The Small Things

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30×30, Week Three
As a child, I was never interested in playing sports or running around outside. I spent most of my time seated at the peninsula in my parents kitchen with my clay. 
I can’t remember now, but I know I had some sort of book to guide me along. However, I’m sure they were meant to be larger in the end. My goal was to try to make them as small as possible, with the same details.

So let me share with you my finest creations. . .


I set her next to the Starbucks cup to give you some perspective. . .




These two sumo wrestlers were my favorite.

I guess one lost his head in a battle somewhere between 1996 and 2012.


A little superglue and we’re good to go.


Here are the frogs, snakes and lizards. I had a thing for frogs. 



Next is one of the best looking cakes I’ve ever seen.


And some other food.


And again, another photo just to help you with some perspective on just how tiny these are.



And I particularly love this worm with the crooked top hat.


So I was basically the coolest 10 year old ever, right? 

In all seriousness, it is funny to look back on these little creations and see parts of my personality. I’m super detailed with things I care about. I’m creative. I enjoy the challenge in making small things, like jewelry and clay creatures. 

So let this be a sign, for all you mom’s of 10 year olds who want to stay inside and make crafts alone, she may wind up to be a hair blogger like me one day. 

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jessicaj says · 07.04.12

They are all too cute. It is very cool that you have kept them from your childhood, what a great token of being young!

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Joey says · 07.04.12

These are so darn adorable! I was the same way, but my creations were not nearly that good :). I would always pick crafts inside over running around getting sweaty πŸ™‚

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Anna says · 07.04.12

I had the same book! My favorite thing to make was the tiny foodstuffs. I made sooo many of those little cakes.

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Kate says · 07.04.12

No way!

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Bethany says · 07.06.12

ME TOO! I had the book too and I loved the tiny foods!! I had a whole area set up on my desk for that clay :)I still have a love of all things mini-sized. [except candy bars…]

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Leah says · 07.04.12

adorable! And now I know why it’s called ‘the small things’ blog… you like cute little (small) things! You were a super skilled 10 yr old for sure πŸ™‚

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Sara says · 07.04.12

This is so cute! You were a skilled clay figure maker – my frogs and pigs and sumo guys would have been so ugly compared to those! You patient, patient girl for getting all of those details in on such little figures.

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Christy says · 07.04.12

Wow. It was amazing to see so tiny even you make them in great shapes and looks. I don’t think I can make like that when I was 10! It is so cute to see them!

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Pamela says · 07.04.12

Oh my goodness, how tiny & cute!!

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Brielle says · 07.04.12 Reply
Alicia Johnson says · 07.06.12

Oh my gosh, so many memories! That’s the book I had. I made the exact same tooth fairy jar at the bottom, and the little mouse with clothes. I wish I knew what I did with everything now!

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Lisa says · 07.04.12

Oh how adorable! You kept them all!

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Rachel says · 07.04.12

AWWW, these are adorable! I remember making some of these too but they were never as lovely as these are!

http://pastelmints.blogspot.ca/

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Nienke says · 07.04.12

They’re so cute! I don’t think my projects at 10 years old were this cute.

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Anonymous says · 07.04.12

Awww I made the same things out of clay…was it called Sculpy? I loved making beads a lot too. Except mine were regular sized…lol. πŸ™‚

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Rachel (Lines Across) says · 07.04.12

so cute! I think we would have gotten along really well as kids πŸ™‚ The little food is so pretty.

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Jamie says · 07.04.12

Amazing!!! Happy 4th of July!!!

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Jenn says · 07.04.12

These are so cute. I love how tiny they are and how talented you were at such a young age.

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Lindsay Patrick says · 07.04.12

Those are so tiny & adorable! I don’t think I could make those with such precision, love that you still have them so this day πŸ™‚

Lindsay @
LindsayJEveryday.blogspot.com

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Maria @ All Things Luxurious says · 07.04.12

What adorable creations. It’s funny how the things we are into as a child continue to grow with us in some way as adults. I used to love to play with my mom’s antiques and candlesticks — I’d arrange them in fun patterns — and “display” my Barbie collection or rock collection. Now a side job I have is styling decor for people, and another I do is personal organization. What a neat post!

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Anonymous says · 07.04.12

My 10 year old loves to make little clay things. It’s like looking at her creations. How neat! πŸ™‚ -Kelly

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Bonbonroz says · 07.04.12

They’re sooooo cute ^^ I’ve never had enough patience to do such things when I was a kid!

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Diana says · 07.04.12

I swear I made the same cake and pie when I was a kid! (except mine were bigger lol) πŸ˜‰

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Anonymous says · 07.04.12

Adorable!!!

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Hi, I'm Jayda! says · 07.04.12

So cute!

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Sarah says · 07.04.12

I had the Klutz Polymer Clay book, too! Somewhere I have a piggie with a penny sticking out of it’s back like a tiny piggie bank. And I am sure that I made a few worms. I am thinking that the clay that came with my book must have been really old or something because it was super hard and a bear to knead enough to work with.

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Becca says · 07.04.12

I remember a book from American Girl that taught you how to make little small things out of clay. Do you think it was that? So cute πŸ˜€

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Kaitlin Leigh says · 07.04.12

I have followed your blog for a while now, & finally got the courage to start my own! Just wanted to say that I love your blog & look forward to more postings!
Oh, & my favorite one is the piggy! HAHA.

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Allisa says · 07.04.12

Love the details………your little piggie is the cutest!

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Anonymous says · 07.04.12

You should sell these!! You could also make them into pins & pendants for your E. Ashlie line. Seriously, you should consider this…you have a real talent! (and this comes from a graphic artist, me!) At least make a few & see how they do..I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised! –Karen

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Amy says · 07.04.12

So cute! And, did you know that you were linked to from BabyCenter.com today? πŸ™‚

http://blogs.babycenter.com/life_and_home/5-easy-hairstyles-you-can-do/

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Carla Kokoszka says · 07.05.12

This post made me smile! Love it!!

http://www.fashionmavenmommy.com

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helen tilston says · 07.05.12

These are adorable. Do you paint, have your considered painting miniatures?

You are right in your sage advice to parents of young children

Helenxx

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Michele says · 07.05.12

Such adorable creations! Thanks for pointing out that it’s ok for children to do their own thing. After all, that’s what makes the world go ’round! Variety is the spice of life, etc., etc.! Also, great hair really helps, right?! Happy 4th, Kate!

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Amanda fithian says · 07.05.12

We totally could have been friends. Ha! My sister and I had a thing for frogs too haha!

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BEK says · 07.05.12

Super Cute!!

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Casey @ Classic with a Pop says · 07.05.12

Too funny! Don’t worry – you aren’t alone πŸ™‚ I never played a sport in my life, and hated to sweat. I was the child who would have rather sat in the corner armchair immersed in a novel all day. I (amazingly) turned out normal. As “normal” as an English major, turned attorney can be anyway πŸ™‚

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Carolyn says · 07.05.12

How cute! I love miniature stuff. My daughter does too. Very sweet little pig!
Carolyn http://sillyhappysweet.blogspot.com

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Rachel says · 07.05.12

Yes, the coolest 10 year old!!

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Jenn M. says · 07.05.12

Oh my gosh those are adorable! I just recently started playing with play-doh again since I have a 3 year old son (secretly I have a blast!) and it brings back so many fond memories. That’s awesome that you still have those little pieces from your childhood.

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kelsey says · 07.06.12

My sister and I used to sit and make mini clay animals ALL the time, too! My mom still has a lot of them! Fun times!! πŸ™‚

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Amy says · 07.06.12

Lol … these are so great! Thanks for sharing your childhood crafty side. πŸ™‚

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Alicia Johnson says · 07.06.12

We clearly had the exact same book. I remember making the same cake, oreos, pie, pig, and frogs. I was even obsessed with frogs for a while too! It’s like you found my collection of miniature clay models and posted them here.

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Ashley S says · 07.06.12

So cute! Random question- what kind of camera/lens do you use? Your pictures are always so great!

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Justin says · 07.08.12

Ashley, the camera is a Nikon D5000, and the lens used for these close ups is a 50mm lens

-Kate’s husband

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Ashley S says · 07.25.12

Thank you, Justin! (just now thought to look back to see if anyone replied! :))

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Anonymous says · 07.06.12

How ironic that you used to make these and the title of your blog is “the small things?” haha

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Maria LaCross says · 07.09.12

Wow.. As soon as you posted those I recognized doing them myself.. Thank you for taking me back!

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Maria LaCross says · 07.09.12

Wow.. As soon as you posted those I recognized doing them myself.. Thank you for taking me back!

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Ren says · 07.09.12

Oh my goodness, I used to do tiny things like that as well. I got good at it at one stage and my mother (part-time cake decorator), got me to make little marzipan characters for her cakes. Lovely work!

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Sarah says · 07.10.12

Yesss, I had the same book too! I think it was from the Klutz Press family. I have some nearly identical cakes, pies, and ice cream sundaes… and that worm with a hat looks rather familiar too. I think our 10 year old selves would have gotten along well!

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Emily says · 07.11.12

Holy cow! I totally used to make these things too! This post is a major blast from the past. Yours look just like the pictures in the book. Mad skills, girl. πŸ™‚

xoxo
Emily
emilyannestyle.com

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Unknown says · 11.25.12

I stumbled on your blog a long time ago and I just saw this post… and when I did my jaw dropped. I used to do the exact same thing AND make some of the same animals you did! I seriously have 3 frogs and they all have little red tongues on them. You are seriously talented though! I’m glad I stumbled upon this because it made me like you and your blog even more than I already do! Take care!

xo
Stephanie

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Julie says · 03.31.20

We did that too! My mom still has some of the things we made as kids! Lizards, frogs, pigs. I don’t think we did small food, that cake is absolutely the cutest!

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