Birdhouse pocket game

Sarah had this great idea to make these little pocket games. I remember these as a kid,  rolling the ball

around to get it in that tiny indented spot it belongs in. 

I have no idea what these games are called, if anyone knows, please tell me! But I do 

remember getting these sort of things at carnivals, and especially our dentist office.

We always had a giant treasure box of plastic toys to pick through after getting our teeth cleaned, as 

a reward for no cavities!

Traveling Circus in a Suitcase

When I was growing up our neighbors had an amazing collection of antique toys. The father was actually collecting toys he had owned or had wanted as a kid.
They had everything from an actual carousel horse to old tin wind-up toys and I loved going over their house to see these things. My favorite of all was this model miniature circus tent, in a room dedicated to circus memorabilia  I was not allowed to touch it of course
but it was as big as a coffee table (at least in my memory) and I just loved
to look at it, and peer inside the tiny tent with trapeze artists flying through the air. 

Sarah and I were discussing new projects to make, and we had been meaning to make

 a circus, for some time.  The only thing holding me back, was figuring out what to make it in.

Then it came to me, a suitcase! And I was ready to go, already inspired by the memory of that 

toy circus!

 It is small and portable, and opens up to an amazing little world inside full of talented 

performers and animals just waiting to put on show.