Shrunk Magazine Issue 3 by Shrunk Magazine

ISSUE THREE

Shrunk. magazine is a quarterly print publication, with Issue 4 coming to you in September 2021. Why just 4 issues a 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 publication was made possible by the 199 backers who pledged to our Kickstarter launch campaign in the Summer of 2020. Thank you so much for helping bring Shrunk. magazine to life. www.shrunkmagazine.com 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, distributed or reproduced without permission from both its publisher and original author. 2

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Editors Note

Welcome to Issue 3, I hope you’re able to enjoy some holiday plans this year, whether it be a stay‑cation or adventures slightly further afield.

Kat Picot, Editor kat@shrunkmagazine.com

The third edition of Shrunk. is poised and ready to whisk you away on your very own mini‑break. Make waves, quite literally, with Miss Mini Life as she creates a micro‑scale beach scene. Esha Bijutkar provides a little refreshment with a polymer clay popsicle tutorial and try your hand creating a working neon light for a touch of tropi‑cool with first‑time contributor, Alexandra Newbitt‑Brown. If DIY’s sound a little taxing right now then perhaps some gentle escapism at the poolside, reading all about artist Margie Criner’s sculpture, “Swim”, or allow yourself to be transported to the Swedish city of Malmö and read Lara Chapman’s interview with mysterious art collective AnonyMouse. You might also notice that Shrunk. has had something of a glow‑up! I’m thrilled to welcome Emilia Kalyvides aboard as the magazine's designer. We’re really proud of how this issue has come together and hope it sparks some summertime joy for all of you reading.

Emilia Kalyvides, Designer www.designbyemilia.co.uk

Ka t

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Contents Page

18 32

Features

Make

Shop

Angie Scarr

DIY: Stomanthe Triostar

Miss Mini Life

DIY: Blueberry Popsicles

16 Shrunk. Loves

House Tour: Tiny House Calls

DIY: Neon Sign

Dirty Rotten Dolls House

Lighting 101

DIY: Stickley Chair Frame

Suppliers & Mini Mag

Swim

58 An Interview with AnonyMouse

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House Hunter

A st

Astrid is a full‑time artist, based in Germany specialising in creating very detailed plant themed miniatures from polymer clay. She’s always interested in pushing the material to its limits and developing new techniques. Turn to p.26 for Astrid’s DIY Stomanthe Triostar plant.

xandra A le N

Issue Three Contributors

‑Brown b it t

Alix is a visual merchandiser by trade and a keen amateur miniaturist by choice. Hooked on minis since she was given a home‑made doll’s house by her uncle as a child, she works mainly in 1/12th scale and enjoys building dolls houses and accessories from scratch. Turn to p 37. For Alix’s fabulous flamingo light DIY.

Follow Astrid on Instagram: @astridwilkstudio Creating miniatures since 1990 Angie is an authority on polymer clay crafts. A prolific author and innovator, Angie shares some of her insights with us on p.10.

b Ro

i n so n

Rhene

Connect with Angie via: www.angiescarr.co.uk

iju

ti Lara is a London‑based writer, design researcher and curator. Read Lara’s interview with Swedish art collective, AnonyMouse on p.58

Esha is an engineer by profession and an artist at heart! A self‑taught miniaturist and currently based in India, she works in 1:12 scale creating one of a kind miniature food, furniture and dioramas. Esha shows us how to create delicious looking popsicles on p.32. Follow Esha on Instagram: @pink_petit_rose

Valen Ch

Lara

man

Rhenee builds incredible miniatures and dioramas from scratch in scales 1:24, 1:48 and 1:144 from her Californian home in the USA. Head to p.12 to read her “Miss Mini Life” column. Connect on Instagram and YouTube @missminilife

tka

Es h a

Ang

Connect on Instagram @newbittbrown arr

Lyau

Valentina is a mechanical engineer based in California who has been collecting miniature food‑shaped erasers and magnets since childhood. In the last few years she started building more detailed miniature sets so that she could stage photo shoots with various small critters in them. Valentina builds a gorgeous Arts & Crafts era chair on p.42. Find her on Instagram as @tetracerus

Connect with Lara on Instagram: @laralillychapman

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#ishrunkthis Instagram Edit

@hannahbillinghamart

Once again we’ve been spoilt for choice with your gorgeous #ishrunkthis posts. Having spent a few months now fully obsessed with the tiny pottery by Cielo Marie Vianzon in Issue 2 we thought we’d continue to fan those flames with a celebration of your small‑scale ceramics. Here are just some of the highlights that Shrunk. readers have shared recently. Please pass the clay! 6

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Show Us Your Minis! @shrunkmagazine #ishrunkthis

@amberharloff This tiny teacup is made from foam and painstakingly hand‑painted.

@tinypotsmelbourne Some little beauts in earthy tones and glazes.

@Minipotteryproject As if we could have a ceramics highlight without Cielo! Also, the tiny gold balloon dog has stolen our hearts.

@ashtonhouseminiatures We love this little pot with some on‑trend dried flowers.

@b_sijs Why yes, we’ll take our mini vessels with a side of pampas grass, please and thank you. (Pot is by PicoPots)

@Madelynsminis Creating some gorgeous little numbers with air‑dried clay

@myshrunkenshack This is awesome. Tiny Kintsugi, the traditional Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with visible, golden lacquer.

@que_sera A neatly organised and displayed tiny pottery collection.

@hannahbillinghamart The texture and colours on these miniature vases are stunning.

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Journal Summer 2021

The Shrunk. guide to mini happenings The Fisher Dollhouse Image by Jenna Bascom

The Fisher Dollhouse: A Venetian Palazzo in Miniature Are you lucky enough to be local to New York City? Here’s a must‑see to add to your mini‑calendar. At the start of May the Museum of Arts & Design (MAD) welcomed visitors to their new installation; The Fisher Dollhouse: A Venetian Palazzo in Miniature. This very special installation was created by New York‑based collector and arts patron, Joanna Fisher. When the city went into lockdown, she felt her world shrink... and embraced it, literally. For this project, Fisher enlisted the talents of dozens of celebrated crafts persons, designers, artisans, and artists. The Fisher Dollhouse was created within the confines of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Inspired by Venice’s glamorous Gritti Palace and memories of a world once on the move, the dollhouse provided a haven for its creator and, during the months of quarantine, an escape.

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Most extraordinary are the miniature works of contemporary art created by ten prominent international artists, among them Dustin Yellin, Ryan McGinness, Hunt Slomen, and Veronica Gaido.

re‑imagining of miniatures and tiny interiors to include the interests of Black men and women, Elizabeth’s own Afro‑Caribbean family history and inspirational people, past and present.

The installation runs through to September 26th, 2021.

Elizabeth’s focus so far has been on renovating a 1:12 scale doll’s house complete with art gallery; drawing inspiration from the Victorian‑era homes she grew up in, her travels around North Africa, the ever‑changing scenes and places in London, Renaissance art, textile and interior design. Details include Josephine Baker illustrated wallpaper, a “hot comb” and an afro comb in the Beauty Room.

For more info & ticket booking visit: www.madmuseum.org

New Workshops: Black Girl Doll’s House Club Attention, Londoners! Black Girl Dollshouse Club (BGDH Club) is poised to offer some innovative real life workshops this summer following the lifting of UK lockdown restrictions. Following a launch earlier this year BGDH Club founder, creative professional and doll's house designer‑maker Elizabeth has set out to create a new creative space. BGDH Club is dedicated to the

For full details on future workshop dates and locations, sign up to The Black Girl Dollshouse Craft Club Newsletter via the website: www.blackgirldollshouseclub.com Connect on Instagram: @blackgirldollshouseclub

The Fisher Dollhouse Image by Jenna Bascom

Black Girl Doll’s House Club Image courtesy of BGDH Club

Dare we say it: Things are looking up for a return to real life events, aren’t they?! Please do continue to support your local and loved miniature events where you can. 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:

London Dollshouse Showcase — 17th–18th September

Philadelphia Miniaturia — 5th, 6th & 7th November

Hopefully, many of you will have been able to tune in and enjoy the programme of events and mini‑shopping opportunities during the London Dollshouse Festival Online Showcase, hosted online 14th–20th May. Shrunk. editor Kat had the pleasure of joining for a live Make‑Along and Small Talk chat.

There’s already quite the buzz about this event among the mini Instagram community! We can’t wait for Shrunk. readers to report back on their experience and wish organiser Cathy Miller‑Vaughan and her vendors every success with this much anticipated return to real life shows!

Looking ahead, we’re crossing everything in hopes of a return to in‑person shows, currently scheduled to take place on 17th–18th September at Kensington Town Hall.

International Market of Miniature Artisans (IMoMA) — February 2022

Can.Not.Wait! Visit: www.dollshouseshowcase.com for full and up to date information regarding the event and ticket bookings.

Hands up, who's dreaming of IMoMA 2022 already?! Registry for both the retail and wholesale events is open. Be sure to check out the list of vendors and get planning your visit. Visit: www.imomalv.com for more info.

Get in touch!

Do you have some mini news you’d love to share?

kat@shrunkmagazine.com Or good old‑fashioned snail mail: Shrunk. Magazine, Unit 285, Regency House, 91 Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2NW, England, UK

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People will always try to pu t constrain ts on crea t ivity bu t the crea t ive will always push back a t them.

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Feature Angie Scarr

Celebrated polymer‑clay artist, author and creative entrepreneur Angie Scarr shares her insights on the ever‑evolving world of miniatures

verything changes it seems. What drives most miniatures artists, is not making the same thing over and over, but coming up with new ideas. Miniatures is a journey and an adventure into what is possible.

Some are changing the way they do things and the work they do as a response to the pandemic. Creating doll's houses and scenes often show our response to a changing world. In the past, the desire seemed to be to look back at the “olden days” when things were perceived to be more perfect. Now we seem to be looking at creating scenes that reflect our current, real life obsessions. I’m loving the fact that the miniatures world is evolving too with more modern dollhouses and a move to smaller scenes such as book nooks and wall‑hung shop fronts. And the outside of the house, including both quaint and modern gardens, seems to be very much a current theme and it’s easy to imagine why. Of course, the

traditional Georgian or Victorian doll's house will never go away but it’s great to see a younger and more experimental scene going on. Tools and materials are changing too. Many people are now using plotter cutters, laser cutters and 3d and resin printers. I’ve heard cries about the loss of more “noble crafts” and “noble materials” but I heard these same concerns 30 years ago about polymer clay. People will always try to put constraints on creativity but the creative will always push back at them. For me, the change happened four years ago when a serious illness forced me to step back from work for a while, and while my fingers stopped my mind was free to roam. That's when the idea of stencilling flowers and plants occurred to me. I was playing around with making miniatures from card. My husband and I had been experimenting with laser cutting and I thought I could try laser cutting for stencilling flowers in polymer clay. From that first idea came many many more,

and now I’m developing multi‑layer techniques for colouring. There are exciting developments that would never have been possible with more “noble” materials My world, which used to be filled with mini cabbages and cauliflowers and polymer clay fish, is suddenly filled with flowers and leaves and it continues to change. Even since my book, The Dollhouse Flower Shop, there have been several more evolutions in my processes. I recently did a hundred‑day challenge which added a hundred more flower and leaf designs to my range. If things seem to be changing too fast for you at the moment, maybe you should spend some quality time with your miniature fantasies. Or, like I am, take a moment just to look at the flowers.

To connect with Angie or purchase her books visit: angiescarr.co.uk Support Angie’s creative content via: patreon.com/angie_scarr Shrunk.

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Feature Miss Mini Life

My Mini Beach Life Words & images by Rhenee Robinson

here I live, in California, summer is synonymous with beach outings. I love the ocean and if I could afford one of those ultra‑expensive beach front properties, let me tell you, I would be sunning myself by the water every day. Luckily, even though I don’t have a secret trust fund loaded with cash, I do have the skills and imagination to construct my perfect beach getaway at a fraction of the size.

This teeny beach cottage is 1/144th the size of a real building, to be exact. I imagined my entire life shrunk down to fit this little house. I had daydreams of filling this cottage with mid‑century modern furnishings and garish, beachy decor pieces. I’d take up surfing and find a way to save my sandcastles from being washed away by the tide, then bring them inside my house to serve as decorations. For now, I’m leaving the inside of the house alone to focus on how I made the building and the island it lives on. I will have a YouTube video on decorating the house interior, so come by the Miss Mini Life channel and check it out!!

The dollhouse was made using recycled cardboard from some empty food boxes, some printer paper, and very thin wood sheets. I’ve been loving working with cardboard for the extra tiny projects I’ve been working on because it’s thin enough to be able to cut really intricate details fairly easily, but it’s still durable enough to make a sturdy structure. Although cardboard is easy to come by, one of the reasons I love making smaller‑scale projects is because I can work with some supplies that would be costly if I had to use large amounts of them. Take, for example, the epoxy resin ocean. For larger projects, the price of resin can be outrageous, but for small scale situations I am obsessed with it and for a small fraction I get a much bigger effect.

I’ve included a little step‑by‑step guide as to how I’ve used epoxy resin to make the ocean in my 144th scale dollhouse scene.

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⇨ 13

Feature Miss Mini Life

Ma terials

Me thod

o Blue and white acrylic paint.

⇨ Choose a base for the resin to sit on

o Epoxy resin

⇨ Create a barrier with some sellotape around the edge of your base to keep the resin from leaking away.

o A paintbrush

o A base to paint on (I used cardboard covered in glue and sand for this scene) o Sellotape

o A craft knife

⇨ Paint your base oceanic colours

⇨ Mix epoxy resin, following instructions for your specific brand ⇨ Pour resin about ⅛ in (0.3 cm) thick. Allow to cure for time specified in instructions for your brand. ⇨ Once the resin is cured carefully remove the tape.

⇨ Cut and smooth any sharp edges on the resin where it dried against the tape Find out how Rhenee decorates the beach house interior and many more micro mini‑tutorials over at her YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/MissMinilife Connect via Instagram: @Missminilife 14

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⇨ Paint the tips of each wave lightly with white acrylic paint or, if your ocean is more calm, paint along the edge where the water meets the land.

Now you have a minia ture beach too!

House Hunter Malibu Beach House

he highly coveted Malibu Beach House by Doll’s House Emporium is something of a modern mini icon.

This Art Deco style house comes as a kit ready to be transformed into the 1:12 scale beach side home of your dreams! The curved wall and ceiling details offer a contemporary style layout. The living room houses

an integrated, modern style fireplace while up on the roof there is a pint‑sized penthouse complete with roof terrace. There are six rooms across the three floors, boasting ten opening panels providing lots of light and easy access for decorating and styling once built. The Malibu Beach House kit can be extended further with the addition of the Sun Lounge kit, as illustrated here.

Dimensions: 866mm x 963mm x 481mm RRP: Up to £749 Doll’s House Emporium product number: 0909 Contact your local Doll’s House Emporium stockist for availability and price information. Visit Streets Ahead for help finding a stockist near you. www.streetsaheaddollshouse.com/stockist Shrunk.

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Shrunk. Loves Tiny Scenic

ike your minis where you can see them? Us too! These gorgeous jewellery pieces by Tiny Scenic channel the perfect combination of mid‑century design and a Palm Springs aesthetic.

Jo, one half of Tiny Scenic says: ‘The shape of these miniature house necklaces were inspired by the full‑size mid century modern homes we gawped at on a road trip through California. It was the first piece we designed when we launched our Tiny Scenic jewellery brand, and since then we've added miniature swimming pools, A‑Frame cabins, motels, diners and vintage signage to our collection’. Based in Winchester in Hants, UK, Jo Strange and Andrew Rees have long shared a love of miniatures and began making their own in 2016. With their jewellery brand, Tiny Scenic, their aim is to create a “picture‑postcard” town of wearable miniature models. Their pieces are inspired by roadside architecture encountered whilst travelling in the USA, the suburban utopian scenes in movies such as Edward Scissorhands, plus the charm and escapism associated with British seaside holiday resorts. They use a mix of model‑making techniques and materials — including various woods, Perspex and coloured laminates. The first item they made was a mid‑century, modern‑style bungalow necklace, and since then Tiny Scenic town has grown to include swimming pools, A‑Frame holiday chalets, roadside diners, vintage motel signage and more.

These necklaces come in a number of colours, handmade from a mix of woods, acrylic and 1950s style Formica. Priced at £42.

Shop the jewellery collection and contact for custom commissions at: tinyscenic.etsy.com All images property of Tiny Scenic Shrunk.

Feature House Tour

Tiny House Calls Words by Kat Picot Images by Kwandaa Roberts

elcome to the Spanish Dollhouse, one of the most recent projects from doll’s house and miniature artist, Dr Kwandaa Roberts. A scratch build, made using foam board to create the main structure, the design for this particular mini abode was born entirely from Kwandaa’s imagination with the heart of the house found in the kitchen.

Kwandaa says; ‘The whole house [design] was really dictated by the kitchen. I had that kitchen floating in my head for a few years. I wanted two arched windows on the back wall, with the range hood in the middle and couldn’t find a doll house that was apre‑fab that had that. Then I thought “OK, I’ll just have to cut the wood and find some 18

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windows”, but it was important that they would be symmetrical, so already the house was going to be gigantic’. Foam board won out as a more accessible alternative to wood, lending itself perfectly to the amount of cutting that was going to be required for the Spanish House’s long‑coveted, arched windows and doorways. The material wasn’t without its challenges however, warping after layers of paint and bowing under the weight of the house construction. Fortunately, part of Kwandaa’s vision for the kitchen involved wooden beams, which ended up supporting the house rather than being solely decorative. Kwandaa committed to making the majority of the furniture herself

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Feature House Tour

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including the custom cabinets for the Spanish house, echoing the curves of the arched windows and doors. Curves and half‑moons continue to appear throughout the interior, with a show‑stopper of a canopy bed, based on the design of a real piece from American furniture brand, Crate & Barrel as well as a stunning arched cabinet inspired by the same brand.

Kwandaa recoun ts how a fter her first doll’s house projec t wen t viral she was inunda ted with req uest s to design real life houses. A dream come true for the in terior design lover! Kwandaa’s talent for recreating full‑sized trends in miniature has tricked many an Instagram scroller. This is one of the reasons Kwandaa stresses it’s important to add credit in her posts, saying: ‘I know it might not be a big deal but I have a lot of followers and I don’t want anyone to be like “I don’t like that!” So if I’m making a tiny rug and it’s not from a vintage store then I'm crediting and saying where it’s [the full‑sized version] from’. A lot of followers is a modest understatement. With Kwandaa’s

Instagram following currently totalling over 80k there are considerations that come with having attracted such a large audience. She says: ‘It’s been incredible. First of all I couldn’t believe it [the media attention] when it happened with the first house. I’m always like, it’ll die down, and then it just carried on. It’s been three years!’. Speaking frankly about the self‑imposed pressure that came with such a huge wave of interest in her work, Kwandaa recounts how after her first doll’s house project went viral she was inundated with requests to design real life houses. A dream come true for the interior design lover! Wanting to explore the opportunity, Kwandaa enrolled in design school and earned her interior design certification before starting her own interior design business. As a result of the popularity of her miniature interiors, business was booming immediately, but it quickly became evident that something would have to give. Kwandaa says: ‘It just became too much, honestly. I was still working full‑time as an OB [Obstetrician] so I was working between 80–100 hours a week, and still attempting to do these dollhouses and run an interior design business and I’m a Mom to two small kids. So I tried to do that for a good year, then I was just like, “I can not. There are not enough hours in the day. I just need to let it go”.’ While Kwandaa was sad to put her interior design dreams to one side, she was pleased to strike more of a Shrunk.

Feature House Tour

balance; choosing to continue with her focus on her miniature work as a creative outlet, noting that it was the hobby that she loved that had originally moved people to connect in the first place. Describing how so many people continue to reach out to share their own miniature creations, or have recreated 22

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Kwandaa’s miniature interiors in their full‑sized home; poignant accounts of how a doll’s house hobby is helping someone navigate through personal struggles, illness or loss. She says: ‘Who would have thought that this toy or this hobby or whatever you want to call it would mean something to so many people? But it does.

I get the most beautiful messages from people. That’s where I get my joy from. Let’s stick with that!’

Connect with Kwandaa online: Instagram: @tinyhousecalls All images property of Kwandaa Roberts

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Shrunk. Freebies Freebies in action! We loved seeing how Shrunk. readers used their Issue 2 freebie tile paper! How will you style yours? Tag us on Instagram @shrunkmagazine

Green Tile paper available at Tiny Universe Minis

@ridiculoustinythings

@marinas_mini_life

@theminibeachhouse

A beautiful tile paper from Tiny Universe Minis

⇨

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DIY: Stoman the Triost ar Unkillable plants! Test your skills with this intermediate polymer clay project

By Astrid Wilk

Ma terials Polymer clay

You will also need

You may find the colours you want pre‑made. Otherwise experiment with blending clays to achieve the desired shade.

o Thin, paper‑covered wire (florists wire)

o For the leaves — Pastel pink, lush dark green, light green, light pastel green

Tools

o For the plant pot — Warm grey or a colour of your choosing

o Needle tool

o Brown for the soil and additional browns, greys and caramel for tiny pebbles o Liquid polymer clay

o Super-glue

o Ball tools in different sizes o Cutter

o Glass or ceramic work base o Tweezers

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DIY Stomanthe Triostar This project uses a polymer clay technique called caning, often used to create flowers and fruit slices. Caning can seem intimidating at first but don’t be put off! You can achieve amazingly effective results once you’ve got the hang of it. Here you will learn how to build a leaf cane; layering the different colours to create one piece with a pattern running through the centre. You will then slice pieces of the clay from the cane to use and shape into your leaves. If you’re new to working with polymer clay, you may find the beginners guide to polymer clay featured in Issue 2 a useful reference source.

Cane Condition your clay well and mix your colours. You should have a pastel pink, a lush dark green, a lighter green, and a light pastel green for the leaf cane. ⇨ Roll the pink and the two middle shades of green into equally thick sheets. Arrange them into the leaf pattern, as pictured. ⇨ Gently squeeze the layers together. Make sure the layers have fully adhered to each other. Cut the cane in half and add a sheet of pastel green clay into the middle. ⇨ Lengthen the cane, keeping its shape, and reduce it to scale by repeating the flattening and shaping, gently condensing the clay until its size is significantly reduced.

Leaves Scale: 1:12, Size: 3.5cm x 1cm ⇨ Cut thin slices from your caned clay.

⇨ Smooth the edges with your finger and add details of the leaf structure with a small ball tool.

Connect with Astrid Wilk Studio online: Instagram: @astridwilkstudio Etsy: astridwilkstudio.etsy.com Website: astridwilk.de 28

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⇨ Shape the leaf further, if needed, and bake according to the clay manufacturer's instructions. ⇨ Cut a section of wire, 6–8 cm and glue it in place onto the leaf. ⇨ Mix liquid clay with red and purple soft pastel, apply to the back of the leaves and bake. ⇨ Repeat steps 2–6 until you have enough leaves.

⇨ Take a ball of grey clay and hollow it out with a tool.

⇨ Add any texture you want for your planter and bake. ⇨ Fill the small pot with brown clay and shape the surface into an organic shape.

⇨ Assemble the leaves until you are happy with the way the plant looks. ⇨ Cover the stems with liquid clay mixed with green soft pastel. Add further detail to your plant with pebbles, moss or brown leaf tips.

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DIY Stomanthe Triostar — Illustrated Guide

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Shrunk. goes digital

Shrunk. magazine is now available to purchase via Issuu.com Download the app for a seamless viewing experience. Connect with makers and retailers with just one tap of the page.

Read us on issuu

issuu.com/shrunk Shrunk.

DIY: Blue berry P op sicles

Delicious‑looking, tiny treats that won’t melt in the summer sun

By Esha Bijutkar

Ma terials

Clay Mixes

o Polymer clay — White, Translucent, Blue, Red, Scrap Clay

Proportions of clay used:

o Soft Pastels

o Acrylic Paint — White o Matte and Gloss Glaze

o Coffee Stirrer or Popsicle Stick o Sand Paper

o Cutting Blade

o White: 1.42 gm/Translucent: 1.48 gm/ Blue: 0.15 gm/Red: 0.15 gm Dark Purple Mixture: o Blue (0.15) gm + Red (0.15) gm Lilac Mixture:

o Needle Tool, Tooth Brush

o White (1.42 gm) + Translucent (1.48 gm) + (0.07 gm) of Purple Mixture

o Talcum Powder or Cornstarch

Lilac Marble Effect:

o Fine Paint Brush

o Lilac Mixture (2.96 gm) + Purple Mixture (0.04 gm)

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DIY Blueberry Popsicles Blend You can gauge amounts by eye or use the measurements provided. To make purple clay, mix 0.15 gm each of blue and red clay together. Set aside. ⇨ To make lilac clay, mix the given quantities of white and translucent clay together. Add 0.07 gm of purple clay to it. This will give you lilac clay. ⇨ To get the marbled blueberry effect, use 0.04 gm of purple clay. Roll your lilac clay. Divide the purple clay into tiny parts and add them to the lilac clay as shown in the picture. By doing this, the purple clay will get mixed throughout the lilac clay, instead of just getting mixed in one place. ⇨ Next, make a ball out of it. Do not mix it too much as we want the purple clay to create a marbled effect. Set it aside.

Make A Mould ⇨ Next, take some scrap clay and roll it out into a 2mm thick sheet. Using the side of a popsicle stick or a coffee stirrer make an indentation on the clay as shown in the guide (p 36). ⇨ Make a template of the popsicle. The width of my popsicle is 6mm and the height is 1.1 cm. Place it on the dents we made before and gently press. Using a craft knife, slowly carve out the shape. Smooth out the edges and then bake. After baking, sand the edges to give a smooth look. ⇨ Apply some talcum powder to the baked popsicle. Take a piece of scrap clay and press the baked popsicle shape against it to create a mould. Gently remove the baked popsicle. Trim off excess clay and bake. You need two of these moulds in total. If you don’t want to use moulds, you can sculpt each popsicle using the same technique as mentioned before, directly using the marbled lilac clay. ⇨ After baking the two moulds, trim them until the depth of each mould is half the thickness of the popsicle. Mark a line at the centre of the popsicle, continue the line downwards on the mould. Do this to both the moulds as shown in the guide. 34

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Using the Mould ⇨ Next, cut a thin strip of the coffee stirrer. Round off the end of the strip using sandpaper. ⇨ Roll the marbled lilac clay. The thickness of mine is 20mm. Cut a small piece from it and insert your miniature popsicle stick straight through it as shown in the picture. ⇨ Dust talcum powder or cornstarch on the moulds as well as on the popsicle and place the popsicle on one of the moulds. ⇨ Press the two moulds together with the clay in between. It is important that you align the lines we made on the top and bottom of each mould, this will ensure that the final popsicle looks the same on both sides. ⇨ Gently remove the popsicle from the mould. Trim the excess clay.

Texture ⇨ Using a soft‑bristled toothbrush, gently texture both sides of the popsicle. You can also create tiny air holes by poking a needle tool randomly on the popsicle. Bake it according to the baking instructions mentioned on your brand of clay.

Adding Colour ⇨ Using various shades of pink, purple and violet shade the popsicle using a wet fine brush to mimic the blueberries. Start off with the darkest shade to the lightest, blending all colours together. ⇨ To make the popsicle look frosty, use white acrylic paint and dry brush randomly. (Use very little white paint, your paintbrush should be dry whilst you do this). Let it dry.

Glaze ⇨ Lastly, apply matte glaze to the frosty white part and gloss glaze to the blueberry part of the popsicle and you are done!

Connect with Esha Bijutkar online: Instagram: @pink_petit_rose This project was inspired by the real life recipe for coconut and blueberry smash pops. As featured in Coconut Milk Ice Cream by Aimee Ryan. Connect with Aimee Ryan online: Website: wallflowerkitchen.com Instagram: @wallflowerkitchen Shrunk.

DIY Blueberry Popsicles — Illustrated Guide

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DIY: Neon S ign Inject some tropi‑cool to your mini‑project with this working neon light

By Alexandra Newbitt‑Brown

Ma terials o 1–metre length of EL wire and battery pack (available online, from both Amazon and eBay, from £3.60 for 1 metre)

o Scraps of 2mm thick balsa wood or similar.

o Fishing line

o Scalpel

o Hand drill with both a 2.35mm drill bit and a 1.2mm drill bit

o Hot glue gun o Scissors

o A4 acrylic sheet approx. 0.75mm thick (I got mine from Bromley Craft Products for £1.95) 4mm metal eyelets (widely available online)

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DIY Neon Sign Draw

Drill

⇨ Start by drawing or printing out a template. This needs to be a simple line drawing, in one continuous line. In this case, a flamingo at 6.5cm tall.

⇨ Using the larger of the two drill bits, drill through the wall on the mark you’ve just made.

Cut

Thread  the Wire

⇨ Cut a rectangle of acrylic from your A4 sheet, large enough to comfortably frame your template. I cut this piece 6cm by 9cm.

⇨ Pull the end cap off your EL wire, and set it aside for later. Leaving the battery pack on the outside of your room box, thread the wire through to the inside of the room.

Measure

Cen tre

⇨ Place your template on the wall upon which you want your neon to hang, in the final position you would like it to be. Using a scalpel or similar, mark the point where your wire will start on your design.

⇨ Centre your template under your acrylic and, using the larger drill bit, drill a hole at the start point on your template. Thread the EL wire through from the back of the acrylic sheet to the front, leaving enough slack between the wall and the acrylic to be able to comfortably work on your sign.

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DIY Neon Sign Drill

Place

⇨ Place your template back under your acrylic and begin laying your EL wire out along your design. At the point where the line turns, use the smaller of the drill bits to drill two holes through the acrylic sheet, either side of the wire.

⇨ Pull the slack in your EL wire back through to the outside of your room box. Position your neon on the wall and glue it into place.

Thread the Fishing Line ⇨ Thread the fishing line through the two holes, over the EL wire, and knot securely at the back, leaving the threads of the fishing line long for now.

Thread your design ⇨ Continue following your template with the EL wire. Wherever there is a bend or you feel your wire needs tying down, drill through the acrylic on either side of the wire and secure with fishing line. Don’t worry if the back of your sign looks messy for now, this will be tidied up later.

Tidy the wires (op t ional) ⇨ To tidy the wire on the back of the room box, cut the scraps of balsa wood, making 6 to 8 pieces 1cm x 2.5cm and one‑piece 2.5cm x 10cm. Glue the smaller pieces into stacks and attach them to either end of the longer strip. Glue the stacks, strip outward, onto the back of your room box, creating a place to clip the battery pack on to. Leave to dry completely before coiling the wire and attaching the battery pack. Your neon sign is now ready to illuminate miniature cocktails on a balmy summer night.

Cutt ing the wire ⇨ When you reach the end of your design, using scissors, cut the EL wire and replace the end cap. Tie in place with a final piece of fishing line.

Glue ⇨ Turn your sign over so the back is facing upwards. Using the hot glue gun, dab a small amount of glue onto each knot to ensure it doesn’t come undone. Cut the threads off close to the knots to tidy the back of the sign.

Assemble ⇨ With the glue gun, glue the four metal eyelets into the corners of the acrylic on the back of the sign. These will keep the back of the sign from touching the wall once it’s in place, allowing space for the knots on the back.   Connect with Alexandra Newbitt‑Brown online: Instagram: @newbittbrown 40

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DIY Neon Sign — Illustrated Guide

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DIY: S tickley Chair

Frame in 1:12

Heavy wooden furniture is not my usual cup of tea but after falling victim to the chair fetish of the design world, I wanted to recreate a personal favourite. Gustav Stickley was a key name in the Arts & Crafts era and namesake of this design classic. I set out to recreate this boxy armchair in a 1:12 scale, a tribute to an iconic and often revisited era of design. This tutorial for a 1:12 scale model of Stickley’s spindle cube chair is based on measurements I made of an early 2000s reissue of the original design.

By Valentina Lyau

Ma terials o Wood (see measurement chart)

o Fine sandpaper or small file

o Pencil

o Stain and/or finish (optional)

o Glue

o Ruler

o Craft knife

o Cutting mat

Measuremen t Chart Below, are the closest equivalent, commonly available thicknesses for strips and sheets of wood.

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Part

No. of pieces needed

Measurements (in)

Total Material

Legs

2.5" x ⅛" x ⅛"

10" x ⅛" x ⅛"

Spindles

1" x 1/32" x 1/32"

48" x 1/32" x 1/32"

Top Slat

2" x ⅛" x 1/16"

6" x ⅛" x 1/16"

Bottom Slat

2" x ½" x 1/16"

8" x ½" x 1/16"

Base

2" x 2" x 1/32"

Corner Pieces

⅛" x ⅛" x ⅛"

½" x ⅛" x ⅛"

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DIY Stickley Chair Frame in 1:12 Be fore you begin ⇨ Before cutting your wood, decide whether or not you want to apply any stains or finishes. Some finishes, however, may make it harder for the glue to adhere, so you should only pre‑apply the finish to the faces that will not be glued. I applied lacquer to the spindles, horizontal slats, and base, but not to the legs.

Cut ⇨ Cut all your wood to the sizes specified in the measurement chart. Precision is key in this design because a mismatch in the length of the spindles will make it difficult to align the other pieces of the arm/side of the chair. I sanded down many of the ends and edges to achieve as flat and perpendicular a surface as possible.

The side p anels ⇨ Layout 32 of the spindles, side by side, aligning the tops and bottoms. Do this on a smooth surface that would be easy to peel glue from. Next, carefully move the second spindle down, trying not to disrupt its neighbours. Do this for every other spindle. The 16 spindles that were not moved will form the side panel of the chair, while the 16 alternating spindles that were moved lower create even spacing. ⇨ Carefully apply glue to the tops of the higher spindles. Press a top slat into the glued spindles, trying to keep it as centred and perpendicular as possible. Let your glue dry entirely. ⇨ To form another side panel, align the 16 unglued spindles to a straight edge. Apply glue to the bottom of the lower spindles and press another top slat into them. Make sure the slat is centred relative to the lower spindles! It will be slightly offset from the first top slat. Let your glue dry entirely! If you move them before the glue dries, you may ruin the alignment.

⇨ Carefully tease the two side panels apart. Take one of them and place the remaining spindles in between the glued spindles and create another side panel. Again, carefully separate the two side panels when the glue is dry. ⇨ Apply glue to exposed ends of the spindles on one of the side panels and attach a bottom slat. Repeat with the other two sides.

The Legs ⇨ Take two of the side panels and glue a leg on the left and right, aligning the top of the side panel about one leg‑width lower than the top of the leg. Let dry.

Assemble ⇨ Glue the remaining side panel and the remaining bottom slat to the first two side panels in a square arrangement. Glue the 4 corner pieces on the inside corners of the bottom slats, aligned to the bottom edge. ⇨ Apply any wood finish to any surfaces you missed earlier. ⇨ Glue the base piece on top of the corner pieces. ⇨ You are done with the frame of the chair!

Extra op t ional step ⇨ To make cushions, you can form a square shape slightly smaller than the base of the chair with layers of cardboard or foam and wrap it in your choice of upholstery material (fabric, leather, etc).

Follow Valentina’s miniature creations on Instagram: @tetracerus. 44

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DIY Stickley Chair Frame in 1:12 — Illustrated Guide

Maker Musings ❤ ⇨ I chose cherrywood for its warm tone and historical accuracy, as most classical Stickley pieces are offered in oak and cherry. However, you can choose any wood you like. 46

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⇨ The choice of stain and finish is also up to you. The furniture of the time was finished with shellac and paste wax, here I used a gloss clear lacquer by Model Master.

⇨ If you would like to make a less time‑consuming or airier looking version, you can choose to use only 5 spindles per side panel, centred but spaced with the same technique.

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

www.shrunkmagazine.com

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ASTRID WILK STUDIO MODERN MINIATURE ART

Artistic miniature plants made from polymer clay, unique miniature art and tutorials from Germany.

astridwilkstudio.etsy.com @ a s t r i d w i l k s t u d i o w w w . a s t r i d w i l k . d e

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

www.shrunkmagazine.com

Feature Lighting 101

New to miniature lighting and not sure where to start? Allow us to introduce you to the essentials.

ere, we’re going to cover the basics of the two most commonly used dolls house lighting systems. There are alternative options available such as LED strip lights and even remote control operated systems (the dream!). Here, we’ll help you decide which system is the best fit for you and your project using Socket Strip vs Copper Tape systems. Before choosing your lighting system, important considerations include budget, size of the project and how much time you wish to spend working on it.

Lighting a doll’s house can become relatively costly and it can be a time consuming phase of your project, but it’s worth persevering to see a doll’s house brought to life. Tiny lights really do bring a little bit of magic.

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1. Socket Strip This system connects to the mains. You’ll plan and install a basic circuit system with the wires running through the back or bottom of the house where they connect to the socket strip. Each light wire will have its own plug. There are starter kits widely available that will contain the various components you need, including plugs and extension wire. You will need to ensure you’re using a 12v transformer. The most involved part of connecting this system is probably the removal and reattaching of the tiny plugs when passing the wires through the wall of the doll’s house. This can be easily and safely done with a pair of long‑nosed pliers. Considera t ions ⇨ Allows some flexibility for having some lights off/on at the same time. Simply unplug any from the socket trip that you don’t want lit.

⇨ Ideal to install before decorating but can be easily added to, later. ⇨ Some doll’s house kits will come with pre‑routed channels to run your wires through. This is especially useful for installing ceiling lights as the wire will need to run flush into the floor above. You may wish to route your own wire channels if your doll’s house doesn't feature them. ⇨ Needs to be close to a power source. ⇨ If installing under floor or wall coverings, you may wish to ensure the electrics remain accessible for maintenance and repair, e.g. decorating onto card or thin foam board, rather than direct onto the house. That way you won’t have to destroy any hard work in the event of an electrical emergency!

2. Copper Tape Lights are either all on or all off when powered with a copper tape system. This is perhaps the most intimidating system for a beginner. You can choose between a single or double copper tape method. Opinions vary on the merits of each. Ultimately I think it comes down to personal preference, though double tape does seem to be widely used. To create working connections in a double tape method, you’ll use tiny grommets/brads, pushing them through the two connecting tapes

and repeating at each join. A single tape method can be done using solder and a soldering iron to create connections at the joins. The appeal of using copper tape systems is that you can easily and fully conceal the tape under floors and wall coverings. Like the socket strip system, copper tape requires a mains powers source and a 12v transformer. Considera t ions ⇨ Time consuming, but worth the effort in the long run as everything will be so discreetly hidden. ⇨ I would opt for copper tape in a medium–large sized project. Forward planning is required. ⇨ Be mindful when decorating that you may need to access the copper tape system for repairs and maintenance in the future. Where possible, decorate your walls and floors using removable panels to avoid destroying your hard work! ⇨ If using a single copper tape method you will need to be confident using a soldering iron to make the joint connection

3. Transformers It is strongly advised that you buy a transformer designed specifically for powering doll’s house lighting systems. The size of transformer you will require will be determined by how many bulbs you intend to power.

Emphasis on number of bulbs, not light fixtures, e.g. If you’re planning on using chandeliers or other multi‑bulb fixtures, make sure you’ve accounted for these. Most retailers will have this information clearly displayed with their products. Considera t ions ⇨ Check you are using the appropriate transformer for your region. (Especially important if ordering from overseas.)

4. LED Battery Powered Lights The range of battery operated light fixtures available now is super impressive with everything from chandeliers to modern table lamps. These lights are ideal for anyone who simply wishes to bypass the trouble of installing a system and get their house lit‑up. Simply place in the room, flick a tiny switch and you’re golden! Considera t ions ⇨ The colour effect of the bulbs in many battery powered lights can appear bright white, or a blueish white. This won’t matter to some, but others prefer the warm white glow commonly found in wired fixtures. ⇨ Some battery powered fixtures do not have replaceable bulbs which might be a consideration for long term costs.

Specialist retailers Ready to stock up? Here are some recommendations. UK Specialist retailers Bromley Craft Products www.craft‑products.com A wide selection of specialist components and fixtures. Micro Miniatures www.microminiatures.co.uk Lighting and electronics specialists offering a great range of Socket Strip starter kits. Minimum World www. minimumworld.com For general lighting system supplies and a range of fixtures to suit your budget. Ray Storey Lighting www.raystoreylighting.com Stunning, hand‑made and high‑quality light fixtures.

US Specialist retailers Cir‑Kit Concepts www.cir‑kitconcepts.com Operating since the 1970’s Cir‑Kit are Copper Tape system experts! Check availability with your local doll’s house retailer. A Little house of lights www.etsy.com/shop/ ALittleHouseofLights Shop owner Anna is a true innovator! Visit the store for handcrafted battery‑powered lighting options. HBS Miniatures www.miniatures.com Shrunk.

in g

M a te r i

Mo d

als

Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses

Whether you’re looking to create a murky pond, stagnant sink of dirty dishes or a crystal clear pool, there are some superb materials available to suit a whole host of projects with a wide range of applications.

really clear and the set comes with everything you need to safely and effectively create your water scene. A two‑part process, you simply calculate your required amount and mix into the beaker provided. Following the instructions to the letter and mixing as advised, you’ll soon be ready to pour the “water” into your chosen container. This product does give off some pretty strong fumes so it’s important to ensure you’re working in a well ventilated space. You’ll also need a safe, ventilated space to leave your project whilst the Deep Pour Water cures for 24 hrs. For further detail, you can add a few drops of the compatible Water Tints. We added a hint of turquoise (and exercised our creative licence as usually it would be the tiles that give that lovely vibrant colour not the water!) to our swimming pool.

Deep Pour Water: Perfect for larger bodies of water such as pools or ponds.

E‑Z Water: Another great option for larger bodies of water.

Deep Pour Water is available as Clear (FT30009) or Murky (FT30010) you can model any aquatic ecosystem, submerge details and go from shallow to deep in just one pour. It dries hard, won't crack, is non shrinking and will not discolour.

E‑Z Water (FT30007) is easy to use and is good for deep, single pours. No measuring or mixing required, just heat and pour to form ponds, streams, rivers and harbours. This non‑toxic, low‑odour product that hardens in minutes and can be reheated to shape ripples, waves, rapids and to remove any scratches

t’s not all that dirty or rotten this issue, unless you choose to throw in some flotsum, jetsum or general detritus, all of which are strongly encouraged!

Shrunk. collaborated with UK‑based modelling supply experts, 4D Models, to bring you some of their product recommendations for your next aquatic project! If Miss Mini Life’s beach scene (p.12) and Margie’s “Swim” sculpture (p.56) have got you wanting to make a mini splash of your own then look no further!

We used Deep Pour Water Clear to create our very own Summer Swimming pool. The Deep Pour Murky would be brilliant for creating a more derelict abandoned looking scene or a perhaps a swamp! If you don’t have much prior experience using epoxy resin materials this kit is a great starter product. The instructions are 52

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E‑Z Water would be a great alternative to the Deep Pour Water if your workspace is limited and you’re not able to properly ventilate or distance yourself from the project as it cures. E‑Z Water cures in a fraction of the time and gives brilliantly realistic results.

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Dirty Rotten Doll’s Houses 4D Models

Scenic Water: Perfect for using with smaller items such as sinks, bath tubs and glasses

Working in micro‑scales and want quick results without the fuss of working with fluid materials?

Scenic Water is ideal for use in closed containers such as sinks, glass jars or small ponds and is very easy to use. Place the open container in a bowl of hot water (60˚C) and let it melt, then pour directly from the pot. Scenic Water can be re‑melted and is water soluble so can be washed away.

Try the Heki water effect plastic sheet, modelled beautifully here by Sharky, sheet size 350 x 800mm. Produced to imitate lakes at 1:76/87.

Scenic Water by Deluxe is so versatile and a firm favourite with the Shrunk. team. With no fumes and easy‑to‑store and reuse formats, it's perfect for adding realism to those smaller items. Worth noting that Scenic Water does not dry totally solid, it takes on more of a firm jelly consistency. The colour of the base product can have a very slight yellow tinge to it, so worth noting that you may not achieve a crystal clear water effect. It’s perfect for adding colour with tints or water based paint to create a range of mini puddings and other food or drink effects.

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The water effect in the shark model was created by layering green felt and aqua illusion film under the water effect plastic. Want to learn more about scenic water effects? Head to www.modelshop.co.uk for a wealth of information and product guides to help you sail through your next mini make.

Follow 4D Models on Instagram: @4d_modelshop Website: www.modelshop.co.uk

Opposite page: Swimming pool using Deep Pour Clear Water This page: Scenic water used in miniature science scene. Bottom left — Example of E‑Z Water in action Bottom right — Shark models Heiki effect plastic sheet

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Swim: Dive into the tiny and impossibly cool world of artist Margie Criner Images by Margie Criner Words by Kat Picot

first glance “Swim” a multimedia sculpture and diorama, identifies it as an object of curiosity. A hand‑crafted cube, a pleasing combination of real hardwood with flashes of bright aqua blue running through an exterior panel, wrap seamlessly around the cube structure. A rounded port hole is set into one side. The viewer is drawn in, stooping down to peer through at the mind‑bogglingly small 1:87 scale world sealed inside.

The artist, Margie Criner, says: ‘It’s like I’m kind of inviting people to play along with me by making them lean down and lean in [to the sculpture]. It’s fun to watch people do it. It’s really humbling. I feel really honoured by that, 56

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that people are willing to participate and I love that it’s a one‑on‑one thing so only one person can look at a time. I like that intimacy, it’s just you and the art and that’s it’.

the fence around the pool. Margie describes that there was also a miniature golf area around the back of the pool which inspired the covering on the roof.

This beautiful, curious‑looking structure offers a peephole into a personal bubble of nostalgia. An intricately detailed swimming pool scene, itself a reincarnation of the local community pool that Margie visited as a child.

Prior to creating art with miniatures Margie, a practicing artist, studied Textile Design. The majority of her work was textile based as well as some woodwork, both with an emphasis on functional art pieces. One of those pieces arose from a little discovery in her garden when husband, and fellow artist, David Criner, dug up a little plastic dinosaur figure. Margie was immediately inspired, cutting off the little dino’s head and mounting it like a tiny trophy to become a fun but functional magnet. This was the beginning of miniature

The exterior design is an abstraction of a few elements of the original pool and the “terrible” food court that a young Margie couldn’t wait to spend her dollar at! Describing it as a loose interpretation of a scrolling screen that pulled over the little food court window, and

Feature Swim art for Margie as she proceeded to make many more magnets that quickly evolved into dioramas and became more detailed. Eventually making more and more of these miniatures, Margie ceased making her functional textile pieces. She says: ‘I threw it all to the wind and went completely impractical and went “That’s what I’m supposed to be doing!” You know, for so long I tried to make it [art] a practical thing and then as soon as I let go of that it felt like *angels singing*, the sea opened and I felt like that’s working. This is it’. Retro cool and a healthy dose of 1980’s aesthetic inform much of Margie’s miniature work. Forming one half of the Itty Bitty Mini (M) art alongside fellow artist and friend, Brian Schuth, the duo create fine, fun miniatures. Not limiting themselves to one particular scale, their mini wares appear in 1:12, 1:6 and intricately small N scale and some others for good measure. Often working in real hardwood, usually walnut or maple, Itty Bitty Mini (M)art pieces are now easily recognisable. Sharing a studio space with two guitar makers turned out to be a match made in mini heaven resulting in a constant supply of beautiful hardwood offcuts that could have otherwise gone to waste. Margies says: ‘We were this nice ecosystem. Everyday I would come into the studio to this present of a little pile of hardwood for me!’. Crediting her appreciation of woodworking, in part, to growing up surrounded by Walnut 60s and 70s era furniture, which adds to her enjoyment of

seeing a real wood grain running through a miniature piece, carrying through beautifully to inspire many of Itty Bitty Mini (M)art’s miniatures. Swim, the sculpture, has been exhibited twice so far, initially at a Chicago museum just prior to the first Covid‑19 lockdown. The tiny pool was housed inside a locker as part of the museum’s installation, with a viewing lens built on the front. When Margie’s work was returned to her due to the museum closure, she decided to go ahead and build the exterior shell. In April of this year, Swim, was exhibited in the Oliva Gallery, Chicago as part of an exhibition of the same name, in partnership with fellow artist and painter, David Criner, Margie’s husband. Masked visitors were invited in, a maximum of 10 people at a time, to enjoy the work making the interaction with the sculpture all the more intimate. Upon bending down to peer through the port‑hole, one visitor exclaimed how much the scene reminded her of the swim club she’d frequented as a child. Overhearing, Margie asked where the woman had grown up, it transpired that she was from the same town, Livonia, Michigan, and was indeed reminiscing about the exact same pool, CB’s swim club. A testament to Margie’s miniature reincarnation. Keep up to date with Margie’s work and the latest from Itty Bitty Mini (M)art at: www.ittybittyminimart.com and on Instagram: @ittybittyminimart Shrunk.

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A n in terview with

AnonyMouse By Lara Chapman

f you explore the streets of the Swedish city of Malmö closely enough you may just stumble upon its miniature underworld. Mysterious and whimsical, these tiny installations evoke childhood memories of much‑loved, rodent characters and the secret worlds they inhabit right under our noses.

Swedish‑based artist collective, AnonyMouse, have been building miniature installations for mice across the city of Malmö since 2016. They use an array of everyday items to create their street art scenes which aim to ‘bring a little bit of everyday magic to children and pedestrians passing by’.

With 25 installations under their belts and more than 171,000 followers on Instagram, what began as a fun whim has captured the imagination of the Swedish and international public. The group of artists remain anonymous(e), saying no more than that they are ‘a loosely connected network of mice and men’. Anonymouse’s work is rooted in a sense of humour and fun. Cheesy puns run through the scenarios they dream up and how they detail them — for example, one installation is a record shop called Ricotta Records, which features tiny albums from Amy Winemouse, The Spice Gerbils and Lady Gouda amongst others — and how they communicate, with emails being signed‑off with “Cheese out!” Shrunk.

Feature An Interview with AnonyMouse

I spoke to them via email (to retain their anony‑mouse‑ity) and found out more about their glorious, tiny and very mice worlds. How did you begin making miniature installations? When we started, we had no idea what we were doing, or how popular the installations would become. The first piece we did as a collective was a little Italian bistro and a nut shop, no one in the group had really worked with miniatures before that. You are inspired by the stories of Walt Disney and Beatrix Potter, could you explain how they have inspired you? When it comes to Beatrix Potter or Astrid Lindgren, it is about expanding on their ideas of small animals living in a parallel world 60

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to ours and reusing the things we lose or throw away. Then, a lot of our stores have been named after mouse‑characters from books and movies. The Italian bistro, for example, was named after Mickey Mouse as he is called in Italian “Topolino” and the detective agency is run by Olivia Flaversham, who is a character in the great mouse detective, and so on. Can you explain your creative process? It starts with us trying to find a space for the installation since the place largely determines what we build — if the cellar window is broad but low, some mini shops fronts work better etc. We look for cellar windows of a specific depth and height, so that narrows the

search down quite a bit, they're not super common but most cities do have them. We also try to find places that are “urban”.

We also try to incorpora te as many human elemen ts as p ossible in to our construc t ions, so we build tables out of ma tchboxes, lamp s of seashells, desks out of rulers and so on.

We start researching façades and such, then we design the basics of the installations and start cutting them. Once we’ve made the box and the facade to size, we sneak out in the middle of the night to try it, just to see if there’s anything that needs adjusting. Once everything is nicely fitting, we continue with printing wallpapers and building furniture and so on. Lastly, we install lights in them and, again, sneak out somewhere between midnight and 6AM to install. Is there a tradition of mini street art in Sweden? Not at all, we believe that we came up with this particular angle of street art, but we may be wrong! We do have quite a few copy “cats” though, but we encourage everyone to express themselves creatively so we're not complaining! What materials do you work with? All of them! We use wood, plastic, metal, glass, lots! We also try to incorporate as many human elements as possible into our constructions, so we build tables out of matchboxes, lamps of seashells, desks out of rulers and so on. We're always looking at objects and considering what they could be used for if you were a mouse. What are the challenges of working in a tiny scale? Since our work is public, the main challenge is durability. Our second piece, an amusement park, literally got played to bits. The same issue

goes for windows — if you have thousands of children poking at a tiny window in –0 degrees with rain and snow, things eventually break. Do you have a favourite scene that you have made? We usually like the latest one the best, as we are always learning new things, but a few highlights over the years have been the blinking neon sign at the record store “Ricotta Records”; the detective agency, because that one included a treasure hunt of sorts for the viewer — on the first location there was a poster with an email address if you emailed it you got an auto‑response with a newspaper article describing a crime, in the article there was an address, if you went there you came to a new installation and a wanted poster with a telephone number if you called the number you got an answering machine that directed you to a third location and so on; the fondue‑soup kitchen in an old trash can was quite fun; and, Hotel Stilton in an electrical cabinet was also a bit unusual. How have people responded to the installations? Originally we didn't think anyone would notice them, or maybe that a few pedestrians would find it cute, but quite instantly it became a huge success in our home town, and then it went viral for a bit. We've currently been featured in newspapers in over 40 countries, that's wild for something we just do for fun.

Why do you think people enjoy your work so much? We think that a lot of people have fond memories of those previously mentioned influences and that it has continued with movies like Ratatouille. Perhaps they also appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into the construction. You never give away the precise locations of your work and you remain anonymous. Why is this sense of mystery important to you? Well, first and foremost, our installations are aimed at children, so we like them to think that they're actually made by mice. We also like that as long as our identities stay hidden, each visitor can project themselves onto the piece, giving it a sense of familiarity. What have you learnt in the five years that you have been making tiny mouse houses? We've learnt a whole lot about glue! But also that people can find joy in the most unexpected things. We've learned that it’s more important to do what feels fun to us, rather than to strictly stick to a scale or a specific notion of how things need to be.

Follow AnonyMouse on Instagram: @anonymouse_mmx All images property of AnonyMouse

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Issue Three Suppliers

Spotted something you love? Here are all the retailers featured inside the issue.

4D Model Shop www.modelshop.co.uk

IMoMA — International Market of Miniature Artists www.imomalv.com/

Astrid Wilk Studio www.etsy.com/shop/AstridWilkStudio

Itty Bitty Mini Mart www.ittybittyminimart.com/

Black Girl Dollshouse Club www.blackgirldollshouseclub.com/

London Doll’s House Showcase www.dollshouseshowcase.com

Big House Mini House www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BighouseMiniHouse

Philadelphia Miniaturia www.philadelphiaminiaturia.com

Handley House www.handleyhouse.com

Tiny Universe Miniatures www.tinyuniverseminis.com

And of course, we couldn’t forget the mini mag! Tag us so we can see yours #myminishrunk

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ON VIEW MAY 8–SEPT 26

The Fisher Dollhouse: A Venetian Palazzo in Miniature Explore ten rooms filled with an eclectic range of historical and contemporary craft, art, and design rendered in miniature. 2 C O L U M B U S C I R C L E , N YC | M A D M U S E U M . O R G

The Fisher Dollhouse: A Venetian Palazzo in Miniature was curated by Caroline Hannah. This exhibition is made possible through Joanna Fisher’s support and efforts. Photos: Jenna Bascom

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