Nature's Candy

Tieton and Ranier cherries - real and polymer clay in 1/12 scale. Turned miniature bowl by Jacob Wenzel.

The heat and humidity has been almost intolerable lately; it's predicted to get worse as we progress into late summer/early autumn.  Hardly conducive to sitting indoors, hunched over my work table making fiddly fruit.  However, it must get done; no rest for the heat exhausted ;^)

The cherries are part of a larger body of 1/12 scale work that I've been invited to exhibit in Honolulu in late 2016.  Working on the room boxes won't be easy as I'm very much still the novice in the building department.  But it's exciting to be challenged by new endeavors and I am looking forward to the upcoming construction.

Wishing all the best of the season - thanks for reading!

Fruits and Veggies

I've been on a miniature break; finished these just prior...

Tropical fruit "grown" in Hawaii.  Italian crystal alabaster platter by Jeff Spera.

Gathering basket by Lidi Stroud; stained by me.

Wishing you a good week...

Steak and Shrimp...

Two of my favorite foods that go from prep to table in no time.  A large steak entree served on a carving board is a trendy presentation at some pubs and steakhouses.  At Bliss Miniatures, the carved porterhouse steak and grilled shrimp is a meal for two, served on a beautiful figured maple platter. Spicy cocktail sauce is served in a natural seashell as a condiment for the shrimp.  This piece is presently not in my possession and I apologize that the photo, taken in great haste with my smart phone, is not optimal; but you get the picture :^)

The steak slices and bone are textured on each surface except the underside, which was glued to the platter.  I made the shrimp skewers by splitting a toothpick lengthwise into quarters and gently sanding a quarter by hand until l /32" (approximately 1mm) in diameter and pointed on one end.  Finally, the blunt end is trimmed to the proper length.  Takes less than 5 minutes.  Tip: Choose a toothpick with a smooth grain versus one with a rough surface.  A rough surface grain will continue through the toothpick, causing splintering and breakage during sanding.  The skewers withstood bending to a slight arc with moderate pressure and typical handling, including threading uncured and cured polymer clay shrimp.

Turned figured maple platter by Thomas Saunders.  Shell by Mother Nature.  All else by me.

My inspiration...

Photo courtesy of Epicurious

Photo courtesy of Sunset Magazine

Restaurant serving board...

Photo courtesy of The Breslin, NYC

Thanks for reading...

Raspberry Charlotte - Bon Appétit!

Blown glass cake pedestal by Phil Grenyer.  Turned figured maple platter by Thomas Saunders.

About ten years ago, I came across a Williams-Sonoma Paris cookbook at Costco, a mix of recipes, great photos and wonderful insight into Parisian cuisine.  I was intrigued and challenged by the Charlotte Aux Framboises, or Raspberry Charlotte, and decided to give it a go.  It was delicious but the bavarois (Bavarian cream) was a fussy component to make; not a favorite task.  Haven't made another Charlotte since; some recipes are best left to the professionals.  I'll look forward to one day enjoying a Charlotte slice made by a patissier somewhere France :^)

Rear view.  See the "raspberry pulp" in the bavarois?

The appearance of the miniature Charlotte is based more or less on what I remember of the one I made versus the book photo.  The finished bavarois had specks of raspberry pulp that passed through the sieve while in the process of making the raspberry brandy coulis.

Each raspberry was built from scratch, by covering a polymer clay base formed on a toothpick tip with tiny clay spheres formed by hand.  My initial efforts in March 2010 were clumsy and the base was left exposed in the underside of the berries.  Practice and repetition brought improvements.  It's a tedious process, but I've yet to develop a quick technique for a realistic raspberry.  Shortcuts like molding will speed up production but it doesn't work for me; I'm terrible at making molds and cleaning up pieces takes more time and effort than building or sculpting from scratch.

Mat measles!  Approximately 1,000 raspberry bumps :^)

If you're in the mood to zone out while listening to your favorite music for hours on end, make raspberries ;^)

Wishing you an enjoyable weekend...

More French Bread

Beautiful custom baker's rack by Jason Getzan.

Pineapple

Aloha Friday, all!  Welcome to the new readers of this blog; thanks for joining us!  Am a bit busy - this will be short and sweet. 

Just finished this pineapple which is part of a bigger piece.

Italian crystal alabaster platter by Jeff Spera.

Ok, back to work!  Wishing you a great weekend...

I'm on a diet!

Just kidding.  My younger son was making a late night salmon dinner for himself and prepared an appetizer-sized taste for me.  Awwwwww.  I was just finishing up these miniscule raspberries.  We laughed at this juxtaposition; dinner and dessert in different scales, sweet and savory, delicious and not, real and fake!

It must be Spring...

Spring is here.  Difficult to tell in Honolulu because the seasons don't really change except for a slight chill in the air during winter.  So, how do I know?  I'm in the mood to clean and freshen everything in sight, including my online spaces.

And if that wasn't enough to deal with, the other day a friend mentioned that I really should get on board with Instagram and Twitter.  "What for?" I asked.  I truly was not interested in adding to the time I already spend on the internet.  She said, "You're missing out on stuff, some really good stuff."

She was right.  I've spent a part of this week setting up and getting lost in my Twitter and Instagram accounts, enjoying every minute!  Twitter was a foodie's paradise - every person and publication related to the food world is there!  The same may be true for Facebook but Twitter's format seems less distracting to me.  Think I've found my internet bliss.  Ha ha, the old dog learned a new trick!

Photos courtesy of Lorraine Loots

There's nothing new to report about my work today.  However, while on Instagram, I was able to catch up with an artist that I've been following for the past two years - Lorraine Loots.  She may not be new to you either, but for those who are not familiar: Lorraine paints in miniature.  On January 1, 2013, she launched her genius "concept" project, 365 Paintings for Ants, in which she committed to painting a miniature image each day for the entire year.  Subjects were random, sometimes relating to significant events of the respective date.  In 2014, she rolled out the project's 2nd phase; this time focusing on subjects relating to her home country of South Africa.  I was happy to learn yesterday that she has embarked on yet another year of daily paintings, this time with a twist on themes.  She's truly inspiring; her paintings are thoughtful and beautifully detailed.  Lorraine archives her work on Tumblr; check it out, you won't be disappointed.

Margherita, not Margarita

Another day, another project!  I'm juggling two at the moment, which works out to be a good strategy for keeping boredom at bay and creativity fresh.  Inventory production took precedence during the past week and part of the focus was on pizza.  A favorite of mine is the Margherita, heavy on the mozzarella and sauce, please...

1/1 scale peas and cilantro leaf and 1/12 Margherita pizza.

Every now and then I'll receive a message with a miniatures-related question. Today's questions answered:

Which clay do you use?  After experimenting with just about every brand of polymer (heat-cured) and air-dry (polymer, resin, paper) clay, I found that Fimo (any type) and Fimo Liquid work the best for me (ask other food miniaturists the same question and the answer will likely be different every time).  Early on I also used certain colors of  Cernit but disliked how rock hard this brand got after a year or so and didn't like its consistency when reconstituted with softeners.  Fimo gets dry and crumbly after a while but it will become usable with this simple hack:  Drop the crumbly mess in the corner of a freezer bag, fold the bag over twice, place on a towel and use a hammer to pound the crap out of it.  Unfold the bag, gather the flattened clay in a ball, fold the bag twice, and pound again.  Repeat the routine; add Fimo Mix Quick or Fimo Liquid if necessary.  After about 5 minutes, the clay should be pliable and ready to go.  This process also works well when conditioning a lot of clay at once and will save wear and tear on your hands and/or clay rolling machine, as well as time and effort saved not having to clean the machine.

Will you post a photo of your clay stash?  (??!!)  Okie-dokie.

Why don't you offer tutorials?   A major reason - there are a zillion polymer clay food tutorials on the internet, as well as books on the subject.  Information galore.  After researching what's already out there, I think the only other factor that would determine one's success is one's aptitude and talent.  Also, if demonstrating or sharing techniques or projects, I'd prefer working and interacting with others in person.  Finally, I've found a good balance doing what I do now - research, planning, production, photography, marketing, sales, shipping, blogging, social media, email, eating, sleeping, filing taxes, general living :^)  Something's gotta give if I add tutorials to the mix!

Kudos to all of you who can manage their lives AND produce tutorials :^D

Have a great week...

French Bread

I've been baking bread...

Woven tray by Al Chandronnait.  Mesquite bowl by Brian Hart.  Silverware chest by Deb Laue.
Shopping basket by Lidi Stroud.  Ceramic pot by Braxton Payne.  Blown glass vase by Kiva Ford.
Bread, rectangular basket and wood board by me.  I also stained the tray and chest a darker brown.

...and totally enjoying it!  Very addictive.  The few loaves I made in the past didn't leave an impression on me so I'm glad to have given it another go.  I was interested in authentic French bread and did a little research prior to the sculpts. Interesting trivia - the business of baking bread in France has been regulated by the government for more than 200 years, not a trivial matter :^)

Bon Appétit!

Cherished Memories

When my children were young, they were so anxious and willing to help with holiday preparations.  Maybe it was a last effort on their part to ensure they were on Santa's good list!  We parents were usually busy with endless tasks so any help was welcomed from anybody.  Thus, it was usually the duty for the youngest at the time to prepare Santa's cookies and milk until, of course, they no longer believed that Santa broke into our house (no chimney!) to leave gifts.  Being typical youngsters, they were easily distracted...

Maurice Sendak's "Nutshell Library" and house of cards by Grace Griffin/TreeFeathers Miniatures.
Glass vase by Kiva Ford.   Basket by Al Chandronnait; I stained it a darker brown.
Cookies, milk and painted Christmas tree plate by me.

I remember being slightly annoyed as their "help" actually meant more cleanup to be done.  But annoyances were short-lived as the spirit of the holiday season kept everything merry.  And the kids themselves were truly magical - full of innocence, hope and good intentions.  I miss those days.  The kids are grown now and no longer that magical, haha.  But I am looking forward to when we can celebrate with magical grandchildren :^D

WISHING ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MUCH HAPPINESS AND PROSPERITY IN 2015!


p.s.  To all who read my last post, I have redeemed myself and am officially "off" of Santa's naughty list - no lump of coal in my stocking, woot!

Patisserie on overdrive!

Pastries seem to be on many minds - I've finished three orders and have made a fourth piece to list on my website.

Espresso machine and flatware by Yukio Kawai/TYA Miniatures.  Snakewood bowl by Jeff Spera.  Basket by Al Chandronnait - I stained it a darker brown shade.  Food and flowers by me :^)

Ho, ho, ho, are you on Santa's naughty list or nice list?  I fear I may be on the naughty one, evidenced by my backlogged order book, though the delays were not intentional.  But I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and there is hope that I'll be caught up by Christmas in order to avoid a lump of coal in my stocking.  Which list are you on?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick post today to say, "Thanks!"  I appreciate that you read my ramblings and musings, tolerate so-so photography AND leave wonderful comments that always make me smile :^)   Thank you so much!

Looking forward to reupholstering the chairs and refinishing the dining table soon :^)

Filling the wine glasses and decanter wasn't as easy as I thought!

Le Petit Déjeuner

@#$%&!!  Another unavoidable leave of absence from my workshop has left the Bliss Miniatures order book in complete shambles.  C'est la vie.  However, I am back and determined to conquer the backlog tout de suite!

For an especially kind and patient collector, le petit déjeuner is ready...

 Viennoiseries and strawberries

Le close-up!
Soapstone platter by Thomas Saunders. Elk antler serving bowl by Bill Helmer.
Silver flatware by Yukio Kawai.

Can't believe that 2015 is just around the corner.  Wishing you a happy holiday season!

.com fun in a small world

Welcome, new readers!  Thank you for joining us.

I've had some down time lately.  Temporarily banned from my work table and bored to death, I decided to update Bliss Miniatures's online presence.  It began pleasantly enough and without issue.  Flickr, Etsy, Blogger, hey, no big deal.  Little changes here and there and ta daaa, sites were refreshed.  Then, there was my website...

Unless one is a programmer or coder, of which I am neither, building a website is a pain in the a$$ for a do-it yourself-er.  Domain hosts, web hosts, DNS, email, carts, gateways, yikes.  The first time around, I managed to secure services and create the site after some sleepless nights.  Unfortunately, the few available templates were too conservative and it wasn't technically possible, for me anyway, to fashion any of them into what I had envisioned.  Conundrum!  PIA!!  I had too much on my plate at the time and foolishly let the trial period with my host lapse.  Making changes at that point would not have been feasible.  My inner perfectionist never ceased to be annoyed.  I got lazy and didn't fully utilize the site; it was virtually ignored for three long years.

New and improved :^)

Original website

This time, more knowledgeable of everything except, of course, coding (still no time to learn!), my hunt for appealing templates led me to Weebly.  It was to be the best choice for me, albeit with a few minor drawbacks.  So what, no web host offers everything for a reasonable cost.  There was a learning curve, but freedom to design and tweak to my heart's content!  Bells and whistles :^)  Coding optional :^)  I really enjoyed the opportunity to turn an almost blank slate into my site.  If I can do it, anyone can.

The shop shelves are pretty bare at the moment but I will commence stocking up in the near future.  Please visit at your convenience...

Speaking of the Internet, our world has become a smaller place because of it.  A year ago, I requested help in this post with identifying the artist who turned the beautiful bowl, left photo (initials LM etched on the underside).  I now know that LM is Lars Mikkelsen, proprietor of Built In Wood at Etsy!   He builds fine, collectible miniature furniture, primarily in the craftsman style.  His exotic wood turnings are thin-walled and beautifully detailed.  I stumbled on his store completely by chance when I spied a listing for a bowl similar to mine.  We were in contact and voilà, mystery solved!  It was amazing to learn of the background of my bowl, made about 15 years ago, from the turner himself.

Thanks for reading...wishing all a happy new season, fall or spring, wherever you may be!

Plastic Surgery

Early in my polymer clay journey, I was under the impression that bungled sculpts required starting again from scratch.  Repairing mistakes on a polymer clay miniature to be offered for sale was ill-advised.  Though I can't remember exactly where online I read this information, it was taken to heart.  I tried my best to avoid having to begin anew but mistakes were inevitable.  Frustrated at wasting time and effort, I realized that it would be worthwhile to experiment with techniques regarding alteration and repair.  I learned that polymer clay is very forgiving, even in its cured state.  This is true with other materials as well.  Fixing errors or making adjustments is possible in most instances, only not in extremes such as with clay damaged during the curing process.  If the alteration or repair is structurally sound, permanent and undetectable, it is a winning outcome.

The other day, a trusted critic emailed in wonder at how I could let that "totally unrealistic orange tart crust" slip through my sensors!  Such drama ;^)  The original crust was not damaged, but I agreed that reworking it would be an aesthetic improvement.  And it's my belief that an artist is free to alter his/her original art until finally satisfied.  The original crust was replaced with a new, texturized version.

Before, left, and After

The result seems realistic, but such judgement is in the eye of the beholder. Which do you prefer, before or after?

Thanks for reading...wishing all an enjoyable weekend!

Potpourri

Photo session!  The challenge was to style unrelated miniatures into a pleasing and comprehensive scene.  Since I still have yet to construct a room box for display, the focal point had to be another table against a white background.  The chosen table was previously bare wood on all surfaces.  Thought that would be too bland in this instance so I stained all but the tabletop and underside in golden pecan.  I believe the table material is basswood; the stain was unevenly absorbed, resulting in a worn, aged appearance.  Quick and easy, I loved the result.



The lidded box used as a salt cellar is the gorgeous work of Bill Helmer.  A collector recently requested miniature salt in a vessel for a tabletop.  The most realistic recreation I could think of was the real thing - granulated table salt.  We determined that she already owned the perfect vessel so I suggested that she could simply make the miniature salt herself.  And attracting pests would be highly unlikely as salt is a natural repellent.  All that is needed: about a teaspoon of table salt, ZipLoc bag, hammer and a towel.  Place table salt in a corner of the bag, fold corner over twice and place on towel on a firm surface.  Pound salt in bag with hammer several times (stress reliever!).  Cut corner of bag and fill container, that's it!

Arranging the scene was fun - commissioned food, some food to be listed for sale here.  I'm imagining that the dragon bottle holds aged balsamic vinegar :^)  Pure whimsy, found at The Crafty Bead at Etsy. 

Bread board by Janny Warnaar/Art of Mini.
Porcelain fruit plate dressed with my decal.
Lidded box by Bill Helmer.  Silver plated teaspoon by Yukio Kawai.
All food by me, of course :^)

Gorgeous Santos rosewood pedestal plate by Thomas Saunders.
Bicolor cutting board by M&C Creations.



Beautiful shallow bowl in purple lilac by Larrell Howe.
Strawberry quart basket by Al Chandronnait.

On a personal note, life has been very quiet and empty lately.  Our beloved four-legged family member, Kobe, has left us for that magical meadow on the way to the Rainbow Bridge.  We've been blessed to have had him in our lives and he'll live forever in our hearts....

Peachy keen ;^)

Nothing new happening here except these peach minis...

Snakewood and ebony pedestal bowl by Jeff Spera.  Wooden kitchen tools by Patie of minisx2 at Etsy.
Metal ladles by Yukio Kawai. Fruit, flowers, pie and slice, decaled plate,
shabby pie plate basket, fringed silk napkin and wood board by me.

The pie set and peach bowl are available here.

Enjoy the week, thanks for reading!

Missed Opportunity

“There was another life that I might have had, but I am having this one.”  
― Kazuo Ishiguro

Gathering basket by Lidi Stroud.  White metal colander by Yukio Kawai.
Green Italian soapstone board by Thomas Saunders.
Ceramic plate by Elisabeth Causeret.  Food, chopsticks and zebra wood board by me.

Ahh, another bump in the mini road.  I intended to apply for Fellow membership with the IGMA this year but unfortunately did not meet the deadline to submit my work.  The shrimp plate was incomplete; had there been another day to finish, all would have been well.  However, the IGMA does allow handcrafted pieces made up to two years prior to an Artisan's application.  I took advantage of that allowance for one piece, but insisted on submitting my latest work for the other four; wrong move when time is of the essence.  So I have no excuses.  Of course, there were events that contributed towards this missed opportunity.  But the bottom line is that I didn't manage the project well and failed.

YET, there was a very bright spot in the midst of darkness!  Lidi Stroud, IGMA Artisan and miniaturist extraordinaire, accepted my commission for the beautiful gathering basket and shopping tote shown below.  She then sent BOTH AS A GIFT with her best wishes for a successful Fellow application!!  Such a kind and generous gesture that I will never forget.  Lidi, if you're reading this, I am chagrined at missing this year's application but will be using the gathering basket next year and promise not to disappoint!



Both baskets were the same color.
I added the dark brown stain to the gathering basket.

I've since gotten over my pouting session and am looking forward to the 2015 Fellow application.  Will begin work on those submissions shortly :^D

Thanks for reading...wishing all a great week!

Craving cake...

Came across these photos while organizing laptop data - caramel cake made on request a little more than a year ago. Gravitating towards the kitchen...must have cake now!  Oh, the drawbacks of being a food miniaturist... :^)