What's Your Motivation

[Guest]

We are all here because of our common interest in the challenge of creating our own world in miniature. For many that interest has given rewarding years of pleasure but why do we do it? What motivates us?

I am relatively new to the hobby, I've got three buildings and each is set in the present day. Each I suppose is a reflection of what I've experienced, coupled with my personal tastes but then limited by my abilities to create sometimes what I see in my minds eye!

When I look at many of the projects on here I'm astounded and not a little amazed at the level of both imagination and skill that produces some quite remarkable work...............So what's your motivation?

[Debora59]

My motivation when I started in late 2009 was, that I secretly wanted to be a home builder, my profession involves Real Estate, I am an artist and I love many types of design, this was a new medium to work with. Like everyone I also have my own style. But inspiration closely related to motivation comes from everywhere, its usually unexpected but when it takes hold of me look out

[havanaholly]

Starting out with my first kits it was adapting skills and crafts I already possessed to small scale. Along the ride I discovered new skill sets I had to learn, and the almost perpetual feedback of trying and learning new things keeps feeding the addiction.

[GirlPiper]

I make things I could never fit into a real house (who wants to clean a CASTLE?!), and i like that you can pack it all up and unpack it again and again.

[moonberry]

I have a very vivid imagination and remember when I got my first play-scale dollhouse in the 1980s, that I was very frustrated because things didn't look "right" (to scale) and the people couldn't act out little stories.

Psychologically, I know it stems from a difficult childhood dealing with undiagnosed Aspergers, bipolar depression, PTSD and various health issues too.

I love making things with my hands, love puzzles and challenges and am also a mixed media artist.

On the computer, I love playing the Sims games - I can build houses, act out stories with little people and generally go to my happy space. This is much better than medication, costs a bit more, but is more fun and inclusive for the rest of my real life family.

It helps to have a community, like this wonderful group of Greenleafers, who can share in my interests and encourage/enable/infect me whenever my mood or project requires it hehehehehe. There is so much love, respect and acceptance here, that I feel special and loved :wub: - and you can't put a price on that anywhere!

[Sable]

Inspiration is my motivation. Without it I'm lost.

[pdlnpeabody]

Good question.

I have been building models since I was 7 years old. I have always liked making things. The only thing I have been doing longer, is drawing. I always strived to draw as realistically as possible, all the way through art school. however, I found out too late that realism hasn't any value in the art market. That isn't the case when making miniatures. The more realistic, the better. I had the idea of building a miniature house (not necessarily a doll house) since I was maybe 11 years old. I knew I lacked the skills needed at the time, so I continued to plan and draw up ideas for future houses to build. By 2002 I was in my late 20's, had experience working in several construction fields, and almost a year of building museum replicas and theme park scenery. I didn't have all of the skills I needed (still don't), but I was ready to start and planned to figure things out through trial and error along the way. I'm only on my third project, and I am happy with the results so far.

My motivation is the challenge of the build, the opportunity to temporarily own a miniature of a house I can only dream of owning in RL, and as anti-social as it may sound, I found spending my time and discretionary income on something productive like building a miniature house, far more satisfying than sitting at a local bar drinking or some other way to waste my free time. Now that I have kids, getting out of the house more often isn't really an option anyway.

[kat57]

I am absolutely in love with colors,first of all,and dreaming up the color schemes for my present and future builds is what motivates me the most-I'm not a painter or quilter or glass blower or any other sort of artisan who may use colors to express themselves,but I get to turn loose the color nut inside me when I am planning and executing a miniature build. For example,I used to make some tiny 12 scale vignettes and a few Christmas roomboxes as gifts for relatives and even though I'm not a big Christmas decorator in real life,putting all the traditional and some nontraditional Christmas color schemes together was just such fun!!

My very biased mother thinks maybe I could have been an interior decorator,but I think that would have limited my creative expressions,trying to please someone else,since they have to live with it,not me...hmmm,not sure,but I do know some of you have basically said it's why you don't care to do dollhouses for clients. I just enjoy so much coming up with something that makes me smile,whether or not anyone else likes it-luckily,the family members were well pleased with my gifts,because I did throw in touches that were close to their hearts! Whew!

Also,more seriously,I think in the back of my mind,the fact I have never had and most likely,at 57 and absolutely poor,will never have my very own real life brand new never-lived-in house built just for me,to paint and decorate and newly furnish,is one of my inspirations to finally get into dollhouse kits. (My parents had 4 built over their lifetimes and my siblings each had at least one,so I'm jealous,I guess!) So,I will build my dream house(s) in miniature!

Now,I'm not into (or not industrious enough,maybe) getting a bunch of tools and plywood and making my own dollhouse design-not yet,anyway-but the dreams (Daydreams and night dreams!) I have for my little kits are what keep me going when I get depressed about real life. Lately,since I've been sick,I've compared successfully piddling and puttering around with a mini creation or dollhouse parts for a few minutes,or hours if I'm up to it,with the endorphin high that athletes get after a good run or swim or game,etc...Cloud nine all day some days.

[Steve Panner]

Short version: I just feel this need inside me to make stuff. It's like a hunger.

Sometimes I go into my attic to look for something and when I see all the things I've hoarded over the years I get sad I won't have the time to make everything I dream. Sometimes I get mad that people don't even consider making something if they can buy it. I'm weird like that. :LOL:

It all started with my grandfather, who raised me for the first 12 years of my life. He could make anything. We were so poor, we had nothing. Not just us, the entire village where I grew. We had houses made of dirt, beds made of straw (I kid you not, they were straws in large burlap bags instead of mattresses, they itched like crazy) and we took apart old clothes to use the material to make new ones. It was medieval in the 20th century. And in this environment people made everything they needed from scratch. And we were happy... Anyway, my grandfather could make anything, he said that if it's made by man he can make it too, because he is also a man. And I've taken that philosophy from him.

I don't make only miniatures, I've made real life furniture and other things around the house and also I've made the house that we live in now. But I especially like miniatures because there is some of that old peace of mind of my childhood while I work on them.

[havanaholly]

...when I see all the things I've hoarded over the years I get sad I won't have the time to make everything I dream. Sometimes I get mad that people don't even consider making something if they can buy it...

Another family member from whom I was separated at birth! As for making things, my grandmother's family came over from Scotland because they had nothing over there; my grandma was born shortly after they arrived in the US. She was the one who got me started.

[Caseymini]

I have been working in miniature since 1979. It all started with a dollhouse for my daughter for Christmas. In 82, I started working in a miniature shop and teaching others what I had learned.

In the late 80s, I started restoring antique miniatures for what is now the Mini Time Machine Museum. At the time, I thought I was just working for a friend and restoring her private collection of antique minis. Little did I know that she had plans to open a miniature museum. That happened about 5 years ago. 15,000 square feet of minis. A lot of the antiques have my name on them as the restorer.

In 2008, I started writing a mini blog every day, to keep track of the minis that I was creating...I haven't missed a day. Minis even go with me on vacation!

Inspiration? Everything around me is inspiration! I wake up at three o'clock in the morning most days, with new ideas.

I am planning on living for another 435 years to make all of the projects buzzing around in my head. At present, I'm working on a time machine for Daisy Eulalia's Cottage. Next, a Steampunk Emporium....

[jbnmini]

I may not be as talented as some of the other miniature artisans on this board, but I have a bit of artistic creativity in me nonetheless and it needs an outlet. Once I had to give up the cake decorating business I realized that my creativeness was bustin' at the seams to get out.

And I love architecture - and the idea of saving old houses - - so saving miniature houses seemed to be something I could handle. ;)

[Summersethomes]

Movies, I was fascinated by Ray Harryhousen (sp) and I loved dolls especially barbie and now Brats kidz dolls which look a lot like Blythe dolls except their eyes are painted on. so now Im on different forums for dolls, models and dollhouses...it feeds my creative need and makes me happy ..sometimes Im amazed at what I can do and other times I loose interest so I give things up. ...like Lene I too play the sims but I dont really care for the sims 4 and now Im catching up on episodes of Scandal...Olivia Pope is one hot mess..I'd like to do a roombox of Her Apartment (maybe I should say Movies and TV motivate me!?)

[Violet2Dawn]

My Motivation for creating miniatures come from my childhood. It was especially difficult, full of unpleasant and tragic things.

So since the age of 10, I have been trying to capture 'perfect' moments, where nothing can ruin it. My first real wood dollhouse was the only thing I asked for on my 15th birthday, it was made of sold white birch. I got some of my artsy friends in college to make me small things or go to the mini show in western PA with me. Each project had to be better than the last, and I had to learn as many things mini as I could. At one point I had over 5 houses all done and furnished. Now, scaling down I am making those houses over into room boxes and boxes with new ideas.

When people ask me why I create miniatures, my response is 'I am trying to capture moments in time on a small scale'.

Thanks for the great question and for letting all of us reveal out inspirations.

[Dalesq]

I'm still trying to figure out how to answer this question, but I think Steve said it best "it's like a hunger." Just gotta make minis!

[Gee]

I always had a lot of hobbies that now can be united into one, plus I wanted to make something to leave to my daughter.

When she was younger I made her a huge Barbie house that she was fond of so we both agreed on a house.

It is a big house but she can always decide on not keeping the house but instead keep some items.

It is getting a bit out of hand, though.

Not only what I make or buy but also some embroidery my late mother made and things the kids bought me have found a place there too.

[Luanne]

We didn't have dolls when I was growing up.

I tied grass together with rubberbands to make dolls. Sad right? Sad no more- I now have minis!

Plus this keeps me young and it's more fun than housework .

[CheckMouse]

Very interesting question, and very interesting answers. I can identify with most of them! I, too, had a turbulent childhood - attended 14 different schools, moved all over the globe, lost beloved family members at an early age - just think how much money some shrink could have made off of me!!

I never had a dollhouse, and always wanted one. I learned to think small - my treasures had to fit in a small suitcase or they got left behind. I always had paper dolls, and created new clothes for them, as they could fit anywhere in our travels. I had a vivid imagination, and a high level of creativity (runs in our family) and the hobby of miniatures was a natural fit. I wasn't able to indulge in it until I was an adult, though. RL had to take priority. I built my first dollhouse, in a bookcase, shortly after our daughter died of leukemia. Only hindsight made me realize that that was my "therapy" - didn't realize it at the time. She had inherited the creative gene running through our family, and loved miniatures also. I still have some ceramic mini-food she made over 30 years ago.

In the early years of raising our family my creativity was turned mostly towards cooking and sewing. We lived in a remote area of the world and shopping was not an option so I made most of the clothes for the family. DH preferred the blue jeans I made him over the Wranglers Now I don't sew at all.

I, too, will never get the house of my dreams in real life - just ain't going to happen! My Federal Manor will be the house I would like to live in, and it will have all the wonderful things in it that I like - not what DH likes, not what my kids like - just what I like!!

That inspires me :victory:

[GirlPiper]

Short version: I just feel this need inside me to make stuff. It's like a hunger.

Sometimes I go into my attic to look for something and when I see all the things I've hoarded over the years I get sad I won't have the time to make everything I dream. Sometimes I get mad that people don't even consider making something if they can buy it. I'm weird like that. :lol:

It all started with my grandfather, who raised me for the first 12 years of my life. He could make anything. We were so poor, we had nothing. Not just us, the entire village where I grew. We had houses made of dirt, beds made of straw (I kid you not, they were straws in large burlap bags instead of mattresses, they itched like crazy) and we took apart old clothes to use the material to make new ones. It was medieval in the 20th century. And in this environment people made everything they needed from scratch. And we were happy... Anyway, my grandfather could make anything, he said that if it's made by man he can make it too, because he is also a man. And I've taken that philosophy from him.

I don't make only miniatures, I've made real life furniture and other things around the house and also I've made the house that we live in now. But I especially like miniatures because there is some of that old peace of mind of my childhood while I work on them.

You captured the need to make things for me, in a succinct package. Thanks, Steve. I didn't have it as hard as you, but we lived by the "make do" attitude.

[Minis Over The Hill]

The need for a perfect, safe, happy world

[Selkie]

Yup !!

[KathieB]

To use imagination and creativity to capture a moment in time by using skills developed over a (long) lifetime. It's not practical or possible to do in real life what we're able to accomplish in miniature.

[Debra from Olde Cape Cod]

To be able to make carnival rides for skellies.....Just joking around!! Love this hobby!

[kemck]

Endless possibilities for things to create and no deadlines or pressure! I spend all day taking care of or teaching small children and it's nice to have some quiet project time away from everyone at the end of the day.

Also I'm randomly obsessed with looking at real estate listings online, and now I can call it research...

[kemck]

Oopse posted twice.

Edited November 7, 2014 by kemck