DIY Projects

How to build a pocket-sized parallax viewer that makes a single drawing feel like a layered diorama

I’ve been obsessed with small mechanical tricks for as long as I can remember — the kind of thing that fits in your hand and transforms a simple sketch into a tiny world. This pocket-sized...

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Turn discarded matchboxes into a three‑scene flipbook theater with secret hinges and stamped backgrounds

I love giving small, ordinary objects a second life, and matchboxes are one of my favourite starting points. They’re the perfect scale for tiny stagecraft: deep enough to create a little set, wide...

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How to build a coin‑hidden pop‑up that reveals a tiny illustration when spun

I love small mechanical surprises — the ones that make you tilt your head and grin. This coin‑hidden pop‑up is one of my favourite tiny tricks: a simple paper mechanism that hides a coin (or...

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How to make a pocket-sized kaleidoscope using thrifted mirror tiles and a 3D‑printed tube

I’ve always loved tiny moments of surprise: a pattern that shifts when you tilt it, a little mechanism that hides a trick in plain sight. Recently I wanted a pocket-sized kaleidoscope that felt...

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How to design an instant pop-up postcard that conceals a surprise illustration and fits a standard uk stamp

I love a small, secret moment in the mail — something that looks ordinary from the outside but opens to reveal a little bit of mischief. In this piece I’ll walk you through how I design an...

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Create a convincing miniature fog effect for tabletop scenes using glycerin, cotton and a cheap aquarium pump

I love adding little moments of surprise to my tabletop scenes, and one of my favourite tricks is a convincing miniature fog that hugs buildings, creeps through alleyways or pools in low spots. After...

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How to design a fold‑flat pop‑up theater that mails in an envelope and unfolds into a staged scene

I love tiny theatrical moments — the quiet drama of a stage, the surprise of a scene that appears when you open a card. Designing a fold-flat pop-up theater that fits in an envelope and blossoms...

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How to fake sun‑bleached cyanotype textures on paper props using tea, sunlamps and subtle salt washes

I love the soft, dreamy look of sun‑bleached cyanotypes — those faded indigo prints that feel like memories captured on paper. But sometimes you want that same weathered, botanical, salty texture...

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How to make convincing miniature water with poured epoxy and a rippling varnish finish

I love making miniature water because it’s one of those deceptively simple effects that can transform a small scene into something believable and alive. Over the years I’ve settled on a workflow...

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How to build a whispering box that hides a sound mechanism using cheap piezo buzzers and recycled tins

I love making small, peculiar objects that ask you to lean in. This whispering box is one of those pieces: a humble recycled tin that, when opened, seems to breathe a secret sound — a soft click, a...

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