First State Mini Club Newsletter

February 21, 2019; Meeting is Thursday at 7-9 PMNew Castle Senior Center, 400 South Street, New Castle DE 19720

<o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o>President’s Message Angie Phillips and Marnie King, co-presidents

Hello, fellow miniature lovers,

How are we getting through February so far?  It’s certainly a good time to cuddle indoors and work on our minis while the cold weather lasts.   The committee working on the houseparty-helper for the annual convention this summer is still accepting articles for our two booths at the flea market (one country shabby and one country chic).  The theme, remember, is “A Little Bit Country, Shabby or Chic” so look through your stash and find some goodies to contribute. This month we have a guest speaker, Ann Pennypacker,, who will show us how to work with battery-powered lights for our book box project. See items to bring under Program for the month. Thank you, Lois, for handling the show postcards this year, so we so we could work on our book-box at the meeting. Everyone please be thinking about our next club project for the coming year.  I came up with the Tea Party idea this last year, and while I have another idea for the next project, I would like it if more people contributed their own ideas for us to discuss during the next couple of meetings.

Here’s hoping the weather doesn’t affect our February meeting, because we have a good program this month.

Angie, co-president with Marnie. <o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o>

BIRTHDAYS: Happy Birthday!! Enjoy your special day! And may you have many Mini more! Marion Hogan 25-Jan Connie Gorman 16-FebMarnie King 13-Feb Angie Phillips 6 -MarRuth Levin 15-Feb

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zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz HOSPITALITY Bring your own drink/cup/bottle! Connie Feb. --Connie Gorman, Karen Kaminski, Mary Ellen Raun and Leslie ShaffnerMar. --Lois Weyer, Wanda Simons, Marnie King and Joan HoytApr. --Angie Phillips, Ruth Levin, Bonnie Kincaid and Susan RossMay --Everyone brings refreshments and drinks

CALENDAR of Mini Events coming up…ask around…there may be carpools going. Also check M-1 and E-1 Newsletter, available at NAME website (miniatures.org).

Register in January for July 18-21, 2019 NAME Convention: Nashville TN “A Little Bit of Country—Shabby or Chic.” Operations includes Marnie…Joan and Diane are going, anyone else?

Register end of January for small scales regional in Pittsburgh, Sept 26-28, “All Around the Neighborhood,” Marnie is doing Operations…who’s going? The souvenirs are really great ¼” items.

March 31, 2019, FSMC Show—Sunday, 10-4 at the Crowne Plaza in Claymont. A CHANGE in location.

April 13, 2019, Mini Yard Sale in Westminster MD, 23 N. Court St, Westminster MD, 10-3. To sell, register in January up to April 5…with Sue Ketchum.

May 15-19 is NAME Online Houseparty, “Around the World in 8 Days”…register opens January 4. $62 registration (and NEW: $30 registration option without souvenirs)

May 19, 2019, Sunday, 10-3:30 Lancaster Farm and Heritage Center Mini Show, 1383 Arcadia Rd, Lancaster PA 17601

July 18-21, 2019 NAME Convention: Nashville TN “A Little Bit of Country—Shabby or

Chic.” Aug 11, 2019 Lehigh Valley Mini Club Show, 10-4, Holiday Inn, Exit 49A off I-78 onto Rt.

100 South. 773 Adrienne Dr, Breinigsville PA 18031. Info: Jo Roseberry 570-213-3016 or jolen@ptd.net

September 26-29, 2019 NAME Small scale Regional in Pittsburgh, “All around the Neighborhood,” chair is Ann Pennypacker, Operations chair is Marnie. Souvenir

April 6, 2019--New Jersey Club Day, at United Methodist Church, 21 North Main StreetCranbury, NJ 08512 We are hoping you will join us Window Shopping! You will build a ¼” window front peering into the store of your dreams. The kit will include the window front structure on a base, a 3 volt ceiling light and fixture, a Petite Properties corner counter piece and shop display unit, paper flooring and other surprise goodies for a store.

Please see the attached document (end of newsletter) for more information and registration form. If you have already registered we will send out confirmation emails after the registration date which has been extended to February 22nd. If you are having trouble with the attachment please contact Natalie at namaguire1229@comcast.net

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ANNOUNCEMENTS….

**Grab bag items are always needed for our show! Give to Connie. Thank you for your efforts.

**Don’t forget your exhibit for the show. Form at end of newsletter. See Marnie! Please exhibit!

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Cloning Around Angie Philips

Here is my clone I had made at last year’s annual show.  I let her sit for a long time but then got working on her conversion this past summer when I was also working on my tea party.  I first had to cut off the back of her head so I could change her hair.    I also had to cut out from under the arms so I could fit the dress’s skirt and sleeves on the doll.  I found out that the figure is actually very thin and I cut through a bit too much and part broke off.  But I was able to fill in all the places with Durham’s Rock Hard Putty to reshape the back of the head and fill in the broken spot on the back. It took me a couple of attempts to the hair halfway to the way I had in mind and I am still not completely satisfied. I got the figure fully dressed and was stitching the last pleat of the skirt when I broke off the left arm.  Rats!  Anyway, at least it means I can manipulate the arm to properly hold whatever piece of dinnerware I finally decide to pose her holding. I have had this green marble cheese board for decades and the cabinet is something I built years ago.  The color of the board is why I chose the dress color.  I have several choices of things to put on the table and I bought kits for 4 chairs at the Philadelphia Miniaturia. My intention is to have my sister in St. Louis get a clone made that I can add to the scene.  I have also asked my niece in Los Angeles to get a clone made to represent her mother, my late sister, whom she strongly resembles, with the same red hair.  I plan for the finished project to be me and my two sisters having a Regency tea party together.

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REGARDING OUR CLUB PROJECT FOR THE SHOW……TEA PARTY From your Newsletter editor: You’re lookin’ good, Angie!

This weather has gotten me going on my club project, too…tiny but just what I wanted. I have inherited a great sterling silver tea service, flatware for 18, and bowls in REAL scale. When Sue Ann Thwaite’s husband cut out the openings on containers, I was lucky to purchase a silver sugar bowl with 2 window for a ¼” scale scene. The battery and light fit right in the lid. Now I plan to do the final detail: tiny props to hold the lid open about an inch for better view. Will I use plexiglass or silver jewelry wrapping wire? To be seen at our show! My tea drinkers are made by Sally Manwell and Cat Wingler. Tea set with cups and saucers are from Ginger Landon Siegel. The furniture kits are from Bruce and Judy Steinke, Karen Benson, all modified to fit the curved walls. A cat (like my Jazzy) is from Barbara Meyer and happily is in attendance, too. Great fun! My mini silver service for this scene was a charm from my mother’s charm bracelet.

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Don’t forget to give Angie the name and size of your TEA PARTY project so that signs can be made! We have planks and gray fabric for the exhibit and voting tubs for a club project.

P.S. Did you know that the political “TEA Party” is derived from “Taxed Enough Already”?

PROJECT UPDATE_______________________________________________Diane Scheuer

Well, my January project is complete. (check last month’s column for my plan to complete a project-a-month!). Look for it at the show – “Bourbon Street Opera House.” Now on to a project for February.

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SHOW Update_____________________________________________ Lois Weyer

We currently have 30 tables filled for our show, and more are coming in.  

The postcards are stamped and labelled and ready to go out in mid-February.

A list of vendors has been posted on our website.

Ads have been appearing in magazines.

An author, Holly Tierney-Bedford, has agreed to send us a stack of cards and a free copy of her book "Flip This (Mini) House” to use as a door-prize.

EXHIBITS needed…

** SUNSHINE** Diane Scheuer

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Debbie Fink, past member and president of our club, is having an ankle replacement and regrets missing our show again.

Susan Ross has had cataract surgery on one eye, the next to come. She has dealt with tooth extractions and the latest is hospitalization to attempt to assist her with her eating disorder. She is at St. Francis and is awaiting a transfer to a rehab facility for feeding solutions. Bonnie is visiting and will gratefully pass on your best wishes. Coincidentally, her neighbor is a retired social worker who worked with me at A. I. duPont Hospital for Children and is assisting in this. (Marnie’s editing addition.)

Haven’t heard to the contrary, so I guess members are getting through this whacky weather ok. Grace has been having her ‘ups’ and ‘downs’. Her ‘downs’ requiring help getting up...so no more of those ‘downs’- ok Grace? Give her a call sometime. Also, if you have an hour to spare sometime, call and make arrangements to visit Rose Gambacorta. She sure would appreciate the company.

Point to ponder – Why do we say something is out of whack? Just what IS a whack?

Editor: according to Wikipedia, whack or wack is derived from a 1710 dialect from Scotland, who used “thwack or whang” to indicate something struck, wrecked, faulty, defective, injured, ruined, impaired, out of balance, run-down, undisciplined, chaotic, disorganized, spent, shot, exhausted, down, out….sounds like “out of whack” is what it is after being whacked! Covers a lot!

<o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o><o>OUTREACH Marnie KingSave the dates to help at a table for

*Festival at the Fort--Sunday April 28 10-4 at Kalmar Nyckel and Old Swedes, East 7th Street *Archaeology Festival--Sunday May 5th 11-4 at Iron Hill, Newark

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*********************************************************************************************Houseparty Helper for Nashville (July 2019) Wanda Simons chairing

Cttee: Connie Gorman, Grace Hayford, Bonnie Kincaid, Marnie King, Angie Phillips

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ITEMS NEEDED FOR THE FSMC HOUSEPARTY HELPER FOR THE 2019 NASHVILLE CONVENTION

Plans for our club's donation began coming together at the committee's January meeting. Now, many small items are needed for "country," either shabby or chic, styles for the two adjacent booths in a multi-dealer “antique/junque” mall. Please bring hats, handbags, items for shelves or tabletops, fabric with small patterns, aprons, household items, small rugs, lamps (working or not), and more.....labeled with your name for items to be returned to you if they can't be used. Otherwise, they will be given for our club table's grab bags at our show. The color schemes are evolving, mostly to muted colors.

Winter is a good time to look at your stash to see what you might be willing to part with! Thanks in advance for your help!

Program for FEBRUARY---(or March as snow date)…Electricity with LED battery pack! Anyone NOT doing the project might still find the techniques interesting….please join us.

Tools: Marnie will bring soldering iron, Elec tape, Power Drill and hand drill, hair dryer /heat gun (for the shrink tubes).

You need: Your book box, Tacky glue, X-acto knife, cutting board to open the place for the battery and switch, or to continue with windows.

Ann Pennypacker will bring a 2-light unit for each of you and teach the insertion of the light for the box. Bring your book box without gluing in window (to protect it while inserting lighting). Evan Designs at www.LightsforMinis.com

Plan where to put the switch button…it measures about 5/16” wide, ½” long (the part showing) and tapers taking the total of an inch. is about 1/8” deep. We will have drills to make the holes from the back and to create depth for the switch. It could be along the “leaves of the pages,” the top of the spine of the book, etc.

Plan where to hide the battery case but still get to it, about 1” from the switch. Battery/case measures 1” x 1 ¼” and 3/16” deep…best place is on bottom of book, in pages.

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Plan where you want the lights, which are a tiny blip on the end of the wire. If you want it to come out into a lamp or sconce, bring that accessory. The light can be at the top, back, or side of your book box. The light is threaded through the item (lamp), through a hole in the box and then threaded through the black shrink tubes and connected to the wires to the switch and battery box. Light kit components in photo:Battery must be this kind, the CR2032 lithium, because other types will destroy the unit. The black item holds the battery. The white button switch, 2 black shrink tubes (heated over the wire connections to insulate), and at the bottom of the picture is the actual light on the end of a 6” wire. I have asked for 8” wires and 2 lights.

Happy Miniaturing!

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