"I continually study patterns of antique clothes and dresses and photos of costumes that are currently in the most famous museums. I also enjoy experimenting with new techniques and researching different effects."

While she takes her work quite seriously, it can lead to some funny moments. She never forgot when her daughter proudly shared all about mom's job at nursery school.

"When my daughter was younger and went to nursery, she was asked which job her mummy does, and she answered spontaneously that her mum cooks little girls in the oven, obviously referring to my sculptures! The teachers were quite shocked because they didn't immediately understand that I'm not a kind of ogre, but just a doll maker!"

Besides working on her miniature dolls, Elisa enjoys designing websites. She also follows in her family's artistic footsteps - both her mother and grandmother are skilled in drawing and painting. Elisa also has done personalised portraits, along with illustrations for scholastic publishers, greeting cards, catalogues, posters and advertisements.

So, what's next? Elisa admits she dreams of someday having her work on permanent exhibit in a museum - "in a very far and improbable future," she jokes. More likely is adding portraiture to her miniatures.

"I would really like to be able to do 1:12 scale dolls with the features of my children," said the mother of two.

Elisa has shared her love of minis through workshops at Miniaturitalia and other shows. And that is only the beginning...

"In the future, my ambition is to participate in other international shows in the hope that I can offer more meticulous and refined creations to the public, and bring a little bit of Italian craft to the world," she said.