After Christmas Skellie Video!

 Christmas isn't over yet! You know I like mini skeletons for some reason and there's none better than mystery author Leigh Perry (Toni L.P. Kelner's) sleuthing skeleton Sid. His miniature version appeared here on the blog in a past post of course!

Sid is also now a video star in a super cute Christmas video. This is so clever! Check it out below! 

 Perfect tie-in to book #6 in the Family Skeleton series, The Skeleton Stuffs a Stocking, in which the dog of Sid's human friend, Georgia, comes home with a real skeleton bone. The rest of the skeleton is found in an overgrown lot, leading sleuthing duo Sid and Georgia to find the truth before the ghost of a Chistmas past strikes again! (The series starts with book 1, A Skeleton in the Family.)

(Here's the YouTube link if it doesn't work here.)

Merry Christmas! Miniatures Story Part 2

 * If you missed the beginning, start here on Dec. 24th!

Thief of Christmas Present, A Miniatures Christmas Story - Part 2

  

Today we feature the second part and conclusion to an original Christmas tale by Robert W. Walker, author of  over 90 - and counting -  novels including the fabulous gaslight thriller, CITY OF THE ABSENT, featuring his detective, Ransom.  Check his website for his latest thrillers and novellas. 

(If the photos don't show properly, you can read part 2 of the story at a previous year's post.)

Part 2 Continued --

 "The Thief of Christmas Present"

By Robert W. Walker

(Photos: Christmas Santa House by C. Verstraete; Festive gold and white holiday scenes featuring the miniatures of Lissu, used w/ permission. See more pix and visit her blog, Lissu's Dollhouse) 

To recap: the family are watching the film to see who is stealing the Cluewellens' Christmas from Julia's dollhouse. (See part 1 in the previous post.)

Shortly after, Stevie entered the room, asking, "What kinda movie is this?"

"The movie that's gonna prove you stole the Cluewellens' Christmas!"


"I didn't touch that stuff! I didn't do it, Mom!"

Joannie came down from her room and asked, "Are you still blaming that on Stevie? He wouldn't do that!"

"We got you on tape this time, Joannie...or Stevie...whichever one of you guys did it, so there!" Julia set her jaw, determined to watch every hour of the unmoving movie frame by frame. "Mom and me...we gotcha good now. Liar."

Joannie came at her sister. "Who're you calling a liar? Me?"

"If the shoe fits!"

"Enough, both of you! Stop it. Either sit down and watch the tape or leave the room, but please, no more accusations, Julia, and no more shouting, Joannie-and you, Stevie, stop crying."

"I didn't do it," he complained through tears. "I always get blamed for everything!"


"All I know is somebody stole the Cluewellens' Christmas tree now!" Julia shot back.

"Hey, what's that?" asked Joannie, pointing at the screen. "I saw movement-a shadow-back of the miniature."

Julia, Stevie, and Mother Waldron stared at the slight squeaking noise, too, and in a moment, they all watched a pair of whiskers and a brown button nose rise over the back of the miniature at the chimney.

"It's Newton, my ferret!" shouted Stevie. "He's escaped again."

Newton lived up to his name, always finding ways to escape his cage, and often, Stevie allowed him 'free run time' but Newton always returned to his cage. Newton had even found a way out of the house one night.

"What's he doing?" asked Julia. "OMG-he's going down the chimney."

"Like Santa," said Stevie.


"No...more like The Grinch," replied Joannie. "There's your Christmas thief, Julia!"

"But...I mean how...why?" she asked. "Why's he terrifying the Cluewellens and destroying their Christmas?"

"You really think Newton is thinking along those lines, Julia?" Joannie couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Shhh...watch him. Look, look," said Mom. "The little thief! He's dragging the entire tree out the front door."

With the tree clear of the door, it snapped closed, and Newton scurried away with the five-inch high tree, ornaments trailing. He truly did look like a miniature version of The Grinch except that he was brown and not green.

"Stevie's pet's the thief...the whole time," Julia muttered in disbelief.

"What's he doing with all the stolen goods?" asked mom. "Shall we find out?"

"I think you're gonna need a ferret whisperer or a pet shrink to figure that out, Mom," replied Joannie, still laughing.


"Nothing funny about that little rat destroying the Cluewellens' Christmas!" countered Julia.

"Why don't we all just go on a scavenger hunt?" began Mom. "To see where Newton is stashing all the decorations and presents."

"And stockings!" added Julia.

The four of them started for Stevie's room where Newton lived in a cage. Everyone in the family had gotten so used to Newton's escapes and escapades about the house that no one took great notice of him of late.

"What's going on?" asked Jack Waldron, their father, who'd caught them gathered at the foot of the stairs as he came through the door, home from the office.

Everyone spoke at once until Anna calmed them and pointed to the still action shot on the TV. "We caught Newton red-handed. "He's Julia's Christmas thief."

"Must be the shiny stuff attracts Newton, eh?" asked Jack.


"But he's never done this before!" Anna replied. "Any rate, we're heading up to Steve's room to see where he's stashing the goods."

"Say, did anyone read that book that came with the ferret when you bought Newton at the pet store?" asked Joannie, who was browsing the book for any clues.

"Who's got time to read?" asked Julia.

They all went for Stevie's room, and looked into Newton's cage, a made-over fish tank. There, amid the usual sawdust and toy shelters and fake greenery, was a stash of Christmas miniatures, from the tree, to the presents and the stockings. All of it lay in a neat, orderly circular design. The look on Newton's face said, "I confess."

Joannie handed the paperback book on ferrets and ferret behavior to her mother. "Take a look at the last section on page sixteen."

She glanced at the page. "Oh, dear...then this means..."

"What is it?" asked Julia. "Nothing in that book could possibly excuse this rodent's behavior, and as for you, Stevie-this is all your-"

"No, Julia!" countered her father, who'd now read page sixteen. "No way is this Stevie's fault!"

"You owe Stevie and me an apology," Joannie said to Julia, having closed in on her, nose-to-nose. "And all our friends, too!"

"You do owe everyone an apology, Julia," her mother agreed. "In the meantime, Newton is going to need a new name."

"Whataya mean?" asked Julia.

"New name?" asked Stevie.


"Newton is a girl, and she's stealing shiny objects to make a nest, because she's going to have baby ferrets."

"OMG!" replied Julia. "That's it! That explains the mystery."

"But if Newton's not a boy...what're we going to call Newton?" asked Stevie.

"Newtonia?" suggested Joannie, a snicker escaping.

"Why don't we make it Madame Curie," suggested Mom. "I think she outsmarted us all. In any event, case closed."

Stevie lifted the flimsy lid and started to reach in to retrieve the Cluewellens' Christmas stuff-his sister's stuff, but Julia stayed his hand. "No, Stevie. She-Madame Curie-she needs it now more than the Cluewellens."

"Aren't you ahhh worried about the Cluewellens?" asked Anna of her daughter.

"They'll understand when I explain it to them," Julia replied and shrugged, "and besides, there's always next year."

Anna hugged Julia and Jack put a hand on his daughter's shoulder, and with the entire family looking on at Newton-now Madame Curie-every one smiled, and if ferrets can smile, Madame Curie smiled back, a knowing glint in her eye.

"I have an idea for the Cluwellens' Christmas," said Stevie.

"What's that? asked Julia.

"Why not give them a front row seat for Christmas?"

"Meaning?"

"Put their house under our tree!"


Everyone agreed it was a wonderful solution, and that Julia had a lot of apologies to make, and that she'd tell and retell Newton's story between now and Christmas quite often indeed.

The End.

(c) 2008, 2025 RW Walker published by https://candidcanine.blogspot.com

** I hope you enjoyed this "little" Christmas tale as much as I enjoy presenting it every year. 

Merry Christmas and the best in the New Year to everyone! 

As Tiny Tim said, "God Bless Us, every one!"

Merry Christmas Eve: A Miniatures Christmas Story Part 1

 It's become something of an annual tradition that I've been sharing this little Christmas story my friend and fellow author Robert W. Walker penned for me. It first ran here in 2008. Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of presenting an original Christmas tale by Robert W. Walker, author of - gasp! over 90  - and counting -  novels including the fabulous gaslight thriller, CITY OF THE ABSENT, featuring his detective, Ransom. Check his website for his latest thrillers and novellas.  

PS - While Robert is known for his spooky and often creepy-gory horror books, never fear, this story, which will run in two parts, is rated PG. 

(If the photos don't show properly, you can read it at a previous year's post.) 

(Come back tomorrow for Part 2.) 

The Thief of Christmas Present
By Robert W. Walker

(Photos: Christmas Santa House by C. Verstraete)




Julia rushed into her mother's room, her eleven-year-old arms flapping as she said, "Joannie stole my Christmas presents! I just know it was her!"

"Your big sister wouldn't do that, Julia."

"Then its one of her girlfriends."

"I've talked to Joannie, and she's given the third degree to every friend who has been visiting the house since Thanksgiving."

Julia's eyes filled with tears. "Musta been that boyfriend of hers then!"

"He seems like a nice, respectful boy, and whatever would possess him to steal your miniature Christmas presents from beneath your miniature tree?"

Anna Waldron hugged her daughter to her. "We'll find the stolen goods. They're likely somewhere on a shelf. Thoughtlessly moved by one of your little friends."

"No, no mom! I don't let anyone reach into my dollhouse and take out anything, not the figurines, not the furniture, and certainly not the presents under the tree."

Anna wondered how this could keep happening to her daughter. Julia had put heart and soul into her miniature house this year. In fact, she'd begun creating the tree, the ornaments, lights, stockings hanging over the fireplace, and the presents beneath the tree since last Christmas.

She'd got it in her head that her dollhouse ought to have all the ornaments and decorations of any home, that Mr. and Mrs. Cluewellen and their three children who lived in the miniature house ought to have a wonderful Christmas too.



Julia had worked so hard to make it happen, and now, day-by-day, all her work was coming unraveled. The day before she noticed an ornament missing from the tiny tree. The day before that one of the stockings she'd labored so hard to make was gone from the mantel. Poof. Now two of the tiny presents from beneath the tree-gone. Stolen.

"At this rate," moaned Julia, "by the time Christmas gets here, the Cluewellens won't have anything left."

Anna patted Julia's hand. "And The Christmas Crook of the Present will have won!"

"We can't let that happen, mom!"

"We must act, set a trap."

"A trap?"

"Yeah, we'll wire up a trap that will snap on those sticky fingers."

"Then you think it's Stevie?"

"I hope not, but your little brother is at that age. I sure hope he hasn't lied about this."

"Well...it's not a ghost. I asked the Cluewellens if they'd had any problems with anything like a poltergeist, and they said no."

"You believe them?" Mother Waldron laughed, but Julia stared at her, eyes saying, 'not funny'.

"They don't lie, cheat, or steal, mom."

"Neither does your brother or your sister for that matter, young lady."

"Well I'm not lying about it! Someone's stealing the Cluewellens' Christmas right under our noses."



"You set the trap," suggested Anna. "I'm going to set up a concealed camera, so we can get to the bottom of this before..."

Julia looked up at her mother, wondering why she'd stopped talking. "Before all of the presents and decorations are gone?"

"Before you make your sister and your brother angrier with you than they already are."

"Angry with me? I'm the victim here. Me and the Cluewellens."

"Honey, you have accused both of them of stealing and lying about it. Then you accused their friends."

Julia nodded, and for a moment Anna thought her child understood and agreed, but then Julia said, "It could've been one of Stevie's dumb friends."

"Well now, we're going to find out, aren't we?"

"You think it'll work, Mom?"

"At the rate things are disappearing, my hunch is that whoever's behind the theft will be back."

They put the trap into play.

They wisely left the miniature house untouched and unmoved, the same enticement as ever.

An entire day and most of the evening went by with young Julia wanting to check the Cluewellens' living room and tree every hour, while her mother insisted they wait and see. When Anna decided the camera's battery would be in need of help, mother and daughter went into her room to determine if anything had been taken. They found the front door closed. Julia gasped when she looked in through the windows. The entire tiny Christmas tree had been taken! All about the front door and steps, glitter appeared like colored snow. Whoever was behind the theft, cleaning up after him-or herself-wasn't a concern.

"It's got to be Stevie or one of his goofy friends," Julia said, tears forming. "Maybe Stevie's too chicken to tell on Tad."

"Let's reserve judgment and see what the camera says."

They made popcorn and popped the film into the USB port of the TV and sat down to watch the unfolding events. Unfortunately, during the first hour, nothing unfolded.

"This is a real snore and a bore," Julia complained, tiring of the popcorn as well.

After a while, Julia began making up a storyline to go with the miniature people inside the house on the screen, and it was so vivid that her mom could almost imagine that the little Cluewellen family was as real as Julia believed them to be. She began to see Mrs. Cluewellen move that feather duster in her hand. But clearing her head and eyes, Mother Waldron thought better of saying she'd begun to see the miniature people roaming around inside their miniature house. Maybe the miniature was haunted at that....

(c) 2008, 2025 RW Walker published by https://candidcanine.blogspot.com

* The story continues tomorrow, Christmas Day - see Part 2.) 

A Miniature Half-Scale Christmas

I should make this a Christmas card! Someday...

 I'll be busy and in the holiday spirit today as it's my annual miniatures Christmas party with my friend Gigi. So looking forward to this! We have fun all year making minis and having lunch weekly, so this is a great culmination to the year with lots of goodies, gifts, and good cheer! 

Since I didn't start earlier, I'm combining today's post to show the Christmas decorations at both the Half-Scale Mansion and the Lavender Cottage. (*Click photos for full size.)

Cute pair of boots from the Name Create Winter swap from Terri SC.

I got inspired by my friend decorating her house and since I hadn't decorated the masion yet, that was the day's project. It actually did take me all morning to figure out what to put where, update some things, etc. I still might add wreaths on the double front doors (eventually), but it's fine for now.  There are also a couple pots with red stalks and greenery in the lower space by the diner door, but it's hard to get a decent photo though it does add something to a bare space. 

 It fit better that I put a gold tree in the lady's bedroom.

Since the diner chef's apartment on the third floor is a bit old-fashioned, a silver tree fit best here.

The Lavender Cottage:

The house is a vacation home, so it has lots of stuff on the lawn and porch for the kids.

Oh look! Santa's sleigh is delivering gifts!

The tree in the living room: Lots of gifts!

Good dog! He leaves the gifts alone!

* Just a short visit. Merry Little Christmas! Come back tomorrow for the annual miniatures Christmas story! * 

A Merry Little Christmas Week!

 Ho-Ho-Ho and Merry-Merry!

I'll be sharing some Christmas decorations the next few days, along with the annual miniatures Christmas story by author Robert W. Walker (check out his dozens of books - I think it's over 90 now!) - that's on Dec. 24 and 25th so bookmark and come back to read it. (Here's the link to part 1 - live on Dec. 24.)

For now, here's a tree I decided to decorate for the Lavender Cottage. Like real life, lots of stuff! And I still have to add those little bags I made.  (*Click photos for full size.) 

You can't tell too much from the background, but the top is a small carved cardinal. I painted small fake bunches of "grapes" (whatever they are) for some color. Those cute little Disney Night Before Christmas buttons look like toy dolls! Good dog doesn't bother the tree but there is a teensy purple dog in that wagon for him!

Past Miniature Christmas Gifts

For fun, thought I'd look back at some previous Christmas Miniatures I've made. (* See last post of other Christmas minis. Click photos for full size.)

I had forgotten about this tray  (above, from 2017!) until I saw my friend had set it on her side table in her dollhouse living room. I have to say, it looks pretty good!  

This year I made a cute little record player. i did that because I made her several other miniature records, plus magazines, posters, and pictures of old favorites. (The Christmas records are from LittleMaggieShop/Etsy. I used the record player printie for size and made my own from wood veneer, beads and cut straight pins for the needle and spindle.)

I printed and cut out several things for a fun memory box. I loved doing this and I bet she got a kick out of seeing what was inside. Just something fun she can put in her dollhouse closet (or under the bed?) I used to have a lot of this kind of stuff when I was younger and so wished I'd saved it in the box I had in my closet! Why oh why didn't I save those Superman comics!!! ha! 

That strip of writing is a piece of an old genealogy record. The rolled up items were 2 posters, an old concert flier and a Titanic poster which I also printed out flat for her She Shed walls if she wants.

Last year, I made this gardening basket for her garden shed. I thought the funny stakes were a riot! 

A Gift for You:

* I copied some links I had in a previous post for free Christmas printables. (Checked, all okay.) I love printies, so lots to choose from!

* Free Christmas art.

* Cute vintage print Christmas boxes.

* Jen's Printables has a page of Christmas boxes plus lots of other great printies.

* Christmas mats, door decor, and other assorted printes here.

* Treefeathers has a page of Christmas printies - cards, boxes, ornament boxes, wrapping paper, etc. 

* Cute idea: Pattern and how to for a Christmas tree shaped dollhouse from cardboard.

* Mini Christmas book (and other printies)

* Thanks again for visiting! Come back soon for more projects & minis! * 

Some Christmas & Other Advent Miniatures

 

Ho Ho Ho!

While I'm still busy doing egg carton bricks on the Witch's Bakery (a "why did I do this but it'll look good when it's done" idea), I thought I'd share some of the fun miniatures I got so far in the miniatures Advent Calendar, a personal calendar we fill ourselves, along with a few minis I made recently. 

The Santa ornament (above) is a simple plastic piece I found at Walmart and thought was so cute. He's 4" tall. He comes undecorated, but looks so much better with some curly Bunka thread trim on his suit, hat, and for the beard. Also added a touch of red paint and gloss Mod Podge to his cheeks and nose plus a white pom-pom on his hat. I figured he'd look perfect on the porch or lawn. 

Halloween always: cute jar and these cool rubbery bats from the Advent Calendar.

Made these great card lanterns from a Castle Crafts kit. They're about 1 3/4" high. There are 3 smaller ones in the kit also, about half this size. I got a cool idea for those: to put lighted lanterns on the tables in the restaurant above the Witch's Bakery. I'm also using the larger ones for the walls. I'll have to plan out my wiring for that.

Also made this neat cake from the MiniVerse Birthday minis I found on sale. The cake looks much better once I added some glitter to it. It's 1.25" in diameter and 1.5" high with the sign. It'll still look good in a window or on a shelf.

These are the absolutely cutest things I found - Disney brand - buttons! They look just like dolls so they're going under the Christmas tree for now. The taller Jack and Jill figures are about 1.25" tall. Those weird masks will look good on the walls.

* Also made some great toy boxes, shrunk down to half-scale. A freebie in the Mic Drop Miniatures daily Advent Calendar. (The toy boxes are day 9.) Have fun!

*That's it for the moment. I'm going to go find my mini Chrismas tree and see if I have a tree skirt to decorate it.

* Thanks again for visiting. Come back soon for more updates & projects! * 

Advent Calendar & Birthday Miniatures

  

Beginning to look like Christmas!

Despite the horrible freezing weather that's coming upon us now in Wisc., (supposed to be -15, -20 below zero wind chills!) it's started out to be a good week! (*Click photos for full size.)

First off, my friend Gigi and I made some miniature Christmas bags (above), a calendar and Christmas paper plates from printables offered by MicDrop Miniatures' 12 Days of Minis Advent Calendar. You can still catch up here. She printed mine smaller for half scale so they'll fit by the Christmas tree in the Lavender Cottage. I'll have to print the set in 1" scale for the bakery, too.

We started our own miniatures Advent Calendars last year and since we met yesterday, we opened up the first three days. Oh, fun! It's always a great surprise of bought things and things we make ourselves or from kits.

I got it in mind that I had to make her some miniature record albums, especially since I found a Christmas Bay City Rollers album cover. I'd never heard of it. She didn't know of that one, either. ha!

And with records, well, you need a record player, right? This was a challenge to make this from mat board, wood veneer, plus beads. I cut straight pins to make the needle and the record spindle. A fun surprise! I also gave her a nice pretty plate and a two-tier stand with carrots for a table. Cute, wrapped with twine. Wish I'd found another one for me!

She made me a great Witch sign for the bakery (a great tip: printed on canvas paper!) and gave me a tiny haunted house, a cool rug, and a spooky tree. Fun stuff!

The best gift was the annual miniature room kit she makes for my birthday. They are just so cute and something I won't do myself. ha! She likes working in these small scales. I generally try not to work smaller than half-inch scale if I can help it but I love the details!! The room is 4 1/2" h and 3 1/4" w.

Here's the three she's made for me. I'll need a bigger shelf soon. ha! Aren't they cute?

Made progress on the egg carton bricks for the second floor of the Witch's Bakery. Working on that for now.

That's it for the moment. I'll share more Christmas-related and other minis soon!

 * Thanks again for visiting. Come back soon for more updates and minis! * 

Progress! Miniature Witch's Bakery

 

Finally! Ta-dah! Sent the workers home as the work inside is done (okay except for a couple possible trim pieces I'll probably put around the ceiling.) But... I love the results!! (*Click photos for full size.) * For fun I added a short video below.

Hard to believe I started this Oct. 3. Hold-ups and my pauses prolonged the project, but I still have the outside egg carton bricks to finish yet. And then figure out the side wall with steps. I am still planning to add the other shop for a second-floor restuarant. 

Here's the front of the seond floor shop painted - so far. (Ignore inside of bakery showing through.) Obviously, I still have to do the bricks and cover the top of the window. At least I got this done as it was a several-hours-long project.

Now for the first floor bakery:

I painted a plastic textured sheet a pinkish-copper for the ceiling.

I was determined to use the hanging crystal chandeleir I got at Michael's. I have another one to use upstairs. You can't tell but it has bat designs on the points that stick up. I added an LED bulb and glued the chandeleir to the medallion. 

One of my hold-ups was of course I decided to add outside lights, later but at least before I wallpapered. ha! Something different, I ended up using some interesting-looking round light covers I took off some older light posts. I like the style instead of the usual square lights.

The front

I added a partial string of lights to the inside of the bakery case and put a black shiny scrapbook paper inside. I'll straighten out the lights more later. Kind of looks like a high-end jewelry shop, doesn't it? 😄 

I also added a separate light string around the bookshelves. I think it looks pretty good! 

This photo was before I added the chandeleir and ceiling.

Now it's back to doing bricks outside. A good TV-watching project. Hope to get some windows cut in the upper walls so I can add side windows in the restaurant, then I can start planning that. I have an idea I want to try so if it works, I'll share that later.

So, what do you think?

* More updates coming, so be sure to stop back soon! Thanks for visiting! *