Sadly, there's no gargantuan "Spring Cleaning Machine" that makes the task any easier. I actually started my spring-cleaning in late January, but then I think it was just a spurt of wishful thinking. My theory was that if I started my spring-cleaning a little earlier, then the horrible snows we've had would leave a little earlier. No such luck! Note to all our dear readers: my attempt was futile. The snow stayed and spring arrived just as it usually does.

But spring also applies to our little miniature world. Not so much the actual practice of cleaning, but the sprucing up part of spring, where flowers bloom and animals pop up all over the place. Our creative juices start to flow and a multitude of fresh ideas begin to form. Just as November and December have their traditional décor of red and green and candy canes, there are special bits that shout March and April. So this month I'd like to take a little walk through the forum and Galleries here at CDHM and give you what I hope will be a few ideas to freshen up your own mini world. 1:12 Squirrels by Akke Ris

The first thing I spotted was a cute fawn-colored chipmunk peeking out of a hole in a log. CDHM Artisan Linda Master carved entirely from wood and painstakingly hand-painted, he looks as if he just woke up from a long winter's nap. If you look closely enough you might see his mischievous eyes twinkling in the bright sunlight. If you were looking to spruce up a little garden vignette he would be perfect to add a little realism to the scene.