Thursday 28 April 2011

Some Vintage Tri-ang Components, Technical Difficutlies etc.!

OUR "SUBSCRIBED TO" NEWSLETTER - TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES!
Ok - to cut a long story short ....I have been tangling with my server company over problems in trying to send out my "subscribed to" newsletter that goes out regularly by email to many of you. However, after 2 days of much wasted time & effort on my part to try and send it out - the problem appears to be at the server end and completely out of my control. So sorry folks, until the server company pull their finger out & rectify the problem, there will not be any newsletters for the moment. But I will endeavour to keep you completely up to date with all KT Miniatures news/additions etc. on here anyway.
(Technology eh....great as long as it works)!!!

TRI-ANG VINTAGE COMPONENTS
First up - yesterday I listed for sale on KT Miniatures website some vintage Tri-ang components such as metal Tri-ang windows, garage doors, steps and even two chimneys all of which came from a sorry old 1950s Tri-ang No 61. So if you have an old Tri-ang house missing any of these components & wish to find out more info - click on the following link:


 

OVER THE LITTLE GARDEN FENCE WORKSHOP

Next bit of news is simply to say that we only have just 2 spaces left available on our workshop......yep, that means we have 18 lovely people booked to come and spend a creative and fun afternoon with us here in Thame (Oxfordshire) on the afternoon of Sunday 26th June. 

If you would like to find out more info about  this workshop where you will have an opportunity to create either a 1/12th scale or 1/24th scale unique garden scene (see pic above), then click on the following link which is the official Over The Little Garden Workshop web page:


ANOTHER BANK HOLIDAY - CLOSED AGAIN - SORRY!
Sorry but due to yet another bank holiday here in the UK this coming weekend (aaah lovely isn't it?)  - this time the extended one due to the Royal Wedding & May Day,  I will be closed from tomorrow (Friday) until Monday and will be back open again for business on Tuesday 3rd May.  I will endeavour to look in on emails over the weekend when I can, so if you wish to reserve items you can do,  then I will contact you formally on my return on Tuesday to sort out payment details.
SO TA-TA FOR NOW!
Celia

Wednesday 27 April 2011

GeeBee Dolls House For Sale On KT Miniatures

Just listed this morning on KT Miniatures website is a very attractive little 1950s-60s GeeBee dolls house.
This is a 1/16th scale dolls house of wooden construction in original played with condition. Have to admit that there are various models of GeeBee dolls houses that I am just not keen on but this particular model is something else and simply delightful. It consists of only two rooms (like the Tri-ang No 60s & 61's etc.) .....a small room downstairs and one large room upstairs. This particular example is completely bare inside with the original white paint which is refreshing.


The pull out tin canopies are, as far as I know, quite unique to the GeeBee dolls houses, which were made by the Tudor Toy Company of Hull. This particular model I understand, was manufactured during the 1950s & 1960s. However, these tin canopies as well as the immediately recognisable tin Romside windows, would most definitely not pass any modern health and safety regulations these days.


To little fingers, the edges particularly on the tin canopies in theory could be sharp enough to cut! How did the manufacturers get away with this in their day? Although saying that, my lovely little wooden dolls house made by grandfather back in the '60s had tin Romside windows & I just accepted that I would sometimes get grazed knuckles/fingers etc from my windows if I wasn't careful! We were of a generation that grew up with dolls houses containing these elements. The generation before even had real glass windows, lead paint & rusty nails to contend with but we all managed to survive didn't we?

 
Another feature to these GeeBee dolls houses are that the foilage feature on the frontage is not just painted but textured too which is very effective.
Another attractive feature of this house is that it has a little driveway edged in painted "flower" borders leading up to the car port or is it (as on the Tri-angs) a sun porch? Either way, a little car could fit in there.

For full details, go to: http://www.ktminiatures.com/GeeBee_Dolls_House.html
Sorry but this is only available to UK buyers.

Friday 22 April 2011

HAPPY EASTER - Taking some much needed time out - KT Miniatures closed for the weekend.

I would just like to wish you all a VERY HAPPY EASTER and hope you are having a fabulous time whatever you are doing. The weather here in the UK is truly gorgeous (unusually for a bank holiday weekend)! As to KT Miniatures - I have decided to close for the bank holiday weekend and am having  a long overdue rest as life has been very unpredictable of late and hectic.

So after spending a lovely Good Friday with family and in the garden doing absolutely nothing much in particular (which is very rare these days) I decided as I had the camera out - to take a photo with eggs in mind.  I may not have mini Easter Eggs.... but I do have some very old wooden eggs in egg cups - so here you go! These permanently live in my 1930s Hobbies House kitchen  and actually, I did once have three but thanks to my youngest cat who ate one (yes seriously), now only have two!
Then as I was snapping away in my Hobbies house I decided to photo one of my most precious miniature posessions.....is not worth much in monetary value but I absolutely adore it. This is my very old art deco vase decorated in the most glorious shade of green with orange flowers.....how so 1920s-30s is that!  For those of you who are art deco fans, am sure you will love it too. I got this at auction with a number of vintage items, have absolutely no idea of its maker but whoever made it was extremely talented and I would not want to part with it for the world!
The vase sits on top of a very old wooden fireplace that I obtained from a "dolls house" friend along with a whole load of vintage goodies. I had purchased it to sell but like the vase, just could not part with it. Again, this wooden fireplace with paper tiled decoration is genuinely old, maker unknown but most definitely early 1900s. It oozes pure nostalgia and my vase complements it beautifully.
One day, if I can get my act together & have some spare time "to play", I will do an update to my lovely 1930s Hobbies House Gallery Page on the KT Miniatures Old Dolls House Gallery pages.

KT Miniatures will be back open for trading on Tuesday after the bank holiday weekend. Will catch up with emails/orders then.

Meanwhile, once again, Happy Easter to you all!

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Photos Of The 1/24th Garden Project- Just Four Places Left! Special Notice For Dolls House Clubs.

OVER THE LITTLE GARDEN FENCE WORKSHOP - JUNE 26th. THAME IN OXFORDSHIRE

1/12TH SCALE GARDEN & 1/24TH SCALE GARDEN
For those of you who are followers of this blog and KT Miniatures website, you will have already seen that I am running a workshop for the very first time in partnership with Robin Britton of Coombe Crafts. We only started advertising it 2 weeks ago and have already filled nearly all twenty spaces! The workshop is taking place on Sunday June 26th here in Thame, Oxfordshire at the Thame Guide HQ. We have just 4 more spaces now currently available (at the time of me posting this) so do get in touch asap if you wish to join us for an afternoon of creativity!
Above you can see several photos of the tiny 1/24th scale garden. If you sign up for our workshop you will have the opportunity to make this scene in either 1/12th or 1/24th scale. We will be using a combination of natural & synthetic materials along with various techniques/skills to create an overall nostalgic and old fashioned garden. The finished item can be used to butt up against an existing dolls house or stand alone. In fact Robin and I are already planning the second workshop project to take place in September (hopefully). This second project will complement the little garden scene  & used with an existing dolls house or would be able to stand alone..... but more about that another day!

Meanwhile, if you would like further information about how to book for one of the last few remaining spaces, then please click on the following link to see the official page:


NB. Special notice for any UK dolls house clubs 
If your club would like to spend an afternoon in July, making the little garden project from our Over The Little Garden Fence Workshop, then please get in touch with either me or Robin. We would consider running an additional workshop on a Sunday afternoon in July,  as long as there are 10 people or more - if your club wished to block book.

Meanwhile- we have noticed that many UK dolls house clubs contact information on the internet as a general rule, is old and no longer applicable. Information doesn't appear to have been updated over a number of years in some cases. So, Robin has come up with the idea that if someone from any UK dolls house club would like to forward their info to either Robin or I then we will set up a general list with up to date dolls house club info at a glance that everyone can share.

Sunday 17 April 2011

Freddie Trying To Look Inconspicuous.

Now for a miniature of the four legged kind!!! Look who I caught sight of...............luckily I had my camera to hand. Freddie (our youngest of two cats we got  from the shelter) is becoming more of an outdoor cat these days. Often he is hard to find as he loves the garden but his new hiding place has been rumbled!!


What a little poser!!!!!


Monday 11 April 2011

We Have A Winner -KT Miniatures Blog Birthday Competition!


I am pleased to announce that after some considerable deliberation on both mine & Mr KT Miniatures part (we had a short list of three) the winner of the KT Miniatures Competition to celebrate one whole year of blogging  is................................................

KARIN FOSTER - From Canada.

CONGRATULATIONS KARIN - your little prize of mini books will be winging their way to you shortly!

I really must thank all of you who took part, your comments were very much appreciated. Just sorry that I cannot give you all a prize. 

KT Miniatures has had several emails since running this competition, all asking the same thing ie. if the books that are the competition prize as seen in the photo are available to purchase? Although I always usually have several sets of five books for sale at any one time on the GENERAL PAGE under Exclusive Items section on my website,  currently I don't have any of the battered 1930s Golden Wonder Book listed. But watch this space as there will be some available to purchase shortly! 

Friday 8 April 2011

Come Take A Peek At A Little Garden Scene In 1/12th Scale!

At long last we have been able to get some photos of the little 1/12th scale garden scene that you will be able to make at our "Over The Little Garden Fence Workshop" which KT Miniatures is running in partnership  with Coombe Crafts.

We will show you how to make a weathered fence,outside tap and old bench. You will also be shown how to make some rhubarb growing out of an old bucket and various ways of using all kinds of natural foilage and other materials to create this little garden scene. This project will also be offered in 1/24th scale too and will be similar to this...but just a tad smaller!

So why not come join Robin and me on the afternoon of Sunday 26th June in the small hall of Thame Guide HQ in Oxfordshire. Thame itself is a quaint old market town and well worth a visit in its own right. We have room for up to 20 people however spaces are filling fast so it is advisable to book early.
PLEASE CLICK ON LINK BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS INCLUDING A DOWNLOADABLE BOOKING FORM.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

OVER THE LITTLE GARDEN FENCE WORKSHOP - New Joint Venture For KT Miniatures!

KT Miniatures In Partnership With Coombe Crafts


ONLY A LIMITED AMOUNT OF PLACES - BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!

Please click here for more info:

Saturday 2 April 2011

Lots Of Wonderful Lundby Items - Still In Original Packaging - Now Up For Sale On KT Miniatures!

If you are a fan of vintage Lundby then do go take a look at the latest collection that has just come into KT Miniatures. Most of these items are still in their original packets and none of them have ever been played with - over 40 sets of items!! I have listed about three quarters of the collection, but a few more  are still yet to be added.



Out of the entire collection, the only items that are not boxed  are four brown swivel chairs (see one above) - absolutely exquisite and never been played with. How evocative of the 1970s is that!

One of my favourite items from the collection is this lovely little greenhouse complete with watering can. Still in its original packet from about 30 years ago!
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VINTAGE LUNDBY PAGE ON KT MINIATURES WEBSITE