I had the pleasure of going with a friend of mine to a miniatures and doll house show this afternoon. It was truly marvelous to see the depth of intricacy and professional touches that so many of the vendors applied to their craft. Some of the furniture was absolutely astounding in its quality and attention to detail.
I was able to discuss the virtues of grain-of-wheat bulbs and low voltage LED’s with the people who made the ¼" to the foot functioning crystal chandeliers and lighting sconces (hundreds of dollars each). The hand woven wicker caning of some chairs by the Sobels was simply stunning. It is hard to imagine the patience it takes to make some of these pieces, although the price tags reveal the effort instantly. Some of the furniture prices were perfectly comarable with the value of their full sized real-life counterparts <insert shocked smilie here>. The Sobels had pieces, like a Chippendale sofa and setee, that were marked at THOUSANDS of dollars! They also happened to be of museum quality construction.
I am now convinced that if I ever have a daughter, daddy is going build her one magnificent little doll house to play with. So, how many of you have seen or done something lately that gave you an appreciation for a whole new area of art, craft or pursuit?
I’ve just recently begun to appreciate the band Tool. I had always written them off as some heavy-hard-weird-goth-rock type band. Then I heard the song “Schism.” It was really good, but not much like other songs I’d heard from them. Then I said, “Eh, what the hey?” and downloaded some other songs from their album Lateralus. I was amazed! (I went out and got it the next day.) The depth of the melodies, the complexity of the rhythms, it’s all just too cool. Plus, Maynard Keenan has such an intense voice. I still can’t really get into their older stuff, but it’ll probably grow on me.
Side note: I love minatures! Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has my favorite, Colleen Moore’s Fairy Castle. (sp?) I know all sorts of stuff about it and can give the tour that is on the headphones by just looking at it. I’ve waorn through about five of the full color booklets you can buy there on it. I love it!!! (The stair case doesn’t have rails because faires are too graceful for that. The library has seats made for elves that like to read laying upside down as well as mermaids. Colleen had a rough time getting Cinderella’s glass slippers blown hollow and had to comb Italy for a glass artisan who was willing to try. Teh green chairs in the Princess’s bedroom used to be a pair of earrings…)
For my recent appreciation, Hume. Wrote his biog book o philosophy when he was 28. Cool.
