Conceiving a diorama is an adventure in scale and spatial relationships. Choose a container, then put yourself in the shoes of one of its future inhabitants.

Tools and Materials
Scouring pads
Cardboard
Bark
Twigs
Soda-can tabs
Thimble
Hay
Wire
Paper
Picture from a magazine
Map tacks
Spools
Felt
String
Stick (to use as post)
Saddle

Stable How-To
1. Glue scouring pads to cardboard cut to be the floor. Use scissors to cut bark into fence rails and twigs into posts; glue together. With utility scissors, clip soda-can tabs into horseshoes.

2. Glue thimble to side wall. For hay bales, wrap hay or grass with wire; cover wire with twine. Make broom out of twig, hay, and wire.

3. Cut out prize ribbons from paper and a window from a magazine. Coil twine into "ropes"; hang on map tacks. Label spools with marker; cut felt to cover tops.

4. Glue twigs together to make shelves. Draw U shapes on felt for horse blankets (shown below) and cut out; make saddle.

5. For bridles, knot string around horses' heads. Arrange everything in stable, then glue in place.

6. Glue stick post in center; attach bark stall divider.

Saddle How-To
With a photocopier, enlarge or reduce template to fit your horse. Cut saddle layers from brown and tan construction paper or felt; glue layers together. Cut two short thin strips for stirrups and one long strip for girth. Fold one end of each stirrup through a jewelry jump ring, and glue. Glue stirrups to saddle. Wrap girth around horse's belly; glue to saddle.