OK, I now have a magazine file folder holder obsession! My last post showed a scene in a clear plastic one from Staples, and I bought three more to think about the configuration for the "I'm a Giant" Challenge. I do like the idea of circular, but then I started to experiment with how the shapes can fit together and how I might create a more traditional house-like environment.
My latest idea is to square off two together (that you can then open out into "wings") and then position the other two on the sides -- one for a garage and the other for a covered patio area.
I know this is difficult to envision with on a patterned rug, and it may not work in practice, but we'll see.
As I was doing all this down in my dollhouse room, which also includes our home office, I saw an empty file folder from IKEA with a neat pattern and decided to try it out with some Playmobil, Lundby, and Re-ment pieces. Here is the result.
With all this repurposing, I am feeling like I am neglecting my actual dollhouses!
By the way, I was on the radio this week, on the show "A Miniature World with Binnie Klein" on WPKN-FM. You can have a listen here. Enjoy! I am also dressing up one of my houses for the holidays for a local newspaper article...I need to get into the holiday spirit a bit early this year!
Credits: Dining set is by Playmobil; credenza is vintage Lundby; hanging lamp and chair are Re-ment; plant pot is by Manor House Miniatures with a Playmobil plant; side table is a plastic storage box from Crate & Barrel; book is handmade by Oese.
Maybe I have figured out the idea for the "I'm a Giant" Challenge...a plastic magazine file! Staples only had one, but perhaps I can go back for more and see how they might work stacked or adjacent. I liked the holes and the height of the space when it is on its side. I set up a quick scene with printed felt for flooring, and papers from the Paper Source on the walls: birch and Lokta Olive and Copper Crossed Lines. I cut a thin piece of birch to help frame out a door where the small opening is in the side. I do like the curved shape.
What do you think? Perhaps a few of these could work for the challenge? I might start experimenting...there's less than a month left!
Credits: Side tables are vintage German; chair is Reac; air plant is by toHOLD; lamp is made of a craft store bead and cork; magazine holder is an eBay find; flooring is printed felt from Michaels, and wallpaper is from the Paper Source. Accessories are Re-ment and dollhouse store finds.
Some letterpress scrapbook paper has made its way into my IKEA room box. It is actually a vegetable bin, but works pretty well as a small, decorative environment. I bought it a while ago and should have bought more, because IKEA does not sell it anymore. Boo-hoo.
I love the color and texture of this paper. It prompted me to go for a garden theme. I framed out the room box with cut-up pieces of a Crate & Barrel place mat and Japanese washi tape to complete the look. My new CB2 ornament chairs add some flair, too, and work quite well here.
The October ***FREE ALERT*** is going on now on the Call of the Small Facebook page. If you are pining for your own bike and skateboard for your mini digs, go on ahead and leave a comment on this photo. Giveaway ends on Friday, November 11, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time. Good luck!
Credits: Chairs are ornaments from CB2; table is from Fab.com; planter is toHOLD; pillows are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; flooring is letterpress scrapbook paper from Michaels; framing is a Crate & Barrel place mat and Japanese washi tape; magazine is AG Minis.
Yes, another house...it's an addiction, folks. Tell me I'm not alone here, especially when you see something really cool and you didn't have to engage over a bidding war on eBay.
Introducing my new (vintage) German-made room box! I have a bit of a soft spot for German room boxes, but my other ones--here and here--are both school rooms. This is my first home.
It likely dates from the early 1960s and runs larger than 1:12, probably 1:10. The box has obviously been repainted and remodeled by the previous owner, so there were some unexpected surprises when it arrived. The paint colors--a thickly applied creme and mottled grey--do not strike me as original. The eBay seller told me she bought it on German eBay earlier this year, so perhaps that seller had a hand in the renovations.
My favorite things? The wallpaper in both rooms, the box window with plantings, and the terrace. Least favorite? Flooring, sponge-painted base, and orange accent wall by the (missing) stairwell up to the terrace.
What did I do about these things? Well, nothing about the sponge painting and accent wall...yet. I could not control myself and removed the ugly vinyl adhesive flooring. I will give the person who renovated the benefit of the doubt and say that the flooring was probably already damaged, since I cannot imagine why you would cover these cool papers otherwise!
Unfortunately, the adhesive paper pulled mostly everything off with it...
So, I decided to use vintage papers for the flooring, to help keep within the style as closely as possible. The beige one in the living area is from my blogging pal Claudia, who runs Lilli's Puppenstube. I LOVE this paper and I think it works here. Thanks, Claudia!!! The other is from a roll of 1:1 paper that I bought last year, along with another roll, which I used to re-wallpaper the bathroom in my Large VERO. What do you think?
The "rug" under the desk and on the terrace are actually wallpaper samples from KremeLife. They make AMAZING 1:1 scale papers and sent me a few samples to experiment with in my houses! I cannot wait to use the others!
Lamp is made of a planter on top of a vintage German wine bottle!
Mystery stairwell!
Yay! Got to use my new ornaments from CB2!
Wall lamp looks original to house
I also got rid of the ugly lace in the window...I am not a huge fan of the drapes, but I think they are original. Anyone know anything about what the original stairs looked like? I searched online and only turned up two structures thus far that had similar characteristics.
Credits: Couch and chair are Hall's Lifetime Toys; desk chair is Reac; patio chairs are ornaments from CB2, with handmade pillows by The Shopping Sherpa; boomerang table is by Paris Renfroe; bed and wooden side tables are vintage German; round side table is Re-ment; desk is by Crailsheimer; arc lamp is a vintage eBay find; standing lamp was my mother's, I believe; wire bench on terrace is by Oragon; large planter on terrace is a condiment jar from West Elm; planter in bedroom is by Manor House Miniatures with an aquarium plant. Accessories are AG Minis, beads, handmade by me, from my local toy store, random dollhouse store finds, and handmade by The Shopping Sherpa.
The time it took me: 37 minutes (not including the re-flooring!)
Thanks to everyone for participating in my UMBRA giveaway! Fifty of you entered, but there can only be TWO winners! Here is the rundown of the names and numbers:
1. Rosamargarita 2. Naran 3. The Shopping Sherpa 4. Mad for Mod 5. Snowfern 6. Eliana 7. Pity 8. M 9. Kikka 10. Tam toum 11. Neomig 12. Carmen 13. Hunky Dory 14. zimzee 15. Mini Dork 16. Maru 17. gingeranna 18. jana maru 19. Patrizia 20. Rocky 21. NarinaNapertaa 22. rechercher 23. monamy 24. Anonymous (Claudia) 25. Allie 26. Anonymous (Melissa) 27. Teruka 28. Fabiola 29. Ana 30. Susan from Florida 31. Craftland 32. FairyWhispers 33. Rosella 34. gracie 35. miniaturista 36. Mahogony 37. Ascension 38. Sara 39. Lyssa 40. Kia 41. WPZ-Sandy 42. maxmazed 43. beckucca 44. T Fisher 45. Maija 46. isabel 47. Iris 48. Marjorello 49. Anonymous (Paula R.) 50. otterine
Which means KIA has won the FISH HOTEL and GINGERANNA has won the TALI WALL TILES!
Congrats to you both! Please email me your full name and mailing address at call-small(at)call-small(dot)com and I will have the nice folks at UMBRA send you your treats!
Thanks again to all for participating! I hope to do another giveaway soon.
Susan H. and I keep an eye out for each other. She frequently picks up treasures at estate sales and if it is 1:12, she lets me know about it (she works in 1:6). We've swapped Re-ment and other fun stuff over the past year.
Our latest swap involved an Asian-influenced daybed that she found recently, marked "George Spencer Dollhouse Collection." Anyone ever hear of him? Based on some quick we searching, it looks like it's from the 1980s. I was so pleased when the bed arrived...it is in excellent condition, and has lovely carvings. Since the piece runs a bit closer to 1:10, I decided to try it out in my Large VERO.
I covered a cushion in some nice Asian-inspired fabric from my local Jo Ann Fabrics store and used another swatch for a long bolster. What do you think? The two enormous heads are from a rummage sale. They actually came in a group of four, and I passed them by a few times before circling back and picking them up for less than $1.
These are the times that I say "What the heck" and throw stuff together for kicks. When will I get to use the heads again, right??? And who would have thought they would end up in a German-made house from the 1960s???
The light fixture is part of a string of clear ball Christmas tree trimming from Crate & Barrel. I cut a few off, tied them together in a circle and strung it from a hook that hangs from the ceiling. The floor is new paper from the Paper Source. I go there often enough that I can easily spot the new stuff. I do like this pattern a whole lot, and I think it helped set the scene -- the actual flooring did not mesh well.
So, that's my crazy scene for the day. Thanks, Susan!
Only a few hours to go before my UMBRA giveaway closes...you have until 11:59 p.m. EDT tonight to leave a comment HERENOW CLOSED for a chance to win one of two great products! Nearly 50 people have entered -- good luck all around and thanks again to UMBRA!!
The time it took me: 45 minutes
Credits: Daybed is George Spencer Dollhouse Collection; cushion is AG Minis, covered in fabric from Jo Ann Fabric; carved heads are from a rummage sale; round table is vintage Brio; chair and dresser are vintage German; pillow is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; planter is a napkin holder from Crate & Barrel, and the fixture are ornament balls from there as well; flooring is from the Paper Source. Accessories are Michaels and dollhouse store finds.
I am on a big 1960s decorator kick, inspired by a tattered copy of the McCall's Decorating Book, purchased at the book sale at my local library for a cool $5. Published by Random House in 1964, the pictures are dripping with saturated color and pattern. In addition to the groovy photos, there are helpful hints about mixing patterns, hanging pictures, and terminology for popular furniture styles.
Want to see some of my favorite photos?
I'm feeling pretty inspired by the colors, patterns, and textures. Hope this fuels some ideas for the "I'm a Giant" Challenge!
Another new (vintage) book find is Puppenhaus-gebaut + eingerichtet (Dollhouse - built and furnished) by Dietrich Kirsch and Jutta Kirsch-Korn, a wonderful hobby book published by Otto Maier Verlag Ravensburg in 1968. This compact book, which I purchased on German eBay, offers instructions for building your own 1960s-era dollhouse, furniture, and accessories from simple materials.
I dig it -- you? Any good books to share?
My UMBRA giveaway is still going strong, but it ends on Sunday, October 23! Comment on the giveaway post hereNOW CLOSED for your chance to win one of two amazing, fun products!
A very quick post to share that I finally broke down and bought a Neville House from CB2 this weekend. I was purchasing some awesome modern chair ornaments after reading about them on Mini Modern's blog, and decided to go for this petite house. My package arrived so quickly that I was caught off guard and opened it right up (I am famous in my house for not opening packages right away. I like to be left alone when doing so and I am very popular here...Mommy! Do you know what? Mommy!).
This is a fun, well-made tiny house that packs a mod punch. 1:16 or 1:24 scale works best, and you need to practice being nimble since you have to work your furniture through the openings. Check out Mini Modern's original post on the house here, and she also posted on minimodernistas' creation with two!
Anyone else grooving on the Neville?
Credits: Chairs are LISA; table is by Paris Renfroe; globe lamp is minimodernistas; shelving is by Miner Industries; cat and plant are Playmobil, and his bowl is an eBay find; blue glass bottle and rug are dollhouse store finds.
Oftentimes, a piece of scrapbook or handmade paper will inspire me to do a scene. If I like a paper, I usually purchase at least two sheets, but for some reason I did not buy two of this cool Vespa paper from the Paper Source. It might have been the last one, or it was a temporarily lapse of judgement on my part, but either way I only came home with one.
I decided to go radical on the opposing wall and do it up in green glitter paper. I normally despise glitter, by the way, but I loved the way this paper shines and it is very sturdy for cutting and hanging. And it doesn't "shed," which is the main reason I don't care for glitter. Do you like the glow here? I liked using my AG Minis Room Box...the flooring is very warm and imparts a nice texture. The black square above the couch is magnetic, to hang the wall treatments that originally came with many of the sets. I decided to attach some magnets in a clock or gear formation...not sure which.
A reminder that my UMBRA giveaway is going strong, and you still have a week to enter! Comment on this giveaway postNOW CLOSED for your chance to win one of TWO phenomenal products, like the TALI wall tile pictured here. Thanks to all who have joined in so far!
Credits: Couch is minimodernistas; plant is AG Minis; Arc lamp is an eBay find; ottomans are Concord; pillows and book are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; Sketch chair is by Diatom Studio; wall magnets are from Office Max; table is my MitchyMoo Miniatures; wallpaper is from the Paper Source. Accessories are Lilu Shop on Etsy, AG Minis, ELF Miniatures, and beads.
I'm stumped. No clue what do create for the "I'm a Giant" challenge launched by Emily Henderson. I mean, playing with dollhouses and designing mini interiors is how I spend my hobby time, right? So, why is it so tricky to figure out what to do? I've been SO impressed by what others have done so far, like Morgan over at THE BRICK HOUSE and even Logan at One Forty Three, who has wood-worked midcentury magic for his geodesic dollhouse! And these are folks who are just dipping their toes into 1:12 scale. Impressive! Intimidating!
Got any ideas for me? Perhaps I need to rise to a challenge *YOU* throw my way! There is a strong DIY element to "I'm a Giant" so maybe I need to go completely radical. Little 'ol Lemon Cadet is dismantling an old Macintosh -- rocking!
Instead of making progress on the challenge, I crawled into a nook in my Brio house and did up a bedroom. You may notice two different lamps -- one is Re-ment and the other is a vintage German shade atop a Re-ment standing ashtray. What do you prefer?
A reminder that I've got TWO opportunities to win free stuff right NOW. First, the Call of the Small Facebook page has a ***FREE ALERT*** offering for a curated set of handmade papers from the Paper Source. You've got until 11:59 p.m. EDT tomorrow, October 10, to comment for a chance to win. And, I am offering two UMBRA products on my blog in celebration of reaching 500 followers -- comments close on October 23. Get hopping! BOTH GIVEAWAYS CLOSED
Credits: Bed and plant are vintage German; vanity is Barton; mirror is by Annina; chair is Reac; square pillows and magazine handmade by The Shopping Sherpa. Accessories are Re-ment, Petite Princess, ELF Miniatures, and random eBay finds.
In celebration of cracking 500 followers, I am so very pleased to be able to do a very special giveaway featuring one of my favorite manufacturers: UMBRA!
The nice folks at Umbra have made it possible for me to give away not ONE, but TWO, phenomenal products as a way to celebrate my awesome followers! I started this blog almost three years ago, and never thought I would reach such a milestone -- THANK YOU for your support!
I love Umbra products, always have. Before I got into minis, I appreciated their functional and stylish modern aesthetic for what tend to be the more mundane things around the house: garbage cans, towel hooks, kitchen gear. Umbra always made things unexpectedly fun. Once I embarked on my modern miniature hobby, I was able to still use Umbra, but this time by repurposing for sleek environments. I absolutely love the Fish Hotel by Teddy Luong, and have used it many times for scenes, and continue to be entranced by Umbra's consistent craftsmanship and ingenuity. I keep track of all they do -- if you haven't already, bookmark their website, blog, Facebook page, and Twitter feed.
SO...here are the two fun and amazing products for this giveaway:
A BLACK FISH HOTEL, just released. I was so thrilled to see this, and it definitely did not disappoint! This is, of course, intended as a sleek fish tank, but I love the possibilities it offers for modern mini living!
And a set of three TALI WALL TILES. While I will not insist that you use it for mini work, I certainly did... the panels make for quite a dramatic backdrop. They are gorgeous!
Here are the rules: THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED!!
* To enter, please leave a comment on this post, and please do share how you use Umbra in your life.
* You may only comment once, and you must leave your comment by Sunday, October 23, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
* Once the giveaway closes, I will choose two numbers using the Random Integer Generator. The winning numbers will correspond to the order in which comments were left. The first person drawn wins the FISH HOTEL and the second person wins the TALI WALL TILES. Once I receive the winning addresses, Umbra will ship them to you.
* My domestic and international followers are welcome!
* Have fun and spread the word...Tweet-it, Facebook-it, Blog-it.
A big thanks to UMBRA! Commence commenting!
By the way, I have another giveaway going on right now on the Call of the Small Facebook page: it's the September ***FREE ALERT***! This time, I am offering a curated set of three sheets of handmade paper made by the Paper Source. Comment on your latest paper project and join in! Comments close on Monday, October 10, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Good luck! GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
Credits: FISH HOTEL scene: Chair is Reac; table is from the Villa Sibi with an acrylic craft block top; planter is AG Minis; filing boxes are ELF Miniatures; filing folders are handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; blackboard is a craft from JoAnn Fabrics; rug is a fabric sample; wallpaper is from the Paper Source; magazine holder is an eBay find; light is vintage German. Accessories are SDK Miniatures, Re-ment, vintage German, AG Minis, my kids' toy collection, and random dollhouse store finds. TALI WALL TILES scene: Couch is AG Minis; pillows are minimodernistas; coffee table has a Bozart base with two different tops made from coasters: the faux bois is by Chilewich and the Eames chair lucite is from MoMA; planter is from Manor House Miniatures; Barcelona chair is Reac; flooring are felt pieces from Michaels; artwork is Bozart.
In my mind, there is truly nothing better when the enthusiasm for minis catches fire. When you are wrapped up in this hobby, you sometimes lose perspective on what hooked you in the first place, whatever it may have been: the smallness of it all, the control, escapism, realism, beauty, fun...
Today, the lovely and funny Emily Henderson, winner of the HGTV show "Design Star" and host of her own very cool show, "Secrets from a Stylist," launched the "I'M A GIANT CHALLENGE." The challenge entails decorating your own dollhouse, be it a store-bought one, a vintage tag sale one, or a DIY one. Parameters are broad: you can do just about anything and let your imagination run wild, as long as it is in miniature. Joining Emily in the challenge are six design and DIY bloggers: THE BRICK HOUSE, Design for Mankind, Hommemaker, Girl Domestic, Little Green Notebook, Making it Lovely, and Simply Grove. Each will be participating in the challenge, using their own spin on miniatures and decorating, and will post on their progress all along the way as they finish everything by December 15, 2011. There will be a celebratory event in Los Angeles in January 2012, where houses will be on display and there is the potential for magazine coverage.
And YOU can participate too! Anyone can join in the fun. You can read more details on Emily's blog, and she even shares the start of her mood board:
Both images from stylebyemilyhenderson.com
Cool! I had the opportunity to meet Emily at a blogger event in New York City in August, and she was great -- so inquisitive, funny, and smart. A super down-to-earth and a regular gal.
We talked miniatures and she hinted she was working on a dollhouse-related "thing." This is BIG! There's a wonderful, collaborative spirit to the challenge, and I think it is great that Emily is leveraging her growing popularity to shine a light on the hobby, enlisting other bloggers in the process. Bookmark their web pages, too, because they already started posting. For me, it will be most interesting to see how non-hobbyist adapt to the mini world -- I am sure lots of amazing ideas will emerge.
I had a hunch earlier this week that I should cruise Craigslist to check out the dollhouse listings. I usually search in New York City and the Philadelphia area, and I saw this in a town not far from me:
The pictures were not great, but I could immediately tell it was something special. The price caught my eye as well: TWENTY BUCKS! I quickly realized that it was a Highland dollhouse by Artply!!! Artply is no longer in business, and this house, sold as a kit in the 1980s, is long discontinued, making it pretty collectible for a modern structure. The original catalogue shot:
The seller wanted it to go to a collector or someone who would appreciate it as much as his daughters did when they were children, so he decided not to put it out on the curb (doesn't he know us collectors have been known to cruise curbs, as well??!). The price was unbeatable, which did make me a bit nervous that this might all be a sham, especially after reading Susan's heartbreaking Craigslist story.
All went well...I didn't get abducted (the guy was super nice and normal) and came home with a Highland for a cool twenty. The house needs lots of aesthetic work -- plexi is torn, dust and cobwebs abound, and wallpaper and flooring are fraying. But, that's OK, since I would want to change it all up anyway. Structurally it is completely sound; no cracks, breaks, and the only missing parts are the garage and front doors, as far as I can tell.
Some shots of my new acquisition--looks quite like a 70s haunted house!
Don't know what to say about this wallpaper choice...flooring is likely a keeper, though.
Intended as a garage...now a parking spot for cobwebs!
Much of the house's plexi looks like this, or is completely missing.
Not in love with this treatment.
Wallpapers definitely not to my liking.
Totally dig the staircase!
Kitchen is haunted, for sure!
Flooring can stay, but wallpaper has to go.
Bath in need of an upgrade!
In addition to resolving the layout of the interior spaces, my biggest dilemma is what to paint the exterior...I do not care for the humdrum brown scheme at all. What about cool greys? A muted white? Wood paneling? The dramatic rounded entryway also presents challenges! It is currently covered in grainy sand and it is not working for me. I have been looking through pictures of other Highlands, like the ones below, to see how others approached their houses.
What do you think? I'd love to hear your ideas so that I can perhaps make this one of my fall projects (in addition to painting my Betsy McCall house). And please do share your own Highland adventures with me...I'd love to see even more examples of this house.
Lastly: many people have asked me how many houses I own, and the Highland makes it 15 (does my unopened Fascination Station kit count? If so, then up the number!).
STAY TUNED for an exciting GIVEAWAYthat I am planning for my blog, in celebration of approaching 500 followers! I'll be offering not one, but two, awesome products! I will share more soon!
Never forget. Confusion. Contact. Reminiscing. Life. Work. Darkness. Light. Time. Bright. Shadows. Moved. Shaken. Changed.
9.11.01
Credits: Chair and mirrored planter are vintage eBay finds; desk is composed of two lucite boxes from Muji; flooring is scrapbook paper from Michaels; Manhattan skyline is a card from the Guggenheim; clock is Lundby. Accessories are Re-ment, from our local toy store, ELF Miniatures, Mighty World, AG Minis, and doll house store finds.
Re-ment: The Rubiks Cube is by Megahouse, from the Family Game Collection #6, and is large for 1:12. Totally realistic, even turns!
A trip to the Crate & Barrel outlet in Cranbury, NJ, never disappoints...for 1:12 and 1:1!! We were shopping for some new pieces for our kids' rooms, and I left with a few cool items to repurpose from the clearance bins. I cleaned out the main living space in my Citadel house and set up a scene guided by a new silver and bronze-edged metal circular votive holder ($2.50). Looks like a magical skating rink! I filled the center hole with a vintage wooden bowl and moss, and for a base, I used a lava lamp cover, which suited it pretty well (its previous incarnation was as a modern pendant light fixture).
I wanted to bring together all sorts of textures, so I added a piece of burlap from the Paper Source and covered my Kaleidoscope House kitchen counter unit in one of my favorite papers from Kate's Paperie. The artwork on the wall is a silicone coaster from Crate & Barrel, also on clearance (.75). For the other side of the room, I used a vintage German table and chair and some Fisher Price tables on the wall, with a sweet Eames elephant and an AG Minis plant.
Like it? The lighting was totally rigged, by the way. One of the beauties and challenges of the house is the dramatic overhang -- the space below can be a bear to photograph without some light through the windows. So...
Ugly, but it works!
Credits: Table and wall art are from Crate & Barrel; chairs and kitchen counter are Bozart; bike is Maisto; desk table and chair are vintage German; Eames elephant is Reac; light fixture and green rug are by minimodernistas; burlap rug is from the Paper Source; plant is AG Minis; wall shelves are vintage Fisher Price tables; magazines and file holder were handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; books were a gift from Margaret. Accessories are Re-ment, doll house store finds, craft items, Mighty World, ELF Miniatures, and vintage German eBay finds.
Re-ment: The water bottle is from Sushi Bar #2, and is good for 1:12.
Isn't it great when you can clear your head and focus solely on one task and on nothing but that task? I had a nice half hour of brain task time putting my new "Stroke" miniature chair together. The chair was a "thank you" from the London-based Diatom Studio for donating $25 toward their successful SketchChair Kickstarter campaign, which was for the creation of a free, open source software that allows you to design your own furniture. The concept is pretty great: provide people with a cool digital tool to design and create functional objects, and at the same time, those people share that knowledge with a broader community who can contribute further. And...there is potential for miniature designs as well!
I chose the "Stroke" chair for its beautiful, undulating lines. According to Diatom, it is sized to 1:9 scale. I'd say this is accurate, since it is definitely larger than 1:12. The chair comes on a die-cut sheet of wood with instructions, and was packaged beautifully.
I should have paid closer attention to the numbers and letters and worked more systematically, but I was too excited to put it all together. In my eagerness, I had to re-do some of the pieces, and broke a few. Luckily, the flaws are not too noticeable in the final product, and I took it for a spin!
Thanks, Diatom! Any other proud owners of these mini chairs out there? Show your stuff! And THANKS to the wonderful Mini Modern for sharing news of this opportunity back in May (and thanks to Paris Renfroe for tipping her off). See, there's already a community of interest! Just wait, we'll be cooking up our own miniature chairs yet!
You have until 11:59 p.m. EDT this Wednesday, August 31, to win some Re-ment and storage containers! Go to this photo on the Call of the Small Facebook page for the August ***FREE ALERT***and leave a comment for your chance to win!
Credits: Stroke chair by Diatom Studio; round table is vintage Brio; low table is by Mitchy Moo Miniatures; planter is a condiment vessel from West Elm with an aquarium plant; shoes are AG Minis; car is a miniature Mini Cooper from our local dealership (gift from my hubby). Accessories are Lilu Shop on Etsy, Manor House Miniatures, ELF Miniatures, Mighty World, and Ryan's Room.
So I finally get shelving up in my doll house room in the basement, and New Jersey goes and has an EARTHQUAKE! In New Jersey???! Yup, the effects of a 5.8 earthquake in Virginia were felt all the way up the east cost today. Luckily, it only lasted 10-15 seconds and all is fine. My first, and hopefully last, earthquake.
At long last, the shelves and brackets purchased for a song at the Crate & Barrel outlet near me are installed and most of my doll houses now are aloft in the room! I also organized a bunch of furnishings in my (not so) spare time on the shelves and reworked the perimeter storage.
Better, right?
I couldn't resist doing a quick scene in the Kaleidoscope House...a celebratory hurrah for that work! Now I just have to keep it all clean!
A reminder to join in on the August ***FREE ALERT*** on the Call of the Small Facebook page. There's some great Re-ment and storage containers up for grabs. You have until Wednesday, August 31, to comment...give it a whirl!
Credits: Couch is a vintage eBay buy; pillow is minimodernistas; side table is vintage VERO; plant is TOMY; rug is handmade by The Shopping Sherpa; table is a drawer pull; light is Re-ment; wall art is an ornament from Crate & Barrel; wallpaper is scrapbook paper. Accessories are Bozart, Manor House Miniatures, beads, and doll house store finds.
The time it took me: 17 minutes (for the K House scene) and I lost count on the organizing and cleaning!
This week, I made it into the city to take in the August market at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF). I was pressed for time, so I focused my energies on the Accent on Design section in the mammoth Javits Center.
The brinca dada booth was among my first stops, and I was rewarded: the final 3/4" scale Bennett House was on display, along with a new line of furniture! Founder and CEO Doug Rollins was on hand to answer my many questions as I stared and stared at the final house (they previously showed a prototype at the Toy Fair in February; you can see my post here).
So what did I learn this time around about the house?
* It's smaller than the prototype, but still opens up to provide many levels of play. There's even a hinged garage and an elevator (hand cranked)!
* It's a straightforward assembly made of eco-friendly woods...Doug assured me that it would not take longer than 45 minutes (P.S. This is not a lightweight house...definitely has some heft)
* Doug and his partner Tim Boyle, the architect who designed the house, used a completely different manufacturer from the Emerson, and are very happy with the quality. Doug does not foresee any issues and knows he will have happy customers.
* A whole new line of furniture is available with the house and will be sold as a complete set for $399 or by room, and prices will range from $29.99 to $49.99 per set. This new line is a *major* upgrade from the Emerson line...real wood grains, some leather, fabric, hinged details, and working drawers. Doug told me that they were designed by Cecilia Reboursin.
* Unlike the Emerson, the house will not be electrified. Too complex, and eliminates production delays and difficulties.
* The Bennett will be a limited run, only 300 are planned and a portion of that will be shipped to Europe.
* Retail price: $599
* The house is still on track to be available in October, and they will start taking pre-orders in the next few weeks.
How about some photos? The quality is not ideal -- they were all taken with my iPhone. The final flooring in the house will be bamboo, and Doug showed me a sample. I took some of the furniture shots on the sample. He also mentioned that the flooring in the garage will be cement-like.
That's Doug making a sale on a Bennett in the background, one of the few that occurred while I was at the booth!
The garage -- floor will have a cement finish
LOVE the stool, and the lounger is pretty great as well
Fabric topped bed!
That's a leather covering on the office chair
Two rugs come with the set
Nursery furniture also features fabric toppings
Lovely shape!
What do you think??
You might have seen the Dylan lurking in the background. Doug tells me the house, which retails for $149, is doing very well since it launched this spring and started shipping in the summer. The final furniture was on display, and I was impressed by the its sturdiness and style. For $14.99, it's a steal.
Here's some video of the Dylan and its furnishings (excuse crappy video quality):
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the latest from brinca dada. Is the Bennett on your wish list? Is the Dylan already in your house? What shall we ask Doug and Tim to make for us next?!
Summer days are dwindling...seemed like a good time for a joint post! Lemon Cadet, who runs Project: Project blog, suggested that we do a joint post with one piece from a pair of very cool industrial earrings by Melissa Borrell. We would use the earring however it inspired us. I have no clue what she's doing with it, and vice versa.
I actually first saw Melissa's work at the New York International Gift Fair back in February (I'm headed to the Gift Fair on Tuesday for the August market -- fun!). She crafts stunningly creative pieces, much like wearable art. This particular pair is Deco-inspired and made of metal. The earrings actually pop out of a flat sheet; check out this image from Melissa's site:
I gravitated back to my Cadet Room Box for the scene and knew I wanted to use some new decorative paper from the Paper Source for the wall; the flooring is scrapbook paper with a green suede-like finish. While I originally thought the earring could work as a hanging fixture of some sort, the flatness of it made it impossible to look realistic. I then quickly decided to use it as an ornamental feature on the credenza, much like a trivet or place mat (Chilewich designs come to mind).
Hope you like my take on the earring -- can't wait to see what Lemon Cadet cooked up! Check out her post!
By the way, I launched my August ***FREE ALERT*** giveaway today on the Call of the Small Facebook page! This month, I am giving away a set of Re-ment and storage boxes from Crate & Barrel. Just comment on the photo and you are entered for a chance to win. Comments will be open through Wednesday, August 31, 11:59 p.m. EST. This is open to followers on my Facebook page, domestic and international. GOOD LUCK!!
Credits: Couch and side chair are Hall's Lifetime Toys; Asian screen and side table are Petite Princess; Noguchi table is by Paris Renfroe; credenza is vintage German; lamp and silver bowl are eBay finds; pillow is by minimodernistas; planter is a napkin holder from Crate & Barrel, and the greenery is an aquarium plant; wallpaper is from the Paper Source; flooring is scrapbook paper from Michaels.
Do you ever think of your miniature setups as a series of still lifes? I often do. This new vintage chair and ottoman set lends itself especially well to a still life...I've never seen anything like it. Constructed of wood with a 1950s profile, the chair is covered in what appears to be oil cloth or coated wall paper, as is its ottoman. The legs are metal covered in red plastic, and taper to pointed ends. Neat, huh? If you know anything about it, let me know. I have a feeling it may be a handmade one-of-a-kind, but perhaps not!
I love this Modella credenza -- so photogenic, and functional. Even the little red drawers open!
The setting for this scene is thanks to the lovely Lemon Cadet...we did some joint purchases recently, and she added in this very beautiful room box to my package! It is composed of a plastic and foam core base with channels to put in three three panels. You can change them out, cover with scrapbook paper or other materials, etc. Nice possibilities, and super easy to store! I hereby christen my new "Cadet Room Box" with this scene -- thanks, Lemon Cadet!!!
I also wanted to share an online opportunity for you mini-hobbyists and mini-makers to share your creative perspective with the world. The Museum of Arts and Design in New York City currently has a very cool exhibition on view that focuses on mini worlds: "Otherworldly: Optical Delusions and Small Realities."As part of the exhibit, they launched an online gallery, "Small Realities," and they welcome submissions that present alternate realities in small form.
I submitted some photos and a statement; you can view it here. Check out all the submissions, and please consider submitting your own work -- it would be great to see the online gallery grow! Let me know if you participate. By the way, I am planning to see the exhibition this month, and will report back.
Credits: Vintage ottoman and chair and Arc lamp are eBay purchases; credenza is Modella; rug is jute scrapbook paper from the Paper Source, and the bird wallpaper is also from there; moss glass pot is from the Lemon Cadet package, and it is filled with hobby store moss and wrapped with some strands from the jute scrapbook paper. Accessories are vintage German and Re-ment.
