My Miniature Vegetables

The second course that I had attended was polymer clay vegetables. It also took me a month plus to complete the whole vegetables course. Tiring but totally worth it once you see the finished result.

My miniature vegetables

Making vegetables wasn't as easy as I thought. For these 3 months, I have been doing my craft 'homework' till very early in the morning. Coz only after my baby slept, then I can fully concentrate well on my crafts. And moreover, the lighting in my HK house was so dim and yellowish. It really makes crafting difficult. Can't really see small details well enough.


But after moving into my new apartment in Singapore, I was able to have a small room for doing my crafts. I could even display all my craft tools and accessories in my 'workshop'. This really helps. At least it makes it easier for me to get my tools. And best thing is, the room is well lit. In the past, I have to do my crafts on the dining table in the living room. And all my tools are kept in the cabinet. So it is pretty troublesome to bring in and out.

Close up

My miniature vegetables include corns, bell pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, carrots, spring onions, taro, sweet potatoes, potatoes, garlic, onions, cucumbers, bitter gourds, celery, ladyfingers, gingers, tomatoes, eggplants, asparagus, peanuts, chili, mushrooms, lettuce, water chestnuts, chestnuts, lotus roots, radish,snow peas, long beans, turnips, pumpkin, garlic chives, cabbage......The vegetables course covers a wider variety as compared to my fruits course. The result is AWESOME.........

Making vegetables requires a lot more patience and details than making fruits. You have to make the details for the stems of the leafy vegetables as well. Sometimes you might also need to sprinkle some soil like substance or hairy like substance to create a muddy or  hairy like feeling eg. potatoes and turnip. Before this step, you will have to paint the vegetable first so the soil like or hairy like substance then can stick onto the clay.

Corns

The corns have many different ways of making. But I did it the harder way. The seeds or kernels on the corn are made one by one. These took me a couple of nights too. Luckily, I do not have to stick the whole corn, only the visible part. Then we will need to do the leaf and base part. 

Shitake mushroom

Fresh mushroom

Mushrooms have a different variety. For me, I think I have done 3 different kinds of mushrooms. Of these 3 kinds, Enoki mushroom also refer to as the 'golden needle mushrooms' in English is the most time-consuming. Coz firstly you need to prepare a lot of long skinny stems. Then make a tiny little button-sized 'cap' for each stems. And  lastly group them into different bundles.

Ginger

Yam

Next, I am gonna show you my leafy vegetables. Though I am more of a meat lover, but I know one must eat vegetables to get the necessary nutrition for a balanced diet. So everyday, my meals will definitely include either meat or fish plus veggies. Since my baby start to eat solid food, he also MUST eat veggies and fruits daily. Start from young. That's what the old generation will say. 

Spinach

Lettuce

Lettuce

Celery

Garlic chives

Spring onions

Finally, I would like to thank my hubby for making my dreams come true. He was the one who encouraged and sponsored me for these 2 polymer clay courses. It was pretty costly including the materials, tools and etc... But I really did enjoyed the whole course. Also I got to know a few good HK friends at the workshop. These 2 baskets is a good memento for me. Bye Bye Hong Kong.......

My Miniature Fruits

Hi everybody.... It has been a long time since I have update my blog. So sorry.... Have been pretty busy for the last half a year. Coz my husband had been arranged to transfer to Singapore to work and I haven been busy looking for the new apartment, moving the house, looking for a new nursery for my boy and a whole lot of stuff....... Finally now I am settled down in my new environment.... Nice...... Back to my hometown......... 



However, I did manage to spent the last 3 months of my stay in Hong Kong very memorable and happy. I did 2 speedy polymer clay courses. Though it was pretty expensive, but it was all worth it. I had learnt many new things and different techniques. Well, my first course was on polymer clay fruits making. 

My miniature fruits

This basket of miniature fruits took me a month plus to complete.
My speed was pretty fast according to my teacher. She was pretty 
amazed that I could complete 2 different courses within less than 3 months. I went for my lessons almost everyday from Monday to Friday except weekends. Coz weekends is my family bonding day.
A couple of hours at the clay workshop. Then come home to my baby and spent times with him. After he slept in the night, I start to do my crafts. Most of the time, I stayed up till 4 or 5 in the morning. Though it was very tiring, but the end result was GREAT!!!

Close up

My miniature fruits include apples, oranges, pears, pomelo, guava, durian, mangosteen, lychees, longans, rambutans, cherries, strawberries, blueberries, lemons,
watermelon, honey melon, pineapples, nectarines, peaches, papayas, mangoes, dragon fruits, kiwi, star fruits, avocados, grapes, bananas, coconut .......I think I have done most of the fruits I guess..Of all the fruits, the most challenging and time-consuming I would say will be the durian. Durian is one of Asia most popular fruit. We called durian as the King of all fruits. It has a very strong smell. Some may not like it or even find the smell repulsive. While some simply LOVE it just like me!! 

Each and every one of the thorns is made by hand. Just the thorns alone took me a couple of nights to finish. However, when you stick the thorns individually to the main body, you have to do it fast. If not, the polymer clay will dries up and this make it difficult to stick the thorns.

Pineapple is the second most challenging fruit. It took me a lot of time to 'cut' the main body of the pineapple. This definitely requires a lot of practice and patience.

In order to make the fruits more life-like, one should really knows the fruits well. Coz I seldom eats fruits. So basically, I have no idea the details of each individual fruits. Solution to my problem is surf the Net and download all the pictures of all the fruits. Close up view, side view and front view. If not, guess, I have to make a trip myself to the nearest market. 

Watermelon

Strawberries

Mangosteen

Bananas

Rambutans

Grapes

Apples

Starfruits

Rambutans, grapes and pears

After finishing and touching up the fruits, we need some time to allow the colour to dry. Once it is dry, we can then arrange them neatly into the basket. This basket is actually a wedding gift from my parents-in-laws 4 years ago. Lucky for me. I was actually having a headache in choosing a basket for my fruits.Thanks god. While I was packing my house stuff into cartons, I could find this in my cabinet. Lovely basket!!! Thanks papa & mama......