(Regina Bryant - Mini Designs by Gina)

Making Marvelous Minis

by Pam North

Regina Bryant has a French manor house to furnish, and she is well on her way to accomplishing that task. She is a miniature artist who enjoys working primarily in 1:48 scale, making room boxes, buildings, furniture, lighting, accessories, flowers, landscaping, and pretty much everything else she wants to try. She finds it a challenge to work so much smaller while still keeping the detail intact, but despite having no formal training and being entirely self-taught, she has mastered the necessary skills to do it, citing her most valuable tool - her needle-pointed tweezers - as the one she absolutely can’t live without. “As with all things small, getting the scale right is the first priority,” she explained. “Sometimes I have to stop and think about it for a while until I get it worked out in my mind. I have a good eye, and I am attracted to beautiful architecture and antiques.” 
Her mother, Jennie, collected dollhouse furniture in 1:12 scale, and she encouraged Regina to make some things for her. Regina’s uncle made her a dollhouse, and Regina and Jennie did one room at a time toward completion. Her mother is her biggest fan.
Regina started making things in the 1970s, but then college, a career as an RN specializing in critical care, marriage, and kids required all her attention for many years. When all her boys left for college, combining miniatures and home life became much easier with her retirement. She bought and built a 1:12 scale farmhouse, and she recently turned one of their spare bedrooms into a 16’ by 18’ work area, which has given her the space she has needed to create and enjoy her love of miniatures. “If they are well-made, I can appreciate them for the intricacy of detail of the pieces. Ferd Sobol’s and Rik Peara’s miniature furniture are inspirational, and they are two of a whole list of people who inspire me!” Inspiration also comes from life for her; if she sees something she likes, she tries to make it in quarter-scale. With the effort that she puts into her pieces, she isn’t one to part with the things she makes, since she makes only one of each item, and she doesn’t wish to reproduce it in order to have one to sell. Selling also is not an option for her because she says she has no idea what to charge.
Regina belongs to N.A.M.E. (National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts), and although she says she wouldn’t mind teaching workshops, right now she doesn’t have any extra time or energy as she has two new grandchildren. She has displayed some of her pieces in her local art gallery.
This article highlights many of the new miniature pieces she has created for her French manor house, along with some stoves she will use in her room boxes.
Her French manor house project features eight rooms, including a kitchen, and a grand hallway with marble stairs accented by a wrought iron railing. She finally has completed the kitchen with five major pieces, including a hutch and a cabinet filled with dishes, a table to hold all the accouterments of preparing meals, a stove/fireplace, and a wooden churn. Additionally, she has crafted two buffets for the house: one is a hand-painted piece with urns carved in relief on the front for the formal dining room, and the second is faux burlwood, also hand-painted, with candles and flowers atop it for the foyer. All of the pieces are wood, and she has hand-cut everything.
Coming up with ideas for her pieces follows a simple formula, “I see it, or I need it, so I make it!” The hutch, large and small cabinets, stove/fireplace, churn, and the three kitchen work tables are all wood. “Polymer clay was used for the peppers and onions, and for many of the accessory pieces,” she pointed out. “The Craftsman-style island is made completely from stained wood with a painted faux-granite top, and some hand-carving was required to give it the right touch. The flower arrangement was made from paper, glue, and flocking. I love making flowers! A small table has a real burlwood inlaid top (very tricky). The deer head trophy was 3D printed.” 
Regina also knows where to find many of the accessory pieces she needs to bring realism to the house décor, and she shared many of her sources. “The milk pitcher is from True2Scale Miniatures, and the mugs and platters are by Jax Miniatures; the lace is by JDayMinis; pots, pans, plates are from Grace Shaw Miniatures. JAR-JAF Miniatures was my source for the jewelry findings I used for the candlesticks and the styrene rods for the candles, and for details on the stoves. The LEDs came from Evan Designs.”
Regina has faith that the future of miniatures is bright, saying, “There always will be people around who love miniatures.”
As for what’s next for her, she has no concrete plans beyond completing her French manor house.” I’ll just keep on making things for as long as I can!” she vowed.

Contact Information:
Name: Regina Bryant
Business Name: Mini Designs by Gina
Address: 3110 Shade Tree Dr., Batesville AR  72501
Telephone: (870) 613-3999
Email: reginabryant@swbell.net