The Value of Building and Collecting

 Dollhouse Miniatures during the Pandemic

As more families are looking for activities that everyone, regardless of age or ability, can share together, dollhouse crafting and collecting is seeing a rise in popularity. This is a hobby that takes a little imagination and basic craft items. From a simple cardboard box to an elaborate Victorian dollhouse kit, a miniature project can be the perfect family sharing project.

Dollhouses and Miniatures have endless possibilities for educational learning experiences for all age levels. Projects are the ideal outlet to make learning fun and exciting. Dollhouses and dioramas are wonderful tools to let children express what they are feeling.

Art and Expression

Using a box:

*Have a family DIY decorating challenge much like the HGTV type competitions. Dig out the art supplies and old gift wrap! Use paints, pastas, ribbons, old jewelry anything they can scavenge! Use a cardboard box to design a room!

*Make a memory box with trinkets, collage words and snippets of fabrics cut from old clothes. Add some treasures such as family photos.

*Fairy Gardens! So popular right now. Do a dish garden or Fairy Door.

Math Skills

Learning scale is a great way working on size, decimals, fractions and more! Use our Scale Converter Chart to help explain. Measure household items and convert to scale size.

While working on projects use the adage 'measure twice, cut once' to teach a successful outcome.

History and Geography

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Discuss historic time periods and decorating when choosing a dollhouse project or diorama setting. This is a great way to talk about what families would have during a particular time such as inventions. Talk about how history and popularity influenced style of houses and furniture. Furniture styles and art have always been influenced by worldwide artists. The Victorian period with its roots in England; the Parisian, Spanish and Asian influences abound in American history.

Science, yes Science!

Electricity! A 12V wiring project is the perfect way for students to understand electricity. Use our simply written Guide to Basic Wiring. Even using a board to run a basic circuit is a valuable learning experience.

Literature and Reading

We all can think of many stories that reference the fascination with small, such as Gulliver's Travels. There are many wonderful stories for today's children from Preschool to High school that use dollhouse miniatures as the theme. I have put together a short list for you. There are so many other good ones too! Do a quick search and I am sure you will find a great choice for your child to read alone or read together with you.

Book List (if you have difficulty opening this, drop me an email and I will send it to you! info@justminiaturescale.com)

Thank You

Please reach out if you have any questions, need help with a project, or help with searching for something. We encourage you to visit our Facebook page for some interesting stories and posts over the years on dollhouse miniatures.

www.justminiaturescale.com  

NEW Minis!

We added some NEW MINIS today!  Traditional furniture, DIY unfinished furniture, and Accessories!  Take some time to do a 'little' shopping today!  www.justminiaturescale.com

June Weddings

I am sliding in this post in honor of June weddings a 'little' late! MINI weddings that is! I am a true believer that miniatures are created out of the passion of memories. What can elicit stronger memories than weddings?
Monique Lhuillier, famed fashion designer of exquisite wedding gowns, designed a replica of her New York flagship boutique for the 2013 Designer Dollhouse Showcase at the Kaleidoscope Ball that helped to raise almost $1.8 million for UCLA Mattel Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute. Spanning three floors, the townhouse offers the bridal collection on the entire ground floor, the ready-to-wear collection on the second and the VIP custom area on the third floor. Iridescent paintings by Nancy Lorenz and custom mirrors and tables add just a hint of sparkle, while the two commissioned pieces by New York sculptor Silas Seandel are truly one-of-a-kind. Taking cues from the original structure, Lhuillier created a sophisticated environment in the world of grey, using luxurious fabrics, furnishings and art to showcase the true stars in the boutique, her signature gowns and collections. The dollhouse includes grey suede walls, recreations of the Monique Lhuillier Waterford chandeliers, inspired by the delicate bead work of Monique’s signature gowns, and organic hammered stainless steel cabinets, made especially for the bridal salon.
So I am ending the month of June with this tribute to MINI weddings; perhaps with a new project? Say Yes to the MINI Dress with a creation of your own! Stop by the site today to do a 'little' shopping!     www.justminiaturescale.com

Happy MINI Mother's Day!

Happy MINI Mother's Day! This is a very important day on my MINI calendar-you see, it was my Mum that introduced me to miniatures. I am the youngest of 5; she jokingly told me as an adult that she kept trying until she had one artistic child! We all have our talents, don't misunderstand me, music, math, sports, etc....but, I was the one that got loaded with her art and craft genes. Many of you may know her from her days of teaching school. While others may remember her teaching children the art of miniatures at my shop.
As I have said before, I am a huge fan of the long standing Chrysnbon Miniature line. Along with typical reasons that the products are beautiful, affordable and great to scale, I love the line because my Mum finally achieved the honor of being published for her miniature work in Chrysnbon Cut-ups, Vol. 2. It was the year my dad passed. It was such a happy moment to divert her from her sadness. If you have the book, you will see her beautiful face and creative project on page 33. She would have so enjoyed this whole Facebook thing and connecting with miniaturists from around the world. In her last years she was teaching herself to use a laptop so she could email her many grandchildren and look up mini ideas!
Again, Happy Mother's Day MINI Style! And thanks Mum if you can hear me: I always remember you saying for me to balance my talent with good business and I will be happy every day doing what I love to do! And thank you to all of you for supporting my business to add to my happiness! ~judy

MINI Changes and Some Fun!

I have spent the past 2 months making changes to my website!  I took a step back and viewed it as a shopper.  I added new MINIS and I am relentless on the chore of adding as much product info and good pictures as I can get my hands on!  Now back to a 'little' fun.  I miss the writing aspect of my online presence.  I don't have more than a minute this morning but here is a fun tidbit:

A 'little' fun today (and I dare 'ya not to get this song in your head!). Did you ever notice the Real Good Toys Dollhouses' Vermont Farmhouse in Meghan Trainor's 'All About That Bass' music video? Always fun to see our wonderful MINI world pop up in the real world !  Have a MINItastic Day!

Compare MINIS please!

I haven't posted in awhile.  It seems my Blog posts always get put on the back burner in relation to all of the other duties of my store and product line. (and I am not quite sure what all the picture changing means on Blogspot) I feel compelled to reach out today.

I want to take a minute and wear my shop owner hat this morning. I consider myself a well educated miniaturist and business person. It is important to me to step back sometimes and study the miniature retail world on venues such as websites, Amazon, Ebay, etc. I am not making reference to individual, handcrafted miniatures such as Etsy. I spent the morning comparing trends, looking at traffic numbers, popular products, and other statistics online this morning. I encourage you to know whom you are buying your miniatures and supplies. It is not necessarily the big box top sites that have the best pricing, shipping and service. For example, I and other reputable miniature retailers carry this sled for anywhere from $1.90-2.99: http://www.justminiaturescale.com/Red-Flyer-Sled-P1899.aspx
I will not give you the links to these other examples because this is not intended to get into any online arguments-but, this same item is on Ebay & Amazon for as much as $27.25 plus shipping. It pops up first because those venues are usually based on the person who pays the most gets listed first. I am not saying they are wrong; I am saying to you just don't assume! It does not have to be me ( :) although I would appreciate it), but please buy your miniatures and supplies from businesses following fair practices. Give your star ratings on Social Media sites and Google to products and websites. Do not let false paid ratings get ahead of those of us that really know the miniature world. I like answering questions, providing product information and even being honest when I know you can find something some place else if I cannot get or be competitive.

So be wary friends.  In everyone's haste to get things they want we all, including myself, don't pause and consider the big 'little' picture!  Stop by the site today if you want some MINIS and supplies!

Cutting Miniature Molding

Here is a quick tip for cutting molding.  www.justminiaturescale.com