GETTING BOOZY AND STUFFED!
Welcome to the news blog keeping you up to date on what is happening right now in Dee-Daw land!
To explain the title of this post before anyone gets upset! …over the last couple of weeks I have been busy making several bars, bar buffets and drinks cabinets – followed by a large quantity of kitchen tables – so the headline to this post is quite apt!
The good news is that although most of the pieces were custom made orders I did manage to get some pieces made for stock – and they are now available in the shop.
(ABOVE) Both the bar buffet (based on my Eldon dining buffet) and the fireplace were to go in the home of a gentleman who would seem to live a very comfortable life!
There are more details about how the fire above was deconstructed and reconstructed on the JUST FINISHED section of the INSPIRATION page. The lady sitting in her pink four poster bedroom was another recent favourite especially with her boxes of hat and shoe shopping surrounding her – ‘Hashtag goals’ as my daughter would say!
I have just updated my 3D Printing blog with some pictures of my development work on commissions for Torchere light fittings. I have produced cherub figures standing on Corinthian style plinths which I will then connect to 3 arm candelabra to create working floor standing lights. See the 3D Printing blog for more details.
I have also been working on developing my own very large picture frames (pictured left above) to go alongside the standard size ones I usually have at shows. I have now added some of my standard size pictures (pictured right above) to the SMALL STUFF section of the shop and will follow with some large ones once I get them made! Standard frames are 60 x70mm and my large ones will be around 90x100mm.
Thats just about it for this post, but I have been doing things behind the scenes on the website which will make it quicker and easier for me to post – so hopefully you can look forward to more news more often! (and mailed out to you when you subscribe to Dee-Daw Designs).
BUSY NOT DOING NOTHING!!!!!!!
Welcome to the news page keeping you up to date on what is happening right now in Dee-Daw land!
Each new blog entry appears here, with the previous posts available below it – so the very latest news is always the first thing you see!
TIME FLIES….
20/08/2020 I am so busy at the moment – but in the current environment, being busy is something I am grateful for – and to be honest I have been working on some fabulous new commissions which have made the time fly!
At the moment the waiting list for a commission placed now would be about 2-3 months, but I am reliably assured by those who have received their orders, that it’s worth it!
Another benefit of doing commissions, is that I have been creating a lot of new ornaments and decorative pieces which I probably would not have done if not for my commission work, and these pieces then get incorporated into stock items in the online shop – in fact I have just updated the shop with some ‘refills’ and some new buffets and dressers which feature these new ornaments.
Because of the large amount of commissions and stock just completed, I have also massively expanded the JUST FINISHED section on the website (find it on the INSPIRATION page) it is now packed with more and bigger pictures of things so new the paint is only just dry!
I absolutely love my new 3D printed ornaments – at the moment they are just for use on my stock furniture and commissions, but I will eventually sell them as sets in different colours. In the meantime, I have just added two of the buffets below to my shop, in the BUFFETS & CABINETS section.
I really enjoyed making some new figurine and bird ornaments recently and so made a few extra and created these two one-off dressers to showcase them. There are only the two, one mink/cream with hand painted floral decoration and one mahogany with gilt decoration. Both have just been added to my shop in the in the BUFFETS & CABINETS section.
DOWNLOAD DELIGHTS
The new FREE downloads page in the MAKES & ADVICE section of the website seems to be proving popular, and so I have just added the second one – pretty gift or shop boxes – You can find the document to download cunningly disguised on the DOWLOADS page in the MAKES & ADVICE section – enjoy!
SHOWS
With some lockdown easing taking place, I have been asked recently about what shows I will be doing, and I wanted to take this opportunity to ask for an opinion.
At the moment I should be attending York and Kensington in November. These shows (under current guidelines) would have to be socially distanced (so probably fewer stalls) and both visitors and stallholders wearing masks, and limited numbers of customers at each stand. How do you feel about this? Would you still want to attend a show under such restrictions?
I would really appreciate some opinions back to get a feel for what the ‘new normal’ should be. Please get in touch by replying to this email or using the contact form on the website – Thanks.
…AND ANOTHER THING
I have also had a couple of people get in touch recently to ask if I know where they could get their dolls houses valued – either for sale or insurance. And to be honest I haven’t a clue, but if you know of a company that does, please let me know and I’ll add the details to the website.
GARDEN STATUES
With everyone still in lockdown in one form or another – either isolating or just not able to go anywhere, many people now have immaculate gardens – and this seems to have crossed over into miniatures too! I have just completed a set of almost life size (1:12 doll life size) garden statues which I am really chuffed with. I was thinking about what other uses they could be put to and I remembered my trip to Chatsworth house (pre covid-19) and the gallery of statues and how they were also used on the grand staircases. Some of the huge (dolls) houses my customers have told me about – and shown me pictures of, would be perfect to house some – I even have a Roman emperor I have not yet printed out if anyone wants one….
That just about brings me to the end of this blog, but check out the updates on the rest of the Dee-Daw Designs website for more new bits and bobs and stock in the shop!
ORNAMENTS GALORE!
Welcome to the news page keeping you up to date on what is happening right now in Dee-Daw land!
Each new blog entry appears here, with the previous posts available below it – so the very latest news is always the first thing you see!
JUST FINISHED…
20/07/2020 I have updated the JUST FINISHED section on the INSPIRATION page but wanted to expand on the pieces shown. The first is a Wedgewood china version of my Harewood fireplace. I love the classic blue and white of Wedgewood china and the style of the Harewood fireplace ties in to period beautifully – so I was really pleased to get the commission. I found it a bit of a challenge to paint the urns but think they’ve come out really well, and I’d love to do more – so if you like Wedgewood you know where to come!
I love my job! I also love Limoges China, so this garniture, made for the fireplace below, let me go mad with the blue and gold paint! All 5 pieces are 3D printed.
DOWNLOADS LIVE & KDF ONLINE SHOW
Welcome to the news page keeping you up to date on what is happening right now in Dee-Daw land!
16/07/20 I am so excited, I have just added my first download sheet to this new website! – visit the MAKES & ADVICE section, and go onto the DOWNLOADS Page for more details.
I am aiming to have new sheets available monthly, and this will eventually form a useful library of things to make, across a broad range of subjects.
(a few of the items from the sheet are shown made up so you get a better idea of the finished effect).
The downloads are all things I design myself to go on my dressed furniture, so each piece has been used refined and tweaked before it makes it to the download sheet!
Sheets will also contain a panel on how to make up the cutouts and how to add to them for maximum effect and dressing tips.
KDF ONLINE SHOW – OPENS TOMORROW!
The Organisers of the Kensington Dollshouse festival are creating an online show (11am on Friday 17th July until 5pm on Sunday 19th July). I am taking part in this, with a page on the show site. I am offering all show visitors a 10% off coupon for ANY purchase of stock items in the new Dee-Daw Designs online shop. Simply visit the Dee-Daw Designs page on the showcase website, get the coupon code, and shop! (don’t forget to add the code during the checkout process!)
Visit: https://www.dollshouseshowcase.com for the online showcase event.
WEBSITE IMPROVEMENTS
Since the launch of this new site and shop last week, I have been working behind the scenes to add various improvements, and you will now find sub menus on the INSPIRATION and MAKES & ADVICE tabs at the top the every page to make it easier to navigate about. I have also added a ‘WHATS NEW THIS WEEK’ section to the home page so you can see at a glance where the hot stuff is and go straight to it!
I will keep adding content, and features over the coming weeks – so keep checking this blog to find out out whats happening!
NEWS BLOG
Welcome to my first blog – I have no idea what a blog is, but am assured that a) this is one and b) all good websites have one!
Each new blog entry appears here, with the previous posts available to view using the arrows at the bottom of the page – so the very latest news is always the first thing you see!
10 JULY 2020 – So, the big news for my first post is this site!
I had to take a time off from making orders, as I needed to move my website or loose it (my old website host was closing down it’s hosting business) so I just had to bite the bullet and get it done.
I am really pleased with the results and am sooooo happy to have a working shop AT LAST! (Although it would have been nice to have more stock available to put in it!)
Of course, this is a work in progress and I have only had a three weeks to create a brand new website from scratch with little in the way of computer skills to do it (I’d like to thank my wonderful hubby for his help at this point!) I am getting there, but only have one pair of hands – so please stick with me until I get fully up and running with it.
In creating the new website I set out to make something that would be a one-stop shop for dolls house lovers everywhere, with plain speaking and honest advice with an interesting, if not Heath Robinson approach to problem solving! With fun projects to make and interesting background articles (see the RANDOM THOUGHTS page) – Basically I set out to create a website I would want to visit time and again.
One of the most fun parts to make was the The Gallery page, featuring themed albums of pictures from my last 10 years of making miniatures. I never realised I had made so many things! More albums will follow soon – I need a Theatre Royal gallery and I think some of the pictures from the shows I attend would be fun too (even if its just nostalgia for pre Covid -19 times!)
The most interactive section has to be the makes and advice – I have started up a new ASK JULIE page because I have so many people getting in touch to chat over their (miniature) problems – I love it, and its great to give back by posting the most interesting ones on the Q&A page – it lets you know you are not alone and other people out there are having the same problems!
I am looking forward to putting more MINI PROJECTS on – and especially with FREE downloads so you can print and make the accessories yourself -although I still have to get my finger out and add the downloads for the No sew, sewing scene! (and with my spare hand as they say..)
Quick Tour…
Take a look below at just some of the things you can find on the new site. This random selection shows pieces of stock, commission pieces projects and a chandelier!
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Other News…
Apart from working on the new website I have been incredibly busy since lockdown hit and people turned to doing their dolls houses. A combination of big orders from dealers in America and a rush to buy in lockdown, (you’d think I was selling loo rolls!) means that although I have a shiny new shop I have little stock left to go in it – and little time to make more as I work my way through my orders list! However – I am starting to make headway and will gradually build up the shop stock over time until it is full to bursting (in my dreams!) – If something you like in the shop is out of stock you can click a button to receive an email when its available again.
My love/hate relationship continues with my 3D printer now that I make all my own dolls, the range is ever expanding – See the SHOP/PEOPLE page for my current crowd! I am also branching into Dresden China style chandeliers and light fittings, and hope soon to expand my range of accessories to include ornament sets. There is a 3D printing GALLERY page and a whole section dedicated to it on the INSPIRATION page.
SHOWS: at the moment I cannot confirm I will be attending any shows in 2020. If the lockdown easing continues and shows get the green light I plan to attend York and Kensington in November. The Autumn Miniatura show has yet to confirm if it is happening (I expect to hear at the end of August). However I am taking part in the Kensington Online show later this month. (See below).
SPECIAL 10% off shop OFFER…
The Organisers of the Kensington Dollshouse festival are creating an online show (11am on Friday 17th July until 5pm on Sunday 19th July). I am taking part in this, with a page on the show site. I am offering all show visitors a 10% off coupon for ANY purchase of stock items in the new Dee-Daw Designs online shop. Simply visit the Dee-Daw page on the showcase website, get the coupon, and shop! Visit: www.dollshousefestival.com and look for the online showcase event.
So there it is, my first blog over and done with, thanks for tuning in to the show, I’m off now to finish the website pages I’ve not done yet, make commissions, make stock, and if you give me a brush…..