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Storyteller With a Miniature Twist

// Projects //

Here's a "Closer Look" at some of the miniatures + true crime projects I've produced during my time with BuzzFeed Unsolved Network and independently.Welcome to my Miniaturist journey.

For Scale
Floor 2
Levels 2 & 3
Work-in-progress
The Vault
Prepping
Final Touches
Adjustments
Set Dressing
Peering
Work-in-progress
Set Dressing
Work-in-progress
Bathroom
Behind-the-Build
Bathroom
Bathroom
Behind-the-Build
Basement
First Floor
First Floor
Behind-the-Scenes
Building A Case
The Maker.
Doors Galore
Behind-the-Build

H.H. Holmes was my 2nd miniature and true crime build. It was a big, ambitious build that didn't get fully finished, but I plan on completing it someday when I have some down time.

Detailing
The Challenge
Progress
The Maker.
Behind-the-Scenes
Work-In-Progress
A Day In The Life
Detailing

Biggest challenge for the Yogurt Shop build was the miniature metal mesh rack. I searched for what felt like forever for a UV glue that I needed to adhere the pieces together. I made the rack out of small wooden dowels and aluminum. 

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Woodworking
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Prop
Prop
Behind-the-Build
How meta. Fun fact...

The Lizzie Borden House is one of my personal favorite builds. I created the floors and wallpaper by using a digital reference of what was in the actual still-standing house at the time of my build. I took screenshots from reference videos of the clearest sections and created 'wallpaper' by scaling it down in photoshop to fit my recreation.

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Miniature Salon Carré
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Oh, Mona Lisa...this one...this one was an experience, lol. I managed to lose my mini Mona reference on multiple occasions during the entire build and every time I went to cut out a new one, bam...it reappeared...oyeeeee...and don't get me started on my time with Big Mona...she was quite the experience, too, haha!

Behind-the-Build
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The Maker.

This build needed lots of bricks and I spent a nice chunk of time etching them into the walls, painting and aging them. This was also the first time I used some kind of practical atmospheric effect in a miniature shoot and it turned out super neat.

Behind-the-Scenes
Behind-the-Scenes
The Maker.
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The Storage Locker
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Storage Locker
Storage Locker
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Getting 'The Dating Game' sign right was a little bit of a challenge. I freehanded the font before transferring it onto XPS foam. From there, I cut the individual letters with a foam wire cutter and sliced them into multiple pieces so I'd have 2 sets -- one for each wall.

Behind-the-Build
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The Maker.
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I meant to make it small, but not this small...

Through this project I learned a whole lot more about this case, but the real lesson came in identifying all the flags in the President's office. The Oval Office had its challenges, and the garage turned out much smaller than I meant to make it, lol!

"The Dating Game" Show Miniature
The Lizzie Borden House Miniature
H.H. Holmes Murder Mansion Miniature
The Yogurt Shop Miniature
The Oval Office Miniature
10 Rillington Place Miniature
Me and Big Mona
The Lourve Salon Carré Miniature
Jail Cell Miniature
10 Rillington Place Miniature
Abandoned Project

A collection of some of more recent miniature creations.

Deathbed Confessions
Interior set 2
Mini sunburst mirror
Facade made to look like a movie set
Interior of set 1
Interior of set 1
Scale reference
Tiny jack and sandbag!
Miniature piano
Blinds...ugh...

 

When I shot this video, we were enduring that awful heatwave and boy, was I HOT under those lights, haha!

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I know my energy level seemed low and that's because it was -- like, it was scorching and I was trying not to let my face turn red from the heat, and had to keep cutting to cool down between lines. It was such a miserable time, lol!!!

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Anyway, needless to say, I got through it and my favorite part about this build was, well...a lot! From the piano, to the mini retro-inspired bedroom movie set to the facade -- I truly enjoyed this build because it was also my last with BuzzFeed. 'Twas bittersweet. 

 

That said, this is by far my last miniatures and true crime video. I'm continuing my storytelling + miniature venture on my own now and will have more videos covering broader topics in a similar format on my personal YouTube channel: @carolkras -- be sure to check it out!

 

You'll not only find newer videos like this, but also tutorials on how I made certain things and/or built an entire project. A full-on behind-the-scenes look into my process and much, much more! Don't miss out! :)

Side-by-side
Prototype 1
Prototype 2
Prototype 3
Actual build 1
Build 2
2nd level foundation
Miniature Wonderland House Build
Level 2
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Wonderland House Miniature Build Stages
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Added the stairs and backyard area
IMG_1793
View from the front door
View from the front door area
View from a kitchen window area
Kitchen floor 1
POV
Progress
Garage in-the making
Finished Garage
Front façade in-the-making
Brick wall in the kitchen near the back bedroom
Finished brick wall
Kitchen counter
eye see u.
BTS: Filming the back bedroom on the 2nd level..
BTS: Shooting the living room
BTS: Shooting a trucking shot through the kitchen window
BTS: living room
BTS: a look at one side with all walls down
3rd floor bedroom
3rd floor bedroom with "blood splats"
A view of the kitchen
Old speaker...
IMG_4295
I'm not always this neat & organized
Making the dining chairs
Dining table in-the-making
Retro-Dining Table 1
Retro-Dining Table 2
Retro-Dining Table 3
Retro-Dining Table 4
Have a seat.
There's never anything to watch on this damn thing.
Floors
Miniature Wonderland House Build 1
Miniature Wonderland House Build 2
Ceiling 1
More ceiling
Drawers strewn about...upper level bedroom
Upper level bathroom floor
Upper level floor bathroom doorway
Upper level (3rd floor) bathroom
Kitchen 1
Kitchen 2
Stove
Dresser
Kitchen thingzzz
Oh yes, that brown fridge
That brown fridge again
Scale reference
Coffee table
Back bedroom, furniture in-the-making
Beds
Beds 2
Stairs
The 3rd floor was a little tricky to keep in place for reference while building
Wonderland House Miniature Build
Miniature recreation of The Wonderland House
Backyard area
The mini & me.

This miniature Wonderland House recreation, along with The Lizzie Borden House and a second iteration of H.H. Holmes Mansion (HH2, a work-in-progress - below) were exhibited in the Fall of 2023 thru Spring of 2024 at The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City, Missouri.

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