At the Show - Exhibits

With simplicity and clarity of design, the two Good Sam Show exhibits for this week--After the Ball and Panache--aptly illustrate that less is more.

Amusing front hall vignette with accessories used by a gentleman coming home "after the Ball." 1:12 scale. Vanity stool by Ferd Sobol and hall tree turned by Barbara Jones. Exhibit by Phyllis Hedman, Dealer Chairman-Finance for Good Sam.

Panache is a small two-sided boutique selling ladies toiletries and gifts. 1:12 scale. Exhibited by Jeane Price, a member of Mini Friends of San Mateo County.

With a charming Dutch door, cottage decor and blooming flowers, Panache brings back memories of a quieter more relaxed period of time.

From the Chairman

To see an interesting selection of offerings from Good Sam dealers, take a look at our coverage in the February 2012 issue of American Miniaturist. The photo gallery focuses on the innovative miniature-making opportunities to be found at our Show. You will find beautifully detailed 1-inch, 1/2-inch and quarter-scale miniatures including kits, furniture, food, loads of accessories and doll parts. There are ingenious structural pieces, items to finish yourself and much more.

A delightful Chicken Coop by Carole and Larry Zydek, Tiny Timbers, graces the cover.

At the Show - International Artisan

Valerie Anne Casson of France has attended Good Sam the last four years. Her line includes unique Nursery furniture and toys, lovely hand-painted and upholstered French benches and tuffets, French style dress mannequins and dummies wearing corsets. She makes charming ceramic teapots, pitchers, and more. In 2011 Valerie offered two workshops. http://www.valeriecasson.com

Pink silk gown on dress dummy. Screen hand-painted with ribbons. Tuffet upholstered in pink toile fabric. Boots and dressing tray with perfume bottles.1:12 scale.

Mannequin in Victorian gown of silk and antique lace studded with topaz crystals. Ladies desk with silk upholstered chair and elegant tuffet.1:12 scale.

Hand-painted screen, little tuffet, toys and toy box full of handcrafted toys in 1:12 scale.

Hand-painted Alice in Wonderland nursery chairs with table in1:12 scale.

Quarter-scale 19th Century Toy Warehouse and Antique Toy Theatre workshops taught in 2011.

At the Show - Quarter-Scale

This week, it is with great pleasure that we share the work of two long-time Good Sam dealers who create in quarter-scale.

Grandt Line Products designs quarter-scale kits with lots of character, whimsy and detail. The company also makes mini dollhouse kits for 1-inch scale dollhouses, "pothead" mini kits, and other cool stuff. Phyllis Nishimori and her sister Liz Aduan have been dealers at Good Sam for thirteen years. www.grandtline.com

Oliver Ollywock's Place. Faerie Hill Lane Series Kit #3431.

Bernie's Banana Split is 50's style roadside architecture. Roadside America Series Kit #3471.

Hansel and Gretel exterior view. Fairytale Series Kit #3480.

Hansel and Gretel interior view.

Melon Manor exterior view. Seasonings Series Kit #3443.

Melon Manor interior view.

Cliff's Diner is based on a streetcar. Fun interior cabinetry. Napkin dispensers, mustard and ketchup bottles on outside tables. Kit #3413.

Debbie Young, Young at Heart, makes quarter-scale reproductions of actual houses. Over the years, she and her husband Jeff have created about 100 different house kits. In addition, they make quarter-scale individual room and whole house furniture kits. Debbie also offers workshops. They have attended Good Sam for more than thirty years.  youngatheartminiatures.com

The Dolls House kit inspired by "The Doll People" book by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin.

The Dolls House, interior view.

Avalon House kit. 1926 Sears Roebuck design.

Avalon House, interior view.

Caribbean Cottage kit. Small one-room vacation get-away.  

Campground Cottage kit inspired by the tiny Campmeeting Association cottages on Martha's Vineyard.

Campground Cottage, interior view.

Quarter-scale pots and pans that are just beyond amazing. Made by Grandt Line for Young at Heart.

At the Show - Exhibits

Quarter-scale or 1:48 is a popular choice for exhibitors at the Good Sam Show. In this scale, 1/4-inch equals a foot (12 inches) in real life. The scale is surprisingly easy to work in with a satisfying amount of detail. Each year, Good Sam offers some one-day quarter-scale workshops by extraordinarily talented artisans.

The quarter-scale Art Deco Hotel shown here was created from a Quarter Connection Miniature Club workshop kit by Lisa Holm, Vacaville, CA. An on-line group, the Quarter Connection provides a place for dollhouse miniaturists to share their love of quarter-scale dollhouse miniatures with like minded others.

Quarter-scale Art Deco Hotel, exterior view.

Quarter-scale Art Deco Hotel, interior view.

This typical Shotgun house was made by Marjorie Milani, Mini Attics group, in quarter-scale. A small narrow rectangular residence, one room leads into the next without hallways. Most were built from the end of the Civil War (1865) to the 1920s.

Quarter-scale Shotgun House, exterior view.

Quarter scale Shotgun House, interior view. Handmade furnishings by Marjorie or from kits.

At the Show - More Animals and Birds

This week's blog brings you more Good Sam artisans who create some 1:12 scale miniatures, with a theme celebrating animals or birds. The focus this week is on nature, wildlife, and household pets.


In addition to original 1:12 scale porcelain dolls, IGMA Fellow Sylvia Mobley sculpts cats, dogs, wildlife figures and more. She has been making miniatures for 34 years, and has been a dealer at Good Sam for the last five years. http://www.sylviamobley.com/, sylviamobley.blogspot.com

Bobcat, raccoon, and black-footed ferret.

Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Brother wolves hunting.

Barbara Stanton started taking oil painting lessons in high school (1973) and has been painting ever since. She finds inspiration in "nature and light." For more than 20 years, Barbara has been creating original miniature oil paintings of animals, birds, landscapes, seascapes, and more. http://www.barbarastanton.com/

"Focused" - 1:12 scale painting of an African cheetah, 2-1/4" x 1-5/8" and Focused II in half-inch scale, 1-1/8" x 1"

"Little Adventurer" - 2" x 1-1/2"

"Seaside Flirt" - Seagulls on the beach, 1-1/2" x 1-5/8"

A very multifaceted artist with dozens of different lines, Alice Zinn began making miniatures professionally in the late 1970s. Her animals, birds and accessories are very popular with collectors. Alice's first year at Good Sam was 2011 and she taught a workshop. iamazin@aol.com, http://community.webshots.com/user/iamazin

Ragdoll, grey and white "alley" cat and white Persian cat share a leopard print cat tree. 1:12 scale.

Peacock in full display. Over 100 hand-painted "eye" feathers. 1:12 scale.

At the Show - Exhibits

One of this week's exhibits from past Good Sam Shows makes imaginative use of stuffed toy bears. The other exhibit uses frogs (amphibian animals) in a most enchanting way.

Bears 4th of July Picnic by Karen Fraser, Santa Clara, CA from the 2009 show. All of the materials were a gift from her daughter, Kathleen Sliter, a miniaturist and member of Mini Attics (a NAME club), Redwood City, CA.1:12 scale.

"It takes a lot of Frogs" fantasy fairytale mid-1700s scene by Moonyeen Moeller, Foster City, CA. Exhibited at the 2011 Show. 1:12 scale.

New from dealers

The last Saturday of each month, we will include a special post devoted to new products from dealers at the upcoming 2012 Good Sam Show. Dealers are invited to provide information and photos to share with you. This is the first such post.

Always innovative, long-time dealer IGMA Fellow Barbara Stanton recently introduced 1:12 scale miniature dollhouse jigsaw puzzles with images of her paintings. The tiny puzzles are 1.5" x 2", have 80 pieces each and come with a matching box. Five different designs are available on her website under Art for Sale/Miniature Accessories.  Look for the puzzles on her table at our 2012 Show. http://www.barbarastanton.com/

"Longhair w/ Lupins" Puzzle

"Sunflowers w/ Tomatoes" Puzzle

"Eavesdropper" Puzzle

Shellie Kazan, Shellie's Miniature Mania in San Carlos, CA, has scheduled three 2012 workshops in 1:12 scale. Bluette Meloney is offering her Kaleidoscope Shop. The Teppers are giving a Steampunk room box class. Rik Pierce is teaching Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. The Teppers are bringing exciting one-of-a-kind Kaleidoscope and Steampunk furnishings to the 2012 Good Sam Show. Shellie and other dealers will have eye-catching pieces available to outfit miniature structures in any manner you wish. For workshop info go to http://www.shelliesminis.com/ or email shelliesminis@msn.com.

Kaleidoscope Shop. Workshop scheduled February 18-22. Photos courtesy of Keith Crowder.

Kaleidoscope Shop interior, unfurnished.

Interior with one-of-a-kind hand-painted Kaleidoscope furniture by the Teppers.

Steampunk Room Box. Workshop scheduled August 11-15.

Interior furnished with one-of-a-kind Steampunk furnishings by the Teppers.

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Workshop scheduled July 5-9

Interior view of this versatile two-story shop as finished in workshop.

At the Show - Animals and Birds

This week's blog highlights some Good Sam Show dealers who carry miniatures with a theme of animals and birds. In 1:12 scale, these miniatures range from endearing household pets to fanciful anthropomorphic animals.


In business for over 35 years, Maria and John Fowler, The Little Dollhouse Company, Ontario, Canada, have been Good Sam dealers the last five years. They carry an attention-grabbing selection of artisan doll houses, miniatures, kits and accessories. http://www.thelittledollhousecompany.com/

Old style dollhouse bird cage handmade of painted brass by Mini di Perluigi, Italy.

For 33 years Carla Gaustad has been collecting and selling miniatures at shows only. She carries a unique selection of one-of-a-kind pieces from talented artisans in the U.S. and abroad. She also creates the occasional holiday item. Carla has been a dealer at the Good Sam show for 30 years. jgaustad1@cox.net, 949-768-5636.

Elegantly attired Afghan lady in lilac silk and lace from Carla Gaustad.

Rooster country gentleman by David Ward of England from Carla Gaustad.

Bridget McCarty, bridgetmccarty.com, has been making miniature pets and collectibles professionally for five years. She attended Good Sam for the first time in 2011. Bridget strives to give each animal and bird a personality that makes it utterly unique.

Playful white cat with rats in garbage.

Red Macaw. Custom piece for a collector who provided feathers the real life bird had shed.

Alvaro Rodriguez and Paola Ojeda, Taller Targioni, Spain, have been handcrafting 1:12 scale miniatures for 14 years. Alvaro concentrates on unique wooden furniture, gentlemen's accoutrements, and more. Paola specializes in distinctive sewing work tables, samplers, mannequins, jewelry boxes, plus more. They have been Good Sam dealers for two years. http://www.tallertargioni.com/

Dog pulling handmade mahogany wagon loaded with handcrafted luggage by Jose Maria Gomez. The wheels are cast in metal.