Chigaco Mini Shows 2017

Not only 1 but 3 miniature shows were running during 5 days and all of them within 20km distance!!

- 3BlindMice was your run-of-the-mill stuff, but excellent for 1/2" and 1/4".
- The Miniature Show was of excellent standard with a manageable amount of exhibitors (... it was possible to find the table again where I spotted something earlier..). See lots of photos of artists at Facebook site
- Tom Bishop Show was huge with some extremely high-end minis and artists. Seeing these high standards is challenging..

What I learned:
- Always book for previews in order to have first choice!
- To go home straight after the dhow because I am ready to try all new things

Here what I collected for my contemporary style during the past days

Dorota from MiniFanaberia

Yukio Kawai in Tokyo, Japan

From Dorota of MiniFanaberia, and the sewing machine and, and....

Lidi Strout Basketcase Miniatures - the best!  ..filled with fruit from various artists

English quality with real bristles, best toothbrushes I have ever seen

...and Marie  Michael Creutz from minis2you have great ice skates, too...

Exquisite raku pottery from Hairy Potter

Yukio Kawai in Tokyo, Japan

kitchen tools collected from various producers

and Ulus Miniaturas has not seen the last of me...

Stunning! From Pia Becker - Lamis Minis

Unfortunately Kari Bloom was sick and not there with her stunning furniture - I would have loved to see this in real...

My bag is not only with lots of ideas but as well with material from Michaels, Blick, HobbyLobby and other shops where I spent hours browsing and hunting.

This was as mind blowing as it can get!
And it was great meeting some remarkable mini artists and making new friends 😎

Vacuum Forming a Miniature Boat with Styrene

Every Beach Hut needs at least a rowing boat!

After countless trials making this with thin balsa strips I was a bit at a loss.
But then I chatted with Dorota from Miniafanaberia about styerene and this got me onto the right track!

I made the shape of the boat with foamboard layers and after thorough google video research about vacuum forming, I gave it a shot because I had a few glossy 2mm styrene sheets anyway (stashed away because I thought I would never use them..).

First I made the vacuum box using a plastic box, made a hole big enough for the vacuum sucker, and closed the box with wood and plenty of wholes in it.

I tried with two kind of frames.

Sheet tacked onto the frame and sits on TOP of the box: good for small items because there is less styrene waste

Sheet is clamped between two frames and is LARGER than the box: good when you need the entire sucking area of the box

The great thing though: it worked first time!! And this with rather thick 2mm styrene....

Only with the surf board the first try was not ok because the styrene was not long enough in the oven

I made three of them because it was so easy 😀. Cut them into three different heights.

Added 2x1mm rim on top with super glue. 

And here the finished product (anchor and fishing net missing..)!