Tag Archives: Victorian architecture

The Summer House: “A Simple Cottage”

Posted on April 23, 2013 by smallhousepress

Sitting out a thunderstorm in Atlanta on our way home from teaching the Airplane Café in Maine, I suggested we go back to the ABC’s–come up with a simple project for our students. As fun as the three roadside stands … Continue reading →

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

A Tale of Twin Kitchens—Souwester and Shelburne

Posted on August 4, 2012 by smallhousepress

To round out 1986, we completed two house fragments–the Shelburne and Shoalwater Kitchens, named after two Seaview, WA inns.  These were smaller pieces than usual, but labor intensive—the women commissioning these projects were our two best and most supportive customers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Memoir, Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 13 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 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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“One day I’d like a small piece of your work.” Those words floated above our work from somewhere in the mid-70’s until 1982. They were spoken by Marie Friedman, one of the finest miniature craftspeople we would ever meet. She … Continue reading →

Posted on March 10, 2012 by smallhousepress | 1 Comment

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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A Warp in Time: The Megler Landing

Posted on November 7, 2011 by smallhousepress

In 1981 we built two of our most elaborate Victorians—the first with a garage, and secret room, the other with a greenhouse–as well as the prototype and 20 shells for our first class. Plus we squeezed in a date night … 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

The Pipe Dream of Miniatures

Posted on October 22, 2011 by smallhousepress

For us, the appeal of the 20th St. Emporium commission was the idea of a shop with an apartment above, combining the bustle of public space with the private, domestic life upstairs. Miniatures are never simply about the objects or … Continue reading →

Posted in Houses, Miniatures | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments