The heroes of Sweet Berry Valley

Dear Readers:

Hope you´re all doing well. 

Today´s post is my entry for Challenge 7: Heroes, Idols and Stars on the Sylvanian Creations Forum

Hope you like it!

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It was a warm summer afternoon in Sweet Berry Valley. Ralph Walnut was sitting on the porch completely absorbed in his favourite comic book, Super Squirrel.

 

His father, Cedric, was busy trying to fix Ralph´s bike.

Ralph looked up at his father and asked: "Dad,who is your favorite superhero? Do you like the ones who can fly, or the ones with super strength?"

His dad smiled, put down his tools, and sat next to him. "Well, Ralph," he said gently, "those heroes are exciting but my favourite heroes don't wear capes".

"They don´t?" asked Ralph."So,what are their superpowers?".

 "Their superpower is making sure everyone in our village lives happily." Cedric answered. Let me give you a few examples... 

Think about Christopher Apple Blossom at the bakery," his dad said."While everyone else is fast asleep,he wakes up before dawn to make sure everyone in the village has fresh, warm bread and pastries for breakfast". 

“And he’s super generous, too". Ralph said. "Remember when Mum forgot her purse at home the other day? She didn't have any money to pay, but he insisted she take the bread anyway. He even gave Ambroise a croissant".

"That´s a hero´s heart" Cedrid added.

Ralph nodded, starting to understand. "Like our police officer, Bobby Robberts?"

"Exactly!" his dad agreed."He doesn't have to fight big, bad villains because our village is peaceful, but his superpower is being there whenever someone is in trouble. Last week when Mrs.Fennec locked herself out, Bobby Robberts brought a tall ladder, climbed up to the balcony and unlocked the door for her".

"And what about Postman Pete?" Ralph remembered. "Oh, he is a wonderful hero," his dad smiled. "His superpower is delivering happines. Even when his bike is loaded with big heavy boxes, he pedals with a smile, just to deliver a special package or a longed-for letter".

"And Nurse Clarice?" Ralph asked.

"Oh,absolutely!" Cedric smiled. "She doesn't have laser eyes, but just by looking at her patients she knows how to make them feel better. Her kind voice makes all your fears disappear. She soothes every bump and scratch with care and has the best remedies for tummy aches."

"And she always gives you a sugar-free lollipop!" Ralph added with a grin.

Ralph thought for a moment. "What about Mrs.Fenton,the nursery teacher? I remember being there when I was little and I really enjoyed it"

"Your brother Ambroise loves her too. She has the superpower for comforting people. Think about it, don't you need a real superpower to manage a whole handful of toddlers and keep them happy? She plays the piano, sings songs, and can turn tears into giggles with just a story or a game, making the little ones feel safe and at home.”

Ralph looked out toward the park. "And what about the Kennelworth brothers,Mr.Montgomery and Mr.Rufus? I saw them working on the swing late in the evening".

"That's right!" Cedric nodded. "They are Guardians of the Playground". After working all day in their carpentry workshop, they went straight to the playground to fix the broken swing and repair the see-saw so all the children can play safely again".

"And Mrs.Dingle, the florist!" Ralph added excitedly. "Grandma told me she leaves flower bouquets and a get-well card on the doorsteps of neighbours who are sick to cheer them up!" 

"Isn't she a hero of kindness?" Cedric said with a smile.

"You see?" his dad said, hugging him. "And speaking of Grandma, your grandparents keep our history alive with stories and grow the sweetest watermelons to cool us down in the summer heat.

Everyone in Sweet Berry Valley uses their everyday powers to look after one another and make our lives happier.These are just a few of our local heroes, but any of us can be a superhero".

After hearing his dad talk about all these real-life heroes, Ralph realized something wonderful the moment his mum,Yardley, stepped out onto the porch with a warm smile and a tray of chocolate chip cookies.Who wants a cookie?" she asked "They've just come out of the oven".

Ralph and Cedric stood up straight away to grab one. "Thanks, Mum! They're delicious!"

"You know,Dad," Ralph said, smiling at his parents. "You and Mum are the biggest superheroes of all. Mum’s superpower is making all my worries melt away with just a hug and her yummy cookies, and your superpower is always being there to help me and fix anything, no matter how hard it is". 

Touched by their son's words, Cedric and Yardley pulled him into a tight hug.

Ralph closed his comic book. Even though he still loved reading about the thrilling forest adventures of Super Squirrel,now he knew that you don´t need to fly or wear a cape to be a superhero,you just have to take good care of the people around you. And the best part of all? He was determined to become one of them, too.

As his parents paused by the doorway, Ralph looked up at them with a sparkle in his eyes.

“You must be tired from a long day.” Ralph said. “You relax and take a break. I'll help with dinner tonight,I'll wash the dishes afterwards and I´ll read Ambroise his favourite bedtime story!”

His mother,who was still holding the tray of cookies,look at him fondly: “Awww,Ralph! A real hero like you definitely deserves another cookie”.

Cedric smiled,looking proudly at his son. “That's a hero's heart, Ralph".

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Hope you liked today´s story!

When I first read the topic for July’s challenge, my original idea was to turn one of my Sylvanians into a pop star. But then I witnessed a moment at the supermarket: a little girl dropped her toy and a piece popped off. She was so sad until her dad fixed it in the blink of an eye. She looked up at him and said, 'Dad, you’re my hero!' That moment inspired me to focus on everyday heroes instead, which led to the story I posted today.

Setting up most of the scenes for just a single photo was quite the task! I had to take out so many buildings and accessories, only to put them all back again. For a few days, my bedroom and my kid´s room were pure chaos with boxes, miniatures, and Sylvanians everywhere! Here are a few photos to show you the mess, that's the downside of setting up scenes.

 

I also had to do some photo editing.I used AI to help edit the lighting of the photo of the Kennelworth brothers. Here's my original picture.

I wanted a sunset lighting effect, but after several failed attempts on my own and after spending ages trying to capture Christopher Apple Blossom at the bakery using a flashlight with my daughter's help, I decided to let AI handle the lighting for the Dalmatians in the park.

The Super Squirrel comic book was generated with AI as well. I printed out the cover and folded it into a tiny comic for Ralph. As for the bakery clock, I needed it to show 5:00 am, but why do all toy clocks and pictures in the web seem permanently set to 10:10? To fix it, I asked AI again to generate a clock showing 5:00.I printed it out, and stuck it over the original.

To create the Walnut grandparents ,I dressed up the father and mother figures in grandparent outfits for the photo. The glasses really make all the difference!

Here with their grandchildren.

I’ve also included some behind-the-scenes photos to show you my setups. The backdrop cards from the Sylvanian Families boxes came in very handy!

I set up two cottages thinking both would be in the picture, but from the angle I took it, only one made it. Extra effort for nothing, haha!

Setting up the nursery scene was a challenge! Keeping all those Sylvanian babies sitting still and in place was hard work. Mrs. Fenton really must have a secret superpower to manage them all!

The fences and the handmade orange tree were also a bit of a nightmare, they kept falling over all the time! They're very light and unstable

Stories set in a single location take less setup and clean-up, but since I was on holiday, I had extra time! Now, that the photo session is finished, it´s time to tidy up and put everything back in its place until the next project.

See you soon!

May in the Fentons´ garden

Dear Readers,

If you’re a regular reader and have been following my blog for a long time, you might recognize the garden you are going to see in today’s entry.

It was actually eight years ago that I first shared pictures of Lucy Fenton having a spring tea party  with some of her friends here. It’s a bit of a throwback, but today is the first time the whole family has been featured together in their favorite spot at this time of year.

This is my contribution for challenge #5 "May flowers" for the Creative Challenges on the blog Sylvanian Creations

🌿🌷🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼🌿🌷🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼🌿🌷🌸🌹🌺🌻🌼🌿

After all the April showers, the Fentons´garden is finally looking lovely with all sorts of different flowers in bloom, and Lucy couldn't be more proud of it.

The truth is she’s had plenty of help from her gardener, Dominic Dingle. He takes good care of the grounds and is always giving her advice on how to keep everything looking its best.

The Fentons have been making the most of the warm weather lately. They love starting their weekend mornings with a family breakfast outside. 

There’s nothing like eating in the fresh air; even though the table is a bit of a squeeze for a family of five, they love being all together without the weekday rush of getting ready for school.

The garden is also the perfect spot for some quiet time. I managed to catch Lucy and her husband, Barker, reading while Poppy, their youngest daughter, "reads" along with his book about musical instruments. Barker is a music teacher at Berry Grove School and a pianist, so he loves to see her little daughter following in his footsteps and picking up a love for music already.

During the long, cold winter months,the children couldn't enjoy the garden so they´re delighted to finally be back outside. They love spending time in the fresh air, playing hide-and-seek behind the thick bushes."I found you!" Buddy exclaimed. 

The pond has always been a key feature of the garden, but it’s been looking a little empty lately. I caught a shot of the kids peering into the water, hoping to find a little fish or even some tadpoles.

Since they didn't find any, they finally decided to add some bright goldfish themselves! They all look exactly the same to me, but the children seem to know exactly who is who! They’ve spent the afternoon watching them swim around and pointing them out: "Look, this is Petal,and here is Sunny, Breezy, Goldie, and Bubbles!"

The family wanted a proper photo together in their garden, so I was happy to take a family picture for them.

 Here you have a full view of the whole garden.

To finish off, I’d like to share a "behind the scenes" photo with you to show where I set everything up to take these pictures eight years ago.I think I used all the artificial greenery I could find!

The house you see just next to the garden is the Fentons´home.I´ll show you around in another post.

In case you are new to the blog or don't quite remember my earlier posts, I wanted to include these pictures I mentioned at the beginning. 

As you can see, Lucy has always been a wonderful hostess! Here she is having tea with her good friend Veronica Cakebread.

And in this one, she’s having a small tea party with some of her friends. Since the table is a bit small, she is considering buying a larger garden table so she can invite more friends over next time!

I hope you have enjoyed spending time with the Fentons in their garden.

To be honest with you, I really envy them! I’d love to have a garden myself, even a little one would be fine.

See you soon! Take care!

Welcome to the Hazelnut Dormouse Family's home

 Dear Readers!

Hope you´re doing well!

It’s been a long time since my last post about a decorated home for one of my Sylvanian families. I actually decorated the Hazelnuts' house and took the photos years ago, back in 2018, but I still needed to go through them and select the ones to put together for this entry

As you’ll see, their home isn't an official Sylvanian house, but a Forest Families one. Its scale and rustic style suit the Sylvanians perfectly, and the Hazelnuts are very happy living there.

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The Hazelnuts live in a cozy log cabin surrounded by a peaceful meadow.

When you open the thick wooden door, you´re greeted by the living room and the fresh scent of the forest.

On the table, there is a small basket that smells of cedarwood.Mona is the one who loves foraging in the woods for cedar, moss, and pine cones... to bring the scent of nature to her home.

Next to the front door, a wooden sign displays the family rules. It's a constant reminder for the Hazelnuts, who do their best to live in harmony and kindness.

At night, the comfy couch turns into a bed for Mona and Sidney.

It’s a bit ironic since Sidney is a professional bed maker! 

You’d think they’d have a proper bed, but they find the couch comfortable enough.Besides, they’re always so tired at the end of the day that they fall asleep the moment their heads hit the pillow.

The cupboard in the living room has a hidden secret:

 a wooden board that slides out to become a handy little desk.

This is where Otto does his homework, but he finds it hard to focus. Being right beside the kitchen makes him hungry. He’s always distracted by the delicious smell of the dinner his mum is cooking.

His sister Odette also does her homework in the living room. Her father and Ned, the youngest of the family, share time together while they all wait for dinner to be ready.

When dinner is ready, they all sit around the table to enjoy the hearty meal Mona has prepared. She’s a very good cook, and they all thank her for making such delicious meals.

If you are wondering why little Ned is playing instead of eating with the rest of the family, I’ll tell you that he already had his dinner. When Sidney finished work in his workshop, he fed him.

 

After dinner, they usually play a boardgame together until it´s time to go to bed.

As you can see, the living room is the heart of the Hazelnuts' home. Now, let’s take a look at the kitchen, where Mona prepares all those delicious meals. 

The kitchen is quite small, but Mona has everything at her fingertips. She loves cooking and is happy preparing meals in this cozy space.

Her apple pie is everyone´s favourite.

Would you like a slice?

By the way, did you notice her shopping basket?

It´s actually made from a real hazelnut shell, truly living up to the family name.

At the back of the house, there is also a small but functional  bathrooom.

Mona loves the morning light in the bathroom as she freshens up.

The soap dish is a seashell that Odette’s friend, Shelly Neptune, gave her.

Otto loves a warm shower after a long day of school and play. He often stays in there just a little too long, lost in his own thoughts.

The truth is, Otto is a bit absent-minded and often forgets his towel. When the water stops, you often hear a faint "Hello! Is anybody there?" coming from the bathroom.

He’s lucky little Ned was there to the rescue. "Please, can you tell Mum to bring me a towel?" 

Mona keeps reminding him to bring a towel with him, but she brought it to him anyway.

Otto thanked his mum once again for bringing him a towel. "Oh, Mum, you're the best!" Mona replied with a smile: "And you're such a forgetful flatterer, but I love you anyway!"

Also at the back of the house, right next to the bathroom, we find the laundry room. Washing machines have evolved a lot in Sylvania, but the Hazelnuts still use a vintage one that works perfectly, just like the day they bought it

Next, let's head upstairs to see the children's bedroom.

Otto loves playing football and has a little cabinet in his room to keep his ball safe.

Odette has her own mirrored cabinet. It’s her favorite place to hang her clothes and keep all her bits and bobs organized,from her perfume to her little treasures.

Ned is a charming little boy and Odette loves him to bits.

Ned can happily entertain himself for hours just playing with his toys.

But he much prefers playing with someone, especially with Odette and her dollhouse.

I’m afraid the tour is coming to an end. It’s time to sleep. Mona went to kiss her kids goodnight before going downstairs to get into bed. Sydney must be asleep already. He sleeps like a log. Funnily enough, in Spanish, we have a similar idiom: "dormir como un lirón" (sleeping like a dormouse), which fits this family perfectly!

Good night! Sleep tight!

We’ll let the Hazelnuts sleep, but before finishing this entry, I’ll show you a full view of the front of the house. Some other day, we’ll visit Sydney’s workshop.

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I hope you enjoyed the tour of the Hazelnuts' home! I have a soft spot for this family, which is why I’ve given them a permanent, decorated home. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t have many houses on display due to the lack of space in my flat, but when I decorated this one, I decided to leave it out since I plan to feature this family in future stories. The first time they appeared was a few years ago at Christmas, and there will definitely be more to come!

See you soon!