MECO Meeting June 23, 2013

This week, of course, heralded the first day of summer. Summer conjures up a lot of images, from surf and sand, to fireworks and barbecues, to picnics and general childish mayhem. Summer is what we wait for,  summer is what we sing about, and summer is here. Unfortunately, a lot of places look like this today ...

 This is low and tame, compared to such places as Calgary, sadly, although admittedly this bridge was closed about an hour after I crossed it and people frantically were sandbagging to save property -  the water did recede a little by the morning, thankfully. There was so much rain in this system, even I (a die hard cyclist) gave pause before I headed out in it. Just pause - I was insane enough to go out in it anyway, and was rewarded with a good soaking and a lot of paddle wheeling when I was supposed to be pedalling. Note to self, in the future if your instincts are telling you to take the bus...take the bus. 

Anyway, I understand that if the flooding gets any worse in Calgary, they will have to evacuate the Tigers from the zoo. Where you ask? To jail, of course, really the only secure place to keep a dangerous "in captivity" animal outside of its zoo home. I personally would like to see them housed next to the drunk tank. Could you imagine someone waking up after an all night bender, turning over, and being face first with a tiger? Talk about a roaring headache! (this is member Rosemary's pun...I was not involved). This could make someone very sober, very fast, though.  Of course, my next thought was, you could line up the following animals in adjoining cells ...lions, tigers and bears - what do you say, Dorothy? 

Hopefully it won't come to jail time for the tigers though, and the waters recede for those in Calgary and area soon. On a serious note, my good thoughts go out to all who are affected by the flooding  this spring, which seems to be very bad indeed, and hope that the water recedes back to whence it came.

In other news, today we had our June meeting of MECO. Once again, I taught a little workshop. You might recall this: 

I designed a little kit based loosely on this piece of furniture.  Workshops can be interesting beasts, always come prepared, and overly so. Me, not so much today - I totally forgot the example piece I was supposed to bring, although I seemed to bring everything else outside of the kitchen sink. This oversight caused no end of fun. I have a lot of genetics in my background that predispose me to hand talking and gesturing, and the more adamant I am, the more wildly I gesticulate  -  which results in a lot of ducking on the part of the listener.

 Aaaaany way...everyone took home a finished project, so that is great, and  of course that is what you hope for in any workshop situation. 

Here are a few pictures of everyone industrially working away on their linen press. 

Right about here, I blinded most of the table when I flashed them. This is strange, because I usually turn off my flash on my camera and set it to the overcast setting (hey, wait a minute...you weren't thinking...! OMG people, mind out of the gutters, please!) but I hit the wrong controls on my shutters for some reason. Oh well, que sera, sera. 

It is quite interesting how quiet people get when in full concentration. It is serious business, sometimes, being a miniaturist! 

This workshop was well received, as everyone took home a finished or near finished piece. Once again, the choices in colour of the linen press was as diverse as the group. 

Just moving right along! That is a really good picture of that little 1/4 inch scale house sitting on the table , and you can see how tiny it is. The little wooden box on the table is a future project, by the way. It is something picked up at Michaels. Member Sherrill showed us a wine tasting room built in one, and of course that generally triggers the "gotta do something like that!" gene that all miniaturists carry in their genetic make up (right next to the Magpie gene which makes us wander over to sparkly things...).

We also had some show and tell. Once again, member Sherril gobsmacked us with some amazing pieces. Sorry for the fuzziness of the photos, right up front. I should have brought my reading glasses so I could see my screen of my camera. Rest assured, they looked perfectly clear when I took them. This is what is known as "time to visit the optometrist's office again if THIS looks clear". 

This house was Sherrill's vision. She uses Grandtline windows, and they are quite spectacular. Grandtline has some wonderful things for sale, and I quite encourage people to have a look - if you drool on your computer screen, however, that is your look out.  I love the detailed windows, and the little privacy arbor on the far side of the garden courtyard. She intends on putting some wicker furniture out there at a later date. 

I don't know about you, but I would move in here. I know, I know, a bit fuzzy, but my goodness, I think this house has more square footage than mine. I love the kitchen. Over the table hangs the most exquisite little chandelier, made out of beads and a fish hook, which you would see if I wasn't so ocularly challenged today. The living room sports very realistic curtain treatments. 

So much detail (however fuzzy)! A gorgeous little kitchen island, and I love love LOVE a rounded window like that. Note that this is a kitchen with stuff on the counter and shelves. 

Sigh, next time I will remember the reading glasses, I promise! How fun is this bedroom, though? She always manages to find the most interesting fabrics. 

 A little crisper photo, if only by degrees. 

 The second bedroom, and an aerial shot of the living room. Again, I could honestly see me living there, if I could see. 

 Another piece by Sherrill. Just goes to show, you do not need to do a full on scene with miniatures on every go, nor a full blown house, etc - vignettes and collections are great too. Look at those darling hats on hat stands! Hat stands are an easy make, by the way, just look to earring backings and beads. Earring backings can be used in a lot of different ways in 1/4 scale, come to think of it. And that gorgeous little vanity and chair. And those teensy little hatboxes! Just too darling for words. 

 There was also show and tell from Barb as well, who made this absolutely squee picnic basket. It is a half scale piece. It had the most delicate little red checked blanket in it, ready to accept picnic fare of all sorts. 

 Member Elizabeth also adds her treasures today. You may recognize a few pieces, as she is working out of the same book as I am, but she has chosen to go for more of a country kitchen look. There is an icebox, which is an original piece. She has also taken the table, reduced the size and made it sturdier, which I mused about awhile back. I haven't made the cooker stove as of yet. I just think this is so pretty! Generally when I do pretty, it comes out antiqued - such is my lot in life.

 A few more pieces Elizabeth made from the Broadwood books (with some modifications that really give a flare to the pieces - note the dresser, that was the dressing mirror I have done in the past) , along with a little tester bed that Sherril is designing for a future workshop. Together, what a perfect little bedroom! 

Once the workshop was complete, and all the showing and telling was through, we relaxed back with some coffee and cake, and that was the day. 

Hope your day was good, and weather has been better for you all today. Perhaps even a little sun came your way, and in which case I am glad.  In the meantime, I came across this sweet little mermaid polymer clay tutorial, which I hope you will enjoy.  If it is not summer yet where you are, perhaps the sirens of the sea can call it in for you.

 Until next time, precious souls!