From the Editor
I apologise for the lateness of this issue, especially to all those contributors who got their articles to me in excellent time! The magazine was nearly finished when I got a bad cold (yes, I know I live in Darwin - but it's been cold for here!) Then I couldn't find the Caco baby I had planned to offer in the giveaway.
This is very apposite for this issue, as Wendy contributed an article on storing and displaying extra minis, and suggested including other people's ideas too. I would hate to show anyone what my dolls house room looks like! Over the last week, I have started sorting and reorganising (just into cardboard boxes, I must admit) - and I now have more idea of what I have, and can find some things more easily - but I still don't know where that Caco baby is!
Thanks to Joan Joyce and Chris Ferrara for sharing their ideas on storage and display in this issue - and you might also like to take a look at the specialty shops created by Linda Bancroft (in the Photo Gallery), diepuppenstubensammlerin (on her blog)and Deaun (on flickr).
We also see glimpses of several museums - one, sadly, through the auction viewing at which the collection was sold. Marion continues her mysteries, Barbara presents more Westacre, and I conclude Handicrafts dolls houses with the furniture designs and fittings available.
While we have had (and will continue to have) articles about many dolls house makers of the past, as well as some very recent makers, we haven't focused previously on those artisans who were part of the resurgence of interest in dolls houses for adults in the 1970s and 80s. David Hearn of Holly Craft recently joined this site, and I asked him to tell us about the dolls houses he has made over the last 40 years. His earlier houses are reappearing on the market - they include some reproduction Triang and Silber & Fleming houses, as well as David's own Tudor, Fantasie and other designs. I hope you enjoy seeing the range of homes he has made, and hearing in his own words how he got into making dolls houses.
There's lots more as well - and yes, there is a giveaway! Happy reading, and do let me know your ideas for future issues.
Rebecca