5 comments about Dollhouse Furnishings for the Bedroom and Bath: Complete Instructions for Sewing and Making 44 Miniature Projects (Dover Needlework).

1. Most of the content of this book is common sense. If you care enough to search out a book about building miniatures, you've probably already given it enough thought to figure out that you can cut a robe shape out of terrycloth and sew it together for the bathroom, or use sandwich bags for shower curtains. I was very excited waiting for this book to arrive, but wound up returning it.
   
   The ideas aren't BAD, but they're not worth paying for. Vaunted as being written by an individual famed for museum displays in miniature, I expected more details than the rather crude interpretations in the book. Certainly one loses detail in working with 1/12 scale, but even the photos of the samples in the book show poorly chosen, out of scale trim. (The eyelet on the edge of the towels is a prime example.)
   
   Surprisingly, the old children's book "Boxed-In Doll Houses" [...] is a better source for innovative ideas. Certainly you would not want to actually USE a stryrofoam cup for a chair, but given the idea, you could use said cup as a base for forming a polymer clay or woven reed one. All the projects made with cardboard boxes could easily be converted into wooden ones with minimal woodworking skill. See if your library has it, or consider picking up a used copy.



2. This is one of the best books I have purchased as a beginning miniaturist ever. It covers the "nuts to bolts" on how to create just about everything in the bedroom and bath...my only regret...I haven't found a book for the other rooms! I would recommend this book to anyone from the beginner to the pro's.



3. This book would be good for someone just starting out in the miniature "world." Most experienced collectors figured these things out as a child. Great book for a child! Or, if you're just starting out, you need this to get very basic information.



4. If you're looking for something to guide you through the basic steps of sewing a bedspread, mini quilt, 1:12 scale pillows, etc., this book will be a great help. If you are one who is very much into seeing color photos of the finished projects, you may be disappointed. This book definitely lacked in the picture department. There were so few pictures and I think instructional books ought to illustrate the steps of each project, not just the overall finished piece. Anyway, I would rate this one as good, but I can't say great. Also, it's a bit dated for my taste. You can sort of tell it's an older book just by looking at the cover. It would be nice if this book was re-published in a revised edition.



5. Upon receiving the book, I was disappointed. One, I paid too much for it, two, it was on the level of a child. True I am an immature, but even I was able to create the furniture shown "when" I was a child. Alas, we live and learn.

3 comments about A Collector's Handbook of Miniature Perfume Bottles: Minis, Mates and More.

1. This book is more than a colledtor's handbook, it is my bible. It has brought great joy to my life, I don't know which is more fun-finding my miniatures to purchase or coming home and finding them in Jeri Lyn Ringblums' book. I would purchase any of her work!!!!The color,detail,information about each miniature perfume bottle is wonderful.I would suggest to anyone to buy 2 of her books at a time because the first one will get worn out. Such fun to wear out a Book.



2. This is a great book for all collectors of minis. It has good photographs and information. Best of all, the prices are next to the pictures. This saves a lot of time when looking up many bottles at once.



3. This book has become my "Collector's bible" since purchase.
   The information is concise, informative and the photos are sharp and clear.An excellent book for beginners and established collectors alike because it deals with modern bottles available world wide.
   The launch dates are a great asset for those who catalogue and date their collection and the price guide enables buyers to keep perspective when bidding or buying.
   One small problem is the indexing which in places is incorrect.

5 comments about Oriental Carpets in Miniature: Charted Designs for Needlepoint or What You Will.

1. I adore this book. While I have owned it for a few years, I have only recently begun to create some of the rugs featured in the book. In the interim, I've enjoyed reading the history of the rugs, looking at the beautiful pictures as well as appreciating the complexity of the designs.

   Last but not least, I have also been grateful for Frank Cooper's attitude towards the projects. It is apparent that he does not expect you to slavishly follow his charts to the last detail. If you feel like making some color or design changes of your own, then go ahead. He certainly felt free to make changes as he worked the rugs (after charting them) and he tells the reader all about it in each write-up.




2. This is the book you've been looking for if you want to make pillows, footstools or "whatever" for a room that would welcome orientals. The reproductions are beautiful, the charts are clear. I just love it!



3. I don't do needlepoint but used one of the Persian rug charts for a bead knit bag. The charts are big, no small projects here, but they are striking and wonderfully detailed. Really striking color photos.



4. This book is a wonderful introduction not just to making miniature rugs in needlepoint, but also to the subject of Oriental rugs. Each of the 24 rugs is well-photographed so that you can appreciate the detail of the original weaver's design. There is also a clear pattern for use in doing your design that will copy clearly, as well as suggested colors to authentically recreate the design. But the author also provides commentary on the history, themes and features in the rugs he included so that the reader also learns something about what makes these rugs repre- sentatives of the cultures of their makers. I really enjoyed this book!



5. I couldn't resist this book! I love oriental carpets, but of course they're expensive and require a lot of space. This way I can have the designs I love, in miniature. The rugs he chose are lovely, and the designs easy to follow, plus he provides the color numbers for the yarn if you want to use his colors. (This is particularly nice if you live overseas like I do and need to order the yarn.) I would have liked some hints on how to come up with designs for other rugs, but it's easy to figure out by looking at his designs. The book is obviously for a niche market, but if you like oriental carpets and needlepoint, I doubt there's anything out there quite like this.

1 comments about Modeling Weapons and Accessories for Military Miniature.

1. My anxiously awaited copy arrived in the afternoon mail and feeling like a kid on Christmas morning, I eagerly devoured it -- and was left feeling rather like I'd unwrapped Aunt Millie's gift to find... three pairs of socks; useful perhaps, but not quite what I'd hoped for.
   The book consists of 64 pages of clear, close-up color photos with explanatory text. We are walked, step by step, through the construction of five projects: a "Trapdoor Springfield" rifle, a Colt "Peacemaker" revolver, a saber, a cartridge pouch and a drum. In each and every case, the section concludes with a photo of "The completed (item), primed and ready for painting."
   The modeling techniques portrayed here are all rather basic for anyone who has done any 'scratchbuilding' at all and the entire reason I purchased this book was for information on realistically rendering the details of surface colors and textures.
   "Modeling", to my mind, certainly includes "painting" -- finishing the project -- and I was left with the impression that I had bought the first half of the book I'd expected.
   Weapons, particularly firearms, and particularly well-used and not-ideally-maintained firearms such as might be found in the hands of a cavalryman or cowpoke of the Wild West in the latter half of the 19th Century (the very weapons modeled in this book), provide an interesting melange of surface texture and coloration. I had anticipated detailed discussion of how to simulate the look of a weathered, battered, oil-finished walnut gunstock, the subtle gradations of color in metal surfaces when most of the original factory blued finish (or the peacock colors of casehardening) has been worn down to bare and somewhat weathered steel as we see depicted vividly in pieces shown in the cover photograph. Sadly, there is not one single word dealing with finishing beyond "...ready for painting".
   I felt much of his work on the demonstration projects to be... hmmm... "casual"? He seemingly has little use for scaling dimensions from reference drawings or original materials and instead "eyeballs" the measurement of nearly everything. His results are, I suppose, to the undiscerning observer, satisfactory. Unfortunately, in this case, the observers are going to be diehard model builders -- not an easy audience. Many weapons of the 19th Century, even military pieces, while utilitarian, had a subtle grace of line missing even in most modern replicas and woefully lacking in the author's work. His 'eyeballed' proportions miss the mark painfully at times.
   Perhaps I am being picky concerning his craftsmanship -- his figures, which he sculpts himself (no commercial figures here), are rather nice -- but the "casual"dimensioning and complete lack of information on painting convincing finishes were a great disappointment.
   Out of a possible total of five stars, considering that "half the book" is missing (reducing us to only 2.5 stars right out of the gate) those 'casual' working techniques, in my opinion, reduce the book to, at best, two stars.
   Sorry, I really wanted to like this book. Having read through it, I guess I'll put 'er back up for auction.

2 comments about Sculpting Miniature Military Figures With Kim Jones (A Schiffer Book for Hobbyists).

1. This book includes nothing but captioned photos, showing creation of one figure from beginning to end. Only brass rod and epoxy putty is used, plus a few home made tools, described in detail btw. Perhaps one third of the pages are b&w, but it does not detract from the message - pictures are clear enough, and there is little color to see anyway.
   
   Figure is in 120mm scale, and there is no advice for other scales. Creation of the model is explained step by step, illustrated by large number of photos. There is very little text, which I think works very well in this case.
   
   True to the title painting is not described, although the figure is shown painted at the end.
   
   I wish there was some additional advice covering variations of how the figure is created. For example, figure has an open mouth, it would be nice to see an additional picture "and here's how to make one with a closed mouth". Similarly, I'd be curious to see how to make a helmet, bare head, armor, etc. These things are esp. important to a novice sculptor, which this book seems to be aimed at. But: even as is this is a very useful book for those who want to try their hand at sculpting figures. My copy was published in 1994, but it stood well to passage of time.



2. This book is good for introducing beginners to the hobby of sculpting figures in general, not necessarily military figures. It focuses on a single demonstration of sculpting a 120mm figure in numerous photos which show each stage with clarity.
   What disappoints is the quality of the sculpting which detracts from the book's true value. The final figure has a face which appears to be a caricature and not realistic at all. The anatomy and pose of the figure are also poorly rendered as can be seen on the cover page.

2 comments about Making Character Dolls' Houses in 1/12 Scale.

1. This book has tons of great pictures, easy to follow instructions and an index of suppliers. It is great for ideas for your dollhouse and it is easy to build one from the book.....



2. This book gives measured drawings and building instructions for five different buildings: a cider barn, a forge, the "Swan Inn", a really large Georgian house and a water mill. These are not (with the exception of the Georgian house) your "typical dollhouse". Still, the buildings are charming, the directions are complete and you might be TIRED of typical dollhouses. There are also many color photos of finished interiors, and a last chapter devoted to the workshop which covers safety, tools and techniques.

2 comments about The Dolls' House Shopkeeper: Includes Five Shop Plans in 1/12 Scale.

1. This book caters for those mini-fans who enjoy authentic finishes and offers many easy to cut plans for counters, sneeze-tops, display units etc. It is categorised into many inspiring sections such as the basics to start with (tools, materials, techniques, lighting and resources) and then proceeds to 5 superb projects - An Edwardian toy shop, Victorian Ironmongers, Art Deco tea room, Victorian bookseller and 1930 Grocer. Do not think that this is only for this time period - there is so much inspiration! Many woodwork items can be used in a modern bookshop/grocer for example. Plans are included for each "shop" with background info to ensure authenticity. How to cut the pieces, assemble them and finish the shop are all included. Load. Its one of my favourite books & well worth the cost.



2. This book caters for those mini-fans who enjoy authentic finishes and offers many easy to cut plans for counters, sneeze-tops, display units etc. It is categorised into many inspiring sections such as the basics to start with (tools, materials, techniques, lighting and resources) and then proceeds to 5 superb projects - An Edwardian toy shop, Victorian Ironmongers, Art Deco tea room, Victorian bookseller and 1930 Grocer. Do not think that this is only for this time period - there is so much inspiration! Many woodwork items can be used in a modern bookshop/grocer for example. Plans are included for each "shop" with background info to ensure authenticity. How to cut the pieces, assemble them and finish the shop are all included. Load. Its one of my favourite books & well worth the cost.

No comments about Embroidered Projects: Step-By-Step Instructions for over 30 Projects (Dolls House Do-It-Yourself).

5 comments about 1/12 Scale Character Figures for the Dolls' House.

1. 1/12 Scale Character Figures for the Dolls' House
   by James Carrington exceeded my expectations. It has everything! I'm inspired to try Carrington's methods.
   The illustrations are great and the photos are beautiful. I recommend this book to anyone interested in making their oun art dolls, or even those who are just curious as to how these beautiful dolls are created.



2. A clear, beautifully illustrated-(both photos and drawings) how-to-book on the fascinating subject of making character figures to people your doll-house,diorama,room setting,etc..Extremely well written by the charmingly wry and witty(as only the English can be) James Carrington



3. I have tried to get into Jamie's classes on a couple of occasions only to have them fill up before I could sign up...I was thrilled when he came out with this book. I also just purchased his videos to accompany the book. He has updated some of his techniques--but not drastically. You will not be disappointed in anything you learn from this book.



4. Very funny and wonderfully written. I would recommend this book to people who do any thing in art or sculpting. Mr. Carrington, makes you look at people in a new light. And you learn a lot at getting the "perfect character" face for your small people. The only thing I could have wished for in this book, was a few more real pictures of the model in progress. Other than that, I couldn't have asked for a better book.



5. Carrington is a genius in making and then teaching us to make, really ALIVE dollhouse dolls full of character. His instructions on those faces are incredible and you'll find yourself looking in the mirror checking out your own cheekbones, or frown marks, or whether or not your nose is straight. With this book, you can make dollhouse dolls with real personalities, from sweet young things to floozies, from old farmers to babies. Excellent book. Highly recommended.

No comments about Miniature Scrapbooks: Small Treasures to Make in a Day.