Most miniaturists have a "dream" piece or setting that they would like to create at some point in their careers, and Tom is no exception.

"There is an old curio cabinet that belonged to my grandmother that I would like to make in miniature. It has a lot of glass, carvings, curves and turnings. Maybe when I retire I will have the time to build one of these. It would take several months to build one as it is so complicated."

So what else does the future hold for this craftsman/teacher/traveler/father and part-time humorist?

"I would love to retire and create miniature furniture fulltime. I have a ton of designs/projects I would like to work on, but just do not have the time to work on them yet. I would love to see some of my work in a museum or in Miniature Collector magazine as part of somebody's collection. Also, I'd like to be one of the most sought-after furniture workshop instructors in the country, although I don't feel I'm at the skill level that I would like to be. I consider myself at the 'bachelor degree' level and still need to get to the 'master's' and 'doctorate' level."

You won't need a crystal ball or powers of precognition to tell that all of Tom's hopes for the future will definitely come to fruition. All you need to do is stroll through his CDHM Gallery to see what he can create. Not just furniture for a dollhouse, but things of true beauty and elegance.