Bramble Downs Common

Lots of thinking and planning and drawing up charts has been going on... 

When I was young I had a set of books by Jane Pilgrim...Blackberry Farm.  I still have these books...somewhere.  Either buried away in the loft somewhere or stored in boxes with a load of other books.  Sadly I just can't remember where and I am not about to scramble around the loft as have too many other things to do.  However, the stories remain a strong memory and some in particular I remember with fondness.  So I thought I might make my own 'Blackberry Farm' equivalent and have been thinking of families and stories that I can develop.  I blame my little Sylvanian Cavy Family - they started it all really.  I was just going to have them, and in fact it will only be them for a while, but in the meantime I can plan.

I think my little community will be called 'Bramble Downs Common' and at the moment I am thinking along the lines of another five families:

Squirrel, Hedgehog, Mole, Badger and Otter.  I have thought of some story lines, although only an outline so far.

Mr Bobby Badger will be the local policeman and his wife Beatrice is a bit of a busy body, but means well and likes to bake cakes and organise fêtes.  In his spare time Mr Bobby Badger likes to spend time in his garden, and also enjoys a game of chess with Professor Mahonia Mole.  

The squirrel family I am taking the characters very much from the Blackberry Farm story which was one of my favourites where the mother made a dress for her daughter.    So Mrs Squirrel will be a dressmaker, who lives on her own with her daughter as her husband is absent.  The reason for his absence is not known at this stage.

The Cavy family hope to eventually run a boarding house/hotel, as they enjoy having guests.

This will indeed be a long term project as no little families can join me at present, and I have very little materials available to build the various homes they will live in.  But I think it will be fun, and worth working for.

I have to say a big thanks to Vicki of Hittyville Gazette who has indirectly given me the courage to follow through with this project that has been nestled in my mind for a long time.