Category Archives: People

Madama Butterfly and the Toy Theaters of Siena: The Davis Theater, Pt. 2

Posted on November 27, 2015 by smallhousepress

The illustration is of unknown origin. I have borrowed it from The Museum of Everyday Things website, an adventure not unrelated to toy theaters, and worth exploring.                       museumofeverydaylife.org             The … Continue reading →

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

Once Upon a Theater: The Davis Theater, Part 1

Posted on November 14, 2015 by smallhousepress

The roots of our miniature theater project are so old and intertwined it’s hard to know where to begin, so I’ll start with Once Upon a Time. Once upon a time—some 200 years ago, before the distractions of TV and … Continue reading →

Posted in Buildings, People | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

A Roof, Gepetto, and the Moon: Faces of the Moon, Pt. I

Posted on March 16, 2014 by smallhousepress

In 1984, a new client (whom some readers will know as Melanie Wilson) called to say she was smitten. She had just seen the newly-completed Pippen Hill–our semi-fantasy Old European toymaker’s workshop inspired by the paintings of Anton Pieck–and asked … Continue reading →

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

The Godzilla Factor: The Greene & Greene, Part II

Posted on November 18, 2012 by smallhousepress

The Godzilla Factor developed as a further aspect of the miniature Greene & Greene/Gamble House interpretation saga—the monster/s (reincarnated as the architect/designers Charles & Henry Greene) that held us in their thrall, nibbling away at our sleep, our lives, our very … Continue reading →

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The Beach Cottage–“Cuter than a bug!”

Posted on July 8, 2012 by smallhousepress

The Beach Cottage, 1986 As I pack up the Beach Cottage and the Garden Shed prototypes to send to their new owners, I’m feeling the tug of those days when we first built them. They are teaching samples for our … Continue reading →

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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 →

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The Ultimate Victorian: The Octagon House

Posted on January 8, 2012 by smallhousepress

Thanks to the frenzy of enthusiasm for Victorian architecture during the 1970s-80s, we had lots of reference materials, largely in the form of period architectural magazines, coming across the doorstep. Plus, our reputation as builders of miniature Victorians brought in … Continue reading →

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The Port Townsend, Pyrotechnics, and the Deer Revival

Posted on December 11, 2011 by smallhousepress

The Port Townsend, miniature house # 25, was the second of the major houses we built in 1981. It was named for a Victorian seaport on the Quimper Peninsula in Washington State, a town whose architecture deeply influenced our own … Continue reading →

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Kaboom!

Posted on October 31, 2011 by smallhousepress

Our biggest event of 1980 was the eruption of nearby Mt. St. Helen’s on May 18—not exactly in our back yard, but close enough. At around 8:30 that morning a plume of molten rock blew 80,000 feet in the air, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bio, Houses, Miniatures, People | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

With a Little Help from Our Friends

Posted on October 8, 2011 by smallhousepress

Being our first commercial building, the 20thSt. Emporium required a jump-start for our learning curve. The three-story structure would include a 7-stool soda fountain and mirrored backbar. To show it off we wanted gold-leaf lettering embellishing the reflective surface of … Continue reading →

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