Miniatures Update: New Cake Displays

Sharing some of the latest cabinets I made for my Half Scale Tudor House which has a garden shop on the bottom floor and a bakery/cafe/bookshop on the top floor. The cabinets are about 1 1/2" high.



I got the bookshelf at a show and the size fit better for a cake display cabinet. I made the right cabinet for a counter. My friend Kitty made most of the cakes except for a few from a swap in the half scale group. I made the cakes on the top wire wicker shelves from wooden plugs.

New Story in Hot & Steamy: Tales of Steampunk Romance, back copy

Yay! Got my copy today of the anthology Hot and Steamy: Tales of Steampunk Romance from DAW Books.

It contains my new story, "Kinetic Dreams" by C.A. Verstraete. In the story, the saga of Alva Edison and her famous brother, Thomas, continues with newly married Alva realizing her life isn't as she thought it was. Can she help Thomas get back to the past and escape a threat from the future?

Here's what the back of the book says (my story is described first):

What would the past look like if the future had come along earlier? This is the question that steampunk stories seek to answer in tales that place those possible futures in Victorian settings.

Now join sixteen visionary writers as they explore the many romantic possibilities of the steampunk, pseudo-Victorian age in such striking alternate adventures as when:

- Time travel and a chance look at an untimely newspaper headline complicate Alva Edison's blissful home life...
---

In the first story, "Edison Kinetic Light and Steam Power" from Steampunk'd, also from DAW Books, an unexpected accident has Alva Edison assisting her brother Thomas in developing some of their time's most amazing discoveries, and improving on some of H.G. Wells' work.

* Read an excerpt from the book's inside first page at my website.

New Project from In Miniature Style II: Plants Pants

Fern's "Plant Pants"

This has to be one of my favorite projects from IN MINIATURE STYLE II. (See Fern's version in the slideshow at link.)

When I first saw this project by Fern Rouleau, I laughed and thought it was the "cutest" thing I'd seen in miniature!

I knew I'd have to make my own, and I finally had the right materials to make my own "Pants Planter." But I had to also take it a step further and make a smaller version to fit in the garden shop I'm making in a half-scale Tudor house!

In the 1" scale version in pink and blue (left), I used a regular pair of pants instead of overalls. The plant is made from a kit by my favorite flower maker Susan at SDK Miniatures.

Since I didn't have any tinier pants and definitely didn't want to try making them that small, I decided to do something different for the half-scale version. I made a skirt. The daffodil plant also uses petals from Susan. Here's my secret: the tiny pink shoes are from a Polly Pocket set and were the perfect size. I used small lace for "socks."

Yes, doing the project in half-scale takes some fiddling since it's harder to get the pieces assembled, but overall, I'm happy with how it turned out. I just had to make both versions.

One guy I had talked with mentioned he was thinking of scaling down the patterns even further to make quarter-scale versions. I'd love to see this project in that size!

* The how-to and a profile of Fern and her work are in IN MINIATURE STYLE II. See information, photos and details at link. (Available in ebook/pdf, iPad, Nook, Kindle & other formats, and print.)

BUY: Print

Today at Acme Authors Link...

Today I'm at Acme Authors Link talking about not taking your writing too seriously. Stop on by!

Hot & Steamy: Tales of Steampunk Romance Featuring New Alva Edison Story by C. Verstraete - Now Available!

Today is the release day for Hot and Steamy: Tales of Steampunk Romance from DAW Books featuring my new story, "Kinetic Dreams" with my characters Alva and her famous brother Thomas Edison.

The saga of Alva Edison and her famous brother, Thomas, continues with newly married Alva realizing her life isn't as she thought it was. Can she help Thomas get back to the past and escape a threat from the future?

The first story, "Edison Kinetic Light and Steam Power" is in the book, Steampunk'd, also from DAW Books.

An unexpected accident has Alva Edison assisting her brother Thomas in developing some of their time's most amazing discoveries, and improving on some of H.G. Wells' work in my latest story, "Edison Kinetic Light and Steam Power" in the STEAMPUNK'D anthology from DAW Books.

* Read an excerpt of the first story (which was printed on the book's preview page).

Miniatures Monday: Cupcakes and More Cupcakes

A stash made by my friend Kitty. About 50 cupcakes, plus I still have a bunch of cookies not shown. This will be for a cupcake shop room.

Miniatures Monday: Pink Room Items

Found a fantastic tabletop curio cabinet at the flea market, only $3! So I decided it was a perfect place to put the pink items I've been collecting for my future Ladies Shoppe.





I made the screen, chaise, ottoman and boxes in a class a couple years ago at the Bishop show. I still have to add some trim and a couple items to finish it off. The fireplace and plant stand were actually ornaments I found at Hobby Lobby. My friend Kitty made the cupcake; more pix to come! Wait until you see all the cupcakes!

Happy Memorial Day: Picnic anyone?

Sharing another of my all-time favorite miniature scenes. Though it is cold and rainy here today, it will get warmer, a better day for a picnic. I made this scene based on a cookbook cover. The food is made from FIMO polymer clay.

In Miniature Style II Giveaways & Contest - Patriotic and cupcake mini rooms

* Today's Special miniature scene from IN MINIATURE STYLE II by Christine Verstraete. *

Here's another view from my friend Kitty's cupcake shop. She made all the mini cakes and cupcakes from FIMO oven-bake clay.



This is my Uncle Sam room, which is featured in the book. It was inspired by the patriotic furniture I found some years ago of all places in the gift shop at Old World Wisconsin. There's a matching country-style table on the step that is out of view.

Continuing the blog tour for my new book, IN MINIATURE STYLE II.

** Winners are Chell, Dale and Marisa... if I didn't get your entry contact me via the email at my profile here on the blog.**

** Stops are over, and I thank all for coming over. Now you can answer ALL the questions and send me the answers to see who's won...

Big HINT: All the answers are on my website. Very easy to find if you concentrate on two pages relating to the book and the hobby. Email answers via website (remove 1) or to chrisATcverstraeteDOTcom.

See previous post for the full contest details or click here.

Recap: here are the questions:

Contest Questions:
Question 1: Who is the lovely lady of the sea?

Question 2: What is my "sweetest" miniature scene?

Question 3: What is the dog holding?

Question 4: He sees you when you're sleeping... but he solves the crime. (Dual answer, two sections on website. Either one is right. Bonus for both.)

Question 5: What's to eat? Name one food how-to from "In Miniature Style II."

Question 6: Name one of the flowers in the book (other than the hydrangea on the cover! Too easy!)

Question 7: Name one project from IN MINIATURE STYLE II you'd like to make - and share how you'd change it (colors, style, etc.) and what project you'll use it in.

I want to thank all the gracious hosts for letting me take up space on their blogs! Also, thanks to everyone for participating and playing the game! Entries will be accepted all weekend through 5/23 then I'll try to get the winner's names up. If I don't get a response then I'll pick another winner.

** IN MINIATURE STYLE II is available in eBook/pdf, Kindle and other formats at Smashwords, iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, Nook, and print.

"Easy to read, the book is a bit like having a miniature club to yourself," says Lesley Shepherd, About.com Miniatures Guide.

** Read the rest of her full-page review at Miniatures.About.com **

In Miniature Style II Giveaways & Contest continues; New miniature Victorian scene

* Today's Special miniature scene from IN MINIATURE STYLE II. *

This is my Victorian room, part of a double roombox, which is featured in the book. It has hand-made curtains, which have a hand-beaded trim on top (never again!). The unique part is the room contains miniaturized photos of my family.



Continuing the blog tour for my new book, IN MINIATURE STYLE II.

** Today, I'm at Victoria's Dark Squirrel Miniatures blog. (Check out her cool house and the amazing potion cabinets. I love the detail!)

You can get the latest contest question and see the new post at Victoria's blog above. Scroll down to previous post for the full contest details -- and where to find the answers! -- or click here.


Recap: here are the questions so far:

Contest Questions:
Question 1: Who is the lovely lady of the sea?

Question 2: What is my "sweetest" miniature scene?

Question 3: What is the dog holding?

Question 4: He sees you when you're sleeping... but he solves the crime. (Dual answer, two sections on website. Either one is right. Bonus for both.)

Question 5: What's to eat? Name one food how-to from "In Miniature Style II."

** Today's Question:**

Question 6: Name one of the flowers in the book (other than the hydrangea on the cover! Too easy!)

** IN MINIATURE STYLE II is available in eBook/pdf, Kindle and other formats at Smashwords, iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, Nook, and print.

"Easy to read, the book is a bit like having a miniature club to yourself," says Lesley Shepherd, About.com Miniatures Guide.

** Read the rest of her full-page review at Miniatures.About.com **