Florida - upcoming shows

Having just done the Sarasota show I thought I might give you a heads up on the ones I am about to do next.

Molly's Orlando show is still worth doing even if you did her Sarasota one - there will be a slightly different mix of vendors and even when the vendor is one you saw before they may well bring 'stuff' you didn't see in Sarasota.

I love the Flea Market.  I sort of discovered it 'accidentally' last year and vowed to go back this year for sure.  Great mix of wonderful artisans like Jill Castoral and Pat Holstrom selling off bits and pieces they no longer want and a handful of vendors selling new stuff but mostly a room packed with mini folk selling off their unwanted items for a song.  What a totally great idea - wish there were more of them.  

I have no personal knowledge of the Boca Raton show - if anyone reading this can tell us anything about it  please do.....

If Florida is not a place you can get to right now I do have a list of shows tagged above these posts if that helps you find something you can get to and here is a link to a great interactive countrywide/all year map to browse around:  http://www.smallhousemodels.com/2015-minis-show-list-map.  

Enjoy...

Bought at the Sarasota Show

Well, so much for 'check back tomorrow' - apologies for being tardy - just caught up in real life I'm afraid.  

I genuinely had no intention of buying a thing at this show - I have all I can go at for a very long time right now and a restricted 'spends' pocket.  I set out to 'cover' the show for the magazine and deliver a room-box; I would pick up payment for that to go into my hobby pot and so continue to garner funds for the next show.

It goes without saying I just found some things irresistible.

I don't therefore have a lot to show you but everyone is a gem.  They are all quarter scale:

I already have a set of garden tools from True2scale but they are so nice and such a good price I think I could do with a 'spare' and to complete any garden or shed scene of the future their pots and sacks and wheelbarrow are just the best.

These are from Miniatures at Butterfly Crossing.  I can't add a link as the only one I could find was a website which promises 'coming soon.'  They had some reasonable 3D printed furniture and quite a few of the metal pieces like these.  I have seen these around in their unpainted form but they looked as though they needed a lot of sprue cleaning up.  Then you have to wash and dry them well and, ideally, spray undercoat the metal followed by one or two very thin top coats of gloss.  If you factor in two tins of paint you may never use again at about $7 each then these at $10 and finished seem to be a bargain to me.  As always the camera points up the slight imperfections, in real life they look just great.

Apologies for sideways shot - it happens sometimes and I still can't figure out why!!

Yet again, you need to believe the detail on this little piece is astonishing - I already have two of them but I would hate for Sally Manwell to run out of them before I have all the ones I might want.  Again I can't give you a link to a website but if you Google her name you will find people selling her work.

Iced tea and cakes - another Sally Manwell piece.

Finally a lamp from her too.

I was given a new product from True2scale to share with you so if you are interested pop over to my Gate House blog for a look.

  

Gulf Coast Dollhouse Miniatures Festival, January 17th and 18th, 2015

I almost missed my fourth visit to Molly Cromwell's Sarasota show as my son and his family were visiting us back 'home' in Naples but I had promised to deliver my Judy Berman box to Molly so it seemed I 'was forced' to abandon them for the day and flit up US41 for a mini fest.

Judy Berman room box

The show was as entertaining as ever.

There is a core of vendors I am now becoming familiar with such as The Betterleys, 

True2Scale 

and Quarter Source

 to name but three, but there are always several 'new-to-me' traders at her shows, which is always exciting:

Miniatures at Butterfly Crossing were showing an interesting 3D printed range of quarter scale furniture.  I am probably too much of a traditionalist to go that route but I can see it will have its uses even for die-hards like me - fridges, bathroom suites etc.

Versailles Fashion Dolls had some appealing characters:

Miniature Corner Too is a trader who I am sure has been around a while but, again, new to me.  There was an eclectic mix of items for sale but their Bavarian corner appealed to me. 

Dollhouse Alley.com  Had some good inexpensive buys.

Lynn McEntire has been creating her porcelain dolls since the seventies but, again, she was new to me.  She had a glass dome just packed with the most incredible little figures of all sizes.

There were two sides to this dolls shop in a dome

As always I commend Molly's shows to you.  They are a great assortment of vendors - all styles, scales and prices so there is always something to buy for everyone.  You can catch her here in Sarasota which is great venue for a winter break or, in February, she will be in Orlando and then in May she is in Sturbridge - check out her website: Molly's shows

I had no intention of buying as I am 'overstocked' right now...............  I will share my purchases with you here tomorrow!............

For more photos of the show click on the album link on the left. These are 'raw' photos not sorted or edited just pretty much all I took at the show.

GULF COAST DOLLHOUSE MINIATURES FESTIVAL
January 17 & 18

Ramada Marina Hotel
7150 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 34243

A show & sale featuring craftsmen from the USA, France, Brazil, & Canada with miniature structures from HO to 1" scale, dollhouse furnishings & accessories, antique & collectible miniatures, dollhouse dolls, fine art, pottery, stitchery & more...all in miniature & all for sale!

SUNDAY ~ January 18 10-4
Adults $7 ~ Children 12-under $4 One child admitted free with each full paying adult on Sunday after 2 p.m.

Saturday Evening Preview
January 17 5 - 8 p.m. $18
includes Weekend Admission, Early Sales, Refreshments & Cash Bar. Pay at door.

Exhibits from the Private Collections of Gulf Coast club members

Directions: I-75 Exit 213/University Parkway West, to Ringling Museum, then 1 mi on 41North to Ramada on the left

Book a room at the Sarasota Ramada Waterfront: 941-358-1000
More Information: 941-371-3193