Blog friends and Rheda 2012

A little over a week ago I had a very busy weekend, all related to miniatures!  On Saturday I went to the airport near Amsterdam to pick up fellow blogger and miniaturist Elga.  We had never met before in real life, but the funny thing with blogging is that it seems like you do actually know one and other.  Elga and I spent a wonderful afternoon in Amsterdam fabric shopping (more on that some other time) before picking up another fellow blogger, Mary Lynne, from the train station.   

The three of us went to a lovely Italian restaurant where we had a bite to eat and had time for a bit of a rest and a chat.  Elga had something to show us...She had brought some of her wonderful miniatures with her...

'I am still learning'...she said.  Well obviously...not!  It was all so beautifully made, and so precise.  I loved her little work table and the beautiful carpet she made was so thin and supple, just gorgeous. 

For photos of Elga's work (which as always is even better in real life), visit her website here.

Elga was going to stay with Elly for a few days and Mary Lynne was staying in a hotel very near to Elly's house, so early evening we dropped them off  at Elly's. 

Early next morning I was back at Elly's house as she had offered me a ride to the dolls house fair in Rheda, Germany.    I had never been to the fair in Germany. but it was a very nice experience!  Very quiet (that may have been due to the weather as it was pouring with rain, not ideal driving conditions!) and although I did know many of the dealers there as they also come to the Arnhem show, it was really lovely to see some work made by German miniaturists. 

I did not take many photos, but here is a small impression of the fair in Rheda 2012:

 The fabulous dollmaker from Spain:  María José Santos of Carabosse Dolls. 

I am not a doll person generally, but these are sooo good!

 Her miniature dresses are fantastic!

 Beautiful, don't you think?

 During lunch Elga showed us her beautiful little work table.  The photo is very bad, but trust me, the table is fantastic!  I have a photo of all of us at lunch, but the photo is really bad so please go over to Elly's blog, her photo is much better than mine (even though I can be seen chewing on some food)!

 At the show there was a small exhibition of a miniature shopping center.  This building made me laugh as it is so typical of these places, somewhat depressing despite the flamboyant use of colour.  Quite brilliantly made I thought.

 Detail:  Sale because of remodelling.

 Detail:  Window display in the empty building.

 Here is a building I liked for its interesting architecture.  The downstairs houses an art gallery, the upstairs has a modern apartment. 

Detail of the apartment.  It has some really nice pieces in there.  The owner must go by the name of Dieter, as that is the name on the coffee cup.  Or perhaps the owner likes someone by that name... 

Rheda was a success, I will certainly come again!  I was given some lovely presents by all of these girls, such a lovely surprise!  Stupid me did not think of making them anything,  a lesson learnt for another time!  I will show you my little gifts and my purchases from the show in a next post.

The next morning Elly and Elga came over to my house to look at my small collection. 

Elly was quite tired after all that driving and dealing with visits and visitors.  I certainly was and I didn't even do the driving!  But I had a wonderful three days and I really enjoyed meeting three fellow bloggers. 

Elga is now in Castine taking some wonderful classes at the IGMA Guild School (where she was a scholarship student last year, just like I was four years ago), and Mary Lynne is back home in the USA.  My friend Jeffry is one of the scholarship students in Castine this year.  I hope you are having a wonderful time there guys!