Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i Dolls House & Miniature Scene

WELCOME to the March edition! Spring has sprung so it’s time to make a start on spring cleaning – your mini makes of course! Whether they need adapting for the new season or just a little makeover, we have all the inspiration you need over the coming pages. On page 10 Sadie Brown discovers how Erika Pitera gives what is seen as a usual part of daily lives a modern and contemporary feel – nothing needs to be dull when creating in small! Then, turn to page 16 for an exclusive project from Erika, showing how to make a washboard shelf from the very scene featured! Moi Ali details her spring makeover on page 18, showing you how you can re-vamp a room – whether it’s the flooring, walls or…

PROJECT Washboard shelf Following on from Sadie Brown’s feature on Erika Pitera’s laundry room on page 10, here you can make your very own washboard shelf! by Erika Pitera YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS REQUIRED 1x ⅛in x 12in square dowel Chop saw or easy cutter ⅛in thick balsa wood Sandpaper Wood stain (or paint if you’d prefer a painted look) Printed laundry sign Black corrugated card paper Silver and/or gunmetal acrylic paints TOOLS REQUIRED X-acto knife & straight edge Cutting mat & paintbrush PVA glue & scissors 1 Start by assembling the outer frame for the washboard sign. Using a chop saw or an easy cutter, cut the ⅛in square dowel to the following lengths: • 2x 2-½in pieces • 2x 1in pieces • 2x ½in pieces Sand any rough…

FEATURE At Home with THE BROADWOODS TREADING THE BOARDS This month, professional model maker Bea Broadwood continues her brand new (mini) series which will go back to basics and take a step by step look at working in quarter scale. Helped by members of the PP Modelling Community, she will not only be sharing her top tips, but together they will be taking a closer look at the techniques, materials and tools that can be used to create highly realistic smaller scale dolls houses on even the tiniest of budgets! Over the last couple of issues, we’ve gone back to the beginning and have explored how best to approach the building of quarter scale properties. Due to the size of 1/48th scale models, it has quickly become apparent that most…

FEATURE Six of the Best: St Giles Church Over the next six months Moi Ali gives readers an exclusive showcase of her own private collection. by Moi Ali I am quite a property tycoon, but sadly my empire is not worth millions – despite my being the proud owner of several houses, shops, a church, a pub, a café, a diner and various other buildings. My petite properties may not carry a huge price tag, but to me they’re priceless! Over the coming six months I’m going to give you a look around half a dozen of my favourite buildings, starting with my church. It began life as an MDF kit by Barbara’s Mouldings, the All Saints Church. It was a very good price and came with a lot of…

FEATURE York dolls house group celebrates 40 years Yorkshire Miniaturists Association, York’s local group for collectors and makers of dolls houses and miniatures, is celebrating its 40th birthday. Club Secretary, Elizabeth Jackson, reveals how they made sure they celebrated this special anniversary… I was one of the founders of Yorkshire Miniaturists Association back in 1981 and am still heavily involved. We were so thankful that Covid restrictions had lifted sufficiently to allow us to hold a birthday party at my house – a very joyful occasion with Prosecco, gorgeous birthday cake created by our Chair, Ann Holmes, a sales table (we had missed those so much during lockdown), a quiz, a look around my dolls house room and display boards reminiscing over the 40 years. Each year we have a…

KIT REVIEW The Whole Kit & Caboodle: RETRO SOFA This month’s kit is retrolicious, says Moi Ali by Moi Ali I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I love Jane Harrop kits! They’re well designed, affordable and easy to build – and cover a wide range of eras. I’m currently going through a bit of a retro phase, so I’ve been drooling over Jane’s kits from the 1970s. Think electric fires with fake coals, bunk beds, wooden TV sets and Danish dining suites. All very tempting, but I opted for the three-seater, wooden framed sofa, its orange upholstery immediately drawing my eye (although I went for an equally authentic purple cover on mine). If you’re doing a 1970s room, you’ll find other items of the era to create…

FEATURE Instagram Identities: HAUNTED STORIES BY MS REINGARD Moi Ali discovers some very unusual miniatures from Russia with love! by Moi Ali Many people like to create their dream life in miniature: the perfect home, full of expensive furniture and beautiful art displayed in a tasteful interior. But not everyone! Sometimes it’s the unusual, the dark, the macabre that appeals and that’s where Olga and Max of Haunted Stories have carved out a niche. Their studio is located in the Kaliningrad region of Russia on the Baltic Sea, where the couple have created their dream way of working. Olga explained: “I never wanted to get up at 7am to go to work in an office, venturing out in the dark and cold! I always wanted work with my hands, so…

PROJECT Aga Saga Moi Ali gives a tired room a spring makeover. by Moi Ali Moi says… “This is the time of year when we start to think about spring makeovers in our full-size homes, but how about a quick and easy makeover in your dolls house? Take a room you’re not happy with and give it a new look by changing just a couple of features. I bought this roombox second hand and it was a bit tired and needed a lift. Follow these step-by-steps on how a new floor and a fireplace surround transformed it. The original floor was paper printed with a parquet effect, which had become a bit discoloured. An embossed card floor gave the room a fresh, more realistic appearance. There was no fireplace mantel,…

FEATURE The Face of Art Sculpting memories of a lifetime with Pauline Pugliese. by Sadie Brown Creating character Speaking to Pauline Pugliese about her work, it seems doubtful she can remember a time when art wasn’t part of her life at some level. With a lifelong love of drawing and painting and a degree in illustration, her beautifully crafted character dolls, faces etched with memories, transfer these skills exceptionally into three dimensions. “This background was a great help to me when I began my doll making journey,” says Pauline. “I had no previous sculpting experience but fell in love with it the first time I picked up a lump of clay and attempted to make it into a little person.” The world of small scale has long been an abiding…

READER PROJECT Biggest project ever! Beginning her love of dolls houses as a child, reader Debbie Walker from Regina, Canada, continued her desire to build her own into adulthood. Starting in 2014, she finally completed her dream house in 2021 – including 11 rooms with unique ceilings! As a child I had two dolls houses, one was a large two-story Barbie house with sides that opened to reveal extra rooms and the other was The Littles plastic dolls house (now considered an antique). That was back in the day of plastic and metal, lead paint furniture. I remember collecting all the dolls and furniture for The Littles dolls house and then my dad stayed up all night building the house for me on Christmas Eve as a surprise from Santa.…

BOOK EXTRACT Garden pond Polymer clays can be used successfully with artificial water made from resins. In this project polymer clay is used to make the pond with its stones, plants and fish and then after baking, clear resin is poured into the pond and allowed to set. The result is remarkably lifelike. Try using stone effect clays such as Fimo Granite or Cernit Nature for the stones which are speckled clays and give a more natural result than plain clay. The instructions are for a raised rectangular ornamental pond of the kind beloved by the Victorians in their gardens. Variations are also given for a natural pond and a rock pool YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS REQUIRED Polymer clay: ½ of a 56gm (2oz) block of grey clay, ¼block each…

FEATURE A Miniature Spin on Contemporary Design Forget those washday blues with Erika Pitera’s fabulous mini laundry room. by Sadie Brown Cleaning up on inspiration The contemporary white, black and grey colour scheme of Erika Pitera’s laundry room is very much on trend, but it also holds a timeless appeal with the hallmarks of a design classic. Increasingly well-known for her intriguing and detailed roomboxes full of character, this project takes Erika to the next level, but it’s also impossible not to notice that incorporating a laundry room within the design of the modern dolls house is something which seems to have gained traction in recent times. I asked Erika why she thinks that is and just what is the appeal? “Well, I can’t speak for everyone, but I think it’s…

PROJECT St. Patrick’s Day cake Create the luck of the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day and celebrate with a slice of miniature cake. by Sadie Brown YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS REQUIRED Green and white polymer clay Green 1mm adhesive gems Sculpey Bake & Bond (or similar) Permanent marker pens with extra fine point in four shades of green Green jewellery/craft wire Green gift bow Craft glue TOOLS REQUIRED 2cm round sugar craft cutter Roller Needle tool or sewing pin Wire jewellery cutters Scissors 1 Roll out white and green polymer clay to a thickness of 8mm and 2mm respectively. Use a 2cm round sugar craft cutter to press a circle from each, rolling the green circle out so that it’s slightly larger in diameter than the white cake. 2 Use…

DON’T MISS OUT! Enjoying all the great content that Dolls House & Miniature Scene magazine has to offer? Subscribing is the best way to ensure that you NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! Get your fix of exclusive projects, top tips from expert miniaturists and reviews of the latest products and events, delivered directly to your door or device every month! PLUS whilst enjoying the endless projects and advice, you’ll SAVE ON THE SHOP PRICE! Browse our subscription options at dollshouseandminiaturescene.co.uk…

PROJECT Telephone lounge "When I saw a picture of a Victorian telephone lounge similar to this one, I loved the lines and functionality of such a small aesthetic piece. It tucks in easily by, or even under, the stairs in most dolls houses and really makes quite a statement!" Ruth by Ruth Flewelling Lesbirel Photos by Stephen Lesbirel YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS REQUIRED 1/32in (0.8mm), 1/16in (1.6mm), 3/32in (2.4mm) thick sheetwood Matt board Foamcore 1/4in (6mm) and 3/8in (10mm) diameter dowels ⅛in (3mm) square and 1/4in (6mm) square stripwood One wooden knob 2x ⅛in (3mm) wooden beads Mustard seeds Hemp twine Quilt batting Cotton fabric Coordinating embroidery floss cord, coloured twine, or bunka Beige heavy scrapbook paper or light card Wood stain Satin varnish Double-sided tape White glue & superglue…

FEATURE The magic of small scale Find yourself kitted out with inspiration this spring as we discover the 1/144th scale world of artisan Caroline Dewison. by Sadie Brown A wide scale With a talent for magical design, Caroline Dewison became well known for creations including her whimsical book nooks, which have enabled us to escape to enchanted lands far and wide. Now though, she’s bringing those skills down to size with a range of 1/144th scale kits which allow us to use her imagination as a springboard for our own creations. These tiny houses only serve to amplify that same magic found in Caroline’s other work. “I think the tinier things are the better! I fell in love with miniatures a few years ago and have been obsessed ever since.…