Hopalong Hollow....

Hopalong Hollow, where the Blueberries grow sweet, and the moss feels soft beneath your feet.

Monday, December 26, 2016

The building of a cunning dwelling..for a mouse.

As a part of a bigger scheme, over the winter, I am building a house.... not just any old house, but a house for a mouse.
 This is the mouse...
 and here is the house.
 This doll house kit has been sitting under my bed for over a year. The goal is to create  an "Artists Model" of sorts. The house you see on the cover of the box will be transformed into something quite different by the time I am finished with it.
 I have tiny red bricks, thatch, and wallpaper, mortar and stucco mixture to do the
transformation from "standard Tudor doll house" to a CUNNING and Wonderful Dwelling
for a mouse.
                                                                      


 I've been collecting small household goods and furniture for some time. But it will take an awful lot to fill this cottage. Just think of all the things in YOUR house!
 It's not a difficult project; the directions are straightforward, the parts are easily punched out from the perforated sheets of wood.
Things move along pretty quickly.
 With glue, paint and patience, the building parts are coming together nicely.

    Although, the Tudor House in the Picture is quite charming, it is not what I have in  mind for it's occupant.

 This house is to become a cunning brick, stone, timber and plaster cottage occupied by THIS particular mouse, who's name starts with P.  She is the character in the first book from my New book series.

This will be a set of small books, in the tradition of Brambly Hedge, Beatrix Potter and Brambledown Tales. I have chosen a unique book size, something square, and in-between the size of the aforementioned books.

                       In all my Large Books I feature the home of the character, that is because I   love houses and each domain says something about the personality and lifestyle of it's inhabitants.

Below is Mamsey Bears House
 And this is the home of Hopalong Jack and his family.
 and this is a partial view of the home of the
 Bushybottom Squirrels


 All of  these dwellings come purely out of the imagination, but
for  this new book, I want to draw from an actual "house", I think it will be so much fun to build it from the ground up, so to speak.  Over the years, I've made so many sketches of storybook cottages, that I hoped one day to  build one as my real studio.... until that day, I will work on this smaller scale; it's a lot easier on the pocketbook.
  
.
 Follow along with me, as I build the cottage, and illustrate the book...
 It should be fun!


33 comments:

  1. Ohhhhhh!!! ~Ooooooo ~Ohhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I am so excited to see this!!!!!
    How perfectly wonderful that you are three dimensionally building your book!!! I just LOVE how your creativity just blooms and blooms!!! How FUN!!!!
    So PLEASED to visit today!!!!
    xxx ooo Linnie


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    1. Linnie, as I said on your posting with the dollhouses, I am INSPIRED by those fabulous antique interiors you pictured. I hope to achieve that aged look in my rooms. It just wouldn't be right without the antiquity, such as cracking plaster, faded wallpaper, worn stair treads. It will be a challenge!

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  2. Whatever you create will be exceptionally charming. I can't wait to see the end result and will enjoy watching as you create!

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    1. Cathy, the roof thatch could be a bit tricky... I hope I don't end up with a mess.

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  3. That's a cutie. I had some plans to build a real mouse hole in the wall near the fireplace with a little room tableau and lighting. Alas, I never did it and probably won't now as it would be too hard to get down on the floor building and decorating it. My littles would have loved it.

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    1. Donna, I am lucky to be using the kitchen table to build this one, so I needn't be on my knees. What a cute idea though! Maybe you could guide your littles in to creating it, they still have good knees.

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  4. This is so exciting! I look forward to seeing this whole process! I know you will be having LOTS of fun.

    Happy end of 2016 and have a great 2017 ~ FlowerLady

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    1. Rainy, The building is going quite quickly. I think the most fun will be in finishing off each room and then drawing it in the book pages.

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  5. Beautiful Jeri. I have thought about building a doll house ever since seeing Tasha Tudor's doll house. I'm sure yours will be just as enchanting :)

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    1. Michelle, You should do it. You'd be amazed at all the dollhouse kits you can purchase, from Mansions to Cobb houses to shacks! And the tutorials on Pinterest for making unique items and finishes is quite mind-boggling.

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  6. I can hardly wait to see all the bits and pieces going in and on. What fun!

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    1. Vic, I am beginning to think that everyone should build a dollhouse and fill it. It could be a lifetime project....although this one can't take me that long, as I need to finish the book by the end of March.

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  7. WOW! This is very exciting to see.
    I look forward to your progress as the stories unfold.

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  8. Jeri, the enthusiasm and talent you have for transforming this kit into something else, Totally, is wonderful to see!

    Although the two are not at all the same, somehow this mouse house reminds me of the fabulous Gingerbread City, created by architects, that I saw in London.

    My curiosity is on super alert...can't wait to see what you create.

    Meanwhile...Happy New Year! xo

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    1. Frances, Your having been to England many times, I wonder if you ever visited the village of Bourton-on-the-Water? It is famous for the miniature Cotswald village that you can walk through, but who's buildings are only hip high. It looks so beautiful!
      Today I am in the process of dissecting pine-cones to use for the turret roof... you cannot believe what fabulous shingles they make!

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    2. Jeri, I have yet to get to Bourton-on-the-Water, but know of that miniature village...someday I will see it! I have visited the Cotswalds several times and once had a wonderful drive around various villages with friends who were then living in the area. Beautiful...even on a moody rainy day.

      I love the idea of the pine cone shingles. I keep meaning to get myself up to the NY Botanic Garden, in the Bronx, where every December there's a special model train set up, featuring models of famous NYC landmark buildings made totally from natural materials. Thank you for reminding me. xo

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  9. Oh Jeri....your projects are always so much fun to follow along. This will be exciting!!

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    1. Hi Beverly, It is my first real dollhouse that I've made, so it should be fun for me as well.

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  10. Jeri Landers, is there ANYTHING you can't create!

    This is going to be a stunning mouse house, a mouse castle and manor! Every detail is going to develop into a big awe-inspiring work of art, and I can't wait to keep following into 2017. Much love and joy to you Jeri!

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    1. Anita, these are pretty simple to build, the fun part will be CHANGING the design to look Hopalong Hollow-ish. It really is more of a manor house than a cottage... but I don't want to have to change the wording in my story from "cottage". The house is so large for one little mousey, she will need to get married soon and start having baby mice to fill all the rooms!

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  11. It is lovely right now! I agree-it is very exciting to follow your progress. I can see a 'real' mouse wanting to live in it too! (your story mice are real too!)
    Happy New Year dear. Please hug a goose or a duck for me....

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  12. Debra, I may want to move in when all is said and done!

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  13. such a cute drawing, love the details.
    wising you a grand time building your house for a mouse.

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    1. TAMMIE, i could see you building a miniature of your little cabin, from scratch!

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  14. That will such fun and I sure look forward to following along. Your little mouse is adorable. Why are mice so cute!! I've been trying to turn my sewing room into a mouse house. :)

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    1. Henny, And because mice are so darn cute, they often have stories written about them. On the other hand, their cousins- the rats, often appear as the villain in a book. I would like to see how you turn your sewing room into a mouse house!

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  15. Oh, my! I love the house! I remember I used to make things like this out of old tissue boxes and such. I love creating the new place, this looks like so much fun!

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    1. Kyra, I imagine your tissue box houses were quite extraordinary as you are such a fine artist. I once made a house from a shoebox when I was around 8yrs... but that was my only foray into house-building until now.

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  16. Oh Jeri,
    This wee mouse is just the sweetest, and that cottage! This is so fun. I am looking forward to watching the progress on both illustration and building.
    I think it should be quite fun to draw from your 3 D cottage as you go.

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    1. Penny, the house is growing on me...it's becoming another character in the books.

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  17. Dear Jeri,

    You are always coming up with something new to amaze us with, aren't you? I am excited to see the new books!

    Love,

    Marqueta

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    1. Marqueta, This set of books should be fun to do, because I am used to working on such large scale book at 12"... now, I'll be cutting that size in half, which means more books and sooner!

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