Day 315-Arnhem, My 1st Dollhouse Fair

Postcard of St Eusebius' Church, Arnhem

I believe it was Josje who first introduced me to the Arnhem Dolls' House Show. It all started with Ronan-Jim Sevellec. On 4 February 2010 and just over a year after I started blogging, in a post I wrote about an Afghan rug I had just finished, I also blogged about Sevellec's Turkish Cafe. I fell in love with Sevellec's work the way I fell in love with Sylvia's Alcoholic's Attic, at first sight. Sevellec continues to be an important influence and I attribute to him my love for rust and all things grunge. Imagine my envy when Josje commented then that Sevellec would be exhibiting his art at the Arnhem Show in March 2010!  

A Bridge Too Far

John Frost Bridge, Arnhem  or more popularly known as a bridge too far

During those early days, I had not even seen the inside of a dolls' house shop (except in the Miniature Museum of Taiwan), not to mention attend a fair dedicated to all things poppenhuizen. My housemates and I were in Europe that February 2010 but our itinerary then could not include a place as far as Arnhem just for a dolls' house fair. Wouldn't be fun for the non-miniphile. 

Medieval gateway into Arnhem

The Arnhem Doll's House Show therefore took on a scale of mythic proportions after a while. For one, it was in the Netherlands, where I swear all children were injected with the miniature vaccine, explaining the great number of excellent Dutch miniaturists. Back then, the largest dolls' house museum was also in Holland (it has since closed, something I also found out from Josje). Finally, if Sevellec exhibited there, then it must surely be a show of significant standing. It therefore became the Holy Grail of shows for me. I really was not exaggerating when I said attending the 2012 fair was like a dream come true.

A Full Circle? Sculpture At Arnhem

In a way, because I had built the Arnhem Show into this mega event, it also became a little intimidating. I expected a huge crowd, exquisite miniatures and almost nothing I could afford. When Sylvia tried to give us the directions to St Eusebius' Church the night before, I told her not to worry, we would just follow where all the women were heading. I was also pretty sure I would go away empty handed because everything would be a trifle too fancy or too expensive for my humble and rather run-down houses.

Rosanna with her special earring just for the fair.

Looking at the town map- Rosanna in plaid

The truth could not have been further. For one, almost nobody we asked in Arnhem, from the train station to the church, had heard of the Dolls' House Show. There were of course, no throngs of women heading there. Luckily I had my iPad and could find the address with free McDonald's wifi so we asked for the whereabouts of the church.

The poster on a makeshift barricade

The bigger sign

When we got there, we saw that the church was under renovation . There was however a small poster stuck to a metal barricade announcing the fair. We turned and a bigger sign confirmed that we were at the right place. A small queue had already formed but it was nowhere near the avalanche of crowd that I had envisioned.

The Fair

Catalog featuring Sylvia's Roombox 

The first thing we noticed was the catalog featuring Sylvia's roombox on its cover. It was really such a thrill for me that this year's featured artist was Sylvia. It was like seeing Sevellec's work, only better because just 2 nights ago, I was in her home looking at my 1st love, the Alcoholic's Attic  up close and personal!  Imagine being able to say: O, you mean Sylvia de Groot? The famous artist whose work is in that room? Know her? Of course! Just 2 nights ago, she even cooked for us...

 Ceiling of Exhibition Room

Details

Crowd at the show. Rosanna and Sabiha catching up, Sylvia sitting and watching her audience

We made our way immediately to the exhibition room to say hi to Sylvia. A crowd had already gathered. I was introduced to Sabiha and while Rosanna chatted with her, I wandered off to look at the exhibits again. And something caught my eye. It was the blue beach house. 

Sylvia's Beach House

This is a house I will never forget. Sylvia had mentioned before that someone actually made her an offer for it but this beach house was one she would never sell. I still recall how this house enchanted us when Sylvia blogged about her building process in April-May 2009. Gifts flew in from miniphile who wanted to be a part of this project. I too was infectiously inspired to make my 1st wind chime of little dolphins. It was the first time I made a miniature for someone else and you can imagine my trepidation then of sending something I thought was so amateurish to someone as accomplished as Sylvia. But Sylvia was really sweet and hung the windchime on the porch of the house. She endeared me further by calling it the hanging thing with little dolphins. Now 3 years later, my humble wind chime was still hanging on that porch, appearing as part of an exhibit in the 1st ever dollhouse show I have ever attended, THE Arnhem Show. I cannot even begin to explain how surreal the experience was, standing in front of this exhibit, looking at my first effort and tracing my journey from when I first started dreaming about building a Maharaja's Palace to the attendance of this fair. 

This is the magic of Blogland or to quote Drora, this must surely be the best of Blogland. You will find out in my next post that the best is yet to be. And because I am saving the best for last, let's now move on first to some of  the miniatures sold at this show. 

 Stokesay Ware

Victoria Fasken

Wagon Mountain Studio

Marijke Van Vuuren 

Saskia Maas
(HET kleine VOLK)

Rosanna and I decided that we should go through the fair once before any decisions to buy anything. We were also supposed to meet Josje and Alexandra for lunch at 2. 

I know the picture may not look appealing but this was the most fabulous fish lunch I had during this trip.Right after lunch, we went back to the stands again and this time, the buying started. Remember me telling you I would come back empty handed? Rosanna said the same thing. Bah-ge-booloo to both of us. 

Survival Kit for Ro

I stopped shopping at about 5pm and went back to the exhibition room. Rosanna was nowhere to be found and a rumour started about how she only had 5 Euros left in her wallet. Sylvia, Sabiha, Lisette (the sweet was from her) and even Sylvia's brother started gathering for what they called "A Survival Kit" for Rosanna, ie all the food she would have till she returned home to Genoa. Even then , when Rosanna finally appeared at 5.30pm, we decided to just make one last round before we go home. This time, without our wallets. That didn't work of course because there was always something that we must absolutely have. I ran back to get my money after 2 minutes. 

As usual, I got carried away and this post has gone on far longer than I had intended. Already almost 2 am and I have yet to show what I bought. Forgive me but that was my first show and I felt compelled to record almost every minute of what happened. This post has become a novel.

Tomorrow....maybe...I show...

Day 313-314-The Netherlands

Old clogs used for advertising pewter workshop at Zaanse Schans,23/3/2012

The Netherlands was a destination that almost wasn't because it was not on my original itinerary. It must therefore be in the stars that I was to attend the last miniature fair at Arnhem. How else to explain the congruent of the unexpected and the conspiracy of workload causing my housemates to back out of going to Europe with me? This was a trip we had wanted to make since 2010 when we promised Rosanna that we would meet again in 2 years. 

On the external wall of Museum of Clog-Making, Zaanse Schans

The grand tour, when my housemates and I planned it just 2 months before, was to be Milan-Genoa-Lichtenstein-Berlin-Gdynia-Krakow-Prague. It was not to be a trip about miniatures or dolls' houses or anything remotely 1:12 since I was travelling with non-miniphile or others who don't love miniatures the way we do. I did however email 4 blog friends about this trip to see if we could meet.

Museum of Clog-Making, Zaanse Schans

The night my housemates broke the news to me, I wrote to the same friends again with a bit of a heavy heart, unsure if I should go anyway. I guess I was not prepared to give up on the trip and needed only a little push to convince myself I could do it alone. I didn't get a little push.

At an antique store, Zannse Schans

Instead, they all replied within 24 hours giving me an overwhelming yessssssssssss, come at once or just pack your luggage no matter what. The funniest was do you want to be responsible for making her cry her eyes out? I did not hesitate after that. I also knew then that I must go to Barcelona then to Genoa and somehow make my way to Wankendorf and then Gdynia so that I could give these 4 girls the Susan Tay hug of the century.The flurry of emails followed and I started plotting the dots of where my friends lived on the map of Europe.

Wrought iron grille on door of house, Koog Zaandjik

Quite naturally, my Europe 2012 tour became a miniphile-centric one, going where my miniphile friends were, all of them but two I had never met. Remember my passport cover? It was really a case of not knowing where, what, who or even when to expect. But did I care? Of course not. I was capable of feeling only thrills and excitement.

Toy Windmill in a planter-Zaanse Schans

About a week into the planning, Rosanna, who would go to Germany with me, asked if I wanted to go to the Dollhouse Show in Arnhem. Luck would have it that the show was to happen in between Genoa and Germany, in terms of both location and timing.  Truly, it was a dream come true and needless to say, my yes to Rosanna was said in a heartbeat.  That was how The Netherlands became the midway point of this trip. Barcelona-Terrassa-Genoa-Amsterdam-Arnhem-Wankendorf-Gdyia-Krakow.

on Sylvia's bedroom wall and loving that pull switch-23rd Mar 2012

Once we confirmed that we would be travelling to Amsterdam, Rosanna wrote to Sylvia who very kindly offered to house us on the 1st day when we arrived. Playing the perfect host, Sylvia took a train to meet us at the airport in Amsterdam. The picture she took of us just as we came out of custom promptly appeared that evening on her blog.

Details of Sylvia's 1:12 Cafe, Chez Lotje

Sylvia's home in Almere was like a destination unto itself for a miniphile and an interior buff. Going through her work was like visiting a model museum. I have followed Sylvia's work closely shortly after I started blogging and in early 2009 actually featured her blog on a post because I fell in love with her Room of An Alcoholic. In fact, almost exactly 3 years ago on 9th April 2009, Sylvia posted about both Rosanna's and my gifts in the same post. Mine were a pair of cranes that flew in to Netherlands from Singapore. Imagine 3 years later, the same girls flew in to meet her for real!

Lamp in Sylvia's bedroom

22nd March 2012 was spent walking around her estate, visiting some of the best spots for shopping in my whole trip. Sylvia prepared tea and then a simple but lovely dinner and in between, Rosanna and I went shopping again at the craft shop a stone's throw away from Sylvia's home. I bought a jig saw and Sylvia also gave me one of her smaller ones, tools I could not find at home. The rest of the evening till bedtime, the 3 of us chatted and shared our lives. It might just be that one conversation but it was one I would always remember. Sylvia is an extraordinary woman, just like her art.

Science Center Nemo, a building that's shaped like a ship-Amsterdam

The next morning, we left for Amsterdam after breakfast, knowing that we would see Sylvia again in Arnhem. I had heard so much about this city, from the pretty to the seedy but mainly I knew I was going to get my mini and architectural-fix here. That was why right after we checked into the hotel, Rosanna and I made our way to the Openbare (remember this name) Biblioteek Amsterdam or the Amsterdam Public Library.

Details of Karina Schaapman's Mouse Mansion

That was where the mouse mansion was and I wanted to see it so much. Many of you would have heard of this mouse house and like me, loved it to bits. No matter what genre, style or scale you are into, this house appeals. As far as I am concerned, it is also a dollhouse builder's dream. 100 or more rooms with  10000000s of details and you can keep going if you want. This is a house I will never be tired of.

3D paper windmill farmhouse, Zannse Schans

By the time we left the library, it was past 11. We quickly made our way to the train station at Amsterdam Central to catch the metro to Zaanse Schans, a 20 minute ride away. Sylvia had told us the night before that this was a must see, even for the Dutch people. It was also where Sabiha, Mercedes and her had spent a day when Mercedes visited them last year.

Cake Shop - Koog Zaandijk

Lifestyle Shop at Koog Zaandijk

The charm started almost right after we alighted from the train at Koog Zaandijk. There were pretty shops every two houses and nowhere else spelt Spring like the doorsteps of these houses.

Outside the Lifestyle shop- Koog Zaandijk

Flower shop at Koog Zaandjik

In front porch of a house- Koog Zaandjik

On an urn of nest next to a chair- Koog Zaandjik

Just another pretty planter -Koog Zaandjik 

There were flowers, flowers, flowers, some of them going for a song, including the pots they came in. They were so cheap and so pretty, they almost made Rosanna cry. No wonder the Dutch are so home proud if nature's beauty comes to them in such abundance and for so little. Beauty is in every little detail of their lives, and

Lunch at D' Vijg Broers

even in a salad meal, you see art. And because we stopped for lunch before we crossed the bridge to Zaanse Schans, we met yet another beauty.

Frigate that parted the bridge before Zaase Schans

As we watched the frigate sailed in, a siren sounded and the stop lights at the bridge came on. The bridge opened like the red sea parting to allow the vessel through. It was such a sight to behold, Rosanna and I felt like we had struck the lottery for picturesque prize of the year. It put us in the mood for more beautiful sights and we were not disappointed. Zaanse Schans was so satisfying that we thought if you have only 1 day to spare in Holland, this was where you should visit. Zaanse Schans deserves a post on its own and that is what I will do in my other blog. I will also post pictures of another great outdoor museum that Birgit brought us. 

Window Display Near Amsterdam Central

In the meantime, our tour of Amsterdam was coming to a close and tired as we were, Rosanna and I knew we must see Amsterdam by night. This was to be our last night in Holland. We were to leave for Arnhem the next day and after the fair, we would then catch the night train to arrive at Neumunster where we hoped Birgit would be waiting.

I must admit I was really curious about the nightlife of Amsterdam, in particular the seedier side of town. So although we were warned by Sylvia to be careful only about 100 times when we were there, Rosanna and I bravely ventured, with our hands wrapped tightly around our bags and eyes darting everywhere for baddies and turning back every so often to make sure we were not followed. We were walking briskly and barely talking for almost 3 hours.

We weaved through lanes and walked along the channel, passed by shops and even stopped at the square. At the turn of each corner, I was expecting a shocking window of naked ladies or maybe a dirty heap of half smoked joints, even the chance to be horrified by some XXX pictures. BUT,

this was the closest we got to dirty;

a shop selling toilet equipment.

The nearest to joints we experienced was a shop hawking these bongs as gifts.

We passed by this promise to horrify and terrify but we wouldn't know since the museum was closed by the time we got there.

And Rosanna decided that the lady in this window, wearing the dress with that huge white bow across her chest must be the most shocking sight  for the night. Who in her right mind would wear that? I agreed with her completely.

I was so desperate for something that I bought a dozen of these postcards, spending way too much on  something that I would never used. I really should have just saved the money for Arnhem was my last thought before I fell asleep.

Tomorrow we go to Arnhem, if you are still interested.

O yes, and do you want to know what I thought was the most scandalous thing in Amsterdam? It's got to be the name of their public library.

Day 304- Suitcase Garden For Birgit's Flutterby

In the last weeks running up to the time I was due to leave for Europe, my schedule at work went into high crazy. I was nonetheless determined to make time to finish a few suitcase gardens for the friends I intended to meet. One of them was Birgit's Flutterby or Fluby.

I have never built a garden for a bear before but the idea for this one was almost too obvious. Everyone knew Fluby was obsessed with strawberries so of course, I wanted a strawberry field in that suitcase.

The field was to be strewn with the best tasting strawberries so much so that strawberry fans would flock to visit. For 50 cents, a strawberry fiend could pick as many as  her/ his/its mouth could carry.

Alas, any hope of mine to grow a good crop of bright juicy strawberries was quickly dashed. Try as I might, I just could not make my fruits look half way like decent strawberries. 

You can see for yourself here exactly what I meant. That sign is really an offer to pay someone 50 Euros to get rid of the strawberries. You know Fluby, I did tell you many a times that I am not a strawberry fan. In fact, after this, I am quite certain that I will never like them. 

Everyone is going to think I am a terrible gardener. If only Fluby loves apples instead..because I know exactly where I can get mini apple plastic plants for a song...

I was at first disappointed that the suitcase garden did not arrive in time for my visit at Birgit's. I think now that it was a blessing in disguise. Cringing long distance, far far away from Wankerdorf, is way better than doing it right in front of Fluby.

Now you know why I had to pack Ms Strawberry Farmbear into the suitcase too. That girl is renowned for being able to grow the best strawberries from anything! Legend has it that she was so good, she nearly turned herself into a strawberry too. 

Psst, Fluby, don't tell her but I actually used a picture of Ms S as inspiration when I tried to paint the strawberries.That's why the strawberries look like they are slightly moldy. 

This was my last sight of you, just before I left Lubeck, Germany for Gdansk, Poland. You were climbing to the top of that building pretending to be either Superman or King Kong.

That's why I think you will like this music video of  Coldplay's Strawberry Swing. Turn off the music and watch it and tell me if I am right.