Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Nature, Miniatures, and Spoiler Alert

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Yesterday was a full-on amazing nature day.

Spectacular sunrise with a pink sky as far as we could see. A spectacular sunset. Two murmurations of starlings on our property that were truly magnificent and glorious. At one point, I looked out the back window in the kitchen and there was a huge hawk standing on the ground eating something. I’ve never seen a hawk land on our property and stay there for at least ten minutes. Don said he was eating big, fat worms. It was amazing to watch – all of this was happening as we were talking to someone on the phone!

Wow.

Turning to miniatures, I’ve been trying to find a vintage-looking stove other than an Aga for quite a while. Almost impossible to find. Then a friend reminded me of the Hallmark Keepsake ornament from 2004, which you can still find on eBay. It’s very Christmasy and loaded with things I don’t want (and have already started to remove) but it reminds me of our stove. It’s 1:12 scale, or pretty close to that. It arrived in yesterday’s mail. It’s plastic, of course.

This ornament was designed to be plugged into a Christmas light strand and there was a fragrance pack tucked into the rear of the stove – sort of an apple spice scent. You plugged it in and you could smell cookies baking. I think there was a light in the oven, as well. It will need some work, as I’ve already removed the salt and pepper shakers, cookie sheets, and mugs, so I’ll have to repaint the top of the stove. I know of at least one other miniaturist who has worked with this ornament, so I’m going to check out her stove, which I believe she has since sold. I also have to cut off the electrical cord.

But I think this will look great in the Beacon Hill, don’t you?

Spoiler Alert  opens nationwide today! Go see it – it’s a wonderful movie with beautiful performances by everyone. Jim and Ben will make you laugh and break your heart at the same time. Sally and Bill are brilliant, as one would expect. And you can see me!

I’m so proud of this and my little contribution. My work with Ben paid off as he aced the dialect, and I managed not to embarrass myself in my scene. Who would have thought I’d be acting again, on screen, after 30 years?

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

 

A Pox on the Time Change

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I love my coneflowers, especially in the fall. They remain upright, they don’t collapse. They happily supply food for birds. What’s not to love?

Okay. I hate the time change and I keep thinking it’s later than it is and it’s driving me crazy. I woke up in the middle of the night, had to go to the bathroom, looked at the clock, and it was only 4 am. I panicked, worried that I would once again wake up too early. I willed myself to go to sleep again, which – surprisingly – worked. I got up at 6 am, which was really 7 am, and realized that when I had panicked it was really 5 am in terms of hours of sleep and I would have been okay.

Does this make any sense? I had no awareness that the time had changed when I woke up in the middle of the night.

This kind of thing drives me crazy. Why oh why can’t we just stick to one time???

I still haven’t changed the clocks. The cable box has the correct time, as does this computer, and my phone. But the microwave, the stereo, and the retro looking two-sided clock that extends out from our wall need to be changed.

Still a bit under the weather but definitely feeling better on the whole.

Katie hanging out in the Beacon Hill.

Yes, I’m thinking about that project. But it will progress slowly, partly because I never work full time on any of my dollhouses, and partly because of $$$$. Dollhouse renovations involve lots of supplies and, of course, furniture and wallpaper and floors and paint – furniture being the biggest expense. So it will transform slowly. But I want a cohesive vision for it and I’m not sure what that will be.

I just have to get motivated and right now I have too many other things on my mind. But the day I paint over that red paint with some primer will be Day One.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Priming & Spoiler

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I spent the afternoon putting primer on the dollhouse.

Where I started.

First coat.

Second coat.

I’m going for a third coat today. I’m using Killz primer and it’s still taking more than one or two coats.

Yikes. Remember the red and brown interior rooms? Imagine how much primer it’s going to take to create a neutral palette! Yikes again.

I haven’t painted the porch floor yet, because I’m not sure if I’ll paint it or cover it in some wood veneer. Heck, I have no idea what color I’ll paint the dollhouse – though, just as happened with Hummingbird Cottage, a neutral color seems more and more appealing to me. Maybe just because I’m so glad to see that garish yellow disappear. Or something tone-on-tone, if that’s correct, like the photo above. A subtle main color with white accents.

As is always the case because I rehab dollhouses that have already been constructed, getting around areas like the porch posts and trim takes some body contortion. But it sure is nice being able to stand up at the work table Don gave me and work on the dollhouse.

For those of you who asked:

Don playing Spoiler. That circular metal disk is part of the resonator. It’s a Gretsch, which is a great brand.

Okay. Have to get a move on.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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