Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for dollhouse

Frost, Flowers & More on the Dollhouse

October 28, 2011 at 9:44 am by Claudia

When yesterday’s rain turned to sleet, I checked the weather forecast. Frost warning. Ummmm, a bit early, don’t you think? Alarmed, I grabbed a flashlight, pruners, a vase and a slicker and ran outside to cut the zinnias. I feared they wouldn’t make it through the frost. Don snapped this photo as I came in the front door. It’s rather a dark corner at night so the photo is a bit grainy.

The zinnias are now sitting on the coffee table. The catalpa tree has dropped all its leaves overnight. The maple has already lost all its leaves.

Not quite ready for this drastic change in our weather.

Last night’s game 6 of the World Series was one of the most incredible games I have ever seen. It had everything. Boy, these teams are evenly matched. Tonight promises to be a nail biter.

I’ve been working on the bedroom in the dollhouse. Since it is on the third floor, I pictured it as a room that was carved out of attic space. Old floor boards, slanty walls…that kind of thing.

I used wider sticks for this floor and painted them white. I really love this look. My thought is that the homeowner didn’t want to go to the trouble of refinishing the floor (maybe the boards were uneven and not the best quality wood) so she whitewashed the whole thing and in the process made the room brighter.

You can see that I’ve been wallpapering, as well. It’s a pretty flowered pattern perfect for a cozy bedroom. That area behind the chair is a puzzle to me. Whoever put this house together somehow managed to get some of the cladding that’s used on the outside of the house in the bedroom. Wallpaper won’t disguise it. I’m playing with some ideas, one of which is to cover it in exposed brick – rather like the exposed brick in Mockingbird Hill Cottage’s living room.

I’ve run out of beadboard and window trim, which has put a little snag in my plans. Hopefully, I’ll get the order in a few days.

Can’t you just imagine retreating at the end of the day to this pretty attic hideaway? Or waking up with the sun pouring through the windows?

I want to live there.

Update: Don just called to inform me that we are supposed to get snow tomorrow. Up to 4 inches 9 inches. Insert scream here.

Because some of the flowers are pink, the dollhouse wallpaper has pink in it, and my little chair is pink…I’m linking up to Beverly’s Pink Saturday.

Filed Under: dollhouse, garden 27 Comments

A Mini Re-do and a Garden Surprise

October 25, 2011 at 10:07 am by Claudia

The unfinished cabinet in the above photo has undergone a transformation. It now looks like this:

I would like a real-sized one for my home. This transformation, of course, is much easier and much less time consuming.

Just as in real life, I had to move the furniture around for my photo shoot. And yes, I did a little staging. I originally had many more pieces of pottery on the shelves, but as any good stager would, I pared back so that you could see the wallpaper that covers the area behind the shelves. It’s the same pattern I used in the room.

I love it.

Is there just too much blue in the house? I can’t help it. I’m so drawn to those colors. Case in point: look at my header. I’ll try my best to mix it up in other parts of the house.

A dash of garden surprise:

I’ve been discovering these little patches of impatiens in our little patio area where we have them planted in big barrels. They’ve reseeded. That’s never happened before. How lovely to come across this little autumn surprise.

I hope the first frost holds off for a few weeks.

Filed Under: dollhouse, garden 13 Comments

Changing, Playing & Cleaning Up

October 24, 2011 at 10:42 am by Claudia

Doesn’t Fall seem to be a time for nesting? For changing things around, cleaning things up? My theory is that memories of “back-to-school-new-shoes-new-notebooks-and-pencils” are bred in our bones and once that cooler air hits, we want to renew and start fresh. That, and a need to nest in preparation for the coming Winter.

I’m definitely feeling it. Unfortunately, I’m not feeling it for the cottage. I’m feeling it for the dollhouse and this blog.

The blog has changed a bit lately, as you no doubt have noticed. A new header, a new background and now… a new font. Like an idiot, I stayed up until the wee hours last night because I suddenly got the urge to play with fonts. Lately, I’ve been wanting a cleaner, fresher looking blog and all these changes are being made with that in mind. Brenda will be happy – she had trouble reading the Papyrus font I’ve been using. We good-naturedly (spell check doesn’t like my word choice) argued about it. What do you think? Is this new font clear enough for you?

While Don was working late last night, I was watching the World Series and playing with the dollhouse. Two chairs have been painted and added to the kitchen.

This bookcase/armoire was a gift from Rizzi. I’m going to paint it a pale, pale aqua and put wallpaper backing behind the shelves.

Honestly, I was like a little girl last night. I pulled out my box of furniture and accessories and played house. I don’t have very much at the moment and I have a wish list a mile long, but it was such fun. (I love the way the sunlight pours into the room.)

I’d share the other things I did this weekend with you, but do you really want to see the enormous pile of tree limbs (courtesy of Hurricane Irene) that I dragged one by one into the woods?

Or the window air conditioners that were finally taken out of their summer homes and stored in the shed?

I thought not.

Unofficial Bed Maker vs Non-Bed Maker poll results:

Bed Makers:           29
Non-Bed Makers:     5
Hit-and-Miss:           6

Have a great Monday.

Okay, now I’ve changed the font again. This time to Century Gothic. I’m not sure which one I like better!

Now you will officially think I’m insane. I’ve changed it back to my original ‘new’ font.

Filed Under: autumn, blog, dollhouse 18 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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