Mockingbird Hill Cottage

And Then There Were Two

November 4, 2011 at 5:30 am by Claudia

I told you I wanted another one. Now I can have one in the bedroom and one in the living room. This is my favorite piece in the old Petite Princess furniture line. It works beautifully in my shabby, eclectic dollhouse. What did I call this style? Something like Rustic Elegance? I’ll have to check my previous posts. If you’re interested in one of these, I’ve seen several up for auction on eBay.

I’m beginning to discover the exact time of day to photograph the dollhouse. Late afternoon here in the den, with the sun (hopefully) streaming in behind me, seems to cast the perfect light on the house.

I like taking photos of this miniature world.

Work on the dollhouse has stopped for the moment. I’m still waiting for my box to arrive with more beadboard and trim. Maybe it will arrive today – fingers crossed!

Here’s another neat photo taken late in the day:

And let’s not neglect the big house. It has its own late-in-the-day-photo.

I think living in the dollhouse would be more cost-effective.

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Don’t forget my book giveaway. Just scroll down one post to read my review and then leave a comment. You might win a copy of this excellent memoir.

Never Say Never – Thoughts on Monetizing

October 31, 2011 at 11:01 am by Claudia

This is where the magic happens, my friends. There I am, perfectly groomed and coiffed, writing my blog.

Don took a series of photos of me the other morning as I was writing a blog post. Coffee on the table, drawer open – most likely because I was transferring photos from camera to computer and I needed the card reader, Scout in the ‘tunnel,’ unfinished throw in a box, flannel pajamas and warm, though somewhat dirty, slippers. Now you can say you’ve seen me in my flannel pajamas. A definite reality shot.

I love blogging – you know that. I fell for it as soon as I started this blog in 2008. It has brought so much joy and satisfaction, this virtual world of writing and photography. I get the opportunity to share my passions, my humor, my joys and my sorrows. Writing is great therapy for me. And, of course, I’ve met so many wonderful friends. My world has been enriched beyond measure.

I’m a woman of strong opinions. Ask my husband. My dear friend Joe used to say, “You don’t want to mess with the Hill girls.” He wasn’t kidding. Some of these opinions have been shared with you on this blog, though I keep away from politics and religion. I consider that my private business; I’ve never been comfortable proselytizing in life or here in blogland. Just my personal opinion, but I don’t think it’s appropriate on my DIY/Nesting/Collecting/Vintagey type blog.

Sometimes these oft-expressed opinions come back to bite me in the butt. Like ads on blogs, for instance. I’ve written in the past about ads. I didn’t like them, they were too slick, blogs lost their intimacy when ads began appearing, yadda, yadda, yadda. My pal Brenda and I often spoke about this subject in our long phone conversations.

Then the economy crashed. Harsh reality has reared its ugly head in our lives. Both Don and I freelance and work opportunities have been few and far between. Don has had to take a job that pays very little in order for us to have a steady paycheck. I have an opportunity to coach in April and May but nothing else is on the horizon. I am also looking for a job. We are really struggling. And, like many of you, we bought our house at the height of the housing market and now it is worth much, much less than we paid for it, yet we have a hefty mortgage payment every month.

Brenda found herself in the midst of a divorce.

Things change and opinions change. Suddenly, I understand this idea of trying to make an income from your blog. Why not? I spend a great deal of time taking photographs, thinking of ideas for posts, writing and editing. I try to return visits, address comments, and reach out to other bloggers. As you all know, this takes a lot of time. Why shouldn’t I garner a modest income to help compensate for all the time I spend on blogging?

I found myself looking at “those” blogs with fresh eyes. Yes, some are still way too slick for me but most bloggers are finding a way to insert ads and stay true to their personal blogging vision. Brenda took the leap first. I held back. Now Brenda has a much larger readership than I do. I’m just a modest little blog, so I hesitated. “Cautious Claudia” was my nickname as a child and it still holds true. Eventually, I jumped into the cold water and I’m glad I did. I’m still experimenting with placement and choices. I’m well aware that the essence of my blog is me: my passions, my personality, my daily musings, my life here at MHC – all of which are written in my unique voice. That voice is what brought readers to this blog. I can’t be anything other than the same Claudia who has written this blog since February 2008. I’m comfortable in my blog skin. So that won’t change.

BlogHer, especially, has been wonderful. This organization truly supports women bloggers – big, medium and small. And the customer service is excellent. I truly feel supported by this community. The decision to become part of BlogHer’s Advertising Network has resulted in some of my posts being highlighted and even syndicated. That affirmation of my writing means a great deal to me.

I’ve earned a very, very modest amount of money so far. Enough to buy some groceries. Or pay a bill. In our little cottage, that is very welcome indeed.

I wanted to talk about this because some of you are long-time readers of this blog and have been with me through all the changes – both major and minor – in Mockingbird Hill Cottage. And if you’ve been with me a long time, you most likely have read the opinions I have expressed on this subject in the past. I feel you deserve an honest explanation. And you know I’m nothing if not honest.

There you go.

The Truth About Living in an Old House

October 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm by Claudia

The truth about living in an old house built in 1891:

1. Nothing is truly straight. Floors slant a little or a lot. The wood on the edge of the porch roof is slightly bowed after many years, therefore we can’t get the gutters to align with the roof. Ditto for the gutters at the back of the house. You can also stand on the hill behind the house and see how the roofline slants to the left.

2. Foundations can be troublesome. The foundation under the kitchen is settling a bit too much. See note about roofline above.

3. Not nearly enough closet space. in 1891, they just didn’t need the closet space that we seem to need. They used wardrobes back then. Consequently, my husband and I share a closet that is unbelievably tiny. You don’t want to see it. And our one closet downstairs – also very tiny – is the only space we have for coats. We cram our heavy winter coats in there. When summer comes, we pack them all up and put them in a bin that is stored in the shed. Because we don’t have any spare room for coats, scarves, gloves and hats.

4. Basements can be dark and scary. Our basement is very small and must be entered from the outside. It has one of those doors like the one Dorothy tries to open when the tornado hits in The Wizard of Oz. The walls are made of the same big stones that were used for the foundation of the house. We have to go down there to check the boiler and the oil tank and most recently, the hot water heater. The basement runs under the living room. The floor under the kitchen and den is dirt. That can make for a musty smell at certain times of the year.

5. Room shape and placement can be quirky. Our den is sunken. Even though it’s right off the living room, you have to go down two steps to enter it. It’s Riley’s favorite room so that means a lot of time is spent helping him up and down the stairs. The room directly above the den, which is the guest room/studio/office is also sunken. The kitchen was added on at some later date. It looks completely different from the other rooms in the house.

6. Stone foundations have holes: The stone foundation under the main part of the house is lovely to look at. Charming, even. But little critters find their way into little cracks in the mortar. I’m talking mice. As much as I hate having to do so, we have to employ a Pest Service every winter because these guys multiply fast.

7. Something always goes wrong. It just makes sense. The older the house, the more opportunity for things to go wrong. But I suspect those of you who live in new houses might also be dealing with “things going wrong.”

8. The very same things that can be irritating (see above) are part of it’s charm. Glass half empty/glass half full. I’ve never been interested in living in a new house. It’s just not my thing. Oh, every once in a while, I think it would be nice to not have to worry about shifting, sinking, not enough room, etc.

But, my house dwelling dreams (either rental or owned) have always involved an older home, full of character. Every home that Don and I have lived in has been old. This cottage? The funky room shapes, the sunken rooms, the stone foundation, the slanted floors….all of these contribute to it’s high level of Charming. The porch floor is slanted, but it’s made of bluestone. The floors are not level, but they’re made of wide-plank pine. The dogs’ nails scratch the floors, but they’re made of wide-plank pine. The kitchen doesn’t have enough cupboard space, but it has huge windows. Our bedroom is too small, but it has cozy, slanted, attic-haven walls. You have to walk down two steps to the den, but it seems tucked away and cozier because of it.

It’s all a matter of balance. Some days you’ll find me cursing the very things that drew me to this cottage. But most days, I love every inch of it.

Now if it was only worth what we paid for it in 2005.

And Then There Were Two

Never Say Never – Thoughts on Monetizing

The Truth About Living in an Old House

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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