Saturday 6 October 2012

Dolls House Fabrics from Magpies Miniatures

Dolls House Fabric

Posted on 8:10am Saturday 6th Oct 2012
We've had many customers enquiring about Dolls House fabric, and we're rather excited to tell you we've managed to find a brand new supplier, and have some new stock in now! Go and have a look at the FABRIC category to see the new arrivals....
...or have a look here:
Back to Basics - 50x47cm Purple Polka Dots
Life in Japan - 50x45cm Smoke Blue Polka Dots
Flower Power 50x48cm Snow White Rose Bloom & Polka Dots
Cute, aren't they? Hopefully you'll agree, and be able to put them to good use!
Remember, if you've bought ANY of our products in the past, or are soon to be placing an order, that makes you eligable to enter our Competition to win a £20 Gift Cerificate to spend here at Magpies-Miniatures.net
All you have to do is send us some photos of any work you've completed or have in progress, where you are using any of our miniatures. It doesn't necessarily have to be dolls houses, as we know many of our customers use our products for various purposes- cake toppers, cards, jewellery, and even taxidermy props! We'd love to see your work.
Go see the COMPETITION page for more details and how to enter.

For now, take care and have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday 4 October 2012

Christmas Postage Dates 2012

Christmas Posting Dates

Posted on 9:43am Thursday 4th Oct 2012
christmas postage
I have put up a new page regarding Christmas Postage dates for December 2012.
If you want an order to arrive in time for Christmas, PLEASE make sure you order with enough time for postage and delivery. The dates are a guide, and do not guarentee your products will be there in time, but if you order AFTER the specified date for your country, you can expect not to get it until after the busy Christmas period.
Unfortunately, once your order is posted, there's no way we can hurry it along. Santa Claus may be able to manage to visit millions of households in one night, but it's something the Royal Mail and International Postal services are yet to master.
Go check the calendar for your specific area: http://www.magpies-miniatures.net/xmaspostage.html
and make sure you still have plenty of time :o)
Ho Ho Ho!

Sunday 30 September 2012

Dolls House Miniatures Competition

Win a Gift Voucher!

comp
So you're here visiting our site, which must mean you're interested in Dolls House Miniatures in some creative way or other! We've learnt from experience and talking to our customers directly, that many of you have really interesting projects on the go using our miniatures, anywhere from dollhouses (goes without saying!) to taxidermy props, practical jokes, and card and jewellery making crafts too.
So, how would you like to win a £20 Gift Voucher here from us at Magpies Miniatures?
All you have to do is send us your photographs of any projects you have ongoing or have completed using any of our miniatures!
It really is that simple.
The competition is open to all our customers, whether they be from direct here on the website, or from eBay.  All we ask in return is that we could feature you and your projects in a customer gallery, as inspiration for others and to show off the amazing skills you all hold!
What are you waiting for? Email them over now- don't be shy! If we could get a little photo of yourself too, bonus! Lovely to put a face to our customers :o)
Best regards, good luck!
- Mandy and Niccy @ www.Magpies-Miniatures.net

Friday 28 September 2012

Autumn Days

Autumn Days

Posted on 5:41pm Friday 28th Sep 2012
Office Window
Well, it must be officially Autumn. Days are drawing in earlier, leaves are starting to drop, and there's a definite nip in the air. The grass is jewelled with dew drops in the morning, and the smell of barbeques in the evening has been replaced with core-warming soups and bacon sandwiches.
This picture was taken a couple of days ago from outside the Magpies Miniatures HQ. Those aren't leaves on the upper branches, but hundreds of birds, each chirping away. Cumbria really is a lovely little corner of the world, if a little damp. But hey, those lakes in the Lake District weren't made from sunshine- so if you can't beat the weather, join it!

puddles
A favourite wet weather day pastime in our household is something my 3 year old refers to as "welly walks". This is the kind of activity us "grown-ups" love as we get to behave like a 3 year old too. There's no age restrictions, and even though passers-by may look at you like you're crazy, I know they'd jump at the opportunity to have as much fun too!
So why let the seasonal changes stop there, how about incorporating them into your doll house world too. Here at Magpies Miniatures in our ONLINE SHOP, you will find a huge collection of products to match any season.

d1043 wellington boots

 



For only £3.50, you can pick up two pairs of Wellington boots- one pair black, the other green, and both made from rubber! Prop them up at the front door along with a rain mac and umbrella, and anyone can see you're set for the wet season. Also a perfect addition to any shed, allotment, garden or even farm scene. Where do you keep your wellies?


UMBRELLA STAND PLUS CANES
 Any hallway wouldn't be complete without somewhere to keep your soggy umbrella too, and as luck would have it, we have this covered too! This wonderful umbrella stand comes complete with black umbrella, walking stick and cane. The level of detail on this piece is simply wonderful, and is a popular choice with many of our customers too. This particular 4 piece set costs only £9.85, although we have other umbrellas and stands starting at only £1.27, pick up a rainy day bargain while you can!


rainraingoaway
Drip, drip, drip... What to do with those drips? Fix the leak? Or carry on snuggling under the blanket with a nice Hot Chocolate, blazing fire, and X-Factor, and let a good old bucket do the hard work?
I know which option I'm taking, and for anyone on a similar wavelength, here's a nice little selection of drip-catchers for you to choose from. Also fabulous for general garden diggery, and Halloween Apple Bobbing!

bucket3Remember, everything is available from us in our SHOP, and if you can't find it (we're going to be working on that Search Feature(!) ) just drop us a line and we'll point you in the right direction.
That's all for now folks. Stay safe, keep well, and stay dry!

I'm going to leave you with my favourite Autumn song I used to sing in Primary school... Wonderful choice of lyrical goodness. Enjoy.




- Niccy
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Thursday 20 September 2012

Miniature Food for Dolls Houses

Food Items

Posted on 7:15pm Thursday 20th Sep 2012
We've been quiet on the blogging front as we've been busy beavering away in the land of all things tiny, receiving and packing and shipping your orders, and addressing some of those photo issues we mentioned in a previous blog post. It's a HUGE job as there's 3000 products here on the website, and we want to eventually update all the photos to make sure the quality of the pieces are shown to you. Taking one category at a time, we've been working on the FOOD images, of which there are many- and several are still to be uploaded. But have a look below at some of the new images we've brought you.
Fruit and Vegetables
There's a great choice of Fruit and vegetables available in the shop, including these wonderful baskets:
Basket of Mushrooms Basket of Strawberries
There's several of these available with varied contents, so be sure to check them all out. Would look fabulous in a kitchen, shop, market or even gardens and allotments. In a word- Stunning.
What's for Main course?
How about a Full roast turkey or perhaps chicken? With all the trimmings!
Turkey Centrepiece Roast Chicken Centrepiece
I'm starting to feel festive! Wouldnt they look fabulous as a Christmas centrepiece?? And Roast potatoes are my favourite :) yum!
But let's not forget the pudding...
Chocolate Cream Sponge Cake Plate of Mixed Fruit
Cake or fruit....fruit or cake....BOTH?!
These are all items we've had in stock for a while now, but the pictures really hadn't done them justice. We believe they're starting to look much more appetising. So much in fact, that when I photographed this Bangers, Mash and Beans the other day:
Bangers, Mash and Beans
I had to go home and make some of my own. It's hungry work being a dolls house retailer you know...
2012-09-18 17.06.29
Disappointingly, the miniature looked more tasty than my real dinner!!
We'll be back soon with lots more photos, updates and news. For now, go see some of the updates HERE
See you Soon!
- N
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Monday 10 September 2012

Dolls House Miniatures: Bargain Boxes

If you've checked into the New Arrivals page within the last couple of hours, you will have noticed the Bargain Boxes. These are SPECIAL PURCHASE collections of items, seperated into room categories for easy shopping. Each Bargain Box contains an array of accessories from the relevant category, For Example, Looking at one of the Garden Bargain Boxes, you will find accessories such as Miniature Plant Pots, Flowers, Furniture, Foliage, Hosepipes, Water Pumps etc etc.
toys 1 - 5
The contents of each Bargain Box varies, and often includes more than is shown in the photographs, so be sure to check the listing on each page.
garden set 2 - 4
Currently listed are Garden Bargain Boxes, Music Room, Toy Shop / Christmas Workshop, and a Haberdashery selection.
toys 1 - 3
Upcoming in the next few days will be Kitchens, Bathroom, Bedroom, and some clearance furniture.
habedashery 4
Snap up a bargain before it's too late, Head on over to NEW ARRIVALS now!

Saturday 8 September 2012

Autumn Winter Miniature Doll House Garden

 Old Watering Can

Are you looking to create a garden space for your Dolls House? Here at Magpies-Miniatures.net we stock a wide variety of items to help this creative process, and to decorate your mini garden with beautiful accessories, from wildlife to plants and garden furniture.
Self Adhesive Carpet - Dark Green
Browsing in the Self Adhesive Carpet category you will find a good selection of 'carpet' colours, and amongst these there is this lovely Dark Green carpet, which works wonderfully as an all-year round lush garden lawn. There is a lighter green also available, so have a look and see which one you prefer. They come in a flat sheet, 19" x 13" (482mm x 330mm) in size, and can be easily cut with scissors. They have a self-adhiesive backing, so no requirement for additional glues. (These are fabulous for inside your house too, as they come in a variety of colours, and are only £2.20 per sheet. Easy to cut into desired size, so are also ideal for stairs carpets where placement and sizing can be tricky.)
Plastic 'Wrought Iron' Railings
 Heading over to the Fencing-Gates & Decking Etc.. category, you will see a selection of fencing solutions for your gardens. A top seller for us here at Magpies-Miniatures.net are these Black 'Wrought Iron' railings. They are, in fact, made from plastic- but are very realistic looking, and indeed popular with many customers. A bargain price at 92p each too!
Red Weathered Brick
There are, of course, other fencing options available in the category, and wooden trellis and decking too- which opens up a whole other level of garden design and landscaping. Don't forget to have a look at the Exterior Wallpaper selection too, to add detail to those walls surrounding your garden space.
There is a dedicated GARDEN  category to visit, which is the Main Page of all your miniature gardening needs. Each sub-category from here is bursting with products and ideas for your crafts.
Detailed Tombstones - Set Of 6

<!-- 002 --> SeasonalPerhaps you're getting your garden space ready for Halloween on the 31st of October. We do have a special Halloween section on the website, which you will find under the Main Shop Page, or click the image to the left to be taken there. You will note a nice selection of relevant accessories and decorations, including these Tombstones and Mice, which are a personal favourite of mine. We also have a fantastic selection of Light-Up pumpkins, witches and potion bottles, with accessories starting from as little as 10p!
Halloween Pumpkin
Climbing Roses - Red
Pk 3 Garden ToolsIf it's gardening accessories you're looking for which are suitable all year round, then be sure to check out each sub category from the main gardening page. There's a lovely selection of gardening tools, wheelbarrows, plants, flowers, and more besides.
The string of climbing roses are available in 3 different colours- red, yellow or pink. We have found with many of our flowers and small accessories that the photographs we currently have do not do the product justice, and customers are full of glowing feedback when their products arrive as they're better than they thought they would be! This will be something we are going to be addressing in the future, as we are looking to replace the images with better quality photographs. Website updates are most definitely in the pipeline, so we appreciate your feedback and suggestions to help improve things for you as customers, followers and friends of ourselves and our miniatures.
Clay Flowers in a Pot
In Other Pets you'll find some lovely wildlife to visit your garden, including hedgehogs and rabbits. A favourite of mine, however, are the wild birds. As a cat owner, I know a certain little feline friend who would appreciate these too! Colourful bird 2cm (assorted) 1 PcThere are a few alternatives in our range of birds and other animals, so be sure to have a look at the full category.
Birds of course would especially love to visit your garden if they had accessories to suit them, so how about incorporating a bird bath, bird feeder, or even a small pond?
Nothing is impossible when you know how, and if there's anything you are uncertain about, then by all means get in touch with one of us down here at Magpies Miniatures, as we can help point you in the right direction.
S0LID WATER
 Along with dolls, dollhouses, furniture, and accessories, Magpies Miniatures also supply a range of adhesives (Glues for all types of miniature crafts), Fimo (so you can perhaps try and create your own miniatures), and scenics. Scenics are special, often resin-based, products which create 'Special Effects' for your dolls houses. This SOLID WATER product helps you create a realistic water effect, suitable for goldfish bowls, outdoor ponds, puddles etc.
Full instructions are included with each kit, and we can also offer help and advice if you encounter any problems.

Scenic Snow could be the perfect medium for those of you who are beginning to think about your winter crafts for your dollhouse project.
This product allows you to create dramatic wintry effects in miniature, including 'Newly Fallen' snow, melted snow, and frozen effects on top of houses, trees and vegetation. These are the products which really make your scenes stand out from the rest, and you'll open up a whole other world of possibilities as you get to grips with the products.

and have a look too at our range of Fimo - Polymer clay popular with crafters worldwide, brilliant for those interested in creating their own miniature accessories.
Fimo Soft Good luck with your Autumn and Winter Crafts, we hope we can offer all the products, help and inspiration you need.
Look forward to seeing you soon,
- Mandy and Niccy @ Magpies-Miniatures.net

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Sunday 2 September 2012

Thanks from Magpies-Miniatures.net

We've had a couple of triumphs here at Magpies Miniatures in the last 24 hours. Some of you may know, we set up a new Facebook Page for our fans, and it's sometimes really hard to get new pages up and running and out there to our customers, all it takes is a 'like' and you're updated with offers and news- it's really simple! But in two weeks we've managed to reach over 30 followers, which is Facebook's 'Magic Number' to those with business pages, it helps us see how we're doing with marketing to you and keeping you updated- which in the long run will help you be updated with what's going on!
So THANK YOU so much to those who have already followed the link and given us a thumbs-up LIKE.
To every one else, please pop by and do the same, we really appreciate the support.
Magpies Miniatures on Facebook
Our second happy moment was seeing this....
numberone
I decided to do a quick Google Search on Dolls House Miniatures UK to see how the page was ranking- and we came in 1ST PLACE!
We really needed something to cheer us up and keep the focus, as we've had a really tough time this week with a bereavement within our immediate family. As a family business, you can imagine the knock something like this has on us. We've tried out best to keep things running smoothly and without hiccups, it's nice to see customers giving happy and positive feedback when we're feeling low.
So, thanks for all your support and loyalty to us. Honestly, you are so valued as customers, and as individuals.

Take care, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

- The Magpies Miniatures Team

War Years : Dolls house Miniatures - Magpies Miniatures

In our previous Blog Post we looked at some pinnacle periods in British history,which people often choose to theme their dolls houses, including Georgian, and Victorian. In this post we're going to look at the period between 1914-1945..ish. This covers both World War I, and World War II, but it took many years for life to resume to 'normal' afterwards, so 1945 isn't considered a specific cut off date.
Now there's so much to look at when decorating and using Miniatures for War periods. Style of furnishings of course is important to portray the right era, as are accessories. But how about the setting? Are you looking to furnish your whole house this way, or are you looking for a side-line project?

In British culture, children are taught about the World Wars from a young age in school- History is important in our education. I recall when I was of Junior School age (somewhere between 7 and 11) learning all about air-raid shelters, or Anderson shelters. I also vaguely recall making a scale model of an Anderson shelter using corrugated cardboard and papier-mache. While reminiscing, and scouring Google at the same time, I came across this website: Collectors Club of Great Britain which has step by step instructions on how to create an Anderson shelter from .... (I love this)... a Baked Beans Can! How fantastic! Much better than the model we made back in school, and I'd love the opportunity to be able to decorate it with dolls house accessories to really make it come to life.
Let's have a little look at some of the War Years accessories we stock here at Magpies Miniatures.
War Years - Ration Book
Rationing was an important part of War Time life, not only in the UK, but across other countries too. My historical knowledge is somewhat limited to British history, and you may like to verify information with other sources if your dolls houses are based on another cultural background. I believe it would be advantageous to look up information about rationing, as it will tell you a lot about the foods that were and were not available, and same applies for materials- so may change your opinion on what fabrics and clothes you were going to use in your scene. Wikipedia has some really useful information, and much more than I can write here: Wikipedia on British War Time Rationing .
WAR YEARS - Clothing Ration Book
You may note in Wikipedia's article, that it wasn't just food that was rationed in the War Years, but clothing too. Clothes became much more basic, no laces and frills, because this meant they used more material. If you find it difficult to find dolls which fit this description, and don't come with detailed clothing- did you know here at Magpies Miniatures we stock a  range of 'Undressed Dolls' for your Dolls' Houses, so you can find, or even make clothes to suit your particular style or era.


Undressed Man
War Gardens, or Victory gardens were also commonplace in War Time Britain. These were plots of land where vegetables were grown to ease the pressure on the food supplies. They were created in any free space, public and private, to keep supplies up. Families often used the land surrounding their Anderson shelters to make their victory Garden, so if you like the idea of creating one of these shelters, think how you could use the space above and below.
Don't forget we have a wonderful range of scale garden miniatures here, including plants, vegetables, garden tools and watering cans, even wellington boots. Plenty of supplies to create a wonderful Victory garden in miniature!
If you'd like your Anderson shelter to have a worn and weathered look, have a look at our 'Scenic Rust' product. It makes the new look old, and is easy to apply to any surface which is considered 'paintable'. Opens up a new window of opportunities and special effects to the miniatures we stock here.
SCENIC RUST
Hope this has provoke a couple of thoughts and helped to inspired you. There is much more I could go in to, but the best way to learn is to read, and have a browse of the website to see what wonders we have to help your scenes come along.
Come back soon for more blog updates
- Mandy & Niccy @ www.magpies-miniatures.net

Want to keep updated on latest arrivals and news at Magpies Miniatures?
Keep coming back to the blog, checking in at the NEW ARRIVALS page,
and give us a 'like' on Facebook by following the link below. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
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