Miniature Miniatures - Nell Corkin

A Medieval Baby House

2012-02-13T08:26:00.000-08:00

A few years ago, I saw a photo of a tiny medieval pottery jug. It was dollhouse size, and started me thinking about what kind of dollhouse someone in the 1400's might have had. As far as I know, there are no surviving examples, but why not a cabinet house? Luckily, I was able to conspire with my wonderfully talented friend David Hurley, who makes exquisite museum quality 14th-17th century furniture, he created a beautiful cabinet with space for a great hall, bedroom and "solar" (day room).

You can see the result, with a medieval lady by Todd Krueger, in the photograph at the lower right.

Now I'm making another medieval baby house as a special order for a client. It will have a slightly different color scheme from the original.

Here it is just as I was getting started. I'm using gesso to add a slight texture to the interior walls, which were then painted a soft white. The floors are molded "stone", painted warm grey and drybrushed with the same white I used for the walls to add texture. David left the back of the cabinet loose - it makes interior finishing much easier. It will be glued on later.

Miniature Miniatures Web Site

2012-01-11T08:32:00.000-08:00

It's here - the new Miniatures Miniatures web site!
Miniature Miniatures

Lots of goodies there, including galleries of works from the past and items available for immediate sale.

Please drop by and have a look around.

Today's Quote

2012-01-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

I couldn't say it better myself:"I am often asked, 'Don't you hate to see things leave your studio?' Well, no, I don't hate it. I make my living from letting things go. You just hope, if you make things as I do, that they can make their way in the world and have some longevity." - Edward deWaal, from The Hare with Amber Eyes

Opening in Guild School Class

2012-01-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

My Victorian Cottage class for the IGMA Guild School was full, but unfortunately, it turns out that one of the students can't come to Castine this year. This means that as of this afternoon, one spot in the class is again availble. If you've ever thought of treating yourself to the fabulous Guild School experience, and would like to take the class, we would love to have you join us!

Coming Soon!

2012-01-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

The web site I have been promising for some time is finally under construction, and will be up and running shortly. It will have information about me, a gallery of past work and items available for immediate sale.

I will post the url here as soon as it is ready for visitors. Check back for further developments!

Pumpkin Patch

2012-01-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

This fall themed walnut house sold at the Philadelphia Miniaturia show in November. I've waited to put pictures up because it was to be a surprise Christmas present.

HO and N scale molded plants are becoming available - a great resource for those of us who work in small scales, though they take quite a bit of tweaking in order to look natural. They are molded in very bright colors, so they need repainting, as well. When I saw the pumpkins, I couldn't resist using them with a walnut house; it seemed like the perfect combination!

The cozy interior includes two tiny cats on an ottoman by Sylvia Mobley.

A Pargeted House

2011-12-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

Decorative plaster work, known as pargeting, was the fashionable way to update your half timber house in 16th-17th century England. Inspired by Henry VIII's Nonesuch Palace (now demolished, unfortunately), designs could range from simple geometric shapes to fabulous fantasy creations, depending upon the skill of the craftsman and the taste - and budget - of the home's owner. The craft of pargeting is still practised in England today; "Pargeter" (the author Edith Pargeter, for example) has even become a last name.

I had wanted to make a pargeted house ever since I first saw pictures of some fifteen years ago; they are so unusual and charming! Until very recently, though, I coudn't quite decide how to go about it. When I finally tackled the problem head on, it turned out to require several different materials and techniques, including brass etchings, N scale landscaping bits and molded styrene shapes. Quite a lot of trial and error was involved, but I was pleased with the result.

The house sold at Philadelphia Miniaturia, and is now in a private collection. I will probably make another pargeted house, but not quite as eleaborate. this one has pargeting on three sides.

I gave it a cozy English cottage interior, with a half tester bed inthe master bedroom. The little dog on the cushion (upper right room) is by Sylvia Mobley.

The Summer Studio

2011-09-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Once in a while I get an idea for a project, but have to let it simmer on the back burner while I work on other things. This is one of those projects. When I designed the Garden Cottage for my Guild School class, I was thinking about other outbuildings that might be in someone's back yard. An artist's studio came to mind immediately, but I wasn't quite sure about the style. I finally decided on a more modern building, just for a change of pace. We live in a mid-century modern house, so this studio would look very nice in our back yard!

A happy recent discovery was that N Scale flowers are becoming available. That's what the sunflowers are, though I repainted them because I'm much too fussy to leave anything "as is." The hostas (green and white plants) are HO scale vegetables that I assembled NOT according to instructions and repainted.

My good friend Terry Junger made the two in progress paintings on the easels.

Email Issues

2011-09-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have recently discovered that some emails sent to inquire about my miniatures were apparently trapped by my evil spam filter, and I never saw them. Now that I am aware of the problem, it shouldn't happen again. If you have emailed me in the last few months and never received a reply, please re-send your email for a prompt response, and accept my apologies.

At last!

2011-09-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

After disappearing into my studio for a month, I have new things to show. First is that storybook style cottage I mentioned in my last post. I'm calling it "Charming Cottage":

It's a somewhat smaller version of the Glencairn Cottage I made a couple of years ago.The chimney was inspired in part by the Hugh Comstock "Hansel" cottage in Carmel, CA. I loved the niche for the flowerpot in the chimney, so I just has to include it in my version.

It was a bit of a challenge putting the curve in the roof, but I managed it by bending 1/64" plywood with the grain.

The interior is a bit dark - just like the full size houses. There's a sitting room on the ground floor and a bedroom upstairs. The fireplace is the same asymmetrical shape as the chimney. On the right side of the bedroom is a tiny porcelain cat on a hassock by Sylvia Mobley, which unfortunately only partly shows in the picture.

If you blow up the photos, you'll see that I really should have been sure to blow all the landscaping foam out of the house before I took the pictures!

Stay Tuned

2011-08-04T06:40:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm all caught up on orders, I have plans for some new things to be ready in time for the Guild Show in September.

First up will be a new storybook style cottage, inspired by the fanciful homes designed by Hugh Comstock in 1920s. http://www.flickr.com/photos/from_linda_yvonne/sets/72157600130746798/

It's in the design stage today - photos soon!

Guild School Continued

2011-08-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

I was so proud of my students, I just have to share the picture of all their cottages on display at thebanquet. The tables in the back row were made by Mark Murphy.

The button says: "I worked as little as possible at the IGMA Guild School 2011!" (We did, too!) I gave one to every student at the end of class.

The cherry on the sundae is that I will be teaching again next year - my Victorian Cottage this time.

Guild School Pictures

2011-08-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've been working on orders, so I haven't had new pictures in a while. It seems like a good time talk about the 2011 IGMA Guild School.

It was my first year teaching, so I was very lucky to be assigned to an unusual and wonderful classroom in the old presidents's house. The house is almost at the top of the hell where the school is located, and has a great view of the bay.

The class was held in the sun room, which you can see at the right of the building. There were so mant windows that even though we had a clooudy, rainy week, there was very good light.

Here's the classroom, after I had set everything up on Friday.
The staff at the Maine Maritime Academy are so friendly and helpful, I was able to set up very quickly and have lots of time left to wander around Castine looking for inspiring architecture - not hard to find, because the little town is full of 18th and 19th Century buildings of all kinds and sizes. I took lots of pictures!

The week went by in a flash, and everyone finished their Garden Cottage a little early on Friday, so we were all able to rest up before the closing banquet.

Continued on next post....

Off to the Guild School

2011-06-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving for Castine today. Looking forward to meeting my students and getting away from the awful heat we've been having here in Michigan!

Connie Sauve sent me a picture of the Noel and Pat Thomas dolls she made for our aution piece. They are amazing, and I can't wait to see the whole thing together.

For those of you who have asked for kits: I'm afraid my houses are really too complicated to make to be sold in that way. However, I hope to continue teaching at the Guild School, and would urge anyone who can to join me in Castine. I will also be teaching classes for smaller items, such as domes and room boxes, at Tom Bishop's Chicago International and probably also at Philadelphia Miniaturia in 2012.

I hope to be able to post at least once while I'm at the Guild School.

Getting Ready for the Guild School

2011-05-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy three weeks as I prepare materials for my class at the I.G.M.A. Guild School. So much to do!

I just finished the class prototype of "Garden Cottage", having sold the first one to a long time customer who called to ask: "Do I have to make one, or can I just buy it?" (Classes are not everyone's idea of a good time!)

I dictated directions into a small recorder as I worked; now I have to write them out and make assembly drawings.

I've assembled parts, made multiple lists, and the studio is filled with partially packed boxes of supplies. It's fun, but a lot of work! The very last thing I did was make and paint 15 of the tiny weathervanes (10 plus 5 extra, in case of disasters.) All the other construction will be done by the students.

The Guild School is a one of a kind experience, whether you are a student or a teacher. It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on - as the saying goes - if you happen to love miniatures!

The "Thomas Table"

2011-05-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

Making a 1:144 vesion of "La Fenetre" turned out ot be quite a challenge! I had planned to use N scale strip wood, but the sizes I needed turned out to be so small that styrene turned out to be the only way to go. The red vertical strips on the second story, for example, are .010 " x .020".

The the roof over the first floor was chemically weathered copper for the 1:12 version we made in class. It simply isn't possible to do that in 1:144, so I used .005" styrene with .010"X .010" ribs. I painted it black, then added a dark brown wash with just a tiny bit of metallic bronze in it , then a verdigris color wash.

The side walls were plastered in the 1:12 scale version; I used gesso for the 1:144 scale version.

My favorite trick learned in the class was making the drain pipe at the bottom of the downspout out of masking tape. Just a few wraps of 3/4" tape, with more wraps of a narrow strip of tape at the top, some paint, and voila! It looked just like the real thing! So that's what I have Noel making on the table.

This isn't quite finished - there will be a Guild School mug full of paint brushes at the back left where that empty spot is. I'm still waiting for it to come, so I'm putting this aside for a bit to start putting the kits for my class together.

Guild School 2011

2011-05-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Now that Chicago is over, I'm turning my attention to the Guild School. There's lots to do, especially in preparing for my Garden Cottage class.

First, though, I'm working on a piece to be donated for their annual fund raising auction. This is the last year legendary artists Noel and Pat Thomas will be teaching at the Guild School, so I'm teaming up with the wonderful doll artist, Connnie Sauve, to make a piece in their honor. Connie is making Noel and Pat dolls, and I am making a work table with an "in progress" version of "La Fenetre", the class they will be teaching this year. (To see it, go to: http://www.igma.org/guild_school/2011_classes/36.html)
I was lucky enough to take the class in 2009, so I have lots of photos to work from.

I've almost finished the 1:144 La Fenetre", and am about to set up the work table. I had planed to make a table, but remembered that I had a table by Mark Murphy (also a Guild School instructor) that somehow looks very "Noel Thomas-y", so I'm going to use that.

Pictures soon!

Oreo was bored with the cat tree

2011-04-04T17:44:00.000-07:00

I've had this lovely hanging shelf by Marcia Gardner for some time, and had always meant to put rooms in it. Then this porcelain kitty by Sylvia Mobley gave me an idea...

Come see Oreo at Chicago International!

Chicago Class: A Little Christmas

2011-04-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

My Chicago class is filling up, but there are still a few openings. This is a fun project, whether you're an old hand at 1:144 scale, or just want to try it.

The scene includes gifts and a 1:1728 scale dollhouse. The tree has tiny crystals, which give the effect of lights.

"A Little Christmas" can be displayed on its own, or can be used as a Christmas decoration in a 1:12 setting.

There will be plenty of time to finish the project in this 1-day class. I will also have a limited number of extra kits for sale for those who prefer to work at home.

For more information on the class, click on the picture in the right hand column.

House Plant

2011-03-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

Now for something completely different - a walnut house in a planter!

The idea came to me when I saw the beautiful hand turned bowls made by Tom Frey. The bowl I've used for this piece is cherrywood, with a natural rim.

The house, as always, is made from a real walnut, with acorn caps as roof and awnings. It's supported on oak twigs from our yard, and embellished with bits of dried grapevine. The tiny landscape inludes agate pebbles from the southern shore of Lake Superior, collected for me by friends who were vacationing there.

One of the real pleasures of what I do is receiving unexpected gifts of natural bits and pieces from friends and family who have seen the walnut houses and think I might be able to use some interesting pebbles, tiny shells, fragments of bark, driftwood or fungi. I'm so grateful to them! It's helped me to build up quite a collection of wonderful things, which I dip into all the time.

The interior has a cozy bed, tables and a comfy chair; a shelf over the door holds books and dishes.

Her Dream House

2011-03-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

When I first saw Todd Krueger's beautiful mermaids, I wondered what kind of dollhouse these magical creatures would have. Finding this wonderful piece of driftwood gave me the "nudge" I needed to build one.

Perched on a piece of coral that is studded with tiny rhinestones, the house has a sand dollar floor and a sea urchin roof, supported by columns of coral and pearl. All the furnishings are made from natural shells and coral bits; the decorations include gilded starfish and more impossibly tiny shells.

Everything is adorned with seed pearls, beads and crystals.

The mermaid seems pleased with her work, and is musing about whether to add just one more thing.

Come see her at Chicago International 2011!

Petite Patisserie II

2011-03-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

This version of the Patisserie is a bit different from the framed one, but retains the overall composition and color scheme.

You'll notice that the alcove on the left of the back wall is gone, and the inset shelves on each side have been replaced by "glass" shelves mounted on the walls. To accommodate the projecting shelves, I had to make the box about 1/4" wider. The baker's rack in this version is a bit larger, and is painted white. The total number of tiny cakes and pastries is about the same.

This version of the Patisserie and my other new pieces will not be available for sale until the Chicago International Show, April 8th - 10th.

Getting Ready for Chicago

2011-03-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

I've finished putting together my class kits for Chicago. It's going to be a fun project, and "doable" even for people who may not have worked in 1:144 scale before.

Now it's time to make some new pieces for my table. I finished a walnut house, and am now working on a frameless version of the Patisserie. Pictures will be up shortly!

Living Room

2011-02-16T11:13:00.001-08:00

This is a little room box I made for a customer as a special order. Note the 1:1728 scale dollhouse on the table at the right.

I'm planning to make some more open room boxes for the Chicago International show in April.

More Room Boxes

2011-02-12T07:17:00.000-08:00

I've been working away on room box orders. Today I'm finishing up another Patisserie, but won't be posting pictures as it's the same as the ones I made last month. I'm also making an "open" room box (no frame) for this customer. It will be a living room with a 1:1728 dollhouse; pictures will be posted in a couple of days.

Christmas Room

2011-01-23T11:05:00.000-08:00

I always enjoy making Christmas things, no matter what the time of year. This room box is an order I finished this week.

Finished Kitchen and Patisserie

2011-01-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

...and here are the kitchen and pastry shop for the other order.

My next project will be Christmas room box; and then more french rooms.

Finished Kitchen and Bedroom

2011-01-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

I have to do separate posts for the finished pieces, as the program doesn't seem to want to upload two pictures per post at the moment.

So, here is one order; a kitchen and the bedroom.

Two More Rooms

2011-01-15T16:58:00.000-08:00

Here are the other two rooms in the first round of room boxes.

On the left is the patisserie, with layout and colors inspired by Ray and Scott's class. There are around 30 tiny pastries in the shop, made from
polymer clay and decorated. The projections you see on the exterior wall are display cases with mirrored backs.

On the right is an elegant bedroom. The tapestry hangings on the bed are repeated in the window treatment. On the floor at the foot of the bed are two tiny porcelain spaniels in a basket by Sylvia Mobley. Because this is a French bedroom, I thought there should be an armoire, which I didn't include in an earlier version.

Room Boxes in Progress

2011-01-09T14:19:00.000-08:00

The two French country kitchens from the first group of orders are finished. I meant to post pictures sooner, but sometimes I just become so absorbed in what I'm doing that I can't bear to stop and fiddle around with photography!

I followed the color way (red/yellow/blue) from a French kitchen Ray and Scott taught a few years ago. The original had blue walls, but the blue just didn't look very good with the wallpaper that will surround the room boxes when they are installed (propped up at right in photo). I played it down a bit by only bringing the blue up to a chair rail, and using paper with all three colors (Brodnax "Morocco", reduced) above. There is "tile" on the back wall behind the stove and sink.

In the background are two of the frames, with the mats installed, and the beginnings of the other two room boxes, which will be a bedroom (left) and a patisserie (right).

When all four rooms are done, I will mount them in the frames and move on to the next group of orders.

Room Boxes

2011-01-04T16:39:00.000-08:00

My first project for the new year is a group of room boxes, mostly for people who took Ray Whitledge and Scott Burgess' "La Coeur de la Maison" class last fall. (See my "The Whitledge/Burgess Connection" post for July 25, 2010).

I have the boxes for the first group of four rooms assembled. They will be two French country kitchens, a French bedroom and a patisserie. The first to be finished will be the kitchens. I've spent the last 2 days papering, installing windows and building the cabinets that fill the back wall. First photos tomorrow!

Holiday Greetings

2010-12-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

No, that's not a miniature! It's our house under a layer of December snow.

I haven't been working the past three weeks due to a nasty virus, from which I finally recovered just in time for Christmas Eve.

I am going back to work on my new project - orders for a number of room boxes - tomorrow, and will post pictures later his week.

A bright New Year to all!

Koko Wrecks the Halls

2010-12-07T09:37:00.000-08:00

This seems the season to put up a picture of this piece, which I finished just before the IGMA show in September.

Any miniaturist who has a kitty knows that this kind of thing can happen! Cats seem to be sure that roomboxes and dollhouses are really for them to nap in. They probably wonder what we are thinking when we clutter it up with furniture.

The cat is by Sylvia Mobley, and the table is by Mayberry Miniatures.

Miniature Miniatures 2011 Desk Calendar - For Sale!

2010-11-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

The Miniature Miniatures limited edition desk calendar for 2011 comes in a clear plastic CD case that opens to stand upright on your desk. Each month has a picture of one of my favorite pieces. A brochure with "about the artist" and a brief description of each picture is included. Makes a great gift for any fan of miniatures; order soon to be sure of delivery in time for Christmas!

The price is $12.95 per calendar plus $2.00 for U.S. shippping. (Please contact me about shipping costs for international orders, or for more than one calendar.)

To order, you can write me at: Nell Corkin, 4584 Seneca Drive, Okemos, MI 48864, USA, or email me at miniminis@aol.com. I accept postal money orders, Paypal (miniminis@aol.com), checks (made out ot "Nell Corkin") and Visa/MC. (Note: for credit card orders, I will need the expiration date,the 3-digit code on the back of the card,your zip code and, of course, the credit card number. Please do not email these numbers; either send by mail or email me for my phone number and best time to call.)

Philadelphia Miniaturia and Local Show Tomorrow

2010-11-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

The "Philly Show" - actually in Cherry Hill, New Jersey - was great, as always! Thanks to those who stopped by my table - it was great to be able to speak with you in person.

I brought a few pieces home, and tomorrow and Wednesday I will be showing them at a small art show in our neighboring city of East Lansing. If you're in the area. please stop by! In addition to my work, there will be paintings, jewelry, works in wood, glass and metal and much more. I love to show miniatures in a setting like this, to remind people that miniatures really can be considered a form of art.

Show details: Trillium Gallery "Road Show", Orchard Street Pumphouse, 368 Orchard Street, East Lansing, MI 48823. Hours: November 16 & 17, 11am-7pm.

Gate House Interior

2010-11-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I am only able to load one picture per post at the moment....

Here's the interior.

If you are coming to Philadelphia Miniaturia this weekend, I hope you will stop by my table to see the Gate House, and to say hello!

The Finished Gate House

2010-11-03T19:15:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Philadelphia Miniaturia!

Like the Garden Cottage I made earlier this year, the Gate House just didn't look quite finished until I added a weather vane, which is assembled from brass etched parts I buy from an English maker. It's very fragile, so I made an extra one in case of disaster.

I didn't have an appropriate table, so I had to quickly make one. I bought the turned legs in England a few years ago.

The Gate House: Second Floor

2010-10-31T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is the front of the gate house, with the second story installed. The second story overhangs the first on all sides, which helps to create a larger living area.

I've added a fireplace on one of the side walls. The open box you see in the second picture is actually the stairwell, which is closed in so that the stairs won't be visible in the finished piece.

I tend to avoid building stairs unless it's absolutely necessary. They take a lot of time, making the piece more expensive without adding that much interest to the interior.

With the larger second floor, I felt that the house was beginning to overwhelm the base, so after these pictures were taken, I added a 3/8" piece to the front to make room for more landscaping.

The other side

2010-10-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is the front of the gate house. As is the case with the original, there is a bench on the left side. A good place to leave deliveries, or to sit while witing for the gate keeper to come downstairs.

You can see the 4 x 6 note cards with elevation drawings of the house in the background. They are propped up so I can refer to the measurements when I'm cutting the timbers for the walls - and there are a lot of timbers! I use N scale 2 x 8 and 2 x 6 strip wood for the timbers, and stain them using Minwax stain pens; usually "Provincial", a light brown.

And now for something completely different

2010-10-21T08:28:00.000-07:00

This may look a litttle strange - my husband thought it was some kind of boat house. Actually, it's the first floor of what is going to be a gate house. I've often seen photos of the gate house of a small English manor, and had been thinking of doing a version of it for quite some time. The problem was that I wanted to have living quarters upstairs; and for a while, I couldn't decide how that room would be accessible from below without defeating the purpose of the gate house. (If they were outside, then anyone could just walk in.)

Recently, I found some more photos online that showed a door on the inside wall; it obviously led to a stairway. The actual gate is in the middle of the structure, and when it's closed, the door is beind it. Now I had a solution to my problem, so it was time to build! You can see the door toward the back on the right hand side. The stairway is enclosed, so it won't be visible when the next story is in place.

Finished!

2010-10-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

Digory and I are very pleased with the finished Walnut Cottage. Here it is, sitting on the table I made. Some extra paints and materials are on the bottom shelf.

Slight Detour

2010-10-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Before my new helper arrived, I was using a small table I already had to suppport the walnut house while I worked on it. Unfortunately, the table was so tall that poor Digory (that's his name) had to stand on a plastic box while he worked. It was very inconvenient, because he had to keep moving the box; so I decided to take the time to make a shorter table. Pictures tomorrow.

My New Assistant

2010-10-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

This Cornish Elf arrived on my doorstep last week after making the trip from Todd Krueger's studio in a stuffy cardboard box. He is being a great help with my latest project - a new walnut house - although he prefers to work at night, when I'm asleep.

P.S.

2010-10-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

I have begun work on a new project, inspired by a little visitor who dropped by. Pictures shortly....

After the IGMA Show

2010-10-07T07:59:00.000-07:00

The IGMA Guild Show was wonderful. The new location in Teaneck, NJ is great, and conveniently close to The City. The hotel was very comfortable, and the staff couldn't have been nicer. They even chased down pennies for me when I ran out of change!

There was a great variety of talented artists, including a number I had never seen before. For several I spoke with, this was their first miniature show!

If you weren't able to come to the Guild Show this time, I hope you will make a point of attending next year. It's not to be missed!

Guild Show

2010-09-22T18:20:00.000-07:00

We're off to the IGMA Guild Show 2010 in Teaneck, New Jersey.

For show hours, directions and other info, click on the link under my picture at the right.

Hope to see you there - it's going to be a great show!

Lyttleford Cottage

2010-09-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

Just in time for IGMA! A small half-timber house with a cozy interior.

I couldn't quite decide on a name, so finally settled on Lyttleford Cottage, after the imaginary town I invented as a home for my mini English houses and shops.

Victorian Cottage

2010-09-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

This is something I'd been wanting to make for some time - a small Victorian cottage with board and batten siding. It turned out to be a lot more time consuming than I had anticipated. One reason was that instead of using commercial scale siding with the battens (the narrow vertical boards) milled in, I decided to put them on individually. Figuring the spacing was a bit challenging, but I'm happy with the result.

The cottage is in the "Gothic Revival" style popular in this country from roughly the 1830's through the 1860's The steeply pitched roof, fancy trim on the gable ends and the board and batten siding are all typical of this style, which is also called "Carpenter Gothic."

The wonderful shake shingles (which I also used on the Garden Cottage that I'm teaching in Castine) are no longer being made, so I am hoarding them, and only use them when nothing else looks quite right.

The interior has a sitting room and bedroom.

Walnut Cottage

2010-08-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

A walnut cottage in a summer landscape. The "hostas" in the center foreground were made from HO scale kits left over from the 1/4" scale flower arrangements I made for the Toy and Dollhouse Museum of Kansas City. I'm a huge fan of hostas, which grow very well here in Michigan, and have many varieties in my yard.

The inside. There's a fireplace on the left wall, and a shelf holding books and accessories above the door.

Another Way to Make Plates

2010-08-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

I also occasionally use .005 white sheet styrene (available at hobby stores) for plates. It can easily be painted any color you like with acrylic craft paints.

Nuremberg Kitchen

2010-08-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

As sometimes happens, I've been so focused on working that i neglected to stop and take pictures. Here's one of the things I just finished:

Toy kitchens have been made at least as long as dollhouses. Many were made in Germany, hence the name "Nuremberg Kitchen." This one is an 18th Century version. I love making these, because it gives me a chance to make lots of little detail parts. The hutch and settle are my own castings; the table and chair are scratch built. The accessories are mostly modified cast metal. I make the plates by coating paper with about 3 coats of acrylic gloss medium, punching them out with a 1/8" hole punch, and making an indentation in the center with a very small nail set to give them some dimension. For more elegant settings, I often paint the rims gold.

Whitledge-Burgess Connection

2010-07-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

Ray Whitledge and Scott Burgess are teaching a great class, "La Coeur de la Maison" in Milwaukee, WI on October 13-16, 2010. As you might guess, it's a lovely Country French style room. The original has two of my room boxes built into one of the back walls. You can see it at:

http://www.whitledge-burgess.com/gallery/album18/room1

You can increase the size of the image by clicking on it.

Christmas in July

2010-07-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I always start thinking about Christmas around this time of year. (Maybe it has something to do with a longing for cooler westher!) That may be why I decided that my class for Tom Bishop's 2011 Chicago Show would be a Christmas Dome. Here it is:

I included the penny in the shot so that people not familiar with my work could easily see what the scale is. In the past, some people have signed up for my classes not realizing that they would be making something so small. Although they always stayed, and always successfully completed the project, I do prefer people to know what they are getting into!

The one day class will include making the tree and painting and detailing all the other components, including the 1:1728 scale dollhouse. It's a fun project and doesn't require any special skills.

It's suitable for anyone, whether you have experience in 1:144 scale or not. If you are coming to the show, I hope you will consider joining us.

Guild School 2011

2010-07-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that my class proposal for the 2011 Guild School has been accepted! I will be teaching the Garden Cottage - see my blog posting for June 8th.

If you're coming to the Guild School and would like to try 1:144 scale, this is a great project. It covers all aspects of the scale - construction, furnishing and landscaping. No special skills or power tools are needed for this one, and it's fun to make!

There will be time in the class to completely finish the whole thing. I'm obsessive about that, always take care to design my classes so that nobody leaves with a partly finished project. (Full disclosure: when I take classes, I'm always one of the last to finish, and have way too many unfinished pieces from classes I took years ago. I don't want that to happen to my students.)

The Guild School 2010

2010-07-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Guild School was one of the most enjoyable weeks I've had in ages. How could a whole week spent with people who share a love of miniatures be anything but wonderful?

I took Mark Murphy's class, and made a beautiful Japanese tea chest. Mark is an excellent teacher; everyone in the class left with a finished piece. Here's a shot of mine while I was working on it:

I still have to stain my finished piece - that was something we were supposed to do at home, as it takes a couple of days for the stain to dry completely. I've been busy getting together a sample and class description for Chicago International 2011, so I haven't done that yet, but hope to get to it this weekend.

Off to the Guild School

2010-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be heading to Maine for the Guild School today. A whole week of friends, fun, learning new skills and loads of miniatures - what could be better?

I may be able to post while I'm there; but if not, will give a full report - with pictures - when I return.

One more thing

2010-06-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

I usually know when a project is finished. There always comes a point at which there doesn't seem to be anything to add. (Renoir famously said that he knew his painting of a nude was finished when he wanted to slap her bottom!)

I finished the little cottage and sent off pictures with my application to teach at the Guild School next year.

But...every time I looked at it, it just seemed to "need something". I decided to put it away overnight and take another look the next day. Usually when I do this, I realize I have been over thinking things and leave the piece as is; but this time I knew right away what I wanted to add. Here is the finished piece:

The weathervane is the cherry on the sundae, so to speak. It's a brass etching from Scale Link, a British company. Here's the inside of the cottage:

Of course, a garden shed might be full of tools (ours certainly is!) , but I thought it would be more fun to make it a place where the gardener could take a break from work and have a cup of tea. Notice the table made from a barrel.

The Guild School

2010-06-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

This week I'm getting ready for the IGMA Guild School, which will be held in Castine, Maine June 12-19. http://www.igma.org/guild_school/index.html

It's a great event! Imagine a whole week spent with a large group of peopple who share a passion for miniatures, in a beautiful little town on the coast of Maine. There are classes (I'm taking Mark Murphy's Japanese tea chest class), seminars and demonstrations, an auction, a sales night and a lobster dinner.
Way too much fun!

This year, I'm giving a seminar on how to make a 1:144 scale version of a real house. I'll be using as an example the house from Manchester, MI that I made from May 27-July7 last year (see blog archive.).

I'm also submitting a proposal to teach a class next year. The project will be "Gardener's Retreat" - tiny garden shed based on small buildings I saw in Castine last summer.

It's a little more weathered looking than my houses usually are, but that look seemed appropriate for a garden shed. Here's the interior:

There will be more furniture, of course.

"Finished" pictures by Monday.

A Busy Month

2010-06-04T10:11:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a while, but I have been busy!

My first project after Chicago was making a number of 1:48 scale flower arrangements for a truly magnificent house in that scale made by Frank Madder in the 1950"s, which has been acquired by the Toy and Dollhouse Museum of Kansas City.

Unfortunately, I can't post pictures because the arrangements are property of the museum, and I can't publish photos without their consent. If you happen to be in Kansas City, be sure to visit the museum - they have a wonderful collection, which includes some of my Baby Houses and one of my earliest walnut houses. http://www.toyandminiaturemuseum.org/default.aspx

It was fun to work in a larger scale for a couple of weeks. I enjoy quarter inch scale, and sometimes do personal projects in that scale, just for fun. It was also a great chance to try working with HO scale flowers which, although reall on the large side for HO (1:84 scale) worked brilliantly for 1:48. There were a few parts that I think I may be able to use in my scale. Since they were kind enough to let me keep the leftover materials, I will be able to play around with them to see what I can do.

Chicago International 2010

2010-04-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

I'm in the midst of preparations for Tom Bishop's wonderful Chicago International 2010 miniatures show. This fabulous show is not to be missed! Collectors and dealers come from all over the world for the week long event, which includes workshops and sales rooms. For more information, visit:
http://www.bishopshow.com/chiinfo.htm

I hope those of you who come to the show will stop by my sales table to say hello. I would love to meet you!

In these last few days, I'm making a few 1:144 domes. I will post pictures in a day or two.

2010-04-08T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here are the photos of the finished Cottages. The interioirs are a bit hard to photograph because they are dark, as the real ones are. The furniture is mostly in the style of the 1920's - 30's. The little cat on the ottoman in the bedroom was made by my friend, Sylvia Mobley. I repainted the ottoman to match the furnishings.

And a closeup of the interior:

One of these was an order. The other will be available for sale at Chicago International, April 16-18.

Landscaping

2010-03-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

The landscaping has started. As the process continues, my workbench becomes increasingly messy, as you can see!

I use model railroad lanscaping materials for my
landscapes because I know they will maintain their color and texture over time. The plastic box on the left holds fine ground foam in a mixture of medium to light greens, which I use for grass. (Adding a light color gives the effect of sun on the grass, so that it looks more real.) The flowers are little snips of bunka.

For the stones, I use real, tiny beach pebbles, which are readily available on lakeshores here in the midwest. If you don't happen to have a lake nearby, you can use the tiny stones that pet shops sell for aquariums.

I hope to have these finished by this evening.

One more day

2010-03-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

I thought the Glencairn Cottages would be done today, but forgot I hadn't made the shutters yet. Some projects are like that - there always seems to be one more thing to do. I'm hoping to finish up the architectural detailing tonight, and start the landscaping in the morning.

Photos tomorrow for sure, whether it's finished or not!

Great thoughts

2010-03-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

While working on the furniture for the Glencairn Cottages, I heard these wonderful words from the great dancer Martha Graham quoted by Dr. Christiane Nothrup. Beacuse I believe we are all artists in one way or another, I want to share them:

"There is a vitality, a life-force, a energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours, clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. There is no satisfaction whatever anytime. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than others. If I add something to my time, then that is my prize."

New photos tomorrow!

The Shingles are Done!

2010-03-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I still need to paint them.

To imitate shake shingles, I use randomly sized paper shingles that come on a roll. Although they have adhesive backing, I ignore that and use white glue so I can be sure they will stay in place over time. The shingles are really HO scale (1:84), which is too large for 1:144; so I trim them down a bit and apply them so the rows are closer together. The fact that they come in a strip is convenient, but in a number of areas I had to cut them apart and put on one shingle at a time.

I had a bit of a scare a while ago when the manufacturer, Campbell Scale Models, stopped making these shingles. I couldn't find a substitute, and thought I was going to have to start making my own from brown paper. Not a happy prospect. Fortunately, I'm now able to order them again, so I must not be the only one who uses them!

I also finished the chimney and put the remaining colors on all the stone. Next I will finish furnishing the interior. I leave final exterior finish till after that, when I won't have to handle the building so much. I'm hoping to have these done this weekend.

Shingles and More Shingles

2010-03-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've nearly finished attaching the shingles to the two houses. It's a slow process, as the complicated roof requires a lot of special fitting. As so often happens, this is taking longer than anticipated. Pictures tomorrow!

Progress!

2010-03-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Stucco and stones have been added to the exteriors and are partly painted, though everything will get another coat. Like the Tower House (see archive) the stones are made from pieces of thin styrene strips, textured with gesso, and then painted. They will get two additional colors, which blend into a tawny beige. The front doors - strips of N scale 2x8 wood, stained a light walnut color - have also been installed,

The upstairs walls and dormers are almost completed, but the gable end (with a large opening to make it easy to see the bedroom) still needs to be added before the roofs are installed. You can see the patterns for the gable ends in the background. There are two patterns because in this small scale, very slight variations occur from buuilding to building. I've found it's simpler to make a pattern for each one than to make just one pattern and have to adjust it. The room on the right side will be completely closed when the house is finished. There is a small door in the bedroom, indicating that it's an attic space.

The rest of the chimney stones will be added after the roof is on.

Back to work at last

2010-03-04T15:52:00.001-08:00

It took longer than I anticipated to recover from that virus cold. I'm finally back to work, and almost ready to put the roof on the Glencairn Cottage. Pictures tomorrow!

Checking In

2010-02-18T09:53:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while since my last post. Once again, life has been interfering with art. I've been fighting a nasty virus cold, and though I'm slowly getting less sneezy and drippy, I probably won't be back to work for a few days. I managed to get the stone detail on the exterior walls finished before the virus struck, and will post pictures of that before adding the interior walls and the roof. Stay tuned!

Progress on Glencairn Cottage

2010-01-20T08:27:00.000-08:00

Life has been interfering with art lately, as it sometimes does, but I'm back to work again.

I've now finished the first floors of the Glencairn Cottages.

The floors are made from a single piece of model ship decking, which I stain and varnish.To ensure a perfect fit I make cardstock patterns, which you can see in the background. By cutting off the small extension, I can use the same patterns for the upstairs floors. This way both floors will be exactly the same size, which helps to keep everything square. This is very important in small scales, because even the slightest deviation means that the walls will be crooked.

I usually wait until the building is finished to furnish it, but it's easier to do built in features, like the fireplace and kitchen cabinets and fixtures, whiile there is still access from above. All items except the sink (a casting) were scratch built from strip styrene. The pulls on the cupboards are silver micro beads. I paint them white and then dot them with silver so they look less like beads. The refrigerator was inspired by a built-in refrigerator in my grandmother's house.

Glencairn Cottage

2010-01-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

My first project for 2010 is Glencairn Cottage, a design I've made before.

I keep detailed notes on everything I make in case I want to make another. Usually, I keep them on 4x6 cards. However, this house requried the use of templates for several parts, so I used a large sheet of paper to make it easier to copy them all at once.

Taking the time to make notes and drawings can be challenging when you're in the midst of putting something together, but it really pays off later. Even if you don't make exactly the same thing more than once, design elements from one design can easily be transferred to another if you already have drawings.

Translator

2010-01-02T12:02:00.000-08:00

I've just added a translator to the blog. You can go to the Babel Fish box near the bottom of the page and choose from the available languages.

I have taken time off during the holidays, and will be starting a new project on Monday.

Happy 2010 to all!

A Dutch House

2009-12-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

One last piece from the past: a Dutch house I made in 2008.

The interior details, particularly the fireplaces, were inspired by those in Rembrandt's house in Amsterdam. There is a great web site for the Rembrandt house, with a virtual tour:http://www.rembrandthuis.nl/cms_pages/index_main.html
I took ideas for the furniture from various paintings of the period.

Some details: A painter has just finished a portrait in the lower left room; the sitter's hat and cane are on the table. The kitchen has a built in bed. The upper left room has a baby house on the back wall.

I was having some camera issues (since resolved)when I took the interior shots, so they aren't as clear as I would have liked.

This piece is now part of the Kathleen Savage Browning Miniature Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum.

Another Piece from the Past

2009-12-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

This is The Mallory Gallery - a fine art gallery with an artist's studio and residence upstairs.

The half-timber building has a stone foundation and a slightly sagging tile roof. Among the paintings on display in the gallery, and also on the easel on the second floor, are tiny watercolors by my friend Terry Junger.

Memory Lane

2009-12-12T10:09:00.000-08:00

While I'm finishing up the Christmas project, it seemed a good time to post a few pictures from past projects.

This is a 1:12 scale version of my sales table that I made for a collector who made a wonderful room box of the Chicago International show a couple of years ago. The houses are 1:1728 scale - one twelfth of 144th scale. And no, they aren't furnished. One has to draw the line somewhere!

Santa's Workshop

2009-12-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

I have't been posting for a bit because I have been working on a Christmas present for someone. I can't post pictures or describe what I'm doing, because it's going to be a surprise. I will put up a picture later, after she receives it.

It will be done by next week, and things will be back to normal.

Christmas Shopping

2009-11-28T15:32:00.000-08:00

I have a few items now in stock that can be shipped in time for Christmas, including a Christmas room box ($450.) If you're interested, write me at miniminis@aol.com for pictures and prices!

Miniature Collector

2009-11-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

The new isssue of Miniature Collector (January 2010) has a wonderful photo of one of my single room baby houses on page 38. Mary Kaliski takes the best pictures! This version doesn't have legs, as it was made to sit on a table.

Philadelphia

2009-11-12T15:57:00.000-08:00

What a great show! It was so good to meet those of you who stopped by the table.

Time to clean up the studio and start on new orders. Stay tuned!

Fa la la la la!

2009-11-04T08:04:00.000-08:00

Sometime I make things just for the fun of it!

I'm on my way to Philadelphia Miniaturia this weekend. If you are coming to the show, please stop by my table to see the pieces I've been posting lately, and to say hello!

Finished Crooked House

2009-10-27T17:05:00.000-07:00

It looks better with the roof on, doesn't it?

I kept landscaping to a minimum, so the focus would be on the unusual shapes of the house. if you look carefully, you'll see that even the roof tiles are crooked. It was really quite a struggle to get them that way. I put them on in strips, and they kept trying to be straight!

The chimney follows the sides of the house, and almost looks as if it has a wave in it.

There's a bit of a slant to the floors, so I thought of propping the furniture up on one end to make it level. However, I've beeen inside houses like this, and the occupants just seem to deal with the angles, so I decided to leave it alone. The little porcelain dogs in the basket are by Sylvia Mobley; I repainted the basket and liner so it matches the furniture.

Sometimes I decide on a project just because I know it will be fun to make - this is one of those!

A Crooked House

2009-10-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

The house is progressing, one story at a time. It's going slowly because with all the different angles, almost every piece is a different size.

If you look at the top floor, you can see the textured gesso undercoat I put on before painting.

A Crooked House

2009-10-15T08:42:00.001-07:00

And now for something completely different - a house that's intentionally all askew.

Some real half timber houses do look crooked, because they were built with unseasoned timbers that warped as they dried. This one is based on a design I made a few years ago, but I've changed most of the angles to be greater or less than square. It's amazing what a difference 2.5 to 5 degrees can make in this small scale.

This is a card stock mockup, something I do for new designs to make sure everything will fit together properly. There will be a chimney on the right side, but I didn't bother with that on the mockup, since it will just be added to the outside.

A Cup of Christmas Tea

2009-10-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

In spite of that cold I mentioned, I have been busy. Philadelphia Miniaturia is less than three weeks away!

The tree is similar to the one in the Christmas room box, decorated with micro bead ornaments and tiny crystal "lights".
I get the little domes with turned walnut bases from Shoalts Collectibles. I think they are very elegant.

(Ooops! I didn't notice one of the pulls on the table was slightly askew when I took the picture.)

Cozy Cottage

2009-10-15T08:22:00.001-07:00

Finshed! It looks very much like the one from last spring - as it's supposed to. I keep notes and photographs of everything I make so that I can make another one when it's needed. There are always slight differences, of course.

The porcelain dog on the cushion is by my friend, Sylvia Mobley.

Cozy Cottage

2009-10-08T09:04:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a design I've made before - "Cozy Cottage". I'm also fighting a nasty virus cold, so I haven't been taking "in progress" pictures. If you would like to see one of these take shape, go to the Archive below, March 4-12.

I will post a picture when the house is finished; should be in the next day or so.

Christmas Room Box

2009-09-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

They're finished! I only took a picture of one, since all three are the same.

The dollhouse under the tree is 1:1728 scale (one twelfth of one hundred forty fourth scale.) It's not furnished - I have to draw the line somewhere!

Christmas Room Box

2009-09-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

The three Christmas rooms are well under way. The room is a Victorian style parlor. The big, empty space is where the Christmas tree will go.

The gold leafed frame and the still unpainted liner are on the right.

The box will be mounted behind the frame and liner. Because it is smaller than the frame, the finished piece sits at an angle, which makes it easier to see inside.

The Christmas tree begins with a plain little brush tree. I cover it with snips of unraveled Bunka (a Japanese embroidery floss) to give it a softer, more pleasing apearance. I'll decorate it with micro bead ornaments and add tiny rhinestones to give the effect of lights.

Room Boxes

2009-09-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

My new project is three Christmas room boxes. I've made this one before, but these will be a bit different because it's no fun to make the same thing over and over!

So far, I've gold leafed the frames and built the boxes. I'll be finishing the interiors today.

Pictures this weekend.

Finished "Tree House"

2009-09-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

This piece took a lot of time and thought to complete.

A big decision was whether to add leaves; and if so, what size to use. I finally settled on life size leaves, because the branches and acorns are
real. I tried a number of sizes, and settled on leaves that are about 2 1/2" long, including the stems.

The leaves are "silk". I removed the hideous plastic veins they came with, and replaced them with delicate wire, which both looked more natural and allowed me to shape the leaves as I wished.

The landscape is early fall, when most things are still green, and the leaves are just beginning to turn.

I originally intended to call this "Aloft", but thought "Tree House" was really more appropriate, especially since I had already used "Aloft" for another piece.

Aloft - progress

2009-08-18T17:01:00.000-07:00

You will notice the twig has grown a few more branches!

In order to have branches where I need them, I just add them at the appropriate place by using a wire connecter, gluing the branch in place, and then sculpting wood putty over the joint to match the joints of the naturally occurring branches. I will paint the joints to match the natural surface later - right now they just have a base coat.

The base has a nice, shiny finsh, so I will sand the part that needs to be landscaped in order for the materials to adhere properly.

Aloft - the bed

2009-08-18T16:54:00.000-07:00

I spent a long time building the bed for the walnut house, so I just had to show it off.

The headboard and footboard are made from driftwood roots my friend Terry found for me.

After I took the photo, I decided it still "needed something," so there's now a floral comforter folded across the foot of the bed.

The bed is 1/2" long.

Aloft

2009-08-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

For my next project - a walnut house high up on a branch.

The branch is from one of the oak trees in our back yard, courtesy of a recent wind storm.

It's about 6 1/2 inches high, and wasn't originally quite this shape. I make breaks where needed, and put the pieces back together with a wire joint so I can bend them. There will be some more of that later on, when I add some smaller branches.

Since it's very difficult to work on the walnut house once it is hanging on the branch, I'm planning to finish it completely before installing it.

Bending Jig

2009-08-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

For Karin and anyone else who noticed the Etch Mate 3C bending jig on my workbench: if you use etched metal parts, by all means, get one! It makes clean, precise bends and is a big improvement over various contraptions I have rigged up myself. Also, it is beautifully made. One of my "can't live without it" tools.

It's available from Micro Mark, and I believe it's even on sale at the moment.

Workbench

2009-08-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

Someone asked for a picture of my studio a while back. Here's one end of it - my workbench - all tidied up before I started on the gourd house. Chaos descends rather quickly as I work on a project, but I always clean up when I'm finished.

Thursday

2009-08-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments on the gourd house. It's one of my favorite projects ever.

Yes, it will be coming to Philadelphia Miniaturia, but first it will be in a three week show at the Honora Bird Gallery in Lansing's Old Town from September 10th through the 30th.

I'm starting work on a new walnut house - pictures tonight!

Finished Gourd House

2009-08-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

The landscaping took a long time. I just couldn't seem to stop adding things. I was going for a late summer look, which seemed appropriate for the gourd. The lovely, smoooth pebbles were collected along the shore of Lake Michigan, in the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula, about three hours north of where we live. Some contain tiny fossils.

I pick up bits and pieces of natural materials everywhere I go. You never know when something will be just what you need for the next project.

The big interior room is a sitting room. I decided against the canopy bed, as it would have taken up too much of the floor space. The bed must be in the smaller room, but can't be seen because a curtain partly covers the doorway. It's always good to leave a few things to the imagination.

Evolution

2009-07-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

The chimney has been reworked to look more informal. A big improvement, I think.

After a trip to Michael's to find just the right parts, I've also added leaves and a vine, which still need detail painting.

I will be working on the interior next, and then the landscaping.

Gourd II

2009-07-23T15:24:00.000-07:00

So far I've finished the door and windows and begun the interior.

I had imagined that the bedroom would be behind the smaller window, but since the main room has such a high ceiling, I'm thinking of putting a canopy bed there.
The little room could be a storeroom. It's barely visible anyway, as there's a curtain in the doorway.

I found some smooth, round stones along the Lake Michigan shore a few years ago, and they certainly look good with the gourd. I'll probably be using a few more in the landscape. It's amazing how much space I need to store the bits and pieces of this and that that I keep to use "someday."

I've discovered that if I finally decide I will never use something, and throw it out, that it will be exactly what I need a few weeks later.

The chimney looks a little stark - will have to work on that some more.

And now for something completely different

2009-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to take a break from the architectural stuff and do a fantasy project.

A friend once said, "Oh, Nell, everything is a little house to you!" Not quite true - but certainly anything that is or could be hollow has potential.

I picked up a couple of small bottle gourds at a show a few years ago. One I made into a house almost immediately. For that one, I used the gourd standing upright.

I'd always planned to do the other one lying on its side, with the small end propped up somehow. It seems the time has come - stay tuned!