Bluette Meloney (sounds like "melody") - the name sounds like something from a Disney production! But it fits its owner to a "T". The mother of seven and grandmother of five, Bluette has spent the past fifteen years exciting the miniature world with her roombox classes which are sure to fill nearly the minute that they're announced, as well as her beautifully gilded, marbled and painted pieces of Bespaq furniture.

It all began on a trip to the shoe store. She can't remember whether or not the kids ever did get shoes that day, for she was stopped in her tracks by looking in the window at Shellie's Miniature Mania, a San Francisco area shop. She became a collector of miniatures on the spot, purchasing a roombox kit and several furniture pieces.

To give some individuality to the furniture pieces, Bluette attempted some faux finishes on them. The rest is history. The pieces were a success and sold in Shellie's shop. A new career was launched. Soon, to share her enthusiasm and skills with others, she began teaching miniature classes.

Bluette's educational background is in the area of architectural design and teaching and attended San Francisco State College. She originally used her artistic skills on real-life structures, often applying faux finishes to walls and entire ceilings in the local decorator show houses. She realized that she could achieve the same effect in miniature, using a variety of techniques such as: faux bois, marbling, creating patinas, gold leaf, French paper, all translated from life size to 1 inch scale.

This IGMA Artisan (International Guild of Miniature Artisans) generously donates an item of her miniature creativity each year to auctions benefiting many causes: The National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana/Gulf South auction, the Guild & NAME auctions, as well as the Dallas Dollhouse Miniature Event. Bidding for her work is always frenzied, making a nice profit for these groups.

Bluette places major credits for her work on the work and support of her design and production team. Among them, they create, build and electrify the basic room boxes that accompany her to classes. They include:

• Jack Meloney (Rooms For Miniatures)
• Moonyeen Moller (Moonlight Miniatures)

She teaches at shows and shops from coast-to-coast across the United States --Shellie's Miniature Mania in California to Molly Brody Miniatures in Connecticut. Her show schedule includes stops in Sarasota, Sturbridge, New Orleans, Dallas and Philadelphia.

Bluette's roomboxes, houses and shops are 1" (1/12) scale and run a wide gamut of themes and architectural styles:

• a toy shop (Le Petit Lapin)
• a library (Ex Libris)
• a triptych - a trio of three collector friendly pieces, Folly I, II and III - each representing an architectural style indigenous to buildings built on the vast estates of England, France and Spain. These classical designs were meant as a respite from a ride in the country to, do we dare suggest, a romantic rendezvous. Her Ballroom replicates the splendor of the French Court while her Venetian Palazzo recalls the majestic palaces along those romantic canals.

Find Bluette at a show and you have the opportunity to purchase one of her roomboxes filled to the brim, not only with her exquisite work, but with the work of well known artisans from across the country. Peruse this web site. Take a look at her 2003 schedule of calendars and shows. Register for a class. You'll take away so many skills that will easily translate into use on large pieces of furniture. Questions or comments? Send Bluette an email! She would love to hear from you.