Category Archives: Miniatures

Why Miniatures?–Uncle Cecil’s Wheelbarrow

Posted on June 17, 2012 by smallhousepress

The other night I was eating out with friends in Portland, people I have known for years through my life as a poet. They had another friend along who was visiting town, one of those people who thrives on asking … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Whittier: Travels & Tales in the Black Ambulance

Posted on June 2, 2012 by smallhousepress

Starting with our 2ndmajor miniature show, Sarah Salisbury was an eager and repeat customer—she was open to suggestion, and introduced ideas of her own. Her enthusiasm for our houses had a lot to do with our ability to keep making … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

The Garden Shed: Bird Poo 101

Posted on May 12, 2012 by smallhousepress

The Gardener’s Shed, project #33, marked the start of our official teaching career. Prior to that our “teaching” was more like the blind leading the blind, as those of you who took our early garage classes in Seattle can attest … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

It’s a Matter of Perspective: Pippen Hill, Part II

Posted on May 5, 2012 by smallhousepress

Making Pippen Hill was far more fun than should be allowed for a job. Almost everything we did was with new materials and methods, but the design was pliable, and organic, inviting experimentation. A house and shop for a puppet … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

New Tricks: Pippen Hill, Part I

Posted on April 27, 2012 by smallhousepress

Coming in sideways, I am running late with this post, which is no way to treat the slew of you who read and responded to my last post. Before I start a new entry, I assemble the photos on hand, … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

The Bungalow: Once Bitten

Posted on April 14, 2012 by smallhousepress

Somewhere in the late 70s we ran across a copy of American Bungalow magazine. Inside its covers lurked photos of the Craftsman bungalows of Pasadena, CA designed by Charles & Henry Greene. One look and we were smitten, or more … Continue reading →

Posted in Bio, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

How to Lose a Dollhouse: Shoalwater Toys

Posted on April 7, 2012 by smallhousepress

A few weeks into the construction of Shoalwater Toys, our 30th structure, and 2nd and last major commercial building, we received an invitation  to show at the IGMA’s Guild Show in New York City. Until then, we had only shown … Continue reading →

Posted in Miniatures | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

North Cove Rear View

Posted on March 30, 2012 by smallhousepress

By request, here’s the rear view of the kitchen in the last post, to better  show the layout. Not the greatest shot, but it gives you an idea.

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North Cove Kitchen: Geek-to-Geek

Posted on March 28, 2012 by smallhousepress

It’s always startling to discover which world-changing events whirled past while we were holed-up building miniatures. The construction of our second project of 1983 coincided with the introduction of the mobile phone, the creation of the internet, and the release … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures, People | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Hoarding, or, a Miniature Builder’s Suggested Inventory:

Posted on March 19, 2012 by smallhousepress

Mini driftwood broken sorted by size, mini stones, gravel and pebbles, beach sand, bird gravel, mini bricks and seashells, 1 coffee tin beer pull tabs, rusty metal, rust dust, real-world-sized rusted wood–splitting wedge, railroad spikes and flatirons, baby bird head-feathers (don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments