The fascination with miniatures began when I was about nine. I used to imagine the dollhouse I would decorate, room by room, with dozens of delicate details in an abundance of whimsical vignettes. Making lists for the items needed to create each room scape, I remember typing them up on slices of onion skin paper, organized and neat, two pages for each room, in hopes of one day carrying through with the visions in a scaled dollhouse...

Each year during the holiday season, the New York Botanical Garden hosts a Holiday Train Show. Though the show features track upon track of running trains, the real beauty can be found in the many hand made miniature buildings. So when my husband suggested we pay a visit to discover this cherished tradition, I perked up and we traveled to the Bronx for another day of inspiration!

What an enchanting setting! Delighted with this miniature wonderland of model trains and homage to New York City landmarks, we marveled at the intricacy of the replicas made of plant parts such as nuts, bark, and leaves, all nestled among flora and flowerage. Jump aboard and have a look...

A new meaning to the "brownstones" in Manhattan