A package arrived in yesterday’s mail, all the way from England.  Penzance, in fact! I’ve been waiting for this a long time. I first saw it in an Etsy shop and I kept the photo on my laptop screen for months, every once in a while checking to see if it was still in stock.

Then, one day, it wasn’t in stock. I’d left it too long. I couldn’t resign myself to losing out, so I wrote the miniaturist and asked if she might have one in stock in the future and she answered that she would make one for me. There was a queue, so I had to wait about 3  or 4 months, but it’s here and it was worth it.

Eeeeek!

She made this. The entire sofa. Even the underside is beautiful. The satiny finish on that wood is gorgeous.

What drew me initially was the combination of wood and fabric, that fabric being a William Morris design called Strawberry Thief. This particular colorway makes my heart sing – the blues, the greens, the pinks!

The detail. That green trim. The legs. Oh my heavens!

It’s simply exquisite. The miniaturist behind this creation is Arlette Shelton, who has an Etsy shop called Arlette’s Miniatures. I am in awe of her talent. I could never make something like this.

From the moment I saw it, I envisioned it on the first floor of the English Cottage, which will be a combination of living room and kitchen. It, along with my mustard colored hutch, has been a major source of inspiration for me. I’ve stopped making the stones because of various distractions and I need to get back at it. Having this beauty now in my possession has fired me up again.

It may be the most beautiful piece that I own.

I always plan on keeping these things a secret until the final reveal, but I never do! I get so excited that I have to share it with you right away. I guess I’m rather like a little kid that way. But I know you’ll love it, too, and that you’ll share my excitement.

Don was going on and on about it when I showed it to him. He loves it. And yes, I’d like a life-sized version in my home, please.

Goodness, what a treasure!

What else? Reading The Night Circus, which I’m enjoying, though it took me a while to get into it. Finished my Skype sessions yesterday. Now I have to decide whether I want to go to a run-through on Tuesday, which has an early start time, or go on Thursday, which will be much later in the day. I’d prefer Tuesday.

I have to get two new front tires for my car. January and February appear to be “Fix Our Cars” months for the two of us.

In last night’s episode of Hinterland, one of the people being questioned actually stopped and stood still for most of the questioning! But the next questionee was moving around, piling equipment in his truck, barely giving the detectives the time of day. This third and final season is really heating up, plot-wise. We’re hooked.

Happy Friday.