Camp Make-A-Mini 2026 Activities | National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts (NAME)

Welcome to the Camp Make-A-Mini Activity Board! Check back every day for new games and activities and tutorials, etc.

Welcome to Camp Make-A-Mini 2026! Thank you for joining us at the Conservatory this year, where we look forward to hearing about your story. Is it a secret rendezvous, some recalcitrant critters running amok, a mystery unfolding, a beautifully appointed oasis, or some other story you’re capturing? Your Special Events Team (Katie Vitullo and Carolyn Eiche) has been busy finding a great selection of videos and tutorials to outfit your conservatory. Be sure to check back daily for Quick Minis, Special Activities, Daily tutorials, Puzzles & Scavenger Hunts, Contests and Prizes, and more! We'll also have a couple of Zoom demos during the week so keep an eye on the schedule, so you don't miss those.

And, don't forget about the Closing Campfire! Even if your conservatory is still under construction, bring a snack, learn a new technique, and enjoy some company from afar! If you participated in any of the puzzles or challenges for the week, you'll be eligible to win a prize!

Everyone is invited to attend the Campfire.

Got a Camp Make-a-Mini or Create shirt from a previous year? Wear it during any zoom meeting this week with Create or MCC for a chance to win a prize. You can earn an entry ticket at each meeting.

August 23, Sunday - Opening Day, Class

Did you purchase this year’s Camp Make-A-Mini Conservatory? Join Alician Pearce today at 2pm EST. Please contact Barbara Thorton Hill if you need the link to this session, available only to students who purchased the workshop.

Here are some printables! Make seed packets (small scale), seed packets (1”), suncatchers, books (small), books (1”), greenhouse trays (1”), greenhouse trays (½") all courtesy of Small Stuff. Check your sizing before printing.

Want to make a tea tray to help settle into your conservatory? Try here or here.

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

Complete the Palacio de Cristal jigsaw puzzle.

Have a Camp Make-a-Mini, NAME/Create, or California Dreaming Convention shirt from a previous year? Wear it during any zoom meeting this week with Create or MCC for a chance to win a prize. Each day is a new chance to win!

Can you find the campfire icon for the day on the website? Check out the Banner for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

Have you been to a conservatory, or want to visit one? Send an email with the location/name and a photo (if possible) to ke.vitullo@gmail.com by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a prize.

August 24, Monday - Flooring

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

What material is your floor made from: wooden slats, tile, concrete, dirt? Is it covered in beautiful tapestry rugs? Check out these free wallpaper floors from Jennifer Brooks.

Looking for some bricks or tiles? Check out these printables from Lizzy at Everythingverysmall.

Looking for a new skill? Try these tutorials to make a flagstone walkway or egg carton walkway!

Complete the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory jigsaw puzzle.

Complete today’s Garden Word Search to be entered to win a prize. Send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with your finished puzzle by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a small prize. Answer key provided Friday.

Can you find the conservatory icon for the day on the website? Check out the top of this page for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

Don’t forget to share your favorite conservatory: real, imagined, visited, or bucket-listed! Send an email with the location/name and a photo (if possible) to ke.vitullo@gmail.com by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a prize.

August 25, Tuesday - Paint, Stain, and Weathering

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

Are you going with a rustic, aged wood conservatory? Check out Fabulously Flawed Miniatures: Tutorial: How to Age Wood…Restoration Hardwood Style for a wonderful, written tutorial.

Not sure what type of painting technique to use? Check out How to Weather Dollhouse Exterior Surfaces - Digging Deeper - for more ideas.

Join Andi Vinciquerra at 1:00 Eastern to learn a quick weathering technique!

Topic: Learn aging techniques with Andi
Time: Aug 25, 2026 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86157754610?pwd=Hx4OvCD21YMLve4eDQ743TKCRaavkc.1
Meeting ID: 861 5775 4610
Passcode: 970965

Complete the Phipps Conservatory jigsaw puzzle.

Complete today’s crossword puzzle to be entered to win a prize from Boatload Puzzles. Type “1776” into the puzzle number box. Send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with your finished puzzle by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a small prize. Answer key provided Friday.

Can you find the campfire icon for the day on the website? Check out the Banner for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

August 26, Wednesday

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

We have some amazing tutorials to bring to you today! While these are in 1 inch, they’re all scalable for ½ and ¼. Try out an ornate wicker chair, or this wicker chair, or a wicker rocking chair! Don’t want to do math? Here’s a half-scale wicker furniture tutorial. Not crazy about wicker? Try these: a garden table, wire bench, or wire chair.

Try out the Butchart Gardens jigsaw puzzle.

Complete today’s crossword puzzle to be entered to win a prize. Just type “25000” in the puzzle number box. Send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with your finished puzzle by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a small prize. Answer key provided Friday.

Can you find the toasted marshmallow for the day on the website? Check out the Banner for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

August 27, Thursday

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

Need some plants to liven up the interior of your conservatory? Check out Queen City Minis tutorial.

While listed for ½” and 1” scales, many of these techniques work in ¼" as well!

Try the Syon Park jigsaw puzzle.

Complete today’s scramble to be entered to win a prize. Send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with your finished puzzle by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a small prize. Answer key provided Friday.

Today is your last day to submit word search and crossword puzzles. Be sure to email ke.vitullo@gmail.com before midnight.

August 28, Friday

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

Is there a tree growing in or near your conservatory? Check out this tree tutorial from LNR Models or this one from Boulder Creek Railroad for any season.

What about mulch? Try some dried tea or coffee grounds (make sure they’re well used and dry!).

Do you want to landscape the exterior? Try this tutorial for a brick flowerbed. We also have outdoor plants and flowers!

Try this Marjorie McNeely Conservatory Interior jigsaw puzzle.

Try and solve Melissa’s Conservatory jigsaw puzzle.

Here are the answer keys for the wordsearch and scramble, for those who participated. Wordsearch Answer Key and Scramble Answer Key. We hope you had fun!

Can you find the flaming marshmallow picture for the day on the website? Check out the Banner for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

Today is your last chance to share your favorite conservatory: real, imagined, visited, or bucket-listed! Send an email with the location/name and a photo (if possible) to ke.vitullo@gmail.com by Thursday at midnight. This will enter you in a random drawing for a prize.

Today is your last day to let Katie know you completed a jigsaw puzzle. Email her at ke.vitullo@gmail.com so your name can be added to a drawing for a prize.

August 29, Saturday - Water Features and Closing Campfire

Quick Minis are available thru August 30^th.

Join Debbie Colombo at Create Shares at 1pm EST to learn how to make a water feature!

Topic: Learn to do a water feature for your conservatory

Time: Aug 29, 2026 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84418285918?pwd=WMds3N5M3qRzKfnxsiJn930CY6WSBe.1

Meeting ID: 844 1828 5918

Passcode: 382221

Can you find the final campfire picture for the day on the website? Check out the Banner for details on what you’re searching for. When you find the icon, send an email to ke.vitullo@gmail.com with the location to be entered into a random drawing for a prize.

Join us at 7PM Eastern for our closing Campfire games, a live demo/quick project, and all-around fun to close out the week. Everyone’s invited, whether you participated in Sunday’s conservatory class or not. Tonight you’ll learn how to make paper bead plant pots! Bring some paper (got any newspaper, scrapbooking or origami paper, or magazine scraps?), scissors, your favorite glue, and a toothpick/dowel rod to learn how to make paper bead flower pots!

Topic: Camp Make A Mini Campfire
Time: Aug 29, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81879609374?pwd=vplLczdDHWqUG80Ax1Fszp9jcrz72L.1
Meeting ID: 818 7960 9374
Passcode: 166312

Access your bingo card here!

There will be opportunities to win prizes, so be sure to include your Name and your preferred scale when you are logging into the zoom (1”, ½”, ¼"). We will also announce the winners by random drawing for the various challenges and puzzle submissions.

Do you want to share what happened at your conservatory? We'll be asking for volunteers to share their conservatory.

Enjoy the slideshow of all your Dream Conservatories. Do you have any locations in common?

August 30, Sunday - What Happened at the Conservatory?

Phew! This week has flown by. We hope you all had fun and learned a few techniques along the way. This week exhausted all our miniature friends. They've fallen asleep!

Today is the last day for Quick Minis. Don't forget to check them out if you haven't already!

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