Saturday, September 24, 2016

My S&S purchases, a gift from DS Marie, Mom

I really showed great restraint this year. (Like I really needed anything! Those of you who have actually seen my workroom know I don't NEED anything. LOL)

Well, I can always use another Christmas tree from the Jane Mills Collection! And this is quite lovely although I still haven't used my can of compressed air to clean it.
 Bought this great little copy machine from Littles by Irene. When you turn it on, the white piece on top moves back and forth!
 The next three pictures are also from the Jane Mills Collection:
Two plants by Connie Stitt:
 Velvet lined box and a vanity mirror:
And this lovely pot by Marie Luce Pelletier. Thrilled to get it!

This precious piece was a gift from dealer, Judy Mitchell. It's just so wonderfully detailed.

The nutcracker and the vanity pieces, also by Judy, were gifts from Barbara W. The nutcracker will go in the Christmas Shop and the vanity pieces will go in the green bedroom when I finally get back to working on it.

I also bought a 3" turntable from Luba Barnes. I don't often do very small pieces but it'll come in handy at some point. And Karen, who was helping Luba at her table, mentioned that a turntable is great for painting pieces - so may use it for that.

My DS Marie was out to see Mom and brought me these stir sticks with wonderful 1" Christmas trees on the top. They may end up in the Christmas Shop or as table top Christmas trees in the Christmas box I'll be doing to give away at our Christmas potluck dinner. OR I could use them on the tables I've been doing to go as favours to people who receive Meals on Wheels. Lots of possibilities!


Mom developed pneumonia on Monday and gave us a terrible fright. She's much improved but still not 100%. She will not be able to return to her apartment but will have to go into assisted living. It's hard to see her looking so tiny and frail. Thanks to all of you who have inquired and sent good wishes.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Show and Sale

Mom took a turn for the worse on Monday so it may be a while before I get back to posting more about the Show and Sale.

Please bear with me and keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers for peace for her and the family.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Edmonton Show and Sale - WINNERS! Peoples' Choice!

The Show and Sale was one of our best IMHO!

Personally, the fact that my BFF Joanne R. won a Peoples' Choice Award for best roombox for her Gentleman's Study really made my day!


Linda Austin won the People's Choice Award for a dollhouse for one of the three 1:48 scale pieces she entered. Well deserved.
It's a terrible picture but Linda has a broken rib so we have to take that into account. All three of her quarter scale houses were just incredible!

Cheryl Schofield won BOTH the Lorry Saunders Newbie Award AND the award for best club project.

And club member, Carol Kokotailo, won Best Vignette for her Christmas market stall.


SO proud of these women and their work!

More to come tomorrow!

Friday, September 16, 2016

IN MEMORIUM

I probably won't have a chance to post again until after the Show and Sale on Sunday so I want to take some time to acknowledge two very important people whom we have lost in the last year who have enriched our lives as miniaturists. We will have displays of their work at the Show and Sale.

Lorry Saunders: (by Joanne Root)

On March 14, 2016, the Miniature Enthusiasts of Edmonton (M.E.E.) Club lost one of their most-valued members when Lorry Saunders passed away at the age of 79 years after suffering a stroke.

Lorry’s first love was her husband and family but miniatures played a very close second.  She planned her travels around her miniature meeting/show schedule and if she wasn’t in her craft room working on minis, she was somewhere where miniatures were bound to be.  She took trips to England to the big shows and travelled with her good friend, Sunni Dixon, on many dollhouse miniature bus tours throughout the U.S.

Lorry served on the Executive of M.E.E. for many years as President and Display Co-Ordinator for our annual Show & Sale.  She schlepped roomboxes, dolls houses, and vignettes through parking lots and upstairs and down stairs to libraries, hospitals, and schools to display them and to get the word out about her hobby.  She was always there with her hand up when volunteers were needed. 

She mentored new members and was such a wealth of knowledge.  She had an amazing memory for who was who, what their specialty was, and their complete history.  She could spot a dolls house a mile away and tell you everything you could possibly want to know about it.

Lorry was a perfectionist and every roombox, vignette, and dolls house that she made (and they number in the MANY ) attests to this.  She made the most exquisite 1” scale birdhouses – always 1/12 – and anyone on the receiving end of her gift at our Christmas party would be in ecstasy after having received one of these creations.


We all had such good times with Lorry and are better people for having been her friends.  She was one classy, true lady.  She will be missed greatly and remembered fondly by all of those whose lives she touched.

We have named the M.E.E. Newbie award after Lorry.

Sherrill Bedu

Sherrill was an artisan in both 1:12 and 1;48 scale. Her miniature dolls  in their beautiful costumes were exquisite! She did not only dolls, miniature scenes, and accessories in fabric but also leather work such as saddles and reins.

After several bouts with cancer, Sherrill finally succumbed shortly after our last show and sale. We will miss her and her partner, Mike,

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Mom's release calendar

Well, it's off to a good start.

Closed

Open - with the boxes dated from tomorrow (September 16) to October 9. 
Although her tentative release date is October 5, wanted to give a bit of leeway so the box goes to October 9. And if she is released on October 5, she'll have a couple to open after she's home.

These are the pieces that will go into the calendar.
As each box is opened, the object within will be put in the space.

Hopefully I'll get pictures done of each day's treat and be able to post them tomorrow before we take it up to her. A couple pieces are too tall for the spaces in the calendar so we may have to trade them off with pieces that she already has.

My mom

Mom is doing very well; in fact, she has a tentative release date to go home on October 5.

When we were discussing her release, DS Shirley said it would be neat if we could do a sort of Advent Calendar so she could count the days off. Well, I just happen to have an empty Advent Calendar that DD Leanne gave me some months ago!


The boxes that fit in this are 1 7/8" cubes. I may turn them around and put dates on the backs which are plain.

Hope to get it done before we go up to the hospital tomorrow night since I won't be up to see her on the weekend.

Kim's dollhouse

Kim contacted us awhile back for help selling her dollhouse. I had an email from her tonight that it sold this afternoon. Glad for her - hope its going to a good home. Wish it were mine but....

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

DEALERS - Show and Sale on Sunday, September 18

I am SO sorry that I have not kept you up to date on our dealers (other than posting the entire list).

Dealers that I have highlighted so far are:

Barb Streithorst (Bits by Barb)

Victoria Miniland 

Sherri MacRaild

Rosalle Pinske (NeedleArt 

Tina MacDonald (Miniature Minutiae)

Judy Mitchell

Hoanie Yong (Live a Little Miniatures)

Another World Miniatures (Linda Maddaford and Bev Perret)

Janice Crawley

Collection of Jane Miles

VAL CORRAINI has joined us again from Calgary. She has dollhouse items and dolls in 1:12 scale.

REENIE DESARKER A former member of M.E.E., Reenie is bringing 1:12 scale hand made miniatures (food, books, toys, etc.) Among other things, Reenie has some wonderful latex rubber boots.

LUBA BARNES Luba has joined us again with her great collection of miniature furniture, wallpaper, accessories, handmade items and tools. She is also the representative of N.A.M.E. and will have a table to represent that.

LINDA AUSTIN (Representing herself as Wee Woolies and her sister, Brenda Demone as Bren's Miniature Pottery) Crochet work, plants, pottery in 1:12, 1:24 and 1:48 scale. Brenda's pottery is really lovely.

SUE LEFEBVRE After a year away, Sue has once again joins us from Calgary with her wonderful miniature accessories in 1:12 scale.

IRENE SKULKOWSKI (LITTLE EXTRAS BY IRENE): This is Irene's second year at our sale. She has 1:48 Scale and hand-made food, 1:12 scale furniture, food, and accessories, also some 1:24.

LINDA STEWART is downsizing her personal collection. That's always a great opportunity for bargains!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Do you feel lucky?

M.E.E. has a dollhouse to sell at the Show and Sale this coming Sunday.

It is a beautiful house made by LaChance Dollhouses. It appears to be made of 3/8" plywood and is finished inside and out. There is some slight damage to the (hand-made) edging shingles on the back but other than that, it's in great shape.

It's on a base that goes beyond the footprint of the house.

It's heavy! But it's sturdy enough to be played with by children and  lovely enough to become a collector's piece for an adult.


Sorry the colours don't show up well here. The entire exterior is white with teal trim.


As a club, M.E.E. has no place to store this beauty so we are selling it on Sunday. It has to go so we are offering it at $120.00 from 10:00 am to 10:30 am then decreasing the price by $10.00 each half hour. By the end of the day, it will be free! The only proviso is that it be taken from the salesroom no later than 4:30 on Sunday.

10:00 to 10:29                                    $ 120.00

10:30 to 10:59                                    $ 110.00

11:00 to 11:29                                    $ 100.00

11:30 – 11:59                                      $ 90.00

Noon – 12:29                                     $ 80.00

12:30 – 12:59                                      $ 70.00

1:00 – 1:29                                           $ 60.00

1:30 – 1:59                                           $ 50.00

2:00 – 2:29                                           $ 40.00

2:30 – 2:59                                           $ 30.00

3:00 – 3:29                                           $ 20.00

3:30 – 3:59                                           $ 10.00


4:00                                                        FREE

It's a bargain at the opening price but if  you feel lucky, you can wait and see if you can get it at a lower price!

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Quick thought about Mom's flowers/plants

Oh, my, I've already filled up the two glass and brass cabinets with flowers/plants for Mom. No room left so I'm looking at a new way to display the plants and flowers.

This is the bare-bones of the plant stall "The Petal Pusher" that I made for our "Little Fair on the Prairie" display a few years ago.  This particular piece was made while I was spending a day with Mom while she was undergoing some testing.


 I've cut off the front and back sections of the piece....


I'm looking forward to moving the flowers for Mom from the glass and brass pieces to this piece.


Saturday, September 3, 2016

Dealer List - Edmonton Miniature Show and Sale, Sunday, September 18, 2016

DEALER LIST 2016

Another World Miniatures (Linda Maddaford, Bev Perret)
1:12 scale accessories, kits, metal minis, silks, lace, silk ribbon, hat straw, hard to find supplies, furniture, some 1:48 supplies, Swarovski crystals

Bits by Barb (Barb Striethorst)
Plants/flowers (assembled and kits), petals/leaves, laser cut German items, rugs, food items

Jane Miles Collection
(MEE on behalf of Jane Miles)
Furniture, kits, rugs, accessories

Janice Crawley, IGMA Fellow
1:12 ceramic dishes, Toby Mugs, figurines, tiny porcelain dolls (1” – 2”)

Judy Mitchell
Various handmade accessories in 1:12

Little Extras by Irene
1:48 furniture and hand-made food; 1:12 furniture, food and accessories; also 1:24 items

Linda Stewart
Downsizing personal collection

Live A Little Miniatures
(Hoanie Yong)
Chandeliers, wall sconces, ceiling lamps, Christmas decorations and other misc. items

Luba Barnes
Miscellaneous miniature items and some 1:48 scale items

MiniLAND, VICTORIA
Full line of roomboxes, furniture and accessories

National Organization of Miniature Enthusiasts

Needleart Treasures by Rosalle
Crocheted accessories for the mini home

Tina MacDonald
Turnings, basketry, tableware, garden pottery, fabric, 1/4 scale wallpaper and carpets

Reenie’s Teenies
1:12 scale handmade miniatures (food, books, toys, etc.)

Sherri MacRaild, IGMA Artisan
Seasonal, toys, candy (chocolates)

Sue Lefebvre
Limited edition picnic basket kits, quilt squares, Tupperware Shape-o-balls, Carpets, Leather Purses, Some furniture and select other miniatures

Val’s Creations (Val Corraini)
Miniature dolls and related items

Wee Woolies and Bren’s Miniature Pottery
(Linda Austin and Brenda Demone)
Crochet work, plants, pottery 1:48, 1:24 and 1:12 scales




Friday, September 2, 2016

DEALER - Janice Crawley

What a blessing it is to have Janice Crawley be a dealer again at our Show and Sale (September 18)!

Janice is a Fellow of IGMA (International Guild of Miniature Artists) in ceramics.

A resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Janice sells her work all over the world: particularly in Great Britain, Japan, the USA and Canada.

One of her specialties is tea pots and my dear friend, Joanne, says she can feel the money just oozing out of her pockets as she passes Janice's table. A very familiar comment!

In addition to her tea pots and tea sets, Janice makes ceramic dishes and tiny (1" - 2") ceramic dolls (dressed and undressed). She also makes some unique accessory items for your dollhouse bedroom. such as the jewellery doll