Why Miniatures?

Listening to the My Miniature Obsession podcast this weekend (link), I heard a really good question: why miniatures? Here is my shortlist.

1. Any and every type of craft can be explored in miniature. This means you never have to get bored, and it’s easy to switch between different types of projects. When I am tired of painting, I can design a piece of furniture. When I need a break from that, I can switch to cross-stitching a rug.
2. The barriers to entry are so low. While you can, of course, spend an infinite amount of money on the hobby–I hear Kris Jenner has some pretty pricey miniatures–you can also start with pen, paper, cardboard, glue, and some other art supplies you scrounge up from long-forgotten projects or your kids’ art box. You can pick up a dollhouse for free, like we did with Luna’s house. You can start the hobby in a very small amount of space, like a shoebox. Then, as your passion grows, you can choose to invest more money and space in other tools and materials. (For more information, check out our top tips for miniaturing on a budget (link) and our shopping list for basic supplies we recommend (link).)
3. Getting lost in a little world can be a form of meditation and self-care. I suspect this is true for many different types of hobbies. When I return to work or other tasks after time in my workshop, I am more refreshed than if I had zoned out in front of the tv or scrolled on social media.

Why did you pick miniatures as a hobby?