Thank you!

This month marks the one year anniversary of MousesHouses!

The mouse crew is so grateful to you for following us, and for all the lovely comments and support you've given. Thank you!

rain

noodles

"No day is so bad that pasta can't make it better"

-M. Sacks

Granddad

Redwall

We raise a cup of October Ale to the memory of Brian Jacques

"mouseland"

And now for something completely different; a short film of me in my studio, by my lovely son, Sam Alden (gingerlandcomics.blogspot.com)

fitting

mermouse

Have you ever seen a mermouse, swimming in the seagrass?

snit

Someone is grumpy

far from home

Nadim Damluji sent me this photo of his little travelling companion, surely the farthest one of my mice has ever been from home!! You can follow Nadim's adventures during his Watson Fellowship year at http://tintintravels.tumblr.com/

home and warm

He is home from his walk in the woods...so many concerned followers were worried about his cold paws that I gave him a steamy foot bath!

snowy day

party dress

She's on her way to a birthday soiree, wearing a dress made out of camellia petals and a daisy hat.

Happy Birthday, Laura!

baby bath

This is a scene from my book...the baby is having his bath in an eye cup, while his pet woolly bear looks on. You can see a few more pages at http://books.simonandschuster.ca/House-that-Mouse-Built/Pam-Abrams/9781935703259/graphic_excerpt. Photo by Bruce Wolf.

glasses

royalty

The mouse princeling waves to his subjects

Thanksgiving

The mice are giving thanks for their roast walnut feast and I am giving thanks for my family, friends and followers.

Happy Holidays!

Behind the scenes

Here we are, shooting the photographs for "The House that Mouse Built". Bruce has an astounding set-up, and I got quite an education watching him light the scenes. I'm making yet another mouse micro-adjustment here while Bruce does his deep-breathing exercises (not really, he was incredibly patient, even when my dogs were sitting on his feet). Photo by Maddie Odenborg.

jungle

artist

paperfight

...unless they're having a paperfight!

storytime

Reading to small children makes you feel like a rock star

Portrait of a Gentleman

upsy-daisy

I just wanted to thank everyone for your nice comments, and to let you know that I've finally finished all the scenes for my upcoming picture book! You can see a mock-up of the cover here:

http://books.simonandschuster.com/House-that-Mouse-Built/Pam-Abrams/9781935703259

or here: http://www.amazon.com/House-that-Mouse-Built/dp/1935703250

hot tub

My sister gave me this beautiful cup and saucer for my birthday, and as you can see, we are getting a lot of use out of it. Thank you, Susy!

Venus

mushroom

contract

She has returned from the big city with a book contract! It will published in March '11, and is called "The House that Mouse Built".

comics

Hardworking mouse cartoonist,

inspired by my son Sam Alden. Check out his great work at

gingerlandcomics.blogspot.com

more mouse grooming

I made this ewer out of an acorn modified with fimo and then painted. The stand is made from bent brass safety pins.

vanity

The well-groomed mouse brushes her face every morning

oven

a loaf of mouse bread, the size of a lima bean

Greetings from Mouseland!

I have been away from internet access for a few days and have returned to find my followers list tripled! So I need to thank Nikki for featuring me on her blog, and also thank all of my new followers who've left me so many encouraging comments.

To answer a common question; I am not selling the mice at this point but I am working to develop ways to show them. I am in talks now with a publisher to develop a children's book.

I will keep you posted!

Thanks, Maggie

piggyback

the basket is made from a poppy pod

fandancer

The fans are a pair of earrings

cookie

If you give Nadim a mouse...

picnic

This reminds me of some chilly English picnics I went on in my youth.

The grassy field in the picture is a furry green sweater.

dancing mice

Prom night in Mouseland

waiting

Coupla guys,

waiting around

travelling mouse

This young mouse is going to NYC with her aunt Laura...she hopes to have a book contract in her little suitcase when she returns!

Her dress is made from fabric that came from my great- grandmother Jessie's quilt stash

mouse lit

illustrations were painted with three-hair brush and the aid of a magnifying glass

Sam and Toby

This pair looks eerily like my sons

change purse

mouse games

a fierce game of mouse lacrosse

bedtime story

knitting

bed

portrait

Closeup of a portrait in one of the houses, painted on a necklace pendant

intrepid trio