Welcome!
This site is a showcase for sharing my miniatures. I don’t really think of myself as a particularly “craft-y” person in general, but I have enjoyed miniatures for many years now. It started with an inexpensive dollhouse kit that my mother purchased when I was a teenager (oh so long ago!) We had fun putting the building together and a ton more over the years decorating (and re-re-re-decorating) it as a General Store, a Milliner’s and a Tea Shop, complete with roof garden! It was an excellent way for us to connect and spend time together. (Much preferred to when she tried to get me to weed the yard with her!) Then, one fateful day, I met my mother-in-law and she showed me a much wider world of miniatures. Thank you, Mom, for N.A.M.E Houseparties that led to miniature classes and miniature shows that led to miniature artisans, all of which led to miniature friends! (Your son is a pretty good guy too! *wink* …even if he doesn’t really “get” this obsession! *sigh*) And, many years later, I am finally coming out of my shell and following her footsteps to a miniature club! Moral: There is alot of fun and companionship to be had in Miniatures!
So, what are miniatures? Miniatures are scaled down crafts representing anything you can imagine! The scale determines what size a miniature is when compared to its “full” or “real life” size. You determine the scale, but there are some typical ratios used. “One inch” scale denotes a miniature that is one inch for every 12 inches in real life. This is often shown as “1:12″ or “1/12″ size. Note that this is simply a ratio, so if you don’t think in inches, no problem! It is simply one part in miniature to twelve parts in real life. Other common sizes are “playscale” like Barbie and other fashion dolls (“1:6″ or “1/6″), “half scale” (“1:24″ or “1/24″), “quarter scale” (“1:48″ or “1/48″), and “1:144″ or “1/144″ scale, which is often used for architectural models like a 1/12 scale dollhouse in a 1/12 scale dollhouse! Additionally, there are HO or railroad scales, collectible scales and gaming scales… In other words: plenty to choose from and no rules, so mix them if you want to!
Inspiration can come from anywhere and the options are literally limitless. Whatever medium you enjoy lends itself to miniatures… Paper, paint and glue can become a realistic Tea Rose or a growling Tiger-faced-Lily in a faerie garden. Like power tools? Build an architectural model of the Taj Mahal, your childhood home, a miner’s shack, or a display box to house someone else’s vignette ideas! Turn Windsor chair leg, a Victorian gable, or tiny vases from exotic wood. Craft authentic copper pots, exquisite silver soup tureens, and bubbling magic cauldrons. Porcelain and clay become a Christmas feast and dishes, as well as the family of dolls sitting down to enjoy it! Knit a baby’s layette and favorite blankie, cross-stitch a Colonial sampler, quilt a wedding blanket, and needlepoint a Medieval tapestry. Paint miniature canvas masterpieces or accents on a bedroom set. Upholster a divan, costume a Queen, and sculpt a teddy bear! Need a little help? Start with a kit or a class to get your feet wet. Is shopping your favorite hobby? Enjoy the treasure hunt and decorate your own Antiques shop or French chateau or holiday-themed shadow box. Make them for yourself, for your friends and for charity! See what I mean? And, honestly, I’m not even that creative! You have ideas and skills that would knock me out!
Personally, I am a terrible builder (this is *so* NOT false modesty!) and tend to stick to crafting small items. I love to try kits and take classes to discover what I like to make. My first love was paper flowers, my current love is wicker baskets, and my lastest flame is polymer clay food. (Cross-stitch rugs and I are still friends, but fabric window/furniture dressing never wants to hear from me again! *grin*) I tend toward historic reproductions from various time periods and generally prefer one-room scenes or vignettes to full dollhouses. Over the years I have completed several scenes, but (like any self-respecting miniaturist) have many, many more “in process!”
Try It! You’ll Like It!
=) honey
