A FEAST FOR THE EYES

Roz MacLean, 41, makes tiny meals to be adored

- FRANCESCA WOODSTOCK, LUCY MOSES

Putting the finishing touches on a lemon drizzle cake, I smiled. The icing dripped perfectly down the sides and the lemon slices made my mouth water. But although I longed to taste it, the cake was made from modeling clay – and no bigger than a £2 coin. I’d spent hours working on the miniature replica, and as I added it to my vintage doll’s house, it made the perfect accompaniment for a tiny tea party.

I’d always loved playing with dolls. When I was a child, my dad, Allan, built me a playhouse in the garden, and I found the gingham curtains and teeny table and chairs enchanting.

SMALL BUT BEAUTIFUL

My mum, Ellie, liked the dolls, too. She’d order small-scale wooden furniture from catalogs, and as I got older I appreciated the time and effort that went into making each piece.

Collecting miniatures was a hobby Mum and I shared long after I left home. Dad made a 5ft wooden doll’s house with a real slate roof and stenciled brick wall to house our collection in.