Behind the Scenes » My Mouse Family

One afternoon, as I was reorganizing my (incredibly messy) craft supplies, I knocked a jar of paintbrushes behind a bookshelf in a fit of overzealous dusting. Dragging the shelf away from the wall, I was shocked to discover a small opening about four inches tall chewed into the baseboard, and little did I know at the time, but my life would never again be the same. That was the day I met the Nutmegs, a family of adorable white mice who had been living behind my bedroom wall, and I was so taken by them that I happily converted a few shelves of my bookcase into a mouse-sized abode with all of the necessary creature comforts.

Mice in the Kitchen

Much to my surprise, Papa and Mama Nutmeg had always dreamed of opening their very own pastry shop, so over the next few months, I collected bits and pieces of balsa wood to build a homey kitchen, and Mama Nutmeg was thrilled at the thought of looking through my decorative paper supplies to pick out a suitable pattern for the wallpaper. Before long, the kitchen was buzzing with activity, and the Nutmegs are tickled pink to see their scrumptious treats being sold in their very own online shop. Pleased with the success of their tiny sweets, they have expanded their culinary adventures to include a host of savory treats as well. (If the librarian only knew the real reason why I check out so many cookbooks…)

The Family Grows

As if having a family of mice baking tiny treats in my bedroom weren’t enough, the family has since expanded to include a delightful new member, Mayumi. Although she towers above the Nutmegs, they’ve happily accommodated her in their tiny home as best they can, and plans are already in the works to convert a few rooms of their mouse house into dwelling space of Mayumi-sized proportions. And just in time, too, because Mayumi has agreed to help me write my first book about the Nutmegs, and she’ll need plenty of room for tackling the storyboards and book layout!

Be sure to follow the Mouse Market adventures on my blog, and welcome to the Nutmegs’ miniature world!