Building Miniature Hobbit Holes


Hobbit hole

After I had seen the documentaries about making miniatures on the Extended Fellowship of the Ring DVD, I decided to make a miniature of my own. I designed a hobbit hole for Merry and Pippin (especially for the Toy Biz action figures). As you know, after their adventures, the two hobbits settle down to live together for a while. My hobbit hole is not necessarily their main home, but perhaps a smaller secondary hole.

Hobbit hole

Here is how I made my hobbit hole:

The hole and the garden were built on a thick piece of millboard. The front wall was made of a special dough, here are the instructions:


Special Dough

2 parts wheat flour
1 part salt
a small amount of lukewarm water

Mix the ingredients adding enough water to make the dough firm. Form the dough into desired shape. When making the front wall, leave a hole for the door and the window. The lattice window was made using tooth picks.

Keep the dough in the owen first in 75 degrees Celsius (167 F) for 1-2 hours (depending on the thickness), then in 100-125 degrees Celsius (212-257 F) for 2-3 hours and finally in 150 degrees Celsius (302 F) for 3-12 hours.


After the front wall had been glued in place, it was time to make the roof and the side walls. A long, rectangular piece of foam plastic was bent over the front wall. The foam plastic was made steadier by coating it with a thick layer of glue. Small pins were used to keep the foam plastic in place while drying.

The interior walls, roof, lattice window and floor were painted with oil paints. Once the walls were dry, a round piece of transparency was glued on the inside of the window hole to give it a window glass look. The door was sawed of a piece of plywood and a little bead was glued in the middle of it, then the whole door was painted with oil paints.

Hobbit hole

The hedges were made of rectangular pieces of foam plastic. All the outside parts made of foam plastic and the front yard were covered with scenic turf and foliage, available from hobby shops. The stones were made of the same dough as the front wall and painted with oil paint. The plants were made of real dried flowers and plant parts that were covered with oil paint. The fence was made of mini craft sticks which were left unpainted.

Hobbit hole

The curtains were sewn using cotton fabric and hung on a tooth pick with beads in the sharp ends. The carpet was crocheted, and the fireplace was made of the front wall dough and painted with oil paint. The firewood is a real piece of mangrove root. The candle was made of wax and a tooth pick. Tooth picks were also used in framing the picture above the fireplace.

Hobbit hole

The table and the chairs were made using mini craft sticks. Once the glue had dried, they were painted with an oil paint. The tea set was bought from a dollhouse equipment store. The basket on the floor was made of a little circle cut of thick paper. The paper circle's edge was covered with a plait made of cotton thread. Also the basket's handle was made of a plait. The carrots were made of parts of a dried flower, and were painted with oil paint. The apples are round beads covered with (yes, once again) oil paint.

UPDATE:

Hobbit hole

I have now made hinges to the door out of two paper clips. Each paper clip was bent open to form two loops, and then glued to the wall and door. Finally, the paper clips were covered with black paper.

Hobbit hole

The "Home Sweet Home" decoration was cross-stitched and hung on a bead. The swords that came with the action figures were attached to the wall above the fireplace with tiny pieces of golden wire.

Hobbit hole

Gap of Rohan

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