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You are here: Home / Archives for Claudia

Day Three Hundred Seventy-One

March 19, 2021 at 10:41 am by Claudia

Wind. All last night and through the day today. Tomorrow ought to be lovely, as well as the week ahead. But the wind?

I’m over it.

Amidst the pouring rain yesterday, a couple of packages were delivered. I had to keep an eye on the porch all day long in order to retrieve them as soon as possible. One of them held my new puzzle and a book I had ordered. The other held – now, don’t get too excited – a new bathtub mat.

I was happy to see that new puzzle as it meant I could take the previous puzzle apart and start a new one. I didn’t get very far, but I need an ongoing project, as you know.

Speaking of ongoing projects, I did some work in the dollhouse.

I made the acrylic window inserts. I can’t tell you how frustrating this can be, mostly because I’m having to fit them into an already constructed window. I usually mess up the first one and have to make another. But, they’re done. And then I primed and painted the window trim.

Now for the baseboards, but I wasn’t in the mood to figure out how to do a mitre cut, so that will happen on another day. I have the tools, and I’ve done it before. I just have to remind myself how to do it.

We spoke a bit in the comments the other day about comparison being “the thief of joy.” It is. Nevertheless, I still struggle with it at times. Lately, I’ve been struggling with comparing myself to all the fabulous miniaturists I follow on Instagram. Some of them – especially younger dollhouse lovers – are so inventive and brave. I admire that so much. Others are so skilled that their work blows me away. Anyway, I’ve noticed this small, niggling little thread of doubt lately about my work. I won’t let it stop me because I know that I’m doing all of this because I love it and not to impress others, nevertheless, I’m just as human in my struggles with self-doubt as anyone else. My strengths are not in building furniture or adding rooms within rooms, etc. I don’t have many of the power tools and saws that they have – nor do I have room for them. I’m not sure where my strengths lie – maybe in an eye for color and detail? For a vision that includes the life of the owner and a story about that life and that house? Maybe a rigorous attention to scale?

The lesson in all of this is to just stop comparing. Everyone has different strengths, different styles. And I support and applaud every dollhouse lover and miniaturist out there. The most important thing is the joy of creating. That’s the lesson I keep relearning.

Just sharing in case you’re struggling with this as well.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: dollhouse, miniatures 30 Comments

Day Three Hundred Seventy

March 18, 2021 at 10:20 am by Claudia

A rainy day today with about an inch of rain expected. Then the warmup begins.

What exciting news do I have for you? Let’s see, we’re picking up groceries later this afternoon. That’s exciting. I have another puzzle arriving today. That actually is exciting, because, instead of doing anything with the dollhouse (I didn’t have the patience for measuring yesterday) I finished the puzzle instead.

The trees were the most challenging – as well as the road. But as you know, when you’re heading toward the finish of a jigsaw puzzle, pieces start going into place pretty quickly. The next puzzle isn’t as bright – in fact, it’s pretty dark and moody – but it shows a trio of musicians rehearsing inside a NYC apartment and I love music and musicians.

Hopefully, I’ll get upstairs and do some work on the dollhouse today.

I’ll admit it. I’m restless for Spring and I’m tired of the heat being on and the brown monotone of the surrounding countryside. I’m ready for our second shot, but it won’t be until the 31st. I’d like to start working outside, even if only to wash our siding and take down old wasp nests from the ceiling of the porch and clean the porch railings. Not exciting, but satisfying nonetheless, and it’s all stuff I can work on before it’s time to do anything with the gardens. As the temps will be in the 50s and 60s next week, I’ll be doing just that.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

 

Filed Under: jigsaw puzzles 44 Comments

Day Three Hundred Sixty-Nine

March 17, 2021 at 10:40 am by Claudia

A gray day, but the temp will hit the fifties. Then heavy rain tomorrow, with the temperature on Friday back down to the thirties. But then, from Saturday on, temps will be in the fifties and sixties. Huzzah!

The current puzzle. I worked on it for a few hours yesterday. It’s titled Village by the Sea  and it’s from a 1938 issue of The New Yorker, although the time period seems to be a decade or so earlier, given the horse-drawn cart and the women in long dresses. I like the cheery colors. I’m now to the point where I have to fill in all the trees and the road.

Time to order another one.

I’m going to work on the windows, trim, and baseboards in the English Cottage today. I ordered an unfinished wardrobe for the bedroom yesterday, as well as some kits for two different tables. I don’t know whether I’ll use them in the English Cottage or not. They may be destined for the Beacon Hill.

Don and I were in gratitude mode during our second cup of coffee. The view from the living room sofa into the kitchen always makes us happy. We realized that this year marks 20 years since we moved east. How can that be? We took off for the drive cross country on Don’s birthday that year. He turned 50. We turned our lives upside down in order to take a risk out here. I gave up my university professorship, my work at the Globe. All because we wanted to take a chance on something new while we were still relatively young. And somehow, after renting for four years, we managed to buy a house and carve out the lives we wanted to live up here in the Hudson Valley. Yes, our mortgage payment is hefty. Yes, we went through years in which we worried – every single month – whether we would be able to pay it. The stress was sometimes so enormous that I can’t adequately describe it to you. But we had faith in our decision and we kept slugging away and somehow, miraculously, we never missed a payment and the bills were always paid. We’re two freelancers with an income that changes every year. We aren’t like many of you who bought houses when you were younger and have paid off your mortgage. We met later in life and we started this house owning journey in our mid-fifties. We acknowledge that we won’t have the disposable income that is freed up with a paid-off mortgage. It is what it is and it’s absolutely worth it for us. Though I wouldn’t mind winning the lottery!

Big on my gratitude list: Don. He is the only person I can imagine spending my life with. He is the perfect partner for this adventure and I am grateful and humbled by the miracle that brought him into my life.

Okay. I guess it’s St. Patrick’s Day, though I don’t celebrate it even though I’m English, Scots and Irish, as well as German. If you do celebrate, have fun.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: jigsaw puzzles 26 Comments

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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.

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