A good question!

Today, Hunky Dory left a comment on my last post:

Do most of your things come from Australia or do you shop 'round the globe? You always find such cool things and it seems so much here in the US is not really very modern.

And I realised it's been almost six years since my post on Where to find modern miniatures. (Six years! How did that happen?! But look how much our little community has grown in that time...)

So, the short and sweet version of my answers:

Do most of your things come from Australia or do you shop 'round the globe? 

 I shop around the globe.

You always find such cool things and it seems so much here in the US is not really very modern

You're quite right, but it's the same anywhere, I think.

And the longer version:

I'm lucky enough that the only dolls house shop in Canberra, Victorian Dollhouses (such an unfortunate name, don't you think?) is owned by people who have an understanding of modern, even though they have a love of (much) older design.

(Yay! I finally get to use the photos I took way back in December!)

Apart from occasional visits to Victorian Dollhouses, the only 'local' buying I do is at the two shows I go to each year: the Canberra show each March (a very small affair, with very little that can be defined as modern at first glance) and the Sydney show each May (the largest in the country. Which, sadly, isn't quite as exciting as it sounds...)

BUT

(and it's a big but) because of the reading of interior decoration mags (Yay! to our local library service for giving us access to many online editions through Zinio for free) and blogs, I can see how more traditional items can be modernised.

I also have an eBay 'super search' which pulls up all sorts of interesting things but I have to say that, over the past few years, I've not been using it much as a) I've been a bit broke and b) I seem to have priced myself out of the market with such intensive marketing of modern miniatures as a hobby.

But, sometimes, on a quite Sunday, I go and have a rummage. And not just on eBay Australia. But also the UK, US and German sites. Finally, my background in information management and linguistics makes sense: I was training to search for dolls house treasure!

I also steal like an artist (odd, because that's what I am: and you are too, but you've probably not realised this yet)

So, to pull this all back to the post the question was asked on. Here's the photo of what I was working on over the weekend  (and I have to admit I felt a wee bit odd sharing it):

And here are the back stories:

'Zimmer frame*' (or desk), desk and school chair: Otterine mentioned them on her blog. I immediately went to eBay and bought the lot. I'm sure we'll approach them differently. (*The fact a Facebook friend mentioned 'Zimmer frame' makes me think in a whole new direction. Loving me some miniature kismet)

Hutch: You first saw it as part of my Sydney Show stash this year (and possibly remember its twin from the shabby chic room)

Sleigh bed: A gift from Jennifer. Always planned to be painted with blackboard paint but sidetracked along the way and now, suddenly, silver?!

Table: Another Sydney Show purchase, always with repurposing in mind...

Bird house: Oh man, this was last seen here in 2007. And, since it was originally bought to go in a house I no longer own, and isn't my current style, has languished in my box of bits for years. Monday night, while reading Elle Decor online, I spotted a white birdhouse and realised I already had one. Just not painted yet...

And I now realise I've probably only only answered half of your question. Next time I'll talk about 'miniature-eyes' (as opposed to 'miniaturise')

Unless someone else takes up the Talking Stick?