(Lynne Campen -  MiniatureMakes)

Making Marvelous Mini Folk

by Pam North

Lynne Campen has been making miniatures, mostly of children, for over ten years from her home in Hockley, Essex, U.K. “I was a stay-at-home mum at the time,” she said, “and after seeing lovely, detailed miniatures for sale on eBay, I realized that  making and selling such miniatures fitted in with my family life with my young children.” She makes her tiny detailed characters in 1:12 scale or smaller. Now she also somehow manages to fit in working  part-time as a reflexologist and massage therapist.
Combining home life and miniature life is easy for her. Her family are very supportive, as she described, “They have learned to live with all my arts and crafts products taking up half the house! I dip in and out of crafting throughout the day and evening. I have a portable craft box, and have been known to craft in the car while waiting for my appointments, and even have made miniatures while sitting on the beach. I find inspiration everywhere, when I’m walking the dog, looking at nature, watching children at play, looking at Pinterest and photos on the Internet.” With no formal training, Lynne is entirely self-taught, using the Internet and library reference books to gain knowledge and ideas.
Her husband recently converted an old garage into a large studio for her at the end of their garden. “It sits under a hundred-year-old oak tree, and I often hear squirrels scurrying over the roof. I have two chickens roaming outside, and my pet cockerpoo dog for company. It’s lovely to be able to walk away from a project at the end of the day, then return to it the next day without having to clear everything away.”
She sells her products on eBay and Etsy, both under the seller ID Miniature Makes. Her items start from £3. She is happy to part with anything, as she always believes she can make a similar item again. “I am lucky, as I have a number of returning customers in the UK and overseas. They almost have become pen pals, corresponding regularly with me via my Facebook page or email. I think the Internet is just wonderful, and I can’t imagine life without it.”
She recently has started running arts and crafts workshops from her garden studio. “I teach painting and polymer clay workshops. So far I have made miniature fairy houses, night lights using jam jars, and whimsical fairy doors made from polymer clay. I love the intricacy, detail, and challenge that making miniatures represents. The biggest difficulty with working in miniature for me is posture-related. I often get a neck ache from being in one position for hours at a time, and I sometimes become so involved I forget to move and stretch.”
Her most valuable tool is a somewhat simple and surprising one. “I couldn’t  live without a dressmakers pin. I use the head for indenting eye sockets, and the sharp end for detailing lips and eye lids.”
Lynne recently made her first diorama, based on C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. “I created a mini snow scene inside a shop-bought 1:12 scale wardrobe. The doll wears clothing from Sharon’s Mini Knits and Tuula’s Boutique, two of my favorite Etsy shops. The reverse shows a painted scene of Narnia. Tumnus, the faun, was made with polymer clay and flocking; he has a posable head, and carries a handmade umbrella. The streetlight in the scene actually illuminates it. I have a love of childhood story books and fairy tales, and often draw from those. I have numerous ideas in my head which I hope to be able to make one day, including scenes from Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland, among many others.”
As for the future, Lynne views it as bright for both her and the field of miniatures. “I think the future of miniatures can only get bigger as people like ‘one of a kind’  items for their dollhouses, model villages, and miniature railways. My only wish is to increase my business, and to continue to learn and to grow. I look forward to each working day and am so grateful to be able to do something I absolutely love!”

Contact Information:
Email: Lynnecampen@gmail.com
Phone: 01702 204279
Address: 27, Plumberow Ave, Hockley, Essex SS5 5AG