Sorry my blogging has been so sporadic, of late. My camera is down and I'm not sure where to take it as there does not seem to be such a thing as a "camera shop' anymore. Or should I say 'Ye Olde CameraShoppe?' Oh wells... Here are a few shots of Merriman Park, opened up.
It's kind of weird seeing it all together, isn't it? I mean, you get used to seeing the rooms individually and so it's a little surreal viewed as a whole. Even when I look at Merriman Park, myself, it is seldom from afar --I usually pull a chair up close and stick my head right into the particular room I'm focusing on at the moment.
I did spend a considerable amount of time making sure all the colors, the architecture and to a lesser degree, the decor, flowed from room to room. I really like how the arch in the Entrance Hall (ground floor, center) echoes the arches in the niches in the Drawing Room above it. Because every room has touches of the same colors --in this case: black, white and gold-- it helps to 'unify' the separate compartments of the house.
Some people have asked why I did not 'finish' the inside swinging door/wall panels to the house. Here's my answer: When I started Merriman Park I was a complete newbie. All I had in my repertoire was my fond memories of The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago and the book Magnificent Miniatures, by Mulvany and Rogers. I noted that M & R did not 'decorate' the front, swinging panels of their houses. So I simply assumed that, that is that! Three, four years later, I have discovered many, many gorgeous dollhouses with fully decorated front, interior panels. So it was a large conundrum for me --should I go back and try and 'finish' my 'bare' front panels? It was only after the house was completed when I realized that I like how the 'doors' receed into the background and so your focus is on the rooms, themselves. And not on the doors.
There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way --it's just a matter of personal preference. What do you prefer? In other news, I recently joined a local miniatures club! It's been around for like, thirty years but I had no idea it even existed. My new BFF, Brad, from Leroi's Lifelikes, a blogger buddy who, I find out --lives a mere ten minutes from me-- turned me on to it. The club was awesome --treated me like Royalty --and they even want li'l ol' me to teach a class, next meeting! (which is kind of surreal). But anyway, go on over to Brad's blog because he is awesome --and tell him I sent ya! I'm having a little soiree to celebrate the Miniaturas magazine article this Saturday, so if you're in the neighborhood, do drop by!
Have you noticed these cute, little mini-libraries popping up in your neighborhood? I have counted three so far in mine.
Some of them match the architecture of the homes they stand in front of, others are more fanciful. I think they are adorable!
It's all part of the Little Free Library movement. It was started by Todd Bol in Hudson, Wisconsin and has quickly spread across the United States and beyond.
Visitors to the Little Free Libraries can borrow a book, bring it back, and sometimes even add a book of their own! Isn't that a great idea? I am in the process of making one, myself. I have WAY too many books, most languishing in my basement...why not share them with my neighbors?
For more information on Little Free Libraries click here.or visit littlefreelibrary.org. Maybe you will want one, too?
This just landed in my mailbox, today! I can't believe they threw it together so fast --in July they asked if they could do a story on Merriman Park for next September but who'da thunk it would be this September? Many of the photos are even ones I took, myself --taken right from the blog! I guess maybe I'm not such a hack photographer, after all? (The best ones were taken by my friend, Eric Lindahl --thanks, Eric)!
The best part? I AM A CENTERFOLD!!!
Sorry for gushing, you guys, but this is, like, MAJOR! Eight pages,no ads! SWEET! OK, I'll stop, now. Sorry. How utterly RUDE of me, especially since I've been on hiatus all summer and have so terribly neglected everyone. ...Well, I look forward to 'catching up' and will be back real soon to let you know what I did on my 'summer blog-cation.'
At last...the Master Bedchamber is finished! Well, a dollhouse room is never completely finished, is it?
The decor reflects the 'modern,' Empire trend, which was coming into fashion at the beginning of the 19th century.
Things are still arriving in the mail. The other day, these lovely, hand-turned, ebony wood urns turned up...
I think they look terrific on the mantle. They were made by an artist in Arizona who goes by 'Oppie.' I found him on Ebay and asked if he would make a pair of the urns you see (he only had a single) and he explained that he couldn't make an exact, matched set because of the small scale. But when I told him it didn't matter to me that they were perfectly matched, he immediately went to work and produced the set you see above. The tops, turned from Osage Orange, are removable. (BTW: they are drop-dead gorgeous and I can't tell the difference between the two)! Thanks, Oppie!
The swagged curtains turned out so well --I thought-- that I made a full-scale version for my 'Real Life' powder room! Next, I'm going to attempt to make a 'RL' pelmet for my bed --why should dolls have all the glamor?
What do you think of the cushions I made for the window seats? I also stitched all the bedding. The mini-patterned fabrics were found at the Chicago show. Well, the white coverlet I made from an old table runner I almost tossed because it had a red wine stain on it. No, I did not do the diamond patterned stitching --it came that way. I'm not the 'hoarding' type but recently, everything I once threw out with impunity gets the once-over! Spooky. Speaking of stitching, believe it or not, I am going to try and petitpoint a seat covering for the chair --so wish me luck on that endeavor because I've never tried petitpoint before! We will have to revisit this subject at a later time...
My wardrobe closet is stuffed chock-full with fashionable clothing from Italy. No, not Gucci, Pucci, or Fiorucci! They were made by Paola, of Paola & Sara, who also made the duo of devastatingly, handsome dolls who reside in Merriman Park. I feel so lucky to have my armoire stocked with bespoke Italian ensembles! (More on that subject, later)...
On top of the wardrobe is the aforementioned hatbox, also from the Chicago show. It reads: Dunn & Co. Hat Makers. London. The vase of jonquils is from non-other than Martha McLean, whom I had the great honor and pleasure of meeting in person while in the Windy City. Her floral work is just superb. (Spring had barely sprung when I picked up these seasonal favorites and now that summer is in full-force I might need to go back and get some lilies or roses or something)!
A few more items of clothing from Paola: velvet-lapeled jacket, red silk waistcoat, buff-colored pants and silk cravat. All the drawers in the room are filled, too. I've got stockings, gloves, folded shirts, garters, handkerchiefs, unmentionables --you name it! If you look hard, you can sort of make out the diminutive slippers and shoes Paola made in the lower, toile-papered drawer. Isn't everything just too cute for words?
I'm still trying to find/make things for the vanity table. The framed silhouette is one of a pair, vintage 1950's Grandmother Stover pieces. The mirror is by Jim Coates.
I have some framed, architectural prints in the room --does anyone recognize this particular one?
Last but not least, check out the opera pumps made by Sylvia Rountree of The Doll's Cobbler. (They're on the rug). Sylvia gave them to me as a present at the Chicago show and they are one of my favorite things in the whole house!
Well, I guess that's the Master Bedchamber! Thank you, everyone, for all your comments along the way. I've been asked what my next project will be and to be honest --I'm not sure. I have a lot of ideas so it's just a matter of picking one out. So, you haven't seen the last of me. Just go ahead and try getting rid of me. I am a one-hundred and seventy pound boomerang, darlings! I have a few more Merriman Park posts in store and then I think I might branch off and start a new blog --so stay tuned!
Someone recently asked on their blog "what kind of music do you listen to while doing miniatures," and I had to laugh because I usually listen to classical music, not the cheesy pop I have been posting. (Not that there is anything wrong with that)! Then I remembered that one of my absolute favorite classical pieces was in a movie I had once seen: Farinelli, il Castrato. So I looked it up ...and found it! Anyway, I hope you like Lascia ch'io pianga as much as I do...
CONFIDENTIAL TO SIMON (if you're reading): Check out the baroque theater in the video. It's so you!
Here's a shot (above) of the glam, new chandelier that I got at the Chicago show. Ain't it purty? It was made by Gerri DeCave, with whom I spent a highly entertaining half-hour (at least)! getting the 4-1-1 on all the behind-the-scenes goings-on. Of course my crap photo doesn't do the chandelier justice at all!
In addition to magnificent, sparkly baubles for your dollhouse ceilings, Gerri specializes in re-vamping off-the-shelf Bespaq furniture, giving her pieces her signature, high-end flair. All of her drawers are lined in lovely papers, (so naturally, when I got home, I had to do the same)!
And here's the Stokesay Ware pattern I'm collecting...they only had one plate left in my pattern in Chicago --which was probably lucky for my wallet!
I guess you can't really tell that I lined the silverware drawer with fancy paper from Brodnax Prints. The drawer is a tad disorganized --it looks rather like my 'RL' drawers, LOL!-- perhaps I should make dividers for the various utensils?
Candle tipped over in the background. Ugh!
I picked up this perfectly adorable hat from The Doll's Cobbler, a.k.a. Sylvia Rountree. Mere moments before stumbling across Sylvia's cute-as-a-button booth at the Chicago show, I had procured a hatbox just down the isle --so naturally I required a hat to go in the box, right? Well, the hat has ended up on the Entrance Hall table, not in the hatbox, where it tragically would not even be seen --duh! (The hatbox is in the Master Chamber, but that's another post)...
There's already a speck of dust on my new hat :(
Perhaps here you can see the newly-papered drawer holding a pistol? (above) You know us Americans --we always have loadedfirearms lying here and there about the house. Note also the added flourish of a tasseled key. Because you can't have a deadly weapon without a fabulous, hand-made tassel. Yes, darlings, I made the tassel with my own two hams --er, I mean hands (no small feat with my definitely undainty digits)...
NEXT WEEK: The Bedchamber REVEALED!!! (If the rest of my stuff gets here).
This week's music video is in honor of the --finally-- hot, sticky, summer weather we're having --YAY! Enjoy it with a refreshing ice cream treat while you leave a comment!
Well, your humble reporterfinally reclaimed his camera, so I thought I would show you the lovely, black and gold urns that Sophia from Small Talk gave me at the Chicago show. They're simply di-voon and I love that the little lids are removable!
Sorry that I've been sort of MIA the past few weeks. Life certainly has it's ups and downs, right? You do understand? Of course, you do.
On the mantle are the new clock and trophies from David Iriarte. (I should probably take a better photo of them that will do them some justice)! To the right of the fireplace is a firescreen I made from a House of Miniatures kit. Actually, it's two kits because the screen came with a square panel and I replaced it with an oval one. No, mes chers, I'm afraid I did not paint the floral image --I could probably have pulled it off in 'real scale,'-- but I don't have the patience (nor the expertise) for that sort of work and so I decoupaged it.
BTW, Forgive me for not lately commenting on your blogs...I'm afraid I'm dreadfully behind and I amdesperately trying to catch up!
It's been nothing but rain, rain, rain here in Minneapolis --but the sun somehow managed to peek out for approximately five minutes today so I snatched the op to snap these few photos. Did I mention that I am absolutely coo-coo for those urns?
Coming up: the Master Bedchamber, revealed! But first, in honor of Marisa from Steinworks: a MUSIC VIDEO!
Oh. My. God. I'm still processing the whirlwind experience that was the Tom Bishop International. I thought last year (which was my 'first time' --and you know what they say about the first time) was incredible, but this year proved to be even more enthralling!
I know I'm terribly late in reporting on the show, but I left my camera down in Chicago --not that there were any photos on it anyway-- my blasted charger stopped working for some reason, so I wasn't able to snap many pics at all! Hence the delay...
Our trip to the Windy City almost didn't happen due to yet another freakish, late-season snowstorm. Yes, mes chers, you read that correctly! Snow. In April.Late April.
Was I going to allow the likes of Old Man Winter to keep me from driving eight hours in order to purchase Gorgeous Little Things? Oh, hell, no! Even the fact that the snow plows had missed our alley (where the car was parked) did little to deter your Intrepid Reporter...though the snow bank that the plows had deposited at the end of said alley did manage to jar lose some kind of thingamajig under the car. We had to listen to whatever it was dragging all the way to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where it thankfully fell off. Our little gift to you, Eau Claire!
This was the view on the way out of Minneapolis...good riddance! Hopefully it will all melt by the time we get home!
photos courtesy of the local news.
Ugh! So the first leg of the trip was, shall we say, nasty? Fortunately, by the time we lost the aforementioned thingamajig, the snow eventually gave way to green grass --and even a few daffodils! Things were looking up!
We arrived in Chicago Friday afternoon at our friend Roland's tastefully-appointed, Rogers Park condo. I haven't seen dear Rol in ages, but as it often goes with old friends, we all quickly fell into our accustomed camaraderie. After an evening of delicious food, scintillating conversation --and copiousamounts of martinis-- it was off to bed. And even though the excitement for the next day's event was building to a colossal crescendo I quickly dozed off, while visions of GLT danced in my head!
THE SHOW!
We arrived at the show just as it was opening at ten o'clock. Oops!Mr. Moneybags forgot to visit the cash machine, not-so-conveniently located at the other end of the hotel. By the time we returned to the ticket counter, the line stretched all the way down the hall. I noted that, though your Humble Reporter is himself, nospring chicken, he seemed to be the youngest miniature enthusiast in attendance. This doesn't bode well for the future of the miniatures hobby!
Tickets finally in hand, I took a deep breath and waded in! Where to look first? These were among the finest miniaturists in the world, all competing for your attention!
I was only in a few short minutes before I started bumping into and catching up with friends likeErik Goddard, who is also from hometown Minneapolis. Eric makes the most marvelous room boxes and scale models in all manner of styles and I especially like his take on modern design. It was great to catch up with Erik and see his latest and greatest work, which you can check out for yourself on his blog.
At the sage advice of Andy, I made a very specific HotList of items to shop for, the main thing being a glam chandelier to replace the one in the Music Room. I found a particularly gaw-jess one at the booth of DeCave Designs, where I spent an amusing half-hour (at least) talking to the Devine Ms. DeCave herself, Gerri. Gerri turned out to be a kindred spirit because not only does she create the most spectacular chandeliers, but she takes ordinary Bespaq furniture and gives it a marvelous, signature DeCave re-vamp. Faux bois, faux marble --Gerri does it all with particular panache and a fine eye for the slightest detail, like mini silk tassels on all her drawer pulls. Check out her website and Etsy shop.
While I was dishing the dirt with Gerri, my better-half was busy next door canoodling with another dish, namely David Iriarte, a very young and very charming, talented, young, --(did I mention he was very young)? furniture maker from Spain. David makes finely-crafted pieces in the manner of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and though he spoke nary a word of English, dove-tailed drawers speak for themselves, darlings! My better-half, I daresay , was not the least bit interested in joinery a l'antique, and though exquisite, Louis Quinze furniture was decidedly not on my HotList, David had some rather lovely mantle clocks and other tchotchkes available which fortunately fit into my budget (if not my HotList). And so your Intrepid Reporter picked up a few, miscellaneous nic-nacs. Flexible, mes chers, is my middle name!
I have been stalkingMartha McLeana la distance for quite some time. She makes the most stunning, miniature floral arrangements in the biz. As a former, floral designer, I knows me a tasteful arrangement when I see it and Martha, (as Marge Simpson would say), simply screams good taste. Understated eleganza is Martha's forte and I just had to have something from her booth, though it was not technically on myHotList, either! (Thank gawd I'm so damned flexible)! I can't wait to show you her little bud vase of daffodils, sitting on the windowsill of the bedchamber. Martha also has a great blog to peek at, too.
Right next to Martha's booth was my BFF Sophia of Small Talk. It took me a while to find Sophia's booth because --well-- she is rarely there, lol! Thank god her friend, Emily, whom I remembered from last year, was on hand to greet me! While having a perfectly lovely chit-chat with Emily, Sophia eventually showed up, after completing an epic shopping excursion of her own. Girl after my own heart! Sophia always knows the T of the show and after finding out that I was on the hunt for dinnerware she guided me over to the Spokesay Ware booth.
I had already blown my wad on the chandelier, and so perhaps it was fortunate that the Spokesay booth had already nearly sold out of the china pattern I was interested in. Divine intervention?You decide. Still, I was able to snap up a dinner plate bordered in the Greek key pattern I so admire. And at least now the huz knows what to get me on birthdays and anniversaries, right? I mean besides sweatpants.
Yes. Really. Sweatpants.
Also on my HotList: pillows for the bedroom window seats! I scoured the show from top-to-bottom but could not find anything in my color-scheme of Dijon-mustard yellow and black Oh wells, I did find some mini fabric I can fashion into my own cushions --though I had my heart set on needlepoint.
It was about this time that I ran into the legendaryRay Whitledge. How can I even explain the experience? I've been blog-buddies with Ray for ages, but here was the Real Deal! For me, I guess it was like a comic book geek running into Batman or Superman! --or the guy who invented Batman and Superman?-- well, you get what I mean. Only it wasn't like that at all. I wasn't tongue-tied, or nervous, or anything, because Ray is so cool, I felt like I was talking to my bestie the second I met him!
My history with Ray goes back to when I was trying to wire my first room and was having a hard time with it. Ray sent me his email address and offered to help. I had no idea he was a famous miniaturist! Yet he took the time to give me, a mere beginner, the encouragement I needed (I was on the verge of giving up) and eventually, I got my room lighted. Sometime later I found out (thanks, Giac) who Ray was and OMG was I bowled away that someone like him would take pity and give the likes of me basic, introductory lighting lessons. I will always be so indebted to Ray for taking the time to give a newbie a little push. Ray, did you ever know you were my hero and that you are the wind beneath my wings?
Well anyway, at the show, Ray tipped me off to artistLorraine Scuderi, for the aforementioned pillows I was relentlessly searching for. Unfortunately, Lorraine had no pillows in my rather odd colorway, though she did have a hatbox --which conveniently fell into the 'bedroom accessories' category on my HotList.
So I had a hatbox , but it just seemed so --so empty! Fortunately, a few booths down, I ran into The Doll's Cobbler, who had a whole mini hat rack, chock-full of hats! YAY! My newly-acquired hat now fit perfectly into my newly-acquired hatbox.
We had another lively chat with artisan Sylvia Rountree, who like us is coo-coo for all the jazz-age greats! Sylvia has actually met many of our American Song Book idols, like Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, et al and we had a lovely time comparing notes on all things jazz! Sylvia eventually shooed us off, as time was passing fast, but not before bestowing a cunning pair of shoes as a gift for the boys of Merriman Park. Wait til you see them --they are too cute for words! Thank you so much, Sylvia! I will cherish them, forever!
We high-tailed it back to Ray's because I wanted so much to spend a little more time in his company...unfortunately, as I approached Ray's booth for a second time, the ballroom lights were shut off! Last call! We had little more time than to exchange phone numbers and murmur our parting good-byes: Adieu, new, old friend!
But I had one more item on my HotList... would we make it back to the booth in time?
The pair of urns I had my eye on were back in Sophia's booth, and when I pointed them out to her, as the lights grew dimmer, Sophia gifted them to me, the most lovely parting gift, ever! I can't thank you enough, Sophia! (And your urns look fantabulous in my Drawing Room)!
I left the show higher than a kite, hehe, no small coincidence since the show fell on 4/20, LOL! It was a major rush and I didn't even tell you the half of it. SO many, many artists, each displaying the very best of the best...The whole thing was so utterly inspiring! When I get my camera back I'll show you all my booty in situ.
Til then...have a lovely spring! (Or fall, for you southern hemisphere followers)...
XOXO,
John
P.S. Here's what we're now dealing with, weather-wise --kind of spooky!
This is what happens on a warm spring day in Minnesota when the lakes are still frozen!
I love making things and have a huge interest in architecture --especially Renaissance, Baroque and Classical styles. This is my first dollhouse project which I intended to use as a diversion from the maddeningly long, Minnesota winters.
