Hobbit Hole- in a clock

 “In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”

"It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle."

"The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats—the hobbit was fond of visitors."

"The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill—The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it—and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river."

So this is what I've been working on most Sunday afternoons while Miri takes a nap... a miniature Hobbit hole inside of an old clock case.  It's so cute.  It's based off of drawings and descriptions from the book and from the movies.  I had the brilliant idea that I could increase my 'floor space' by switching scales- most dollhouses are 1/12 scale (1:1, 1:12) but if I did it in HALF scale (1/24 scale) I would double the room size... brilliant except that means everything is half as small, and twice as expensive.  :P  And also harder for my large, clumsy fingers to not break.  It was worth it though, I think, plus, there is the whole half scale for a halfling reference, which I love.

I started with paint, embroidery hoop barrel vault beams, and a little gate to hide the battery.

There are a few LOTR references- "No Admittance Except on Party Business."

I built a little kitchen wall.

And wired up some flickering fire for the fireplace and the stove.

Half scale furnishings are very hard to find, and what's available is either really generic or super expensive, so.  I built a cute little old fashioned wood stove and painted it shiny green.

Hobbits need kitchens.

Hobbits are also avid gardeners and need baskets and things to store their pantry items.  These are made from string and embroidery fabric.  If you ever want to spend hours being amazed, check out all of the miniature food on etsy, it's incredible.

Bilbo needed an old fashioned roller towel next to the sink.  And herbs drying over the stove.

Cecily made me Gandalf and Bilbo to inhabit the Hobbit Hole.  :)

"Gandalf in the meantime was still standing outside the door, and laughing long but quietly. After a while he stepped up, and with the spike on his staff scratched a queer sign on the hobbit’s beautiful green front-door. Then he strode away, just about the time when Bilbo was finishing his second cake and beginning to think that he had escaped adventures very well."

On the inside of the clock the door opens to a lovely scene from the Shire.

And has decorative ironwork on the inside.

Just inside the door are hooks and a hooded cloak; perhaps Bilbo's, perhaps an old Dwarf friend has come to visit.  The table is set for Elevensies, and there is a quantity of maps and manuscripts scattered about.

The kitchen is quite homey.

The pantry is stocked with all kinds of good food and ales.

It's just missing a teakettle... (haha... if anybody wants to contribute to the cause, half scale tea sets run about $30, or hey, my birthday is coming up!)

On the table is bacon and eggs, cheese, mushrooms, a slice of pie and bread.  There are herbs growing in pots on the window seat ledge.

I love this cozy fireplace corner.  Books, maps, manuscripts, a painting of Mount Erebor; even a tiny copy of The Hobbit on the carved chair!

"He loved maps, and in his hall there hung a large one of the Country Round with all his favourite walks marked on it in red ink." 

 Bilbo has a number of pocket handkerchiefs so as never again to be without- he kept the red silk one from Elrond and it's tucked up on the mantle.

There's a chest next to the hall table (and a pocket handkerchief to grab on his way out); perhaps that's a glimpse of mithril peeking out?

"Bilbo stood still and watched—he loved smoke-rings—and then he blushed to think how proud he had been yesterday morning of the smoke-rings he had sent up the wind over The Hill."
Bilbo's pipe is on the mantle, the pipe on the cask of longbottom leaf- is Gandalf visiting?  Or perhaps a Dwarf?

It looks so cool with the fire flickering and the chandelier glowing...  You'll just have to come see it in real life sometime.

And now I'm working on another clock, it's smaller and it's going to be Bilbo and Frodo's study.  Because: why not?  The world is still at sixes and sevens and it's a fun project for quiet Sunday afternoons.

Blessings.

Titanic and Dragons and Tacos, Oh my!

One afternoon we opened a mysterious package that came in the mail... it was a Titanic activity kit!  haha.  Apparently there are two different Titanic Museum/ attraction things at two different large tourist trap vacation towns and they also have online gift shops.  :P  

It was pretty cool- it came with things to color, a matching game, postcards, a book...

and a harmonica.  I'm not sure what that has to do with Titanic, but it is really funny to see Miriel try to play it.  

We know lots of things about the Titanic now. Lots and lots.  

They've been asking about carving pumpkins for a few weeks and it was finally time (aka I finally bought carving pumpkins).  They were a little bit braver this year and managed to do some scooping out of the insides themselves.

Cecily decided that she could carve her own this year.

Big smiley face, Paw Patrol Paw, and a Cat.  So fun.

Oh, just sitting on the stump...

They wanted to be dragons for Halloween.  Some super creative person on pinterest had patterns for making dragon faces out of felt shapes on ball caps, and then we cut wing shapes out of fleece.

The Lightfury, Toothless, and Garth were quite pleased.  Cadence's probably took the most time, glue, and a little paint- there was very little sewing involved!

She's so funny.  :)

Blanky is included as always.

I threw on my wrap cape to take the girls door to door; I mean, Halloween is probably the only time you can wear a cape in public and nobody looks at you funny. Me: Hey Bob can you take a picture for me? The girls' picture attempts make me look extra fat.  Bob: um.  *blink blink blink* ooookaay.  Hehe.

It's so cool!  "Mom! You can be a girl on the Titanic for Halloween!"  It would be the right time period I guess, but I don't think jean skirts and leggings are quite 1912.  😆

The outside is wool leftover from my dress coat, the inside I lined with checked flannel.  It's really pretty warm and great for throwing on to the get the mail on chilly days. 

When the littlest Taco woke up from her nap we got ready to go out.

We love dragons, and Dragons Love Tacos!  (Silly book, but they think it's hilarious. And I can't resist a literary costume reference.)

We found Hiccup the dragon rider at Grandma B's so we had to get a picture.  

Trick or Treating at our favorite neighbor.  

We don't go anywhere but our street usually, and most people didn't bother turning their lights on this year- somehow they still thought they got "the most candy ever!"

Miri just wanted to eat it.

We tried making caramel apples; they were marginally successful.  I've never made dipping caramel before so it wasn't quite the right consistency but it tasted good and the girls covered them in all manner of sugary things soooo... happy reformationween! to us.   

There was no school on election day and the girls put on a puppet show in the morning.

Miriel was very quiet so I went to see what she was up too.  She was just sitting in the big girls room, playing with Rebecca's closet.  When she was done she put it all back and shut it! Covering her tracks already...

She's right, that is how it looks.  :)  

Oh Cadence.  What are we going to do with you and blanky?

Some days I think that this one can use her spoon better than her older sisters.

We have a whole trunk full of dress-up options, instead, they raided my fabric.  Also, Emmy spent an afternoon picking up and vacuuming the basement all on her own.  It was great.

I made apple cider donut cake because it's amazing, and remembered about 10 minutes before school got out that Cecily wanted to have a tea party.  So I quick pulled out some tea cups and poured a pitcher of apple cider and we had an impromptu afternoon tea when the big girls got home.

The tiniest little tea cup.  

Emmy's got the pinky down pat.

They drank a lot of cider from Great Grandma's tea cups.

Mom! Mom! There are a million ginko leaves outside!   ....and now they are in the kitchen because???

Also that day, Mom! Mom! Miriel's on the roof!  *sigh*

Miri pulled one of the needles out of my knitting and proceeded to sit sweetly and 'knit.'  

I don't really know how to knit, but YouTube does.  I did manage to not lose any stitches when she stole my needle.  Look at me using three needles!  I feel so accomplished or something.  

We did yard work this weekend, and since it was so nice out we explored a new nature preserve that's nearby today after church.

She likes to say "cheeeeeese."

Four little sillies on a log.

They loved it.  I was so glad.  It wasn't too hot, or too cold, there were no bugs, no humidity; it was pretty much the perfect day for 'hiking' in Illinois.  

Little cheeseball.  

Blessings.