The Beginning - DM Lantern

I made this lighted lantern  for a friend for Christmas 2022.  I’m not totally sure where the idea came from - I must have seen miniatures inside a lantern somewhere.  So,  I’m definitely not claiming it as my original idea, but I loved putting my own spin on it.  I like to personalize my creations by adding photos of loved ones and other items unique to them.  Personalizing the creations is my favourite part.  Some of the items in this lantern are handmade, but a lot is purchased as well.  The fireplace is made from wood, cardboard, drywall plaster, and a bit of paint.  The tractor on the mantel is a charm that has been painted to make it look like it's a John Deere.  I think the mini house on the mantel was made by mom.  It's hard to tell if some of her creations are handmade, as they are perfect and often look mass produced.  I know the purse hanging on the chair is handmade as well.   I am so much better at making things now, so it's hard to look back at this.  It makes me want to ask for it back so that it can be redone.

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The Next Year - Sherry's Gift

I love looking around thrift stores and finding things I can turn into something new.  I'd much rather refurbish something discarded than work with new items - turning trash into treasures!  When I came across this old photo‑album box, it instantly felt like it wanted to become a little room box or diorama.  I pulled the albums out, added mini wallpaper to the walls, and used printed wood for the floor. I tried to make it as personal as I could for my co‑worker and friend.

Like the lantern above, what makes this box special to me is that a few of the tiny items inside were made by my mom before she passed away.   I know she made the little pink purse sitting on the cupboard, among other things.  So even though she’s gone, it feels like we created this together.

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The Top - Sherry's Gift

The poem about Christmas in Heaven on the top of the box really shaped what it became.  What started as a simple little project turned into a memory box, something gentle and meaningful, not just another Christmas decoration. It’s funny, because I’m not religious and Christmas has never really been my thing, but I can still feel how special that saying is.  Since it was a gift, I wanted it to feel warm and comforting, like a small, safe place to hold memories of someone they miss.

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Another View of Sherry's Gift

This is another, closer view of Sherry’s gift. I really packed this one with a lot of little details. Since then, I’ve learned so much more, including which glue not to use. I’m always picking up new tricks and tips, and honestly, I wish I could go back and fix some of my older projects. Hot‑glue guns have their place, but they’re definitely not great for minis. The glue ends up bulky, and it doesn’t hold as well as you’d think.  Gluing has definitely been my weakness.  Pretty much every item of clothing I own has dried glue on it somewhere, and I just can't seem to avoid being sloppy with it.  I am trying to figure out ways to improve on that. 

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The Next Year - Christine's Gift

I knew Christine loved the gifts I’d made for others, and there was no way I could leave her out.  I used a vintage photo box for hers as well.  I work closely with Christine every day, so I know her pretty well.   I know how much she misses her mom, and I know she used to dance, so I added little touches to reflect that.  When I look at these pictures now, I see so many things I'd like to change, such scuffing up that white chair.  I think the chair is a little too perfect and needs some of the paint to be worn off. 

When I gave it to her, she actually cried. That meant a lot to me.  Personalizing these pieces is my favourite part, and moments like that remind me why I love making them.

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Grandma's House - Before the Kids

This is a neat and tidy room, much like my Nana's house would look before any kids showed up to make a mess.  I'm not a photographer, so you can't tell that I painted the fabric of this chair to look like leather.  I'm happy with how it turned out.  I added a pipe cleaner bear, because every grandma should have a teddy.  I like this simple, little room.  

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Grandma's House - After the Kids

After the kids show up at Grandma's house, it looks a bit more chaotic.  This one is far from finished, but I posted it to show the contrast between the two.  

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December

I found three little "bird cages" in a thrift store and decided to use them for little diorama's.  Not much to say about this one, but it is cute nonetheless.

$Make me an Offer

December

Another December-themed "lantern"

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I Did it - I Made one for Easter

I tried hard and got away from making things for Christmas.  This little "bird cage" is Easter themed. The little bunny with the buck teeth, at the front is made from pipe cleaners.  I am happy to personalize any of these creations.  

$Your Guess is as Good as Mine

 Easter - Full Image

$Your Guess is as Good as Mine

My Nightmare Before Christmas Tree

I had a white Christmas tree and some Jack Skellington beads, and this image popped into my head.   It's nothing difficult, but nobody else has one!  

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Pipe Cleaner Teddy Bears
Have I Lost My Freakin Mind?

Just before Christmas 2025, I stumbled onto a YouTube video where someone made a teddy bear out of two pipe cleaners, two beads, and a piece of thread. Naturally, my brain said, “Yes. This is my entire personality now.”  And it really was.  I became obsessed.  O B S E S S E D! If you asked me to do something around Christmastime, and I said I was busy - trust me, I was busy!  

The Youtube video teaching me how to make these bears was in Japanese, and I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I watched it about 47 times, pausing, rewinding, and squinting at the screen.  Somehow, I still ended up making around 100 tiny bears.

I handed most of them out as Christmas gifts. I do feel a little bad for the people who got the early versions.  Those bears had… character.  But as you can see from the picture below, I’m finally getting the hang of it, and honestly, I adore every single one of these little guys.  They all tell me their names as soon as they are finished.   I was so excited about making these little creatures that I said to my family, "If I achieve nothing else in my life now, I'll be okay."  

OMG - SO CUTE!  HE USED TO BE TWO PIPE CLEANERS!

Nobody's Place #1

I always wanted to live in a house with a brick wall, so I made one, in miniature of course.  This lantern has yet to be personalized, and it's sitting in a box without any love, so if you'd like me to personalize it for you, please let me know.  I'm not very happy with how it looks at the moment, but it can be improved. I didn't make this chair, but I did paint it with chalk paint.  I wasn't sure how it would work, but I like it much more than the original.  My mom made the little Christmas log on the shelf, and I found the little reindeer.  I thought he'd look better painted silver, and I ended up painting my hand to resemble the Tin Man's. 

$Let's Customize and Figure this Out

Halloween Lantern

I started this lantern years ago, and I never finished it.  It has many handmade items, and a few store bought.   I should put some effort into finishing this, but I lost interest for now. 

$Make me an Offer

I Guess Being Weird Isn't New - Old Randoms