Daily Mini Interview: Miniatures from Lilliput Land

Marty Stark of Lilliput Land

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What’s your earliest memory with miniatures? How did Lilliput Land come to be in 1976?

Bateson Sheraton Sideboard BWell, I wasn’t a child when I got involved in miniatures. I’m a crafty guy, I’ve always had a workshop. When I lived on Long Island my space was filled with table saws, radial arm saws, and more. Eventually my mother decided to go into business. She had amassed thirteen dollhouses; it was quite the collection. We had Cape Cod dollhouses, brownstones, and colonials. As a teacher, I would take my free time and work in the store. I worked long hours, and that was the arrangement for 10 years. Once the shop’s rent doubled, we decided to go the show route. Early on, my mom did about 24 shows a year. As she got older, we still did about 12 shows a year and I would do the four biggest with her.

Daily Mini Interview: little T studio

Miniatures by little T studio

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What types of miniatures do you make these days?
I specialize in making realistic food miniatures which I then turn into all kinds of fun jewelry to wear such as necklaces, earrings, and jewelry clips. I even have a “Gifts for Guys” section in my store where you can find mini food cufflinks and tie clips.

dailymini-interview-littletstudio-photo-CufflinksWaffles1What materials do you use to make your miniatures?
I primarily use high-quality polymer clay. In order to turn a plain little block of clay into something extraordinary, I have tons of random tools that I’ve been collecting for years and years. These help me capture just the right look, shape, style, and texture in my art.