Shrunk: Issue 7

Shrunk. magazine is an independent print publication, with Issue 7 coming to you in Spring 2024.

Why just 2* issues this year? Well, we’re currently a very tiny team. We also believe that less is more. More original features, more projects, more fun. It also means less waste.

We’ll only print what we really need, so pre‑orders are important. We want our print copies to be treasured by the paper‑lovers among you, enjoyed and passed around to friends, well‑thumbed. And if you miss a print issue, don’t panic! Digital editions are available via issuu.com This issue was made possible by the 250 backers who pledged to our Kickstarter campaign in the Autumn of 2022 and the continued support of the mini community!

Thank you so much for helping bring Shrunk. magazine back to life. shrunkmagazine.com *Ahem… we’re aiming to get back to 4 issues per year for 2025.

Watch this space!

Published quarterly by Shrunk. Magazine.

Mailing address: c/o The Alexander Centre, 15–17 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NZ, UK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, distributed or reproduced without permission from both its publisher and original author.

2

Shrunk.

Front cover image Back cover image

by Morgan Jones

by Morgan Jones

Editors Note

Welcome to Issue 7, aka: the relaunch issue!

It’s truly never been more of a privilege to put an issue of Shrunk. together. A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone who’s subscribed, pre‑ordered, shared news of our mini comeback and generally just been incredible.

Kat Picot, Editor kat@shrunkmagazine.com

What an issue we’ve got for you! Kicking things off; our cover star Morgan Jones, aka Little Morganton, lets us have a look around the sumptuous interiors of her Yorkville Townhouse. Sweden‑based artist, Göril Larsson, shares the inspirations behind her stunning scratch‑build project, The Dreamery; and we welcome miniatures writer, Moi Ali, to Shrunk. for the first time with a lovely profile piece spotlighting artist Gemma Mallord and her mid‑century style.

The DIY projects are truly something to sink your crafting teeth into this issue! Esha Bijutkar returns with another amazingly detailed tutorial, sculpting a super‑realistic, rustic‑style pizza.

Emilia Kalyvides, Designer designbyemilia.co.uk

Charlott Müeller makes her Shrunk. debut with our first‑ever woodworking project, a stylish pantry cabinet complimenting modern mini kitchens everywhere! Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses is back with columnist Abi Trotman, at the helm showing us how to get some gloriously grubby minis. We’re also welcoming miniaturist Rob Crouch on board this issue. Rob shares tips for working in smaller scales and reveals an unusual material used to upholster his 1:48 scale sofa!

The Shrunk. team hope you enjoy the latest issue, we’re already excited to get cracking on the next one!

Becca Parker, Subbing Editor

Ka t

Shrunk.

3

Advertorial

The Bathroom Edit Behold, a mini bathroom of dreams!

The UK’s largest miniature retailer has designed an original line of 1:12 scale products with contemporary styles and modern collectors in mind.

Featured Products: o

Cheetah print wallpaper R059

o

Light grey wood flooring R025

o

White ‘Get Naked’ bath mat RUG103

o

Modern white bathroom set HW4015

o

Plant in pot D4251

o

Cheeky plant pot picture in black frame MC406

o

Small round mirrors, 2 pcs E5311

o

Brass toilet roll stand RP17225

For more information visit: minimumworld.com 4

Shrunk.

Issue Seven Contents

13

14

28

44

Features 16 Maximum Joy: A Townhouse Tour Meet Atlanta‑based artist Morgan Jones. The Issue 7 cover star has created a luxurious 1:12 interior fuelled by her love of art and interiors.

44 Mini Made Home Moi Ali meets miniaturist Gemma Mallord for a celebration of iconic, mid‑century style.

6

Shrunk.

Make 48 Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses Columnist Abi Trotman is giving us grot and grime once again. Learn how to create realistic rust effects.

52 Welcome to The Dreamery We’re transported to a breathtaking, Swedish, scratch‑build, inspired by castles, art and nature.

26 IDEA Micro Minis with Rob Crouch 28 DIY: Pantry 36 IDEA Bobble Picture Frame with Kayla M Domeyer 38 DIY Pizza

ot

n

Abi Trotman, otherwise known as Tobacco & Regrets, is a full‑time, professional artist and miniaturist based in South Wales (UK) who uses miniatures as a way to celebrate life and all its quirks and intricacies. She welcomes commissions and custom projects. Connect with Abi at tobaccoandregrets.co.uk

ülle r

Charlott Müller first started making miniatures in 2018. She quickly fell in love with creating projects in a wide range of materials including wood, ceramics and 3D printing. Charlott specialises in building miniature furniture and accessories, selling her pieces to collectors all over the world. Follow Charlott on Instagram: @charlotts_miniatures

ma

Charlo

tM

i ju

tkar

Es h a

B

38

t

A bi

Tr

Issue Seven Contributors

16

Kayla M

52

48

Do

Mo i

36

meyer

A li

Shop 13 Shrunk. Loves

Esha Bijutkar is an engineer by profession and an artist at heart! A self‑taught miniaturist, currently based in India, she works on a 1:12 scale creating one‑of‑a‑kind miniature food, furniture and dioramas. Follow Esha on Instagram: @pink_petit_rose

Kayla M Domeyer is a Software Product Manager with an Arts degree. She scratches her creative itch with miniatures, working in everything from woodworking to painting and sculpture. She loves to unwind making modern 1:12 scale minis. Follow Kayla on Instagram: @saynotsweetann

Moi Ali is a professional writer who has written many books for leading publishers. To date, her books have been in her professional field of marketing and communications. However, she is also passionate about doll’s houses and owns a large collection.

14 House Hunter

Rob

62 Suppliers

C

23 Reading List

u ro

ch

Rob Crouch has been making miniatures in 1:48 scale for about 9 years, also doing 1:144 more recently. Whether making a 1:48 fully furnished cafe or a tiny 1:144 house in the woods, he loves the smaller scales and the creative challenges they present! Follow Rob on Instagram: @robcrouch73 Shrunk.

7

Journal Spring/Summer 2024

The Shrunk. guide to mini happenings Some recent makes from Rainham and District Dolls House and Miniaturist Group

Club Life: Find One Near You! Do you ever find yourself wishing you could share your miniature projects with some like‑minded miniaturist friends in real life, not just online? A local doll’s house club could be the thing for you.

Or maybe you’re already in a fantastic club and want to share your news and projects and reach new members. We want to hear from you!

Email your news and pictures to: kat@shrunkmagazine.com One such group is the Kent‑based Rainham and District Dolls House and Miniaturist Group. Member Hannah B shared some info on their group and how you can get involved. “Our meetings are a relaxed evening of socialising, discussing doll houses and miniatures. Members can create miniatures with our monthly makes or continue working on their own projects. We all collect miniatures of various scales from 1/16th to 1/144th scale and everything in between.

8

Shrunk.

During our monthly meetings, we also do a raffle for miniatures that are donated by the members of the club. Alongside this we also frequently donate to Kent Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance via a donation table, and if the club wants to buy and sell anything between each other.

Every year we make sure to show off our members’ makes by showcasing our projects in a library. This year we are working on creating a summer scene for a display we will be putting up at the Rainham Library (ME8 7LR) in September. The makes will consist of chairs, cakes, needlepoint cushions and umbrellas.

Our club meets on the last Thursday of each month (except December) at 7:30pm for an 8pm start at the Howard Hall, Wigmore, Kent, ME8 0PN, UK.” Find the Rainham and District Dolls House and Miniaturist Group online: Facebook: facebook.com/rainham dollshouseandminiaturistgroup Instagram: rainhamdollshousegroup Email: rainhamdhkent@gmail.com

Big News for Small Scales!

Now, it’s no surprise that we are champions of indie publications here at Shrunk. HQ so we were delighted to hear that powerhouse, Bea Broadwood, founder of Petite Properties, has launched a new magazine dedicated to the miniatures in 1:24, 1:48 and 1:144 (plus the top three most popular railway scales too).

Congratulations PP team! We can’t wait to read the launch issue.

Find out more: petite‑properties.com Coming Soon: Tiny House Calls Product Launch It’s happening! The long‑anticipated miniatures product line from Kwandaa Roberts, aka Tiny House Calls is imminent and we couldn’t be more excited! Announcing the launch via her Instagram page, Kwandaa shared: “It only took 3 years, some of my sanity and most of my 401K but I’m finally launching my dollhouse business! Thank you so much to everyone

Noah Dining Table Image by Tiny House Calls

Learn Canalware painting techniques from Wendy of Valley View Silver Image by Wendy Spencer

A Little Time for Me, Rob Crouch’s workshop piece. A lovely kit to learn the finishing techniques. Image by Rob Crouch

who stuck in there with me, sent me check‑in messages and gave me lots of advice. This has truly been a labour of love!”

Furniture and accessories include working, wireless light fittings to compliment contemporary miniature interiors alongside hero design pieces to take centre stage. The Noah dining table is the perfect blend of modern style with farmhouse function.

shadowbox (choose your favourite theme), Christine Orchard founder of Little Trimmings will be teaching 12th scale silk Victorian bonnet and Rob Crouch will be teaching techniques on a purpose designed kit called A Little Time For Me. Price includes lunch on both days. Exact timings and a tool kit list will be emailed nearer the time.

The range includes a stunning, 1:12 scale dolls house kit, the Cedabrook a modern take on a classic design.

The kit comes pre‑finished with white interior and exterior walls and on‑trend black windows. The wood‑stained double doors and arched bay windows make this house a stunner. The house features 3 moveable walls and 2 staircases with railings for easy customisation.

The staircase cut‑outs have been included with the kit if you opt not to use the stairs. The best part: The dollhouse is easily assembled with screws in under an hour, so you can get right to the fun!

Doll’s House Weekend Workshop Imagine a weekend away in picturesque Cornwall, packed full of quality, creative mini‑making time, under the guidance of 4 expert artists. Well, imagine no more!

Tutors for the weekend will be Wendy Spencer of Valley View Silver teaching you how to paint 12th canalware and florals, Raptoor Crafting — Angela Kinnunen will be making and decorating a

21st–22nd September 2024 at Chacewater Village Hall nr Truro, Cornwall, UK. Booking is essential.

For a booking form, please email emmasdollshousefairs@gmail.com. £185 per person or share with a friend (ask for details) Find more details on Facebook: facebook.com/DHWW24

Get in touch!

Do you have some mini news to share?

kat@shrunkmagazine.com Or good old‑fashioned snail mail: Shrunk. Magazine, c/o The Alexander Centre, 15–17 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NZ, UK

Shrunk.

9

Events Spring/Summer 2024

A bustling Petite Properties stand at Spring Miniatura. Image provided by Kat Picot

A welcoming smile from Ann‑Marie of LTW Miniatures. Image provided by Kat Picot

There’s nothing quite like being in a room bursting with miniatures, is there?! Here are the dates for your diary. Details are accurate at the time of going to press but please do check up‑to‑date information with organisers before travelling.

UK Events:

USA Events: IGMA The Guild Show 17th–22nd September 2024 The International Guild of Miniature Artisans cordially invites you to join them at the The Guild Show 2024 in the New York/Teaneck area at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. Visit igma.org for further information.

London Dollshouse Showcase Kensington Dollshouse Festival: Summer Show 17th–18th May 2024

Shrunk. on tour: Our next show is KDF in May! Image provided by Kat Picot

Miniatura The 100th Show 14th–15th September 2024

It’s almost time! Marvel at the incredible, UK and international talent on display and join in celebrating the 100th Birthday of Queen Mary’s Doll’s House.

A milestone show for the Miniatura team as they celebrate their 100th show! The centenary will be held at Stoneleigh NAEC and promises to be a fantastic weekend of miniature fun.

Visit dollshouseshowcase.com for full information and ticket bookings.

Visit miniatura.co.uk for further information.

Miniature Fairs The Kent Dollshouse & Miniature Fair 21 st July 2024 A new fixture for Kent collectors and enthusiasts!

Visit miniaturefairs.co.uk for further information.

Get in touch!

Do you have a mini event to share?

12

Shrunk.

kat@shrunkmagazine.com Or good old‑fashioned snail mail: Shrunk. Magazine, c/o The Alexander Centre, 15–17 Preston Street, Faversham, Kent, ME13 8NZ, UK

Shrunk. Loves Kt Shireminiatures

S

omething for the mini art collectors out there! We love ourselves a small‑scale gallery wall and could easily fill floor to ceiling with these charming, hand‑painted originals from UK micro‑artist, Katie of Kt Shireminiatures.

Working in watercolour, gouache and acrylic paints, each 1:12 scale piece is unique, created with the most impossibly tiny brush strokes!

Every painting is framed and finished with love and attention to detail, including the frame backs which are all finished with backing paper and a string ready for ‘hanging’. Katie also creates miniature gift and greeting cards and charming driedflower arrangements.

To add a Kt Shireminiatures piece to your collection, contact Katie directly for enquiries and commissions. You can also find a wide range of Katie’s art stocked at Little House at the Priory.

Follow Katie on Instagram: @kt_shireminiatures Find original pieces stocked atlittlehouseatthepriory.co.uk Shrunk.

13

House Hunter The Evanston

S

tep inside the Evanston, a modern town house

by Little Vintage Lane.

Choosing just one mini‑property from Little Vintage Lane’s product range was a challenge, but the Evanston kit won us over with its stunning seven rooms and rooftop terrace! With a fresh, contemporary feel, spacious layout and boasting many modern architectural details, this doll’s house is the latest on the Shrunk. House Hunter list!

Available in 1:12 and 1:24 scale, this versatile, laser cut kit arrives in a custom‑built crate, keeping it safe on its travels — which can include international shipping, so no fear for those of us living outside of the USA! Little Vintage Lane owner and founder, Amy Yates, describes the Evanston in more detail: “The interior has access from both the side and back of the home. The main living room has a gorgeous three‑flight staircase leading

up to the third‑floor sun room and terrace deck. Off of the main living space, there is a dining room and kitchen. The second story features a bedroom and bathroom.

The third story has two rooms with entry to the rooftop deck and pergola.”

Dimensions: 36" W x 36" L x 27.5" D Price: £957 for 1:12 scale kit, £399 for 1:24 scale kit Available at: littlevintagelane.com Shrunk.

15

Feature Morgan Jones

MAXIMUM JOY: A TOWNHOUSE TOUR Shrunk. meets Atlanta‑based artist and miniaturist Morgan Jones.

Take a tour of her opulent Yorkville Townhouse and hear some of the inspirations behind miniature design studio Burke + Brown.

Words by Kat Picot Images by Morgan Jones

D

rawing inspiration from the world of contemporary interiors and design, alongside the architecture and style of her great aunt’s Northern Virginia family home; Morgan Jones has created a rich and joyful 1:12 scale space. Morgan says: “I was really inspired by [Old Town Alexandria], I wanted to make the dollhouse like that, but if we’d won the lottery!”

The Yorkville is a compact and versatile take on a modern townhouse, designed by Adam Koch, AKA Dollhouse Therapy. Sold as stackable, individual units you can 16

Shrunk.

build up to four storeys high, with the additional options of a roof terrace and an exterior staircase.

Morgan has gone all in! After being gifted the first storey for Mother’s Day, the miniaturist quickly knew that it was love. Morgan says of the project: “I have not stopped! It makes me SO happy! It is probably the most true‑to‑my‑personality‑build that I’ve done so far and I’m obsessed with it!”

The exterior has been given a strikingly attractive, black paint finish, and inside is where Morgan has truly made her mark. Each room and mini space is bursting with colour, texture and pattern.

The jewel in this mini, maximalist crown? Well, it’s hard to choose a favourite but there is something particularly special about the laundry room. Complete with all the mod‑cons; washer, dryer and a gold pedestal table for the folding, this space exudes luxury, despite its real‑life purpose being something so utilitarian.

Morgan was very intentional about the aesthetics of this room. Sharing some of her insights on Instagram, she says, “It was important to me that this space received a glamorous dramatization for several reasons: not the least of which is my own family

Feature Morgan Jones

and cultural connection to ‘taking in washing’. The ingenuity and dedication of Black women (for whom liberation to work was never a ‘thing’) of the 50s and 60s, who pivoted when the once plentiful housemaid work shifted to more service based domestic support cannot be understated. But it will continue to be. Commercial, in‑home laundry (which, in some cases, was in huge boiling tubs outside) enterprises were backbreaking, thankless and dangerous: I’m immensely proud of the strength of those washerwomen who bore me. I know some prefer not to see more ‘practical’ depictions in their dollhouses: with mine, my desire was to not only amplify my own experiences, but also to glorify those that have come before us.”

Morgan’s miniatures journey began in 2018 after falling down 18

Shrunk.

an Instagram rabbit hole and discovering the work of Tiny House Calls (AKA Dr Kwandaa Roberts, OBGYN, interior designer, miniaturist extraordinaire and Shrunk. Issue 3 cover star!), resulting in the creative spark she’d needed to ignite this new hobby. Morgan says “Kwandaa’s work truly took over my mind and made me think; ‘I can do this! I wanna do this’ [Miniatures] has such a beautiful community, but her work was truly my introduction. I love interiors. I love interior design. I was really, really excited to build something of my own.”

Soon after this introduction, Morgan embarked on her first project: the Little Morganton, a Victorian Farmhouse Kit. She says “That was before I’d even been introduced

to kitbashing (the practice of customising existing kits to create something different) or anything like that, so was very much following the directions and printed it all out. I actually still have the binder with all of the instructions I printed! I got that house made and 95% finished before we moved.”

Morgan’s journey into the world of miniatures has been punctuated throughout by the loving support of her husband Jason; cheerleading each new creative chapter whilst simultaneously asking the more challenging questions faced by miniaturists everywhere; “So, where are we going to sit? Where exactly do you see this living when you’re done?” Morgan laughs, “All good questions, none of which I had answers to!” Though in the short term, the

Previous page: A stunning, modern mini kitchen in monochrome.

Complete with designer fridge.

Opposite page: Left; Comfortable and chic living room. Featuring the sculpture, Resurgence Baddie,

by Sophia Mitchell, exclusively available in miniature at Burke + Brown design studio. Wallpaper

by Fine & Dandy.

Right; Morgan pairs bold patterns and curated art pieces with on‑trend, painted wall panels.

This page: Form meets function in this beautiful laundry room. Morgan was intentional when creating this mini space, communicating themes of historical and social significance alongside the levity of modern miniatures.

Shrunk.

19

Feature Morgan Jones answer was actually room boxes where it led. By April 2023, Burke + myself out of me, because I do, I think — switching up her creative focus Brown Design was born, a miniature about myself when I was first getting into from the Little Morganton build to design studio with a passion for miniatures. I would go to a craft store or more digestible, stand‑alone projects. sharing miniature art with the world. a hobby store and really you could only Room boxes proved to be the ideal see and get what they had. I felt so bad “I began creating my miniatures because creative outlet when downtime was for feeling so snobbish, like, ‘This doesn’t I did not see myself, and people that look a little harder to come by, following a look real!’ Or, you know, ‘This bust of like me, reflected in a lot of what was real‑life house move and welcoming Thomas Jefferson isn’t really something available on the market,” Morgan says. her youngest child, Malcolm.

I want in the dollhouse, but I do want “Certainly not in the older miniatures, the sculptural art!’.”

A few years in and numerous antiques, but also not with some of the projects already under her belt, more modern items that get duplicated Morgan approached Sophia Mitchell, Morgan was encouraged to push and replicated. If I see another bottle of founder of LitBodies, a contemporary her creative skills further in the Pantene shampoo, I’ll scream! Like, design studio. Burke + Brown pursuit of covetable miniatures. that’s cute and all but I can’t use Pantene subsequently became the exclusive The gift of a filament 3D printer — it makes my hair fall out. There are carrier for a miniature version of for Christmas opened up a whole lots and lots of miniaturists who have not Mitchell’s sculpture, Resurgence new area of creative potential and only broad interests but broad cultural Baddie. Morgan beams, “I cannot tell a lot of lessons learned along the backgrounds and I really, really wanted you how honoured I was!”. way. This was followed soon after by to speak to that particular area that I the unwelcome news that Morgan did not feel was well serviced.” Morgan was made redundant from her job, a loves the design process involved curve ball turned opportunity after when creating new products, and husband, Jason, (who Shrunk. will another key motivation behind Find Morgan’s creations online: now hold as the gold standard of Burke + Brown is creating beautiful, burkeandbrown.etsy.com miniaturist husbands, the world affordable, modern miniatures.

Contact Morgan on Instagram: over!) suggested she take some time Morgan says “Creating things that are @burkeandbrown to focus on her miniatures and see attainable and not necessarily pricing

20

Shrunk.

Opposite page: Left; The Diva Den — a space for fun, games and a little champagne.

Complete with drinks fridge, monochrome pool table and statement wallpaper from Sheila Bridges.

Middle; Rooftop luxury living at The Yorkville with a terrace hot tub.

Right; Adding kerb‑ appeal. Light fixtures and a welcome mat for extra realism on the exterior.

This page: Top; Jewel tones and bold floral wallpaper in the bathroom.

Bottom right; The dressing room fit for a mini fashionista, with plenty of space to stash the latest designer haul!

Stay Tuned With a keen focus on sharing and amplifying the work of living artists, Morgan will be exploring this area further in 2024 with her first ‘non‑residential’ dolls house project, housed inside a Brentwood kit, (designed by Kristine Hanna also for miniatures.com). Make sure you’re following along on Morgan’s social media channels — you won’t want to miss this project and its creative collaborations!

Shrunk.

21

Cooee...

Your ad could be here To discuss rates and opportunities, email: kat@shrunkmagazine.com

shrunkmagazine.com

Reading List Chelsea Anderson

50 Makes For Modern Miniatures You can find 50 Makes for Modern Miniatures

by Chelsea Andersson at Amazon.com, or check the shelves at your local bookseller.

W

e’re long‑time fan girls of Chelsea Andersson here at Shrunk. HQ, so when we heard that she’d written an entire book dedicated to modern mini makes we could not wait to get our paws on a copy!

The publication is filled cover-tocover with accessible, gorgeously designed pieces with step‑by‑step instructions for the contemporary doll’s house. From kitchen essentials and living room furniture to bathroom accessories, there really is something in this book for every modern miniaturist.

We’re thrilled to be able to share a project from the book with Shrunk. readers: a tiny snake plant!

Publisher: David & Charles (3rd Oct 23) Language: English ISBN‑10: 1446309940 RRP: £13.09 Image by Nick Offerman Shrunk.

23

Reading List Chelsea Anderson

24

Shrunk.

Shrunk.

25

Idea Micro Minis with Rob Crouch

Contemporary living in 1:48 scale Words & images by Rob Crouch

I

ncreasingly, I’m seeing people wanting a more modern miniature house or scene in the smaller scale. Some want to do a 1960s/1970s style, similar to what they remember growing up with.

Let’s just hope some of those wallpaper styles don’t come back!

Contemporary is a relatively new route for me to go down with making furniture from kits in 1:48 scale, but I love how the imagination on style can be let loose and colours can be used in bold contrast to the streamlined style of the furniture.

An enjoyable part of my kit‑making is the initial ideas on finishing a piece: choosing a colour, materials and so on. Pictured are three 1:48 scale kits from Jane Harrop, in a contemporary style — a dining set, a glass‑effect coffee table and a sofa with a stool. Now,usually, I’m looking through my rather large collection of patterned fabric for covering, but with this style of sofa I wanted something different.

A while back, during my first time exhibiting at the Kensington Dollshouse Festival, a kind customer of mine gave me some eel skins. I started using them as leather tops on writing desks. The grain is so fine that it’s perfect for a smaller scale. I bought a few more skins in different colours, pictured here in a dark olive. The skins are so strong and pliable to use, and the finished effect is perfect. When I set out to cover the sofa, I wanted to use the spinal line of the skin as a detail in the centre of the cushions, and this worked really well! I didn’t pad the cushions like I would normally on, say, an older style armchair as I wanted that slick, modern look.

26

Shrunk.

The dining table kit is a joy to make as you get the tabletop in separate pieces of wood for you to glue together and sand for a smooth finish. I painted the legs black, but you could go for a silver colour. Jane very thoughtfully provides pre‑cut seat covers for the dining chairs in leatherette, making them very easy to upholster simply by gluing them in place onto the seats and backs.

Materials o o o o

Contemporary sofa and stool kit from Jane Harrop Fabric for covering cushions PVA wood glue Sandpaper, P180 grade or higher

Tools o

Sharp point scissors

To make ⇨ Lay out the kit to make sure you have all of the required pieces. ⇨ For each of the cushions, cut a piece of fabric larger than the wood piece and then glue the reverse of the fabric to one side of the wood, centrally. ⇨ Carefully cut away rectangles from the four corners of the fabric, leaving a cross shape that can be neatly folded around the wood. ⇨ Fold and glue the fabric to the underside of the wood as shown. Repeat for each of the sofa cushions and the stool cushion. ⇨ Construct and glue the stool and sofa with the remaining kit pieces. ⇨ Finally, glue the cushions onto the sofa and stool.

The kits used here can be found at: janeharrop.co.uk Connect with Rob: etsy.com/shop/robcrouchminiatures Instagram: @robcrouch73

Idea Micro Minis with Rob Crouch — Illustrated Guide

1

2

3

4

5

6

Shrunk.

27

DIY: Pantry Turn your hand to woodworking with this 1:12 scale pantry project

Words & images by Charlott Müller

Ma terials

Tools

o

Hardwood or balsa wood sheets, 1.5mm and 0.5mm thickness

o

o

Square wooden dowels, 5 x 5mm

o

Ruler

o

Clamps, clothes pegs or sewing clips

o o

Wood glue Super glue

o

4 miniature hinges

o

4 small beads or miniature knobs

o

Decorative paper (optional)

o o

Paint or wood stain 12 toothpicks

Craft knife

o

Pencil

o

Emery board or sandpaper

o

Popsicle sticks or coffee stirrers for moulding (optional)

o

Brushes

Connect with Charlott online: Website: charlottsminiatures.etsy.com Instagram: @charlotts_miniatures_ Shrunk.

29

DIY Pantry Ready to get stuck into some woodworking? Build a bespoke, 1:12 scale pantry for your doll’s house with this fully‑illustrated, step‑by‑step guide. This can be fully customised to suit your miniature kitchen.

Finished here in acrylic paint and a light wood stain, you could also line the drawers and cupboards with patterned papers for a unique finish.

Cut and prepare the p ieces ⇨ Using a pencil, ruler, craft knife and cutting list, cut all the pieces from the wood sheets. ⇨ Start by sanding all the pieces with sandpaper or an emery board. They need to be smooth to fit together perfectly without any gaps. ⇨ On the pantry back piece, measure and mark with a pencil and ruler starting from the top at 3.4cm, 6.7cm,10.0cm and 13.3cm. Connect both sides with horizontal lines as shown. Now, divide the bottom rectangle in half and draw a line vertically.

Begin assembling ⇨ Glue the side pieces, right on the edge, on top of the back piece. When the glue is fully dry, expand the previously marked lines to the side pieces. The lines act as guides for placing the shelf pieces.

Assemble drawers and doors ⇨ Take the drawer front, bottom, two sides and back pieces, as well as two toothpicks and four moulding pieces. Lay down your drawer bottom piece. Glue the front piece right in front, and add the side pieces on top of the bottom, touching the front piece. Add the back piece also on top. You now see that the back piece is much higher compared to the side pieces. Add the two toothpicks right above the side pieces leaving a small, even gap. The edge of the back pieces should align with the toothpick, as shown. The last step is to add the moulding pieces to the drawer front. Repeat with the second drawer. ⇨ To assemble the doors, take one door piece and measure and mark on one side, 1.5cm from the top and bottom, with a short line. This is where the hinges will be glued. Take two hinges and glue them carefully with super glue on the marked lines. Now glue the moulding pieces right on top as shown. Sandwich the hinges between the door and the moulding piece. Use clamps, sewing clips or clothes pegs to hold the pieces down while the glue is drying. Repeat for the second door.

⇨ Now it’s time to glue the smaller pantry top piece, drawer shelf top and bottom piece in place.

Remember that all the pieces are glued to the pantry back piece. The pieces should align with the pantry side pieces, whereas the shelf pieces should not reach the outer edge.

⇨ Now for the trickiest part: Lay the pantry backside on the table, align the first door with the pantry and glue the other flap of the hinge on the inside of the pantry piece. Use super glue and be careful not to glue the hinge shut. It needs to be able to move freely. Repeat with the second door. Glue the lip on the edge of one door; it should hang over 1.5 mm.

You can now add the remaining moulding pieces on the outside. The two longer ones on each side of the pantry vertically, the three shorter ones evenly spaced horizontally, two on top and bottom and one right in the middle.

⇨ Extend the middle line of the bottom rectangle to the drawer shelf top and bottom piece for easier placement of the drawer divider. You can use a ruler and pencil or freehand the line. Now, you can put the divider piece in place. Tip: Use one of the cut drawer fronts to check your placement, as shown.

⇨ Add the drawer top piece on top of the whole unit.

Make sure it’s centred and hangs over evenly. Use some clamps to hold it down and ensure there are no gaps. Glue the four legs, cut from the square wooden dowel, on the bottom. They should be glued on straight and centred.

⇨ Grab the three shelf pieces and glue as shown on the first, second and third marked lines, counting from the top.

30

Shrunk.

DIY Pantry Add sp ice racks and decora te ⇨ For one spice rack you need two side pieces, two bottom pieces and four cut toothpicks. I chose to round off one corner of each side piece with sandpaper. To assemble, divide the side pieces in half, horizontally, add the first bottom piece on top of the line and the other one right on the bottom edge. Glue on the other side, making sure that the middle line aligns with the first bottom piece and the bottom edge with the second one. Add the four toothpicks, as shown. Repeat for the other

spice rack. When the glue is dry, you can carefully glue the shelves on the inside of the pantry doors.

Measure 1.5cm from the top of the door and draw a horizontal line. This is where you will place the shelves. ⇨ To finish off, I chose to stain the inside of the pantry with a light wood stain and paint the outside with acrylic paint. ⇨ Add four beads or miniature knobs to the doors and drawers.

Shrunk.

31

DIY Pantry — Illustrated Guide

32

Shrunk.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Shrunk.

33

DIY Pantry — Cutting Guide Cut from a 1.5mm sheet

Cut from a 0.5mm sheet

Cut from 5x5mm wooden dowel

For the pantry unit

8.5cm

16.5cm

1 x back piece

4.2cm

16.5cm

2 x side pieces

2 x door piece

34

Shrunk.

3.0cm

4.2cm

4.1cm

13cm

1 x drawer divider

2.8cm

0.5cm 6 x shorter pantry moulding

4.2cm

3 x shelf piece 0.5cm

3.1cm

1 x smaller pantry top piece

6 x shorter door moulding

1 x larger pantry top piece

8.2cm

2 x drawer shelf top/ bottom piece

8.2cm

8.8cm

3.3cm

4.5cm

0.5cm

16.5cm 4 x longer pantry moulding

0.5cm

13.0cm 0.5cm

0.3cm

13.0cm

1x lip piece

For the drawers

For the spice rack

Note: you will also need to cut 4 x toothpicks to 3.75mm

Note: you will also need to cut 8 x toothpicks to 3.0mm

0.3cm

4.0cm

0.3cm

2 x drawer back

1.0cm

3.75cm

5.5cm

1.2cm

3.0cm

2.4cm

4 x smaller drawer moulding

4 x shelf side pieces

4.0cm

4 x larger drawer moulding

2 x drawer bottom

4.0cm

2 x drawer front

3.9cm

3.0cm

1.2cm

4 x shelf bottom pieces

4.0cm

1.5cm

4 x legs

1.2–1.5cm

2 x longer door moulding

4 x drawer sides

Shrunk.

35

Idea Bobble Picture Frame with Kayla M Domeyer

Bobble Picture Frame Words & images by Kayla M Domeyer

R

efresh your doll’s house decor with this simple, on‑trend picture frame project. Perfect for adding a pop of colour to your mini bookshelf or gallery wall.

⇨ Once completely dry, paint the frame pieces in your chosen colour. ⇨ Add your favourite printed miniature or sticker, and glue the back and top frame sections together for a super‑cute bobble frame look!

Materials o

PVA glue

o

Thin chipboard, card or an existing wood frame and backing

o

Nail art beads

o

Art or photo to frame

o

Paint

Tools o

o

Sharp craft knife Burnishing tool like a clay tool or a dull needle

To make ⇨ Decide on your frame dimensions and cut two layers from your chipboard or card. ⇨ Using the knife, score a centre line along the top frame. ⇨ Using the burnishing tool, burnish along the score line to create a narrow groove. ⇨ Glue the beads into the groove using a thin line of PVA glue. ⇨ Once dry, coat the beads and frame in a mix of 25% water 75% PVA glue. This will provide a smooth surface for the paint.

36

Shrunk.

Connect with Kayla online: Instagram: @saynotsweetanne Crafting tutorials at saynotsweetanne.com

Idea Bobble Picture Frame with Kayla M Domeyer — Illustrated Guide

1

2

3

4

5

6

Shrunk.

37

DIY: Rustic Pizza What’s more mouthwatering than a freshly baked sourdough pizza?

Create your own in 1:12 scale

Words & images by Esha Bijutkar

Ma terials

Tools

o

Air dry cold porcelain or resin clay in white (I used Modena)

o

o

Acrylic paints in white, chrome yellow, raw sienna, burnt umber, black, sap, green and red

o

Flat silicone tool

o

Spatula

o

Alcohol ink or translucent paint in yellow and red

o

Soft pastels

o

Aluminium foil

o

Zip lock bags

o

o

Needle tool

o

Cocktail sticks

o

Eyeshadow applicator or brush

o

Paint brush

UV or Epoxy resin

o o

UV lamp

Cling film PVA glue

Connect with Esha online: Instagram: @pink_petit_rose Shrunk.

39

DIY Rustic Pizza This intermediate‑level pizza project is one to really get your teeth into! Esha shares the detailed and illustrated steps to sculpt these rustic‑style pizza bases and toppings. Explore different techniques for colour blending, shading and adding texture to create realistic baked dough, melted cheese and glistening toppings. The perfect mini meal for doll’s house al fresco dining this Summer!

Colour the clay ⇨ As cold porcelain dries translucent, we need to add white paint to it to make it more opaque. Add some white and a tiny bit of chrome yellow paint to the clay. Knead it well until you get a pale yellow colour.

Take a bit of the clay and store the remaining clay in a zip lock bag.

S tart to sculp t ⇨ Make a ball out of the clay and flatten it into a circle with your fingers. Place it on a work surface.

Next, using a flat silicone tool, flatten the middle and push the clay towards the edges of the circle to create the ‘pizza crust’. Then, with the flat silicone tool, create random oblique lines on the crust. ⇨ Take some more clay and add a few drops of water to it. With a spatula, mix it thoroughly to turn it into a paste consistency. Add a bit of white and yellow paint to the paste and mix again.

Add texture and shading ⇨ Using a cocktail stick, add large and small dots or ‘bubbles’ to the crust using the paste. Leave to dry. ⇨ Using an eyeshadow applicator or brush, apply some yellow ochre soft pastel all over the crust. Then apply raw sienna acrylic paint to darken and enhance the ‘bubbles’. Next, go darker and use brown soft pastel to enhance the bubbles and crust. If you want your crust to be light, stop here. Otherwise, for a rustic sourdough crust look, as shown, use a black soft pastel to shade the top of the bubbles.

40

Shrunk.

Add sauce and cheese

Crea te leaves and topp ings

⇨ To add some texture to the tomato sauce, add some red and white acrylic paint to the clay and let it dry a bit. Using a needle tool, gently scrape the clay in circular motions.

⇨ To make the basil leaves, mix a bit of sap green acrylic paint and a bit of white in the clay. Put some of this clay in a zip lock bag and cover the remaining clay with cling film so it doesn’t dry out.

⇨ Take some UV resin, add yellow and red transparent paint/alcohol ink and mix it. Then, add the red clay crumbs and mix to make the tomato sauce.

⇨ Cut one corner of the zip lock bag and squeeze out a tiny ball of clay. Flatten it out thinly, pressing it between your fingers and then flatten it further using a needle. Next, draw lines in the centre and either side with the needle to make the veins of the leaf. Carefully remove the leaf from your finger using the needle.

⇨ For the cheese, make the clay paste we made earlier and add white and transparent yellow paint to it.

Once mixed, spread it all over the pizza base. ⇨ Add the sauce to the edges of the pizza first. Then, draw various‑sized circles with the sauce on the base, as shown. Cure it under the UV light. It will now start looking like melted cheese. Then, add the remaining cheese paste in between the sauce circles to look like melted cheese and let it dry for a bit. ⇨ Next, mix some transparent yellow paint and a bit of red in UV resin. Using a cocktail stick, draw lines and dots on the circles so it looks like oil is being baked and separated from the cheese. Then cure it under UV light.

⇨ Stick the leaves on the pizza using glue. To shade the leaves, mix a bit of dark brown paint in sap green and water it down. Apply this dark green paint wash on the leaves to give them more depth and to make them look like they have come out of the oven. ⇨ Apply white soft pastel using an eyeshadow applicator on the crust to make it look like a floury sourdough pizza crust.

⇨ Before the cheese is completely dry (only the top layer should be dry) take an aluminium foil ball and press it on the cheese to give it more texture.

Shrunk.

41

DIY Rustic Pizza — Illustrated Guide

42

Shrunk.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

Shrunk.

43

Feature Mini Made Home

Mini Made Home If you love Scandi style and retro interiors, you’re going to love Gemma Mallord’s work Words by Moi Ali Images by Gemma Mallord

G

emma Mallord is one busy lady. As if five children weren’t enough to keep her occupied, she also finds time to run a successful Etsy store from her home in Devon — oh, and to keep her almost 12k followers on Instagram (@MiniMadeHome) happy with an ever‑changing array of scrumptious, Scandi retro interiors from the 1960s and ‘70s.

miniature passion began. Gemma takes up the story: “Originally, I bought an old Lundby dolls house to use as a set for photographing my peg dolls.

This kindled an interest in dolls houses, especially vintage Scandi ones, and I started buying furniture and accessories for the Lundby. I already absolutely loved the design style of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and my own home is pretty retro, and I kind of fell down a rabbit hole!”

Strangely though, it all began with wooden pegs! Gemma had a bit of a thing for peg dolls, which she loved to paint. She needed a suitable backdrop for photographing her work to sell, and that’s how her

It’s fair to say that Gemma was hooked. “The Lundby collection took over,” she admits, “and I started making a few of my own miniatures, often things that I wanted for my house that weren’t available in 16th scale. I

44

Shrunk.

also began to make my own versions of vintage Lundby items I hadn’t managed to collect, and it grew from there. That was around six years ago, and I’ve never looked back!”

Clearly, Gemma was never going to stick to just one Lundby, and she confesses to now having a

Taking my miniature‑making digital enables me to reproduce small batches.

Feature Mini Made Home

large collection of Lundby and other Scandinavian dolls houses, including ones made by Hanse, Lisa and Brio. “I prefer both the scale, and the open‑fronted design, of the Scandi houses,” she shares. “I started as a collector who happened to make a few miniatures just for me. Now I’m a maker with a 16th‑scale retro miniatures online shop — but I still collect vintage pieces for my personal collection. It’s a passion.”

Gemma realised that she would have to move her manufacture outside of her comfort zone.

“When I first started making, I made everything by hand,” she explains. “It soon became apparent that there are limitations to handmade Lundby‑style items, especially for space‑age‑style plastic pieces. So, I bought a 3D printer a few years ago and taught myself 3D 46

Shrunk.

drawing and design. It’s been a massive learning curve, and very challenging. It’s probably been my greatest challenge, but it’s absolutely rewarding too. Taking my miniature‑making digital enables me to reproduce small batches. This year I’ve also been learning laser cutting and 3D printing with resin.”

These techniques mean that Gemma’s repertoire of retro pieces has widened to include 3D‑printed space‑age fires, televisions, drinks trolleys, clocks and plastic coffee tables. Laser cutting techniques are great for intricate items such as her retro fretwork screens and room dividers. Her retro rugs are among my favourites, and they take me right back to my own childhood in the 1970s. Although I have no retro dolls house of my own, her pieces

are so reminiscent that they are worth buying simply to sit on a shelf or, in my case, in the little cubby holes of a vintage printer’s tray with my other mini treasures.

Despite already offering a wide range of items in her store, Gemma is also open to special commissions.

“I love requests that challenge you! A couple of interesting ones include roller skates and a Polaroid camera. If anyone wants to set me a challenge, I am willing to consider any special commission that has a retro vibe.” Well, Gemma, I will give that serious consideration!

Check out Gemma’s vintage vibes: Website: minimadehome.com & etsy.com/uk/shop/MiniMadeHome Instagram: @minimadehome

Previous page: Gemma recreates many iconic design pieces in miniature, including this fabulous egg chair and Danish‑style wall unit.

Opposite page: Left; A fun take on a 70’s style Tiki bar.

Top right; A mid‑century style kitchen. Many of Gemma’s pieces sit perfectly within more contemporarystyled dollhouses.

Bottom right; Mini Made Home carries a wide range of original miniatures including rugs, mirrors and home decor.

This page: A beautifully styled living room. We love the space‑age style TV and room divider!

The Lundby Story Lundby was established in 1945

by Axel and Grete Thomsen, who lived in the neighbourhood of Lundby in Gothenburg. Grete built a doll’s house and furniture for her niece, and the niece and her friends loved it so much that Axel considered setting up a dolls house business.

Two years later, a leading Swedish department store placed the first order and the couple invested the advance payment in new tools.

The first doll’s house factory opened the following year. Lundby continues in business, making The Smaland and The Stockholm, a more modern dolls’ house.

Both are modular, allowing various combinations. Vintage Lundby homes and furniture have become popular with adult collectors and have seen a significant revival since mid‑century modern became a popular interior style in our full‑size homes.

Shrunk.

47

Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses Tarnished Tins & Cans

DIRTY ROTTEN DOLL'S HOUSES Make tarnished vintage tins for your miniature kitchen, garage or workshop

Words by Tobacco & Regrets (Abi Trotman)

I

’ve got a thing for vintage biscuit and sweet tins, so much so that I used them to house table foliage on my wedding day! I scoured eBay for months trying to find the ‘perfect’ specimens, and by perfect I don’t mean mint condition. No, I wanted the most tarnished, subtly dented and characterful, used tins I could find. I still have them to this day (they make great plant pots!) and while admiring them in my kitchen the other day, I wondered if I could replicate their character in miniature. Turns out I got pretty close, so I wanted to share this technique with you for adding bit of imperfect charm to your mini dwellings.

This tutorial shows how to make an 8mm diameter tin can, but the technique can be adapted to make other size cans and tins based on your preferences.

Tools o

Glue gun stick or pen, 8mm diameter

o

Cocktail sticks

Materials o

220gsm smooth card stock

o

Aluminium foil insulation tape

o

Matte Mod Podge

o

Fine sandpaper or emery board

o o

Chrome paint pen Superglue

o

Vintage can label images (find online e.g. Pinterest)

o

Dark brown acrylic paint

o

Thin photo paper

Wrapp ing the card ⇨ Cut the card stock into 12mm thick strips.

⇨ To create a can, take a card strip and start to slowly wrap it around an 8mm glue gun stick or pen, keeping it as tight and even as possible. Try to avoid wrapping the card into a cone shape. You want the edges to be flush.

o

Craft knife

o

Fine ball tool Cutting mat

⇨ Wrap the card around until you reach your desired thickness — two or three times is generally a good amount. Cut off the excess and use a cocktail stick to apply super glue to the very end of the strip.

o

Small paint brushes

⇨ Hold the end in place securely for a few seconds

48

Shrunk.

o

Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses Tarnished Tins & Cans until adhered. The superglue adds strength and rigidity to the can, so it’s best not to sub it for tacky or water‑based glues. ⇨ Delicately run a craft knife or scalpel along the end of the glued card to chamfer off the sharp edge of the card. You need a really sharp blade for this!

You can also sand it very finely with super fine grit sandpaper.

Crea t ing lids ⇨ Cut two circles matching the diameter of the can from the same card stock. Use a ball tool to score concentric circles into the circles to mimic tin can lids, and superglue these to the top and bottom of the can. If you’d like to make an open can then glue one circle in place for the base, but then only glue a small section of the other circle to the can to the top edge. ⇨ If you have any overlapping edges, then trim them to size or gently sand away any overlaps. ⇨ Cut a long piece of aluminium tape into fine 1mm thick strips. This is tricky, but the smaller these strips the better. Use a sharp blade. ⇨ Slowly wind the strip of tape around the top edge of the can and allow a very small overlap to mimic the can rim. Wrap this around until you feel it’s thick enough. Repeat for the bottom edge. ⇨ Coat the entire can in Matte Mod Podge and leave to dry completely.

More about Abi Trotman Our dirty, rotten columnist, Abi, loves creating long‑lost items from the 1960s and 70s and has a thing for garish wallpaper and colour combinations of those eras. Abi creates her 1/12th miniatures and accessories for the offbeat connoisseur or collector and welcomes commissions and custom projects, showcasing the unseen, the flawed and the forgotten.

50

Shrunk.

⇨ Once dried, wrap more aluminium tape around the can and add circles of it to cover the lids. For a cleaner look, paint it completely with a chrome paint pen. Solvent‑based or alcohol ink markers work the best, but at a push, you can use good quality, metallic acrylic paint.

Adding labels and tarnish e ffec ts ⇨ Source vintage tin can labels from the internet (I found some lovely ones on Pinterest), use a computer to resize to match the height and diameter of the can and then print it out on quality thin photo paper. ⇨ Cut out the printed label and adhere it to the can.

You can coat the whole thing in Mod Podge again to seal everything. ⇨ Now for the fun part — the ageing! Take a very dark brown, almost black acrylic paint and water it down to the consistency of single cream. ⇨ Coat the can completely in the paint and wipe away with a cloth or cotton bud straight away. Keep repeating this process until the can starts to look tarnished and worn. ⇨ Lightly and strategically sand away a few sections to reveal the clean label or metal underneath until you are happy with the appearance. If you have used a chrome marker, the shiny metal should shine through once you’ve sanded.

And there you have it: a miniature tarnished tin can.

Once you get used to this technique, try making tins and cans of different shapes and sizes. Just change how thick your card strips are and what you wrap them around. You can glue thinner strips of card on to mimic lids and continue with the rest of the tutorial in the same way. You can even change the chrome or silver paint to a copper or gold one to mimic different metals.

Connect with Abi Trotman online: Website: tobaccoandregrets.co.uk Instagram and TikTok: @tobaccoandregrets Etsy: tobaccoandregrets

Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses Tarnished Tins & Cans — Illustrated Guide

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Shrunk.

51

Feature Welcome to The Dreamery

welcome to

The Dreamery Step inside a scratch‑built 1:16 scale orangery inspired by Swedish castles, eclectic art and a lot of creative problem solving

Words by Kat Picot Images by Göril Larsson

T

his impressive structure comes straight from the imagination of Norwegian miniaturist Göril Larsson. The artist lives near Stockholm in an apartment filled with plants, art and thrifted finds.

She dreams of, one day, having a garden and a sun‑filled place to relax, and was struck by inspiration for this latest project after a trip out exploring with her camera. “I saw this orangery about an hour’s drive from here in the city,” Göril says.

“There’s a big castle — the oldest castle in Sweden — and they have an orangery. That was the inspiration. I thought OK, if I’m ever going to do something new in miniature it must be with this in mind, so I have taken some inspiration from the exterior here.”

The Dreamery is a real milestone make for Göril. “This is the first thing I’ve ever built from scratch,” she reveals. “I have built gingerbread houses before so that might have been a help, but working with wood and cardboard? No. The base is cardboard, as is the structure, and then I’ve dressed it with wood. It’s easier to work that way! But it’s been trial and error.”

52

Shrunk.

Shrunk.

53

Feature Welcome to The Dreamery Göril’s doll’s house journey began in 2021 when she restored a vintage cabinet house, found in an antique store. Having always been an artistic person, enjoying many crafts from a young age, she had been seeking a new creative outlet. A long‑term, chronic health condition had made Göril’s usual hobbies of knitting and crocheting problematic, with the repetitive motions exacerbating some of her muscular‑related symptoms.

“Being able to be creative has been a kind of medicine for me,” Göril shares. “I got very sad and thought I need to find a substitute for this, I can’t just do nothing!” Then, six months later: “We went to one of my favourite antique stores and there

54

Shrunk.

Being able to be creative has been a kind of medicine for me. was this cabinet that had been converted to a kind of dollhouse and I thought hmmm!”

As it turns out, dolls houses and miniatures were to be the perfect hobby for Göril. She says “I can do interior decorating which I love, I can be crafty. I can explore all these different techniques and materials and just evolve and learn

Previous page: A stunning birds‑eye view of The Dreamery floor and a hand‑made, wicker chaise.

Opposite page: Left; Miniature plants and foliage bring this enchanting build to life.

Top right; The more you look, the more detail there is to see.

This charming name plaque welcomes mini visitors.

Bottom right; Despite only having natural sunlight for a few hours a day during the winter months in Sweden, Göril has created a bright and beautiful miniature world.

This page: The Dreamery in all its glory; a stunning, tiered structure, complete with mezzanine floor and electrical lighting system.

Feature Welcome to The Dreamery new things. I can just be creative. Also, since the projects vary in how long they take and how much is needed, it fits me quite well. If I have a day where I don’t feel much up to doing something, then I can still do a little tiny thing and feel like I accomplished something.”

I can do interior decorating which I love, I can be crafty.

I can explore all these different techniques and materials and just evolve and learn new things.

I can just be creative.

Once you’re past the grandeur of The Dreamery’s exterior, it’s time to take in the gorgeous interior. The space and its purpose were heavily inspired by Millesgården, an art gallery Göril visited in Stockholm.

“I just knew when I first visited that place. I fell in love with the mosaic floors most of all and decided OK, I want to put everything I find beautiful into this project. Like I did with the dollhouse, I want it to be an essence of what I like and what I dream of having, or how my house could look in the future. So that’s what started the whole project.”

Now fully built, The Dreamery has electric lighting installed, (all the better for admiring that mosaic floor) and, as Göril had envisioned, 56

Shrunk.

is filled with all manner of beautiful things. With an abundance of plants, art and gorgeous furnishings, Göril has created the most beautiful, airy mini space.

Miniature sculptures, inspired by the ones from Millesgården, take pride of place among carefully curated pieces. The mezzanine floor has been transformed into an art gallery which, in an exciting development, could soon be hosting guest artist exhibitions after Göril was approached by a Swedish artist for miniature collaboration.

The intricacy of these hundreds of mosaic tiles is so impressive.

So, how did Göril do it? Was it countless hours planning and arranging microscopic tiles into place? Not quite! Göril reveals: “I didn’t experiment much! I usually do an inventory of what materials I already have, go thrifting, and see what might come in handy later on. But I started out by thinking ‘OK, how can I get the look of these tiny tiles? I don’t want them to be shiny, I don’t want them to be too matt. Then I had some electrical tape lying around in black and white so I thought I might use that because it had the right kind of sheen to it. I used paper, taped it down on both sides and then I just started cutting it into pieces! And that’s just how it turned out. It worked well!” We’d say so. The Dreamery is a marvel.

Follow Göril’s work on Instagram : @a.swedish.dollhouse

Opposite page: Top; Göril has recreated numerous sculptures and works of art.

Middle; Imagine sprawling out on the chaise, in the sunshine, with a good book.

Bottom; The interior has been beautifully styled with eclectic miniatures.

This page: Top; Details to be enjoyed from every angle.

Bottom; The mezzanine floor is functioning as a miniature art gallery.

Shrunk.

57

Cooee...

Your ad could be here To discuss rates and opportunities, email: kat@shrunkmagazine.com

shrunkmagazine.com

Shrunk. goes digital

Shrunk. magazine is now available to purchase via Issuu.com No more waiting for the postman!

Connect with makers and retailers with just one tap of the page.

issuu.com/shrunk

Shrunk. Mini Mag We couldn’t forget the mini mag!

We loved seeing how Shrunk. readers use their mini mags!

How will you style yours?

Tag us on Instagram @shrunkmagazine #myminishrunk 1.

@daley2dee

2.

@picalillipatchwork

3.

@lulubelle_miniatures

1

2

60

Shrunk.

3

Issue Seven Suppliers & Stockists

Spotted something you love?

Here are all the retailers featured inside the issue.

Burke + Brown Design etsy.com/shop/BurkeandBrown

Miniette miniette.com/

Jane Harrop janeharrop.co.uk/

Rob Crouch etsy.com/uk/shop/RobCrouchMiniatures

Kt Shire Miniatures Instagram: @kt_shireminiatures

Tobacco & Regrets tobaccoandregrets.co.uk/

Little Vintage Lane littlevintagelane.com/

Mini Made Home minimadehome.com/

Minimum World minimumworld.com/

UK Stockists You can now find Shrunk. at the following stockists: Available online :

Available in‑store :

Pics & Ink picsandink.com (worldwide shipping, including EU)

Box of Delights Open 10am–2pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Other days by appointment.

42 Long Street Wotton‑under‑Edge Gloucestershire GL12 7BT

62

Shrunk.

It’s here! Shrunk.’s first‑ever subscription What’s included: •

x2 premium‑quality, print magazines + letterboxfriendly gifts with each issue · Issue 7: Spring/Summer 2024 coming May · Issue 8: Autumn/Winter 2024 coming November

Subscribers will be the first to get their hands on print copies of each new issue. Subscribers will also receive exclusive mini gifts with the delivery of their magazines and additional offers and printables during the year.

Available to readers in UK, USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand

Only at shrunkmagazine.com

shrunkmagazine.com Independently produced in Kent, England