The Dutch Cabinet House by Steve Putnam

Steve Putnam, from Steve Putnam Designs, is a multi-disciplined artist from the UK who has had a passion for miniatures since childhood inspired by his grandfather, who was a model maker.

Putnam studied fine art and has broad experience in set design, high-end retail display and (award winning!) landscape architecture. While his design work is stunning, it's his miniatures that deserve a prize! (photo above: Steve Putnam Easter display for Gisela Graham London).

Steve created a Dutch cabinet house, which harken back to the renaissance era when baby houses were all the fashionable rage with women of a certain social class and status, refurbished from an existing antique reproduction find. The cabinet house contains masterfully crafted rooms which feature Georgian arches, gilded columns, inlaid mahogany flooring and extensive moulding throughout.

The cabinet house features several rooms including a grand dining room, a drawing room and a library. Each space contains extraordinary details such as wood paneled walls, dramatic coffered ceilings built-in bookcases.

Steve's collection of artisan miniatures are placed throughout the structure including John Hodgson mirrors, a Keith Bougourd chess table and and walnut cabinet with animatronic tweeting bird by Ken Palmer.

Watch my special Meet the Miniaturist featuring Steve Putnam broadcasted on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 4pm ET. We had a wonderful chat with Steve and learned more about his passion for the tiny, got a tour of the uber-fabulous Dutch cabinet house he created and saw more of the fine artisan miniatures he has collected over the past 25 years to fill the structure.

This was super!

---

Support this Programming!

Thank you for all your support and encouragement for the Meet the Miniaturist series. There is no cost for this programming but If you like what you see and would like to contribute to the development of this ongoing series, follow this link: paypal.me/dthomasminiatures

Until Next Time - Live Your Best MiniLife!

MiniNews & Views: Spring Edition!

L.A. based artist, actress and self-described "Martha Stewart heart on a thrift store budget" Brooklelynn Darwin is working on restoring a Victorian dollhouse she received from her mother as a child. She just started painting the exterior and realizes this may take some time to complete. Follow the journey of her dollhouse refurb on her Instagram account at @blynndarwin.

---

Meet the Miniaturist: Steve Putnam

Steve Putnam Designs

Sunday, April 4 at 4pm ET

I'm excited for our next Meet the Miniaturist featuring Steve Putnam, a multi-disciplined artist from the UK who has had a passion for miniatures since childhood inspired by his grandfather, who was a model maker.

Steve studied fine art and has broad experience in set design, high-end retail display and (award winning!) landscape architecture. It's his miniatures, however, that deserve a prize!

We'll chat with Steve and learn more about his passion for the tiny, get a tour of the uber-fabulous Dutch cabinet house he created and see some of the fine artisan miniatures he has collected to fill the structure.

---

REPLAY POSTED!

Meet the Miniaturist: The Winners Edition

HBS/Miniatures.com Creatin' Contest

We had a terrific Meet the Miniaturist: The Winners Edition! featuring winners of the HBS miniatures.com 27th Annual Creatin' Contest! In case you missed it, the replay has been posted here: http://bit.ly/MTMWinners

Since 1975, HBS/Miniatures.com has been supplying quality dollhouse products to retailers and miniatures enthusiasts across the United States and around the world. The annual Creatin' Contest , started just a few years after the company was formed, has since engaged, motivated and inspired miniaturists to use a simple unfinished kit and a lively imagination to create award-winning tiny treasures!

A BIG thank you to HBS/miniatures.com for sponsoring the event and to the winners who were gracious with their time, sharing their talents and advice including Grand Prize Winner Rebecca Reckin from Melody of Miniatures, First Time Winner Meghan Boos (IG: dollhouse_smithery) and @Gina Zetts (IG: letties_dollhouse) who received Honorable Mention.

To celebrate the event, HBS/Miniatures.com is offering Meet the Miniaturist viewers with a special offer! Use promo code MTM40 and receive 40% off your highest priced item on any one order placed between Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 12:00am ET and Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:59pm ET.

---

The Dollshouse Whisperer

March 2021 Feature

Dollshouse & Miniature Scene Magazine

My latest feature in Dollshouse and Miniatures Scene magazine talks about "The Dollhouse Whisper" and my abilities as a "miniatures empath" and how I guide, manage and calm collectors and their families once the important decision has been made to sell a treasured collection and to ensure that prized assortments of miniatures find a “happy new homes...”

---

Happy Easter!

Until Next time - Live your BEST Mini Life!

Grand Prize Winner: Here Be Dragons!

There's a massive hole in the roof and there are no signs of life. Well...no human signs, that is.

In Rebecca Reckin's piece "Hic Sunt Dracones" (Latin for "Here be Dragons" ) a creature named Thistle is curled up and sleeping soundly inside a cottage, which is in utter disrepair, surrounded by his hoard consisting of gold, gems and other sparkly treasures.

It appears that the cottage has been in disrepair for some time and the original owners are no where to be found. Bones are strewn about (including those from the family bird in an empty cage!) and a collar with a bell belonging to the family cow is still attached to a wall outside. Rusted keys remain in a dusty basket near the door.

Outside, the garden is overgrown and bright green moss appears in every nook and cranny. The floorboards look like they creek.

Rebecca Reckin (IG @MelodyofMiniatures) is the grand prize winner of this year's HBS/Minaitures.com annual Creatin' Contest in recognition of her work. This is the first time this homemaker, blogger and miniaturist from Auckland, New Zealand, has entered the contest and only the second international winner. She loves fantasy builds and was inspired to create the piece by Hobbiton, the town where they filmed the Lord of the Rings films which is located near her home.

Winners of the latest Creatin' Contest were recently announced and we're excited to be hosting Rebecca and other talented miniaturists on a special Meet the Miniaturist:Winners Edition on Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 4pm ET. This special Zoominar is sponsored by HBS/Miniatures.com.

Since 1975, HBS/Miniatures.com has been supplying quality dollhouse products to retailers and miniatures enthusiasts across the United States and around the world. The annual Creatin' Contest , started just a few years after the company was formed, has since engaged, motivated and inspired miniaturists to use a simple unfinished kit and a lively imagination to create award-winning tiny treasures!

Register and join us for this live event on Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 4pm ET here: http://bit.ly/MTMHBS. We’ve extending participation for this event and everyone who registers will be able to join this Zoom. You can always catch program replays on our YouTube channel https://bit.ly/DThomasYT. By registering for this event, you agree to have your email address added to our distribution for future updates. You can opt out at any time, but hope you won’t!

To celebrate the event, HBS/Miniatures.com is offering Meet the Miniaturist viewers with a special offer! Use promo code MTM40 and receive 40% off your highest priced item on any one order placed between Sunday, March 28, 2021 at 12:00am ET and Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 11:59pm ET.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the Zoom!