A fair-ly good haul

I did quite well at this weekend's mini show, both with selling, and with buying, and was surprised to come home with a good haul.

First up was a four-piece grey velvet sectional sofa with a chaise. I've set it up with only three of the pieces

because adding the fourth makes it all a bit weird:

But I got thinking that if I bought a second set, I could make a longer chaise sofa plus a Deco-style semi-circular sofa as well.

Luckily my information management skills came to the fore today and I discovered that the set is the Harrell Modular Sofa by Aztec/ Town Square (I'd suspected they were the manufacturer when I bought it), and that there are several versions available, including individual pieces. I plan to buy some more pieces to give my set flexibility depending on what sort of scene I use it in.

From the same seller I bought this book, which I wasn't sure I had, and for $10 was worth the risk:

(Alas I do have: let me know if you're interested in owning it and we'll talk swap or reimbursement...)

From the ACT Miniature Enthusiasts stall I bought a kitchen wall cupboard for $2,

and for 50 cents each, a pink menu board and a pair of silver-coloured trays.

I was excited to discover that Wendy Benson was back for the first time in over ten years (really? Has it been that long?!) and was doing a clear out.

This dolls' house for a dolls' house was $2:

And a  total of $14.50 bought me six bags of vintage treasure:

Three cushions for $6 (I was really only interested in the lace one),

a charm bracelet for $2 (the jug and wagon),

a book of paper dolls and a box with a sketch of a Victorian doll on the front (for $4),

a bag of toys (racing car, hobby horse and first-aid bag) for $2,

twenty vintage tiles for 20 cents,

and, finally, a bag of vintage bits and bobs for 30 cents.

I figured that the blue 'waste paper basket' and large straight silver 'vase' were worth the 30 cents alone, plus will enjoy exploring the other options contained within...

Dianne Cotterill had posies of flowers, which were supposed to be for bridal parties but suited me perfectly as it meant I can cut off the ribbons and place them in my own vases.

And since I was in the mood for daisies, and the club was offering tuition on making them at the 'make and take' table,  I paid one of the children to create 20 stems for me (I know: me being directly involved in child labour...)

I also bought a new Mr Nibbs, as the one I had was far too sprightly looking and I thought I might want to make a scene to mark the fact that he's cost me $2,600 this month in vet bills :-(

(I still have to finish colouring the model in to match the cat.)

And, saving the best for last...

Wendy Benson had a not-quite-mint in package Hanse dining room setting for sale, which I snapped up even before the show opened:

Interestingly,  it looks just like the Lisa version but is packaged as Hanse.

I feel I should know more about this but since it's been a few years since I was so deeply involved in the Lundby/ Lisa community the details have slipped my mind.

I shall make a point of going back and seeing what the link is. In April. When I'll have a lot more spare time.

Anne's Art Deco house

This, for me, was the highlight of the ACTME Miniatures and Dolls House Fair display: a beautifully finished Art Deco moderne dolls house, constructed by Ian Reid and furnished by his wife, Anne.

As Anne gave me a tour of the property she pointed out that she had made most of the interiors from scratch, excluding the master of the house and his human companion.

 I was particularly taken by the French doors leading from the lounge out to the back garden.

 Upstairs there are two bedrooms.The more spartan one, to the left, is either a guest room or used by the master of the house (I forgot to ask)

while the one to the left is in full-blown jazz-age mode.

 The two rooms are separated by a bathroom with all mod cons.

 On the top floor is a third bedroom: perhaps used by the children when they're home from boarding school?

There's also a bright hall

which leads to the outdoor roof terrace.

 The back of the house is just as nicely finished as the front,

 And the moderne detailing is fabulous.

 What you might find surprising is the whole structure is in 1/24th scale...

Totalled

There are two days of March left.

I knew it was going to be a crazy month but I didn't figure into the equation one sick car and one very sick cat (who may well be renamed 'Return flight to Europe' after what he cost me at the emergency vet's last weekend...)

Oh! Plus I had the completely insane idea to hold February's 'Fabric and Fashion' dinner part last week on top of everything else. The flat still hasn't recovered from that mad plan.

But the end  is in sight. I think my editor and I are on track to getting the next issue of The tiny Times sorted next month.The Canberra Show is done for another year.

I sold minis. I bought minis.

I made new friends. I caught up with old friends (and current friends/ workmates).

Did I mention I bought minis? Here's a sneak peek:

(I discovered the advantages of chaise sofas while I was in the Blue Mountains earlier in the month and it seems to have influenced my mini-buying choices...)

Now excuse me: I need a drink. a pizza,  a sofa, and a mindless video.

All in full size.

Tomorrow...

ACT Miniature Enthusiasts 2014 miniature fair and dolls house show

10.00 am to 4.00 pm,  Weston Creek Community Centre, Parkinson Street, Weston (next to Cooleman Court).

Admission: Adults $6.00 Children under 12: $3.00.

Tonight:

We were in set-up mode...

Little in the big world

As promised, March is a bit mad and I haven't had the time or brain space to create any scenes.

 

But there have been a few little things in my life recently.

 

1. I went to Canberra Barcamp* over the weekend. Attendees were encouraged to bring their own nametags and invited to make it fancy or keep it simple.

 

I went for fancy, and knocked this up in the hour before the conference (after two other disastrous versions were put aside) :

It was quite an icebreaker and talking point.

(Image courtesy of Gavin Tapp)

2. The lovely Cider Teak returned to work today after a trip to Brisbane and presented me with this:

She suggests I could have quite a lot of fun with it for the ACTME Miniature Show. I think she's right...

 (*An 'unconference' where participants decide on the day what the program is going to be)

Minis in The Mountains

I spent the Canberra Day long weekend in the Blue Mountains with a friend and really hadn't factored anything miniature-related into our stay.

Until, just before the turn off to the road where our B & B was, I spotted out of the corner of my eye a couple of dolls houses sitting outside a building that looked a lot like a dolls house itself:

 After unpacking we returned to the village of Blackheath to investigate The Old Tythe Barn,

 a wee shop just by Blackheath Station that is packed to the rafters with dolls house miniatures.

The shop has been in existence since 1977, owned by the same family, and is a treasure trove of tiny things.

 I was hoping to discover that they had a secret stash of vintage items, but the only thing I could dig out that was anything close to fitting the bill was this vintage three-seater sofa and matching footstool ($14 for the pair).

Across and up the road a little was the Keith Rowe Gallery, and in the front window was a glass bowl with a Reac chair in it.

 And, on the shelf above, these lovely glass houses. I wanted to buy one but left it too late and they were closed when I went back.

The following day my friend had business to attend to in Katoomba, so left me to browse the shops along the main street.

In Explore Retro, the first shop I went into, I discovered these vintage dolls house pieces, which I snapped up:

 Macarthur's Arcade had these pieces, but at prices I wasn't prepared to pay so they stayed where they were:

Similarly, this Chad Valley tin dolls house I spotted across the road at Katoomba Vintage Emporium stayed where it was, as I already have one.

On our final day in The Mountains we visited the village of Leura, where the only miniature-related sighting was this amazing display cabinet at With Max & Me:

The owner explained that the cabinet was originally constructed for her mother, who collected dolls house miniatures,

 and pointed out the ceilings, which are still intact from its previous life.

And, finally, our base for the weekend looks a lot like a giant dolls house!