Miniature New Port Style Mansion

Miniature Newport Style Mansion

One year i decided to build my self a Newport Style mansion. The whole project was made in 6 weeks total. With some odds and ends being re-done 8 years later like re-doing the facade in brick last summer, Enjoy

There where several items i could not fine large enough for me to use on this model, One being large Windows - so i created my own, and i made larger shutters.

Last summers remodel using Magic Brick.

Morning Room - Paneling from Great Britain, Carpet - gift from a friend, Chandelier from NJ

Mansion - during construction - i love this pic

Library during construction - Library finished below

dinning room

Master Bedroom - Fire place and over mantle - by Sue Cook Miniatures

Front entrance- bronze statues on lions by me the bronze ladies came from my Parents 1960s ash-tray.

water gutter

garden remodel off morning room

Miniatures & Art Class at Valley Collage

During my slow periods I like to take up a new class of anything so it was during the spring of 2014 that i decided to take a Acrylic Painting class to teach my self how to paint. This was a odd class, but i learned allot. I only wanted to paint one painting and i end up painting enough to fill a museum.

Even though during the slow time i still have clients to service, During one of the first classes i had to skip a class for a clients needs, when i came into class 2 days later the teacher called out my name, and then told me she dropped me, Until I put my painting on the wall. (see above) When she took a look-she said "shit" you are good, She then had me go down to the school office to see if they could add me back into the class.

during a period of the class, one of our home-work assignment's was to make a Retablos, Painting on metal, I had asked her if i could build one in miniature of a Catholic Ratablo. This is my shortest timed Miniature ever, it was built in 6 days. the gold is 24K leafing.

Miniature Church for Mom

In 2011 my Mother was diagnosed with cancer for the 6 time in 30 years, At the the start of her cancer she found her love for God, she was a very loyal Catholic, raising 6 boys - no girls.

When I was young I remember my brothers and I going to here prayer power group on Tuesday mornings at my Grandmother/her moms house to listen them speak in tongue. The only thing I was interested in was the coffee and the donuts.

In 2005 on Ebay i purchased a miniature Bible measuring 1 inch by 1 inch by 1 inch, 275 pages, signed and dates October 7 1768 London. One Christmas I went to give it to my Mom, At the time she refused to take it because it was not a Catholic Bible.

My Mother and I where not really that close in relationship. It was during here last summer alive that she had asked me to come home during my slow time to take care of her, at first I was hesitent refusing to go knowing how much we did not get along. Until one day a few friends of mine told me I should go. They told me seeing a parent die is not easy and at times it will be hard to handle. But in the end if I where to get some sort of closer I will be at peace with her and my life. At the end of the 12 very hard weeks I got the closer and we became friends again, the journey was up-lifting.

When i made the decision to go back to help her out, i decided to build her a miniature Alter in the Roman Catholic Style of the Italian Rococo Period to house the year and date of the old miniature Bible. So when she could no longer go to church, she could have here own alter at home to worship, i even had a priest bless it for her. SHE LOVED IT

Thanks to Sue Cook Miniatures in England for the lovly Pillars.

Miniature Dojo - As a Gift to say Thank you to the Grand Master/Soke of the Bujinkan Ninjutsu Sytem

A Gift From the Heart to All of the Bujinkan

This artical is from my teachers blog: http://bujinkansantamonica.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-gift-from-heart-to-all-of-bujinkan.html

• 9:04 AM
 
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Today a most extraordinary thing happened in Hatsumi Sensei's class. As you probably know, the Hombu Dojo we currently have in Japan is slated for demolition. Many of us will miss it very much when a new Bujinkan honbu dojo is built.

But my friend and student William Kelly O'neill did us all a service. He spent the past many weeks painstakingly (emphasis on pain) recreating the Bujinkan Hombu dojo in miniature as a gift for Hatsumi Sensei.

What he didn't know was that it was a gift to the entire Bujinkan. Tonight he presented it to Soke Hatsumi. 

Bill has been sending me pictures and explaining his design process over the last few weeks. The amount of detail, research, and thoughtful personal elements in his project have been very inspiring to hear about. At first I thought he was a bit crazy, but when you see the results...

I know Bill put his whole heart into this project in a genuine spirit of giving. And everyone who was there was touched. Hatsumi Sensei decided tp present Bill with a Bujinkan Gold Medal. Well, this is when Bill was overcome with emotion and gratitude. 

Hatsumi Sensei told me he was going to put the miniature in the new Hombu dojo. 

Bill keeps appologizing to me for missing classes back home while he was in a race to finish his artwork for this trip to Japan. I told him, don't worry, you have your own dojo to train in. But since he gave his dojo to Hatsumi Sensei, he'd better come back to class!

Thank you Bill for the inspiration. This was a wonderful gift for Soke and all of the Bujinkan.