The Lucky Dollhouse Winner!

Back in March we blogged about a contest that My Doll’s House in Torrance, CA was having. To celebrate their 20th anniversary, Marj DeKoster, the owner of My Doll’s House, decided to have a drawing for a finished Real Good Toys Limited Edition Colonial Dollhouse. Recently they had the drawing and the lucky winner was Fay K. from Kingman, AZ.  If you think Fay looks happy, you would be right. Marj told us she was ecstatic! Fay drives from Kingman, AZ to Torrance, CA once a month to shop at My Doll’s House…a 6 hour drive one way! Congratulations to Fay for winning the dollhouse. Now she will have to shop for miniatures to fill it. Congratulations to Marj and My Doll’s House for 20 years of providing amazing service, guidance and knowledge to miniaturists of all abilities and ages.  The dollhouse and miniature industry appreciates and values your hard work!

Has anybody seen the movie “Inception” with Leonardo DiCaprio?  If so, you may have recognized the dollhouse, which was shown as a main prop of the movie.  Real Good Toys Front-Opening Country Victorian dollhouse kit was built and painted in a beautiful burgundy.  The dollhouse was a key element of this movie and  I would love to tell you more…but I can’t ruin it for anybody who hasn’t seen it yet.

“Inception” is Christopher Nolan’s latest narrative about an espionage expert who taps into people’s dreams and steals their secrets.

If you’ve seen the movie, let us know your thoughts!  We’d love to hear what you think about the movie and our featured dollhouse.

Mini wishes – Jennifer

The NEW & IMPROVED Lilliput® Staircase Kit now works with all 8 1/8″ – 9″ floor-to-ceiling heights! 

This is great news for all who have either a Lilliput® or Junior Series dollhouse kit and want to upgrade your interior stairs.  The kit also features materials to build the landing rail as shown.  The staircase can be built either left or right for your convenience!  The kit comes complete with instructions and detailed drawings. 

Click here to see what a two-story staircase would look like!

We would love to hear what you think about these improvements, so don’t be shy, let us know today!

Mini wishes, Jennifer

D & J Hobby and Crafts store front

Life in a small town is nice, but it sure can be boring. Janet Pozzi grew up in Klickitat, WA, a town of about 400 residents near the Oregon border. She left to go to college, but never forgot the boredom, and sometimes trouble, that growing up in her small town could bring. She wanted to give kids something fun and positive to do.  Janet just knew her calling was to help bring families together and give children a healthy outlet for their creativity, so in 1971, she opened the doors to D & J Hobby and Crafts shop in Campbell, CA.

Jason and Darrell Pozzi

Janet worked in the 1600 sq. ft. store almost completely on her own until 1978, when the business out grew that space.  She moved the store to a larger 7500 sq. ft. space and her husband, Darrell, left his job at Lockheed Martin to help run the store.  Today, almost 40 years later, D & J Hobby and Crafts has grown to a 20,000 sq. ft. bustling store.  With Janet and Darrell all but retired, their son Jason Pozzi, runs the family business. Jason is dedicated to his mother’s original vision.

What makes D & J Hobby and Crafts unique is the diversity of their products.  This combination of hobbies and crafts in the same place is hard to find. D & J has three departments. Crafts, which includes dollhouses, R/C, and Hobbies, which includes models, games and trains. The store carries everything from yarn and leather working supplies to board games and puzzles, to radio control cars, trains, planes, and helicopters. Indeed, there is something for everyone at D & J, which is just how Janet likes it.

A large selection of miniatures at D & J

The dollhouse department at D & J Hobby and Crafts

Not only does D & J sell hobbies and crafts, they enjoy them too!  Most employees take their work home with them as their own hobbies and pastimes. Jason, Janet and Darrell are no exception. Jason loves to build and race R/C cars. Janet loves macrame and candle making, and Darrell can’t resist a good puzzle!  This kind of expertise helps Jason and his staff choose the best hobbies and crafts to carry in the store.  D & J employees love talking to customers about their own experiences with hobbies and crafts. Sometimes customers bring their completed projects back into the store to share. Many of their customers are much more than just customers…they’re a community. D & J Hobby and Crafts has a new classroom and hosts classes on many different subjects. Hosting customers is their greatest joy and it allows hobby and craft enthusiasts of all ages and demographics to share their interests face to face.

Jason is not only continuing his family’s dream, but he is expanding it as well. He has taken the nostalgia of classic hobbies and crafts and given them a cutting edge.You can find D & J in YouTube videos and on Facebook.This presence allows hobbyists from anywhere to participate in online discussions about the latest products. Also, they have a great website to visit at www.djhobby.com. Now D & J Hobby and Crafts is at your fingertips. If you find yourself traveling through the San Francisco/San Jose area of California, a visit to D & J is a must!

Parking Lot Tent Sale & Events, July 10 & 11, 2010

Despite all the hustle and bustle of the Silicon Valley, D & J is just your average Mom and Pop store. Just like their slogan says…If it’s fun, we’ve got it!

The store is located at 96 N. San Thomas Aquino Road, Campbell, CA  95008

You can reach them by phone at 408-379-1696.

Store hours are M-W 10-8, Th-Fr 10-9, Sat 10-7, Sun 11-7.

Have you ever wondered how our creative miniature manufacturers got their start? Recently the Dollhouse Miniatures Merchants Association did a feature profile on Bespaq Miniatures. As many miniaturists know, Bespaq has become one of the most respected manufacturers in the miniature industry. They are the premier manufacturer of fine miniature furnishings. Their workmanship is exquisite and you’ll find that no two pieces are alike.

"Lorraine" Chair from the Bespaq French Country Collection

"Renee" Side Table by Bespaq Miniatures

J.P. Ginsburg, also known as Pit, began his journey in the miniature industry by working with a high end children’s store that specialized in traditional (and ordinary) toys and miniatures. Not satisfied with the choices of miniatures, Pit embarked on filling the void. He began to create his own unique designs and make his own miniature furniture, bringing new excitement to the miniature industry. This foray landed Pit the position of designer and sales manager. Lest you think it’s easy to copy and reduce to create miniatures, Pit says it’s just not that easy. He says “There is an art to miniaturization”. Find out about that process by reading the full story at the Dollhouse Miniatures Merchants Association Facebook page.  You’ll become familiar with one of our most important miniature industry leaders.

Lois welcomes you to Mirabella Miniatures

Lois of Mirabella Miniatures says, “There is magic in my miniature shop.” She has seen, first-hand, how miniatures can affect all the senses. She tells us you can see, touch, hear and even taste the magic from the moment you enter her shop.  She’s seen it in eyes filled with wonder when a child spots one of her cottages or dollhouses for the first time.  She’s touched it after she’s assured her customer that almost anything in real life can be found in miniature…and then puts her finger on exactly what they want.  She’s heard it when a little boy and his Dad exclaim over one of her garages or motorcycle or pet shops, or fishing cottages, only to realize they have a comfortable place in the land of miniatures too. And she has even tasted the magic in the form of a stray, salty tear hastily wiped away as one of her adult collectors’ shares how miniatures got them through a round of chemotherapy or radiation because they were able to lose themselves in the miniature world. Yes, miniatures are magic. Read the rest of this entry »

Paul & Dianne Trautt of Saint Charles, IL customized our Lincoln Springfield Home dollhouse kit to include the rear addition of the actual house.  They did such an amazing job with all the details I couldn’t wait to share this story with all of you.

Customized Lincoln Springfield Home dollhouse kit by Paul & Dianne Trautt

Read the rest of this entry »

Larry Fleming from Arizona needed a little help from his friends at Real Good Toys in early April.  He was building the Painted Lady dollhouse for a very special auction.  He realized, at some point, that he painted the interior window frames the wrong color and it just wouldn’t do.  He needed to order some more frames so he could correct his color scheme.  Time was of the utmost importance because there was a deadline for the auction donations to be submitted.

We got Larry the parts he needed in plenty of time for him to correct and finish the Painted Lady dollhouse.  This beauty was donated to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital for their Spring Auction, which is one of their biggest fundraisers.

Larry wished he had enough time to electrify the house but didn’t want to risk missing the deadline for submission.  They were able to purchase the wallpaper, textured ceiling paper and miscellaneous dollhouse building supplies from a couple of stores in the Phoenix area that have a very nice selection of miniatures and supplies.

Larry used Dutch Boy paint: Willy Willow for the housebody, Duncan’s Delight for the dark trim, Nectar Fizzle on the orange accents, Satin Brilliant White on the white accents and Kilz paint Golden Corn for the yellow accents.

Larry you did an amazing job and I’m sure the Phoenix Children’s Hospital was very grateful for your kind generosity!  Thank you so much for sharing with all of us!

Mini wishes – Jennifer

Laura Way, owner of Mini Temptations, Overland Park, KS

Mini Temptations in Overland Park, Kansas was founded in 1977 by Ken and Virginia Spence. Originally it was a gift shop and eventually the shop evolved into a dollhouse miniature store. Mini Temptations is the only store in the Greater Kansas City Metro Area, and largest in a four state region, specializing in miniatures. You can imagine their customers’ disappointment when the Spences decided to retire and close the store in 2001. Many customers panicked when they found they would no longer have a place to buy the special items for their dollhouses or other miniature projects.

In 1994, Laura Way began her hobby in miniatures when her children gave her a dollhouse kit for Christmas. It was then she discovered Mini Temptations and quickly became a faithful customer. When she heard the Spences were going to retire, Laura thought it would be a great business opportunity to purchase the store. So after 17 years in the healthcare field, Laura decided it was time to change careers. With the support of her family, she made the drastic change from the stressful pace of healthcare to the enjoyable pleasure of making her hobby her career. Armed with the determination to be successful, Laura and her husband Dennis bought the business in January 2002. Read the rest of this entry »