Busy Few Days......Workshops Galore Plus A Date For Your Diary!

These past couple of weeks or so have been extremely busy indeed and life has basically revolved around our Oxfordshire based workshops! 

Some of the ladies busily working hard at the Saturday 13th June Workshop

For the past two Saturdays, Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops colleague Robin and myself have been running two full day sessions of our Little Vintage Toy Shop Workshop at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre in Oxfordshire, UK. 

More ladies at the Saturday 20th June Workshop

What a fabulous time it has been!

Over the past few weeks preceeding these two workshops, both Robin and I have been beavering away creating 25 kits........each shop kit has just under 80 separate wooden components, all of which I have cut by hand....my hands are very sore indeed! 

 

 Robin designed over 30 amazing vintage style toys to fill the shop with, so she nearly lost her marbles cutting all the various components for those too! Full information and more photos of the workshops can be found on our sister blog -  Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops Blog.  Plus you will also find information on there with regards to our 2016 workshops, as we are now opening up a Reserve List for that too.

This is what we will be making next week with the Cheltenham group, and is being offered in both 1/12th scale and 1/24th scale.

And there is still no respite, as next week we will be travelling to Cheltenham in Gloucestershire,  to undertake a workshop of a very different kind for a large group of miniaturists. So hence, this is why listing to KT Miniatures' website of more antique and vintage dolls house items has ground to a halt just lately!

HADDENHAM DOLLS HOUSE EXHIBITION

And now a date for your diary....am delighted to announce that KT Miniatures has signed up for a stand at Haddenham Dolls House Exhibition that will be taking place on Saturday 14th November. This is a wonderful little event that up until now has been run biannually by George and Freda Dorrell, and which we have been attending for years. However, George and Freda have now retired from this event but luckily Thame Dolls House Fair organisers, Ron and Felicity Holland are taking over the organisation, in order to keep this wonderful event going.

Taking place at Haddenham Village Hall (just 2 miles from Thame on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border), the main aim of this event is to bring together individual enthusiasts plus local dolls house and miniature clubs to show off their creative talents. There will also be a handful of professional artisans, including myself and Robin of Coombe Crafts. I hope to have a variety of both my handmade items as well as a selection of antique/vintage dolls house items......and the event will be raising funds for the Air Ambulance and Hearing Dogs For Deaf People!

Celia

What A Brilliant Day!

Well.....the workshop last Saturday at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre turned out to be a rather lovely day. 

Although The Little Vintage Toys Shop was probably the most ambitious project we have undertaken to date, we were extremely proud of all the attendees achievements. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came, we hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did.

 

The weather was wet and rather chilly for a mid June Saturday but hey....that's British weather for you! The rain did not dampen spirits though and everyone cheerfully just got stuck in to much creativity.  

 

 

By the end of the day, some lovely decorated shop carcasses floated out the door and armed with further kit components and a book of instructions, everyone who came can now look forward to completing the project in full in the comfort of their own home....including over 30 miniature vintage style toys.

Looking forward to meeting the next group of ladies next Saturday, where we will be doing this all over again!

Tomorrow's Workshop....

Life has been rather eventful these past few days but won't bore you with the finer details. Needless to say that my planned listing of new stock for KT Miniatures' website did not take place...at all! Admist all the comings and goings,  a few unwelcome gremlins then suddenly appeared and I have encountered some quite odd computer issues this week...sadly with Mr KT not being able to undertake his normal whizzy magic with my computer, I was left to my own devices....haha - big mistake! But am keeping fingers and toes crossed that all is fine and dandy again.

Finally all is ready for THE LITTLE VINTAGE TOY SHOP WORKSHOP

Meanwhile....after much planning and preparation....the first of our all day June workshops is now less than 24 hours away....and Robin (my Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops colleague) and I are rather looking forward to it all.

 So to all those ladies who are coming to Bicester Avenue Garden Centre tomorrow.....have a safe journey, hope you find us ok and we are hoping to start promptly at 10.30am.

If you are a general visitor to the garden centre tomorrow, and decide to partake in some refreshments in the restaurant - you will be able to see us all beavering away through the large glass wall. Do feel free to give us a cheery wave!

CeliaX

Bits Of Wood Everywhere!

If you are wondering why KT Miniatures has had no vintage or handmade stock listed to the website these past couple of weeks or so, then this is the reason why! 

I've well and truly had my "creative hat" on, and have been loving every single minute. 

Once the plans had been drawn up, it was then a question of "how" to work out the easiest way for workshop attendees to put the components together.  You have no idea how long this has taken!

With two full day workshops looming rapidly upon us in June - plus another special workshop for a miniaturist club in the west country at the beginning of July, this is an incredibly busy time for both me and my Nostalgia In Miniature Workshop colleague Robin.

This particular day it was  "creating the shop frontage" day...all 25 of them!

Robin and my skills complement each other perfectly. I love creating and working with wood so have the task of hand cutting all the hundreds and hundreds of components needed for this particular project. Robin is in charge of  designing and creating the amazing vintage style toys that will be accompanying this project....over 30 no less!

Here is a peek at just a handful of the many vintage style toys that Robin has been designing for this workshop.

Her 1/12th scale miniature Tri-ang toy mangle and wash set, made simply out of card, paint and glue etc......is truly magnificent!

All 25 main shop carcasses, including roofs are now put together. 

Another day it was "creating the door frames" day! By the way....clothes pegs are fantastic for clamping bits of wood together!

There are literally dozens of separate components for each individual kit, all handcut - I've worked out a cunning numbering system to avoid confusion....(hopefully)!

I truly love working with wood....oddly enough, sawing wood can be extremely therapeutic!

And Something Else.....

In the midst of all this, Robin and I spent Thursday morning creating a 1/12th scale and 1/24th scale prototype for yet a different workshop we are undertaking in July, this time for a west country miniaturist club!!

It gave me a much needed break from cutting up bits of wood....am pleased to say that this was another job well done-we were chuffed to bits with the results, pics are winging their way to the relevant club and we are looking forward to seeing all of those twenty club members in July! It will be taking place in my old stamping ground....so by the end of that particular workshop, I will have slid straight back into my Gloucestershire accent...haha - be warned ladies (and gent)!

LAST REMAINING GLASS PIECES.....

And finally......for all those of you waiting patiently for me to begin listing antique and vintage items once again to KT Miniatures website....fingers crossed, by midweek...I shall be able to start in earnest!

  

 

  

Meanwhile, the last few remaining pieces from over 180 amazing antique and vintage glassware pieces, all from one single collection, have now been amalgamated onto just one page, so that you can see at a glance what is still available.....

CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Celia

Fabulous Saturday, 1930s Porch & The Week Ahead!

Many thanks to all the lovely ladies who came to our "Down The Little Old Herb Garden Path Workshop" on Saturday. Everyone worked so hard. Passers by in the restaurant (including staff) who could see us all through the glass wall were fascinated and intrigued....so much so that one or two even ventured in to enquire on what we were all doing....haha!

A "BEFORE" PHOTO, DURING SETTING UP - IF YOU LOOK CAREFULLY  YOU MAY JUST SPOT ROBIN LOOKING BUSY! THE ROOM IS ENORMOUS AND SO LIGHT & AIRY!

A "DURING" PHOTO,  SOME OF THE LADIES HARD AT WORK!

WE BROUGHT ALONG VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF PAST WORKSHOP PROJECTS TO GIVE THOSE ATTENDING FOR THE FIRST TIME, AN IDEA OF WHAT WE DO!

On Wednesday, my workshop colleague Robin and I will be trekking into London to visit the Museum Of Childhood for research purposes, regarding our next workshop project. For those of you who are antique and vintage enthusiasts, you may enjoy the paint techniques that are to be used on our next workshop project. More info will follow shortly both on our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshop Website - CLICK HERE or here on KT Miniatures Journal too.

So watch this space....as the saying goes!!

1930s Porch

 

We were thrilled to receive a copy of the latest Dolls House & Miniature Scene "Projects 2015" annual magazine which has now been published and released for general sale. It features our 1930s Porch as a "how to make" feature, which is set in autumn and based on actual real life sized plans from an old porch. The project is incredibly versatile and certain elements could be used in a variety of ways.

For example,  the front door is based on a real life sized 1920s/30s door, including an imitation "sunrise" window panel.  The letter box is simply made from tin foil, cereal packet, glue and paint...yes, honestly! For a quirky touch, we fixed an old miniature newspaper in the letter box! This could be used in not only a modern reproduction dolls house but a vintage dolls house too, maybe?

 

The aged wooden side panels, including one with an old window, could be adapted and used as part structure of an old shed or outhouse perhaps? The stone wall and tiled roof could be used in an array of other projects.

 

The porch structure with built in benches could even be adapted and used as a garden shelter?

If you are tempted by all this, do go see the Dolls House & Miniatures Scene website for more details on how to get hold of a copy: CLICK HERE

AND FINALLY....
I am planning to catch up on some serious listing of various interesting antique and vintage items to the website during this week....including some more c1960s Tri-ang pieces from Marion Osborne's collection. So watch out for the sliding strap-line of "at a glance updates" seen on the right hand side of KT Miniatures website "Home" page:  www.ktminiatures.comwww.ktminiatures.com 
Celia

Booking Now Open For Brand New Autumn Workshop!

Last Saturday's Spring Workshop at Bicester Avenue Garden Centre was a great success and good fun. Lucie Roper, editor of Dolls House & Miniatures Scene magazine joined us for the day too and you will be able to read her write up of how she got on in the August 2014 issue (available June 26th).

To view lots of photos and read all about it, please do go take a peek at our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops blog on miniatureworkshops.blogspot.co.uk.

Meanwhile, full details of our Autumn Workshop are now live on our workshop website and am delighted to say that booking is now...
OPEN!

Down The Little Old Herb Garden Path Workshop

This will be one rather lovely miniature herb garden as never seen before....completely unique, brimming with nostalgia and vintage character!! The little scene as always with our projects, is being offered in both 1/12th and 1/24th scale, can stand alone or sit alongside a dolls house....even a vintage dolls house!

 For full details, including a downloadable booking form, please see promotional page on our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshop website:

www.miniatureworkshops.com/Down_The_Little_Old_Herb_Garden_Path.html

If you would like to reserve a place, please don't hesitate to contact us asap as spaces are limited.

Celia

Round The Back Of The Old Gardener's Cottage!

BOOKING NOW OPEN!

ROUND THE BACK OF THE OLD GARDENER'S COTTAGE WORKSHOP

Here is a video of our next workshop project, a unique and nostalgic scene of an old gardener's backyard. Everything you see in the video, we will be making including the old water carrier, old stone back wall, tiled overhang, poppy strewn grass verge, old console table, dilapidated post and wire fence, etc.! You can see the project here in 1/12th scale, however we are also offering this project in 1/24th scale too.

This workshop will be taking place on  

Saturday 26th April 2014 

 at a brand new venue... 

Bicester Avenue Garden Centre 

 just off Junction 9 of the M40. Loads of space, ample free parking and lots of other shops within the Bicester Avenue Home, Garden and Leisure Shopping Centre too!

Booking has now opened but if you would like to come, please get in touch asap as spaces are already filling fast!

CLICK HERE FOR FULL DETAILS INCLUDING A DOWNLOADABLE BOOKING FORM

Old Dolls House Gallery Up & Running At Last Plus A Bit Of Chit Chat!

It may have taken me much longer than anticipated...but am chuffed to say that at long last the Old Dolls House Gallery on KT Miniatures website is now fully live and kicking....hoorah!

These rare Beatrice Hindley plants are now featured  amongst the pages of KT Miniatures' Old Dolls House Gallery

Wendy Stephen's G&J Lines circa 1910 features in Collection Six

Alicia Davies' Lines No 10 circa 1906 features in Collection One

If you are a fan of antique and vintage dolls houses....and you have plenty of time to spare,then you may wish to browse through the Old Dolls House Gallery on KT Miniatures' website (there is a permanent link along the very top navigation bar of the website).

You can see my much cherished c1930s Hobbies 186 Special dolls house amongst the collections

There is a fantastic selection of private collections containing all kinds of houses and miniatures spanning over many decades from the Victorian, right through to the 1970s era.  I have also included one or two videos of  old dolls houses sold by KT Miniatures over the years  plus a couple of 1930s houses from my own personal collection. Due to a special request from a customer, I have also included information of the gorgeous and extremely rare Beatrice Hindley plants sold earlier this year by KT Miniatures.

Jesamine's  Tri-ang  Jennys Home Tower features in Collection Two

Marilyn Pittman's Bliss House features in Collection Eight

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE OLD DOLLS HOUSE GALLERY

Thank you to everyone who have kindly allowed us to share photos of their exquisite little treasures. 

See How To Make This Aged Victorian Punch & Judy In The Current Issue Of Dolls House & Miniature Scene Magazine

The final part of our Victorian Seaside project can be seen in the current issue of Dolls House & Miniature Scene magazine (October issue). This month  you can see how to make the aged Victorian Punch & Judy.

This Punch & Judy is available to purchase, along with the actual seaside base and other components from the seaside project.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL DETAILS


Customers Have Been Wondering Where I Have Been This Past Month.... Well...I have been around....honest, but working quietly in the background on KT Miniatures website, tidying up loose ends and sorting out workshop "stuff".  Have also been away on a lovely holiday and have also been somewhat distracted by family matters. In the past couple of weeks, my eldest celebrated his 30th birthday, my youngest celebrated her 18th birthday plus we had to endure with baited breath her A level results!!! But we can breathe a sigh of relief as it is now all over. Youngest got her A levels and is now off to uni....three weeks today so there is still much to sort out. 

Meanwhile....
Both Robin and I are very much looking forward to seeing you all who are booked to attend our latest workshop on Sunday at Waterperry Gardens. 

See you all at 10.30am...all bright and bushy tailed!!!!

Celia


PS. Booking will open on Monday for our brand new Saturday November 30th all day workshop that is taking place in Thame.....so watch this space!!!
Nostalgia In Miniature website

 Spaces will be offered on a first come, first serve basis and are limited.

A Little Bit Of This And That....Plus A Little 1930s Pram!

Not sure where the time has gone this week...much of what was planned for KT Miniatures simply went out of the window as other unscheduled events took over...story of my life. Don't know about anyone else, but I have to make a list every morning on what I need to do. Very seldom do I complete that list! Plus there have been one or two annoying little hiccups this week out of my control which should not have happened and I now have to rely on others to put those annoyances right. One being a bit of a tangle with those lovely people down at the Royal Mail. Let's hope they find that lost parcel!!!

Sunday's Workshop.....

1/12th Scale Underneath The Old Arbour Prototype

 

1/24th Scale Underneath The Old Arbour Prototype

However, in between everything that has been going on this week we've been able to put final touches to our kits for Sunday's workshop at Waterperry Gardens. Both Robin (workshop colleague) and I are very much looking forward to it.

KT Miniatures's little helper asleep on the job, putting instruction files together!

If you are coming on Sunday, please note that the Waterperry complex does not open to the public until 10.00am and you are welcome to come along to the classroom from 10.15 onwards, for a prompt 10.30 start. Ms H's Tearoom opens at 10.00 so we strongly suggest you have a coffee (and maybe a cream cake) to keep you going before you start!

If you are interested in our workshops....please go to our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops website for details of our autumn event.....at the moment we still have plenty of spaces as booking has only just opened. 

1930s Tin Pram

On the Antique 1/12th Nursery Page, I have listed a gorgeous brightly coloured 1930s tin pram. This one is in excellent condition.....with only one or two minor scratches on the paintwork. It appears to have been well looked after and one can just imagine all those generations of little owners pushing their miniature dollies around the house.....bet they had hours of fun!

Amongst the few old items that I've been able to list these past couple of days are one or two old pieces on the Antique 1/12th Living/Dining Room Page....including a German 1930s Radiogram/Cupboard, old three piece suite and this gorgeous little German chair with a wonderful fretwork chair back. Could be useful in a variety of rooms.

I have two gorgeous dolls houses waiting to be listed...so watch this space!