houseful of hedgehogs

DFW HEDGEHOG SHOW

I had no idea what to expect from my first hedgehog show, and I learned a lot from the community of people who associate with hedgehogs. They are kind, caring folks who love their little companion hedgehogs. Along with general care and professional breeding ethics, hedgehog rescue is an important focus.

The composition show judge is holding Elle, a lovely pinto female, who won "Best in Show."

Baby hedgehogs came to show themselves off, but sales do not take place at the show.

The babies were adorable, of course!

Even Santa came to take pictures with the pampered little hedgies.

I was most impressed with the way the owners, breeders, judge, veterinarian, and rescue volunteers demonstrated their genuine love for their hedgehogs.

 

 

HEDGEHOG SHOW AND CHRISTMAS CARDS

It's not too early to be looking for your Christmas cards. In our Etsy shop, le herisson hedgehog art, we are offering these sweet hedgehog Santa cards painted by Nancy Burch. 

THE DALLAS FORT WORTH HEDGEHOG SHOW

I have never been to a hedgehog show, but I've always been curious about what happens there. I'm going to find out this Saturday, November 7, in Plano, Texas. I'll be presenting my book The Roundabout Hedgehog Journey. I'm taking my camera and planning to have a great time! Check the link above for details.

HEDGEHOGS TO WEAR

I don't have many hedgehogs to wear, but I love this sweatshirt I found in the Yorkshire Dales. It's made by a Scottish company called Country Scene and may be available at this link. The hedgehogs are beautifully stitched, and there were also vests and sweaters at Town and Country Wear in Hawes, Upper Wensleydale.

The hedgehog gets a center spot on this T-shirt from Kinsale, Ireland. If you've never heard of Kinsale, it is a wonderful medieval town in West Cork.

This pink hedgehog onesie outfit is from Carters. They have come out with new children's wear that sports hedgehogs. I was able to send this to a sweet new baby girl.

At the end of the line is this pair of fuzzy hedgehog house shoes. They came all the way from Trier, Germany, and were quite a challenge to fit in the suitcase.

 
 

BIRTHDAY AND HALOWEEN HEDGEHOGS

Hedgehogs can be perfect for any occasion! These three new members of my collection are recent birthday gifts that just fit into my fall/Halloween decor. The hand blown perfume bottle by Prochaska Galleries looks almost like a ghostly hedgehog!  The bottle and the hatching hedgehog egg baby were from my son who always finds the most unique hedgehog gifts. My husband gave me the frightened looking hedgehog from the Scottish company Small World.

Joining my other birthday hedgehogs are a lovely concrete fellow just waiting for a spot in the sunroom, and a sweet plush toy named Hillary. It's great to have friends who search for hedgehogs!

Birthday roses always look best accompanied by hedgehogs.

BRAMBLE AND CLOVER HEDGEHOGS

Bramble and his ladybug friend Clover are the subject of many hedgehog creations. I have see them mainly in Canada, but I have found them in the US and as far away as New Zealand. According to what I have read on the Internet, all pieces of the collection manufactured by Pat's Garden Innovation Gift Corp. are now retired.

The resin pieces are nicely detailed. Aside from the fact that they are cute, I like them because most have useful purposes like the above birdhouse, frames, candle holder, and magnets.

The tins, tray, mug, napkins, napkin holder, egg timer, and salt and pepper set all came from various trips to Canada. They do look cheerful in the kitchen.

Some Bramble and Clover creations are made just to sit around the house or cling to the refrigerator.

HEDGEHOGS MADE OF CLAY

What I love about handcrafted hedgehogs is that each one is unique. Irish artists have formed these hedgehogs from clay and created adorable faces.  I found this trio and the two behind them in County Cork. The two-tone hedgehog was a gift, also from Ireland.

Blue hedgehogs are hard to come by, but not in Riquewihr, France. I love their whimsical designs of spots and stripes. The brown pair look like they could be having a conversation. They were waiting for me in the small town of Fairlie in the first shop I visited on our first trip to New Zealand. It gave me great hope, because I wasn't sure if the Kiwis had hedgehogs.  Although not native, they were introduced from England in the late 1800's.

The roundish hedgehog with the eyelashes is my very first. She came from St. Thomas and is the one responsible for the beginning of this collection. The funny little guy with the smile is a New Zealander.

The tiny dark hedgehog is supposed to be an original Febo, but I'm not sure what that is.  I would like to know. Next to him is a pointy-nosed hedgehog from Berlin. The toothpick-holding hedgehog came from an art festival in Montreal. Next to him is a small handmade gift from a friend. Also from Montreal is the hedgehog whistle made by an artistic German man.

HAPPY HEDGEHOG AUTUMN

Eliza and Alfie, the lovely Senger Tierpuppen hedgehog dolls, wish you a very happy autumn!

MR. HEDGIE AND THE WANDERING HEDGEHOG

Mr. Hedgie of Rosie Posie Studios has joined my collection of wonderful hedgehog prints. He is absolutely spectacular in his white coat and bow tie. Louisa Bauer's artwork is outstanding.

A new book for my collection has arrived from The Royal Mail. Grey Rabbit and the Wandering Hedgehog, written in 1948, is the tale of woodland creatures joining together to do a good deed. It's a sweet and charming story for children. I was able to find it online after the suggestion of a reader-thank you Connie.

WOODEN AND CARVED HEDGEHOGS

There are some beautifully crafted wooden hedgehogs available, and here are some examples.  The hedgehog on wheels and the brushy doorstop are from one of my favorite cities--Trier, Germany. I have several hedgehog boot scrapers, but this one called "Henry" from The Hedgehog Company, is the most elegant. It was a gift from my sister-in-law. We discovered the ramp-walking hedgehog at a European imports store in Greenwich Village.  Children love the way he clicks along.

These carved wooden hedgehogs are from all over the world. The small pair were carved by a woman in Rothenburg, Germany, and given to me by my son while we were visiting that fairytale village. The small striped hedgehog is made from native Tasmanian wood, and the other small carved hedgehog was a gift my husband tried to conceal from me when we were in Chartres, France.

The beautiful wooden box hedgehog is from New Zealand and made from native Rimu wood. I'm not sure of the origin of the soapdish hedgehog, but it's lovely. An aboriginal Austrialian carved the elongated figure, another gift from my husband. The fat, round hedgehog is carved from native US redwood and was a gift from my brother and sister-in-law. Whether crafted from wood or carved by hand, I love to think about how each hedgehog was created as a piece of art, a toy, or a functional object.

HEDGEHOGS FROM TRIER AND BEAUTIFUL ROCAMADOUR

Looking through my photos recently, I found the store window picture of my favorite hedgehogs, Eliza and Alfie. I took this when the store in Trier was closed, and I thought I had no chance of even inquiring about them.  I will retell the story here:

"In Trier, Germany, the stores close early on Saturday and are not open at all on Sunday. We saw the loveliest hand-sewn hedgehog dolls in a store window.  I was disappointed that we didn't get to go in to see them, since it was Saturday afternoon.  We left Trier on Sunday morning, but my husband surprised me by changing our driving route, so that we returned to Trier on Monday.  We not only went back to the shop, he also bargained with the shopkeeper so that we were able to buy the boy and girl dolls and another funny little hedgehog with a pterodactyl sewn to his side.  They are my favorites.  You can read about the Senger hedgehogs here."

Another photo I ran across is this one of stunningly beautiful Rocamadour, France. Who would have thought you could find hedgehogs in this remote village? These two tiny ceramic hedgehogs and the adorable pencil set are from the center of Rocamadour.

WEE HOUNDSTOOTH HEDGEHOG AND JAPANESE FABRIC

An adorable new creation has joined my hedgehog herd.  He is Wee Houndstooth Hedgehog by Marjji who has some other great little guys in her Etsy shop. He has such a sweet face and is beautifully crafted from wool.

I have located another source for hedgehog cloth, sakura fabric, an Etsy shop in Japan. I was surprised at how quickly the package arrived. I love these bright colors! The hedgehog point markers are from superbuzzy.

HEDGEHOG CARDS AND BLOGS FROM ENGLAND

On my recent trip to England, I was able to pick up some wonderful hedgehog greeting cards.  These two from Simon Drew are my favorites.

Two Bad Mice is the company selling these four great cards. It was such fun to walk into the shops at Heart of the Shires and see so many hedgehog cards.  It's rare to see them at all in the US.

 

When I returned from England, a thoughtful friend presented me with Mattie, The Story of a Hedgehog by Gordon Douglas Griffiths. This book tells about the factual lives of  hedgehogs living in and around English gardens. Nancy and Derek, while I was visiting in England, gave me a good guide to hedgehogs. Even though I looked in the gardens at night, I still was unable to see a hedgehog in the wild.

I just happened to run across these blogs (by lucky people) that are showing videos of their garden hedgehog visitors:

Hog Blog-Hedgehog visitors to my garden

shirls gardenwatch

Midmarsh Jottings

Twosie the Hedgehog   

MOULIN ROTY AND MORE HEDGEHOGS FROM ENGLAND

Baby Emile, whom I found naked in a shop on Ile St-Louis in Paris, has finally been joined by Little Emile, his older brother. These adorable hedgehogs, from the French company Moulin Roty, are part of La Grande Famille collection of animal toys.

I saw Little Emile sitting with some of his Famille in Frankie Doodle, a shop in Chipping Campden. Of course, I had to bring him home. Baby Emile is sporting a similar jumper that I fashioned from a child's sock. All hedgehogs who can, should wear clothing. Baby Emile also has an Eddie Bauer quilted vest and a Ginny Doll tutu that fit him nicely.

Baby Emile and Little Emile are sharing their chair with a finger puppet that came from The Heart of the Shires Shopping Village in Northamptonshire. This lovely Victorian shopping center is in a beautiful countryside setting.

The pet store there had these great hedgehog dog treats--truly unique!

HEDGEHOGS FROM THE COTSWOLDS AND TIGGYWINKLES

One of the great joys of traveling in England is being able to come home with more hedgehogs! I have finally found hedgehog salt and pepper shakers that I will use.  This lovely pair came from Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds.  In neighboring Chipping Norton, there were some charity shops which are usually good for hedgehog hunting.  I found what looks to be a handmade ceramic hedgehog and my second honey pot from Quince Honey Farm in Devon, England. The tiny blue Clay-mates hedgehog was hard to spot and nearly lost after my return home.

Tiggywinkles Hospital has a gift shop with several of their brand items.  Their logo on the mug is very nicely done.

TIGGYWINKLES WILDLIFE HOSPITAL VISIT

Don't worry. This little hedgehog is just resting after surgery on his eye. He is one of the thousands of wild animals treated each year at Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England. I have just returned from a visit to the hospital where "All British wild animal casualties brought to the hospital are treated completely free of charge and are released through a controlled programme, back to the wild, when they are fully fit. No sick, injured or orphaned wild creature is ever turned away." 

After a while, the hedgehog was up and running around, although a well hedgehog would not normally be seen in the daylight.  The Tiggywinkles facility contains a visitors' center, zoo-like grounds for the resident animals, a hospital that is closed to visitors, an education area, a gift shop, and a very large museum dedicated to hedgehogs. The staff are helpful and informative, and there is a talk several times a day about wild hedgehogs. Tiggywinkles survives on donations which may be made at their website.

The hedgehog museum is a creation of Tiggywinkles founders Sue and Les Stocker and contains hundreds of pieces of every imaginable type of hedgehog. There are, of course, many figures dating from antique to modern. The museum also contains post cards, books, toys, etc., and several displays of various ways the hedgehog has been used as a symbol throughout history. For example, the next picture shows a hedgehog as part of a family crest.

 

My friends Derek and Nancy, who were so kind to invite me to visit them in Northhampton, drove to Aylesbury so we could see Tiggywinkles. No excursion in England would be complete without a stop at the local pub. We had a good lunch in the Rose and Thistle's garden on a lovely summer day--a great memory to savor.

I'M OFF TO ENGLAND TO VISIT SAINT TIGGYWINKLES!

I have wanted to visit St.Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital since I first learned of its existence decades ago. Nancy Burch, the illustrator of my book, and her British husband are staying a few weeks in England. They have invited me to visit, and we plan to make the pilgrimage to St.Tiggywinkles and some other hedgehog hospitals in the area.

I always love to spend time in England, and getting to visit a hedgehog hospital is icing on the cake.  Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to have my husband drive me to Prickly Ball Farm. I absolutely loved the experience, and I am so looking forward to this next hedgehog adventure!

I don't have many in my collection, but here are some Mrs.Tiggy-Winkle pieces. She is a lovely character in Beatrix Potter's books, and is named after the author's own pet hedgehog.

HEDGEHOG STATIONERY, ACCESSORIES, AND ROCAMADOUR

  On the most beautiful mountaintop in the clouds sits a French village--Rocamadour. It was there we found the brushy hedgehog pencil box and pencil--so cute! The letter opener, green pen, and green pencil are from Prickly Ball Farm. The note pad is from Hedgehog Harbor Gifts in Wisconsin.

I can't resist slipping in a picture of Rocamadour, although my photo does not do it justice. The village is built into the side of a steep mountain and is breath-taking, day or night.

I love hedgehog stationery, but I haven't been able to find much. The colorful paper and envelopes are from Leanin' Tree, a company that sometimes does great hedgehog cards.  The little address book is from another of my favorite places, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany.

HEDGEHOG TINS AND BANKS

If you look closely at an English animal scene, especially if the animals are wearing clothes, you just might see a hedgehog. The adorable "Woodland Fair" cylindrical tin was full of vanilla fudge from Churchill's of England, but I found it at K-Mart of all places! The small rectangular tins have scenes from "Foxwood Tales" and came from an out-of-the-way gift shop in Bozeman, Montana.

I found the squarish "Bramble and Clover" tins in Canada, where the characters are so popular. The Botticelli tin was full of wonderful Belgian chocolate hazelnut truffles in the shape of hedgehogs. Purdy's and House of Brussels are two Canadian chocolate makers famous for their delicious hedgehogs. The tiny hedgehog and mushroom box is from Great Britain.

The fat ceramic hedgehog bank is from my trip to Prickly Ball Farm in England several years ago. In beautiful Rousillion, France, where so much of the architecture is of orange-red brick, I found the lovely carved wooden bank. My husband did a little birthday shopping on the web and gave me the vintage '70's white hedgehog bank.

 

HEDGEHOG JEWELRY AND THIMBLES

Wearing hedgehog jewelry in the US can raise some questions, because so many people here don't know what a hedgehog looks like. I love wearing my hedgehog jewelry anyway. The silver pendants and earrings were a gift from Cambodia. The other silver pendant was a gift from England, but the nearly-matching silver ring came from a local store.

The furry wooden hedgehog was a gift from Denmark, and the wooden bead made a cute necklace. The stick pins are from Scotland, France, and England. The larger pins are from England and Canada. The colorful hedgehog and the artisan-made gold pendant are gifts from friends in Louisville.

The hedgehog thimbles are from Prickly Ball Farm in England, Stratford-upon-Avon, Barcelona, and Blois, France.

HEDGEHOG PURSE ACCESSORIES AND BUTTONS

I was so excited last week to find a Yak Pak cosmetic bag that matches my favorite purse!  I'm keeping an eye out for the tote bag in the same lovely green hedgehog and mushroom fabric. The odd hedgehog-topped billfold came from a pretty little French town, Ile Sur la Sorge, and was made in Belgium. My husband brought the drawstring bag from Japan.

In Warwick, England, we found the beautiful needlepoint hedgehog glasses case and coin purse. The sweet hedgehog tissues are from Avignon, France, but I have also seen the pattern in the US.

The multi-colored hedgehog buttons and ribbons are from super buzzy, the wonderful online Japanese fabric shop. We brought the tiny white hedgehog buttons all the way from the south island of New Zealand. The brass beads I found in a Coldwater Creek catalog. You never know where a hedgehog will turn up!