Important Announcement

As many of you will know, my chum and partner  Celia Thomas (KT MIniatures) has recently undergone surgery and is now recuperating. As happens sometimes this is taking rather longer than anticipated.

In the light of this we have reluctantly decided that in fairness to everyone to POSTPONE our next scheduled Workshop - 'The Little Vintage Hall - The Other Room'.

The original date for this was September 9th and at present I am hoping to rearrange to 28th October - the venue and other arrangements remain the same and we very much hope that those participants who are booked will be able to come on this proposed new date.

It has also been decided to CANCEL the Workshop  - 'What's On in the Little Vintage Hall' - arranged For 21st October, also in The Thame Girl Guide Headquarters. We are really sorry about this, but it seems a sensible decision before further bookings are taken. All participants on this and other workshops are being contacted via our regular Newsletter which has just been sent out.
Our website has now been amended but I hope that in any case you'll enjoy visiting this  - seeing what we've all been creating and what is planned.

Celia has received many kind messages and I'd like to thank you all on her behalf.

While my chum is 'off duty' - could I please ask you to Contact ME direct on robin.britton.uk@btinternet.com with any queries or enquiries. Further details are also on the website.
If you try and contact us through the website or KT Miniatures - you won't get a reply I'm afraid, until she's back up and bouncing, which hopefully won't be too long.
Many thanks for your patience and your continued interest in our work.

Robin
Email..........:robin.britton.uk@btinternet.com

BOOKING NOW OPEN FOR OUR CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!

We are delighted to announce that we have just released details and booking for our all day Christmas Special Workshop that is to take place at Thame Girl Guide HQ in Thame, Oxfordshire on Saturday 24th November 2012.  The workshop is to be called...

WHEN FATHER PAPERED THE PARLOUR....THE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

If you listen to this little video you will be able to hear the famous Australian Billy Williams sing this c1910 song.

This project consists of an MDF base with a back plus two side walls and a chimney breast. You will be shown how to fix wooden skirting, picture rails, make a magnificent Edwardian wooden fireplace (with mock tiles), make your own wallpaper and partly paper your room just like father, floorboards in a new technique not shown in our workshops before, a crate (for father to stand on), a brush, a paper hanger's pail of paste, scissors, a table, Edwardian Christmas cards and a box of Christmas decorations tumbling out. 

This is a versatile project and you do not have to set it at Christmas or indeed have it as a part decorated room.....you can wallpaper the entire room if you wish.

This will be great fun to do and numbers will have to be limited....so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. You can bring your own lunch or walk up to Thame High Street and experience one of our wonderful many eating places available. Tea and coffee will be readily available all day in return for a voluntary donation to Breast Cancer Campaign.

The workshop will begin at 10.00 and end at 4.00.

For full details and a downloadable booking form, please click on the now live promotional page on our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops website.

http://www.miniatureworkshops.com/When_Father_Papered_The_Parlour_%20The_Week_Before_Christmas_Workshop.html

PLEASE REMEMBER AS PER OUR PREVIOUS LISTING, CELIA IS NOW OUT OF REACH FOR A FEW WEEKS WHILST SHE HAS SOME SURGERY,  SO FOR THE MOMENT PLEASE CONTACT ROBIN  FOR ALL BOOKINGS OR ENQUIRIES.

THANK YOU

You can contact Robin on:

robin.britton.uk@btinternet.com

Tel: 01844 213022

Lots To Tell You About Our Workshops!

Ok.....for those of you who do not receive our Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops Newsletter....you can catch up with our latest workshop news on here. To say that both of us have been working our little socks off behind the workshop scenes lately is an understatement.

But first....

A MESSAGE FROM CELIA

Those of you who follow my KT Miniatures website will have seen that as from June 30th, I'm shutting temporarily for a few weeks whilst I undergo some surgery plus consequently undertake some downtime after in order to recuperate. However I have every intention of being back again as soon as possible by the beginning of August, if not before. It does mean that I will not only be offline throughout July but uncontactable by phone too....therefore please direct all communication about our workshops to Robin.

Many thanks

Celia

Robin's Email Address: robin.britton.uk@btinternet.com

SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP - THE LITTLE VINTAGE HALL.....THE OTHER ROOM!

ONLY 2 SPACES REMAINING

We are delighted to say that the prototype for this next little project is now complete and we are beginning to turn our attention to making up the kits. A great deal of thought has gone into how this project is put together in order for participants to find it easy and enjoyable. The is project is actually quite versatile and varied choices can be made at several stages of the construction so you can make this to suit your needs.

Through an arched window a painted 3D view will be seen.  The flooring is a unique 1930s mock lino created especially and exclusively for this project however if you wish to have floorboards instead then materials will be provided for those too.

The sliding doors do actually slide.

For those of you who wish to set this scene in wartime, we will show you how to tape up the windows WW2 style plus include blackout material with curtains.

This is an utterly unique project that can be attached to the previous project of The Little Vintage Hall if wished. Alternatively if you have not attended the previous workshop, this project can stand alone as a little scene in its own right.

CURRENTLY WE  ONLY HAVE JUST 2 SPACES LEFT.

PLEASE CONTACT ROBIN IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND....PLUS FOR MORE DETAILS INCLUDING A DOWNLOADABLE BOOKING FORM, PLEASE SEE THE PROMOTIONAL WEBPAGE.

CLICK HERE

OCTOBER WORKSHOP.....WHAT'S ON IN THE LITTLE VINTAGE HALL?

BOOKING HAS JUST OPENED...CURRENTLY HAVE 19 SPACES AVAILABLE

We are delighted to announce that booking for this October workshop is now open. Although this is a perfect project to end The Little Vintage Hall Series on, the project is suitable for anyone who has never participated in any of our workshops before as these components are versatile enough to be used in a variety of settings.   

We will be giving you materials and teaching you how to make a 1930s tea urn, two wooden trestle tables, real fabric bunting, a card table and blackboard. Plus you wil be making two loose mock cardboard table tops with cloths and given ideas to create a whole variety of scenes.

We can accomodate up to 18-20 people for this workshop which is more component based therefore less intense so if there is a group of friends who wish to attend en masse....we may be able to accomodate you. 

FOR MORE DETAILS INCLUDING A DOWNLOADABLE BOOKING FORM, PLEASE SEE THE PROMOTIONAL WEBPAGE.

CLICK HERE

NEW DATE!!! April 7th..... For Our 2013 All Day Waterperry Gardens Workshop

At last we have been able to provisionally book the 7th April 2012 for our next all day workshop at Waterperry Gardens. Please note that this date is currently provisional but we hope to have written confirmation any day now. At the moment we are still in the early stages of planning the project but in order to tempt you....let's just say that we will be moving outdoors again....we think you'll like it!

As before, spaces will be limited to 20. If you would like to place your name on a short list and register your interest in attending, then please contact Robin asap. Details will appear on the website very soon. Already, we only have a potential of 14 spaces left....as 6 people have reserved spaces.

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ROBIN

AND FINALLY.....VIDEO OF OUR FOUR LITTLE VINTAGE GARDEN PROJECTS

Here you can enjoy a view of all four Little Vintage Garden projects all together. Please put your speakers on to enjoy the music too.....

STOP PRESS!! COMING VERY SHORTLY (IN A COUPLE OF DAYS) FULL DETAILS INCLUDING DOWNLOADABLE BOOKING FORM FOR OUR ALL DAY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL WORKSHOP IN THAME ON SATURDAY 24TH NOVEMBER.......WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

Looking Back at the Old Garden Shed...and gardens

One of the nicest things for all of us, is that we can never truly say that our miniature projects are finished.....and it's true of all the gardens and garden sheds that have been completed thus by our lovely participants in the Nostalgia In Miniature Workshops.

So every now and again we are thrilled when another picture arrives in our inbox to discover that one of the little gardens has grown a clump of holly hocks....or a  series of paths now links three gardens and a shed....a bird has flown in or bulbs are being planted.  The garden sheds are so individual too, reflecting perhaps a keen interest in gardening or an old chap's shed with the odd chair in need of repair and his tools to hand.

The sheds themselves are in various states of dilapidation...there are patched and mossy corrugated roofs and beautifully aged, crumbling woodwork - in a number of colours and scruffiness. All the attendees have both excelled themselves - and perhaps surprised themselves.

The old adage - you don't know what you can do until you try - is demonstrated at each workshop.
Special thanks to Julie, Karen,Alison and Maggie for providing such splendid photographs of their beautiful creations and allowing us to share them with you. Sadly it isn't possible to use all the photographs that are so kindly sent to us, but we endeavour to show more on the website and will have more on the Blog another time.

The most recent Workshop - The Little Vintage Hall- was another lively and successful afternoon and we shared very different techniques in creating a unique old village hall set in the late 1930s/early 1940s. We're hoping to have some super pictures of this one up soon!

A hint of things to come...............

The follow up workshop to The Little Vintage Hall is The Other Room  -  just that - a smaller room that can added to the hall or stand alone. It isn't necessary to have done the first workshop to take part in this one and there are still a couple of places available for booking.

The workshop is on 9th September at Thame Girl Guiding Headquarters in Thame. All the details for this one and the next two workshops to be held this year are on our NOSTALGIA IN MINIATURE website...as are lots of pictures!

Meanwhile - we are 'distempering' old walls and laying the lino ready for the next workshop prototype......and what fun it will be too......photos coming shortly.

The Little Vintage Hall Workshop - Last Sunday!

On a very wet and blustery day, the very first workshop in our new theme of The Little Vintage Hall kicked off at Thame Girlguiding HQ. Due to severe gales and torrential rain, we had been told that damage had been done to the roof, and to expect buckets and bowls catching the drips in the kitchen area. So it was with some trepidation that we arrived to prepare for the workshop....but all was well and the drips were contained.

Everyone enthusiastically launched into the project, working at their own pace and getting their hands very dirty!

With newly learnt skills and techniques of cardboard floorboards, aging walls etc.....participants produced some impressive halls that looked like they had been around for decades! Then at the end, everyone could take their projects, with the remainder of their kits and instructions to complete at home in their own time.

Do let us have photos of your completed projects ladies - we would love to see them!

As always, we created a little sales table with various miniatures to look at and buy, and  used some of our own period memorabilia to provide a backdrop.

And finally.......we are pleased to announce that a wonderful £34.25 has been raised from the Breast Cancer Campaign Raffle & refreshments. Thank you ladies as always, for your wonderful generosity!

OUR NEXT WORKSHOP....

Our next workshop and second project in this theme will take place on September 9th.  Booking has now opened and spaces are already being snapped up quickly  for...

The Little Vintage Hall....The Other Room

We currently have just 4 spaces remaining so if you would like to book, please do get in touch asap.

Celia & Robin

Setting The Scene in The Little Village Hall

Our first workshop featuring the 'Little Vintage Hall' is this Sunday at our lovely Thame venue - The Thame Girl Guide Headquarters. And as we try to 'set the scene' like we do for all our workshops, this time we have been looking at our own collections of 1930s/40s bits and bobs for inspiration.

We are both passionate about the pre-war period style in furniture, fabrics and 'objet', let alone the wealth of ephemera that has survived - you can see that we have quite a lot to draw on.

    How to Make You Room Secure for Air Raids

Our hall is not a domestic setting of course but the style of decoration, furnishing and contents will be in keeping with the surroundings of the local homes and lives of the inhabitants.

Our imaginary rural village is not rich by any means so no doubt in times of 'make do and mend',  woodworking instructional books such as The Handyman In The Home, Practical Handywork For All and publications such as Handicrafts or Hobbies would have featured in many a shed or bookshelf.

                                           

By the late 1930s it was clear that war was inevitable so preparations were in hand; while the gardens were filled with perhaps more vegetables than flowers, the annual Gardening Society Show went ahead as always in our little imaginary village!

Ladies considered how to keep up with the latest trends on slim budgets. Many more ladies and girls sewed and embroidered beautifully - both from necessity as well as for pleasure. Then, just as now, there was great enjoyment from creating a charming and attractive home with many beautiful items that continue to please us all these years later.

No tv's, iPods or computers back then - oh no siree!  Children's books and toys were so rather different to now.  Many of these old 1930s treasures are still a delight,  giving great insight and information about eras that are long gone.

The Little Vintage Hall....The Other Room Workshop will be an additional little room that can be added onto our old hall in the next workshop after the summer. Booking for this September workshop will open on Sunday.  Then we shall be exploring the variety of social events and activities in October's workshop which goes by the title of  .......What's On In The Little Vintage Hall....great fun! More info about that workshop coming shortly.

You can keep up to date with all the goings on in The Little Vintage Hall on both this blog and on our Nostalgia In Miniature Website  where you will find booking details and information about future (and past) workshops.

As always, we are very much looking forward to Sunday's workshop and seeing not only familiar faces but some new ones too. Let's hope the April showers ease off a little and that the sun can shine a little.

Celia & Robin

The Little Vintage Hall Workshop Photos At Last!

The Little Vintage Hall Workshop photos are now ready to show you and preparations for our next workshop are well into full swing. This project has been great fun to do and hope you like it too.

Participants will be making an old Victorian hall with polished floorboards and panelling decorated in a choice of fashionable colours (aged of course) from the 1930s.

This is the 1/12th scale version.

This is the 1/24th scale version.

 They will be making a noticeboard, coat rail etc. and as we have chosen to add WW2 ephemera to our prototypes, these will be available too.

The notice board is full of information as you can see above in the 1/12th scale version.

For those of you who are attending this workshop, we have amended the list of items that you need to bring on the day.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Details of future workshops on this same theme will be coming soon.

"BY HECK.....THEY AIN'T HALF MADE A MESS!", SAYS FAG ASH LIL.

"I GOT NO-ONE TO PLAY WITH!" SAYS BILLY NO MATES.

WATERPERRY WORKSHOP GALLERY NOW LIVE ON THE WEBSITE

Just to say that at last the Old Shed Gallery is now live on the website. We have added images of our shed prototypes plus a slide show of photos taken at the workshop on the day, that was held at Waterperry Gardens.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

Celia & Robin

PS. Our little helper!!!!