MCC Yahoo Group - May Calendar Baby Challenge

1:12 Scale Dollhouse Miniature Doll by Andrea Renee "Cre8" http://www.tinycrafts.com/

Starting this month (May 2009) some of the members of one of the most wonderful groups (Miniature Collectors Club) on yahoo have participated in a group challenge. A challenge is not a contest to win anything or rein the best of any one other miniaturist artesian, but to challenge ones own abilities as an artist and creator to create from your own imagination and test your limits based on a theme. This challenge is bases on a month to month challenge of ones self to complete a calendar baby using the free tutorial provided by Penny Dolls.

This is the 3rd baby I created before I was happy with what I submitted। It certainly was a challenge। The 1st one I made weeks ago burned in the oven when I was baking her while working. Yes I have the pleasure of being able to do some things while working since I do work at home, but if you can not pay attention to what is in the oven then you should not be baking. The outcome is not pleasant. Polymer clay releases fumes they say are toxic more so when burned. Besides I can tell you the the tiny AA and Latino children I have been creating have been interesting test subjects. Each one in itself a test of my patience and tolerance for this craft. I love clay its forgiving in many ways and or you can take something and make a happy accident from it...but once bakes it is what it is.

The chair is a metal and wire chair from an old handed down dollhouse with accessories from the 1960's I made the seat cushion from polymer clay, and the table is the match to the same chair which I covered with lemon yellow piece of tissue paper I cut a circle from large enough to cover the table and the legs all the way around। Everything else is polymer clay made by me। The doll is polymer clay made over aluminum foil and toothpicks with slight adjustments made to the tutorial provided by Penny Dolls, as the 1" cone body as instructed would yield a play scale baby or slightly larger baby. The fork was added to the molded open hand after baking as it is made of plastic. The babies tiny earrings are 1/2mm no hole beads. The lips were painted using a rose red acrylic paint and applied with a sharp tipped toothpick. Mod Podge Gloss Luster was used to highlight certain parts of the baby like the eyes, the earrings, strawberries on her teeny little dress, her sandals, the cake plate, the cake platter, the birthday candle and certain parts of the cake decorations as well as to highlight the custard center of the birthday cake. The birthday hat is from the burnt baby made a couple of weeks before.All was okay until I decided to try and use mohair on her and make her a little red head. So this one I made with clay hair to be safe.

I can not wait to do this months June Baby Challenge. This was fun and I have lots of ideas now and feel great when I am being creative and using my imagination. Nothing better than spending my day off going clayzie ( addiction to clay to the point where you once you start playing with it you just can't stop).

Cre8ively Yours
Andrea "Cre8"