Below you can view more photos of some of the San Diego Miniature Crafters’ projects. Click on images to enlarge.
Miniature Dollhouses and Rooms
The Queen’s Croquet Game
Sheila’s other Alice in Wonderland scene is called, “The Queen’s Croquet Game.” In the croquet scene, Humpty Dumpty was added because it seemed appropriate for him to sit on the wall looking down on the croquet match. He was made from a wooden egg and Sculpey. The Cheshire Cat was also included in the tree, as he is such a vital part of the Alice story. The Queen of Hearts’ dress was hand painted, and based on playing card designs.
Paddlewheel Boats
In this photo, the laser cut wooden sheets are shown unassembled, along with the rest of an unfinished kit. The boats were built from a kit offered at the 2014 National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts convention. While many miniaturists start with a kit, it’s common for the kit to be personalized and customized until no two are alike. Jackie moved the paddlewheel on her model, and added a pilothouse to go with some other extra details.
Florida House
Glue is used sparingly in the construction of miniature homes, so as not to take up too much space. The tiny walls and pieces must fit together exactly. Jackie Hoefert has clearly mastered these techniques with her Florida House.
Les Chocolats
Debi Cerone’s miniature desserts are as decadent as the surrounding decor. The china plates on the table are Stokesay Ware Georgian Key. They are a limited edition, and cost as much as full-size china plates. Who wouldn’t want a seat at this table?
Swing on the Beach
Jackie Hoefert built her, “Swing on the Beach” miniature at a scale of 1/4”:1’. Originally a Suzanne and Andrews design, this coastal home features a unique metal roof and stucco interior.
Swing on the Beach
The texture of miniature stucco can be a challenge. A variety of mediums can be used, including joint compound. The trick is to apply the medium with a small putty knife or dental tool, as if a miniature plasterer was working on the building.
Bones and Booty
This 1/12 scale piece built by Debi Cerone is titled, “Bones and Booty.” The miniature was made as part of a “State Day” project. This is a workshop hosted by miniaturists, where attendees are given all the components for a project that they will create over the course of a day.
Bones and Booty
Months of planning and preparation go into a State Day. These events are held throughout the country by different NAME clubs. This pirate themed project was a bushel basket with paper mache forming the interior structure.
Bones and Booty
Debi scratch-built everything in this project, and noted that it was a great use of leftover bits from the craft room stash.
Bones and Booty
This close-up reveals a literal treasure trove of detail in Debi’s miniature display.
5.6 House
Peggy Boggeln completed this unique piece in 2012. She had a box and no plan for it, until 2:30 AM one night, when she realized that it needed an earthquake. Peggy made the floors wave as if they were moving in an earthquake, while some minor damage occurs in the rooms. The miniature home is titled simply, “5.6”.
5.6 House
This miniature was built at a scale of 1/2”:1’. After researching the amount of damage that might occur depending on the Richter Scale, Peggy decided to make it a 5.6 quake, hence the name. (The seismic chart below the room does not necessarily represent a real 5.6 quake, but you get the idea.)
Tuscan Pizza Kitchen
Jackie Hoefert’s miniature “Tuscan Pizza Kitchen” was built at 1/4”:1’ scale. She used a variety of sculpting clay and dried florals, so this kitchen is well stocked with pizza ingredients—from peppers to garlic. Chalk dust creates a smoky shadow on the aged paper bricks. Flat glue is used to adhere paper in miniatures, so that the paper doesn’t wrinkle. This pizza chef is a one-of-a-kind figure made by doll artist Gayle Clauson.
Fishing Shack
Jeannie Jesse’s miniature, “Fishing Shack” was built at 1/12 scale. Remembering her family’s connection to the early San Diego fishing industry, Jeannie scratch-built this shack and its contents. Each miniature item holds a special memory of a person and moment.
Fishing Shack
Jeannie is a Point Loma native, and her history is captured in this miniature scene. From a tiny roll of duct tape to her husband’s favorite lunch on the boat, everything is captured here.
Fishing Shack
Notice the realistic touches, like the tiny crabs in a bucket, or the fish on newspaper waiting to be cooked. If you look closely, you can even find a tiny mouse hiding in the Fishing Shack.
Sea Shanty
Jeannie Napolitano built this miniature, “Sea Shanty” at a scale of 1/4”:1’.
Sea Shanty
This clever seaside home uses aluminum foil to create the ocean waves. The foil was carefully painted with watery blues and foamy white.
Sea Shanty
Working in such small scales, miniaturists often use a variety of jigs to keep things true while building, including lego blocks.
Sea Shanty
Jeannie Napolitano’s miniature Sea Shanty is replete with fine details.
Italian Bakery
The walls of Julia Tollafield’s Italian Bakery were made from purchased tiling. The room is lit using battery operated LED lights. All of Julia’s miniatures hark back to memories from the past, and they sit in vintage or antique containers.
Italian Bakery
Julia used polymer clay for the breads, pastries, and cakes. She also made the shelves and baskets to display them. The flooring was also made with polymer clay.
Bakery
This tiny bakery was made by Nell Corkin, and now resides in the collection of Jackie Hoefert. It was built at a micro scale, under glass, on a toy chair. Tucked into the miniature dome is a little bakery, complete with individually handmade baked goods. The cake stands, table, and chairs are laser cut wood pieces. The baker’s rack is delicately laser cut metal. This miniature is almost too small to be seen, but it can’t be overlooked.
Sweet P’s Licks & Bites
In 2012, Peggy Boggeln completed this 1/4”:1’ scale shop called, “Sweet P’s Licks & Bites.” The miniature shop was left “under construction” to allow inside viewing from the front. The model houses two Debby Young kits, one for the ice cream shop (Licks), and the other for the bakery (Bites). The structure was scratch built.
Decisions, Decisions
This miniature, titled, “Decisions, Decisions” was built by Debi Cerone. The 1/2”:1’ scale miniature was made from a Lisa Engler kit. Debi built and stained the cabinet. All candy wrappers were cut out, assembled, and either painted or foil covered.
Decisions, Decisions
Debi wallpapered the room, tiled the floor, and added lighting. This was part of a club project where each person took a different stand-alone piece to be highlighted in a shadow box.
Candy Counter
Jackie Hoefert’s “Candy Counter” was built at 1/4”:1’ scale. Jackie handmade every sweet treat in this candy display while at Guild School in Castine, Maine. Hosted annually by the International Guild of Miniature Artisans, the fine art of making miniatures is taught to a handful of students. The candy samples at the counter were each carefully crafted. The twisted suckers were hand shaped with brush bristle sticks, and Jackie learned about mold making to create the chocolate. She used the tiniest icing tubes to pipe details onto the cakes.
Tea Room and Bakery
Each pastry in Jeannie Napolitano’s bakery was handmade by various American and English artisans. The entire scene was created from Jeannie’s imagination, with an eye toward fine workmanship.
Corner Tables
Peggy Boggeln’s 1/12 scale miniature, “Corner Tables” depicts an interesting breakfast scene. It shows the Katz after breakfast, and the cats after breakfast, each in their own corner tables.
Corner Tables
The seating areas are from 2014 NAME Day kits, but the rest of the story is from Peggy’s imagination.
Remembering Daddy’s Office
Another 1/12 scale model made by Peggy is titled, “Remembering Daddy’s Office.” Completed in 2013, this piece was inspired by the pipe stand on the desk, which brought back a flood memories for Peggy. The office is in Cincinnati—the window looks out on snow covered trees with cardinals.
Remembering Daddy’s Office
Peggy noted, “The Davidson crest is on the desk, and the Air Force emblem is on the wall. Daddy’s silent butler is ready for his jacket. He was a certified financial analyst, and once owned a houseboat for traveling on the Ohio River. One shelf in daddy’s office had the encyclopedias that were common in every home in the 1960’s.”
Who Let the Dogs In?
This 1/12 scale miniature room by Debi Cerone is called, “Who Let the Dogs In?” The piece was part of a club project where all members had to make a library scene. Debi built the wall cabinets, tiled the floor, wallpapered, and did the molding and trim work. All the book covers were shrunk and copied at 1/12 scale, then wrapped around wooden pieces. Debi always has an animal in her projects, but somehow one dog turned into seven—all behaving badly.
A Place for Picture Storybooks
Leslie Hopwood built the shelving unit from basswood with a gold-leafed mantle. On the mantle is a framed photo of her daughters. Carefully made books include her children’s favorites, along with her husband’s published book in miniature on the side table.
Bluette Meloney Library
Another 1/12 scale miniature from the collection of Michael Sue Nanos, this one is called, “Bluette Meloney Library.” Artist Bluette Meloney revolutionized a new era in miniature artistry with her techniques in painted faux finishes.
Bluette Meloney Library
Every fixed surface in this miniature library was hand painted.
Ladies Parlor Chair and Hall Tree With Safe
This 1/12 scale Ladies Parlor Chair and Hall Tree with Safe are part of Michael Sue Nanos’ collection. These are also steampunk inventions made from found objects. Note the complicated mechanism used to fan the person sitting in the parlor chair, and the goggles next to the hall tree chair.
People Mover
A rear view of the 1/12 scale miniature, “People Mover.”
Scale Hutches
The San Diego Miniature Crafters make wooden kits for these hutches in three different scales. Furniture kits are available in several different scales.
Scale Bookcases
Like the hutch kits, SDMC also offers wooden kits for these bookcases in three different scales.