Shrunk.
£6
A M O D E R N M I N I AT U R E S M AG A ZI N E
Shrunk magazine will be a quarterly print publication, with Issue 2 coming to you in January 2021. Why just 4 issues a year? We 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. We want our print copies to be treasured by the paper-lovers among you, enjoyed and passed around to friends, well-thumbed. If you miss an issue, don’t panic! Digital editions will be available by early 2021. While you’re waiting, visit shrunkmagazine.com for regular helpings of modern mini content.
The launch issue was made possible by the 199 backers who pledged to our Kickstarter campaign. Thank you so much for helping bring Shrunk magazine to life. SPECIAL THANKS TO; My family and friends for unquestioningly getting behind yet another doll’s house project and being the greatest cheerleaders; Eddie, for the unwaivering support, translation services and supplying the wine; Alice Miniatures, Antavia-Cherry, Amanda Smith, D.Thomas Miniatures, Lisa Hicks, and Charlote Stokoe for their encouragement and hanging out on Zoom and last but not least thankyou to Carol Harman, former owner of Faversham Doll’s House Shop, for giving me my my first ever job at 14 yrs old and who is ultimately to blame for all of this!
Shrunk Magazine is a trading name of Four Little Walls. Published quarterly by Shrunk Magazine. Mailing address: Unit 285, Regency House, 91 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2NW, UK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, shared or reproduced without permission from both the publisher and contributor.
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Shrunk.
A Modern Miniatures Magazine
OMFG. We did it! Twelve weeks and 300 pre-ordered copies later, the launch issue of Shrunk magazine is here. Given the backdrop that this year has provided I still can’t quite believe how lucky I am that it all came together. A global pandemic up-ending our day-to-day and forcing us into our homes; the rallying cry of Black Lives Matter travelling around the world in what history will remember as the largest civil rights movement ever, 2020 is certainly one we’ll all remember. The temporary ‘new-normal’ and the extra time at home that comes with it has resulted in an amazing wave of creativity from the mini community. Turn to page 14. for the cover story, The Loft That Lockdown Built; an inspiring, modern doll’s house renovation from Califronian miniaturist, Amanda Smith, created whilst sheltering in place with her family. Seeking something reassuringly familiar, our 90’s nostalgia peaked during quarantine with multipe re-runs of Friends. Annabelle Letten explores the obsession with the throwback sitcom, its iconic set design and acknowledging the problematic storylines ! While this first issue is mostly a love letter to 1:12 scale interiors, I’m excited for Shrunk to begin exploring the incredible range of miniature worlds. We make a start with micro-scales, perfect for those of us trying to carve out some craft time from real-life, tiny apartments! Miss Mini Life’s column, p12 gives us some insight as to what’s possible with her 1:24, 1:48 and 1:144 creations. Along with 4 brilliant DIY projects to help keep us all busy over the next few months, the issue is host to so much talent from an amazing group of contributors, miniaturists and small businesses. I really can’t thank everyone enough for the time and effort they’ve dedicated. I hope you enjoy Shrunk’s debut and find some escapism within these 64 pages, here’s to many more!
Kat x
On the cover: Olive Lane Miniatures
Editor: Kat Picot Assistant Editor: Eddie Carter Contact: kat@shrunkmagazine.com
www.shrunkmagazine.com
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Contents
Contents
Read
Make
Shop
8. The Show Must Go Online 10. Vegas, Baby! 12. Miss Mini Life: Micro Miniatures 14. The Loft that Lockdown Built 21. Forever Friends 28. Meet: Esha Bijutkar 54. Made To Order 58. A Case of the Blues
30.DIY: Kitchen Boards 36.DIY: Needle Punch Rug 41. DIY: Corner Sofa 48.DIY: Monochrome Quilt
25. Shrunk Loves... 26. House Hunter 62. Stockists
p. 53
p. 41
p. 14
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Contributors
Lisa is the owner of online store An Arty Aardvark, specialising in bright and cheerful 1:12 miniatures for contemporary doll’s houses. Lisa created the needle punch rug DIY, found on page p.36, super easy to customise and adapt to your style. Find Lisa on Instagram @anartyaardvark
Izzie
Rhenee
inson
ie
Izzie is a freelance journalist with bylines in Metro, VICE, Girls On Tops and Bustle, among others. Her expert topics include mental health, feminism, theatre and art. Find her on Twitter at @izzie_price1, izziepricefreelance@gmail.com
Annabelle is a writer and editor who specialises in wellbeing, mental health and social issues. If you’ve got a dog, she’s already following it on Instagram. Read Annabelle’s piece on 90’s nostalgia on p.21
b Ro
ar
ce ri
M
Anne-Marie owner of LTW miniatures and queen of tiny patchwork. Specialising in 1:12 scale quilts and kits, she shows us how to create our own with a monochrome DIY, p.48. Follow on Instagram @ ltwminiatures
P
etten
An n e -
A n n ab el
ey ns
ar Esha is an engineer by profession and artist at heart! A self-taught miniaturist, she works in 1:12 scale creating one of a kind miniature food, furniture and dioramas. Esha shows us how to create rustic baker boards on p.30. Follow Esha in Instagram @Pink_petite_rose
L is a H or
L le
Esha Bijutk
Rhenee is based in the United States and builds incredible miniatures and dioramas from scratch in scales 1:24, 1:48, and 1:144. Head to p.12 to read her Micro Scale column. You can follow Rhenee’s work on Instagram and YouTube @MissMiniLife.
Fran ce aS sc tone
Francesca is an award-winning blogger and creative business owner, making her surroundings more beautiful with a DIY attitude. She has always believed in combining craft with design to create something that is beautifully handmade and this ethos is a recurring theme throughout her blog, Fall For DIY and miniature DIY tutorials on Instagram, @miniatureinteriors. Find Francesca’s corner sofa on p.41.
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#ishrunkthis H e r e ’s a p e e k a t w h a t S h r u n k . r e a d e r s h a v e b e e n sharing while we work on the launch issue. Join the fun and share your minison Instagram with the h a s h t a g # i s h r u n k t h i s . We l o v e t o s e e i t !
Banksy’s iconic ‘Love In The Bin’ by Lovely Little Lifestyles really pulled at our heartstrings, as did this actual bin by the talented This Ruchika. The pedal mechanism really works!
@ L O V E LY . L I T T L E . L I F E S T Y L E S
@THISRUCHIK A
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@MOIALIAUTHOR
@ N O R D I C _ N E ST_ M I N I AT U R E S
@ M I N I AT U R E _ I N T E R I O R D E S G I N
Show Us Your Minis! Instagram: @shrunkmagazine #ishrunkthis
@LIT TLE _ LUCCIOLO
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The Show Must Go On[line]
Standard chair, Fernando Setien
C H A R L O T T E S T O K O E , O R G A N I S E R O F K E N S I N G T O N D O L L’ S H O U S E F E S T I VA L , S H A R E S T H E N O T- S O - S M A L L T A S K O F N AV I G A T I N G T H E S H O W ’ S 3 5 -Y E A R L E G A C Y T H ROU G H A G L OB A L PA N DE M IC . W E H E A R W H AT ’ S N E X T F O R T H E U K ’ S MO S T CE L E BR AT E D M I N I AT U R E S EV E N T.
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t the end of January 2020, we were busy running our capsule show - The City of London Dollshouse Festival as normal. Little did we know that this was one of the last miniatures shows to take place worldwide this year! Soon after this, it became apparent that our big summer show in May would have to be postponed as a result of Coronavirus, so we decided that July would be plenty of time for this global crisis to subside. Of course, this was not to be, either, as lockdown was declared in the UK. I found it hard to focus on work and how to plan for the future when the future was now totally unknown. Suddenly, a job that I have loved for always bringing joy felt very negative. Cancelling shows, refunding tickets and table fees, cancelling advertising, there was nothing positive to look forward to. 8
In the middle of the chaos, a good friend of mine mentioned that a craft show she takes part in had gone online. Could I take KDF online? After speaking to some experts in the field of online events I realised that, actually, the possibilities were endless! I got very carried away imagining a “Zoom” show where stallholders would set up their table at home and visitors could browse it virtually. A virtual venue where your avatar could wander around looking at all the stands, but Ali, my go-to computer guy, said; “NO – keep it simple. Make it well designed, easy to navigate and simple to use so everyone can enjoy it.” We were delighted with the finished platform. When the showcase finally came around we had 135 exhibitors taking part from all around the world, running from July 17th for 1 week,
KDF Online Winter Showcase Novermber 27th - December 4th 2020
Surgical equipment, Delph Miniatures
Retro toys, Truly Scrumptious
Crystal chanderlier, Minst.com
receiving over 10,000 visitors to the site, 50% of those from outside the UK. The feedback we have had from both exhibitors and visitors to the online showcase has been overwhelmingly postive, with many visitors from oversees able to engage with the event online. With a heavy heart we’ve had to make the decision to also cancel the Christmas KDF event. We are thrilled, however to be able to bring a second online showcase, hosting a week-long online event, starting November 27th and running until December 4th.
M E E T: C H A R LO T T E S T O KO E
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grew up in Surrey on the outskirts of London, but although I loved being in the country, my eyes were always firmly fixed on London. At 16 I eagerly moved up to the city as I started training at ballet school near the Barbican. As a dancer you always needed work. I managed to get a job in the Dolls House shop in Covent Garden as a Saturday girl. The Saturday job evolved into more of a full-time job as I left ballet school and had to start auditioning for jobs. I carried on working there, on and off, for the next 8 years alongside many other careers in fashion, film production & casting to name a few. In 1995, 2 things happened; I got pregnant and Michal Morse the owner of the Dolls House shop, decided to move her business to The Cotswolds (It’s still going strong in Northleach) and I thought that opening up my own dolls house shop in Covent Garden would be a nice “Fun, easy” job to do with a baby! My friend and I took over the lease and ran The London Dollshouse Company for 9 years. It was a great job, but incredibly hard work and eventually, the high costs of having a shop in central London meant that we had to close down the store. At that time, I had a conversation with Caroline Hamilton about The London Dollshouse Festival that she had been running for 20 years and was very familiar to me. I had attended the 1st ever show in 1985 with my godmother, we then went every year to buy unusual miniatures for the shop. I joked that if Caroline wanted to retire she should let me know and sure enough, a few months later I received a letter from Caroline to ask if I was serious. 15 years and 30+ shows later I am still here! Believe it or not, I do not have a dolls house or a collection as such. I found this much easier when I had the business, as I could quench my thirst for buying beautiful things by purchasing them for the shop and then enjoying customers finding these treasures for their own dolls houses. There have been many pieces that I regret not buying over the years, but I am quite a minimalist. I think a few exquisite pieces beautifully displayed means that they can be truly admired. Now it is not so easy, but I do pick up the odd little thing at the shows. I know if I allowed myself to start collecting the floodgates would open and I wouldn’t be able to stop! I would love to have a copy of our italian house built. It is a 1970’s glass box so not easy to replicate in miniature, but one day, that’s my mini dream!
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Image Credit: Phillip Nuveen
Image Credit: Phillip Nuveen Image Credit: A Wee Bit Teeny
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IMoMA Feb 17th-19th, 2021 : Wholesale Show Feb 19th- 21st , 2021 : Retail Show
Gold Coast Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Vegas, baby! Words by Lisa Hicks S A V E T H E D A T E , T H E R E ’ S A N E W M I N I A T U R E ’ S S H O W C O M I N G T O S I N C I T Y . H E A R W H A T V I S I T O R S C A N E X P E C T F R O M T H E E X C I T I N G , C O N T E M P O R A R Y E V E N T “When it comes to modern miniatures, it’s hard to find trade shows these days outside the typical vintage, strictly dollhouse industry shows.” says Lisa Hicks, the Marketing Manager for International Market of Miniature Artisans, (IMoMA). The inaugural IMoMA event was held in Las Vegas, Nevada in late February, just before many miniature shows had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Founders Cindy Gonzales of Cindi’s Minis, and Paris Renfroe of PRD Miniatures formed IMoMA and took over this niche space after the dissolution of the long-running CIMTA show, (Cottage Industry Miniature Trade Association.) which had been held for the past 37 years in Las Vegas. While CIMTA was exclusively a members-only wholesale show, IMoMA is striving to change the scenery a bit by being more inclusive and opening the floor to a whole new range of mini art forms. It’s so much more than just doll’s houses! The upcoming 2021 event will be a retail event, following on from the wholesale show. “We represent the next generation of miniature artisans.“ says Paris Renfroe, Co-founder of IMoMA. “With the many miniature artisans around the world, we wanted to create an event where we could all come together once a year in the form of a ‘mini-convention’. It’s one thing to see an artist’s work virtually, but here you can see the art up close
and meet the artisans face-to-face. We want our show to be inclusive to all forms of miniature art regardless of medium, scale, or purpose. Social-media giant Instagram and eCommerce sites like Etsy have been instrumental in showcasing new and exciting miniature artists working in a variety of mediums from around the world. It’s helped them to get recognized and make money all while doing what they love. IMoMA realized early on that miniatures is in no way a dying industry, but rather an evolving one. In fact, it’s a multi-million dollar, worldwide industry that’s growing with an online platform. With new artists entering the world of miniatures daily, IMoMA looks to curate an event including some never-before-seen, speciality miniatures, making for an unforgettable retail experience.
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Micro Scales with Miss Mini Life BY R HENEE ROBINSON
R
egardless of the aesthetic, whether it be a fantasy castle or a modern loft, it is difficult not to fall in love with the magical feeling of seeing a shrunken version of a home that wouldn’t otherwise be attainable. Dollhouse decoration and creation, as a hobby, can be therapeutic because it allows the creator or collector a way to be artistic, and create their ideal space in their own fabricated miniature world. With an increase in popularity of modern style houses and miniatures catering to a new wave of collectors, there are a growing number of makers exploring more detailed designs and uncommon sizes. The most widely available scale of dollhouse is the 1:12 scale, with it’s little sister 1:24 a close second. Many mass-produced kits can often be targeted towards a more juvenile audience and used as heirloom toys, whilst the even larger scale of 1:6 is designed around doll’s and figures such as Barbie and Blythe. These buildings and furniture are mostly intended to be played with. They have to accommodate dolls being posed inside and some features need to be functional. In the case of micro-miniatures, the details can be much more intricate
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and fragile because the finished pieces are purely ornamental. Micro scales are generally accepted as 1:24 and smaller. The tiniest doll houses can fit in the palm of your hand. I’ve loved making things using this scale because of the creative challenges that come with it. When recreating objects in these smaller sizes, I often can’t use the same material that the object is made of at normal size. Fabric, for instance, doesn’t drape or fold that same way that it would on a life-sized object when the mini version is only 3mm long! I usually have to find an alternative that gives the look I want at a micro level, for example, tissue paper in place of fabric for a blanket. I also find that these scales make it easier for me as a creator to try many different styles and themes because the projects don’t use
up much material, the stakes are lower. If I don’t like the finished product I’ve only used a few centimeters of wood or paper, in opposition to larger scale houses which could easily use up entire sheets of craft materials. Building micro dollhouses can seem intimidating when first getting into them, especially if you are looking to build all of the architecture and furniture from scratch. Fortunately most projects are composed of fewer pieces and take up less space than their larger scale counterparts. Micro-scale projects could be an easier goal to tackle as a beginner, pieces take much less time from the start through to its completion. There are kits available online just as there are with larger models, or if you are someone who enjoys the freedom of creating your own projects, matchbox dollhouses are a great place to start. The necessary tools are fairly inexpensive for the most basic house; a matchbox, pva glue, acrylic paint, a paintbrush and a recycled cereal box are enough to create something magical in a single afternoon. A brief internet search can provide tons of inspiration but ultimately you have limitless possibilities for how you want your micro matchbox dollhouse to turn out.
T H I S PAG E : 1 :2 4 S C A L E D R E S S E R W I T H T I N Y C LO T H E S , 2 S T O RY M ATC H B OX D O L L HOUSE, 1:14 4TH SC ALE UNFURNISHED THREE ROOM DOLLHOUSE
F O LLOW M I S S M I N I LI FE O N I N S TAG R A M A N D YO U T U B E , @ M I S S M I N I LI FE
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The Loft that Lockdown Built Work on this stunning 1:12 scale project only began in March of this year. Like many of us, Amanda, a Californian based miniaturist, found herself with a lot of extra time on her hands as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, thousands of people around the world retreating indoors in a bid to slow the spread of the virus. It was whilst sheltering in-place and adjusting to this ‘new normal’ alongside her husband, that Amanda was able to tackle her doll’s house project. A second-hand children’s doll’s house, originally sold by American retail giant, Target, it was a pre-loved bargain, costing around $6 / £ 4.70. Joining Shrunk. for a lockdown Zoom chat, Amanda says; “I started with a farmhouse
that I got for Christmas, which was a big learning experience! I started instagramming and looking at the ideas that I’d been working on for Olive Lane Miniatures. The loft is actually only my second ever project. I wanted to do something totally different. I love the farmhouse stuff as a default, but the modern loft was cool and different, and a little out of my comfort zone. I‘ve always really liked the idea of loft-living. Personally, I probably couldn’t do it because I have too much stuff! I love the historic aspects of it, the exposed brick and that it used to be a warehouse, but now it’s some cool, hip apartment.” With a new challenge and nothing but time, Amanda was soon lost down a Pinterest rabbit-hole as she gathered inspiration for the loft interior, Amanda says; “I try to be
I M AG E CR E D ITS: A M A N DA S M IT H , FO LLOW O N I NSTAG R A M : @ O LIVE . L A N E . M I N IS
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relatively cost-effective. If I know I can make something, I make it and where I feel a little bit unsure, I buy it.” The unconventional design and layout of the doll’s house certainly demanded some creative problem-solving. The crowning glory of this pint-sized property has to be its roof-top patio. Boasting a handbuilt, timber canopy, stained black and decked out with the tiniest of fairy lights to brighten up evening cocktails on the terrace, it’s a great addition. It was a bit of process achieving the finished look. Amanda describes the patio area as the most time consuming element of the house, saying; “I don’t have a lot of experience doing outdoor spaces. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out the layout. The roof had these two weird holes, one for the stairs and another for the skylight. Trying to figure out what to put where. Oh, and I hated the astro turf, it was awful! Trying to figure out how to cover that was probably the biggest challenge!” Moving inside to the interiors of the loft, Amanda’s design-led features and flourishes work together to achieve a contemporary style. Plants feature heavily. Just as in real life, you can never have too many! One of the most innovative features of the space is the tiny living wall nestled under the staircase. Amanda used a combination of terrarium moss and artificial plants to achieve the look, she says; “It [the living wall] was actually really fast, it took maybe an hour! I built a little frame and then once I’d
decided on the layout, glued everything in and fixed it to the wall. I was super happy with how that turned out. I’d been worried about what to put on such a big wall that wasn’t going to be overwhelming and I just wanted a lot of greenery in the space.” With so much texture from the floor-to-ceiling brickwork and greenery from the plants, the rest of the interior has been kept eclectically monochrome. The simple, stylish kitchen is equipped with all the essentials: Tiny white ceramics stacked on open shelving and, of course, no millennial-inspired decor would be complete without a quality metro tile! The mezzanine floor houses the bedroom, and what a bedroom it is! A four-poster bed, in spite of its miniature stature, manages to look cozy and inviting thanks to layers of blankets and pillows. Flashes of royal blue leap out from neutral tones and textures, framed by the contrasting black, wooden finish that Amanda used throughout the house. At the foot of the bed is a tan, leather bench. The seat has some intricate weaving detail on top and is Amanda’s favourite piece from the entire project after being inspired to make it based on a full-sized version. Amanda does not see dolls in her miniature collection’s future, saying; “I know some [dolls] are high-quality
Living Area; Sofa by Calico Garden, Cowhide Rug by Small Fun Shop Coffee Table byThe Bracelet House
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but they just weird me out!” (No offense, doll collectors!) This, however, hasn’t stopped her including the finer details to allude to life inside the loft. A tiny acoustic guitar is propped up in the bedroom, alongside a record player and modest vinyl collection, while the kitchen houses a well-stocked wine rack. Amanda says; “I imagine, like, a cool, bo-ho couple could live there. Or a plant lady!” One final, planned addition of some pipework on the ceiling will give a touch more authenticity to the industrial look. It will also spell the end of the loft renovation. However with the pandemic far from over and, at time of writing, wildfires spreading close to Amandas’s neighbourhood, she and her family will have to continue to navigate 2020 largely from inside of their home. A reality that, understandably, can leave moods a little low. A silver lining of the situation is that Amanda has well and truly got the miniatures bug, saying “I couldn’t imagine not having this hobby any more. I’m gonna keep going, it’s been pretty cool! ” With a Christmas project for her niece in the works and a charming San Fransiscan ‘Painted Lady’ house waiting in the wings, Amanda is ready to bring some fresh ideas to life. Having recently invested in a Glowforge laser cutter (*swoon*) she’s got big plans for Olive Lane Miniatures. Make sure you’re following over on Instagram for announcements on a new shop!
Below & Opposite : Amanda found the Loft second-hand for $6
Above: The renovated Loft complete with outdoor lamp and roof garden.
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Records bySmall Fun Shop, Patio chairs by My Miniature Emporium Wood tiles, rug, palm trees by Scaled Realm Minis
Kitchen: Cabinet unit by Mini Adventure Co. Most dishes/ flatware from Melvin’s Miniatures. Hand soap & artichoke finial byJessica Cloe Minis Striped Rug by Small Fun Shop
Bedroom: Bedding by My Miniature Emporium Boho Pillow by Pretty Little Minis Rug by Melvin’s Miniatures Wall Art by Jessica Cloe Minis Guitar by M for Miniatures
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T H E
E N D U R I N G L O V E A F F A I R W I T H 9 0 S N O S T A L G I A
W O R D S : A N N A B E L L E L E T T E N T R A N S A L T I O N : E D D I E C A R T E R
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While you might remember Friends for Rachel and Ross’ will-they-won’t-they romance, the misadventures of Chick and Duck, or perhaps Joey’s catchphrase ‘How you doin’?’, one thing’s for sure, the interiors and spaces of Friends are fixed into our memories, too. From the cosy coffee house to the large New York apartment Monica sublets from Grandma Geller, Friends is a treasure trove of iconic interiors; something that Comedy Central has honed in on with the introduction of ‘Friends Fests’ in UK’s London, Bristol, Manchester and Milton Keynes. Thousands of avid Friends fanatics can now sit in, eat at and, let’s be honest, take selfies in some of the generation-defining spaces of the set. On a smaller scale, keen block-builders can build their very own coffee house thanks to Lego’s Central Perk set, while wearing Friends PJs and drinking their favourite beverage from Central Perk branded mugs.
So why the big deal? The show T H E O N E W I T H T H E DOLLHOUSE ended almost 20 years ago?! Friends Co-Creator Marta Kauffman offers a spot-on explanation. In an interview with NBC, Kauffmann describes the show as ‘comfort food’ - and we’ve got to admit our fave mac and cheese recipe has a lot in common with this cult sitcom. It’s warm, reliable, easy to watch, and, sometimes, it’s all you need to feel a little bit better. This might go some way to explaining why, according to Ofcom, it’s been the UK’s most streamed show in 2018 and 2019. What’s more, the show’s presence on streaming service Netflix has introduced a whole new generation to the antics of Monica, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, Chandler and Joey. Despite criticism over outdated storylines, Friends looks set to continue its success well into the twenties, with David Schwimmer suggesting that a reunion could be filmed this year.
Yup, if you’re a Friends fan, you probably saw this coming. In Series 3 Episode 20, Monica inherits cranky Aunt Sylvia’s immaculate dollhouse - a huge Victorian house that Monica admired as a child. While the “wallpaper’s a little faded, carpet’s a little loose” she’s smitten with her inheritance, doubly so when she discovers its “HARDWOOD FLOORS!”. While the dollhouses only made an appearance for one episode, the show gets down to one of the Mini industry’s biggest questions - are miniatures for display or play? Monica is firmly in the ‘art’ camp - protective of the impressive house and keen to keep up its period features, while Phoebe has a more imaginative approach creating a cardboard house of dreams complete with scent room and a ghost in the attic. While the two characters agree every house should have a dog, Monica believes they shouldn’t be able to pee on the roof , no matter the scale!
21319 LEGO Ideas: Central Perk RRP: [£64.99/ $69.99] Age 16+ 1,079 pieces The set measures over 4” (11cm) high, 11” (29cm) wide and 8” (22cm) deep www.lego.com
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1:12 scale of Monica’s Apartment, inspired by the HBO series, Friends. Miniaturist, Ana Luisa Marin spent two years recreating the beloved sitcom set, down to the finest detail.
Image Credit: p21 ,23,24: Ana Luisa Marin
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FRIENDS, BUT MAKE I T M I N I Spanish maker, Ana Luisa Marin (@maquetana), has recreated the most iconic Friends’ set, and the one in which every character lived in at some point… Monica’s apartment. The intricate scale-model has left no stone unturned, recreating everything from the French ‘Jouets poster’ on the wall, to the instantly recognisable purple wall-cladding. Marin has well and truly captured the essence of the cult classic including camera rigging and Monica and Rachel figures to complete the project. Ana spoke to us from her Madrid flat to tell more about the project and discovering her love for miniatures. “My name is Ana Luisa Marin. Anything I do for fun always follows a creative theme. In our home, we have always enjoyed crafts and have always done our own DIY, etc. My daughter went on to study Fine Arts and started a tattoo studio (@volaverunt), so it had an impact! I live in Madrid where I was born and I have three grown-up children. I’ve always worked away from home and never had much free time for hobbies, however when my children left home my situation changed and I started doing more things for myself to pass the time and have fun. At the time I started to make a “Nativity Scene” for Christmas and, without realizing it, I found myself making a Hebrew-style dollhouse. Of course, it no longer looked like a nativity scene - it had too many details. That was when I started making the tavern and then other projects. I enjoyed learning by trial and error, though I have thrown many things in the trash! As you will see, I started model-making later in life, but the models relax me a lot from my work and since I love music, I take the opportunity to listen to it while I spend hours making miniatures. I worked on the Friends project for two years, but it took this long because
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Ana Luisa Marin with her model
sometimes I would pause this job to make other models. It is an incredibly detailed piece and I didn’t want to wear myself out and leave it unfinished. The inspiration came to me from my children who really like the series. It’s of their era, they are now 30/35 years old! I wanted to make something for them to enjoy. The truth is that I had only seen one episode but to make the model I watched the entire series on Netflix because I wanted the model to be as faithful to the original as possible. I don’t know if the actors have ever seen my work, but I’d love to know if they had and whether or not they liked it, for my ego! Sadly, I have since had to sell Monica’s apartment, because I live in a flat and at 1:12 scale, it was too big to keep. In terms of new projects, during lockdown I have made a Sherlock Holmes scene. I loved the Friends theme but don’t think I will make Central Perk [cafe] because they are very large models. I have also seen another maker has created one, very successfully, and I wouldn’t like to copy something so closely, especially when it’s been so well done!”
Follow Ana’s projects over on Instagram, @maquetana
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Spooky Season
The Tiny Timber Co. have set the bar for small-scale seasonal decor with their Fall range. All treats, no tricks, this 1:12 scale mantel decor set has us reaching for the Pumpkin Spice Latte and hunkering down for some quality doll’s house decorating time. Fireplace $55/ £43, Baroque Mirror $16/ £12.50, Fall Mantel Decor Piece $15/£11.60; Skull, pumpkins & print part of Halloween bundle $20/ £15.50, www.thetinytimberco.com (Currency conversions are approximate and based on exchange rate at time of going to press)
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House Hunter
Looking for your next modern miniature project? San Francisco-based creative, Chelsea Andersson has produced a range of innovative modern miniature kits. At 1:12 scale, designed to be a practical size and accessable pricing starting from $20/ £15.50, they’re a particualrly great option for those of us with limited space for storing and displaying more doll’s house projects! Arriving flat-packed for your crafting pleasure, Chelsea’s kits provide a blank canvas for you to stamp your style over. Chelsea currently carries three house designs alongside DIY furniture kits and a small batch range of ready-made miniatures. Shop at: www.chelseamakes.com 26
Opposite page: Tahoe Dollhouse Kit, $108 This page: The Hampton Dollhouse kit, $108/ ÂŁ84.10
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Meet: Esha Bijutkar We t o o k s o m e t i m e o u t t o c a t c h u p w i t h m u l t i - t a l e n t e d m i n i a t u r e a r t i s t a n d S h r u n k . c o n t r i b u t o r, E s h a B i j u t k a r, s h a r i n g h e r i n s p i r a t i o n s a n d the importance of creating with whatever you can.
Miniature art is not all that well-known here in India, though it does seem to be gaining popularity. I started making miniatures in 2016 when my mother asked me to try and make some fairy garden accessories. At that time I didn’t even know what polymer clay was! I found a video on Youtube and it was one of those small, readymade doll’s house kits and I just thought it was so cute! I really wanted to make it but it was really expensive, so I decided to make my own. It was similar but I made it using foam board and other random scrap stuff. It turned out really well and from then on I was hooked. I was like, “Oh, I’m good at this! I should try.” Then there was no looking back really. I didn’t have access to wood or polymer clay, I just used anything that was available. So making something you love is possible if you want to make it possible: Just imagine and be creative. I started out making shops and little dioramas and then last year concentrated on making miniature food.
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I don’t actually have a doll’s house, mostly because I keep moving! I studied for my Masters degree in the UK and during that time I was able to visit the Kensignton Doll’s House Festival for the first time. It had a really positive impact, I was like “I could really do this!” Miniatures are what I love to do, there’s nothing better than that; doing something that you love. Right now, I’m making miniatures full-time while I look for a job and hoping to open an Etsy store soon. Here in India, you’re told to take certain kinds of careers. Art is not as widely embraced as a path; they say you should be financially stable with a ‘‘proper’ job. I did my engineering degree and then a masters in the UK in Marketing and Management for International Business but creating miniatures is completely different from what I’ve studied. Miniature art is my passion and I love it so let’s see how it goes. I’ll start small!
“ - making something you love is possible if you want to make it possible, just imagine and be creative.�
@PINK _ PETIT_ ROSE
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DIY: Baker Boards BY ESHA BIJUTK AR
These 1:12 scale cutting boards are very easy to make and give a realistic touch to your miniature kitchen.
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Materials • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Balsa wood, 0.7mm Craft knife Ruler Pencil Fine sandpaper Nail file Paintbrush Cotton thread Chalk pastels Craft glue Ink pad Matte finish varnish Pin vise / mini drill
Measurements • Dimensions used for the board shown in step-by-steps are: W = 1.8cm L = 3cm L + handle = 4cm These can easily be adapted to suit your project and scale.
1 . Draw & Cut
2. Sand
Take the balsa wood sheet and draw the shape of your cutting board on it. Cut it using a craft knife.
Sand the edges of the cutting board to give it a neat and clean look using a very fine-grade sandpaper. Next, round off the edges of the board using a nail file or sandpaper. 31
3. Sand some more
4. Glue
Sand the edges of the board again using the nail file, diagonally, against the board. This will make the edges of the board slightly angled. Doing this will make the cutting board look used and weathered, giving it a realistic feel.
Next, using a pin vise, drill a small hole on the handle of the cutting board.
5 . Adding colour The trick to getting a very realistic-looking wooden effect is to use soft pastels instead of acrylic paint. Take different shades of brown and shave the colours using a blade into a powder. Mix the pastel powder with water. It should have a thin consistency. This makes the colour very sheer and acts as a tint when you paint it over wood. (Soft pastels used here are from Inscribe Pastels).
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6. 1st coat
7. Add depth
Start off by using a light ochre colour mixed with water and give lightly wash all over the board. Next, shade using a dark ochre colour. Paint thick stripes to mimic different shades of wood.
Using a light brown colour, repeat step 6 by painting thick stripes of brown over the board. Use a wet brush to blend in the edges of the brown colour to give a natural appearance. Use a brown ink pad and dab along the edges of the cutting board. Blend the ink using a wet brush.
8. Glue Thread some cotton through the handle and secure with a knot. Dab a little wood glue on your finger and apply it to the thread. This will ensure that, when the glue dries, the thread will stay in place and will not loose its shape. 33
9. Lastly, seal everything with a matte glaze to protect the pastels and your rustic wooden kitchen board is ready! It would look really cute in a dollhouse kitchen or as part of a miniature food setting, as shown below.
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Shrunk. Freebie: Wood effect paper. Use as photography background or cut out and craft. 35
DIY: Punch Needle Rug BY LISA HOR NSEY
Get ready to punch your way to a modern, mini floor rug. The technique is no different than if you were creating a full sized piece and can be easily adapted to your preferred design. Lisa Hornsey of An Arty Aardvark creates the most gorgeous, fluffy, design-led rugs in 1:12 scale. Try it out for yourself with this step by step project. 36
Materials • Fat quarter of monk’s cloth • Cotton yarn (3mm thickness) • 24cm embroidery hoop • Punch needle (with 3mm needle) • Scissors • Disappearing fabric pen
1. Gather materials
2. Copy your design
To begin, place your fabric into the embroidery hoop and pull it taut. This is an easy-going craft and can be comfortably carried out at your kitchen table with minimal mess!
Once you’ve chosen a rug design, draw it out in 1:12 scale. For reference, this example is 9cmx15cm. Place it underneath your embroidery hoop and trace over it using an invisible pen.
TIP PR ACT ICE T H E PU NCH I NG MOTION BEFOR E STA RTI NG YOU R M A I N PROJ EC T. IF THE STITCHES ARE NOT QUITE R IG H T, S I M P L Y P U L L T O U N R AV E L A N D T RY AGA I N
3 . Punch Choose your first colour of yarn and thread your needle according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Starting at a corner, pierce the fabric and pull the ‘tail’ of the yarn through to the back. 37
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4 . Outline
5. Fill
Continue this up-and-down motion, following along the pen lines to create an outline of the colour block. You’re aiming for even, straight stitches. Repeat the previous step with the other colours.
Working with the same technique, fill the inside of the colour blocks. Punch around the perimeter of each colour, working outside-in.
6. Trim
7. Glue
Once filled, remove the rug from the embroidery hoop, flip over and trim the loose threads. Now cut away the excess monk’s cloth, leaving approx 3cm all the way around.
To seal the edges, turn the rug back-to-front, and add a neat line of glue around the edges. Fold over the monk’s cloth and push it into the glue. (Using a wooden skewer or lolly stick will keep your fingers clean!). Allow to dry.
8. Back it For added security, back the finished rug with a piece of felt. Draw around your printed rug design onto a piece of felt and round the edges as you cut it out. Glue into place.
W W W . E T S Y . C O M / U K / S H O P/ A N A R T Y A A R D V A R K
R ATTAN BASKET £6, CUSHIONS £2.50, L ARGE PLANTS £6, SMALL PLANT £4, WALL PEGS £ 2 . 5 0 P O S T E R £ 2 . 5 0 , R U G £ 1 5 , * A L L F U R N I T U R E F O R D I S P L A Y O N LY
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DIY: Corner Sofa BY FR ANCESCA STONE
@ M I N I AT U R E I N T E R I O R S
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Materials • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Foam core board Ruler Craft knife Gluestick Fine sandpaper Superglue Foam Blush pink dress velvet Scissors/rotary cutter Fabric glue Thin card 5mm wood dowel Angle mitre shear
Cut your foam-core board into the following sized pieces:
Cut your fabric into the following sized pieces :
Sofa arms: 4 cm x 8 cm (x4) Sofa back: 4 cm x 16 cm (x2) Sofa base: 7 cm x 16 cm (x2) Footstool: 7 cm x 7 cm (x2)
22 cm x 16 cm 10 cm x 12 cm 9 cm x 5 cm (x2) 8 cm x 4 cm (x2)
1. Cut you foam-core board. You should have two pieces for each section (two for each arm). Glue the two pieces together using a gluestick and sand the edges straight. The largest piece is the base of the sofa. Line up the back and secure in place with superglue. Next, add the two arms and the footstool at the front of the sofa. 42
2. Using fabric glue, secure the 8 x 4 pieces of fabric to the inside of the arm rests. Allow the fabric to overlap each edge, snipping the corners to stop fabric layering up. Cover the outer arms with the 9 x 5 pieces of fabric - ensuring you snip the corners again.
3. Take the 22 x 16 piece of fabric and roughly position in place so the fabric wraps around the base and back of the sofa. Lift the fabric from the base and cover the base with fabric glue. Carefully place the fabric back down onto the base and position so that the fabric sits in the centre of the seat and ensure it will still wrap underneath the sofa at the front and back. Use fabric glue to secure the rest of the fabric in place, cutting at the footstool to create a neat edge.
4. Turn the 10 x 12 piece of fabric over and run a bead of glue along one 12 cm edge. Fold over 5mm and press down to create a neat edge.
5. Glue this piece of fabric onto the footstool, lining up the folded edge where the footstool meets the rest of the sofa.
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8. Fold the rest of the fabric neatly into place at the corners and glue down.
9. Cut two strips of card 20 cm x 1 cm and two strips of fabric 20 cm x 3 cm. Run a bead of fabric glue down one side of the card and press onto the back of one strip of fabric along one edge. Once it’s dry, fold the rest of the fabric around the card and glue the other edge in place over the first.
12. Next cut the foam into the following pieces: 3 cm x 7 cm (small back cushion) 3 cm x 9 cm (large back cushion) 7 cm x 9 cm (cushion seat) 14 cm x 8 cm - Cut a 1 cm x 7 cm piece from one corner to create an L shape. (Cushion seat and footstool) Cut four pieces of fabric in the following sizes: 10 cm x 12 cm (small back cushion) 10 cm x 14 cm (large back cushion) 18 cm x 14 cm (cushion seat) 20 cm x 20 cm (cushion seat and footstool)
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10. Secure these strips in place with fabric glue, starting underneath and wrapping all the way around. On the other side, start at the footstool and wrap all the way underneath.
11. If you want to, you can cut a piece of fabric to cover the underside of the sofa to create a neater finish. This is optional because you won’t see the edges here.
13. Wrap the corresponding pieces of fabric around the foam to create cushions. The entire piece of foam should be covered in fabric. First, glue the overlap in place, then fold the excess neatly into place and glue down. It can help to cut off the excess before securing into place.
14. Try to create straight, neat folds at each corner and add extra glue here to give your cushions a professional look. When you’re wrapping the footstool, cut the fabric underneath the L shape and add extra glue here to create an upholstered look. 45
15. Measure and mark a 15 mm length of dowel and cut with your mitre shear (or use a hobby saw instead). Repeat to create 5 legs in total.
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16. Sand the edges smooth and straight and fix to the outer corners of the sofa with superglue.
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DIY: Quilt
b y A n n e - M a r i e , @ LT W M i n i a t u r e s
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Materials
G e t y o u r d o l l ’s h o u s e r e a d y f o r c o z y s e a s o n with this versatile quilt tutorial. Patchwork may be a traditional craft, but with clever fabric choices it can be brought right up-to-date to suit modern décor. The key to beautiful patchwork is precision and this can be achieved using the English paper-piecing technique. There’s no need for a sewing machine and it’s a great technique for those without much sewing experience. Half-inch hexagons are a good place to start as they fit together any way around.
1. Cut each fabric patch so as to make the patches about ½”/1cm larger all the way around than the paper template.
• Fabric for making hexagons and backing the quilt • Paper templates – either buy pre-cut from a quilting supply shop or make your own from isometric paper • Contrasting thread for making the patches • Complimentary thread for sewing patches together • Needle • Scissors • Pins
2. Place the paper template in the centre of the wrong side of the fabric patch. Fold two edges of the fabric patch over the paper template to form a corner and pass the needle and contrasting thread with a knot in the end through both fabric and paper to secure it in place, leaving the knot on the wrong side.
O P P O S I T E : B E D S U P P L I E D B Y M E L O DY J A N E M I N I AT U R E S , P I L L O W S B Y LT W M I N I AT U R E S
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3.
5.
4.
6.
3,4,5,6; Pass the needle and thread through each corner until your fabric patch looks like a complete
hexagon. Leave the trailing thread at the RS of the patch. This is only temporary so you don’t need to secure it with a knot. Just make sure there is enough trailing thread that the template doesn’t come loose about ¾”/2cm is plenty.
YO U C A N F I N D A N N E - M A R I E ’ S M I N I AT U R E PAT C H W O R K C R E AT I O N S A N D D O L L H O U S E Q U I LT K I T S , A T LT W M I N I A T U R E S . E T S Y. C O M .
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7.
8.
9.
10.
7,8,9,10; You’re ready to start piecing together the quilt.
Decide your arrangement and pick a complimentary thread (I’ve used bright red in the photos so it’s easier to see!). Place two patches right-sides together. Whip stitch together, avoiding the paper inside as much as possible. Try to keep your stitches tight and neat. Secure in the corners by passing the thread through its own loop and gently tightening. To piece a third hexagon, place it right-sides together to one of the existing sewn hexagons and sew along the edge as before. Pull the needle and thread through a loop at the corner to secure, then place the next two edges you wish to sew so the patches are RS facing. Secure at the corner. Keep adding patches in this way until your quilt has reached the desired size. Be careful to allow about a ¼”/6mm extra all the way around to allow for the backing fabric seam. 51
Top Tip To achieve a good drape, you could either pin the quilt to its bed or add an insert made from kitchen foil. To add the foil insert, leave an entire side open when sewing on the back of the quilt. Carefully slide in the foil, then sew the side shut using ladder stitch.
Using sharp scissors, trim the quilt top so the edges are straight. Be careful not to cut along the sewn edges as this could unravel the patches. To back the quilt; cut the backing fabric to match the size of your quilt top. Place and pin them right-sides together and sew around the edge about ¼”/6mm in, leaving a 2”/5mm gap on the bottom edge of your quilt open. This can be done by hand or on a sewing machine. Remove pins and turn the whole quilt inside out so the right-sides are now showing. Use something long and blunt like a pen to get the corners fully stuck out. Carefully sew the last couple of inches closed, finishing with a small knot and leaving your trailing thread inside the quilt. Add quilting if desired, although it’s not structurally necessary on such a small quilt. 52
STYLING 1:12 SC ALE
Bring in some small-scale, autumnal style with earthy neutrals and natural materials .
F L O O R I N G , VA S E A N D L A DDER FROM STR EETS A H E A D , WA L L D E C O R I S A S SORT ED V I NTAGE MIR ROR S AND JEWELLERY FINDS.
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Made To Order
Image Credit, this page and and p56: Antavia Cherry
M i n i a t u r i s t , An t a v i a C h e r r y ’s s e a r c h f o r t h e perfect, pint-sized sofa resulted in a transatlantic collaboration.
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Speaking from her North-Carolina home, Antavia Cherry, miniature collector and the face behind popular doll’s house Instagram account, @MyMiniatureLoves, provided some insight into how her mini, modern furniture dreams were realised after collaborating with a UK-based artisan, Alice Miniatures, in spite of the many miles between them, not to mention an ongoing global pandemic! Reflecting on her design inspirations, Antavia shares that she had a clear, creative vision from the very start of her project. Beginning work on a Real Good Toys Beachside Bungalow kit in early 2020. Despite the name, the kit was destined for interiors and styling with a more decadent aesthetic than that usually found in a traditional, seaside home. While sourcing inspiration, Antavia spotted a beautiful pink sofa on a full-sized designer furniture website. Antavia says; “I wanted it [the house] to be something chic and I was like, ‘I need that sofa, I’ll build the entire house around that sofa!’ And I did. And I really feel like it helped me to get the look that I wanted. It was the inspiration for each little detail.” After doing some research, she found that there was nowhere to buy anything similar to this in miniature. She knew that it would need to be a custom build if she was to achieve the look and level of detail she was striving for, saying: “There are so many traditional options out there but I don’t want traditional; I want modern. I want fun. All this Victorian stuff is beautiful but it’s not my style.” Antavia got to work searching for someone to recreate this dreamy couch in miniature. It didn’t take long to find Alice Miniatures, a UK based miniature artist, renowned for her finely detailed pieces specialising in upholstery and soft furnishings in 1:12. The pair exchanged emails discussing finishes and fabrics, the colour proving one of the most challenging aspects as shades can vary quite dramatically online from screen to screen, though Alice was able to source the perfect shade. The effects of Coronavirus did have an impact on the delivery time of Antavia’s pieces due to lockdown and quarantine restrictions in place on both sides of the Atlantic. Sharing the unboxing online via an Instagram stories video, Antavia’s delight was
palpable as she revealed her new small-scale treasures. Each one destined to be a jewel in the crown of her ongoing doll’s house projects. “I am in love! This is love in sofa form!” Antavia exclaims to her viewers as she pulls an immaculately made corner-sofa from its paper. The 1:12 scale piece has been created as part of a bespoke commission after finding readymade miniatures didn’t quite hit the mark. Covered in a delicate shade of pastel blue, the sofa boasts crisp, clean lines. The cushions are perfectly proportioned, no bulky seams or misshapen corners to give the game away in Instagram photos. You can just imagine sinking into the cushions with a good book and a glass of wine. It’s perfection and exactly what Antavia had pictured. Viewers share a tense moment on screen as Antavia narrates, rustling through the package for the second sofa. It appears that one of the fragile legs has been damaged in the transit, not entirely surprising given that it has travelled over three thousand miles to its destination! Undeterred by the discovery Antavia says “- but that’s ok I can glue it back on!” Freeing the second sofa from its box, viewers breathe a sigh of relief as the most delectably sweet, dusty pink velvet sofa is revealed. Turning the sofa to the camera for all to appreciate, Antavia shares her delight at the final outcome. Based on an image of a full-sized sofa she’d found online, Antavia knew immediately that she wanted to recreate that same piece and aesthetic in miniature. Other aspects of the room had already been created whilst awaiting the finished sofa, created as an exact likeness of the original, shrinking down each detail to a precise 1:12 scale. Antavia delves back into the box ; “I don’t know what this is, I did not order this!” A small armchair comes into view, a contemporary design upholstered in an electric lime green fabric. This is a surprise gift from Alice, Antavia enthuses to camera: “Is this not adorable? I don’t think the video even gives it justice. Her work is so amazing. She [Alice] is so amazing!” Finally, there’s a coordinating ottoman to match 55
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the blue corner sofa, created during a class Antavia and Alice shared together online, a first for Alice. Antavia beams, saying; “I’m not sure if I want to use it as an ottoman or a bench, - I just had the best Christmas-in-July/ late birthday gift. This is amazing, I can’t wait to work with them!”
T H E
M A K E R
Alice Miniatures, the talent behind these 1:12 beauties, has been creating small scale furniture from her Leicester home for six years, getting into the hobby after a family doll’s house destined for eBay sparked her curiosity. Quickly realising there wasn’t the contemporary style of furniture she desired readily available, Alice decided to try her hand at creating her own. Before too long there were more mini sofas than Alice had space for so she decided to sell her surplus on Etsy. 6 years on, a few hundred sales and many happy customers later, Alice has earned something of a reputation within the mini community for her perfectly-finished pieces with
Follow Antavia Cherry’s stylish, modern miniatures on Instagram @myminiatureloves
fine detailing and well-chosen fabrics. Modestly, Alice says; “Anyone can do what I do! It’s just practice. I don’t use any specialist equipment, it’s all done by hand.” A mother to two daughters and midwife for the NHS, real life has needed Alice’s attention in recent months, leaving little time for new commissions. She speaks fondly of her recent makes for Antavia, saying; “It can get a bit repetitive making the same things, so I really enjoy the challenge when someone comes to me with an idea. I want to see if I can do it.” While she has created a few 1:16 and 1:6 scale items now Alice prefers to work in the 12th scale. “It’s at a point where I could almost make a 1:12 sofa without needing to measure! When I’ve
scaled down items for 1:6 it just doesn’t look right to me, and 1:24 is far too fiddly!” When it comes to her own miniature collection, Alice has reached out to fellow artisans to help her create her own unique items, commissioning a finely-detailed metal lemon juicer from miniaturist Neil Carter, well known for his highquality 1:12 bronze statues and art deco sculptures. “People are surprisingly open to trying things out for you! Even if you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, it’s always worth getting in touch.” Follow Alice Miniatures on Instagram @alice_miniatures Shop: etsy.com/shop/ AliceMiniatures
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A Case of the Blues By Izzie Price
Ghost Tissue A4, Landscape by Craig Keenan
Craig Keenan’s Instagram page is an immeasurably soothing place on the Internet. Without going into the daily horrors that we’re all greeted with every time we look at our phones, Craig’s page offers a blissfully calm oasis of soothing blues and chirpy captions that help me, for one, forget that we’re living through a global pandemic. Comprising, individual photos of his artwork (or artwork in miniature, if you will…), it gives viewers a snapshot, not only of Craig’s work, but his positive personality as well. His branding is clean, fresh and sharp; but it belies Craig’s self-confessed, chaotic mindset and sprawling career, which encompasses not only cyanotype prints 58
(his primary discipline), but screen printing and studio tech as well. Not to mention the miniature beach hut he created for Brighton-based Art Collective, Paxton Glew and his enormously popular Lilliputian ghosts (Intrigued? So was I - more on this below). “I think if I were in a job where it [was] the same task day in, day out, I’d lose my mind,” Craig tells me in our meeting, over Zoom (where else?). “That’s too much concentration. I like to have things scattered about, all over the shop.” Even Craig, however, has a particular specialism. “I
want to paint and I want to draw. Just experiment, really. That’s what brings me most joy. But then in doing cyanotypes, I just - I loved it so much that it’s all I wanted to do.” Celebrating its 175th birthday as a discipline last year, the original idea behind cyanotypes was to find a way to affordably reproduce photographic images. With the only resources in this area being overlypricey options such as silver gelatin or silver nitrate, a gentleman of the name Sir John Herschel invented the still-popular cyanotype process. “As a result of the chemicals that you use, you end up with this blue colour that you can see [Craig gestures behind him to an example print hanging on his wall] - so the blue’s not necessarily a choice: it’s an afterthought to the process.” The blue he speaks of puts me in mind of *that scene* in The Devil Wears Prada - although not necessarily cerulean, it holds a similar position of importance in the artistic world. “Lots of people ask if I do stuff in, like, red or green. [With a laugh] Nope! I like the fact that it’s just blue - but my mind’s a bit ‘all over the place’ so if I have too many decisions to make I tend not to make any.”
printed white on top - and an interior mimicking a gallery, with cyanotype prints in tiny frames. “I was quite happy with it when it was done,” he confesses. The hut formed part of an exhibition, Vitamin Sea, with all artists miniature pieces available to purchase via Paxton Glew’s website. Craig’s ghosts are another example of his foray into the world of miniatures. Last year, a print of a plastic bag ‘ghost’ was featured in the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition - the idea being that Craig finds the reality of plastic far scarier than anything supernatural. The ghosts made a comeback this year, following Craig’s particularly bad contraction of COVID-19 - “I was not well at all” - and the inspiration he took from a pile of tissues by his bed. “I just saw one of them crumpled up into the shape of a ghost and [was] like, ‘Ooh! I’m going to do that again.’” He was concerned
Craig’s enthusiasm for cyanotype knows no bounds, but as we move on to his work with miniatures, his excitement for this particular realm of the art world is so overt, it’s almost childlike. “There’s something super cool about something in miniature. I don’t know what it is, I love it - anything scaled down,” he enthuses. He waxes lyrical about gallery Paxton Glew - “they’re wicked, they did a show last year called Urban Miniatures, where they got lots of scale model skyscrapers, and houses, and trainsets. I was blown away, it was so cool” - and can’t seem to quite believe his luck that he was invited to participate in their show this year. “I think I just commented on their stuff [on social media] so much that they were like: ‘Well, do you want to do one?!’” The (now sold out) hut incorporates screen printing and cyanotype, with an exterior of dark blue - screen
Sky by Craig Keenan
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as to whether anyone might want to purchase a reminder of the all-toopervasive nightmare we’re all living but was pleasantly surprised by the reaction and the prints ended up selling out completely.
Falling With Feathers by Craig Keenan
Craig is excited by the prospect of potential future miniature projects - we ended up discussing the exquisite miniature scenes created on The Great British Bake Off, with Craig suggesting we call Sky Arts with the idea of ‘Team Bakers’ (a baker and an artist teaming up): “We could make millions!” - but he ultimately knows that whatever the future holds, he will continue making art, whatever the medium. “I don’t think you could stop someone being creative, no matter how hard you tried. If you took away my printing process, I’d be creating in a different method. And then if you took away my canvas and paint, then I’d move on to drawing, and if you took that away, I’d - I don’t know - be a chef?!” Currently represented by Print Club London and soon to be seen with Will’s Art Warehouse (founders of the Affordable Art Fair), Craig’s work is both prolific and unique. His pieces sell out fast, so act quickly - but if one thing’s for sure, there will always be more where that came from. As he said: “You could never stop me being an artist.” Here’s to that.
Image Credit: Adrian Flower
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Gallery Hut, Image Credit: Emily Paxton
For full details of the Vitamin Sea exhibition, the 37 contemporary artists involved, or to purchase your own 1:16 scale kit, visit Paxton+Glew, online at: www.paxtonglew.com Or pop into their new, Brighton gallery: 12 Hanningtons Lane, Brighton, Sussex BN1 1GS UK Vitamin Sea, Image Credit: Emily Paxton
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The List Spotted something you love ? Here are all the mini retailers featured in the issue. A Wee Bit Teeny
www.aweebitteeny.com
Alice Miniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ AliceMiniatures
An Arty Aardvark
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ AnArtyAardvark
Calico Garden
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ Calicogarden
ChelseaMakes
www.chelseamakes.com
Delph Miniatures
www.delphminiatures.co.uk
Fernando Setien
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ FernandoSetienShop
IMoMA - International Market of Miniature Artists www.imomalv.com
Itty Bitty Mini Mart
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ ittybittyminimart
Jessica Cloe Miniatures www.jessicacloe.com
Kensington Doll’s House Festival
www.dollshousefestival.com
Little Lucciola
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ LittleLucciola
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LTW Miniatures
Scaled Realm Miniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ LTWMiniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ ScaledRealm
M for Miniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ SmallFunShop
www.etsy.com/shop/ MforMiniatures
Melvin’s Miniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ MelvinsMiniatures
Mini Adventure Co.
www.miniadventuresco.com
Minst
www.minst.com
My Miniature Emporium
www.myminiatureemporium. com
Nordic Nest Miniatures
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ NordicNestMiniatures
Paris Renfroe Miniatures www.prdminiatures.com
Paxton+Glew
www.paxtonglew.com
Philadelphia Miniaturia
www.philadelphiaminiaturia. com
Phillip Nuveen
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ PhillipNuveen
Pretty Little Mini’s
www.prettylittleminis.com
Small Fun Shop
Streets Ahead (Wholesale only)
www.streetsaheaddollshouse. com
The Bracelet House
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ TheBraceletHouse
Tiny Timber Co.
www.thetinytimberco.com
Truly Scrumptious
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ Trulyminiatures
ar tisan-made miniatures & more in many scales, for all your big ideas, handcrafted in Chicago, Illinois, USA We make big small.
Find us at www.ittybittyminimar t.com www.etsy.com/shop/ittybittyminimar t on Instagram @ittybittyminimar t
All miniatures featured in photo are itty bitty mini (m)art originals.
www.shrunkmagazine.com
