A Bit Of This & That.....

Here in the UK it is now deemed "Summer Holiday" time and the schools are all shut for a few weeks until September. It is also traditionally a quiet time business wise as many of us have holidays on our minds throughout end of July and the whole of August. I will be kind of around during August but there will be a lot of comings and goings, with much dashing all over the place.  Although I will undertake some listing during this time.....it will be far less than normal. If you do email me and not get an immediate response, please be patient...it just means that I am not near a computer at that time and will get back to you as as soon as I can. 

Booking About To Close On Forthcoming Workshop........

This is also a final warning that booking is closing on our Let's All Play In The Little Back Garden Workshop which is taking place on Sunday 1st September at Waterperry Gardens. We can squeeze up to two more people in if necessary so if you would like to come, please do get in touch with me immediately.......or Robin. Our workshop contact details can be found on the folllowing link:  CONTACT US

Part Two Of Our Victorian Seaside Scene

Part Two Of Our Victorian Seaside Scene is now appearing in the September Issue of Dolls House & Miniature Scene magazine. This month there are instructions to make the Victorian Street Gas Lamp and Hanging Sign.

Enjoy!
Celia

If You Have Not Yet Discovered This Wonderful Site...Do Go Take A Look Now!

If you are a particular fan of old dolls houses and if you've never seen the website Dolls Houses Past & Present before...you are missing a treat! 

They can be found on the following link:  www.dollshousespastandpresent.com. Although be warned.....once you delve into their wonderful magical world of galleries and magazine archives, you will lose track of time completely!!!

It is run by Aussie Rebecca Green, who is a bit of an expert on old dolls houses. Her knowledge, enthusiasm and expertise in researching these old treasures never ceases to amaze me! The current quarterly online DHPP magazine (Issue 17) is out now, of which Rebecca is the editor.

The above image courtesy of Rebecca Green

Topics in the current issue are diverse as always. The above image is the front cover of a very rare 1916/1917 Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops Catalogue which can be seen in a fascinating  and quite moving piece on Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops. It was set up in 1915, duly named after Field Marshall Roberts, primarily to give employment to servicemen maimed and disabled. Amongst other topics covered in the same issue are antique and vintage food including a special piece on Kaybot & Kays, vintage flower windows, an Old Gottschalk, The Welsh Museum Of Childhood and much more!

So why not nip over to the lovely website now, brew yourself a very large mug of tea, pull up your chair and start perusing......I can guarantee that you will be there for quite a while....enjoy!!!!

A Teeny Glimpse Of Our Next Workshop..........Only 2 spaces Left!

Our next workshop is taking place in the classroom block of the stunning rural Oxfordshire setting of Waterperry Gardens on Sunday September 1st. We now have just 2 spaces left available and booking will close on the last day of July or until all spaces have been filled.

Do you remember when you were ever so small and all those summers just seemed so sunny, warm and endless fun? How wonderful would it be to try and recapture just a little bit of that childhood magic in a unique miniature scene. On here you can see a hint of what we will be making, including miniature toys based on real life sized 1930s toys....

In our little back garden, "Mum" has tied the old clothes line to the top of the old battered bird table and anchored it into the ground with an old meat skewer, as far down the lawn as it would reach. An old curtain has been flung over, weighted down at the edges with whatever came to hand. It has made such a splendid tent for the afternoon!

Mr Golly and Miss Dolly are out in the back garden with their assorted little friends from the toybox, for a picnic!!

Why not come and join us for the day and recreate a little bit of childhood nostalgia in this unique project - have some fun making the toys and some simple landscaping, including a very old fashioned bird table and a hedge.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW FULL DETAILS INCLUDING A BOOKING FORM

A Stunning 1920s - 1930s Little House!

I have just put up for sale today a truly stunning 1920s-30s dolls house. It is breathtakingly gorgeous and I have already spent many hours just staring and admiring it! I love it but it is big and I have no room for it...so it has to go....oh soooooo very reluctantly!!!!!

 

Actually, this is such a very curious house and am of the opinion that this was not created originally as a dolls house at all....but was in fact a 1920s-1930s developer's model, to use as a show house whilst the housing estate was being built. This was to help give a prospective buyer an idea of what the finished house may look like.  What has led to me this conclusion is the detailed appearance of the exterior including the beautiful bay windows and the internal layout. The layout inside is a bit odd indeed if it had been intended as a toy, particularly the enclosed kitchen.

It is accessed at the front via two opening halves. There are two main rooms, one upstairs and one downstairs - each with an Art Deco wooden fireplace and dual aspect. 

 The hallway has a door leading into the main downstairs room and also another door leading into the kitchen right at the back. Stairs lead up to an enormous landing that also has dual aspect plus a side window too. Am intrigued as to why, if this was meant to be a toy, the landing area was constructed in this way with a lot of wasted space and more especially why the only access to the kitchen is via the hall door and the back door?

 

You can just about glimpse the small kitchen via the back door and through the kitchen window in these photos, although sorry the pics didn't come out too well. (Sorry about the dusty hall floor too...oops!)

There are six pieces of original furniture that came with this house, as you can see above. All wooden and very basic.

Each room has the original decor including the lovely picture rails.

I love this porch area. The two porch windows and door are glazed with very thick crinkled glass. 

The bay windows are to die for.....simply stunning and very skillfully made! 

As you can see in my previous post, I washed the original curtains (they were disgustingly dirty) but have finally come up a treat and I have put them back in place using the original drawing pins that came with it. 

This vent intrigues me....it is such a realistic touch but rarely seen on a dolls house. 

The roof has been very carefully constructed with wooden mock tiles and the chimney is gorgeous too.

For further details including suggestions on maximising the potential of this house,  please click on the main promotional page:

www.ktminiatures.com/1920s_1930s_Dolls_House.htmlwww.ktminiatures.com

Haha....My Neighbour Thought I'd Shrunk My Curtains!

One of the most unique and beautiful little houses that I have ever handled here at KT Miniatures has come in and will very shortly be put up for sale. (Note that I said "little house" and not dolls house.......are you intrigued)?  Actually, it's not that "little" either but hey ho.

However,  the little teeny antique lace curtains were disgustingly dirty from over 80 years of dirt and I felt like heaving even just looking at them....sooooo, I embarked on trying to give them a bit of a wash. Good old "Vanish"....after two attempts of cautiously using the proper way and following the correct instructions,  in desperation I more than doubled the dose along with many hours of soaking. (If that had failed it was to be bleach)!

Finally I had a very pleasing result!

However...my very confused elderly neighbour, even though used to seeing odd things hanging on my washing line, thought I had shrunk my net curtains....(forgetting that I never had any net curtains in the first place)! Haha.....

The beautiful house will be revealed in all it's glory very shortly........