Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Miniature Beans: TINY TALKS

This week, Meg joins me for a tiny talk about her love of dollhouse miniatures and interior design. We talk about the custom commission house she’s currently working on, some exciting projects she has coming up, and her Miniature aspirations for the future.

This week Jessica joins me to talk about what inspired her to start creating vintage-style miniatures and her passion for using authentic materials in her work. We also discuss her love of creating and staging spaces.

This is the story of Narcissa Niblack Thorne and her extraordinary Thorne Rooms—miniature masterpieces that continue to captivate museum visitors, historians, artists, and readers nearly a century after they were created. Today we'll explore the woman behind these miniature masterpieces, the artisans who helped bring them to life, the stories hidden within the rooms themselves, and the children's books that introduced them to a new generation of dreamers.

Research for this episode was collected from the Art Institute of Chicago, Miniature Rooms: The Thorne Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago by Fannia Weingartner and Bruce Hatton Boyer, biographical materials on Narcissa Niblack Thorne, and historical resources from the Phoenix Art Museum and Knoxville Museum of Art.

This week Marina joins me for a tiny talk about her passion for designing and styling miniatures, with a special focus on her beautifully crafted miniature kitchen. We also talk about how she first became interested in miniatures and her journey into collecting and creating her own tiny pieces.

This week Cathy joins me for a tiny talk about one of my favorite miniature shows...Philadelphia Miniaturia! As the owner of the Philadelphia Miniaturia today, Cathy shares her journey from the beginning when she was asked to work the registration table by previous owner Pat Bauder in 1990. We also discuss what to expect at the show this coming November 2026, and her personal love for miniatures.

This week Nancy joins me to discuss her journey into the miniature world, specifically making food made from polymer clay. We discuss her involvement in the miniature community from teaching classes both in person and virtually and about miniature exchanges she has hosted with other friends in the community!

This week Kim joins me for a tiny talk about her journey into the world of miniatures, transitioning from a second-grade teacher to a full-time miniaturist. We talk about her passion for recreating her favorite real-life objects in miniature form and how she enjoys crafting pieces that celebrate family memories and meaningful moments from her life.

This week, Lindsay joins me for a tiny talk about her journey creating 3D printed miniatures from initial concept to final piece. We discuss how her skills have evolved over time, the growing popularity of 3D-printed miniatures, and some of the stigma that may surround them.

This week, Deb joins me for a Tiny Talk about the business she and her husband, Matt, have built creating miniatures and specialty wooden signs. We chat about the challenges they've overcome throughout the years, the projects she's currently working on, and the inspiration she's found within the miniature-making community.

This week Shanley joins me to discuss her entry into the Miniature world as a collector and a maker, and the miniature club she is a member of. We also discussed a recent miniature getaway she went on and fun miniature places to visit!

This week, Beth joins us for a Tiny Talk about the NC Museum of Dolls, Toys and Miniatures. Founded in 2012 by Beth and her mother, Susan Lane Morris, the museum was inspired by the life and passion of Beth’s late sister, Amy Morris, an avid collector of dolls and miniatures. Amy passed away just two weeks before her 22nd birthday, but her love for collecting continues to inspire the museum’s mission today. Beth shares the story behind the museum’s founding, its vision for the future, and highlights some of the treasured collections that visitors can explore and enjoy.

This week Chelsea from ChelseaMakes joins me for a Tiny Talk to recap and reminisce about our time at The International Guild of Miniature Artisans IGMA GUILD SCHOOL located in Castine, Maine! Where we both attended as first year students!

This week Heather joins us to discuss how she started making miniature accessories for her childhood dollhouse. Specifically the wrap around porch, which led to her successful business selling 3d printed 1:12 scale appliances, kitchens, and decor.

This week Rachel joins us for a tiny talk about how miniatures can be a creative outlet and a form of self-care. Rachel is the founder of Mic Drop Miniatures, a dollhouse miniature subscription box and creative community for miniature enthusiasts around the world.

This week, Deb shares her passion for making handmade 1/12 scale clothing and discusses how 1/12 scale dolls add inspiration, character and life to miniature worlds.

In the 1940s, Frances Glessner Lee created a series of tiny crime scenes known as the “Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death.” They were designed to train homicide investigators to observe evidence scientifically, carefully, and without bias. Remarkably, they are still used in forensic training today.

Sources:

Primary reporting and historical information for this episode come from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian Magazine, The New Yorker, and research by author Bruce Goldfarb, including public commentary and archival clarification.

This week, Morgan joins us for a Tiny Talk about renovating her childhood dollhouse, a 1979 farmhouse filled with sentimental charm. We also discuss her love of sewing miniature items and how her handmade pillows and blankets add a cozy, personal touch to any miniature space.

This week Emma joins us for a Tiny Talk about how her career as a kitchen and bath designer led into the miniature world. From a college inspired project, her influence in the miniature community continues to grow with an array of realistic and detailed miniatures!

This week Bill and Jaime join us for a Tiny Talk about their journey into miniature making and bringing abandoned and forgotten dollhouses back to life! With Jaime's vision and Bill's years of craftsmanship, this dad and daughter duo bring new life and storytelling to the miniature world of dollhouses.

Thank you for being here. I’m excited to share a little about myself, my hopes for this podcast, and hopefully bring inspiration to your miniature world through conversations with artists and creators who share similar interests! 🤍