The Africa explorer's desk

A new little scene with new experiments. It practically took me a whole week to finish. Of course it's not a surprise since I had to search the internet and make plans for everything in it. You all sure know the little paper triangles that cover a globe are named gores, but I didn't. I tried to describe them in google search, but the first results were just everything but what I wanted. Then eventually I found a very scientific website where I realized that these globe parts have their own names. After writing 'gores' into the search window hundreds of outstreched globe pattern in various style popped up onto my screen.
I was in trouble with the compass, too. It has to be a very delicate thing so any clumsyness was out of the question. I needed a perfect brass ring, and I found one. I cut the ring from the cap of a rotring mechanical pensil. Of course it was a dead pencil (or maybe not, but don't tell anyone...)
At the finish time I got a little carried away and I stole some fun into the scene. When I was young I loved the  Indiana Jones movies (still do) and the hat placed on the armchair is supposed to be my way to bring his spirit into my work.

Breads

I made a lot of bread baskets in the last couple of months, now I arranged a bigger selection into a bread counter. Everything is free so it would be really a good time playing with the parts.

And the great news...

I APPLIED FOR ARTISAN MEMBERSHIP OF IGMA!

I don't want to jinx my odds (and perhaps it's against the rules of the application) so I don't show you the miniatures I sent to be evaluated. I only add a little hint, they are my favorites, some bread, some fruit, some cake...
The evaluation will be May 3-4, so I have more than a month to sweat. The pack has already arrived safe and sound, at least I don't have to worry about the shipping. Of course I used all the insurance and tracking services available in Hungary. It was a small fortune, but I couldn't afford a belated or missing pack.
Please root for me!
And thanks for all your wonderful comments pushing me to take this step.

Easter eggs

In Hungary (and in most of the Central and Eastern European countries) there is a lovely Easter tradition, the egg painting. And these eggs ar not simple red or yellow ones but really detailed artwork. I mean, the real sized eggs... Mines are only lame tries, but I think I'm happy with the result in this scale.
If you are interested the real hungarian handpainted eggs search the web using the "hímes tojások" searching words.

Apple tart preparation board

I made a new preparation board, this time it's apple tart making. My favorite piece of this scene is the tiny cinnamon bottle I turned on my lathe using plastic rod. I think I will never get bored with my lathe, I just love it. It gives me so many new possibilities!
Next scene would be some coffee flavored biscuit or cake since my new challenge is a perfect little coffee grinder.

Pasta display box

Old idea again, a pasta box. Sometimes the simplest structure prove to be the most difficult to make. I had a hard time with the little partitions of the box to make everything perfectly fit and perpendicular to each other. And I had to make the acrylic lid twice, since I accidentally scratched the first one (of course after it was totally ready with the handle). I add a tiny label with "Hungarian Miniatures" lettering on it to the box, that is a new thing for my work. A lot of people ask why I never sign my miniature. So far I didn't give it much thought, but it's time to change that. Of course some of my minis haven't got the place even the smallest signature, but the larger ones like the preparation board and this pasta box will definitely have it in the future.
Making the pastas... Now it's another story. A long long one...
Size of the box: 56 x 69 mm.

Pastry counter

I swear I gained about 6 pounds just on making this little counter. But it was absolutely worth it! It would have been the best to use real wood sheets for the counter, but unfortanely I haven't got any of them. For one it's very expensive and I can order it only from abroad (ridiculously high shipping cost!) and for two so far I couldn't find a carpenter in Hungary who would take on to make me some thin sheets. So I used plywood, and since the sight of the glued layers at the cross-sections was unacceptable for me with this piece I covered the edges with veneer strips. After precise sanding the trick is almost undetectable, I think.

I printed the paper bags onto sketch paper. Sketch paper and my printer don't see eye to eye with each other, so I have to glued the sketch paper onto normal paper on the margins before printing.

Now, would you like a piece of them?

Cherry cake preparation board

You, who know me, already noticed I love to make little scenes. And after I ready with all the little pieces, it's such a premium work arranging the scene. I always putter a lot to find the perfect harmony of the shapes, sizes and colors. Or at least I try... This time the main character is the cherry and its red color dominating the whole board.