Miniature Dollhouse Artist's Studio by La Rocca

This artist's studio by La Rocca is on sale right now! It will make an exceptional gift for any serious dollhouse or miniature collector. Contact heathermiller411@yahoo.com for details.


One look inside, and you will truly feel you are in a real artist's studio.

On one side you find a distressed wooden table with paints, real bristle brushes, cans of turpentine, a pair of eyeglasses. Look closely at the amazing miniature painting on the wooden easel, and you will see it is signed by the artist. And take a look at the still life from which it comes – the broken glass bottle, the perfect slices of fruit, the knife, sitting on the distressed wooden table.

Inside the fire place is real burned wood. Stacked against the walls – more canvases, tiny paintings, wooden frames, a broom. On a wooden stand you’ll find books, a bottle of wine, a roll of newsprint, a box with real charcoal. And there are many more special and amazingly realistic pieces throughout the studio, too numerous to describe.

On the wood floor sits a wooden box with pencils, erasers, exquisitely tiny razor blades. In another box – tubes of paint. A small stool holds a palette with paint and tiny palette knife. At the back, a wooden shelf hangs over an old porcelain sink stained with paint. By the window on the right, you find a sculptor’s table with sculpting tools and a wonderful, unique wire figure. On a stand nearby you find a sculpture in progress.


The studio is wired, with a wall sconce on either side of the stone fireplace, and two other working lights. It sits on a base measuring 25x15 inches. The studio itself is 18 inches across, 11 inches deep and 9 inches high. The glass lid lifts up for easy access. This art studio is a unique and wonderful piece.

"Etienne" by elfkin: Prussian Hussar doll

This handsome Prussian Hussar doll was dressed by Tara Ryan, our very own elfkin. This was a gift to her sweetheart ... how cute is that! I have been dying to see this doll ever since I heard of him. So, here he is, Etienne.

Hi Sumaiya,

Here are the pictures (finally) for my Prussian Hussar doll "Etienne". I thought I should include some background on this project as well:

The uniform is based on an 1815 Prussian 2nd Life Regiment Hussar. The sword is a miniature replica of the British/Prussian 1796 pattern Light Calvary Sabre. Etienne's red sash marks him as an officer. For his hairstyle and mustache I referenced the movie "The Duellists".

I used the original uniform for colour and detail references on the jacket and shako--I have also included those pictures. The basic miniature clothing pattern can be found in Sue Atkinson's "Making & Dressing Dolls' House Dolls" (David & Charles 1992) under the patterns for men chapter (pg 144).

Please feel free to post them to your blog. Enjoy!

-- Tara.

Around the World: Bed & Breakfast

Welcome to Around the World: Bed and Breakfast. Artist Debbie Wignall takes you on a tour around the dollhouse she made for her niece 24 years ago. Let us start with my favorite, the Japanese bedroom.

"The Japanese bedroom. This room contains a dresser that I bought when I went to Japan a few years ago. The doors open and close. The wooden lamp is carved like a dragon and contains a hanging light. The bed is on the floor and is a futon type. There is a low table and cushions to sit on with a tea pot in the center."


"The African bedroom has leopard print wallpaper on the walls. The bed has animals printed on the bedspread and pillows. I upholstered the couch with a leopard material and did the same with the end table and bench for the dresser. I put an OOAK etched picture of a leopard on the dresser. On the mirror are little plastic giraffes and elephants. There is a huge plant by the door.

Western bedroom: The bedroom has a stick/log handmade bed, a chair I upholstered in a western pattern, western wallpaper, a cactus, a coat rack with faux jacket, boots, guns, a dresser with bowl and pitcher."


"The Egyptian room is one of my favorites. I put two gold colored columns on either side of the door, I upholstered an old Petite Princess couch with Egyptian material and put Egyptian material on the walls for wallpaper. The bed has a beautiful gold material with Egyptian figures on it. On the table is an Egyptian statue. The floor is made to look like stone.

The lefthand bedroom is Mexico: I have put real patio bricks on the floor. The walls are made to look like Mexican tiles. I put bright material on the wooden bed and chair for the room. There are Mexican decorations hanging on the walls."


"The bathroom is made in an Artic theme with Orcas on the Walls and the bathroom has black ceramic toilet, bath and sink. The hallway has horses on the wallpaper and a desk with books to read for the customers.

The dining room: The dining room has a picture of a Scottie on the wall, a table with 4 chairs and a basket of flowers, a rug, a cabinet with flowers and a floral spray above the kitchen door (glued to the wall). The kitchen is the only other room where things are glued down, and that is the cabinet above the stove and the large cabinet above the sink. Everything else is moveable."

-- Debbie Wignall

Sweet Memory Chocolate Shop by Kim Saulter

This 1:12 scale miniature chocolate shop roombox by artist Kim Saulter was sold on eBay a fortnight ago at a winning bid of $455.75! A wonderful deal, in my opinion. All candy comes with the shop. The display case is full and there is a wonderful popcorn machine full of popcorn too! It comes with gold scoop and jar of popcorn on top. Also included is a working cash register made by Bodo Henning and costs $80.00 ~ it even has money inside! Kim has left all chocolates and sweets in the front bay window loose so that the display could be rearranged at any time.


The chocolate display shelf is stocked with chocolates from a kit by "Lisa's little things," candy boxes from "Wishing Well miniatures" and candy bags made by Cathy McGhee of "Fabulous Farmhouse."


The wonderful shop keeper doll was made by Bonnie Justice. She is busy decorating her shop for Christmas. There is a little boy shopper busy deciding what to buy. He has curly brown hair and freckles on his face. Oh and the kitty is helping with the garland!

To view more of Kim's creations, visit:
http://community.webshots.com/user/kimsdollhouses

Tudor Style Christmas Toy Store

Tudor is "In" this season! But then again, it has always been a popular style for dollhouses. Here are some of my favorite Tudor Style houses that I found on eBay. This Christmas Toy store was meticulously created by an artisan in Maine's Lake Region.

Tudor Manor

This is so interesting! This is a different take on the same Tudor dollhouse kit below. It never fails to baffle me how the same kit looks so different when built by different artists.

Bavarian Style House

This house, with its exposed beams and stucco walls, reminds me very much of a Tudor style house. The workmanship is exquisite, both inside and out. My favorite room is the dining room, with its bay window, tiled floor, whimsical wallpaper and pretty lace curtains.

R. Bliss Dollhouse

This late 1800's to early 1900's R. Bliss Dollhouse was sold on eBay for $1,370 last week. The R. Bliss Mfg. Co. was founded by Rufus Bliss in Pawtucket, Rhode Island 1832. They pioneered in development of lithographed paper on wooden toys including dolls' houses, boats, trains, and building blocks.

There is a wonderful collection of R. Bliss Dollhouses at:
http://www.redwoodmatrix.net/dollhouses/anderson.htm

My Lady Katrina

This is my Lady Katrina, ready for the masquerade. Her gown is a deep violet: the full skirt shimmers lusciously in tones of purple and gold. She wears golden bracelets, necklace and earrings. Her bronze hair is arranged in a braided chignon, while the rest of her unruly curls cascade down her back.


Her golden mask flaunts feathers dyed in violet, black and scarlet, and the handle is made of greenish-purple beads. Dainty Roman slippers are painted on her feet. Her tiny toes are painted a cranberry hue, to match her fingernails.

Titania's Palace

Titania's Palace was constructed by the English painter and officer Sir Neville Wilkinson from 1907 to 1922.

Sir Wilkinson's daughter Gwendolyn claimed to have seen a fairy running under the roots of a tree, in the woods beside their home at Mount Merrion House. She was convinced that they lived in holes in the ground and deserved to have a fine house in which to live instead!

The palace consists of 18 rooms and salons, which contain hand-carved mahogany furniture. There are 3000 tiny works of art and miniatures from around the world on display inside the palace. The palace used to be displayed at Legoland, Denmark, but has found a new home in Egeskov Castle in Denmark now.

There is a miniature replica of Titania's Palace called Tara's Palace that is on display in Malahide.

Van Buren Dollhouse

You undoubtedly remember the English Country Cottage featured on October 26. This Van Buren is by the same artist, who I know only as Robin from their eBay page. The artist gives such a wonderful tour of this mansion, that I will let her take you through this Van Buren house. But before I let you go with Robin, I must say, my favorite is the staircase and the exterior finishes!


Newly finished wooden one inch to the foot scale Van Buren doll house. The house is not wired. The house is 29 inches high, 30 inches wide, 14 1/2 inches deep and 20 inches deep with the porch. The base of the house was made from the Van Buren, made by Greenleaf, and has been out of production for quite some time The stone finish on the outside of the house was created by a dimensional material that was hand-cut and hand-applied. It is beautiful in person! The front porch was a custom addition, as well as the sandstone finish balcony additions on each side of the house. The roof is done in all wood shingles that were stained in grey tones, and individually applied.All the custom flower beds are included, as well as the window boxes, and landscape pots on the top of the porch.


The inside has very large rooms with plenty of room to decorate.The floors were done in a variety of patterns to give the look of marble or European Tile.The material is a bark cloth that was hand cut, applied and sealed.The ceilings are all finished, and four of the main rooms have a special decorative design that is highlighted with the house's deep accent color pallet.You will see base boards, and crown molding (some done in real gold leaf) and all other finish trims are done. The walls are all papered in coordinating colors, so the colors flow. The first floor left room has a wall treatment that gives a tile look, and was made in Spain. The two fireplaces are not attached, and can be moved about the house. The small room behind the stairs on the first floor, would make a nice powder room. It is finished inside, papered, and has hard wood floors. The house is attached to a wooden base 34 by 25 to keep it secure in shipping. The house can be easily detached by removing a few screws on the bottom if you choose.

The Tudor Cottage by Sally Thomas

Thanks to our friend elfkin, here is a confection that is good enough to eat! Artist Sally Thomas discusses how she "bashed" the Buttercup Kit to create this one of a kind Tudor Cottage. Here is the link to the tutorial:

http://www.miniatures.com/hbs/global/Index2.asp?T=interactive
+community&S=&I=aa_ArticleDisplay.asp&ARTICLEID=1210