TreeFeathers: Life in Miniature

TreeFeathers Miniatures was mentioned in the New York Times!

2011-08-22T20:30:00.044-06:00

Wow! My work was mentioned in an article in the New York Times last week: "A Hobby Best Kept Small" by author J. Courtney Sullivan. In recent years Sullivan has rediscovered her childhood love of dollhouse miniatures and her article gives a fond and humorous look at the hobby.

In fact Sullivan has fallen SO under the sway of the hobby (we all know how that goes) that she included it in her latest novel, Maine:

"When I started writing my second novel, I decided that one of the characters would have a passion for dollhouses, which allowed me to do hours of guilt-free 'research' online and at the Manhattan Dollhouse boutique inside F. A. O. Schwarz. I wrote entire chapters about dollhouse exhibitions and created an ill-fated love affair between two characters that began with a dollhouse."

Well, Ms. Sullivan, welcome back to the hobby. Of course you realize that soon miniatures are going to take over your entire life as you find yourself buying things just to take them apart and use the bits, or asking waitresses for extra jelly just to get the little plastic tubs (great sinks), or reminding surgeons as they put you under that you want to keep that leftover tubing when they're done because it'll make such a great gaa...

On the upside, merely owning a dollhouse won't seem embarrassing at all by comparison (to your family). And thank you for mentioning TreeFeathers Miniatures in your article!

1914 Doll Goes For $168,000 at Auction

2011-07-26T13:44:00.000-06:00

French Sculptor Albert Marque's 1914 Doll a $168,000 Thriller at Frasher's July 9 Auction

KANSAS CITY, MO.- Sculpted by the renowned French artist Albert Marque (1872-1939), an extremely rare 1914 portrait doll originally commissioned for the Paris boutique Margaine-Lacroix sold to rousing applause for $168,000 (inclusive of 12% buyer’s premium) at Frasher’s July 9 auction. The buyer, who beat out four phone bidders and additional on-site bidders at the KCI-Expo Center in Kansas City, was new to Frasher’s client roster.

“The winning bidder is a collector of French dolls and German character dolls, and they obviously go for the very best,” said Barbara Frasher, president of Frasher’s Doll Auctions.

As noted by doll historians, during World War I, Albert Marque was persuaded by Parisian couturier Jeanne Margaine-LaCroix to sculpt 100 fashion dolls, each signed, numbered and clothed in a custom-designed costume representing royalty or a particular region of France. The exquisite 22-inch dolls were celebrated by the French not only as important artworks but also as cultural icons that stood up proudly to the influx of wartime dolls from Germany.

Read full article...

7 Cool Etsy Treasuries!

2011-06-23T19:52:00.000-06:00

More fabulous Etsy treasuries! In the past month(ish), my miniatures have been featured in seven different treasuries. Some really wonderful collections of items, both miniature and life-size.

You're a Little Creepy... (Creepy Miniatures) by SunlitNook included my miniature Twilight Saga books.

Miniature Survival Kit by FallingForSpring featured my Andrew Lang Coloured Fairy Books set.

My 'Wizard of Oz' Miniature Book Set has been included in Follow the Yellow Brick Road by xoribbons.

I Love Little Things by Augenblickphoto included my Library Classics dollhouse books.

Beachy Dream by StudioZen featured my Miniature Sailor's Knot Plaque.

And kaerl included my miniatures in two different treasuries celebrating authors' birthdays:
My hardbound dollhouse version of Heidi is in Johanna Spyri - Author Birthday - June 12,

and my Maurice Sendak miniature book set is in Maurice Sendak - Birthday - June 10.

Thank you all! :)

As always, you can purchase my miniatures in my Etsy shop or directly from my website.

An Artist's Life: June/July AIM Magazine

2011-06-08T12:40:00.000-06:00

It's that time of the month again (well, I'm a little late, it's been a busy week) - the new AIM magazine is out!

This month's theme is 'An Artist's Life' - 122 pages of fabulous miniatures! The wonderful galleries feature everything art-related: artist dolls and their models; dolls and scenes inspired by famous paintings and portraits; art studios and equipment, including easels, drawing instruments, sculptor's materials, painting supplies, and still-life settings. Sally Watson explores the world of grafitti and wall art, and Linda Master gives us a look at her gorgeous fine wood frames.

I found Janet Granger's article on "Colour Theory & Interior Design for Your Doll's House" to be especially useful, as well as Pearl Hudson's article about using trompe l'oeil effects to add depth and detail to your miniature settings. Some very fascinating info in both.

Free projects this month: a tutorial and printies for a "plein air" painting set, a pretty parasol, a rustic easel, printable paintings, a knitted lace pram blanket, and part 2 of the retro lingerie set.

The editorial staff of the AIM Magazine will be taking a well-deserved summer break, so we'll be back again in August with the next issue!

The AIM magazine is a FREE monthly dollhouse & miniatures magazine brought to you by the members of Artisans in Miniature. Packed with articles, galleries, tutorials, and miniature news! Regular features include show reports, member profiles, featured blogs, artist interviews, and smaller scales. Read it online or download it at http://www.artisansinminiature.com.

Miniature Scrimshaw for Your Nautical Scenes

2011-05-28T03:32:00.001-06:00

I'm so in love with this new miniature that I've listed - a lovely bit of scrimshaw on a gold stand. For those of you who don't know, scrimshaw is an old art of engraving designs on ivory (usually whale ivory or walrus tusks) or whalebone.The etchings were then accented with pigments like candle black or soot. The images were traditionally nautical in nature, pictures of ships or whaling scenes. The art first became popular with sailors on whaling ships in the 18th century. Since the ban on commercial whaling and harvesting of ivory from other animals it has fallen off, but some people still do it using manufactured ivory-like materials.

These little scrimshaw sculptures are made of cast metal. I've painted them to look like aged ivory and finished the stand in 18k gold leaf with a shiny black base. It would be a great accent to any miniature nautical scene or New England-style dollhouse. It's also a perfect complement to the miniatures sailor's knot plaque I make, which I based on one made by my grandfather. Both are available on my website or in my Etsy shop. Thanks for looking!

ForestFaery Feature: TreeFeathers

2011-05-18T04:20:00.001-06:00

I am very honored to have my work featured on the Dreams of Fae blog, written by 14-year-old Taylor Lynn. Taylor is a photographer and budding novelist who is very active on Etsy. She blogs about her art photography and her business, and writes about fellow Etsy artists.

A few weeks ago Taylor included some of my miniature books in a post. After discovering what a huge Harry Potter fan she is I sent her a set of my little Harry Potter books as a thank you. She then asked if she could interview me for her regular "ForestFaery" feature of Etsy artists. I, being easily flattered, was happy to oblige. So pop on over and take a look.

Also pay a visit to her Etsy shop, The ForestFaery, where she sells her original art photography prints. They are really beautiful, I'm so impressed!

Is my slideshow showing up?

2011-05-16T22:25:00.000-06:00

Can anyone tell me if my slideshow is showing up properly, in the upper left corner of the blog? For some reason all I can see is a small portion of the pictures, except once or twice when I've refreshed and it shows up like it's supposed to. If others are having trouble seeing it, too, I might have to find a different way to do it (right now I'm using the Blogger slideshow gadget).

Etsy Treasury Features

2011-05-16T07:00:00.002-06:00

I'm a bit behind on posting about Etsy treasuries. In the past month, my miniatures have been in three different treasuries. Interesting and colorful themes, so check them out!

She chose Pemberley. Frankly, I would too! by TeezLoueez included my Jane Austen dollhouse books.

Red gift, get your mother:))) by SibelDesign featured my Edgar Allen Poe set.

And my miniature House of Cards has been included in Baby, You're a Firework by NSpottery.

Thank you all! :)

As always, you can purchase my miniature books in my Etsy shop or directly from my website.

Contest prize from Lara's Miniature World

2011-05-15T17:11:00.001-06:00

Back in March Lara Bijlsma of Lara's Miniature World held a giveaway, and amazingly, I won! The prize was this lovely little chest of drawers. Lara made it in Swedish style from a House of Miniatures kit. She did a beautfully hand-painted marble effect on the top and lined the drawers with floral paper. There was even a little home decor magazine stashed away in one of the drawers! I really like it, now I just have to find the perfect place for it. Thank you, Lara! :)

Photos by Lara Bijlsma, used with permission.

Shedding Some Light on Medieval Illumination

2011-05-10T01:10:00.001-06:00

This month I wrote an article for the AIM magazine, "The Art of Illumination." It's a brief history of medieval illuminated manscripts and the tools and techniques of their creation. I hope that you will take a look!

The theme this month is 'Castle Life' - 140 pages of gorgeous miniatures! If you like castles, you're going to love this issue - magical castles, historical castles, smaller-scale castles, real-life castles, and a whole gallery of castle rooms, castle dolls, and castle accessories (including some of my books). Learn about the history of wall-hanging tapestries, the labors of the medieval baker, and the inspirational life of Queen Elizabeth I.

Pictures from "The Art of Illumination" by Grace Griffin

You also don't want to miss Jane Laverick's hilarious article, "The Agony & the Ouchstacy." Her humorous take on the surprisingly dangerous work of the professional miniaturist had me rolling on the floor. She even made the story of how I cut the end of my finger off seem much funnier than I remember it...

Grace stumbled around with paper towels clamped over her hand looking for the duct tape. I'll repeat that - looking for the duct tape. See now, this is the real danger with miniaturisation - it can lead you into extreme DIY.

(I was pleased to find that I'm not the only DIYer in the miniatures world, although I did finally end up going to the hospital, unlike some others you'll read about.)

Free projects this month: knitting a chain mail helmet, a printable castle room box in three scales, retro lingerie, and Part 3 of CJ Cormier's thatched roof project.

The AIM magazine is a FREE monthly dollhouse & miniatures magazine brought to you by the members of Artisans in Miniature. Packed with articles, galleries, tutorials, and miniature news! Regular features include show reports, member profiles, featured blogs, artist interviews, and smaller scales. Read it online or download it at http://www.artisansinminiature.com.

"Cutting off the end of her finger was just the start for Grace, who has kindly demonstrated in the photograph exactly how to cut your finger off with a craft knife." - from "The Agony & the Ouchstacy" by Jane Laverick

'Howl's Moving Castle' Papercraft Model

2011-04-25T17:14:00.000-06:00

Wow - check out this fantastic model by artist Dreamparacite! It's a cardstock version of the titular castle from Diana Wynne Jones's novel, Howl's Moving Castle. (I haven't read the book but I love the animated movie by Studio Ghibli.) The countless towers, turrets, pipes, cannons, and miniature houses took the artist over 9 months to construct.

"It was made like any papercraft, with cardstock, a standard printer, and an Xacto knife (and lots of tacky glue and patience)," Dreamparacite writes. He used plans from a book that is now out of print, but you can download a 100MB PDF version of them here. Read more details of the construction on his Reddit page. For more pictures of the project visit Dreamparacite on imgur.com.

Itty-Bitty Playing Card Houses

2011-04-23T21:50:00.002-06:00

I've just listed these two little card houses on my website. I'm very excited, as I've never seen anything like them in miniature before! The first thing my 3-year-old nephew said when he saw them was "I want to knock them over!"

All the playing cards are printed on both sides, individually cut out and assembled. Both houses are constructed just like life-size card houses (except for the glue, which would be cheating in real life, of course).

The first house is a "double-decker," made of over 75 individual tiny playing cards - I lost count of those making up the interior structure, so I'm not sure how many there are exactly. It measures just over 1" tall (28mm), and comes with the remaining stack and a couple extra cards to lay out (they are permanently glued together).

The second house is 1" tall (26mm) and made of 26 tiny playing cards. It also comes with the remaining deck and extra cards (also glued together).

Both houses are available in the Toys & Games section of my website. And don't forget, there is free shipping for all purchases until Monday the 25th!

Contest prize from Casita de Regaliz

2011-04-21T22:53:00.000-06:00

This week I received a wonderful treat in the mail - a darling little Japanese geisha doll made by Eva of Casita de Regaliz! I won it in a drawing she held back in February. It's a beautiful little doll, she'll definitely be getting pride of place in my miniature toy shop. Thank you, Eva, I love her! :)

Free Shipping until April 25th!

2011-04-15T07:54:00.000-06:00

From now until April 25th I am offering free shipping on all orders from TreeFeathers! This goes for both my website and my Etsy shop. The discount will be applied automatically if you purchase from my website. On Etsy, just enter coupon code FREESHIPPING at checkout. Time to stock up! :)

New Miniature Books: Agatha Christie and Palmer Cox

2011-04-09T21:41:00.000-06:00

The first of my new miniature books are now listed on my website! I'll be listing even more over the next several days.

First up are some new Agatha Christie sets, starring Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Christie wrote 33 novels about Poirot, so I have split them into three sets (of 15 volumes, 6 volumes, and 12 volumes) for your convenience. The entire 33-volume collection is also available. These books have beautiful blue and gold covers that match the red Miss Marple set. You can fill an entire bookshelf with Agatha Christie novels!

Next up is a set of charming 19th-century children's books, Palmer Cox's "Brownies" books. Cox's stories and illustrations of the little pixies appeared in numerous magazines before being published in their own volumes in the 1880s. They were so popular that Eastman Kodak named one of the first handheld cameras after them - The Brownie Camera. A great addition to any dollhouse child's room!

Stay tuned for more miniature books over the next few days!

3 Etsy Treasuries by 'Honey and Bee'

2011-04-04T20:43:00.000-06:00

In the past couple of weeks Grace of honeyandbee has included my miniature dollhouse books in three different treasuries! Be sure to pop over and take a look at the wonderful collections she has put together. Thanks, Grace! (I feel like I'm talking to myself, lol.)

Tiny Kitchens has my 1900s Cookbooks 5-volume set.

Georgian, Regency, and Empire (no Victorians need apply!) includes my Jane Austen 6-volume set.

Fly-by-knightly (Beautiful things in old historic styles) has my Antique Magic Books 10-volume set.

As always, you can purchase my miniature books in my Etsy shop or directly from my website.

A Royal Wedding Celebration in Miniature

2011-04-02T19:08:00.002-06:00

I'm excited to have some of my work published in this month's edition of the AIM magazine! My wedding album set is included in the "Bridal Boutique" - twice, actually - in a beautiful arrangement by Peiwen Pettigrand of Oiseau de Nim on page 22, and in my own photo on page 25. My New Mexican patio scene 'Sanctuary' is in the "Rooms for Relaxation" article by Sally Watson on page 101. Check them out!

This month's theme is 'A Royal Wedding Celebration' - 139 pages of fabulous miniatures! There is a spectacular showcase of bride dolls, as well as galleries of wedding dresses, bouquets, cakes, and miniature royal weddings, all made by the members of AIM. Editor Bea Broadwood takes a look at the wedding gowns of British royal brides from 1840 to today, and Jean Day writes about historical wedding etiquette.

Spring is not left out! There is a delicious showcase of Easter goodies - chocolates, colored & decorated eggs, cupcakes, and cakes. Flowers and plants are featured as well in articles about the history of indoor plants, the history of orchids, and the heritage of the modern conservatory.

Rooms of the house are also given a closer look: the Scullery is finally given its due, and Sally Watson investigates the areas of the home where we relax and unwind - patios, gardens, porches, and even the treehouse! She also gives us a look at miniature rooms in unusual containers such as clock cases, wine boxes, terrariums, bird cages, and garden lanterns.

Free projects this month: wedding bouquets, part 2 of creating an authentic thatched roof, making a faux carved-wood finish on furniture, a wicker chair, and retro dresses.

The AIM magazine is a FREE monthly dollhouse & miniatures magazine brought to you by the members of Artisans in Miniature. Packed with articles, galleries, tutorials, and miniature news! Regular features include show reports, member profiles, featured blogs, artist interviews, and smaller scales. Read it online or download it at http://www.artisansinminiature.com.

Gorgeous Miniature Quilt Giveaway

2011-03-31T18:50:00.002-06:00

Heleni of Très Petit Blanc is having a giveaway to celebrate reaching 200 followers. The beautiful miniature quilt and cushions pictured here can be yours! Just leave a comment on this post on her blog, and put a link to it on your own blog. The drawing will be April 16th.

Swap with Tweety Petie!

2011-03-27T02:17:00.003-06:00

I recently did a swap with Bridget of Tweety Petie Products. If you haven't visited her blog yet, you really should - Bridget is only 15 years old, but already an accomplished miniaturist. She works primarily in polymer clay and makes all sorts of scrumptious-looking food and other items.

For our swap Bridget made me a beautiful gingerbread house, decorated with icing and tiny candies. The detail on it is amazing! I love the candy sprinkles all over the roof and delicate icing icicles hanging over the edge.

She also made me an adorable little duck, based on a duck teapot she made previously. I thought it was just too cute, but rather than a teapot I wanted a little toy duck I could put in my toyshop. (I've named it "Ducky the Goose," in honor of a friend's goose; the real Ducky the Goose refused to have anything to do with the other geese on the farm and instead adopted herself into the duck flock, thus her name. It's pretty hilarious to see them all waddling around together with her towering over the others.)

You can see Bridget's post about our swap and the books I made for her, here: Swap with TreeFeathers

Thank you, Bridget, I love my new minis!

New Classic Children's Books for You!

2011-03-21T00:13:00.000-06:00

New miniature books for your dollhouse! Two sets of classic children's books in adorable slipcases, perfect for any child's room.

First up is the popular "Little Bear" series by Else Holmelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak. The 5-volume set comes in a charming slipcase covered with a forest scene and illustrations from the books.

The second set is an update to my "Little House on the Prairie" set by Laura Ingalls Wilder, with cover illustrations by Garth Williams. The eight books now come enclosed in a little cabin-shaped slipcase!

You can purchase the sets on my website (links above), and I'll be listing them on Etsy tomorrow. I hope you like them!

9 Etsy Treasuries You'll Love

2011-03-20T07:31:00.001-06:00

It's been a busy month for treasuries on Etsy! In the past month(ish) my miniature books have been featured in nine treasuries! Pop on over and take a look, lots of great spring themes and inspirational collections.

Think Spring! by dalesdreams included my Curious George 5-volume set.

It's the Little Things by mbush1us featured my Agatha Christie "Miss Marple" set.

E=MC2 by emmett53 included my Jules Verne miniature books.

My miniature gardening book set was included in two treasuries:
Time to do a *Little* Gardening by antb
and
Breathing in the coming spring by cooljewelrydesign

Sings to my soul by JoMed featured Andrew Lang's Coloured Fairy Books.

FourviereHill included my Herman Melville 10-volume set in To Herman Melville.

Pretty In Pink by Bearcabinminiatures has my miniature Library Classics set.

There is no friend as loyal as a book by ThePeachTree includes my Hemingway 15-volume set.

Thanks to all of you! :)

Are You a 'Civilized' Person?

2011-03-14T18:22:00.004-06:00

Would you have been suited to life in the Victorian period? Would you know what dress to wear to a fancy ball, how to greet acquaintances in the park, or what to do when you find a fly in your soup? To find out, check out this hilarious interactive game at the McCord Museum of Canadian History. Choose the role of a man or a woman and then visit five different places to test your social skills and graces.

Apparently I have good manners, but my fashion sense - then, as now - leaves something to be desired. At least in modern times I've never had a servant chase me out of the club and beat me with a rolling pin, been carried off by aliens, or had vampires chase me around the garden at a fancy dress ball (ok, I picked the wedding dress on purpose just to see what would happen)!

When you're done there try your skills in the Roaring Twenties or see how well you know 19th-century fashion with the museum's other games. You can also learn more about the history of Canada in the 19th and 20th centuries through the museum's virtual thematic tours.

Antique Miniature Book Auction

2011-03-09T21:57:00.001-07:00

A treasure trove of antique miniature books from a family collection will be auctioned next week by Bamfords Auctioneers of Derbyshire, UK. The 16 beautiful little books are expected to bring over £2000.

The smallest of the books is also the oldest: Bijou Picture of London, measuring just 1-1/8" tall (30mm), was published in 1810 and features 31 engravings of London landmarks. It is valued at £150-200, as is the similarly-sized Bijou Picture of Paris published in 1812. The Holy Bible pictured at left, published in Glasgow in 1896, is a mere 1.5" tall (40mm). It has 376 pages and features engraved plates, gilt-stamped morocco leather binding, and a magnifying glass in a rear pocket. It is expected to bring £200-300.

The Three-Day Antiques and Fine Art Sale will be held March 16-18. Oh, I wish I could be there! Read more about it and see more pictures here.

The Tudors in Miniature: March AIM Magazine

2011-03-05T16:34:00.009-07:00

The March edition of the free AIM magazine is now online! This month's theme is 'The Tudors.' You'll be blown away by the amazing character dolls on display in "Genealogy in Miniature" and "King Henry VII & His Wives." Jean Day gives us a tour of fabulous Tudor real estate (miniature, of course). Many other aspects of Tudor times are brought to life, including falconry and birds of prey, pomanders, pewter and its uses, a history of blackwork embroidery, and food of the times.

Free projects this month: Petit point cushions, Tudor Pottage (in any scale), brick making, a knitted Monmouth cap, and Tudor printables by Jean Day. CJ Cormier also presents part one of a three-part Tudor thatched roof project.

The AIM magazine is a FREE monthly dollhouse & miniatures magazine brought to you by the members of Artisans in Miniature. Packed with articles, galleries, tutorials, and miniature news! Regular features include show reports, member profiles, featured blogs, artist interviews, and smaller scales. Read it online or download it at http://www.artisansinminiature.com.

2011 About.com Readers' Choice Awards

2011-02-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Pop on over to miniatures.about.com to vote in their 2011 Readers' Choice Awards! There are three categories for dollhouse miniatures:

Voting runs from February 11 to March 8, and winners will be announced on March 15.

In the category of Best Miniature Blog are are some of my favorites, that I'm sure are familiar to my readers. Congratulations, ladies!

Call Of The Small
Casey's Minis
Doreen's Miniatures and Memories
Miniatyrmama
Une Petite Folie