Making Dollhouse Miniature Food From Polymer Clay
With Crown Jewel Miniatures
Making Broken Eggshells
Eggshells and yolks: Basic Tools & Materials:
Polymer clay. (White, translucent, sunflower yellow and if you want brown eggs, sahara and chocolate)
Baking tile
Clay rolling pin or pasta machine
Ball stylus
Craft knife
A razor or tissue blade
DecoArt Triple Thick- brilliant brush-on gloss glaze
This has to be the most requested mini food-making “secret” other than making bread and piped frosting! Folks struggle with this but it’s an easy project and you’ll be amazed how easy it is- if you have the right tools and know what to do.
Start by conditioning your polymer clay. Mix together a ratio of 3 parts white and 1 part translucent until you’ve achieved a uniform color. For brown eggs, mix a ratio of 1 part white with 1 part chocolate and 1 part sahara with 1 part translucent, or any color combination you find pleasing. For purposes of authenticity, be sure to use a mixture of white and brown eggs in any miniature setting before 1970. The current preference for white eggs is relatively modern. Cooks back then used what was available!
Roll out a 1mm thin sheet of clay by hand or use the number 5 or 6 setting on your pasta machine. With practice you’ll eventually achieve a thinner shell. Lay the sheet of clay on your tile and smooth out any wrinkles until it lies flat. Using the circle or star shaped Kemper cutter, cut through the clay then remove any excess. The cutouts will remain stuck to your tile.
Using a sharp craft knife, enhance the cut edges of your cutouts creating uneven, jagged edges. If you used the star cutter you will have head start. Make rounded cuts too if you want a truly realistic effect. When you’re satisfied with the results, carefully lift a cutout from the tile with a tissue blade and use a ball stylus or other rounded instrument to make a deep indentation in the center. Voila! You have a broken eggshell!
Lay the eggshell on your baking tile and continue shaping the remaining cutouts until you’re done. Next mix the color of egg yolks. I use a ratio of 2 parts sunflower yellow with 2 parts translucent. Roll out a snake and pinch off small, equal amounts and roll tiny 2-3mm balls in the palm of your hand. Because these are tiny and thin, I usually bake them at 230 degrees for only five to ten minutes but your experience may be different.
After your pieces are baked and cooled there are several ways you can simulate a broken egg. Some folks use regular tacky glue and some use resin but I prefer using Triple Thick. Glue the eggshells to your mini project surface at odd angles about 3/8” apart and then glue the yolk to the surface between the eggshells. I find using tacky glue and a toothpick makes this a lot easier. Once your eggshells and yolks are in place, use a toothpick to apply a 6-8mm drop of Triple Thick over the yolk. Use your toothpick to swirl the Triple Thick all around the yolk to make a realistic puddle and don‘t forget to put some Triple Thick inside each half of the broken eggshells. Let everything dry.
Wasn’t that easy?
http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com
©Copyright 2011 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
