ever since creating a block set for my 2 year old neighbor one year ago i have been imagining a follow-up of smaller blocks from a collection of enchanting woods, more like gemstones than woods. Super heavy, hard and dense... the black black of Ebony, the warm red of rosewood, and the prominent grain of bocote. All finely sanded to the smoothest tactile finish. Delicious, giddy feelings every time i think of the opportunity to work with these exquisite woods. Hard to stop myself from the purchase of more varieties (olive, lacewood...) all with their own a personality and attitude. But for now... "trying to savor what i have". A mantra echoing well beyond my exotic woods : )

Happy Winter!

All here in my laboratory is sweatered and warm.

Soaps aplenty and jars awaiting candles to light the longest night.

Not sure if i will ever run out of things to sweater : )

Dolls, jars, soap...what's next.

Black and Live oak acorn caps seem so abundant this year and my daughter and i have been having fun filling them with various things. She is the true think tank when it comes to all things miniature but i love to explore along side following her lead. She could truly sell some of her arts and crafts on etsy but she thinks her art would be so sad to be without her. She keeps everything, and i mean every scrap and wrapper, which find their way into her dollhouse world in some miniature kind of way. Most recently she showed me christmas chocolate wrappers from years past that are now rolls of dollhouse wrapping paper. She is so good at seeing the potential in the discarded.

My next adventure will involve a glorious gift of100 grams of copper metal clay and the amazing opportunity to have it kiln fired since copper metal clay cannot be fired with a torch like silver clay. Metal clay is fast drying and super tricky but i will plunge forward and make some copperware for my dollhouse. I hope to make utensils to go with the copperware but i am not sure what happens to something that tiny in firing. Will post pictures.