Texas Miniature Showcase, Dallas.

THE "PILGRIMS REST"

 INSIDE THE "GREAT HALL"

I recently returned from my first show in America, I took a house which I called the "Pilgrims Rest" to the show, which I am pleased to say was very well received and more importantly I sold.

I am planning on exhibiting at more shows in America but to be honest the problem is how difficult it is to ship them over when it is for a show. I have shipped them before to US citizens and this has proved to be relatively easy but as I was shipping it to myself, as non-US citizen I had to jump through hoop after hoop, with every hoop costing more and more.

By the time I had paid all the costs including customs etc, the total cost to get it to the show was about £1300. I also had to have a back up plan in case I didn't sell it as I couldn't afford to ship it home. I had arranged for it to be left in a shop in Dallas, on a free of charge basis, with the shop trying to sell it for me and then paying me. Apart from this not being my favoured option, it subsequently transpired that the owner of the shop became ill about 2 weeks after I returned home and had to close the shop, maybe permanently.

Luckily I sold the house to one of the other exhibitors and shipped it to her in St Louis.

I now have shops in Canada and America who want to take my houses into stock, and take them to US shows on my behalf, which is all good, although I do want to go back over myself.

I am now nearing the end of the build of a similar house to the "Pilgrims Rest" which is currently for sale, but will be shipped to the shop in Canada if it doesn't sell by the time its ready to ship. If anyone is interested in buying it please feel free to contact me.,

I took 2 of my sons with me to Dallas to help me, so for the second week we hired a car and had a bit of a road trip, heading down to Austin, Houston, Galveston, New Orleans and Natchez before returning to Dallas for the last night before flying home.

 I know it was a bit predictable but we had to hire something typically America, it was just a shame it rained for the first 2 days. We got some decent weather later though.

 While in New Orleans I had to try the seafood, I couldn't make my mind up between the crabs legs and the lobster so I had both to myself.

The sun setting over the Mississppi, Natchez.

Thanks to everyone we met in America we were made to feel really welcome and I can't wait to go back.