Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Surrounded by White

February 11, 2010 at 9:18 pm by Claudia


We dodged a bullet here at MHC. We only got a few inches of snow. It was windy and cold but no crazy amount of snow, thank goodness!

Between the snow and priming the dollhouse, I have been in a sea of white. I finished priming the outside and am now starting on the inside. It’s not all that exciting but I listen to NPR as I paint and paint. The unfinished wood really soaks up the primer. You can see light coming through some of the seams – the previous owners didn’t do such a great job of putting it together. I will hide that with molding…but that won’t happen for a while.

See the chair on the right in the photo below?


It was very, very inexpensive. I thought I would play around with it a bit. It’s a work in progress. I’m not sure what I will do next.


It is in the process of being shabbified, of course. I like it like this but am considering a pale aqua wash over the white. What do you think? Am I headed toward the French/Nordic look in the dollhouse? Is that what is happening? There is so much gorgeous design out there in blogland that I am exposed to on a daily basis, who knows what might come out of my subconscious?

As far as the outside goes, I may go with a creamy white. Yes, I know it isn’t the cute original blue color, but painting an already assembled dollhouse isn’t easy. If I was building this from scratch, I would be painting as I go and that would be much easier. Maybe it will be white with a neat trim color. Oh, my mind is just buzzing with ideas!

I want to mention a little gift I received from my friend Carol. Carol has a booth in Heidi’s shop and she gave me a little bag of miniatures. They are so tiny that I couldn’t get a good photo of them. I know Carol reads this blog and I wanted to say thank you, Carol! You are so sweet and I appreciate your present very much.

Filed Under: dollhouse, snow 26 Comments

Generous Gifts

January 29, 2010 at 1:22 pm by Claudia

Let me first of all thank all of you for your supportive, loving comments about Riley. The night went fairly well, except for a period where he wondered where his Dad and Scout were and started pacing. I had to get up with him twice and let him out in our sub-zero temperatures. Don and I are now thinking seriously of leaving both dogs downstairs for the night. They would be in the living room, which is the room they hang out in when we leave the house. Scout could have her bed there and hopefully, after a period of adjustment, they would be okay with it. Riley feels better when Scout is nearby. Carrying him on our narrow stairway is probably not an option, as Riley has real anxiety issues and we think this would just add to his stress. He’s also heavy – I have a tricky back, Don has a hernia…maybe not such a good idea. I’ll update you as we muddle through this.


I have been getting packages in the mail this week – lovely gifts from 2 generous blogging friends. I should just say friends. Because they are. My friend, Donna, wrote me a note the other day asking if I would like this:


Yes! Donna knows I love roses and pink and that I collect hat pin holders. This is a shaker with holes in the top and will be perfect for displaying hat pins. She also included a lovely bookmark. Thank you, Donna!

My friend Jayne of Tallulah Belle Originals is a talented miniaturist. She creates the most wonderful flowers and plants and also has begun sculpting. She recently moved into a new house and was re-organizing her studio. She asked me if I would like this:


Yes, again! Jayne made this and I love it – don’t you think it will be perfect for the shabby dollhouse? Jayne not only sent me this, but look what else she included:

Oh my gosh! Let me give you some close-ups.


Plates, glass dishes, teacup and saucer, baskets, garden pots, a wood holder for the fireplace, a kitty….


All sort of wonderful flowers for arranging…


Vases, a pitcher, a plant and a birdhouse…


A kit for making sunflowers…


And this wonderful bird who now has a new home. Thank you, Jayne.

These little surprises come at a time when I feel very worried about Riley, stressed about life in general and am longing for Spring. I cannot tell you how much they cheered me and how much I value your friendship, Donna and Jayne. I thank you all for your never-ending support and good wishes. I’m coming up on my 2nd anniversary of blogging in February. What a joy it has been!

Filed Under: dollhouse, Fellow bloggers, gifts, Riley 19 Comments

A Neat Blog and Dollhouse Priming

January 13, 2010 at 10:40 am by Claudia


Do you know Vintage Sue? You should. She is the Queen of Junker/Flea Marketers. I love her blog where she shares her passion for junking as well as her adventures as the mother of two feisty and wonderful children. She is also hilarious! Sue has another blog called Vintage Sue Box Treasures where she offers different size boxes full of her finds as well as Friday Flea Treasures. On one such Friday, Sue offered some vintage curtains in a fabric I loved. They arrived the other day in a box decorated by Sue.

One side of the box was decorated with this vintage pattern envelope. So cute!


These are the curtains – there are two panels. I may make a valance for the windows in the den or I may use the fabric for something else entirely. I just love vintage fabric. Can’t help it. Sue also included a quilt cutter or two and these:


Thanks so much, Sue!


Priming continues on the dollhouse – a little bit at a time. And in the keeping it real category, here is the mess on the kitchen table:


Luckily, Don loves a creative mess – I am the one who yearns to clean this up. It is a good lesson in letting my ‘everything must be in its place’ tendencies go for a while. Because the cottage is so small, there really is no place to hide this away. So be it!

I am off tomorrow for 2 days on a coaching job. This time it involves a new touring company of Beauty and the Beast. They are rehearsing way out on Long Island, which might as well be another state. Even though we are all under the umbrella of the Greater New York City area, it is over 3 hours away. So, armed with mapquest, I will be driving on out there Thursday morning and will be back Friday evening. Have a great day or two.

Filed Under: coaching, dollhouse, vintage 24 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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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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