I’ve loved miniatures for as long as I can remember—they’re practically entwined with my DNA. In 2012, I launched @dailymini as a way to showcase everything tiny to the world at large, and discovered that I wasn’t alone in my admiration. Minis delight the masses because they’re readily recognizable, universal objects—simply shrunk down, with impossible detail achieved through impeccable craftsmanship. We all speak the language of miniatures: “Well, that’s just unbelievable. And adorable.” Whether you gravitate toward microscopic fake food or unthinkably small pottery, one of the eight shops below is sure to give you a little thrill.
Fatal Potato
Carb lovers, come on down! Fatal Potato founder Leah’s expert handling of clay is evident in her miniature ice cream creations, delectable strands of pint-size pasta, and minuscule kernels of corn. I’m a big fan of her style and was impressed to learn she creates minis in her spare time between industrial design studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. Her ice cream bars are perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth, or for your favorite summer adventure partner.
Mad Missy Minis
For the modern maven in search of bold accents, Mad Missy Minis founder Mel Sebastian’s furniture sets and accessories may be right up your alley. This Australia-based fine artist is known for her sophisticated and contemporary creations in 1:12 scale (a common notation that signifies a one-inch-to-one-foot ratio). Having studied art history for years, I especially love her unique spin on pop art and abstract art miniatures. Peruse the decor in her shop to gain inspiration for your dollhouse—or your regular-sized home.
Van T Potter
My favorite types of miniatures are functional, so it’s no surprise Susan Van T’s on this list: She’s a member of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans recognized for her adept handling of clay. Her wheel-thrown (!) porcelain pottery sculptures can brighten up any tabletop, display shelf, or dollhouse scene. (It’s up to you to decide whether to put a real or fake flower inside.)
Prettymodels
With their clean, uncluttered interiors and whimsically painted facades (detailed to evoke everything from breezy beach cottages to Scandinavian-chic dwellings), these charming model houses from Marina Paredes of Prettymodels manage to inspire wanderlust and the urge to nest all at once. From her studio in Spain, Marina dreams up each sweet scene, then paints the wooden house with vibrant colors and designs. I’m especially drawn to her tiny homes because they’re ready to go: already artfully colored between the lines and deftly decorated with an interior designer’s keen eye.
PiCTOSO
At 1/12 and 1/48 the size of their kid-friendly counterparts, these miniature toy models are most certainly not for children—but will undoubtedly induce a childlike sense of awe in anyone who sees them. Skillfully 3D-printed and carefully hand-painted in the Netherlands by PiCTOSO creator Sander, these plastic marvels mimic wood quite successfully, and would make a great addition to a playful diorama—or even a toy-themed terrarium.
Life of Riley Miniatures
It doesn’t get any more delicate than bobbin lace—in miniature. Fashioned using braiding and twisting techniques, these doilies may be dainty, but they’re by no means fragile. UK-based Suzy Riley’s 1:12 lace accents and other accessories make timeless additions to any dollhouse room (period or otherwise). And if you’re searching for a sweet little something to adorn your workspace, look no further!
Boutique Miniatures
For miniatures collectors with a creative bent, these workshop furnishings from Boutique Miniatures—spinning wheels, drafting desks, easels and more—will surely spark your interest. Turkish designer Fatih Karalar brings more than 20 years of experience to his craft, specializing in fully functional miniatures. That’s right: These mechanisms really twist, turn, bend, and move just like the real things. No small feat, if you ask me.
Shay Aaron
Wearable food miniatures? Don’t mind if we do(nut). Set and costume designer Shay Aaron is a true talent out of Tel Aviv who’s been making minis for years now. His impeccably crafted small-scale work features holiday favorites, comfort food, and bite-size snacks galore. Wear them as earrings, rings, necklace charms, or keychains, or select your favorite hardware-free mini to adorn your desk, dresser, or doorframe.
51 comments
DeUno from DeUno said 3 years ago
Stunning miniatures! I love the train!
TropicalGarden from TropicalGarden said 3 years ago
Lovely selections! I love the furniture sets and accessories:)
Anita T. from EchidnaArtandCards said 3 years ago
Such cute little items! Great selections!
Mary Robertson from MaggiesInn said 3 years ago
How wonderful.... miniatures open a whole new world of play and make believe. This is a wonderful selection!
daily mini said 3 years ago
hugely excited to share such incredible work from these giants in the field of miniatures!
Sujata from TreasuredMemoryLane said 3 years ago
These miniature creations are so cute! Thanks for sharing!
Kashuen Collectibles from Kashuen said 3 years ago
I love miniatures. They are so cute. I just had a tea party with my son with those little tiny tea cups.
renee and gerardo from GTDesigns said 3 years ago
Cutest little art pieces ever!! Love those doilies.... really? ....doilies that small? Amazing list!! TFS!!
Greta Dzy from DzyDzydesign said 3 years ago
love this so much! Very talented artists :)
Vicki A from thriftyvicki said 3 years ago
Neat article. I love Small and Big items. I fell in love with the pizza / pineapple earrings :)
foofoogal54 from GracefulVtgClothing said 3 years ago
How adorable. The bobbin lace items are fantastic as all are.
Fatih KARALAR from BoutiqueMiniatures said 3 years ago
Great selections! Thank you so so much @dailymini. I am glad you like my miniatures.
Tim and Brigita Cornwell from jacobswoodentoys said 3 years ago
Wonderful miniatures! Thanks for sharing.
accentonvintage from accentonvintage said 3 years ago
Adorable creations!
A-M from littletimewasters said 3 years ago
Love the miniature toys and lacework especially, it's all gorgeous of course. I've loved miniatures for years! I don't get the chance to make much mini food any more (small kids will hamper that!) but I still make mini quilts when I get the chance. It's oddly therapeutic.
Angie from LoopedJewelry said 3 years ago
Yeah, I'm a sucker for miniatures too!
Jan Lerum from SandhillHouseVintage said 3 years ago
One of the best Etsy feature guides ... ever. Amazing creativity of makers, wide range of examples, great stuff!
Wirat J. from SkylaBoutique said 3 years ago
Adorable! all types of favourite miniature in 1 article! :)
One Stop Steampunk Shoppe from OneStopSteamShoppe said 3 years ago
These finds are so adorable! : ) Thank you for sharing.
Natalia from HatsAndOtherStories said 3 years ago
Cute little things! I love knitted miniatures too!
Rosita from pillowlink said 3 years ago
Unbelievable things!
Olga Kaplina from KnitteditemsbyOlga said 3 years ago
Stunning miniatures.
R.M Garrett from ArtisticAcrylics said 3 years ago
Talk about talent! The amount of detail these talented creators show on such a small object astounds me to no end. Great article highlighting the work of amazing artists. Thanks for sharing, and happy New Year!!
Charlene Meyers from ImagesOfHawaii said 3 years ago
It is absolutely stunning how incredibly detailed some of these miniatures can be. I am greatly impressed by the craftsmanship, congrats!
Bren from bstudio said 3 years ago
They are all so delightful and the detail on such a small scale is amazing!
Leo Nuvunga from AfricanCraftsCenter said 3 years ago
Wow! You have great imagination and creativity. Congrats!
Elena from BetulaPainting said 3 years ago
Such wonderful selection! Thanks for sharing.
Michael from MHWatercolors said 3 years ago
Amazing detail on such tiny handcrafted items! Very cute and well made. Congrats! Thank you for sharing.
Christine Munroe from GERTRUDEHARRIET said 3 years ago
Love the miniature jewelry from Shay Aaron!
Jasmine Christensen from JazzyLashes said 3 years ago
Love the pizza, amazing detail. So cute!!
Rada Danilovic from RadArtaDesign said 3 years ago
Awsome miniatures... I love this art!
FatGeisha from FatGeishaShop said 3 years ago
Amazing, absolutely love it!
Zoryana Zory from MyCheeseBoard said 3 years ago
I love it!
Georgia from JewelMeShop said 3 years ago
Adorable miniatures!
Anna from FairyToysWorld said 3 years ago
Ohhh!! They are so cute)
Renee from RandMhandmade said 3 years ago
Thank you so much sharing! Love this!!
Ashley Lucas from LadyLucasStore said 3 years ago
What gorgeous miniatures you have featured! In addition to the printable dollhouse decor in my shop, I actually have been featuring a dollhouse makeover on my blog over the last 12 months if anyone would like to take a look ;)(http://asweetlittlestreet.blogspot.com/2018/01/wanted-publisher-for-this-book.html)
Maria from StyleGraphicDesign said 3 years ago
wow! So amazing and realistic!!!
Prettycasesshop from Prettycasesshop said 3 years ago
Very cute! Awesome job!
elifinedesign from elifinedesigns said 3 years ago
You are so talented, this items are so beautiful, congratulations, tebrik ederim !
Carrie Paquette from Artbycarriepaquette said 3 years ago
Spaghetti looks delicious! I'm a fan of miniatures!
Lena's Wicker Furniture from WickerHandmade said 3 years ago
Thanks for sharing this collection! Now I will be know, where to look for food and accessories for my diorama. ♥ I make miniature wicker furniture, so often need some miniature item like food, accessories and etc. Congrats to the miniature maker! You guys are adorable! ♥
Sherri & Sue from JNSQ2 said 2 years ago
Wow! Love miniatures! There is a LOT of talent here in this 'mini-world'! Thank you for that! Sherri JNSQ2
Paulette Vinci from Artisanshelpingvets said 2 years ago
love the miniatures. I once crchet
laurierobertson222 said 2 years ago
Another great shop for miniatures is FiddlyBitsForFairies Nikki has amazing naturally constructed pieces for the wee folk! I love them all. . .
J Goud said 2 years ago
Please tell me where I can find the sea shell buckets on your homepage. Thanks
Deloris McKoy from msdann said 2 years ago
Wonderful miniatures. I have miniature Christmas ornaments. Some name brand and others just some without a maker's name.
Deb Conway said 2 years ago
I'm very happy to seek out Miniatures..they're precious, (My Dad built a large doll house, I'm happy to say that My Dad enjoyed building his own doll house for my Sister and me.
Nataliya Pasynkova from WorldAmiguruMe said 2 years ago
Very interesting, great choice! Thanks for sharing.
Moe from MakingmagicbyPresto said 1 year ago
I LOVE anything tiny! I have a feeling I’m gonna spend a lot of time in your shop!
Umesh Vigg from InspiringAbode said 135 days ago
Love thiss!!