If you’re a regular here, you know that I’ve been obsessively making minis for a while now. I’ve made all kinds of little odds and ends that are starting to add up to entire rooms and scenes! So far, though, there has been one thing glaringly missing from my collection: food! Are your dollhouse residents hungry? Bake them a tiny pie! (No really, you actually bake it!)

Project estimate:

Bottle cap, on hand

Polymer clay (tan and red), on hand or about $4

Spray paint (optional), on hand or $1 and up

Toothpick, on hand

Clear nail polish, on hand or $1*

Total: Free and up

*Note: I’ve heard mixed things about clear nail polish and polymer clay. Some people warn of disasters, while other people say they’ve used it for years and never had a problem. Use at your own risk! If you’d rather be safe than sorry, you can also use Sculpey Gloss Glaze, which you can find in the $3 to $4 range.

Before you can use the clay, you will need to condition it. (Straight out of the package it is too stiff to mold properly.) You can do this by running it through a pasta machine multiple times until it becomes pliable; if you don’t have a pasta machine, knead it between your fingers until it is soft enough to work with. Optionally, you may choose to paint your bottle cap.

Press a chunk of tan clay into the bottle cap. Press your thumb down in the center of the cap so that there is a slight depression in the clay at the center of the cap and a little excess clay spreads over the edges of the cap.

Roll a bunch of teeny-tiny balls of red clay and pile them in depression on the center of the cap. Add them until they form a rounded, slightly heaping pile.

Switching back to the tan clay, roll a long, very skinny “worm” shape. Cut the worm into short segments and press it into the top of the pie to form stripes.

Turn the pie and repeat in the other direction to complete the lattice top.

To give the edges of the pie crust a crimped appearance, use the tip of a toothpick to press tiny indentations around the perimeter.

Bake the pie according to the directions on the clay packaging. Allow to cool completely, then seal using clear nail polish.