"What it means to be a collector"

I've been invited to speak at a Rotary dinner on the above subject. At first I thought I'd just talk about the experience of being filmed for inclusion on The Collectors, but I've found myself curled up in bed or gazing out the window of the bus to work thinking about the question in a bigger sense.

Why do some people have the urge to collect things and others don't? Any thoughts?

One thing leads to another

One of the things I love about the internet is the ability to follow a fairly random path of links and discover something you had no idea existed but feel you should have.

Art Wall had a post a while back on gardening. Not something I'm excited about but, there in the middle of the mosaic was this picture:So I followed the link. And discovered Two Green Thumbs Miniature Living Gardens. And their blog.

Hmm... perhaps I might end up interested in gardening after all.

Catching rainbows

There was a rainbow on the wall at work yesterday. I took it as a sign. Especially as I had my loaned IXUS in my bag so could take a photo.

Good news weekend

1. I won the House Seat Jackpot for yesterday afternoon's performance of We Unfold. Which was doubly lucky as people I know were attending the same performance, just a few seats down from me. I even got to use a friend's free drink voucher beforehand.

2. Nibbs slept in bed with me last night. He still refuses to stay in the house when I'm not there and I'm not sure he ever will. We'll see how he feels as the temperatures continue to plummet.

3. I have offers of help with drilling, camera loaning and internet connecting (although in that last instance I'll call Ozemail first and see what they can do for me.) And there were pink macaroons waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home last night (thanks MTB Girl: I've never had macaroons...)

4. Finally, with no access to the internet, I seem to have a lot more time to do stuff at home. Part of me is vaguely tempted to stay offline and home but I know that won't last!

5. I'm still giggling as I picture my poor burglars looking round my house at my old technology, second hand bits and bobs, piles of books and jewellery box full of things made out of random things glued to brooch backings and other cheap crap. Shaking their heads in confusion while saying something like "There's nothing here worth anything. But we can't leave empty handed, can we? Let's just quickly grab a couple of things and try our luck round the corner..."

The cat is more freaked out than I am

Thanks for all your supportive comments. I'm fine and being typically Pollyannaish (eg: "Well, that fixed the "low disk space" problem on the laptop" "Now I don't have to try and deal with the 200 emails piled up in my inbox" and "Thank God I either blog or FLICKR most of my best images and have a copy of my resume and my final assessment work from last year on my memory stick!"). I think I did a fairly full back up to CD a couple of months ago: now I just have to find it...

J&M came over when they heard bearing two small but important gifts: in one hand, a bottle of wine. In the other, an ancient phone charger that works on my equally ancient mobile phone (it was my spare that was stolen).

The cat was inside when it happened and was still inside when I got home (after the fabulous Shop Handmade Meet the Designer evening) and was (and still is) quite freaked out and traumatised. He's getting lots of cuddles and gentle talkings to and the occasional tour of the bedroom to prove the nasty people have gone.

In terms of help, it would be wonderful if anyone can assist with the following:

1. A power drill (possibly with competent operator attached) to move the window lock from the painted up window to the one that opens and now has a broken clasp since it was forced open*.
2. The loan of a spare digital camera..
3. Information about if it's possible to hook my Mac (which they left behind) up to my existing internet connection...

(* Don't panic, I screwed it shut last night)

Laptopless

I got burgled today. The good news is that the dolls houses are safe. The bad news is they took my laptop and all my cameras, chargers, batteries and CF cards. Like a 6 year old laptop and equally old cameras are going to be much use to them, right?

So I'll be unplugged for the next little while until I get things sorted out. Or lurking at the library internet computers. A lot...

Another video

Friend Kerry sent me this link as she realised I'll be in Melbourne to coincide with the Next Wave Festival and am a sucker for any video containing a doll's house:

I'm posting it here so I don't have to tell you about my boring day knitting, working and reading.

Tropfest miniatures

I finally found some time last night to start watching this year's free Tropfest DVD.

And this is what I found:

(I'm still trying to work out how to make the whole screen show up. If it's driving you nuts watch it on You Tube here)

EDITED TO ADD:
All sorted, thanks to ahclem's instructions in the comments!

I have a spare copy of the DVD which I'm happy to post anywhere in the world. Leave a comment if you're interested and I'll draw a winner on Saturday.

More modern miniatures on TV!

Raum für Raum just posted a link to a German TV piece on modern miniatures. It's all very exciting, except my schoolgirl German isn't quite up to a full translation. A pity as they interview some stars of the modern miniature world in their studios.

And I get a look in too: there are shots of the FLICKR Modern Miniatures group and close ups of some of the photos I took of Div's miniature Rose Seidler House.

EDITED TO ADD:
There's an English version here.

It's been a long time

Since we did a Monday night TV night but last night J&M and Cycling S and I gathered to eat snacks, drink wine and watch the repeat of The Collectors on their big screen whiz-bang TV before dinner.

After the show finished it hit me that last night marked the end of an era of my life which started over two years ago when my CMAG exhibition was confirmed (and much longer ago, if you count when I first started dreaming about it.

I suppose I'd better hatch a new grandiose mad plan for the next few years...

Someone asked me (sorry can't find the original comment/ email) what the "holy grails" I mentioned on the show were.

In no particular order (and I've probably forgotten some):

* The 1967 Lundby flat roofed house (photo from the We Love Lundby site):* A Brio 1960s bungalow (photo from The Museum of Doll's Houses):* A Triang suntrap, even though it's outside the terms of my current Collection Development Policy (photo from V&A Museum of Childhood): * More Vero houses (picture from Rebecca's Collections): * A New Zealand made Jomax house:* Jenny's Home components (photo from Vintage Dolls Houses):
What are your "holy grails"?

Sydney Show highlights

This year there was no big "blockbuster display" like previous years and, as Div has had a particularly busy few months, nothing from her.

I spent some time chatting with M1K1 and seeing the results of her experimenting with a wool and steel mix(those huge meaty things are my fingers)

I took many pictures of this typical Aussie backyard but could never get the focus quite right:(or find a sign telling me who made it)Margaret was there with her (now cleaned up) Mystery HouseIt was great to meet another Dolls Houses Past and Present member IRL!

Here's my temptation for this year, which I found hiding under a table...

I circled back to it several times. Met several Triang collectors while mulling over the wisdom (or lack thereof) in spending $200 I don't have on a house that

a) I don't have room for

b) would be a disaster trying to get home on the bus and

c) is outside my current collection development policy.

It was that last one that sealed the deal. I left the show clutching only a set of battery operated flood lights and a vintage looking knitting needle caddy. And my goodies from IKEA.

Doesn't it look lifelike?

This is one of the first photos from my trip to The Sydney Show yesterday:

Yes, it's of (full sized) IKEA. All my carefully laid plans of a few hours at the show then a train into to town flew out the window when, soon after I arrived, a certain evil person (clutching a large bag of vintage pyrex for good measure) sidled up to me and whispered "We're going to IKEA and thought you might like to come along. We're having lunch there, and can drop you back afterwards..."

After several minutes of mental anguish I decided the Powerhouse Museum could wait for another day and so trotted obediently out of the show and into the car...

Never fear. I did make it back to the show to take photos. They'll have to wait as I am beyond exhausted and will be falling into bed soon after I've finished washing my work shirt from today...

A weekend of miniatures

Just popping in quickly to say:

If your interest in miniatures was piqued last night and you live in the Sydney area you're in luck. The biggest dolls house and miniatures fair in the country is on this weekend at Olympic Park:

Saturday May 1 and Sunday May 2
10:30am - 4:30pm
State Sports Centre
Olympic Boulevard
Homebush

Entry is usually under $10.

I'll be back tomorrow with photos but in the meantime you might like to look at some posts from previous years to whet your appetite.

Gee, that was fast!

I got home from ANU Film Group this evening to find this evening's episode of The Collectors up on their website already. You can watch the clip here or download it from here.

Are you a first time visitor? Perhaps you'd like to see what happened behind the scenes at the filming. Or explore each house in detail (see the sidebar on the left for links). Have any questions? Leave a comment!

This is where it starts...

The first morning where I find myself slipping on wristwarmers at the computer. Soon I'll be pulling the heaters out from under the stairs. Deciding that doing the dishes (hands in warm water!) and the ironing (lots of warm steamy stuff!) are wonderful things to do in the morning.

But first I have to make it though that difficult Canberra period of freezing mornings, quite pleasant days, followed by freezing evenings. And trying to dress for said days without dying of either hypothermia or heat stress along the way...

Juggling

It may be a short week but it's a mad week. A full moon. A sudden onset of Winter (hello, did I miss autumn?!). Blood nose season. Many workplaces. A mix up and a frustrating learning block (neither my fault, I'm relieved to note).

Coming up in the next few days: A party. A movie. A TV appearance. A miniatures show. A job interview.

And, maybe, some dance theatre, depending on if I hit the House Seat jackpot or not. I hope not not as I'm not sure what I'll do as We Unfold is almost booked out. And I don't fancy watching it hanging by my teeth from the catwalk...

The 2010 Lundby Stockholm dolls house

I caught up with my old Lundby distributor yesterday evening ("old" as in I no longer sell Lundby so she's no longer my distributor, not that she's aged and wrinkly!). She told me that she'd send me a sneak peek of this year's Stockholm house as she thought I'd rather like it:
The basic structure remains the same as the original model, with only the colours changing. Most furniture remains the same, in different colourways but there are a few changes: the parents' bed, for instance, has almost returned to the classic 1970s style and the tall white storage unit has disappeared (along with a few other pieces, which always gets me panicking and wondering if I should buy an extra set of the ones I liked "just in case"). The sofa seems to longer be a fold out bed but is now L shaped (with natty throw cushions)

But it's the new pieces I'm lusting after:

Battery powered gas barbeque, anyone?You can eat your meal at this new table settingWhile drinking your hot coffee from the Lundby espresso machine!

Damn them, though, for keeping the rest of the kitchen set the same: new colourways would have been more interesting (hot pink to go with that new sofa and cushions, perhaps?)

If you're similarly smitten the range is available in Australia from August. Or, if you're based in the USA, you can buy it from Cheeky Monkey Toys...

Comings and goings...

Remember back in 2008 I went to Wellington and made a merino hoodie? Here's my 2010 version (not made by me but sent as a present by the wonderful Miggs from Reign, where I interned) It arrived in yesterday's post:(Her version is so much nicer than mine...) Aren't I lucky?

Another hoodie on the move is the one Wendy wears. She's been invited on holiday to the Sapphire Coast to visit Sharon Cornthwaite's studio and help with her work for The Call of the Small!I'd be jealous except I have a couple of jaunts planned myself over the next month.

Call of the Small* update

I spent yesterday afternoon at Craft ACT catching up with some of the artisans participating in my exhibition, Call of the Small in August this year.

Want a taste of what's being planned so far?

* I popped into Ampersand Duck's studio during the opening of Three Chords and the Truth at ANCA Gallery and she showed me some teeny tiny printing blocks she's wanting to incorporate into some miniature letterpress posters

* When I visited Jodie Cunningham she said she's is thinking about painting glass or perspex, possibly in 3 D. I suggested miniature desks or lampshades and sent her some links to miniature eye candy to inspire her (although her choice of colours provides eye candy enough)

* Peter Bollington came into Craft ACT just before the opening of the Epidemic show (which he's featured in) and he said at this stage he's inspired by the Noguchi coffee table

* Jennifer Howlett is thinking knitted garments and accessories with the theme of The Seasons.

* Ceramicist Jo Searle is off to Clay Energy 2010 and tells me she plans to take lots of photos (if she can) of their exhibition Up in Smoke (an exhibition of ceramic art works that will fit inside a standard sized Redheads matchbox) to use for inspiration

* David Hodges tells me he's "thinking of making several miniature books, styled like a fully scaled book, that is with leather spine marbled endpapers and text. Some books will be paperbacks, some covered in a buckram, like a library binding. The text part I haven’t yet fully worked out. I have some very small font but I think the best way is to make an etching plate of the page or pages then print a whole section. Depending on how many I get done, I’d like to make a shelf of some description." I jokingly suggested he could produce our exhibition catalogue. In 1/12th scale...

Yes, I realise that's only six of our ten artisans. I need to keep something for next time. (Did I mention they've all agreed for me to visit their studios and capture pictures of them creating their pieces to share here?)

While I'm on the topic of The Call of the Small exhibition, I thought it would be handy to share the list of links I sent the artisans (80% of them have never worked in dolls house size before) to give them an idea of what was possible:

Call of the Small Exhibition: Useful links
(I've not included photos as a lot of them are expressly marked "not for reproduction")

* Homepage of the Australian Miniature Enthusiasts’ Association

* AMEA page explaining scale. Includes links to famous dolls house makes and miniaturists including

* Internationally acclaimed designers of one-twelfth scale architectural miniatures and doll's houses, Mulvany & Rogers have over twenty five years' experience re-creating historically significant European and North American buildings and their interiors.

* From 2000-2008, Mark Turpin created an exciting original series of mansions and rooms in miniature — the Pine Island Collection. This site is dedicated to the imaginative and innovative results of his years of diligent design and craftsmanship. This virtual museum retains the visual record of Mark’s creative architectural art productions.

* Modern and art deco roomboxes and furniture by Peter Tucker, including lighting.

* Mini Modern blog: excellent (and now defunct) blog covering what’s happening in the world of 1/12th scale modern miniatures. Includes comprehensive links lists to other blogs about modern dolls house miniatures, modern dolls houses and books on the subject.

* Vanessa Tiegs, creator of Miniarcs -- miniature artworks crafted in 1:12 scale.

* Modern Miniatures: A group for photographs of modern dolls house miniatures (styles from 1900 onward). Includes (but not limited to) 1/16, 1/18, 1/12 and 1/6 scales.

* My 1/12th scale modern Kaleidoscope House

* “The Kruger Collection collects, preserves, researches and interprets miniature furniture, accessories, and other examples of the built environment to document human cultural evolution, and serves as an educational resource in the areas of interior design, architecture, and material culture studies.”

* V&A Museum’s Museum of Childhood dolls house page includes a number of historically significant houses.

(Have I missed any significant links that I didn't originally list in this post?)

(*Thanks, as usual, to "the real" (and fabulous) Call of the Small for letting me borrow her name)

On the set

If I currently have no room in my budget (or time) for cruising I can at least admire the work of Charles Brogdon: (Miniature set for The Love Boat)Charles says "As a kid I loved visiting Hollywood and seeing various TV sets in sound stages. I was always forbidden from taking pictures so I would come home and build what I saw.

I have not built a set in 12 or so years and these make great dust collectors. Now I have brought them out for you to see and have some half finished ones as well I am finally getting done. Sets are made of lots of different things but the basis is Lego bricks. A set can take from 2 weeks to a month to complete.Some people build model ships... I build model sets. My sets are...

Family Feud
I Love Lucy
Good Times
The Love Boat
Happy Days
Seinfeld
Mama's Family
Empty Nest
The Golden Girls
The Young and the Restless
Married... with Children
Designing Women
The Facts of Life
The Brady Bunch
Roseanne
Three's Company
The Price is Right
Pyramid
Alice
Murphy Brown
Cheers
Laverne and Shirley
Family Ties

I no longer enjoy watching television today. It's either too mean or too stupid."

For more photos of Charles work see FLICKR (and for behind the scenes photos see here)Charles has produced a book on his sets which can be bought from Blurb. Preview it here or buy it here.