva Helen Woods

Ian Jones Jacqui Perrat

Janet Harmsworth Janet Smith

Janine Crocker Jean Boyd

John & Jean Day Josephine Parnell Julie Campbell Julie Dewar Kathi Brindle Kenneth Batty Linda Master Liz McInnes

Louise Goldsborough Ludwina Akbulut-Van

Oosterwyck Maia Bisson

Malcolm Smith Margaret Cassidy

Marsha Mees Mary Williams

Mel Koplin Melanie Navarro

Mo Tipton Naomi Machida Nancy Cronin Patricia Paul Paul Taylor

Pearl Hudson Peiwen Pettigrand

Philippa Todd Regina Passy-Yip Sarah Maloney Sally Watson Silvia Lane

Stephanie Kilgast Susan Newstead Teresa Thompson

Vicky Guile Viola Williams

Wilga Van den Wijngart

This issue would not have been possible without the generous contributions from the following AIM members…

Many thanks therefore go to...

Please Note: The projects included in this publication are not suitable for children under the age of 14*

The miniatures featured in this magazine are collectors items and therefore unsuitable for children under 14*. All projects are undertaken at your own risk. AIM does not accept responsibility for any injury incurred.

All articles and photographs used in this magazine are copyright of their authors.

The AIM magazine’s content is for private use only and it must not be reproduced in part or in full for commercial gain in any form.

Each artisan contributor is responsible for their own work / contribution to the AIM magazine and retain full responsibility for their published work.

The authors/self publishers cannot be held legally responsible for any consequences arising from following instructions, advice or information in this magazine.

*with the exception of the Mini AIMers feature which is written especially for children under 14.


aim mag august 2010 issue 25

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