Show Schedule Update - Paris Création

Just a reminder about tomorrow's show and and additional date for our show schedule.

Tomorrow - our favourite show of the year despite the 5am start and 600 km round trip!

Salon de la Miniature

Salle Polyvalente

89290 Vincelles

10:00 - 18:00

We can now confirm that we will be exhibiting at the winter Paris Création:

Sunday 8 November 2009

Paris Création - Hotel Novotel Paris Est,

1 Ave de la République

93177 BAGNOLET

PARIS, France

10:00 - 17:00

See it with Google Street View!

You can find our show schedule at any time here.

Goodbye Summer - Hello Autumn!

Although you'd never know it looking outside, today is the "official" start to Autumn (at least it is here in La Belle France...).

We're still enjoying some reasonable sunshine and evening barbecues are still a possibility (but bring your pullover!)

We're currently preparing for a miniatures show this weekend, but thought we'd mark the start of this beautiful season with a selection of miniature "Autumnal Fruits".

Apples, pears, grapes (wine producers are currently harvesting their grapes) and a fig.

Swan House Miniatures - Le Retour

English Version

J'ai un problème avec M. Greg Madl, de Swanhouse Miniatures...ENCORE.

Voici les faits, nous avons les documents correspondants.

• Entre Juin 2005 et Janvier 2006, M. Madl nous a acheté quelques objets sur Ebay. Nous ne le connaissions pas. Il a proposé de représenter mon travail. J'ai refusé car je préfère que nous nous en occupions nous-même, Neil et moi même.
  
  
• Peu après, nous avons été informés par une journaliste collaborant à d'importants magazines spécialisés dans la miniature que M. Madl vendait notre travail sur son site internet, sous le nom générique de « french banquet », sachant pertinemment que nous n'étions pas d'accord.
  
  
• Nous avons demandé à M. Madl d'y mettre fin au plus vite; cela a pris plusieurs mois.
  
  
• Nous avons rencontré M. Madl au Simp 2007. Il est venu nous voir, s'est excusé et nous a serré la main sur la promesse qu'il s'agissait d'un malentendu (ses propres mots) qui ne se reproduirait pas.
  
  
• Quelques mois plus tard, un client sur Ebay utilisant le pseudo « SNOOKIEWON» gagne quelques miniatures. En faisant une simple vérification d'adresse, nous avons compris qu'il s'agissait de M. Greg Madl, se faisant appeler « George Model » ce qu'il a confirmé lui même en signant les emails « Greg »...
  
  
• Nous lui avons fait savoir que nous préférions garder les miniatures et en rester là.
  
  
• Ces objets ont été re-listés sur Ebay et certains d'entre eux achetés par « MINIATUREMAKER »au mois de juin 2008.
  
  
• Hier, alertés par une amie, nous découvrons que ces mêmes ces objets (de 2005 et 2008) sont actuellement en vente sur le site de M. Madl.
  
  
• J'aurais volontiers approché M. Madl directement pour régler cette affaire MAIS non seulement il n'a jamais respecté mon choix en tant qu'artisan, mais encore il ne respecte pas les miniatures elles même et je ne peux pas laisser passer ça:
  
  
  IL ESSAYE DE VENDRE MES MINIATURES CASSEES!!!
  
  
• Voici les photos utilisées par quelqu'un se targuant de représenter les miniaturistes du monde entier....

Pour que tout soit clair:

Il n'est possible en aucune façon d'obtenir nos miniatures autrement que directement auprès de nous, Emma et Neil. N'importe quel autre biais vous expose à des objets d'occasion, éventuellement endommagés, et très vraisemblablement hors de prix.

Merci d'avoir pris le temps de lire ceci, soyez vigilants dans vos achats et n'hésitez pas à donner votre avis ou à faire part de votre expérience (anonymement si vous le souhaitez) et espérons que c'est là le dernier chapitre de notre « histoire » avec M. Madl

Day Out At Compiègne - Part III (The Chateau Gardens)

Having finished our delicious crêpe lunch, we made our way towards the highlight of our visit - the chateau de Compiègne gardens!

The chateau is in the heart of the town and so after a quick stroll from the crêperie, we were soon making our way along this long, wonderful tree-lined pathway...

Before too long we were standing in the entrance to the chateau grounds...

..and following this immaculate path.

We were passing in front of some beautiful flower beds when all of a sudden...

...we caught of glimpse of the chateau roof. At this point we were both really excited and it was all we could do to not start running!

We both approached the area in front of the chateau looking in the opposite direction in order to have the full impact of seeing the chateau on turning. It's easy to know when you're directly in front without even looking at the chateau because there are markers off in the distance.

So, with our backs to the chateau, we counted down together...

3....

2....

1....

and TURN!!

WOW!!!!!

Having enjoyed the gorgeous flower beds at the entrance, we realised that they were just a "starter"! The gardens in front of the chateau were even more spectacular - here's a taste...

Miniman was particularly pleased with this photo with the chateau as a backdrop. Not sure whether he was ready to accept that the "N"s on the chateau were for Napoleon and NOT Neil...

Further along, the pathways become plant-covered tunnels which provided some welcome respite from the sun.

With all that heat, even the statues look tired!

A girl has to keep her cool somehow!

We were simply bowled over by the sheer beauty of this place. The fact that it's so vast (and no longer the holidays!) meant that we had the impression that we were on our own.

Oh, and those flowers again...

So that's it for our day out at Compiègne! A pretty town, lots of nice restaurants and a gorgeous chateau.

Maybe next time we'll make it inside!!

See also:

Day Out At Compiègne - Part I

Day Out At Compiègne - Part II

Day Out At Compiègne - Part II (With Bonus Miniature Photos!)

Part II - Lunchtime!

There was an enormous choice of restaurants from which to choose. We narrowed it down to a "real" gastronomic restaurant, a French bistro serving hearty portions, a charming pizzeria and a crêperie. Everywhere the terraces were packed, which is generally a good sign as the people eating there were generally locals on their lunch break, so they know the best places to eat!

Perhaps tempted by the idea of a pitcher of cider on a hot day, we chose the crêperie "La Bolée" which you can find here.

So there we were in the region of Picardie about to sample a traditional Brittany meal - it's so easy to travel without moving!

The cider is poured into bowls and not glasses - a first for Miniman so used to English pub pint glasses! And at 10% a.b.v. combined with empty tummies and the burning sun, it didn't take long for the cider to rush to our heads!

Luckily the crêpes arrived before we had time to start dancing on the tables.

They were enormous, a bit too large for the plates! Although it may not look like much from the outside, this monster was packed with scrambled egg, melted "emmental" cheese and lardons, but you could make your own fillings from a generous list of options.

The pretty garnish brought a welcome touch of colour to the meal!

At just over halfway through our crêpes, we already had the impression that we had eaten too much, but we soldiered on.

Would we go for a dessert? We are very "gourmand", so of course we did! What did we have?

ANOTHER crêpe!!!

Miniman went for the caramelised apple with Chantilly cream and a scoop of caramel ice cream.

Yum - worth a closer look!

Emmaflam went for vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream.

We experienced a new taste sensation, hot chocolate sauce eaten with a sprig of fresh mint...

...total heaven, a bit like the most luxurious After Eight mint you could ever imagine! Try it.

So with full tummies and happy faces, we set off for an afternoon doing....well, all will be revealed in Part III - Lovers of France will not want to miss it!

While waiting for that, here is a selection of some of our miniature crêpes!

Crêpe Suzette in a pan from February 2006

Crêpe dessert with cream and orange sorbet from April 2009

Chocolate crêpe dessert from...Saturday!

A chocolate crêpe that was part of a brooch from June 2009

See also:

Day Out At Compiègne - Part I
Day Out At Compiègne - Part III