Mad About Miniatures

The Town That Fell In Love With Miniatures

The first Annual Festival of Miniatures is underway in Brattleboro, Vermont, for the entire month of December. There are over 80 miniature window displays and a slew of activities in downtown Brattleboro.  I was invited to be a judge for the festival and was privileged to see how minis transformed downtown - bringing visitors, raising spirits, and causing a whole town to fall in love with miniatures! Join me as I talk to miniaturist Melany Kahn who spearheaded this festival with a lot of help from the Downtown Brattleboro Association and others. We talk about some of the amazing minis that came out of this festival, and how you could replicate this in your town! 

The Luxe Life - In Mini, with Jonathan Steadman

Join me as I talk to miniaturist Jonathan Steadman about his line of handcrafted miniatures in the luxury Christmas shopping room at Bergdorf Goodman. That includes a $35,000 dollhouse, which is spectacular!  He also was a vendor at Kensington Dollhouse Show where he won Best Debut. Jonathan  is on Instagram at House of Mirth Miniatures and host Becky Gannon is at Mad About Miniatures.

Small & Spooky

Join me as I talk to Crystal Cox about her business selling "spooky cute" and tiny things. Halloween has long been Crystal's favorite holiday  - she even got married in an abandoned building lit with candelabras on Halloween (Dracula vibes, anyone). We also get serious for a moment and talk about an artist's worst fear, which is someone stealing their work. Crystal talks about her experience and how you can educate yourself to get what you deserve.  Crystal is on Instagram @spookshowbabe and I'm  Becky Gannon on Instagram as @madaboutminiatures. 

Why We Love Tiny Things!

Do you ever feel guilty about the time & money you put into miniatures? Well, no more! I talk with Dr. Dalia Iskander, a medical anthropologist at the University College of London about her recent study of miniaturists. We talk about why we are driven to create miniatures, the pleasure and benefits we derive from them, and why we love tiny things! 

Host Becky Gannon is on Instagram @madaboutminiatures. For more on Dr. Iskander's  study go to miniatureantidotes.com.

Miniatures From The Amazon Rainforest!

Join me as I talk to Niki Faller about her work with indigenous artists in the Amazon rainforest. She is coaching them to make miniatures of their traditional arts (basket weaving, carving, tapestries, etc.) thereby opening up a new market for these talented artisans. The journey hasn't been easy as many of the communities are isolated and building relationships and trust take time.  But, now in year three of this project, Niki has made great strides. We talk about her adventures, the beautiful miniatures being made in the rainforest, and the artists who make them. 

Niki is on Instagram @bigriverminiatures and host Becky Gannon is @madaboutminiatures. 

Small & Stylish!

Casey started her career in fashion designing handbags and now she's designing mini totes, handbags, and other fun mini accessories that make your dollhouse feel like a real home.  She's especially known for her tiny "ugly shoes", miniature versions of Crocs, Uggs, Birkenstocks, and more!  Join us as we talk about all things mini.

Casey is on Instagram @smallishminiatures and host Becky Gannon is @madaboutminiatures. 

"Small Talk" with Mulvany and Rogers!

Master Miniaturists Kevin Mulvany & Susie Rogers are an English husband and wife team. They create magnificent miniature palaces and historic mansions that are displayed in miniature museums and private collections all over the world.  They are known for their incredible precision and accuracy in recreating historical architecture, as well as their ability to create a sense of life and beauty in their miniature buildings. 

Mulvany & Rogers talk about their start in miniatures right out of university, their favorite projects, the key to working successfully with your spouse (spoiler alert - it's separate workrooms!), techniques, processes and much more. Enjoy this fun and lively conversation with the world renowned duo. 

Kevin Mulvany & Susie Rogers are on Instagram @mulvanyandrogers, and host Becky Gannon is @madaboutminiatures on Instagram. 

The Library of Lost Dollhouses!

Miniaturist and successful author Elise Hooper has written a fascinating book about secrets hidden in miniatures and what happens when they are discovered.  Elise and I talk about the book, The Library of Lost Dollhouses, and how she was inspired to get back into miniatures by renovating her family dollhouse as part of her research for the book. 

Elise Hooper is on Instagram @elisehooper and host Becky Gannon is on Instagram @madaboutminiatures. 

Family Heirloom Gets New Life!

Kia is rescuing the 111 year old dollhouse made by her great great grandfather and passed down and played with for several generations. Besides scraping away paper and mildew, she has big plans for new ways for it to reflect her family history, including making furniture out of the family tartan, and turning old hand painted wallpaper scraps into art for the dollhouse walls.  

Kia is on Instagram @windyhillwhimsy, and host Becky Gannon is @madaboutminiatures. 

Marina's Modern Miniatures

Marina's love for interior design shines through in her modern minis! And she's gotten a chance to make dollhouses for some high profile people including pop star Meghan Trainor, and the Bucket List Family! Join us as we chat all about her miniature journey.  Marina is on Instagram @deck.to.farm.charm and host Becky Gannon is @madaboutminiatures.