Life in miniature Winnipegger takes big step out of comfort zone to create tiny dream home on CBC reality show By: Eva Wasney Posted: 3:00 AM CST Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023

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This article was published 23/12/2023 (995 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jen Arnold had to go big to build her pint-sized dream home.

The Winnipegger is one of 10 miniaturists competing on the third season of Best in Miniature. Over eight episodes, the CBC reality show challenges contestants to build elaborate dollhouses for a chance to win $10,000 and a residency at the International Guild of Miniature Artisans in Maine.

The mini mansions are constructed at 1/12 scale — a tall task for Arnold.

“My stuff is very small,” she says. “With the scale of the dollhouses, I could fit about 12 of my houses into one room.”

Arnold, a social worker by trade, specializes in crafting teeny-tiny replicas of childhood homes and sentimental abodes for clients. A self-taught artist, she made her first miniature in 2018 as a Christmas gift for a friend and has since amassed a waiting list three years long.

Despite the daunting scale of Best in Miniature (and a strong dislike of being in front of a camera), Arnold decided to apply for the niche, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“To go on this show is totally out of my comfort zone,” she says. “But whatever, you get to a certain age where it’s like, ‘I don’t even care.’”

After an extensive casting process, Arnold, who celebrated her 46th birthday last week, was shocked to get a callback.

“I didn’t even know what to do,” she says with a laugh. “This is actually happening.”

She channelled her nervous energy into preparation, rewatching past seasons of the show and practising for all possibilities.

“I had never made food,” she says. “So I practised that because there may be a challenge with food.”

Contestants are also instructed to arrive for filming with the shell of their house constructed. While Arnold isn’t able to divulge details of her design or its architectural influences, she hopes the style will be recognizable to local viewers.

“It’s very Winnipeg-esque; I tried to incorporate Winnipeg into everything (I did) on the show,” she says. “We all created our dream homes and mine is one that I’ve wanted all my life.”

The days on set were long but exciting. Her camera shyness lifted almost immediately.

“I would say to my family, ‘I’m scared I’m gonna pick my nose on camera,’ but there’s no time to do anything else but your craft,” she says. “And I was one of the rambunctious ones, I was told to be quiet a few times because I was having so much fun with one of my partners.”

The biggest challenge was hitting the crafting pace required of challenges. Arnold is a self-professed procrastinator who takes her time making miniatures.

“When they say go, you go,” she says. “And, I mean, sometimes glue doesn’t dry in eight hours.”

Arnold is glad she decided to step outside her comfort zone. The show gave her the chance to connect with other miniaturists, learn new building techniques and receive valuable feedback on her work. It’s an experience she hopes to pay forward.

“Getting known in the Winnipeg miniaturists community, I would love to help people and … share my wisdom because I learned a lot on the show,” Arnold says. “There’s been a lot of growth and it’s a craft that I’m going to continue to do because I love it.”

Best in Miniature is hosted by Aba Amuquandoh of This Hour Has 22 Minutes with judging by international miniature expert Emma Waddell and interior designer Micheal Lambie.

Season 3 premieres on Boxing Day with all episodes available to stream on CBC Gem and back-to-back episodes airing Tuesday through Friday next week on CBC TV.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

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