Open books in Miniature Rooms

 

Remember these open books that I shared several months ago? I just got an exciting email the other day, from Robert Off of Miniature Rooms Company. We met last November at the Philadelphia Show, when our tables were situated across the aisle from each other.

(photo courtesy Miniature Rooms Company)

Bob builds and decorates gorgeous miniature room boxes, so I was very flattered when he purchased a few little things from my table. The other day, he emailed me some photos of his latest room boxes, and pointed out that my open books were in both!

(photo courtesy Miniature Rooms Company)

Here's a close up of the built-in cabinet in "The Captain's Table" where my book is displayed. I'm dying to get a closer peek at that dining room set as well! This is actually the second incarnation of this room box. The first room box, which had a similar layout but was decorated differently, had to be rebuilt after some significant water damage!

(photo courtesy Miniature Rooms Company)

This "Lighthouse Keeper's Office" is the second room where Bob used one of my books, on the desk. I love the tranquility  of this room, and the playfulness of the dogs!

The rest of Bob's work can be seen on the Miniature Rooms website.

A Tiny Secret

 By now you probably know that I like to make miniature books. This one is the latest. But it has a secret...

This little reading nook is inside! Looking at it again, I think I want to put a cushion on the chair, and a book on the table. Maybe a pair of sconces on the wall?

Giveaway!

EDIT: COMMENTS NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER TODAY.

TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

1)If you are not already a follower, please join before you enter the giveaway. The button is in the right hand column, near the top of the page.

2) Leave a comment on this post. In the comment, list the three books titles you'd like to receive if you win. I'll choose the winner next Saturday.

The winner will receive:

Six 'old' letters, three postcards, and a telegram with envelope...

A whole bunch of bills and receipts (debt not included)...

a mouse...

a perfume bottle...

a set of paper dolls already cut out (Nanny is about 1" tall)...

and any THREE of the readable books shown below.

Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes:

 The Arabian Nights

The Buckle My Shoe Picture Book (this book is extra small!)( published 1910)

Classic Stories about Girls:

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden (published 1905)

An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women (published 1869)

The Governess by Sarah Fielding, (sorry, I forgot to photograph this, I'll add a photo tomorrow) (published 1749)

Heidi by Johanna Spyri (published 1880)

Stories about knights and adventure:

Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott (published 1820)

King Arthur

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle (1883)

Children's Magical Adventure Stories:

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie (1902)
The Water Babies by Charles Kingsley (1863)

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

Gothic Novels:

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole (1764)

The Monk by Mathew Lewis (1796)

Nonfiction:

Letters from the Earl of Chesterfield (letters written to his son, and published in the late 1700s as a sort of early guide to manhood)

Line and Form (an art instruction book by illustrator Walter Crane, published 1900)

GOOD LUCK!

EDIT: COMMENTS NOW CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER TODAY.

Things to Do With an Extra Table

 One of the nice things about Mom and I both liking miniatures is that a lot of things get passed back and forth between the two of us. The white table below was originally supposed to be for one of mom's dolls. I distressed the table, and two matching chairs, for her. When the set was finished, however, the size and shape of the table just didn't quite work. Then mom stumbled across a slightly smaller rectangular table that was perfect for her project, and suddenly the round table was extra!

Looking at the beaten-up finish of the table, I suddenly pictured it in the home of an absent-minded scholar.  I'm getting to the end of the semester at college, so I guess piles of books are on my brain! I chopped off half the table foot, and propped it back up with a slim leather book. The brass lamp came from my mom's collection. I feel a little guilty about the lamp. It has the most fantastic patina- just the right amount of tarnish! I swear she gave it to me, I didn't steal it, but I also know she had plans for the lamp. I may end up giving it back. The little white vase has a few daisy-like flowers, most of which are dead! I made everything except the table, lamp, teacup, and vase.

 The stacks of books took longer than I was expecting. I added a few with silk covers to give variety. I'm still planning to add more piles when I get the chance.

 I already had the bottle of ink made. It looks very strange in the photograph above, it's actually only half full the way that the very first photo shows. I'm not sure if you can see it, but the pen has a tiny brass nib. Lastly, the dirty tea cup has left a few rings on the table! I made the rings a bit darker than I would normally, because the tabletop is so busy (I'm still planning to add more chaos). I wanted to make sure they would be seen. I also realized, looking at the placement of the teacup and the angle of the pen, my imaginary scholar is probably left-handed! I'm left-handed, so I tend to arrange things that way without realizing it. Oh well. At least the ink is on the right side. (P.S. I'm sorry, the pun was unavoidable.)

Miniature Bibliophilia

Awhile back, I posted (here, here, here and here) about my goal to fill a library with readable books like the ones below. Well, I haven't quite gotten there yet. The bookcases I'm trying to fill are quite large, and I haven't managed to fill much more than two of the shelves in the past few months. I was getting a bit discouraged at the length of time the project would take, when I made a fun discovery...

A few months ago, I impulsively bought a little bookcase at a local show, thinking I might be able to squeeze it into Lottie's room (I'll have to post a better look at her room soon!). It didn't fit where I'd planned, so it's been hanging out in my workspace waiting for a home. I put all the books I'd made so far in the little bookcase today- and they filled the shelves PERFECTLY. Now I have extra incentive  to find a spot for the bookcase, and an excuse to put the library project on hiatus until I'm in the mood to make books again.

One book won't be going in the bookcase though. I found this book, "The Quadrille" at Eileen Godfrey's shop just after deciding to put the library project on hold.

It's beautifully made, with lots of illustrations. The title is stamped in gold on the spine as well as on the cover. I'm going to have to find a very  special spot for this book. I'm not sure who made it, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. 



Books and Perfume

I've been busy with end-of-semester madness, but that's all over for the moment, so here are a few little things I made recently. I make my books in batches, so sometimes I do many at once, and other times I go months without making any. These are my two newest, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and The Dead, by James Joyce. I've now made 30 different readable books for my library. Only 45 more to go to finish the largest bookcase!

 I've also been trying my hand at different types of perfume bottles. I love the way this one looks filled. I need to remake the box with heavier card though.