My first album!

[peggyquade]

Hello everyone. It was a beautiful day here in Seattle and I got to go to the Miniature Show with Sheila, the owner of the Pierce I am working on. We had a lot of fun. I was disappointed that one particular vendor wasn't there...I don't know the vendor's name but he takes up like 3 tables and has all the details for dollhouses...if you want to make a butcher shop, a farm, a bakery, a tool shed, a garden shed...anything you can think of, he has all the little details that make it so real. Really quality products that are inexpensive and he wasn't there! I don't buy much but I spend a lot of time at his table just getting ideas! Anyone know who I am talking about? Anyway, I created my first album today with pictures of the creations that Rick Pierce brought to the show. I got to talk to him quite a bit and learned a few tricks; it was great. He is such a friendly guy! There was also a Greenleaf Pierce at the show, under construction. It was 99 % completed, just needed a little dusting and a few pieces of trim.. They are going to donate it to a hospital. So take a look at my pictures!

[KathieB]

Thanks for the pictures, Peggy! I'm just going to have to try paperclay SOON!!!

I've been looking at pictures of the Pierce, and in almost every case, I've decided I really don't like the stairway. It blocks the view of the front door, for one thing. I like the way they upgraded the bannisters on this one, but it still ... dunno what I'll do with mine.

[peggyquade]

I wonder if you can turn the staircase around so that you could put it right up against the outside wall? Then it wouldn't be right out in the middle of the room. I'll have to look at the Pierce I'm working on for Sheila and see if that would be possible.

[KathieB]

I wonder if you can turn the staircase around so that you could put it right up against the outside wall? Then it wouldn't be right out in the middle of the room. I'll have to look at the Pierce I'm working on for Sheila and see if that would be possible.

That's a thought ... I ought to get the directions out of the box and study them. Even the curving staircase from HBS would give a better view of the front door ... but, on the other hand, I like the partial wall that the staircase creates in the dining room. And the houses I've seen where care was taken with wainscoting, the effect is sensational.

[MiniMadWoman]

Great pictures Peggy! Thanks for sharing!! :lol:

[Minis On The Edge]

Wonderful Pictures Peggy! I love the lighthouse & the storybook cottage. I can't wait to move so that I can display mine. I love the Venice Canel too. I want him to do a class at my house when I move and that is the one I am thinking about having him do. I am hoping he don't retire it by then :lol:

[Lisa_F]

I was disappointed that one particular vendor wasn't there...I don't know the vendor's name but he takes up like 3 tables and has all the details for dollhouses...if you want to make a butcher shop, a farm, a bakery, a tool shed, a garden shed...anything you can think of, he has all the little details that make it so real. Really quality products that are inexpensive and he wasn't there! I don't buy much but I spend a lot of time at his table just getting ideas! Anyone know who I am talking about?

Peggy, was it Country Store Miniatures? www.countrystoreminiatures.com

They were at the March show this year (my first time attending) and their display was huge! The largest at the show - had tons of stuff - just about everything accessory wise that you could think of!

I was so disappointed that I couldn't attend today's show - but after all the money I spent on the dh shell earlier this month - my wallet wouldn't survive another day trip for mini's yet!

[Deb]

Peggy, thanks for sharing the eye candy from the show. Looks like it was an excellent time with lots to see and do!

Kathie, I felt the same way about the Pierce staircase. The one in the kit just takes up too much space and blocks the entry way. I used the hbs curving staircase and I have to admit that it's probably my favorite hardware upgrade of any house I've done. I went heavy on the woodwork in the Pierce because I love that glow and the staircase really popped the wood, not just in the entry way, but in the whole house. It doesn't seem like it's that much of a feature in the house, but the staircase and entryway are unusually prominent. For some reason, that's the area that catches the eye first.

Deb

[peggyquade]

Country Store Miniatures was at today's show...that's where I bought almost all my stuff! I love their selection and their prices are great. The owners are very knowledgable and helpful. But the vendor I'm thinking of isn't them. The vendor I am thinking of usually has little displays of his items...a butcher shop with all the hanging meat, the country store with all the canned and boxed goods, the farmyard with all the animals and tools, a garden shed, etc. Then on the table below the displays are boxes with a lot of dividers in them with all the stuff for each display available for purchase. Boxes lined up the full length of 3 tables. I thought I heard that they only sell at miniature shows...no web site, no physical store, they just travel from show to show.

About the Pierce staircase...I also like the wainscotting that I've seen on the staircase. Since it's the second thing you build after the foundation, you could easily see if it would fit in a different way and then, if you needed to, you could cut the stair opening in the 2nd floor to accomodate the change. it's an idea, anyway. I have so many for my Pierce, it's hard to stop thinking about it! My Pierce is telling me it wants lots of wood, crystal and vibrant jewel colors like turquoise, garnet red, teal green. Bought some flat sheets of planed cedar that a builder had for sale...leftovers from his projects. The planing process (I think) scribed the very thin wood with very slight grooves that are 1/8" or 1/4" apart...looks like hardwood flooring! Might be too narrow. But I thought it was nice wood and a good price...$5 for an 8" x 5' piece of wood. Wainscotting? Panelling? We'll see!

[Charlene]

Wonderful pics! Thanks for sharing.

[KathieB]

Kathie, I felt the same way about the Pierce staircase. The one in the kit just takes up too much space and blocks the entry way. I used the hbs curving staircase and I have to admit that it's probably my favorite hardware upgrade of any house I've done. I went heavy on the woodwork in the Pierce because I love that glow and the staircase really popped the wood, not just in the entry way, but in the whole house. It doesn't seem like it's that much of a feature in the house, but the staircase and entryway are unusually prominent. For some reason, that's the area that catches the eye first.

Deb

Deb, I just looked at your Pierce blog. Your woodwork is beautiful and really does set the tone for the house. Would love to see photos of it furnished!

What did you use on your ceilings? Is it paper? The slightly textured white is very nice.

And I'm curious about the opening in the ceiling in the back corner of the bedroom. I've seen it in other Pierces, but never with a stairway. Am thinking a spiral staircase would be nice there!

[ladybug324]

Hi Peggy,

I had a great time at the show yesterday too. It was my first time there. We got there about 11:30 a.m. and left about 1:30 p.m. I bought most of my items from Country Store Miniatures too (it's funny b/c I just bought a bunch of items from them last week on ebay too). I also bought some really beautiful potted flowers from another vendor that was down the same aisle as Country Store. And I bought a very beautiful handmade bowl from a guy in the first room (his booth was right next to the entry way leading into the middle room with the food). Oh and I backordered some items from the new Lee's Line from Dollhouse Cottage and picked up my haunted house kit from them. It was a great time!

Peggy, I think we must have been standing right next to you when you were taking pictures of the Pierce. I remember a woman taking a lot of pictures of it as we were standing next to it. I was pointing it out to my BF and explaining this was the dollhouse kit I was working on. Isn't that funny? If you remember seeing two Asian girls with a big black guy, that was us. :lol:

I can't wait for next March!

[Deb]

I'm curious about the opening in the ceiling in the back corner of the bedroom. I've seen it in other Pierces, but never with a stairway. Am thinking a spiral staircase would be nice there!

Talk about great minds thinking alike! The only thing I haven't finished in the Pierce is putting in a spiral staircase on the second floor to the attic. I haven't found one I like yet, but I will someday. Once I get the spiral installed, then I'll add the rest of the furnishings to that area. I have an oriental dressing screen that goes back there, a hat box and hat stand, and will toss around some lingerie in a fetching manner. :lol:

What did you use on your ceilings? Is it paper? The slightly textured white is very nice.

The ceiling paper I use is the textured paper from walmart. I discovered not long ago that it paints up really nice too. It comes in a large roll for $10 and you can find it in the wallpaper section of walmart.

Deb, I just looked at your Pierce blog. Your woodwork is beautiful and really does set the tone for the house. Would love to see photos of it furnished!

There are pictures of it furnished in my Pierce gallery here on the forum, or you can go to my website and click on the gallery link, then go to the Pierce section. I need to update the pictures there since I just got new living room furniture for it.

Deb

[KathieB]

There are pictures of it furnished in my Pierce gallery here on the forum, or you can go to my website and click on the gallery link, then go to the Pierce section. I need to update the pictures there since I just got new living room furniture for it.

Found 'em! When I was there before, I didn't realize your Gallery has layers ... :lol:

I love the ladies' sewing area on the third floor .. I think the gentleman of my house will take over that part of the attic for his study/library. I wonder what how he'll use the little tower room ... hmmmmmm

[hydroped]

I was disappointed that one particular vendor wasn't there...I don't know the vendor's name but he takes up like 3 tables and has all the details for dollhouses...if you want to make a butcher shop, a farm, a bakery, a tool shed, a garden shed...anything you can think of, he has all the little details that make it so real.

Hi Peggy,

I'm betting that was the Wrights table. I saw them at the Morro Bay show last year and they had Everything for settings from pirates to science labs to farms, to drug stores - all kinds of little stuff to fill shops and scenes. They took up just about 3 tables at our show and they said that would be their last year to come to Calif because it's just too far from home to travel anymore so I'm betting it's the same folks. They're home is in the midwest and they travel the mini circuit but the west coast is getting to be a bit much for them.

Great pictures! I wish our show was big enough to attract artisans like Rik - Thanks for the eye candy :lol:

-David

[peggyquade]

And the Wrights don't have a website?

[nuttiwebgal]

you took some wonderful photos of the show and arent Riks pieces just awesome.

he really does some wonderful things!

and yes 3 of us here do have his Lighthouse

mememememememe. the first class I ever took. and it was the bomb!

that man plumb wore us out and worked our fingers to the nubbins but it was all worth it everytime I look at my Light house.

next weekend we off to KC for a small show there but i think Ill manage to find some goodies to bring home.

looking for a chandelier to hang in the Light house.

Im so glad you had fun at the show.

nutti :lol:

[KathieB]

And the Wrights don't have a website?

I found this link with a search for "miniatures +Wright" ... could this be it? They have a huge variety of items. More laser-cut gable trims that I've seen anywhere, for one thing!

Wright's Hobbies

<heading back there to drool a little more>

Edit: They are located in Duluth, Georgia. Their page says, "Sorry, no walk-in trade."

Edit #2: A Google search turned up Wright's Guide Miniatures in Michigan; no website. They are listed as an exhibitor at the Philadelphia show, so those of you going there can look them up!

[hydroped]

And the Wrights don't have a website?

Unfortunately they dont. I asked them about it when I saw them because they were saying that would be their last year. I did buy a catalog but apparently they prefer catalog sales (mail order) to internet. If I can find what I did with the catalog I can post contact information. I believe the catalog is called "The Wright's Guide to Miniatures" but I may be misquoting the title.

-David

[prariegurl]

I am betting that it's Wright Guide to Miniatures as well. I didn't know that Wright's is retiring. They will be at the Frederick, MD on October 29, so I better stock up while I am there.

You may also want to check out Minuette Miniatures. I was told that she is related to the Wright Guide people. Many of her items are similar, and unlike Wright Guide, she does have an online shop.

http://www.minuetteminis.com

Jeri

[hydroped]

Hi Jeri,

I don't think that the Wright's are retiring just narrowing down their travel path. When I asked them last Feb they said they'd still be travelling and selling minis just not coming out as far as California anymore.

Thanks for posting the link to Minuette Miniatures - their display boxes do remind me a lot of the Wright's - it's awesome to have a source for some of these items online! I'm definitely going to save that one to my favorites list :lol: The only thing is I wish they had pictures of the individual items.

-David

[peggyquade]

:lol: I was day dreaming and thinking it would be cool if the Wrights would ship some of their stuff out here to Seattle and I would sell it for them! I don't have a store front but I would gladly do internet or Craig's List...I could have an open house once a month! Invite anyone who wants to come by, have all their stuff displayed and out for sale! I'd need one of each of their little models that they have, to display all their little things in an appropriate setting. We could go 50-50!

But, back to seriously folks, if someone could get an address where I (we) could get a catalog, that would be much appreciated. Thanks for all your info!