The Grand old Duke of York miniature story

The Grand old Duke of York miniature story Hello space cats, it’s Jules. Today I want to invite you into the beginning of something rather special. This is the first of a new series of makes for The Museum of Curious Enchantment, which will be appearing at the Isle of Wight Story Festival in 2026. And like all good museums, we’re starting with a story that everyone thinks they know… but perhaps hasn’t really looked at for a while. 🎵 Oh, the Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men… 🎵 Well. Today, he has slightly fewer. About twenty. And they are all made from coffee stirrers. The idea for this piece came from thinking about nursery rhymes as tiny puzzles. They’re simple on the surface, but they carry rhythm, repetition, and sometimes a quiet absurdity that feels very much at home in miniature. Because really, when you slow it down, this is a story about movement without progress. Up the hill. Down the hill. Up again. Halfway. Paused. Confused. Which felt… oddly modern. So I began by making the soldiers. Each one cut from a humble coffee stirrer, painted and assembled with care, as if they truly believed in their important marching duties. Some stand proudly at the top of the hill. Some linger at the bottom. And some are forever caught halfway, suspended in that peculiar moment where you’re not quite sure whether you’re arriving or leaving. I like those ones best. The hill itself became a quiet character in the story. Not dramatic. Not towering. Just enough of a rise to make everything feel effortful. And then there was the Duke. A Grand Old Duke, after all, cannot reasonably be expected to walk. So… he needed a horse. I made him one from matchsticks. A small, earnest horse. Not galloping. Not rearing. Just… standing patiently, as if aware that its job is less about travel and more about symbolism. This piece will eventually live in the Museum of Curious Enchantment, a place for small stories, overlooked rhymes, and objects that sit somewhere between plaything and artefact. And this will be just one of many makes. There are more nursery rhymes whispering already. More tiny worlds forming at the edges of my desk. So if you enjoy miniature storytelling, gentle absurdity, and the idea that even the simplest rhyme can hold a whole world… do consider following along. The Museum is only just opening its doors. If you want to know the secrets to my whole picture book process: 📚 Make your PICTURE BOOK course 📚 https://www.julesmarrinerbooks.com/ma... 📔 ALL BOOKS AVAILABLE HERE 📔 https://www.julesmarrinerbooks.com/books 🌟 INSTAGRAM 🌟   / julesmarriner