AIM Mag August 2010 Issue 25.

Contents…
August 2010: Issue No 25,
Cover Image: Malcolm’s Miniatures
Regular Features…
5 Editor’s Note: Read Bea Broadwood’s
introduction & welcome to this month’s fabulous
edition of the FREE AIM magazine!
28 Tool Junkie: The latest instalment of Mel Koplin’s
informative column.
46 Getting To Know You: Get to know more about
AIM member Viola Williams.
60 Blog Of The Month: This month we take a
closer look at AIM member Debbie Wright’s
20 online blog.
62 Cross Over Crafts: Featuring AIM member
Louise Goldsborough.
64 Diary Of An Edwardian Dollshouse: The 6th
instalment of Julie Campbell’s dolls house
adventure!
72 Through The Keyhole: This month we take a peek
at the work space of AIM artisan: Julie Dewar.
80 The Work Basket: Read the latest instalment of
this popular new series.
83 Show Reports: From all around the miniature
world.
84 Aunt Anastasia: If you have a miniature dilemma,
then why not write to our very own agony aunt
for her well considered advice?
88 New On The Web: ‐ AIM This month we take a
look at Paris Miniature’s new website.
98 In Season This Month: This month Vicky Guile
18 and her fellow AIM food artisans take a closer
12 98 look at the delicious ‘summer berries’.
116 AIM Gallery: The High Street... AIM members
come together to celebrate a high street in
miniature.
142 The Miniature Grapevine: Catch up on all the
latest news and announcements from the
international world of miniatures.
Artisans In Miniature 2
Features…
80
6 Cover Story: Malcolm’s Miniatures: AIM members and artisan
couple Malcolm Smith & Silvia Lane tell us more about their
stunning work.
14 The Hardware Shop: Don’t miss Catherine Davies’ nostalgic
miniature store.

20 Steampunk: AIM member Sally Watson (with a little help from
her friends at AIM) introduces this new mini series.
24 Something For Sir?: A gallery of Gentlemen’s attire.
38 Quarter Scale Shops: Jean Day takes a closer look at smaller
scale miniatures.
50 The Little Flower Shop: By AIM member Linda Master.
54 The Shambles Of York: Research and inspiration by Vicky
Guile.
76 The Catwalk: Wilga Van Den Wijngaart’s knitting
skills are on display in her miniature shop.
86 As Seen On TV!: Regina Passy‐Yip tells us all about
her recent brush with fame.
90 Dolls House Tiles & Ann Marie Miniatures: ‐ We
talk ‘shop’ with AIM members Graham & Ann Marie
Simpkin.
134 Bartholomew & Sikes: Part 1 of the construction of a
Gentleman’s Emporium by Ian Jones. 38
Free Projects… 32
26 1:12th ‐ Smorgasboard Of Smores: AIM member
Melanie Navarro shares her stunningly realistic
tutorial.
32 1:12th ‐ Basket: Vicky Guile shows her simple and
adaptable way of creating inexpensive miniature
baskets.
36 1:48th ‐ A Shop Counter: We know you will just love
Bea Broadwood’s innovative quarter scale project
108 1:12th ‐ Blueberry Baking: AIM members Janet Smith
& Betty Hagen share their secrets for creating delicious
miniature deserts using seasonal blueberries.
130 1:12th ‐ Chef’s Hat Tutorial: Annemarie Kwikkel
teaches how to create this tradition kitchen headwear.
140 1:12th & 1:24th ‐ Knitted Dish clothes: AIM member 26
Frances Powell generously shares yet another of her
fabulous knitting patterns.
CLICK…on Artisans In Miniature
How did you find the Online Magazine??
Did you follow a link?
Did a miniature friend tell you about it?

...and do you already know about the Artisans In Miniature Website,
and the talented members who have all helped create this Online magazine.?

If not, copy, paste and CLICK now – www.artisansinminiatures.com and come and
meet us all. Founded in 2007 by Bea (Fiona) Broadwood of Petite Properties, the
website has been created in order to showcase the fantastic work of the individual
professional international artisan members who create beautiful and original scale
miniatures for sale to the public. Together they form the Artisans In Miniature
association.

Since its launch the AIM association has rapidly grown and now boasts membership of
well over 200 professional artisans, including some of the most talented within the
miniature world!

On the website you will find further information about them and their work;
however, please note new pages are constantly being added and there are many
members who are not yet included on the site...

If you are a professional artisan who is interested in joining the association, you will
find all the information there.....
If you are wondering what Fairs may be on in your area – that information is there
too…

We have lots of links…to Fairs and Events Organizers…Magazines…Online Miniature
clubs….Historical reference sites…..Workshops…and more… it’s all there!

If you’d like to contact us, copy, paste and CLICK...
we’d love to hear from you!
www.artisansinminiature.com
Artisans In Miniature ?

EDITOR’S NOTE

The AIM Magazine’s Dear Reader
Editorial Team: Welcome to the eagerly

anticipated August edition of the
Bea Broadwood AIM magazine; which is officially
office@petite‐properties.com our largest issue to date!

Celia
mail@sorceresshollow.com AIM members have been busy over

the summer, working hard to fill

Helen Woods
woods1@orcon.net.nz an unbelievable 145 pages with
fabulous miniature content for you
Janine Crocker all to enjoy ‐ for FREE!
janine@missameliasminiatures.com

Jean Day Now, fresh back after their summer break AIM members have taken a
jday1@shaw.ca closer look at the ‘humble shop’. So if you want to find out more about
John Day the talented house builder Malcolm Smith and his doll sculpting
jdayminis@shaw.ca partner Silvia Lane, gaze at the stunning hardware shop brought to life
Julie Campbell by Catherine Davies or let Vicky Guile teach you how to make your
belljulie1@aol.com very own traditional basket (in miniature of course); then look no

further!
Margaret Cassidy
info@mags‐nificent.co.uk As you will see this August issue of the magazine is packed from cover

Mary Williams to cover with interesting features, profiles, editorials and projects;
marysdolls@gmail.com covering every aspect of the dolls house hobby.

Vicky Guile What more could you wish for!?

vicky@njdminiatures.com
I am also excited to announce that over the summer the future of the
Please note
AIM is an active association
AIM magazine grew even brighter, when the editorial team expanded!
to which all members contribute … On behalf of AIM I would therefore like to officially welcome Celia,

Formatted By Helen, Jean and John to the magazine’s production team.
Bea Broadwood, Collectively they bring with them a wealth of valuable experience and
Janine Crocker, energy that will both compliment the existing team and enable the AIM
Jean Day, John Day,
magazine to continue to grow from strength to strength!
Sally Watson
& Vicky Guile
Bea
Editor (& General whip cracker)
August 2010
www.petite‐properties.com
Ma
alcolm’s
Malcolm and Silvia of Malcolm’s
Miniatures are pleased to share
their love of miniatures with the
readers this month. Malcolm has
been involved in making models
since he discovered Airfix kits as a
young lad. Over the years he has
made many different types of
models – military models,
vehicles, railways, figures,
buildings and scenery.
For 20 years he was active as a

By AIM Members, Malcolm & Silvia volunteer model maker for Pen‐
don Museum in Oxfordshire
where the rural scenery of the
1920s and 30s is being re‐created
in 1:76 scale with a village, railway
and the countryside, he was
responsible for modelling
buildings and scenery for them. In
fact, he has worked in all the
popular scales from 1:144 to 1:12.
When Malcolm took early

retirement from a career in
electronics and IT in 2001 he got
the opportunity to make
model‐making his main activity
and set up Malcolm’s Miniatures.
Malcolm & Silvia...

This gave him an opportunity to try another area of model‐making or miniatures which he hadn’t tried
before ‐ doll’s houses, room boxes and furniture. Although new to the doll’s house and miniatures scene,
he was able to apply all the skills from his other work.
One of his pet subjects is the cross fertilisation of ideas and techniques from other fields of
model‐making, for example the military modellers have great techniques for creating realistic figures and
weathering vehicles, the railway modellers have a lot of great techniques for creating buildings and
scenery and these techniques can be applied to the doll’s house world as well.
When he met his partner, Silvia Lane, they found they had a common interest in miniatures and
modelling and so they are now both part of Malcolm’s Miniatures – Silvia specialises in sculpting and
dressing character figures and sculpting
cats and birds, whilst Malcolm focuses
on houses, room boxes and
furniture. One of Silvia’s pet
subjects is that figures should
be doing something, with hands
that grip properly and actually
do hold the objects they are
working with. One of her
specialities is old ladies
falling asleep like the
one shown here.
Old Lady Asleep...
Cobbler’s workshop...
All of their work is ‘one of a kind’ – either to commissions, like the cobbler’s workshop (above) or to their
own designs. Much of their inspiration is drawn from the Victorian and Edwardian painters such as Helen
Allingham, Charles Edward Wilson, Carlton Alfred Smith and AR Quinton. They know these artists were
known for creating a “chocolate box” view of rural life – but isn’t that what we often do with our
miniatures? Another good source of inspiration for them is the rich variety of costume dramas on
television, such as Lark Rise to Candleford and Cranford.

When they are creating miniature pieces they can escape into another world and shape it the way they
want. Working in miniature can be frustrating though when tiny pieces fly across the workshop or bury
themselves in the carpet never to be found again!
Most of their pieces fit into a cottage theme – thatched cottages, windsor chairs, dressers and the
characters that might have inhabited the cottages. Their own creations generally cover the period
between the Victorian era and the 1920s/30s but they can make items to commission outside this period.
They also work in other fields, for example they made a vegetable garden for a 1:43 model railway so their
work is not restricted to the conventional scales of the doll’s house world. Most of their pieces are in either
1:12 or 1:24 scale but they have also produced houses in 1:48 and scenes in 1:43, 1:76 and 1:144. They have
also used Malcolm’s experience in electronics to produce a range of controllers for model railways and he is
currently developing control units for lighting in doll’s houses.
Apart from the ‘one of a kind’ items they produce they also have a range of items for the DIY enthusiast.
These include the range of Brick Impress Moulds that enable you to produce realistic brick, stone, tile and
slate finishes on miniature buildings. The range currently has 14 different patterns of brick, stone, etc in
each of the scales 1:12 and 1:24 and a new range of 1:48 moulds will be available later this year.
The years of modelling for Pendon Museum and a longstanding interest in vernacular architecture
makes Malcolm want to create accurate replicas of houses for the doll’s house market like this half
timbered house.
This means the correct
brick bond or stone finishes weathered to
make them realistic. Malcolm developed the Brick Impress
Moulds originally for his own use but they have become very popular and they
now ship them all over the world, as well as selling at the fairs. To help people
get the most out of the moulds they also have two DVDs explaining how to use
the moulds and other techniques for creating realistic buildings in miniature.
A third DVD about scenic modelling will be available in the near future.
Malcolm and Silvia do offer a mail order service and attend a few fairs each year – you can find them at
Miniatura in Birmingham twice a year and at the Thame fair. One of the nice things about doing fairs is
when they see regular customers returning to buy more items from them – that means that somebody
really appreciates what they make. That happens sometimes with mail orders as well – like this email
from a lady in
Hamburg ...
“The DVD "Model
Buildings" is excellent. I
really love it. Today I
looked it twice. I would
like to thank you for the
brilliant DVD. I like the
mold too. I have not
tried them, because I
have to build a house
first ... lol. Now I want
to order some more
molds.”
Reactions like that
make all the hard work
worthwhile.
Text & Images © Malcolm’s Miniatures
Why not find out more about Malcolm & Silvia’s

stunning miniature creations by
visiting their website:
www.malcolmsminiatures.co.uk
Edited by Helen Woods. Formatted By Bea Broadwood
Artisans In Miniature

“An association of professional artisans,

dedicated to promoting a high standard
of excellence in original handcrafted scale miniatures…”
artisansinminiature.blogspot.com
The AIM Association was set up in 2007 in order to
The way in which provide a global platform for professional
AIM Association membership miniature artisans who wish to actively promote
their work and actively take part and support the
is offered has changed! opportunities and promotional facilities which AIM
uniquely offers for free: notably including...
 The AIM online forum
Due to an overwhelming uptake of
 Monthly FREE AIM magazine
membership over recent months, as  AIM Member's online directory
from July 31st the AIM Association now  AIM website
has limited memberships available…  Aim’s facebook & social networking pages
 The AIM blog.

AIM membership is only available for professional miniature artisans,

selling quality handmade miniatures to the public.
Membership is reserved for artisans who wish to

showcase & promote their work,
through active participation within the AIM Association.
Please note; A waiting list has now been introduced regarding
new membership applications.

AIM is completely FREE to join and completely FREE to be part of.

So… if you are a professional miniature artisan and you would like to find out more about joining the
AIM Association, please email AIM’s Membership Secretary: Tony for more information:
tonybroadwood@aol.com

Or alternatively visit our website… www..artisansinminiature.com
I did not put my hardware shop
together with the intention of its being
an artisan piece. As a miniaturist, my
own specialty is making food and
flowers, so a hardware shop wasn’t
something I’d normally contemplate in
the course of what I do. Rather it was
something deeply personal, a less than
faithful representation from a memory
of a visit to the reconstructed hardware
shop that I saw at the Black Country
Museum in Dudley, England.
This particular real shop is set in the

1930s but I wouldn’t claim that my
version is the same. Truthfully, I
haven’t kept to any precise era. You can most accurately describe my hardware shop as being “old fashioned”, sort
of Victorian, sort of Edwardian probably with later elements thrown in. To me it doesn’t matter. I was aiming to
capture an atmosphere and a feeling of generic age. Were I to burn a paraffin lamp nearby, I would probably even
capture the smell of the place too.
Apart from that, why did I choose to put a
hardware shop together in the first place? I
suppose I was attracted to the clutter of
practicality. The hardware shop used to be
the modern day equivalent of a department
store for home wares. You could purchase
the majority of goods for your home from a
hardware shop in days gone by, and my first
impression of the hardware shop in the
museum was that of clutter.
Tins, packets, bowls, baskets, brushes and

anything else you care to mention were
everywhere; particularly hanging from the
ceiling, not to mention outside the shop. In
miniature terms, that translates as
“anything goes”. The occupational hazard
for most dolls house collectors is
accumulating piles of odds and ends that
have taken our eye for no particular reason,
then end up in drawers waiting for a home.
A hardware shop could be that home.
The building itself is the Sid Cooke corner shop ‐ ok I cheated. It was already built and ready‐wired when I bought it.
I like constructed shells ready for me to move into. I don’t particularly like woodwork and I’m no good with copper
tape, screws and electrics. The nearest I got to woodwork was making the tongue and grooving for the walls. I
could have bought real,
sophisticated miniature tongue
and grooving, but for some
reason I can’t fathom, I chose to
paint individual pieces of wood
and stick them one by one on the
walls. Looking back, I think it
would have been better to have
chamfered the sides first since
they look rather stark, but
they’re stuck solid now, so
they’re staying. And I don’t think
anyone would notice, unless I
told them.
Oh yes, the flooring is wooden as well, but I had the sense to buy that in a sheet and lay it in one piece. The beauty
of creating a hardware shop is that the floor can be as rough, shabby and grubby as you like. In reality, that meant a
lot of staining, sanding, more staining, more sanding, a bit of boot polish, loads of expletives and probably a lot
more boot polish. You can actually throw anything you like on a floor like that while you try to get the right effect.
If it doesn’t work, just take yet another sheet of sand paper to it and if that doesn’t scrape away a mistake, you can
always blame it on the miniature public stomping through the shop in their hobnail boots, bringing in the dirt and
generally making a mess.
The nearest faithful, authentic representation of anything in the museum is the counter. This counter particularly
grabbed me with its quality mahogany top and black body (with some strains of mahogany peeping through cracks
in the black paint). My counter started off as a plain wood cheap import and I first stained it entirely in mahogany.
Leaving the top mahogany, I went on to paint the sides in several coats of matt acrylic black
paint and sanded off a few areas to reveal the mahogany beneath. Similarly with the
shelving, I just bought some plain wood units and stained them roughly in mahogany.
The advertising inside the shop was fun.
A few pieces I bought complete as they
are, others I cut from pamphlets (or dare
I say it, even books). There is a wealth of
material out there, often from curious
places. For example, the notice for soap
flakes (above the mangle and tub
containing soap flakes) was cut out from
some rather original wrapping paper.
I made the Sunlight bars of soap from

small slivers of wood. I actually bought
one real bar of Sunlight soap years ago
from the old fashioned style Apothecary
shop to be found in Howarth, Yorkshire,
England. (This is the real shop where the
brother of the Bronte sisters bought his
drugs in the nineteenth century – I
digress, I know – but it was very
interesting). Back to the bar of soap – I
simply scanned the wrapper into the
computer, shrank it down then printed
several copies to wrap round the slivers
of wood.
I did the same for the

blocks of Reckitts Blue after
having found a real one.
The rest of the tins and
packets were bought ready
made. There is a great
variety available on the
market that to choose from
if you find you can’t make
them yourself.
If you are wondering why the soap flakes in the tub with the mangle look so realistic, it’s because they are real soap
flakes bought from the same wonderful Apothecary shop. Add real water and you’ll get real froth.
The rest of the contents of the shop were the results of years of collecting and hoarding, just like any other
miniature enthusiast. Looked at objectively, I don’t think my hardware shop is full enough, but that doesn’t matter.
Like I said at the beginning, it was never intended to be an artisan piece. It is a piece of my own history, a piece of
one memorable visit to a memorable museum that is organic, like a real hardware shop and I will continue to add to
add to it as I go along. It is a moment in no particular time that will grow with me for the rest of my miniature days.
www.dollshouseheaven.co.uk

Formatted by Vicky Guile
I beg your pardon?
Sorry – wasn’t intending to be insulting. . .
An attempt to define the indefinable by AIM member Sally Watson
I imagine 3 different reactions to the phrase Steampunk – if you are familiar with it you will grin, knowingly; if you
have heard it but got lost you will feel relief that someone might just explain; if you have never come across it you
will consider me a rude person! Stay with me……
I first came across the term about 4 years ago and thought
it was a fine description of a quirky style. So how do you
define it? Well….you don’t but here are some pointers.

Throughout history there have been thinkers, artists and
inventors who have defied the restraints of time and
reality. Bosch, Da Vinci, Escher, Dali, Heath Robinson, Jules
Verne, H P Lovecraft, H G Wells are but a few that spring
to mind and I already hear folk yelling about the ones I
missed. Some of these amazing minds used machinery in
a futuristic way as they saw it at the time of writing/
painting. Thus, a time machine invented by a Victorian
would have brass bits and cogs and dials and…..STEAM!
Still with me?
Now let’s consider the terminology: steam =power; that’s fairly easy.
Punk, though…. Sex Pistols?
Safety pins? Sid Vicious….?
Malcolm McLaren? Perhaps
we should go further back in
time. The original meaning in
the late 16th century was
prostitute! Shakespeare uses
the wonderful term “taffeta
punk” in “All’s Well That Ends
Well” and “Romeo and Juliet.”
Whilst in “Measure for
Measure” we have “My lord,
she may be a punk; for many
of them are neither maid,
widow, nor wife.” Some other
uses by the bard are best
dealt with elsewhere—we do
have younger readers!

Later it was used in American English among the early settlers to refer
to a kind of burnt corn and in the Delaware Indian language it means
ashes. Perhaps unsurprisingly it became slang for a cigarette in the
late nineteenth century before becoming a derogatory term for a low‐
life/hoodlum/waster. And then in the late 80s it hit the music and
fashion scene.
So with such a chequered
history it seems that punk
has joined with steam to
describe a strange and
eclectic art form which has
permeated f a s h i o n ,
architecture and design via
literature.

The actual term is thought
to have been first used in a
letter written to Locus
magazine in 1987.
Author K. W. Jeter was looking
for a…
“general term to describe his
material set in the 19th century
or 19th‐century‐like worlds, with
strange technology and
wondrous marvels.” It is the
concept of futuristic 19th century
styled worlds that has always
intrigued me. Some are utopian
– others dystopian; love’em
both. Now we are seeing the
creative minds in the miniature
world reflecting this delightful
style; they have taken... and run with it! As in real life it is used in fashion
and jewellery, furniture, interior design, domestic tools and architecture.

The concept provides a multitude of opportunities in various scales as will be demonstrated in forthcoming
articles on this topic. Jean Day will be describing her Steampunk room box and Grimdeva will introduce us to her
spooky take on the style.

Places to look for more Steampunk:
Art by Jane Walker ‐ www.jane.walkerillustration.com
www.theclockworkcentury.com ‐ www.datamancer.net ‐
www.thesteampunkhome.blogspot.com
www.theclockworkcentury.com/?cat=17
Photographs by...
Clock and lamp by Grimdeva ‐ Cauldron Craft Miniatures
www.cauldroncraftminiatures.blogspot.com ‐ www.CauldronCraftMinis.etsy.com

Steampunk witch by Nancy Cronin ‐ Nancy Cronin Miniature Dolls
www.nancycroninminiaturedolls.blogspot.com

Fashionable ladies by Mary Williams Dollshouse Dolls
www.dollshousedolls.co.uk ‐ www.marywilliamsdollshousedollsblog.blogspot.com

Attaché and Contraptions with Pipes (below left) by Patricia Paul Miniatures
www.patriciapaulminis.com

Clockwork Calendar & Time Turns in Clockwork Motion by Oberon’s Wood ‐ Sorceress Hollow
www.sorceresshollow.com ‐ www.oberonswood.blogspot.com

Hats by Janine Crocker ‐ Miss Amelia’s Miniatures
www.MissAmeliasMiniatures.com

Steampunk room by Jean Day Miniatures
www.jdayminis.com ‐ www.jdayminis.blogspot.com

Chrono Seidh (below) by Dawn M Schiller ‐ Odd Fae and Autumn Things
www.autumnthings.com ‐ www.oddfae.blogspot.com
Thanks to the willing contributors to this article and keep watching for
further developments.
Text ©2010 Sally Watson ‐ SallyCat Miniatures ‐
www.sallycatminiatures.com

All photographs ©2010 by their respective Artisans.
Formatted by Sally Watson.
Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...Project...
AIM Member Melanie Navarro
shares her edible recipe for
delicious ‘Smores’ along with
step by step instructions for
1:12 scale miniature polymer
clay versions.
The REAL Thing...
Ingredients
1 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup white sugar 3
cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups
semisweet chocolate chips 3 cups
miniature marshmallows.
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175
degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a medium bowl, combine butter, sugar and graham cracker crumbs until well
coated. Press half of crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Top with the
chocolate chips, then the
marshmallows. Sprinkle the
remaining graham cracker mixture
over the marshmallows and press
down with a spatula.
Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes,
until marshmallows are melted. Cool
completely before cutting into
squares.
Calories Per Serving: 190

The Miniature Recipe...

Ingredients
Polymer clay in white, chocolate brown
and beige, foil, light brown, red and
black pastel chalks.
Directions
Using your white clay, roll small balls
and lightly flatten on top to form
your marshmallows. You can use the
black pastel to shade some of the
marshmallows to create a “roasted”
look.
Take your chcolate clay and using a

rolling pin or pasta machine create a
flat chunk approx. 1/8” thick and
create both vertical and horizontal
lines on top to make your chocolate
bar. (Foil is optional)
To make your graham crackers, you

need to roll out some beige clay as thin
as you can, but not so thin it breaks,
then using your light brown and red
pastels, shade the clay to your desired
colour.
Bake according to clay package.

Calories Per Serving: ZERO!!!
All text and photos ©2010 Melanie
Navarro ‐ Mels Miniatures Formatted By Vicky Guile
www.melsminiatures.com
Formatted By Vicky Guile
project...project...project...project...project...project...project...project...project...
1:48TH
a shop counter... QUARTER
SCALE
Materials…
By AIM Bea (Fiona) Broadwood
Thin card & Medium card
Brown & black acrylic paint
(or colours to suit your own
scheme)
Believe it or not, it is incredibly easy to

make 1:48th scale furniture from scratch.
No wood or wood working skills are
needed and if you can cut and fold card ‐
there will simply be no stopping you!
2¼in Draw out the shape: part A shown in

Step 1
Fig.1. onto a piece of thin card.
Front Cut out, then score along the lines indicated using
Side
Side
¾ in
the fine point of a scribe, guided by a metal ruler.
Part A
The card should be sufficiently scored so that it
folds easily and neatly along the marked lines.
½ in 1¼ in ½ in

Fig.1. Cut line Score line
Draw out the shape: part B shown in
Step 2 Fig.2. onto a piece of medium card.
Cut out and score as appropriate.
Fig.2. Cut line Score line

Take a piece of medium card and back
⅜ in 1¼ in ⅜ in Step 3 it with double sided adhesive tape.
Draw out 5 panels, see picture 3 and cut out and
⅜ in
Shelf ‐ Part B stick into position. (NB there is 1 panel on each
end of the counter and 3 on the front elevation.)

2 in

Take the pre folded part B and apply
Step 4 glue to the exterior of the two end
tabs, see picture 4.
Stick into place to form the interior shelf of the
counter. The bottom edge of each tab should be
⅜ i
3
/ 16in
flush with the bottom edge of the counter, n
again see picture 4.
⅜ in
⅝ in
To create the counter top, cut a
Step 5
rectangular piece of medium card
which is slightly larger than the counter.
n
Liberally cover the top edges of the counter in ⅜ i
tacky glue, then sit the counter on top of the
rectangle of card, see picture 5a. 3
Clean away any excess glue. Once dry use a small
pair of scissors to trim away the excess card, see picture 5b

Step 6
Paint your counter with 2 coats of brown acrylic paint, then distress using a tiny amount of
black paint and a dry brush.
4 5a 5b
Glue tabs
This project was taken from

‘Making Dolls House Furniture In 1:48th Scale’ written by
AIM member,
Bea (Fiona) Broadwood. Priced £5.99
To find out more about the project books she has written,
why not visit her website:
Text & Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010
Formatted by Bea Broadwood
Working with smaller scales has fascinated me for a long time so I’m delighted to be presenting Smaller Scales
articles for AIM magazine. I will try to alternate between scales and include projects and printables which I hope
will inspire you with your own tinier projects. After working in one twelfth scale for a long time, smaller scales can
be a great space saver and the tiny details really have such a delicate appeal.

Quarter Scale Shops is the theme for this month and I’m very pleased to be featuring Janet Smith’s “Shabby
Chic Chocolate Vignette”, Bea Broadwood’s “The Corner Shop” and my own ‘Chubby Cheeks” Toy Shop.

For those not really familiar with quarter scale, 1:48, or 48th scale; one quarter of an inch is equal to one foot in
real life. I always like to use graph paper the is 4 squares to the inch for designing.

The “Chubby Cheeks” Toy Shop
I designed years ago and recently enjoyed finishing it. It was very easy to make using a foam core base, sides and
back. I glued wooden u strips to the top, back and sides, front sides and bottom, so I can easily slide in pieces
styrene plastic to protect this box from dust. The size is 4” (10.1cm)heigh x 6” (15.2cm) wide x 5” ( 12.7cm) deep.
The outside was painted with artist quality acrylic paint to which I added silica sand for a bit of texture. Strips of
wood were added to the exterior for more interest. Then I aged the surface with watercolours. The windows were
made by using plastic containers and set into the foam core walls.
Quarter Scale Toy Printable
To separate the baby furniture

and clothing side from the toys, I
cut out a piece of archival board. I
have used my made up quarter
scale outfit and furniture kits to
decorate the baby side of the
shop, there is also a baby box with
a layette from my kit. I used larger
Fimo clowns to add a theme to the
shop, there are tiny ones on the
shelves too.
In the toy part of the shop in the upper photo, you can see a train layout I
made in a plastic container and then covered with wood veneer. On the
right side is a made up dollhouse and wizard kit. There are doll kits and
teddies, bunnies, toys and clowns I made from Fimo and a few toy gifts I
have received. Also on the shelves and children’s play area are some of my quarter scale books. Some of the thinner
books are folded cut outs from the printables I’ve included shown above for your personal use. These can be
printed on card stock and should print out about 3” in height for quarter scale. The rocking horse, train and toy
soldiers I scanned from an antique Tuck post card of toys. The books are covers from my antique children’s book
collection. I designed the other toys and found the lamb toy in one of my children’s books. The rocking horse is put
together by gluing the front and back at the top horse part and opening the two sides of the rocker. You can add
fine silk thread to the kites and foam to the back of the train box.
Shabby Chic
Chocolate Shop Vignette

Janet Smith designed this wonderful
Shabby Chic Chocolate Shop for an
on‐line class. This vignette is only
2.5” x 2.5” x 2.5” (6.35 cm
x6.35cmx6.35cm).
Janet’s husband is a wood‐worker
and builds these three sided
vignettes for her out of exotic
hardwoods to display her foods in
scenes on her sales table. He used
becote wood on the sides and yellow
heart on the base. The becote is a very hard wood; the results are so beautiful, as you can see from the photo of the
back of the store. The wallpaper and flooring are scrapbooking paper. The border is something that Janet designed
and printed onto paper.
Janet’s wonderful cakes were made using a 1/4” Kemper circle cutter and then painted using 3D paints. Her cakes
are really remarkable in their tiny size. The cookie sheets were cut from aluminum sheets, approximately 3/8" by
1/4", equivalent to a 18” x 12" cookie sheet. The pie tins are about 3/16" in diameter at the top equivalent to a 9"
pan. The pans she used for the brownies and the jelly roll are jewellery findings. Everything in the shop is made
either from polymer clay or paint. The Shop comes with a plastic baseball case, and the whole scene fits inside the
case.
Janet Smith ‐ desertminis@gmail.com ‐ Desert Minis, Inc. ‐ www.desertminis.com
Photos © Janet Smith 2010
The Corner Shop by Petite-Properties
The Corner Shop was the first ‘kit’ package to be released by Petite Properties’ in their exciting new quarter scale

series. The inspiration for this shop came from the traditional red brick vernacular of Hertfordshire where Bea
Broadwood was born.

On her web site Bea says:
“All of my 1:48th scale kits are designed to be a fusion between scratch building and normal kit construction, for
'hands on' miniaturists who wish to build their own houses following step by step instructions, but without the need
for woodwork. There are a wide variety of techniques included in each book which 'once learnt' are of
course transferable to other miniature projects and in turn other scales too; making them incredibly versatile!!!”

Each ‘Kit Package’ within Petite Properties’ unique quarter scale series consists of a precision ‘laser cut’ kit used to
create the structure of the miniature property and is complimented by a high quality booklet which provides step by
step, detailed instructions on how to construct and finish your 1:48th dolls house; both inside and out.
The size of the completed project is 3.3” (8.5cm) wide by 8.3“ (10cm) deep x 5.9”(15cm)in height.
Please note: you will require very basic, inexpensive craft materials to create the interior & exterior finishes, such as
small pieces of paper, card and air dry clay, these are not included in the kit.
Furniture: To accompany Petite Properties' quarter scale 'Kit & Book' series, Bea (Fiona) Broadwood has also
written a new ‘how to’ series which teaches just how easy and inexpensive it is to make ‘life like’ quarter scale
furniture that will compliment a whole range of property styles and genres.
The first book in this new series: Making Dolls house Furniture in 1:48th Scale, features 18 furniture projects which
have been written exclusively for the smaller quarter scale. Uniquely none of the projects include the use of any
wood, instead inexpensive everyday craft materials are utilized with dramatic effect!!
All of Bea (Fiona)
Broadwood's publications &
kits are available to order via
the new online store; which is
on her website:

Petite‐Properties has also come out
with a quarter scale room box kit
that would make a shop as well. To coincide

with the launch of this kit, they are very excited
to be launching a new range of ceramic, ready
to paint fireplaces and chimney breasts. been
specifically designed to fit inside their room
box kit.
These versatile fire surrounds are sold
unpainted, however they can be easily brought
to life using either acrylic, emulsion or poster
paints. Indeed one design can be painted in a
multitude of different ways; offering a truly
unique and inexpensive focal point for our new
1:48th room box, or shop.

Choose from either:
1. Full brick
2. Full stone
3. ‘Panelled wood’
4. 1940s style
5. Victorian style
6. Victorian Kitchen style
Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010
Following on from the success of
our first 1:48th scale room box,
which was released back in May,
Petite Properties are now excited to
release a brand new quarter scale
‘Shop box Kit’.

Exclusively designed by AIM
member, Bea (Fiona) Broadwood
this new quarter scale shop box is
directly based on a popular 1:12th
scale shop box which she made
many years ago. However, Bea says,
“I have recently
been inspired “I have recently been inspired by a puzzle game I play with my grand daughter,
by a puzzle where you have to match a person’s body to their legs and to be honest this mix
game I play and match concept got me thinking...”
with my

granddaughter,
where you Interestingly it appears that there is more to this shop box design than meets the
have to match eye… but in the meantime the new shop box kit is priced at just £14.99 and
a person’s body to comes with full colour, step by step instructions; all you need to do is just add
their legs
paint & glue!
and to be honest
this mix and
match concept
got me thinking”
This versatile shop box kit will be

available to purchase from the Petite
Properties’ website in August, via
the online shop (mail order) or from
the Petite Properties’ exhibition
stand.
To visit the new online

store simply go to our web-
site:
www.petite-properties.com
and follow the link...
Text & Photos © Petite Properties Ltd 2010
‘Getting
to know
you...’
In this regular feature a brave AIM
Viola williams
member answers our probing questions, helping
you to get to know both them and their work a little bit better!
This month our willing victim volunteer is the well respected miniature artisan;
Viola Williams...
Can you tell us a bit about your life before Miniatures?

As a child my days always revolved around doing "projects." My mother said that as a preschooler I had a
small blackboard and piece of chalk, and that I loved to draw and that people were able to tell the
difference between my "houses" and my "barns". We lived on the farm at that time and would have been
around both buildings so it would not be surprising that I was able to draw them both to be
recognizable. I don't remember those days as I was very young
and dependent on my parents for their recollection of those
times. We left the farm when I was four or five years old

As time passed I continued to like to do creative things. As a
pre‐teen the neighbourhood girls and I would sit outside after
dinner and I would make up stories to tell. Later a new family
moved into the neighbourhood and their daughter took over the
story‐telling because she was so much better than I was. I
remember those days very well because it was such a pleasant
way to spend an evening. One neighbour had one of those
porch‐style swings. A large one that was built outside of the
house instead of on the porch. We girls would sit and swing and
sing. Sometimes I would just listen while they sang because I do
not have a good singing voice.

As a child, what were your favourite toys?
As a child my favourite toys were always my dolls. One year at about age 7 or 8, I was given a doll with real
hair (not just painted) for Christmas. It was a very special gift and no doll ever had her hair combed and styled
as often as that doll did. I named her "Annabelle Clarabelle". I apparently lacked some name combination
talents. I kept that doll and sewed for her for a very long time. I think I continued to enjoy her until I was
about 12 years old. Whenever I moved I took her with me because she carried so many wonderful childhood
memories for me. I owned her until about 9 years ago when we moved, and the movers lost her.

Another favourite activity was sewing clothes for my dolls. I was allowed to use my mother's sewing machine
but preferred to sew when she was out. I was given permission to do so after I promised to not sew my
fingers. Surprisingly I was able to keep that promise. My mother kept a "rag bag" which held out‐grown
clothes, left over fabrics etc. I would raid it often for my dolls. One day I did so in order to make a skirt (from
the legs of a pair of my father's old pants) and a blouse (from a bleached flour sack) for my younger sister. We
were both pretty young so had no idea how really awful they must have been. For example, I did not know
how to add a zipper to the skirt so it was held closed with pins. We both thought they were beautiful! My
sister begged to be able to wear them to school the next day. I can still remember my mother's
comment: "oh, honey.. everyone will think we're so poor." I had no idea what she could possibly have meant
by that comment. (How could a really pretty outfit make people think we were poor??)

What attracted you to miniatures
in the first place?

When I married and had daughters I could
once again justify the purchase of dolls (for
them, of course)....then after seeing a
dollhouse picture in a Lady's magazine, my
addiction moved to a smaller scale. But first
I made a dollhouse, with furniture. Later I
had to add people. At that point I did not
yet know about miniature shops, or
magazines. But someone had shown me
some polymer clay that she had
purchased. So my first dolls were made
from polymer clay. I quickly decided that I
wanted them to be made from porcelain but
had no idea how that would be done. Not
knowing where to go for advice, I chose a
Ceramic shop that had a "doll making" sign
in its window. They taught classes for
making big dolls. By now, however, I was
determined that my dolls would be sized fit
Artisans In Miniature 48 into a dollhouse.
I was never really told how to do it because of course they wanted to teach a big‐doll class to me rather than
give away their secrets, but I did glean bits of information and from there it was trial and error and I
eventually came up with a porcelain doll.
I had no idea that I would become so thoroughly hooked on miniatures.. but it's been nearly 30 years and I'm
not bored yet!

What was your first purchase?

I've never been a collector (except of course for supplies such as fabrics, trims etc). My interest has always
been exclusively in the "making" end of it. The dolls I made were kept in a box until I heard about miniature
shows. Fortunately all miniatures were very popular at that time and they sold quickly. I kept replacing
those that sold, but kept none for myself. When a friend learned that I wasn't keeping anything she
convinced me that it would not be fair to my daughters to not let them have a sample of my "addiction".. so I
did save some for them. They are now adults, and really, I have to say that they do not have an interest in
them at all. They hid it well with profuse thank‐you's... but I never saw that "spark" each time they were
given another doll.
Have you had any unusual commissions?
I don't usually accept commissions because my own imagination keeps intruding into the project and it
causes me to stay away from the commission that was ordered. But I did one on my own at one time. I made
a witch and put her into a bubble bath. She had no idea she was less than attractive and was reading a
glamour magazine and looking into a hand mirror (that had cracked after it held her image). On a stool
beside the bath tub was her black gown and pointed hat.

Do you have any hobbies unrelated to miniatures?
I've had so many hobbies, crocheting, oil painting, leather work, quilting.. and on and on; but NONE has kept
my interest for as long as miniature making has done. Like most miniaturists, I began by making a dollhouse,
and then furniture and accessories for it. But... a house is not a "home" without a family, and when I made
my first dolls, I never went back to any of the other miniature items. I had found my niche. Doll‐making
seems to use up the majority of my time. If I had another hobby it would be my trying to write stories. I
don't mind that I'm not particularly talented. It's fun. I always loved reading and I think it's just another
extension of that activity.

Any phobias or fantasies?
I'm not aware of any. But then, does any miniaturist think their addiction to minis and their fantasies about
them are anything other than perfectly normal and usual? I'm afraid we view others, who seem to be free of
the mini fantasy, to be at least a little abnormal. And we pity them.
You can see more of Viola’s stunning dolls on her website:
www.violasdolls.com
Photographs & Text (Answers) © Viola Willliams 2010
Formatted By Bea Broadwood
By AIM Member Linda Master
I had always dreamed of making a 1:12 scale

flower shop and my original plan was to build it from
scratch. I drew up my plans and began to
concentrate on the inside, filling it would be such
fun! I figured in this case, it would be smarter to
create all the ideas that popped into my head and
then build the rooms to house it all.
Then one day all that changed, a friend came to visit
and he had a surprise for me! He had found a little
Arthur dollhouse on the side of the road (in the
trash, would you believe it?). How I dearly regret not
taking a photograph of the state it was in for the
“before” shot. This little Arthur house was all but
destroyed. It had so much hot‐melt glue all over it, was never painted or finished outside and most of the shingles
and trims were gone amongst other things.
I tried to salvage as much of the original house as possible, remaking the missing trim etc. and luckily I was able to
salvage the original porch. I knew that this battered and bruised little house would become my own little flower
shop!
After the initial repairs I knocked out one wall
and built a new room, cut out the other side
and installed a bay window. I constructed and
added lattice for under the porch and now off to the side is a parking lot and
back alley. The close up photograph of the alley shows some of my attention to the smaller details. I don’t know
what was more fun, making the rusty metal dumpster from scratch (the wheels spin just like the real one), or filling
it with trash! I made all the flowers in my little shop from paper and clay.
Upstairs you can see the gift
shop. The card rack, which I
made from cardstock, holds
49 different greeting cards
with 4‐5 of each card and
each has its own working
envelope! Where to find tiny
multiples of the same
picture? Those annoying
little address labels that
keep coming in the mail, of
course!
There is also a bakery for

which I made all the food that
you can see.
An addition to the house is the Bonsai room. I
created the trees from bits of root and other
natural materials.
As you can see, the space under the steps I

modified to become a restroom. The little pink
plastic toilet is one of my very first miniature
toys that I remember from being a child. Can
you see the tiny toilet paper rolls too?
Everything else was handmade by me.
And here are some of the

critters that live at my little
flower shop.
The shop is fully electrified

including handmade and lit
“exit” signs above both
doors. The lamps and lit
ceiling fan are also
handmade and for those I
also installed fake floors
above so that I can access
the lighting layout directly
and install it into the ceiling
on the floor below.
Text and photos ©2010 Linda Master ‐ Miracle Chicken Urns
www.miraclechickenurns.com
Formatted by jdayminis
Nestled in the
centre of the historic city
of York, in the North of England,
you will find a tiny street filled with
the quaintest of lopsided, leaning
and overhanging timber frame
buildings. This street is known as
The Shambles.
On a recent whistle‐stop visit to

the city of York I was quite taken
with buildings of The Shambles,
with their wonky walls and
looming overhead stature.
Although I didn’t have a ‘real’
camera with me at the time, I
managed to take a few halfway
decent shots with my husband’s
mobile phone for further
contemplation upon my return
home. I must add, that I really
think that these photos do not do
full justice to the street that was
given the Google award of most
picturesque street in Britain of
2010.
From reading the occasional

plaques upon street walls and
snippets at Tourist Information
points, I learned that The Shambles
was once filled with butchers
shops dating back to medieval
times.... I had to learn more!
Illustration by Bea Broadwood
Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com
Once at home from my visit, I sat down at my trusty
laptop to learn more about The Shambles. My first
step, of course, an internet search for ‘The Shambles of
York”. The resulting multitude of finds, led me on a
journey through time spanning over 900 years into the
history of York’s oldest street. The Domesday Book,
completed in 1086, has reference to The Shambles. It is
now thought that the buildings there are of a later date,
most probably around the 14th Century.
So how does such a charming street come to have the
amusing name of The Shambles? If we could re‐wind
the world to Anglo‐Saxon times we would hear this
street being referred to as fleshshammels, which
literally translates as flesh shelves! The most
picturesque street in Britain was once home to over 27
butchers shops and homes, with shammels in reference
to the shelves and hanging rails outside the shops
where the butchers would display their wares.
Butchers display and meats (above) by Philippa Todd ‐ IGMA Fellow ‐ Todd Toys & Miniatures ‐ www.toddtoysandminiatures.com
Medieval style Toy Shop (left) by Bea Broadwood ‐ Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com
Today, The Shambles is mostly home to gift and confectionery shops, but by looking a little closer at the
architecture and surroundings you can easily imagine the street as it was in Medieval times. The butchers would
quite often slaughter the animals in the street, looking down at the pavement, between the cobbles and
flagstones, you can see the gulley which was intentionally built so that the waste could run and be swilled
downhill. Many hanging rails on the timber frame shop fronts are still in situ, from which there would have been
an array of hanging meats. Rabbit, hare, pheasant, goose, beef, pork and lamb would all have been available,
along with less costly cuts and meats such as pigs trotters and ears, oxtails, sausages, black pudding and a wide
variety of offal. Nothing was allowed to go to waste by a skilled Medieval butcher!
So how would we go about creating our very own miniature shambles? A Medieval style doll house... meat and
poultry hanging from a rail above the window... possibly furnished inside with authentic period style accessories
and furniture... a Tudor butcher doll and his wife... and not forgetting some animals ready for slaughter???
Hanging Meat & Poultry (far left) by Paul Taylor ‐ House of Mindy
www.thehouseofmindyminiatures.co.uk

Medieval Style Shop (above and far left) & Illustration (below)
by Bea Broadwood ‐ Petite Properties ‐ www.petite‐properties.com

...I recommend a visit to the AIM Members
directory on...
...to find talented and
professional artisans who can
help you on your way to
creating your own piece of
history in miniature!

Photos of The Shambles and text throughout © 2010 ‐ Vicky Guile
www.njdminiatures.blogspot.com
All other photos and images ©2010 by their respective artisans.


I thought it only fitting that for our blog of the month
we feature Debbie from Tiny Treasures. Not only is
Debbie a very talented miniature artisan she also
regularly promotes the work of other miniatures on her
blog. Debbie originally started a blog so that Family and
Friends, could keep up to date with what her family was
doing in Wales, after moving from Kent just over 5 years
ago. The blog was also a great place to share pictures of
the miniatures that she was working on and to show
what miniatures she was listing on the auction site.

She has been blogging since May 2007. Debbie has made some fantastically wonderful friends from all over the
world, miniature artisans and collectors alike. When she was suddenly taken very ill last year, they all banded
together, to send her get‐well wishes, beautiful presents, cards. They gave
support and encouragement to her children and husband; she feels she can
never thank everyone enough. For Debbie, blogging enables her to keep in
contact with the whole world of miniatures. She told me “We are a huge
virtual family, we share our ups and downs, our miniature projects, leave
comments on each others blogs and ask questions.”

I asked Debbie if she has found blogging beneficial and she replied “I
certainly think blogging has been beneficial, not only to me but most of
the Mini Community for getting the word out about miniatures. I've also
set up a Mini Link Blog: www.tinytreasuresminilinks.blogspot.com where
I've been listing all the Dolls House and Miniature Links I can find. It's
proven so popular, that I've had miniaturists and artisans email me to
add their links.”

Debbie has two favourite blogging widgets and gadgets. The first is her
Blog List, this is a list of some of her favourite blogs. It updates as soon
as someone makes a post, and enables her to keep up to date with
everyone. Debbie’s second favourite gadget, is the Follower Gadget,
this enables her to see who's following her ramblings and also serves
as a link to their blogs. She always welcomes people to her blog and
shares their links, everyone else can pop over to have a look, say
hello and welcome them.


I asked Debbie for her advice for starting a blog. She said “Give it a go and don't be frightened by all the jargon.
Once you've started you might really enjoy it. If you need help just give a virtual shout and someone will help. I
would also advise everyone to have word verification on his or her comments. This helps to stop spammers.”

She is very well known for the miniature food that she makes, but like most miniaturists she will have a go at mostly
anything. Her latest miniatures are inspired by J K Rowlings, Harry Potter books, to fill her own miniature Diagon
Alley and Honeydukes Sweet Shop.

Unfortunately, due to a few on‐going health issues, she been unable to make much at the moment, but she can't
wait to get back to it.

If you do go and have a look at Debbie’s blog, don’t for get to read her older posts from previous years as they are
filled with lots of help and information.

Debbie Wright ‐ www.debbiestinytreasures.blogspot.com
Written by Debie Lyons, Formatted by jdayminis
VÜtyàá Cross over
In this issue we are delighted to feature Louise

Goldsborough, of Angelique Miniatures. Whilst she
has become well know in the miniature world for
her costuming, Louise now tells us about her life as
a full size seamstress/dressmaker.

What is, perhaps, surprising is Louise began mak‐
ing dolls attire first, and then progressed to the full
size equivalent. She has gained her City and Guilds
Certificates, in Fashion and Design along the way,
as well as completing a tailoring course.
Louise tells us that she is diminutive in stature and could not buy clothes that fitted her that she liked.
Her other passion for ballroom and Latin American dancing meant she needed suitable dance clothes, so
she resorted to making her own costumes, ones that suited
her personality and were unique to her. Her favourite
creations are evening and dance wear and fancy‐dress, as
they provide her with the opportunity to be creative and to
work with lovely fabrics.

She is inspired by images on television for her evening and
dance wear, but for her everyday wear she makes garments
that she likes and that will suit her. For Louise the shortage
of available time is the main drawback for her. She doesn’t
like to work on garments for a few minutes, but finds that
she works best when she has a few hours together to
maintain her concentration on the task in hand. Her
weekdays are tied up with her miniature career and her
weekends are busy, so finding the time to cut, fit and sew
her garments is limited. She uses a dummy to fit the
clothing, which she describes as a “good likeness of me, but
not a perfect likeness”. However, she has no ambitions to
become a full size seamstress for other people.
Originally, Louise thought that if she could make doll sized clothing, then she
should be able to make full size clothes. “Unfortunately dolls don’t need to move
or breathe” so she had to learn different fitting techniques. She subscribes to
“Unfortunately
two sewing magazines which she has found very helpful, as well as the training
dolls don’t
she has undertaken.
need to
move or Whilst Louise started working in 1/12th scale, before she progressed to
breathe” costuming larger dolls and then to the full sized techniques, a reverse of the path
that the majority of miniaturists seem to have trodden. But, for all that Louise
still works in miniature, even though she uses completely different techniques
from her full size costuming work. She prefers to work in 1/12th scale, although
she also enjoys making ballet and historical costumes for 16‐23” dolls.
Louise was asked what her favourite creation has been, and why? It is a
lovely story and it has been quoted as Louise told us; “My absolute
favourite has to be the costume I made for my wedding vow renewal
ceremony in 2008. When I married in 1989, I didn’t have a proper wedding
gown (I was only engaged for nine days so there wasn’t time!). I wanted to
wear a real fantasy gown, a cross between an historical costume and fairy
princess outfit, complete with wings. As it turned out, the dress was very
similar to the way I dress my medieval/fairy princess miniature dolls, so
for me it was the ultimate fantasy
costume.”
This time around Louise had a year notice of her vow date, and found
the perfect fabric and planned her design. However, it was not all plain
sailing for her, as she had to cope with the constraints of not being able
to stand for more than a couple of minutes at a time, because of health
issues, and it took her four weekends to complete the pattern cutting
for the lining, main fabric and overlays. By comparison the sewing
process was easier as she did not need to stand!

Louise recommends that if anyone wants to learn dressmaking skills
they consider classes at their local Adult Education Centre, or see if
local fabric shops can provide information on local courses. There are
some good magazines available on the subject, a good source of
“how‐to” information, as well as some distance learning courses
available via the internet.
If you would like to see more of Louise’s miniature world a
visit to her websites is well worth it.

www.angeliqueminiatures.co.uk
Blog: http://angeliqueminiatures.wordpress.com/
Text & Images © Louise Goldsborough
Edited by Helen Woods Formatted By Bea Broadwood
DIARY OF AN
EDWARDIAN
DOLLS HOUSE
By AIM Member, Julie Campbell
PART Belles Toy Emporium is expanding!
6 I know I was planning to begin work inside but I couldn’t re‐
sist first buying something to add to the outside. That’s the thing with dolls house projects…
They tend to keep growing!
I had really wanted to purchase Sid Cookes Orangery kit but my measurements just didn’t add up and the
whole thing wouldn’t have fitted where I wanted it to go.
Now that the house is built and on its turn table on the old chest of drawers in my sitting room I have
measured up again and realised with delight that there is a place for the Orangery.
It is to become Uncle Mortimer’s workshop and the place where the toys are made.
This also solves the problem of the side door, the tradesman’s entrance that leads nowhere.
I decided to add a fake doorway in the back wall of the shop that "leads" to the workshop. The tradesman’s
entrance door will be rehinged on the opposite side and when opened lead into a little corridor with the
fake doorway leading to the workshop for deliveries!
The workshop will also conceal the wiring that will come through the back of the house and be a lovely
"surprise" when the Emporium is turned around on the turn table.
It feels like a great plan!
Now for the inside...!
First of all I had to decide once and for all the layout of the shop floor. Knowing I had the Orangery ordered I
could go ahead with the layout I liked best.
Firstly, to tackle the removable back wall which must be
decorated before anything else can be done.
I cut off the thin piece that went over the right hand top
edge of the wall and then using the wall as a template cut a
piece from MDF to glue into the stairwell cut out on the
back wall.
While this dried I searched my bits and bobs box for spare
doors and found two identical ones which was lucky!
Here you see one of the doors glued under
the stairwell.
This will "lead" into Uncle Mort’s work‐
shop otherwise known as the Orangery! I
will fix the other door to the back of the
house in the same position inside the
workshop and it will appear that it opens.
Unfortunately I didn’t notice that this door
was glued on upside down until it was
too late to do anything about it.
One thing this project shows though is
that we all make silly mistakes and in the end they just add to the charm and individuality of our houses!
The tradesman’s entrance will open into this tiny passage way through which the tradesmen would be
able to deliver goods directly into the workshop.
The next bit I nvolved 2 days and much huffing and puffing and tea drinking! I put my newly filled wall
into place and arranged the shop shelves to fit then measured up a back wall to go across the corner
which in turn was glued to the back of the right hand corner shelf.
With some ( well okay.... lots....) sanding and numerous trials for size I ended up with a wall that fit
perfectly into the shop and permanently attached shop shelves which you can see I painted antique
white. I filled in the gaps and added a little decorative trim that covered the join and strengthened the
whole wall.
This is the back of the wall decorated al‐
ready. This is the decor for the downstairs
passage way and entrance to the living quar‐
ters. I chose lovely muted green William
Morris paper from Brodnax . The striped
paper is also used in the tiny passageway at
the other side of the house.
I antiqued the shelves a little more.
The shop is to be old one and a little
bit dilapidated. Uncle Mort let
things run to rack and ruin and
although Belle has cleaned it up a
lot the furniture is still aged with
time.
My preferred method of ageing is to
simply paint some wood stain (I use
Ronseal) over the item and then rub
off the excess immediately, with a soft cloth. The stain settles into the corners and detailing and leaves a
soft colour wash effect which looks like the patina of time.
I am using the most
beautiful grey toile
Brodnax wallpaper for
the shop, you can see it
here. I will be painting
my parquet floor tiles in
dove grey and cream to
match and it should all
look really beautiful with
a slightly fairytale air to it
and a fine setting for the
wonderful toys .
This is the beautiful light
I have bought for the
shop from Ray Storey.
I have bought single versions of the
same light for the passage ways. I am
delighted with them and can’t wait to
get the electrics sorted out!
Here we have the cubby hole under
the stairs. It will never be seen from
this angle as the back wall of the shop
pushes up against the stairs. You can
only see a glimpse of it through the
open side door, the tradesman’s
entrance . I will probably just store a
bit of junk under the stairs.
So finally I was able to get the back
wall of the shop in place. I was very
relieved that it still fitted after
papering and painting!
The soft distressed green is so easy on
the eye and gives a lovely feel to the
place.

While at my local craft shop I
came across this lovely item:
It is meant to be used for 3D card making, but as soon as I saw it I
immediately thought of my shop shelves and how lovely this
would look as trimming. At half price I bought three packs, ready
for a moment to work on my shop.
First though it was high time the windows went in so
with the help of a paper template and some heavy duty
acetate I set to work.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing and I do wish I had
made my templates before I put the house together. It
was a bit tricky but once the pieces were cut I simply
ran a bead of PVA glue round the edges and popped
them in place.
This is the front of the shop.
You can see I have used the
card kit to make a window trim,
I love the effect it gives. You
can also see I have had to
remove the shop doors! They
were such a tight fit they would
not open with the parquet floor
I am planning to lay, so they are
removed and waiting to be
sanded down.

This is the door into
the house. I am
most likely going to
have shelves across
these windows as
the shop counter
will go across this
corner allowing
easy access to the
house and stopping
any customers from
wandering in there
accidentally!
I used some lovely
maple parquet floor
tiles for the flooring. I have decided to
paint and wax them . Very time
consuming but worth it for the effect!
I used just one coat of paint so you can
still see the wood, its more of a colour
wash, in the cream of the shelves and
the green of the woodwork. Then a coat of clear wax and fingers crossed my shop floor will look
beautiful.
Here you can see the floor almost finished. The instructions said to use double sided sticky tape to fix
the tiles but I wasn’t convinced this would be permanent. I used PVA but be warned, the thin wood
tiles curl up quickly. If you use glue have books or flat weights handy to weigh the tiles down until
they dry.
Here is the floor with all the tiles in
place.
It looks so lovely. I finished it off with a
coat of wax to protect it. You can see
here the wax I used, beeswax and it is
simply a case of wipe on, leave to dry
and then polish up.
Here is the finished floor! I am very happy with it. By just using one thin coat of paint I was able to achieve an
old worn look and you can’t quite see it from this photo but the wax has given it a sheen and it looks as if the
floor has been worn and polished many times over the years.

The one thing I didn’t want is a new looking shop. Although it was once rather grand, time has taken its toll and
although Belle keeps her shop as clean as a new pin, but it hasn’t been decorated for many years.
I will probably make some shelves to go across the side window. It is rather awkward , being two arched
windows side by side .The Kit doesn’t come with interior window frames and as I am no expert with wood work
I wouldn’t even attempt to make my own interior arched frames!
The shop counter will also be in front of the window. I want to have some little tables with toys piled high in
front of the shelves.
Next month the decorating begins in earnest!
To find out more about Julie’s beautiful dolls, why not visit her
website; ‘Bellabelle Dolls’
www.bellabelledolls.co.uk
Text & Photographs © Julie Campbell 2010
Artisans In Miniature 70 Formatted By Bea Broadwood
Ever wondered what it would be like to
be able to have a closer look at the
working environments of AIM’s
members?
This month miniature artisan Julie
Dewar of Westwinds Miniatures tells us
all about her workspace in Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada.
ello and welcome to my terminally organized
and ridiculously tidy studio. Unlike a lot of
miniaturists I’m unable to create until all the dust
bunnies are rounded up.

Up until last year, I was either working at the dining
table or at a folding TV table, which as you see, I
still do. Why is that? Well, according to the
principles of Feng Shui it is definitely not a good
thing to sit with your back towards a door, so not to
encourage any negative Chi, I sit so that I can see
the door and have good light from the window.
My studio is about 13 feet by 11 feet and has a built in clothes
closet which my husband converted into a fabulous craft cupboard
by installing extra shelves. I love this cupboard. The big plastic
drawers at the bottom hold the fabrics and trims I use for my hats
and lingerie. On top of them you can see my paper guillotine,
which has paints for a current project in a caddy on top of it).

There is my portable ironing board and another set of drawers
where I keep the furniture that I will accessorize. On the next shelf
are bins of glues and paints and two sets of drawers for tools,
paints, palettes and various bits and bobs. Above, I store my
portable daylight lamp, spare baskets (for organizing, of course),
wall paper and card. The shelf above has all my supplies for our
show table.
The top two drawers of storage unit with
the display case on top, hold paper for my
inkjet and laser printers. Next, is a drawer
devoted to things I use for my carnival
masks (including the dreaded, all‐creeping
glitter). Then there is the drawer where the
feathers live. Below that are 2 drawers of
miscellaneous trims, and the final drawer is
my glory hole‐if I don't know where to put
something‐in it goes!
Here is one of the display cases, designed by
my husband that we use at miniature
shows. I have it in my studio so that I can
enjoy some of the miniatures that I make
before they are sold.
I have a long IKEA table which I only work
at when I bring in my Macbook to do some
printing. It has adjustable legs, which is a
good thing because I am a bit (a lot) on the
short side. Here I have my magnifying lamp
which I don't use very often as I am quite
short‐sighted, a set of drawers for my silk
ribbon, bunka and tiny trims and , near at
hand are all my essential tools, brushes,
scissors, pens and most importantly my
collection of glue syringes (they are the
only way to glue tidily!).

Behind my chair is the thing that I love
most in my studio: the fabulous storage
unit behind my chair. It’s really for
scrapbooking supplies (well that’s what it
said on the box that held the bits and took
an afternoon for my husband to assemble).
I have all my essential stuff in labelled
drawers and actually use those to store the
scrapbooking paper for making hat boxes
and shopping bags. There is also lots of
room for my collection of miniaturist
magazines and books too, but I wouldn't
mind having another one ‐ I know I could
easily fill it up!

So, there you have it, a tour of my studio. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did showing it to you.
Well, if you will excuse me, I will turn up my Medieval music and get back to work.
To find out more about the beautiful miniatures that Julie creates ‐ why not visit her website:
http://westwindsminiatures.com
Photographs & Text © Julie Dewar 2010
AIM Member Wilga van den Wijngaart’s knitting skills are
on glorious display in her miniature shop...
...The Catwalk!
This month we would like to introduce you to Wilga van den Wijngaart, a
miniaturist from Belgium. Wilga has a vast array of miniature skills, but at
the forefront is the world of miniature knitting, including a themed 1:12 scale shop.
In Wilga’s Shop in Belgium, one of the mini projects is a 1:12 shop called The Catwalk. This
shop sells patterns and yarns to knit all kind of clothes. Once a month the shop organizes a
fashion show just outside on a catwalk, hence the name of the shop.
The shop also sells ready made knitted clothes but the emphasis is
on DIY, patterns and yarns in boxes like you see in the picture on the
shelves.
This project really is art imitating real life, it has a vast array of the
designs that are featured in one of Wilga’s many pattern books.
Beautiful multi‐coloured jumpers, cardigans, hats, scarves and baby
outfits, for men, women, boys and girls. It is a delight to see.
Her entry into miniatures began many years ago and about twelve
years ago she worked her way into designing miniature knitting
patterns, in a contemporary style. Wilga tells us that at that time
there were not a lot of commercial patterns available that fitted
what she wanted to achieve, so she set about the design process for
making cardigans and sweaters to meet her needs.
It was important to her that her finished products could be
removable from the dolls, just as a real life garment could be
removed. Wilga also wanted them to be life like, so she
concentrated on knitting items that would be knitted garments in
real life, and trying to replicate them in miniature.
Wilga’s patterns are generally made using size 0.8mm (Europe) (size
24 UK, 8/0 USA) double pointed knitting needles made of piano wire
and various yarns made by Venne, Venus, and Gütermann.
Occasionally crochet needles are used, mostly size 0.4 or 0.5.
In 2000 Wilga wrote her first pattern book called Dollhouse Miniatures 1. First it was written in her mother tongue,
Dutch, and later with the help of miniaturists who have English as their first language, the book became also
available in English. The book not only contains designs for knit work but also patterns for embroidery, flowers and
plants, small furniture, bears and more.

In the subsequent ten years Wilga has published a total of ten books, nine of which are 1:12 scale and one for the
1:24 enthusiast. The Catwalk project is featured in the ninth book, which was published in May this 2010.
Wilga tells us that she just loves to design new patterns and it feels so good that many people have found and
appreciated the books. “Over the years I have received many pictures, from my clients all over the world, of their
dolls dressed in my designs and that is just a great feeling!”
To see more of Wilga’s beautiful work and designs you just need to visit her websites, which are listed below.

Patterns & Books ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/Poppenhuisminiaturen9.html
Yarns & More ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/miniatureknitting.html
Wilga’s dollhouse projects over the years ‐ http://poppenhuis.tripod.com/Wilga.html

Photos & Text © 2010 Wilga van den Wijngaart

Formatted by jdayminis Artisans In Miniature 79
The Work Basket

If you want to learn more about
miniature knitting, crochet and sewing,
then you are going to love this regular feature!
Adapting full size crochet patterns for miniature crochet...

By AIM Member Frances Powell
Some full sized crochet patterns can be miniaturised very successfully for personal use in your own dolls
house, without changing the pattern, simply by using a very fine hook and very fine thread. However do bear
in mind that certain types of pattern will work better than others.
The best types of patterns to use are those that need a large hook and thick thread (for example a ladies
shawl pattern may adapt quite well, as the stitches in real life are already quite large). Most baby patterns
will not adapt well to being miniaturised, as the stitches, even when scaled down, will be far too large and the
finished item will look wrong.
It is not possible to give advice on which size hook to use or the thickness of thread, as this is best done by
experimentation with various sized hooks and threads until you are happy with the finished results.
If you are unsure of where to start with miniature crochet, then perhaps it would be best to start by using a
simple full size doily pattern to make a miniature tablecloth or a rectangular mat pattern for a miniature
bedspread. Whatever you choose remember that the finer the thread and hook required in the original
crochet item, the better it will look in a miniature setting.
Full size rugs and afghans (such as the one shown in the photo) may also work well when scaled down, using a
much finer hook and thread.
Unfortunately this scaling down method doesn’t usually work well with clothes, as if you are being true to
scale the stitches would be too big (remember a stitch that is ¼ inch/0.75 cm when worked in miniature will
be 3‐inches/7.5 cm if the garment was scaled up again). Another problem is that clothes are often shaped
over several rows of pattern and this may not be possible when miniaturising the pattern.
But the main problem with miniaturising is to make the items look right in
the scales they are designed for. This means for example that some items
will work in 1/12th scale, but not in 1/24th scale.
Don’t forget that if you are working on making miniatures for a
pre‐Victorian era dolls house, crochet did not exist before that time, but
netting did. Netting can also look quite similar to crochet and in this scale
is probably interchangeable.
Text and photos ©2010 Frances Powell – Buttercup Miniatures www.buttercupminiatures.co.uk

Sewing Tips & Stitches...

By AIM Member Josephine Parnell...
As I am being continually asked at shows about the sewing
techniques used in the production of my Dolls House Bears and the
kits I sell. I have put together this article on stitches.

The main stitches used for all of my kits and the production of my
Dolls House Bears, are BACKSTITCH and LADDER STITCH. I use
FRENCH KNOTS for the eyes of the small bear kits and for buttons
and false bead decoration on the clothing of the Dolls House Bears.
I also use as decoration, CHAIN STITCH, this one is useful if you do
not have that right shade of braid or you just want something a bit
special. Another useful stitch is BLANKET STITCH or simply over
sewing edges can look very effective on a garment.

For all of my hand sewing I use size 10 or 12 crewel needles as they
have a really big eye, making them easier to thread. With all
miniature work the smaller the stitch the better. There is nothing
worse than a beautiful piece of fabric ruined by huge stitches.

Also get yourself a good book on sewing techniques. Although

they are for full sized sewing they can be an advantage to the
miniature dressmaker. You do not have to go out and buy an expensive brand
new book as you can usually pick one up at a second hand book shop or
charity shop for a few pounds. Or as I did, all those 20 years ago, go
and speak to your local library, they can usually find some thing that
would be of use. I have several good sewing books dating from
the 1930s up to the 1970s but then I am addicted to anything to do with
sewing. They also include details for making up clothing. These can be
used in dressing your dolls.
The process of making up clothing for your dolls is the same as making
up clothing for yourself.
I know a lot of you use copious amounts of glue as an aid to dressing
your dolls. But, as a sewing addict, I would like to say that making
the effort and learning those stitches will give you an extra feeling
of satisfaction and pride. Honestly, knowing that bit of braid was
not glued in place, but securely sewn or even replaced with a neat
row of stitches can make all the difference.
Instead of trying to find the right colour/size of bead or button why not try a
French knot, it’s effective and really does look the part. Mind you in today’s
miniature world there are many very fine buttons to be had. Little Trimmings is
one that comes to mind, do remember they have gone to a lot of trouble to make sure that they can be
sewn in place so please do sew them in place. And leave the glue pot on the shelf...
A FEW USEFUL STITCHES…

BACKSTITCH; This stitch is used in all of my work. These are short stitches
placed end to end. The stitches just meet in the row, but the thread is carried
under the fabric for twice the distance.

LADDER STITCH; Used for closing gaps, such as when Bears have been stuffed
and for placing sleeves into position. Start sewing at the very end and to one
side of the gap. Push the needle through from the underside of the fabric so
that the knot is underneath. Bring the needle and thread over the gap and
make a stitch on the other side that begins level with end of the original stitch
and running parallel to the gap. Then take the needle and thread back across
the gap and make a stitch on that side. Continue working ladder stitches in this
way all the way along the gap. At the end pull the thread up, easing along the
seam as you go and making sure that all of the raw edges are tucked in. Then
finish off firmly.

BLANKET STITCH; Worked from left to right. Bring needle up through fabric.
Holding thread under left thumb, form a loop. Then pass the needle through
the fabric and over the looped thread; repeat.

CLOSED BLANKET STITCH; Forms tiny inverted V’s all along the edge. The
needle is slanted to the left as shown in the diagram for the first stitch, the next
stitch starts at the top of the same stitch and slants towards the right, taking up
a bit of the lower edge to hold it firmly in place. Alternate stitches 1 and 2 all
across the edge.

FRENCH KNOT; Bring thread up through the fabric. Wrap the thread over and
under the needle, crossing beginning thread – this can be done several times
for the eyes on small Bears also used for buttons or impressions of beads – in‐
sert needle in the fabric close to where it came out.

CHAIN STITCH; Worked from the top down. Bring the needle up through the
fabric; hold loop with the thumb and insert the needle again at the same place.
Bring the needle up a short distance away with the thread looped under the
needle; repeat.

Happy sewing…. Josephine Parnell

www.dollshousebears.free-online.co.uk
Photographs & Text © Josephine Parnell 2010
Formatted By Bea Broadwood
SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT... SHOW REPORT...
By AIM Member
Ana Anselmo
of Miniatures Forever
The 1st International Dollhouse Show – Andalucia Opening
ceremony.
2010 was held during the week‐end of 12th and
Drinks and
13th of June this year. cookies were

The event took place in the Hotel Villa “Flamenca” served
in Nerja, a small beach town near Malaga.
There were 52 participants most of whom were
from Spain, but the fair also had participants from
several other European countries, Belgium,
Denmark, Portugal and UK.
The fair was organized by Syreeta Edwards and Matilde
Mora.
The show website said , “To all those who love the world
of dollhouses and miniatures: We are very
happy and proud to finally announce an
exhibition of miniatures in Andalucia. The 1st
International Miniature Exhibition ‐ Andalucía
2010.
It is a show designed to bring together
craftsmen and fans alike, to enjoy and
appreciate the playful recreation of a wide
variety of handmade miniatures under the light Syreeta
’s Table
and climate of the Andalucian coast”. Ana and Matilde

http://feria‐miniaturas‐andalucia.jimdo.com
Syreeta Edwards ww.syreetasminiatures.com/
Matilde Mora: minisparacasitas.es.tl/
Ana Anselmo: www.miniaturesforever.com
Ana’s Table
Aunt Anastasia

Hello, my dears! I am back from my Summer Holiday
and found a question from my niece (you know, the
one who lives in Canada and is married to a handsome
mountie) waiting from me in my inbox that I thought I
would share with you.
auntanastasia@yahoo.com
Looking forward to hearing from you soon….
Aunt Anastasia
Dear Aunt Anastasia…

I am making carnival masks again and am having great fun, but the glitter is getting
everywhere! Have you any ideas on how to keep the mess to a minimum…you know
what a neatnik I am :‐) I hope you had a nice vacation. Give my best to Trotters.
Tons of love, Julie
Dear Julie,
As you know, unlike you glitter on the floor does not faze me, but I asked one of my
chums, Cheryl Clingen who is a member of AIM and she has this wonderful solution that I
know you will love: Take plastic straw and cut off a piece approx 3" off. Cut it at an angle.
Hot glue the straight edge of the straw to a small square piece of cardboard. You have
now made a "Glitter pourer".
Scoop up some glitter into the straw straight from it's container. Sprinkle the glitter over
the glued area you have prepared, and you'll be able to use only on those places without
having to dump the whole lot, and ending up having to collect and pour back excess into
your container. You can stand the straw up on the cardboard side so you are hands free
to apply glue to the next area.
You'll still have to shake your material after a while to get rid of excess glitter, and can
pour that back into the container, but less mess, less fuss!
Isn't that clever?!
Oodles of love, AA
PS. Trotters wishes me to convey his best regards.
Dear Aunt Anastasia…

I have a new house that I'm doing up myself. It has all white either painted walls, or they
could be melamine (seems more likely), not sure. Very smooth. I put up wallpaper using
real wallpaper and real wallpaper glue. This was about 4 months ago. Yesterday I noticed
all the wallpaper had just come off the walls as if no glue had been applied at all! What
did I do wrong, and how can I fix it?
Thanks , Glued aka Cheryl C
Dear Glued,
Oh dear, melamine…very tricky, but there are ways and means of getting that paper to
stay put. I am afraid that you will have to take all the paper off and start again. Rather a
nuisance! Once the paper is removed, I think that a light sanding of the walls wouldn't
come amiss to give the wall some "tooth", so to speak. Now to the glue question: some
people use white glue/PVA with great success, but my favourite adhesive in this case
would be to use the premixed wallpaper border adhesive (also known as vinyl to vinyl
adhesive) which you can purchase at your local DIY emporium. It is not as liquid as
regular paste and you can reposition the wallpaper more easily during application than
with PVA. I have also used it on foamcore board with great success; used sparingly, it
doesn't warp the board. I hope this helps, Cheryl. Thanks for the great tip for controlling
glitter. My niece thinks you are brilliant.
AA
Aunt Anastasia Artisans In Miniature 85
AS SEEN ON
By AIM Member, Regina Passy‐Yip
Last month I was invited to display my miniatures on a local television station in
my home country of Brazil. I had been absent from the miniature scene for a few
years, and this televised exhibition has marked my return to the hobby.
For a while I felt I had lost my inspiration and could not produce my roomboxes.

But whilst my husband and I were on vacation, celebrating our silver wedding
anniversary, we visited the Postal Museum of Santiago. I found a scene of a desk,
bookshelves and mailboxes. That moment my inspiration came back, I
photographed everything, and on my return from Santiago I reproduced the
museum post office scene in 1:12 scale.

I love old scenes and old furniture, especially the transition between the late
nineteenth and early twentieth century. The dark wood furniture, rich details and
the charm of the historical period fascinates me.

Some years ago I made a miniature of my Grandfather’s bookstore, "Livraria
Lealdade" (something like "Loyalty Bookstore"), which is set at the beginning of
the twentieth century. I did research on the family in our photograph albums, and
printed covers for books and newspapers from those years.

From the same historical period I have made a roombox called "Tempus Fugit," a
shop of antique clocks. I spent half a year researching the time pieces, in books
and museums, and have made some very valuable pieces, including a clock that
works.

Being on a TV show did not scare me; I confess that I did this with some pleasure,
not only because I was showing my artwork publicly, but also because it gave me
the opportunity to present this delicate art to others in my country.

Regina Passy‐Yip
www.reginapassy.com.br
Brazil

The videos:
http://www.redetv.com.br/portal/video.aspx?124,28,113126
http://www.redetv.com.br/portal/video.aspx?124,28,113125
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Bo42JwS9o&feature=related
. Formatted By Bea Broadwood Photograph & Te
ext © Regina Passy‐Yip 2010
…or Emmaflam and Miniman, are based near Paris, France
and are well known for their range of 1/12th scale
miniature food, accessories, hand painted tableware,
paintings and furniture. They also produce a wide range
of jewellery based on their food items – perfect for the
ultimate miniature enthusiast!
They have designed and built their newly updated

parisminiatures.com website themselves over the
incredibly short time of roughly one week. With some
previous experience in website development, but the
majority of which being self taught, Emma and Neil
wanted to create something original and using those self
taught HTML/PHP/CSS skills and using Windows Notepad
they have successfully produced an eye‐catching and
consumer friendly website.
In brief, their goal was to create a website that was easy
to navigate, clean, uncluttered, quick loading and
interactive. It also had to be compatible with the PC,
mobile devices, game consoles and tablets as these are
becoming increasingly popular access modes.
Initially, they decided to design and build the layout in
monochrome with the intention of adding colour later. The introduction of ‘Paris Min
But, on completion of the layout they opted to stay with
the monochromatic theme as it seemed to be the perfect
AIM magazine is the focus
foil for their photographic content. The photographs are Web’ feature. Whilst Emma
so realistic you will find that that at times, you are unsure
whether they are images of miniatures or of ‘real life’
known to many of our readers
items. will guarantee to whet the
www.parismi
The website has all the whistles and bells – galleries, show
schedules, testimonials and contact details. Everything is
concise, clear and easy to follow by even the least
experienced browser. The gallery system interfaces with
Flickr, embedded YouTube videos, Etsy widget and
analytics and the newsletter subscription service. It also
links to Emma and Neil’s blog and to their Facebook pages.
Parisminiatures.com is not an active selling device, but an
excellent showcase of their work and explains in detail
where their work can be obtained. An excellent starting
point from where anyone interested in their work can
continue to explore the available options.
...Emma and Neil on your new updated website and thank
you for sharing your know‐how and developmental
experience with the readers of the AIM magazine.
Browse parisminiatures.com website very thoroughly,

there is often an Easter Egg tucked away, and the finder
receives a lovely surprise when they locate it!
niatures’ to the readers of the

of this months' ‘New on the
a and Neil’s enterprise will be www.parisminiatures.com
, their newly updated website
e appetite of many more.
niatures.com Formatted by Vicky Guile
This month AIM is delighted to introduce Graham and his father used to go on at him to “get rid of all those
Ann Marie Simpkin to our readers. They are specialists great big machines and start making miniatures” he
in the making and marketing of scale dolls house floor said it was more challenging, used less wood and
tiles and miniature shop fittings. It is also a delight to demanded higher levels of skill and accuracy.
see that miniature skills are still being passed from one Eventually, Graham was worn down and he agreed to
generation to the next in a traditional manner. give it a try. He spent three weeks with his father,
Graham Simpkin was apprenticed as a joiner/ learning the how and why of miniature tables, chairs
cabinetmaker and worked in this trade for a few years. etc. Graham loved it straight away; it seemed to
Later, he worked in the automotive industry as a combine his love of working wood with the enjoyment
manufacturing craftsman, mostly programming of working to close tolerances as in engineering.
industrial robots and setting up and maintaining Graham went home and started to sell off his large
automatic assembly lines. He always kept on with the tools and set up a miniature workshop.
woodwork and had a workshop full of large machinery
including a monster of a pattern makers lathe over 12 After the first training session at his dads, in early
feet long. 1992, Graham started off by making a batch of kitchen
type tables and small side tables, nine in all, and took
His father lived in London and supplied some of the them off down to London to get
shops there with miniature furniture that he made in some “constructive criticism”
his small garden workshop. Every time Graham visited from his father.
He said there was room for improvement but furniture, carvings and counters/shelving, including
recommended that Graham see what happened when complete shops, in fact it’s an Aladdin’s cave of a place.
he tried selling them. Graham went to an indoor market At that time, most people were working on miniature
in Richmond where there was a miniatures stall, the houses and miniature shops were just starting to gain
owner bought seven of the nine tables and gave him slight popularity so he decided to specialise in counters,
lots of good advice how to improve and what different shelving and shop fittings for as many different types of
items may be saleable. That was it, Graham was shop as he could.
hooked, his first sale. He still continued with the full
time job metal bashing and teaching robots but also
started making small things on a part time business Graham had nothing but help and support from all the
basis. staff and helpers at these places when he arrived armed
with his camera and sketchpad and about a million
questions. He slowly built up my range of items and
A Business of Two Halves started to add some furniture items such as the
The next step for Graham was developing a range of dressers, wash stands and the old favourite kitchen
items, hopefully a bit out of the ordinary. He went tables. Ann Marie, Graham’s wife, helps him in every
everywhere looking for inspiration, but his favourite aspect of running their miniature business. She controls
places were, and still are, The Black Country Museum, the stock, helps with the research and design of all new
the museums at Ironbridge Gorge and a place in Halifax items in the shop‐fittings and furniture ranges, deals
called Andy Thornton's Architectural Antiques. The last with the customers and mailing of the orders.
one is an old mill building absolutely full of old
Ann Marie also has a brilliant eye for colours, when While visiting the Museums at Ironbridge Gorge,
Graham has drawn one of the mosaic floor patterns Graham became very interested in the Victorian mosaic
getting it ready to go on their website, it’s Ann Marie tiles and encaustic tiles, the precision of the patterns
who sorts out which colours are the best combinations and all the complex geometry that turned the finished
and corrects any mistakes. She organises everything, floors into such beautiful works of art.
and this allows Graham to concentrate on making the He started to wonder if he could perhaps reproduce
items. them in miniature. This was the start of the second half
They work very much as a team. of their business.
accuracy of the pattern and so destroy the beauty of a
finished floor.
Graham spent a lot of time at the Jackfield Tile They decided to go for four different product ranges,
Museum at Ironbridge. The Head Librarian, Mr John the first three are made from high quality laminate.
Powell, gave him enormous help, allowing him to The tiles are available in 17 different shapes and sizes,
photograph the old Victorian catalogues, measure the all the shapes are compatible with each other and can
tiles, and gave him so much advice on the formation of be combined to create an infinite number of patterns
patterns, and tile laying. and designs. If you don’t see a pattern that you like,
Graham spent quite a long time designing the range of simply make up your own pattern, decide on the
tiles, the patterns and most of all, perfecting the colour/range that you would like each tile shape to be
techniques of cutting the tiles as accurately as possible made and Graham and Ann Marie will supply the floor
using engineering techniques. He knew that if there to you.
was a slight error in any of the tiles, it would ruin the
Mosaic Tiles
These tiles have a matt finish to resemble the Encaustic or Quarry
type tiles. These tiles are made in eight different colours; all of the
Victorian patterns can be made up with combinations of these
eight colours.
Graham can easily change the any of the tile colours in any of the
patterns, so this means the floors can be customised to suit most
colour schemes or decor.

Marlike Tiles
These tiles have a high gloss finish to resemble highly polished
marble or granite; they can be used in any combination of the
seven available colours. The geometric patterns seen in the mosaic
tiles can also be reproduced using the Marlike range. Simple
checkerboard patterns or highly complex patterns can be
accurately produced.
Dual will need for a particular size of floor. This makes it
These tiles are a Matt finish. They are available in four possible to have exactly the floor you want for any size
colours and are a mottled effect. They can be used on of room, borders can be added from their extensive
their own or in combination with the Mosaic range of product range, inserts of different patterns can be
tiles to give even more versatility. They are useful also placed in simple floors to give detail and contrast.
for contrasting borders Customers can design their own patterns and borders
Truwood and Graham will make up the amount of floor packs
These tiles are made from seven different types of needed. The only limit is your imagination.
wood veneers, chosen for their compatibility beauty Shop Fittings
and historical accuracy. The Truwood tiles can be used When Graham started making the counters and other
to reproduce simple block floors, herringbone and shop related items, he decided that he would try to
parquet patterns or the most complex tessellated design a range that could be mixed and matched.
patterns. All of the mosaic patterns can be reproduced Rather than having lots of different moldings on the
in wood using the Truwood tiles. edges and individual pieces of vastly different design,
The tiles are extremely versatile; all of the 17 shapes Graham tried to make them compatible with each
can be combined to make an infinite number of other. He went for the plain white wood finish so that
patterns. Borders and floors can be customised to the miniaturists could stain or paint the items to their own
smallest detail. They are always available via email or colour schemes and to suit the type of shops they
telephone to give help or advise on design, colour (ask were creating.
for Ann Marie) or help working out the quantities you
He also has a complete range of counters available with Decrastone
tops in five different colours. (Decrastone is a combination of real
stone and acrylic, the markings go all the way through the material)
They also sell the Decrastone separately for pantry slabs, work
surfaces, stair treads.
Graham was asked what where the best things, for him, about
working in miniature. He replied:
“1) The precision needed, I have always enjoyed the challenge of
working to exact engineering type tolerances where something is as
near to perfect size as you can possibly make it.
2) Being able to work creatively with wood. Turning and carving
have always been one of my favourite things to do, so to be able to
do it for a living is brilliant.”
When asked about his worst experience Grahams says he hates
dropping a small turned part onto the floor and having it disappear
into the twilight zone, never to be seen again.
a claim to
Graham was also asked if he had any claim to fame? Their “C “ range of tile sizes are perfect for the 24th
His answer, with typical modesty: “I don’t have a claim scale floors. He is working on a new range of turnings in
to fame really, the only thing I can think of is that a even smaller scales but they aren’t available as yet.
magazine once did an article on my work and
mentioned me on the front cover, there on the same They are constantly expanding their range but the old
cover was a large photo of the Queen looking at a dolls favourites are still there, the counters that he designed
house as she attended an exhibition. So, I can say I have when he first started are still popular. Whilst they do
been written about on the same page as the Queen of not make unique ‘one of a kind’ items in the shop
England. But, the thing that has made me most proud is counters and shelving, they will customise “one‐off”
not a claim to fame but when I first exhibited at the floor patterns and adapt the tile patterns to suit
Miniatura, we had our stand next to a gentleman customer’s requirements. As mentioned above, Graham
named Keith Marden. He specialised in treen, and his will gladly make up packs to suit a customer’s own
work was beautiful, I couldn’t get over the attention to pattern for a floor or border.
detail and craftsmanship, the turning was perfect, and
in fact every item was a small treasure. Over the years When Graham started working full time in miniatures in
we met at various fairs and I always marvelled at his 2002, he realised that he was doing the thing he most
work. He retired a few years ago and at the last show wanted to do. Since turning professional, he has been
he did, he asked me if I would like start making any or able to add a lot more items to both of their websites.
all of the items from his range. He has more time to research and time to spend on the
computer drawing the patterns and converting them
He said that he liked the accuracy of my work and from the hundreds of original floor patterns he has
turning, high praise indeed. He gave me all of the acquired from the Victorian catalogues. He has several
information on his work, research, drawings, projects on going at the moment, including making
measurements etc. and even gave me a copy of Pintos “how to” videos on tile laying and construction and the
treen, which is the bible for small household wooden laying of the Victorian mosaics. (These will be on the
objects. I only hope I can live up to his example, the bar website soon). Also he is creating a design CD, which
is set high but I am trying for it.” will show lots of the original pattern from the vintage
catalogue, and also a few colour variations of each
At the moment Graham works in 1/12th and 1/24th pattern. Graham is also always looking for different
scale. When he started making the shop counters it was vintage counters to add to their collection.
th
all 1/12 but over time he has been asked for lots of
th
24 items so he decided to duplicate most of his range Graham and Ann Marie sell their work mostly by mail
in this smaller scale. The tiles have always been suitable order, although they do exhibit at Miniatura twice a
for both scales. The smallest tile he makes is a ¼” x 1/8” year. They have two websites.
triangle, and four of them form a ¼” square.
TILES ‐ www.dollshouse‐tiles.co.uk
Here you will find loads of photographs of the Victorian Mosaic patterns, information on all the available
shapes and ranges.
SHOP COUNTERS www.ann‐marie‐miniatures.co.uk
This site shows all the counters, butchers blocks, shelving and treen.
Mail order catalogues can be downloaded from the sites or are available on CD.
Text and photos © Graham & Ann Marie Simpkin
Whether you grow your own, pick your own
or buy from the local market or
supermarket, berries have the tantalizing
taste that makes summer desserts
complete!

Probably the most versatile of fruit, summer
berries can be used to create and transform
preserves, cakes, tarts and pies. How you
serve them is up to you! With ice cream,
cream or custard they bring a fresh,
sometimes tart, tingle to your taste buds.
The strawberry for one, not only delicious
on its own, is probably the most versatile of
all the summer berries. Originally grown as
a crop in France in the 17th Century, now as
we all know widely available around the
world, the strawberry is used in many
desserts to bring colour taste and texture.
Opposite page (top) by Stéphanie Kilgast
www.PetitPlat.fr
(bottom) by Oiseau de Nim
www.oiseaudenim.blogspot.com
This page (down right side) by Daisy Carpi
www.miniaturasdaisy.blogspot.com
(below) by Amanda Speakman
www.amanspeakminiatures.com
Did you know that raspberries, one of my personal probably not known widely as it has proven quite
favourites, are not only available in the traditional difficult to harvest, having to be picked by hand, but in
pinky red colour? Black raspberries are also available it’s native Scotland it certainly is as popular as either.
(not to be confused with blackberries!) and the
commercial crossing of these with the traditional red Loganberries are similar to the Scottish tayberry,
has resulted in a purple raspberry. Nature has also put created in California by crossing two varieties of
this into practice, with purple raspberries growing in blackberries, these fruit are more robust and resistant
the wild of the United States. Golden, yellow and to pests and diseases than other berries. They can be
orange varieties are also available. harvested over a period of two months, making them a
commercially viable crop. Popular uses for
The Scottish tayberry is another fruit resulting from loganberries are just as any other summer berry, pies,
cross breeding. A raspberry and blackberry blend that crumbles and tarts are all delicious, and loganberries
has a much sweeter taste than either, the tayberry is make the most perfect jam.
Strawberries and Ice Cream (and above)
and Fruit Salad (above centre)
by Amanda Speakman
Mulberry Bush (below) by Jacqui Perrat
Ceynix Miniature Trees n’ Trains
www.ceynix.co.uk
Charlottes (right) by Stéphanie Kilgast
www.petitplat.fr
The native North American
blueberry is next on my list, or
blaeberry in Scotland (not to be
confused with bilberries or
myrtilles as they are known in
France). Perhaps I should also
mention bleuets as blueberries
are also known? One berry more
than one name... So confusing!
The only way to tell the difference
between a blueberry and a
bilberry is to look inside, one has
white or green flesh and the other
a deep blue or purple. Whichever
is a blueberry totally depends on
where you are in the world, but in
Chile they certainly know the
difference ‐ growing more than
22,000 tonnes each year!
Cherries, Tart and Charlotte (top left) and
Pastries by Emmaflam & Miniman ww
Cherry Pie (below) by Dian
www.dollshouseworldinmi
Quarter Scale Pie and Cake (top rig
www.desertminis.c
Strawberry Jam (top right) by N
www.NoaMiniatures.e
Tarts (right) and Pie (bottom rig
www.themousemarke
Whats blue and
goes up and
down?
A blueberry in
an elevator!!!
d Summer Fruit Cakes and
ww.parisminiatures.com
ne Gregory
niature.com
ght) by Janet Smith
com
Naomi Machida
tsy.com
ht) by Mo Tipton
et.com
With so many other varieties of berries
available, I would need a whole magazine
to my own to cover them all, so why not
do some searching to see how many
varieties there actually are?
Tarts (above left and below left)
by Stéphanie Kilgast www.PetitPlat.fr
Cake (centre left) by Mo Tipton
www.themousemarket.com
Cake Prep (above) and Cake Slices (below)
W
By Amanda Speakman
All photographs ©2010
by their respective artisans.
Text throughout ©2010 Vicky Guile
www.njdminiatures.blogspot.com

Blackberry & Apple Baking (top right) by IGMA
Artisan Mags Cassidy www.mags‐nificent.co.uk
Cherry Tart (right centre) by Emmaflam &
Miniman www.parisminiatures.com
White Chocolate Cherry Cake by Melanie Navarro
www.melsminiatures.com
The
Written and compiled by Janine Crocker of Miss Amelias’ Miniatures
Wednesday of every week,

whether it be warm or bleak,
Mildred and her sister Flo
into Weatherford would go.
Leave the house at 9.15.
Mildred in her coat of green,
With a large felt hat of red.
Flo prefers a shawl instead.
Right on time without a fuss,
all aboard the local bus.
“Morning ladies” twinkles Ben,
driver of the number 10.
Lanes and hedgerows whistle by

And in the blinking of an eye
Flo and Mildred join the throng
“Come on dear, we don’t have long!”
Shopping ladies by Marsha Mees (top right and left)
Teresa Thompson (middle right)
Mary Williams (left)
First stop is the Hardware shop.
In the High street, at the top.
Flo needs garden shears and more.
Mildred thinks it’s such a bore.
Flo wants mothballs, any size
Mildred stands and
rolls her eyes.
(above) Shopkeeper by Janet Harmsworth of
www.minimannequins.co.uk
(clockwise from left) Oil can, vice, jerry cans, table saw, grease gun by Dave Williams of www.harvington.com
(left)
Hardware shop shelf display by
Catherine Davies of
www.dollshouseheaven.co.uk
(clockwise from left) Band saw and drill press, set of chisels (they
really cut!), folding stepladder and workbench by Linda Masters
www.miraclechickenurns.com
Artisans In Miniature 120 Petshop owner by Eileen Sedgwick www.Eileensedgwick.com
Next door is a favourite place,
See the smile on Mildred’s
face.
Reg’s Pet shop, here for years,
and there’s Reg
“hello my dears.”
Mildred blushes, turns quite Needlefelted rabbits by
Jean Boyd of
pink. www.Miniartworks.co.uk
(below) Piglet, hand carved and As he gives her such a wink.

handpainted by Linda Masters
www.miraclechickenurns.com Puppies bark and budgies
twitter.
Flo just needs to find
cat litter.
Aquarium, Parrot on stand, Pet
books and ‘Kittens and puppy at
Pet cheetah by Liz McInnes. Wood carved then play’ by Pearl,
furred. Acrylic eyes and gold filled collar and chain. Literature in Miniature
www.elizabethmcinnes.com www.literatureinminiature.co.uk
Walking past
the Christmas
shop,
Can’t resist a
little stop.
What a
wonderful
Display.
Only 16 weeks
away.
’s
Seems like Mildred
stopped again.
y
Gazing like a brood
hen.
e,
Into a fantastic stor
oods
filled with china, g
galore.
Top left and centre:
Wilga’s China Shop
by Wilga van den Wijngart
www.dewittestee.com

Left:
Shabby Chic Shop
by Beatrice Thierus
www.myminiatures.net
As they cross th
they spy
Mrs Mount
standing b
In her tiny antiq
“Into there we’ll
Once inside
Swamped by t
Vases, lam
Exotic pie
Mildred likes
“Can’t thin
s
This page clockwise from left Silk
handsewn purse and antique style
gloves by Maia at Maias
Twinkle
Miniatures.www.maiastwinkleminiatur
es.com, Egyptian gift shop ítems by
Grimdeva of Cauldron Craft.
Miniatures Hand woven silk and wool
carpets by Ludwina’s Dolllshouse
Miniature Carpets.
www.dekorativ.tripod.com/dollhouse
miniature carpets
Antique luggage from the personal
Collection of Carol Smith.
(Below) Egyptian artefacts on display shelf by
Grimdeva of Cauldron Craft Miniatures
www.artisansinminiature.com/grimdeva
he street
y
tjoy
by.
que shop
have to
pop”. (Right) Art Deco nude dancing girl, (below)
Chinese and traditional standard lamps, (below
left) Ebony walking stick stands
e both mesmerized. by Kenneth Batty AlTurnAtive Solutions
treasures, hypnotised.
mps, a vintage hat.
eces, a china cat.
a large stuffed crow,
nk what that’s for”
ays Flo.
(right) Silver and
turquoise jewellery
by Maia at Maias
www.twinkleminiatures.com
While we’re here we must stop by

at the jewellers, you know why…
Cousin Bertha’s birthday gift.
If we forget she’ll be quite miffed.
Gazing at the trays inside,
what a choice they can’t decide.
Watches, earrings, rubies, pearls.
Diamonds, best friends of the girls.
Time is ticking on says Flo,
(above) Swarovski bracelet,
boy’s gold watch and a We’ll take that brooch, it’s time to go.
selection of gold watches by
Carol Lester
www.dollshousemall.com
Left and above right:
Jewellery display
cabinet and busts by
Julie Dewar of
Westwinds Miniatures
(above) 12th scale jewellery shop by Carol Lester www.thedollshousemall.com
(left) Jewelry display
counter and Below:
bracelets and hand display
by Debbe Mize
Last stop now, the Corner
shop.
Find the list Flo, from the top.
Earl Grey Tea and sweet plum jam,
Gruyere cheese, a pound of ham.
Something for my painful corns,
Carbolic soap, and two cream horns
(above left) Traditional cheese counter by Fionas
Miniatures.www.fionasminiatures.co.uk
(above right) Cake counter by Carol Smith IGMA artisan.
“Well it’s been a lovely day,

but the time has come to say,
Ouch my feet are hurting very,
Flo, I need a glass of sherry!”
(above) Fresh bake display by
Margaret Cassidy IGMA artisan.
(right) Exhausted Lady shoppers by
Janet Harmsworth
www.minimannequins.co.uk
Copyright of photographs belongs
to the artisans credited.

Text © Janine Crocker 2010

Formatted By Janine Crocker
By AIM Member
Annemarie Kwikkel ‐ IGMA Artisan
After sculpting a gourmet chef tasting his culinary creation I

needed to make a nice hat for him, here is the tutorial I created.
You will need:
2 pieces of thin cotton: 16x4.5 cm ( 6.3x1.75
inch) and 7x1.5 cm (2.75x0.6 inch). Tacky glue.
Smallest sized pleater. Small bottle cap.
Scissors and tweezers. Needle and thread.
Iron. A clean brush, water and fabric stiffener.
1 3
2

Take the larger piece of piece of cotton and insert it into the pleater following the instructions. With your brush
wet the cotton with fabric stiffener diluted with water. Leave to dry in the pleater, or, you could also use a hair
dryer to speed up this process.
Taking the smaller piece of cotton, fold and glue hems into place along the two long sides
Take the large piece out of

the pleater, it should look like 4 5
the second photo on right.
Take the iron and press the
piece, flattening the pleats.
To measure the head I use a
piece of cotton and hold
around the head.
You can also use the bottle
cap as a model. 6
Cut the measured piece, 7
leaving a little extra for
overlap.

Cut the small piece of cotton
the same length as the
measured piece.
Make a hem on one short side
of the small piece.
Cut the larger piece the same
length as the small piece.
Glue the larger piece, forming 9
a tube. 8
Glue the small piece into a
band, making sure it still fit
the model.
Run a small line of glue along
one edge of the tube.

Glue the tube INSIDE the
small band.
10 11
Way too high !!! Place the hat on
the bottle cap, try to find a cap
12 13
where the hat fits.
Cut the hat off to 3.5 cm or 1.4
inches height.
Run a thread along the top edge
of the hat.
Pull the thread and make a knot,
closing the top of the hat.
14 16
15
18
17
With a brush make the top of the 20
hat moist.
Press the top down on the cap,
squeezing the edge to get a 19
sharp fold.
With a dab of glue close the top.
Now let the cooking
begin!!!
21
22
Annemarie Kwikkel I.G.M.A. Artisan Annemarie Dolls
www.byannemariedolls.com
Text & Photographs © Annemarie Kwikkel
Bartholomew & Sikes
The construction of a Gentleman’s Emporium...
By AIM Member, Ian Jones ‐ Part One.
Any true gentleman would use a handkerchief to sneeze into, even when alone within his own abode; always
use a separate butter knife, and of course, most importantly, for over one hundred and fifty years buy a high
quality suit from one of London’s Savile Row tailors.
Materials used for such a statemented garment, would be of the highest quality and come from a special mix
cloth from one this country’s leading textile mills. Linings, threads and buttons were of equal importance as
`Sir` would not want to be seen to skimp on these refined embellishments.
Many, many measurements would be taken and paper patterns made, unique to each client, and remaining
within the establishment’s cutting room until notified that the `Sir` would `not be in a position to return`.

The interiors of these churches of the hallowed cloth, were like no ordinary men’s wear shop, more akin to a
Gentleman’s Club with comfortable high back chairs and leather Chesterfield sofas to relax upon whilst Sir
awaited his turn with the tape measure. A warm and welcoming fireplace to keep the cold out of those old
bones accompanied the current daily issue of The Times.
The cutting room was usually in the basement, or the upper floors and certainly out of eyesight of
one’s clients. Cutting room assistants were the `go between` in the transportation of the said suit,
and Sir would be doubly checked for comfort of fit before final hand stitching of the finer details.

The tailors would have an enviable list of high profile clients that would return again and again as
fashions dictated, or the pomp and circumstance of military engagements. Those that were/are able
to display the royal warrants, a sign of trust in faith of quality workmanship to the royal household,
would be and still are, the envy of many.

And so to our Gentlemen’s Emporium. This two part feature is the diary of the build of one such
establishment, reduced in size to 1/12th scale. The building is on three floors and compounded into a
space that would be too small in real life, but we as artisans, have the use of `modelers' licence`, a
very useful tool indeed. Inspiration is drawn from a building on Elvet Bridge in the beautiful city of
Durham in my beloved Northeast of England.

The main structure of this build is from our trusty friend, MDF. Not to everyone’s taste including mine
now and then, but it has its uses and this is one of them. Although very absorbent due to its
constructive nature (wood flour), it does stay flat if protected on both surfaces. Like any other
material, it will warp if laminated on one side only. Don’t forget, MDF is hazardous, so cut outdoors
and wear a mask. (NB. Always follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions)

The base on which it stands is
26x19” and as per usual, I wish it
were a little bigger. Trouble is with
1/12th scale, it takes up too much
room. The main inspiration for this
build is the old bank in the photo‐
graph opposite, now divided into
different uses. It has all the qualities
of a gentleman’s emporium I feel,
and with a few adjustments here
and there, will suit our purposes
entirely. No pun intended.

I wanted this to have the
opportunity of butting up to another
building, so the left hand wall is left
blank with no base overhang. It
would be nice to have more
footpath area at the front, but I have
already trimmed a little off here as it
was a bit tight getting it into the car.
And now to the layout...
The extreme door to the left and the window
above, are missing from this build due to space
constraints, so this leaves the main shop door in
the middle with windows for displays either side,
and the right hand door for staff entry and non
customer uses. Externally, the rear wall is brick,
render to the east wall and dressed stone and
straw brick to the front elevation. All of these
faces will be replicated in this build using my own
techniques with some commercial products as
required for speed.

Internally, the main sales floor area on the ground floor is divided up
into two. The right hand door on the front of the building is to be for
the use of staff and some deliveries.

A rear door in this
`stockroom` is provided
for the raw materials and
there is a goods lift in the
corner with access to all
three floors. It is only in
these modern times that
we see deliveries being
taken at the front door.
Tut !.

The main front door is of course for the use of customers which upon entry, are greeted by a grand staircase
which snakes up the left hand wall to the first floor using two quarter turn landings.

The ceiling is vaulted and supported by columns
and piers. On this ground floor there is to be the
two window displays, a large shelving unit on the
back wall on the right for shirts and ties, a service
counter under the stairs, plus some other display
units to be decided.

The walls on all three floors are to be paneled to
waist height, stained to match a dark timber such
as Oak or Walnut on the ground and first floors,
and plain painted white on the top floor which is
the cutting room.

The 1st floor area is for the fitting of
suits etc and so shall contain a chang‐
ing room area, seated waiting area
with fireplace and a manager’s desk to
see that things are run to order. This is
contained in one big room.
The staircase to the second floor is
directly above the first.

This main room gives the suggestion of
having once been two rooms and now
opened up. This will be seen by the change
in flooring and the supporting iron column
(s).

A herringbone oak floor will adorn the main
area. Floorboards to the other smaller area
are turned to an east/west alignment.

The staircase up to the second floor will
reveal one large room for the cutting room
staff. The walls will be covered with
shelving for cloth, part works and
completed garments, draws for buttons and
threads, paper patterns and suchlike.

There is also a fireplace up here. Cold

fingers cannot cut cloth straight and to a
line. Other parts of the emporium are
heated by cast iron radiators, evidence
of which is supported by the radiators
themselves and the associated pipe
work runs.
The choice of paintwork to the walls is reflected in the
use of the relevant rooms. These walls have been
painted five times with two coats primer, and three top
coats of the chosen colours. A deep Aubergine creates
a grand feel to the entrance and ground floor.
Something a little lighter for the first floor in a Autumn
Red is more warming for those winter days, and a bright
sunny yellow for the cutting room area to reflect the
light and create a bright atmosphere.

The ceilings have also had the five coat treatment as
nothing less would suffice.

Having now completed the main structure of the

building, we can turn our attention to the finishing
details, and as with any project like this, it’s the minor
details that bring the whole thing to life, but also take
the longest to complete.

Whilst waiting for paint to dry
in‐between coats, it is the ideal time to
continue with the other items. The wall
paneling is going to be one of the
longest jobs, so this is a work in progress
at present. There are many other small
items that need painting or staining, so
these too are placed in an orderly
queue.

Floor tiles for the ground floor sales area
are to be Travertine style grey speckled
cream 9” square tiles. The staircase is to
represent a marble structure and so is
painted an off white and coated with
glitter glaze to reflect the colours in the
floor.
This is difficult to show here but I will try
to get a good close up for next time.
Everything looks so new and bright at
first, so time spent weathering and
toning down is equally important as
creating the finer details in the first
instance.

This is the first floor vaulted ceiling laid upside down, completed with all the beadings fitted, and in the early
stages of painting. A lot work went into this small area but I think it is worth it. Lighting has yet to be decided.
Talking of which, lighting ducts are cut into the MDF before the floorboards go down. Once the boards are fit‐
ted one is left loose for access at a later date above the light fitting.

Ideas and inspiration for this Emporium are drawn from many places, non more so that the numerous web‐
sites of the tailors actually on Savile Row in London. Some of these have a mini clip film which have proved
invaluable.

Next time we shall see the finer details in close up and reveal a few ideas that may be of use to others toying
with the idea of building something of their own. You are only limited by your imagination!

Regards, Ian
Formatted By Janine Crocker Artisans In Miniature 139
The Miniature...
Town and Country Planner…
Town and Country Planner are pleased to
announce that the vast majority of our products
under `The Salvage YardTM` label, will be available
GRAPEVINE to purchase in store at The Miniature Scene Dolls
House shop in Fossgate, York, from the first week
of July. There will be no increase in shop prices to
the website or at fairs.
New AIM Members
NE W First of the new range of garden products is a 13
We would like to extend a warm piece 8" diameter Rotunda paving set, available
welcome to the following new members who initially in Terracotta and Charcoal. New travertine
have joined AIM in the past month: style floor tiles have also been launched, in cream,
blue/grey and black speckles. See the website for
more details.
Graham Warwick Naomi Machida

John Day Iulia Chin www.townandcountryplanner.co.uk
Jane Templeman Ana Maria Villalon
Robin Brady-Boxwell Fuster Anne-Marie Kwikkel…
Janet Smith Margot Ensink
Anne‐Marie Kwikkel is very proud and happy to
Elena Gerli Cristina Cabllero announce that her "Paul" sculpture has been made
Courtney Strong Evelyne Fontaine into a miniature doll mold by a professional mold
maker, to create a
Jean Boyd Diane Gregory
porcelain male doll.
The mold is a two‐
part mold: a head/
Our apologies… torso mold and a
Our apologies go to AIM member Ana Anselmo for hands/feet mold.
incorrectly spelling her name in the last issue. They are available
separate or as a set.

Anne‐ Marie has

Desert Minis, Inc. sculpted Paul’s very
Desert Minis, Inc. can be found at the The Denver
detailed face with
Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys Miniature &
strong features, eyes
Doll Fall Show & Sale, "Attic Memories", taking place
and ears. His
September 8‐12, 2010.
hands are designed
The Shabby Chic Chocolate Shoppe workshop will be
presented on Friday, September 10th .
To register, go to
www.dmmdt.org/fallshow.htm
For more information on Desert Minis, Inc., go to
www.desertminis.com to hold something, like a glass
of wine or leaning on a cane.
His feet are sculpted to wear
shoes or boots.

More information with picture
and purchasing info here:

www.byannemariedolls.com/mold.html
Viola Williams… Helen
Viola Williams recently
spent 2 days teaching
Bleeker…
her 10 year old Helena Bleeker would like to
granddaughter how to introduce Marcia, one of a
dress a doll kit that was new range of clothing.
cast fired and painted by
Sandy Calderon. It was
wired for her to save
time, then she took over
and did all the dressing,
wigging, etc. including
the hat, as well as
selecting the colours.

Viola is understandably
Miniature Knitting
very proud of her
granddaughter and www.helena‐petitefashions.co.uk
wanted to share this
with our readers. The
doll is now for sale on Westwinds
the MOA website.
miniatures…
Viola has more news to
Julie and Brian Dewar are proud
share this month! She
to announce the launch of their
is very excited that her
new web site. It is now live and
dolls will be at Miniatura
the address is:
this autumn.

They will be available for
www.westwindsminiatures.com
sale on Carol Chinn’s table.
Carol is new to the show
so please visit her table Linda Master…
and say hello if you are
Linda Master aka Miracle Chicken will have
attending the show.
miniature woodcarvings at the 33rd annual Great
Lakes Woodcarvers Show and Sale.

Dollhouse Kitchen…
Sept. 25th and 26th

2010

Sarah Maloney would Walter F. Ehrnfelt
like to introduce her Senior Center
new website which is 18100 Royalton Rd.
finally up and running. (Rte. 82)
Strongsville Ohio
Visit her at...

www.dollhousekitchen.com
PMP Fairs... Changes to Scribd...
PMP fairs have now taken over the Dolls House Fair As it stands, readers of the AIM magazine can still
at Worthing, will still be held at The Charmandean, download the current issue for free…
Forest Road on Sunday 7th November. 10.30 till 4. But…. Scribd is now charging a fee for
Entrance fees will be £3 adults, £2.50 seniors, downloading documents from its archive, however
children free when accompanied by an adult. please note that the AIM Association does not
For more information on visiting or exhibiting please receive any payment from Scribd at all.
visit www.pmpfairs.homestead.com Happily readers can still browse through the AIM
Liza who runs PMP Fairs says she will do her best to magazines for free.
keep the exhibitors to 95% British Hand Made Obviously these circumstances are beyond AIM’s
standard. control and we hope that it will not affect your
PMP run all their fairs to raise money for Children enjoyment of the AIM magazine.

with Special Needs. If you would like to email us your thoughts, we
would love to hear them ‐ so why not write to our
editor Bea:
Reader’s post box…
office@petite‐properties.com
We love to hear what our readers think, The double Petite properties...
summer edition was very popular and here are a This month we simply have so much news
small selection of letters received this month. to share that I am just not sure it is going

to fit in! To kick off, August sees the
I don't know how it can keep getting better than the
launch of our new extensive 1:24th
previous issues when each of those issues left me furniture kit range. The first batch of kits
delighted and awestruck at the quality and variety of released are only just a tiny taster of what
articles and projects ‐ but it has. And the covers is to come!!!... With prices starting at only £2.99, our
themselves are works of art. What a pleasure to read new half scale furniture won’t break the bank
over and over again. Thanks so much for all the hard either!...
work of both the "staff" and the contributors.... Talking of ‘banks’... We are delighted
Lydia M to announce our unique new ‘Money
Box Kit’ range, designed specifically
**Major kudos to everyone involved in publishing for miniaturists who want to keep
AIM Magazine! It is so professional, informative, at‐ their miniature savings separate and
tractive . . . I'm going to run out of adjectives. Thanks safe! Our new novelty dolls house
so much for sharing your knowledge and talent. money boxes come in kit form and make an ideal and
Rosemary truly unique gift!!
The Miniature Cellar There are two fantastic ‘Petite Properties’ inspired
designs to choose from: ‘Penny Pincher’s Cottage’ or
the ‘Miniature Savings Bank.’ Both kits come with full
Just want to let you know I enjoy the on‐line maga‐ colour step by step instructions. Money Box Kits are
zine. Very talented miniaturists, it's lovely to see priced at £12.99 each and are available
their work and the DIY articles. via mail order from our online shop.
Regards, Petite Properties are also very excited
Anja
to release a brand new quarter scale

I love the double bumper Summer issue of the AIM ‘Shop box Kit’. Exclusively designed by
magazine. Yet again a superb publication, thank you Fiona Broadwood (Bea) this new
to you, and the team. So much work put into it and it quarter scale shop box is directly based on a popular
is free ‐ what a joy. 1:12th scale shop box which she made many years
Karen ago. Priced at just £14.99, the kit comes with full
colour, step by step instructions; all you need to do is
just add paint & glue! For more details visit:
Artisans In Miniature 144 www.petite‐properties.com
This issue would not have been possible without the generous
contributions from the following AIM members…
Many thanks therefore go to...
Ana Anselmo Grimdeva Marsha Mees
Annemarie Kwikkel Helen Woods Mary Williams
Amanda Speakman Ian Jones Mel Koplin
Bea (Fiona) Broadwood Jacqui Perrat Melanie Navarro
Beartrice Thierus Janet Harmsworth Mo Tipton
Betty Hagen Janet Smith Naomi Machida
Carol Lester Janine Crocker Nancy Cronin
Carol Smith Jean Boyd Patricia Paul
Catherine Davies John & Jean Day Paul Taylor
Celia (Oberons wood) Josephine Parnell Pearl Hudson
Cheryl Clingen Julie Campbell Peiwen Pettigrand
Dave Williams Julie Dewar Philippa Todd
Dawn M Schiller Kathi Brindle Regina Passy-Yip
Debbe Mize Kenneth Batty Sarah Maloney
Debbie Wright Linda Master Sally Watson
Debie Lyons Liz McInnes Silvia Lane
Diane Gregory Louise Goldsborough Stephanie Kilgast
Eileen Sedgwick Ludwina Akbulut-Van Susan Newstead
Emma & Neil Martinot Oosterwyck Teresa Thompson
Fiona Bateman Maia Bisson Vicky Guile
Frances Powell Malcolm Smith Viola Williams
Graham & Ann Marie Margaret Cassidy Wilga Van den Wijngart
Simpkin
See you in September !!!

www.artisansinminiature.com Please Note:

The projects included in this publication are not suitable for children under the age of 14*
The miniatures featured in this magazine are collectors items and therefore unsuitable for children under 14*.
All projects are undertaken at your own risk. AIM does not accept responsibility for any injury incurred.
All articles and photographs used in this magazine are copyright of their authors.
The AIM magazine’s content is for private use only and it must not be reproduced in part or in full for commercial gain in any form.
Each artisan contributor is responsible for their own work / contribution to the AIM magazine
and retain full responsibility for their published work.
The authors/self publishers cannot be held legally responsible for any consequences arising from following instructions,
advice or information in this magazine.
*with the exception of the Mini AIMers feature which is written especially for children under 14.

AIM Mag August 2010 Issue 25.

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Contents…

the summer, working hard to fill

For 20 years he was active as a

When Malcolm took early

Malcolm & Silvia...

Why not find out more about Malcolm & Silvia’s

“An association of professional artisans,

AIM membership is only available for professional miniature artisans,

Membership is reserved for artisans who wish to

This particular real shop is set in the

Tins, packets, bowls, baskets, brushes and

I made the Sunlight bars of soap from

I did the same for the

The REAL Thing...

Calories Per Serving: 190

The Miniature Recipe...

Take your chcolate clay and using a

To make your graham crackers, you

Bake according to clay package.

Believe it or not, it is incredibly easy to

2¼in Draw out the shape: part A shown in

This project was taken from

To separate the baby furniture

The Corner Shop was the first ‘kit’ package to be released by Petite Properties’ in their exciting new quarter scale

that would make a shop as well. To coincide

This versatile shop box kit will be

To visit the new online

Can you tell us a bit about your life before Miniatures?

in the first place?

What was your first purchase?

Have you had any unusual commissions?

You can see more of Viola’s stunning dolls on her website:

I had always dreamed of making a 1:12 scale

There is also a bakery for

As you can see, the space under the steps I

And here are some of the

The shop is fully electrified

On a recent whistle‐stop visit to

From reading the occasional

In this issue we are delighted to feature Louise

visit to her websites is well worth it.

Adapting full size crochet patterns for miniature crochet...

Also get yourself a good book on sewing techniques. Although

Dear Aunt Anastasia…

Dear Aunt Anastasia…

They have designed and built their newly updated

Browse parisminiatures.com website very thoroughly,

niatures’ to the readers of the

Wednesday of every week,

Lanes and hedgerows whistle by

(below) Piglet, hand carved and As he gives her such a wink.

While we’re here we must stop by

“Well it’s been a lovely day,

After sculpting a gourmet chef tasting his culinary creation I

Take the large piece out of

There is also a fireplace up here. Cold

Having now completed the main structure of the

Anne‐ Marie has

See you in September !!!

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