"I came up with the idea of making a 1/4 scale Tudor Pumpkin House from thinking of building a realistic house that would be both house and pumpkin. It also had to be original and have a spooky appearance to go with the Halloween theme."

It is a far cry from the cardboard and mud craft supplies that started her artistic career.

As a little girl Diana built houses using cardboard boxes big enough for herself and her dolls as well as smaller shoebox homes specifically for the dolls.

"Ever since I was a little girl I liked to create dollhouses for my dolls made from old socks and mud in place of clay for their hands, feet and faces. My Grandmother was always telling me not to play with mud, but I never listened.

"One day she came into my life-size dollhouse and saw all the things inside. She was amazed to see what I had created out of mud - but she was most impressed with the way my creations turned out. They were well-crafted and sturdy because after I finished making them I would put them in the sun for a couple of days to let the mud dry. I thought they looked beautiful, like if they had been created by an artisan."