(Sara Davis)

Itsy Bitsy Artsy Munchies

by Pam North

Miniaturists often find the seed to their hobby in childhood, and Sara Davis is no exception. This Yakima, Washington resident’s love for miniatures traces back to long-ago visits to her grandmother’s house, where she discovered the wonder of small things. “Her house was filled with tiny pots of succulents, which looked like miniature gardens to me,” Sara reminisced. “Before every family visit, my grandma would hide tiny porcelain animals in the pots for me to find. She would place them to look as if they were grazing, sleeping, and playing with each other. It was my favorite part of going to visit her.”
Three years ago she took a leap of faith and ended her seven-year job as a caregiver to focus full-time on her Etsy shop. “The first thing I sold was a pair of miniature sunny-side up eggs. That decision was one of the best I’ve ever made because now I get to make a living doing what I truly love!”
Sara’s expertise will severely test any dieter’s resolution and willpower to avoid high-calorie goodies. Just one look at her creations makes one yearn to partake, despite the fact that they are only pretend. While she makes a wide variety of miniature polymer clay dollhouse food and treats, her specialty is highly realistic, meticulously rendered, 1:12 scale cakes in elaborate designs that take yummy to a new level. As wonderful keepsake mementos for special events, she also can create custom 1:12 scale replicas of wedding cakes, bouquets, and birthday cakes. Many of her customers also choose to have them made as Christmas tree ornaments. 
“I am a huge fan of sweets, particularly cake and cupcakes,” Sara elaborated. “A few years ago I started watching a lot of baking shows on television, and I was amazed by the artistry of the bakers’ designs. Because I wasn’t gifted with amazing baking skills, I started creating my own mini artisan cakes out of polymer clay.”
Sara shared a secret as to how she created the delicious-looking icing on her cakes. “My most valuable tool probably is my liquid polymer clay. This is how I make my frosting look so realistic and yummy.”
She is a perfectionist regarding her craft, meticulous about the tiny details required for realism. “For me, the most difficult part of creating in miniature scale is when I am working on a piece and I am constantly dropping microscopic bits of clay details on the floor. I’d estimate that about 25% of my detail work ends up underneath my table!”
A supportive family is always an asset for a hobbyist, and Sara said she is blessed with that gift. “My parents are both artists, and they have encouraged my creativity from the time I was old enough to get into their art supplies! My biggest fan is definitely my fiancé, Jason. He also is an artist  (how did I get so lucky?), and he assists me with running my business. My stepdaughter, Hope, and my stepson, Nevo, also help out when I need some good laughs while I am working on my minis.” That support is extra important in Sara’s situation. While many artists have the luxury of their own separate workspace, Sara’s tiny home doubles as her studio, so she and her family all must share their space with her work supplies and miniatures. “My dollhouse even has become an unintentional centerpiece on our living room’s coffee table,” she remarked.
 Sara conveyed optimism and new ideas about her future work. “My ultimate goal for my miniatures is to create unique and beautiful tiny artwork pieces that look real, and I’m excited to say that now they even smell real. I’ve recently started adding fragrance oil to some of my miniatures. Some of these that soon will be entering my shop are a strawberry marble cake, a caramel apple cake, and a spiced pumpkin cake that all smell like the real things.” Appetite control apparently won’t get any easier, since now they will come with tantalizing aromas.
When asked what fascinates her most about her hobby, she replied, “There are so many reasons why I love miniatures, but my favorite is the little world that is created with each miniature scene that I finish. I love it when I’m putting one together, and it suddenly begins to come to life. I start imagining a little story behind each individual scene.”
She sells all of her products through her Etsy shop (etsy.com/shop/SaraDavisDesigns). Her 1:12 scale dollhouse miniatures range from $4 to $50, and her custom miniature cake and bouquet replicas range from $60 to $150.

Contact Information:
Name: Sara Davis Designs
Address: 702 ½ S. 11th Ave. - Yakima, WA 98902
Telephone: (509) 480-4461
Email: HandmadeWeddingsBySaraDavis@yahoo.com
etsy.com/shop/SaraDavisDesigns
Instagram: saradavisdesigns577

Sara Black (I go by my maiden name outside of my business)