Feature: Pepper of MitchyMooMiniatures

These are the works of the fantastic and totally awesome Pepper of MitchyMooMiniatures! i had followed her flickr stream like, aeons ago, and was so excited to find that she had started a blog last year (if i recall correctly? lemme check)

yep last year! imagine my surprise when i found out she also blogs extensively about her processes, and offers tutorials as well. i love DIY stuff, so i knew i'd fallen in love with her (:P) twice over. i started leaving my *ahem* sycophantic comments (augh, i can't help it, you know how when you get all fangirly over someone and just fawn over their works and no matter what you say you just wind up coming across as a brown-noser?! ok maybe you don't but i certainly couldn't help myself *insert painful laughter here*)

ok awkward moment over. i wanted to buy some of her work, but to my disappointment she was not selling her works!! :O after a span of months of me heavily hinting and suggesting a swap, she finally relented and LOOK WHAT I GOT OMG

this was the first piece i unwrapped. i let out a loud gasp and started gurgling random words while handing it over with shaky hands to my dad. his first words to me were, "you must work harder Ling" after i showed him what i had made for her. *more painful laughter* yes, i'm working on that!

she even thoughtfully provided 2 books for it :D

 it even opens! the swivel is so smooth, and even closes with a snug 'shnick'. ohh~~ and that lamp?!?! i can't seem to take a good photo of it, i will try again in daylight and not finagle with my stupid lights.... it has like little translucent flowers all over it, at different angles it looks like butterflies.... the lamp is both masculine and feminine at the same time (to me!) i <3 it so!

AND IT LIGHTS. *swoons*

k uhm. where was i.

so this was the piece that i originally thought i was swapping for, i got so excited over her agreeing to the swap that i totally forgot about all the other items after she posted up photos of this on her blog. so yes, i was really shocked to see the large package and multiple pieces. o.O and oh man, it's so hard to photograph this! every single moving part fits snugly and smoothly, orz orz orz i bow to her |337 skillz~! i cannot WAIT to start filling this up. *serious look*

see!??!? ahhhhh~~~ i don't even have a place to display these pieces *goes into panic mode again*

this coffee table really surprised me. the moment i unwrapped this, i knew what sort of sofa i wanted to make to go with it, even got the fabric for it, that's how inspirational her work is to me.
ALL WORKING PARTS AHHHHH

and another working light!!! Pepper even thoughtfully included the batteries required for these.....:) i have plans to use it as a showcase lamp in yet another one of my unfinished projects -_-" hee hee!

and though we had agreed on items we wanted for the swap, she added this at the last minute after i stupidly blurted out how much i coveted it when she showed this on her blog (i really should not surf my favourite blogs late at night/early morning, my brain-mouth-hand filter just doesn't exist then) and *sighs in exasperation?!?* i do love it soooo much but i feel so bad and embarrassed for even using the word 'covet' yea i don't even know what to say right now i'm feeling so mixed cos i'm glad i got it, but ashamed for how i got it :( THANK YOU PEPPER!!!!!

see. SEE!??!? see why i <3 it so much!??!? i really wish i had a proper setup or scene for all these beautiful items. i know i'll be using them over and over again though :P they're within easy reach all the time heh heh :P

ok aside from the schoolgirlish nature of the post so far, i must say these pieces are quite something to behold. they have a certain weight to them, and the smell of the woods (or varnish??) gets me all excited about using (i cannot say play!!! :P ) them, i keep imagining scenes i could place them in, daydreaming on the bus to and from work :P

please pay her blog a visit if you haven't already, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and my photos do not do her work justice.

MitchyMooMiniatures Blog: http://mitchymoominiatures.blogspot.com/
pinchofpepper's flickr stream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/41648637@N07/

Thank you so much Carol. I will forever treasure these. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) <---oi these weren't cut and pasted ok! :P

Miniature Christmas 2011

table and chair from Revoltech's Professor Layton set ^ ^ it's quite nicely scaled for 1:12, 'cept that Prof Layton must have really short legs ;P

Let's give Santa a snack break :) 

More Traditional Sleigh

 a little more modern

I made these sleighs and cookies around this time last year, and they sold pretty quickly, but i don't remember why i didn't list more (probably due to lack of time for international shipping) so they hung around until this year :P I finally assembled some items, and am coming up with a new range, which as i've mentioned before (in very very fine print) probably won't be ready in time for Christmas 2011 T-T

or maybe something more modern looking? these will arrive in my new snowflakes box designs ^ ^ also available as printables! you can read about it in this 1st post i made today (ahhh 3 posts in a day!!!)

i love eating gingerbread cookies, they're bound to give me a sore throat though :( 

but it's ok if you leave them as decorations on a tree? o.O our climate wouldn't allow for it though! XD

You can view more closeups and pics etc on my Etsy :)

(random pic of what 100 listings worth of minis look like at a glance XD )

((another random pic of the weirdest Christmas mall decoration i've seen to date. a little creepy but i find it gnomishly cute XD taken at harbourfront shopping centre))

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does the cupboard look familiar to you? :P thanks to theShoppingSherpa who alerted me to it, and Talina who suggested a swap for them! my items are still not ready for her yet *face heats up* but i hope to get to the graphics after i finish this post ^ ^ 

she's sent me LOADS more stuff, but i don't have time to sort it out just yet, trying to clear my table of all the WIP and there's other stuff going on...like this advent calendar at minitreasures wiki... and of course the I'm a giant challenge.....it's always a little hectic around this time of the year, but i enjoy it!

 although they're not sent to her yet, i've already sent her pics of  her swap parcel, so i thought i'd put them here since i really enjoyed making them too ^ ^ i love eating cherries as well! she asked for a few cherries and i promised to make her some cherry pits....then thought HRMMM there ought to be cherry stalks too....and now that i'm re-examining it, i go to "hrmm there ought to be one with a knotted stalk...."....see my brain just is never satisfied!!! :( hrgnngh.

there's more to make yet, i've initiated another swap, i'm not sure what it is but since i don't celebrate christmas, participating in swaps makes me feel more included in the festivities and giveaways and swaps and such going around blogland. i often feel like i'm lagging behind on the latest news and updates so imma have my own sort of fun *petulant pouts* yea i don't think i'll ever 'mature' :S :P i do so wish i were part of more swaps, but given my limitations i need to pace myself. :( so much to do so little time!!!! and here i am still whining away the time!!!!

speaking of giveaways.....i was going to participate in one and omg, look at the captcha T-T I WIN AT LOSING

oh and a reminder to those who haven't participated and who would like a chance, my giveaway ends on 1st Dec, please comment on the post itself here:

http://snowfern-clover.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-giveaway-and-sale.html

good luck to all!!

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on to more personal (non-mini) stuff.......

my fancy new paperweight

i mentioned in my previous post that my laptop died yesterday :( it's been a little wonky, turning off on its own whenever i over-exert my graphics card, so i thought it was probably (there're like a gabilliokillion reasons why a comp could go wrong) due to the overheating of the graphic card that was the issue, but after it blinked off for the umpteenth time last night, it wouldn't turn back on!!!! i was so worried about it that i woke up real early today thinking and planning how to retrieve the data from the HDD....but bf simply removed the battery and TA-DAH IT STARTED UP AGAIN WOOT WOOT.

makes me feel like i'm living on borrowed time, BUT NEVERMIND WHATEVER i'm HERE

:P

available here!
(uhh baby not included XD)

bf has been busy making some games, and he's made this cute little polar bear graphic!!! it's soooo adorable on this baby uh....'creeper'??? i was so pleasantly surprised by this simple and cute drawing, it's going to be in his latest game which he'll release soon, and i'll update about ;)

please show him some support by going to his Zazzle store! there are other merchandise there too, like t-shirts and caps for both kids and adults

http://www.zazzle.com/outsourced_christmas

it's also Thanksgiving for my American friends, which reminds me of a game he did last year..... it's a simple one, but quite fun :P

http://www.intigo.net/flashgames/turkey/

PHEW that was another long post! kk back to work......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

An unexpected date and trade!

sooo, today i unexpectedly traded for some items. i'd picked up my parcel from the post office, i'd previously purchased some items from HeyYoYo, and they're SOOO CUTE! well packaged too ^ ^ Thanks Amanda!

you can see the reserved listing in order to identify which items i got, and how much i paid for 'em here:

http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=23980937

she's really friendly, and came highly recommended by Asuka!

the flowers you see are from Sans of The Dollhouse Diaries, part of a secret giveaway! woohoo~! there are a few more varieties, but i rushed to take pics so... :X see, comment spamming -sometimes- pays off. HA!

the flower pots and disposable 'styrafoam' lunchboxes are from Madam Ang *secret smile* i won't tell you what i paid for 'em ;) BWA HA HA *winks at Asuka*

the container i used for the shelf, and the acrylic little perch i have the 1:12 items on are from Muji. i simply couldn't resist! i have so many plans for them!

anyhow, i made this impromptu trip down to town because i hurt my hand this morning whilst working the frosting for the commission :( i got a blister on my middle finger (not from flipping anyone the birdie, i'm a nice girl. HAHHAHAHA don't choke), and my old thumb injury acted up again, each time i try to use it a jolt of pain shoots up my hand. and i was sooo moody and in so much pain, when i saw Asuka online, i invited her to join me on an impromptu shopping trip so that i wouldn't hurt myself further. i have a tendency when i work to not realise when i'm hurt, and aggravate my injury whilst i cater to my compulsions. taking myself away from the work environment usually helps.

well. mid-trip, i realised the reason for my moodiness :X LOL. ANYWAY.

sorry if i'm not really replying comments and stuff, i'm quickly realising i'm all over the place, in my head, and on the net. spreading myself a little too thin (and there's loads to go around har har), so to speak. i guess what's most important is to sort out the requests, fulfill the orders, and...STOP CHATTING ONLINE! aughghghghghg

that'll start tomorrow. g'nite :D


(oh and the colourful pillbox is just for Asuka's reference, i used it to contain my beads from aeons ago)

I've got Mail!

I received my parcel from Asuka last week, but the weather was unco-operative, which meant my picture taking would be crappy, and my table was sooooo messy i put off taking pics cos i wanted to do her work justice! look at that gruesome eyeball drink! it would be perfect with my brain platter, i only realized it after i put away the lightbox LOL!

Thank you Asuka! they're soooo cute! XDand then.....i got my other package from Mariella! she had requested for a swap since these items were larger scaled than what she's used to, well, they're mostly 1:6 or 1:4, but still! i hope to be able to use them soon....will update on that....

i was particularly excited about this set, as i was agonizing over how to display my 1:4 scale items...the 'uneaten' eclair is definitely too large for this plate, but the rest of the items seem to fit perfectly! WOOHOO!
and look at what she included LOL 40 reasons why little dolls are better than BIG ones! i agree with ALL of them! i think she's covered all the bases though, i can't think of any more > <> < ok so here's the lightbox i bashed together to take these photos. i originally made it with A4 paper covering the sides, but that didn't allow enough light through (i have a crappy ikea light that broke while taking the previous batch of pics), so i replaced it with some plastic sheets that i got from Daiso...and then covered the flaps with aluminum foil in case i needed more light reflected onto the objects..TADAH! not bad, huh!

oh, and those postcards were purchased when Asuka exhibited at STGCC :D i love love LOVE them! and they're autographed too ;) MWA HA HA

THANK YOU MARIELLA AND ASUKA!


well, also, here's an update on what i've been up to. i experimented somemore today, and spent a full hour conditioning clay -_-" Dango. the pink is supposed to be at the tip, and white in the middle. also, the skewer is too short :(

> <"| ah well! at least i don't need to gloss it further, KATO bakes to a nice sheen! i also experimented with new macaron shapes, but i messed up on the colour as i had used scrap clay. i quite like the new shapes, will try with a lighter colour tomorrow :)

i tried listing new items on my etsy shop, but it kept messing up when i tried uploading pics. i got so frustrated i gave up. well, at least the new cupcake cases are up for sale now, here's a sneak preview of what's new!

the cases now come with more frills! woo hoo! i originally wanted to keep them to 12 to 'fit' the cupcakes i made previously, but i wanted to test the limit....so far 16 is the furthest i can go for the neatest, most consistent results :(

and for those who are keen on attempting to make these yourself, here's a link to a tutorial....


http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~yoyostudio_/houtomake.html

go to the 5th link from bottom...it's in Japanese but the pics are enough for you to figure it out :D


i don't make them this way, but i think this is the best i've seen so far! as to how i make mine...well....it's a secret ;) let's just say, it takes a LOOOONG time to make them, and i had to make my own tools :( so forgive me if i'd like to keep this one to myself for now ;)

UPDATE: I NO LONGER CAN SELL THE LINERS DUE TO A RECURRING INJURY IN MY WRISTS :(