First Crop of the Year

I'm so excited! Friday is my first crop of 2018. And to make me even happier, I completed the first draft of my short story a day ahead of schedule so I have an entire day to prepare for the crop. Which is good since there is a page competition for each day of the crop, and I have to gather up photos, paper, and embellishments to participate. I found it was easier for me to complete layouts at a crop when I stuck to a theme and currently I'm working on a 25th anniversary cruise album. And none of the layouts I'd make for it would fit with the daily themes: Friday-Christmas, Saturday-Winter Fun, and Sunday-Family (might be able to pull it off as the pictures are my husband and I but I'd like something that includes more of my family members).

So, now I have to try and find pictures that would work for those pages. The paper and embellishments I'm not too worried about as those have been organized, but my photos are still either in computer folders with no rhyme or reason to the folders they are in or in photo boxes throughout the house. It's the one category I didn't touch too much when I moved my craft space upstairs. I did have one large container filled with portrait pictures which I sorted by family member but I left the candid photos in their hodgepodge organizational state. It's a good thing I have a whole day to find some pictures that will work (or enough time to get some printed at Walmart using their 1-hour service).

The Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis

A Special Report
By Fay Zerb

I have been asked by Joanna Slan to write a little something about our miniature museum (the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis). This group was started in 1989 because a group of ladies were concerned about their miniature collection because their kids weren’t interested or didn’t have the space to keep them. The ladies didn’t want their stuff ending up in a yard sale. A lot of people downsize or go into a different living arrangement, and we get their stuff. Most of the things we have came from families once the miniaturist died.

When Owners Die

Several museums have folded once the owner passed away. (Joanna’s note: This, sadly, happened just this year to the entire Delaware Toy & Miniature Museum.) A lot of the museums were started by wealthy people had quite a collection of stuff, and they started their own museum.

How the Building Fund Started...and Plans to Expand

The group started sponsoring local miniature shows in 1991 to make money to buy a building for our museum. We actually bought our building in 2000, renovated the building and opened in 2001 with our first floor open to the public. Since then, our volunteers have been renovating the second floor, and we hope to open that level to the public this year.

The museum still sponsors miniature shows in the spring and fall where dealers from all over the country come to display and sell their miniature creations (dollhouses, roomboxes, dolls, furniture, food, landscaping, and everything imaginable) to the public.

Our museum is run by an all-volunteer board of 15 people. Our general members help staff the museum during our open hours. The museum costs a small fee to enter. If you are interested, you can visit the museum's website: http://miniaturemuseum.org/ and look at some pieces of our collection, information about the museum, information about the miniature show and much more.

Fay Zerb

Where Will Your Treasures Go When You Are Gone?

Note by Joanna: Fay’s post got me to thinking. What will happen to your hobby when you die? Have you thought of finding a good home for your collection? Does your family know who might enjoy or benefit from your supplies—that stash you haven’t used? Take a moment this week and write a letter of intent. I don’t know how legal it would be, but surely it might help your family make good decisions about your belongings. After all, you can't take it with you.