2017 Annual Halloween Collectible by IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Introducing “Trick Or Treat – Sweet To Eat” Do you dare to ring the doorbell?

It’s a full moon. You’re on a dirt road, hungry and tired and you take a turn down a dark, deserted path. Up ahead you see lights in the distance and your step quickens. Shelter, at last! But as your weary feet fly over the distance between you and salvation the night air picks up and you detect a whiff of… chocolate?

Convinced that you’re so ravenous that now you’re simply imagining the heavenly smell of the most sublime treat known to man, you forge on until you come to an eerie castle with spooky towers so tall the turrets seem to disappear into the night sky. Your footing slips a bit as you climb up the jagged steps, but oh! Who goes there? Why, it’s a ghost! With a pumpkin at your feet and a dilapidated graveyard to your right, you start to wonder how you’re ever going to reach the front door of the castle with him in the way. He’s just standing there, not making a sound, as you stare and worry if he’s friend or foe. Hastily you decide to skirt around him and brave the few last steps to the top, but what’s that bubbling noise?

You crane your head around the ghost and spy a witch’s cauldron set on a low fire in the grass. Your foot slips again and you begin to slide. You brace your hands against the fall and that’s when you finally realize you’ve been walking on steps of… chocolate!

Oh that yummy, delicious, weird sensation when you lick not dirt, but finely made chocolate from your hands! The aroma coming from the cauldron smells suspiciously like sour apple candy. Moonlight glints on the magic castle illuminating chocolate walls, licorice windows, a doorway edged in candy batons and fruit drops the size of boulders are nestled below. The star and moon over the door are made of orange candy, the twisted peaks overhead are luscious grape taffy… and you smile and march right up to that black licorice door and pound on it loudly with both fists…

“Witchy Poo, Witchy Poo, please let me in! I’m tired and hungry but wearing a grin!
Your marvelous castle of chocolate, your ghost of marshmallow…
At first I was afraid, but he’s my kind of fellow!
If you don’t let me in, I’ll eat you out of house & home, little by little each day,
Until this delicious Halloween castle is in my tummy to stay!
Witchy Poo, Witchy Poo have you more tricks or treats inside?
I promise to be good! Your will I shall abide!”

…and then came the raspy, cackling reply…

“Step right in, my pretty and learn for yourself,
What Crown Jewel Miniatures has concocted in this sugary spell.
All will be revealed… sweet secrets foretold,
But only to the buyer, once my delicious castle is sold!”

This year my 2017 Annual Halloween Collectible is a dessert sculpture carved from chocolate. Detailed freestyle, by hand, the walls of the castle resemble tree trunks and the spires were inspired by a witch’s hat. The headstones have a bit of glitter to simulate moonlight glinting off marble stone and the ghost on the steps was inspired by a trick-or-treat costume. Definitely the piece de resistance for your 1:12th scale mini Halloween party!

There will be only one queen of this Halloween castle as it is a one-of-a-kind and will never be reproduced. The question is, will it be you? I will not accept orders to recreate this. Available now via my Etsy shop!

Happy Halloween mini collecting everyone!

Robin

©Copyright 2017 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Featured in October 2017 Issue of Dolls House & Miniature Scene!

A Feature in Dolls House & Miniature Scene Magazine!

More exciting news in the land of Lillput! Last year I was contacted by the very talented Karon Cunningham and invited to participate in a feature article in Dolls House & Miniature Scene magazine (published in the United Kingdom). The feature will appear in the October 2017 issue and I’m very excited to have a part in it!

Stay tuned! As soon as I receive my copy I will update this post with a feature photo.

Meanwhile, happy collecting mini friends and be sure to grab a copy of the October issue. DHMS is a great magazine and the staff works very hard to bring you quality photos and informative articles on the latest art, mini makers, IGMA Artisans & Fellows and news related to our wonderful hobby!

Many thanks to Karon Cunningham for the invitation! It was my pleasure to work with her and I’m sure the article will be great!

Robin

©Copyright 2017 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Going… going… SOLD to the mini collector at the 2017 IGMA Guild Show!

2017 IGMA Guild Show Auction

Attending the IGMA Guild Show this year? Be sure to check out the auction which will include 3 pieces of my art! Each bid helps to support the International Guild of Miniature Artisans in its mission to promote miniatures as an art form – a very worthwhile endeavor and you’ll skip home with some lovely mini treasures painstakingly crafted by certified IGMA Artisans & Fellows!

This year I donated the following:

– Basket of assorted artisan bread
– Tossed salad in Phil Grenyer bowl
– Selection of cream tarts

Held at the Hartford/Windsor Marriott from September 19-24, 2017 in Windsor, CT this year’s Guild Show promises to be better than ever with classes, dealers from around the world, exhibits and of course silent and live auctions.

I’m proud to be a certified IGMA Artisan and thrilled to be a part of the Guild Show! Have fun at the show friends and happy mini collecting!

Robin

©Copyright 2017 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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2016 Annual Halloween Collectible by IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

“Trick or Treat!”

Halloween 2016 table

It’s that time of year again and my 2016 Annual Halloween Collectible will create an instant party scene in your dollhouse! This “Trick or Treat” dessert table is crammed with a huge array of festive fun. Petits fours topped with candy corn, tiny cakes with marzipan ghosts, luscious cupcakes, cookies, pots de crème, meringues, candy sticks, whipped cream tarts, hard candy, cake… even a candle and much more! Your mini Halloween party-goers will have a ball with these sweet treats… all served with fruit punch, coffee and spiced persimmon liqueur.

It’s a boo-tiful spread!

Available now via my Etsy shop! As you know Etsy only allows 5 pictures, so here is a spooktacular parade of eye candy:

2016 Halloween table 2

2016 Halloween table 3

2016 Halloween table 4

2016 Halloween table 5

2016 Halloween table 6

2016 Halloween table 6

2016 Halloween table 7

2016 Halloween table 8

2016 Halloween table 7

2016 Halloween table 8

2016 Halloween table 9

2016 Halloween table 10

2016 Halloween table 14

2016 Halloween table 11

2016 Halloween table 15

2016 Halloween table 19

2016 Halloween table 13

2016 Halloween table 14

2016 Halloween BACK

Happy Halloween!
Robin

©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Crown Jewel Miniatures takes part in the 2016 IGMA Guild Show drawing!

IGMA Guild Show “Elements of Style” Bakery Clock Case Drawing

Bakeryroombox21

If you’re one of the lucky attendees of this year’s International Guild of Miniature Artisans (IGMA) Guild Show this week at the Glenpointe Marriott in Teaneck, New Jersey (Aug 3-7) be sure to buy raffle tickets for two vintage Elements of Style clock cases, recreated by Teresa Layman and Peter Kendall! These extraordinary roomboxes will be available at the IGMA Annual meeting on Sunday morning at the Guild Show.

One clock case in particular has been transformed into an exquisite bakery! It’s truly a collectors piece and filled with amazing art from the following IGMA contributors:

Teresa Layman (F)
Pete and Pam Boorum (A/A)
Robin Brady-Boxwell (A)
Anne Caesar (F)
Linda Cummings (F)
A Rose Gallagher (F)
Phyllis Hawkes (F)
Teresa Martinez (A)
Cristina Miniscetti (F)
Orsolya Skulteti (F)
Ruth Stewart (G)
Ray Storey
Lorraine Thomson (A)
Barbara Vajnar (A)
Mary VanderDussen (G)
Jasmine Blanche Woodbury (A)

Tickets are now available for $5 each or 6 for $25, from Carol Block (guildshow@igma.org) and will also be available at the Guild Show registration table, August 3-7, 2016.

CJMBakery3

Robin

©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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A Peek Through The Looking Glass

“A Day In The Life Of Crown Jewel Miniatures”

CJMtarts1 COPY

It’s a pretty rainbow of “busy” lately in the CJM Imaginarium©! I’m preparing cupcakes and tarts for Easter and my tile is full. It’s hand-piped mini whipped cream gone wild! It’s a pretty assortment of marshmallow stars, dreamy swirls and tasty towers of whipped cream, frosting and lightly baked pastry casings.

CJM Tarts2 COPY

The custom mixed, pastel colors are delicate- perfect for Easter, birthdays and luscious “Marie Antoinette” desert collections. I just got a glass shipment in from the extremely talented Philip Grenyer of Glasscraft. As soon as I arrange these little lovelies on miniature displays I’ll list them in my Etsy shop!

CJM Tarts3 COPY

Robin

©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Peasant food… Yum!

Salad Dressing

“Do not eat garlic or onions; for their smell will reveal that you are a peasant.” – Cervantes, Don Quixote.

Salad Dressing303

If that’s true then all our dollhouse cooks are peasants with really good palates! LOL

Salad Dressing301

I’ve blended “garlic” and “fine herbs” with “spices” in glass jugs for mini salad dressing that looks as good as it would taste… if it were real.

Salad Dressing302

The jugs look very convincing on your dollhouse kitchen counter. Pair it with one of my realistic tossed salads and a few spice jars- or use it like a marinade and display it near a raw chicken or beef roast on the stovetop as if it’s about to go in the oven.

It also looks great on the shelf of the mini refrigerator or a tiny picnic table… the possibilities are endless!

Salad Dressing304

Available now via my Etsy shop.

Robin

©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Macaroni + Cheese = Crown Jewel Miniatures Ultimate Realism!

“It’s diamonds in your pocket one week, macaroni and cheese the next”. -Jolene Blalock

Mac n Cheese 102

Or… if you collect Crown Jewel Miniatures, it’s both! These tiny pans of comfort food are little jewels of ultimate realism for your dollhouse and a lot of work goes into every one.

Mac n Cheese100

Crown Jewel Elbow Macaroni

It takes several days to make just one lifelike pan of my macaroni and cheese. Each tiny elbow noodle is individually handcrafted without the use of molds or clay extruders. It’s a painstaking process but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mac n Cheese101

The elbows are tiny… 1mm in diameter or less and I set each noodle into place one by one.

Mac N Cheese103

Mac N Cheese104

A small portion has been scooped out to show detail and the pan comes with a messy spoon to help create a convincing scene.

Mac N Cheese105

Mac N Cheese106

Each pan is baked to golden perfection and shows melted cheese sauce, oven-crisped edges and gooey goodness. Your dollhouse family will fight over every tasty bite!

Mac N Cheese107

Mac N CheeseCLOSE

I only made three and one has already sold as part of a custom order. Check my Etsy shop for the other two tomorrow when I make them available. They won’t last long!

Robin

©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Happy Valentine’s Day Mini Friends!

“Sometimes”, said Pooh, “the smallest things take up the most room in your heart”.

CJM Bakery

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner I’ve been busy whipping up the most delectable little desserts. The Crown Jewel Imaginarium Bakery will offer fancy cookies, cupcakes, sliced cake, candy, parfait, marshmallows, jars of meringues, cherry cupcakes, chocolate decadence and more just for you!

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CJM Bakery 202

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CJM Bakery210

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Each miniature dessert is perfect for a sweet dollhouse Valentine’s Day scene or a special touch in your mini bakery and will be listed via Crown Jewel Miniatures – Etsy in the next few days.

If you’re looking for something with a personal touch, browse Crown Jewel Miniatues – eBay for personalized mugs of mini coffee for your special Valentine!

Happy Valentine’s Day mini friends. I wish you love and happiness on February 14th and every day of the year.

Robin ♥
©Copyright 2016 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Artisan Bread

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” -Robert Browning

BREAD 1

Realistic, artisan breads bring a homey touch to dollhouse kitchens and bakeries like no other food can. Display sliced baguettes on mini kitchen counters next to a tiny knife and bottle of garlic olive oil for a realistic look…

Sliced Baguette

My latest batch features quite an assortment, with baguettes, boules, seeded loaves, bagels, cottage loaves, rye, wheat, poppy bagels and pans of fresh baked dinner rolls.

BREAD 2

Create an inviting scene and leave your mini oven door open just enough to catch a glimpse of fresh baked rolls!

24 Rolls

These assorted boules are perfect for display on a mini counter near an open pot of jam…

BREAD 3

Bagels of any flavor always look inviting…

Blueberry Bagels 1

Blueberry Bagels 2

And best of all you can serve it your way… with tiny pots of whipped butter, a bottle of my Special Reserve herb infused olive oil, jars of wobbly jelly and filled, personalized coffee mugs!

Stephan & Angelique mugs

Autumn is a perfect time for baking in real life and your dollhouse!

2 Dozen Rolls

Cottage Loaf

Cottage Nut Loaf

BREAD

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Q: What’s In A Name?

A: Coffee!

Dollhouse Mugs

Coffee, cup o’ joe, java, espresso, cappuccino… call it what you will but it’s a nice hot cup of yummy and I’m serving it to you in tiny mugs personalized with hundreds of names, greetings and nicknames!

A Mugs

I bought the empty mugs two or three years ago as a partial inventory from a dollhouse shop that closed in the late 1990’s and forgot I had them until recently. I filled every one with resins to resemble coffee and cream (milk). The coffee color is not as dark as my pictures- the glare of the glazing on the white porcelain was a little too much for my camera lens. It’s a nice coffee & cream color but also resembles tea and cream if your mini dollhouse inhabitants prefer to drink their resin tea from a mug. 😉

MMugs

All mugs with names are available via my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) and the mugs with greetings and nicknames are available via my Etsy shop. Is your name there?

Phrases Mugs

In addition, I have a select number of names in slightly different mugs with blue font:

Blue Font Mugs

Great for a breakfast display at the kitchen table, on a dollhouse coffee table near a magazine or set up a coffee klatch scene in your tiny parlor- the possibilities are endless!

Bottoms up mini friends!

D Mugs

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Posted in New Miniature Art! | 3 Comments

Double The Pleasure!

Dolls House World

I’m in Dolls House World too?

While waiting for the glue to dry on my latest project I found myself browsing through the current digital issue of Dolls House World (October 2015) and a little blueberry cake on the cover (see above) immediately caught my eye- it was mine! I couldn’t believe my eyes when I turned the pages and found a reprint of a blueberry cake tutorial I did for American Miniaturist in July 2012. The cake was part of a “Blueberry Explosion” collection I had done that year and to be honest my art has definitely improved since then but it’s still wonderful to see the tutorial in print again, so thank you Ashdown!

CJM_BlueberryTable2000-copy

For curious readers who want to understand how this can happen… Ashdown owns American Miniaturist, Dollhouse Miniatures and Dolls House World magazine, and they reserve the right to reprint every article they publish, so if you’re in one magazine, don’t be surprised when that same article appears in one of their other publications at a later date.

I forgot this could happen but I think it’s great to be in two magazines in one month! The Dolls House magazine has a lovely 4 page feature on my art, and my art is on the cover…

The Dolls House Magazine Cover

and Dolls House World has my tutorial for a blueberry buckle cake. The tutorial is great for my fellow mini makers and the feature is for those who want to get to know me a little better.

Sweet! 😉

Robin
©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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Home Baked Pumpkin Bread!

Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater is a theif!

Pumpkin Bread

Peter Peter broke into my Imaginarium and tasted my newest batch of pumpkin breads! He sliced the frosted loaves…

Pumpkin Bread Rolls

He tasted my fresh baked pumpkin rolls, still warm from the mini oven!

Pumpkin Breads

He ate my iced pumpkin cake!

Pumpkin Breads Cake

Pumpkin Breads Cake2

Does anybody know where this creep lives? I guess I’m just going to have to list all my baked pumpkin baked goods “as is”… sliced and partially eaten, but that’s ok. Bread and cake always looks better when you can see the inside. Still… if any of you know where to find that mini pumpkin eating thief, let me know. I think he took my best cake server too! 😉

Pumpkin Breads All

Happy Autumn mini friends!

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Posted in Announcements, New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

The Dolls House Magazine Cover & Feature!

The Dolls House Magazine Cover

My First Cover!

My art has been featured in magazines, but this is my very first cover! Special thanks to editor Katie Holloway and her very talented team at The Dolls House Magazine for an amazing layout and well written feature. Cover to cover, the October 2015 issue is phenomenal! Katie & co. were absolutely wonderful to work with and I very much appreciate the invitation to be part of such a top rate publication.

The digital iMag version was released September 1st and available now for download. The hard copies will be in the mail by October 1st and I can hardly wait to receive mine!

For the benefit of my fellow American collectors, I should mention The Dolls House is a British publication but with the magic of the Internet, you can purchase access to the online iMag via their website and be reading it within minutes! Better still, subscribe and curl up with a cozy cup of tea when it arrives on your doorstep each month!

All food shown in the feature is available now via my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) and Etsy shop. You can find links to both on the “Sale” page of my website.
Thank you very much The Dolls House! It’s been my pleasure working with you and I hope you’ll ask me back in the future!

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
Robin

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

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NEW! Special Reserve Vinegar

Special Reserve1

Crown Jewel Miniatures Special Reserve Collection Continues!

Red Wine Vinegar

Check out the latest addition to my Special Reserve collection… red wine vinegar. Inspired by crates of prize-winning bottles of vinegars and herb infused olive oils imported from Italy, these distinctive bottles are the crowning touch for a highly realistic cooking scene in your dollhouse kitchen or mini bistro.

Special Reserve 2

RedVinegar104 copy

Each comes to you with a unique cap of my own design, you will not find it anywhere else.

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Special Reserve 3

The necks are wrapped with gold foil lariats and include tiny metal crown medallions to advertise their blue ribbon contents! Your mini gourmet cook only uses the finest ingredients and these bottles are perfect for display on stove tops and kitchen counters. For ultimate realism place them beside my salads or Italian cuisine dishes and make a statement!

Red Wine Vinegar

Available now in my Etsy shop: Crown Jewel Miniatures ETSY

Special Reserve4

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
Robin

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

Miniature Herb & Garlic Infused Olive Oil

Kitchen Essentials – Salt, Spices & Olive Oil

CJM Italian Kitchen

Here is a peek at my latest batch of herb and garlic infused olive oils. Available now in my eBay and Etsy shop, choose between chub or tall with round or square caps.

CJM Italian Kitchen

Group fresh vegetables, bread and cheese assortments and my realistic oil bottles with fresh made dishes to bring your dollhouse kitchen to life.

CrownChub109

GarlicBasket copy

Each bottle brings realism to your mini kitchen and works in almost every era and décor.

ItalianALL100 copy

PourBottleGarlic101 copy

I’ve added tiny cloves of garlic to canola oil for a fresh effect.

PourBottleGarlic106 copy

All my bottle tops and caps are my own, original design- you will not find them anywhere else.

TallLargeCap101

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Large caps, small caps, square caps too- each is a little different!

TallSmallCap100 copy

TallSmallCap102 copy

Available in chub or tall sizes, they’re perfect for grouping on your mini pantry shelf.

TallSmallCap108 copy

TallSmallCap109 copy

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
Robin

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Posted in Announcements, New Miniature Art! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Paint, Wallpaper & Add Flooring To A Dollhouse with Crown Jewel Miniatures!

How To Finish The Interior Of A dollhouse!

If you’ve read the “Meet The Artisan” page on my website you know that I was the go-to person for dollhouse interior design while I worked at Dollhouses Plus. In addition to selecting and matching decorating components, I installed them and over the years I’ve had several requests for tips. While I no longer finish dollhouses, except my own, I know that even the most amazing dollhouse food won’t look like much in a bare mini kitchen! Here are my recommendations for finishing the interior of your dollhouses. I hope this helps!

FINISHING MATERIALS
Each of the following items can be found at Home Depot, Lowe’s or any hardware or home improvement store:

Plastic scrapers – 1″, 2″ & 4″ wide
Cheap craft paintbrush 1″ wide
Medium grit sanding block
Mini paint roller & tray
White satin or semi-gloss paint (I use Valspar from Lowe’s, sold by the quart)
Scotch transparent tape
Wallpaper adhesive (gel) (I use Roman GH-57 from Lowe’s but any wallpaper and border adhesive will work as long as it’s gel. You can use Modge Podge in a pinch but it does not last). Use regular household wallpaper adhesive, don’t waste your money on overpriced mini pots of “dollhouse” adhesive.
Paper towels
Damp paper towels (squeeze out all excess water)
Utility knife
Straight edge ruler
Pencil
Scissors (for wallpaper only)
Disposable nitrile gloves (to protect your hands from flooring adhesives)
Contact cement

The following items can be found online, eBay, craft stores or your local dollhouse shop:

“Easy Cutter” by Northwest Products (for cutting wood, formica tile and wood molding)
Quick Grip glue
Gloop Adhesive (from Model Builder’s Supply)
Modge Podge

1). Construct the dollhouse and do not install windows or stairs.

2). Sand the bare wood with a medium grit sanding block to ensure all surfaces are smooth and free of glue globs.

3). If you plan to electrify the dollhouse, install tape wiring. Cover all brad and eyelet connections with a piece of Scotch transparent tape. This ensures the paint will not interfere with the connections.

Wired dollhouse shell

Prime The Walls:

Priming is absolutely necessary! Bare wood leaches the moisture out of wallpaper paste, this is even more prevalent with brittle wood in older dollhouses. Over time the wallpaper as the wallpaper adhesive dries out, the wallpaper begins to lift at the corners and edges or unsightly air pockets form behind the wallpaper. A paint primer prevents all that and will also keep the color of wallpaper true, especially wallpapers with with light backgrounds. Want to change your wallpaper in the future? A paint primer will make future wallpaper removal a breeze!.

-Prevent wallpaper from lifting
-Keep wallpaper colors true
-Protect wiring & walls during future wallpaper removal
-Quick & easy future wallpaper removal

4). Prime (paint) the entire interior of the dollhouse with bright white satin paint found in any home improvement or hardware store. Add additional coats until the wood is no longer visible through the paint. This usually requires 2 or 3 coats, depending on how dry the wood is. Allow to dry thoroughly, usually 3 to 5 days.

FINISH ORDER: Finish every room, top to bottom- start with the ceiling, then walls, flooring and save stairs, molding, wainscoting and trim for last.

CEILINGS: Either leave the ceilings white, as is, or use dollhouse ceiling paper or fancy textured, household wallpaper in white. Use damp paper towels to wipe ceiling free of dust before beginning. Measure the ceiling and roll out the ceiling paper on a clean surface, finished side down. Using a ruler, mark the measurements in pencil and use a craft knife along the side of the ruler to cut. (^If you are unsure of the accuracy of your measurements, leave an extra 1/8″ – 1/4″ margin on the open end of the ceiling to compensate. You can always trim away the excess). Even if the ceiling paper is pre-pasted, use a 1″ wide craft brush and brush on household wallpaper adhesive gel. Press the paper to the ceiling and use the 4″ plastic scraper to smooth the paper onto the ceiling, taking care to smooth away all bubbles and wrinkles. Use dry paper towels to wipe excess wallpaper gel from your scraper after every stroke. Use a firm stroke from the center of the ceiling to the edges to squeeze out the excess wallpaper gel. Use the scraper and damp paper towels to wipe away the excess, then use dry paper towel to ensure the edges are dry and let the ceiling paper dry at least 4 to 6 hours. ^When thoroughly dry, slice away any excess using a sharp craft knife, held flush with the edge of the ceiling.

WALLS:
Smooth Painted Walls:
If you installed wiring, you cannot just paint the walls in pretty decorator colors as the bulk of the tape wire and splices will be visible through the white primer and your paint. You must wallpaper the room with plain, smooth, wallpaper and then paint over the wallpaper. Use damp paper towels to wipe walls and floors free of any dust before beginning.

Textured Painted Walls:
Install textured wallpaper and when thoroughly dry, paint it in a color of your choice… or… if using a textured paint, install plain, smooth wallpaper, let dry and then stipple your textured paint onto the plain wallpaper. Brush textured paint onto the wallpaper using an “X” stroke, sweeping the brush downward on one line of the “X” and upward on the other.

Papered Walls: Measure each wall from floor to ceiling and subtract 1/4″.  This is the height you will cut your wallpaper.  Lay the full sheet of wallpaper on a clean surface, finished side down. Using a ruler, mark the measurements lightly in pencil and using an X-Acto craft knife along the side of a straight edge ruler, cut the bottom of the wallpaper. Do not use scissors to cut wallpaper! Even the sharpest pair will not give you a straight, even, edge. It is not necessary to leave any margin for error, as the bottom of the wall will be covered with baseboard molding, thus covering any gap. Even if the wallpaper is pre-pasted, use a 1″ wide craft brush to apply wallpaper adhesive gel. Be sure to cover the paper entirely, especially the corners. Starting with the left side of the room, lay the wallpaper against the wall with the top edge lined up against the ceiling. Use plastic scrapers to smooth out any wrinkles and bubbles, sweeping the scraper down the wall, in overlapping strokes. Take extra care to be gentle with cheaper dollhouse wallpapers, which are thin and delicate. Use dry paper towels to wipe excess wallpaper paste gel from your scraper after every stroke. If you get a little on the face of your wallpaper, use a clean, damp paper towel and gently wipe it off. Do not scrub or you may ruin the print of your wallpaper. (Coated or sealed wallpapers are far more durable and less susceptible to damage). Begin the next sheet of wallpaper slightly overlapping the side of the one you just installed by 1/8″. (As wet wallpaper dries, it shrinks, and the overlap will prevent any gap in coverage. You can butt the sides of the wallpaper flush against each other but there is no guarantee the wallpaper will not shrink when dry and you may have gaps). When cutting the final sheet of wallpaper, leave a 1″ extra margin (this will be trimmed away after it dries). Use the scraper, then the damp paper towels to wipe away excess paste. Use a dry paper towel to ensure the edges are clean and dry and let the wallpaper dry at least 4 to 6 hours. After wallpaper is dry, use a sharp craft knife or razor blade and cut an “X” inside the window openings and trim the wallpaper away. Remove excess wallpaper from the edge of the wall with a utility knife held flush with the edge of the wall. Install painted window frames with a thin line of Quick Grip glue on the back side, taking care to wipe away any glue globs, interior and exterior, with damp paper towels immediately after installation. Hold in place 1 minute and let dry.

FLOORS:
Strip Wood Floor Planking: If using wood strips or tongue depressors, I use an “Easy Cutter” by Northwest Products to cut the wood to size. Use a cheap 1″ craft brush to apply Gloop or other non-water based glue. Contact cement works well too but only brush on a little at a time as it will dry out before you can lay the entire floor. Wipe away any excess as you go with damp paper towels.

Wood Floor Sheets & Carpet: Measure the floor and lightly mark the top of your wood flooring. (Use an eraser to remove the marks after installation). It’s important to mark the top of your flooring… or reverse the measurement when you mark the back of the flooring (mirror image) because dollhouse rooms are never perfectly squared. (Your floor may be 1/4″ wider at the back of the room than at the front). Using manufacturers directions, brush recommended adhesive directly onto the dollhouse floor and lay flooring sheet flat on the floor, pressing firmly into place. Using a smooth, plastic scraper, press down firmly with broad strokes in the direction of the wood grain, giving extra attention to the edges and corners. I do not recommend weighting the flooring unless your weights cover every square inch as partial weight in random areas may result in an uneven floor. Immediately wipe away any excess with damp paper towels. ^I do not use contact cement, etc. I use Quick Grip glue, applied via a thin line around the edge of the flooring and a few squiggly lines in the center.

Plastic Tile Sheets
Follow the same procedure with plastic tile sheets, but use a lighter touch when pressing down and do not use a scraper. Wear nitrile gloves to protect your hands as the finish on most plastic sheet flooring tends to come off easily. Press the tile sheets into place with firm hands, wiping away any excess adhesive with damp paper towels. I use Quick Grip glue.

Follow the same procedure with carpet, but use either Modge Podge or tacky glue thinned with water. Brush a thin layer of adhesive directly onto the dollhouse or roombox floor paying careful attention to the edges and corners. Smooth the carpet with a 4″ wide smooth plastic scraper, working from the back of the room to the front and wipe away any excess adhesive with damp paper towels.

MOLDING: Measure the width of each wall and cut the molding to size. Use the Easy Cutters to cut molding to size and for angled joins on inside corners use the Easy Cutters to cut the end of the molding on an angle. Household scissors are not recommended! Even the sharpest pair of scissor will compress and distort the wood and every join will be noticeably uneven! To decrease the chance of glue globs, run a very thin line of Quick Grip glue down back center of the molding. Beginning on the left, outer corner, press the molding into place and hold for a minute or two until set.

Wedgwood Room

STAIRS: Build stairs to fit and stain or paint to match the room. Install stairs, and wipe away excess glue with damp paper towels. I use Quick Grip to install staircases.

REMOVING WALLPAPER & CARPET:
If you followed my instructions and primed your walls before installing wallpaper in your dollhouse, then wallpaper removal is going to be quick & easy and your wiring will not be damaged!

Let’s remove the gold wallpaper from my dining room. Usually vinyl coated wallpaper is difficult to remove, but with primed walls this will be easy…

For Regular Wallpaper: Soak a kitchen sponge in very hot water and hold the sponge against the wallpaper until thoroughly saturated. Let the water soak in for several minutes to loosen the wallpaper, then use the scraper to remove. The wetter the wallpaper, the easier it is to remove. Hot water is more effective than warm water! Protect your wood floors with dry paper towels and blot excess water as you go.

For Vinyl Coated Wallpaper: Tear the vinyl layer away from the paper backing of the wallpaper, then follow the instructions above for removing regular wallpaper.

Notice the paper backing of the wallpaper turns dark when saturated with hot water…

When all visible wallpaper residue has been removed, use a clean sponge soaked in hot water to rub away all vestiges of wallpaper paste until the primed (painted) surface below is smooth. Protect your wood floors with dry paper towels and blot excess water as you go. If necessary, gently use a scraper blade to remove stubborn bits of wallpaper paste (or glue). Sponge down the wall with hot water until all residue is removed. Sandpaper is not recommended; it will pit your walls and destroy your tape wire!

Voila! Easy wallpaper removal. This room is now ready to be repapered…

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
Robin

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

DISCLAIMER: The tips included in this blog post are intended as suggestions only and do not constitute professional advice or instructions. Always refer to manufacturers directions and product safety warnings. I am not responsible for any damages you may incur.

Posted in Finishing A Dollhouse, Making Miniatures, Wallpapering A Dollhouse | Leave a comment

A Dollhouse Summer BBQ!

Hot Off The Castle Grill!

CJM Castle BBQ

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away…

Oh wait, wrong one. 😉

Once upon a time, there was a hungry mini family in the Crown Jewel mini castle and it was almost the first day of summer. The royal baker suggested a barbeque picnic, just outside the castle walls in the shade and everyone rejoiced!

Crown Jewel BBQ

Mini dad presided over the grill, basting juicy racks of ribs…

Crown Jewel BBQ

Half cooked steaks

Mini mom assisted, tossing a garden salad and setting out bowls of baked beans and macaroni salad…

Macaroni salad

The royal baker brought apple pies, cherry pie, blackberry pastry and the USA cake made by children…

Apple pie

USA cake

Mini grandpa sat in an Adirondack chair in the shade, with a glass of iced lemonade, enjoying a sizzling hot dog…

Hot dogs

CJM BBQ table

Mini kids dressed their burgers with cheese, ketchup, tomato and pickles…

Hamburgers

Cheeseburger

Mini teenagers guzzled cola and dug into submarine sandwiches, stacked with ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato…

Sub sandwich

CJM BBQ Sub

As for me, I took advantage of my day off from mini cooking and joined in the fun with a warm slice of all-American apple pie…

Apple pie slice

CJM castle wall BBQ

The End.

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.
Robin

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Crown Jewel Miniatures OOAK Exclusive Surprise!

OOAK Ice Cream Holder & Candy Dish!

Ice Cream Cone Holder

Those of you who read my recent “Birthday party” post know that I promised a one-of-a-kind original surprise and I unwrapped it today in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures). My highly realistic ice cream cones are one of my most requested items and last month I invented the perfect way to display them… in a festive rainbow of color and fun!

Ice Cream Cone Holder

My OOAK exclusive ice cream cone holder and candy dish is perfect for a birthday, summer or sweet shoppe party!
It is a OOAK exclusive, and my own original idea- you will not find it anywhere else!

Ice Cream Cone Holder

The fancy ring holds 8 ice cream cones over a clear “drip tray” but your mini people won’t waste time leaving them in the holder with refreshing flavors like lime, raspberry, strawberry, orange, berry cream and peach ice cream!

Ice Cream Cone Holder

The glass bowl in the center is filled with citrus and berry flavored bonbons, pinwheel, stick and hard candy making this party time treat truly irresistible!

Ice Cream Cone Holder

Many of the other party treats shown in the background of my photos are are available now in my eBay. I’ve got pink birthday cakes, fondant birthday cakes, homemade cakes that look just like Mom’s and even a fluffy yellow and white cake on a handcrafted cake stand suitable for a boy or girl.

CJM Birthday Cakes

Almost all birthday cakes have the tiniest birthday candles in festive colors, complete with wicks for that extra dose of realism you’ve come to expect from my art.

CJM Birthday Cake & Candles

Parfait mugs, bowls of ice cream, pretty bowls and jars filled with pastel meringues… it’s all here.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Birthday

Happy birthday to everyone, everywhere mini friends! 🙂

Robin

Happy CJM Birthday

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Hot Off The Grill!

COMING SOON! 1:12 Barbecued Ribs Look Good Enough To Eat!

BBQ Ribs

Hot Off The Grill!

BBQ Ribs

The weather is getting warmer and soon it will be time for backyard picnics and patio parties. What can be tastier than barbecued ribs fresh off the grill?

BBQ Ribs

My highly realistic ribs have just the right amount of char, grill marks and oily sheen to give your mini grill scene eye-catching realism!

BBQ Ribs

Display on the grill or a mini picnic table crammed with cold drinks, apple pie, macaroni salad and baked beans for an American style outdoor feast. Perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day and family picnics!

BBQ Ribs

As soon as the “Birthday Party!” photo shoot is done I’ll begin work on extra picnic foods and get these yummy ribs listed for you. Happy al fresco eating mini friends!

BBQ Ribs

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

You’re Invited To A Birthday Party!

Coming Soon To A Dollhouse Near You! 🙂

The banner is hung on the wall, the birthday girl has made a wish and the cake has been sliced… let’s celebrate and open birthday presents!

Crown Jewel Birthday

Birthday parties are lots of fun and one way to capture the magic a little longer is to stage a birthday party scene in your dollhouse! Your mini family can celebrate every day with this luscious pink birthday cake with candles!

PinkBirthdayBACK copy

The pink strawberry frosting is spread in soft peaks around a fluffy yellow cake layered with whipped cream and cherry filling. Created with close attention to detail, I’ve included slices of cake and for that extra dose of realism you’ve come to expect from my art… I’ve removed the birthday candles from the sliced cake, leaving a tiny hole where the birthday candle used to be!

PinkBirthdaySLICE copy

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It wouldn’t be a birthday without ice cream and I’ve got a special, one-of-a-kind original surprise coming your way too! The cake and ice cream will debut in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) as soon as I finish the photo shoot for the ice cream. Watch this space and we will celebrate together!

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The parfaits, bowl of meringues and jars of candy are available now in my eBay.

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

Hello Peter Cottontail!

Happy Easter Mini Friends!

A colorful assortment of Easter 2015 desserts are now being served in my eBay! eBay ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures. This was my first experience making chocolate Easter bunnies and I love them so much I can’t wait to make more!

The Easter trays include sugar cookies frosted in spring colors in the shape of eggs, flowers and stars, assorted meringues, pink parfaits, cream filled chocolate Easter eggs topped with hand-piped whipped cream and candy pearls, milk and dark chocolate Easter bunnies, tiny marshmallow stars, marzipan Easter eggs, cupcakes with candy chicks peeking out of the frosting, luscious tarts frosted in pastel tinted whipped cream and more.

The three tiered glass cake stand by Philip Grenyer of Glasscraft is fitted with delicate laser cut doilies with Easter tarts, cookies and spring meringues arranged on every level.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Easter Tower

A sweet pink chocolate, cream filled, Easter eggs rests on top, adding colorful decoration to your dollhouse sideboard or tea table.

The faux cut glass tray used in this arrangement reminds me of my grandmother’s holiday crystal:

Easter is one of the most colorful holidays of the year and pretty enough to stock a candy shoppe or shabby kitchen.

Pastel meringues in an open bowl and jars of Easter candy and meringues bring soft color accents to your miniature collections:

5/1/2015 Update: This art is now available via my Etsy shop: CrownJewelMiniatures

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

St. Patrick’s Day Fun!

Erin Go Bragh!

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations usually focus on delicious boiled dinners but dessert is important too especially when it comes in Irish colors like these sweet treats:

Crown Jewel Miniatures St. Patrick's Day Desserts

I usually make corned beef and cabbage dinners and loaves of Irish soda bread but this year I made Irish themed desserts that can be used year round in other settings. The festive green is perfect for springtime and easily fits in with Easter, tropical barbecues and Halloween too. All my parfaits are highly realistic with all the gaps and bubbles you expect to find in the real thing. These lime and orange ice cream parfaits show all the delicious detail:

The Irish themed meringue bowl is filled with dozens of hand-piped meringues in light orange, lime green and white. They come loose for you to display as you wish.

IrishMeringues107 copy

IrishMeringues106 copy

IrishMeringuesTOP copy

This shabby candy jar is filled with tiny heart shaped mints and topped with a sparkly lid:

All you see here and more is currently available in my eBay, ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures.

5/1/2015 Update: This art is now available via my Etsy shop: CrownJewelMiniatures

JarIrish500 copyRobin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures.
All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

Do Come In

“The doors are open and the light is on… “

No, it’s not Motel 6, I’m talking about the refrigerator. LOL My collectors know I’d rather make Edwardian & Victorian foods and I’m not a fan of modern but I couldn’t resist the French door refrigerator I found on eBay last year! I haven’t wired it yet but I will when I have time. What’s a refrigerator without a tiny light inside?

CJMModernKitchen100 copy

For now it’s in a roombox with a combination sink & stove unit I picked up from ELF Miniatures and a work table crammed with odds & ends.

CJMModernKitchen102 copy

I had a lot of fun making fresh vegetables, cheeses and meats to fill the inside and as you can see I added condiments, milk, wine, and frozen food boxes and pouches for a little more realism.

CJMModernKitchen103 copy

I love they way it looks in the background- it helps to make the room seem real. The only problem is I need to leave the doors wide open all the time to get the effect LOL! After the lights are installed I can leave the refrigerator door slightly ajar and make a midnight snack scene for the work table. 😉

CJMModernKitchen104 copy

The light coming in from the window behind the sink adds to the charm of the room. It’s a large bay window with mullions- great for displaying plants and fresh herbs growing in tiny pots (that’s also on my to-do list LOL).

CJMModernKitchen106 copy

Thanks for taking a peek, it’s just a little refrigerator but it provided me with a lot of mini inspiration! All it takes is one mini- a pan, a mixer or in this case a refrigerator- and a whole line of food and drink usually follows from there.

While you’re here, help yourself to fruit or ice cream. The beer is nicely chilled too! 😉

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Crown Jewel Imaginarium, New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

The Mother Of All Invention

“There ought to be a law against necessity” – E.Y. Harburg

Was Harburg a miniaturist faced with the dilemma of not having enough accessories for a photo shoot? It happens all the time- I finish making miniature food and brainstorm a picture setting only to discover I don’t have the props I’d envisioned. I’ve become an avid collector of mini kitchen accessories and gadgets but nothing beats the satisfaction of making it yourself especially when you need it and need it fast!

I make lots of minis to use as props and for my last photo shoot I whipped up a few herb-infused olive oil bottles and filled spice jars.

HerbOil201 copy

You can find the herb-infused olive oil bottle (and the pair of olive oil & red wine vinegar) in my eBay. ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures

OilVinegar102 copy

As you can see they’re chub bottles, just a fraction larger than true 1:12 scale but they’re pretty convincing especially when nestled with a variety of other miniatures.

OilVinegar106 copy

It helps if you have a good collection of beads and jewelry findings. I’ve used antique beads to make grated cheese shakers and toothpicks were handy when I needed a wooden spoon and then a sieve. Here’s a picture of my sieve, it’s not much but it looks great in the background of a pasta cooking scene or beside a wok!

Sieve

It’s not always easy especially when you had a quick photo shoot in mind but with a little imagination and a few odds & ends you can make what you need in a pinch!

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Crown Jewel Imaginarium, Making Miniatures | 1 Comment

That’s amore!

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie…

Being hit in the eye with a moon size pizza pie doesn’t sound like a lot of fun but eating pizza sure is! LOL Here’s my version of authentic mozzarella pizza:

Pizza113 copy

Few things make me happier than making 1:12 food look real and this pizza may be my best one yet. I used an M & C Creations (formerly T & E Brownawell) pan and it comes with the matching pizza wheel.

Pizza copy

Making pizza inspired me to create a similar Italian specialty- focaccia bread! I used the leftover pizza dough clay and topped it with a little sauce, onions, peppers, mushrooms and black olives.

Focaccia1 copy

The pizza and focaccia are available now via my eBay. ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures

Focaccia6 copy

Buon appetito mini friends! Next up, herb infused olive oil and then a visit to a modern mini kitchen in my Imaginarium!

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

Put A Feather In His Cap & Called It Macaroni…

MacNCheese1 copy

Yankee Doodle never had it so good!

Inspired by a recent custom order for macaroni & cheese, I whipped up a few extras in my Imaginarium and these are the results. What is it about baked macaroni & cheese that makes everyone melt a little? Is it the warm pasta, molten cheese or perhaps the crispy bits around the edges?

Both are newly listed in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) and ready for display in your dollhouse kitchen or 1:12th scale restaurant. Each pan is crammed with teeny tiny pasta noodles and ultimate realism!

MacNCheese5 copy

See what a difference a pan makes?

OvalMac7 copy

The white baking dish is a little more modern. The black baking pan is rustic and better suited to a farmhouse or country kitchen:

OvalMac copy

Each noodle was individually made by hand. Here’s a peek at the custom order:

Custom8 copy

Many thanks to the collector who ordered macaroni & cheese, I had a lot of fun making it!

CustomMac5 copy

Robin

©Copyright 2015 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

The Advantages Of Overstock

Deli Counter Salami Board

Deli Counter Salami Board by IGMA Artisan Robin-Brady-Boxwell

Regarding the salami board recently sold in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures), Ramona from Facebook asked: “How long does it take you to do something like that? I’m just curious. Seems like a longggg time!”

And she’s right, making a display like this does take a lot of time but I didn’t make this in one sitting.

Most of my time is spent fulfilling custom orders and when I make mini food I always make extras to maximize my time. It’s also a safety net in the event one gets ruined. I store the extras in airtight bins and eventually my stock builds up and I’m left with several loaves of bread or salami, fruit, cookies, cupcakes, cheeses- you name it.

These extras really come in handy when I’m gathering minis to create a preparation board or busy tabletop scene but lately I’ve been grouping them together to pare down my stock and that’s the inspiration behind my most recent art, such as the Marie Antoinette dessert collection and the salami board.

Marie Antoinette Dessert Collection

Marie Antoinette Dessert Collection by IGMA Artisan Robin-Brady-Boxwell

Having extras in stock is a great way to create truly OOAK pieces because I work from my imagination- I don’t keep clay color recipes- I mix clay in small batches and no two batches are ever alike. This ensures variety and opportunity to experiment with color mixes and new add-ins. The apples or French breads I made last month won’t be identical in color to the ones I make next time around. As an artist, I need that level of creativity and keeping notes or color charts would deprive me of that.

Bread Basket

Bread Basket by IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

Making and saving extras is great for having a wide variety of shades to work with! When grouping foods that’s essential for realism. You can make six different kinds of bread with the most amazing shapes and various textures but if you made all the bread from the same batch of clay at one sitting it just won’t look right- even if you used different shades of chalk pastels- because the clay color can only support a limited amount of shading. Various shades create a focal depth and with miniatures that depth is extra important because the subjects are so tiny. When I shade bread or meat I usually use more than 1 shade of clay, 6 to 7 different shades of chalk pastels per item, and various texturing tools to trick your eyes into finding depth in my art. It’s mini food magic! 😉

Thanks for the question Ramona! If I had to recreate the salami board from scratch it would take about a week or so!

Happy mini making, mini friends!!
Robin Brady-Boxwell – IGMA Artisan

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Crown Jewel Imaginarium | Leave a comment

Photographing Miniatures

“Crown Jewel Miniatures, How Do You Take Such Great Pictures?”

Photographing miniatures is difficult but not impossible. Until I began selling minis online in 2010 I knew nothing about it and it was so frustrating at first so I’ll share what I’ve learned. Here’s what you need:

– A digital camera with a macro setting. You don’t need a fancy DSLR like mine, in fact I use 4 different cameras and 3 are basic non DSLR models you can get from almost any major retailer. I’m not going to endorse any camera make or model but I will advise you not to use your iPhone, it won’t get you close enough to your subject without distortion.

Crown Jewel Miniatures

– Great lighting! I used to take pictures only on sunny days but the Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate so I grabbed a pair of photography lights on eBay. Place one on either side of your light box tent, or subject, at the same angle and distance. Use a light box tent to diffuse the light and remove glare from your subject. Lighting is very important when using the macro setting because of the speed of exposure required for tiny subjects.

Photography Lights

– A 16″ light box tent. The purpose of the tent is to diffuse the brightness required with macro photography. If you’ve ever tried to photograph a shiny object such as a tiny silver teapot, a china dish or glassware you know what I mean by glare and it’s not fun. The tents are made of nylon and work beautifully! When photographing non-shiny subjects you can place it on a piece of white paper instead of using the light box. Using a white background produces crisp pictures and reduces “noise” surrounding your subject. I purchased a light box kit (below) on eBay but the small lights that come with it run dangerously hot if left on for more than 45 minutes so I recommend you buy a tent and lights as shown above, separately and avoid a kit unless you take quick pictures. Also, the lights shown above are far better quality, “daylight” light.

Light Box Kit

– Quality subject. Macro photography magnifies all the details of your mini creation not seen with the naked eye, it’s the gold standard test between a good mini and a true work of art. The camera doesn’t lie folks- all the details good and bad will be exposed (great pun huh? LOL) so be sure your mini creations are up to the scrutiny of the lens.

Cherry Pancakes

– Angles. Keep the lens perpendicular to your subject and avoid tilting the camera at an angle as this does cause distortion.

That’s about it folks, it’s a lot easier than you think! All you need are those four elements and you’ll be taking great pictures of your mini creations in no time. Practice makes perfect! It took me a while to get the hang of it and you can too. Just as I’ve encouraged you to sign your art let me encourage you to watermark your pictures if you’re planning to upload them to the internet. My company name is on every picture to discourage the theft of my intellectual property and while nothing is foolproof it makes the job of fools who copy and steal images a lot harder!

DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert photographer and I am not responsible or liable for any damages you may incur in using any of the above materials or advice. The tips included in this blog post are intended as suggestions only and do not constitute professional advice or instructions. Always refer to manufacturers directions and product safety warnings!

Robin
IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Crown Jewel Imaginarium | Leave a comment

IGMA Blog + Crown Jewel Miniatures = Happiness!

“Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner?”

http://igma.org/blog

Seeing this just made my day!! Many thanks to IGMA for using my art to advertise the 2014 Guild Show dinner!! WOW!!

IGMA Submission

Robin

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Announcements | Leave a comment

Now Serving Mexican Cuisine!

“A Mexican Feast!”

If your mini family likes Mexican cuisine, have I ever got a feast for their tiny resin palates! Newly listed in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures), this 4 piece OOAK family style meal is packed with realism! Each black bean was individually handcrafted and there is absolutely no filler clay in the bean bowl or the enchiladas!

The chips are loose for the lucky bidder to display as they wish and the guacamole is creamy and slightly translucent, just like the real thing! It’s perfect for setting the family dinner table or in a mini Mexican or southwest restaurant.

EnchiladaSet500 copy

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The blue and white plates compliment almost any décor and the colorful food is great for an everyday, modern dinner or Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Robin

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Is Planning A Royal Breakfast!

“A Crown Jewel Miniatures Royal Breakfast!”

I’ve been hard at work in the Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium© this week putting together a Royal Breakfast scene and these pancakes are only the beginning! Here’s a shot of the blanks… as you can see I made bread and bagels with the leftover scraps of pancake clay (I do my best not to waste clay whenever possible).

Crown Jewel Miniatures Pancake Blanks

And here they are after adding fruit and whipped cream:

CherryPancakes102 copy

CherryPancakes1022 copy

I’ve got fresh cherries with cherry syrup and whipped cream… mixed berries (strawberry, cherry and blackberry) and blackberry with blackberry syrup. Tomorrow I’ll begin work on the eggs, bacon, sausage, coffee, tea, pastries and I’ve got a few surprises up my sleeve too! Put your dolly on a mini diet now because I’m going to make the Royal Breakfast a feast fit for a queen and each piece will have my usual dose of ultra realism for tiny meals that look good enough to eat!

CJM Pancakes

Stay tuned, mini friends. The table is being set and you’re all invited!

Robin

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in New Miniature Art! | Leave a comment

IGMA Artisan Robin Brady-Boxwell

IGMA Submission

“I am very pleased to announce I am now an IGMA Artisan!”

This distinction is such an honor that I keep pinching myself to be sure it’s real. It’s always the things we want most that we’re convinced we’re never going to get- right? I believe in my art, it’s in my blood, but I never really thought I could achieve this level of recognition. It’s been two days since I got this amazing news and my head is still in the clouds!

You’ll laugh at the way I found out! Someone I’ve never met sent me a Facebook message and all it said was “Congratulations!!!!”. I replied, “Thanks, what did I do?”. There was no reply so I went back to listing minis on eBay and suddenly it dawned on me that it might be IGMA- but IGMA was a dream and dreams happen to “other people”- right? I put the idea out of my head but then I got restless- those dreams might happen to other people but this one was my dream and suddenly all my dreams were exploding in my head like fireworks! Eventually I worked up the courage to open my email and you think you know how you’re going to react when something exciting happens to you but all I felt was SHOCK! I couldn’t see the email, I didn’t understand it, the words were all a great big jumble and the only one that made sense was “Congratulations“. There was that word again, that lovely, lovely word that let me know that I’d just achieved something I never thought possible.

IGMA Bread

I don’t want to end this post without thanking some very important people. They deserve to be recognized:

Many thanks to the IGMA Artisan Selection committee for this wonderful recognition. The inspiration this instills in me on my journey as a miniaturist will be everlasting.

Many thanks to my collectors and those who admire my art. Your feedback is the inspiration behind every piece. When you say you’re pleased, I’m thrilled and immediately start thinking of what to make next and our cycle continues.

Thank you to Stokesayware, Phil Grenyer and Al Chandronnait for the gorgeous servingware I submitted my art upon.

Many thanks to my colleagues for their unstinting, generous advice. Your tips, suggestions and encouragement help to light my way.

Thanks to my family for their endless support and encouragment! My mother is always bringing me cookbooks and magazines for ideas and my father taught me everything I know about photography- vital tools in the process.

Thank you to my precious sons. Their sense of humor lifts my soul and I produce some of my best art when I’m happy!

Heartfelt, deepest thanks to my husband, the love of my life. He believes in me on days when I don’t believe in myself. When I get frustrated, he’s my rock. When I need an honest opinion, I can always rely on him for the truth. I would not have submitted for Artisan if it wasn’t for him. “You can do this!”, he said, and I’m grateful he was right. When my hand isn’t making miniatures, it’s in his.

Love & Light to all of you this beautiful Mother’s Day weekend and thank you again for all you are.

IGMA Tarts

Robin

©Copyright 2014 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

Posted in Announcements | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Hi, Crown Jewel Miniatures! Do You Have Tutorials?”

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cake

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cake

“Do you have tutorials?”

I get this question a lot but it’s not a simple yes or no answer. 🙂

I have three tutorials in the public sector:

– Present cake in the AIM 2010 Advent Calendar

– Blueberry buckle cake in the July 2010 issue of American Miniaturist magazine

– Phyllo pastry cakes in the December 2013 issue of Miniature Collector

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cakes

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cakes

I also have several how-to’s and tips in the earliest posts on this blog (2010). Other than that, I do not offer offer tutorials at this time. Almost all of my techniques are my very own but most of you know I got started by reading Angie Scarr’s fantastic books. I highly recommend starting there. In my dream world there would be a miniature making college where folks of all skill sets and mediums could go and learn how to make everything in 1:12 scale. Wouldn’t that be lovely? I’ll end this post with that happy thought. 🙂

Have a beautiful day mini friends, and thank you all very much for taking an interest in my miniature art.

Robin

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Make A Strawberry Phyllo Pastry With Me Via Miniature Collector Magazine!

Making Phyllo Pastry Cakes With Crown Jewel Miniatures!

Puff pastry cakes!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cakes

See the December 2013 issue of Miniature Collector magazine for my latest tutorial- Phyllo Pastry Cakes! In the spring of 2012 I set out to create an original, rustic pastry. My only criteria was to make it look rather messy- homemade. We are spoiled with an abundant selection of “perfect” bakery goods on the miniature market but some seem out of place in the homey miniature kitchen scenes we all love so much.

Now you can can make one of these original, luscious phyllo, (puff) pastry cakes for your own mini kitchen or bakery following my easy step-by-step instructions! Not a fan of strawberry? This versatile cake can also be made in lemon or chocolate or any other flavor your mini dolly’s resin tastebuds prefer!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cake

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cake

These little charmers are a cross between crepes and phyllo and I did my best to make them rustic and versatile too. Some are slightly lopsided with smears of fruit juice, and inconsistent piping. Some look delicious on plates and bakery cards and others make the grade on elegant cake pedestals. Phyllo dough dates back to the 17th century making them believable in several eras.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cakes

Crown Jewel Miniatures Puff Pastry Cakes

Best of all they’re fun and homemade and come from my mini kitchen to yours baked with love. Look for them soon in my Etsy shop and eBay! 

Robin

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Featured in Miniature Collector Magazine!

December 2013

December 2013

“We are impressed with your work and want to pursue a feature story if you are available for an exclusive to Miniature Collector.”

Upon reading those words in February 2012 I was thunderstruck and elated! “Me? They want… me? My art?” GULP! “Hurry and write back! They may have made a mistake!”

I can still remember my elation that day. They hadn’t made a mistake, it really was true! They wanted to do a full feature article and run a tutorial too! I walked on clouds for weeks barely able to believe that my art would be on the pages of the same magazine I’d been reading for over 15 years! Grab a subscription to Miniature Collector mini friends! It’s an amazing magazine filled with top artists and informative articles focused on our wonderful hobby.

December 2013 issue

December 2013 issue

Thank you very much Miniature Collector, the opportunity to share my miniature food art with your readers is a dream come true! The four page article is well written and the layout is amazing! Cindy Erickson and her talented staff were fantastic to work with and I’m in awe of their hard work and dedication to making Miniature Collector the best it can be.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Tutorial

Crown Jewel Miniatures Tutorial

My art is available via my eBay (Crown_Jewel_Miniatures), my Etsy shop or via custom order. To see more please visit my Pinterest albums or join me on Facebook!

Happy reading mini friends and to all of you who wrote to me within days of receiving your subscription- thank you! Your support and encouragment are the inspiration behind every piece of my art. I’m always happy to hear from you and promise to do my best to keep bringing my unique brand of true realism to your mini tables and kitchens.

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures 2103 Annual Halloween Collectible

©Dessert Table At The Witch's Ball

©Dessert Table At The Witch’s Ball!

Count Dracula, dressed in his finest, flashed his pearly fangs and bowed over the gnarled hand of Agatha, the supreme witch of Miniland as he asked for the favor of a dance. His last inamorata, Ima Mummy- a longstanding ghoul-friend- had sampled a little too much macabre punch and was far too unraveled to dance and the count rather admired Agatha’s sallow green complexion.

“Thank you Count Dracula, but would you care for some refreshments first? The caterer, Crown Jewel Miniatures, has really outdone herself this year. She’s even made your favorite black widow spider cakes!”

Crown Jewel Miniatures spider cakes, foil-wrapped chocolate balls and shortbread leaf cookies

“She has? Where?”

Before the witch could point to the spooky treats on the buffet with a crooked finger, a wolf wearing a red cloak and sly grin came trotting in and pushed his hood back. He howled at the moonlit windows and gave Agatha a stolen basket of goodies from a little girl he had just frightened on his way to the ball.

“Werewolf, Count. Use my whole name- I don’t care for nicknames. This is for you Agatha from Mrs. Eerie Specter”, he lied. “She wanted to bring it herself but you know how flighty ghosts can be.”

“Oh Wolfie, that’s kind of her- it’s a pity she disappeared- again. Welcome to my annual ball!”

The werewolf ignored the Count and gave Agatha his best wolf whistle. “You look quite remarkable this evening Agatha. Is that eye of newt perfume you’re wearing? Would you care to dance?”

“You mangy cur, how dare you!” shouted the Count. “I asked the old hag to dance first!”.

The wolf picked the candy corn off a small tray of Crown Jewel petite fours near his bewitching friend and rolled his eyes dramatically in the Count’s direction.

Candy corn topped petite fours

“Everyone at the witch’s ball knows Agatha is already taken, Count Dracula. Frankie- excuse me- Frank-en-stein- is hogging all the autumn leaf shortbread cookies that yummy mini-baker made but he’ll be back for his little broom-rider and he won’t appreciate your bloody interference.”

Dracula lifted the sides of his cape and exposed his fangs. He could silence the rude wolf with just one bite.

“I will show you bloody!”

Agatha cackled as the werewolf yelped and ran away with his tail between his legs. She had always preferred her valiant vampire to every other monster in the room.

“That fellow has the manners of a dog, Agatha!”

“Yes but he has the most delightful taste, count. He knows a good party spread when he sees one!”

Pumpkin Fondant Cake

“Right you are my dear. Let us eat cake before he lopes back this way. Who needs dancing when there are fondant spiders to be eaten.”

“Oh yes and the lovely food isn’t the only delight in store for you. That yummy mini-baker as Wolfie called her has thought of everything! The mirror on the buffet is covered over and none of the silver is real. You’re quite safe tonight, count!”

Dracula unwrapped a foil chocolate and flashed his fangs.

Iced Pumkin Cakes and Scattered Candies

“I cannot say the same for your neck my dear!”

Agatha wasn’t worried, she had a vampire-antidote potion up her sleeve and a 100 year sleeping spell to boot. As more gruesome guests broke through the cobwebs and joined the ball, Dracula and his favorite witch were in perfect agreement on one thing- nothing beat a good Crown Jewel Miniatures spider cake- not even the Monster Mash dance!

Available now vie my eBay (Crown_Jewel_Miniatures). See ©Dessert Table At The Witch’s Ball on eBay!

Happy Halloween mini friends!
Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures in Miniature Collector’s November 2013 “Through The Looking Glass”!

ThroughTheLookingGlass11-2013 copy

“The View Through Alice’s Looking Glass Never Looked So Good!”

Imagine my surprise when I opened my November 2013 issue of the venerable Miniature Collector Magazine and found my miniature art in the “Through The Looking Glass” feature!

A full feature article and a pastry tutorial are scheduled for publication very soon and when editor Cindy Erickson (who is a delight to work with) asked for extra images I assumed it was for that. I had no idea she wanted images for Looking Glass and my goodness her sweet little secret turned out to be a huge surprise for me!

Subscribe to Miniature Collector today and don’t miss another issue! It’s crammed with stunning miniatures, fun tutorials, show reports, club news and extremely well written articles!

MCMAG112013

Many thanks Miniature Collector! It’s a fantastic issue as always and the cover feature on Rik Pierce and his amazing art steals the show! I’m thrilled beyond words to be among so much awe inspiring talent and look forward to the upcoming feature of my art.

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Autumn Splendor In 1:12 Scale

A1 copy
“The leaves are falling but my imagination is soaring!”

Autumn is my favorite time of year and I’ve got a wide range of seasonal miniatures in store for you!

–Hollowed pumpkins filled with pumpkin bisque soup served in a ring of pine, colorful fall leaves, nuts and grapes are coming to you on handcrafted gold pedestals.
–Lattice top apple and cherry pies with fruit and baked juice seeping through the gaps will be shipped with love from my mini kitchen to yours.
–Holiday hams and turkeys baked to golden perfection and served on fesitive platters are all ready for your mini holiday tables.

Homemade candles, candies, pastries, shepherd’s pies, leaf cookies, berry tarts, and baked breads are just some of what I have on my work bench and my annual Halloween collectible will be debut in my Etsy shop (CrownJewelMiniatures) in a day or two- just in time for your mini Halloween party!

I sipped my tea enjoying the fall foliage from the big picture window in the ©Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium this morning and found Mother Nature’s annual show quite inspiring! For those of us fortunate enough to live in New England it’s like having a masterpiece painting right before our eyes every day and it’s giving me some great ideas! You must have great ideas too and if you’re looking for that one special piece to add to your dollhouse kitchen or mini dining room table, send me an email and let’s chat about a custom order! I’d love to be the one to bring your mini kitchen to life and my range is limited only by our imaginations!

Happy autumn mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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OK Back To Our Regularly Scheduled SUMMER Minis! <3

Crown Jewel Miniatures Seashell Cakes

Crown Jewel Miniatures Seashell Cakes

“Crown Jewel Miniatures Sells Chocolate Seashell Cakes By The Mini Seashore”

I can’t sign out of my blog today leaving you with Christmas minis in August so here’s a peek at what I’m listing today in my eBay– Crown Jewel Miniatures seashell cakes! One bite and your mini dolly will be grooving with the Beach Boys on your dollhouse deck! Try my yummy cake & ice cream bomb covered with caramel ganache and chocolate seashells-

Crown Jewel Miniatures Ice Cream Bomb Cake

Crown Jewel Miniatures Ice Cream Bomb Cake

Or my beach cake which is the end result of my brainstorm on what to do with the world’s ugliest cake stand LOL! I wrapped the bottom with white rope like a fishing pier, attached a few micro shells and a crochet-like doily, crowned it with a beach cake and best of all it comes to you with FOUR loose slices to display as you wish and BOTH sides of the slices are fully textured!

Take a bite out of the summertime blues with my fun in the sun inspired seashell cakes! 1:12 scale- they’re perfect for your dollhouse BBQ mini beach party!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Beach Cake

Crown Jewel Miniatures Beach Cake on Seashell Cake Pedestal

Fun times in the ©Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium. Happy summer mini friends!

Happy mini-ing mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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“How’d ja like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island?” -Bing Crosby

Crown Jewel Christmas Candy

Crown Jewel Christmas Candy

“How’d ja like to stay up late- like the islanders do? Wait for Santa to sail in with your presents- in a canoe?” -Bing Crosby

I feel like I’m on Christmas Island right about now! LOL One minute we’re outside soaking up the sun and the next I’m back in the ©Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium whipping up festive Christmas minis. Talk about diversified crafting! LOL The Christmas minis are for an upcoming magazine deadline so I can’t complain. I just thought you might find this amusing too and it’s high time I posted again on this severely neglected blog!! 🙂

Stay cool mini friends! Your guess is as good as mine on where these tiny Christmas tree candies will end up! I haven’t yet decided how to incorporate them- I only know I will. <3 [caption id="attachment_390" align="aligncenter" width="600"]Christmas Tree Candy Christmas Tree Candy[/caption]

“A Christmas goodie from me to you, eat it up quick before I do!” -Unknown

Happy mini-ing mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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What’s Next In The ©Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium?

Crown Jewel Miniatures Fruit 2013

Crown Jewel Miniatures Fruit 2013

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant. -Robert Louis Stevenson

I’m not sure if I’m trying to get a head start on my autumn art or if I’m just determined to leave the sweltering heat of summer behind but I’ve been making fruit & vegetables for weeks now and that includes fall favorites! So far I’ve made apples, pumpkins and gourds and various nuts too and I have summer fruit as well- oranges, bananas, pears and peaches! I finished my plums and next I’ll get started on corn and turnips! I’m not done with the gourds yet, but here’s a sneak peek-

Gourds - A work in progress

Gourds – A work in progress

I love autumn and I’ve got lots of new ideas coming your way this year!!

And fall with her yeller harvest moon and the hills goin’ brown and golden under a sinkin’ sun. -Roy Bean

Happy mini-ing mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery – A work in progress

Crown Jewel Miniatures Bakery Door

Crown Jewel Miniatures Bakery Door

“You are a beautiful cupcake in a world full of muffins” – unknown

Q- What does a busy miniaturist do when she’s supposed to be working?
A- Dig through the supply closet for wire needed on her current project, find a limited edition roombox theater she bought on eBay in the 90’s, become completely side tracked and forget all about the wire, dust it off, build it, and stare at it until she decides it will make a fine bakery then spend the next 2 months baking luscious goodies and wondering why there never seem to be enough hours in the day!

Hahahaha!!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery

Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery

Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery is my latest mini project! I papered the walls and floor with scrapbooking paper found at Joann’s- finished the exterior with a fabulous textured cream spray paint found at Lowe’s and now I’m doing my best to fill it. I’ve made all the desserts myself (in between working on custom orders and magazine articles) and next I’ll concentrate on adding shelves and more signs on the walls.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery

Crown Jewel Miniatures Shabby Bakery

Step on in and choose from cakes, pies, candies, tarts, cappuccinos, chocolates, cookies, parfaits, flans, meringues, cupcakes, custards, ice cream etc! Your mini dolly’s waistline won’t last a minute in this shoppe! It’s main purpose is a backdrop for future photo shoots of my baked goods but family and friends visiting the ©Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium are in love with it!! What is it about cupcakes that make folks turn to goo? LOL The rack to the right is a repainted Creekside hutch top and the “World’s Best Cupcakes” sign is by Carrie Lavender.

Keep calm and cupcake on!

Happy mini-ing mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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The Color Of Love Isn’t Always Red

Crown Jewel Miniatures Valentine's Day 2013

“My hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white” – William Shakespeare

Shakespeare wasn’t at all kind to Macbeth when he penned those words but the Bard certainly knew how to make color, in any context, seem romantic!  He meant, of course, that Lady Macbeth would be ashamed if her heart were as pale as Macbeth’s, illustrating through masterful prose that not all hearts are red and that gave me food for thought today.

Is the color of love always red?  When I opened a new package of clay to make Valentine sweets this year, I didn’t think so.  I love experimenting with colors when making miniature food and Valentine goodies are no exception.

Crown Jewel Miniatures Lemon Parfait with Lime WhipTart

Crown Jewel Miniatures Lemon Parfait with Lime Whip Tart

I don’t keep color charts, mixture formulas or ratios- are you shocked?  Every new color blend is a result of what I have on hand at the time and my mood.  Genius or madness?  I don’t know, I just love working with clay and pigment and when I stumble onto really delicious color mixes like this- it’s worth the risk!  Can you imagine how boring Monet’s paintings would be if he smashed his palette and only used the same, premixed colors every time?

Celebrate Valentine’s Day in your dollhouse or mini sweet shoppe or bakery with a variety of lovely colors and remember- the color of love isn’t always red, and sometimes color isn’t always seen.  Through music or dance or poetry, the color of love is an expression of the heart via the senses and nothing entices all the senses quite like food.  You can see, smell, touch, hear and taste it- and that’s romance in full color.

What’s the color of your love?

Happy Valentine’s Day 2013 mini friends!

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures On Display In The Christmas In Newport Candlelight House Tour – Newport, R.I.

Crown Jewel Miniatures On Display In The Christmas In Newport Candlelight House Tour – Newport, R.I.

Gilded Age Mansion

Miniature Occasions & Dolls Gilded Age Mansion

Visitors who took part in the 42 Annual Tour of Historic Private Homes, sponsored by Christmas In Newport, were in for a rare treat as they explored the fine rooms of Tillinghast House this year! Located at 142 Mill Street in the heart of historic Newport, Tillinghast House was the home of John Tillinghast, representative to the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1744 and 1749.  Tillinghast was a wealthy merchant and ship owner and became heavily involved in privateering. 

In the winter of 1780-1781, Tillinghast House was occupied by the French Regiment of Engineers and was the headquarters of Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene during the Revolutionary War (described as George Washington’s “gifted and most capable officer”).  At Tillinghast House Major General Green entertained his notable aides Lithuanian General Thaddeus Kosciuszko and German-born Baron Friedrich von Steuben, Inspector-General of the Continental Army, and of course Lafayette.

Tillinghast House was just one of the nine jewels on display for the 2012 Candlelight Tour and I’m thrilled to report it boasted the same 1:12 scale Gilded Age mansion loaned by Charlene Rich of Miniature Occasions and Dolls, which was the grand display for the *2012 Salve Regina Annual Governor’s Ball (*see previous post, below). Each private home was decorated in traditional Newport style, complete with candles and staffers from Newport’s Regiment Armory dressed in period costume!

After the ball on December 1, 2012, the dollhouse mansion was disassembled and relocated to Tillinghast House. Once there, it was rearranged and placed on display to the delight of scores of visitors who came through on the tour! Each miniature room fascinated both children and adults as they pressed in closer to marvel at the richly furnished rooms, and of course, the delectable 1” scale food.

I’m thrilled to have been part of the ball and the candlelight house tour and wish to thank Charlene Rich for such a fantastic opportunity. Her praise and belief in my art is as unstinting as her friendship. If you find yourself in Newport, do stop in to Miniature Occasions and Dolls! Located directly on Bellevue Avenue, it’s well stocked and definitely worth a visit- and it’s only steps away from The Elms, The Breakers, Marble House, and many other exquisite mansions of the Newport Mansions Preservation Society!

When Charlene asked me to create all the food for the Gilded Age mansion to go on display at the ball, we never dreamed it would be on display in candlelight house tour and we‘re very grateful to Tillinghast House for showcasing our work in such gorgeous surroundings. To learn more about Tillinghast House’s latest venture- Newport Historic Scale Model Homes, friend their new Facebook page by clicking on their name.

Now that these special holiday events have concluded, I will be listing all the food that did not sell, in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) in the coming week. There aren’t many pieces left!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Gilded Age Food

Crown Jewel Miniatures Gilded Age Food

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2013 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Is Going To The Ball!

Crown Jewel Miniatures Goes To The Ball!

Ochre Court, Newport, RI

Ochre Court, Newport, RI

Imagine attending a ball in Newport, RI at the height of the Gilded Age. Dressed in costly attire and swathed in diamonds, you exit the coach and step through magnificent wrought iron doors into a glittering world of elegance and excess. The butler steps forward to take your wrap and you float down the reception line to greet your host and hostess on the arm of your escort. Exquisite flowers perfume the air and you’re dazzled by gas lighting reflected in thousands of crystal prisms. The musicians strike up the first waltz, and you whirl the night away on feet with magic wings and- oh- have I mentioned the delectable food?

All food will be provided by Crown Jewel Miniatures!

Every petite morsel, every succulent bite- each glass of champagne and decadent dessert is made with meticulous attention to detail. One bite and your little resin taste buds are in heaven. Think this is a dream? Well, dear Dolly, not quite….

Salve Regina University’s 36th Annual Governor’s Ball will be held on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 9PM in Ochre Court. The theme this year is “The Gilded Age” and the organizers have asked Charlene Rich, of Miniature Occasions & Dolls, to create the main display with a furnished and decorated dollhouse mansion depicting a ball during the Gilded Age. “When I thought about asking someone to make the food, I knew right away it had to be Crown Jewel Miniatures”, said Charlene. “Robin’s miniature food is the best and most realistic I’ve ever seen.”

It’s an incredible opportunity to make the food for this project, and I’m honored that Charlene thinks so highly of my art. This is the first large scope project I‘ve ever done and we’re working closely together to ensure it’s a success. I‘ve been asked to make all the food for the kitchen and dining room and hors d’oeuvres for the reception area and I‘m incredibly excited, the Gilded Age is one of my favorite eras!  As long time members of the Newport Preservation Society my husband and I often visit Newport to tour the mansions and we always stop in on Charlene when we’re in town!  She’s a lovely friend and her fantastic store has a little bit of everything- dollhouses, room boxes, miniatures and hundreds of dolls. It’s like fairyland the minute you pass through the door! If you’re in Newport, it’s well worth a visit!

Guests at the ball will be treated to a stunning miniature mansion decorated for the holidays and everything they see- the dollhouse, furniture, accessories, and my miniature food art will be available for purchase the following day! Price lists will be provided near the display and guests can visit Charlene at Miniature Occasions & Dolls, 57 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI 02840 (401-849-5440) to take home their miniature treasures.

Select pieces of my art will be made available in my eBay (ID: Crown_Jewel_Miniatures) after Charlene has returned them to me and I will announce their availability via my blog, Twitter (@CrownJewelMinis) and Facebook. Dress your dollhouse dolly in her finest ball gown and take home a piece of the magic to create a lovely ballroom scene of your own in miniature.

Happy collecting!

Robin

©Copyright 2012 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

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Who Invited Frankenstorm to Connecticut?

We interrupt your regularly scheduled miniature collecting to bring you Frankenstorm-

Halloween Potion Bottles by Crown Jewel Miniatures

Halloween Potion Bottles by Crown Jewel Miniatures

ATTENTION COLLECTORS:

Due to the impending arrival of Frankenstorm aka Sandy, any orders placed after 9PM tonight via my eBay or my Etsy shops will NOT be shipped until it is safe to travel to the post office.

This storm is severe and is expected to create flash flooding in my coastal area.  The State of Connecticut has already declared a State of Emergency.  Trains and flights have been canceled and highways will be shut down tomorrow.  This will have a negative impact on the efficiency of the postal service. 

I will deliver orders to the post office as soon as it is safe to do so but I expect the backlog at the post office will create further delays in shipping time.  I will do my best to ship your orders as quickly and safely as possible but these circumstances are beyond my control.  I apologize for any inconvenience and hope everyone in the path of this storm stays safe!

Many thanks,
Robin <3

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

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Crown Jewel Miniatures Is On A Roll!

What’s Cooking In The Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium?

Flour rolls!

It’s a gorgeous day in southern Connecticut!  Unless you had the tv or radio on you wouldn’t guess there is a huge storm on the way.  “Frankenstorm” otherwise known as Sandy is barreling up eastern USA but for now it’s warm and cozy in my imaginarium and I’ve been busy making custom orders.  These are some of the results;

Crown Jewel Miniatures Flour Rolls

Crown Jewel Miniatures Flour Rolls

The rolls in the basket and on the bakery card are already sold but the pans will be listed today in my eBay and the plates will be part of full course holiday meals!  Each pan comes with several crumbs for that extra touch of realism I strive to bring to your miniature collection and you’ll also receive one loose roll for you to display as you wish.  No matter what era your dollhouse is these are perfect for display on or near your mini oven and will surely put a smile on your mini chef’s porcelain face. 

Happy baking dollhouse friends! 

Robin ♥

©Copyright 2012 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

 

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Potions, Spells & Trances II© – 2012 Annual Halloween Collectible by Crown Jewel Miniatures

I’m thrilled to introduce Potions, Spells & Trances II©, the 2012 edition of the Crown Jewel Miniatures Annual Halloween series! Potions, Spells & Trances II© is only the third in the series and will debut in my eBay tonight!

Crown Jewel Miniatures – eBay

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Potions, Spells & Trances II© is crammed with everything your witch or warlock needs to celebrate Halloween in style!  It come to you with over 32 bottles and vials.  Many are filled with all sorts of handcrafted potions to keep your 1:12 wizard in business for years.  Cast spells and create trances with all the poisons and black magic relics you see here:

Poisonous berries, chains, candles, spooky relics, odd dishes of dried herbs and seeds, feathers, a key, gazing ball, looking glass, candlesticks, metal strainer, evil chalice, exotic boxes, rolled fabrics, vase filled with irridescent feather, punks and dried herbs and more!  I finished this wonderful cabinet in black with a burgundy interior and accented the front carving with a tiny face of the sun with one crystal eye.  The chains are loose, in case your mini potion maker wants to close the cabinet door.  All items in the drawers are loose except for the rolled fabrics in the bottom drawer.   

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

BONUS:  I’m including a potion bottle of dragon’s blood (not pictured) for the winning bidder!

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Happy Hallowen 2012! 

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Crown Jewel Miniatures 2012 Halloween Annual Collectible

Robin ♥

http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

©Copyright 2012 Crown Jewel Miniatures. All rights reserved.

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Let them eat…. pie?

What’s Cooking In The Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium?

Pies!  Pies!  Pies!

The scent of fresh baked pie coming from the oven is comforting and familiar.  Winter, spring, summer or fall, just imagine that smell.  What’s your favorite?  Is it the juicy blueberry pie of summer?

Crown Jewel Miniatures Blueberry Pie

Crown Jewel Miniatures Blueberry Pie

Maybe it’s a luscious lemon meringue in the spring?

Crown Jewel Miniatures Lemon Meringue

Crown Jewel Miniatures Lemon Meringue

Maybe you prefer a savory pie in autumn?

Crown Jewel Miniatures Meat & Vegetable Pie

Crown Jewel Miniatures Meat & Vegetable Pie

Or a classic pumpkin pie served with Christmas dinner on a snowy winter day?

Crown Jewel Miniatures Pumpkin Pie

Crown Jewel Miniatures Pumpkin Pie

The choice is yours.  I love the smell of fresh baked pie year-round and I can’t think of a single addition to your 1:12th collection that evokes comfort more than pie.  It’s a slice of heaven! 

Here’s a peek at the pies on my tile in the Crown Jewel Miniatures Imaginarium©.  Some will become part of a busy baking scene on one of my boards, others will be offered individually. 

Crown Jewel Miniatures Pies

Crown Jewel Miniatures Pies

Happy weekend, mini friends!  It’s autumn here in New England and I hope this post reminds you of home.

Robin ♥

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http://www.CrownJewelMiniatures.com

 

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