Welcome to the M-2 office!

This is where you'll find the latest newsletter and updates. Contact the Regional Coordinator, Nancy Gale, if you have comments, questions, or submissions for an upcoming newsletter




M-2 Regional


FROM YOUR REGIONAL COORDINATOR:

Hi Everyone,

Wow, 2010 already; hard to believe.   It’s going to be a great year in the world of miniatures.  There are many exciting events happening right here in M-2.  Tiny Treasures Day in Quincy is always a wonderful day, working on their great project and enjoying a delicious lunch, Friends Thru Miniatures’ Fun Day on May 15 is just sending out their applications and class lists. (For information call me).    
      Many many thanks to Connie Reagan for maintaining our M-2 Website.  She’s doing a fantastic job but she does ask for input from you, the members and clubs.  She had several pictures of Christmas room boxes and now is looking for Valentine items.  Send her your pictures.  Remember the address is:  www.namenewengland.com
     October 2, 2010, is the date for NAME’s National State Day.  The plan is for NAME members only, all over the country, to work on the same project--A colonial hutch and items to put in it.  Kits and plans will be available.  I’ll be ordering a prototype.  It would be wonderful if some clubs could get together.  Terry Unnold is setting something up in Connecticut.  I will have more on this in the spring newsletter.
    Some clubs have sent me their newsletters.  I love hearing about your events.  The Cape Cod Miniature Society had a “Holiday Bash” with a delicious dinner and a mini gift exchange.  Friends Thru Miniatures met at a member’s house for a scrumptious pot luck supper and our annual gift exchange.  Every year we moan about making 20 gifts but we always vote to do it again.  Such generosity and originality.  Small Passions is displaying their miniatures at the Atkinson Public library in March.  Has your club done this?  It’s a great way to stimulate more interest in our hobby.  Now the club is working on a dollhouse to be donated to charity,
      Barbara Bickford and I manned (womanned) NAME table at the Handcrafters of Miniatures show in November.  One lucky lady won a free Name membership in our raffle.  On March 14 be sure to stop by our table to say hello; you might win a free year’s membership.  We also sell grab bags and past issues of miniature magazines.
                                                                            See you there, Nancy


Annual Birthday Bash of Lady Slippers OTE
by Eleanor Smith

On Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, members of Lady Slippers, OTE drove to Carol Block’s home overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee for a weekend of fun, miniatures and our annual birthday party.  We have given up on having a party just about each month and have ONE BIG ONE.

We started out on a scenic tour following the Kancamagus Trail through the White Mountains.  We made several stops to gaze at the scenery and to give our legs a workout before spending the weekend sitting.  Friday night we stopped at a nice scrapbook/cardmaking shop, then off to Carol’s to do cards, minis, and have our Birthday Bash.

On this weekend, we try to finish a scene we have been working on together.  This year it was unanimous that we finish some kits that we owned (forever?).  Saturday night Carol treated us to one of her great New England Boiled dinners.  Sunday after brunch, we started packing, cleaning, clearing up and packing projects, and headed home—Happy with all our accomplishments.

Sharing our Love of Miniatures

By Jan Burton

MINI-CAMP for ages 9 to 13 is a part of a summer program sponsored by a local church to bring the arts to all community youth.  For the fifth summer, members of the Tiny Treasures Society led by Jan Burton and assisted by Paula Gordon, met with 11 kids each morning for a week to create a toy shop called “The Toy Box”.

Prior to Mini-camp club members cut foamcore for the shop, provided the makings for the toy duck, a Jack-in-the-Box, books, games and one enterprising member found erasers that were a helicopter and dump truck (both with moving parts) at her local dollar store.  In addition, Rita Cuneo and Eleanor Smith were able to spend two days assisting with the class.

Traditionally the most humid week of the summer, this year was no different and despite curling floors, slow drying paint and glue, by Friday they had constructed the shop of foamcore and built shelves, a counter, put together games, books, drums with drumsticks, decorated teddy bears, a mini-landing pad for the helicopter, and filled the shop with playthings – whew- all in time for display for family and friends at a small reception.  Each participant received a certificate to glue to the back of the shop with their name, the date and NAME’s motto of “Only Through Sharing Can we Truly Enjoy our Treasures”.  The shops were exhibited at the church’s coffee hour on Sunday and also at the Handcrafters of Miniatures Show in November.

Five of the kids were repeats from previous summers—three for the second year and two for the third year.  When told that next year’s project will be a haunted attic, one of them asked, “How old do I have to be before I can’t come anymore?”



…and IT’S OFF TO MAINE WE GO!
by Jan Burton, TTS President

Each October, the Tiny Treasures Society holds its monthly meeting at the home of members Paula and John Francis in Wells, Maine.

This meeting is a workshop at which we put together the project we have chosen for our Tiny Treasures Day the following spring.  Connie Reagan, workshop leader extraordinaire, has already figured out materials needed, worked out the “kinks” and has a kit ready for each of us.

After coffee, we settle down to work—our thought process is—if we can do it, everyone can do it.  All though we have many talented craftsmen in our membership, we are not all adept at building from scratch (and I am #1 on that list).  We work for the same time allotted on TTS Day, break for a brown bag lunch, and learn if we can simplify the process and how we can help everyone to be successful with their project and have fun doing it.

After a delicious dinner, main course prepared by Paula and John—we bring the rest—we have a brief meeting and head for home with our heads filled with ideas for our project.


REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES


Regional Coordinator
Nancy Gale
13 Allison Rd.
Northboro, MA 01532
508-393-0330
minigale@msn.com


At Large Newsletter Editor
Marty Anderson
11 Wild Oak Rise
Framingham, MA 01701
508-788-6949
miawildoak@verizon.net


M2 Web Site
Connie Reagan
creagan720@gmail.com


At Large Events Planner
Jan Burton
92 Turner St.
Quincy, MA 02169
617-472-3168


STATE REPRESENTATIVES
                              
EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Carol Block
139 Independence Ave.
Quincy, MA 02169
617-773-9239
cblock1@metrocast.net


WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
Jeanne Sojka
9 Sherman Dr.
S.Deerfield, MA 01373
413-665-9979
Jms-66@comcast.net


NEW HAMPSHIRE
Pam & Pete Boorum
79 Sebbins Pond Rd.
Bedford, NH 03110
603-669-4185
smallife@myfairpoint.net


MAINE
Connie Reagan
24 Sawyer St.
Portland, ME 04103
207-772-8592
creagan720@gmail.com


RHODE ISLAND
Marilyn Ferkinhoff
35 Amesbury Circle
Middletown, RI 02842
401-848-9699
mmfmini@cox.net


CONNECTICUT
Terry Unnold
52 Lanark Rd
Stamford, CT 06902
203-359-8641
tunnold@aol.com




UPCOMING SHOWS & EVENTS


DANBURY SPRING FAIR,
MARCH 7, 2010

Ethan Allan Hotel, 21 Lake Ave, Danbury CT   For information contact aminiproduction@yahoo.com

HANDCRAFTERS OF MINIATURES SHOW,
MARCH 14, 2010

Holiday Inn, Dedham, MA
Workshops on March 14th,
Info:  Carol Block 617-773-9239

TINY TREASURES DAY,
MARCH 27, 2010

First Baptist Church, 81 Prospect Avenue, Quincy, MA
Info:  Jan Burton,  617-472-3168
or Paula Gordon

FRIENDS THRU MINIATURES FUN DAY,
MAY 15, 2010

Greendale Peoples' Church, 9 Francis Street, Worcester, MA
Info: Julie Hagel, 603-560-7342

STURBRIDGE MINIATURES FESTIVAL,
JUNE 5-6, 2010

Host Hotel & Conf. Ctr., Sturbridge, MA
Info: www.mollycromwell.com
************


FUTURE NAME EVENTS:

National Convention, 2010 Seattle, WA, July 15-18, 2010
Merry Olde England, Now and Then

National State Day - Fall, 2010

Small Scale Houseparty Rochester, NY, May, 2011

National Convention 2011 Cleveland, OH July 21-24, 2011
A Song in My Heart

National Convention 2012
Charlotte, NC July, 2012
NAME's 40th Birthday Party



Send interesting features, ads, club news, tips, etc. to:
Marty Anderson
11 Wild Oak Rise
Framingham, MA 01701
508-788-6949
Or e-mail:
miawildoak@verizon.net
For the Next Generation of Miniaturists

In order to continue to promote our hobby, and expand interest in it, The Tiny Treasures Society, in conjunction with Handcrafters of Miniatures Show promoters sponsors a “Children’s Table” at the spring and fall shows in Dedham, MA.  Paula and John Francis, along with Jan Burton allow only those people 14 years of age and under to shop at this table!

The stock of items is getting low.  Any individual or club wishing to contribute items to the cause of promoting the hobby may bring contributions to the next show on March 14, 2010.  You may also send items to the Regional Coordinator of Newsletter Editor, or give them to any Tiny Treasures Society member. 

Please do not just send unwanted tote bag favors, but consider putting together a past roundtable purchase you no longer need.  Your club could make an extra of some project it is working on, and send it along to the “Children’s Table”.  Inexpensive dollhouse furniture that you decorate or refurbish is also welcome.  You do not need to price the item, but putting the items in a zip bag would be helpful.  Thank you for your contributions.



EDITOR'S NOTE:

Please send me your comments and/or suggestions.
I am looking forward to hearing from ALL CLUBS in this region. Send pictures of your best projects or meetings you have had in the last year. What's new in your mini world?
      Thank you, Marty

FOR SALE - BEST OFFER
1"Scale STUART LIBRARY by Goebel
Complete with original display case
22" long, 12" high, 12" deep

Jan Burton 617-472-3168

All NAME Members in Region M-2 are welcome to contribute information, tips, pictures, miniature experiences, etc.
Continue to send submissions for the website to Connie at creagan720@gmail.com.

AD INFORMATION

Small Talk (M2's newsletter) is published quarterly and will accept ads from shops, show sponsors, or any miniature business you might want to advertise. Here are the guidelines:
1) The copy must be submitted to the editor by the deadlines imposed for written copy.
2) Checks should be made payable to NAME Region M2.
3) Payment should be sent to:
Nancy Gale
13 Allison Rd.
Northboro, MA 01532
4) Rates are as follows:

Full page:        $100
Half page:        $50
Quarter page        $25
Business card        $10

DEADLINES
Fall:        Sept. 15
Winter:    Jan. 1  
Spring:     Apr. 1
Summer:    June 1