Mini chocolates box for Cris' sister

I finished yesterday Cris' sister gift.  I know she collects, but I have no idea of her personal tastes.  So I made her something that always has a place in any dollhouse: a chocolates box, and a gift bag:

I know she has a store, so maybe she wants to display the bag with some goodies inside, or in the arm of one of the customers.  I hope she likes them.

It surprised me how fast I was able to do everything.  It has been a while that I have been working only with papers and cardboard, and I had forgotten how fun was to assemble a tiny multi-medium project like this one.

I got today a package of stuff that I bought to refine my technique with papers: distress ink and some stamps to work with them.  I can't wait to try them out on the mini books!  More on that very soon :)

Textured rolls for crafting

I have been obssesed with Egyptian miniatures since I found out Lilliput's Treasure Egyptian collection.  

I wanted to craft an Egyptian tablet myself, just for the fun of it.  But I wanted it to have a 3D effect, instead of just doing a base with polymer clay and adding an picture on top.  Well, lo and behold, I found by chance a wonderful shop where they sell textured rolling pins with all kinds of engravings.  And to my surprise, they had an Egyptian roll too!

I could not believe my lucky stars, and I was quick in acquiring one.  I also got some Fimo in a soft beige color (the packet is called Sahara).  And today I got the time to use the roll for the first time, and the results are marvelous:

I am very excited about the possibilites.  I have not yet made the miniature tablet.  I am so happy how these two samples came out that I am turning them into magnets to gift to my classmates at the belly dancing academy.  I only need seven more, lol!  My mom says she wants one too.  I'll post pictures when they are finished.

New miniature books found

Perusing through Kate's blog entries, I found out about two miniature-making books.

I was aware of Sue Heaser's publications, but although I am familiar with Angie Scarr's name, I did not know she also had published books for making miniatures with polymer clay. For those of you who did not know either, here they are:

Miniature Food Masterclass: Materials and techniques for model-makers

Making Miniature Food and Market Stalls

I have ordered both, and I can't wait for them to arrive!

Polymer Clay Dollhouse Books

I have came across many tutorials to make dollhouse books; one of them taught how to make them out of polymer clay, like this one here. I didn't think that polymer clay books looked real enough to display them in my dollhouse, so I learn from one of Sue Heaser's books how to make them out of paper.

But oh surprise! Browsing through Etsy I found that BlueKittyMiniatures had listed a Book of Shadows, with a lovely pentacle on the cover. Carol is famous for her delicious cakes:

Although she sometimes surprises us with cookie jars:

And knitting bags too:

And she currently has available some others magical and whimsical books as well.

I know that Carol doesn't repeat her designs many times, so I snatched it. It just looked so lovely in the picture that I didn't mind that it was a "dummy" book, a book that doesn't open because it is made out of clay. In fact, I wanted it to display it over the lovely book stand that minibuilder had made for me.

So, this morning it arrived all the way from the UK, and it is simply fantastic! I am amazed at the details in the binding and the way the pages are worked. Here is a pic of it, over Ray's book stand:

I guess it's all in the bookmaking technique, because this is one of the most realistic books I have seen! I will have to practice my own skills...

Miniature custom made cakes

When browsing around for ideas to include in my dollhouse pastry shelf, I came upon Dollhouse Delights' shop, and I found this lovely cake:

Dollhouse Delights offers to make a miniature replica of your special occasion cake. Isn't it a wonderful idea? The one in the picture is simply beautiful; my lovely vampire would definitely like one just like it!

Making miniature delights

Browsing the work of great miniature artists that featured little chocolates and cookies with the most whimsical forms I could not help but wonder "How in the world can they make something so tiny?" The answer is simple: cutters! Trivial, right? Well, wrong. Most of the cutters I found at craft stores or Amazon were designed to make jewelry or beads. Not knowing any brands, it was quite difficult for me to find cutters for miniature work.

Until the day I searched for "miniature cutter" on Etsy and came upon the brand Kemper. I was quick on purchasing a set of five, and I couldn't wait for them to arrive and begin experimenting. This is my first set of "shortbread cookies" made from polymer clay - they are a gift for my mom:

In the following days I am going to make more of them, as well as chocolates, to decorate the miniature tin boxes that I mentioned some days ago. Can't wait to see them finished!

Review - A book you need to have

Since my personal projects seem to be a bit slow these days, I'd like to share a fabulous find that will make the delights of every miniaturist, especially for the ones who love to craft.

I don't even remember how I found this book - I think it was a recommendation by Amazon, after I searched for miniatures. But it's one of those discoveries that simply have to be shared and praised to extenuation.

Sue Heaser is the author, and the book is called "Making Doll's House Miniatures with Polymer Clay".

The title says it all; you'll find a lot of projects to create everyday objects that, no matter what kind of dollhouse you have, will fit into your rooms: clocks, candle holders, plants, flowers, books, even a whole set of china (from plates to a tea set)!. You can find too recipes to make realistic food. It is filled with color pictures and easy to follow instructions, as well as tips to working with clay and lists of materials you can use. Even if you don't craft, you'll be amazed by how beautifully this book has been put together.

Obviously, there are different grades of difficulty in this book. And remember that practice makes perfection. Don't expect to craft a whole dinner in just one hour if you have never touched polymer clay before! Don't get discouraged. Begin with the simple projects and when you are happy with the results, begin to challenge yourself. Also, seek the opinion of someone else when you finish something. We are our worst critics, so it helps to have a friend or a family member to give you some feedback.

This book also gives you the tools to put your brain to work and come up with your own ideas and designs. If you only want to buy one book of miniature crafts, this one is the Oscar winner.

Although it may be difficult to believe, everything in this cover is made out of clay, except the table and the curtains.

Crafting for my mom

Remember a couple of days ago when I mentioned I was going to make a shopping basket for my mom? It's finished:


The wire basket came from Kountry, if you like it. The rest was handmade by me. See the dog magazine from 2 entries below? The baguette, the grapes and the oranges are polymer clay; the grocery bags are handmade from brown wrapping paper. The milk bottle was purchased unfinished; I painted it white and sealed it with a glossy coat. My mom loves it, and that's the best reward!