Bethel Park woman wins third place in worldwide miniature contest
Courtesy of miniatures.com
Melissa Bulifant’s miniature boathouse, “On The Mon,” took third place in the 28th annual Creatin’ Contest sponsored by Hobby Builders Supply/ miniatures.com.
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
A rear view of “On The Mon”
Courtesy of Melissa Bulifant
Courtesy of Melissa Bulifant
The kitchen area includes a replica of Melissa Bulifant’s own refrigerator.
Courtesy of Melissa Bulifant
The living area features a couch, two chairs and a trunk that can serve as a coffee table or dining table. Melissa Bulifant specifically did not want the furniture to match to give it the look of a house that had been passed down through generations.
Courtesy of Melissa Bulifant
The boats names after Melissa Bulifant’s dogs, Tasha and Rosie, are docked in the boathouse, ready for the next fishing excursion.
Courtesy of Melissa Bulifant
Melissa Bulifant of Bethel Park took third place in the 28th annual Creatin’ Contest.
Melissa Bulifant has always been a bit artistic.
The Bethel Park woman also always had a desire to build a dollhouse.
Her skills and desire resulted in a third-place finish in the 28th annual Creatin’ Contest, sponsored by Hobby Builders Supply/miniatures.com.
Bulifant, originally from Edenborn near Uniontown, was surprised to learn that her creation, titled “On The Mon,” was one of the winners. It’s a miniature version of a family boathouse on the Monongahela River.
“I thought they got it wrong. I honestly did,” she said with a laugh. “I was elated. I was just doing it for the satisfaction of accomplishing it. It was completely unexpected. It’s wonderful.”
For her third-place finish, Bulifant won a $250 gift certificate.
There were more than 100 entrants from six different countries and almost every state in the United States. A grand prize winner was selected, as well as first-, second- and third-place winners.
There also were nine first-time entry winners and eight honorable mentions.
Bulifant’s motivation to work on a dollhouse increased as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in her having more time at home.
“Working remotely gave me a couple of extra hours a day,” she said. “I always wanted to make a dollhouse, so this was my chance to do it.”
Bulifant came upon the miniatures.com website and learned about the contest.
Entrants received a kit as a starting point and their creative juices just flowed from there. The kit included three walls, a roof and a half floor.
“I saw the kit and something just clicked in my mind,” Bulifant said. “I knew what I wanted to make. I’m so happy that I did it, because I absolutely loved it.”
The theme for her creation stemmed from her father’s love of fishing.
“He worked in the coal mines, and fishing was his release on the weekends,” Bulifant said of her dad, Richard Smith, who died in 1991. “He never had a place like that, so every step of the way I thought, ‘What would my dad like?’ I thought of it as an old building that was passed down a couple generations.”
A video on the miniatures.com Facebook page features Bulifant describing the making of “On The Mon” and provides an explanation of the intricate detail that went into every piece of the house.
And the details are quite intricate, not missing anything pertinent to a relaxing fishing trip.
Upstairs includes a living area with a couch and chairs. A refrigerator and sink also can be found in a portion of the living area. Of course, the refrigerator – a facsimile of her own refrigerator – is adorned with a miniature Steelers’ magnet. There is a bathroom complete with sink, shower and toilet. The project even includes wiring to light the lamps.
Two boats bearing the names of her dogs – Rosie and Tasha – are below the living area, ready for the next fishing sojourn.
“It just has that feel that I wanted it to have,” Bulifant said. “There’s nothing new, nothing bright and shiny; just a comfortable, happy place where you can go to relax (and) be with your family. Everything just slows down and you can enjoy the people and the place that you’re in.”
Bulifant said she had ample time to work on “On The Mon” after undergoing surgery for a broken foot last summer. Being somewhat incapacitated provided her with the time to work on the project.
“I couldn’t do anything or go anywhere,” she recalled. “I made every brick and put every single brick on that thing the whole time I had my foot up in the air. Those were challenging, but I liked how it looked.”
The bricks are made of foam board insulation, and the ceiling is made of wood grain stained with instant coffee, as are the floors in the living area. Bulifant said the coffee produces a rich brown stain.
Bulifant chuckled when she talked about how much of her house was taken over by the project. She said her family was patient with her, adding that the foot surgery probably garnered her some sympathy.
“Everybody put up with me, which was really nice,” she said. “These houses aren’t small. I was all over the place. I took over the kitchen for a while. I took over the living room. I was probably in three rooms.”
Bulifant enjoyed her first contest and said she plans to enter again.
“I kind of have an idea that I’m working up,” she said. “I really want to do that again. It was just fun. I found a hobby.”