Miniatures Monday: C is for Cookbook in Miniature! A to Z Challenge

Some new visitors wanted to see more miniatures, and I am only too happy to oblige!

This is probably one of my favorite scenes that I made. The fun was trying to make something I'd never done before. The fruit and watermelon bowl were great to make and try to get as close to real as possible.

I handmade all the food from FIMO oven-bake polymer clay. The idea came from copying a cookbook cover as part of a miniatures group challenge. See more of my miniatures at my website, click miniatures.

6 Sentence Sunday: Excerpt In Miniature Style II

For fun, I thought I'd participate again in 6 Sentence Sunday. This time, I decided to do something different-- my six sentences will be taken from different chapters of my just-released nonfiction book, IN MINIATURE STYLE II. The book features profiles of miniaturists, photos, and over 40 how-to projects.

Here are a couple sentences or quotes from a few of the persons profiled; others will be excerpted on the blog later. (Click their names to see some of their fantastic miniature creations!)

Miniaturist Fern Rouleau:

Rhode Islander Fern Rouleau grew up inspired by art, thanks to her mother, Alice Singer, a sculptor and painter. What Fern didn’t know was that the mini food magnets she was making from bread dough would be the basis for her later fascination with dollhouses and miniatures.

Doll maker Bonnie Glazier:

Texan Bonnie Glazier originally dressed large porcelain dolls and made costumes at doll shops. When mass produced dolls made the hand-made dolls too costly to produce, Bonnie discovered a whole new creative outlet through miniature dolls.

Doll costumer Kathi Mendenhall, La Petite Belle Patterns:

This Tennessee resident initially wanted to make dolls to sell, but it was too much to keep up with while working full-time. Then she began teaching weekends at a Nashville miniatures shop and realized she enjoyed it. “I found teaching rewarding and fun,” she says.

B is for Books! A to Z Blog Challenge

I'd be remiss in this challenge if I didn't post the obvious - B for Books, my books. ha! Note that most of the books are also in e-format so a good price and you can try out something new for a fraction of the price! See more at my books and Ebooks pages at my website. There's also short stories in DAW's steampunk anthologies, other short horror and holiday short stories.

* Collectibles: photos, profiles, and over 40 how-to's (pdf, Kindle/mobi, etc. and print) In Miniature Style II

* Short Horror:

* The Killer Valentine Ball - Every girl dreams of having a night she'll always remember... forever... (Kindle, various Ebook formats)

A young woman faces her greatest fear, and her family's darkest secret to save her own daughter... (Kindle/mobi, other formats, Smashwords Ebook) - Motherly Love

* Kid's fiction: Sam, her BFF Lita, and a friend's mischievous Dachshund named Petey, face an angry housekeeper, a dog-hating gardener, and an ancient family curse as they search for a missing miniature replica of Van Gogh's famous painting, "Starry Night." Ages 9-12. * (Kindle, other ebook formats, Print): Searching for a Starry Night

All About Collecting: A to Z Blog Challenge

I'm a collector meaning I collect everything: paper, glues, paints, scraps, miniatures, houses, kits, colored pencils, and probably much more I can't think of at the moment. It takes up a lot of room. It's everywhere.

I love making dollhouses as I can combine different crafts in one project. But my real house is small; not a lot of storage. So...

I QUIT!

I've decided to give up on miniatures. Clean off the table and counter. Give away the projects and supplies. Want some?

NOT! To hubby's regret. And if you didn't catch on, today is April 1 - HAPPY APRIL FOOL'S DAY!!! haaaa! I couldn't resist!

It's also the first day of the A to Z Blog Challenge. All month I and others will be posting by letter, so be sure to stop by and add your comments!

** BUY: In Miniature Style II ebook (pdf)

** Author page (eBook Vol 1 and II)

** Download other formats: Smashwords In Miniature Style II ebook

** See project info and photos In Miniature Style II

**BUY: Print

It's out! In Miniature Style II in Print - In Stock!!

Just found that the page for In Miniature Style II shows the print version in stock!

**BUY: Print

** BUY: In Miniature Style II ebook (pdf) ** Author page (eBook Vol 1 and II) ** Download other formats: Smashwords In Miniature Style II ebook ** See project info and photos In Miniature Style II

Favorite Miniature: Totes, In Miniature Style II

I love making these tote bags - great for carrying things or make a smaller handbag version. I love the faux "leather" fabric with a contrasting cloth interior.... yes it's in the book, In Miniature Style II ** BUY: In Miniature Style II ebook (pdf) ** Author page (eBook Vol 1 and II) ** Download other formats: Smashwords In Miniature Style II ebook ** See project info and photos In Miniature Style II

Miniatures Monday: In Miniature Style II Mini Eats!

Thought I'd share some recent foods I made. I love miniature salads! The green salad uses FIMO canes I bought. I made the lettuce from plastic snow painted with leaf green acrylic paint. Cut into small pieces and glue in bowl. The miniature potato salads are made with egg canes I made from FIMO polymer clay and a "secret" ingredient per my how-to from In Miniature Style II. Very easy and you'll be amazed at what it is! Any guesses?



** BUY: In Miniature Style II ebook (pdf)

** Author page (eBook Vol 1 and II) ** Download other formats: Smashwords In Miniature Style II ebook

** See project info and photos In Miniature Style II

In Miniature Style II Coming Soon: See Completed cover! EBook links available!

Finally! My new miniatures how-to book, IN MINIATURE STYLE II is on its way! The first copies will be coming soon and it'll soon be available for sale.

** BUY: In Miniature Style II ebook - Author page (eBook Vol 1 and II)

** Download other formats: Smashwords In Miniature Style II ebook

** See project info and photos In Miniature Style II

Stay tuned for the launch party with sales links, prizes and who knows what else!

Here's a better look at the back, featuring my food table and the fabulous paint can scene by miniaturist Fern Rouleau, who's also featured and supplied a really neat how-to! Love her imaginative work!

Goodbye to Legend Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was always one of my favorite actresses. Such beauty and grace. A wonderful actress. I was just watching Cleopatra recently and the costumes are astounding! Another Hollywood legend gone...

Welcome Linda O. Johnston, author of Beaglemania! A mystery with bite!

Today I welcome Linda O. Johnston, author of the new doggie mystery, Beaglemania (A Pet Rescue Mystery).

About the Book:
Lauren Vancouver is the head of HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter north of Los Angeles, but it's often human nature that puts her in the path of danger. Just like when she helps rescue four adorable beagle puppies that were dumped down a drainpipe at a nasty puppy mill. One of the mill's employees has a history of dog abuse-and a bone to pick with Lauren. And when he's found dead at HotRescues after threatening her, Lauren will have to sniff out the real killer to keep herself out of a cage...

Review:
Having received an arc of the book, I have to say that the first thing that struck me was the book's cover picture. Wow! This has to be not only one of the prettiest, but the cutest book covers I've seen! Who can resist a bunch of puppies?

The inside is just as good. Lauren is a likable, strong investigator who will stop at nothing to solve the crime and protect animals. What's neat is that the author also works in pet rescue, bringing an air of reality to the series. Definitely something to bark about!

Dogs, Mysteries and More
By Linda O. Johnston

As you probably can see while reading this, The Candid Canine blog says it’s about "All the Dog, Book and Minis News Fit To Bark About."

I’m here to bark about my new Pet Rescue Mystery series. It combines two of those topics--dogs and books! The series debuted this month with BEAGLEMANIA. It starts off at a puppy mill rescue where, yes, beagle puppies and others are saved.

The series is a spin-off from my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries. Both are from Berkley Prime Crime. You can read one without reading the other, but I of course suggest you read both.

I consider Kendra an alter-ego of mine. She’s a lawyer who lives in the Hollywood Hills with her Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Lexie. I’ve been a lawyer, and I live in the Hollywood Hills with my two Cavaliers, Lexie and Mystie, as well as my husband. I’ve fortunately never become a murder magnet, though.

The protagonist of my new Pet Rescue Mystery series is Lauren Vancouver, the director of HotRescues, a no-kill animal shelter. She was introduced in HOWL DEADLY, the eighth Kendra mystery, and also appeared in FELINE FATALE, the ninth. I adore Lauren and her obsession with saving animals, but I didn’t think she’d become an alter ego of mine, too.

But that was before I started researching her stories. I met with pet rescuers of many kinds. I visited shelters, both public and private. I talked to people. Met animals.

Now I volunteer at a private shelter, Pet Orphans of Southern California. I’m a dog adoption counselor, which means I both screen potential adopters and introduce them to dogs they might fall in love with. It’s always such a thrill when a match works and the people I’ve first screened bring a dog to its new forever home. I’m also the Los Angeles Pet Rescue Examiner for the Examiner.com website.

Lauren’s way of dealing with animals is different from mine. She’s in charge at HotRescues, her private, no-kill shelter, and does a great job of helping the animals with whom she comes in contact. As I mentioned, BEAGLEMANIA begins with a rescue from a puppy mill. Some of Lauren’s later adventures will involve an animal hoarder and a shelter that takes in unadoptable pets.

I can still identify with her and her obsession. Check her out, and let me know what you think. Maybe you’ll identify with her, too. And I most certainly hope you find her fun enough to bark about.

By the way, in the Pet Rescue Mysteries, “no-kill” means pets, not people....

Please come visit me at http://www.lindaojohnston.com/ and at http://www.killerhobbies.blogspot.com/ on Wednesdays. Friend me on Facebook. I’d love to hear what you think of pet rescue--and BEAGLEMANIA!