Once upon a time.....

The online Mini Miniature Show has crept up on me again, so today I've been busy designing two new 1/12th scale miniature toy kits which will be launched at the show on Wednesday 8th March.

Based on one of my very best favourite fairy tales, I'm delighted to present....

Tah Dah!!!!!!

The Game of Red Riding Hood

This kit contains everything you need to make this colourful 3-dimensional game, based on an 1895 original.  However, instead of wooden counters, I decided to have proper characters which can be moved around the board and won't fall over!

The colourful game board

Setting off from her mother's house, Little Red Riding Hood makes her way around the board, pausing to pick flowers for her grandmother (miss a turn!) stopping to have a chat with the woodcutters (and another), wending her way through the woods towards her fateful meeting with the wolf.

The precision cut, double-sided game characters include the young lady, as well as the wolf (dressed in a rather dapper yellow tailcoat) the woodcutter and Little Red's mother.

The kit also contains an illustrated storage box for the characters plus a teeny, tiny, wee dice!

The second kit is a tiny boxed set of story cards.....

Story card game

There are 8 precision cut scenes from the fairy tale, which have to be put in order to complete the story.

The cards are supplied in a tiny box with illustrated lid.

Depending on how I'm fixed for time (or the lack of it) I'm also hoping to have a few Little Red Riding Hood toy doll kits....

This little wolf cub is destined for a new pullalong toy!

As well as a new Wolf pullalong toy, plus, *fingers crossed* the last ever few Toy Theatre Cart kits.

Travelling Toy Theatre kit

He's promised to be on his very best behaviour...!

The cart has a removable roof and two opening doors

Interior scenery, backdrops and characters are all included

With only four days remaining till the show opens it will go right to wire to get everything finished in time but as I relish a challenge I'll give it my best shot.

All of this LRRH stuff reminds me of a post I wrote a while back, while we were babysitting our little granddaughter (aka GiggleFidget) who does love a good story.....

Cast of characters

Me – The storyteller

Small Dog – The Wolf

GiggleFidget – Herself

Me:  Right… let’s have a story then.

GF: Mmmmwahaharr

Me: Little Red Riding Hood… a story about a little girl who unwisely lets a wolf know where she’s going and why.

SD: (opening one eye)  Thatts wolfist.

Me: Excuse me…. Did you say something?

SD: (sitting up to expand upon her theme) Thatts a vyle kalumnie on wolfs.  Ai maiself am dessended from wolfs so ai kno whairof ai speek.

Me: Hm.  Well, anyway, once up on a time….

SD: Ar we doin akshuns?

Me: *sigh* Actions?

SD: Like a plai…. Yue and me.  Ai kan be the Wolf.

Me:  Are you sure?

SD: Absewlootlie!  Ai wos born to plai the Wolf.

Me: (doubtfully) He is a very wicked wolf.  In fact if you deconstruct the narrative he is a seductive yet predatory antagonist who preys on vulnerable women.

SD: (fluttering her eyelashes and winking with both eyes) Ai kann do seduktiv.

GF:  Aaaaaaahhhhhhh   giggle

Me: Yes. Well.  We’ll see.

 SD: (incredulously) Caik?  And WYNE?  Fore a sik grandmuthr?  She neads auntie biotix.  Knott wyne and caik.

Me: (patiently) It's a fairy story.  Personally I totally approve.  What an excellent mummy!

SD: Humph.  When is it mai turnn?

SD: (seductively) Well helloo yung ladie.  Ar yue goen mai wai.  Wokk with me.

Me: Hmm...that's paraphrasing but we get the gist.

GF: Yaaaahhhhh

SD: When do ai get to gobbul hur orl up?  And the grandmuthr.  Althew she mite be a bitt tuff.

Me: *sigh*

SD: Wate a minit!!!.  WHOT IS IT WARING?  Pinck frillie nitekap.  With Lorra Ashlie spriggd kurtanes and yelloe bedspred?  No wai hoasay... ai am knott waren THAT!

Me: (exasperated) For goodness sake Small Dog... it's only a read through.  You don't have to get dressed up.  Don't be such a drama queen.

SD: (huffily) Dramar kween!.... *mumbl*muttr*grumbl*

SD: (excitedly) Oh, Oh, Oh... this is mai favoritt bit. Whott big things yue hav eckseterra.

GF: Ooooohhhh..... myahhhhh yeeeehah.

 Me: "You wicked creature!"  With one blow of his axe he killed the wolf and pulled him out of the bed....."

SD: (alarmed) Whooahh.... wateaminitt!  Whotts happnin?

Me: "Then Little Red Riding Hood's father cut open the wolf and out jumped Little Red Riding Hood.  He then helped the grandmother out.  She was still alive but very weak.

SD: (incredulous) STILL ALIVE!  Ai gobbuled her up.  WHOA!  Whott kind of storie is this fore children.  Itts unbeleevibl!

Me: (doggedly) "They put the grandmother into bed and gave her some cake and wine.  Soon she was sitting up and feeling much better.

SD: (incensed) Caik and wyne?  Mutsh bettr?  Whott abowt the poore wolf.  With its entrales spredd orl ovur the flore.  This is a stewpid storie and aim knott playen enimoar.

GF: Shhhhhssssskkksssss  *giggle*

Me: Right.... that's it.  Story time is over.  Let's have a walk up the garden.....

SD: (brightening) A wok?  Up the gardin?  Ai mite fined a skwirrl....!

The end.