A Mini Neapolitan Cake Scene: It all started with one cake

It all started with one cake. What if make a couple of Neapolitan cupcakes? I thought. What if I add some teacups and plates, and strawberries and croissants?  I got carried away, I admit, but I love that I did. I hadn't made a scene in a while and jotting them down on paper clearly wasn't enough.

The main theme of this scene are of course, the Neapolitan flavours that are very dear to my heart because of my grandpa. If you don't know the story (that I shared many times on social media), when we were children, and we had ice-cream for dessert at family gatherings, my grandpa used to serve the Neapolitan ice-cream and ask what flavours I wanted. I only liked chocolate, and he knew that, but he'd ask anyway. I'd say "chocolate", and he'd reply that one shouldn't be fussy and have all flavours. So he'd serve me a bit of all three and I always hoped there'd be more of the chocolate, because I would mix all together and it would usually turn into a light brown, or a peculiar mauve. He was a very grumpy man, but also very kind, and I love him just the way he is. Every time I watch "My big fat Greek wedding", Gus Portokalos reminds me of him so much, as well as the rest of the family, as my family was big and loud too, typical of an Italian family.

The scene in warm artificial light

The scene in natural daylight

Also in this scene are some of my favourite things like medialunas (Argentinean croissants), Pepas (Argentinean jam biscuits similar to thumbprint cookies), teacups and tea in general (which I'm very fond of in real life and have a thing for cups and mugs) and other biscuits with chocolate because what would my life be without it?

Everything in this scene is handmade by me. I used a variety of materials such as polymer clay, wood, acrylic paint, glazes, paper, etc. The little "piped" shells are all individually sculpted by hand, not piped. The only things that are bought are the ceramic plate with the slice of cake, the knife (which I slightly altered), the fork and the cake board which I painted pink and white.

Nothing is ever straight forward when creating something, especially something like this with so many elements, and at least for me. I've had lots of what Bob Ross would call "happy accidents" which I had to fix. One of the things I've yet to fix is my impatience. With less of that, I'd have less things to fix, that's for sure.

When I had just finished making the shelf and let the hooks dry, I was so keen to try them that I thought I'd try them out with some of the mugs I'd made a few years ago. It's not something I make a lot, so I only have a handful. Anyway, I pulled them out of the cupboard, I grabbed one by the handle with tweezers and hung it from the hook, yay! And then the next one, yay! And then the next one, yay! They looked good, albeit a bit big and did not hang harmoniously and they did not match the colour palette (they were never intended for this scene - I just wanted to see what they look like on the hooks) So, satisfied that the hooks worked (why wouldn't they?) I started to take the mugs off. Only, the last one did not want to come out. I pulled, and pulled and pulled really hard until I managed to break the handle of the mug and rip the hook off the shelf. Sigh.

I've tried different ways in which to arrange all the elements, and this was my favourite. I like to see so many things on the display with no particular place because that's what a buffet table would look like after a while. It would be all neat at the beginning and then as people help themselves to food and drink, things would naturally get left on the table in a more natural and organic way which reflects their enjoyment. And this is my favourite part about creating. I don't care for perfect or hyper realistic. I care for a feeling that I get. And I get it here.

In this scene:

• Layered sponge cake in Neapolitan flavours, with slices cut out

• Cake slice on a ceramic plate with a tiny fork and cake crumbs, because someone's already taken a bite

• Extra cake slice

• 2 partially eaten croissants

• 1 whole croissant with a lonely cherry

• Strawberries

• 9 cupcakes in vanilla, strawberry or Neapolitan flavours

• 1 of which is partially bitten

• 4 tiny plates

• 4 tiny teacups, 1 of which with tea

• 1 teapot

• Pepas biscuits (similar to thumbprint cookies)

• Meringue kisses

• Chocolate and vanilla chequered biscuits

• Colourful napkins

• Cheerful bunting

• A shelf with hooks, from which 3 lovely teacups hang from

• Chocolate chip cookies

• Cookies inspired by an Argentinean cookie called "Tentaciones" - the vanilla ones with chocolate in the centre

None of the elements are glued to the display, which is a first for me. I think I will leave it to the next owner to decide how they'd like it :)

I don't feel like I'm done creating Neapolitan themed scenes. I feel like it will come a time where I will be. But until then I will keep being a vessel for all this childhood memories that I cherish of my family - especially my grandparents, they were my HEAVEN on Earth. God only knows what they meant to me. I wish I could convey the happiness I felt drawing with my grandma, painting, learning about art and history, listening to her stories about Leonardo and the Gioconda (or Mona Lisa) watching her draw, watching my grandpa cut glass (he loved ships and stained glass art). It's funny how by simply thinking with these tiny cells in my brain I can place myself at that table by her side, I can smell the oil paint she used and the turpentine that I thought smelled so good. It all feels like a tiny drop of water in an ocean of a long time ago, yet at the same time it feels fresh and immense, without bounds.

In a world that is rapidly changing, I embrace going slow and I embrace my traditions as a member of a family, a community, a culture, a combination of different aspects of me that make me, me. With the increasing use of AI in the creation of "art" I embrace the heart that AI will never have.

I hope you're doing the same <3

Thank you for reading and I'll catch you next time.

Love, Mai