I am sorry I haven't posted anything for a while but I have been quite busy lately. However, I managed to work a little bit on my different miniature projects.
The funeral shop, " les pompes funebres",  is almost finished. The roof has been painted and aged and I made a small "oeil de boeuf" to break the monotony of the roof. The chimney is finished but not painted yet.

       This time, I followed another blogger/miniaturist's advice, that is, I pasted the wall paper on a piece of cardboard the size of the wall then, slid the panel inside the box. It makes wall papering easier to do. I did the same with the ceiling.  As I don't like the "box" feeling, I made a door from scratch (it doesn't open) and added a partition in the room. It gives more depth to the scene. There's a light behind, a small sconce on the wall behind the door.

I made a few flower wreaths for the shop and added them on the partition. On the picture you can see how the different panels slide into the box.
I made a few more wreaths and their stands for the shop.That was fun to do.

Now it starts to look like a funeral shop. I will added a few other religious items when I find them.I have already discovered some crosses from rosaries on ebay and I am waiting for them.
I also need some tools to put in the box as the coffin isn't finished yet.Maybe a hammer, some wood scissors.....

and now the same picture in black and white

I found this interesting commercial and it's now in the shop window.

On the first floor is a dining room, nothing grand but just elegant (I hope) I used the same technique and added two windows at the back.

The three panels can slide in and out. The same thing for the floor.

Now the floor! Once again I used the ice cream sticks to make the flooring but I tried the "Point de Hongrie" design. That was tough as the sticks were different width! Don't try it! LOL

but the tool, that I discovered in Murielisa's blog (Merci Murielle )) is just fantastic. A "must have"  for all of you. I got mine on ebay. It's sold in the US. (I need blades, who could send me some? I can pay with Paypal)
Then, this is the 1st impession I got when I put all the pieces together and added the table, a few chairs.

The fireplace is still missing. And a pair of curtains. Some hunting prints in frames on the wall.And, and,and....
Now the house is almost done and it looks like this..

The frames around the door is still missing and the ceiling is not attached to the cornice yet. These are the last things I'll do.

GLASSES
I have discovered a small shop in Bangkok, where the sell the finest glasses and glass items in 1/12 I have ever seen. About 10 people work in that factory. They are really amazing.

I was really happy to share these few pictures with you and to tell you about the last impovements in my projects in 1/12. I also love reading your blogs. All the best to all of you! Cheers

House of spirits

In Thailand, you can see miniature houses standing next to most homes. These miniature houses in 1/12 are called spirit houses. Spirit houses are the dwelling places for invisible helpful spirits. Thai people offer food and drinks to their spirits as they protect your home. I want to share the following pictures with you as this spirit house is very detailed and in good condition. Some are real works of art. Nowadays most are made in cement but the wooden ones are are really beautiful and unique.

 I have two at home and though I am not a buddhist, I like the idea that friendly spirits protect my house. In a next post, I will show you "cemetaries" of spirit houses. When you drive, it's not unusual to see dozens of old and dilapidated spirit houses tossed together on the roadsides. That's the way they finish their lives.
 

An article

Two months ago, the Editor of the Dolls House Magazine in the UK contacted me about an article for her magazine. I sent her some pictures and answered her questions by mail.
It was published in this month's magazine.
As most of you don't live in the UK, I attach a copy of the 4 pages. I hope you'll enjoy reading it.
Unfortunately, I have a lot of wor at the University this semester and my project doesn't change much....
I will let you know as soon as something happens. Have a nice weekend :)

Have a good evening everyone! :)
Not much to show you.....yet but the plans for the inside of the shop are getting more and more precise. You were right, I chose the Chinese pharmacy among all the other shops. Now I have to draw blue prints and find the right wood. So many drawers to do...
Only one picture today, the Chinese lanterns glow in the dark now! A bit creepy, yes, I know...!

Visit to Samchuk market

Hello everyone :)
Last week, my students and I went to Samchuk, a small city about 50 km from Lopburi (where I live). There's not much to do in Samchuk but there is a fabulous old market. Most shops haven't changed since the 1920's,  I think.
In 4 or 5 lanes, old shops follow one another and it's like visting Thailand 90 years ago but don't get me wrong, it's not a museum, people live and work there.
They were about to pull all these shops down to build a new market when one of the daughters of the King of Thailand, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, insisted that this market should be kept in its original state as a testimony for the future generation.
I wanted to share some of the pictures I took there. Since I like to work on my project from real pictures, these will be very helpful.
Let's start with the pharmacy where a lovely Thai old woman explained this pharmacy had been opened by her grandfather.

Like in most Chinese shops, the ancestors'photographs are on display on the walls, from left to right, the woman's Chinese grand parents, her father and her late husband.

The different pots and jars contain  herbs and powders

I don't know what this strange tool was used for, maybe to cut herbs..

On the counter, the scale she uses to weigh plants and an abacus which are still often seen in old Chinese shops.

Each drawers contain plants that are still used in Chinese medicine. The pharmacist will weigh each plant and prepare the remedies.

Funny figure of a Chinese athlete in porcelain, very sexy! Was it for advertising? Lovely basket on the counter.

Another shop was the hairdresser's. It was early morning, so the owner wasn't very busy.

and the photographer's shop was incredible with tens of black and white pictures of Thai Chinese families.

The fashion shop.....

The....(I don't know the name in English, sorry!) We would say "le bazar" in French

The tailor's. The owner was sleeping on the left side in the wooden chair. Time had stopped there....

The clock shop, they also sold lamps

All these shops are sheltered in wooden buildings. Owners told me they often live upstairs with their families.

Friendly Thai shopowners posed in front of their food stall. Smoked meat I guess.

That's all for today! I hope you've enjoyed these pictures of an aspect of Thailand that I like

Finished but still empty

Hello,
Sorry for not publishing anything for the last few weeks. Too busy with work, new courses to prepare, seminars to attend, trainings to organize, etc... but today I managed to work and almost finished the shop house.
First, I placed the hinges ( something I don't like to do) then cut the floor for the 2nd floor, finally I painted and aged the side walls. I added two little windows with bars (as they do here) Now time to show you some pictures....

I have bought these lanterns and covered them with red silk paper, they are now equiped with electricity but I think they are too big. What do you think?

Have a great Sunday with your family.