Dolls Houses & Miniatures Shop | Bijou Dolls Houses of Essex | Linda Abel Miniatures

Opening Times

Linda — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:25:37 +0000

The shop is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am -5 pm and Sundays 10 am -4 pm

Guild of Essex Craftsmen

Linda — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:09:02 +0000

I have been accepted into the guild of Essex craftsmen,This is a group that checks the quality of your work.Only the best craftsmen are a allowed to join.
You can be assured that miniatures made by me are of a very high standard.

My Art Nouveau Shop

Linda — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:22:39 +0000

Hello everyone one this is an update of my art Nouveau project. I was making the bay windows roof. I have tipped the house on its side to work on. I had made in green card the shape I wanted and covered it with wired mesh. Then I had a GOOD IDEA, it came to me in the night to use expanding foam filler.

Just to explain this picture shows the after effects of the foam filler expanding too much. The good idea was to hold the card and wire, squirt foam into the cavity and it rose and expanded and pushed itself, oozing out everywhere. After I had to pull all the wire and card off the roof as it was not the right shape any more.

After everything was dry I had to cut the foam to shape. So it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

I re-added the wire to the edges and plastered all over. I will tile this but its not done yet.

Just to warn anyone thinking of using expanding foam. It is a bit of a monster and not easy to control. My daughter got it on her jumper whilst trying to help. And a customer said she got some in her hair and had to get it cut out, so happy dollshousing I will update again shortly.

Christmas Presents

Linda — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:12:49 +0000

Easy presents to make.
Cut small blocks of wood in assorted sizes,Then using tiny patterned paper or shiny sweet wrappers put double sided tape onto paper then cut to size to fit block parcels.Peel off other side of tape and fold neatly round parcel.
Add ribbon around parcel and glue tie a separate bow and glue over the joined ribbon.

Christmas is comming

Linda — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:05:14 +0000

We need to start making Christmas Stock early in the shop,This week I will be Decorating Christmas trees,You can Buy Trees decorated or undecorated for you to add your own bits and bobs,Use ribbons tied into bows, sequins,beads,glitter and any
small broken jewellery,Make small presents for around and on the tree.There are lit Christmas trees with clear light or multi coloured lights .

Punch and Judy

Linda — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 20:16:34 +0000

I made these Punch and Judy puppets ,The faces hands and feet are made from Fimo ,then painted.I remember seeing a show on the beach as a young child and being so wrapped up in the sheer naughtiness of the characters.Now not PC but it made a lot of children delighted with the gaily colored puppets this was a small piece of magic,in the days before color TV.

Miniatura Dolls house Fair

Linda — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 09:07:18 +0000

If you have been to a local dolls house fair,and enjoyed it Miniatura is even better with lots of things to tempt or inspire you.The exhibits are amazing and make you wonder just how some people can be so clever.17th and 18th March at the NEC,Birmingham,I will be visiting the show myself , the shop will still be open for those who cannot make it to Birmingham

Trident Student

Linda — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:22:18 +0000

Today was the first day of work experience for Ivan Shipulin. . .

Linda has found me very usefull in a number of different tasks such as painting models and sawing wood , as well as entertaining her with tasteless jokes, fettching water from the ‘well’ in purpose of making tea by Linda herself…. (by the way, tea is amazing) and generally gaining all the experience i could get.

I will be working here from tuesday 20th april to friday 30th april.

It is amazing experience to work in Bijou. . .

Actually it is an amazing experience

The Bliptons

Linda — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:47:32 +0000

The Bliptons is a story making good use of Heidi ott dolls and 12th scale props. I find the the series very amusing.

One of the Yorkies is called Bijou.

Decorating Your Dolls House

Linda — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:51:48 +0000

Did you know that in addition to our dollshouses and miniatures we also stock a large range of decorative materials including:

Wallpapers / Tiling
Flooring paper / Real wood flooring
Coving, Dado, Skirting and Other wood mouldings
Real bricks and slate
Brick paper and roof paper

If your dolls house is a kit, my advice would be to paint the pieces before gluing them together.