Here are the participants in the Create Year Long Challenge (CYLC2026).
Participants are in alphabetical order by last name. Participants with a last name starting with G-P are on this page.
Participants with a last name starting with A-F can be found here.
Participants with a last name starting with R-Z can be found here.
Completed projects can be found here.
From Jennifer Gray:
I have this vintage 6' tall bird cage. It was originally white and I've painted it black. I am planning on turning it into a "habitat" for Steve the Traveling Bat (found here https://www.facebook.com/
This project will have 3 floors:
- a top floor which will be Steve's sleeping quarters
- a middle floor which will be his Spook Easy Casino (Steve loves Vegas!)
- and a bottom floor which will be a type of travel memento mausoleum/cemetery (Steve collects little travel keepsakes from all our travel destinations)
More details:
- it will be custom scale
- have lighting
- the cage needs some welding repairs so that will happen
- please note that Steve is a plastic Dollar Tree Halloween bat, not a live animal. He is simply a travel mascot.
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From Julia Greenhalf:
Finally found the info on the Create site so here we go, nervously, of the projects I want to finish this year. I bought the original Creekside probably 9 or 10 years ago after being inspired by Paula Isaac’s interpretation of it. It’s been sitting in a box, labelled up, with everything thrown into the box that might be remotely used for it. I’ve also had True2Scale’s project for ages, I just love her Christmas Gingerbread houses. The last kit is one I received in a set of 4 which Laura Miler bought on my behalf, again Christmas!!
In the meantime, Linda and I are trying to finish Birdhouse Bluff; I’m on the last states of Raptoor’s 2024 Advent Calendar and Jane Harrop’s 2025 Advent Calendar are currently on the desk being worked on so setting myself a challenge without including these, was nerve wracking but must make progress!!
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From Bonnie Helterhoff:
Here we go again!!! I am taking your suggestion and instead of one huge project I am going to attempt to finish off three that I have The first is a small shop I did in a Create class with Carl Bronsdon. Loved the class and adore the shop and just haven't decided what I want in it. Hopefully this will push me to decide. The second is a beach cottage that I taught at Miniature Designs in Atlanta. Again - love the building but have never completed it. The third is a building designed by Ron from Ron's Miniatures in Orlando (now closed as they retired). It's a two story building that isn't very deep - designed to hang on a wall. His design was for a clock shop but I only managed to get the building and not the parts that made it look more like a clock shop. And again - don't know what I want in it!!! I'm hoping the challenge is what I need to make decisions on these and get them done!!!
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From Eileen Herrstrom :
For the 2026 Challenge, I plan to build this garage to accompany the 1/12-scale house and greenhouse that I’ve worked on during previous Challenges. This year, I’ll see how much I can accomplish: completing the structure, painting, and furnishing. Maybe I’ll even find a car to park in the driveway! Thanks for all your work on these projects.
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From Barbara Hopkins:
I want to complete my lighthouse keeper's house in 2026. I've had both lighthouse and lighthouse keeper's house kits for years and it's time to put them together! I'll start with the keeper's house. It's all going to be the Lighthouse B&B; the keeper's house will be for registration, breakfast, and mingling with other guests.
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From Kristie Horrell:
I will be trying to complete the True2Scale Boathouse kit and furniture.
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From Carol Johnson:
I have chosen the following projects for my 2026 NAME Create Year Long Challenge. They only need to have the landscaping completed so this is the year to finish them all. 😊 Creekside Cottage, Birdhouse Bluff, Montana Homestead, Picket Hill, Carpathian Cottage, Stump House, Camp Make-A-Mini Cabin, 3 Shepherd Huts by Debbie Young, Petalstone, and the Camp Make-A-Mini Craftsman. Thank you for offering this challenge again this year. ❤
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From Terezinha Jusino:
I've been working on this project since last year. The project got put on hold because I made a mistake but using screw that we 1/4" to long. It ripped through the board. I was an emotional mess for me after all the hard work that was put into the project. I would really like to get it finished this year.
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From Shirley Kerasiotis:
For 2026 I want to finish the base and landscaping for Birdhouse Bluff that I finished in 2025 and all the furniture for the interior of the house.
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From Kathy Koons:
For 2026, I'm going to tackle some of my Robin Betterley Secret Books that have been waiting too long. I hope to do some others of hers from the stash, but these are the main ones I want to finish.
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From Debra Kuckuck:
Thank you CREATE team for offering this great challenge again this year! 2026 is going to be the “Year of Petitpoint” for me. I hope to stitch several pillows and maybe a fire screen. They’ll be stitched on 48 count silk gauze (2,304 stitches per square inch). They’re stitched with a strand of silk sewing thread.
I don’t have all the supplies yet, but here are the supplies for my first pillow, designed by Nicola Mascall. The wrinkled fabric is the silk gauze. The pillow to the left is the finished pillow from Nicola’s website, and the photo on the right is a recent example of one of my stitched pillows.
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From Lesia Lennex:
I've chosen a CYLC project for 2026: The Libby House. My daughter, Libby, designed this house using Adobe Illustrator and a laser-cutter at the university makerspace. She gave it to me for Mother's Day 2024 and now I can begin work on it. I've painted a primer coat but otherwise it's in original form. The house is based on the Lake-Peterson house (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/victorian-house-trim--418271884112443512/. There's lots to do with this house and I'm excited to get started!
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From Sally Lonn:
On Saturday at our monthly meeting our club project was given out ... a book nook in heavy cardboard from Houseworks and a kit to make a wood bookcase. I am not sold on what I will create but fairies keep talking to me, something other than books in a case ... wait to see what I can do with this ...
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From Becky Maganuco:
Wow I hope this works out. Love the idea of finishing a project. I have so many I need another lifetime! My project is to finish the Debbie Young Chicago bungalow both inside and out. Haven’t done much on it since Debbie taught it at the Bishop Show many year ago!
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From Preble McDaniel:
I want to complete at least one of my Camp Make-a-Mini projects. That would include landscaping. The first one is so close already so it the most likely I do. I try to set realistic goals for myself because I tend to have mini ADD. Ideally I can finish these 3 and then display them together.
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From Pam McDonald:
Since the Year Long Challenges for the last three years motivated me to complete projects that had been waiting to be done for years, I am going to enter again this year. For 2026 I plan to build two quarter inch scale replicas of Thorne rooms from Petworth Miniatures. Having built one of these wonderful kits in the past I know how much work is involved, so I’m trying to be realistic about what I can actually finish.
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From Carla Mcintyre:
Here we go again! Gearing up for the 2026 Challenge. The past challenges have really helped me work on some of the UFOs that have been pushed to the back of my cabinet. Once again, my goal is to use things in my stash and not purchase anything new (except for the Betterley’s calendar club or something new I just HAVE to have from any of the great miniature dealers). My focus this year will be to complete the 2025 calendar club from the Betterley’s, along with several other of Robin’s kits: 2 detective agency secret books, “A little witchy” kit, and “come fly with me” kit. Also “an Adorable shop” kit with all the furniture and landscaping by Debbie Young. I’m also planning to complete projects from our local club and just maybe a few of the other UFOs hanging around here!
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From Ann-Cary McLain:
2026 is going to be about finishing projects. In honor of the country's 250th, I will start with the "Betsy Ross House" kit. Spring will be finishing the "Old Summer Charm Bed & Breakfast" kit. For summer I want to create a vertical hillside display for my already completed three Camp-Make-a-Mini "Shepherd Huts". (This will include learning to use a static grass applicator.) To round out the year I plan to complete my "Fairy Tale Book Nook". This will include adding visible rooms behind some of the building windows and lots of fairytale & storybook characters (many from scratch.)
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From Kitty Mecham:
I have been working on this French Victorian for about a year. It always seems to get pushed to the back when other projects pop up. So, I decided that this would be my 2026 CYLC project. After nearly finishing with the painting, I talked myself into wanting to wire the whole thing for lights. (Yes, I should have started with the wiring...) Originally I was going to use battery operated lights, but there are too many to turn on. I have been collecting some old 12v lights that I think would work well in this house. And as you can see, there are still a lot of other things that need to be finished - the bay window, front door, and windows on the first floor, walls, stairs, built-in shelving, and so much more! I have nearly all of the furnishings ready to be put in - if I could just finish with construction!!!
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From Susie Mendoza:
This is a huge deal on my part - I run the Texas Miniature Showcase and have put this house off for upwards of 8 years … always having a plan and never executing .. she’s been sitting on my workbench since moving to Texas - five years! 2026 is her year!
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From Laura Miller:
Even though I have yet to complete a single YLP, I am going to try again! I decided on two really old UFOs for my YLP.
- The first one started as a 1/4 inch scale kit by Lucy Hanson - bookend buildings with two slide-out rooms in each. I started turning the two buildings into a Natural history museum. I have one finished room, and two almost finished rooms. I have decided to add a wooden box between them to make a larger museum.
- Steps needed to complete this project:
- Dust all three rooms I had previously worked on.
- Repair a couple of items in two of the rooms.
- Complete the two rooms with printies and people.
- Add a floor and probably some walls and, maybe a staircase, to the wooden box I have added.
- I will need to figure out what exhibits I will be adding then get or make what I need for those. (People, animals, etc.
- I will be wiring the whole structure.
- I will be adding windows and faux brick to the outsides of the buildings and finishing the roofs.
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- The second project is my Blue Rose Tea Room. I started this years ago.
- Steps needed to complete this project:
- Wire and light the building.
- I need to find or replace the roof and attach it.
- Create a base for the building and landscape it.
- Glue the porch roof back onto the building.
- Add porch posts and stairs.
- Add flooring to the building.
- Completely furnish both floors.
- Steps needed to complete this project:
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From Laura Muha:
My new year's resolution (and my project for the Creative Challenge): To finish the girls' bedroom in my dollhouse. Photo in its current (very unfinished!) state is attached.
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From Samantha Murray:
This year I am going to concentrate on finally getting my workroom organized. I moved into this condo three years ago but with work and other commitments I’ve never had the time to get my workroom/office set up properly.
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From Sandra Myers:
I am working on a two story art museum that will be completed in 2026. It has a nod to the Louvre and the Chicago Art Institute where the Thorne Collection of miniatures is located.
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From Linda Napier:
My year long challenge is to finish 2 quarter inch scale houses from my stash. One is the Creekside Studio and the other is the Maison de Campagne from Seaside Miniatures. I've never made a front opening kit so the Maison house will be different for me.
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From Mary Neely:
I've had this tea room for 20 years. I hope to finish it this year.
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From Kathy Novak:
I am going to complete a 1:12 scale 1950s-‘60s ice cream parlor called Lickedy-Split. You have 2 photos: into the parlor through the 2 side big windows; an interior view showing the cushy booths & tables I made. The tables have those old boomerang countertops (yes, there’s gum under the tables). Ice cream counter & back/side cupboards aren’t finished yet. I kitbashed a non-working the Elvis jukebox with lights, and a music button on the roof will play “Love Me Tender” on demand. Five ceiling light fixtures are already wired and ready to hang when the “tin ceiling” and front wall & windows are installed. I’ll be getting back to that when I finish 2 other smaller projects I side-tracked to. I tend to go overboard, but that’s the joy in this obsession … In July, Lickedy-Split will be entered in the Racine County Fair (my 3rd time entering), so that is my deadline.
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From Suzanne O'Connell:
I'm going to assemble a dollhouse for my niece.
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From Susan Oslun:
I'm writing to send in my 1 year challenge. A porch scene in a pumpkin for Halloween.
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From Marjorie Parker:
This year I am not going to push myself too hard, knowing there are too many competing challenges in real life. I am reducing once more in scale, this time to 1/144, I believe. I had purchased one Volker Arnold Ark kit some time ago, and then another one arrived for my birthday in 2021. So I need to make them both. The dear friend who gave me the second Ark passed away in 2022 and I will be really thinking of her as I make each animal for the Arks. If I should happen to finish these before the December deadline, I have lots more Volker Arnold kits to enjoy, outside of CYLC, or maybe for future CYLC years.
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From Alician Pearce:
I am hoping that 3rd year is a charm! This will be the third year I am using this house as my CYLC. I want to get the structure done, and finish off the rest of the inside kits. I have most of those done from last year, so REALLY hoping I can finish this this year!
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From Chris Pecherzewski:
My pictures for the year long challenge: Old wringer - to create a room showing the old laundry room of the 1940’s and Hallmark ornaments - to display a cute Christmas kitchen with them! Oh the fun!! TY 👏🤣
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From Melody Petlock:
2026 is the 3rd year for making my Showcase Dollhouse a Year-Long-Challenge. It's almost finished (as ever a 1" scale dollhouse can be) after basically looking like a bookcase full of junk at January 2024. In 2024 the theme was "Post Construction Decor": (flooring, wallpaper, windows, trims). The theme for 2025 was "moving in" with adding furniture, building and filling lots of shelves and surfaces. For 2026 the theme is "Finishing Touches." It's time to get this done!
This is the list at this point:
Music room: sheet music, lyre chairs, low stool, violin, bass, mandolin, drapery; Breakfast Room: tablescape, breakfast foods, samovar table, fill cabinets, curtains; Dining room: hang art & mirrors, set table? Roast goose? Fake windows with drapery. I am also short 5-6 chairs??? Find, build or buy some?; Butler Pantry: artwork, clock, butler tray(s?), tea cart(s?) [basic tea, cocktails, lemonade, Christmas, other for quick seasonal changes); Kitchen: glue up more shelves, spice rack, wood box, bell wall, how to put in and better display all copper pots and utensils, clock on chimney hood or??? Make the fancy Bavarian cuckoo clock? What's on the stove? Herbs on the window sill. More copper things such as measuring cups. What's in process on the work table? What's beneath?; Bell Pulls and plants or flower arrangements in various rooms; Halls: Finish and fill hall stand, change powder room lighting? Change stair runner?; Hired man's room: clothes, make long johns? Dress bed. Coat hooks? Things on walls. Hunting related? Tools? Chair rail? Age the bed; Coral bathroom: lots of little tweaks. Plants on the window sill, towel bars, hang bathrobes, better octopus invasion tentacles; I wonder what surprises we might have in that attic?; and tweak and conceal lighting and especially all of those wires!
That's it! Haha! I feel totally inspired and grateful for the year long challenge and its organizers! Thank you!
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From Cheryl Polito:
I am hoping to build the last few buildings and add furnishing and finishing touches. Plus landscaping.
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