我想她一定是从很久以前就开始收藏这些玩意儿，要不然也不会摆的满满的。真的是一个蛮有趣的嗜好！尽管如此，我相信这样的收藏不只需要时间，花费也不少，而且也需要有空间展示出来。如果用很实际的角度去看，这个嗜好又占位，又难清理，而且也不实用。但我想这也不一定，因为有些古老娃娃屋的道具现在可能也不容易找了。

One of our filming locations was a house located off Chancery Road. The owner is a fond collector of miniatures. I noticed that her glass cabinets were full of miniature items ranging from food to crockery to kitchen utensils, appliances and many more. They were actually meant to be dollhouse accessories except that there wasn't a dollhouse.

To accumulate such a vast collection, she must have started this hobby since a long time ago. It looks like a tedious (and expensive) hobby because not only would she need space for display, she would need to also design the way the items are placed. From a practical point of view, this hobby is not only time consuming, but it's difficult to maintain as well. Imagine cleaning the cabinets and moving the small items one by one! But then again, what seems like child play could have its value in the vintage collectibles, such as the item in the picture below.

那我们不说单单收集道具好了，如果要创造一个完整的娃娃屋，没有一点创意，耐心，和对建筑和室内设计有一定的了解，那是不容易成功的。

所以虽然看上去不怎么实用，却又是另一门学问哦！

Building a dollhouse is a skill that requires patience, creativity as well as knowledge of architecture and interior design. So while it doesn't have any practical value, its value really lies in its completion.

娃娃屋有很多种。我在这里和大家分享的比较多是属于西式的设计。日本也蛮流行娃娃屋哦！

Dollhouses come in all sizes, some are good to be placed on the table, while some can be as tall as a child. The pictures I shared over here are mainly derived from Western designs. Check out the Japanese-style dollhouses!

Mine are stuck in a hallway just inside my front door. I suppose one could call it a “mud room” if one wanted to glamorize it a lot. It is, after all, where the mud enters my house on the Dawg’s paws.

If you think it’s odd that it’s at the front door, I have to confess I only have one door. If there’s a fire in here, I’ll be bailing out a window and shoving the Dawg out in front of me.

( *reminder to self – put Dawg on a diet and sign up for weight lifting class at the local gym)

My mom used to have an old Bendix, I think it was, that was one machine that served double purpose – it was both washer AND dryer.

It was very large, front loading, and if I remember correctly, it used to waltz all over the basement floor which frustrated her no end. It had a window in the door and I never have been able to figure out the logistics of first filling it with soap and water and then turning on the heat to dry your clothes. It wouldn’t be very funny if you had a malfunction and the machine forgot to drain itself ...

http://www.adclassix.com/a3/53bendixwasherdryer.html

[caption id="attachment_26" align="alignnone" width="215" caption="1953 Bendix Duomatic ad"][/caption]

(Amazing what you can find on the 3Dub when you go looking, eh?)

Years ago I saw a picture in a magazine of a laundry room where they had disguised the machinery in an old grain bin, cut down to size. You lifted the slanted lid on top to put the laundry in the washer, and there was a door on the front for access to the dryer. It was all very rustic and I remember how much I liked that idea. The room had lots of shelves and a big window with a willow branch for a curtain rod. I can’t remember what was on the window for a curtain, so I guess it didn’t impress me much at the time. Some old grain sacks would certainly have been appropriate, though!

So, let’s go sloshing around the ‘Net and see what other people have come up with ... (but first I’ll go you-know-where because we ALL know what happens the instant you turn on the tap or stick your hands in water, right, Girls???)

FLUSH – okay, I’m back now ...

Here’s one that appeals to me. I found it on My Home Ideas

http://www.myhomeideas.com/myhome/photos/0,30587,1055139_863913,00.html

I really like the old cabinetry. Latching onto an antique sideboard would make a cool top cabinet, and Verithaned pine shelving would make the countertop nicely. Add some moulding and some shutters down below and voila! The bead-board in the back wall is a nice old-fashioned touch. Love that mustardy colour on the walls, too. The washer and dryer are too cool, but with front-loading machines, I think I might want them raised off the floor about three or four inches – too much stooping down for me. Of course, that would raise the work surface, but perhaps that isn’t entirely a bad thing.

Sometimes odd things in photographs make me ask questions ... so now I want to know ... Does everyone store their apples on top of their washer and dryer???

I will have that rooster, though ...

* * *

Now here’s a place that just looks like home to me ... someone else is a collector of useful old tools, implements and gadgets ... I’ll be bookmarking this page for sure and going back to drool some more over all those wonderful “finds”. The room is in her mother’s house, which she says is like this all over – not just the laundry room!

Those country blues are fabulous! That pale blue on the walls with the white trim sure sets off her massive display of collectibles. The spatter graniteware is a stunning collection – you’ll have to visit that blog to see the whole room, for sure! This is but one small corner of it. There’s even close-ups of some of the “stuff” she’s collected. *sigh* I am such a junk collector ... I used to have much more than I do now – money got tight and I sold off a large part (okay, almost all) of my years of treasure hunting. I still have some rather unique pieces, tho. I’ll take pictures sometime and show y’all. Promise.

You can find this room and her fab photos at With a Grateful Heart http://withagratefulheart.blogspot.com/2008/04/laundry-room-blues.html

* * *

Ballard Designs offers up this little gem for drying your little things ...

It wouldn’t take much weight to rip it off the wall and wet laundry can be quite heavy. With my luck the kids would think it was a toy when it was fully extended and play jungle gym with it!!!

Okay, so I don’t have kids at home any more ... it’s a really cool idea and sure would beat hauling out the old accordion wooden one and trying to find enough floor space to set it up and still be able to walk around it ...

I can see this idea working well for drying wet swimwear and beach towels out at the cabin or by the pool, too.

Someone was using their noodle when they thought this up!

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/By-Room/Laundry-Room/Drying-Racks/Accordion-Drying-Rack/p/4933?path=1%2C2%2C1752%2C1758%2C1954&iProductID=4933

* * *

Here’s a sign from Live, Laugh, Love http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/livelaughlove/product/metal_wall_sign to hang on your door or your laundry room wall ... that chicken wire adds a lot of "atmosphere"!

and another from Jack and Friends inviting you to “drop your pants” retro-style ...

http://www.jackandfriends.com/store/catalog/product_1411_ONE_HOUR_DRY_CLEANING_Metal_Sign.html

* * *

From the other side of the country, in Nova Scotia, at Nova News Now, http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-233366-The-Laundry-Room-Deserves-Respect.html they have decided laundry rooms need respect. Well, I agree but I must also add ...”and so do all the women who for centuries have slaved away at getting all the stains out of their family’s dirty clothes”.

This modern laundry from their site is mega-organized, super sleek, and doncha just love those machines!

Again, I find myself wondering about things in their photo – I mean, where is all the colour? Do they only wear white, fergoodnessakes???? If, like me, your fave colour is rainbow, this room is good for a few nightmares!

I may not agree with their colourless laundy room, but I can sure relate to getting the laundry out of the dingy dark basement (where spiders like to hide) and getting them up where the sunlight can pour in. Somehow laundry is one of life’s detested chores, and adding some decorating accents, creating shared spaces with other family activities and making it a living, breathing room can sure remove some of the drudgery from the old laundry job.

Or ...

We could all go back to doing it the old fashioned way ...

www.jamd.com/image/g/52007577

*LOL – she’s got high heels on!

* * *

Just in case you want to live life the “simple way” ...

http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html

... or maybe not.

]]> http://starwarsprequelappreciationsociety.wordpress.com/?p=368 Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:05:36 +0000 lazypadawan http://starwarsprequelappreciationsociety.wordpress.com/?p=368 From Wattographs.com:

Just a reminder, the Wattographs August private autograph signings with Matt Sloan, Jedi Master Plo Koon in "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" and actor/stuntman legend Frank Henson, the voice of the Stormtroopers in "A New Hope."

www.Wattographs.com

Empress of Britain; color

lithographic poster; in 1931;

36 inches by 24 inches; sold

for $3,120. Photo courtesy of

Swann Auction Galleries.

Oceanliner Memorabilia Brings Back Opulent Time in History

Santa Fe, Aug. 19. -- Designed for luxury, the “Empress of Britain” was a giant ocean liner full of seagoing splendor and surprises as she prepared for her inaugural launch on June 11, 1930.

Decorated by artists of the British Royal Academy, the ship was an interesting mix of cross-cultural tradition and art deco glamour. Upright and imposing, the Empress was a floating city complete with swimming pool and tennis courts.

A Chinese motif rounded out her smoking room. Her “Mayfair” lounge was Renaissance in design, her card room had a Spanish motif, and the first class dining room was contemporary.

The ship’s accommodations ranged from extravagant suites to tiny inside cabins. Two of the largest suites even had their own balconies. All of the cabins had a washbasin and some were equipped with full bathrooms.

Pale blue columns with coral pink curtains surrounded the ballroom. An oval-shaped ceiling, picturing plenty of blue sky and white stars dangled above the dance floor.

The officers and crew almost always outnumbered her passengers. Service was the key ingredient on this luxury cruises. The Empress even had a gym equipped with bicycling machines, electric horses and punch balls.

Opulence is the magic behind ocean liner memorabilia for today’s collector. These floating cities were larger-then-life, decorated like scenes out of French oil paintings.

Replaced by jet travel, they ultimately became a thing of the past.

On May 22, Swann Galleries, New York, featured oceanliner memorabilia from the Frank O. Braynard Collection at auction. An Empress of Britain color lithographic poster; in 1931; 36 inches by 24 inches; sold for $3,120.

Read the entire article at www.LiveAuctionTalk.com

RSS: www.liveauctiontalk.com/rss/lat.rss

I was not very into this pack. I didn't really want a pair of V's and I didn't really want a pair of AJ18's either, but its grown on my ALLOT. After reading some of the comments on The Shoe Game and other sites, not many people are into the pack (sort of a 60/40 against it but there is allot of love for the V's)

Video of 5/18 Countdown from MaplewoodBootCamp with a appearance of the New Balance Pigeon

I think I am falling for the 5 + 18 pack... I am thinking I may have to figure out how I am going to get them this Saturday.

The 18's (pic from Kicksonfire.com)

I actually like the 18's "lighted up" at the midsole (not really lights). Plus the fact that there was no black and red air Jordan 18's also make them very interesting (black and red aka Bred aka bread is the classic Air Jordan Bulls colorway). They look pretty comfortable and for some reason they seem "grown". Histroy behind the 18's courtesy of Kicksonfire.com:

Creator of the design of the Air Jordan 18 (XVIII) was Tate Kuerbis (Jordan Senior Footwear Designer). A person that had been part of the Jordan footwear design team since 1999 and with Nike since 1995. The inspiration of the design is a combination fo a number of things; Sleek racing lines of the auto world, Carbon fiber-based monocoque of F1 race cars, Race car driving shoes (rubber heel wrap) and Fine Italian dress shoes (bold stitching on the soles).

(for more - and there is more - visit Kicksonfire.com)

Remember, there was never a black and red 18. Will this be the retro that everybody wants to have 10 years from now? It wouldn't be the first Jordans that may not have been very popular when it originally came out, but now is what some call The Holy Grail (I'm telling you guys, back in the day when the AJ6 came out, not many people got them and they were the only Jordan 6's you could still get almost a year later on sale for around I think 79.99... I got mine from Kings Plaza in Brooklyn but took it back - please forgive me lawd lol - because I felt guilty that my Mom struggles so much for me and I am getting Air Jordans... and they didn't match anything I had so i probably wouldn't wear them that much lol).

The V's (pic from Kicksonfire.com)

This is the winner out of the pack. It is the best looking sneaker and I am sure it will be the sneaker people are wearing when his comes out this Saturday (August 23 no less). I personally think they look a little better colorwise than the original AJ V's Here is a snippit of the history behind the V's from Kicksonfire.com:

Once again Hatfield came up with a revolutionary design for the new shoe. A few elements were picked up from its predecessor but it featured a great silver/reflex tounge and a clear/see-through rubber sole which gave it a totally unique look. Also there were lacelocks which made it easy to strap them on.

The design is rumoured to be inspired by the WW2 Mustang fighter plane and the most obvious elements that shows this are the shark teeth shapes on the midsole.

(for more visit here ay Kicksonfire.com)

I really was not going to get this pack. I was only getting 3 Countdown Packs (11 + 12 - comes out in December, 7 + 16 - Already came out and I got them, and the 3 + 20... really wanted the 20's but the ones they say will come out in the pack are disappointing and I really wanted the white and red 3's but they are going to be the black white and grey although i can't complain too much about that) and this was certainly not on the list, but now I may have to add this one to the ones I want.

So what does that add up to? 4 AJ packs will cost me 1240 dollars not including tax. Something gotta give!!!

Anyway, the Air Jordan Countdown Pack 5 + 18 comes out this Saturday so get your wallet ready. And remember, people who collect sneakers tend to be leaders, so don't feel bad when you spend 300+ dollars and didn't pay your cell phone bill LOL

It's a shame that it is no longer popular for it may have denied us one of the better verb/nouns of the last 400 years. Snuff, Snuff. It's fun to say.

Snuff, for those of you who don't know, is a type of tobacco product that people used to snort up their noses, presumably for the nicotine hit. It is one of those things like smoking a pipe that people don't really do anymore. (will we ever say such things of cigarettes?)

Here's some cool things I found out about snuff:

• After dying out as a fashion in post-Regency years, snuff enjoyed a brief renaissance in the early 80s. New York Times
  
• There's such a thing as Chinese Snuff Bottles. Cute.

• "Smokeless tobacco users increase their risk for cancer of the oral cavity. Oral cancer can include cancer of the lip, tongue, cheeks, gums, and the floor and roof of the mouth." National Cancer Institute
  
• "Snuff" can also refer to a gruesome genre of documentary film.

Nowadays, it seems like snuff boxes live on as collectible items. I'd like to own one, just one. They are surely prettier and more poetic than a crushed packet of Marlboro Lights!

Herb Williams (http://www.herbwilliamsart.com), winner of the Next Star Artist competition, has been receiving plenty of fantastic reviews of his work from some major publications some of which I have provided links to below.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/art/archives/142050.asp

http://www.accordingtocaroline.com/read-me/2008/4/3/smells-like-childhood.html

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2498895.html

http://www.globenewspaper.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19810158&BRD=1306&PAG=461&dept_id=570459&rfi=6

http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/all-crayola.6512956jul26,0,5624709.story

http://americanwaymag.com/tabid/2855/tabidext/3758/default.aspx

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=36534

**Nicholas Forrest is an art market analyst, art critic and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. He is the founder of http://www.artmarketblog.com, writes the art column for the magazine Antiques and Collectibles for Pleasure and Profit and contributes to many other publications

Customer Reviews

The laughs keep on coming!!
There is no better way to get your monthly humor than by sitting down with a issue of ToyFare in hand.From Doc Ock getting married to Aunt May to Cobra Commander taking over Spider-Man's house the laughs keep coming.They have a section where they show all the new toys coming out and thy always have someone saying something so strange and wild that you just can't help but laugh.They also have the gold of the mag Twised ToyFare Theatre(or TTT for short).TTT is the most hilarous thing in any magazine since the early days of Mad.If you like toys(don't lie I know you do) then get some Toyfare mags and start reading.

great stuff!
What can you say? Toyfare is the best way to find all of the best toys coming up!

A Truly Hilarious Look At Toys Like You've Never Before Seen
"Toyfare" is a truly amazing read, and delivers every month. It surely isn't on the level of top-selling magazines such as "People" or "Entertainment Weekly," but it's writing is like none other I've read. Chock full of cheesy pop culture references to Marvel and DC Comics, He-Man, and everything else, "Toyfare" has some seriously funny comedy. If you're not familiar with Marvel and DC lore, you may not get as much of a laugh, but it's truly ingenius, and an underappreciated piece of writing. "Magoo Theatre," (now "Toyfare) is comedy at its best, featuring a skeptical Spider-Man, Homer Simpson-like Hulk, and alcoholic Iron Man. These monthly pieces are gems on their own, only boosted by the comedy bits in the wildly descriptive listings for action figures.

Be forewarned: "Toyfare"'s humor isn't for every one. Its humor can be hard to understand for people not familiar with comic book lore. But it's well worth a look, even just for the "Toyfare Theatre." You'll be surprised for the better.

NOT!!!

Yesterday I sold several items at www.onlineauction.com  I am grateful for every purchase that I make, but I felt the need to re-stock my items.   Since Tama wanted to play on the pc, I thought I'd take the opportuntiy to spend some time in the garage getting things ready to list.  You would not believe how much stuff is out there!!  I could just grab a box without looking and have plenty to sell!

So I found a variety of things to list [toys, books, collectibles, a picture frame, and more], and set about taking pictures in between washing clothes.  Meanwhile, Tama is plugging away at her game.  About two hours later, I let T know that I was ready to list.

I'm not exagerating when I tell you ~ It took me a good 4-5 hours to list those 30 or so items!! 

My kids are normally self sufficient and often referred to as "good kids."  Let me tell you, yesterday I had never before seen my children so needy!  Not to mention that every toy I listed Tama wanted [though she already has the same thing, which she can't find]!  And they also know that this is what makes money for their Christmas presents and any extras they want along the way [heck, it NEEDS to be paying the bills right now!!!]

The plan was to list more today, but I think yesterday still has me a bit discouraged.  So instead I'm going to do a lot of "advertising" for ola today.  At least then I won't feel as rushed and walking away won't be an issue.

I'm not going to be posting lots of pictures, but please come by to check out my new wares.  I have listed Spongebob, batman, Bratz, books, a Pokemon Book, a vintage cookbook, a couple of vintage craft books, and so much more!

www.onlineauction.com/store/tamancam

You know, despite it being hard work, I think that it's good that we're doing this. Yeah, we're really straining our bodies pushing boxes, moving furniture, and taking off everything from the shelves. But, there hasn't been a time in the 10 years we've been living here that we've been able to clear out the junk occupying our home.

I'm a packrat. I don't know where I get it from because both my mom and dad throw out unnecessary things with the quickness. As I was clearing out the top of my closet, I found that I still had papers from the 7th grade. I'm entering my 2nd year of college. You could imagine that it was quite a trip to read a few essays I'd written when I was a wee-little lad. But, in the spirit of my family, I had to put them in the black trash bag. Boo.

I apologize again for the lack of updates with "The Girl" and my "Testimony." Things became hectic and are only becoming harder to manage. Sorry again.

We're still in the process of cleaning, so I'll just post up some pictures and speak through captions.

I'll start off with my room. From this post, it can be said that there needed to be a lot of work done.

Here's what my room looks like now.

As for other parts of the house, there were a lot of knick-knacks and small things to pack in. I didn't know that there could be a bittersweet relationship to collectibles. I bet my mom really enjoyed putting her plates back that she spent so much time organizing. I know I'm going to really enjoy putting my shoes back in my room. Fun times.

Here are some more before and after stuff.

She was able to take care of the plates. As for the dolls and collectibles, we still need to take those down. Think of how fun it will be to take all these shelves out. Oh, joy! Whomp, whomp, whomp.

Of course, with all of this stuff coming out of the house, it has to go somewhere. Our garage was grateful enough to receive all of it. We're trying our best to keep the walkway open, but it looks as if it's going to close soon. We've got about 4 big balikbayan-sized boxes just itching to plug the path. My shoe collection made it into the garage as well.

We really need to be done by tomorrow. Monday is when the train starts chugging. Getting in the way would be disastrous, not to mention inconvenient. I had to bail on Cassie this evening due to the cleaning. I'm sorry, hon.

I couldn't even see her the first day she's back.

I haven't even showered yet.

Eek.

Anyway, more updates on the way. Please pray for us as we go through this tumultuous process. By God's will, we'll get through alright. With our backs hurting, perhaps. Nevertheless, slouching or not, all things are possible through him.

EDIT: Fixed those oversized pictures. Enjoy.

Update: The maquettes are $79.99 on shop.starwars.com. Plus they have a slew of new CW and other merchandise, including model sets from Kotobukiya, costumes, toys, and books!