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Polymer Clay Miniatures
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Polymer Clay Miniatures - Used for many miniature objects such as: Dollhouse Dolls, food, small appliances like clocks, kettles etc., brickwork, cookware, stoves, tiles, baskets, and candle-holders, to name only a few.

"Polymer Clay is an oven baked modeling compound, widely used to sculpt dolls house miniatures and food, scale dolls and figures, and scale models." - More Polymer Clay Minis Info

We love books on Dolls, Dollhouses, Miniatures, Doll Clothing and everything in between.

They provide so much information that otherwise without these books we would not have near the added knowledge that we want to have about each individual topic.

We also simply love books in general anyway. So it should not be a surprise that we are an Amazon affiliate.

From time to time on this site we will include a review of a special doll house book of interest to everyone who views our pages.

And today that is exactly what we intend to do.

Today's review is of a book by Sue Heaser a qualified Art Polymer Clay Miniatures Senior Instructor, entitled, "Making Miniature Dolls with Polymer Clay: How to Create and Dress Period Dolls in 1/12 Scale"

Follow us as we review:

1. the contents of her creatively intriguing book from "Sculpting Materials to "Sculpting the Dolls" to "Making Wigs" to everything in between. Making your own Polymer Clay Miniatures can be easier than you think,
    
2. then study a specific project from her fascinating book, titled - "Sculpting a Woman Doll",
    
3. and conclude with us as we all participate in the creation of our own doll's house doll of our choice. Taking the lessons from her book and trying our hand at a doll we'll name at the end. (lol, depending on what this doll looks like, since it's our first time for doll creation.)

Our Review Starts Here. Part 1 of 3.

This is a Great Book on Polymer Clay Minis.

"Making Miniature Dolls with Polymer Clay"
Introducing a most Charming Book

Just What does Sculpting a Doll Involve?

It would seem that sculpting a doll involves, first off, getting your creative juices fired up to start with. And Sue Heaser does that even in her introduction.

Sue Heaser's book, "Making Miniature Dolls with Polymer Clay" is a clean, easy to read instructional manual with a down-to-earth appeal.

Which is what we as crafters prefer. And we "dollhouse" artists and collectors are crafters.

We don't know about you but when we look for a new dollhouse book, we look for a certain type. That said, even the font style plays a role in the book we often choose. Yes it definitely has to be appealing to the eye, as this book is.

Really when you think of it. How often have you handled a book with an odd looking display and put it back on the shelf?

But too, this is where individual preference comes into play. Each person as they say, is different.

And the Contents are....

Sue's introduction makes us want to start the work. NOW! She makes it sound as if we CAN do this. Let's hope she's right. Part of our review will include us actually trying what she talks about.

The copyright year is 1999. An older book now but definitely worth a look if you wish to purchase it and begin your education in doll creation.

"Making Miniature Dolls with Polymer clay" contains information on: Sculpting and Sewing Materials and Equipment; Sculpting Techniques; Sculpting the Dolls; Assembling the Dolls; Painting the Dolls; Dressing the Dolls in: Tudor, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian Costume; Making Wigs, plus references for suppliers and further reading.

Another good thing it has is an index. Yes so you can find that subject you are remembering is in this book, again. We love a good index.

The materials and equipment:

This subject is covered very well. From the smoothing ability, translucency, strength, and quantities of the clay.

Then the particular brands are discussed. Brands listed include:

• Fimo,
• Formello,
• Polyform Products,
• Creall-therm,
• Du-kit,
• Cernit,
• and Modelene.

They are examined briefly under each brand of clay listed.

She also recommends that we not mix different brands because it may effect long-term durability of our polymer clay miniatures. And we can not have that!

We mean, if you have painstakingly worked on your doll you will want it to last. It may make a valuable heirloom to pass on to that adorable grandchild of yours some day.

So don't mix the clays even if you are tempted. By all means, though, mix within the brand names just do not cross mix. For example, DO MIX Fimo products with Fimo products. But DO NOT MIX Fimo products with Sculpey products.

In the Sewing Sections:

....which encompass the various costumes such as Tudor, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian she is again detailed in her layout. Explaining the fabric choices, trimmings, and everything else needed for each of her Polymer Clay Miniature designs.

What we found interesting in these sections was the creation of ones own buttons with polymer clay. So that basicly does away with any excuse we may have had of not being able to find a tiny enough button to put on a tiny doll outfit.

As well where a person tells you how to create such things as buttons, can you see the possibilities of taking the knowledge we gain here and expanding it to, say, a Barbie costume. Want a very unique look? Try that. Design your own buttons!

For sure no one else has them on their miniature dolls.

Also worth noting is that any costume featured has a very well done pattern to use.

We recommend that you copy any patterns you wish to use onto another source so you don't ruin your book, using tracing paper or just simply photocopying it onto regular paper. We value all our craft books, as we are sure you do, so that will preserve your copy of this excellent manual.

**And whatever you do, do not sell the material from this book. All of it belongs to the writer, as it should. ALWAYS and ONLY use your copies for your own personal polymer clay miniatures use.**

The sculpting of the dolls:

....is another area of excellence. From the techniques to the actual sculpting to assembling to painting to wig making, she once again encourages us just by reading to get started, NOW.

We credit this creative desire though, not only to this book but to the season we are currently in. In the spring we always feel like creating. Imagine that lol!

But we will cover more details about Sue's book in Part 2 of our review. Sculpting an Amazing Doll !!

 

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