Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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You are here: Home / Archives for miniatures

Mini Stella

July 1, 2026 at 8:39 am by Claudia

The high today will be 95 – the heat index over 100. Right now, at 7:30 am, it’s bearable. My congested head tells me it’s very humid out there. Anyway, here we go. Tomorrow, it will be 101. I’m watering twice a day, doing my best to help the plants hang in there during this dangerous stretch.

The wallpaper saga has an update. I wrote the seller on Monday, expressing my frustration (firmly but politely.) The tracking number had been issued 8 days ago at that point, yet the package had not arrived at the post office. No responses to any of my questions. I always sign up for updates when I’m tracking something and yesterday, late in the day, I finally got an update. It had arrived at the DC post office. Not only had it arrived, it then left the post office to go off on its journey. No response or explanation from the seller, but it’s now very clear to me that she issues a tracking number so it seems like all is in process and then does nothing with the package for several days at minimum.

I need the replacement wallpaper and she’s the only seller who carries it. Otherwise, I would have cancelled the order. But that’s it. I will not order from her again. One time? A fluke…maybe. Twice? Inexcusable.

The post office says it should be here by Friday. Meanwhile, the other wallpaper (for the hallways) order I placed is still at the local post office in Minnesota. This is coming from a larger company and it’s part of a carton filled with lots of other orders.

Okay.

Would you like to meet Mini Stella?

Can you believe this?

Don and I opened the package together and we were gobsmacked! It’s our beloved Stella in 1:12 mini size.

It arrived later in the day and I was running around trying to find a good spot for a photo – late afternoon light is always problematic.

3D printed items are made of plastic/resin.

This is the unpainted version of Stella and I think I will leave her as is. Trying to recreate the porcelain finish without creating paint brush lines might fail and I don’t want to try to tape off tiny little sections of the stove. I’m quite happy with her the way she is. By the way, all four doors open and there are racks that can be placed in 3 different positions!

The price was $60. The other stove I was considering was over $300. That makes this one-fifth of that price. I couldn’t be happier! The shop owners waited two days before they listed it for other miniature collectors so I had time to write a post and link to them. Mini Stella is highly popular and I think she’ll be a hit. I’m happy to be part of this creation. The desire, the photos, and the measurements all came from me.

Hurrah!

Nor more work on the Beacon Hill until I get the wallpaper. (It will be too hot, anyway.) Then I’ll get that kitchen ready for Mini Stella.

Okay, everyone. Stay cool!

And stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: Beacon Hill Dollhouse, miniatures, Stella 38 Comments

Little Projects

May 20, 2026 at 8:26 am by Claudia

Today will be the last day of the heat wave. It’s been very, very hot. We ended up putting in the kitchen A/C unit. Very grateful for it saving my sanity the last few days. The bedroom unit has not been installed yet, because temperatures will be much cooler for a while after today.

We’ve been hunkering down inside the house, and I’ve been grabbing time in the morning hours to work on the dollhouse. It’s not air conditioned, so the morning is the only time I can work there. I’m waiting for more wallpaper – “Waiting for Wallpaper” should be the title of my autobiography – so I have been building little pieces from kits. I’ve had a couple of these kits for many years and I was holding on to them for this house.

This is a little table from Arjen Spinhoven, who lives in the Netherlands. It was quite well designed and easy to put together and stain. I love the detail. It will most likely sit next to the sofa in the living room.

And I made these two base cabinets from kits that I ordered from miniatures (dot) com when they went out of business. The yellow sink unit has been living in the Lake House. I brought it upstairs to the Beacon Hill to see how it might look in the kitchen. I like the idea of a kitchen that isn’t matchy-matchy – a mixture of cabinet styles that have been put together over time. I don’t know if it will work, but I’m going to try it.

Don’t you just love seeing the real-sized paint brushes outside the window?

And then I realized that the other fireplace had been assembled incorrectly. It actually leaned forward and would never be flush with the wall, so I took it apart and figured out how to realign everything.

Wish I had a before picture! This is the after picture.

I’m waiting until tomorrow to mow the corral and the back forty. The grass is very long but it’s been too hot to tackle that job.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

 

Filed Under: Beacon Hill Dollhouse, miniatures 16 Comments

Mini Tramp Art and Work Outside

May 16, 2026 at 8:34 am by Claudia

Lots of work was done outside yesterday. I dug up a big outcropping of some wild plant that was taking over the area right in front of the big garden bed. I pruned, as best I could and there’s more to be done today, as well as mowing. Mowing has popped up on the to do list because I looked at the forecast and after today – it will be in the high 80s  to the mid 90s for about 4 days. Not the kind of weather for mowing. No rain for a while, so that’s good. I was so tired after yesterday’s work, but needs must!

It is a lovely, beautifully sunny day, so that will help.

My teeny little budget is keeping me from ordering more mini wallpaper at the moment, so I’m in an in-between stage in the renovation. Just dreaming up ideas at the moment. And I’m still determined to figure out how to tackle the wallpapering of the bedroom. What a glutton for punishment I am!

Here’s a little something that arrived in yesterday’s mail.

A painting (real) surrounded by a wooden mat and tramp art/victorian frame. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it on my Instagram mini feed. She has a few more tramp art frames and I covet them. Re-hanging our tramp art framed angel a few months back reminded me of how much I love this form of creative expression.

Also, sheep!!

Isn’t this exquisite?

It will most likely go in the Beacon Hill living room, but I’m holding off on hanging anything until the room is closer to being finished.

It took a long, long time, but my love of dollhouse miniatures has come back and for that I am grateful.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Beacon Hill Dollhouse, miniatures 20 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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