dollhouse — Page 119

Random On Wednesday

January 19, 2011 at 6:14 pm by Claudia

:: Letitia has taken to wearing my ratty old parka and snow shoveling hat (faux fur, of course.) Perhaps that’s because I’ve been wearing it a lot myself lately. Of course, I don’t wear the flower when I’m outside in the snow. Yesterday was just a horrible, terrible weather day. Snow came down and turned to sleet, then turned to freezing rain, which turned to ice. All the trees and plants are coated with it. Our driveway, which slopes down to the street, was completely iced over this morning. Oh joy. Don salted it and about an hour later, there we were, hacking away at the ice. It’s a long driveway, so excuse me while I pause for a moment to curse. I’m also dealing with sinus/allergy/whatever and feel a more than a bit under the weather. Thank goodness I didn’t have to be in the city yesterday or today. I wouldn’t have been able to make it.

Spring cannot come soon enough.

:: After trying a new recipe for Oatmeal Cookies yesterday, I wasn’t sure I liked the results. Today, however, they taste great. But during the time I thought the cookies were a bust, I quickly scoured the pantry to see what else I had on hand to make another batch. Ah, molasses. So I baked this favorite of ours:

These are “Ben’s Favorite Molasses Sugar Cookies” from The Bake Sale Cookbook, which you can get here. I may not like to cook, but I do like to bake. And I have a sweet tooth. Which is why I don’t bake very often.

:: I’ve just finished another obsession scarf. I haven’t blocked it yet. It’s for my best friend, Laural. Since she doesn’t read this blog, I don’t have to worry about her seeing it. Debi and Karen, I had to special order the yarn for your scarves and it just got in today. Hopefully, I’ll be able to break out of my prison house tomorrow and pick it up from the yarn shop.

:: I’ve decided I’m going to post something about the dollhouse every week. That way I will be forced to keep plugging away. It’s been completely primed. Now I have to paint the outside and figure out what I want to do with the rooms. I’ve been pouring through my catalogs and am getting ready to order baseboards, crown molding, window trims, spindles and railings for the staircases….if I let myself, I could go nuts. Working on this dollhouse is tricky because it was already assembled when I found it on Craigs List. Usually, all the painting, etc. is done before assembly. Since I can’t do that, I have to work in very tiny spaces and it isn’t easy. The dollhouse came with this door:

I don’t particularly like it and it doesn’t close. So, I bought another door.

What do you think? I like it much better. It’s a bit larger than the other one and that means I might have to do some sawing…any tips from my mini friends on the best way to do it? By the way, that plant and urn came from my friend Jayne of Tallulah – Belle Originals. She sent me lots of wonderful things for my dollhouse – she’s incredibly generous.

I’m off to drink hot chocolate and blow my nose.

A Cold, but Sunny, Sunday

January 16, 2011 at 12:30 pm by Claudia

What’s that? Sun flooding the living room with light? Yes, the sun is shining. It’s still very, very cold…but the sun is shining. Is it only January 16th? That means at least 2 more months of winter, doesn’t it? I keep reminding myself that harsh winters are what make spring all the more beautiful and appreciated.

I used to live in Southern California. Where it was in the 70’s yesterday. What am I, nuts?

Did I ever share this find with you? I don’t think I did.

I won this vintage doorstop at auction a couple of months ago. I bid on it thinking I might offer it in an Etsy shop someday. Of course, I also fell in love it.

And it’s really heavy. I mean, heavy. The shipping costs would be prohibitive, don’t you think?

I’d better keep it here. It’s the smart thing to do.

I’m going to resume work on the dollhouse today. It has remained in the same state it was in last February when I had to stop work on it to start my prep work for the Shakespeare Festival in San Diego. It needs another coat of primer and then, gosh darn it, I’m going to paint the rooms and start furnishing this baby. I will have to remove the crochet that is currently on the roof. I put it there each evening so that a certain furry boy who loves yarn cannot get to it.

When we adopted Riley we were living in rented cottage in Westchester County. At some point during the first night he spent with us, he wandered into the office/studio and ate some of my yarn. Luckily, there were no side effects. Whenever I have yarn out, he immediately comes over, sniffs around and tries to lick it. That boy.

I’m off to get some work accomplished. Tuesday, I will post a book review. It’s a new mystery that I think you will like.

Wonderful Gifts from Bloggers, Pt. 1

December 21, 2010 at 2:53 pm by Claudia

I am so grateful for the friends I have met through blogging. You are all so dear to me. I hope you know that. Lately, wonderful surprises have been showing up in my mailbox and on my doorstep. I’d like to share some of them with you over the next few posts.

Look up at my header. Do you see the McCoy bird planter on the left? I have two of them in turquoise, and a smaller one in white. I love them dearly. They may be my favorite pieces in my collection.

Yesterday I received a package from my friend Kim of Flowers and Art. Kim is enormously talented and among her talents are miniatures and dollhouses. Imagine my surprised delight when I saw this:

Oh. my. goodness.

This chair is sitting on the dollhouse porch. Let me show you the scale:

Sorry, President Lincoln. I didn’t mean to turn you upside down! I’m delighted, amazed and so grateful that Kim took the time to make this priceless miniature. She also sent me this ornament that she created:

She used a Santa light cover, then created the giant snowball and the little snowballs in his lap and then painted his coat and cap in the perfect shade of turquoise! My favorite color. Thank you, Kim. I am blown away by your creations.

Remember my post about my love for the scent of pine? My friend Suzanne of Privet and Holly said she wanted to send me something that she thought I would like. It arrived yesterday.

Let me tell you, the scent coming from this votive is incredible. My husband said it smells better than the Frazier Fir sitting in our den! Suzanne has a friend who’s sister designed this scent for Thymes. I feel my shoulders drop just from the unlit scent of the votive. Imagine what it will be like when it’s lit! Thank you, Suzanne.

A blessing beyond measure – the warmth of friendship. More in the next post.

Random On Wednesday

A Cold, but Sunny, Sunday

Wonderful Gifts from Bloggers, Pt. 1

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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