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You are here: Home / Archives for miniatures

Monday Morning in Ice Land

February 7, 2022 at 9:55 am by Claudia

Do you think Santa has had it?

Time to retire these two and move them upstairs to their off-season home.

We are so tired of ice everywhere. A warm-up is on the docket for today, but at the same time, we’re having the dreaded ‘mixed precipitation’ which has resulted in a winter weather advisory.

I AM OVER IT.

In the meantime, we have to go get a box and bubble wrap, etc. this morning because I have to let Country Living know the dimensions and weight so they can send me a UPS label. I need to get the box to UPS tomorrow. I briefly considered whether this was worth it. Sigh. I did wash all the cups yesterday, so they’re ready to pack.

At least I don’t have to be at a rehearsal or travel.

Here’s a photo of the miniature Tintin book that was in the tote bag that came with Madeleine. Isn’t it adorable? It’s 1:6 scale, so it would be too big for the dollhouse, but it’s perfect for my girls. (The title is in Spanish.)

I decided that Madeleine must be tired of her traveling clothes, so I put her in another dress.

It was her turn to walk Bertie. The girls take turns – it’s one of their chores.

There was a discussion in the comments the other day about the size/height of Blythe dolls. They are 11.8 inches tall. The head is about 3½ inches tall. There are also slight differences in the size of the bodies that are used. There is the neo Blythe body, which is the original, or close to the original size, there is the Licca body, and there is the Obitsu body. I have all three. I’ve noticed that the Licca body, which is the body that Olivia has, is a little shorter and the arms and legs are thinner, as well. Therefore, she always looks like the youngest sister because she’s a little smaller. I’m not sure about the Obitsu 11 body, which is the one that Pippa and Mei have – it might be a bit shorter. I’ll have to check. The Obitsu is the most flexible, the most posable. But it’s also the most fragile. The rest of the girls; Sophie, Maeve, Zoe, Imogen, and Madeleine have the standard Blythe body, sometimes called neo Blythe or Azone.

I’m fine with all of them. The only thing I want to change is the neck support on Sophie and Maeve. As it is now, the head can turn from side to side but it can’t be raised or lowered or tilted – all of which make for more interesting poses. I have to resort to shooting from below so it doesn’t look like they’re constantly looking down.

Probably way more information than you wanted or needed this morning!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

 

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, egg cups, miniatures 17 Comments

Whimsy

January 28, 2022 at 7:17 am by Claudia

For some reason, both Don and I woke up at the same time this morning feeling quite rested. I turned on the light. We got up.

It was 4:15.

I reminded myself that I routinely got up at that time when I was working on the movie and then proceeded to work for 12 hours. I don’t have to work a twelve hour day today, so no big deal!

I actually like waking up early – maybe not quite  this early – but I love to rise when it’s still dark. There’s something lovely and quiet and mysterious about it.

Some guidance for my day today, and every day: a quote that appeared when I opened Upstream  by Mary Oliver to a random page. These words jumped off the page:

               You must not ever stop being whimsical.

Mary gets me.

You know how much I love whimsy, how much I believe in whimsy. I cannot imagine my life without it.

On that note: Ben (from the movie) sent me an email yesterday and one of the things he asked was “How is the doll’s house looking? Show me!” So I sneaked into the office where Don was recording and took a quick picture.

Lots of little details yet to go, including dressing the bed – something I’m avoiding. I need some lamps, a couple of plants, more kitchen stuff, a few more books. And I need to address the porch area and add some window boxes.

And more whimsy:

Maeve in her hat. My longtime online friend, Jill (I met her many years ago through miniatures) left a comment on Instagram re this photo. “I see a little attitude in this one. Or is it just me?”

That made me laugh out loud. Jill is right!

Maeve does have some attitude.

Okay. Time to go.

Yes, we’re getting snow tomorrow but only 1-3 inches, which is nothing. We’re relieved.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, dollhouse, miniatures, whimsey 20 Comments

The Cubicle

January 23, 2022 at 10:00 am by Claudia

I call this “Out of Control Office.” Or “When Dollhouses Become a Cubicle.”

I’m getting ready to do some finishing work on the exterior of the English Cottage, as well as finishing off bits of the interior. There will be little bits and pieces to add over time –  that’s what happened with Hummingbird Cottage. In fact, I added a new table and chairs for the kitchen of that house last year, so I guess I’m never completely done. I also want to add some window boxes and paint the raised porch area.

The fourth wall of the cubicle.  Yes, that’s toilet paper on the shelf below. I’m not sure why it’s there, maybe I needed something to wipe up paint? Who knows?

Between the girls and the dollhouses, I have a lot of miniature endeavors going on.

I have a few books on ‘small things’ you might be interested in. I was straightening up my stacks of in progress reading material yesterday and I separated these books from the pile so I can read them over the next few days.

The Book of Mini – Inside the Big World of Very Small Things   is by Kate Esme Unger, who I’ve been following for many years through her @dailymini feed on Instagram. She has photographed miniatures for years and this book is a compilation of her photos, including interviews with some of the artisans. It really is a treasure trove. Available in bookstores and on Amazon.

Collectively Speaking – My Passionate Pursuit of Miniatures  (2 volumes) is by Kate Savage Browning. Her collection is vast, so much so that she established the KSB Miniatures Collection, which is in a 3,300 square foot gallery in Maysville, Kentucky. I met her several years ago at the IGMA show and I’ve seen an interview/tour of the gallery. It’s extraordinary. The photographs are excellent and Kay shares so much history and information. Well worth it and available on Amazon.

This is Blythe  by Gina Garan. Written in 2000 (I believe it might be out of print now) Garan photographed her Blythe dolls – and I’m talking about the original Kenner Blythe dolls pre-customization – out in nature and in and around the streets of NYC. It’s considered a classic for Blythe and doll lovers, especially those who collect the original dolls.

Don somehow found this book – I’d never mentioned it to him – and got it through a bookseller. He gave it to me for my birthday.

Yes, he’s cool.

Garan’s photography was groundbreaking. Nowadays, Blythe collectors photograph their dolls everywhere especially in this world of social media, but at the time it was rare. She had a book of those photographs published – unheard of. It reminds me of The Lonely Doll, a childhood favorite.

It’s cold here today and unfortunately, no sunshine. Hang in there, everyone.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

 

Filed Under: books, dollhouse, miniatures 10 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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