FROM THE PRESIDENT

Thanks to Marilyn Hess for her time and effort helping us with a no-sew quilt at the August meeting. Many of us didn’t finish that night – it was so hot and the quilts were way too warm! We all did finish them at home, right?

Linda Kasper did a marvelous job on her cyclamen flower class at the Green Lantern August 18. Thank you Linda! Most of the twelve attendees went home with a finished pot of flowers. We had a visitor – Dolores Teske from Janesville – who was very impressed and may be joining us again.

Did you all see the new AMERICAN MINIATURIST with the great story about Donna Thorson’s school house? Doesn’t that make about four magazine articles this year about the talented members of MAME. It is so great that our club is getting all of this publicity.

Nancy Woudstra has volunteered to put together a Welcome Tool Kit for new members who have paid their dues. Thank you Nancy for picking up the ball on this!

Nancy reported back on the NAME convention in Orlando and brought back our Blue Ribbon Award in Recognition of Outstanding Club Effort – we were the only club in A-1 to get one. We are a great club and our great members make it so!

It was discussed and voted on to work on a 4H Youth project in Rock County for February. I have written to Sue Fredrick (Home Environment of Rock County 4H) to put this in their newsletter and to bring it to the attention of their board. I am awaiting word from her.

Rita Wandel brought a copy of “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton ; her “free” box was a room with this theme. The membership was interested in using this for the project. It would be a classroom with demonstrations, exhibits, and hands-on project for grade and middle school students. More on this later.

The membership voted to update the By-Laws. They will be passed out at the meeting or mailed to those not present.

Those of you going to the Tom Bishop, be sure to bring your treasures for Show and Tell!

Now that summer is winding down, I can get more work done on my minis. Hope you can too! Looking forward to seeing you on the 13th.

Nancy Flanagan 

 

 

SEPTEMBER MEETING
Peggy Bugg

Hey, Miniers. For Thursday night I have hutches aplenty if you don’t have one already. Decide on a theme such as holidays, sports, hobbies, or anything you like. Please bring:

 

Sandpaper
Paint color of your choice
Paintbrush(s)
Decorative items for your theme

If you have extra theme items to share, I’m sure it would be appreciated. Looking forward to seeing you Thursday.

 

 

AUGUST MEETING
Show and Tell
Ruth Frank showed the View of a Pond that she made at a National House Party that also showed pond life under the water. She showed a work in progress: a quarter scale Susan and Andrew’s kit with interesting papers on the floors and walls. She bought some of the furniture as kits as well as some that were finished.

Marilyn Hess had a 1/144 scale gazebo that she calls “Waiting for the Concert to Start.” Marilyn has a story behind every scene she makes. She had a number of kits she made up at Eagle River including a candle stand, tilt top table, chess set, clock, desk, and a small wicker table. She also brought a beautiful gold marbleized table she made recently. She brought the half scale Dutch House from the Columbus House Party. She had furniture kits for it as well as a really tiny Dutch house.

Marilyn made a vignette for an aunt in which she used every single one in a large box of miniatures the aunt had given her.

 

Christmas in July Boxes
Though Nancy Flanagan furnished her box chiefly from her stash, she did buy a St Francis figure and a few animals. It was full of animals, birds, a bird bath, and an angel. Mary Clark used a rabbit hutch the Janesville club made long ago and placed it near a cozy grape arbor. Besides the rabbits, there was a mouse and other little animals eating food dropped from the cage.

Rita Wandel had a Borrowers Box that used match boxes for chests and a wrist watch for a wall clock among other things from the story. She even papered the walls with old letters they found in a waste basket UPSTAIRS. She showed how they tapped into the heat and water supply .

Diane Barden made her box into a Rock, Fossil, and Dinosaur shop that was crammed full of things she had made mostly from fimo, including boxes of bones, geodes, rocks, and dinosaur footprints. Arranged in compartmented cabinets and cases, it looked like the storeroom of the Geology Museum on Johnson Street. She made everything except the dinosaur stickers of on the walls.

Peggy Bugg used Ann Thatcher materials for hers. She used glass flowers from an artisan on the internet. Jodi Eklund showed the quarter scale wading pool and sand box she made for the Quarter Connection which is like a NAME house party but it is all on-line, with centerpieces, round tables, gift exchanges, table favors, and more.

 

Treasure's Report
Our account holds $973.03.
 

Reimann Exhibit
Barb Hefti reported on the wonderful time everyone had in Glendale at the Reiman Exhibit. There were about 75 exhibits, demonstrators, and sellers that used all 16 tables that were available. A steady crowd of people participated all day long. Barb sent a thank you note to Mr. Reiman and thanked all of the participants. President Nancy led a nice hand of applause in appreciation of all Barb has done for our group.
 

Orlando House Party
Nancy Woudstra brought back a club project manual that she will share with Lori Johnson and Nancy Flanagan. She also bought a $10 CD that prints out bricks and other finishes in three different scales and in color. Ruth Frank wore the blue T-shirt she picked up at the Orlando party. Well no, she didn’t. She actually printed all of the T-shirts. She bought a silver colored numbered House Party pin while there and wore it to the meeting. Nancy Flanagan also wore one that her daughter had given her.

Other Business

Donna Thorson mentioned a project in which kids cut out pictures of their families, pasted them on cardboard, and set them up in a box. Majorie has a Borrowers box. Since they used lots of things out of scale for their little living quarters, we could discuss scale during a demonstration.

Nancy asked all of us to look at the web page. Gerry Schlecht reported that the Madison library maintained a list of local organizations online. She has written up something which she will discuss with Marjorie and Nancy and then take to the library. Nancy passed out new by-laws to everyone present. Some changes were made regarding payment of dues by officers which will remain optional.

Loretta said that her dentist had given her a box of discarded dental tools which she will bring to the next meeting.

Nancy will look into a Pabst mansion tour right after the holidays in 2008. Barb mentioned that the Rockford Museum had a dollhouses from around the world and a folk museum that people often use to authenticate their miniatures.

Marjorie said that Arlene Hoffman had been hospitalized with heart problems last month and would have come tonight but she had injured her knee. She would no doubt appreciate a card or call 3806 Goodland Drive Madison 53704 249-2771.

Charlotte LaGesse couldn’t attend but sent a huge platter of the most wonderful chocolate cookies from her favorite bakery in Sheboygan.

 

There is going to be a regional A1 website.

 

Attendance: 21

 

COMING EVENTS

Sept 13         MAME meeting

Oct 11           MAME meeting

Nov 8             MAME meeting

Nov 10-11     WEE C Show

Dec 13          MAME Holiday Party

Apr 4-6          Tom Bishop International

May 2-3         Bettendorf IA Mini Show

Gerry Schlecht, Secretary