Tuesday 5 April 2016

Miniatura, NEC, Birmingham 2nd & 3rd April 2016

This is a shoe-in between my weekly Saturday posts.  I wondered if anyone wanted to see what I bought at Miniatura at the weekend.  If you want to read about the show you need to go over to my Dolls House Trips and Shows blog.  Just click on the name.

OK thirty photos are about to follow so you may not want to do this .........

The first bunch are from Delph as you will see and all pretty self explanatory as to what they are and where they will go.


Delph Miniatures
 Managed to buy this radiator and a fireplace for the same spot - so one is redundant


Delph Miniatures
 Fire for the loft apartment - hope to light it in some way???



Delph Miniatures
 These ring binders actually have rings in them.  Sadly I shall probably cram them with paper.


Delph Miniatures
 Finally Elizabeth can sit down - it swivels


Delph Miniatures
 Need a couple more of these phones for around the house


Delph Miniatures

Delph Miniatures

a bag of rubbish - Delph Miniatures
 J & A Supplies is a go-to-place at every show for the practical stuff - only had a big tin



J & A Supplies
 My other always-get-something-from is Jennifers of Walsall. I have bought a ton of stuff online from them for this project as I know all their products pretty well, but it is always a good feeling not to pay delivery.  

So I got tiles for the mud room splashback - some may also find their way to the loft bathroom.  



Jennifers of Walsall
 Two lovely little boxes I owned once (before I got rid of all my 12ths).  I need a few bits of silver but can't afford the real stuff.  The flute is step one in the music room imaginings.


Jennifers of Walsall
 Romney Miniatures often has handy bits and bobs.  I have done two or three concealed lights so far in this house and have had to clobber proper lights for the bulbs - so now I have two ready and waiting.  I could kick myself because I didn't buy their teeny very strong magnets for my doors - it would have been worth a go.  Made a note for the next show.


Romney Miniatures
 Apologies to whoever sold me this, I have forgotten their name.  Searching the catalogue didn't help me.  They had all sorts on their counter including some plaster work - I was looking for a very simple rose for the hall and this beat Sue Cook and Miniature Mansions' fancy ones and cost only £1.50.



sorry I forgot! 
 I always stop by Mini McGregor to see what she has invented this time - still not got over the opening matchbox of previous shows.  I know I will be berated for not making these myself but it is oh so much easier buying them than sourcing the right bead, paper, free printie or whatever and they are inexpensive.  I have made them in the past if that lets me off a little.


Mini McGregor

Mini McGregor

Mini McGregor

Mini McGregor

Mini McGregor
 The following items are from Miniature Mansions and were actually on my shopping list.  They are resin rather than plaster which makes them easier to work with - coat of paint and you won't know the difference.  Sadly I think I have a fireplace too many!



Miniature Mansions

Miniature Mansions

Miniature Mansions
 Wing and prayer for this idea - I want to make cupboards either side of the fireplace in the dining room and I thought an arched front would look nice.  I have no idea how to do that but decided I would buy the trims to make me commit..

Here are the 'legs'......
Miniature Mansions
 ..... and here are the tops
Miniature Mansions
 Also got a rose for the dining room



Miniature Mansions
 I adore Maria's Fabrics - masses of choice - all well picked by her for their quality of cotton or silk and all in scale - even some patterns small enough for 48ths.  These are all silk and all cost £1.70 each.



Maria's Fabrics
 Glasscraft is always irresistible to me - so more glass for the collection.



Glasscraft
 Practical items again - enough oversize tiles to allow me to finish the roof now.



Staceys Miniature Masonry

 More from Phoenix for the pretend silver collection



Phoenix Models
J & A Supplies again.  I wanted strips of wood to make window frames to cover the glass inside the house so it is more realistically sandwiched between wood.  Not precisely the right thickness or width but hoping it is so close I can get away with it.  Very long time before I know that.  I had to sort out 32 of these (forty-eight feet).



J & A supplies
 If you get a chance check out this place for whitewood furniture.  It is lovely scale, beautifully made and in a very thin and fine grain wood so it finishes beautifully.  They are made by the vendor, not just 'imports'.  You would think this was the simplest of tables and be surprised when I tell you how hard it was to find a simple wooden table with plain legs nicely finished for the Rec Room.



World of My Own Rob Lucas

Bravo if you made it to here.  I am now saving up for the next show.

6 comments:

  1. Thank you. They are a grain of sand if you think of the show as a beach - so, so many lovely things - can't afford many and some I just don't want and some are no use for my project but still leaves thousands to go at - hard to choose.

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  2. Great purchases. I take a list when I go to a show but usually find I have bought so many items and haven't even got to the exhibitors on my list yet. Thank you for doing this great blog. I have learned so many good tips from you. I am doing a house similar in style to your Dalton and found the thought of starting it quite daunting. Your YouTube videos are also great. Thanks.

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  3. Big thanks Wilma. I love the idea someone finds what I do useful. I do it for me so I have a record/diary much further down the line when the house is done and dusted - all my houses move on to someone else as i only have room for one at a time so its good to have a detaied account of them; but I like to think others get something out of it. I hunted hither and yon for help when I was new to the game. Shows shopping and lists never seem to actually join up. Did better on my list this time than ever before but still stuff missing (ran out of money) and stuff bought I never knew I wanted.

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  4. Hi EM! I love all of your purchases but what has intrigued me Most are the things that are not usually included in a doll's house but almost ALWAYS a part of our real lives, which are the smoke detector, burglar alarm, cordless phone, laptop etc. etc. and I also like the Radiator as well; very sleek and modern styling for todays home.
    I strongly believe that a girl can NEVER have too much stripwood and I was out yesterday and purchased a handful of the same stuff myself. :D
    Your faux silver looks to me, just like the real McCoy, and once it is in the midst of the china and other tableware, who would be any the wiser? :P
    Meanwhile, I Applaud all of your other Amazing finds and look forward to seeing how you include each of them, into your story.
    Make sure though, that those paperdolls are visible because they are tiny SHOWSTOPPERS!

    elizabeth

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  5. They really are so tiny. She also had boys and ginger bread children versions. I should have used a pencil in each photo to help with scale. She even includes the cut our bits .... As she says they'd be there if someone had just made them. I cannot beilieve sometimes how many talented folk there are out there. Thanks for stopping by, nice to know I am sharing with people. Marilyn

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