Literary scene/Henry James house: when you're ready to tackle a Jamesian house, maybe Edith Wharton's interior design books would be helpful -- since they were such great friends, it's likely their tastes were similar (On the Decoration of Houses; Italian Villas & Their Gardens).

Loretta.Sniarowski

Edwardian ladies bedroom: I have several pieces of Bespaq bedroom furniture, and want to do a Edwardian ladies bedroom with a separate dressing room. In that dressing room will be a armoire, and, because it's one of my favorite pieces of furniture, with beautifully fitted drawers and shelves, I want it to be open, and brim full of the things a lady would have...lots of lace...gloves, etc. So, now I've got to actually use some of these patterns that I have...and some of the tiny lace I've collected for years. (Never throw anything away!)

I may have to have a maid, too...trying to tidy up after the women of the house, a famous diva in the opera, leaves for rehearsal. (I already know who lives in the room, and a diva would give me a good excuse to make wonderful hats and clothes...if I can!)

So, that's the 1" scale that I have going...I need to paint and antique the furniture...dress the bed and the caned chaise lounge, make clothes..etc. Maybe take me, oh, ten years or so.

Kaye in L.A.

Literary scene/Henry James house: I'm beginning to have strange and ambitious visions of projects, and for some unknown reason, they are beginning to center on the fiction of Henry James. I'm very keen on doing the children's house in The Turn of the Screw (was it that discussion on miniature ghosts?), and am determined to do some scene from The Portrait of a Lady. I've begun to reread the novel, and was surprised to find that James describes himself as a housebuilder using "artful patience" to pile up "little bricks" "well-nigh innumerable and as ever so scrupulously fitted together and packed in." Sound familiar? If anyone else has suggestions, or would like to share their own literary miniature scenes, I would appreciate it.

Madere, Silver Spring

Literary scene: I haven't made a literary scene, but I have a friend from mini club that made several Tarzan scenes. I don't know if you have read the original book, but a man and his wife (who was in a delicate condition) were put ashore with their crates of belongings. The husband made a cabin with the wood from the crates. This friend was so meticulous in recreating the scene that she first made the crates, then tore them apart to make the cabin. It turned out unbelievingly well.

Rusty in Ky

Literary scene: My all time favorite book is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. A scene I'd like to replicate is in the beginning of the book. It's the one where Marmee is sitting in her easy chair reading aloud a newly arrived letter from her husband. Beth is sitting at her feet. Meg and Amy are sitting on their arms of the chair on either side of her. Jo is standing behind the chair. There is a fire blazing in the fireplace. There would be knitting and stitching projects from that day scattered here and there about the room. This would be a busy scene but with a very warm and homey feel to it.

The dolls in this scene would have to be very special. They would have to clearly project the distinct personalities of each character. I don't make dolls so I think I'll start looking very carefully for just the right ones. It will probably cost me a fortune. (which I don't have) I can see this whole scene in my head right now. Wow! Thunderboltitis! This could take up my whole day. Nothing is going to get done around here today. Oh well, it wouldn't be the first time that's happened. LOL

Lorri in Manassas, VA

Literary scene: On the subject of "Little Women" dolls - I forgot about the scene I'm going to do someday. In fact, I have the doll parts put back for it. It's where Jo comes in, takes off her bonnet to show her shorn locks - (her chestnut hair was her one beauty) and she has some money in her hand for Marmie to send to her father who is off in the Civil War. (she sold her hair!) All the girls have different looks on their faces. Of course Amy is absolutely shocked and horrified. That's for SOMEDAY - I keep so busy, it's hard to get to the special things for ME.

Paulette in IN

Inspiring songs? We've talked about books and movies that have inspired us to create miniature scenes. What about songs? I think art is a comparative experience, and I always listen to music when I make my miniatures. What songs have inspired you folks to create worlds in miniature? I'm listening to the ole tune, "Are ye sleeping Maggie?" And my brain is whirring. I see another stone cottage on my horizon. I also love the folksong "Sovay", which tells the tale of a young lady who dresses as a highway robber. She meets her beloved on the road and robs him. He hands over everything but the engagement ring that she gave him. He doesn't catch on until he visits her in her garden the next day and sees his belongings hanging from her trees. Needless to say, he passed her test of devotion. I'd love to do the garden part of this song in miniature.

Heidi

Inspired by song lyrics: Heidi of Chapel Hill, NC, mentioned being inspired by song lyrics. The first song which popped into my head is a ballad by Joshua Kadison (spelling?). I just love his songs. One of my favorite ballads of his is about an elderly man and woman who are friends and who live in a retirement home, long ago forgotten by their families. In the lyrics, he says to her: "I want to paint you naked on a big brass bed, bright red poppies all around your hair." And she replies: "Crazy old man, I'm not young anymore," to which he answers: "That's alright, I've never painted before." Sorry, I can't remember the title of the song, but the album is called Painted Dessert. I think this would make a lovely scene, kinda like an elderly version of the scene from the "Titanic" in which the young man draws the nude young woman.

Karen in PA, USA

Traveler's scene: I believe that it is impossible to fit the Sierra Nevada, Mt Fuji, the Chao Phraya River delta, or Blue Ridge Mountain skyline onto a piece of photographic paper - soooo - Why try?

The world is in your brother's back pack so why not do that? Pose a well used back pack in "inflated" condition as though dropped beside the trail. Impregnate with resin to permanently stiffen. Cut out an opening in the back and develop your mini scene within. Fold the fabric to the interior to become the foreground earth, rocks, and side frame then blend with acrylic paints to "loose" where the bag ends and scene begins In the immediate foreground at the same height as the bottom of opening, a campsite with stove or fire and some favorite treat cooking away. Add lots of special details like his hiking map, a favorite book, field glasses, his own regular spectacles if he wears glasses, and such. Let the ground drop away as though at the edge of a cliff and go small scale for a jungle or beachside village in the relatively distant "midground". Be sure to show the "at camp" trail and its continuation into the village.

Beyond the village and its far-edge flora and/or geology - I would have a painted backdrop in very "loose" water colors. If your backpack has side pockets, there could be a hitch-hiking local "critter", well worn inoculation card, State Department "advisory" or perhaps the waist band of a verrrrrry bedraggled "second pair".

Mel K in Las Vegas

Traveler's scene: The first thing that jumped to mind when you mentioned that your brother likes to travel and you needed something in which to build a scene was, why not make the scene in a tall old hiking boot? Insert a wooden box into the boot (perhaps a wooden cigar box might do) and stuff around three sides of it to hold the boot upright. Carefully cut the leather boot out around the inside opening of the front of the box. I'd glue or tack the boot leather to the edges of the box to stabilize it, then put wooden framing around it as well. I believe that you could fit one shelf into the box dividing it in half, top and bottom. The top half could show a mountain which you painted or cut a picture out and glued, in the background with a tree filled with parrots (these also could be pictures cut from magazines and embellished with feathers) in the foreground. Next scene could be a wash line with the campers laundry hanging on it, and the rest of their gear laid out on the ground. Sounds like a fun project, please keep us posted.

Marilyn, MI

Traveler's scene: My mind immediately created a scene in a backpack. In a very old one of course. Try to buy one in a second hand store, make it sturdy with a piece of wood so that it can stand alone OR make it so that it can hang on the wall. Maybe it is even possible to close the backpack and when your brother zips it open, the scene will appear!

You can also make a couple of explorers who are climbing at the outside of the backpack. They are trying to reach the zipper and when they succeed, they will find a goldmine inside, or a nice hiding place, or a cave with a bear in it.

Marjon de Haas (The Netherlands)

Scene in TV:: it would be fun to do a scene from a popular tv show from the time period the television was made, sort of a pop culture time capsule. Here in the States, an I Love Lucy set would be natural in an early 1950s tv; a late 50s tv would be great with a Bonanza log cabin or a Western saloon, a 60s tv would be great for the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, etc.

Loretta.Sniarowski

Scene in TV:
Why not put a TV studio in your set?

Dave

Scene in TV: Since all the "dangerous stuff" has been "thankfully" removed from your TV cabinet - - Why not a scene depicting the wonderful things a family would do when there never was TV?

Kids "scrap book cutting" and building a model at the dining table, Dad reading a book in his easy chair, Mom showing one of the children how to knit, Grandpa may be listening to a radio and obviously to a thrilling cowboy drama as he points a "finger six-shooter" at the floor model entertainment center. Grandma sorts through a stack of Victrola records or waters her African Violets. A kitten plays with Mom's yarn while the family dog sits patiently and unnoticed by Dad with its leash in mouth. Outside the window, an older child may be "entertaining" a visitor on the porch swing. Somewhere obscure within the setting, I would have a t.v. cabinet but with its innards removed and a potted flower, books, rolled up newspaper, baseball and glove, boxed board game, and old fashioned "bellows" camera inside. Leaned up against would be a couple "cane poles" walking stick and a kite. Underneath I see a pair or two of roller skates, and on top a microscale doll house..
Title for this setting? "Prime Times"

Mel K. Las Vegas

Scene in TV: I love hearing all the suggestions everyone has for roombox themes. I've been especially interested in the emptied television theme. As a non television watcher, my first thought was to make it into a reading room with tons of books and a very old television in one corner with a broken rabbit ear antenna with a good coating of dust and a few cobwebs trailing from the rabbit ears! Of course the book shelves, reading chair and so on would be spotless. :-)

Reva Losiewicz

Micro Chocolaterie: I have recently finished a micro, 1/144 scale, Chocolaterie after being inspired by the movie Chocolat. I loved the movie and the stage sets so much and the music is so inspiring. To get in the mood I bought the sound track and played it while working on the project. If you would like to see my micro it is under My Personal Projects on my site.

http://members.home.net/jday1/jean_day.htm

I have added some of my other room boxes done through the years and I am hoping to have my houses up soon too.

Chocolates are very small in this scale so I used brown silica sand. I did turnings with Light Brite pegs for the candy jars and I am forever grateful to Joann Swanson for coming up with the use of the pegs years ago that inspired me. I have had so much fun with them. I found watch parts that resembled chocolate molds and the bases for pedestal cake plates. The stool is the winder from an old watch. I had so much fun improvising.

Jean Day

Scotty Room: You might want to include a picture of President Roosevelt with his Fala, who was a Scotty. I remember reading something about how he trumped his critics by saying something like - and this is a paraphrase - "They're not satisfied to come after me; now they're coming after my little dog Fala."

Wanna in El Paso

Scotty Room: I would check with local liquor distributor or write to the distillery of Black & White Scotch Whisky for calendars and other promotional materials. Scan and reduce to mini size and look for setting ideas around the weeee pairrrrrr off Scottttty Dogs that are the signature of this fine, public service purveyor of liquid happiness. Check antique show cases where they have all the odd little, miscellaneous stuff. You should be able to find a black and white pair of the plastic Scotties mounted on magnets that "everybody" had at one time or another.

Mel K. in Las Vegas

Scotty Room: I, too have had a terrible time finding mini Scotties for my dhs. I do have a paper punch that makes tiny Scotties (I think I got it at WalMart). I punch out the little fellows and glue them on kitchen towels, hot pads, placemats, etc. As for Scotties to put in the rooms, I found one a long time ago and since then, haven't seen a single one. All the catalogs and sites I visit have every kind of dog but Scotties. We must be miniers of a "different breed"! If you find some, let me know where, please.

Marilyn J Cole

Scotty Room: it might be nice if your room had a dog bed in it, like the Orvis/LLBean style "dog nests" or whatever they call them. Also a little water dish and kibble dish. Maybe you don't want to put kibble in it; I don't know of to many dogs that would leave it until it's empty!

Joanne