Larissa Ester found a novel way to use the centerpieces again she created for her wedding earlier this year.
Ester, a librarian at the Clarendon Hills Public Library, created about 20 different miniature scenes of things that have had importance to her or her husband. And now, her miniatures are on display through the end of June in display cases at the library, 6 N. Prospect Ave.
The Library offers two display cases for use by individuals or community organizations. Each case is lighted and measures 40 inches wide, 60 inches tall, and 10 inches deep.
A full bookshelf is one of the miniatures on display at the Clarendon Hills Public Library (Clarendon Hills Public Library)
Ester said the miniatures scenes she created include things such as library scenes, as Clarendon Hills marks the third library at which she has worked.
“I was also a teacher, so I made a classroom, and my husband worked at Amazon, so there’s an Amazon scene, our first date was at Buca DI Beppo, so there’s a scene for that,” Ester said.
She said the idea to create miniature scenes for centerpieces came to her when she had just completed a Hobby Lobby miniature scene kit she had been given for Christmas.
“I had so much fun doing it that I was looking for more ideas on other scenes that I could do,” she said. “I actually found a miniature Facebook group and saw that someone had made a lantern scene and thought it would be such a neat thing if I could make some for our wedding.”
Ester said she found many everyday items she was able to use to make her scenes, which meant an added bonus of it being fairly cost-effective.
She said for her library scenes, she found photos online of book covers and created strips of paper with the book covers, printed them out, folded them, and glued them together.
“It was fairly cheap, and all I needed was paper, printer, and glue,” she said.
Ester said she also used her mother-in-law’s Cricut maker machine to cut thin pieces of wood to make some of the wooden furniture and the Clarendon Hills library’s new 3D printer to make other furniture.
“Overall, I thought it would be a fun and unique way to add some personal touches to our wedding,” she said.
The miniatures display created by Iberian Larissa Ester is available for viewing through the end of June. (Clarendon Hills Public Library)
Ester said all of the centerpieces were completed while she and her husband were planning their wedding.
“I probably started working on them in May 2023, when we first moved to Illinois,” she said. “My husband got a job promotion, so we moved here last May, and I had quite a bit of free time while job searching.”
All of the miniature scenes were completed by February/March for the April 6 wedding.
“Some scenes were easier to complete than others, but it was a fun process,” Ester said.
She said displaying the miniature scenes at the library came from a suggestion by a co-worker.
“I had used our Library’s new 3D printer to create some of the furniture that you see in the scenes and figured that by displaying the scenes, maybe others would get inspired in the activity, and we could promote our 3D printer,” Ester said.
Lucy Tarabour, the library’s adult programming and marketing coordinator, said the display cases in the vestibule at the main entrance to the library change monthly.
“Our goal is to provide a way for local organizations to promote their work and events,” she said, adding that the Clarendon Hills Historical Society recently had a display highlighting the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Clarendon Hills. Another recent display was provided by the DuPage County affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which showcased artwork created by people suffering from mental health problems.
Displays scheduled for the next two months are Nathalie Studio with Glass Art in July and Molly Solik Photography in August.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press
