Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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What are the Mini Owners Collecting?

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I stayed in yesterday (except to water the zinnia seeds.) I mowed the lilac side of the lawn on Monday and, even wearing a mask and the goggles that I use for spraying the sealer I use on the dolls, I ended up feeling sick yesterday.

Yes, my friends, imagine how lovely I looked in that get up!

So, until the worst of the pollen is over, I’m going to have to limit my time outside. But that’s okay, I have my Beacon Hill project to work on. I’m about to start in on the bedroom wallpaper. I just finished painting the formerly brown ceiling in that room white.

I ordered a few more mini Roseville vases and they arrived on Monday. And then I had an idea: what if the ‘collection’ that I’m planning on displaying in the green cabinet was Roseville pottery? So I stole some of the Roseville from Hummingbird Cottage, and added the newer pieces that I had just received. The cubbies themselves are narrow, so any pottery that is rounder and wider than the opening won’t fit. Some of those pieces of mini Roseville went back to Hummingbird Cottage.

Anyway, this is what I ended up with.  (You can still see some of the tacky stuff I use in mini world to attach pieces to various surfaces. I’ll clean that up today.)

I need at least 2 more pieces of narrower Roseville, which I’ll attend to in the next couple of weeks.

What do you think?

By the way, this is a closeup of the cabinet and at the top you can see the diagonal lines from the 3D printing process. That’s okay with me because in real life, you really can’t see them when it’s in place in the dollhouse. But I thought you’d find that interesting.

Gosh, I took so many shots of this cabinet trying to get its actual color. I’ve never seen a color change so much depending on the light. It’s maddening! I finally had to place it on Don’s desk.

So. Wallpapering today. Flooring starting tomorrow or Friday.

Still pondering this, but it’s quite pricey. I’d have to sell some things first.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Phileas, Rain, Miniatures

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Late in the afternoon on Saturday, I wandered down to the mailbox, umbrella in hand, to get the mail.  I then wandered over to the area of the culvert we call Frog Pond and called out for Phileas. I sang a bit. Suddenly, on the periphery of my vision, something on the left leapt into the water, landing with a plop. I couldn’t see him under the water but our Phileas is still around! We were greatly relieved. Don looked for him yesterday and there was no response. We are accepting the fact that Phileas has his own life and is entitled to privacy and will not answer our questions as to where he goes. He is his own frog.

Rain all day long on Saturday, then Sunday started out as a sunny day, but turned gloomy later.

Taken yesterday morning, right after I watched a male and female wild turkey walk through our woods.

What else? I spent a few hours working on another project for the Beacon Hill. My friend Gwen sent me a 1:12 3D printed miniature cubby/cabinet a few months back. It’s the first 3D miniature I’ve modified. It came in basic white and I guess it’s made of some sort of plastic. I probably should have sanded it a bit, but I didn’t. I stained it in that walnut color and then painted and aged it. I wanted it to look like an old piece of painted furniture. I’m pretty happy with it.

Ir’s very hard to capture the color as it changes with the light.

Here it looks more green with less blue tones. I’ll try to get a good photo of it later today. That’s the wall it’s going on and it will be directly opposite the table and chairs. I didn’t want the living room to be too matchy, so I deliberately chose this color. I may play with it a bit more, but I’m pretty happy with it.

I’m not sure what I’ll choose to fill those cubbies. It won’t be books – more likely, some pottery. I had a vision of small rustic crocks, but these cubbies are rather small. I’d like whatever I display to look like a curated collection as the owners are collectors. We’ll see what I can come up with.

Last night, we watched Remarkably Bright Creatures  starring my pal Sally Field. It’s on Netflix. It’s a beautiful, powerful story and she is superb. Our friend Beth Grant is in it, as well. I cannot recommend it highly enough. You will be inspired and touched and moved to tears by the story. It’s based on a novel which I haven’t read, but I suspect some of you have.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Beacon Hill Living Room

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It was a windy and cold day yesterday, so I delayed my plans to sow some zinnia seeds and work outdoors because of the dreaded pollen. Instead, I concentrated on finishing off the basics of the Beacon Hill living room. On Saturday, I had added all the baseboards, patching all the joins (they look good!) Yesterday, I rubbed some paste wax on the floor and then kept the window open the rest of the day. That stuff has a strong smell! I stained and painted the fireplace. And then I built a table from a kit that I had on hand. It’s the same style of table that I built for Hummingbird Cottage.

Anyway….I may add another layer of either stain or paint to the table but I’m holding off on that for now. For fun, I added the furniture that I have so far, placed the fireplace in its spot between the baseboards, and took some pictures.

I’m real happy with it so far.

The Knole sofa was made by Joanne Shimakawa. I won it a couple of years ago in an auction for a very good price. It is the inspiration piece for this room.

The fireplace came with the Beacon Hill kit. I used a pecan stain and painted the interior a mix of black and gray. That’s one of my mini Roseville pottery pieces on the mantel. I need to get a few more. There are quite a few in Hummingbird Cottage but I don’t want to steal them, though there is one I have my eye on.

The black chairs are vintage Bespaq, a sort of upscale line of dollhouse furniture. I won them in an eBay auction.

That’s the table I put together yesterday. It may need another coat of stain.

Whoops! I need to sweep the floor again. I want a large cabinet/wardrobe/china cabinet for the wall to the left. I have a table kit that I’m going to put together for the area next to the sofa. I need an easy chair. I have my eye on one, it’s a bit pricey – but, oh would it be perfect as a companion for the sofa!

And then, of course, the room needs all the little extras: rugs, plants, books, pottery. That will come later. I don’t have much left in my stash. Everything has been used in other dollhouses. I only buy specific items for the houses. (Budget, budget, fixed income, budget.)

I hope you like what I’ve done so far! I’m having fun and I’m so grateful to finally feel engaged and committed to this project. Now I have to figure out what room to start in on next. In the meantime, work outside today!

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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