Miniatures make me happy

Local dollshouse fairs can be a bit disappointing but today's - a D&M fair at the Inn on the Lake in Gravesend, Kent - was definitely an exception.  Unusually, my mum was the first to start spending but I ended up going home with the most purchases. There were quite a few sellers we hadn't seen before as well as some old favourites. A beach scene that we all fell in love with The scene above belonged to a lady who was selling off some of her collection to make room for new items. We got chatting to her and it turned out she has 16 houses and her husband has had to build an extension (with 24 power points) to accommodate them all!  One of her displays was a Christmas shop which included the paper boy pictured with the rest of my shopping below. The whole scene was £199 but just as we were leaving, the husband chased after us and said they would sell the boy individually for a bargain £6. He'll soon have a new home standing outside my general store and th

My dad has been very busy with my little pub lately. It's amazing how much love and skill can go into one tiny room box. The finger plates are now in place (in case you missed the previous post , that's what the metal pieces were lined up next to the pound coin) and are a very pleasing finishing touch on the doors. Finger plates are now in place You'll notice the sign is also on the way to completion but the company we've ordered the lettering from has been rather slow in delivering the goods. Unfortunately for my dad, this has given me time to think about what else I'd like. A friend of mine is also to blame after dropping me a casual email saying 'Your pub needs frosted windows'. It took me about 30 seconds to decide that yes, I simply couldn't have a pub without frosted windows. A mock up of how the frosted windows might look A quick email to my dad ("Errr...have you put the windows in yet?") and it wasn't long before

I think we all know that miniatures make me happy - but they also calm me down and make me relax. The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy both at home and in the office, hence the lack of blogging. While I never get stressed about work (I love my job but nobody will die if I have a bad day - it's not brain surgery), the last few days have been particularly challenging. We haven't been able to receive any emails at work which meant I didn't open my dad's messages with the latest photos of my pub until I got home. But what a treat it was when I did. The anticipation - ready for wallpaper I've asked him to take photos as he progresses and it's lovely seeing this little room take shape. I can't wait to have it back and fill it with all the furniture and bits and pieces I've purchased over the years. The front of the pub The front elevation has now been painted and is just as I imagined - the colour is perfect. There's been a lo

Some years ago my parents gave me a box room as my next miniature project - The Rachel's Return . I'd wanted a pub for a while and have loved it from day one, especially as my dad made it so I know it's unique. However, my decorating skills are somewhat suspect and I've never quite got round to turning it from a plain box into the beautiful room I know it can be. That's not to say I've been neglecting it. For years I've been collecting furniture, people, glasses, bottles and everything else a pub needs. If you look closely at the photo below, you can get a peek at the wonders within. The Rachel's Return before decoration You'll also notice the 'Proprietor' is 'R.L Howsley' which is my maiden name. As we're coming up to our sixth wedding anniversary it shows just how long this project has been in the making. Now my dad has taken charge and taken the pub away to decorate. This week he's been emailing me photos as i