Karin Caspar is living proof of happy chaos. Just take a look in her home workshop or ask her friends. When her daughter Anne was born Karin began to sew stuffed dolls and teddy bears for her and later, for her son when he was born. As they grew up, however, the need for home made toys from Mom faded. But Karin's desire to make them didn't.

"I was addicted to making tiny teddy bears by this time, so I gave workshops and opened a small store. The small little bears needed nice surroundings where they could live. Then I discovered the first issue of the Dutch miniature magazine "P&M" and then it finally happened! My small bears got fully furnished rooms in 1:12 in our living room cupboard. Over the 16 years I have been making miniatures I became more and more exact and wanted to produce more perfect miniatures," said Karin.

With her children grown and on their own, Karin is a full-time miniaturist living with her husband and Briard dog, Luna in a small town named Troisdorf, close to Cologne Germany.

"To work in miniature is my passion! I cannot imagine a life without miniatures," declared Karin.

When asked what her favorite tools are, she readily claims, "a toothpick and tweezers.

"I need both for working in 144th scale , because it is a very small scale," she explained.

While working on 1:12 or 144th scale minis, she frequently listens to an audio book of the mystery, fantasy or crime genres and is frequently inspired by fantasy movies.

"In the films from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, also from books, magazines, traveling and sometimes from my customers. Sometimes I go to bed and suddenly have an idea, which won't let me sleep. So I get up at night and begin to create," she said.

Happily, her family is very supportive of her passion.

"My family loves the work I do and support me and my work. If this was not so, I could not work as a full time miniaturist," she stated.

Her husband even gets into the act, making room boxes, which can be one of her most challenging creations.

"If I have orders for room boxes on a special subject, meeting the requirements of each individual customer is the most difficult thing to do. However I believe I have well succeeded till now and the customer is satisfied," she said.

She is a student and friend of miniature builder Rik Pierce.

"Rik Pierce is my favorite artist in building houses and roomboxes and he and his wife Marcia are very good friends of my husband and me. He is a perfect teacher and such a wonderful man. I have done the class in Germany with Rik in 2007 and will do the next one this year in June," she said.

Karin has been featured in the magazines "1zu12", "Dollhouse Magazine" and in a French miniature magazine.

She sells her products on CDHM and at shows such as "1zu12 the Show", autumn "Miniatura" in Birmingham, and "Schöne kleine Welt" in Gießen from 10 to 450 Euro.

Peek into the imagination and creations of Karin Caspar's CDHM gallery.