To be honest, I wasn’t going to help Caroline decorate her house this Christmas. Just wasn’t in the mood. But some gentle reminders from readers helped to change my mood and yesterday found me digging out the mini Christmas boxes.
Caroline was at work, so I went ahead and did it all myself.
I made that Christmas tree three years ago. It involved lots of glue and lycopodium, which is preserved princess pine. A few hours later, I scrubbed the glue from my fingers and I had a finished tree. Next year, I’ll refresh it as it’s lost some pine bows along the way, but it’s held up surprisingly well. You can find the post with instructions here. Decorating the tree is always a challenge (much cursing was heard yesterday) so I keep it simple.
Nancy Drews on the coffee table. Christmas candies in a bowl.
Just a little bottlebrush tree here in the living room, as the tree lives in the den.
Christmas cards on the side table.
Another bottlebrush tree in the kitchen.
And some wrapping supplies in the studio/office.
I have to tell you – I took these photos with my new iPhone. I couldn’t be happier with them. The camera is a big improvement from the one on my older phone. Taking pictures with my big girl camera is problematic because I can only get so close to the subject matter. The rooms are tiny and I have spent many, many frustrating hours taking pictures that didn’t capture the details.
This, on the other hand, is a big WOW! I can get right in the rooms because of the iPhone’s smaller size. I’m so happy with the results. I didn’t do any editing except to brighten them a bit. Other than that, they are as taken and the details really show. I can’t wait to take a whole new round of pictures of this house and Don’s mini Studio.
Caroline was happy with the results.
I’d love to find a mini version of an aluminum tree for the new modern dollhouse. I’m on it.
Happy Friday.
Carolyn must have been so happy when she came home from work! Thanks for sharing.
I have missed her beautiful home.
whoops, meant Caroline.
xo
I sometimes forget to take some pictures. I’ll try to be better about that. (I also don’t want to bore all the people who have already seen so many pictures of the dollhouse!)
Never bored with doll house photos….there are so many details to take in that I’m always finding something new to admire!
Thank you, Wendy!
Caroline must have been thrilled. Hope you had a little holiday “cheer” waiting for her, too! Will you be baking for her, too? lol
Love all these dollhouse pictures and stories. xo Diana
Don’t know if I’ll be baking for her, Diana!
Magical!
Thank you, Carolyn Marie!
Sweet!
Thank you Ellen!
Those tiny little things are amazing to me—something I could never do myself! The detail is incredible. I’m beginning to regret my decision to not decorate a tree this year.
Uh oh! xo
Yes, I need someone to come and do the decorating, someone like Caroline has! Oh well, baking cookies instead.
Cookies sound perfect, Shanna!
I’m sure Caroline was thrilled with her house when she got home. I know I would be;) It’s always a treat seeing her house.
Thank you, Karen!
I was wondering when, or if, Caroline’s house would make an appearance. Everything looks so festive. I think my fingers are too big for a dollhouse…lol! Enjoy your day! ;)
It can be very tricky with human fingers manipulating tiny, tiny things.
I love this!!!! So adorable!
Thank you, Mamey!
Amazing photos!
Thank you, Linda!
Your dollhouse pictures are fascinating and beautiful. I keep going over and over them. Thanks for sharing, Claudia!
You’re very welcome!
The photos are fantastic! I want to be Caroline and come home to my house all decorated!! What a lucky lady! Such fun!
Enjoy your Friday, kiddo! Looks like you have been enjoying your time at home with Don in the cottage. It is the little things that are truly the important things!!
Yes, indeed! Thanks, Chris.
So glad you decorated for Caroline! I’m sure she appreciates, I know I do! Love to see the tiny decorations! Oh yes an aluminum tree for the mid century doll house! I am so impressed with the camera on your phone. I think I need a better one. Almost time to update my phone so hopefully a better camera. I am an android user though.
Android phones have good cameras, Linda.
Lovely! I don’t have any energy for decorating again this year. When it is just the two of us — who work full time — with two mischevious pups who get into everything, it’s just not worth it.
I may have to look back through your blog, Claudia, but what iPhone did you end up with? My 5s is on its last legs…
Happy holidays!
I bought an iPhone 7 plus.
oh Claudia!!! the word enchanting was never more fitting!
I love miniature things like this. you’ve put it together so beautifully!
actually one of my favorite things when I was a child was a doll house.
but not on this grand scale!
also… do you know about the site that is called ‘mouses houses?’
it is by a well known children’s author… Maggie Rudy I think her name is. I love her!
I don’t know if this link will work but just google mouses houses and it will come up.
http://mouseshouses.blogspot.com/ just scroll away to your heart’s content!
she literally makes everything you see in her studio. how she does some of it I don’t know!
but it’s so unique. and the expressions on the mouse’s faces! priceless.
you have to scroll deeper and deeper to see a lot of the homey scenes. they’re wonderful!
happy egg and nog dear bean! xo
I will definitely go over and check it out – since I love miniatures in every way, it sounds like a site I will love. Thank you, Tammy!
All I can say is WOW. The whole thing from top to bottom is gorgeous all of the lovely details are so amazing. You should be proud of yourself for doing that! I don’t know who Caroline is but she sure is lucky to come home to that! Enjoy your holidays Claudia. You put a lot of effort into everything you do and it shows! Ps love the cursing comment that was funny.
Caroline is the English professor that owns that house, Noelle. (My middle name is Caroline..wink.)
Thank you!
You do Caroline proud. Hummingbird Cottage is one of your greatest achievements, Claudia. I loved seeing it again just now. Thanks for sharing the Christmas wonder of it; the detail is just amazing.
You’re very welcome. We all need a little Christmas wonder, Vicki, as you well know after all you’ve been through.
Claudia, So fun to see Caroline’s cozy abode decorated for the holidays! I don’t remember, but do you ever put in tiny lights? I bet it would look amazing in the evening with some lights on inside it.
They’re not inexpensive, and I’ve almost bought some, but haven’t so far.
I love seeing Caroline’s mini decorations…so sweet…and I never get tired of seeing her home!
Thank you, Nancy! I love sharing it.
Caroline must be delighted !!! She may wonder if she is imagining the aroma of Christmas baking that is making her yearn for a treat. I would not be surprised if a tiny plate of your cookies would disappear very quickly as Caroline has become rather real. Beautiful work (and great images!) Claudia!!
Maybe something’s baking in the kitchen, Grace!
You may have just filled a “niche” need in employment, Claudia. How I would have loved to have someone come in & decorate my home for the holidays while I was working! Bet the “Shark Tank” sharks would back this concept. And hey, something I never noticed before – Caroline has an itty version of “To Kill a Mockingbird!” Perfect. I always see something new when you feature her house. Have a great weekend. Peace. 📖
#Resist
I think there are people out there that do exactly that. I’ve seen and heard of them. They come in and decorate people’s homes for Christmas.
I love that copy of To Kill a Mockingbird but it strikes me that it’s slightly out of scale. I may have to get another one.
Claudia, It is so beautiful! Bobbie
Thank you, Bobbie!
Those rooms are beautiful. You did such a nice job.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn!
I love how you decorated Caroline’s lovely home. You have inspired me to take out my daughters old dollhouse which she never really played with and have begun some remodeling here with my granddaughter. The interest must have skipped a generation. I actually found a battery operated necklace that looks like a string of lights at the drugstore and it’s just perfect for our tree. It looks so pretty lit up in the front window. I took a star that fell off our big tree set of lights and it fit right on the top. I’ve had so much fun with just these things. I am very tempted to try squint box if finances allow. Thanks as always for your lovely blog!
well! trying one last time to tell you how wonderful your little doll house is!
the other two are somewhere out in la-la land apparently. lol
it’s all delightful. and I love that Caroline lives in it! :)