Create.Miniatures.org posts February challenge, community calendar, photo call and workshops

The National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts site posted a February Challenge gallery and wrote, “These are the entries for our February Challenge. Enjoy seeing what tools your fellow miniaturists can't do without!” The same posting, per a related report, also asked members to submit photos of minis “out on the town,” a pair of prompts that coexist in the February updates.

Participant posts from the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge blog on 23 February 2026 illustrate how painters are responding. GavinB submitted “A Strange Assortment of Figures (15 points)” and described using promotional art as a reference, building a miniature from an old apocalyptic figure and making a backpack and adjustments with green stuff, with labels including 28mm, 54mm, Dark Souls and Soviet. DavidB posted “Kill Team, Modern US Army, WW1French (145 points)” and wrote, “I think I could finish an army in a week, but I just can't help myself. Every time I change the wet pallet, it is a challenge just to keep the same colors I have been using. I now have it loaded with the John Blanche paints just to force myself to focus on the next batch. So, while I was clearing the Deathguard from the table...a few more units snared my attention before the pallet change.”

Two February in-person events on the NAME Region N2 calendar provide local meetups. The Sacramento Dollhouse Miniature Sale ran February 14, 10am–3pm at Carmichael Elks Lodge #2103, 5631 Cypress Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608, with free admission and free parking and the Lodge Café offering food for purchase 11:30 am–2:00 pm; Ynez is the listed contact to register for a sales table. MiniCals Catch-up Day took place February 21, 10am–4pm at M&L Precision Machining, 18665 Madrone Pkwy, Morgan Hill, CA 95037; attendees could bring a project or build an aquarium with Ruth, with a $7 attendance fee, $4 taco lunch and $5 aquarium fee, and reservations handled via Ruth at Grouchybeartoo@aol.com.

Create Miniatures’ online workshop slate included named instructors and Pacific-time listings. Kate Santichen led “Chicken Wings” on February 15 at 10:00 am Pacific and “Chicken Pot Pie” on February 22 at 10:00 am Pacific, both delivered via Zoom. A session titled “Create Shares – How to get your pictures on Social Media” was scheduled for February 21 at 11:00 am Pacific, and Belinda McWilliams of Castle Crafts hosted “Time to Read” on February 28 at 9:00 am Pacific; each listing carried a “More info” prompt without a direct link in the posted calendar.

Ongoing Zoom series round out the calendar. Round TUIT Roundtable Work Sessions meet Wednesdays at 4:00 pm Pacific and are hosted by a Create Miniatures team member for working on roundtable kits, sharing completed roundtables and swapping assembly tips. Debbie Colombo hosts bi-weekly UFO Sightings meetups Fridays at 9:00 am Pacific for unfinished projects, where participants may work or just chat.

Many event listings include a “More info” note but no registration links. The calendar listings advise people to consult the NAME Region N2 calendar page and the Create Miniatures site for upcoming events. An Instagram line tied to NAME appears alongside sales and fundraising activity: “From charming kits to one-of-a-kind creations, every bid supports NAME and our community of miniature makers.” Contacts listed in the postings include Ruth at Grouchybeartoo@aol.com for MiniCals reservations and Ynez for vendor tables at the Carmichael sale.