returning and some

I've just realized that I've not been here since 2013, in fact I'd forgotten I ever started it but perhaps it's time to re learn how to do it.

Three years later I'm astounded by how much has changed in our miniature world and how I want to resist those changes. Then I have a go and I'm all exited again, I'm of the generation that says I'm not able to learn new things particularly with computers and want to brag I'm illiterate when it comes to that. What phooey, of course I can learn new things, I just have to learn how to read the instructions and, in desperate times, ask for help. Like many I know I look at a page of instructions and then read the first part of the first sentence and then automatically scan down diagonally to the last sentence avoiding all the details, then I say it's too complicated and don't make an attempt.

In class in Denmark I'm always amazed by the Norwegians because they astound me with another way of reading instructions. Everyone gets a series of worksheets but it's only the Norwegians who read all the way through from the first page till the last and then......this is the weird bit.......go back to page one and then pick up the clay and follow what I've suggested they do. It must be the way they get taught in school but it fascinates me how they can do it.

So, two years ago I was chatting to the fabulous Penny Thomson www.penny-thomson.co.uk and she told me she'd set up an Etsy online shop, then confessed that her daughter had helped her. So, without a handy daughter around, I was never going to be able to do it. Till last Tuesday that is, I was about to go out and thought I'd just give myself ten minutes to see what it was all about. Ten minutes later I've nearly set it up and it was much easier that I'd ever projected - and that's my problem, projecting on a negative outcome - I came back later and finished setting it up. The next morning I took photographs of my work, learned how to upload - or should that be download? - them and started the store. Ten hours later the first figure sold, whoo it works! Went out the following morning to get the post box and bubble wrap to come home to find three more had sold. So had to go and get more boxes, yes, I know I could have checked the emails first but I didn't. Later three more had sold so I now have to take more pictures and put them on.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Jamescarringtondolls is where you'll find it, there's some tweeking to do, but thanks to other miniaturists friends who are guiding me I'll get round to it and blow me it's such fun. Another chance to teach an old dog new tricks.

IGMA KENSINGTON WORKSHOPS

Now we're all up and running for the new IGMA Kensington workshops in conjunction with The Kensington Dollshouse Festival.

Reservations and payment for classes can be done securely through the IGMA website www.igma.org via credit cards of PayPal where you'll also find the class descriptions and photographs of the workshops.

Classes will be held at the Kensington Close Hotel and class sizes will be limited so an early booking is recommended

Castine is over and now it's on to Denmark for Miniature iTune but there's some breaking news about next year!

At last the word international in International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) comes true. In the week preceding the May Kensington Dollshouse Festival IGMA will host a group of three day workshops at the Kensington Close Hotel.

Teachers are to be Bill Robertson, wood and metal working, Geoff Wonnacott, furniture, Annelle Ferguson and Pat Richards, needlework and myself teaching doll making.

All of us have taught for many years in Castine and this is a golden opportunity to discover what The Guild has to offer.

No need to join The Guild and you'll be able to pay for the classes via the KDF website later this year when all the plans are finalized, thanks to Charlotte's support for this new, exciting venture.

brokers

For anyone traveling to sell their work in Philadelphia and Chicago, we've found out the legitimate way to do it. Thanks to Karon Cunningham, a life saver!

It's really easy, once you've done it. You give them power of attorney, a really confusing form until you've found out what to fill in, an inventory of what you're carrying, your flight details and a supporter in The States. The whole thing costs around $250 and that'll include the duty fee for your goods, but if you want the broker to meet you at passport control it costs another $100, but well worth it for the first time at least.

For Chicago

Contact Dawna Moore on ISF@vandegriftinc.com she's so helpful.

For Philadelphia

Contact Micheal Rowles on mrowles@djrlogistics.com again really helpful.

Whoo Hoo!

Get this, a whole new look to the Blog....thanks to Evelyne Martin, my wonder on the web. How come young people know so much?

Mind you, come the day the batteries die and the power goes out, us old ones will still be able to pick up a pencil without instruction, not that I'm looking forward to that day coming soon but it just might and then it'll be our turn.

Bless her heart though, and if you're looking for help she's definitely the one to turn too, see what I mean, I stabbed the wrong key and got the calculator, darned thing, I never trust them but rather rely in mental arithmetic  thank's to Miss Wright in junior school who did a test on that every Friday afternoon before she ended with a story. It was the story that got us to 'suffer' the test, and that's from someone who's baffled by numbers.

You can contact Evelyne through Facebook or through her contact form.

Back On Track

Whoopee! Now, with the help of Evelyne Martin, my new website is up and running and it's all systems go.
www.jamescarringtondolls.com will find all you need to know, and see, about the current range of figures ready for Chicago International. So looking forward to seeing everybody there.

Then it's back for The Kensington Dollhouse Festival on May 11th and 12th before I get on another plane for The IGMA Guild School in Castine, Maine. A full class there too with old, and new friends to teach my new method of sculpting the 1.12th scale figures. Thank goodness I've had a try out for that and, to my surprise, it worked wonderfully. The method is so practical and, almost, foolproof.

This will make Miniature iTune, Denmark a really relaxed class in July. www.miniatureitune.com have all the details. Don't worry there's an English version there too, in fact English is spoken better in Scandinavia, it seems, than at home. Added to that their sense of humour is brilliant.

What a wonderful start to this new year.

Fabulous Fabrics and Tantalising Trimmings

Yes, dear Duffy, our very persuasive show organiser, has talked me into doing it again. You don't dare say no to Duffy!

A private bus will take us into Mahattan and we'll get to shop in the best stores in the garment district, meet the wonderful and knowlegable owners and even get to have lunch (at your expense) before the bus whisks us back to show off all the goodies.

This tour is very popular and has a limited number of students so don't hestitate, go to www.igma.org click on the Show Page and get ready to walk into heaven.