Two bad mice...

Most of the miniatures from my Canal House have been packed away during my workroom renovation.  A few days ago I started cleaning the house and putting my miniatures back in there.  It is fun to see and handle all of the things I have collected over the years.  A few miniatures are firm favourites of mine.  Like the yellow rubber kitchen gloves.  

I bought the gloves about ten years ago when I first began working on my Canal House.  I always loved those gloves.  Yellow rubber, hollow gloves, just like the real ones.  I did not pack them away with my other miniatures as they are stuck down with wax and they can't break anyway, now can they?   


Have you ever read 'The tale of two bad mice' by Beatrix Potter?   It is one of the earliest books I can remember reading and I always loved it.  Those mice are so cute.  Naughty, but cute.  Unfortunately I think Hunca Munca and Tom Thumb's descendants have found their way into my Canal House.  

Look what they did to my gloves!  They ate my gloves!  After eating one whole finger it must have not been that tasty after all as they then moved on to more promising things.  A box of chocolates (which was filled with sand) and a piece of crisp bread with aniseed sprinkles made from polymer clay.  The aniseed sprinkles are appropriately called 'muisjes' in Dutch, which translates as 'little mice'.  


I doubt that I'll be able to find another pair of these gloves again.  I have never seen them anywhere else.  I'm glad I had stored the rest of my food items in a closed plastic container so the mice didn't touch those.  Poor little things, they must have been pretty hungry to even start eating fake food!



For the past few days I have been in the process of putting all my miniatures back into the house.  I have a few new additions to my kitchen which you have not seen yet.  I put in a small fridge and a butcher's block which I made many years ago for another small project.  The project no longer exists, but I kept the fridge and the butcher's block.  


I think the plans for the fridge came from a magazine.  It even has a light in there but I still need to plug it in.  I should make some eggs for the egg rack.  The pretty auriculas were made by Gill Rawling of Petite Fleur.  I bought those at the Kensington Fair last May.                    


Kim Selwood made the kitchen chairs for me.  I love these.  They are the 'Clisset' ladderback chairs  designed by Ernest Gimson.  Although they are Arts & Crafts chairs, they closely resemble the typical kitchen chairs which could be found in Dutch kitchens for centuries and therefore fit in very well here.  


In trying to keep the dust -and mice!- out of my Canal House, I have now fitted a large sheet of acrylic glass across the front.  If any mice do manage to get in now, I hope they will follow in their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great- grandmother's footsteps:  I have left a dust-pan and broom by the back door.  

Comments

  1. Preciousness are revealed when we searched our treasures.
    These pics are amazing!
    ;)

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    1. Thank you Eliana. It is like unearthing a treasure to unpack all of the miniatures which have been packed away. Even though it has only been for one summer...

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  2. Wat zonde van die prachtige handschoenen, zulke echte heb ik inderdaad ook nog nooit gezien.
    Mooie foto's weer, ik schrijf me bij deze vast in voor je eerste 'hoe maak je mooie foto's van mini's cursus' ;-)

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    1. Haha, Inge...Het is me wel eens vaker gevraagd om daar een klein cursusje aan te wijden. Nou wie weet ;-)

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  3. Well, maybe I found a pair for you, check your inbox :-)

    Love your kitchen and I trust the mice will stay way, if they could read they would be shaking in fear now! ;-)

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    1. Oh that would be great! Nothing in my inbox yet, but I'll keep checking!

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  4. Oh, those naughty mice! That is too bad about the gloves. I had to laugh at your comment regarding the dust pan by the door for any future "inhabitants". Hopefully the glass will keep them out.
    Beautiful photographs by the way!

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    1. Thank you Isabelle. As long as the mice don't figure out how to open the back door it should be OK ;-)

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  5. Sorry about your gloves. They are a treasure indeed. The kitchen looks beautiful. You are a very talented artist

    All best,
    Brad

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  6. Hello Josje,
    I just love your work. I could stare at your amazing pictures all day long! I am very sorry your precious gloves were damaged...poor little mice! IOn the bright side what a lovely story to tell people!
    Big hug,
    Giac

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    1. Ahh thank you Giac! Yes, a little story of mouse vandalism. I hope the baby mice are listening and realise there's nothing in there of real interest to them ;-)

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  7. Dear Josje,
    What a story. I love those little creatures (mouse) but not inside my house. They may stay in my garden. One jumped out of my toaster a few years ago. My husband went searching for the places where a mouse could enter the house. I think we have control over the mouses at the moment. :)
    Hugs Dorien

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    1. Hi Dorien, yes I like mice as well but not in the house. We do get them though, especially in winter. Unfortunately I have to set traps or else they get out of control. I'm not sure where they get in, but I can often hear them between the floors and ceilings.

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  8. Me gusta mucho la cocina. Me encanta la decoración. Se ve tan grande, espaciosa, ordenada y acogedora. Bueno parece que también para los ratones....Has hecho bien en poner el cristal.

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    1. Yes maybe they read the book ;-) I think the glass will keep them out.

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  9. A beautiful kitchen full of amazing miniatures! I have not seen it before so it was a lovely surprise. I had a dollshouse stored in the attic in our previous house, the mice made such a mess and destroyed it completely. I had to take it to the tip. I have kept a lot of the miniatures though. Pam

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    1. What a shame your old dollshouse was ruined. Will you be making a new one for the miniatures from the old house?

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  10. Sembra davvero una storia di Beatrix Potter, ma la realtà tragica ( dei topi in casa) e comica ( che abbiano attraversato la casa sul canale facendo incetta di preziose miniature) mi atterrisce!!! Non c'è niente da fare: " Quando il gatto non c'è, i topi ballano"! :-D penso che i più bei guanti in miniatura, simili ai tuoi sono in vendita da ELF Miniatures!

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    1. Hi Blanche, It is a bit scary to have mice in the dollshouse, I am just glad they didn't have a chance to ruine anything else! I have seen the gloves which ELF sells and, although a good alternative, they're not nearly as real looking as my now ruined gloves. I'll keep searching though, who knows I might strike it lucky one day.

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    2. I tuoi guanti sono molto belli, anche mangiati dai topi. Come tutta la tua cucina, che con le nuove aggiunte è diventata ancora più interessante. Credo che tutti l'abbiamo ammirata in ogni singolo particolare. Anche Delph Miniatures vende dei guanti in gomma, ma sinceramente, non potendoli vedere dal vivo, non si può capire realmente se sono esteticamente perfetti e realistici. Anche il pavimento della cucina è molto bello. Come lo hai realizzato?

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    3. Thank you for your lovely compliments Blanche! And thank you for your suggestion of the gloves from Delph Miniatures. These look like they are pretty close to my yellow ones, they look like they are rubber and all in one piece, not glued together. Yes, they should be examined up close to see what they're like. But thanks again!

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    4. Sono molto curiosa delle miniature, anche se non posso permettermi molto. Tu ne hai di bellissime. Torno spesso a leggere il tuo blog o il tuo sito. Se fosse un libro, credo che lo comprerei subito. Spero che non ti dispiaccia. Sono molto curiosa e ti farei molte domande, perchè la tua dollhouse resta per me un modello di ruferimento.

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    5. Of course I don't mind Blanche, I'm honored by your words. It is a wonderful thing to know something I create gives pleasure to another person. So thank you!

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    6. Sorry Blanche, I forgot to answer the question you asked me earlier...
      I made the floor from thick, firm paper. Or thin cardstock. I marbled the paper first, then cut it into squares and mixed them up. Then glued them onto another piece of thin cardstock, fitting the exact size of the room. I then sprayed the floor with a matt sealer and let it dry very well. The last thing I did was to grout the floor (I use spackle or plaster, sometimes mixed with some paint to give it a little colour). You must be careful during this process, because you are wiping wet grout over the tiles which is basically paper with a thin layer of varnish. And that's it! Put the floor in its place and enjoy ;-)

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  11. I am so sorry about your gloves. I have admired them many times. I will keep a look out for a pair (just like your description) when I go to the Tom Bishop Show.

    Your chairs are beautiful. Perfect for your kitchen. Thank you for posting the new pictures. Like Giac, I could look at them all day!

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    1. Thank you Catherine. If you spot them (not the ones ELF sells) please ask them to reserve a pair for me?? I'd be very grateful!

      It's funny, but even though I see the house every day, I still like it. And even though I can do much better work now than when I made this, I still like it. It is so nice to hear others also like it!

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    3. OPPS! TYPO

      OK... Not the ELF ones. I think I know your tastes well enough to know what you would want. If I see them I will just buy them for you. I would'nt get you anything I wouldn't accept for myself.

      You first house is wonderful! I always enjoy seeing new pictures of it. Maybe your next house will be more sophisticated (in terms of what you have learned) but I can't imagine liking it any more then your first. :-)

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    4. Oh I know I can trust your tastes. Thank you. I was going to ask you if you could just buy me a pair if you found them, but wasn't sure whether that would be a bit forward or not. I was recently told Dutch people can be rather direct, which can be perceived as rude. I never realized that before but I do suppose it is true.

      Thank you for your very sweet comment on my Canal House.

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  12. Es una pena que esos ratones se comieran parte del guante. Su fotos son muy lindas, parece una cocina 1:1 y no mini. Las sillas fantasticas!! Un abrazo!!

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  13. This is a beutiful kitchen. I like the details.
    Bye, Faby

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    1. Thanks Faby. There are a few more things to put back into the kitchen. For some strange reason I put them in another box ;-)

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  14. Wat enorm zonde van je prachtige handschoenen. Muizen in boeken en 1:12 zijn schattig maar in het echt hoef ik ze ook niet in huis.
    Maar je keuken is weer spic en span. Erg mooi!

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    1. Dank je Roelie. Oh ik vind echte muisen ook schattig hoor, maar niet in huis! Ik hoop met het acrylglas ervoor dat het huis ook lang schoon blijft.

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  15. The mice made the scene even that more realistic! Those dastardly mice could never take away from your beautiful room. I love the sunny lighting!

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    1. Haha, that's the type of realism I can do without! Thank you though. The light is thanks to the late afternoon sun which comes into my workroom. I often wait for that time of day to take photos as it is such a warm and bright light.

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  16. Ach wat zonde. Het zijn, zelfs met een vinger minder, wel erg gave keukenhandschoenen. Fijn dat alles weer uitgepakt kan worden want deze keuken verdient het om getoond te worden, zo prachtig. Nu maar hopen dat de muizen afgeknapt zijn op het namaak eten en ergens anders hun heil hebben gezocht.
    Veronique

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    1. Tja, erg functioneel zijn ze niet meer met al die gaten ;-) Maar ze liggen er nog steeds. Wie weet vind ik nog eens een ander paar. Ik heb de afgelopen week geen muizen gehoord en ook geen 'achterlaten bewijs' gevonden, dus ik hoop dat ze weg zijn!

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  17. The kitchen looks so real it's incredible. What a story with the mice...
    Geneviève

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    1. Thank you Geneviève! I hope the story with the mice will not be getting a sequel! ;-)

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  18. Sorry about the gloves, silly mice eating these things...have they no sense of smell??
    I loved your pictures, this kitchen is wonderful and inspiring---

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    1. Thank you Linda!
      That's just what I was thinking. There must be something in the polymers that attracts them or else I just don't understand why they eat this stuff. And they really eat it, it is gone. Not just chew on it or I would have found bits of glove laying around. But no. ;-)

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  19. Una cocina fantástica, me encanta el espacio y la distribución de los muebles.

    Besos, Narán

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  20. Hi Josje! I have had my own bad experiences with rodent invasion in the doll's house! I had Two of my fully furnished doll's house stored away for years in the garage during my "Not Interested in Miniatures Anymore", phase. During that time, Norwegian Woodrats, made a beeline for the doll's houses and chewed the cloth covered walls to shreds, overturned and decimated anything that they deemed edible and then they fled the scene of their crimes. Eventually, I became aware of what they had done and the clean up began but there were many items that had to be trashed and what the rats didn't ruin, the moisture from the uninsulated garage did. I have learned my lesson although it was a difficult one and When I refer to that carnage I call the perpetrators, "Hunca Muncas" rather than rats. Somehow, it sounds more forgivable that way.
    I am sorry about those rubber gloves as they were some of the first things that you laid you eyes on when viewing your wonderful kitchen. However, I don't see why you could not try to make a replacement pair yourself, Josje. Your skills as a miniature artisan are Considerable to say the least, and you have never been afraid of a good challenge now have you! ? :D

    elizabeth

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    1. Oh Elizabeth, what a horror story! Are your doll's houses safely indoors now?
      I agree 'Hunca Muncas' sounds like they can be easier forgiven than rats. The Hunca Muncas in the world have a lot on their conscience! The name may yet turn into a verb: Oh no, my house has been huncamuncaed!
      As for making the rubber gloves myself, I have thought of that. I could make a mold for hands out of polymer clay which could then be dipped in liquid latex or something. I think the biggest problem here is to get hold of a small amount of the right coloured thin latex.

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    2. You see, Josje! I knew that you could find a way to make it happen. It usually follows right on the heels of necessity. I think that you are on to something though.
      Happy hunting down the perfect solution, Josje. We are all cheering you on; along the sidelines!

      elizabeth

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    3. Thank you Elizabeth! I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you ;-)

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  21. Hai Josje, ik moest wel lachen om je muizenverhaal, hoor, maar zeker niet om het resultaat:wat zonde van die prachtige handschoenen! Maar je hebt nu wel unieke, die heeft écht niemand moet je maar denken ;)! Ik vind het verhaal van Hunka Munka ook heel toepasselijk nu, goed gekozen :D!
    Je keuken is overigens een plaatje met of zonder kapotte keukenhandschoenen.....
    Groetjes, Ilona

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    1. Dank je Ilona. Je mag er gerust om lachen hoor, ik doe dat ook, door mijn tranen heen natuurlijk, haha (zie je wel?) ;-) Ach welja, in het grote geheel is het helemaal niet zo erg.
      Toen ik een jaar of vier,vijf was kreeg ik twee Beatrix Potter boekjes, Twee stoute muizen en Minetje Miezemuis. Het verhaal van Hunka Munka is me altijd bijgebleven, terwijl ik net moest opzoeken waar Minetje Miezemuis ook weer over ging.

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  22. Hi Josje! It's such a gorgeous kitchen! Packed full of interesting things! All of your pictures look like they're from a real kitchen, the details are delightful! It's a shame about the mouse damage but they will have a nibble at almost anything! Kind regards, Brian.

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    1. Aww thank you very much Brian. I must start thinking about feeding them myself, with mashed up birth control pills mixed through the feed of course ;-))

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  23. How about these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Yellow-Rubber-Gloves-for-Dishwashing-DOLLHOUSE-/120557911782?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c11cfbee6

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    1. Thank you very much Bridget! Unfortunately these are not the ones I am looking for. Mine are molded ones, from very thin rubber (or latex) exactly like the real ones. I really appreciate your help though!

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  24. I bet you couldn't believe what you were seeing! Such a pity :( Apparently mice can become addicted to a chemical in some plastics. A while ago we were clearing out our storage cupboard at the NZ cottage after it had been unoccupied for quite a long time and all of the plastic storage containers made of the same type of plastic had been nibbled, and in some cases eated almost completely. Not only that but they ate through the plastic covering on electrical wiring as well! The electrician who came to repair that said it's quite a common problem in unoccupied houses and it seems that once these little devils get a 'taste' for the plastic there's no stopping them.

    On a more positive note, it's nice to see your kitchen again. It has such a lovely ambience.

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    1. Ohh that's really bad! The cleaning up is very annoying and can be costly depending on what they have ruined, but the elctrical wiring...that's really dangerous. I didn't know mice would eat the plastic coating of electrical wiring. In Holland all the wiring runs through plastic tubes, you can't run just the wires, they have to be inside the tubing. In the older part of my house these tubes are still metal ones. I have thought of getting those replaced, but maybe that's not such a good idea then ;-)

      Yesterday I also put back the furniture in the bedroom, including of course your box with the letters :-)

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    2. It was fortunate in a way that they'd chewed through the wiring as well, that's why we called the electrician, some of the lights wouldn't work. You can image what happens when they do that if the wire is live - one very fried mouse!

      I'm very happy always to know that my little box lives in your canal house :)

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  25. Bad BAD Mice!!! What a shame that they ate your favorite things!!! I have always admired those gloves... as well as Everything in your Canal House! And the book is also a favorite of mine... I imagine many of us fell in love with miniatures when we first heard that story as children! I hope you find a replacement for the gloves! And to have a "cover" for your house is a fantasy of mine... I just can't figure out how to cut the plexiglass to the right size!!! As usual, your minis are inspiring... a tiny fridge WITH a Light inside???? This is Awesome!!!

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    1. Betsy, the plexiglass sheet was almost the exact size of my dollshouse. It is only two centimeters higher so I just left that on. You should be able to cut it with a sharp hand saw or a circular saw if you have one. But these sheets are not that cheep and if you mess up...They do crack easily. I also need a cover for the garden area to keep the dust and rodents out. I think I will try and find a company who can make this for me before I start cutting up sheets myself.
      Speaking of cutting up plexiglass, the tiny fridge has a drawer in the bottom which also has a sheet of plexiglass on top. As I made the fridge in the days I did not have any powertools yet, I must have cut the plexiglass with a hand saw.

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  26. Hello Josje,

    While your gloves were beautiful, I do not would replace personally, I would buy new for another house, but not this one. These gloves have a true story, now, do not remove them. I must say that I find them even more beautiful now. Symbolically, they make me think that there is really life in our small houses, the proof! : D

    I love the idea of ​​little mice have been wanting to make their home there. What have they thought ... the truth is stranger than fiction! : D
    Usually, we only see "untrue" mice live in the small universes that we love ...

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    1. Aww, that is a lovely thought Léa! Real life in the dollshouse...You are right, I should leave the gloves there to remind us of life and the stories that go with it!

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  27. Hallo Josje,

    Wat zonde dat de muizen je handschoenen te pakken hebben gekregen. Ik heb deze handschoenen vorig jaar nog ergens te koop gezien en moest meteen aan jou keuken denken. Ik ben al even aan het zoeken geweest of ik de webshop terug kon vinden waar ze te koop waren. Als ik ze vind laat ik het je wel even weten.Nu maar hopen dat de muizen zich geen weg banen door je acrylplaat....

    Groetjes Xandra

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    1. Dank je Xandra! Ik vind het zo lief dat zoveel mensen de moeite nemen om nieuwe handschoenen voor me te vinden. Mocht je ze vinden dan hoor ik het graag!

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  28. Oh dear, Josje! Those poor little mice must have been starving, to eat rubber gloves and then move on to fake food.

    I think I've seen gloves like yours somewhere else but I'm not sure where (hollow gloves, not the ELF gloves). If I ever come across them again I will be sure to tell you.

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    1. Yes that's what I thought too Anna. It is a bit sad really. But I don't understand why they don't go outside, lots of food to be found there. It was summer after all.
      If you find the gloves again (and indeed not the ELF ones, haha) I would really appreciate a little note. Thanks!!

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  29. Hallo Josje.

    Ik heb rubber handschoenen gevonden maar ze zijn wel net weer even anders...http://www.poppenhuis.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=handschoen&x=5&y=7

    Groetjes Xandra

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    1. Die gekleurde zijn leuk! Maar het zijn inderdaad niet degene die ik had/heb. In ieder geval bedankt voor het zoeken!

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  30. Hi Josje,

    I'm so sorry about your gloves! I hope you will find another pair and I will keep my eyes out for them. Your kitchen is exquisite even without the gloves. Those chairs are just marvelous! How I wish I had put a kitchen in my dollhouse...oh well.

    XOXO,
    John

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    1. Thank you John! With so many people looking out for a new pair of gloves, I'm sure I'll get another pair some day. As for your non-existent kitchen...there's always a next project ;-))And I'm sure a kitchen by your hand would be so much more glam than mine!

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  31. Ha ha zo vind je nog iets uit Josje.
    Van ongelukjes komen vaak de leukste dingen.
    Gaaf zo je keuken, mag je trots op zijn.
    Fijne zondag nog en tot laterrrr

    xx Conny

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    1. Ja leuk toch dat iedereen zo wil helpen? Of ik het zelf voor elkaar krijg is de vraag hoor, want hoe kom je aan vloeibare latex in precies de goeie kleur geel?
      Het hele huis is inmiddels weer ingericht en is bijna klaar. Nou ja, met 'bijna' bedoel ik dat 90% af is, dus het zal nog wel een jaartje duren voordat het écht af is. ;-)
      Jij ook een fijne zondag! (wat ben jij trouwens vroeg op!!!)

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  32. Me encanta la cocina es perfecta, una verdadera preciosidad.
    Un abrazo.
    Yolanda

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  33. Whoa! What beautiful work. And so sorry to see your gloves were destroyed.
    Quick question - do you remember which magazine the fridge plans came from? I have been looking for a miniature fridge just like that and would love to make my own if possible!

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    1. Thank you! Which magazine...well it was probably one of the Dutch magazines, most likely Poppenhuizen & Miniaturen. It was a long time ago though, maybe 9 or 10 years!

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  34. Hi Josje - Love to follow your blog. Sorry about the gloves but do not worry. At Minimumworld in England you can find the exact gloves for at price of £ 6,99. Just search for gloves and you will find a picture.
    Love from Jette

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    1. Hello Jette, thank you for your tip! They are almost the same, but not quite I'm afraid. Mine are the yellow ones and these are brown. Thank you anyway, I do appreciate it!

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  35. Josje, je moet je huisdieren toch echt beter voeren! Die stakkerds!
    Maar zonde van die leuke handschoenen...

    Groetjes,
    Elly

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    1. Ja, zielig hè? Voor die muizen bedoel ik ;-)

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  36. hallo josje
    prachtige dingen maak je.
    groetjes Marja
    http://mijnminihobby.blogspot.nl/

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  37. Your canal house is magnificent - so many lovely details in just the kitchen. What a shame those naughty mice ate the finger of the glove! Hope they had a severe tummy ache afterwards, serve them right. Having the perspex sheet over the opening of the house will certainly make it easier to keep unwanted visitors out, as well as reducing the dust factor. Hugs, Sandie

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    1. Thank you Sandie. So far the perspex sheet is doing a great job ;-)

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  38. Sorry about your gloves :(
    The kitchen is looking so Cousy , and I love the chair.
    Hope to see you in London in May

    Hug Janne

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    1. Hi Janne, it would be nice to come to London again next year. Who knows? ;-)

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  39. I adore this kitchen. Maybe these?? http://www.amazon.com/Dollhouse-Miniature-Pair-Rubber-Gloves/dp/B003BQ2KB2

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  40. I love your kitchen. Maybe these gloves?? http://www.amazon.com/Dollhouse-Miniature-Pair-Rubber-Gloves/dp/B003BQ2KB2

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    1. They do look very similar, don't they? Thank you very much!

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