Girlfriends Weekend-17 Years & Still Going

The 2016 annual Halloween girlfriends gathering 
 was hosted by Teresa, at Hard Cracker Farm. 

What does  Hard Cracker mean............
Hard Tack is a simple type of biscuit or cracker,

 made from flour, water, and salt.  Inexpensive and

 long-lasting, it was used for sustenance during

 long sea voyages, overland migrations and
 military campaigns. 
It's literally a "hard cracker" that lasts for years. 

This year we spent the weekend in the 
newly finished guest cabin. 

Saturday morning Teresa's hubby David cooked
 and served us a full breakfast at the big house.
Yea, he's a keeper for sure.

Sunday morn we had campfire coffee, oatmeal 

 and fresh pears from Teresa's heirloom tree.

Glorious weather and a beautiful view.

There is always something to delight 
the eye at Hard Cracker Farm.


Step inside for a peek at Teresa's
full size country dollhouse!



My hubs made a walnut plate rack as my
 hostess gift.  Teresa and David were over
the moon.  It matches the other walnut
 furniture in the cabin and luckily was 
just the right size

The weather was so mild
we were snug in our beds 
without a fire.

We played silly games by lamp light and laughed

the laugh that only girlfriends share.

The cabin has all the amenities,

including a flashlight in case we 
needed a midnight privy run.

The heirloom tree produced bushels of the
 biggest tastiest pears I've ever seen or eaten.
Full of juice and crisp like an apple.  Teresa's
warm Pear Crisp dessert is delicious.  

 The ones at the top of the tree 

needed some coaxing.

Cinders braved the ladder and was
 armed against the hail of pears as
she shook the limbs. 

Sunday we strolled the paths and visited the castle 
ruins at Ha Ha Tonka (laughing waters) State Park.
Photo from:  Ozarks Parks

Shelby was our constant companion and protector
 from the Halloween goblins and ghouls.

As always, we had a great time catching
up, laughing and sharing.   
 Sadly, the weekend came to an end,
but we look forward with joy to next year!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Fall

National Toy & Miniature Museum- Architectural Dollhouses

By the time I visited the architectural dollhouse
section I was very short on time, so I stopped by
three of my favorites.  This large half timber 
English country home is a delight, inside and 
out.  So much to see......

 
No interior lighting, so these are a 
little blurry, (hard to keep my hand steady)
 but, I hope you will enjoy the peek anyway.

William Robertson spent 5 years of full time work
building the double sided Twin Manors, a Georgian
 Colonial circa 1790.  The attention to authenticity
and detail is absolutely jaw dropping, right down
to the microscopic door latches that can be locked
with a tiny key.

A few of the 13 spectacular rooms.

 

If you would like to learn more about

Twin Manors, click these links from

 the Toy & Miniature Blog....it's amazing.

Twin Manors-Seeing Double 
Furnishings Fit For A Georgian Colonial 
Dining In A Manor 
The Devil's In The Details
Moving Twin Manors-A View Of The Front 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The House That Abe Built is an authentic

 replica of Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home.

I admit, this is my favorite.  Even though it 

appears simple, the attention to detail

 is perfection. 

Again, no lighting, impossible to get an 

interior photo.  Here are a few from the 

Toy & Miniature Museum's blog with links.

The House That Abe Built

Replicating The House That Abe Built

Furnishing The House That Abe Built

Oh, if only I could touch and play.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
We had our first frost today, winter's on it's way. 

National Toy & Miniature Museum Kansas City--Miniatures

The miniature section at the National Toy &

Miniature museum is so much fun, it's like

 playing a game of  "I spy with my little eye".

Most of the miniatures are one inch to one

foot or 1/12 scale, some are smaller.  The

quality of the craftsmanship is mind boggling!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is a dimly lit section you meander 

through, that has window after window of 

the most surprising things to see. 

A little antique shop.

Intricate iron work, wicker and upholstery
 on these sleighs & the dapple gray was gorgeous.

Sleigh 

Painted wood carvings so tiny I 

could barely see them.

 

A cabinet dollhouse for a dollhouse.

Large display cases of silver, glass, pottery
instruments, furniture, paintings, carvings, 
basketry, wicker, metal work, tools, needlework
 etc....it's endless.

Beautiful painting on this cabinet.

Antwerp Cabinet 

Baroque Baby House.  Larger cabinet is 1/12

dollhouse scale, the smaller is 1/44 scale.

Baroque Baby House

The Native American section has village dioramas of
 life on the plains, baskets, pottery & the tiniest bead work.
All 1/12 scale.

Odette from Swan Lake, her costume
was so intricate and delicate.

Remember, this is dollhouse
 size and smaller!

Such teeny weeny stitches!

 How small were the knitting needles
& crochet hooks that stitched these?

 Last, but not least & just in 
time to wish you....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Carved Wooden Skeleton 

I hope you've enjoyed a little peek into

the extrodinary miniatures section.  I had

several of my followers in mind when I took

the photos......sure wish you all could have 

been there to enjoy them with me!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Final post from the T&M Museum 
will be the amazing architectural dollhouses.