Needle Felting? Why not?

About a year ago I came across some wonderful little needle-felted animals on eBay.  They were created by an incredibly talented Russian artist, and I was immediately enchanted.  A while later I found a great website for getting the supplies, http://www.livingfelt.com and ordered what I thought would be the basics.  But then that was it for several - too many - months.  I just didn't know where to start.

Than last month I saw a fellow Placerville Art Association artist's sweet little needle-felted camel and was inspired all over again.  Patty is going to teach a workshop in August, but that's just too long to wait.  So the other day, I plunged in.  This is the result - "Alberta," and Albert's squirrel complete with adorable and totally out of control ear tufts.

She basically created herself and turned out to be about 6" tall.  It seemed like a corner of this vintage handkerchief would make a perfect shawl, and, of course she needed a ribbon around her neck.  So she's all dressed up and ready to go!

For years now I've wanted to create a "doll" house with a hollow tree stump as the house and a squirrel family as the "dolls" but had no idea how to even begin.  So now I have a starting placing - making the little squirrels with needle felting.