For weeks, Ava has been working on her 'mouse house' -- a collection of old shoe, cereal etc boxes with all sorts of different functions inside. It's really becoming such an extensive project! Sara, Pim and Casper have joined the fun as well -- they each have their own houses too now; they even run businesses. For example, Sara has a print shop and makes kitchenware, Ava sells pillows, Pim runs the bank and a public transport company...

I thought it would be fun to show you some photos of their mouse house city -- it's truly ingenious what they have invented. And best part of it that it's all made of junk! (Haha, yesterday Pim made me drink a beer because he needed the cap to make another wheel for his bus!)

Ava's mouse house

This is Ava's mouse house (the original house), with upstairs the lounge with a sofa, a rug (woven herself), pillows (hand sewn), a fire place with logs, a bed, a flat screen television (can be folded away). Downstairs there's a bathroom with a shower, toilet, a washing machine, wash basin with hot and cold water... There are towels which hang from hooks of the walls, there are tooth brushes, tooth paste, shower gel (and a shelf for the shower gel), a basket for spare rolls of loo paper...

There also is a kitchen with a fridge full of with delicious food. In the cabinets there are plates, pizza boxes, cups... Flowers are on the table, a door leads to the garden. (Or you can take the slide from upstairs, of course!)

In the garden a pool, a trampoline, lounge chairs, a swing, and a clothes line.

A roof terrace

Yesterday Ava had one of her girlfriends over for a play date and the girls added a roof terrace to the mouse house -- with a bar, restaurant and a podium for performances. There's a menu to order from, and all of the drinks and food and snacks hang from baskets from the side. Ha, I would love to hang out there, what cool space!

In Ava's city, there's a home for old people too. All the mice wear glasses here! With a grand piano, cool art on the walls and a games table.

Pim's house (above) is as tidy as his own room -- with neatly ordered sushi on plates, and a cool artwork (made by Sara) above the table. Sara's mouse house (below) has a cute table also with sushi rolls, and a little notebook. There even are miniature chopsticks and pencils!

Each of the children have a car, a phone and a wallet. In their wallets is a tiny debit card which they use to buy goods from each other. They go up to Pim's cash machine, pay, and in the 'bank' money is transferred from one person to another. They also each have a public transport card (Pim runs a bus company). And, they all have a mail box attached to their houses where the newspaper is delivered, plus fun magazines.

Intellectual property

Here's a photo of the bank, and the 'Patent sheet' used to protect their intellectual properties, to make their economy work. For example, Sara is the only one entitled to make sushi, chopsticks, dinner plates and magazines. Pim makes cars and televisions with remote controls. He also is the owner of the cash machine and publishes the newspaper. Ava makes telephones and debit cards and has made quite some money by selling her hand sewn pillows.

Isn't this just adorable? They have such fun and I think it is just the sweetest and most creative thing ever. And so clever, with their patent system and the way they make their finances work!

The great thing is also that they made almost all with things they find in the recycling. The only things I needed to buy as they finished all of the supplies are masking tape, hot glue sticks and black duct tape.

Perhaps your children will be inspired to make something similar. If they do, please tag me as I would love to see their creations!

Have a happy weekend!

xxx Esther

PS Cool conker spiderwebs, a fun autumn craft!