A Merry Little 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! - 88  - 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.  

While Robert is known for his spooky and often creepy-gory horror books, he has a soft side, too! Never fear, this story, which will run in two parts, is rated PG. 

(If the photos don't show properly, you can read the story at last 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, more photos see website, Santa's House page.)




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, 2022 RW Walker published by https://candidcanine.blogspot.com

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

Before Christmas.... #Fairfield #Miniatures Update

 

(Partial photo of roombox decorated for Christmas. I love adding the vintage dolls!)

Hard to believe Christmas is around the corner, though the older you get, it just doesn't seem like it!

In the meantime.... was without internet for two days (two looong days ha!) and they fixed a cable at the pole, so hopefully that fixes it. What else? It's been a brutal year for transformers... Burned out another one! Well, a cheapie one that apparently wasn't enough amps so I have another one hooked up to the Fairfield now and we ordered a couple larger ones (6 amps) on ebay. We pick up 12 volt transformers whenever we see them or wire them from something else as the specific dollhouse transformers are pretty costly now. 

Fairfield Progress:

Yes, there is some! (See last post.) Got the bedroom furniture all built, the room is papered, and that side of the roof is glued on, plus the door/fake wall is in.  I goofed on that lamp (didn't leave a long enough wire) so it has to be on the floor. I say to shine light while the boy is working puzzles or playing a game or something. I goof a lot lately. I redid the dresser drawer knobs (pins and seed beads) as I realized I'd only put one bead like the other pieces, but it makes more sense (and looks better) with two. All fixable at least! 

Right now, I'm adding the little accessories like books, toys, wall art, game boxes, etc.  I'll add some fake shirts in that top dresser drawer, too, and adding more stuff on the desk and bookcase. Added a couple other lights that I have to glue along the wall, then I'll finish the two attic section pieces of floor on the other side and build the small bath enclosure. 

Hard to believe I'm this far! (Yeah there is a lot to be done yet. I have to glue in the brick piece in that open area above the door. I have some space art for that back wall, too. Next time, the stained glass windows will be glued in. I promise!) 

 Finishing painting the roof side and luckily I found a close enough if not the same color since I'm running low. I did start with stain and then some black, but I didn't like how it looked, so I decided to paint it with the window color (Rookwood Red from Americana and then Spiced Berry, multi-surface from Apple Barrel.) Then I have to finish shingling the other two roof pieces. Ignore the ugly unfinished parts. 

Forgot to show this before: I found this beaded chain at Goodwill. Bought it to cut off the tiny Christmas figures for decorations! Why else do you buy this kind of stuff, right? 😏 Funny, as I still haven't added any Christmas stuff in the house since it's not finished! And the mini decorating is always fun! I will try to do that as there's a big storm coming this weekend and hopefully we won't lose electric!

I'll have an end of year wrap-up soon, but before that be sure to come back here on Christmas Eve for the first part of the annual miniatures Christmas story!  Thanks again for visiting and come back soon!

Great #Miniatures Book Find!

 

Ta-dah! It is real!

I've searched for this book for years, hoping to find it at a reasonable price since it's long out of print (1996), and the publisher Kalmbach Books and its flagship magazine, Nutshell News, is also long gone. Ah, the good old days...

Whenever I looked up the book, I'd find copies at crazy prices, $50-$80 and higher, etc. Original list price is $39.95. But.... I recently searched again and it came up on the used book site, Abe Books. 

On a whim, I decided to look and Eureka! I found a hardcover copy from the seller, Wonder Book & Video (which also looks like a good used book site.)

It seemed too good to be true. It said "good" condition, which could mean... passable, or almost anything!

I really had wondered if I'd even get it considering the tracking hadn't moved in days. But... I got the book, it's like new and--- I got it for the incredible price of... $5.59 - with free shipping!  Isn't that amazing??

Here's a couple sample pages from the book, which I can't wait to read and look through:

 Future planning: 

A while back, some members of the Half Scale Group had made a replica of this Brooke Tucker project - but in half scale. I can't remember who or when, but I did buy a couple lamps someone had made based on the book. If you look close you'll see the lamps on the fireplace in the first photo above this.  Finally, I think I'll use them in a fancy parlor in an upcoming project and maybe I'll even use some more ideas from the book. We'll see how it goes.

In the meantime...

Work on the Fairfield continues....  The one roof side is almost all shingled! I'll probably have that last row done on the bottom piece (which backs to the attic bedroom on the side of the tower) after I post this. A good TV watching project!

 I have to finish the other side piece and start the two smaller pieces. Once I finish, I'm thinking of a two-tone color, some stain and some black... maybe coloring  in a couple areas for contrast. (In a circle the shingles look like a flower shape.) Hoping that I don't have any warping problems. Ugh, what a project, but it's getting there!

Thanks for stopping by! More updates to come!

Happy Birthday & Miniatures Displays

 Happy Birthday to Me!!

While I'm out, I thought I'd show a few of the miniature displays fellow miniaturist Peg and I shared at the museum in Kenosha, WI. I thought there'd be more to take photos of but we were up on the second floor and there actually was a pretty constant crowd flow to keep us busy.

(Click photos for full size.)

A favorite of mine: The Ladies' Shoppe in an old jewelry box. Everyone seemed to like this one, too.

Peg's crowd favorite: A Harry Potter style room made in a class with Rik Pierce. She added a Prof. Snapes figure she found.

Another one I like is my half scale Mary Engelbreit-inspired porch. I loved all the colors on this. I hand-painted the flowers on the door. The shutters are made from those vintage wood fans.

Peg's half scale Tudor cottage bedroom. The house actually comes apart by floor and has a cool loom on the first floor (which I failed to get a photo of.)

People also liked my apothecary scene in a book box which was inspired by the art on the opposite side. 

Another favorite was this cottage Peg built in another Rik Pierce class. She plans to make it into a dollmaker's cottage and has all kinds of cute teensy dolls saved. She has to finish this so we can all see the results! (hint-hint!)

That's it for the moment. 

More progress on the Fairfield: Got the inner attic papers in and started the worst part - well, maybe the worst besides all the trim - the roof shingles! Figured out the bathroom space, too, but lots of things can't be glued in until that side of the roof is shingled and painted first as otherwise it's unreachable because of the tower. Figuring it out as I go along. More photos coming soon! (See previous photos in archives listed in left column.)

Chris Verstraete www.cverstraete.com  

Thanks for stopping by!

A Victorian #Christmas in WI - Tomorrow

 Get in a Christmas mood!

Fellow miniaturist Peg Rousar-Thompson and I will be displaying some of our dollhouses and miniatures at the Victorian Christmas event, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, DEC. 3 at The Civil War Museum, 5400 First Ave., (down by the lake) in Kenosha, WI

We'll have quite an assorted display! You won't want to miss it! (Here's a sample of the miniatures we showed.)

The event includes holiday music, demos, crafts, and more. Free gallery admissions. 

Sounds fun! First time I'll be there, so looking forward to it. I love history and this is a neat museum. It'll be interesting to see their Christmas present wish lists through the decades.

See link above for full details.

(Yeah, I know the photo isn't a very Victorian tree, but that's what I have for now without creating a whole new one!) You'd think they'd put some past photos on their website! Well, I'll try to take photos and post them afterward. 

Be sure to stop and say hello if you're there!

Fairfield Dollhouse: Ready for sleep

 The small wall sections will be glued in next in the attic, but for now I played with some other things. Here's the last post. Also check in the archives list in the left column for older posts.

The Bedroom - 

Ta-dah! The bed is done. I just love the swirly pattern on the sheets. I put some bottom supports in so the drawers don't fall out, but they do slide through! I'll add some more stuff - like a toy car and some comic books - in there later. But if you peek close, you'll see the boy hid some candy bars away for later! Shhh, no telling! 👱 The starred blue paper on the headboards is what I'm also using on the back wall. (Click photos for full size.)

The floors are in on both sides of the attic. Also added the trim around the stair opening at the end, and have to add the wall trim yet. Lots!! of trimming in this house. The stained glass isn't in the small windows yet in case I need to reach through.  

Figured out that a small bath will fit in the area in front of the tower there (the reddish wall; the roof isn't on in this photo.) Luckily I had an extra toilet and sink. I cut and brick-papered two angled walls that'll be glued once I put the back roof on. (* Caution if you're building this house: some of the bottom rows of the roof (like the back piece that fits here in front of the tower) have to be shingled first before installation otherwise you can't reach them!) The bath will have a faux "folding door" in front. (Partial piece of painted corrugated paper.)

Also got some of the trim glued on the outside of the tower. I have to add some pieces underneath the top too. I'm also adding painted trim on those edges on the tower roof. I covered it with painted corrugated paper. There is a hanging light inside. (The tower roof is a juggling act. Had to paper the inside tower ceiling, paint the outer edge where the paper showed, and juggle holding the tower and pulling the light wire through the hole in the side before gluing the tower piece on. Definitely a two-person job!) 

(* Shingles: see how the roof piece butts up against the tower? That's why you have to shingle the bottom rows before gluing the roof piece on.) 

Making swaps

In the meantime, I'm working on the annual Half Scale Group swap, which is due by February. I'm starting early since I already decided on what to make. I can't show it or hint until after it's opened by group members. The group chose my suggested theme, Kitschy, which I was surprised about and should produce some interesting items I think. 

What is Kitschy, you ask? The dictionary describes it as "garish, sentimental and sometimes in bad taste." ha! Think fad collectibles: velvet paintings, dogs playing poker painting, big-eyed kits art, giant wooden kitchen wall utensils, just thought of those paint by number paintings, etc, etc. You get the idea... (And I am so hoping someone sends that giant fork and knife or spoon! haaa! Otherwise I'll have to think what scale I can use in the half scale house as I want to add those to the kitchen wall now that it's on my mind.)

Here's art I made last year included with gold trophies and a box printie:

The theme is only a suggestion as people can make what they want. There are 21 participants this year. Here is last year's  swap (theme: antiques or attic, I think)  and one of the past swaps (theme: toys). People always make great stuff and it's such fun to get in the mail! Been doing it for years. I always look forward to it. (That tiny clock from last year's swap is now on the Fairfield's bedroom fireplace mantel.)

Chris Verstraete www.cverstraete.com

Thanks again for stopping by! Come back soon for more updates!

Happy Thanksgiving, Fairfield #dollhouse attic

 Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

In the meantime, here's a quick Fairfield dollhouse update: (Here's the last post - bedroom reveal.)

Working on the third floor attic rooms:

Yeah, this is what happens when you're trying to get the floors to hold down. Using everything but the kitchen sink. haaaa! But it did work out pretty well:

The left room will be the boy's bedroom. The back wall isn't on yet so that's the back of the tower you see (which will be covered with painted card and trim.) The back ceiling wall will have blue star wallpaper and beams.  Oops, forgot to solder in that lamp. There also will be a fake wall and door between the two rooms on the left of the chimney wall.

 

The room on the right here will be a library-craft-painting studio. Luckily I had just enough left of this fake wood flooring (from Hobby Lobby) from the bigger dollhouse that I can use here. The back room, which has an opening on the right edge for the spiral stairs, will be the attic junk space. I've gotten hooked on adding that catch-all space for odds and ends.

 I also have just enough of the thin dark wood floor pieces left from the second floor to use here. There is an opening on the back wall (once it's in) between both rooms. I might just add part of a faux curtain between the two spaces as it really doesn't have to be closed off. Maybe I should squeeze in a small bathroom in the back there, too, otherwise that boy will need a chamberpot. ha! We'll see. I may be able to fit it just behind the wall by the tower there; also have to consider it will have a sloped ceiling. But all I have to do is partition the space off. I'll think on that. I better figure it out as I probably have to add another light then.

Also started this:  the pieces shown are for the bed.

Don't eat too much turkey! 

Thanks for stopping by. More updates coming soon!

Fairfield #Dollhouse Bedroom Reveal

 I don't know why I've put off showing this but...

I know, it's past Halloween, but not in the dollhouse! 😏 I've been working on small things and am now in the attic. Have to attach lights there so I can do the paper and floor... 

But... Ta-da! Something finished! The room is apart at the moment as I work on other things, but the light is in since these photos. (See last update. You can also search in the archives list in the left column.)

I love how this room has a kind of antique but comfortable feeling. I just love this room!

Here's a glimpse of the ceiling before I put the ceiling trim in. (Oh, what a job that was fitting it in!) I love the Victorian flavor of this pic, like an old manor house. The ceiling is that embossed scrapbook paper with some gold brushed on.

This is a different approach for me. I bought the handmade bed second-hand with some terrible fabric on it. It was so old that the foam underneath had crumbled. The forms are made of foam core. I glued on new foam and recovered the pieces. This time I decided to glue the top cover on each side without using any edge trim and folded the end of the bed cover. I wanted brighter colors to coordinate with the wallpaper but didn't want to use an actual Halloween print.

I repainted the 1930s Tootsietoy dresser with chalk paint topped with brown acrylic paint, and added gold to the accents. I glued on small beads that I also dotted with gold. (I use gold fabric paint.)

I found some wooden shapes at the dollar store and cut one in half for the front fireplace grate.

The small bookcase is from SDK Miniatures. I'm making a few more books and have to add some accessories yet. The chair by the door was from a set that I recovered with new fabric. I found the mirror some time back at Michael's.

 I added a few creepy touches with the framed photos. The rug was cut from that Day of the Dead fabric I bought. Thought it would make a perfect rug so I glued one of the faces to tea box card and then edged it with Bunka. I made the draped table, chair, and footstool but may switch those out later. I am thinking of putting some Christmas decorations in the house soon.

(Overhead shot while I could get it. The clock on the mantle and plant are from the Half Scale Group swap. I'm making books for the bookcase at the moment. Found some nice horror books with great graphic covers from Wowbooknook on Etsy. Nice books and they include 1/24 in the set.) I printed some slightly smaller (7/16" and 1/2" h) to fit in the small bookcase shelves.

I'm experimenting, so I also tried making a video to show the full room. (Here's the YouTube link also.)

 

So many odds and ends pieces I'm working on, but so many parts can't be added until something else is done first or to make sure I don't have to lay the house down again. The spiral staircase has to go in the second floor yet too. 

I'll have more rooms and additions to come so be sure to stop back.  You can sign up for headline updates in the box in the left column. You can also see more Fairfield photos in the archive listings there, too.

Halloween is never over...

Oh fun! I forgot that I had these little decorations and found a rubber ghost for the porch. He looks pretty cool lit up! The railings won't be put on until everything else is done as I already keep loosening the porch posts on second floor so I have to reglue those. 

Have to search in my stuff and see if I've got any Christmas things or trees that I can put over the lightbulbs...

Chris Verstraete www.cverstraete.com

Thanks for visiting. Come back soon to see what's next!

Happy #Halloween in #Miniature! 2022

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It's time to PARTY! Ah, this time, cook set out some great treats for the celebration. (Treats I made for my Haunted House. See webpage for more photos)

Looks like almost everyone has gathered for the big party! (Go back to Day 1.)

Over the years, we've had some fantastic guests, and we just had to invite them back again for the big shindig!

Why, is that...? Yes, it's Frank! He prefers Frankie these days to kind of get away from the bad association with Dr. F. (Hand-sculpted figures by artist Sharon Cariola. Checkout her latest Dr. F on her page at the link above.)

Why look who he's talking to! Grandpa Munster! (Also by Sharon Cariola.) Hmm, the centuries-old coot Count seems to be putting on some airs, I see, with his latest movie role. (If you haven't seen The Munsters movie by Rob Zombie on Netflix, it's a lot of campy fun!)

The Skellie Sisters are keeping to themselves, I see. Go ahead and say hello. They're rather shy since they've ventured away from the boneyard, but they'll probably enjoy the company. 

(Be sure to check out Patricia Paul's other work here. Also check out some tutorials and Haunted Housewares at her Etsy shop.)

The Zombies (sorry, not the music group. I know not everyone will get that reference. ha!) decided that the party was good enough to crash! (Hand-made, half-scale - 1/24th zombies by UK artist Lisa Tabbanor. See more of her work on Etsy.) 

Well, it's almost midnight in monster-land. The witching hour is near, so time for the party to wind down. (Oh, it won't end. Those in the know will gather out at the cemetery for more rabble-rousing! You never know who will pop up there! haa!) 

(Cemetery from my Halloween scene.) * Visit some of the other cemeteries in the 2019 post.

That's it! 

* Visit me at my website, www.cverstraete.com. You can also sign up for updates at the blog here (in left column) to keep in touch and for news of what's next. -- Christine Verstraete

* Thanks for visiting again for this shortened Halloween in Miniature event!

Hope to see you next year!