AIM Mag February 2010

Contents… Contents… February 2010: Issue No 20, Cover Image: Celia Thomas

Regular Features…

10

18

Artisans In Miniature 2

5 Editor’s Note: Read Bea Broadwood’s introduction & welcome to this month’s edition of the Artisans In Miniature FREE ‘downloadable’ magazine! 15 *New Feature!* Blog Of The Month: Each month Debie Lyons will be looking at a particular AIM member’s Blog. This month it is the turn of AIM member Marsha Mees of Sassy Mini Dolls... 24 *New Feature!* Aunt Anastasia: If you have a miniature dilemma, then why not write to our very own agony aunt for her well considered advice! 28 Through The Keyhole: Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have a closer look at the working environments of AIM members? This month we take a peek at the extensive work space of Patricia Cabrera. 30 Aim Pleased To Meet You: Get to know more about AIM member Karen Griffiths, when you read her answers to our questions. 32 A Touch Of Winter: This month’s AIM Gallery celebrates winter in miniature. 36 *New Feature!* Diary Of An Edwardian Dollshouse: Don’t miss the first instalment of Julie Campbell’s fascinating miniature dollshouse adventure! 44 In Season This Month: Welcome to the next instalment of this popular ‘miniature food’ feature. This month Vicky Guile and her fellow AIM food artisans take a closer look at all things ‘Chocolate’. 58 *New Feature!* Winter Fashion: If you love miniature fashion, then you will love this new regular feature. This month AIM members showcase their warm attire. 62 Mini Aimers: Mini Makes!! Projects for the artisans of the future. Written by Debie Lyons 66 The Miniature Grapevine: Catch up on all the latest news and announcements from the international miniature world. 68 *New Feature!* The Post Box: Why not write in and tell us what you think!

Features…

6 10 18 23 51 56

Cover Story: AIM member Celia Thomas tells us more about what makes the Thame Dollshouse & Miniatures show so special. Walking In A Winter Wonderland: AIM members have come together to illustrate (in miniature) the words of this nostalgic and classic winter song. Comfort Food: AIM member and food artisan Carol Smith shares her very own miniature comfort food. Competition Time: Are you feeling lucky? This month you can win a fantastic pair of miniature gloves, knitted by AIM member Helen Woods. Carnival: February may be cold in many areas of the world, but in some places it is definitely ‘party time!’ The History Of The Knitted Fishing Gansey: Frances Powell of Buttercup Miniatures shares more about this traditional winter warmer.

58

10

Free Projects… 16 Toboggan: AIM member and author Jane Harrop shares her project to create a tradition toboggan in both 1:12th and 50 1:24th scales. 20 Heart Motif Cushion: AIM member Frances Powell shares her romantic 1:12th scale knitting pattern for a Valentine’s day accessory. (Includes tutorial for knitting in two or more col‐ ours) 26 Art Deco Hat Tutorial: AIM member 40 Mary Williams shares her delightful tutorial for miniature vintage winter attire. 40 Creating A Snow Covered Ruin: Debie Lyons teaches her fabulous tutorial to create this wintery scene. 50 Miniature Chocolate Truffles: Why not follow food artisan Margaret Cassidy’s clever project and make your very own miniature chocolates. 65 1840’s Bonnet Project: Doll artisan and experienced project writer Viola Williams brings us her delightful and Artisans In Miniature 3 traditional bonnet tutorial.

CLICK…on Artisans In Miniature How did you find the Online Magazine?? Did you follow a link? Did a miniature friend tell you about it?

...and do you already know about the Artisans In Miniature Website, and the talented members who have all helped create this Online magazine.?

If not, copy, paste and CLICK now – www.artisansinminiatures.com and come and meet us all. Founded in 2007 by Bea (Fiona) Broadwood of Petite Properties, the site has been created in order to showcase the fantastic work of the individual professional international artisan members who create beautiful and original scale miniatures for sale to the public. Together they form the Artisans In Miniature association. Since its launch the AIM association has rapidly grown and now boasts membership of well over 200, including some of the most talented artisans within the miniature world! On the website you will find further information about them and their work; however, please note new pages are constantly being added and there are many members who are not yet included on the site... If you are a professional artisan who is interested in joining the association, you will find all the information there..... If you are wondering what Fairs may be on in your area – that information is there too… We have lots of links…to Fairs and Events Organizers…Magazines…Online Miniature clubs….Historical reference sites…..Workshops…and more… it’s all there!

If you’d like to contact us, copy, paste and CLICK... we’d love to hear from you!

www.artisansinminiature.com Artisans In Miniature 8

Artisans In Miniature ?

The AIM Magazine’s Editorial Team: Bea Broadwood office@petite‐[email protected] Debie Lyons [email protected] Janine Crocker [email protected] Julie Campbell [email protected] Margaret Cassidy info@mags‐nificent.co.uk Mary Williams [email protected] Vicky Guile [email protected]

Editor’s Note...

Dear Reader

Despite the cold weather outside, I would like to offer you all a very warm welcome to February’s edition of the AIM magazine!

Here in the northern hemisphere, winter has so far brought with it much snow and icy weather and many of our members around the globe have also been wrapping up and contending with plenty of the white stuff!

Personally I love the snow… I love ‘snow days’… I love wrapping up and walking my dogs across the fields. But most of all I love the sense of quiet and calm that only a heavy layer of fresh snow can bring. It is true that most winter weather is not always so magical, but here at AIM we thought we would celebrate all that is good about the snowy season.

So if you have always wanted to try your hand at making a miniature toboggan or to have a go at creating an atmospheric snow scene – look no further than this February Issue of the AIM magazine!

For those of you who have kicked off the year with a fresh start and a new diet, then I strongly suggest that you take my advice and skip pages 44 to 49 as these are simply dripping in ‘diet busting’ chocolate – just perfect for Valentine’s Day and all in miniature of course!

At AIM, we too have been inspired by the start of the new year and so we have given the AIM magazine bit of a ‘make over’ (we hope you like it?). If a new look was not enough, we have also slipped some fabulous new

features between our virtual covers for you to enjoy; including Julie Campbell’s fascinating ‘Diary Of An Edwardian Dollshouse’ and a wonderful new ‘Miniature Fashion Feature’ collated by Janine Crocker. Alternatively, if

you have a miniature dilemma, why not write to our very own ‘Aunt Anastasia’ or if you would simply like to give us your feedback or thoughts on the AIM magazine, then do check out our new ‘Post Box’ column on page 68!... So whatever the weather where you are, why not grab a cuppa, settle back and come join us, as we wander though our miniature ‘Winter Wonderland’…

Bea

Editor (& General whip cracker) February 2010 www.petite‐properties.com Please note all AIM members contribute to the magazine…


Thame Dolls House & Miniatures Fair By AIM member, Celia Thomas


Saturday 20th February 2010 Thame Leisure Centre, Oxford Road, Thame, Oxfordshire OX9 2BB The 4th Thame Dolls House & Miniatures Fair is to be held on 20th February 2010 at Thame Leisure Centre, Oxfordshire. This is an annual charity event that has grown from humble beginnings into something very special and well anticipated on the UK dolls house fair calendar. Organised by AIM member Celia Thomas, who trades as KT Miniatures, the fair is also unique as not only is it a first‐rate event with “artisans only” exhibiting (no general traders) but the organiser’s aim is to raise as much money as possible for the charity Breast Cancer Campaign.

There will be 45 high quality artisans attending, more stand holders than ever before, many ranking amongst the very best in the UK. Celia wishes to promote some of the finest the miniatures industry has to offer and says, “I am humbled once more by the fantastic support from the artisans and the general public too, for this event. Yet again, I can truly say that Thame Dolls House & Miniatures Fair is going to be even bigger and better than in all previous years. We literally will be bursting at the seams trying to squeeze everyone and everything in!”

AIM (Artisans In Miniature) will, for the second year running, have a showcase of their talents on display and in fact many of the stand holders attending are members themselves. Several of the exhibits displayed on the AIM table have been pledged to the charity and later that day at 3.00pm, those will be moved over to the Breast Cancer Campaign Sales Table and then be available for purchase. Visitors, who are unable to stay on until 3.00pm but would like the chance to buy any of the lovely donated AIM exhibits, are invited to leave their details with their monetary pledge on a special list found on the AIM Table. The AIM exhibits created much interest amongst the visitors at the last event and the members donations certainly contributed greatly to the previous final total of £3,080.00 raised.

The local dolls house club, MTM of Thame (Market Town Miniaturists), will have on display examples of their work plus their now famous charity Miniatures Tombola, for which talented members will have made most of the wonderful mini prizes! This is always a big hit with not just the youngsters but for those “young at heart” too......and it is sheer delight to hear the “winners” giggles of excitement over their Tombola prizes! As always, there will be a charity Grand Raffle with some truly magical prizes; all donated by many of the stand holders at the event. There is also the ever popular Breast Cancer Campaign Sales Table with a huge array of donations from the public, artisans and people within the miniatures industry. Why not take a peek at a sample of the donations already pledged for both the Raffle and the Sales Table.... Simply click on the relevant links on the Thame Fair promotional page. (see details at the end of this feature)


The prize for the main competition this year is a fabulous second‐hand shop complete with furnishings created and donated by four Wiltshire talented ladies and from what must be one of the smallest dolls house clubs in the UK.... “Violets Cottage Dolls House Club”!

The popular Thame Town Crier will also be back to lend his support and will be collecting with an enthusiastic band of volunteers up in the Thame town centre for the charity during the day, and later conduct proceedings at Thame Fair.

Then of course there is the popular Breast Cancer Campaign Sealed Bid Auction and this year it is different. Not only can you bid on the day of the event, but you can place your bid online now – see www.ktminiatures.com/Auction_BreastCancerCampaign for full details.

The room box this year is called simply “A Box Of Memories” that has been created inside a tiny antique smoker’s cabinet to depict a nostalgic and poignant scene of a lady of mature years (endearingly named Florrie) who is up in her old loft room, surrounded by many possessions of great sentimental value. As she sits, she picks up an old family album and finds memories of days long gone come flooding back. Several specific items have been donated by some fantastic UK miniature artisans and AIM members… So Celia says “Please do have a go at placing a bid – this is a sealed bid auction and with a reserve of just £99.00, could make an extraordinary and valuable heirloom for years to come.”

Celia is donating 50% of any profit made from running this event to Breast Cancer Campaign, as this is a charity whose mission is to beat breast cancer by funding innovative world‐class research to understand how breast cancer develops, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment, prevention and cure. Many families and individuals have been touched by breast cancer directly or indirectly and Celia’s family too have been greatly touched, as she has lost both her mum and maternal grandmother to this awful disease. With a daughter of her own plus several nieces, it is this driving passion in trying to help do her “bit” to help with the research that continually inspires her to organise Thame Fair each year.

There is no doubt that Thame Dolls House & Miniatures Fair is a very special event indeed.... so do come along and join in the fun on Saturday 20th February at Thame Leisure Centre in Oxfordshire.... have a fantastic miniatures day out and help us all raise lots of money for Breast Cancer Campaign too! Admission fees are £3.00 ‐ Adults/£1.00 – Child (with under‐fives free). Open 10.00am – 4.00pm See full details of this event on www.ktminiatures.com or ring Celia Thomas on 01844 212520 if you would like further information. Thame itself is a quaint little market town with a lovely array of shops, restaurants and historic buildings. It is also close to the M40 and just a short distance away from Oxford & attractions such as Blenheim Palace, so if you are coming from afar you could even make a weekend of it.


Artisans In Miniature “An association of professional artisans,

dedicated to promoting a high standard

of excellence in original handcrafted scale miniatures…”

NEW

www.artisansinminiature.com

artisansinminiature.blogspot.com Are YOU a professional miniature artisan??

Do you sell quality handmade miniatures to the public?? Do you want to showcase your work and talents on a global platform?? Do you want to be part of a supportive professional association?? AND do you want it all for FREE??? If you answered 'YES' to EVERY question… Then look no further, AIM is the professional miniaturists association for YOU!!

AIM is completely FREE to join and completely FREE to be part of.

So...if you are a professional miniature artisan and you would like to find out more about joining the AIM Association, please email AIM’s Membership Secretary: Mary for more information: [email protected]

Or alternatively visit our website… Artisans In Miniature 9

Winter Wonderland...

Photograph: Debbie Dixon‐Paver

Walking in a

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening, In the lane, snow is glistening A beautiful sight, We're happy tonight. Walking in a winter wonderland.


Gone away is the bluebird, Here to stay is a new bird He sings a love song, As we go along, Walking in a winter wonderland. In the meadow we can build a snowman, Then pretend that he is Parson Brown He'll say: Are you married? We'll say: No man, But you can do the job When you're in town.


Later on, we'll conspire, As we dream by the fire To face unafraid, The plans that we've made, Walking in a winter wonderland.


In the meadow we can build a snowman, And pretend that he's a circus clown We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman, Until the other kids knock him down.

Photograph: Debbie Dixon‐Paver

When it snows, ain't it thrilling, Though your nose gets a chilling We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way, Walking in a winter wonderland.

‘Winter Wonderland’ was composed by Felix Bernard Lyrics by Richard B. Smith Copyright of images belongs to the individual artisans listed below…

144th Half Timbered Tudor Cottage By Alan Gray of Templewood Miniatures www.templewoodminiatures.co.uk

1:12th Snowman & Children ‐ Making new friends... By Debbie Dixon‐Paver www.cdhm.org/user/debbie

1:12th Large snowman (brown & green scarf) By Philippa Todd of Todd Toys & Miniatures 1:12th Horse Drawn Sleigh By www.toddtoysandminiatures.com Louise Goldsborough of Angelique Miniatures www.angeliqueminiatures.co.uk 1:24th Fireside cottage scene, from ‘A Country Sitting Room’ project book 1:12th Robin by Anya stone of By Fiona Broadwood (Bea) Anya Stone Creations of Petite Properties Ltd www.anya‐stone.co.uk www.petite‐properties.com

Th e N e w

Blog Of the month By AIM Member Debie Lyons Each month we will be looking at a particular AIM member’s Blog. This month it is the turn of AIM member Marsha Mees of Sassy Mini Dolls...

www.sassyminidolls.blogspot.com

Marsha’ blog is lively, vibrant and informative. Marsha initially started blogging to talk about her dolls and for her it has evolved into so much more. Her first post was January the 18th 2008 and so far she has amassed over 200 followers.

She has rediscovered her love of antiquing, crafting, etc… so she chats about all sorts of things on her blog and covers various subjects. Marsha also thinks that it has introduced others to miniatures as their blogs have introduced her or reacquainted her with things that she didn’t know or had forgotten about.

When asked if she found running a blog easier than having a website Marsha replied, “They are totally different. I don't ‘chat’ on my website. My website is strictly for selling my dolls. I have a newsletter I send out whenever I have dolls available for sale. My website takes very little of my time. It's just a matter of uploading

photos. My blog takes a considerable amount of my time. It's not difficult, just time consuming and has become another ‘addiction’ LOL”

Marsha’s blog not only showcases her ‘Sassy Mini Dolls’, but it also shows where you can buy them from and has links to her Etsy shop and her tutorial blog.

I asked Marsha what her favourite widget was and she said, “I've never really thought about the widgets. I guess the translation one so when I visit a blog that is not in English I can easily translate it…” Marsha’s blog is an interesting, fun and informative blog to visit and I would highly recommend it!

Debie Lyons

‘Blog Speak...’

a online diary and an of rt so is og Blog - A bl bbies. interests and ho ur yo se ca ow sh place to use to that you can ol to is t ge id Widget – A w d to the are often adde ey th , og bl customise a sidebars...


Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...

Toboggans, long light wooden sledges (without metal runners and

often

originated

home in

made)

Canada

for

transportation purposes during

In 1:12 & 1:24th...

the winter. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, owning a wooden toboggan to ride down snow covered hills, would have been every child’s dream.

You will need...

You will need to make the toboggan at 1/12th scale: You will need to make the toboggan at 1/24th scale: 1/8in (3mm) thick plywood 1/16in (1.5mm) thick plywood Two 3 5/8in (92mm) by 5/8in (16mm) for runners Two 1 13/16in (46mm) by 5/16in (8mm) for runners 1/8in (3mm) by 1/16in (1.5mm) obechi strip wood 1/16in (1.5mm) by 1/32in (1mm) obechi strip wood Two 3 1/2in (89mm) lengths for side slats Two 1 3/4in (45mm) lengths for side slats Four 2 1/8in (54mm) lengths for seat slats Four 1 1/16in (27mm) lengths for seat slats Four 7/16in (11mm) lengths for uprights Four 7/32in (6mm) lengths for uprights 1/8in (3mm) by 1/8in (3mm) obechi strip wood 1/16in (1.5mm) by 1/16in (1.5mm) obechi strip 1 1/4in (32mm) length for front bar wood Two 1 1/8in (29mm) lengths for seat supports 5/8in (16mm) length for front bar Two 9/16in (15mm) lengths for seat supports 6in (152mm) length of thick thread for steering rope Tacky glue 3in (76mm) length of medium thickness thread for Wood stain or acrylic paint steering rope Tacky glue Wood stain or acrylic paint

Method...

1. Transfer the template on to each of the runner wood pieces. Roughly cut out the shape using mitre cutters. Place the two runners together and sand the edges smooth.

2. Lightly sand the wood pieces. Gently round the ends of the side slats and seat slats using fine‐grade sandpaper. Stain or paint all of the wood pieces, apply the paint or stain sparingly to avoid the pieces warping and leave to dry, before continuing on to the next stage. Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...


.1.

3. Place two upright pieces on their narrow edges and position and glue a seat support in‐between. The top edge of the seat support is flush with the ends of the upright pieces. Repeat the procedure with the remaining seat support and upright pieces. 4. Take a piece of paper and .2. mark a line a 1 1/4in (32mm) (5/8in (16mm) at 1/24th scale) from the edge of the paper. Position the side slats and seat slats on top of the piece of paper in a gluing jig as shown in the photograph, so that the slats are equal distance apart within the measured area.

.3.

.4.

5. Take the support constructions made in step 3, position and glue on top of the slats (using only a small amount of glue) approximately 3/16in (5mm) ( 1/8in (3mm) at 1/24th scale) from the ends of the slats . Take the front bar wood .5. piece and position and glue approximately 1/16in (1.5mm) (1/32in (1mm) at 1/24th scale) from the end of the construction and glue on top of the side slats.

6. Once dry, turn the construction on to its side and rest the upright pieces and front bar on to a runner, the upright pieces should sit just above the bottom edge of the runner and the end of the front bar should sit towards the top of the runner. Glue into place and leave to dry. Turn over the construction and repeat the procedure, so that both runners are in‐line with each other.

7. Complete by tying a length of thread around each end the front bar to create a steering rope.

.6.

© Jane Harrop 2009 www.janeharrop.co.uk

.7. Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...

Comfort

FOOD... By AIM member, Carol Smith

What nicer in these cold winter months to have a delicious homemade Blackberry Charlotte with custard. My preparation board has a packet of brown sugar, apples, fresh bread, a grater, a tin of golden syrup, a messy spoon, a jug of custard and

a

Blackberry

Charlotte pudding. Bread and butter pudding is

an

inexpensive

favourite for many. One is shown on my preparation board. Home baked apple pie is always popular, whether served with fresh cream or

custard.

decorated

I

mine

have with

apple shapes and it is sprinkled with sugar. Artisans In Miniature 18

Hot buttered crumpets with a mug of hot chocolate are perfect for a cold winter evening.

Homemade soup with fresh bread is ideal for lunch, I make pea and ham or leek and potato in real life but the miniature is tomato and basil. Toad in the hole makes a tasty snack, popular with both adults and children.

The smell of bacon cooking is wonderful and the bacon, egg, mushrooms and sausage do not just have to be for breakfast.

Hotpots and casseroles, fish & chips, steak & ale pie, shepherds pie are firm favourites. If none of these appeal ‐ there is always chocolate!

Carol Smith http://www.etsy.com/shop/STARSGEMINI3


Text & Images © Carol Smith

Miniature Knitting Using Two Or More Colours Section 1: Notes for knitters working in two or more colours By AIM Member Frances Powell These notes are designed to help people knitting in miniature only. Some of the notes therefore may not apply when knitting in full size.

1. Reading the chart  The knit rows (odd numbered rows) are read from right to left. The purl rows (even numbered rows) are read from left to right.

2. Working with two colours as in the Heart Motif Cushion pattern  You may find it easier to place the balls of wool in separate plastic bags (grip seal bags are ideal as the wool can be gripped so it does not unravel too fast), or wind the yarn onto bobbins to avoid the balls of yarn becoming tangled.  If the yarn does become tangled ‐ stop ‐ and untangle it at the end of every row.  Always twist the two yarns when changing colour, as this prevents holes from forming in the work, this is especially important in rows 17‐19 of the following cushion pattern. If you have to carry a yarn across the back of the work, as in rows 20‐22 of the following cushion pattern, make sure the yarn carried across at the back of the work lays flat and is not pulled tight as this will cause the stitches to gather instead of lying flat.

3. General hints when using two or more colours  When working in more than one colour, carry wool not in use across back and up sides of the work to avoid too many loose ends that need to be sewn in. This is especially noticeable with dolls clothes, as this causes extra bulk when the garment is completed.  Remember some patterns have different numbers of stitches and rows on the front and back; this is most common when a plain back is used with a patterned front (this is not the case in the cushion pattern below).  Patterns designed for two or more colours will usually not knit up in a single colour, as the number of stitches will be too great, therefore the finished garment will be much too big.  When carrying yarns across behind the work NEVER carry yarns across more than 5 stitches. To weave yarns in just twist the yarn being carried with the working yarn. The simplest way to do this is to place the yarn being carried over the working yarn before working the next stitch.  Before working the next stitch in the colour being carried, slightly stretch the work to ease the carried yarn across the back of the work, this stops it pulling too tightly.  Lighter colours being carried behind the work can sometimes show up in the darker colours, this can be remedied by making sure the carried yarn is not too tight in either colour.  If working a large area of a different colour (such as the heart in this cushion) it is often neater to use two balls of the main colour ‐ one on each side of the motif. This means the motif lies much flatter and threads do not need to be woven in behind the work.  If you make a mistake in a complicated pattern it is often easier to start again rather than try and unpick the work. You may find it easier to place a ruler or strip of paper on the chart directly under the line of the chart you are reading and move it up the chart as you work.


www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk Text & Photograph © Copyright F. H. Powell 2010

Section 2: Knitting Pattern For a 1/12th scale Heart Motif Cushion By AIM Member Frances Powell Materials required: size 19 (1 mm/US 5/0) knitting needles, 1‐ply cotton in two colours (approx 25 m main colour [blue] and 5 m contrast [pink], small quantity of stuffing material. Before starting: break off about 10 m blue yarn for second side of heart, this will save you having to carry and weave the yarn in behind the heart motif. Abbreviations: st – stitch; k ‐ knit; p – purl; sst – stocking [stockinette] stitch, one row knit, one row purl; B ‐ blue; P ‐ pink. Front (make 1) Using blue cast on 25 sts. Rows 1‐10: sst Row 11: (following chart above) k 12B, join in pink, k 1P, k 12B. Row 12: p 11B, twist blue and pink yarns, p 3P, join in second ball of blue yarn, p 11B. Row 13: k 10B, twist yarns, k 5P, twist yarns, k 10B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 14: p 9B, twist yarns, k 7P, twist yarns, k 9B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 15: k 8B, twist yarns, k 9P, twist yarns, k 8B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 16: p 7B, twist yarns, k 11P, twist yarns, k 7B using second ball of blue yarn. Artisans In Miniature 21

Row 17: k 6B, twist yarns, k 13P, twist yarns, k 6B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 18: p 6B, twist yarns, k 13P, twist yarns, k 6B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 19: k 6B, twist yarns, k 13P, twist yarns, k 6B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 20: p 7B, twist yarns, k 5P, carry blue yarn across in front of these 5 sts, p 1B, carry pink yarn across in front this st, p 5P, twist yarn, p 7B using second ball of blue yarn. Row 21: k 8B, twist yarns, k 3P, carry blue yarn across behind these 3 sts, k 3B, carry pink yarn across behind these 3 sts, k 3P, carry blue yarn across behind these 3 sts, k 8B. At the end of this row you may cut the BLUE yarn nearest the heart motif as this will no longer be required in the knitting. Do not cut too close to the work as enough yarn to thread a needle will be required when sewing in the loose end of the yarn. Row 22: p 9B, twist yarns, k 1P, carry blue yarn across in front of this st, p 5B, carry pink yarn across in front these 5 sts, p 1P, twist yarn, p 9B. At the end of this row you may cut the PINK yarn, as this will no longer be required in the knitting. Do not cut too close to the work as enough yarn to thread a needle will be required when sewing in the loose end of the yarn. Rows 23‐32: sst using blue yarn. Cast off and sew in all loose ends around heart motif Back (make 1 in blue) Cast on 25 sts. Rows 1‐32: sst Cast off

Make up cushion With right sides together, sew the two pieces of the cushion together, (remember to leave a small hole for turning right side out). Turn right side out and stuff cushion to your liking before closing the seam. Sew in any loose ends. Edging (make 1 in blue) Cast on 5 sts, Rows 1‐2: k Row 3: k 2, p 3. Row 4: p 3, k 2. Repeat rows 1‐4 until the edging is the required length to fit around the cushion, without stretching the edging, ending with a 4th row of pattern. It may be easier to sew the edging in place as you knit. Cast off and sew cast off edge to cast on edge, sew remaining edging to cushion.

www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk Artisans In Miniature 22

© Copyright F. H. Powell 2010 This pattern is for private use only and may not be reproduced in any form for commercial gain, including selling any item knitted up from these patterns without written permission from Buttercup Miniatures

Life behind the scenes at AIM can get pretty chaotic and during the mayhem, we have gone and lost one of our gloves!... So we need your help to find it! The lost glove was last spotted, lurking somewhere in the pages of this magazine…? But where??

Knitting artisan and AIM member Helen Woods has very kindly created a wonderful pair of 12th scale knitted gloves (see below left) which we are offering as a prize for the winner of our glove competition ‐ so don’t waste a moment longer ‐

Get searching!!...

(The lost glove is the same as the glove shown at the top left of this page…) To enter our competition, simply tell us the number of the page where the lost glove is hidden... For email entries – office@petite‐properties.com

(Please put COMPETITION as the subject title of the email)

For postal entries ‐ Bumble Bee Cottages, 52 ‐54 Drury Street, Metheringham, Lincs. LN4 3EZ. (Please note this is a UK address)

All entries must include an email contact address and full name. Rules of the competition. Closing date will be the 27th February 2010 and any entries received after this date will not be accepted. On the 28th of February one winner will be picked randomly from all of the correct entries and notified by email. We can only accept one entry per person. The winner will be published in the March 2010 edition of the AIM magazine.

We at AIM would like to say a big thank you to Helen Woods of ‘Living In A Miniature World’, for the kind donation her fantastic miniature gloves.

And the winner is… We are delighted to announce the winner of our Farmhouse Table ‘Word Search’ Competition… Congratulations to Patricia Wareing on your winning entry!!


Competition…Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...Competition...

The Lost Glove…!

Aunt Anastasia G

reetings from Miniscule Manor!

I'm Aunt Anastasia, your very distant mini relative (sixth cousin, twice removed and scaled down) and when I am not making the most fabulous minis, sipping bubbly or bossing my butler Trotters about, I just love helping miniaturists and solving problems of a miniature nature, so if your paint won't stick and your glue won't glue, get in touch: [email protected] Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Must sign off now, Trotters is here with the tea trolley…

Aunt Anastasia Flying carpets...

Washday Blues… How do I remove dried acrylic paint from the sleeve of my good blouse (I was just doing a little touch‐up job before we went out to dinner and

Dear Aunt Anastasia, the carpets in my house won't behave and lie still. They have lumps and bumps that could hide a small dog. Please help, my mini people keep tripping!

didn't notice the blob of "Spun Gold" until wash

Answer:

day.) Help!!

Please note: NOT recommended for hand‐stitched

Answer...

artisan created carpets, but great for the woven, store‐bought jobbies. The solution is to cut fusible

Sponge with rubbing alcohol (isopropyl interfacing (medium‐weight fabric on one side alcohol) to soften paint. Keep at it! With a bit stuff) a little smaller than your carpet on all sides. of rubbing, the paint will come off. Launder as

Follow the directions for fusing and there you go…

usual!

no more trip hazards!

Aunt Anastasia Artisans In Miniature 24

Aunt Anastasia

Another query I've had this week from one of my students is...

I have a project that requires me to use 3/64in (1mm) wooden dowel which I am having difficulty obtaining, is there anything I can use as an alternative.

My answer is... As an alternative to 3/64in dowel, you could use a 20‐ gauge white coloured paper covered wire, which takes wood stain or paint really well. I have made various chairs in 1/24th scale and used paper‐covered wire for the stretchers and you wouldn't know it was wire as the ends are hidden in the drill holes in the chair legs. If you are making something like a rocking horse, where the ends of the wire would be on show, you would need to dab a tiny amount of tacky glue on to the ends, as it is difficult of paint or stain bare wire, and once dry cover with paint or wood stain.

Aunt Anastasia

Sticky Situation... Dear Aunt Anastasia What to do? I have returned to my craft table after a lengthy absence (shame on me!) to find a wonky shelf in the bookcase kit I was working on. I know, I shouldn't have been gluing so late at night after that second glass of chardonnay while watching a DVD. The shelf is well and truly stuck. Please help! By the way, I used PVA glue (tacky glue).

Solution… Fill a glue syringe (you don't have a glue syringe?) Hie the hence to your nearest dollshouse shop or hobby emporium and get one! You will never glue with a cocktail stick again!) with white vinegar/spirit vinegar (don't try this with malt vinegar ‐ it will make a nasty stain) and drip drops of vinegar along the offending joints. Be patient! Give the vinegar time to work its magic and it may take more than one application, then wiggle gently to see if the glue is letting go. Apply more vinegar, wiggle and repeat as needed until Bingo! Out it pops. This does work on white PVA glue, I don't know if it works on wood glue or not. May be someo‐ ne else might know?

Aunt Anastasia

Dear Aunt Anastasia, despite its brilliance, and how much I drool over every issue of the AIM magazine, I have one small, very whiny complaint. Here in the U.S., the wood we most often run into is not obeche or obechi or whatever that stuff is, but rather, basswood. Basswood is a very serviceable wood, stains up to look like whatever you want it to, works easily and is pretty near both universal and cheap. Your obeche/obechi, however, is some exotic, rare substance not often found hereabouts. Pray, take pity on those of us 'cross the pond and tell us if basswood is a suitable substitute for your (to you, obviously very common) obeche, that we may not have to import from foreign shores and tropical climes something we cannot obtain locally....

This is how I replied...

I am delighted to hear that you are enjoying the AIM magazine. Such a jolly good read isn't it? I was miffed to read that you are having difficultly in obtaining obeche wood on your side of the Pond, so I consulted my niece who now lives in Canada (she married a frightfully handsome mountie) and she informs me that basswood can be used in exactly the same way, and stained and painted as obeche. Apparently, basswood has a much closer grain than obeche wood but can be a little 'furry' when painted or stained because the moisture raises the grain of the wood. You can get around this by gently rubbing the surface of the wood on a very fine‐grade sandpaper, once the first coat has thoroughly dried. So, fear not! Basswood is more than up to the task. By the way, did you know that crumpled brown paper is the most wonderful sandpaper? It is just the ticket for the final sanding of a piece. Well, I must be off. Trotters has just informed me that I have a gentleman visitor!

Aunt Anastasia Do you have a question that you would like Aunt Anastasia to answer? If so, simply email: [email protected] and let her help you! Image © Mary Williams 2010 ‐ Text © AIM Association 2010


Art Deco Hat Tutorial By AIM member, Mary Williams

Materials required... Doll Torso. Small piece of soft leather Trim Indian Bindi for earrings Small beads for necklace. Feathers. Faux jewels for brooch and trim on hat. Piece of fake fur or similar for stole. Glue, toothpick and sharp scissors. Step 1 ‐ Take piece of soft leather and place over head of doll and pull tightly so there are no creases or folds, this will form a head shape in the leather.

.1.

See picture 1. Step 2 ‐ Remove the leather and spread glue over the whole of the head. Put the leather back onto the doll fitting the head shape over the glued area, pull tightly. See pictures 2a and 2b.

.2a

.2b.

.3.

Step 3 ‐ Trim the excess leather so you are left with a leather bathing cap look. Make sure the bottom of the ears are not covered by the leather. You can draw a line on the leather as a guide if needed. Don’t worry about the edges being too neat as you are going to cover them with the trim. See picture 3. Artisans In Miniature 26 Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...


Step 4 ‐ Place a line of glue around the edges of the ‘cap’ and then starting at the

.4a.

.4b.

nape of the neck place your trim. See pictures 4a and 4b.

Step 5 ‐ Put a dab of glue on the trim and place your feathers, add another dab of glue on top of the feathers and add a faux jewel or bead to cover it. See picture 5.

Step 6 ‐ If you are going to put earrings on the doll do this now, glue the earlobes and place the Bindi. See picture 6. Step 7 ‐ Next put a line of glue under the bust of the

.5.

.6.

torso, make sure the holes where the arms should go are covered. Place your first line of fake fur/trim over the glue. Put another line of glue above the first layer and place the next line of trim over this. Place a dab of glue at the front where the trims meet and secure. Place a rose or brooch at the centre. See pictures 7a, 7b and 7c.

.7a.

.7b.

.7c.

Step 8 ‐ You may like to add a necklace or some beads now.

Step 9 ‐ You now have a pretty Art Deco Hat stand for you shop or house.

To see more of Mary’s beautiful work, why not visit her website:

www.dollshousedolls.co.uk Text & Photographs © Mary Williams 2010


Through The Keyh le... Ever wondered what it would be like to be able to have a closer look at the working environments of AIM members? This month we take a peek at the wonderful working environment of Patricia Cabrera in North Carolina... My name is Patricia Cabrera and I am originally from Brazil, where I was born and raised on a coffee farm. About eight years ago, my family moved from Miami, Florida to a rural town in the south. We now live on a farm in Peachland, snuggled in the rolling hills of the piedmont of North Carolina. I am very fortunate to have several different work spaces due to the fact that I am involved with various forms of art. Whenever I am working with wood, making furniture or a room box, I use the wood shop. Because I live on a working farm, this is the main farm shop. I take advantage of it because it is equipped with all tools imaginable. My second shop is called The SevenKidsMudhole. Before I started making miniature porcelain dolls, I was a potter, so now this shop serves two purposes for me. Although I continue to occasionally turn pots, I mainly create porcelain dolls and house ware in the Mudhole... My third workplace is a small outbuilding. What I love about this place is that it sits in front of my garden, and during the summer months I am able to look out my window and enjoy the view and my visitors (the birds *grin*) It is also next to one of our pastures where my dairy cow Hershey can greet me whenever she sees me coming...It is in this workshop that I keep my sewing machine and most of my supplies. I keep three tables; this gives me plenty of working space. Artisans In Miniature 28

Although I don't do miniature work in this next workplace, I wanted to mention it because it is one of the places that I do work. It is my barn loft. There, I do all my large oil paintings. It is one of my favorite places to paint because the lighting is perfect when the loft doors are open. A lovely breeze floats into my painting "atelier", and I am able to look out and see the beautiful shimmer atop our pond. ..

My last workplace I like to call my *nest*. It's a room in my own home which under normal circumstances is our family's baking room. I do most of my miniature animals in here because I do not like to be away

from my children during their daily activities, and throughout the years I have learned to work with interruptions. *grin*

There is a window next to my work table that during the summer months allows me to look outside and see the hummingbirds that visit my feeders. This room also has a fireplace which keeps me warm during the winter.

I think what I like most about my workspaces is the fact that I can concentrate on each aspect of my creations wholeheartedly. I couldn't possibly work with wood and porcelain in the same room, without cleaning entirely before starting a new project. That I can work in each space and devote my attention entirely without worrying about how I will prepare the room for my next project is a great relief for me. I don't think there is anything that I would change to my workspaces; I feel that I am very privileged to have the amount of space that I have to work with.

These workspaces were added one at a time, as I slowly increased my art repertory. From pottery to sculpting, I have been able to develop my interests and thus create the need for space to work in my collection of rooms and workspaces spans over eight years time.

If you would like to see the stunning miniatures that Patricia of Wooly Tales creates, why not visit her website: www.woolytales.com

‘AIM’ pleased to meet you...


This month we are delighted to find out more about the very talented, Karen Griffiths of Stokesay ware...

Can you tell us a bit about your life before Miniatures? I started making miniatures as soon as I left college, and Peter came to help me when he finished his history degree. We both thought it would be a temporary arrangement, but that was nearly 30 years ago. As a child, what were your favourite toys? I was a bit of a tomboy. My dad made me a fort with a brilliant canon that fired match sticks and I had a train set and a Meccano. But my favourite toy was a Bayko building set, ‘a fascinating pastime for all ages’, with which you could construct a model 1930’s villa with detached garage. I still have it.

What attracted you to miniatures in the first place?

Financial necessity. I left college in 1981 with a masters degree in ceramics

at the height of a recession. Stoke‐on‐Trent was working a three‐day week,

and unable to get a job I made my first miniatures. I took them to show

Michal Morse and Kristin Baybars, who luckily both placed orders.

What was your first purchase? When I first started in the business I tried not to buy miniatures as the rent was pressing, but I did occasionally give in. Two of the first items I bought were a perfect broom by Laurence and Angela St Leger and a smoker’s bow chair by David Booth. What miniature item do you most covet? Probably that working bacon slicer.

Who do you most admire in the miniature world? I admire people who do things well, with creative ingenuity and attention to detail, whether that is making miniatures or organising an event. What made you decide to specialise in ceramics? It was what I knew. Have you had any unusual commissions? As a rule we don’t accept commissions as the work involved in originating new shapes and artwork is enormous, but very occasionally we make an exception. We had had a long working relationship with David Kilpatrick so we made the china for his model of the dining room at the Garrick Club. Do you have any hobbies unrelated to miniatures? Not until recently, when I started making a full size patchwork quilt using Liberty Tana Lawn. Sometimes it is nice to do something big. Time will tell if this is a proper hobby or just a passing whim. Any phobias? Slugs and heights. Worst scenario – the top step of a ladder with a slug on it. Fantasies? Johnny Depp.

You can see more of Karen’s beautiful china on her website:

www.stokesayware.com

Food shown above by Mags‐nificent Miniatures: www.mags‐nificent.co.uk Main Photograph © Stokesay Ware 2010 / Filled China Photographs © Mags‐nificent Miniatures 2010

A Touch Of Winter...

AIM Gallery...

Children Playing In The Snow… By Julie Campbell Of Bellabelle Dolls www.bellabelledolls.co.uk

elcome to W February’s ‘AIM Gallery’. This month members have come together to celebrate and reflect the best of winter… all in miniature of course!


Left: ‘Winter’ hats by MiniMilliner, Margaret Pitts www.minimilliner.co.uk

Right: Pauline Everett www.12thhousebridalcouture.co.uk Below: ‘Snow Queen Scene’ By Louise Goldsborough/Bird Angelique Miniatures, www. angeliqueminiatures.co.uk


Left: Furry Winter Friends… By Kristy Taylor Of Mini Menagerie www.minimenagerie.com

Left: Snowman Pillows By Wendy Smale of Wendy’s Miniatures www.wendysminiatures.com Below Right: Polar Bear & Cub By Patricia Cabrera of Woolytales Miniatures www.woolytales.com

Left: ‘Snow Queen’ By Jain Squires Of The Giddy Kipper www.giddykipperdolls.com Copyright of the images included in this feature belongs to the individual artisans, as listed... Artisans In Miniature 35

DIARY OF AN EDWARDIAN DOLLS HOUSE

NEW FEATURE!

By AIM Member, Julie Campbell As a miniature doll maker and dolls house enthusiast it has always been fun for me to photograph the little people I make inside my own dollshouses, the perfect backdrop!

When I started to write stories around one of my characters who lives in and runs an Edwardian toy shop I realised it would be a lot of fun to actually make the toy shop a reality and a place where I could photograph the characters to illustrate my stories . A seed had been planted in my mind and the possibility of making “Belle’s Toy Emporium” a reality had me immediately searching for just the right kit house to build.

The decision was an easy one ! I have always wanted a Sid Cooke dolls house kit and the “Empire Stores” was just right for my stories. A large Victorian building with a spacious shop floor and living accommodation upstairs was just what I needed. It has a side entrance, a tradesman’s entrance and even a little loft space with a tiny hatch to get up there. I bought the kit in the run up to Christmas and it sat temptingly in its huge box under the stairs until I was able to claim our dining room as my workroom. I even started a blog where I could chronicle the progress of the house being built and decorated and where I would eventually introduce my characters and stories :

www.diaryofanedwardiandollshouse.blogspot.com

So this is the diary of my Edwardian Toy Shop. I hope you will enjoy seeing me work on the dolls house kit and turning it into a wonderful toy emporium ! You may pick up some useful tips along the way and possibly learn from my mistakes too... I also hope to be able to spotlight some of the wonderful work of other AIM members when it comes to purchasing items to fill my emporium. The not so grand box opening...

Today I opened the box ! Artisans In Miniature 36

My initial excitement was instantly replaced by a daunting sight... The supplier of my kit had opened all the packets to check everything was there and then packaged it all together. This was the box as I opened it with pieces everywhere and three damaged parts of my shop front. Not one to be deterred I put the damaged strips aside and sorted the contents… As you can see after half an hour I had a lovely neatly set out table of bits...

I think they are all there but as the packages of trims were opened and everything had fallen out I am not sure really what's what with the smaller bits, so fingers crossed. Another half hour was spent reading the instructions ( 19 pages ! ) and I'm almost ready to start. Despite there being a few problems with the kit I decided not to return it. I’m a seasoned kit basher and as the characters I have planned to live in the house are not rich and the house would be a little shabby I feel sure it will be okay. First for the repairs, the damaged parts were split but as I am planning to paint them and they are decorative parts I think they will fix just fine. I used a little wood glue and have placed a weight on top of them as they dry, hopefully they will be good as new.

Top Ti p !

The first step with this kit is to attach the doors with the hinges provided. In my experience it’s always been best to paint the doors before attaching them . It’s the only

way for a neat finish without ending up with hinges covered in paint. It also means you can test the painted doors for fit and sand as necessary, thus avoiding "sticky" doors. So work is halted for today as I dither over paint colours ! ( Burgundy is the firm favourite so far...)

DAY Preparation begins...

1

I have a confession to make... I'm a bit of a botcher ! Well, that should read I WAS a bit of a botcher. Having made more than a few kits up previously I have not been known for my patience. The excitement of a new kit usually results in a fully built dolls house by the end of

the day, with more than a few accidents , a few nails poking out here and there and then weeks struggling to get into the nooks and crannys to decorate it all. This time its all different ! I have prepared !!!!


In an unheard of move I actually took the sandpaper provided and sanded down the parts I was going to prepare. I hate sanding ! The raspy sound of it, the feel of it on my fingers, everything about it makes me shudder so it’s a step I always skip but what a difference it has made doing this properly. Once my three outer walls with door openings were sanded I sanded the doors too then coated the wood on all sides and edges with sealer. Feeling very proud of myself I then began to tackle the shop front window. This went together very easily and as you can see, the damage to the corner of the top is barely noticeable after a little sanding.

Then my enthusiasm got the better of me and I started on the paint work… then realised

MDF needs priming too !


As you can see from the picture below, my lovely aubergine enamel paint just sunk right into the MDF in a very uneven fashion.

Well you live and learn so once dry a coat of sealer sorted that out and I'm now busy painting over it with the enamel paint. 2 coats should have my shop front looking beautiful.

Before assembling the front of the shop I will be painting the inside of the window too, a lovely antique creamy white . The shop name plinth will be left till last as its almost impossible to decorate it without lying it flat.

I have the shop doors to paint too before I can start assembling the house. Double doors at the front, a door for the tradesman’s entrance at one side and the side door leading to the accommodation above the shop.

All this preparation takes time but it will all be worth it and I have learned its almost impossible to paint the doors properly once they are fitted into the frames.

So far so good...!

To see more of Julie’s beautiful work, why not visit her website:

www.bellabelledolls.co.uk Text & Photographs © Julie Campbell 2010



Creating a Snow Covered Ruin...

In 1/24th scale

By AIM Member, Debie Lyons

This project will show you how to create a snow effect. The snow effect is made up of several layers of various materials and the technique can be used for all sorts of miniature scenes and settings. Do not use spray on snow it can ruin your project! Please read through all instructions before starting and I would advise you to practice first before attempting to use these techniques on your building as the effect is permanent and cannot be removed.

Materials... Foam Board 1cm thick. Glue Scalpel Cocktail sticks Air Dry Clay – Rolling pin or pasta machine. Paint – Black and white Green Ink Brushes Snow Tex Glitter Powdered snow Spray glue Filler Artisans In Miniature 40 Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...


Method...

1 ‐ Decide what shape you would like your ruin to have. Cut out the walls twice and glue together (the foam board is double thickness). Use cocktail sticks in the corners to pin them together. Cut out the base making sure that there is an edge all the way around and attach the walls to the base.

.1.

2 – Working one wall at a time, roll out some air dry clay using a pasta machine or use a rolling pin till its about 2mm thick and place it on the foam board. Mark out the stones using a cocktail stick or press molds and distress with an old stiff brush. It doesn’t matter if they look distorted. Continue till all of the walls are covered and the ends of the wall. On the top of the wall rough up the clay, to create texture. Let it dry. If the clay cracks while it is drying don’t worry this will add to

.2.

the effect. 3 ‐ Cover the floor in the corner of the ruin and cover with clay. Draw out the flagstones with a cocktail stick and distress. Draw some cracks into them, distress with a paintbrush and leave to dry.

.3.

4 ‐ Make a rough pile of stones with the air‐dry clay and put them by the broken wall. They don't have to be perfect, as they will be partially covered in paint and snow. Let dry.

.4. Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...


5 – Mix up some filler with PVA and water till you have a smooth thick paste. Spread the paste in some areas of the base and around the stones. Use the paste around the edges of

.5.

the foam board to cover all the edges and leave to dry. Put some on the top of the wall and in the window recesses. 6 – Using the black and white paint, mix up some different shades of dark grey and paint the walls and flag stones. Make sure that the darker shades go in ‐between the stones.

.6.

.7.

.8a.

.8b.

7 – Take some white paint and dry brush the walls and flagstones. When you are dry brushing you only have a tiny amount of paint on the brush.

8 – Using thick white paint, paint all the areas where the snow will be going. Use green ink to get the stained effect on the walls and floor. Leave to dry. Artisans In Miniature 42 Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...


9 – Take the Snow Tex and apply it where there

.9.

is going to be snow. Build it up more in some areas than others, paying attention to the top of the walls, the bottom of the walls and the snow in the corner. 10 – Cover the flagstones with paper and spray with spray glue. Then sprinkle the snow powder over the top. Tap off excess onto paper to reuse. Spray again and lightly sprinkle glitter on, tip the off excess. Then spray for a third time sprinkle on the snow powder and tip off the excess. Repeat on all areas that have been painted white and covered with Snow Tex. 11 ‐ Spray the glue into the window recesses at the bottom. Repeat the snow building up process. I used Christmas decorations to recreate mini icicles. If you are going to put in mini icicles do these first before applying the snow powder. Your scene/ setting is now ready to use.

.11a.

.10.

.11b.

Where to buy: Snow ‐Tex – from good arts and craft stores (I got mine from our local garden centre) Powdered Snow – Woodland Scenics make this product a lot of miniature railway suppliers stock it or an equivalent. This project is to be used as a guide only and I cannot take responsibility for a finished item.

To see more of Debie’s beautiful work, why not visit her website:

www.piskiesandpoppets.com Text & Photographs © Debie Lyons 2010 Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...

Stéphanie Kilgast - www.PetitPlat.fr

Written by AIM member Vicky Guile and illustrated with images from AIM’s food making members. Chocolate, I know, is not readily classed as a seasonal food but the temptation of letting a February issue go by without so much of a sniff of the melt in the mouth food of the gods was unthinkable. Valentine’s Day of course sees an influx of luxury chocolates onto shop shelves in the real world, as does both Christmas and Easter. In the miniature world however caution can be thrown to the wind and we can indulge our eyes in a feast of choccie goodness that won’t make an inch of difference to our waistlines, cause cavities or a sugar buzz throughout the year. Agnes Turpin www.creationsinminiature.net


Arla Johnson - IGMA Artisan www.picturetrail.com/photos/arlamj

It is in South America where we can find the origins of chocolate and it’s thought that cacao beans have been harvested there by its native people for over 3000 years. These beans of the cacao tree would be made into a drink, unlike our modern day hot chocolate this had a strong bitter taste and was quite often flavoured with chili peppers or vanilla. The fermentation of cacao beans resulted in an alcoholic drink and cacao was also readily used as an ingredient in many daily meals. After the fall of the Aztec empire chocolate was brought back to Europe by the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés in the 16th Century. The bitter taste was disliked by the European palate until it was discovered that sugar and spices, such as cinnamon, could be added for a more pleasant taste. This initial European chocolate drink was coveted and enjoyed by only the wealthy, noble and royal throughout the continent. Carol Smith - IGMA Artisan www.etsy.com/shop/STARSGEMINI3


Within

one

however

hundred

the

chocolate

popularity

had

unfortunately

years of

surged

and

meet

the

to

demand this resulted in the enslavement

of

m a n y

Mesoamericans by the Spanish to work in the fields of the cacao plantations. In the late 1600’s Sir Hans Sloane, founder of the British Museum, whilst on a trip to Jamaica found that adding milk to the chocolate drink produced and

even

more

palatable

beverage. With a smoother flavour the hot chocolate drink as we know it today was born. Carol Smith - IGMA Artisan www.etsy.com/shop/STARSGEMINI3

Ernesto Baldini www.puntosurminiaturas.blogspot.com


In 1657 the first ‘chocolate house’ opened in London, England, similar to coffee‐houses, these were places of socializing, gambling, discussion and of course... drinking chocolate. Many chocolate houses were only open to those who could afford to pay the entrance fee and quite a few were only open to men.

Kerry Fawcett www.ellaroseminiatures.com

Across continental Europe chocolate remained a luxury enjoyed by the wealthy. Chocolate there would be drunk from highly decorated and ornamental cups or bowls, a symbol of status and wealth underlined by the fact that one could afford to drink chocolate.

Maia Bisson www.maiastwinkleminiatures.com


1828 saw the patent of a cocoa press by the Dutch chocolate manufacturer Casparus van Houten. He discovered that pressing the centre (or nibs) of the cacao beans and therefore squeezing out the cocoa butter resulted in a cake that in turn could be pounded into cocoa powder. This cocoa powder could then be used to more easily produce drinking chocolate and could also be remixed with some of the cocoa butter along with sugar to produce chocolate bars!

Sarah Maloney www.etsy.com/shop/sarahmaloney

English company Fry and Sons pounced on the idea of solid plain or dark chocolate bars in 1847, once the patent for van Houtens ‘Dutch press’ had expired, producing what is thought to be the first commercially available chocolate bars. Other European chocolatiers such as Daniel Peter in Switzerland invented ‘milk chocolate’. He found

that

a d d i n g condensed milk to

the

cocoa

powder formed solid

m i l k

chocolate. Peter later went on to found the Nestlé Company

in

partnership with Henri producer

Nestlé, of

condensed milk. Artisans In Miniature 48

Another Swiss chocolatier, Rodolphe Lindt, invented a process where the chocolate mixture would be processed over 3 days in a grinding machine. This process, called conching, warmed and folded air into the mixture creating a smoother blend of chocolate which was also more liquid than its rivals. This liquid chocolate could be poured into moulds whereas previously the chocolate would have to be pressed firmly by hand.

Stéphanie Kilgast www.PetitPlat.fr

This new found process led to further growth and evolution of the chocolate making process throughout Europe and the rest of the world moving us towards the standards and varieties of chocolate that we see today. Text ©2010 Vicky Guile – NJD Miniatures – www.njdminiatures.blogspot.com All photos ©2010 by their respective artisans.



Miniature Chocolate Truffles... Would you like to make a box of chocolates, a sweet shop or counter? Then you might enjoy this quick way to make lots of 1:12th chocolate truffles to fill them. (Plain, Milk and White chocolate)

Materials...

 Peppercorns  A pin  Small rolling-pin or glass bottle  Craft mat and ceramic tile (to bake on)  Polymer Clay: I have used ‘Fimo’ Soft:White, code 0 – Chocolate, code 75 – Sahara, code 70 – Sunflower, code 16.

Method... 1. Take some clay and work it, ‐ roll it out. 2. Gently press peppercorns into the clay and then flip them out with the end of the pin. This will form the moulds for your truffles. 3. Bake in the oven. Always follow the baking instructions on the packet. 4. Work some chocolate clay (for plain chocolate truffles) and push a small piece into each ‘chocolate’ shape in the mould. Flip each chocolate out with the end of the pin. 5. For white chocolate, I mix a tiny piece of yellow and a tiny piece of beige clay with a larger piece of white until I get the correct milky shade. 6. For milk chocolate, I mix some white with the chocolate coloured clay. 7. Place your chocolates in lines on your tile and bake.

To see more of Mags’ realistic miniature food, why not visit her website:

www.mags-nificent.co.uk Text & Photographs © Margaret Cassidy 2010 Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...

Introduction by AIM Member, Janine Crocker Here on the small island of Lanzarote things are heating up…and I don’t mean the weather. The last gift has been unwrapped, the last Christmas tree bauble packed away and in many countries this would be a quiet time of recovery but not here.

The shops are starting to fill up again ‐ this time with a riot of colours and textures. Bolts of shiny lurex, gauze, and sequinned materials line the walls of normally sedate fabric shops. Tiger, lion, and leopard furs can be cut by the metre and a sea of rich colours in velvet, metallics and satin conjur up images of emperors, pirates and clowns. Dusty boxes of feathers, buckles, swords and wigs are dragged out of storage and ready to be rummaged through. Shelves of knitting wool are cleared to make way for witch hats, bonnets, pirate hats, wings, and gloves.

In the shop windows full sized jewelled Tudor costumes find themselves squeezed in beside Spiderman and Cinderella. Huge masks with horrific faces will happily snuggle in beside Winnie the Pooh or a giant baby outfit complete with oversized bottle and dummy. Face paint, huge false eyelashes and sparkly stick‐on nails suddenly appear on the chemist counters amongst the cold cures.

By Janine C ro

cker Of Mis

s Amelia’s M

iniatures...

And amongst all this is the excitement of the preparation. Elderly ladies stand in line waiting to buy stately Regency wigs, teenage boys can be seen comparing colours of fishnets tights and feather boas and more than once the local bank manager has been spotted trying on a large lace bra and stiletto shoes. There is a buzz in the air as everyone hunts down that perfect costume and in the evenings when you walk through the small capital you can hear groups of ‘Murga’ singers practising their cheeky songs for the competitions and parades. Artisans In Miniature 51

All around the island on small pieces of wasteland a selection of rundown

Antoinette...

vehicles

are

undergoing

a

transformation…an old school bus becomes the Titanic ship complete with mast and prow…a small Toyota van becomes Cinderella’s glittering gold coach…the lorry that last week was taking goats to the market will shortly be unveiled as a mobile Sultan’s palace with brocade cushions, chiffon curtains and…um…a

full

bar

onboard!

Supermarket trolleys become prized treasures ready for conversion to a baby’s cot or a small spaceship.

This is a celebration that involves everyone in the community and infects both tourists and locals alike with the creativity and imagination that it goes

By Viola Williams

into it. The program lasts a full two weeks with competitions for the best costumes, The Carnival queen, Drag queen, Child queen; parties and concerts; and of course the huge procession through the streets of Arrecife which continues on into the night and is then repeated each weekend in various towns around the island. Not for the fainthearted but enjoyed by locals and tourists alike,

By Mary Williams

whether from the terrace of a small bar or right in the midst of the procession in full costume.

I have always been fascinated by the Carnival celebrations around the world. The magnificent, regal costumes of Venice with their slightly spooky masks have always been one of my favourites.

By Elisa Fenoglío

New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro each

By Sandra Morris

have their own magic and must be breathtaking

to

experience

in

person. I believe that there are wonderful Carnival celebrations in parts of India, Greece, Austria and many other countries around the world, each with it’s own traditions and themes.

But hidden away on a little island in a corner of the Atlantic, just off Africa…we have a ball!

Janine Crocker

Candy Floss By Gilles & Muriel Ro che

ask Carnival M itts P t e r a g r a M By


Carnival Masks By Julie Dewar

Carniva l Elisa Fenoglío

Masks B y Julie D ewar

www.elisafenoglio.it

Gilles & Muriel Roche of Le Coffre d’Emilie www.miniatures‐poupees‐emilie.eu www.lecoffredemilie.blogspot.com Janine Crocker of Miss Amelia’s Miniatures: www.missameliasminiatures.com Julie Dewar of Westwind Miniatures: http://picasaweb.google.com/westwindsminiatures

Margaret Pitts the MiniMilliner www.minimilliner.co.uk Mary Williams of Mary Williams Dolls House Dolls

By Janine Crocker Of Miss Amelia’s Miniatures...

www.dollshousedolls.co.uk

Sandra Morris of Diminutive Dolls Www.diminutivedolls.co.uk

Viola Williams www.violasdolls.com Introduction text © Janine Crocker 2010 Photograph © belongs to the individual artisans as credited. Artisans In Miniature 55

. . . f o y r Histo Knitted Fishing Ganseys

Inverness gansey

By AIM Member, Frances Powell This article takes a brief look at the history behind the origins of the Fishing Gansey (sometimes known as a Fisherman’s shirt). Fishing ganseys were once common sights in any sea‐ port around the British Isles and North Sea coasts, but sadly many patterns were lost (along with the fishing fleets) in the early 20th Century. Commonly, patterns were not committed to paper and were passed on from generation to generation by observational learning. Each region (and some towns) of the British Isles has distinctive patterning on the gansey. Within these patterns further unique village and family variations are so distinctive that if the fisherman was unlucky enough to be shipwrecked, his body when eventually washed ashore could be identified by the gansey allowing the fisherman’s corpse to be returned to his family for burial. (Although not for the squeamish, the idea was that the knitted gansey could survive better in the water than human remains and was often the only distinguishing feature remaining) The earliest ganseys were completely hand made from local sheep’s wool and were often dyed with

Indigo (although some of the Scottish fishing fleets preferred natural white or black). Most fishermen’s ganseys today are believed to be the descendants of early shirts, which were first knitted

in the Channel Islands and exported during Tudor times, hence the word gansey which was a corruption of Guernsey. Our word Jersey has a similar origin in a simple fisherman’s shirt from the Channel Islands, although it now means a knitted jumper or sweater. These ganseys were knitted in the round working from the bottom up and down the sleeves from the shoulder. This lengthened the life of the garment, as when the cuffs of the sleeves wore out it was a fairly simple job to unpick and re‐knit the damaged parts. The garments were knitted without seams, although underarm gussets could be added to give extra width. Fishermen often owned 3 gansey’s (one for sea, one for shore and one for best) as can often be seen in old photos. Artisans In Miniature 56

The areas across the chest and upper arms were often intricately patterned, this served two purposes: the main being to keep the fisherman warm, as the patterned area produced a thicker texture; the second gave the knitter chance to use local patterns. It was often customary to knit a ‘mistake’ into the pattern to distinguish one gansey from another, especially if there was more than one man in the family. Patterns related to the sea and boats such as ropes, pennants, sheets (sails), ladders, anchors and cables were the most favoured and still remain popular today. To knit a full sized adult gansey usually takes about six weeks and they were always made by hand, even after the advent of machines. The knitting is made with 4‐5 needles in the round using

3

or

5‐ply

worsted wool. The gansey’s were knitted very tightly to make them

weatherproof

and hopefully water‐ proof. Indigo dye was used as the dye did not run when the gansey got wet, Indigo as a dye was difficult to use as it is not soluble in water, when removed from the dye bath and dried the dye again becomes

insoluble. (In very early days Indigo was obtained from Woad, which also has mothproofing characteristics – very useful when working with wool! Later Indigo was imported from India.) To get the most benefit from the gansey it was worn next to the skin with no undergarment or shirt (again this made sense, as wool retains its insulating properties even when wet, whereas cotton doesn’t). However a silk scarf was sometimes worn at the neck to prevent chafing.

Frances To see more of Frances’ fabulous miniature knitting, why not visit her website:

www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk Text & Photographs © Frances Powell 2010


Miniature FASHION...

WINTER FASHION

.1.

Photo 1: (above) Winter white velvet accessories by Kathi Mendenhall. Stole lined with mint green satin. Matching cloche hat and muff with charming holly details. All for display in 12th scale scene. Make it in your choice of fabric from La Petite Belle pattern 2011 $5.00 + p/p

.2.

www.minipatterns.com Photo 2& 3 Modern winter outfit by Kathi Mendenhall Make this suit jacket, pants, shoes and sweater and tam in a variety of fabrics and colours. Very easy production for a contemporary winter wardrobe. Handbag instructions included. Make the turtleneck sweater from your own sweater knits. No knitting instructions. Belt included.

.3. Photo 4: Cable Jacket by Helena Bleeker A beautiful short jacket for a lady doll Venne Colcotton Multi colour 8‐3000. Linen White 7‐7007. Pattern £ 3.25 + p/p. Venne Colcoton £1.80 + p/p per Reel. www.helena-petitefashions.co.uk Artisans In Miniature 58

.4.

La Petite Belle Pattern 4006 $7.00 + p/p www.minipatterns.com

.6.

.5.

Photo 5: A selection of unique 12th scale knitting patterns and top quality yarns from Buttercup Miniatures. A pattern design service is also available. Photo 6: as for 5

.7.

www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk Photo 7: Faux leather outfit by Pauline Everett Cream faux leather jacket with decorative stitching and black fur trim. Matching boots and hat complete this smart casual combination Photo 8: Assortment of glove designs by Kathi Mendenhall. La Petit Belle Pattern no 1013 $3.00 + p/p www.minipatterns.com


Photo 9: ‘Virginia’ by Helena Bleeker Easy sweater to knit and timeless with a colour change from the 1940 to now, from drab grey’s to bright colours. Venne colcoton Multicolour 8‐4009 and a small amount of Red. Pattern £3.25 + p/p. Venne Colcoton £ 1.80 + p/p per Reel.

.9.

www.helena-petitefashions.co.uk Photo 10: ‘Grace’ by Helena Bleeker Elegant Dress and Cape for a Lady Doll, this is a pattern for experienced knitters. Venne Colcoton 34/2 colours 7‐7099 Black and 7‐7001 White. Pattern £ 3.25 + p/p. Venne Colcoton £ 1.80 + p/p per Reel. www.helena-petitefashions.co.uk

.10.

Photo 11: Luxury 1920’s ‘Fur’ coat by Miss Amelia Full length silk velvet coat with gold silk lining and swirl clasp for display. www.missameliasminiatures.com

.11.

Photo 12: Original Design Dollshouse Bears by Josephine Parnell Lady Sprout models an ankle length chocolate wool cape with sumptuous silver collar. A jaunty olive felt hat completes her outfit

.12.

www.dollshousebears.free-online.co.uk Photo 13: Original Design Dollshouse Bears by Josephine Parnell. Lady Marmalade models a stunning velveteen animal print dress with buff fur trim and a magnificent hat with sweeping feather. Handbag is models own. Lord Armstrong sports a dashing wool suit of cherry red and sky blue on a cream background over a cherry red waistcoat and matching tartan cap. www.dollshousebears.free-online.co.uk

Photograph © belongs to the individual artisans as credited.

.13. Artisans In Miniature 61

Mini Makes!

By AIM Member, Debie Lyons

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

The theme for Mini Aimers this month, as its February already, will be Valentines Day !!!

Using the FREE pintables on the opposite page you will be able to make your own miniature Valentines Day cards, decorate boxes and your own miniatures using the hearts and words.

Mini Makes... Mini Makes for this month include: ‐

Heart Shaped Cookies (for a plate or box) A cookie box Valentine Heart Lollipops

Materials needed... Heart Shaped Buttons ( mixed) PVA Glue White/Cream/Pink paint Nail decorations (if you have them) Tissue Paper/fancy paper A small box


Cocktail Sticks (useful for applying glue to small areas) Paper Wire (paper covered wire if you have it) Heart shaped beads Glitter Miniature plate Clear Nail Varnish

Instructions – Please read carefully before you begin! Firstly, print off your FREE pintables on good quality paper or thin card. You can seal some of the hearts and words with clear nail varnish (this also makes things look glossy).

Cookies...

There are two ways to make your buttons look like frosted/iced cookies. Paint the tops of the buttons or use PVA glue with tissue paper or a white fine glitter on.

Step 1: Cover top of button with glue and let dry, making sure the holes are filled in. When PVA is dry

.1.

paint the top of the cookie the colour of your choice and decorate (Nail decorations are good for this).

Step 2: Arrange some of your cookies on a miniature plate if you have one or a little tray.

.2.

Box...

Step 1: Paint your box the colour of your choice inside and out. Let paint dry.

Step 2: Leave your box plain or decorate it using your FREE pintables

Step 3: Put some tissue paper or fancy paper in your box. In the top of the lid you might want to stick in the Valentines Day verse

Step 4: Place some of the larger dry cookies inside the box. Artisans In Miniature 63

Valentine Heart Lollipops...

Step 1: Fold over the end of the wire till it will fit in the hole of the bead. Test it to make sure it’s a tight fit.

Step 2: Dip the end of the wire in PVA glue and put the end of the wire inside the bead and let dry.

Step 3: Cut off the excess wire carefully. If your wire is strong you can also make miniature balloons this way using various kinds of beads!

Top Tip…!

Where To Buy…?

Little boxes, paint, buttons etc Hobby craft. I got my buttons from my local garden centre craft section, they were £1.50 and you can make lots of things with them.

I got my nail art decorations from my local pound shop and if you can find them they are really good value for money and very useful. NEW! We would love to feature any of your minis that you have made recently or your miniature projects. If you have something that you would like to show us, please send your pictures to... Debie Lyons: [email protected]

Mini AIMers Gallery...

All projects are intended for children 14 years old and over. Please note – although the projects in this column are for children, adult supervision is recommended at all times. The author cannot be held responsible for any accidents arising from these projects.

Text & Photographs © Debie Lyons 2010 Artisans In Miniature ??


By AIM Member Viola Williams Materials needed: Tacky glue, silk ribbon, pleated lace or ribbon, lightweight cardstock, silk taffeta fabric , miniature ribbon or faux flowers, fusible Pellon and a wax paper covered piece of Styrofoam.

Pattern Pieces and Illustrations:

Step One: Step Two:

Cut the pattern pieces from lightweight cardstock. Rub glue over one side of the ’BACK’ cardstock piece and lie it on the wrong side of the silk taffeta (or

similar fabric). Iron the two together so that they fuse. Cut around the adhered cardstock piece leaving approximately 1’8” all the way round. Fold this fabric edge over onto the uncovered side of the cardstock piece and glue in place.

Step Three:

Iron a 1” square of fusible Pellon to the wrong side of a piece of silk taffeta (or similar fabric). From

this cut out another ‘BACK’ piece of fabric and glue it to the unfinished side of the cardstock piece (covering the folded over edge).

Step Four: Finish the ‘BRIM’ in the same way as step 2. Step Five: Glue pleated lace or ribbon along the unfinished side of the brim. Step Six: (see illustration A) Rub glue along the edge of the ’BACK’ piece, match the notches, and wrap the ’BRIM’ around the back where shown by the heavy line on the pattern. Hold in place for a few moments until the glue has adhered.

Step Seven:

(see illustration B) Cover a piece of Styrofoam with wax paper and set the assembled bonnet on it.

Hold the two together by supporting them with toothpicks stuck into the Styrofoam and leaning towards the bonnet.

Step Eight:

(see illustration C) When dry, gather a piece of lace or ribbon and glue it across the back top of the

’BACK’ piece, standing upward, then glue flowers along that at the back edge of the brim. To finish, add silk ribbon ties at the bottom edge of the brim.

©2010 Viola Williams - www.violasdolls.com



The Miniature... GRAPEVINE

NE W

New AIM Members

MGM Fairs News

Many of you already know that I have now retired from organising the Dollshouse and Miniature Fairs I have been running for the last 12 ‐ 13 years as MGM Fairs, but I am delighted to advise that our Dollshouse fairs held in Crickhowell, Matlock and Chipping Sodbury have been bought by Liza and

We would like to extend a warm welcome to the Josie Lawrence of PMP Fairs, and that our following new members who have joined AIM in the Dollshouse Fairs held in Tewkesbury and Devizes have been bought by Wendy Hobday of Wendy's

past month: Hayley Bedells

World Fairs.

Pauline Everett

I know that Liza and Josie are also adding some

Louise Win

new Dollshouse and Miniature Fairs for 2010 and

Shelley Norris Amanda Speakman

New Patterns…! Kathi Mendenhall is releasing three new patterns this month. 4016 Contemporary evening fashion 4017 Edwardian tennis fashion

that traders interested in taking stands, and cus‐ tomers interested in finding out more, need to go to their website, call 01562 637520 or email: [email protected]

Wendy has mentioned to me that she will be moving her Marlborough Dollshouse Fair in 2010 to the Corn Exchange in Devizes and I am sure that show will continue to be a very popular and successful Fair.

4009 Hansel and Gretel or, with

I wish to thank all my customers and traders over

change in fabrics and treatments, Victorian Children.

the last 13 years for making my fairs such a success,

La Petite Belle Patterns sold

I shall probably miss you all but look forward to

exclusively by these fine compa‐

seeing many of you, as I continue to come

nies: Doll Artist’s Workshop, Kitz!

out occasionally as Merry Gourmet Miniatures.

Online, Dragonfly International.

In England: Sue

Gutheridge

Miniature Kits. In Spain, Casa de Muñecas. Visit Judi Gerth of Tiny Threads at the IMA show in Chicago – April Kathi Mendenhall AIM Member & IGMA Artisan, La Petite Belle Patterns. www.minipatterns.com

I now plan to spend more time making period food for Merry Gourmet and to seek new challenges and interests through our websites, including keeping the information sites of Miniature Fairs, Miniature Traders, The Tiny Times and Step By Step Workshops up to date. Gail Tucker AIM Member & Ex‐Fair Organiser of MGM Fairs.

MGM Fairs, Lyndhurst, Beckford Road, Bath, Bath and N.E. Somerset BA2 6NQ, UNITED KINGDOM


A Miniature Dustbin… AIM member Catherine Davies has created a wonderful dustbin full of rubbish The dustbin will be featured in the shopping section of the March edition of The Dollshouse Magazine, Issue 142

www.dollshouseheaven.co.uk

Miniatures Only…

Miss Amelia’s Miniatures… "Miss Amelia is pleased to announce the release of a new range of Victorian cloaks and mantles. Following original designs from the 19th century these elaborate silk and lace garments are hand made by Janine Crocker and each one is entirely unique. They can be worn by a 12th scale doll or displayed as part of your miniature scene. These and more can be found at

www.missameliasminiatures.com

New AIM member Shelley in the Dress Collection" Norris runs the Miniatures Only Auction site, a place to Fundraising Auction... buy and sell miniatures. Jain Squires aka The Giddy Kipper has made a They are holding a contest to wonderful new character inspired by the Harry encourage new members to Potter books. Miss the site with the prize being a Gwendoline Stout will be beautiful doll by Diane auctioned on Ebay Pietrocola during the first week of February to raise funds Visit the website for more details… for her daughters forth

www.miniaturesonly.com

coming trip to Tansania in Africa. The trip is New from organized by World Challenge and will Literature in Miniature... Taxidermy Thrush involve charity work in a Very realistic stuffed Thrush school there in need of perched on a branch and much repair. surrounded by greenery and a Jain’s daughter has to raise £3500 herself to make primrose. The thrush has been the trip and is hoping to do this by fundraising, feathered using real feathers. working and finding sponsors. Size: Dome is 1.75" tall x 1.25" Jain has made this fabulous character complete across. with a mandrake www.literatureinminiature.co.uk\TaxidermyIndex.htm potting bench and her daughter will be listing Cernit modeling clay the auction herself. Ellie’s Dolls have been chosen as a UK stockist of To find out more visit Cernit modeling clay. They stock 7 colours and can Jain’s blog... be contacted at : Elli’s Doll Workshop, 1526 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset. BH11 9AF www.giddykipperdolls.blogspot.com Telephone : 01201 572626

The Post Box

NE FEATUW RE!

Now, over to you…! At AIM, we love to hear what our readers think of our magazine and of our member’s wonderful miniatures. Maybe you have followed a project and are thrilled with the results ? Maybe you have been inspired by something you've seen in the magazine ?

If you would like to share your news and views with us, please email Julie at

[email protected] (Please remember to put ‘The Post Box’ in the subject header of the email)

So whatever your thoughts, we look forward to hearing from you and will print a

selection of your letters each month in this new section of the

Miniature Grapevine page. To start the ball rolling here is a letter recently sent to one of our members

Margaret Pitts: www.minimilliner.co.uk

Dear Margaret, My husband, Rhys, just loves lighthouses and when I saw your lighthouse on page 50 of Issue 14 August 2009, I just knew that I had to build one for him.

Now you have to understand that I am a newbie to miniatures and my first project in 1:12, Blossom Cottage, is only a few months along and is of my own design. I knew I was being rather over‐adventurous with this lighthouse but I was just sooooo inspired.

Well, I worked like a demon for over 4 months with an A3 print of your lighthouse on page 51 in front of me for motivation. When I gave Rhys the 1:24 lighthouse for Christmas, he was blown away. He has taken many photos and has put them on our website www.castlehillcc.co.za

So I want to say thank you for contributing to the free magazine, I find it so informative, motivational and inspiring that I just can't help myself.

Belinda Artisans In Miniature 68

COMING nEXT

MONTH… Don’t Miss A Thing!

‘SPRING TIME’ GARDENING SPECIAL!!

All FREE and fully downloadable at: www.artisansinminiature.com

All the projects from the AIM advent calendar combined in one bumper project supplement! Written exclusively by AIM members!!!

Written by artisans Enjoyed by miniaturists...! Please Note: The projects included in this publication are not suitable for children under the age of 14* The miniatures featured in this magazine are collectors items and therefore unsuitable for children under 14*. All projects are undertaken at your own risk. AIM does not accept responsibility for any injury incurred. All articles and photographs used in this magazine are copyright of their authors. The AIM magazine’s content is for private use only and it must not be reproduced in part or in full for commercial gain in any form.

Each artisan contributor is responsible for their own work / contribution to the AIM magazine and retain full responsibility for their published work.

Artisans In Miniature 52 The authors/self publishers cannot be held legally responsible for any consequences arising from following instructions, advice or information in this magazine. *with the exception of the Mini AIMers feature which is written especially for children under 14.

This issue would not have been possible without the generous contributions from the following AIM members… Many thanks therefore go to... Agnes Turpin

Helen Woods

Margaret Pitts

Alan & Kathryn Gray

Helena Bleeker

Mary Williams

Anya Stone

Jain Squires

Patricia Cabrera

Arla Johnson

Jane Harrop

Pauline Everett

Bea (Fiona) Broadwood

Josephine Parnell

Pearl (Literature In

Carol Smith

Julie Campbell

Miniature)

Catherine Davies

Julie & Brian Dewar

Philippa Todd

Celia Thomas

Kerry Fawcett

Sandra Morris

Debbie Dixon Paver

Karen Griffiths

Sarah Maloney

Debie Lyons

Kathi Mendenhall

Shelly Norris

Elisa Fenoglio

Kristy Taylor

Stéphanie Kilgast

Ernesto Baldini

Louise Goldsborough

Vicky Guile

Frances Powell

Mags Cassidy

Viola Williams

Gail Tucker

Maia Bisson

Wendy Smale

Gilles & Muriel Roche

Marsha Mees

See you again next month…!

www.artisansinminiature.com

AIM Mag February 2010

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