livingvicariously Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hello! I'm new to the forum, but not to mini-making. I got my start buildingthe doll house I always wanted for my daughter, then my nieces, then for anyone else who I could talk into letting me build a dollhouse for them. (Thus the username!) I've finally come to terms with the fact that I was really building them to feed my addiction. I just moved here from a city that had a really active mini community w/great resources to a great city with seemingly very little in the way of dollhouserie. I'm going through withdrawal and am hoping this forum will do the trick! If anyone on here is from around NOLA, I'd love to hear from you! Looming forward to getting to know everyone around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgansmith Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Welcome Tami, This is a great forum. I think you'll enjoy it. Have fun, Morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalesq Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Welcome to the forum Tami! You'll probably find old friends here while you make new one's. What houses have you built or are you building next? After 5 posts you can create a gallery. We all love eye candy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat57 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Tami,So glad you've decided to join the fun here and glad that you've given in to your addiction! lol! Similar to your experience,for years I made miniature vignettes and roomboxes as gifts for others. When I came to the forum for ideas a few months ago and saw how much fun they were having,it helped me realize I was ready to make something just for me,so I'm now working on my first dollhouse and have 2 more kits in waiting. I live in a rural area of South West Mobile County,so I would expect to not have too many miniatures resources,but I surely thought New Orleans would still have had a lot of miniaturist and dollhouse activities! Maybe someone here will be of help in locating a club or miniatures shop there. Meanwhile,we are here at the forum and love to make new friends! Looking forward to your input! Kat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Welcome to the little family, Tami. Dena and Matt are both in NOLA, and in a few months KathieB and her DH will be returning there for the winter. I live a few miles East of Kat in Baldwin County, AL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hi, Tami, and :welcome: to the forum! There are at least three of us here from New Orleans: me, Matt (madtex57), and Dena (NotKateHepburn). Holly (havanaholly) lives not too far away and I'm sure could be persuaded to come visit again if we were to plan a get-together. I know there are other miniaturists in the area, as there was a mini show a few years ago, but I don't know who they are. I look forward to meeting you! The only miniature shop I know of is the Black Butterfly on Royal Street, behind the St. Louis Cathedral. She has a lot of interesting furniture and accessories, mainly in 1:12 scale. It's a very tiny shop. but one whole wall and a counter display case are devoted to miniatures, I don't believe she sells kits or building supplies, but then I've never asked, either. Who knows what she has hidden away in the back? My husband and I are snowbirds with a house in mid-Missouri and a condo in New Orleans (Algiers). We'll be back in mid-November.In New Orleans, I'm working on an 1860s Beacon Hill that will be home to Sophia and her husband, a Creole medical doctor, in the Garden District. At the moment Sophia is visiting Marie Laveau in her cottage, looking for a potion of some kind. (I haven't asked. ) In addition to Marie Laveau's cottage, I have my pottery shop and the contents of an 1870s general store in NOLA. Edit: I might have known it was Holly posting while I was typing this. Edit #2: (haven't had daily dose of caffeine yet!) If you want to OD on miniatures, visit Bonnie Broel's House of Broel for a tour. Read her story here. She has 14 dollhouses and 40 separate room boxes. I've seen some of her houses on eBay recently, so she may be downsizing. She's at 2220 St. Charles Avenue. Phone 504-522-2220 for tour a reservation. Check my gallery for some photos of her dollhouses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Kathie, we would be bothe honored and delighted to descend (in altitude) upon y'all again! (not during Mardi Gras). Maybe you & I could meet up with Dena and Tami and visit the Black Butterfly together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Kathie, we would be bothe honored and delighted to descend (in altitude) upon y'all again! (not during Mardi Gras). Maybe you & I could meet up with Dena and Tami and visit the Black Butterfly together. We might have to draw straws to see who gets to go in first. The shop is really small! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 We might have to draw straws to see who gets to go in first. The shop is really small! I can walk sideways! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingvicariously Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Morning, all! Thanks for the warm welcome. I found one local club online, but the contact information isn't valid. I'm glad I found a little group online! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 You might check with Myra Landry at the Black Butterfly as to active miniature groups in the area. If I recall correctly, the last miniature show was cancelled for lack of interest or lack of volunteers or something along those lines. If anyone would know, she would. I just discovered there are 310 (!) photos of the Black Butterfly's inventory on line in a Picasa album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxxie2 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Welcome Tami! You are in the right place to feed a mini addiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingvicariously Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 It seems so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 I don't live anywhere near there but I've visited the city several times. I went to the House of Broel one time. It was quite a treat for the eyes. They do weddings there too. It appears that the link on her website for the Dollhouse Museum doesn't work anymore. So, as Kathie said, perhaps she is selling off her collection and not doing it anymore. How sad if that is the case because it was a wonderful collection. There's got to be some miniaturists there somewhere since it is such a rich artistic and musical community. Keep looking. I'm sure you'll find someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armymom166 Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hi, Tami, and welcome! You've found the right place for the mini-addicted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingvicariously Posted September 14, 2013 Author Share Posted September 14, 2013 Thanks, armymom! @selkie: I noticed that about the link as well & then saw the ebay & craigslist postings as well. I just assumed it was closing. The only thing it talked about on the website was the wedding stuff. Hmm...I'll have to investigate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 @selkie: I noticed that about the link as well & then saw the ebay & craigslist postings as well. I just assumed it was closing. The only thing it talked about on the website was the wedding stuff. Hmm...I'll have to investigate. Tami, do call her. She may still have a lot of minis left to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Bumping this topic up to report that Myra Landry of the Black Butterfly passed away a year ago. Her brother Norbert Landry shut the door of the shop, which has been in the family for three generations. All of the inventory appears to remain. The shopkeeper next door told me that he comes around almost daily to collect mail, but doesn't seem inclined to operate the shop. I recall that when I visited the shop on several occasions, he didn't seem terribly interested in selling or customer service. It was a much better experience when Myra was there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 It would be nice if Norbert could find a buyer who would be interested in running a miniature store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 It would be nice if Norbert could find a buyer who would be interested in running a miniature store. Umm,I know a very nice lady that is charming and witty and very knowledgeable in miniatures and art who is preparing to live fulltime in NO. Perhaps she and her equally charming and talented artistic husband could run the shop with equally knowlegdeable friends just yonder over the border. They post here on GL frequently and their initials are KB and HH. Sounds like a plan to me!! (Ducking and running.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 ..equally knowlegdeable friends just yonder over the ... 200+ miles is not commuting distance, and I suspect the folks you're thinking of have already been enslaved to a business of one kind or another, and are old enough not to want to do that again, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Aw, Holly, it's hardly more than 190 miles one way. Laughing here, Selkie. Lloyd comes up with a great idea like that at least once a week. "We need a studio and gallery so you can show off your doll houses and I can show my paintings and sculpture." Uh huh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 Aw, Holly, it's hardly more than 190 miles one way. Laughing here, Selkie. Lloyd comes up with a great idea like that at least once a week. "We need a studio and gallery so you can show off your doll houses and I can show my paintings and sculpture." Uh huh. See it's a match made in heaven. HH's DH could have his trains displayed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted March 18, 2015 Share Posted March 18, 2015 See it's a match made in heaven. HH's DH could have his trains displayed too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackButterflyToo Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 On 3/17/2015, 10:13:51, KathieB said: Bumping this topic up to report that Myra Landry of the Black Butterfly passed away a year ago. Her brother Norbert Landry shut the door of the shop, which has been in the family for three generations. All of the inventory appears to remain. Happy happy happy to re-bump this topic as the miniatures shop on Royal Street in New Orleans is now re-open for business!! Black Butterfly Too is The Black Butterfly's reboot! Michael and Marisol Canedo, a husband and wife team of over 30 years, now run the shop with Norbert popping in occasionally to say hi! Michael was a student of Myra's when she taught school at St. Louis Cathedral. He grew up working in the shop, developing a mother-son relationship with Myra over 45 years and sharing in her love of miniatures. Myra is missed daily but her memory is alive and thriving in the store! Whenever around, from New Orleans or far away, please pop in and visit the shop, we'd love to see you! Black Butterfly Too is social!! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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