After battling a bad case of bronchitis and tonsillitis the last two weeks, the time I normally spend in the studio and blogging was replaced by hours on the couch nursing cups of hot tea and consuming unreasonable numbers of cough drops.

Fortunately, with my crafty daughter Kenzie around, there is never a vacuum of artsiness in the house. Despite its entirely delicious, real-size appearance, the yummy sundae above is actually a tiny clay charm, made by our 12-year-old sculptor-in-residence.

This inspiring girl of mine excels at transforming little bits of polymer clay into diminutive feasts for the eyes. She has certainly inherited her mamma’s affinity for both the gourmet and the miniature. But really, who wouldn’t love an inch-wide plate of waffles, complete with itty-bitty butter and a sliced fruit garnish?

I really appreciate her attention to detail, from little individually formed sprinkles, to twisted wafer cookies as big around as a toothpick. She meticulously pipes clay “frosting” out of real cake decorating tips, and brushes her Sculpey cookies with golden brown chalk dust to give them that freshly baked glow. And you haven’t seen cute until you’ve seen a dozen little glazed chocolate crullers on a charm bracelet.

As it turns out, I am what you might call culinarily impressionable. The only problem I have found with her creations so far is that I inevitably find myself in the kitchen making the real-size, edible version soon after. So stay tuned: I may be the first person on record to commission a bowl of minuscule clay broccoli… ;)