Lil clay things

No, I haven't died.

I just took a mini-vacation.

Maybe it was a bit longer than I expected, but circumstances called for it. I guess its finished now and I am working on a few projects all at once...

This is one of the things I am trying. Sculpey!

Its a really easy product to work with. It feels a lot like plasticine, but bakes hard in an oven. I am experimenting with building little wire armatures, and baking each little item more than once, building up layers. Its fun. I think I could use a few more tools though...

The real purpose of making these wonky little things is so I would have something cute to paint. Sculpey actually comes in tons of colours, but since I was going to paint everything, I just used the normal artists "Super Sculpey."

You can see my little items are in fact little.

I know some people get REALLY good at making tiny objects, and it can take years. While researching it I saw a ton of amazing creations... I have a lot of ideas for things to make, but they all revolve around the idea that I will paint them, so I have to do this test batch of little things to figure out the mechanics of that. Making little clay items is super fun, but if they look like a kid did them after they are painted (like they do now) then I am abandoning the experiment.

So the first watery coat of primer is on (that is what you see in the photo) then I will probably sand them a bit, then paint and seal with varnish. Crossing my fingers it will alllll work out. I might declare this weekend a "working weekend" where I just watch movies and drink tons of coffee and make stuff.

FOOD.

So I decided to drown my sorrows in the most stereotypical girl way. EAT FOOD.

But first I had to make food!

I was using my new KitchenAid mixer and Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. The topping recipe made SO much streusel that I was like "Oh crap, I did something wrong!" Each little cupcake was under a mini sandpile of topping!

But I soon learned that the recipe was fine. The cupcakes (muffins?) puffed up and they smelled amazing. Drizzle, drizzle with glaze and TAH-DAH!

YUM. I made a tray of big huge fatty cupcakes and a half tray of teeny little cutey muffins. They were so good, but so freaking messy! There is streusel topping fallout all over the apartment.

Here is the recipe online if you dare make these badboys. I even used my awesome cupcake papers I purchased on Etsy from The LayerCakeShop. On all the ones I DIDN'T photograph. OOPS. Trust me, they were adorable and stripey.

So my mixer is awesome, my cupcakes were awesome, and I even got myself to finish and list the painting I sneak peeked in my last post... Which is awesome if you ignore the general laziness.

Its listed at my blackforestcake shop. Duh.

So its Friday, and miraculously there are TWO cupcakes left. I must avert my eyes, so I can have cupcake and coffee while watching cartoons on Saturday morning.