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This scene is one I've been planning to make and talking about making for years. I finally got busy and did it when CDHM (Custom Dolls, Houses & Miniatures - www.cdhm.org) had a "Myths, Fables and Fairy Tales" contest this spring and I decided to enter it. So I got busy and made this scene. I started with the teapot! I pictured the tea slopping out over the sides and wanted to get it done while the image was in my mind. Later, I made the Mad Hatter and adjusted his hands to hold everything at the right angles. Kind of tricky, but fun. All the characters, their clothing, the dishes and silverware, plus the goodies on the table are all made of clay, using no molds. The table and chairs I made out of balsa and basswood. The chair cushions are clay, and the big chair Alice is sitting on is also clay. Oh, almost forgot, the scene won first place in the contest!!
The trees are made of clay as well as their branches. The leaves were taken from plastic plants and attached to the clay branches with glue, wire, florist tape and anything else I could think of! The trees, being over two feet tall, do not fit in a little toaster oven to bake the polymer clay. I had to bake them in the kitchen oven with the door propped half open! Not recommended, but sometimes you need to get a little creative...
Not counting the trees (which were actually made to go in my scale street scene), this setting took over 78 hours to complete. I'm thinking of making a few more Alice in Wonderland scenes, just haven't decided on which ones yet. Or maybe something from Wizard of Oz next?
"The Mad Hatter's Tea Party" comes with Alice, the Mad Hatter, March Hare, sleeping dormouse, table, 12 chairs, overstuffed chair, plus all goodies as shown in picture. Pieces are not attached to each other, so they can be rearranged to your liking (I use parafin wax to hold items in place). Characters are not posable. They are made of Prosculpt© polymer clay, with Kato© and Premo© clays used on their clothing and hair. Everything is hand made, with no molds used. They have foil armatures for durability. Additional coloring is done with Genesis© heat set paints and acrylic paints. The clothing and fabric is made using my own technique for realistic, fabric-like cloth. Their clay hair is styled to suit each individual. The trees are not included. This setting will come with a signed and dated certificate of authenticity, in it's own protective sleeve.
Please remember, these are not toys and not intended for children. They are tiny little pieces of sculpted artwork, to be collected and displayed.
The Mad Hatter's Tea Party ~ $1340 plus insured shipping charge of $19.00
