Dolls Houses and Miniatures.

[pt cru 10]

You sound like a very interesting person your hobby of miniatures, has obviously exeeded the norm,I would love to know more.I hear lots of ideas from my friends too.

I don't know about being interesting - more like obsessive really!! I've always loved miniature things and I started making dolls house accessories when I was a kid and never stopped. My husband is always taking the mickey out of me and calls me "The Magpie" because I'm constantly collecting bits & pieces that could be useful for a miniature project in the future. I actually drove past your shop today - where is the best place to park during the day? I think I'll pop in and see you soon.

[BountifulT 10]

Hi.... Just reading your thread.

Dolls houses look fabulous when they are done properly.

There is a fabulous shop on chesterfield road, I cant quite remember its excact name but its a ladies name with a box on the end.... ***** Box etc. it could be Sandys Box or something.

Anyway, it is about 4 doors up from Artscene opposite the Arnold Laver car park.

 

I hope this is helpful.

[Damkina 10]

On a trip across town the other day, I discovered that Sandorasbox is now closed down:( Lovely friendly shop to visit. Such a shame.

 

I now hope one of the members here can help me in finding bonnet/hat patterns and tutorials.

 

It would also be a great help if anyone has any miniature Tudor Gable Hood and Tudor Crescent Hood patterns, and also a Victorian Bonnet for a Christmas stall.

 

Is there any other Doll & Miniatures shop in Sheffield? I know that years ago there was Anita's up Hilsborough, but it's that long since I've been in that part of town that I'm not sure if she's still open as the phone number I have doesn't work anymore.

 

Thanks in advance

Damkina

[BountifulT 10]

'On a trip across town the other day, I discovered that Sandorasbox is now closed down Lovely friendly shop to visit. Such a shame'

I find this a very sad statement..... The poor lady at Sandorasbox like many independant shop keepers has been attempting to provide everyone with fabulous specialist items and a super personal service.

 

After many years of customers visiting to 'look' and then crossing the city to the likes of the Hobbycraft at Meadowhall, possibly wasting more in petrol than they would save, has meant the this lady can no longer survive.

 

I know we are all feeling the pinch right now...but the closing of independants take time over years of poor customer loyalty, not just one month in a credit crunch etc.

 

The next victim of this will possilby be the Art Shop 2-3 doors down from Sandorasbox....ART SCENE.... The lady at Art Scene has been serving the arts & craft community in sheffield for a couple of decades now...but watch this space....unless we all show our support by using and more importantly purchasing products at prices that allow the shop keeper to make a living, we are all going to find ourselves with no local services....Pat Lewis at Art Scene has possilby forgotten more about the world of painting etc than most would be lucky to every learn ...this knowledge in its own right would be a great loss and nothing that can be replaced by the likes of Hobbycraft.

 

The old adage 'Use it or loss it' comes to mind.... and statements after the fact such as " lovely shop with a lovely lady" ... " lovely shop to visit" ...and the best one ever " If only I had know that they were struggling" will mean nothing when Hobbycraft cant and wont order your specialist item or be able to provide specialist advice.

 

Look after them.

[Damkina 10]

Andy, I did mean 'visit' as in, 'to buy something', not just look round and then visit Hobbycraft.

 

I agree, you won't find much in the way of miniatures in the said hobbycraft, and no, they won't order that something unusual or special order.

 

I also make patchwork quilts (some can run to a couple of hundred pounds and not a cheap hobby) and buy most of my quilting fabric, tools, cottons etc from the independant Patchwork Garden on Abbydale Road. And I also would visit to buy some from Cosy Daze in Hope regularly.

 

Sadly, this is another shop that has suffered through the larger city shops stocking cheaper fabric... often the same design for the last couple of years with no specialist orders.

 

Despite being amongst the best stocked this side of the Penines and a wonderful atmosphere and classrooms to learn quilting, Cosy Daze had to close their doors earlier this year.

 

Damkina

[BountifulT 10]

Hi Damkina.

 

Nothing personal intended to you ....just a very frustrated rant.

 

I know these shopkeepers personally and watch the heartache as they attempt to do a fabulous job providing excellent service.

 

They are constantly asked for reductions or special items, that not even the big boys could hope to bring to the table.

 

This is a trend that everyone in the retail sector is feeling.... we have a jewellery website....we work 18 hour days delivering items at 30-50% below highstreet retail values.... but still on a daily basis do we have request to discount further......People are expecting wholesale prices and are not considering that unless the vendor makes some profit they wont be able to bring these prices to the shops for much longer.

 

I do appologies if my previous reply appeared rude ..... I worry for my friends and when you see the effort that goes into what they do, it is very sad that they will no longer be able to do it unless supported by local customers.

 

Even on our website, I am trying to source UK only manufactured jewellery...this is very difficult but unless we do this there will be no UK manufacturers left at all .... No jobs ....no money etc. etc.

 

Moan over..... I wish you well in your search for the items you need for your quilts etc and that you can find customers that appreciate the effort that you will have taken to bring it too them.

 

Best wishes.

Andrew.

[Damkina 10]

Hi Andy, no insult was taken, I just wasn't sure if you realised my meaning of visit as in shopping.

 

I think that the over-all problem in todays market is that the public can go in places like Primark and TJs etc to name but two, and get their goods and gifts at rock-bottom prices, because they are made abroad.

 

Hand made crafts that are made on English soil, often in English homes and often taking painstaking intricate hours, days or weeks to research and make to be sold in independant small shops or craft fairs don't even raise their interest enough to buy.

 

They'll look, comment that they know someone or somewhere that it can be got or made cheaper, not even realising how much work and soul has actually gone into the item.

 

Please excuse this comment, but these people are known as the "3 Ps..." = Pick up, Put down and **** off!

 

It comes to the bottom line that the general public that don't craft, think of "Hand Made" as "Home Made," and don't equal "Hand Made" with quality. They would rather go and do all their rushed shopping in one place instead of taking the time to pick out that unique hand made gift or hobby item.

 

Kindest Regards

Damkina

[Redbox 10]

Hi Everyone,

I had my miniature allotment in Sheffield Fayre on bank holiday and won first prize.

I also had a diplay called the Allotment Fair to promote our allotment site.

I have neglected my hobby for a few years but this has really got me back into it.

I need to make dolls for my next display but I am hopeless. Their arms and legs keep falling off and "husband" has suggested I make a hospital scene instead.

Any tips.

Also anyone wanting to swap send a PM. I used to be in a postal Dolls House Club and suddenly really miss it.

[pt cru 10]

I was wondering where the DH and miniature forummers had disappeared off to! I check the Craft section regularly but there's been noone on for ages. Redbox - what's involved with a postal DH club? Sounds interesting. Unfortunately, I have been too busy recently to work on my latest project and am really missing it. Anita's closed down some time ago I believe. Such a shame, as she sold DH Emporium products for less than DHE catalogue prices! I have bought the odd light or 2 from hobbycraft as they have Dijon lights that are cheaper than the DHE ones but the accessories are frequently broken. Minaturists are a fairly small minority of the population so I guess keeping a small specialist craft shop going must be near to impossible, especially with Ebay and the big on-line DH stores as competition.

[Redbox 10]

Hi,

The only Miniatures shop around is at Markham Grange, a Garden Centre at Brodsworth near Doncaster.They have quite a lot of stock, cheaper than DHE.

Sue Rider Charity shops have some miniatures. The furniture is not very good but the lights are very good and cheap.

A postal Dolls House Club is whatever you want it to be. Ours swapped gifts for Christmas and Birthday, had four themed swaps a year and a newsletter.It lasted about five years and we all enjoyed it, then members seemed to become ill or have other interests.

[Damkina 10]

Thanks for posting the shop and club info. I am intrigued by the club idea and would like to look into the possibility, but worried about getting involved in a club with high subscription fees.

 

BTW, with all the talk of Christmas on the main boards, I've really got into the idea of making a room box/diarama (?) of a Christmas Tudor or Victorian street theme to have out on display for the season.

 

Has anyone done a scene with snow, and what did you use? I've been drawing up some ideas for a 1/12 Tudor house front and redused it for 1/24, but can't decide which would be best because of the size of the conifers and ivy etc, although the 1/24 looks really cute.

 

Also, I thought of using 1/8 thick book/grey board behind the picture frame, being as it isn't going to be out all year and on the smaller scale. Would I be able to plaster some of the wall on grey board?

 

If you've had a go at this type of project, any ideas and suggestions would really be appreciated. Damkina

[Redbox 10]

Hi Damkina,

Our subscriprion fee was one book of twelve first class stamps. ( As we had a Newletter every month) If it's just a group of people running a club for mutual advantage, it usually works out as everyone pays the postage themselves on the swaps.

Ideally you need about six people to make a postal club work. I wonder who would be interested?

I have never worked with 1/24th scale. I have a Lundy house in 1/16th and that is small enough for me. I think they sell synthetic snow in garden centres at Christams. Sue Ryder has a range of Christmas Lights which are quite cheap.

I am making a Santas grotto. I need to pratice making dolls and can use up all my "failures" waiting in the queue. They can have coats with hoods if I haven't got the faces right!