New Stuff!

Finally the heatwave broke, as a line of thunderstorms rolled through the parched prairies of Minnesota along with the corresponding cold-front.  The windows were thrown open, the perpetual whir of electric fans ceased and once again the neighbors congregated on their front porches, no longer confined to their air-conditioned prisons.  No miniature projects for me today!  Who knows how long the reprieve will last?

But still I couldn't resist opening the few packages that arrived this week and play with my new acquisitions!  Two more Monticello Collection chairs arrived --I'm picking them up as I can afford to-- only a few more to go!  I did decide to shorten the legs on the oval-backed chairs so they match up better with the square-back chairs and I'm glad I did because they make much better sense together as a 'suite' being the same height.

My art collection is growing exponentially as new frames arrived from DeJoux Miniatures over in North Carolina-way.  I have ordered from DeJoux several times and have always been pleased with their service. Unfortunately, this time around one of the items they sent was not the one I had ordered.  But almost as soon as I pushed the 'send' button on my email to them, the problem had quickly been resolved by Charlie, their crack customer service honcho. Sadly, this is a rarer and rarer occurrence nowadays so thanks a mill, Charlie!

I realized that what I really should be doing instead of playing with artwork and furniture is figuring out what lighting I need.  For one thing, I'm getting tired of having to keep wrestling with all the bits and pieces that haven't been glued down!  So I'm constantly having to reach in and push walls and moldings back into their proper place.  Can't really glue anything down until the wiring is set, and I had a little epiphany a while back because I think perhaps I'm putting too many lights in my rooms!  All of the other rooms have twenty or more bulbs burning...  In each room.  But I sort of like the music room with only a chandelier burning...is it really true that sometimes 'less is more?'  How can this be?  But I suppose it would look unbalanced if all the other rooms are conspicuously set ablaze while this one is not.  Oh, well! Another thing to ponder...

I'm so excited because I went spinet-shopping this week with Andy from Dolls' Houses and Miniatures!  Andy is the absolute arbiter of period style and I'm desperately trying to cajole him into putting all his design-history blog posts into a book!  So far, he's not having it --but he did take the time out from his busy career stalking Ben Cohen to steer me toward this little beauty (above, left). It's from Masters Miniatures, the same husband-and-wife duo that did my dining room furniture.  It will be centered on the wall opposite of the fireplace, an arrangement Andy also approved.  We both agree that the spinet simply must be flanked by candelabras, a la Liberace.  (But should they be working candelabra)?  Details, details...  Thank you, Andy, hope you & David enjoy the Olympics!  ;)