If you’ve spent time on Reddit, TikTok, or Pinterest lately, you might have stumbled into the world of book nooks and mini dioramas. And if you have found yourself in such a place, maybe you’ve thought of spending some time making one of your own? At least, that’s how I found myself on my latest project. I spent some time making two mini dioramas and one full size book nook.
The image above and immediately below are both of the mini diorama size. The actual box itself on each of these is around 2.5 inches tall. The phone box in the above image is about the height of your thumbnail. The bed below is of similar size. The phone box, bed, clock, desk, and chair all came in mini kits. They require super glue and tweezers to put them together, and you paint them. Honestly, I spent much of the time with the various pieces superglued to my fingers. They take patience. The LED light is about the size of a seed bead, and the wiring is kind of a frustrating process. I don’t actually think I will make one this small again.
The book nook is a bit bigger, maybe nine inches in height. Still enough so you need tweezers to work on some of it. I made the tree and the arch out of a foam clay. There’s a mirror in the back. It was more fun to make overall, though the lighting was still a bit of a hassle. I have ideas for more book nooks, but I’m putting them on hold for a bit to get back to another project.
I’m doing a wood block carving for printing. Much like the linoblock printing, this process requires carving a flat piece of wood. I’ve decided on a Japanese koi design. Carving like this I think requires a lot of practice, and I’m not where I would like to be yet.
It was hot, near 100 degrees, last week, and this week is looking to be just as hot. No complaints, though! It is after all summer in Michigan. The garden is looking green and lush. Tomorrow is the first official day of summer. Hope your summer is going great!