Today is Beloved’s birthday! So in honor of her big day, I thought I’d post about something that would make me do a happy dance and make her run away screaming. Don’t get me wrong. Beloved is a lovely, patient woman who endures my periodic craft manias like a champ. But I think that if she were stuck in a small town filled with nuts like me, all focused on miniatures, she’d likely lose her mind. Happy birthday, my love! (lol)

So anyway, now that the anti-crafters have left the building, today we’re looking at MINIATURE CRAFTERS CAMP!!! I’m losing my mind too, but in a different way. The camp is held by the International Guild of Miniature Artisans for a week every June at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine. Classes are taught by Guild members who are acknowledged masters in the field. Typically, the camp costs $2,100 which includes 36 hours of instruction, a shared dorm room, and meals, but this year, the dorm building is being renovated, so the camp cost is $1,200 but doesn’t include accommodations. An additional 12 hours of classes is available for $350. That all sounds very reasonable! I definitely can’t make it work this year, but June 2026, I’m going to do my best! Beloved, you may stay home if you wish. (But who else is coming with me?)

The primary purpose of The Guild is to promote miniatures as an art form, elevating them from the world of crafts. They promote their art through the placement of miniatures in museums, through involvement in local, state, and national art foundations, and through their yearly miniatures camp and annual public auction of notable miniature art works.

You can learn more about the IGMA Guild School summer intensive on their website and on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.