Homely touches - we show you how to make it 
Pat makes an appealing bookcase to furnish her writer’s retreat
Looking through the old wood working manuals that have provided patterns for the furnishing of my summerhouse as a ‘writer’s retreat’, I often find myself thinking that the furniture would be fun to make in full size.

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Tuck into a Tudor Banquet 
Annie Willis, finding books on Tudor food scarce, decided to research the subject herself, with a little help from her husband Lee
This is dedicated to those enthusiasts who are trying to keep their Tudor houses in period.

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Christine’s little treasures 
Miniatures took over Christine O'Malley's life and enticed her away from the media hype
When Christine O’Malley abandoned a good job in advertising to launch herself headlong into running a dolls’ house shop, she was considered to be ‘brave’ by her colleagues and friends.

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Not so plain Jane 
Pining for that perfect little dresser? Jane Newman’s furniture always looks the perfect part
Jane Newman not only has an eye for perfectly proportioned furniture, she can make it too. Her traditional dressers and kitchen furniture enduringly remain collectors’ favourites. The pieces come looking pale, interesting, and in that intoxicating state - empty.

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A date with Deco 
Henry Colbert discovers that Art deco dolls houses are right up his street
Henry Colbert has been making dolls houses for the last six years. But you won’t find a Tudor, Georgian or Victorian building in his Sussex workshop. Henry’s houses are Art Deco, chosen because they filled the obvious gap in the miniature market.

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Bell-pull 
Make a working model bell-pull
This design of bell-pull took over from the hanging Victorian bell-pull, which can be made simply from a length of narrow braid. This, on the other hand, is a working model, which was of course used to summon servants. The handle pulls out a short chain which springs back inside when released.

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Where there's brass there's luck 
Lynne Medhurst meets Derry Mahoney who is a modest magician with metal
It's amazing what you can do with a hammer, snips and soldering iron. Perhaps more specifically, what Derry Mahoney can do with these simple tools.

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It's for yew 
Tracing trends has become second nature to Paul Kidd, as Lynne Medhurst discovers
Do you prefer the pale and interesting look of yew or the darkly sophisticated finish of mahogany on your furniture? Paul Kidd, director of the Escutcheon furniture range, is so knowledgeable about collectors' tastes that he has observed some interesting changes in the discerning collector over

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Nita closes her door after 30 amazing years 
Pat Goodall-McIntosh visited Nita Hardy’s home to see her unique collection prior to it being auctioned in April 1998
The amazing, multi-talented Nita Hardy closed the doors of her miniature museum for the last time in December 1997. After 30 years she plans to retire to a smaller house, so her astonishing collection of dolls houses, miniatures, dolls, related toys and textiles is to be sold.

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Still dreaming 
A pair of wartime semis are the stuff of dreams for Linda Holmes
I little dreamed in the early Fifties as I sat by a steaming clothes-horse in front of the fire playing with my home-made dolls house (one ear cocked to ‘Listen with Mother’) just what an addictive hobby it would become.

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