~FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS~
Q: What raw materials do you use to make your dollhouse miniatures?
A: My flowers are made from acid-free, semi-transparent vellum. For some of the leaves on flowers and non-flowering plants I use vellum, too, but most are made from handpainted 20-lb. bond paper, with the exception of palm and citrus trees. For those I prefer to use either heavyweight art paper or vellum. It all depends on what will achieve the most realistic-looking appearance.
The stems are fine-gauge paper-covered floral wire which is imported from Japan. For the buds on lilies and peonies I use air-drying modelling clay, and my cacti are sculpted from polymer clay.
Raw materials used for the rest of my miniatures will be noted at the beginning of each section.
Q: How do I know if your miniatures will be the right size for my dollhouse?
A: All of my miniatures are made precisely to 1:12 scale (one inch equals one foot).
Wherever possible, I work from real-life models to produce my prototypes. The first time I ever made a daffodil plant, for example, I waited until daffodils were blooming in my garden. I picked one, measured carefully, and created it in 1:12 scale.
If I can't work from life (as in the case of palm trees, orchids and other exotic plants), I turn to my large collection of horticultural reference books to obtain the correct measurements.
I follow the same procedure for ALL of my miniatures, not just plants and flowers. If I can't lay my hands on the real-life item, I'll do extensive research to ensure that I'm accurately reproducing it in dollhouse scale.
Q: Do you accept custom orders?
A: Yes, I do, particularly in the case of floral arrangements. The ones displayed here are simply examples of the many arrangements I've made in the past. I can customize any floral arrangement to your liking, or create something totally unique according to your specifications.
Palm and citrus trees can be customized to whatever height you need.
Plants are generally provided in bisque pots painted to resemble terra cotta. But other containers can be substituted on request, if available.
Q: How soon after placing my order can I expect to take delivery?
A: This depends on how heavy my current workload happens to be. I often have a very long waiting list, especially before Christmas. It could take me anywhere between a couple of weeks to a few months to fill your order. So if you have a deadline to meet or if you're purchasing items as gifts, please plan ahead to avoid disappointment.
Q: When do I need to pay for my order?
A: Payment in advance would be much appreciated, and will secure your position on my waiting list. After indicating the items you'd like to purchase by submitting a contact form, I'll get back to you with a price quote. And once I receive your approval, I'll send you a PayPal invoice for the amount due (including an approximate shipping charge).
Please note that I can't accurately calculate the shipping costs until after the work has been completed. Only then can I measure and weigh the package and look up the rate on Canada Post's website. If I have underestimated the cost in the original price quote, I'll bill you later for the extra amount. And, of course, I'll send you a refund if I charged too much in the original quote.
Q: What raw materials do you use to make your dollhouse miniatures?
A: My flowers are made from acid-free, semi-transparent vellum. For some of the leaves on flowers and non-flowering plants I use vellum, too, but most are made from handpainted 20-lb. bond paper, with the exception of palm and citrus trees. For those I prefer to use either heavyweight art paper or vellum. It all depends on what will achieve the most realistic-looking appearance.
The stems are fine-gauge paper-covered floral wire which is imported from Japan. For the buds on lilies and peonies I use air-drying modelling clay, and my cacti are sculpted from polymer clay.
Raw materials used for the rest of my miniatures will be noted at the beginning of each section.
Q: How do I know if your miniatures will be the right size for my dollhouse?
A: All of my miniatures are made precisely to 1:12 scale (one inch equals one foot).
Wherever possible, I work from real-life models to produce my prototypes. The first time I ever made a daffodil plant, for example, I waited until daffodils were blooming in my garden. I picked one, measured carefully, and created it in 1:12 scale.
If I can't work from life (as in the case of palm trees, orchids and other exotic plants), I turn to my large collection of horticultural reference books to obtain the correct measurements.
I follow the same procedure for ALL of my miniatures, not just plants and flowers. If I can't lay my hands on the real-life item, I'll do extensive research to ensure that I'm accurately reproducing it in dollhouse scale.
Q: Do you accept custom orders?
A: Yes, I do, particularly in the case of floral arrangements. The ones displayed here are simply examples of the many arrangements I've made in the past. I can customize any floral arrangement to your liking, or create something totally unique according to your specifications.
Palm and citrus trees can be customized to whatever height you need.
Plants are generally provided in bisque pots painted to resemble terra cotta. But other containers can be substituted on request, if available.
Q: How soon after placing my order can I expect to take delivery?
A: This depends on how heavy my current workload happens to be. I often have a very long waiting list, especially before Christmas. It could take me anywhere between a couple of weeks to a few months to fill your order. So if you have a deadline to meet or if you're purchasing items as gifts, please plan ahead to avoid disappointment.
Q: When do I need to pay for my order?
A: Payment in advance would be much appreciated, and will secure your position on my waiting list. After indicating the items you'd like to purchase by submitting a contact form, I'll get back to you with a price quote. And once I receive your approval, I'll send you a PayPal invoice for the amount due (including an approximate shipping charge).
Please note that I can't accurately calculate the shipping costs until after the work has been completed. Only then can I measure and weigh the package and look up the rate on Canada Post's website. If I have underestimated the cost in the original price quote, I'll bill you later for the extra amount. And, of course, I'll send you a refund if I charged too much in the original quote.