Final photos

Believe it or not, there are still things about convention that I've not covered...

1. Convention dinner gifites

Always something to look forward to. We each got a copy of New Zealand's smallest history book (full printed inside, of course!)

and a teeny weeny model of a boy in a plane (by Jewel Lewis, based on a photo of one of her grandchildren)

There was a scavenger game, and everyone received a one-twelfth-scale chocolate fish as a prize.

2. Workshops

I was only booked in for one, the tea trolley by Alison Ede (the 1940s armchair by Inge Veale [PDF link] was full by the time I got my application in, sadly).

It was a quick build, even though my miniature-building skills were feeling quite rusty.

I didn't finish it as I wanted to paint it when I got home. Of course I'm still trying to decide if it should be black. Or white. Or stained... *sigh*

My workshop was held upstairs in the cafe building. Others were luckier with their location: their workshops were held in a hangar!

It was a great convention, and I'm already planning my trip to convention 2018 ('Shop 'til you drop') in Palmerston North.

Oh, and if you're not photoed out, I'm loading some more general pictures to my NZAME convention 2016 FLICKR folder.

But what did I buy?!

My miniature purchases on my trip can be grouped into the following themes:

1. Kiwi-style vintage

Including a lovely simple 1940s-style chest of drawers and hand-embroidered cushions (from a pop-up stall at the delegates-only night), another afghan (from Jackie Smith's stall: I figure you can never have enough miniature afghans...), 3D-printed tramping boots from a seller who was sharing a table with John Duff, and whose name I have forgotten). Plus a pair of binoculars in a case, and a spare blanket and set of paper dolls from a couple of the cheapo boxes that I love rummaging in...

2. A Bach by the sea

 These items were mostly cheapo-box finds. I thought the paua pieces would make great kitchen splashbacks, and the beads came from a good-sized pack that I got for $1 (because we always need more beads, right?)

The picture on the bottom row is of a well-known mural in Wellington's Marion Street, fairly close to where I used to live.

And how could I resist the afghan from Kim's Minis (see above about afghans)? Black. Daisies. Just beautiful.

 3. Food glorious food

 And such good prices (even without factoring the exchange rate).

4. Weird and wonderful

 Because everyone needs a one-twelfth scale bookpress,

 pipe shelves

and magpies, right?

5. Cheap and cheerful

A range of furniture and pieces picked up from various de-stashes and cheapo bins. Total cost for everything pictured: $26.

 6. Tools of the trade

I was excited to find some bargains here, too. The Easy Cutter has been on my list for a while, so I was happy to spot a second hand one with a spare blade for $20. The 12-volt transformer was $5 (Can you believe I didn't have one already?)

The only problem was that, after I bought them, I remembered I was overseas and needed to fit within the weight limits for my flights home!

The lights were $4 or $5 each, and the tweezers a couple of dollars each (I keep losing mine, so I figured I should buy a stash to keep in various places...)

7. A very small dollshouse

 From Jewel Lewis's stall. I love her work.

8. Not really miniatures

Because I'm always on the lookout for things I can use in scenes: even if they're supposed to be cards, magnets or bookmarks in real life...

Miniature shopping

So, maybe I was being a tease yesterday when I said that we were going shopping.Yes, I bought stuff, but probably won't have the light to photograph it properly until the weekend. (Oh! That's tomorrow. Excuse me, it's been quite a week, even though I've not been in New Zealand...)

Instead, here are some miniature shops that were on display...

A row of shops by Weenie's Sunday School :

 My fave was Op-it by Alison Ede:

(Because I don't often see op shops in miniature...)

Jean Blanc made this toy shop:

(Which seemed more like a dolls' house shop to me!)

 Mall time by Debs Hoy (Waikato Miniatures Club, Weenie's Sunday School): shops in books.

(And books inside a shop inside books!)

 Going further back in time, there was this market hall by Racheal Moberly:

 And finally this scene, by Norma Krebs (Lower Hutt Miniature Makers), called Fun at the beach:

Not forties (but fabulous, anyway)

Here are a few of the displays that caught my eye at the NZAME convention 2016...

One-twelfth scale Kiwiana villa by Maureen Nelson:

(I enjoyed seeing some vernacular architecture, and it reminded me of the bay villa I was working on before I left New Zealand, especially as the person who built it had a stall at convention, and a photo of my (old) house in his brag book, still!)

 Also in one-twelfth scale, this distressed villa by Catherine Durbridge (North Shore Miniatures):

Fancy chairs in one-twelfth scale by Helen Palenski (North Shore, Auckland), created at a workshop in the USA:

One-twelfth scale 'Manca^e' by Alison Ede (North Shore Miniatures, Weenie's Sunday School):

The contents were made from various electrical bits and bobs

which were listed in front of the display:

This opulent one-twelfth scale aquarium room was made by John Duff (Lower Hutt Miniature Makers):

(I loved this butler tray in the corner...)

Displayed next to it was this Brooke Tucker oriental room (Maker unknown)

More my style was this one-twelth scale retro Kiwi caravan by Bev Bunker (Nelson Miniatures Club):

(which really was a kiwi caravan!)

Rio Cox (Lower Hutt Miniature Makers) made this one-tweflth scale scene called Monday lunch in Tuscany:

this one, entitled My favourite view:

and this tavern scene, set during the English Civil War in the mid 17th century:

This Sesame Street scene inside a Kermit the Frog head was made by Alie Wakelin (North Shore Miniatures, Weenie's Sunday School):

And Barry Allen (Lower Hutt Miniature Makers), spent most of his weekend working on this fine miniature carpet:

Next up: we're going shopping!