Saturday 12 January 2013

TRAY CHIC!

I have enjoyed making my "Breakfast Trays" and they have become quite famous since Janine posted them on her Minworks blog, Dec 31, 2011.  And once they hit Pinterest they started showing up EVERYWHERE!   I had made those little trays over 10 years ago and had even taught a workshop on them, yet I hadn't made any more until now.  These I've made over the past few months and I plan on making more.  Each is ONE OF A KIND and is supposed to tell a story on its own so it is packed with details that some may question.  The nice thing about this hobby is that you can do as you please and express yourself and interpret the moment as you like.  I call this tray "Wish you were Here".  It has old photos of  people and landmarks ,an Eiffel tower, pocket watch, a watch gear, an old postcard, a toile napkin, a tiny twig with tinnier buds on it, a couple of chocolate dipped biscuits, a teacup with saucer, and a teapot with pattern of architectural fragments along it's sides.  The tray is edged in black and the body of the tray is a faux burl wood.  The idea  was to make it look interesting and elegant.
I 've  named this one "Springtime!"  This was the first time I decided to try a draped cloth on the tray as a base for everything else on top.  The dynamics are changed with how much can be included and how it can be placed.  The fold of the cloth is now part of the composition and has to be factored in visually as well as practically.  One side of the tray has to connect with the other in a natural way and balance.  That is why I placed a small brown nest in the left corner.  Brown is a natural compliment to blue and gives some visual weight to the otherwise, top heavy tray.  The gold cake stand lifts the eye upward and then the view slides downward toward the right corner where the teacup and saucer rests on the folded linen.  The pink in the cakes is echoed in the small pink charger beneath the blue and white luncheon plate and the muted inside of the teacup.  Gold accents are carried across the tray in the teapot decoration, gold hearts and  in the cake plate.  The color of the rose, duplicated in the teacakes themselves.   The tray is a worn and faded blue with shots of gold peeking through. This piece is very feminine.


Bruce will be noting my lack of depth of field in this shot of the tray called "Mother's Day".  I have fuzzy cupcakes but as for the rest he just might approve.  The teapot has a dragonfly motif on a lovely pale green and gold is carried across the entire tray.  A tiny oyster shell with a pearl is on a gold and pearl necklace that is strung along the china and lost among the folds of the cloth.  A rose, a bowl of cherries and a picture of "MOTHER" is included.  It could be mother's birthday or a ' just because I love you, mom' kind of celebration.  The tray is a shabby pink with gold shots streaking through it.  The height of the cake stand makes the composition very light and airy.



Another pink and white tray but the tray is a bit longer than the other 3 and a bit wider. This is "Pastoral", I made it with the music of Handel playing in my head.  I made this tray frothy with lace and cupids frolicking amid the pink and white confections on the cake plate.  This tray has a pink and green teapot with a matching cream and sugar bowl.  again to give the visual weight to the composition, I covered the white dinner plate with a pale aqua cover that Fatima made years ago( and has since forgotten how).  It helps to gently guide the eye down from the serving tray to the centre of the picture and then up again to the teapot.  To enforce the tranquility of the whole thing a sheep ornament is situated in between the translucent plate cover and the "glass" pedestal stand.  A pink and lace placemat is the anchor color unifying the whole.

"PASTORAL'
Finally, the last of the current collection is for myself.  I  am so  blessed to have some pieces of Theresa Welch's work in my collection.  I purchased the teacup and saucer and the delicate china plate from the Seattle miniature show many many years ago.  They were NOT cheap.  BUT, the work is incredibly fine and the painted detail remarkable.  I gave Janine some of her blue and white china as a gift many years ago which she is now using in her china cabinets in her French House/ Dining Room.  This used to be sold under the banner of 'the China Closet' and  when I thought it was time to have more, I found that the business had retired, and that was that.  So, I treasure this eggshell china all the more and I decided to finally use it and so I made this tray using a beautifully patterned teapot from England and a VERY FULL cake plate that I made, of all the sweets that I plan on eating all by myself!  hahaha.( they are low cal).  The tray is burl wood and the top edge is lined in black which ties the teapot to it. The white draped cloth and the
antique lace napkin give the elements a feminine look but not nearly as soft and girly as the 3 prior.  The cake plate is wider and I think is actually too big BUT this ones for ME!!!
and for me it is 'TRAY CHIC'! 
elizabeth

14 comments:

  1. Good Morning Elizabeth,
    As you know I always want to possess more of your breakfast trays. I have seen several of these and, sorry, the photos do not do them justice!!!

    I love them all.
    Janine

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    Replies
    1. Good Morning to you too Janine! Thank you for your comment. I,m still not UP TO SNUFF, when it comes to taking photos( YET)( smiles); but I'm working towards more clarity. Bruce has set the bar for me and I'm trying to get the same brilliance as he had managed in YOUR "Breakfast Tray" blog post so that there would be some continuity. haha I still have a ways to go.

      elizabeth

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  2. Hi Elizabeth, these are really special, I love them all! May I ask how you make the fabric drape like that?

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    Replies
    1. Hello Alice and WELCOME to a NEW FOLLOWER, I would love to tell you how I draped that cloth but, I didn't write it down and I can't recall. However, I do draping in a FOOL PROOF way( no fool'in), that I shall do a tutorial on A.S.A.P. and explain the technique that I now use. The results are in the lap robe in 'GOTHICA' and 'Bruce Almighty" posts. It will be short and easy to follow and hopefully informative to all. Stay tuned and thank you for the compliment!
      elizabeth

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  3. Good morning Elizabeth......I keep thinking that when I go to bed you are just waking up to work on your beautiful minis. But no....I think you simply just stay up. Your trays are the best...I too am a proud owner of one of your trays. Don't blame you for hanging on to the last one you posted although all of them are as Janine said much much better than the photos. Sometimes it is tricky to take mini photos. Fats

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  4. Hi Fatima, You are not far off the mark. It is always Just One More Thing before bed and the next thing I know, the light of day appears. But I'm supposed to be looking for more self-discipline this new year; so far it still eludes me! haha But thank you, I'm inspired to make more, but perhaps working in the daylight would be better! hahahah

    elizabeth

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  5. Hello Elizabeth =) What a great work on these trays =) Really lovely =) Hope you have a great day!

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  6. Thank you Anna, I try to do different things that are sometimes just to use up the surplus of former experiments. When I began making trays it was to give me an opportunity to have somewhere to use the teapots that I had made that needed a home. However, I always seem to need to add more, then more until I have something I hadn't planned but that I like. These trays are the results and I'm pleased that they make others happy to see or own them. I'm glad that you like them too!

    elizabeth

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    Replies
    1. do you make a lot yourself or are the teapots and such bought?

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  7. Hi Anna, A Good Question! The only teapot I purchased was the one on the last tray with the china cup saucer and plate. (The one I am keeping for myself) I try to make as much of the major components as I can and/ or modify them to suit my needs. For instance, the cups and saucers and plates are Chrysenbon(spelled right?) but I hand painted them to customize. The teapots are entirely my own work and if I get enough requests, I will consider doing a tutorial on them. The cakes and pastries and cake plates are mine and made of a variety of materials and the serving trays themselves, home-made and hand painted and finished by me. I do want to give credit to a Fimo mini artist PEARL JOHNSON who made a lemon cane for me and I have been using it to garnish my cakes and teacups for years! Thank you PEARL!

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  8. it is a good surprise to find your blog!

    I love your work and ideas.
    Catherine

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    Replies
    1. It was a good surprise to find your blog too, Catherine! I love your little girls bedroom with all the beautifully crafted books and toys! And the doll "Lallie" = Adorable! Bienvenu!

      elizabeth

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  9. Hi Elizabeth, I was brought here from Janine's blog too :). I have seen many breakfast trays created in minis but yours, what can I say, I love them ! Your trays are different and they stand out because I think you put into each tray as much of yourself as possible. I love that the pots and cups are sometimes old pieces, that your cakes look like they were baked in your kitchen and not some factory bakery. I love how you compose each tray like it's a song and I love how every one of your song has a personal touch. :)I am glad I found your blog :)

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  10. Thank you Sans! That is such a wonderful compliment and I will always treasure it! Whenever I make anything it is supposed to tell a story of some kind, and as you can tell, I like to talk! ( just ask Janine and Fatima!) It is always of interest to me how different people interpret what I do and see some thing that may perhaps connect with a particular memory or wish. But isn't that what we all do? Story telling through our love of miniatures; and finding each our own 'happily ever afters.' Welcome Sans, and again, 'Thank you"
    elizabeth

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