I've seen some chic interiors as of late with bold stripes on the wall, either painted on or papered. They add visual interest and an elegant boldness, and the possibilities are pretty endless. Apartment Therapy did a roundup post of some striped interiors last year that demonstrates the range; a few pictures from the story:
I again attempted my own striped interior in the upper level of my A-Frame, this time with some lovely 1:1 scale, violet raw silk wallpaper from my sister-in-law. This paper is currently on the walls in one room of their apartment, and there is some interesting pedigree here. The room was used for a Vogue Living photo shoot featuring actress Rachel Weisz back in 2008, before they owned the place.
I realize that it looks quite different here...! I was not even sure this was going to work, but I liked the contrast of the somewhat gritty house and the more delicate textured paper. For the window, I used a Chilewich place mat for some coverage.
When I review the scene I realize that the space reminds me of our summer cabin growing up, now long sold, which had a tiny nook of a attic space. I loved going up there to read and daydream while looking out the window. Perhaps I am longing for summer??!
Credits: Bed and chair are vintage German; table is LISA of Denmark; night table is Concord Miniarures; footstool and flowered pillow are by minimodernistas; striped pillows and book are by The Shopping Sherpa; light is Lil' Bratz; coverlet is AG Minis; planter is Manor House Miniatures; flooring is scrapbook paper; window covering is a Chilewich place mat. Accessories are from the Tiny Doll House Shop, Tynies, and random finds.
Anyone affected by all the Blogger problems these past few days? My blog certainly was, and I apologize for the fact that the post I put up on the evening of Wednesday, May 11, disappeared, as did the comments I received! What a bummer! According to Blogger, some data corruption during scheduled maintenance wreaked havoc on the service from Wednesday evening forward, and many, many folks were affected. Supposedly all is fixed now, but my post is still GONE. This has taught me to copy the text of all my posts when complete so that I have a backup.
Perhaps that post, which was a scene in the bath of my Citadel, was just not meant to be...so, instead of recreating it, I have gone back to the drawing board to start fresh with a scene in my Kaleidoscope House. I was itching to use a sleek new 1:12 scale Maisto bike that I purchased on eBay (it's all Otterine's fault!!), and it is indeed a beauty, really lovely and realistic.
And for $7.50, not too shabby!
The flooring is one of my favorite Chilewich place mats, and for the first time I decided to use the entire thing. Normally, I cut pieces out, but the K House great room can handle it, I think!
The island is completely hacked: a Bodo Hennig kitchen cabinet on its side with two Crate & Barrel coasters. What do you think? I rarely use dolls, but I decided to use one to verify that the scale of the hack worked.
The lovely green vase above the fireplace and awesome design mags on the tulip table are extra tidbits from my swap with The Shopping Sherpa -- I received them last week, to my surprise. Don't you love those packages???
Credits: Tulip table, chairs, lamp, and bottom of island are Bodo Hennig; top of island is a set of two coasters from Crate & Barrel; chair is Reac; cabinet is vintage German; kitchen unit is Bozart; BMW bike is Maisto; flooring is a Chilewich place mat; fireplace covering is a picture frame; plant is vintage Lundby; magazines and green vase are from The Shopping Sherpa. Accessories are Re-ment, beads, and dollhouse store finds.
I thought it would be interesting to time how long it took me to do a scene in one of my houses. I often mention in my posts that I do a "quick scene," and I know what that means to me but then I thought it might not mean the same to you. I consider 14 minutes in the realm of "quick." I have spent much longer on other scenes, or I start a scene one day and finish it on another.
My scenes tend to be motivated by color, so if I were to dissect this scene it would go as follows:
* Motivation: My eight-year-old son has been VERY into origami lately, and experiments with all sorts of shapes and papers. The rocket ship is a form that he has perfected, and he amazes us with all the precise folds he has memorized; he can do it with his eyes closed! He made me a super mini one, in a lovely shade of electric blue, and I really wanted to use it.
* Choose house: I chose my VERO, which is still in rehab, mainly out of guilt since I still have not gotten around to wallpapering half the house.
* Choose room: Easy. I chose the lovely sitting room with two walls of windows.
* Choose a few key pieces: My new Paul MacAlister daybed, mostly because it is a new purchase and I wanted to try it out. One of my favorite credenzas, by VERO, and a beloved Barcelona Reac chair.
* The rest falls into place: The blue origami rocket ship emboldens me to use similarly colored pillows (handmade by The Shopping Sherpa for our swap) with the more somber plaid of the daybed, something I would not have thought to do. Add one of my favorite lamps, the three sphere wonder by minimodernistas, a coffee table, side table, and rug. After putting in a plant and a few small accessories, I restrain myself from adding anything further.
* Fidget slightly with placement. Shift a pillow slightly, move the coffee cup, push the vase back on the credenza, adjust the rain boots, turn the minimodernistas lamp.
* Photograph. Take 27 photographs, and use a little over a third for the post. I never Photoshop my photos, but I do use the straightener tool to even things out if I've done the angle wrong. I sometimes crop, but not often.
* Start writing this and plug in the photos.
Check out my son's handiwork!
OK, having done this I am now quite curious how you go about your scenes. Share if you're inspired!
Credits: Daybed is by Paul MacAlister; chair is Reac; credenza is VERO; side table is an artisan piece from Fridas Fancy dollhouse store; coffee table, rug, and lamp by minimodernistas; books and large blue pillows by The Shopping Sherpa; small blue pillows are Re-ment; planter is from Manor House Miniatures. Accessories are Re-ment, beads, made by my awesome kid, ELF Miniatures, and Barbie by Jonathan Adler.
Ever sigh with relief and revel in proud accomplishment when you tidy up your work and creative space? I know a lot of my blogger and collector friends find this a necessary, albeit challenging step in being able to continue to set up scenes and play with their collections.
In my case, I have accumulated a great deal of fabric and paper and I couldn't use them effectively because I couldn't FIND them! They were buried under each other and entwined in a mess of pattern and texture (and not in a good way). Also, because this mess had propagated throughout my work surfaces, I had no place to craft, cut, etc., and had to migrate to our dining room table, an impractical solution.
With the excuse of my birthday being a few days away, I decided to kick my childish habits and get organized in a smart way. I reused an old kitchen table and covered it in a durable, silver ironing board cover material for a multi-use surface. I actually wanted to find some neat oilcloth, but the Marimekko ones were a bit too pricey (for now). After cleaning up some clutter in our laundry room, I decided to fit my table in and have that be my fabric/work space:
Artwork by my daughter inspires me
Given this is in our laundry room, I am trying to convince myself that the environment is industrial chic, but I think I need to try a bit harder.
With my work table set up, I then organized all my scrapbook papers, longer sheets of more delicate papers, and wallpaper rolls in my work room, home to my houses in "rehab": the Citadel and my VERO.
I felt much more organized, and decided to turn my attention to a soap dish that I recently purchased at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $5.99:
I definitely saw potential for a room divider (I got two) or a headboard. I chose to pursue the latter, but not before I looked at the plastic card and saw a mate for one of the two Lundby tabletops I received from Julie of Vintage Lundby (check out her blog -- it's filled with Lundby inspiration, and she is an incredible resource on all things Lundby):
(My other vintage Lundby tabletop now lives in Australia with The Shopping Sherpa, as it was one of the parts of our swap; you can see it in the Day Seven picture here.) All I needed was a little glue for the tabletop to work as a canvas, and I put it aside for an evening to set.
My last burst of craftiness was the large pendant lamp in this tidy little scene in the Citadel. It is made from the top of a discarded lava lamp given to one of my kids three years ago and never used. The gooey, yucky lamp matter in the bottle went out, but I decided to keep the top. I poked a hole in the top and strung some leftover wire through. I'd prefer it if it were a bit smaller, but decided to forge ahead.
I'm pooped!
Credits: Bed consists of a soap dish for a headboard and another marble one for the hidden base, in addition to a dollhouse mattress; coverlet, matching pillows, and green filing box on desk are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; red pillow is minimodernistas; pendant light is made of a lava lamp top and steel wire; side tables are planters from a dollhouse store turned upside down; artwork is a vintage Lundby tabletop with a graphic from the soap dish packaging; plant and purse are AG Minis; desk is by ELF Miniatures; chair is Reac; shoes are Barbie; garbage pail is Re-ment; lamp is vintage German; cowhide rug is handmade by Oese. Accessories are Re-ment, ELF Miniatures, beads, handmade by me, and dollhouse store and eBay finds.
When I started collecting, I was pretty rigid on scale. I thought, "I will only collect 1:12!" That quickly changed once I discovered smaller vintage gems from TOMY, Lundby, Brio, Jean of West Germany, and other manufacturers. Furnishings were first, and houses next, and my collection expanded across scales, from 1:10 down to 1:24.
If you haven't noticed, I like to use my stuff, and I try to alternate where I use them. Of course there is never enough space in my houses to show everything, but it is nice to bring things out of their boxes and give them some "face time."
In addition to welcoming the 1:24 scale Japanese Room-in-Miniature set into my collection, I recently acquired a Paul MacAlister patio set, also 1/2" scale--you can read a round-up of the smaller-scaled MacAlisters on Megan's blog, Modern Mini Houses, here and here--and even some new Playmobil (MUCH more affordable). I gave some new pieces a whirl in my diminutive TOMY Sylvanian; a kid's room most immediately came to mind...
Wondering about that building on the table, made with those teeny tiny LEGO-like blocks? Well, a recent trip to my local toy store, Jazams, resulted in a new find: NanoBlocks. I bought the giraffe set and my eight year old put it together for me, but not without some struggles and block-dropping. I used some of the extra blocks for my mock-architectural creation. Here's the finished giraffe, just under four inches high:
In case you were interested in a closer look at some of the MacAlister patio pieces, here you go:
As with the 1:12 MacAlisters, the quality is pretty great. I was able to acquire a 1:24 chair and also snagged a 1:12 daybed in the last of the MacAlister eBay auctions, and I will try to share them soon.
By the way, thanks for sharing your love with me on Facebook. I launched a Call of the Small page last month, and I appreciate my new "likes!" The page is an easy way to keep connected in between my posts, especially when I see something great and mini and want to share it right away. Thanks for tuning in!
UPDATE, 4/28/11: Beth Lemon asked for a visual aid to help see the smaller scale better, and I am happy to oblige! See the Reac egg chair swallow the room and the MacAlister chair!!
Credits: Table and chairs, side table and low long table are all handcrafted by Paul MacAlister; chair is Barton; stroller and cat are Playmobil; light is a floor lamp by Re-ment, flipped; rug, pillow, and wall art are by The Shopping Sherpa; keyboard is Nodamegakki; record player is a Japanese magnet. Accessories are AG Minis, Re-ment, NanoBlocks, and dollhouse store finds.
Acrylic and nut turnings by Marais Amshoff at the Toy & Miniature Museum in Kansas City
We just got back from Kansas City, and had a great time visiting with my brother and his family. We all had a ball on our little excursions around town, and our kids had some phenomenal moments with their two sweet cousins and some extended family (including the family dogs).
One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Toy & Miniature Museum of Kansas City. Jamie Berry, the Director, graciously allowed me and my brother in early for a tour and the opportunity to take photos and learn more about this truly amazing collection from her dedicated and enthusiastic staff. This place is a gem, and I have a feeling that many folks do not even know the treasures that exist in this museum, which is situated in a lovely house on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus. Founded in 1982 by two collectors, the Mary Harris Francis and Barbara Marshall, the museum is a testament to their love of collecting, and also highlights the talent of today's miniature artisans, as many of the works on display are custom pieces that date from the last 50 years. The collection is displayed in 33,000 square feet of gallery space and is installed in some thematic groupings, but is mainly laid out for maximum enjoyment, meandering, and of course, long, open-mouthed gazing.
I was in awe of the works and houses...I could not believe the quality and level of craftsmanship. Fair warning: my photos are not that great and they do not do the museum nor the collections justice! Many of the dramatically-lit displays are recessed in the walls behind plexi, so this does not make for great beauty shots. Please go visit the museum yourself if you can; it is definitely worth a few hours (or more) of your time.
I share some photos here, and created a Flickr album with many more -- check it out.
While there were not a lot of modern or midcentury miniatures on display, there were many things that caught my eye:
Some Vitra chairs near the front entrance
Guitars!
Lovely modern seating
One of my favorite rooms - a Deco delight!
Look at the gorgeous bath off the living area
An Art Nouveau-style vanity to die for...
A Macintosh chair and custom vases
Fifties kitchen furnishings
A violin in the making by Ken Manning
A dramatic "how-to" by miniaturist Bob Robertson
Working clock and tea set by Frank Matter:
Rows and rows of wood turnings and vessel creations in glass, ebony, and other materials:
A Frank Lloyd Wright interior, modeled on an actual private residence
Smaller scale wonders:
And a lovely silhouette picture
This does not even scratch the surface of the museum, which, you may have noticed, has "Toy" in its name. If I haven't tempted you to go already, upstairs from the miniatures one of the world's largest collection of marbles awaits, as well as an extensive selection of vintage and more contemporary toys and special exhibits, from Barbie to Star Wars:
Should you go to the museum in the future, please share your impressions. I hope to get back there myself soon!
A number of lovely, one-of-a-kind, midcentury modern 1:12 scale furniture pieces by acclaimed designer Paul MacAlister--one of the first to bring "how to" interior design to the masses via his landmark Chicago TV show--were on eBay over the past month, along with some 1:24 sets. Bidding was passionate and fierce, and prices were high, with some sets exceeding $250!
While it was disappointing to have so many sets slip through my fingers and out of my reach, it was interesting to see this level of activity on these pieces, and of course it was great to have a look at this amazing treasure trove of modern miniature design history. The intense interest in MacAlister and his work is certainly a testament to the modern side of the hobby, and makes me wonder that there are a fair amount of mini-lovin' folks out there (beyond the ones I know and love!) who dig this aesthetic. Megan of Modern Mini Houses did a few posts on all of the activity, along with a wonderful archive of photos -- check out her blog out for more information and detail. Also, Glenna of BJD maker DollStories managed to get her hands on a number of sets, and just started a new blog to showcase all the loveliness called Lumimini. Have a look!
I was quite fortunate to get my own set, pictured above, as well as one additional piece that has not arrived yet. I mentioned earlier that there were some 1:24 sets as well, put up by another eBay seller, and I did manage to get one of those. The prices did not go as high there, likely due to the smaller scale. I hope to share these other pieces soon!
First, some detail shots of my new furniture set, an orange painted wood sectional couch set and coffee table. While the couch pieces do not have the appearance of wood, they are indeed just that, and skillfully painted with flecks to appear as fabric. I was surprised at the fine spikiness of the legs, very cool and sleek.
The craftsmanship overall is very fine, especially the coffee table, which is made of dark walnut. Truly stunning.
You will see that each of the couches is labeled "A1, A2, A3," I assume for proper configuration.
I wanted to give my new MacAlisters a test drive in my midcentury modern bungalow. While the house is in very good condition, it did not come with one of the walls that separates the kitchen from the bedroom. I had some foam core lying around, and was inspired to use some new wallpaper received in my swap with The Shopping Sherpa. It's a lovely minimal textured stripe, and worked quite well!
If there are others who are also proud owners of any MacAlister sets, PLEASE SHARE THEM!
Credits: Sectional couch and coffee table by Paul MacAlister; rug is a fabric sample; pillows are by Annina; lamp is vintage Lundby; artwork is vintage German; moss pot (I added the moss) and newspapers are from Manor House Miniatures; moss pot stand is an AMAC box; brass pot on table is an eBay find.
It was the oddest thing to see my Crate and Barrel Tissue Box House in a vitrine, as part of an exhibit, this weekend. There were feelings of excitement mixed with shyness, mixed with wonderment (is this actually here? will people like it?). But, there it was!
Then, I noticed that two pieces had become unstuck so of course I started obsessing over this and the other feelings went away! By the way, the house is in the Members' Musings exhibition at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ, not too far from me. It was great to see the show, which included painting, sculpture, and digital art. The kids got a kick out seeing the piece, as did our friends who met up with us for a visit in the park. A few more shots of my piece, titled Repurpose:
You can read more about the piece in this post from February. Then it was out to walk the park, and I'd have to say that the kids (and us) were completely taken with the peacocks, who were making a spectacle:
while barring access to the bathroom!
A lovely white one made an appearance as well
This one was near some dollshouse-appropriate artwork:
If you are near Hamilton, NJ, stop by the park for a visit -- there is a ton to see, and lovely walks to be had!
See the black lacquer desk and the pedestal for the bead in the corner? Both are manufactured by AMAC, a renowned plastics company that I discovered at the New York International Gift Fair back in February. The boxes, which come in array of colors, work so well for accents and as actual furnishings. I love the sleekness of these boxes, and I know will come up with other uses for them! Should you see them in the gift shops and other stores you frequent, do pick up a few!!!
Credits: Chair is Reac; desk and artwork pedestal are AMAC boxes; base of desk is AG Minis; plant is Manor House Miniatures; newspaper box is a dollshouse store find; laptop is by Lilu Shop on Etsy; shoes and bag are Barbie; bench is a vintage drawer pull; poster and yellow book on bench are from a swap with The Shopping Sherpa; flooring and back wall covering are from the Paper Source.
What a time I had opening all of my tiny packages from The Shopping Sherpa as part of our January-February-March swap -- heck, call it our spring swap! We both were busy bees making things for each other and creating a cohesive bundle of useful mini stuff and I could not be happier with my treasures! She posted on the goodies I sent her in two posts--here and here--and I'm cramming all of mine into one!
I tossed out to her a few requests for stationery, bedding, rugs, etc., and she came up with a Kate Spade-Jonathan Adler theme with bright, punchy colors and strong graphics.What a great idea for me, right on target.
Care to see everything?
It all started here...
That post card is a Shopping Sherpa original! Really lovely!
The tiny packages in string then revealed pillows, a mirror, bulletin boards, and graphic art -- LOVE the iconic design imagery!
Rugs! Stylin'!
Three luxurious bedding sets! They're nicer than my real bedding!
And what's Teddy holding...???
Vintage posters!
And storage boxes, desk accessories, books, and a matching Eames elephant!
A gremlin holds onto his Jonathan Adler design bibles...
Last, but not least, some papers that will definitely come in handy in a number of my houses.
THANKS Shopping Sherpa!
Another thanks goes to Claudia, who runs a new blog, Lillis Puppenstube. She's renovating some great vintage houses, and I admired the papers in one of them, here. She kindly sent me a few sheets, with some groovy extras! I hope they end up in my VERO soon!
This one has potential for a 70s scene!
Speaking of scenes, I'll end with a quick one in my fish condo, which I have brought out of retirement! I love how all my new items look, along with some new papers from the Paper Source. I am especially taken with the yellow and white one used for flooring. Very mod!
Credits: Chairs are vintage from Sweden; lamp and plant are vintage TOMY; stool and side table are vintage German; clock is Bandai; pillows, storage boxes, silkscreen, and books are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; apples and trash can are AG Minis.
I am thrilled to now own a lovely Japanese-made miniature furniture set, after what seemed like a long journey!
I first saw the couch and chair and other pieces on Mini Modern's blog back in 2008, when she used them in her Lundby Stockholm, and they were labeled as 1:18 scale Japanese-made "Pacifico." Then, I saw them again on Amy's blog in early 2010, after she found them for $4 in a thrift shop (Amy is a lucky duck!). Then, Susan showed even more of the pieces on her blog earlier this year, when she used them in her Built-Rite house. This time, Susan provided so much helpful information on the set, namely an ad from the 1964 Sears Christmas catalogue that showed the three rooms in miniature for sale ($3.99/room):
Page 71 of 1964 Sears Christmas catalogue - image courtesy of www.wishbookweb.com
This information was great to have, and it was also interesting to see that the pieces (and many accessories) were sold as rooms with interior decorating possibilities, with tracks/brackets, wall panels, and wall-to-wall carpeting. It is no surprise that the Irwin Decorator Set is in the same catalogue, five pages earlier (images courtesy www.wishbookweb.com as well).
My pieces arrived in the original box, but not in a room box as originally sold. I do wonder if anyone has ever seen these original room boxes or the accessories. The box for the furniture features a cool shadowed dot pattern that gives off an optical illusion of three dimensionality:
I noticed a manufacturer's sticker on the front bottom left corner, which says "Imperial Imports Japan":
There was also some writing on the side: "NY-33":
Perhaps this was some notation for Sears? Not sure. Google searches on Imperial Imports did not turn up anything of note.
The inside of the box showed the traces of elastic that held all the pieces in place:
As it states in the Sears ad, the set is closest to 1:24 scale, which is not normally the scale I use, but some of the pieces are transferable to a 1:16 or even a 1:12 environment. All of the pieces are so incredibly well-made and exceedingly delicate. I am glad I decided to unpack them all alone on a table, cleared of other things.
One of the first pieces I was excited to see was the dining room table -- with an adjustable leaf!
The smallest of the pieces are the turquoise-padded dining chairs, with their wispy chair backs and tapered legs -- gorgeous!
The dresser might be transferable to a 1:12 environment, but definitely can work in 1:16. Again, very delicate handiwork, with working drawers:
The wood just glows on these pieces, even after 40 + years!!!
The infamous chair and couch that first caught my eye back in 2008 did not disappoint, although one bottom strut piece on the couch was broken, the only flaw in the set. I paired them with the various white, shiny-topped tables, so modern:
Here's the front and back of the tables -- lovely!
Next, I played with the modular shelving units, which are so versatile and can definitely work in 1:12 and 1:16 scale, for a variety of purposes. There are open units, and a few with sliding white doors and sliding plexi doors.
The bed and chaise are definitely 1:24 scale. The bedding top comes off from the wooden platform, and both pieces have the same stiff pillows as the living room set, but in a lighter flower pattern (not so much to my liking, actually)
You may have noticed some very cool books in the pictures with the couch and chair -- this is a mini preview of my next post, which will feature the goodies in my swap package from The Shopping Sherpa. Here's a teaser:
She showed my treats here and here. Can't wait to share mine with you!
As I was photographing this scene in my midcentury modern bungalow, I kept thinking moody, moody. Not sad, just moody. Perhaps it is the lighting, or the color scheme that developed as I put it together, but in the end, I am happy with the way the moodiness reigned.
See those ottomans? They are quite minimal, modular pieces by Concord, $4.95 for the pair! Lemon Cadet tipped me off on them. I decided to use them without the tops, which are slightly rounded and come right off. Lemon Cadet used them here, and removed the legs but kept the tops -- check out the rest of her Flickr stream too, with lots of Petite Princess treasures and other vintage pieces.
The artwork on the wall is by Mark Manders, who has a traveling show on view now at the Aspen Art Museum -- Parallel Occurrences/Documented Assignments. Very interesting work, and I do like the piece pictured here, Ramble-room Chair (2010).
A last bit, no moodiness here: my Crate and Barrel tissue box house featured in a post last month was chosen for an exhibit, Members' Musings, at Grounds for Sculpture, here in central New Jersey. You can read more here about the show, which opens on April 9 and runs through June 5. If you are nearby, check it out!
Credits: Dining table is Bodo Hennig; couch (VERO?), credenza (Crailsheimer?), and watering can (Bodo Hennig?) are vintage German; Arc lamp and lucite dining chairs are eBay finds; rug is vintage TOMY; plant is AG Minis; Barcelona chair is Reac; pillows on couch are by Annina; pillow on chair is by minimodernistas; ottomans are Concord Miniatures; artwork is by Mark Manders. Accessories are beads from Pubdoll, AG Minis, Re-ment, Delph, and eBay finds.
Once my TOMY Smaller Home and Garden came to live in my dollhouse room, it ended up facing my Kaleidoscope House. They couldn't be more different, of course--not only in scale and shape, but color. The K House is a multi-colored gem that shifts hues as you play in it and move the plexi panels, while the TOMY is a study in neutral yellows, tans, and browns.
I worked on a scene in the K House that was all about bold strokes of color. This is a case where I would only do this in 1:12 scale, instead of my 1:1 life. I picked up the table base in the clearance section of TJ Maxx for $2, and have no clue what is supposed to be. I am sure that there are pieces to it missing. It has the word "limonata" on it, which I know is a tasty fizzy drink, but who knows.
See the blond wood flooring (it's actually a sheet from the Paper Source)? What do you think of this look for the K House? This is my first time experimenting with any wood-type flooring here. I think I dig it.
After finishing that scene, I decided to throw a very quick one together "across the street" in the TOMY. Thus far I have only set up scenes in the upstairs, so I decided to use the living room space. Really only 1:16 or smaller works in this room -- most of the 1:12 pieces I tried looked so gigantic. So in went my vintage LISA set and a diminutive 1:12-scale PRD Miniatures coffee table along with some other neutral pieces.
Quite the opposite of the limonata, eh?
Credits: K House: Table base is from TJ Maxx, and top of the table is a holiday ornament from Crate and Barrel; Eames molded chairs are Reac; desk chair is vintage Wolverine; desk is a plastic box; plant is vintage TOMY; wall art is a jewelry charm from Michaels, and the wallpaper is also from there; fixture is by Bozart; record player on top shelf is from a set of Japanese magnets; wood flooring is from the Paper Source; rug is Peppercorn Minis. Accessories are Re-ment, AG Minis, beads from Pubdoll, ELF Miniatures, and dollhouse store finds. TOMY: Couch and chairs are vintage LISA; standing lamp and plant are vintage Lundby; coffee table is PRD Miniatures; side table is vintage German, as is the table lamp; logs are a train layout accessory from Michaels; picture on fireplace mantle is by Gigi N Studio, and vase is from a dollhouse store, don't remember which one.
Re-ment: I've written about the Re-ment in these scenes with one exception, in the K House scene. The flower pot receptacle on the desk is a tea pot from Fairytale Tableware #4, and is good for 1:12.
I looked everywhere for this play scale model, only to find out that it was on the main wall text only, and was not included in the exhibition!
I had the opportunity to spend some time at the exhibitionCounter Space: Design + the Modern Kitchen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, which remains open until May 2. If you are in or near NYC in the coming months, I'd definitely recommend a visit to this visually rich, interesting, and fun installation of the evolution of the modern kitchen. There's a big design quotient here, so plenty of industrial design eye candy, as well as posters, photographs, and multimedia displays. While there is a lot of content, it is all laid out in a somewhat contained space designed both for meandering and for focused looks at all the various pieces of history. You will definitely learn something.
I did not do a linear circuit of the exhibition...perhaps it was because I was so excited to be on my own, sans the three kids, that I didn't quite know what to do with myself. Or, perhaps I was drawn to different parts of the installation for various reasons. I started with the incredible of-the-moment-looking "Frankfurt Kitchen," constructed in the late 1920s by Grete Schütte-Lihotzky for affordable housing units in Frankfurt. A recent MoMA acquisition on view for the first time, the kitchen is a minimalist lesson in organization and ergonomic ingenuity. And this was close to a century ago!
My somewhat crappy picture from the outside (you could not go in)
MoMA's much nicer one from the inside
Photo by Jonathan Muzikar
Another highlight for me was the range of posters in the exhibition that helped to highlight pre- and post-war imagery and sentiment:
The middle portion of the exhibit was devoted to design innovation in the kitchen and home, from a Dyson vacuum to vegetable peelers, to knives, to bowls, and everything in between:
I also enjoyed the inviting displays of functional objects, such as glass storage containers, salt and pepper shakers, and tea kettles...all of which would easily fit in today's kitchen:
Many drawings, photographs, brochures, and booklets helped with the context for these objects and the trends in kitchen design:
Love this graphically-strong photo by Russell Lee
Clever!
Looks mini to me!
A Tupperware party! Groovy!
My last stop was the section that had photographs and other works focusing on the kitchen, or having to do with food, from the 1960s onward. Some of my favorites:
Laurie Simmons' kitchen view - in miniature!
Cindy Sherman - love her work
I have to admit that the whole time I was keeping a look out for that play scale kitchen that appears in all the ads for the show, but alas, it was only to be found on the introductory wall text!
Do visit the exhibition if you can and swing by the store too. If you can't make it to the show, the museum's website for it is filled with information, videos, resources, etc. -- have a look!
A last note: I created a Call of the Small page on Facebook as a way to keep connected to my readers -- if you are on Facebook, like me! I have a gadget on the sidebar of my blog. Thanks!
I am thrilled to share the results of some hard work and fun during some weeks in late December and early January. I hinted at something in this post, and I can now finally let you know that my photography and styling of a modern miniature interior is in the April 2011 issue of Ladies' Home Journal!
Back in late December, I was approached by Clare Lissaman, the photo director for the magazine, which, with a circulation of four million, is one of the more widely-read lifestyle publications in the U.S. She had seen my blog in the New York Times article from April 2010 and had an interesting idea for photography for an article they had planned on decluttering your home (and life). Could I create a very messy, messy interior in one of my dollhouses, and then neaten it all up? Could I come up with the concept for the room, style it, and then photograph both the messy and the neat scenes in an identical fashion? And could I complete it in a matter of weeks?
Y E S!
I felt very flattered and honored to be asked and really wanted to make the most of the opportunity. Once we had agreed that the main room in my Citadel would serve as the "set," I came up with the basic layout of the room (living area with office and small eating space), and turned to the article for inspiration. Some of the ideas that resonated with me were: use furniture such as an IKEA Expedit shelf for neat storage and display of items; select just some of your children's artwork and frame the pieces, instead of keeping every little scribble; use filing folders and other accessories to better organize your work space.
Inspired, I contacted Elisabeth Le Pla of ELF Miniatures, Doris Nathanson of minimodernistas, and Paris Renfroe of PRD Miniatures to purchase some key pieces of furniture and accessories. Each artisan worked very quickly to make and send their pieces by early January, and I set to work. I wanted to create the basics of the scenes and provide test shots to the magazine to ensure that everything was on track.
Here's a look at early iterations of the messy and neat rooms:
As you can see, my original concept was to have the messy room not have the final pieces that appear in the neat scene. The magazine thought it best to have identical pieces of furniture used in both scenes, and have their placement in the room match. In addition, I had to adjust the overall lighting, the color of the rugs, and had to photograph both scenes from the same exact angle. And the kicker: I was asked to hire a hand model to reach into the neat scene and provide a sense of scale. I hired one for an afternoon and crossed my fingers that her lovely hands would do the talking. I also worked on the lighting by putting a fixture on the roof and shining it on a board that reflected more natural light into the house.
My next efforts were more on target:
LOTS of trial and error with the hand model -- and look at all that mess above and below!
After refining the hand model pose in the neat scene, I was told to mess things up even more, and to make an exaggerated level of clutter with more clothing, shoes, papers, bags, etc. This was hard, folks, very hard, since I am used to creating more ordered scenes instead of ordered chaos! Realizing I did not have much in the way of shoes or clothing, I bought some Barbie and Liv doll accessories at Target and put them everywhere, short of hanging them from the ceiling!
The final results:
Only part of the hand model's arm made it into the final picture
I finished the job in mid-January and have been on pins and needles waiting to see the final print copy, which hits the newsstands tomorrow; here's an advance pdf with web quality -- I hope to post an actual scan soon:
The online version is here. The nice folks over at the magazine did a blog post about the back story behind the story here -- check it out!
I am incredibly pleased with the outcome and am so happy that I was able to make a contribution to the issue. I am also grateful for Clare's faith in me and in this unique concept, and I hope to work with them in the future!
A BIG THANKS to everyone who has voted for Call of the Small for Best Miniature Blog in About.com's Readers' Choice Awards. Right now it is looking like I have a good shot at third place, but I'd appreciate your last votes today (if you haven't voted already) and tomorrow. The voting ends tomorrow, March 8. You can vote HERE.Voting is now closed.Thanks for your enthusiasm and support!
Credits: I wanted to point out the lovely artisan work used in the scenes - thank you all! Desk and Expedit shelving by ELF Miniatures; Blanca TV shelving unit by PRD Miniatures; Long and Low couch, Japanese pillows, Eames Hang-it-All, globe lamp, and green rug in office by minimodernistas; the pink sparkly high heels in the foreground are by Patrizia Santi and were won in one of her giveaways. The Eames chairs are Reac; the table is vintage German; the side tables are from Fridas Fancy. There are countless accessories in the scenes and I know I will not be able to note them all, but the majority are by Re-ment, ELF Miniatures, AG Minis, Manor House Miniatures, Barbie by Jonathan Adler, Barbie, Liv, Nancy Tobey, Peppercorn Minis, Jazams, beads and craft store finds, and Lilu Shop on Etsy.
A quick post to share an exciting new purchase: an Arne Jacobsen-designed 1:16 couch made by Brio in the mid-1960s. In addition to being lovely to look at, it is heavy and quite surprisingly substantial for a somewhat small perch. This is one holy grail that I can now happily cross off my list!
While the upper level of my Citadel house is not necessarily the obvious location for this diminutive piece, I think it works. There is some sewing going on here, with a neat Re-ment machine, which I got as a blind box from Toy Tokyo. Lucky! This set is from 2006 and tricky to get; when you can find it, the price tends to be much, much more than the $7.99 I spent...love when that happens.
A reminder to cast your final votes for Call of the Small as Best Miniature Blog in About.com's Readers' Choice Awards! Voting ends on Tuesday, March 8, so cast a vote *daily* until 11:59 p.m. that day! Vote HERE. Thanks so much for your support!
Credits: Couch is by Brio; bench is a drawer pull; Barcelona chair and zigzag chairs are Reac; console is by Paris Renfroe; rug and Japanese pillow is by minimodernistas; sewing machine and basket by Re-ment; plant pot is Manor House Miniatures and plant is an aquarium plant; wall art includes charms and scrapbook paper from Michaels. Accessories are AG Minis, ELF Miniatures, Manor House Miniatures, and thrift store finds.
Re-ment: The retro sewing machine and basket are from Retro Electrical Appliances #7, and are good for 1:12.
The second best thing to owning a gorgeous midcentury modern Adda-Room set is being able to show you pictures of one from its happy new owner!
I saw this amazing set on eBay recently and attempted (and failed) a best offer bid. I had never seen a set like this before:
Photo from eBay listing
Isn't it lovely? I saw that the set went very quickly to a winning bidder, and posted a notice on my blog homepage about it, wondering who might have snapped it up. It's a small world, folks, because follower Gail emailed me that she had successfully won the set after a long search. Would she share some pictures once she received the set? Yes!
Aren't the pieces wonderful?? I had seen mention of Add-a-Room sets in Dian Zillner's books, but they were from the 1940s and 50s. This obviously is squarely in the 1960s.
Anyone know anything? I know I would be very interested, as would Gail. Let me know!
And a big thanks to Gail for sharing!
If you like my blog and what I do, please consider logging in a daily vote for me in the Best Miniature Blog category in About.com's Readers' Choice Awards. With your votes, I am solidly in 4th place and have a really good chance at 3rd! I really appreciate your support! You can vote for Call of the Small HERE.
Don't we all have a holy grail list? I know I do, and it's hard to tell how long it will take to tick off each item. The Kaleidoscope House was on there, and it took over a year to cross that one off. Brio Mobilia pieces are on there too, and I have just happily crossed off one set: the office! It popped up on UK eBay as a regular auction recently, and then disappeared, only to come back as a BIN. There was a bathroom and kitchen set as well, all mint, as well as another office set. I actually tipped off a collector friend on the NIB kitchen set, which was on his holy grail list, and he snapped it up!
The office is a fab set, and I had so much fun working with it in the Villa Sibi. I devoted one side of the house to it and some other furnishings, including my first piece from the very talented Annina (check out her Etsy shop, here). See that lovely tulip-shaped mirror on the wall? Nice, huh? I also got some pillows, but have not used them yet.
I took a bit of a leap on the other side of the house. A while ago, I bought Ryan's Room "Bathroom and Bubbles" furniture that is geared toward the younger set. While a bit clunky, it is well-made and I decided to give it a whirl. Here's what the set looks like:
I've been in a big silver paint and Japanese washi tape phase, so I painted the faucets over and added a bit of tape to the tub. The pieces are a bit big here, I think, but I do like their simplicity.
What's on your wish list? ;)
Credits: Desk set is Brio Mobilia; rug is a Chilewich place mat; Medrazzo stool is Reac; zebra couch is vintage Creative Playthings; wall mirror is by Annina; wall plate is a scrapbook item; black and white mini artwork is from the Paper Source; coffee table is Lil Bratz; apple bowl, wastebasket, and plant are AG Minis; white shelving, globe, and recycling basket are Re-ment; divider is from the Villa Sibi; lucite bench is a vintage drawer pull; artwork is a postcard showing Kristian Vedel's birds from the Architect Made booth at the Gift Fair, edged in washi tape; bath set is Ryan's Room; rug is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; bath mat is a window shade sample from Lowes; cork stool is from JoAnn's Fabric; flower pot is vintage German; artwork in bath is the packaging from an Ajiri Tea Company package (thanks, K!). Accessories are Re-ment, Liv, TOMY, AG Minis, ELF, Delph, Manor House Miniatures, Playmobil, beads, handmade by me, and random eBay finds.
THANKS for voting for me in the About.com Readers' Choice Awards for Best Miniature Blog! I am currently in 4th place, and have a chance at 3rd! Please log in a *daily* vote if you feel inspired HERE. You can vote through March 8. Much appreciated!
Whoa! It's the Bennett in the flesh, at Toy Fair 2011
I logged in some serious miles at the recent New York International Gift Fair and the Toy Fair, which both took place at the Javits Center in New York City in the past few weeks. These major events are open to the trade (and press, which is how I got to attend), and showcase the latest trends in design, playthings, house/home wares, and (many, many) related products. Major companies, small businesses, and individuals from all over the world attend to show and sell their products--it is a bonanza of ideas, people, wheeling and dealing, and its takes window shopping to a whole new level.
If you have never been, the shows are organized in long numbered rows, which hold booths that are grouped together by category; the aisles look like this:
Toy Fair
Gift Fair
So, this gives you a sense of the magnitude: multiply these pictures by about 100 and that's how much there is to see! The purpose of my visits to both was to see the offerings through my "mini goggles," but I had to be selective since I only had one day for each fair (both events run over a period of days). I will say that I got some *very* strange looks when I said I blogged about modern miniature design, but at least it was a good ice breaker.
The ice breaker was not needed at the brinca dadabooths, however, and I had the pleasure of meeting owner Doug Rollins at the Gift Fair and architect Tim Boyle at the Toy Fair to see their latest wares. Let's start off with Doug, who had the prototype for the new collapsible Dylan on display (I blogged about it here). Doug demonstrated the Dylan and answered a few questions for me as I drooled....please excuse my inadequate use of my kids' Flip camera (I need to get some tips from them!)
It was great to see the Dylan up close and imagine its potential (the scale is still undetermined, but likely will be close to 1:16). Doug let me know that originally there was to be a drawer that would hold a set of paper furniture, but that was abandoned in the interest of making this as light and portable as possible. The paper furniture will still be done, though, and Doug and Tim promise great modern fun. I'm intrigued!
When I met Tim at the Toy Fair, he, too, was kind enough to indulge my lame Flip work, and showed me the gorgeous, gorgeous 1:16 Bennett House. I was happy to see it there, and Tim admitted that it took some late night hours to get this lovely prototype into shape for the Fair! First, a video of Tim and this gem:
Fantastic, right? I really do love the lines and structure, especially the play possibilities when it is both open and closed. As Tim notes in the video, there will be a new line of furniture for the Bennett that will be sold as a group, as with the Emerson furniture. By the way, Tim did note that they are working with a new manufacturer for the Bennett and Dylan, and are confident that the quality woes encountered with the Emerson are behind them. Price on the Bennett: $500-600. Timing for the Bennett: Fall 2011.
Care for Some More Highlights from the Gift Fair?
The Jonathan Adler booth had a lovely showroom space, prominently situated at one of the main entrances. I enjoyed speaking with the staff there, including Starrett Zenko, who heads up marketing and PR for the brand. Will there be more minis from Jonathan (you may recall his line for Barbie's 50th Anniversary)? Not likely, at least not in the near future, but I noted that a shrink gun would come in mighty handy! I did notice Adler's "Junior" display of smaller items for the home...would LOVE those pillows in 1:12!
The "Accent on Japan" section was a real treat, and not surprisingly, there were lovely things to see. I was intrigued by mini paper instruments by Inatome, known as PePaKuRa, or the phonetic Japanese pronunciation for "paper craft." The instruments are laser cut, made out of a single sheet of paper, and they were amazing to see up close:
More paper craft in another booth:
And a mini garden!
Umbra was next on my list. I have many Umbra products that I use in my 1:1 life, but my mini use has involved the ingenious "Fish Condo, " which I enjoyed setting up as a sleek beach pad. Their booth had a storage cube that has serious mini potential:
Even some nice picture frames that could serve as a backdrop, or two could even be used to create a little minimalist environment:
This wall decoration is fantastic as well -- many possibilities here, for flooring, a wall divider, even a ceiling in a room box!
Nearby, there was a fantastic gathering of iconic mini chairs at Karen Alweil Studio's booth, featuring the Australian company Little Nest:
Yum!
The AMAC booth was like a candy store for us modern miniature collectors...
Little gems!
White opaque sleekness
OOOH! Black opaque!
Owner Steve Catechi was very intrigued and happy to see my open-mouthed reaction to the sea of beautiful plastic boxes, some gem colored, some shiny and opaque, in all shapes and sizes. HUGE mini potential here. Haven't we all used these boxes in some shape or form? The company has been around since the 1960s, and is recognized for its pure design by the Museum of Modern Art. I hope to share more from AMAC very soon!
Other Toy Fair Tidbits
One of the four major trends at this year's Toy Fair was "cent-sational," or the "pennies-per-play" model of mini collectibles and mini versions of toys already on the market at mini price points. Anyone else collect those LEGO action figures??? Speaking of LEGO, I thought of my buddy Pubdoll when I saw this LEGO car from the movie Cars, which was situated on the main floor. Over 100,000 pieces needed for that one!
The HaPe showroom was a highlight. The Sunshine Bamboo Dollhouse was on display, along with all of the funiture; while I have admired it on other blogs, it was nice to see it first hand. I had a long talk with the marketing head about the fun and challenges of producing and promoting these houses. I took some pics of the one they had on display, and admired the smooth, durable quality of the pieces.
We also discussed their new All Season Dollhouse, from their Educo division, which is a more straightforward structure, but still with an eco theme. I liked the hanging mod light and rocket ship accessory!
On to Plan Toys...we're all familiar with the Green Dollhouse, and I liked handling the furniture and seeing some new items, like the flower bed.
Cute, huh? I love how the felted flower buds are fashioned.
Along the way, another company caught my eye, Maxim Enterprise. They do make an eco dollhouse, the 3 Level Rotating Dollhouse, which has some potential, but I was intrigued by their new wooden modular rooms that you can fit together to create a dollhouse. All eco friendly as well.
They also were showing a barn that I thought could work as a studio to a larger house (sans the stalls), as well as a cute tree house that sprouted leaves! The Micro Timbers were pretty neat as well.
Some final eye candy that I love to use in my scenes: Tynies and the Beanie Eraserz, a line of new collectible erasers created by Ty and in partnership with the Japanese company Iwako. I love Tynies and am so glad my local toy shop carries them; it was good to see all the varieties here. Not just for kids, folks!
The Beanie line with Iwako is incredibly cute, and they feature "Beanie" colors. The eraser samples were on view in an enticing row of plastic dispensers, which attracted a lot of attention!
If you have read this far, thanks for your interest and patience! I had a blast at both fairs, and look forward to attending the next ones. If you went to any of the fairs as well, I'd love to hear your feedback!
Oh, a reminder to log in a *daily* vote for me in about.com's Reader's Choice Awards! I'm up for "Best Miniature Blog." I've received emails from some of you out there wondering why Call of the Small is in last place (or close to last place). If you don't vote daily (once per IP address), then I will stay there, folks! I appreciate your support! VOTE HERE! Voting ends March 8.
I was surprised to learn this week that I was chosen as a finalist in the Reader's Choice Awards on about.com in the category of "Best Miniature Blog."I am truly flattered and am really pleased to be in such good company with the other blogger nominees, each of whom takes a different, fun approach to their craft.
If you feel compelled to vote for me, I wouldn't stop you!
When you go to this page, you will see my blog listed along with the other four nominees; you can click on mine to read my take on modern minis, and then move on to vote. You may vote daily (once per IP address, per day) until March 8. You can see the most current results here. The winner will be chosen on March 15.
Thanks for voting! By the way, if you are not already familiar with Lesley Shepherd, you should be! Lesley is the Guide for miniatures on about.com, which is part of the New York Times Company. Lesley is very knowledgeable, and is always willing to answer your questions about all things mini. Please check out the miniatures forum, and sign up for Lesley's newsletter, too!
Wish me luck, and I really appreciate your support!
When I first got into modern minis in late 2008, I was in awe of the cutting edge style of the Kaleidoscope House and its furnishings, the sleek minimalism of the Villa Sibi, iconic Reac chairs, and vintage pieces from Lundby, TOMY, Brio, and others, which looked so incredibly fresh at 30 or 40 years old. As I continued to collect, I realized that actually there was a serious lack of modern furnishings, and I quickly sought out the work of artisans such as Elizabeth Le Pla (ELF Miniatures), Paris Renfroe (PRD Miniatures), and Doris Nathanson (minimodernistas)--all of whom were brought to the fore by Mini Modern in particular--and accumulated Re-ment in the hopes of a good fit for 1:12.
While I was (and am!) grateful to collect the aforementioned work, I gradually felt inspired to create modern interiors by repurposing commonly found items. So, you may have noticed that I often use place mats, coasters, dishes and bowls, ornaments, charms, scrap book paper, and many other odds and ends. My latest repurpose activity is a room box of sorts, constructed from four white lacquer tissue cover boxes ($7.99 each on clearance at my beloved Crate and Barrel outlet). I had the four pieces on my mantel for quite some time, trying to figure out how I could configure them. My hope was that I could fashion a minimalist haven like Pubdoll's Lego and Lundby masterpiece, here. No such luck. Then I thought I could do something that fanned open, but then they just looked like tissue box covers at awkward angles.
Then I came up with a square shape out of the rectangles, and I challenged myself to furnish each room, as if a house. Since I had the boxes sitting in a room that I pass through many times, I always thought of new things to place or add, so, I'd throw things in here or there and hope that I'd sort them out later.
Well, here are the results...a "house" with a kitchen, living room, bath, nursery, and bedroom!
I considered adding a Lundby patio set on top, and still might. I did the finishing touches today, including coverage for the open "window" panes. I used Chilewich place mats for the living room and bedroom, and a West Elm place mat for the kitchen shade. The nursery has something a bit more unconventional -- a tree! Flooring in the house is embossed felt and scrap book paper.
In the kitchen, did you notice that I mixed vintage Lundby with the new Lundby Stockholm accessories? The cup for the espresso machine is impossibly tiny, even looks small for 1:16!
The sculpture up in the bedroom is a memo clip (with the clip taken off) strung with beads. Other beads and jewelry were used on the walls there. The bathroom light fixture consists of two beads glued together.
This was challenging and fun. I am toying with entering this into an exhibit at an arts center nearby that has a call for any type of sculptural work...but then I would have some serious tacky waxing to do!!!
UPDATE, 2/8/11: I always upload my pictures to Flickr after I post on my blog, but this time, I noticed that one of the pictures of the whole tissue box structure kept getting views and comments. It was "Explored" by Flickr, meaning that it really resonated with viewers on the site! My photo was one of the top ten most "interesting" on February 6 -- you can see it listed with others here: http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/2011/02/06/. Go minis!
Credits: Kitchen: Stove and sink are vintage Lundby; light is minimodernistas; shade is a West Elm placemat; dog is from a kid's game called Lucky Puppy Math; flooring is scrap book paper from JoAnn Fabrics. Living Room: couch and lamp are vintage Lundby; side table is Re-ment; cork table and scrap book paper flooring is from JoAnn Fabrics; carpet squares are by Paris Renfroe; window treatment is a Chilewich place mat; wall planter is from Manor House Miniatures. Nursery: crib and rocking horse are by brinca dada; lamp is a vintage eBay find; shelving is Re-ment; flooring is scrap book paper from Michaels; tree and sandcastle are Jolees. Bath: sink and toilet are vintage Lundby; carpet square is Paris Renfroe; light is made of two beads from JoAnn Fabrics. Bedroom: bed is vintage German; coverlet and pillow are Bozart; file boxes are ELF Miniatures; sculpture is a memo clip from Crate and Barrel with beads from JoAnn Fabrics; flooring is embossed felt from Michaels; window treatment is a Chilewich place mat. Roof: the planter is a napkin holder from Bed, Bath, and Beyond with an aquarium plant from Petco. Accessories are Lundby, Re-ment, ELF Miniatures, Manor House Miniatures, Japanese erasers, and random toy store and hobby store finds.
Re-ment: I have written about the Re-ment in this scene with one exception: the loaf of bread in the bag in the kitchen is from Natalie's French Goods #4, and is good for 1:12.
