http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2062269/Marvellous-miniatures-display-dolls-house.html

It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was contacted by a photographer working for the press association who wasked if he could visit my shop and take some photographs of my miniatures. They would be used in conjunction with an article written by one of the national newspapers.

The photographer arrived one afternoon, on his arrival he commented that he wouldn’t be very long and just needed a few shots. But he stayed several hours and took a wide range of photos, he said he was so impressed with the quality and high standard of accuracy,. He said he thought it was going to be the sort of miniatures you buy for children as a toy and was definately convinced otherwise.

Not what he expected to see at all. At one point during the afternoon he disappeared into Bath and returned with a box of Quality Street and a chocolate cupcake.

He said the miniatures were so realistic that without something of full size to use as a comparison no one would believe they were tiny.

At the end of his visit he left behind the chocolates and cupcake, well who can resist a sugar fix?

A few days later I was contacted by a reporter asking for more information and said it would be appearing on the Daily Mail website that evening.

It’s great to see the world of miniatures getting such great publicity and to read the comments left by readers.

I hope you enjoy the article too.

Karon

Take a look at www.karoncunningham.com

It was a 3 day affair and the first visitor’s through the door on Friday were a TV crew from their first national station, you can’t get better publicity that that!!

It certainly worked; I’ve never seen so many people visit a fair before. On Sunday afternoon there were so many that it brought the hall to a standstill as people queued to view the selling stands and the exhibition.

Fatima set up a separate room to display numerous houses from her own collection and that of fellow collector Fernando Cunha. People could look and ask questions, a really good way of highlighting the hobby.

There were exhibitors from Spain, France and England alongside Portugal. I meet up with many friends from Spain who go to the Madrid fairs and one online customer, Maria Luisa. It was great to meet face to face instead of through the written word.

A fellow Brit, Angie Scarr was there demonstrating how to use her canes. She also brought along some of her new designs for the first time.

I’m so please the fair was a success especially when so much effort was clearly put into its organisation. Fatima is planning on holding her 2nd fair next year. Watch out for the dates on my show listing!

 Miniatura

I went to the Spring Miniatura show in March as a visitor, what a change to be on the other side of the ‘counter’.  I had all day to browse through the stands and catch up with lots of friends and collegues and I made some new valuable contacts.

One being Nicola Croad from Oak Tree Dolls House Miniatures based in Bridgewater, Somerset; who produces the most impressive range of foodstuffs, cheese, vegetables and fruit.  I was really pleased to find such a high quality maker.

One of the unexpected benefits of going to Miniature shows and exhibitions is the things you learn.  For example, I met Carol Cook, who introduced me to Costrels from the Tudor period.  I had never heard of a Costrel but now I know.  A Costrel is in fact a leather flask for carrying mild ale to your place of work.  As there was no water purification system in place at this time, drinking water was dangerous so ale, beer and wine were drunk instead. Interesting isn’t it! 

I bought so much that it took 3 people to carry it all back to my car.

Arnhem Poppenhuisstad

Arnhem, what a lovely venue.  The Church in the middle of this Dutch town is a perfect place to hold such an event. 

 I was lucky enough to be next to John & Pauline Kilner of No.1 Elite Designs.  I was so impressed by his handmade oak presentation boxes that I asked him to make me some to display in my shop window.

One of the benefits of being a British exhibitor was that we were invited to an evening buffet.  Ours was the noisy table (just enough wine!).  It was a pleasure to chat to Pat Kay, Jamie Carrington, Janet Kirkwood and Sarah Hubbard from the Dolls House & Miniature Scenes magazine and Helena of Solway Miniature.  It was a really enjoyable evening, we all finished the night of with a cup of coffee with Bob Willians and Jens Torp.

Chicago International Show

I just had time to unpack my bag on arriving home, then I was off th Tom Bishop’s world reknowned Chicago International show.  Last year I missed it because of the volcano, so I was determined to make it this year regardless of a threatening tornado which closed O’Hare airport on the sunday the day before I was due to travel home.

The show was such a pleasure and again I met some wonderful makers.  Joseph Addotta’s exquisite bronze statues,  Jane Graber’s beautifully glazed pottery, Isako’s Japanese and Chinese furniture are just the tip of the iceberg of different and unusual miniatures I brought back.  Many of them will be on my website as soon as I’ve taken photos.

Home on Tuesday, away to Angela Jones’ show in Spain on Friday. Exhausting!!  (But great fun)

Angela Jones’ Spanish show

Angela’s second show in Spain was moved from Valencia to Benidorm on the Costa Blanca.  Again it was a pleaure to meet old friends and practice my poor Spanish.  Benidorm is a much maligned resort, however, in mid April the sun shime was lovely and the sea front and beach very inviting.  All round a fun time.

I was home for Easter to enjoy an early spell of warm weather and now I’m packing for a flight to Denmark on Friday to attend the Farum show. 

Bye for now

Karon

I was very excited to take part as this was the first show I’ve been to after my 6 months break while I was unwell.

It was great to see some regular faces not only from fellow exhibitors but customers as well.  The atmosphere was bubbling with chatter as well groomed Spanish ladies bustled around the room greeting friends with lots of cheek kissing and waving of arms.

Angela’s show attracts a wide range of miniatures from stands selling diy materials and furniture kits to handmade work from artists such as Jose Gomez, Victoria Guerbos and Taller Targioni.

My Spanish is improving slowly and my pronunciation of numbers can be better understood.  I do find it easier when immersed amongst Spanish people to learn new words instead of in a classroom environment.  I had some great translation help from my fellow exhibitors; there was always someone willing to help you.

I took along a few different miniature pieces this time including the exquisite dog and cat designs by Sarah Hendry of  Pocket People, her new Chihuahua design was greatly admired, as were her Labrador and Persian Cats.

Spanish history doesn’t have definitive periods when it comes to furniture like we have in England with Tudor, Georgian, Victorian etc, so knowing what style of furniture to take is always a gamble.  June Wright’s aged Country Furniture was received well, her large dressers and sink units are striking pieces for any kitchen.

Mirrors by Alan Barnes and Lucy Askew speak for themselves in quality and desire. As does the beautifully hand painted pewter ware from Victoria Fasken.

I had a chance to look around the fair on Sunday and purchase a few pieces to bring home.

Victoria Guerbos had a wonderfully selection of babies and dolls of which I took too immediately. 

Also Montserrat Folch has created a range of miniatures celebrating personal correspondence, including bundles of letters tied with ribbon, an old biscuit tin holding sepia photographs, Scrolls, boxes of valentine cards and a dried rose held in yellowing letter.

I met up again with Pilar Alen, a talented lady who makes vintage style jugs painted and decorated with flower designs.  Unbelievably they are made from thin card but once decorated and

with a coat of varnish they could be mistaken for enamelware.  Her hat box sets are also remarkable, card based again but the attention to detail in the makeup and the scale of the patterns used produces a desirable product.

All these new pieces will be featuring on my website soon, please click on the link  www.karoncunningham.com

Now I’ve got the 1^st show of the year under my belt, I’m looking forward to the next one which will be The Arnhem show on 28^th March 2011.

My shop is a beautiful building set on Robert Adam’s magnificent Pulteney Bridge over the River Avon just by the Weir. Bath is a really big tourist town with people visiting from all over the world, an obvious place to sell souvenirs. I started by adding a few miniature pieces in the window and was surprised the interest that it raised. To cut a long story down to size, I now have a first floor show room with a massive open fronted display dolls house and glass cabinets down both sides just full of miniature pieces that have caught my eye!

Little did I know that five years ago when I bought the shop that I would end up so deeply involved in the former hobby that I had previously pursued in my spare time, but I am so pleased that I did!

A major part of my business that has developed over the past five years have been the shows, I attend. Miniatura at the NEC and the Kensington Dolls house festival in London are my regular British shows where I display a varied mix of British, European and American makers pieces to the UK collectors who have so enthusiastically attended and been such a pleasure to meet, and even more of a pleasure to provide a unique or unusual piece for their collection.

I also regularly display at Arnhem, Madrid, Farum (Denmark),  Paris, and Milan. I also Visit the USA as a buyer although the 2010 Chicago show was ruined by the volcanic eruption and Philadelphia by an unexpected and very unwelcome illness that put me out of action for several weeks!

I carry many well known makers work from the UK such as David Booth, Carol Mann, Alan Barnes, Sarah Hendry, Victoria Fasken, John Hodgson, Sue Popely, Susan Lee, Chris Sturgess Lief, Tim, Colin &  Yvonne Roberson, David Watton, Victor Pain, David & Helen Greenwood, Lucy Askew,  Rosalind Mercy, Veronica Ann Pickup, Sue Harrington, Anne Lucas, June Wright, Phil Geyner, Annie Willis, Gail Tucker, Tony Knott, Susan Bembridge, Bob Willians, Richard Stacey, if I have left anyone out I apologise.

From South Africa Klaas Schultz. From Spain Victoria Guerbos, Anna Filipe, Monserrat Folch and Jose Gomez and from France Zara Ribeaud and Veronique Cornish, from Germany Sybille Schwandt  and Engelhard Schmitt,  Lara Copper From Tasmania, Vicky Sanfield From USA, Wills Werson and Dolores van Akker from Holland and adding more individual artists every month.

My next show is in Madrid on 25^th February, followed by the Church in Arnhem on 26^th March. I would love to meet you at either of these venues or at my Shop on Pulteney Bridge in Bath should you get the opportunity to visit. Contact me at minis@karoncunningham.com or on my mobile 00447867522162. If I can help locate your special miniature item, please do let me know.