Getting Ready for the Seattle Miniature Show

Welcome to the Maple & Moss Workshop Journal...

Winter is one of the busiest seasons in the Maple & Moss workshop. While the weather encourages most people to stay indoors, it's the perfect time to focus on careful restoration, thoughtful design, and the kind of detailed work that can't be rushed.

As we prepared for the Seattle Miniature Show, every day brought another small milestone. There was trim to repair, interiors to refine, and countless tiny decisions that slowly transformed vintage dollhouses into homes once again.

Preparing for a miniature show isn't simply about finishing projects. It's about honoring the craftsmanship that came before us while adding our own chapter to each house's story. Every repaired window, every carefully fitted piece of trim, and every freshly painted room represents hours of work that most visitors will never notice—but those details are what give a house its character.

Some days bring obvious progress. Other days are spent solving a single stubborn problem. Restoration has a way of teaching patience, and I've learned that the finished result is almost always better when the work is allowed to unfold at its own pace.

The Seattle Miniature Show gave us a goal to work toward, but the real reward was watching these forgotten houses slowly come back to life. Seeing them displayed among other remarkable creations reminded me why I love this hobby so much: every miniature tells a story, and every restoration preserves one for someone new to discover.

Artply Tennyson

The Artply Tennyson challenged us from the beginning. Years of age had left the wood fragile, but preserving its character became just as important as restoring its appearance.

Expanded Dura-Craft TD-200 Tudor

Originally mistaken for a Greenleaf Glencroft, this turned out to be an expanded Dura-Craft TD-200 Tudor. We reimagined it with Pacific Northwest-inspired colors and textures.

1988 Houseworks Victorian

Started in 1989 and left unfinished for decades, this beautiful Victorian is finally becoming the home it was always meant to be.