On our first birthday I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of the wonderful artists/writers I've been privileged enough to work with over the past year. Sometimes the crafting has been challenging, sometimes the ideas couldn't make it to the computer fast enough, but the end result has been more than worth it.

Thank you, one and all, from staff to readers, for helping to make this publication something incredible for crafters across the globe to participate in and enjoy.

It's been quite a leap for me to go from paper publishing to internet - virtual publishing really is a whole new expansive world full of boundary-less possibilities. There are so many differences yet the core idea remains the same: shine a light on the many amazing miniature artists out there in a globally accessible format.

And The Miniature Way has become more than we at CDHM ever dreamed it could during that early planning stage back in November 2009 when a casual 'Hey, how about some kind of newsletter or magazine format to promote the artists?' started an unbelievable flurry of activity to produce that very first January 2010 issue. Yes, we really did pull off that first issue in that short amount of time, during holiday madness. Not something, incidentally, I would advise anyone else repeating! Holiday madness and new ventures are definitely opposite end of the spectrum ventures.

But in the course of this first, formative, year we have achieved over 100,000 global hits! Awesome! It's an inspiration to make the coming year even better and we're ready for the challenge.

A more personal challenge for me is the winter season combined with cameras.

I have to confess, I'm more than a bit of a magpie; especially during the winter season. If it glitters or sparkles or better yet casts colorful light patterns with the help of a sunbeam, I'm there. Each winter, the tall rock wall behind my house is covered in shimmering, glittering icicles. Each winter, I am outside with the camera trying to catch that elusive glimmer on film.

And my eternal question is: how do I bring this into the dollhouse? After all, twinkling light refractions aren't exactly shrinkable. That doesn't mean I've not been having fun with the 'how about if I' process using the not-so-mini materials that frequently inspire my miniatures.

Now don't get me wrong, I can be a purist. I have a 1:12 scale, three-story Victorian that is a proud accomplishment (and that, Dad, I swear, is almost finished, honest!) with all the correct doors, windows, lights, etc. But then there's that Halloweentown house...

That's where the purist in me throws up her hands in dismay and stalks off muttering. This house is the imagination playground by all definitions. Both houses use a standard copper tape system, both are three stories that Dad was coerced into helping me cut out of huge unweildy sheets of plywood and both are in basic 1:12 scale; but this second house isn't for the purists. It's for the fantacists.

To bring more of the light-and-glitter appeal to this structure I've made liberal use of stained glass - making the wall insets inspired me to complete a project of a stained glass inset piece fronting the bathtub in my real house so it's all good. Designing the two flourette bulbs in a less-than-half-inch space to show off the colors in the wall glass - not so much all to my mental good.

Using real stained glass pieces from my local glass shop for the walls and doors works in this house where scale is more of a suggestion than a rule has cast a lot of colorful light inside. Not to mention it gives more illumination from room to room by using a piece of patterned glass instead of a solid wall.

I have to hand it to Becky and Amanda at Amanda's Art Glass in Kanawha City, West Virginia USA. Not once have they so much as flinched when I told them what I was doing with the glass they sold me. They LOVED the floating spiral staircase I finally completed for the interior and have patiently walked me through any process I've struggled with at any given moment.

My glass cutting skills have improved immensely since starting this house.

So have my design skills. Creating the drawing of the pocket door walls with those flourette bulbs inside to illuminate the glass panels on either side and the stained glass pocket door was definitely an inspired moment. Seeing it come to life is an even bigger thrill.

Hey, after FINALLY finding glue to hold that #^@Q&%@#! floating staircase together I've decided I can do anything!

And it all came about from my continued admiration of those icicles behind the house.

Take a look around this winter and see if the outside sparkle inspires you inside, too!

Editor