If it hadn't been for her passion as a collector, IGMA Fellow Linda Cummings may well have never become a miniature food artist. She thanks her grandfather for that passion.

"I have always been a collector. My Grandfather was a great porcelain collector and I think I inherited the collecting 'bug' from him. I have a large collection of porcelain snuff boxes and over the last 10 years have collected silver pieces, both miniature and non-miniature," she began.

"Then around six years ago I was given a doll's house kit. Once I made it up - with my own additions - I couldn't find what I considered to be good quality pieces to display in it! Since then, of course, internet groups like CDHM have allowed everybody access to great quality artisan miniatures. But you never know, if those groups had been around when I was looking for foods for my first doll's house, I might never have started making them myself!"

Linsminis, based in Durham City in the North East of England, is often referred to by her family as "The Mini Sweatshop." Not that they don't appreciate the effort Linda puts into her pieces, it's the lack of real life edible pieces they sometimes miss!

"Time just seems to fly as I work! I'm often amazed when I actually put my nose out of what my family calls 'The Mini Sweatshop' to find that I've been in there for hours and the poor husband has nothing 'real' to eat!

"I'm the only miniature nut in the household, although my youngest daughter shows an interest in collecting. My family is my greatest critics but generally they just can't understand how I can have the patience to create my minis and wish I had as much with them! I think it's safe to say that they are all proud of my creations."

Both the full size edible and miniature inedible versions.

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