This has been a delightful weekend! On Saturday I met up with two members of the Greenleaf Dollhouse forum at the Atlanta Miniature Show in Tucker, Georgia. After we were shopped out, we had a Show and Tell and talked and talked. My sister Helen, who is a quilter, not a miniaturist, came with me. She later said that she couldn't keep up with the conversation as it was peppered with house names unfamiliar to her, but she did get caught up in our enthusiasm and was a great second pair of eyes for spotting gems among all of the wonderful items displayed by 40-some talented vendors.
Click on a picture to see a larger version.
I promised myself to use some restraint, and, in fact, saw some great items on the very first table in the entry hallway but kept on walking. Once inside the exhibit hall, however, my wallet broke open. An unidentified lady was selling rolls of wallpaper, all you wanted for $1. Really! Some of them were really quite lovely. I ended up with these four, all for $1. 😊 I think they are destined for the Beacon Hill. The bottom one, with the scallop design, may go into the entry hall. The plain and flowed blue rolls may go into the master bedroom, and the lovely ivory with a subtle stripe and sheen may go into the bathroom. [During the show and tell, we discovered that all three of us bought paper from her, and two of us bought the same two blue sheets. Great minds, eh?]
The next stop was at Marie's Mini Shoppe (Lake Worth, FL) for two pieces of lace, one white, one ecru. They are a very nice scale for curtains and may end up in the Beacon Hill and/or Miss Marple's Cottage (the Glencroft). They also had a very nice basket of bell peppers, which are destined for the kitchen of the 1890s Pierce/Bohemian Inn,
The next stop was at Magic-N-Miniature (Dayton, OH). I found some nice things for the Bohemian Inn -- a liquor barrel on a stand for the bar and a large wooden bowl, meat cleaver and large knife for the kitchen.
While I was waiting to pay, I spotted a stove that looks as if it belongs in the Bohemian Inn kitchen. It turned out to be a lot less expensive than I anticipated, so that went into the bag as well. From even a short distance, it looks like it is made of metal, yet it is wooden, beautifully aged.
The cabinet will not remain this color. It will be painted to resemble this cupboard, which is in a summer cottage owned by my cousins in the Czech Republic. One of them refinished the cabinet and hand painted the designs.
Jane Graber (Frankfort, MI) had a wonderful selection of her hand thrown pottery. I limited myself to one plate, which will go into Miss Marple's house.
I've got a pretty wide selection of beer and liquor bottles for the Bohemian Inn's bar, but at Wilson Santiago's Dollhouse Linens and More (Winder, GA), I spotted two Reutter Porzellan Blue Onion design beer steins for a very good price. I'm not sure if they will sit on the bar or hang above it, but that is definitely their destination.
Another table I'd passed up was Karen Aird's Dollhouse Shop (Basking Ridge, NJ). There I found some beautiful flower planters that will probably end up at Miss Marple's Cottage. The copper sauce pans and bowl of eggs will go in to the Inn's kitchen, and the poppy dish will go into the Inn as well. Poppies are very Czech.
By this time, Helen and I were ready for a sit-down. Sparklepuppies joined us, and I went back into the exhibit hall to find WestPaces. We stopped at Miniature Designs (Lawrenceville, GA) so she could make a purchase. While I was waiting for her, I of course perused the table, where I spotted a fantastic little weight-driven cuckoo clock, perfect for the Bohemian Inn! It is hand carved by Fred Cobb, a well-known local artisan, and reminds me of a real life cuckoo clock that our grandfather brought over from the old country in the late 1890s. I apologize for the quality of the photo, but if you click to enlarge, I think you can see the cuckoo poking his head out.
Finally finished with shopping, we found a quiet table and held our Show and Tell. What a grand day! From the left, WestPaces, sparklepuppies, and KathieB -- our forum nicknames.
It is such a treat to be able to enjoy the artistry and craftsmanship of the dedicated artists from around the country, and pure delight to be able to share the experience.
Estupendas compras!!! Y en buena compañÃa aún mejor!
ReplyDeleteBesos.
ReplyDeleteEso es muy cierto. ¡Gracias!
It looks like it was a Fun and Rewarding day at the Show, for All of you! :D
ReplyDeleteelizabeth
Yes, Elizabeth, it certainly was both fun and rewarding. :)
ReplyDeleteKathie you got some great stuff! I love the cuckoo clock especially. :)
ReplyDeleteMe, too!
ReplyDelete