"I sew the clothes whenever possible by hand or on my old Singer straight stitch machine. The hardest is millinery work. I am not a hat maker. But I keep working at it."

The results, as seen in the group portrait in her website gallery, are astounding. They stand in clear testament to the fact that she absolutely loves what she does.

"I love to make the most realistic faces, hands and feet possible. I like Tudor and Modern time periods right now, but I can find favourite aspects in all styles," says Colvin, who has a degree in studio arts, with a concentration in figurative sculpture.

"Sculpting is the easiest art for me; it comes naturally - and the formal training helps.

"My goal as a miniature artist is to create dolls that achieve the status of fine art. To me, that means dolls that not only are technically mastered, but also have a considered aesthetic concept along with the ability to clearly communicate expressions or moods. A lofty goal, but I hope to get there. "