Literary Medlar House Mice.

As promised in my last post - I took up my needle again. I made a couple of mice, a few pincushions..nothing strenuous you understand. I wasn't struggling with stuffing or stretching myself to the limit hemming sheets but...back came the poorly shoulder.

I have been told by the Dr. I must rest.
Ah dear. He doesn't understand the rigours of the mouse maker's life does he?
The urge to take up a needle and, at the very least, embroider something simple.

So today I'm having to give you 'mice I have made.'
Or, as they say on Blue Peter - 'here's one I made earlier.'

The lastest creation is Becky Sharp. Sharp by name and Sharp by nature.

Those of you who are Thackeray fans will know what I'm talking about. Vanity Fair. That wonderful book about two young ladies ( a la Jane Austen only more earthy ) and their progression through various states of early 19th century life.
Becky Sharp is the heroine...or should I say, anti heroine. She's a right madam and so my little mouse has to be too. Here she is in her lovely bonnet and holding her reticule.

She sits on a display box which is a separate item. They do look good together, as the same ribbon used on Becky's bonnet is also a decoration on the base of the box.


I've made three of these designs of mice and, frankly I could make dozens more. They are very popular. No three are the same though...similar but never the same. That's how I want the Medlar House Mice to be. They may be of a theme but not one is going to be a copy of another. We've done Vanity, we've done Amelia the true heroine of the novel, if a little wishy -washy in personality, and now Becky.

Amelia, on the same display box.

Vanity, and behind her, a book of costume.

We also had a little go at another Dormouse, as the original one Dainty turned out to be so sweet. Meet Dido - lovely in lemon. Dido was Queen of Carthage, in the old myths and there is a very sad story attached to her...so she is another character from a book.

We ALL know Pride and Prejudice.
At a fair recently we sold Mr. Darcymouse and of course, Miss Bennetmouse was bereft...so we had to make another one for her. Here he is, very smart in his blue riding coat and holding his top hat.

Frankly, I think this one is even more handsome.

And last but not least Cindermousa lost her fairy Godmouse. So a new one had to be procured.

Here she is... Does she come from a book?...Oh yes indeed... a French one by Charles Perrault.

Now, for a change, I made this mouse a Woodmouse. They have very large ears, so they can hear the swoosh of the owl's wing I suppose, ( though they are really very silent).

"Shake the glitter, wave the wand here,
A Fairy Godmouse shall appear! "

She is very pretty in a green' blue net dress with stars and pearl drops.

So that is all from the Medlar House Garden for a while.

 I do hope I shall be fit enough to create some new mice soon.
Meanwhile back to my books..... < sigh>  it's about the only thing left for me to do....read.... and write blog posts. :)

French Fancies.

I've been having a little bit of a rest from making The Medlar House Mice.
For some reason I've had a frozen shoulder and so you can imagine it has been quite difficult to sew. It feels a little better now and so shortly, I'll be taking up my needle again.

The mice have been happy because the sun has been out. They have been able to scurry hither and thither collecting the catkins of the purple hazel and the fall of last year's hazel nuts.

One of our mice, Greengage has been making jam with them.

Her secret recipe is written down in the little book she has tucked under her arm.


Then Persimmon uses the jam in her special catkin cake.

Old Mother Hubbardmouse hasn't got even a tiny piece of the cake left for her dog Boneless. Anyway, he's not fond of cake. He prefers dog biscuits in the shape of bones. But when she got to the cupboard to get him a bone...there were none left....just an empty plate!

Alba the little white hare likes carrots best.

And we all know what Peacock, Papillon, Cowslip and Marshmallow like best....

Tea and cake! Perhaps these French Fancies are made with the French Lavender growing in the Medlar House Garden. I know one little mouse who would love these cakes..... Mme Chambord. She's French, you know?