A seriously slothful Sunday slowly sorting things out

 After the last couple of days I need to pull the drawbridge up and recover, but decided that can include putting away the treasures I collected yesterday, and pulling the dark academia scene back to the centre of the work table (and my mind). All in my pyjamas.

Here're the treasure I bought yesterday to add to my collection:

First up, I went back for the other pieces of furniture to match the writing desk I bought on Friday night: I don't have any plans for them, but felt bad splitting them up:

and while I was at the stall, picked up a cheap bag of furniture because I spied some tiny drawers in it (I obviously still have a thing for tiny drawers)

and when I got home realised they were part of a victorian dresser set and I'd just seen them upside down while the mirror piece was hiding.

Also in the bag was a blue bookcase, and filing cabinet which will be fun to try and refinish to fit into the current build, plus a broken table: I'm still tossing up if I should glue it back together or sacrifice the legs for more candle holders.

The last thing I picked up from that particular stall was a sheet of stupidly-cheap wall tiles:

I couldn't resist buying a few kits: a couple more JWT ones and one from a new-to-me seller, Gum Blossom Miniatures, which I couldn't resist because it had daisies on it:

(I'd admired a completed version of the shop drawers kit on the stall of The Miniature Witch, and she was kind enough to tell me that it was made from a kit: and I was lucky enough to find one on the very next stall when I asked!)

I collected some frames, baskets and a tiny birdcage from various stalls throughout the day,

and finally, paid a visit to Jennifer's stall to collect some fabric pieces which I did not need (but black and white daisies!):

The 2 on the left I bought hoping they'd work in the dark academia scene, but I must have been more tired than I thought because when I checked this morning they don't seem to work, which is odd because I usually carry colour pretty well:

Speaking of which (the dark academia scene, not being more tired than I thought), I popped the writing desk into my trial scene, which caused me to need to move some things around, and add some more books (and the 2-drawer filing cabinet to test), and I'm feeling rather pleased with the result so far:

A pretty perfect day

 I didn't sleep well last night: firstly because I was being picked up at 7:40 this morning so had to set an alarm (which always puts me on edge as I'm paranoid that it won't come on or I'll sleep through it), and also because I'd taken the opportunity to drop a large box of stuff at the op shop as I was in a car for the first time in ages: so the energy of the flat was in a bit of disarray because of the removal of over 100 things (did I mention I've been doing an unofficial seven-things challenge for the past year?)

 And my brain was still buzzing because my friend and I decided to go out for dinner after a busy evening setting up last night, and then I blogged when I got home, so hadn't had the time to do a brain defrag before bed.

Which meant that I headed out this morning before I'd breakfasted,and took the opportunity before things started happening at the show to go find some food in the small mall next to the hall (crikey! Say that 3 times fast when you're sleep depraved 😉)

While contemplating a fruit bun or similar I decided that perhaps I could take some quiet time to regroup and have a coffee and sit-down breakfast before I needed to be on duty: and while exploring my options spotted some very familiar-looking pastries, looked up to see a very familiar-looking face behind the counter and was delighted to discover that in my absence from mini club one of my favourite cafes (owned by the chap that used to own the excellent cafe next to my work's old building) had opened a small branch in the mall.

(I didn't have a gold chocolate croissant for breakfast, but I bought one for my friend who most definitely deserves a gold chocolate croissant, and who I knew would have her mind blown that such a thing exists in the first place. Luckily for me she decided it was too big for one and ended up sharing it with me!)

When the roster for the day had been sent around I'd said I was happy to be a floater: filling in wherever I was needed. And I started the day on the door. Continued my day on the door. Spent a bit of time on the raffle table then went to work... on the door.

Luckily I had an excellent one-the-door buddy who was 'also' a new member (quote marks because she's rooly trooly new whereas I'm newly-returning after many years away) who seemed very happy to have me blow her mind in the quiet times by telling her about things like printing fabric at home, printing fabric on Spoonflower, and that miniature knitting hurts a lot less if you use piano-wire knitting needles rather than sewing pins, and who reminded me of myself when I joined my first mini club and realised that there was a whole world of people out there who were just as obsessed with tiny things, and were happy to share their knowledge if you sat (or stood) still long enough.

I found it really interesting being at a show as a member of the hosting club and not a stall-holder for the first time in... decades? as I found my focus was quite different, but at the same time also found it interesting that auto-mode kicked in from the days when I was editor of The tiny Times as I had to remind myself several times that no, I didn't need to pop out and take photos or schmooze with potential advertisers.

The other thing I found really interesting was how accepting and welcoming everyone was. How we fell very quickly into pretty deep conversations when we hadn't seen each other for 5, or even 20, years (or, in a couple of instances, had only met for the first time minutes beforehand).

Case in point: someone I haven't seen in 5 years said that I was welcome to stay with them if I decided to go up for this year's Sydney show.

But I fear I'm rambling and you must be getting a tad frustrated that we're so far down this post and all you've seen is a picture of my not-breakfast (stunning as it was).

So here are the photos I took and posted on Instagram (I took a few more but I'm not sure if they're worth sharing: a job for the morning):

This card-catalogue drawer unit by Ann Dowdall with dove-tailed joints (alas not on the Victorian Dollhouses website that I can see) has been on my radar for a while, but not within my budget. I was sorely tempted but held strong until I have an occasion to celebrate to deserve such a thing of beauty.

Marilyn Pride and Lewis P Morely were showing some new pieces: alas I meant to return to take a photo of the whole of this piece by Marilyn, and the information sheet, but completely forgot.

(If you're interested in their work and are within striking distance of the Blue Mountains, you might like to pop into and have a look at the exhibition they're currently part of at Arts Blue Mountains Gallery.)

This wee house that I spotted for sale caught my eye as it reminded me of the house that I'd bought way before I had a blog, that had never turned up. And I had a hard time deciding that this wasn't reason enough to buy another house that I didn't have room for in either my budget or flat, difficult as it was to make that decision.

My final photo (ignoring a scene of the crowd of shoppers which isn't of lasting significance or interest) was this one of 2 motor scooters and a motorcycle in a parking lot as part of the club display which was themed on a day in the park. Alas I didn't take any more photos of the scene.

I bought a few (more) things, which I plan to share tomorrow once I've recovered, and returned my flat to some semblance of normality.

It's showtime

I spent this evening helping set up for this year's ACT Miniature Enthusiasts show, which is on tomorrow

and, since many hands make light work and I'd got a lift over with a friend who was still finishing her task, was able to catch up with people I've not seen in years (it's been 5 years since I've been to a show!), and have an early sneaky peek at the stalls that had set up this evening.

I know I don't need anything, but had set aside a small budget in case something caught my eye (or my heart), and I ended up coming home with a few random bits and bobs: apologies in advance for the bad lighting, but I wanted to blog then tonight as I suspect I'll be a bit buggered by tomorrow night.

First up was a box of old lights which I picked up because I'd like to include more lighting in my scenes and 2 of these looked like they'd work well:

Next I snapped up this Xyron 150, because refills cartridges are currently at least $25 including postage, making this a steal at $5.

(Don't know what a Xyron is? Here's a post I did on them almost 10 (gulp!) years ago)

The final purchase took 3 visits to the stall to decide on.

New Zealand friends will know that I've been pretty obsessed with writing desks recently, so when I saw this bundle I initially discounted my attraction to it as my full-sized obsession getting confused.

But there was something about it that drew me back. And back. And finally I decided that perhaps it was the perfect fit for the dark academia scene I need to get back to.

I was intrigued when the seller said it came from a dolls' house she'd bought from someone downsizing, and that the furniture was from the 30s or so. Even more so when I noticed the 'foreign' stamp on the back of it when I got it home, which suggests it may have been made in Germany and imported into Britain for sale just after the first world war.

A busy weekend (and an Instagram that ate my pictures)

 I was all set to blog on Saturday as I went to mini club meeting, and then on to the inaugural meeting of the Vespa Club of Canberra, but Instagram was being a poo bum and ate my pictures while I was trying to post: and those of you who use Instagram understand that it doesn't spit pictures out onto your phone until you've posted them (and sometimes, as is happening at the moment for me, not even then).

So I was grumpy, and didn't want to publish a post without a picture, then Sunday got away from me and here we are. With a picture.

With the annual ACT Miniature Enthusiasts show coming up on Saturday 16 March, a couple of club members were interviewed on local ABC radio yesterday morning.

(Show details: 10am till 4pm at Weston Creek Community Centre, Whitney Place, (just off Parkinson Street) Weston ACT (adjacent to Cooleman Court).

Admission: Adults $6, Children aged 5-12 $3, Children under 5 free.

The club's exhibition theme for 2024 is 'In the park'.)

The miniature show

Yesterday's mention of the 2017 ACTME show made me realise I had the photos I took at this year's show tucked away somewhere. Not that I took very many, as I was rather distracted by full-size-home issues at that time.

(So distracted, in fact, that it would seem that I've completely forgotten what I bought. I suspect not very much...)

This was the first thing that caught my eye: a stool made with an old New Zealand penny, which I thought was a brilliant idea and one I wanted to replicate when I got the time and inclination.

It was part of a modern florist shop, which also contained this scratch-built kitchen:

 and this very English-looking bedroom:

The whole building was for sale, and I realised that the owner was sitting next to it so got chatting.

Her name is Alli (aka the house that ivy built), and she restores and styles dolls' houses to sell to raise money for animal rescue.

Two other scenes got my attention: this one summed up how I suspected I'd be feeling over the next few months (and boy was I right!),

 while this one was serene and classic and in my favourite colours.

(Alas I neglected to note down who made which scene, or if I did I've misplaced it...)

March means miniatures

The ACT Miniature Enthusiasts Miniature Fair and Dollshouse Show, to be precise: which happened yesterday.

Here were the highlights for me:

This garden courtyard scene, which was displayed in front of a canvas from (I assume) a bargain shop. The workmanship and detail in the scene was wonderful, but I thought the sense that the scene continued back and up to the top of the hill was a magic touch.

(Speaking of 'touch' I may have warmed up the colour on the photo a touch to give it a feeling of being taken during the gloaming hour, rather than under fluorescent lights in a suburban hall...)

I was interested to see Rhonda and Scott Coleman's menswear shop, as I'd photographed the contents last year (when they were displayed in an IKEA light box) but didn't blog about it. And I was lucky enough to persuade Scott to pose behind it for a photo:

 It's looking very smart!

I'm always a sucker for a dolls' house dolls house shop, and this one seems to carry everything you might need.

The Main Street Gallery caught my attention. So much so, that I forgot to find out who created it, but past me reliably informs me that it's by Jenny Balderson. (She does beautiful work, which I photograph quite regularly...)

(So I also magiced this photo to make it dusk...)

Upstairs is a gallery space, with some beautifully-made pieces on display, ranging across many media,

while downstairs is the art store we first visited in 2009, which is much expanded in its new home.

Business must be good.

Another highlight of the show for me was meeting Jill Fraser, owner of the new New-Zealand miniature magazine The Miniature Time Traveller.

And, finally, the food provided for traders by the Black Mountain School P&C was amazing, as usual. They fed us scones with jam and cream for morning tea, a selection of hot and cold dishes for lunch and this is what turned up on the trolley for afternoon tea:

(Stall holders at the Canberra show are very spoiled!)

At the show...

I've just finished loading the photos I took (and that passed muster) from last weekend's ACT Miniature and Dollhouse Fair onto FLICKR.

Yay! One more thing marked off the (seemingly never-ending) list.

Showing my colours

 I'm still working through the aftermath of Saturday's miniature show: but this year I'm doing things differently.

Instead of what feels like my usual habit of racing home afterwards, dumping the contents of my car onto the middle of the lounge floor, and then spending Saturday evening and most of Sunday hunched over my computer working on doing stock reconciliation, order documentation, photo downloading, correcting and blogging (plus, until this year, loading the photos into the space I'd reserved in The tiny Times's May working document), I stopped.

 Took a deep breath. Stretched, and poured a glass of wine.

Then spent Saturday evening opening the bags of goodies I bought at the show and creating flatlays. Partly for you, but mainly for me: so I could get to know my new treasures*, and put them away properly ready for use.

It was quite lovely.

While you're waiting to see the photos I took of the exhibits that caught my eye, you might like to listen to the piece that ABC 666 aired about the club yesterday...

(*Although a few are for miniature gifts. Of course!)

Viva la miniature show!

This afternoon it was all systems go setting up the displays and stalls for tomorrow's ACTME Miniature Fair and Dollhouse Show. And catching up with mini friends from near and far.

Plus the best bit: getting a sneak peek at what's going to be for sale on the stalls

and what's included in the displays...

The theme for this year's show is 'Viva la France' and I was taken by the cafe scene above, which uses a french-cafe-themed plate as a background to an outdoor cafe scene set up on a tea tray. (I was informed that the waiter is Manuel from Fawlty Towers.Which I find a little confusing. Did he moved to France?)

I put this flat lay together in honour of the show's theme:

(Unable to get to the show tomorrow and keen on getting your mitts on some of my clearance stock? Contact me (see left-hand column) and I'm sure we can work something out...)