Preparing for battle - take a box

I passed on the notion of my brag book for your shopping list helper a couple of posts ago - now thanks again to Irene, here comes another handy tip that's especially useful if you are doing a two day show and staying overnight and/or travelling by bus or train.

Take a couple of plastic food boxes with you (like Chinese takeaway sort of size) and decant all your small stuff into these. This offers them greater protection from crushing, snapping, creasing and stops you 'losing' things  amongst all that wrapping and paper bags stuffed in your shopping bag.  I have actually done that once.  You really don't remember in the moment that you unpack when you get home precisely what you have, so it is too easy to think you have it all, only a couple of days later to remember some tiny thing that isn't there.

So if you want to know my method of attack and my preparation for the shopping wars this is what I do.

One (no weight) shopping bag that will go over my shoulder if needs be.  I always wear the same jacket - rain or shine - very thin,  but it has a ton of pockets.  This means I can put each vital thing in its own pocket and I don't need to carry a handbag or have to rummage through my shopping bag every time I want something.  

If I am staying in a hotel or am able to leave my other handbaggy stuff in the car or even in a locker/cloakroom depending on venue this is all that I will need at the show itself.

Cash, credit card, debit card - some of dealers will take only one of these things.
Phone - which I now also use as a camera (with permission) - no more having to carry a camera now that I am not writing about shows.
Little shopping book - this does go in my shopping bag rather than a pocket.
Pen (spare bits of paper are in my bragging book)
Hanky - I hear my mother's voice......have you got your hanky?
Comfortable (I wish) shoes

Oh.... and your ticket to get in if you've pre-booked

Lippy and comb go by the board and remain with the other stuff - this is serious shopping after all.

Dealers List, Miniatura, NEC

The dealers list is available for Miniatura now.......



http://www.miniatura.co.uk/next-show/nextshowgallery.html


(Thanks Irene)



Here's four of the one hundred and fifty plus vendors

Miniatura Weeekend 1st and 2nd October, NEC, Birmingham

One of the best UK shows is nearly here and my tickets arrived this morning.  This is a show to get to if you can.  Click on the following link to see what it can do for you - there is too much really for me to relate:

Miniatura

Miniatura is held at the NEC in Birmingham - easy to get to by road, rail and even air!  Accommodation on the site if you want to stay there and enough to keep you going for two days.  Make it a short break holiday and there is a lot of interesting things to do round and about Brum.


What I can share here is how I go about getting organised for a big show/shopping trip.

I have one of those 'bragging books' - the plastic folder things that 'grannies' keep their ( 6 x 4) photos in....

I take a picture of every room in the house showing where it is up to.  I print them, cut them out and  put in the folder.  Opposite each picture is a list of the things I want/need for that room.

There is also usually a sort of overview list of stuff like more trims, floors etc so that gets listed and filed at the back.

I will also slip in samples of wallpaper or paint chips or fabric - stuff I want to match in some way.  It is also useful to have sizes of rooms or spaces you want to furnish; for example this time I need two small matching display cabinets either side of a fireplace so it is good to know the ideal size for these and the actual space I have there.  Floor areas for rugs, window sizes, whatever you think might be handy.  I may not be shopping for half of those things right now but how frustrating to see something I might want further down the line but not know if it will work.

This is also the chance (hence doing it early) to order some things from vendors for me to pick up.  It saves me and them time on the day.

Stafford Dolls House Fair

Just a reminder that the Stafford Show is on Sunday.  

Get there if you possibly can, it is a a good show.  Doreen Jeffries shows are big enough to keep you occupied for hours and always make even a long drive worthwhile.  She has a nice mix of vendors so there's always something you want.  

For anyone starting out on the hobby, the best of folk are there like Jennifer's of Walsall and J & A Miniatures and Matlock Miniatures.  For fiddling about with your project everyone else is just great - three of my favourites are Maria's Fabrics - huge range, spot on scale in weight and print and at a great price, Rob Lucas - fine pieces at a reasonable price, Mini McGregor - always something quirky to make you smile (and buy)..... and a ton more.

Stafford Dolls House Fair

Cleveland Miniaturists UK - Dolls House and Miniatures Fair

While I was at the York show I was handed a leaflet with information about a new show.  Anyone who can possibly get there please do go and support them.  Great oaks from little acorns grow.......  and you are its food and water......

Cleveland Miniaturists UK

DOLLS HOUSE AND MINIATURES FAIR

Sunday 26th June 2016

10.30am - 5.00pm

LOCOMOTION

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM AT SHILDON

DALE ROAD INDUSTRIAL ESTATE

SHILDON Co DURHAM DL4 2RE

(15 min from A1)

FREE ADMISSION

Ample free parking, Cafe, Free prize draw, Signposted

more info email:  clevelandminiaturistsuk@outlook.com

Severn Models

Severn Models have very kindly allowed me to snip a couple of photos from their site so I could show you the detail in their 144th dolls house.

beautifully painted

This is an example of a finished house.  As well as admiring the lovely paintwork, please note the house is hinged!

such detail

I love the thinness of the material, it works beautifully in this tiny scale.  Lovely stairs and doorways.

furniture for every room

Just as a collectors piece it would be nice to leave it all in brass.  Such a pretty little thing.

Clever stuff.

Here's the link to his site:   Severn Models

York Dolls House Fair, 5th June 2016

I have written several reviews here and in DHMS magazine for the York Show so I am struggling to find anything original to say about it.  I thought I might take another tack.  

How do I decide whether to go to a show and what would I like to find there  ...

1.  Distance - in my case this seems irrelevant.  I have been lucky enough to have spent half the year in the USA for the past fifteen years and that has allowed me to visit shows there.  We are no longer doing that so now I have to consider which shows I want to do and somehow validate the cost and time.  The easy answer is to choose shows which will build into some sort of holiday.  This means that an American show or the Holland or Madrid one aren't out of the question.  

We can actually do the York Show in a day as it is just a couple of hours drive from our home but we have taken to building it into a short break in York.  So this time we left on Friday which gives me the luxury of attacking the show following a hotel breakfast and feeling fresh as a daisy... well a rather old daisy.  We went home on Monday.  It also means we get to eat at my absolute favourite eatery twice a year.  Google 'Trinacria' if you are ever in York.

2.  Size - Hard to put a number on the amount of vendors I need to make it feel worth doing but probably something over forty.  Size and distance to the show are of course interrelated - it is fine to do a small show if it is a day trip but to add in a mini break around it gives me pause for thought.  This is a wiggle and jiggle area.

York lays claim to over ninety vendors and more than a thousand visitors.  This show listed 83 and there were a couple of no-shows (this does happen at most shows) so we had 81 to go at.  This is a surfeit of stands for most people to trawl from 10.30 am until 4 pm.  A lot of people like me pre-buy their ticket and they are allowed in at 10 am.

It seemed to have a good footfall, maybe less than the November one.  Again it claims to be the largest event in the North of England.

3.  Workshops - this isn't such a big deal in the UK shows but York did offer three - Make a silk bonnet with Hazel Dowd £5, Miniature Crazy Patchwork with the Miniature Needlework Society £5 and a free session with Jane Harrop - Holiday themed miniatures.  They are usually fully taken up.  

4. Parking - it is just great to be able to park right on site and not have to hike to the show. York does this nicely and it is free.

5. Catering - on site catering is an absolute for me.  I want to be able to take a break with a snack or a cup of tea during the day just to regroup for more shopping.  The better the catering facilities the happier I am.  York also has lots of seating areas to relax in away from the shopping.

6. Good mix of vendors - it is really important for me that there is as wide a mix of vendors as possible.  I want to look at just about anything you could put in a project and would love to see it at different quality and different budget levels.  Hence the need for it to be as big a show as possible.  York Show does OK at this and I am sure there is something for everyone.

7. Disabled access - not high on my must-have list but a vital element nevertheless.  The York Show is on three levels and has a lift.

8. Space - I hate being at shows where you feel you can't breath because you are so hemmed in by tables and people.  Also if you are squished you have to wait ages to get near any stand you want to look at.  York is one of the best for offering a feeling of space and easy access to the wares.

9.  Cloakroom - I meant to check if they had a cloakroom - this is really useful sometimes.  For example if you do a cold/wet day show at Miniatura you really want to shed your outside clothes before going into the show rather than trudge round in them all day (for two days).  I apologise for not checking but have a feeling there isn't a cloakroom at this venue.

10.  Entrance fee -  I have never yet thought the entrance fee to a show was too much and York is no exception.  It costs £5 for adults and £2.50 for children on the day at the door and £3.50 and £1.50 if you buy your tickets in advance.  You save this on one single purchase by not having to pay postage had your ordered your treasure on line.

Here's a few photos of things I liked: (click on any photo to see it full screen)

Delph Miniatures

Delph Miniatures

Delph Miniatures

One of my all-time favourites - Delph Miniatures - they never cease to amaze me with their ingenuity.  You really need to get their catalogue or spend an evening trawling their website as they sell things you never knew you wanted but then discover you can not do without.

Severn Models

Severn Models

Severn Models

Severn Models

Severn Models is entirely new to me and was absolutely fascinating.  I presume it was born from model railways but there is a wealth of stuff for dollhousers.  I so wish I had taken a photo of the most perfect 144th house (a dolls house for your 1/12th dolls house).  There are many 144th houses around but not many with stairs and interior walls and doors and furniture.  Exquisite and on my shopping list.

YHunt for Miniatures and Bears

Speaking of 144ths for your dolls house here are a nice pair from YHunt for Miniatures and Bears.  If you are a fan of bears this is a place for you.

Victoria Fasken

Victoria Fasken 

Victoria Fasken is another favourite of mine and I actually own some of her dishes for my current project.  I can not find a web site for her but here is a good article about her work:  Victoria Fasken's Exquisite Small Ware

C. J. Miniatures (1:48th)

C. J. Miniatures (1:48th)

C. J. Miniatures sell a lot of very nice things but the favourite for me is always the wonderful work of Gayle B's Petworth Miniatures.  There is always a huge crush around Petite Properties but for my brief journey into quarter scale I would have always chosen the lovely fine materials and beautifully detailed work of Petworth.  If only she made a piano or harpsichord in 1/12th!!

Sadly I didn't buy very much as I had a very specific list of needs and wasn't able to fill them as I am so pernickity.  No fault of the show.  If you want to see what I bought they will be posted over on my project blog on Saturday (11 June).  Dalton House