About MiniMinutia image
My name is Tina MacDonald, and I have been a committed miniaturist (or a miniaturist that should be committed) for more than 45 years. I was introduced to miniatures on my honeymoon. My brand-new husband patiently waited for me to explore the very first miniatures store I had ever seen. Much to my surprise, when we returned home, my husband had purchased a dollhouse for me. That was the start of  a life-long fascination with miniatures. In the early 2000's, I started a mini shop on EBay. Life took over, and I closed the shop amid a series of family illnesses.

Many years later, when I actually knew something about miniatures, I started occasionally selling things I had made at our local club's annual Show and Sale. That's the Miniature Enthusiasts of Edmonton (http://www.miniature-enthusiasts-of-edmonton.com) for which I am now the workshop coordinator.

More disasters! A basement flood resulted in a complete rebuild of my workshop. In the process of putting everything away, I found myself going through drawers and boxes that hadn't seen the light of day in years! I found all of my stock from my original EBay store. I decided to start again, only this time on Etsy, adding all the new products I have made over the years for sale at the Show and Sale..

Over the years I had many names for my minis: "The Petite Press" (for my stock of printies), "Lathey Bones" (once I took up the lathe to make turnings). or "Tina's Treasures" for other stuff I made for sale. My new shop trades under the name "Mini Minutia", where minutia is defined as the small, precise, or trivial details of something - the niceties, the finer points, or particulars. The new name thus allows me to sell anything I darn well want.

I even got interviewed by a local TV station about my minis... you can watch it at My Life in Miniatures. I was also interviewed for a local paper. You can read the article here. And last but not least, a CBC video about me and my miniatures...

Welcome to my website!

TEACHING

Whether it is for my club (Miniature Enthusiasts of Edmonton) or at a miniature convention, teaching is always fun.

ADVOCATING

The hobby of miniatures is so creative and fulfilling. Promoting and advocating for all aspects of miniatures ensures that new individuals find about and are encouraged to get involved in this wonderful hobby.

DESIGNING

Imagining and bringing to life new items and products for miniaturists around the world is always a delight!

CREATING

Making minis is my favorite way to pass the time.

MiniMinutia has had a presence on ETSY since 2016, with nearly 18,000 sales! With over 650 products, in several scales, to choose from, there is something for everyone.

This is the "Home Depot" for quarter-scalers... offering wallpaper (including brick and stone, and kids patterns), gingerbread trim, shingles, wooden flooring, doors and windows, and laser-cut kits in 1:12, 1:24  and 1:48 scales.

In addition, I love to do basket work, and wheel-thrown pottery, so these are also available through Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MiniMinutia
My ETSY Store image
Building a Basic Book Nook

Building a Basic Book Nook

Assembly of a Basic Book Nook

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Using Mirrors in Your Book Nook

Using Mirrors in Your Book Nook

This video outlines the scientific principles of optics, and identifies key concepts to take into account when placing a mirror in a miniature scene. Consideration of how and where to place/hide a battery is also discussed.

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Wall Finishes for Your Book Nook

Wall Finishes for Your Book Nook

This video identifies and demonstrates many different techniques for finishing the inside walls of your Book Nook, particularly if you are contemplating some type of alley.

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Using Stencils in Miniature

Using Stencils in Miniature

How to use stencils to Create Interesting finishes on walls and floors.

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Make Your Own Miniature Sander

Make Your Own Miniature Sander

This tutorial guides you through turning a round-headed electric toothbrush into a miniature sander.

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Primer on Building a Shadow Box

Primer on Building a Shadow Box

This tutorial teaches you how to turn any picture frame into a shadow box to display your minis.

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Primer on Framing and Mitering

Primer on Framing and Mitering

A useful tutorial on Mitering corners and framing miniature art.

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Dremel for the Miniaturist

Dremel for the Miniaturist

How many miniaturists own a Dremel tool and have no idea what to do with it? Are you one of them? This article will help!.

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Shingling Your Miniature Property

Shingling Your Miniature Property

A short tutorial on applying shingles to your miniature buildings.

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Basswood Flooring

Basswood Flooring

This short tutorial outlines key tips and hints for working with basswood flooring.

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  • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

MiniMinutia is a trademark for Tina MacDonald.