2014 NAME National Convention: Rollin' on the River in St. Louis

Recently, 14 members of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniatures Guild had the great pleasure of attending NAME's 42nd Annual Convention in St. Louis, Missouri. The theme was "Rollin' on the River," and we certainly did. We chattered, learned new things, ate great food, met amazing miniaturists, and shopped until we dropped. The national convention is the biggest fundraiser of the year for NAME. As a non-profit devoted to educating others in the fine art of dollhouse miniatures, it's important for the organization to raise funds in big ways. It was a big party, and it was fantastic.

The national conventions have theme luncheons, workshops, banquets, galas, roundtables (when quick make-and-take kits are sold), auctions, displays, raffles, table prizes, awards, tote bag gifts, gift exchanges, table favors, meetings, and large salesrooms. There is so much more, and I highly encourage you to visit the NAME site HERE to learn more information.

Each member of NAME who attends the conference comes home with official souvenirs. St. Louis didn't disappoint with their fantastic choices.

First, we have a Pewter River Boat by Barb Meyer. You can see that this one is sitting on top of a quarter to show its scale. The details are perfect! Many thanks to Barb Meyer of mini-gems for making these beauties:

(click on the photos to make them larger)

Our next souvenir comes from Grace Griffin of TreeFeathers Miniatures. It's a full set of Mark Twain books, which are lovely. No Tom Sawyer-ish party would be complete without all of these books. Many thanks to Grace for this special gift:

The next souvenir is a snazzy, detailed photo book showing the route along the Mississippi River by Carol and Thomas Kubrican of true2scale. A-1 is the region that includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri, so each of these states are represented along the little riverboat ride inside the book:

When you get to St. Louis, there's even a pop-up Gateway Arch! The book is amazing. Thank you so much to Carol and Thomas:

Last, but certainly not least, is a 1:12 hand-painted porcelain doll by Pat Boldt (her Web site isn't working at this time, but you can reach her at patboldtdolls@cox.net per her business card). You can learn more about Pat HERE. I was blown away by the detail on my doll -- her little face and fine toes are so delicate:

It must have taken a long time to paint all of these little faces, but we're so glad she did! Thank you so much to Pat for your phenomenal doll:

Here is a photo of the farewell luncheon on Sunday, July 20th. As you can see, there were a lot of attendees this year. I'm not sure of the exact count, but I hear it's somewhere around 400-500 people. For the shared meal events, we met in this fun tent. The food and service were excellent. Big thanks to the St. Louis Airport Marriott for hosting so many miniaturists: 

Each table had a centerpiece of a small boat that was "rollin' down the river" with Tom Sawyer inside. The centerpieces rotated at the meals, so everyone was able to view and admire more than one. These boats were made and donated by helpful NAME members (thank you SO much!). The most fun part for OCBMG was that our very own guild member, Sue Fortney, made all of the dolls. They are incredible! HUGE thanks to Sue and everyone who participated in these beautiful donations. I was lucky enough to win my table's centerpiece on the last day. Here is the boat I brought home:

I'm particularly excited to have my very own Sue Fortney doll in my house. All of our OCBMG members are proud and honored to have a talented artisan as one of our fellow miniaturists -- and our friend. Looks like he caught something:

There was also a very special guest at the Gala this year -- Mary Englebreit. Mary is now a lifetime member of NAME and was honored with special gifts from some of our members. You can see photos of Mary and the presentation of her gifts HERE and HERE.

These are just a few small highlights from the St. Louis NAME National Convention, 2014. Looks like fun, right? Well, I have good news then. There are plenty more in the future! Go to miniatures.org to learn more about NAME and the houseparties/conventions. There are also Public Days at these events when non-NAME members can come and shop in the salesrooms.

Here are some hand-outs (with fun minis included) from St. Louis that are announcing upcoming events. Along with national conventions, NAME regions host regional "houseparties," which are smaller versions of the big yearly event.

NAME National Convention, 2015
Indianapolis, Indiana

NAME Small Scale Houseparty, 2015

Madison, Wisconsin

NAME National Convention, 2016

Seattle, Washington

NAME National Convention, 2017

Alexandria, Virginia

It takes a LOT of work and years of dedication (seriously--years) to make these events come together. Thank you to everyone who is involved in every little detail. You make these parties special, enjoyable, and ridiculously fun for all who attend.

On behalf of everyone in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniatures Guild, I thank the St. Louis team for hosting us at your fabulous event! THANK YOU!

October National Dollhouse and Miniatures Month Display 2014

Did you know that October is National Dollhouse and Miniatures Month in the United States? In order to celebrate this special month, the OCBMG and The Shoe Box Bunch will be hosting a one-day joint display for the viewing public. Please come join us to see some very fun minis!

OCBMG and The Shoe Box Bunch 

National Dollhouse and Miniatures Month 2014 Display

October 11, 2014

10am to 4pm

Papillion Recreational Center

1100 W. Lincoln St.

Papillion, Nebraska 68046

402-597-2041

 Admission is FREE; donations accepted.

Some of us will also be available to discuss dollhouse miniatures and building tips. We look forward to seeing you there.

OCBMG April News

This adorable quarter scale (1:48) ice cream shop kit was put together by one of our OCBMG members. She brought it to our guild meeting yesterday for our Show & Tell segment, which is when we show and explain different projects we are working on.

Quarter scale has become very popular within the miniature world because it takes up less room than full scale (1:12) builds and--let's face it--it's super cute.

Here is the inside of the store:

It's hard to imagine how tiny quarter scale is until you see it in real life. These wee projects are very fulfilling because they can be put together in a flash!

Our club project yesterday was to put together a 1:12 Grimm's Fairy Tales book from Paper Minis by Ann Vanture. If you click HERE and scroll down, you can find the book. Vanture's books and other paper kits are of amazing quality. She has several "kit of the month" type clubs that you can subscribe to for books, toys, or general paper minis. You can also sign up for a monthly newsletter from Vanture which often has links to free printies in multiple scales.

We always have a great time at our OCBMG gatherings. Feel free to stop by one of our meetings to see if you'd like to join. We also invite you to attend one of The Shoe Box Bunch meetings to visit with our non-NAME sister group. You can find information about the times and dates for these groups in the sidebars. Please note, the location changes during the summer months, so contact us at ocbmguild@gmail.com to ensure you have the correct date and address if you are thinking about visiting soon.

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We still have openings for our Nebraska State Day 2014 gathering in September. You do NOT have to be a member of NAME to attend this fun event, so sign up today to get in on the fun, mini action. Who knows? You might find your inner miniaturist and discover a new, rewarding, lifetime hobby! For information about this event, click HERE.

Show Cancellation and Invite to Nebraska State Day 2014

It is with great sadness that we must announce the cancellation of the OCBMG Dollhouse & Miniature Show that was going to be held in April of 2014. We apologize to everyone who was planning on attending and thank you for your continued support.

Instead of the show, we'd still like to invite you to be a part of Nebraska State Day. We'll be making this lovely shop shown above and below. Look at all of that fun jewelry:

There will be room for all kinds of miniatures:

We still have places open for this event. Here is all of the information you need:

"Create a Shop"

21st Annual Nebraska State Day

September 20, 2014

9am to 4pm

Faith Presbyterian Church

8100 Giles Road

LaVista, NE 68127
You do NOT need to be a member of NAME
to participate in this event!

Registration: $70.00 (includes morning coffee, lunch, project, tote bag, souvenir gift, and more). This event is limited to 35 registrants, and the deadline for registration is August 15, 2014. Cancellation/refund no later than September 1, 2014.

Gift Exchange: Make 21 miniatures (all alike) that would go into the Create a Shop (no kits or printies) and if you participate you will take home 21 gifts for your Create a Shop. This is NOT mandatory, but it's a lot of fun. 

Make check payable to: Nebraska State Day
Mail to: Ada Vicars, 13412 Montclaire Drive, Omaha, NE 68144


For further information about Nebraska State Day 2014, please contact:

• Edna Bonney: embonney@huntel.net or (402) 426-4624
• Lois Andres: jlalea1@cox.net or (402) 894-4824

You can also leave a comment here, and I will direct your questions to the proper people. Please let us know if you're interested in being a vendor (must be a registrant).

Nebraska Holiday Miniatures Display 2013

The Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniatures Guild and Shoe Box Bunch are currently displaying holiday miniatures in Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. You can view our miniatures from December 6th, 2013 to January 6, 2014 here:

Washington County Historical Museum

102 North 14th Street 

Fort Calhoun, NE 68023

402-468-5740

(just north of Omaha on US Highway 75)

Hours:

Monday–Friday: 9am–5pm 

Thursday: 9am–8pm 

Saturday, December 14: 10am–4pm

(call about additional weekend hours)

Admission:

Donation

If you are interested in hosting some of our miniatures for display at any time of the year, please contact us at: ocbmguild@gmail.com.

Happy Holidays!

In Memory of Wanda Leighton

October 29, 1934–September 27, 2013

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Wanda Leighton.

Wanda Jewell Leighton passed away on September 27 at her home in Omaha, Nebraska. As a member of the Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniature Guild, she served as club Treasurer shortly after she joined NAME in 1979 until her passing. She was always ready to give a workshop at club when needed. Making candy was the class she taught the evening before she died. 

Wanda entered a NAME video contest on "How to make roses" and it won $250 for our club.

She was a Dealer at several shows in the Midwest and was known as MINIATURE HOME INTERIORS by WANDA. A true miniaturist who will be missed by her many friends, club mates, customers, and especially her sister Carol, a NAME member in California.

--Edna H. Perkins, Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniature Guild

Wanda was such a wonderful miniaturist. We have lost a great artist, and a beloved friend. Please join us in enjoying these treasures from her....

Baby chicks and red slippers:

 A door mat and a garden hose:

Soaps:

Candy:

Wanda will live on in our hearts and in our miniature builds.

Nebraska State Day 2013: Sidewalk Bistro Event

Last Saturday, the Omaha-Council Bluffs Miniature Guild hosted the 20th Annual Nebraska State Day at Faith Presbyterian Church in LaVista, Nebraska. The event went from 9am to roughly 3:30pm, and there were roughly 35 attendees. It was a fantastic event, and everyone had a great time!

The project for this year was a 1:12 Sidewalk Bistro. There were many finished examples for attendees to admire and study for inspiration:

The pre-made room boxes were made from gator board, which was easy to work with and light to carry. First, we painted the sidewalk area using a sponge technique. Next, we put on the wallpaper (leaving room for a wall mirror), and then we put in the flooring. We added "stucco" to the outside by using a stiff brush and gesso. There was an option to add some brick peeking through the stucco siding. Here, you can see the boxes drying while attendees moved on to painting or assembling interior furniture:

It was exciting to see the vast variety of colors and designs that all of the attendees chose. There were three people to each circle table, which left everyone a lot of room to work with. My favorite detail was the little trash bag that was taped to the table next to me. Very helpful!

The church's large kitchen had multiple sinks for washing brushes and getting new water. Helpers were always on the move to answer questions, offer help, or encourage the attendees. Extra supplies were available because we all know that you forget at LEAST one important tool when attending building events. Here you can see us busily working away:

Throughout the day, attendees were showered with amazing gifts, including the little bistro man you can see above in the first photo. We received everything you would possibly need for this kit as surprise gifts or tote bag items, including a metal bistro circle table and chairs, many handmade beautiful flowers, wine boxes and bottles, art for the walls, plates, silverware, cups, and oodles of decorative items. There was also a raffle for 10 different items and vendor tables to pick up any last-minute goodies. The club members donated items for the tote bags -- many creating more than one item. Big thanks to all who donated their time and energy to making such wonderful gifts!

We had coffee and rolls at the start of the day, and then we went to a Chinese buffet for lunch (all included with the price of admission). It was nice to relax and chat with fellow miniaturists over a meal before we got back into the groove with our kits:

The interior furniture that came with the room box included a table, a bench (with front and back pieces to be covered with fabric), a small table, a hostess counter, a front sign, and valances. We also received a 16-light Houseworks window and front door. Below, you can see an attendee painting her items black:

Overall, it was a fantastic day. Everyone was able to work at his or her own pace without any pressure. We took home our goodies to finish up in our own time.

On behalf of the OCBMG, I'd like to say thank you to the Faith Presbyterian Church for graciously hosting us and to all of our members for making the event such a success!

We'd also like to thank our fantastic committee for all of your hard work with planning and creating this special day: Lois Andres, Edna Bonney, Del Faris, Georgia Gregg, Syd Hulla, Wanda Leighton, Harlan Schleuter, and Ada Vicars. Thank you!!

Personally, I've been working on finishing the painting and organizing the goodies. My little bistro will be finished in no time!

Thanks again, everyone!

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Would you like to join us next year? We already have the kit picked out and decorated for you to see! We will be making "Create a Shop," which you can see below:

Look at all of those fun minis inside! Jewelry, hats, purses, shoes, scarves, perfume, and clothing:

Here is the information for next year's event:

"Create a Shop"

21st Annual Nebraska State Day

September 20, 2014

9am to 4pm

Faith Presbyterian Church

8100 Giles Road

LaVista, NE 68127

Registration: $70.00 (includes morning coffee, lunch, project, tote bag, souvenir gift, and more). This event is limited to 35 registrants, and the deadline for registration is August 15, 2014. Cancellation/refund no later than September 1, 2014.

Gift Exchange: Make 21 miniatures (all alike) that would go into the Create a Shop (no kits or printies) and if you participate you will take home 21 gifts for your Create a Shop. This is NOT mandatory, but it's a lot of fun. 

Make check payable to: Nebraska State Day
Mail to: Ada Vicars, 13412 Montclaire Drive, Omaha, NE 68144


For further information about next year's Nebraska Day, please contact:

• Edna Bonney: embonney@huntel.net or (402) 426-4624
• Lois Andres: jlalea1@cox.net or (402) 894-4824

You can also leave a comment here, and I will direct your questions to the proper people. Please let us know if you're interested in being a vendor (must be a registrant).