Arnhem Show was great

This weekend is the Dollshouse Show in Arnhem. It's hosted in a huge church and filled to the brim with great miniature artisans. I went yesterday and had a blast! It's a shame really that it's a 3 hour trip in trembling trains and bumping buses to get there. It's just too exhausting to travel like that two days in a row. Next year I'm booking a hotel nearby, 'cause I could have spent another whole day there :)

I took my camera and I even took pictures! I usually forget, but this time I had a heavy DSLR camera with me. At times it would pull the cord around my neck to remind me to take a few shots. So now I have something to show you! If all went well, you should be able to poke the pictures for a bigger size and more detail.

I parked my bike at the train station near this cool poster.

Then the train raced through the landscape.

And I got to the church. It's really big see? They were working on the tower and put up a print of it around the scaffolding.

Here's another shot of the church. I liked taking photos of it.

Here's a closeup. I like the different textures and hues of brickwork.

This is what it looked like inside. Isn't it gorgeous? I think it's a great location to host a miniature show. Usually they're in convention centers or gyms or other straightforward buildings. If anyone knows other shows or fairs on unique locations please tell me!

When I got in I ran to the back straight away. I knew Mariella of MUFFA Miniatures would be there and I had set my mind on buying one of her amaaaazing cacti!
This is her stand.

See the incredibly tiny knitwork? I love it! (Love this shot too by the way :) )

I couldn't pick one, so I picked two LOL! A pink one...

...and a yellow one!

Then I went browsing around. I saw Reina Mab Miniatures from Argentina. These two are always very kind and have pretty and affordable miniatures.

Then I heard my name called out loud. It was Tea, a good friend of mine. She is one of the sweetest people I know and she makes up original ideas of scrap material in all scales.

I went to Angel's Little Ones, the stand of Angelique. Her porcelain dolls are affordable, but so beautifully crafted. Each of them is unique and very expressive.

I didn't need a doll (who ever does?). But I simply couldn't resist this one.

She reminds me a little of Tiana of Disney's Princess and the Frog. I have no idea what to do with her, but she is a cutie pie isn't she?

Then it was time for some tea and lunch. I sat down with Tea at the restaurant in the church.

This lady sat down on the pulpit. She's probably digging through her purse trying to see where her money's gone. I think that the other bag's to blame :)

The lamps are pretty too and what about that organ?

I was pulled out of my lunch seat by a steampunk sir driving some kind of mechanical elephant. The whole thing actually moves and it was made by the man in the Lily Elf stand (I forgot his name, stupid me).

At least I remember what he looks like LOL

Also on his stand were these two. Hilarious!

And this lady. I think she's great: not too pretty, not too wenchy. She looks like a lady at court, maybe teaching the young girls cross stitching and sewing.

The last of Lily Elf: the sassy modern day witch!

Next to Lily Elf was the stand of Penny Thompson. WOW! I had never seen her work before, but I was baffled. She makes 1" and half inch dolls and frail fairies of PAPER MACHÉ! Really! Check it out yourself, this was a highlight of the show for me.
In focus is the tinker with his treasures. The dolls on the right are all half inch scale and even their clothes are made of paper!

A gardner I think? Remember, this guy is made of paper!

This handsome man is made of paper too. He's one of my favourites.

If I had had the money, I would have definitely bought this sculpture from Penny. I like whippets and this just depicts them perfectly. I put some snow over the price tag, since I don't think it contributes anything here on my blog. If you want more information, contact Penny through her website.

Alright, just one more by Penny. This is one of the fairies. She's joined by a caterpillar. If you turn the handle that's in the base, the fairy's wings flap and the caterpillar goes up and down. The fairy is little under two inches high!

From Germany was Hermann Straeten demonstrating wood turning. He was making dreidels in bright colors that actually spin around.

Here's one of them at work. He forgot to make a hole for the handle in one of the dreidels he was turning and gave that one to me for free! Such a kind and open person!

Here's my dreidel that doesn't spin, but looks great anyway :)

Up next, drewling over silver master artisan Jens Torp's stand. He made this hanger for a court lady's belt. I don't know the English name for it... Inside the thingy on the left, which measures about two centimeters (less than an inch!) is a fork and knife. In the third from the left thingy is a thimble and pins and inside the thingy on the farthest right are actual needles with holes (!). All made out of quality silver. I can't believe him. He must secretly be a wizard or something. Or maybe he's found a way to a parallel miniature universe...

I always stop by this Dutch glassmaker's stand, Leo Reijnders. He demonstrates too and makes such refined glass. And affordable too!

Alas, it was six o'clock by then and the day was over. I was home by 9.30 PM and happy but tired. I really wanted to go again today, but that meant I had to get up at 6.30 AM and I'd be home by 8.30 PM. Waaaay to tiresome, since tomorrow normal life will be calling to me.
Hmmm... only 364 nights sleep and it'll be showtime again :)

Now for some sunday afternoon tea with Alice and her new teapot!

WARNING!!
ALL OF THESE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN ONLY TO SHOW THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF THE ARTISANS PARTICIPATING ON THE ARNHEM SHOW. PLEASE DO NOT COPY DESIGNS FOR COMMERCIAL OR ANY OTHER ABUSIVE PURPOSE!