Cigar Box Bed Miniature 1:12 scale

November 18, 2021

I was cleaning the garage last week and came across an old cigar box that had fallen behind a shelf. Perfect size for a dollhouse bookshelf but then I remembered I really needed beds for my newest house.

If you are a miniaturist you probably look at every piece of household scrap as a potential mini.

This box is 7 inches in length ( makes a 7 foot bed) and wood.

I believe cigar boxes are made from a type of cedar? Its very thin and cuts easily but it is strong.

I used to have a full box of cigar boxes that I picked up from a smoke shop. I've used them over the years for all sorts of projects. They are great for storing small items and stack very well. Visit your local cigar/smoke shop if you can find one and I'm sure they would gladly give you a few boxes to play with.

I gave it a good scrubbing and removed the paper labels. I glued the flat pieces together (The top and bottom of the box). The inside of the lid holds the mattress and the inside of the box is the underside of the bed. I left it hollow under the bed because I was thinking it would be a good spot to hide a lighting battery pack for lamps.

The head and footboards are basswood. I got a small pack of basswood sheets enough for a few projects for less than 10 bucks on Amazon. You can get it at hobby shops and some craft stores. I like the texture better than balsa and the basswood matches popsicle and coffee stir sticks a bit more. Both Balsa and Basswood cut easily with a blade or scissors ( balsa is much softer)

I could have done a better job at the headboard. I drew that one by hand and painted it with basic brown acrylic craft paint. The next one I do I am going to focus on fancier headboards and stain it. The cigar box wood has an interesting grain so I am curious to see how it would look with a nice wood stain.

The mattress was a thin piece of foam that came as a box liner in a parcel and a scrap piece of small print fabric which i just glued right to the foam using white craft glue. I glued the mattress right to the bed.

Now I have to make a mini quilt!