Questions, questions, questions :-)

It was a beautiful day and the little ones were sitting in the kitchen while Uncle Ukki prepared lunch.

They were chit-chatting about all kind of stuff and admiring the new wall paper Uncle Ukki received from a gnome from the other side of ( this) world.

Uncle Ukki finally decided to put up a painting he had for a long time and he was in a very good mood.

Barby was reading quietly as usual when suddenly she asked: "Uncle Ukki, I've read the Gnome book from A to Z but there is something I cannot find . . . . ."

"What is it Barby dear ?" Uncle Ukki asks her.

"Well, I'm trying to find out why the sky is blue ! I did check your Great Book of Knowledge but there are missing pages and where the missing pages should be there was this very old photograph."

"Yes yes look Uncle Ukki ! This fell out of your book!"
 Arthur held up a very odd looking picture.

"Oh dear. . . ." Uncle Ukki replied and he paused for a minute.
He had a frown on his face as if he was thinking very hard.

"Children, the man on the photo and the man on the painting are one and the same man.

He is the Great King Ollamh and he is one of the few Gnomes who is responsible for feeding a creature called Skugga."

The little ones started talking all at once: who is Skugga ! what does he feed the Skugga ! what does that has anything to do with the blue sky!  why are the pages missing?!!!

Uncle Ukki raised his voice and told them to be quite.

"CHILDREN ! Our lunch is ready so first : lets eat ! "

 While we eat you take a close look at the painting of King Ollamh, it's a magical painting and if we call him with our thoughts he will hear us and come soon and tell you himself what 

his task is in this world."

Uncle Ukki has said enough, the little ones were quite as a mouse :-) and while enjoying their lunch they looked up at the painting and tried very hard to think about this Great King.

 To be continued. . . . .

Uncle Ukki tells the story of Mother Holle

Uncle Ukki moved with the children to his winter-home and one day much to their surprise, a Raven delivered two little mousies onto their doorstep : Baby Sugar and her sister Lola.

Sugar could only sleep if Lola played a little song on her music box.

Of course they were received with open arms and they felt immediately at home.

One night the little ones were nicely tucked in, ready for their bedtime story.

 Uncle Ukki, we are a bit confused ! Ginny said

We don't really understand what the Sandman and Mother Holle got to do with each other.Can you please explain?

Oh my goodness little ones, didn't I tell you about them ? 

Well, it's a long story and a bit complicated but I try to tell it so you'll understand.

Mother Holle is very very old, maybe as old as the world.

She is the patroness of gnomes, spinners and weavers and she used to hang out with Wodan, the ancient German god.

Nowadays she lives in a European forest and she protects the castle of the Sandman. 

She can make snow by shaking her pillow and making her bed

If someone comes looking for the Sandman ( mainly manufacturers of sleeping pills ) she makes so much snow that these people get lost and  give up looking for him.

In ancient times, between Christmas until the first days of January,

she went on a Wild Hunt with Wodan.

They had an army of dead people, animals and fairies and went in  pursuit for the Wolf Fenrir who has eaten the Sun.

They always succeeded, that is why the Sun comes back in January.

During the Hunt Mother Holle also checks if the spinners and weavers had finished their yearly work and haven't been lazy.

Well, she is of course very old and she enjoys her peaceful life in the mountains now.

Her disappearing is very strange, so I hope the Sandman finds her soon. 

Hahahaa, you all fall asleep little ones !

Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite :-)

 

The sad Snowman ......and a happy ending

SNOW SNOW  ! ! 

Arthur and Ginny hurried outside with their new sleigh !

Wow Arthur, look at this white world, it's a pity Higgins couldn't join us, he had to help Uncle Ukki.

Wait Arthur ! Do you hear that ?

They heard a woefully sound, it was like a sad song. 

They listened carefully and yes the sound came out of a cave nearby .

Oh my goodness ! There stood a Snowman singing a very very sad song. . .
What's the matter mister Snowman ?
And then he started to tell his story. . . . . .

♫ I came from the heavens as snow

                                             you know

    I fell on the ground, just looking at the sky

    Then a little boy passes by

♫ He made me, I think it was yesterday

    when he was finished, he ran away

♫ If snow becomes a snowman

    you are born again

   Now I have eyes for sight

    to see this world's delight

♫ But I wish I was in another place

    instead of this tiny space

♫ I'm standing in this little hole

    I might just have been snow under someone's sole

♫ I'm all alone, nothing to see

    Even the stars can't smile down on me

♫ I have never seen the moon

    And I will be melting soon

♫ So, no memories to share with Mother Earth

   What has my life been worth ?
The poor Snowman cried a big icicle  
His head and arms hang down 

 Oh mister Snowman, I know what to do !

Wait a sec, I'll be right back ! 
They ran and ran as fast as their little legs could carry them. 
Before the Snowman could blow his carrot nose he saw a merry parade coming his way !

Mister Snowman, here is something beautiful to look at and we brought you a little friend of us to keep you company.

His name is Duff and he is a bear so he likes being in a cave and don't mind snow.

He will be your friend until you melt !

The Snowman couldn't believe his little charcoal eyes.

That was the most beautiful tree to see ! And this little bear wants to be friends !

When Arthur and Ginny went back home the Snowman had a big smile and he and Duff waved them goodbye .

Little Duff is made by Sharon:
http://folksy.com/shops/riamelin


Little mice by Barby Anderson : 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/barby303?ref=seller_info 

Someone's lurking . . . . .

Pheeew, I promised further pics and so on about the house but I needed to make things. . . 

I had a X- mas present to finish and I can't show you :-( , my dear friend Barby who is the one receiving it is also reading this blog and it's a surprise ( she knows about the present but she don't know what it is )

Well, when I'm busy creating, all kind of animals cross my mind and as soon as I finished Barby's F. . oops, I started a new birdie, Helen H posted  a beautiful photo of a snowy owl a while ago and it wouldn't go out of my head. 

So here he is, not finished yet :

 Haaa, it feels so good creating again !

I'm especially looking forward to making his big feet :-)

I commented on your lovely comments  on my previous post but it's gone ! I don't know what happened !!!!!

THE ARRIVAL OF BAKER !!!!!

Ukki ! Ukki

Children Quick !! Take your seats ! Spoon is here with Baker !!!!!

Oooooh Uncle Ukki, it's so exciting ! We're having a great Party ! 

YES ! There he is !!!

Hello Baker and welcome ! Uncle Ukki has a present for you !

Little Ginny gave Baker her party hat and Baker opened her present smiling from ear to ear. . . . . 

WOODEN SHOES !!!!

Baker Baker it's like they are special made for you !!!

Baker kept smiling , she was sooo happy she couldn't say a word. Uncle Ukki and the little ones understood , they knew that was going to change soon enough . . . . . .

Frightening discovery part 2

Arthur was intrigued by the Uldra and followed him everywhere but the Uldra was a second out of Arthur's sight and the creature got his hands on a poor bird!

Uncle Ukki took the bird easily out of the Uldra's hands and set the bird free

All right little ones, that's it !

I have this plan. . . . . .  did you see Spoon this morning?

He agreed to help me and I need your help too little ones.

As I told you, the Uldra won't leave the house but his greed will lure him outside.

He loves grapes more then anything so if you will go outside and hold the grapes and call him, Spoon will get into action.

The little ones called and called and yes! There he was!

Before anyone noticed what happened :

 Bravo Spoon ! Take him as far as you can !!!

Okay children, I suspect we will hear more of him but for now ; Lets drink a nice cup of tea !

Frightening discovery !!!!!

One morning, Ginny, Arthur and Higgins were up very early and decided to watch the geese flying over.

But My Oh My what is this !!!

It looks like a Stork baby!

Higgins speaks the bird-language, but no response from the bird.

They quickly ran inside to get Uncle Ukki.

Uncle Ukki stumbled out of bed ( forgot to put on his slippers) and ran with the children outside

They managed to get him inside and on the kitchen table,

Well Uncle Ukki's  vision wasn't good but there was nothing wrong with his nose ! SUDDENLY !!!!

 The bird changed into something horrible! Uncle Ukki fell over and the little ones screamed !!!

Oh my oh my what was this! Arthur ran to get some dates!

Little ones, this is an Uldra!
I know now what happened with my glasses, he did something with it.
He knows that a gnome recognize an Uldra in disguise immediately and you little ones have no experience with them.
He disguises himself to get into the house, at night he will check the house of innocent people and if he likes it he wants to be invited in.
Of course no one lets him in as soon as they see it's an Uldra and that is why he disguises himself.
When he is invited in, he won't leave.
When he is not invited in he can't stay in the house ( there are other creatures who have these rules)


An Uldra is a creature who originally lives way up North but these days you find them more and more all over the world.
They have one light coloured eye and one dark coloured eye, so they can see during the day and at night.
You see the leash on his neck? When Uldra's are born the mother gives them a leash right away!
They are not too bright and they will forget who their mother is so they are kept on a leash.
The mother of course is also not so bright and she will forget which child is hers if it's not on a leash.
The creatures are quite harmless but because they are a bit ( very ) stupid, they see no harm in harming animals or humans.
They just doesn't understand hurt ( unless it's themselves who's hurt)
Well I will come up of a way to get rid of him and in the meanwhile we keep him busy with fruit, he is a vegetarian and loves dates and prunes!


To be continued. . . . . .

Pyjama !

Good morning little ones! What are you doing?

Good morning Uncle Ukki ! 

We  are knitting a pyjama for the little piggie, we heard Helen say he needs a pyjama.

But Ginny, where did you learn to knit?

Well Uncle Ukki, I guess we didn't tell you but Arthur and I lived in Scotland for a while, as a matter of fact, on the Fair Isle, a tiny island that is part of the Shetland Islands.

They make beautiful knit-work and we learned it from a very nice man.

Higgins can not knit but we are teaching him and he is trying very hard. ( see his tongue hanging out :-)

We let him knit the leg part of the pyjama so he only needs one colour .

Well children it looks very good !

Thank you Uncle Ukki! Can you move a bit you're blocking our example!

So, I'll have to take measures and see how the colour is matching

The Reunion !

This was an exciting week, first Pa Gnome send us photos from the little Sun bear, yesterday we've got another letter with pics of Pa and the little bear

We of course were very happy with the pics but the surprise came this morning !

 It was a very very happy reunion ! !

The family will not stay long with Uncle Ukki, they will be travelling all the way to Ohio 

 Look at Pa's happy face !

They are going to live in Hittyville and if you want to know what happens in that magical world : http://hittyvillefriends.blogspot.com/

mischief # 2 ( April you were right ! )

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  UNCLE UKKIIIIIIIIIIII

A letter from Mama !

Children, come sit with me !

I've got a letter from your Mama

This is what she writes :

Dear Ukki, little ones and children,

I know I promised to be with you last week.

I couldn't come home because there was a little colony of fruit bats that called for my help.

They were driven away from their territory and needed a new place to live.

The gnomes and I found a perfect spot for them but the little bats needed a little time adjusting and comforting.

I\ll be home this week, the fruit bats are doing great now !

Many hugs and kisses,

Mama 

p.s. I include some  photos of the little bats

Oh how sweet of your Mama, look here are the photos:

The fruit bats are made with the Mouse Needle Felting Class of Barby Anderson

Barby's Etsy shop : http://www.etsy.com/listing/77364052/dressed-mousebunny-class-combined-needle