Beatrix Potter’s Hilltop

We went to Hilltop today in the Lake District. I finally got to see the original of the miniature I did of the kitchen and take a close look at the one object that I didn’t include in the miniature. It was a roasting spit and I just couldn’t figure it out from my research photos. Got talking with the National Trust staff and they asked to see the miniature. They were so enthusiastic about the miniature and made my day. Seeing the miniature sitting on the table in the real room was a real treat. A huge Thank You for the opportunity.

If you haven’t been to Hilltop try to make the trip. It is wonderful. 

Cheers

Gayle

Kensington Dollhouse Festival 2019

Now that it is on display I can tell you.  ...
The KDF is always a highlight of my year. Plus it gives me a chance to see friends and tour a bit more of England. This year has an added bit. I entered the PIMA contest. The fact that I got something completely finished and was pleased with it  is unusual enough but it also gave me a chance to do some unique pieces. When I'm designing kits I have to always keep in mind that someone else has to be able to follow the directions and end up with the same result. For something unique, I can carve and sand and play with the original a bit until I get the look I want. I doesn't matter if  I can never replicate it again. Mind you I did four versions of the miniature before I was happy with it.
Now that the show has started and the displays are out I can share some of the photos of the finished piece.
It is a quarter scale room box of the kitchen in Beatrix Potter's house in the Lake District. She bought Hilltop with some of her first earnings from her books and it was her favourite retreat from the pressures of her life in London.  Eventually she moved to Hilltop and lived there for several years.
The house now belongs to the National Trust and I'm really excited to be going to see it after the Kensington show.  I know it is a bit backward to do the miniature and then visit the house but that is the way things go sometimes. It helped that there are several photos of the house on the internet and an inventory of the furniture.

 The kitchen has a lovely flagstone floor and big Victorian fireplace. There is a desk beside the front door that Beatrix used for some of her writing and the spinning wheel was used for the wool from her own flock of Herdwick sheep.

The Welsh dresser was one she bought at a farm sale as was the grandfather clock.

The front garden has a lovely view of the hills and of course daffodils are growing there.  If you look closely you may see a little rabbit hiding in the garden.

If you are at KDF  please vote for my display.

Update: The room box was third in the People’sb Choice Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted!!!




Cheers
Gayle