Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!

 

Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

 

Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan
 

Joyeux Noel

 

Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto

Buon Natale

 

Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva i s Novim Godom

 

Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ur

 

Happy Midwinter's Eve!

 

I'd Miilad Said Oua Sana Saida

 

Nollaig Shona Dhuit

 

God Jul Og Godt Nytt Aar

 

Feliz Natal

 

God Jul

Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia

 

Froehliche Weihnachten

 

Yuletide Greetings!

 

Feliz Navidad

 

 

 

Wishing everyone the very best this holiday season!  May your heart and home be filled with love, laughter and good health. All my blessings for the New Year!

 

Peace,

 

Cyndy

T'is the Season

Small Wonders, our miniature club in Cary, NC is preparing for it's annual Christmas party tonight. We exchange gifts with one another and thus I made this little cake to giveaway.  It went together fairly quickly and easily.

As for the snowman, he was fun to make and I see him as a cake topper as well.  I lost his nose once so I made sure to use some liquid Sculpey to adhere the 2nd one. I had made him a corn cob pipe but it's lost in the carpet of my craft room. 

I told my husband I need to have an apron of sorts in my lap for those oopsy moments.  Jim has suggested a sliding cooky sheet - he's so clever! And handy too!

Have a great week! 

Toodles,

Cyndy

 

Thanksgiving Dinner Table

I wanted to share my Thanksgiving dinner table scene I've created. I made the centerpiece, the napkins, the cake, wine bottle as well as all the fruit (except the red berries).  I did it as part of a "A Lifetime of Miniatures" Facebook group challenge.  As you can see, it's very much a work in progress - those bowls are crying out for cranberries and mashed potatoes! 

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  

Toodles,

Cyndy

Halloween is just 12 days away!

 

 

My craft room has been reorganized and rearranged!!  My dear husband ripped out the old, icky carpet and laid down a new floor. He built me a new shelf unit. I have gone through everything and sorted or discarded as needed. The result is a better space to work in and I know where everything is!  I even labeled all the totes, boxes and bins.  I'm still working on it but it looks so much better. 

 

 Here's a little witch I created over Labor Day weekend:

 

I've named her Hazel.

 

Toodles,  Cyndy

Busy in Real Life and Minis!

Things have been particularly busy for me this year workwise.  I also do open houses almost every Sunday afternoon.  It's a good thing but it sure does interfere with my mini life.

 

A mini friend from the Cary NC "Small Wonders" club just completed her roombox vignette with a Raggedy Ann & Andy theme and asked me to do a cake for her. Here's what I came up with:

 

 

 

A back view of the "hair":

 

 

I recently bought a Makins Clay Extruder. That's how I was able to make the "hair".  I delivered the cake yesterday. To say she was pleased is an understatement. :) 

 

Next up is a photo of my creations during the Small Wonders Sept. meeting. BJ was kind enough to bring all the supplies and let us go!  The pumpkin 'bag' started out as part of a string of Halloween lights. BJ has the mini 'eye'.

 

My husband, daughter and I will be participating in the annual Arts Fest at our UU fellowship in two short weeks.  I've been busy crocheting, sprucing up my mini inventory and creating new items.  This year I will be offering cake slice earrings. These have been fun to make.

 

Back in September, my daughter and I attended the mini show in High Point, NC.  It was a quick trip as we both had to work that afternoon.  I picked up a few goodies including this doll kit:

 

"He" is going to become the witch proprietor in my planned Witch's Bakery.  This is a Sherry Colvin doll - she has amazing kits and I hope I can do it justice with my final product.

I attended my first NAME State Day event last weekend. We're working on a revised alcove project and it will eventually be a library room box. My husband cut the kits for my daughter and I. I'm excited to see it coming together. Still in progress is my kitchen roombox with a bumblebee theme. Meghan is going with a sunflower theme. I need to get busy and finish something! 

Have a fantastic weekend. If you're in Raleigh NC stop by my office in Brier Creek tomorrow - we're having a client appreciation event with free pumpkins, a bouncy house, free food and lots of great prizes to raffle off.

Toodles,

Cyndy

 

Win Some Awesome Minis

And you get to choose your prize! Carolyn at Pixie Dust Miniatures is offering a nother great giveaway:

 http://pixiedustminiatures.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/competition-tell-friend.html

 

Don't forget to tell your friends!

I'd sure love to win one of these sets!

Playing with a "New" Technique

I previously shared my various frosting methods for miniature cakes. Yesterday, I tried the fondant type method of frosting a mini cake, something completely new to me. It is a bit of a challenge to wrap the 'fondant' around both layers but I had fun creating these little cakes.  And I like the results! The green one is my personal favorite.

 

 This purple cake needs something around the bottom edge, I think. A frill of yellow?  It will be going to a new home along with the pink cake below. I am donating them to a cancer patient bakery project. I could have sliced these as well but positioned the flowers incorrectly. 

It's a rainy, dreary day here. I wish I could be making more of these - hoping to perfect the technique - but work took precedence. Have a great rest of the weekend! Toodles,

Cyndy

My Gift from Cheronda has Arrived!

This gorgeous tea set was a gift from Cheronda at Cspykers Miniatures, a mini friend of mine via Facebook. She's well known for her tea sets in a wide range of styles and colors. I'm proud to be adding this to my collection. I'm thinking it will need it's own special display setting.

Have a fantastic weekend! I'm hoping to be doing some creating of my own.

Toodles! ~ Cyndy

Three New Cakes in Two Sizes

I worked on some unfinished objects last night and here are the results. The two pink cakes are raspberry cream layer cakes in 1 inch and 1/2 inch scale. If you look close you might see the raspberry jam between the layers. Also you'll see that they need a bit of touch up. (Photographs can really make an oops stand out, can't they?)  I'm debating on the spice cake - it seems to be lacking something. I keep thinking some carrots on top but it's a spice cake, not a carrot cake.... 

I was helping my daughter with her Easter table project. It's going to be really cute!  Maybe she'll let me show it off here. As I was showing her how to fix her plastic cups, I managed to slice my finger tip with a razor blade.   Amazing how quickly that can happen. I'm okay but the bandaid makes me clumsy with minis.

Have a great day! Toodles,

Cyndy

Danielle's Pendant

This is the resin heart pendant I have created for Danielle, who's married to my nephew Jake.  They have been living in Germany the last few years (he's in the US Army) and will be back home soon. I will wait to send it to her then (why give her one more item to pack?)  It's not perfect, but maybe that's part of the charm. Hope she likes it!

Toodles,

Cyndy

p.s. I'll still be making one filled with many smaller roses.

Posies, Pickles and a Plethora of Cupcakes

While real life has gotten busier lately (a good thing when you're a real estate agent!), I have managed to create miniatures in the odd spare moment. This past weekend I found a number of half finished items in my stash and this is what I came up with.

Three lonely pink posies and an unfinished square cake turned into this sweet confection. The leaves add just the right touch of extra color here.

A side product of my resin heart necklace project is excess resin. Thus I created a jar of pickles! It still needs a lid. I had a cucumber cane in my stash - always nice to already have something made when you're looking for it. The 'mold' used for this was a rubber pencil eraser - the kind that slips over the end of your pencil. I coated the eraser with baby oil and was able to pop the 'jar' right out.

Lastly, having a few cupcakes begging to be decorated led me to this collection. Some are orange cupcakes with a light sprinkle of orange sugar. Others have a small yellow flower with an orange center. They will look great on a bakery tray!

As for the rose filled resin heart, I may have a winner! I need to do a bit of light sanding and buffing before I show you.

Have a great evening! Toodles,

Cyndy

Fabulous Caroline is having a giveaway

and you get to choose which prize you'd like!  Caroline does amazing miniatures work - her items are lovely and unique (snails anyone?!) 

http://hummingbirdminiatures.blogspot.com/2012/03/birthday-cake-mystery-box-competition.html

The Icing on the Cake

The mini foods I best like to create are cakes, pastries and breads. (Oh, my sweet tooth!)

I thought I'd share the types of cake icings I use for different effects.

This cherry cake is frosted with a mixture of liquid Sculpey and polymer clay. It takes a lot of effort to get it smooth but it's worth the effort. I frosted between the baked layers of the cake, the sides and finally the top, baking for five minutes in between each step. It gets quite messy otherwise. 

 This St. Patrick's Day cake is iced with molding paste. It's light, fluffy and has that homemade look. Molding paste requires no baking as it air dries.

 This Christmas cake is made with a plain white clay layer. It is decorated only with the candies, Santa, and the trees. This creates a smooth, fondant look. All pieces were baked separately then glued into place.

 For a ganache effect, combine triple thick glaze or similar with paints or chalks of your choice. Then drizzle over your cake. It's also great for making chocolate covered strawberries.

 Another example of molding paste, this time with a touch of yellow paint added in. Molding paste comes in several brand names and is available in the art supplies/paint section of your hobby store.

For a smoother look, I wet my fingers and patted the molding paste down on this cake.

For intricate details, try mix molding paste with a touch of cornstarch before piping your designs. It helps the small details to hold their shape. This is something I am still working on. I do know that too much cornstarch will cause your creation to crack.

Do you frost your mini cakes using any of these methods or something else?

 Have fun and happy baking!

Toodles,

Cyndy

Beautiful Giveaway from Lovejoy Bears

http://www.lovejoybears.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-first-giveaway.html

This piece is too sweet!  If I were the lucky winner, I'd have to build a room just for it.

I've not been too busy in minis lately - been kept low by a rotten head cold. But things are looking up! And while I was under the weather, I did manage to organize my mini photos and idea files (both digital and paper). Something that was long overdue!  I've got lots of ideas rattling around in my head. Hope you are all well. Last night, we had our 1st snow of the winter here in NC. Barely an inch, but enough to make my daughter happy.  
Toodles!  Cyndy 

Jazzi's Fun Giveaway - celebrating 50 followers!

http://jazziminis.blogspot.com/2012/02/giveaway-celebrating-50-followers.html?showComment=1329749966096#c4524328035665610251

I had to enter this giveaway. Like Jazzi, I love the color purple and the idea is too cute!

Something a Little Different FAIL

If nothing else, I have learned a few things in my attempt to make a clear resin heart with imbedded roses. One: Acrylic water does not set up hard but rather it sets up tacky.  Very sticky.  Two: When using a silicone mold, it's a good idea to first give it a coating of Mold Release. Back to square one. Literally. I have to remake the mold as well - the first piece won't release!

Luckily I have not wasted all those little roses - my first attempt was with three large roses and some leaves. I'm disappointed, but the roses I can easily replace. The acrylic water came from the big W - my mistake for trying to cut corners. I've been to Michaels and have gotten a true hard setting resin - after the 50% off coupon it was  the same cost I thought I was saving with in the first place.  Now if I can just figure out what to do with a purple, sticky blog adorned with some gorgeous roses....

I'll keep you posted!
Toodles,
Cyndy

Amazing Miniature Bonsai Treehouses

All I can say is WOW. Click the link to see more! http://www.tokyogoodidea.com/

Something a Little Different

 My niece in law Danielle has requested a pendant. This is my first mold! It is just over 1 inch in diameter.  The roses will be encased in a resin heart when all is said and done (hopefully!)  I'm worried that I'll get air bubbles.  I'm still in the designing stage - leaves? no leaves? There are three roses there that appear to be orange and they will have to be replaced. If it comes out nicely, I may do more with roses of different colors. Wish me luck!

Toodles for now,

Cyndy

Giveaway by the talented Eva

There will be two prizes on February 1st - Eva is celebrating 400+ followers!  http://translate.google.com/translate?client=tmpg&hl=es&u=http%3A%2F%2Ftatalamaru.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F01%2Fsorteo-giweaway.html&langpair=esen
 

Chrissey is looking for her 100th follower

and will be giving away a dressed table to one lucky person

Details here:

http://chrissey-myminatureworld.blogspot.com/2012/01/need-100-followers-for-giveaway.html

Good luck!

Another Lovely Giveaway

Wonderful giveaway will be perfect in the boudoir or bath ~
http://petitevictorianrose.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-year-give-away.html

Candlestick Giveaway

Stop by and become a member of Tyla's blog. She's very close to having 100 followers and plans a nice giveaway to celebrate! 

http://obscurecreationsbytyla.blogspot.com/

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu! Feliz Año Nuevo!

I had some time to create some minis this weekend and came up with this apple pie prep board. I made everything here with the exception of the pie plate, board and metal bowl. The tiny striped towel was created from a pair of men's boxer shorts found at the thrift store. I'm always looking for tiny prints and patterns - old clothing has come to the rescue many times.  

I added a bit of color to the mincemeat cookie board - the plaid towel is a scrap of fabric. (Thrift store napkin!) I made the cookie cutter with a bit of metal and red polymer clay for the handle. This item will be staying in my personal collection.

I've been making miniature perfume bottles for a while now but this is the first time I've added a tray. The presentation is so much better! Now I'm on the look out for more of these trays.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year - may it be filled with love, health and joy. Toodles for now,

Cyndy