I have been making art since I was a kid. Anything I could get my hands on and be creative with, I did. The problem with most of it was just that it wasn't useful. Pages filled with quilling experiments, origami roses and turtles in every room of the house, my parents were endlessly exasperated. And every time I found a new hobby, I simply added on instead of switching. I kept telling myself I'd come back to it. I filled boxes upon boxes up in the basement. So when I finally found chainmaille and jewelry making, my family breathed a sigh of relief. Finally! I had found something useful, something that could be given away, worn, kept, and above all the hobby was variable enough that maybe? I wouldn't just switch off.

Unfortunately for popular opinion, however (or is it fortunately?) I managed to find ways to incorporate most of those other arts into the one. Paper cutting and quilling found their way into packaging. Chinese knotwork became bracelet focal points. But I still never considered selling my art, it was never in my mind good enough. Good for gifts, sure. But not to sell. A few years later, I attended and graduated culinary school, proceeding to work in restaurants. While I didn't have as much time as before, I still found time to create. However, my desire to make jewelry was somewhat diminished. I couldn't wear my pieces. I hardly ever went anywhere but work, and it was a hazard there. But I was still motivated to create things. I had simply focused elsewhere again. I wanted to make food. Tiny food. I started searching for a medium. And found polymer clay.

Once I started working with polymer, things fell into place. Colors and textures were possible. Things I worked with in a kitchen could be recreated, plated similarly, and presented as a true kitchen dish. I could drill a hole and string things onto a necklace, still making jewelry. I started to experiment with different dishes and recipes in the kitchen, and moved on the next day to making it in clay.

With the recent birth of my daughter, I've had some time at home. While good for the baby, I've had trouble adjusting to a lifestyle where I'm not constantly moving. My husband and I settled on the idea of selling my art. Some trial later, I have been able to settle on how I'd like to go about selling my creations. I am a chef. Whether I can stay in restaurants or need to stay at home, that is who I am. It defines a great portion of what I do. So my art will reflect that. Every dish I make, every piece of food I plate and sell, is something that I've made in edibles. The art should show that somehow. So I've designed every piece with the idea in mind that you should be able to as well. Each piece comes with a recipe card developed, typed, and embellished by me.

So welcome to my Miniature Kitchen. I'll make you something delicious.