Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for Easter

Goodbye Cold Nights and Egg Cups

April 18, 2025 at 9:13 am by Claudia

Happy Last Day of Below Freezing Temperatures at my House!

When I woke up it was 30. It’s warming up quickly. Our high today will be 71. Tomorrow? A freakish 83. Then back down to the 60s and 70s.

I went to our local nursery yesterday. I was ready to load up on plants for the porch, as well as potting soil, some garden gloves, and some seeds. Well. I got the potting soil, gloves, and seeds. But the only plants available were pansies. I forget that they can’t bring in too much stock until it gets warmer. All the perennials that they usually have on tables outside were stashed in one of the greenhouses. So I’ll have to wait until next week. I may check in tomorrow, as all the weekenders will be up here for the holiday and they’ll want plants. Even though Easter is late this year, it’s been a cold, cold spring here.

I moved a lot of pots from the shed to the porch yesterday. I’ll pot the pansies later this morning. And I’ll finally be able to start clearing the beds. Huzzah!

Okay. Let’s gaze upon a few more egg cups.

The interior of that Spode cup I showed you the other day.

Pardon my foot.

On the right, two lustreware egg cups.

On the left, two treasured vintage cups marked “Germany.” I love anything with bluebirds. Beautifully decorated.

The two blue egg cups aren’t marked. The one on the right is very heavy, so I know it’s stoneware. It’s quite old.

The second from the left is plastic. I got it at the flea market in Paris. I liked the Art Deco-like appearance.

The cup next to is also from the Paris flea market. It is earthen ware – Terre de Fer – from France. It’s a diabolo egg cup – both ends are open, almost like a napkin ring. I don’t know if you remember, but I once posted a photo of a woman in France’s egg cup collection. She had a lot of this kind of design and I was determined to collect them. But almost all of the available diabolo cups are sold by people living in France and the shipping is so prohibitive that I haven’t been able to do it.

The double egg cup on the left is from France. I’m pretty sure I purchased it when I was back in San Diego coaching the Summer Shakespeare Festival. I found it during a visit to  my favorite antique shop, Vignettes.

The other egg cup I found in a local shop. It’s not marked. I’ve never seen another cup like it. It has become one of my favorites.

There will be a few more photos tomorrow, but in the meantime, here is Pippa with the egg cups.

Happy Friday.

Stay safe.

Filed Under: Easter, egg cups 12 Comments

Sheep and Bunny Rabbits

March 30, 2024 at 8:24 am by Claudia

Today, the last of the pre-Easter posts with some photos of my putz sheep and spun cotton rabbits:

Starting from the left…

This mantel shelf is too long to get in one shot. I could do it, but you wouldn’t be able to get any details on the sheep. So I do it in sections.

The sheep wearing a “Vignettes or Bust” sign was a gift from dear Lori, the owner of Vignettes in San Diego. It was a complete surprise. The sheep on the left was a gift from dear Judy. I think I missed the one on the right, we only see the hind end. Sorry!

Next…this section includes The Lamb with the Party Hat, the symbol of this blog. She was my first putz sheep, found 15 years ago when I was coaching in California.

More little sheep.

And more putz sheep, along with some sheep that wandered over to join the group .

Seven of these sheep were a gift from dear Helga, a follower of my blog who lives in Germany. They arrived in the mail on the same day we got our first vaccination for Covid. What a day! Helga has an incredible collection of putz sheep. She also has a beautifully decorated Beacon Hill dollhouse, and she lives on a gorgeous piece of property.

And, finally…

My spun cotton bunny rabbits from Vintage by Crystal.

Decorating for Easter is such fun! I love all the pastel colors and the little rabbits and birds and ducks and chicks.

If I were to rename this cottage, it would be “The House of Whimsy.”

Maybe it should be:   Mockingbird Hill Cottage (The House of Whimsy.)

Don’s car is back home, my car passed its inspection, Don has a busy week ahead with a wardrobe fitting in NYC on Monday and then a long day of filming on Wednesday. SO…we’re taking it easy this weekend. I may start to prune some bushes since it will be sunny today and Sunday. We don’t make a special meal for Easter as we’re vegetarians. (I can’t even look at the ads for ham or lamb.) But Don made a pie the other day, so I’m sure we’ll have a piece. And there are always a few pieces of sugar-free chocolate.

Happy Easter (if you celebrate.)

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

 

Filed Under: Easter, putz sheep, Vintage by Crystal 21 Comments

Fabric Eggs

March 29, 2024 at 8:26 am by Claudia

It’s Good Friday and I have to get my car inspected this morning. The deadline is on Sunday, so I’m cutting it close. Don’s car has been repaired and, after the inspection, I’ll drive him to the mechanic’s to pick it up. We won’t talk about the amount of the check he’ll be writing. Sigh.

It’s been gray for the past several days – very hard to get good photos. Will we ever see the sun?

The fabric eggs must be highlighted at this time of year right? I love them in this Fiesta compote. Don had to move the apples for an apple pie elsewhere, as I had reserved the compote for this display.

Another view:

I made these in 2009, I believe. That’s the year I worked in San Diego for six months, substituting for the woman who took over my job when I left USD/Old Globe. She was on sabbatical for the semester. And then I also coached the Shakespeare Summer Repertory. I borrowed my friend Ingrid’s Singer Featherweight and worked on a quilt, as well as these eggs. I got all the fabric at my favorite quilt shop, the one where I had my first quilting lessons.

Ella is intrigued by the eggs.

So, I’m off to make a second cup of coffee and get ready for the car inspection.

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Easter 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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