The Nights Before Christmas

Here are some of the tulips I've made from real plant material.   I believe no one does it better than God and so I am always happy to allow Him to do all the hard stuff.  In person these seed pods show veining, translucence and minute details that I could never achieve on my own.  The painting of the flowers, I did, of course.    The plastic cake pillar and the little garden statue on top came from an old piece of junk.  They were painted with bronze nail polish and acrylic paint and then aged to look old and weather beaten.  The picture on the wall is from a magazine and mounted onto mat board.

Here is another pic of the tulips and the peaches I have made over and over  because my sister Bev said looked like oranges.  In review they do.  But they are PEACHES.  The peaches I made from air dry clay.   Here is where less would probably been more.  I have to learn how to take close-ups.  The bird cage is a re-worked one that everybody and their dog has had at one time or another.  They usually come in red with a HUGE white glass bird on a perch inside.  I have a thing for birds and cages and I have made over several of these red metal cages with great success. 

This shows the kitchen work island that began life as a potting table that  I purchased from the Miniature Club of  British Columbia (M.C.B.C.) show and sale this past June.  Again, too much stuff going on. I propped and orange tree that I made on the table and loaded the stainless steel surface (CON-TACT brand shelf paper) with all my hand made items.  I made all the french breads over the course of a few of the long nights in my STUDIO and between all the fruit and the bread and eggs,  I could probably furnish a tiny grocery store.  I Do get carried away at times;  all for the sake of the arts ( how noble of me)

MORE BREAD!

MORE TULIPS!

A closer look at the peaches that look like oranges.  My sisters  daughter said the basket of brown eggs looked like potatoes!  What is it with these people!  They look like EGGS TO ME !??? (sigh)  Here's Hoping that the copper pots look like COPPER POTS?  I made all of them (except the seafood one with the lid) from instructions from 2 books by both Patricia King  and Andrea Barham.  The lids are Vintage brass buttons and the 'glass' lid is a plastic sticky disk used for scrapbooking.

I'm really pleased with the way the work island turned out.  I made all the cakes on top as well as the cake stands.  You should see all the cakes and pies I've made over the last 6 months.  Not all of them are created equal.  I can gage my progress by the type of cakes I have made and the stands they are on.  How do you like the whipped cream cake with the blackberry garnish?  The blackberries are from poppy seeds that I harvested from my garden, (thank you, God) and the foliage is preserved oregano,  also from the garden.  I make the cakes from anything that I think will work; fimo, paper, wood, clay, sponge, sand,  silicone, paint...etc. etc.  I'm not particular.  Sometimes I hit on something really good but there are lots of failures (naturally, I am not featuring them)  I have to get to know you better before I do. hahahh

Finally,  this last photo gives and over view of the work station with some of the  kitchen ware that I so enjoy collecting  and making.  I did not make the rose tree.  I bought that about 12 years ago at he Seattle miniature show.  I used to know the names of the artisans for the majority of my current collection, but my brain has stagnated for lack of use and unless the piece is signed I can't tell you who it is by.   In the picture of the brown eggs that look like 'potatoes'  the basket is Al Chadronet( probably spelled his name incorrectly, sorry Al).   Giving him a 'shout out'.  The wonderful lady that I bought the unfinished potting bench from, had taken a workshop from me many years ago when I made the BREAKFAST TRAYS  that you can see on my friend Janine's  MINWORKS blog.  I'm sorry that I don't have your name but I hope you like what I did with the potting bench.  If I get an opportunity to see you at the next M.C.B.C. in 2013, I will make sure I get your name for the credits

So this is what I have been up to for the last few months prior to Christmas.  I have a day job of working for a prestige fragrance company, but during the evenings I put on my 'mini hat' and become a Crafter After Hours and have been known for the marathon nights spent making miniature breads and flowers and what have you, until the sun comes up.  I have plowed some incredibly dark circles under my eyes for lack of sleep for the sake of this hobby.  I think many miniaturists can relate to this;  for when inspiration hits you have to go with the flow.  So the photos will give you and idea of what has been on the hit list for me.  I know it is a lot all at once and the pictures are not yet up to snuff.  I only just started learning how to use the camera and found out from my daughter Sam, that I was holding the camera upside down( no wonder it was difficult to take the shot) and that Zoom did not mean leaning into the light box but activating the lens control on the camera! hahahha  Okay, now you know my photographic skill level which is pretty low on the totem pole.  By the way, I must thank Ann, for the tutorial on "How to make a light box for $5 or less" on her blog AMAZING MINIATURES'.  It inspired me to get the ball rolling in the first place.
My sister Bev, who is my 'on site' and 'gentle' critic says I have too much in one shot and she is correct.  I shall have to break it down on the next blog that I post, but for now, it is what it is.  So on with the show!