dollhouse — Page 24

Day Four Hundred Nine

April 26, 2021 at 9:59 am by Claudia

I’ll just get this out of the way: Best Actor and Best Actress should have been Chadwick Bozeman and Viola Davis.

I loved Nomadland. I wrote about how much I loved it here on this blog. And I am a huge fan of Frances McDormand. Everything she does is excellent. But I don’t think this particular performance was Oscar-worthy. Davis was brilliant. Take-your-breath-away brilliant.

I can’t speak to Anthony Hopkin’s performance, but I am absolutely sure it is excellent because…he’s Anthony Hopkins. But Chadwick Bozeman’s performance was incandescent. Stunning. Transformative. Heartbreaking in its brilliance. I don’t remember ever being that blown away by a performance and between my 40 year career in the theater and a lifetime of watching film, I’ve seen a lot of wonderful performances.

The ceremony itself? The less said about it, the better. They should have stuck with last year’s Virtual model, which was excellent. It either has to be grand and sparkling or, in the time of COVID, like the wonderful virtual show of 2020. Anything halfway in between doesn’t work. I would have much rather seen clips of the actors’ performances than hear a story about their first movie going experience. Anyway, I’m going on too long. The only reason we kept on watching is because we wanted to see the late, great Chadwick Bozeman’s win. Ah well.

Puzzle finished. Except for three missing pieces. So frustrating! Believe me, I didn’t lose them. When a piece falls to the floor, I know it because we have hardwood floors and I immediately pick it up. One missing piece? Possible. Three? Impossible. I really loved doing this gorgeous piece. It deserved better.

I finally started installing baseboard in the dollhouse. It’s tricky as the floors and walls are slightly wonky because it’s a rescue.

And I hung this oversize ‘ironstone’ platter above the AGA.

Today, I’m going to do a bit more clean-up work outside and tomorrow I’m going to buy some plants for my pots.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Day Four Hundred Six

April 23, 2021 at 9:31 am by Claudia

They’ve definitely moved in. At around 6 am, they emerged from inside the trailer – both of them – and sang. It was like a Disney movie in which the cottage door is flung open and the heroine sings. Back and forth, back and forth – they’ve been singing and flying in and out of the trailer for a few hours now. At first, we wondered if perhaps they were feeding babies, but then as it got lighter out, I saw nest-making materials in their beaks.

Christopher and Jenny are our new tenants. Chris and Jen, for short.

I’m endlessly fascinated with them.

I couldn’t resist sharing this rather blurry shot with you. One of them perched on the hubcap (is that still the name for it?) for about 10 minutes.

We’re so glad they chose our little trailer.

It was cold and windy yesterday and there was a frost warning overnight, but when I arose early this morning, I didn’t see any signs of frost. I think we dodged a bullet and I’m very grateful. We have warmer temperatures ahead, so I’m going to do a little raking this morning – the chicken wire fence gardens are full of leaves. Don is going to replace the chicken wire in a couple of days as it’s very, very rusty and looks terrible. Also, a little weed pulling is on the docket.

In a couple of days, I’ll trot off to the nursery and buy my porch and patio plants. I can’t wait!

I bought a turntable for the English Cottage, which will make it much easier to work on, as well as adjust for better photo lighting. I have three of them now; one for Hummingbird Cottage, one for the vintage dollhouse on top of the china cabinet in the den, and now, one for Dove Cottage. Turntables wouldn’t work with the big vintage dollhouse in the kitchen, or with the modern dollhouse. Nor with the Beacon Hill, if I ever get around to constructing it. It’s too big. Anyway, once I placed the dollhouse on the turntable, I wondered why I had waited so long to get one! When I want to secure it, I stick a Scrabble letter rack under it. It’s the perfect size.

Okay. Have to get a move on. It’s sunny, finally, and a good day to work outside!

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Day Four Hundred One

April 18, 2021 at 10:34 am by Claudia

Some updates on this room and the rest of the dollhouse:

I ordered the most incredible miniature easel yesterday. It’s made by a woman who lives in Denmark. I don’t know how long it will take to get here; whether it’s made after an order is placed, or whether there is already one in stock. That’s okay. I can wait.

But I’m really excited!

I know I bought that chair thinking it would be perfect for the Beacon Hill (whenever the heck I actually start to construct it) but I can’t get over how beautiful it looks in this room. It’s as if it was made for it. So, for now, it stays.

I pulled the shelf unit out of the modern doll house. There’s one just like it in Don’s mini studio. I’m thinking I can fill it with art supplies and books and paints.

I don’t know if Queen Victoria is going to stay in that room, but again – for now – she looks cool in that space.

Lots of canvases, lots of art work on the walls…I have ideas. But they’ll take time, and money, so I have no choice but to work slowly.

I also need a lot more small details in the other rooms, including baseboards.

And I have to dress the bed. I have the fabric I’m going to use, I just need to be motivated.

We’re heading down the final stretch.

I didn’t end up weeding yesterday. It’s allergy and sinus time and I just didn’t feel up to it. I worked on the puzzle and cleaned up my part of the studio space upstairs. It was way too cluttered and I can only stand that for so long.

Don and I are discussing the possibility of lifting the carpet in that room. We’re not crazy about it and the room would be so much better without it. But I immediately start to wonder how we can work around all the furniture in that room when we have no place to put it while we’re pulling carpet up. Two heavy desks, a large china cabinet, a big old chair, etc. This is the challenge of living in a small house. So, we’ll start with pulling up a corner to see what’s underneath. I suspect it’s plywood, but even plywood would be okay. We could paint the floors.

Today? The Adirondack chairs are coming out of the shed and the cushions are coming out of the cabinet under the stairs. If I can’t plant my pots for the porch yet, I can surely pretty up the seating area.

I’ve decided I’ll leave the blog post titles as is until either 450 or 500. Then, I’ll go back to what they were before the pandemic started.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Day Four Hundred Nine

Day Four Hundred Six

Day Four Hundred One

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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