Challenge 2026-6: TOURISM

                   Look, what I found in my mailbox, today:

                         A postcard from my friend Martin and his 3 little pals 

                     sent with love from Menorca!

                                                                        

Dear friends,






Summer is just around the corner – and the holidays are drawing nearer:

Show us how your crittizens explore new places, get ready for their holidays and wear stylish travel outfits.

Design all sorts of travel essentials (such as suitcases, rucksacks

or similar items), a passport, sunglasses, beachwear and beach

toys, tents or windbreaks, or whatever else might be useful to your

Sylvanian friends on their travels around the world.

Perhaps your Crittizens are planning a trip –
in which case they might need travel magazines, books,
their globe, a tablet or a travel agency to get some advice.


Take photos in your own photo set at home or outdoors in a park
or another scenic spot. (If your town or village happens to be a
tourist hotspot – why not show us your favourite spots?)


If you like, tell us a holiday story ;) or share a funny snapshot...

Whatever feels right to you – just go for it!

But above all:

Have lots of Sylvanian fun!

2026 Challenge 5: May in the Fentons´garden

Hi everyone!

This is my contribution for challenge 5 "May flowers".

Here is the link to my blog if you´d like to take a look:

May in the Fentons´garden

Challenge 5: May Flowers

 My Challenge entry this time is thanks to my local library: they have a free craft every month and the May craft was paper flowers which is perfect for the challenge so I took a few little helpers along...

Hello from the craft table! Joey Outback, Jenny Brightfield and Cherry Latte are looking at the example flowers (a bit bigger than them!)

The button dish was just about big enough to swim in but they were able to find a good 'pair' to use - one tiny, the other one bigger 

There's a whole lot of paper strips to choose from! And some were obvious choices (green to give leaves) but others needed more consideration (were there enough of the pattern for the flower size...)

After the choices were made the task was hoop making and then stacking, gluing and arranging to create the flowers

The little cream one is made using quarter strips of paper and it's more their size! It's always fun when the library craft can become miniature also (not the tiniest version this time because of the method!)

2026.5 April Showers Brings May Flowers (Helly)

I'm posting this on behalf of Helly who wished to contribute to the May challenge.

Rory.

Hello! My name is Helly and I am the writer behind Evergreen Hollow. I am really glad that someone is keeping the life of the sylvanian forum alive and I'm even more glad that it's the creative challenges.

I've been posting for a while now and I wanted to contribute to this blog. I have pasted the link for my entry to the challenge.

https://evergreenhollowest2024.blogspot.com/2026/05/april-showers-brings-may-flowers.html

Best wishes,

Helly

Welcome the Hazelnut Dormouse Family's Home

Hi everyone!

I´m a bit short of time to take new photos right now so part of my Sylvanian hobby is going through my archives and picking out some pictures I´ve taken back in the past.

Today, I´m sharing a tour of the Hazelnut´s home.

At the end of the month, I´ll post my entry for the May Challenge, featuring some of my older photos.

Hope you enjoy the tour!

This is the link to my blog:

Welcome the Hazelnut Dormouse Family´s Home

Challenge 2026.4 April Showers and the Duck Pond

When facing this challenge I decided that  the April showers in Mellowdene wouldn't be too heavy but they would last over a predictable number of days. For the story I wondered what the villagers would do if those showers could cause a potential problem. That led me to consider water management in the village. With showers being outside, I had a fair bit of photo-editing to do. 

 

I was pleased to assign a few more occupations and chose to feature a couple of different families. The grey beavers were one. The other was one of those happy coincidences. I needed a stone mason so I wanted one of the larger Sylvanian critters to do the heavy work. Forest Evergreen was free. He is already the "High Bear" in the temple for the Order of Sylvanian Bears - and the vague similarity to a masonic lodge was perfect!

The Consequence of April Showers on the Duck Pond

Apriĺ in Mellowdene is an interesting month when it comes to weather. Primrose Evergreen's extensive meteorological records prove it. Every year about this time we have ten days of light showers. Not continually - alternating between an hour or so of rainfall and a couple of hours without - but every day in that ten day window will be affected. Such a high degree of predictability might be considered unusual although established villagers are used to it. It proves convenient when planning the dates for our Melting festival. With outdoor celebrations we must avoid exposing musical instruments to the elements. Also it's not a good idea to have excitable children on a chocolate bunny hunt running about, slipping on the wet grass.

 

Continued in: https://mellowdene.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-consequence-of-april-showers-on.html

 

CHALLENGE 2026-5 - May Flowers

 The Creative Challenge for May is 'May Flowers' completing the old saying 'April Showers bring May Flowers' which dates from 1557!

Hold a flower festival, 

Create flowers for a garden/window box/vase, 

Tell a story involving flowers, 

Show off your flower named critters, 

Take photos of your Sylvanians with May Flowers

Dress your village water source - well or spring dressing is an old British custom at this time of year. 

Celebrate a traditional May custom linked to flowers and spring.

May's full moon is the Flower Moon - use the lunar cycle (there's a blue moon at the end of May too).

Have fun! 

2026 - Challenge 3, Springtime

 Hi everyone!

This is my entry for the third challenge of this year, "Springtime".

I hope you enjoy this little story featuring a lovely caravan our dear Berna sent to me as a gift (thank you, my friend!) and the giraffe family.

 

Here's the link to read the story:

A Spring Outing

 

April showers at Berry Grove School

Hi everyone!

Today is the last day of April, and I’ve finished my story for the 'April Showers' challenge just in time!

 You can find the link to my blog below if you’d like to read it:

April showers at Berry Grove School

Creative Challenge "April Showers"

                                                           Dear friends, 

did you know that VESPA scooters celebrated their 80th anniversary on April, 23rd? This plus "April Showers" challenge inspired me to share snapshots of a young Purrchester citizen, who I recently met on her way to Carrot Field Hollows for a shopping tour:

                                                          Come Rain - Come Shine 

On a fair April morning, young Apple McClaw borrowed her fiancé's scooter to take a trip to the farm shops of a small village not far from Purrchester city limits. As Juice was working from home that day, evaluating the latest statistics on fire moths found in Purrwood Forest National Park (where he is working as a wildlife biologist ever since his graduation, last autumn), he had nothing against it. 

Apple started her trip in bright sunshine. She enjoyed the fresh air outside the city and the wind in her whiskers ... the young Scottish Fold cat couldn't help smiling at the beauty of the blooming nature around her - what a wonderful day this was going to be...

However, April is a month of shifting weather - and when the sky changed its colour from blue to grey, the first raindrops came trickling from above. Now Apple was glad that Juice had given her the advice to use the rain cape which was in the basket behind her seat (The tomcat always used to have rain gear on board - for just in case. As an experienced motor biker, he is always well prepared to all weather requirements, after all  )

Well protected under her rain cape, Apple reached Carrot Field Hollows, where she found the freshest and tastiest of treats - and also a freshly baked baguette, which she bought from Pearl Babblebrook at Belle Chocolate's Bakery - so crunchy, warm and yummy that she couldn't help taking a first bite - before riding home across the blooming country road. 

                                                                            ***

 That day, Apple & Juice enjoyed very delicious canapés for 5 o'clock tea.

                                                                             *** 

                                                                       -THE END-

Creative Challenge April Showers

Algernon took a couple of field trips to the local river with some of the Wee Explorers to show them the large body of water over two days. 

The first group was John Osborne and Sven Husky and they had a wall to look from at the water and gravel that forms the beach 

The next day Justin Caramel and Alfie Maple joined Algernon at a different place and discovered that high tide is lively and these steps are the safest thing to stand on... Even the lowest step is wet! 

He wasn't able to get the whole group out but those who went shared tales at the next meeting of the group. Other kids will have outings for other events later.

2026 Challenge 3: (2nd part) The Willow Family: A New Beginning in Sweet Berry Valley

Hi everyone!

This is the second part of "Primrose and the Secret Language of Flowers," following my previous story for the spring challenge.

This is the link to my blog: The Willow Family: A New Beginning in Sweet Berry Valley

I hope you like it!"

CHALLENGE 2026-4 April Showers

 

The Creative Challenge for April is "April Showers"

Tell a water themed story, craft rainwear, show a rainy night in, share your nautical critters or those who are live in or by water in our world (otters, seals, frogs etc)... 

Have fun and I look forward to seeing your projects!

2026 New Releases - Jan/Feb

Before we go over the new releases from March, here's a quick refresher on the new items from the first two months of 2026. This year has already brought us some exciting new families and sets, including some all new animal species arriving in Sylvanian land!

New Corgi Family (Feb 21 Release)

This new corgi family was released in February, and appears to be exclusive to the Online Shop and official SF stores. They can be ordered from Japan's Official Online Store.

New Cottontail Rabbit Family (Feb 14 release)

These Cottontails in fancy new clothes were released in Japan in February. 

A version of this family without the babies is also available on the Calico Critters Official Online Store (USA). The CC version of the family has a few minor clothing differences (no buttons). The CC family isn't listed as online exclusive, so North American collectors will hopefully be seeing these in stores soon, as well. 

Sylvanian Families Whipped Cream Keychain Kit - Chocolate Mint (January 17 Release)

This is a DIY kit that lets you assemble your own plastic desert to display alongside your Sylvanian keychain. Available on the Japanese Official Shop.

Flying Squirrel Family (March 14 Release)

This is an exciting new family and an all-new species joining the Sylvanian world. So far, they've only been released in Japan, but hopefully we'll soon see them gliding into stores in other countries too!

Cottontail Rabbit's Floral Hideaway (March 7 Release)

This set comes with Angelica Cottontail and has been released in Japan.

 

Character Encyclopedia book (Coming Oct 1)

This book is being published by Pan Macmillan and comes with a Chocolate Rabbit standing baby in a cute pink bow and floral pink & white dress. It's available for pre-order in the UK.

Exclusive Forest Baby Concierge Keychains (Store Exclusive)

These keychains are exclusive to certain stores in Japan (more details here).

2026.3 Challenge - Springtime for Brendan

Challenge 2026.3 Springtime

Just a short story - Brendan has written a poem about springtime!

Springtime for Brendan

Hello. I suspect this will be a brief post; my current project is taking up my time. Whilst it should conclude soon so I'll be less reliant on Darcy and Cecile, I simply had to take time to share the following with you.

Continued in: https://mellowdene.blogspot.com/2026/03/springtime-for-brendan.html

2026 - Challenge 2, February Celebrations

Hi everyone!

This is my entry for the second challenge for this year, "February Celebrations".

Just a simple picture this time, but I hope you'll like it!

 --- 

Some Saturday mornings, when Teri Chocolate wakes up in a good mood, she can be hearing gently humming a song in the kitchen. On those days, Freya and Coco always rush downstairs without even changing out of their sleep clothes, because they know it's Pancake Day!

Special mention goes to the lovely hand-made marmalade jars Cutata sent me! Love them, thank you so much my friend!

Hope you liked my entry, even if it wasn't a full story. 

Have a wonderful day! 

Challenge response: Spring

 My first post on any blog! Please excuse any issues with it...

Here's my response to the Spring Creative Challenge 

Lily has a new dress covered in embroidered tulips and daffodils - just right for Spring!

I also took inspiration from daffodils for the second project where I created a play place for my tiny Sylvanians. The Husky baby sitting in it seems to be happy!

As is often the case these projects are made of felt and thread. Apologies for the shadows in the photos - wanted to use the spring sunshine...