First-Class Miniatures

December 17, 2015

Every December, we get pretty excited to see the latest gingerbread house creations that pop up on social media. After all, they are miniature structures, and they’re covered in candy and frosting! Miniature artist Teresa Layman is well-known for her intricately sweet houses—she’s even written a couple books on how to make them yourself.

Several years back, Layman asked her local postmaster about how postage stamp designs were chosen. The process begins with the submission of ideas to the Citizen’s Advisory Stamp Committee, and then a lot of waiting. Luckily, Layman’s postmaster put her in contact with a Postal Service stamps photographer who just happened to live a mile away. The photographer, Sally Andersen-Bruce, worked with Layman and USPS art director Derry Noyes over the course of a couple years to create a winning combination of four perfectly delectable gingerbread houses for the 2013 holiday season. How sweet is that!?
Photo: USPS.com