Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

  • About MHC
    • Disclosure
  • Dollhouses/Minis
    • Hummingbird Cottage
    • The Studio (Formerly TSP)
    • Dove Cottage
    • The Lake House
    • The Folk Art Dollhouse
    • The Modern Dollhouse
    • The Beacon Hill Dollhouse
    • Dollhouse Source List, Information and Tutorials
  • On the Road
  • Collecting
    • Roseville Pottery
    • McCoy Pottery
    • Egg Cups
    • Bakelite
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Archives for Claudia

A Little Snow, A Little Change

January 25, 2022 at 8:53 am by Claudia

For the past several years, we’ve kept this little cherry spinet desk closed. About two weeks ago, we were sitting on the sofa drinking coffee and we wondered if the turntable would still be workable if we opened it up. It is. And we really like seeing the little cubbies inside the desk, as well as having two levels.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference.

Speaking of sitting on the sofa having coffee, we had our own nature program going on out the back window as we watched deer slowly crossing the back forty. My heavens, they’re beautiful.

This is my current puzzle project. I’d take a photo of it in progress, but one of the hazards of blogging during the winter months is not being able to take pictures in the hours of the dark mornings and dark-too-early evenings. It’s very limiting, which is why I struggle with finding subject matter at this time of the year.

I’m a big fan of the New York Puzzle Company. They sell all the New Yorker covers, as well as other subject matter. The House and Garden cover I just put together is theirs. This cover is theirs. And the puzzle quality is excellent.

This one is a challenge, but I like the challenge. It’s a form of meditation for me.

We had some sad news yesterday. Don came home from the grocery store and told me our favorite checker had passed away. Frank, who was 75, was the cheeriest, most joy-filled guy you could ever hope to meet. We always had great conversations with him – he was in a band, so he and Don talked music – and he never failed to brighten our day. He died, at home, of a sudden heart attack.

He is in our thoughts and we are so grateful to have known him. He truly made a difference in the lives of everyone he encountered. I can’t believe he’s gone.

It’s relative, but these days, 75 seems young to me. Too young to have left us.

We had a very slight sprinkling of snow overnight, just enough to make all the old snow look fresh and white again.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: life 20 Comments

Monday

January 24, 2022 at 9:27 am by Claudia

Don is playing his guitar quietly in the living room while I write this in the den. It’s rather nice to hear a gentle accompaniment while I write.

The email version of yesterday’s post just went out – 24 hours after I published it. I will reiterate: don’t rely on the email any longer. Soon, because Google is purposely neglecting it, it will fail altogether. I can always tell when it hasn’t gone out because comments greatly decrease. And it’s not that I care about comments or want you to feel any pressure about commenting – I don’t – it’s just a reliable indicator that many of you are still relying on the email. I issue these period warnings because, trust me, the service will eventually stop.

End of Public Service Announcement.

My anxiety is back, full throttle, so I’m trying to keep busy. There’s a lot going on right now with family and friends. Lots of worries. So I started another puzzle yesterday and that helped. I played with my dolls.

Pippa and Mei discussing artwork for the house.

Clearly, Mei has an opinion.

Pip took off her shoes and got down to business.

We watched our favorite night of television last night: Around the World in Eighty Days  and All Creatures Great and Small  on PBS. And we ate Chinese takeout.

That’s about it, my friends. I have some things to take care of today and I want to get back to my book, which is brilliantly written. (Cloud Cuckoo Land  by Anthony Doerr.)

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: blog, Blythe dolls, Mei, Pippa 21 Comments

The Cubicle

January 23, 2022 at 10:00 am by Claudia

I call this “Out of Control Office.” Or “When Dollhouses Become a Cubicle.”

I’m getting ready to do some finishing work on the exterior of the English Cottage, as well as finishing off bits of the interior. There will be little bits and pieces to add over time –  that’s what happened with Hummingbird Cottage. In fact, I added a new table and chairs for the kitchen of that house last year, so I guess I’m never completely done. I also want to add some window boxes and paint the raised porch area.

The fourth wall of the cubicle.  Yes, that’s toilet paper on the shelf below. I’m not sure why it’s there, maybe I needed something to wipe up paint? Who knows?

Between the girls and the dollhouses, I have a lot of miniature endeavors going on.

I have a few books on ‘small things’ you might be interested in. I was straightening up my stacks of in progress reading material yesterday and I separated these books from the pile so I can read them over the next few days.

The Book of Mini – Inside the Big World of Very Small Things   is by Kate Esme Unger, who I’ve been following for many years through her @dailymini feed on Instagram. She has photographed miniatures for years and this book is a compilation of her photos, including interviews with some of the artisans. It really is a treasure trove. Available in bookstores and on Amazon.

Collectively Speaking – My Passionate Pursuit of Miniatures  (2 volumes) is by Kate Savage Browning. Her collection is vast, so much so that she established the KSB Miniatures Collection, which is in a 3,300 square foot gallery in Maysville, Kentucky. I met her several years ago at the IGMA show and I’ve seen an interview/tour of the gallery. It’s extraordinary. The photographs are excellent and Kay shares so much history and information. Well worth it and available on Amazon.

This is Blythe  by Gina Garan. Written in 2000 (I believe it might be out of print now) Garan photographed her Blythe dolls – and I’m talking about the original Kenner Blythe dolls pre-customization – out in nature and in and around the streets of NYC. It’s considered a classic for Blythe and doll lovers, especially those who collect the original dolls.

Don somehow found this book – I’d never mentioned it to him – and got it through a bookseller. He gave it to me for my birthday.

Yes, he’s cool.

Garan’s photography was groundbreaking. Nowadays, Blythe collectors photograph their dolls everywhere especially in this world of social media, but at the time it was rare. She had a book of those photographs published – unheard of. It reminds me of The Lonely Doll, a childhood favorite.

It’s cold here today and unfortunately, no sunshine. Hang in there, everyone.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

 

Filed Under: books, dollhouse, miniatures 10 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 383
  • 384
  • 385
  • 386
  • 387
  • …
  • 1853
  • Next Page »
  • Email
  • Instagram

Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

Thanks for stopping by.

Searching?

The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives

All Content © 2008 - 2026 Mockingbird Hill Cottage · Log in