Lastest work...

I am sooooo behind with blogging (and most other things too) at the moment. I didn't even blog about Easter!! So, I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend & didn't eat tooooo much chocolate (unlike me, lol, complete chocoholic!)
In my last post I was talking about 'The Night Circus' book & how I thought it was full of inspiration for artists (there are lots & lots of pictures & paintings dedicated to it on Pinterest, go take a look) & I knew that I wanted to make a few bits inspired by it too...
...this is the collection so far, a few old designs & a few new, including the chocolate mice with strawberry laces tails & chocolate covered apples. I also made some containers with chocolate and caramel covered popcorn but forgot to add them to the photo.

I will be exhibiting at the Pudsey Dollhouse Fair on Saturday 21st April for the first time so have been really busy making stock for this (hence the lack of anything on eBay at the mo), and before I pack away my minis ready to go I remembered to take photos this time. Shock!! Horror!! No Cakes!! Gollies & the super hero teds are very popular, the batman & robin teddies in particular sell out very quick.

I have also been making a lot of chocolate handbag & shoe cakes recently & thought I would have a go at making 'normal' mini handbags...

...just a small selection that hopefully I will expand on.

I am still making a few new minis for my own personal project, which I will show you another time, and I really wanted a couple of mini 'Audrey 2's, I made three different designs as I couldn't decide on which one I liked best, but I think I am going to keep the smallest two & the others with go to the fairs with me.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend & I know I will be meeting a few of you at Pudsey on Saturday.

Hugs, Kerry.x.

The Night Circus...

While exhibiting at my last fair of 2011 one of my regulars was telling us about a miniature scene she was creating based on the book 'The Night Circus'. She briefly gave me & my Fiance a quick synopsis of the story & we both agreed that it sounded fantastic & something that we would both read. The very next day, unbeknown to the other, we both went out and bought the book as a Christmas present for the other, lol.
Without giving too much away, the story is about two 'magicians' or 'illusionists' who each raise an apprentice for a future challenge and in between the Night Circus arrives. The reason why I am writing about this is because the author has written the book so beautifully & with such detail that I think it will be a great source of inspiration to all miniaturists, even food artisans. To me the characters are not just characters in a book, they are real people, just because of how they are described. The scenes are set so magnificently that you can actually imagine yourself walking through the circus tents and 'seeing' exactly what the characters are seeing. It is full of magic, fantasy, intrigue, and wonder. (And apparently talks are underway for it to be made into a film).
I hope eventually to make a few of the 'sweet treats' that are mentioned in the book, in miniature of course!! Meanwhile, here are some of my 'Honeydukes' inspired candy treats which are now available on Etsy...

...and my Easter inspired chocolate treats & cupcakes.

Hope you like these.

Have a fantastic week, hugs, Kerry.x.

I can almost see the light at the end of my 'commissions' tunnel for this year, just a few more to catch up with then I can put my feet up, relax & enjoy the festivities, phew!! I hope you are all ready for Christmas too, although with just over a week to go I am sure I will see a few bits & pieces to purchase for stocking fillers. At this time of year I love to wander through the garden centres & marvel at all the pretty ornaments & displays, my favourite this year is 'Brigg Garden Centre', it's like walking through a winter wonderland & even has a section full of 'candy & gingerbread' ornaments & decorations, I felt like I was in Santa's kitchen & wished I had an endless supply of pennies ;o)
I wish you all the very merriest of Christmas & a Happy New Year, see you all in 2012.

Hugs, Kerry. xxx

Latest WIP...

During a family day out this summer we came across a little shop that sold MDF laser cut embellishment kits for scrapbooking & other projects. Among the items were several Christmas ornament kits & a teeny tiny house kit. I made a mental note of the name of the company & as soon as we returned home I went straight on the computer. The company is called 'Twiddleybitz', http://twiddleybitz.com.au & they sell a wide range of scrapbooking embellishments & kits, including this...
...a 1/12th scale Santa Sleigh. I have wanted to make a Santa Sleigh for many years, but have never found one to my liking, until now. Unfortunately they do not ship to the U.K. & it did take me a while to find a distributor in the U.K. where I could purchase it from> http://www.craftynotions.com ,I ordered it late afternoon on a Tuesday & at 9:30 the next day the postman had delivered it!! Very impressive service. It was quick & easy to assemble as all the pieces slot together & I then strengthened the joinings with wood glue. I then began painting it, which I will admit would probably have been a lot easier if done before assembly as there are a lot of fiddly little bits to fill in.

I made some deep red velvet cushions that will line it & it is to be filled with assorted toys & santa sacks & eventually a Santa. This will be coming with me to the remaining fairs for this year.

Have a great weekend, hugs, Kerry.x.

9 down, 3 to go...

As we are nearing the end of another year I heave a sigh of relief as I realise I am on the last leg of my miniature fairs for 2011, just 3 more left for this year, including Kelham Hall, Newark on Sunday 30th October. Two more to exhibit at in November, then I can put my feet up & my tools down & relax :o)
Here are a few festive mini cabinets, a pink princess party table & a wedding table display that I have made to take with me to the fairs...

Hugs, Kerry.x.

A Few More Halloween Goodies...

Just a quick post tonight so you don't think that I've fallen off the face of the earth ;o)
I haven't made as many Halloween treats as I would've liked this year, but I have spent every spare minute in my workroom creating these...

Usually at this time of the year I enjoy walking round the garden centres & certain stores as they are full of inspiration for Halloween mini-making, but it all seems to have changed this year, manufacturers have forgotten about 31st October & have already started on their Christmas displays, tut tut. So, I decided to browse the internet for inspiration this year instead & this is where I found a great little site 'www.ediblegiftsplus.com'. Amongst all the sweet treats there is a Halloween candy section with a gorgeous witches shoe full of candy & this inspired me to make my own mini version, hope you like it.

Have a great week, hugs, Kerry.x.

Not many minis being made...

As most of you know we lost our much loved Poppy at the beginning of last month. She had been my fur-baby for 15 & 1/2 years & when she died I truly felt like I had lost part of me. For over two weeks I just wandered around, feeling very lost, couldn't sleep or eat & I had no enthusiasm for anything, including making minis. As it was my birthday at the end of the month my fiance & son thought they would try & cheer me up & hopefully give me back the part of me that was lost...

...so here are the latest additions to our family, appropriately named Ellie & Rosie. They are Bedlington X Lakeland terriers, sisters, & full of mischief!! Hence why not many minis are getting made at the mo, lol.
The few minis that I have managed to make (in the time when the girls are sleeping) are centred around one of my favourite times of the year. Halloween.

Some of these can be found in my Etsy shop at the moment.

Have a great week.

Hugs, Kerry.x.