The Mouse House...In the Spirit of Christmas

Hawaii's famous miniature "Mouse House," built by Hawaii's beloved fine artist, Martha Greenwell, took over 8 years to finish! For 20 years, at Christmas time, it was on display for the Queen's Hospital. It now lives at the Isaacs Art Center at Hawaii Prepatory Academy on The Big Island of Hawaii. The whimsical village features handmade wooden mouse characters in tiny settings that incorporate everything from an antique horseshoe barrel, sewing machine drawer and medicine tin to a horseshoe nail box, kerosene lantern and wooden Japanese bucket. All of the historic artifacts came from the attic and tool shed belonging to her in-laws of Palani Ranch. Using a jeweler's saw to craft miniature mice made of bass wood, Greenwell created, painted, collected and assembled a Christmas Village where mice are cooking, sewing, wreath making and candy making--all wrapped up in imaginative vignettes that combine her passion for collecting miniature furniture along with her expertise as a Christmas ornament maker. Author, Suzy McGregor, so loved getting to know the real Mouse that she created this delightful Mouse House Christmas Story that awakens the glee in us to rejoice in the joy of helping ourselves and others celebrate the magic of Christmas. This is a story of a dream seed that years later, became a reality, bringining happiness to many hearts!