Digital Book

I thought it might be a nice idea to make a digital book for each of my finished projects and I started with Bentleys.

I tried Snapfish and Boots and various pieces of software but quite quickly got tetchy with how they did and didn't work.  I looked up reviews for the best programme and it seemed that in the States and in the UK Mixbook topped the ratings.  Sure enough it turned out to be simple to use and did what I wanted.

What am I doing now?

This is a link to all my blog addresses if you want to see what I am working on now.

All my blogs

Goodbye 1/12ths

I need to return my workroom back to a spare bedroom so I have decided I can't continue with 1/12th doll housing.  I am a tidy freak and there is no where else in our small house where I can work on this stuff without it looking untidy all the time.  It isn't too big a wrench because, unlike most other people, I don't keep my houses when they are done.  Our house just isn't big enough to display doll's houses hither and yon, so when I start a new one I have to sell its predecessor: selling The Willows half done is just sort of like having to sell it a bit early!

I hope to continue in the hobby and carry on going to shows and writing for DH & MS magazine but I shall be working in Quarter Scale (1/48th).  Fingers crossed it grabs me.

My starting project is a bit of a challenge for folk who know what they are doing - nothing like jumping in at the deep end.  Take a look at:  The Gatehouse and follow me there if you want to see how I get on.

Meanwhile The Willows has gone to a lady who is organising her own doll's house fair this month and it will be  on show there as a work in progress and will be completed and brought back next year to show the finished project.  If you can possibly get to Rochdale on 25th August do try to support her (and her husband's) hard work.  It sounds as if it will be fun.

Whibley's Dolls House Fair and Exhibition

Monday 25 August 2014
10.30am to 4pm

Open Door Coffee House at Horse Carrs
Shawclough Road
Rochdale
Ol12 6LG

DETAILS:

Exhibition of Dolls Houses and box rooms. Exhibition of Miniature working steam engines. Scalextric challenge (for Charity). Various small scale traders.

Plus the Coffee House will be open for lunches and cake.

Entry fee: Adults £2. Children £1 (accompanied)

Contact: Andrew Newing
 07577 758861

Footnote:  I am selling all my 1/12th stuff if you go to Lilliput it will tell you where to see it and how to buy.

New project

I have started a new project.  Click here if you want to look at it The Willows and don't forget to 'follow by email' if you want to follow its progress.

Boxing Day musings

Just in case you find yourself here for the first time I thought I'd let you know how my blogs work.  I have one for each project.  Some are sold (!), some are finished and some are just ideas with maybe some bits of collecting being done for them;  but there will always be one blog with a project in process. 

I do one 'build' in the summer when I am in the UK and one in the winter in the USA.  

At the time of writing my 2013 summer project was Chocolat.  That project is finished and will appear in a series of articles in Dolls House & Miniature Scene magazine next year.  

I am now in Naples in Florida for the winter and my current project is one of a set of three, quarter scale, houses.  The blog for this is My Quarter Life.  So, until I return to the UK in April and begin my 2014 Summer project the quarter scale blog will be the active one.

I do sometimes nip in and out of the others for some reason or another but, in the main the two active blogs will be the current project and the Dolls House Shows blog.

My final Bentleys Post

Bentleys sold last week to a lovely lady who I know will cherish it and use it well.  Local too which meant she was able to pick it up within an hour or so of the bids on EBay finishing.  That was really good.  She would have liked it as it stood, complete with fixtures and fittings but sadly I had already sold some of them.  She did take a lot of what I had left though and has been back since for some more, so I hope she has a good start on her 'new' shop.

This blog will remain up for her and anyone else to visit but won't be added to by me.  Goodbye to (my) Bentleys and Ellen, Daisy and the others, just as in real life the shop has gone on to new owners and I wish them all well.

Sixty Years of Lino

If you are looking for lino (from 1910 to 1970) check out this site: Retro Miniatures


It is a new kid on the block - born today! and is absolutely fabulous. There are masses of choices and printed on brilliant material - looks just like lino - you can have gloss or matt finish and is really affordable. She also offers - Lino rugs!!! and fuzzy rugs and even Wall Lino - yes, trust me, it was a big deal once.