Sucky Blogging Ahead...

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 Camera Shoppe?' 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!