A big passion for little things: After 42 years, the Moncton Miniature and Doll Club closes its tiny doors

Doreen Johnson is renovating her living room to become a Victorian ballroom. It will have polished hardwood floors, antique furnishings, a chandelier and, in one corner, musical instruments.

But Johnson isn't thinking big with these plans.

She's thinking small.

"If you can't have it in real life, make it in miniature," she said in an interview.

For the last 40 years, Johnson has been doing exactly that. Her basement craft room is a tribute to all things measured in 1:12 scale.

Among her extensive collection — a display of tiny tea sets, a lady's dressing room complete with handcrafted gowns and perfume bottles, and her pièce de résistance, a three-foot-high, fully electrified Victorian dollhouse.

"You know you're never going to be able to afford it in real life, but you can create it in miniature," she said. "It gives you great satisfaction."

Sharing the hobby with others has been another point of satisfaction for Johnson. She's one of the longest serving members of the 42-year-old Moncton Miniature and Doll Club. It's there that she's also made lifelong friendship with people in New Brunswick and beyond who understood her passion.

"You have that common interest," she said. "You also share those ups and downs in life, too."

Now, Johnson and other members are saying goodbye to a club that has enriched their lives for decades.

At 76, she's the youngest

If a passion for dollhouses was the reason to keep the club going, Charlotte Vardy, who served as its last president, says it could go on forever.

However, an aging and dwindling membership and the work involved in organizing its annual show are why they decided the time was right to dissolve it.

"I'm 76 and I'm the youngest," she said. "We'd look at each other in the middle of a show and say, 'We're too old to be doing this!'"

The Moncton Miniature and Doll Club was one of the longest-running hobby clubs in Atlantic Canada. Its most popular event has been its annual miniature show, which attracted vendors and hobbyists from across Atlantic Canada.

Last weekend, club members hosted one final show at the Dan Bohan Family Centre in Riverview, N.B.. It was the chance to say goodbye to the collectors and enthusiasts who have supported them over the years.

The final show also paid tribute to the club's history. The back of the hall featured hundreds of photos from past shows, and collages remembering members who have since passed away.

Shelley Acker owns Freedom Miniatures shop in Kentville, Nova Scotia. She called it a bittersweet day as she's going to miss coming to the annual show.

"It's really sad," she said. "I've been getting a lot of inquiries about what we can do to keep it going and if there's going to be anything in Nova Scotia. So we will see what comes out of it in the end."

Carolyn Landry is a finescale miniaturist who uses clay and paint to craft realistic looking food. She brought a large collection of tiny items to sell at the final show. Her handcrafted fruit, vegetables and flowers have been popular items with collectors.

"I've been coming here since 2004," she said. "I'm going to miss the girls and the customers and the camaraderie."

A growing interest in small things 

Although the Moncton Miniature and Doll Club has closed its tiny doors, there appears to be a renewed interest in the hobby.

Since the pandemic,  posts on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram have gotten millions of views. They often feature tutorials on how to build a dollhouse or to craft miniature items, such as furniture, linens and other housewares.

CBC Gem, the network's online streaming service, has also gotten into the act. The CBC original program, Best in Miniature, features 10 hobbyists who compete in a series of contests that test their crafting skills.

Best in Miniature is one of the top-watched lifestyle programs since the network launched its second season.

It's this renewed interest in miniatures that leaves Johnson hopeful.

She'd like to see a younger generation form a new club and make it their own.

"It would be nice if some other people would come along and take an interest in it," she said.

"We can share our expertise and we're also interested in their ideas because once you start thinking about what you can create in miniature, the sky's the limit."