I’m about to launch into a little story about some gifts that arrived in my mailbox. But first, let’s just stop for a moment.
Yes, it’s the first week of June and my peonies are ready to open. Like clockwork. This one will fully open later today.
My favorite flower. You’ll get more photos this week, you can count on it.
My friend Susi lives in Amsterdam. She is the miniaturist who built the amazing record shop that deservedly won an award this year. I still go back and look at those photos; her work is simply extraordinary.
Building a record shop means stocking lots of records and Susi eventually wrote a tutorial about making mini albums. Fully prepared to tackle that task, I wrote to Susi to ask her about the kind of paper she used. She wrote back, giving me all the information I needed, but in addition, she offered to send me the leftover albums she didn’t use in her project. I offered to pay for them, but she would have none of it. I’ve not yet ‘met’ a miniaturist who isn’t generous, whether it is with information, advice, or minis.
They arrived in my post office box over the weekend. At the same time, my blogging friend Heidi sent me some album covers that she thought I might be able to use. (I love them, but they may be a bit too small for this project, so I’m keeping them for a future project, Heidi. Thank you!)
Stacks of albums! Whoo hoo!
Susi also sent some printables that I will be able to use in my projects. She uses a laser printer. Note to self: Your printer stinks, so maybe when you replace it, you should go with a laser printer.
Also included were these two lovely gifts: a thimble with a cow on top and ‘wooden’ shoes in a beautiful delft pattern with a windmill in the center. I love them. Oh, Susi! Thank you so much! What a sweetheart you are!
Look, it’s full!
I was so sick of pulling this shelf unit out from the wall only to have the records fall out the back, that I made a back out of mat board yesterday. Much better!
The extras are over by the turntable.
I’m so excited! 23 days and counting until someone’s big birthday celebration.
Today would have been my parents’ 70th anniversary. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! I trust you’re uncorking the bubbly and celebrating your incredible love story. We miss you every day.
Happy Wednesday.
How I love peonies! Thanks for sharing yours. The TSP is amazing!
Thank you, Deb! More peonies tomorrow.
Wonderful to see the shelf full of albums! I know it’s going to be so much fun when Don’s birthday rolls around. Oh peonies I love you. I can’t believe it’s June 1st! I will be (gulp) 66 on the 9th. Now how did this year fly by! I’m just blessed to be here and after the year I’ve had I’m ready for some fun adventures soon!
hugs,
Linda
Gulp! But wonderful! Don is joining you in Medicare as of today!
You deserve some fun adventures, my friend!
What a sweet person Suzi is. The filled bookshelves look great.
Happy Wednesday to you two.
Judy
Happy Wednesday to you, Judy! It’s a beautiful day here. Simply gorgeous.
Good morning Claudia. I cut 3 peonies this morning to enjoy in the house. They were falling over where I could not see them well. Now I can see them! I can’t believe the details on the covers, are they one inch? Have a wonderful day.
Yes, I think they are about 1 inch or so, Doris. Amazing, aren’t they?
I absolutely love peonies, they are tied with iris for my #1 favorite flowers. But it rained so much here all during the month of May that the poor things got hammered while blooming, and most of the flowers didn’t get much of a show this year. Such a shame to miss out on these. Oh well, there’s always next year!
Meanwhile, I remain awed by the TSP.
My other peony bush isn’t blooming this year. It’s under the growing shag hickory which came up right in the middle of the peonies. There are leaves, etc., but no blooms. I may have to try transplanting, though I know that peonies don’t like that. But I want it to get a chance to bloom again!
Your peonies are way ahead of mine, here in the frozen North of upstate NY.
Speaking of gifts, I have a small one for you and have been wondering how to get it to you. I think you have my email, if not, I can print it here if that’s best.
Thank you, Shanna! I’ll send you my address.
Three cheers for Susi!!! :D
I echo that sentiment, Brae!
The peonies are one of my favs too! So gorgeous. Love the album additions for your project, it’s really coming along beautifully. Great post! Thanks for sharing!!
You’re very welcome, Mamey!
Our peonies bloom in May, they were glorious, enjoy yours! Your little albums are perfect! I am so excited for you to reveal this wonderful gift to your Don.
I am, too, Tina! Counting the days!
The peonies are gorgeous! And those albums…how wonderfully generous! You have great friends! I’ll toast to your parents later…it’s 42 years for us today too! Enjoy your day! ;)
Happy Anniversary, Donna! Celebrate!
Claudia, you didn’t do the usual warning to stop Don from looking further down into the post. Are you safe with the surprise?! The albums are wonderful. And I’m Dutch, so Delft…for me…is delightful!
Oh, you’re right – I didn’t! I’ll tell him not to look at the blog until his birthday!
Susi is as generous as she is talented and I am in awe of her talent.
I am, too. She’s so gifted.
Your peonies are going to be beautiful. Mine have been gone for about a month now, but were amazing this year due to the early Spring, I guess.
Thanks for sharing your lovely garden and thus, I get to have a second Spring.
Your secret project has been so much fun as we watch it unfold. It is touching to see how things have come together and even how your wish to have the shelves full of albums …..and there they are. This re-creation of ‘smalls’ is new to me and it’s delightful to see how happy this makes you as you locate things that are especially meaningful to each area.
By the way, how did it get to be Wed. already? And how did it get to be the first of June?
I don’t know! Already June and already mid-week!
I really love working with miniatures. It’s so satisfying for this person who loves decorating and DIYing but doesn’t necessarily want to mess with the real-sized house, as we like it the way it is. Any big things that need to be done in life-size cost a whole heck of a lot more than mini!
Peonies and wonderful friends…… they just go together. I think ours will bloom later this week as well. Like the lilacs, their time to bloom is just too short. Wish we could dead-head them and make them last!! And then if we get heavy rain……. sigh.
Those albums are just amazing. The entire TSP is grand!! Looking forward to the 24th. It is Don’s big day, and it will be our 44th anniversary! Welcome, Don, to the world of Medicare.
Have a good day!
Way too short. Don was asking me how long they lasted and I said not long enough – and if it rains? I’m running out there and cutting them for the house.
Don’s birthday, your anniversary and Little Z’s 5th birthday!
Peonies!!! How wonderful! I love them. I imagine being out on your porch with the scent of all of those wonderful flowers surrounding me. That would be delightful!
Don is going to love your gift to him. Personally I want to move into that miniature home. It is delightful. You have put a lot of thought and action into creating a wonderful environment.
Thank you, Teresa. I hope Don likes it! I wouldn’t mind living there either!
OK, Claudia, get this. At midnight last night, I was busy pinning all kinds of images from Susi’s website to send you. I don’t remember how I came across her website. It was so exciting to see that she used the same basic dollhouse as you did, for her record store. I knew you would love it. Well, I guess you didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday, because you are way more informed on Susi and her projects than I am. What a sweet and interesting person she is. Did you notice the tiny little red headphones on the chair? I even bookmarked that tutorial, to send to you. Well, Susi, if you are reading this, I am in awe of your talent and generosity.
Claudia, enjoy your peonies; we have had a blast of hot air for a few days and mine are on the way out already.
She is so talented, Nancy and she has a skill set that is much more developed than mine! So sweet of you to pin those images and I can see why! You know what they say…great minds…
Thank you so much Nancy!
No warning this time for Don to stop right there, no reading. :) Or has he been banned from your blog for the month of June? The records are awesome. And fit so perfectly on the shelves. So sweet of Susi to send you such thoughtful gifts. Beautiful peony. I’m enamored with my hibiscus at the moment. The most blooms I’ve had at one time are 3 but I just counted at least 6 on there now that look they are ready to burst. Happy June!
He’s been banned, Tammy. He knows not to read it. Now he wants to get on Instagram, so I told him not to scroll backwards. Yikes. I might have him unfollow me until his birthday. I’ve never had a hibiscus! Lucky you!
Please show us the peony when it’s fully open..it is such a pretty color…I am so happy to see the shelves filled with albums for Don..how generous!..He is going to have an awesome birthday this year!
Just took a picture or two and I’ll share them tomorrow, Nancy.
Hi Claudia , your peonies look a whole lot healthier than mine do! Must be all of the love and attention that you give them. :D
And the albums in this kind of volume, really make it read like a substantial collection as well as a music loves dream.
No attention whatsoever! They’ve been there a long time – since before we moved here. I’ll write about the other bush (which isn’t blooming this year) tomorrow.
You’re right, such a difference with that many albums. I am forever grateful to Susie! I was buying them but only have a limited budget, and her work is impeccable. No wonder she won that prize!
Mini-tastic! Susi really does do amazing work.
I’m watching my peonies too. I’m just hoping it doesn’t rain when they get going. I really want to enjoy the blooms!
I know! And it’s supposed to rain here tomorrow. Fingers crossed, but boy, this seems to happen every year!
I love peonies, but don’t know if they’ll do well in my area? Costco was selling them, so I thought maybe, but you never know with Costco. I should just go to the local nursery…. Nice little gifties in the mail!
I think you need a hard freeze for peonies, just like lilacs. I suppose there may be some kinds of peonies that have been bred for warmer climes?
I’m sitting here in the camping trailer looking at a huge bouquet of peonies that our resort gardener stopped by with this afternoon. He said he thought of me as he was working in the garden and decided to bring me some. Wasn’t that sweet? If he wasn’t 86 years old my wonderful Hubby might have something to worry about. Ha! The trailer smells amazing right now.
Love the miniature gifts you received. Generosity at it’s finest.
Blessings,
Betsy
That scent is amazing, isn’t it? How lovely of the gardener to bring you a bouquet!
What a late comment to your so kind post, thank you so much for the nice words and please please excuse my late response. The time you posted this, I was not able to write/blog, I’m sure you will understand. I’m so happy these little gifts found such a great new home. Thank you for including these to your TSP! Hugs, Susi.
Goodness, Susi! Don’t worry at all. Thank you!