The Man In Polly Munca's Life

Tom Thumb, XXXII

A descendant on Tom Thumb...

He's co-leasing the house with Polly. We'll see what develops! :-)

Tom was made with cloth covered wire, tacky glue, cold porcelain clay, acrylic paints and material scraps. I'm still looking for round no hole beads to use for eyes but I can't seem to find them! I like his big head and I think he looks a little more manly than Polly, but I'm still practicing...

Polly is moving in!  Lots of cleaning to do, but she comes from a long line of clean mice, remember Hunca Munca. Polly Munca is just about settled and now I think it's just a matter of sweeping up!

I do hope she doesn't get lonely. Maybe she'll find a nice male mouse to keep her company??

;-)

Odds and Ends

This is a kit that I received from Pamela Junk! I LOVE It!  It's about an inch tall!

 The Furniture came with it, but I had to put it together and paint it. Sounds easy, but the back of the sofa is about 3/16 inch tall! Tiny! It came with a hearth rug, but I had to put a rug in the kitchen! It's a dollhouse for dollhouse!

My Mouse House needed a coffee table so I put this one together.

 My friend suggested that I go by the Bead Store, so I stopped by yesterday and got lots of wonderful ideas. These were two metal "beads" but now they are a lamp.  Great idea, thanks Rocio!

 Another acquisition from the Bead Store. A dishtowel hanger for my mouse kitchen! Not the hot mit in the middle!

I need to start thinking about rugs and pictures!

'Hickere, Dickere Dock'

I'm always curious...where did Hickory, Dickory, Dock come from?  So, this is what I found:

The earliest recorded version of the rhyme is in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book, published in London about 1744, which uses the opening line: 'Hickere, Dickere Dock'.  The next recorded version in Mother Goose's Melody (c. 1765), uses 'Dickery, Dickery Dock'.  The rhyme is thought by some commentators to have originated as a counting-out rhyme. Westmoreland shepherds in the nineteenth century used the numbers 'Hevera' (8), 'Devera' (9) and 'Dick' (10).  Some reports claim that the rhyme was written by Oliver Goldsmith, in Dublin for a volume of nursery rhymes he was collecting.
The most common modern version is:

Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

So, it kinda fits with the mouse house on yet another level. Remember the clock was made c. 1761, nursery first published in London c. 1744, and in the United States c. 1765.  I think I should frame the nursery rhyme an put it on the wall in the house. Mouse size of course!  Speaking of mice.... 
I finally had a mouse inquire about the house. Her name is Polly Munca. Yes, you're right! She is a descendant of Tom Thumb and Hunka Munca of Beatrix Potter fame.  With references like that, I hope she takes the house!

Biologically, Polly is made from wire, cold porcelain clay, beads, tacky glue, paint and some fabric scrapes!  What fun! She is about 1.3 inches tall, very lightweight but feels sturdy. She is not a kit but I was inspired by the "cat" kit that I bought on Etsy earlier this month. So, yes, I did "borrow" the idea and technique, but I had to modify it in several ways to make it fit my purpose. I love her!  I think there may be other mice in my future, you know how they tend to multiply! LOL.

There Are No 1/4 Scale Couch Potatoes

Apparently, 1/4 scale house inhabitants never vegetate on the sofa.  I looked and looked and no sofas were found. I did find some beautiful cast chaise lounges, but no sofas to speak of.  So, I had to try my hand at it. 
I started with a square dowel of 1mm hardwood. I cut a 1.5 inch length then scored about .3mm down the edge and in the middle of the top (to simulate cushions). Then I started playing with matting boards, illustration board, anything that could work for my vision. Gluing all together I got this:

I painted it French Country Blue but it still looked a little plain.  Thinking, thinking, ohhhhhhhhh.... I started holding up fabric scrapes from my quilting projects. I think that worked pretty good.

I kinda wish it was a little brighter, but I'm pretty happy with my first attempt. I also did an armchair and a table to match.

All this time I have been painting my plastic preformed furniture that I bought from the bargain basket at my favorite dollhouse shop. 

The grandfather clock is the base color of the furniture and it's like a semi soft plastic so they take multipe coats of acrylic paint.

I love the purple for the bedroom but I need another bedspread. The light blue table and chairs are to replace the green ones that I'm not real happy with... 

These are the green table and chairs that I felt weren't good enough. They are not smooth at the edges, like the plastic was not pored carefully.  You can see in the background that my refrigerator (complete with picture of contents, paper clip door handle, and tape hinges is complete. I also painted the stove (it was black plastic when I started).

 

Easter Weekend

Easter weekend went so fast. A friend and I went back to Warrenton (Roundtop Antique Week) on Friday. We bought a couple of items but didn't see a lot for 1/4 inch scale. But, we had a lot of fun looking.

Saturday Cliff went with me to Dollhouse Unlimited in Spring Cypress. Great store, lots of stuff, but not much for 1/4 inch scale to buy. Lots of great ideas in projects that Sherrill has done over the years. I think the key for me is trying to get small figures for my houses.  I remember having lots of tiny figures to play with as a child, but I guess they are choking hazards now so we can't have them.

Anyway, Sunday!  I decided it was time to get serious......with playing.  I just made the box bed and have been mulling over some ideas on other things for my mouse house.  I have a little craft wood but needed more, so I headed for Michael's. OMG! It's Easter, hello, not open.  Hobby Lobby, never open on Sunday.  Texas Art Supply, nope! Joann's, no way. Lowe's, yes but the supply consists of hardwood round and square dowels.  Ever determined, I bought one in every small size for about $8 (should last me forever!)  Starbucks, then let the playing begin.  When I finally sat down in my craft room and started doing, I had no solid plans.  What fun just letting my imagination flow. And I ended up with a sofa, chair, end table, and refrigerator!  The rest of the evening was spent painting these and a tiny stove, table and 2 chairs.

Unsolicited Inquiry...

The housing market is in a slump. I guess that's why I haven't found a Mouse to rent my house! Only a very,
special mouse about 1" - 1.5" will do.
 
I've already been approached a prospective renter. One Miss Pixie Catarina. She seems purrfectly lovely, but she IS a Cat. She assures me that she has no hidden "agenda" (i.e. mouse catching), but that she just loves the house. As it's under construction yet, I told her I would consider when the work is closer to completion, but I'm putting a sign out in hopes of finding the right mouse.

I took a picture for a background check... she is quite a delightful cat.

Miss Pixie Catarina

Mouse House for Rent

I need a mouse, to rent my house

One that's an inch or two

An honest mouse, who needs a house

Only the best will do.

This mouse should be of the greatest taste

To match the Mouse House style and grace

It's not a requirement to dress in lace

But the mouse should have a beautiful face.

If you know of a mouse of good style and face

Leave me a comment, I'll contact the place.