Before I get in to my visit to Chautauqua Miniatures, I want to take a moment to thank you for the outpouring of messages on Don’s birthday. It just confirms what I already know: you are the best! Don thanks you from the bottom of his heart. He loved reading them. As for his day, he played the guitar and drove to a new Mexican restaurant he had discovered to treat himself to a birthday dinner. Don, a San Diego native who grew up on Mexican food, is always in search of a good Mexican restaurant and this one is the first he has found in our area that meets his standards.
In honor of his birthday, I treated myself to a delicious veggie burger and fries on the grounds of Chautauqua.
Hey, why not?
Now, onto Chautauqua Miniatures. Let me say right off the bat that the interior photos are not at all good. I’ve done the best I can with them. But the iPhone, while quite wonderful outdoors, is not so good indoors, especially when the room is relatively dark. So the photos are slightly blurry. Normally, I would have trashed these but I know you want to see the shop. (Wishing I had my big girl camera yet again!)
The shop is just down the road from the Chautauqua Institution. I could have walked there had I wanted to. It’s in an old barn and is surrounded by pretty gardens and (this is for you, Meredith) two yarn shops. The owners of Chautauqua Miniatures also carry decorative items for the home and toys in their space.
Let’s go inside.
There are display cases everywhere in the shop that are full of miniatures. Some of them are designed by artisans and are truly spectacular. (I asked the owner for permission to photograph the shop and we agreed not to show closeups of the artisan pieces, as the artists don’t want their ideas copied.)
Everywhere you turn, there are miniatures. That’s one of the owners in the back, putting something in a display case.
This kitchen was on display in a room box. Loved it.
There are dollhouse kits, as well as finished dollhouses, on display. This has always been one of my favorites – The Vermont from Real Good Toys.
My dollhouse is in 1-inch scale, but there are many miniaturists who work in ½-inch scale. That smaller dollhouse you see up there is built to that scale. It can be hard to find furniture and accessories in ½-inch but Chautauqua Miniatures has a lot of inventory on hand. And they have a website, so you can order directly from them.
After much consideration, I came home with some treasures.
Two planters for the rooftop garden.
Fabric bolts for the studio.
Two books – Alice in Wonderland and a World Atlas. And a darling little painting of a cottage.
Garden tools for the potting room/rooftop garden. I think I’ll have to rough them up a bit.
Two potted plants for the roof.
A kit for a Victorian corner shelf.
And this ‘wicker’ chair and ottoman made out of resin. I couldn’t resist. There were only two of them left. A fellow shopper liked my choice so much, she grabbed the other one. The owner of the shop was pretty sure they weren’t being made anymore, so I’m glad I went for it. I think I’ll have to make some cushions, don’t you think?
What an amazing shop! I spent a fair amount of time there and could have stayed even longer, but it was very humid outside and the shop didn’t have any air conditioning. I emerged a sweaty mess and headed back to Chautauqua.
We are in tech rehearsals now. I’ll be in and out of rehearsal today, depending on how slow the process is. I attended the Tom Brokaw interview the other day and it was terrific. The amphitheater was packed and I decided to stand in the back against a wall. There are a fair amount of Chautauqua residents who use motorized scooters and let me tell you, some of them need a remedial driving course! Several scooter-ites drove past me and almost ran over my feet. They were completely oblivious to anyone around them. Since I was against a wall, I couldn’t move out of the way. Yikes! It would make a good Saturday Night Live sketch if it wasn’t so scary!
Don’t forget to visit my post entitled A New Path (In More Ways than One.) Oxytrol for Women and More Magazine are launching an Open A New Door contest for women over 50. Go on over and read the details and enter!
Happy Wednesday.
Hi Claudia – glad Don enjoyed his birthday. Wow, that store must have been so much fun — love your purchases – especially the planters, the bolts of fabric and the chair and ottoman. Everything looks perfect for your dollhouse! Watch out for the scooters!!
Beware of Scooters!
I don’t have a dollhouse and I’m pretty sure that I would have bought the chair and ottoman! Can’t wait to see your treasures in place!
Me too, Laura!
I don’t have a dollhouse like yours (yet), but I would have been in heaven browsing that shop! It’s just amazing the things that are made to scale and how detailed they are! I love all your purchases and can’t wait to see how you display them!
You could spend hours there, Vickie!
Oh my goodness !!!!!!!!!!
Claudia, I saw those two “wicker” chairs in the second picture you posted and gasped. Then I wondered if you were going to purchase them. Thankfully, you didn’t let me down and so kind of you to allow the other patron to buy one. Everything you bought for the doll house cottage will look great. I can’t wait to see how you arrange the new goodies.
Take care,
Vanessa
Can’t wait to get them home and into the dollhouse, Vanessa!
My heart is beating fast over the miniatures. I don’t know if you have seen the shelf I am going to use as my doll house. I would have bought that resin set as well. So cute.
Glad that Don had a nice birthday. What’s really nice is that you can celebrate all over again.
Yikes on the scooters.
I am going to look online at the shop.
Have fun and beware of people on scooters.
I have seen your shelf, Debby, just didn’t have time this week to leave a comment. Maybe you’ll be able to find one of these chairs online? xo
I’m thinking maybe I need to get my eyes checked. You think these photos are relatively low-quality? I think they’re just great. Maybe a teeny bit blurry in just a few spots. But positively great compared to A LOT of the photos I’ve seen on blogs, Twitter etc. You are too hard on yourself, Claudia. Are you a firstborn, by any chance? Have a wonderful day and take a lot more iPhone photos for us! :>)
Yes – they’re blurry, but believe me, they’re better than they were because I used my photo editing program! I’m not a firstborn – my brother was – but I am the oldest of my sisters and helped raise them, so I’m an awful lot like a firstborn!
Beware of scooters indeed! What a neat place…love all the littles that you bought. Your roof top garden will be quite the summer hang-out! I love that wicker chair and ottoman…absolutely darling! So glad Don enjoyed his day! ;)
He had a pretty good day. And he gets to celebrate again when I get home!
Claudia, I think your pictures turned out perfectly. I loved seeing them. What a fun place to shop, and what great finds you bought!!
It was a really neat shop, Bonnie.
What a fun day. I don’t know how you even made the choices you made. I would be so overwhelmed with all those tiny things. Can’t wait to see them all in place :)
It’s very easy to get overwhelmed there, Dawn!
I agree with Dawn..It would have taken me an hour just to decide which things to buy..What an amazing shop..full of amazing things..miniature heaven..lol..I love everything you bought..especially the wicker!!! When do you go home?
I fly home on Sunday evening, Nancy. Don’t get in until around 11 pm.
That chair!!!!!!!!!!! I could not have resisted that chair. All of your selections are perfect, the lady of the house will certainly be pleased. What a fun shop–thank you for sharing that great adventure.
It is great that Don found a Mexican restaurant that is up to his standards. Living where I do I get fantastic Mexican quite easily and greatly appreciate that. Do they serve much in the vegetarian line? That would be a great lunch date.
When I go, I have a something with beans and guacamole – a burrito or something. We can definitely dine together there.
I have used a bean & cheese enchilada as my measuring stick for new Mexican restaurants. .If they skimp on anything it shows up right away. Same thing with guacamole. And Pico de Gallo….now I am hungry. :-)
And now you’re making me hungry! Fortunately, I’m on my dinner break! xo
It’s been several years since I’ve been inside a miniature shop, and never one of this size. I believe I might have had a couple of heart palpitations as you showed us your treasures! LOVE the wicker!! My dollhouse is the Vermont, only it doesn’t have the two end additions, and mine is blue. Shipping caused my porch to break off (in 2 large pieces, and several small pieces), so I have some work ahead of me to repair it. Thanks so much for the tour Claudia, I will be checking out their website.
Oh, so sorry about your porch, Debbie! Get out that glue!
Claudia – Oh, I love all of your treasures you found. Thanks for taking us that trip with you. I would have spent days in there I’m sure. So much to see.
Judy
The only thing better than visiting that shop, Judy, would have been to visit it with you!
Glad to hear Don had a nice day and found a good mexican restaurant. That’s one of my favorite cuisines. Wow, that shop is really something! I’m sure you could’ve looked for hours at all those miniatures (if it weren’t so hot). I like the things you found and it will be cool to see them in your dollhouse.
Yes, the humidity made me more than a little uncomfortable, but I have a feeling it was good that I left when I did. I didn’t need to find more things to buy!
I sure did, Olive!
Hi Claudia, the mini garden tools and planters are too cute. I know you loved this shop. xo, Olive
Claudia, My head would have been spinning , if I had seem that shop in person. I love the things you bought. I just could not get over all there was to see and chose from. Bless your heart.:):) So glad Don had a good day, wish you could have been with him . xoxo,Susie
Me too – but next week we will celebrate!
LOVE the wicker chair and ottoman! You were very smart to get them. I can’t wait to see all your lovely purchases in your dollhouse, Claudia. Have a safe trip home.
Thank you, Sharon!
Claudia- loved the tour. I don’t have internet today so I read this on my phone- I thought your pictures were fine- and I know bad pictures! Believe me I take bad pictures ALL THE TIME! I liked all of your purchases. Can’t wait to see the corner cupboard – that chair is sure sweet and the bolts of fabric! Love the details . Pat
Thanks, Pat!
I really enjoyed the photos and loved seeing the miniatures you bought. Love that chair and ottoman soooo much. The tools will have to be ‘aged’ a bit. What a fun place. Glad you are having a good week and that Don has a good birthday. I’m working on unpacking Mom now. So glad to be on this side of the move!
hugs,
Linda
The end is in sight, Linda!
Love your choices. Wish I could have shopped with you!
Peggy
Wish you could have, too!
Oh my. The ‘wicker’ chair and ottoman are perfection, Claudia! Happy belated B’day to Don ~ I’m sure you would have enjoyed going out together so much more! I understand his search for Mexican. We lived in CA for 16 years, and oh how I miss the restaurants there! Today is my 62nd B’day. So nice of the U.S. government to start sending me checks to ease the pain ~ ha, haaaa!
xoxo,
~ Lin
Happy Birthday, Lin!!! (I’ll be 62 this year, too – how did that happen?) Have a wonderful day!
I would have been in heaven in this store!
Yes, you would have, Leslie Anne!