Lest you think everything is in order around here – or that every photo I take is styled.
Yes, this is what it looks like up here in the office/studio. It’s a mess. A creative mess, but a mess nonetheless.
We went to IKEA yesterday. It takes an hour and a half to get there – it’s in New Jersey – so we rewarded ourselves with lunch while we were there. The new catalogue is out and I grabbed a copy as soon as we entered the building.
There were a couple of things I wanted to get. For Little Z:
This dollhouse, which can stand alone or hang on a wall. It’s the Flisat Doll House. I saw it on my friend Kat’s Instagram feed and since every time we Face Time with Little Z, he wants to see my dollhouse, I thought this might be fun for him. I’m not quite sure what to do with it yet. Do I decorate it à la Paw Patrol? Or is that too limiting? Do I gather up some basic furniture that is appropriate for a five year old boy, so he can play with it? Not sure yet, but I don’t mind saying I wouldn’t mind hanging this on my wall! But, as you well know, the available wall space around here has already been taken.
Besides some new fry pans (which we desperately needed) and some new drinking glasses, I also spotted this little piece and decided it would be perfect for storing minis:
That’s what is in the box that’s leaning against the wall in the second photo. Now, unfortunately, I have to put it together, which will result, I’m absolutely sure, in lots of cursing.
The dollhouse is in the big blue IKEA bag. I have about 8 of these bags now, because I always forget to take the bags I already own with me when I visit IKEA and end up having to buy new ones. Since they are handy for so many things, among them, moving my crap into temporary housing when I’m in Hartford, I don’t mind having more.
There is an Excessive Heat Warning today with the heat index headed to well over 100°. I will water. I will walk down to the mailbox to get the mail. That’s it. I’m hiding indoors for the rest of the day, putting together fiddly pieces from IKEA, and…maybe…straightening things up around here.
I framed the watercolor of Scout:
It’s so beautiful. Now, we just have to figure out the best place to hang it. There has been much discussion, but we haven’t come up with a decision yet. To be continued.
Happy Saturday.
Julie says
That picture just melts my heart it’s so beautiful. I would hang it in an area of the house where you and Don spend most of your time.
Claudia says
We’re thinking of hanging it next to the piano, hanging above the turntable. I’d have to move the Maxfield Parrish to a new spot.
Linda @ A La Carte says
Oh that doll house is so cute! I might have to get one for my Scout, she is still a bit young for it but soon would love it. I love IKEA storage stuff, the putting together of it, not so much. It’s a pretty day here so I need to do a bit of outdoor stuff. Fill the bird feeder, bird bath and water some plants! The watercolor of Scout is so pretty, what a treasure.
hugs,
Linda
Claudia says
It’s only $29, Linda. Pretty good deal! It’s godawful here today, so I’m inside.
Doris says
I love my creative sewing mess and yours too! It is so much fun. The house will be fun for Little Z. Do you plan on putting a back on it? I don’t envy you putting the cabinet together. Try to keep cool. bodywise and temper! Ha
Claudia says
I believe it comes with a back, Doris. I might wallpaper the back walls!
Carolyn Marie says
That little doll house might be the perfect entry point for me into miniatures since I have been known in the past to begin a new project and quickly lose interest!
Love, love, love, your candid, authentic photos!
The painting of Scout is precious and will be perfect in your cottage.
Claudia says
It’s very inexpensive, Carolyn Marie and would be a fun way to start playing with miniatures.
Chy says
Aren’t trips to Ikea fun! Ours is just under 15 minutes from our country house and we go every few months. Excited to hear the catalogue is out ~ may have to pop in when we’re in the city today. I’m sure you’ll figure out little Z’s dollhouse with your creativity!
Hope the heat settles down soon. We have a warm day (but not crazy hot), with blue skies and chirping birds. We’re off to watch dh in his new production ~ it’s Fringe time here. Ten days of brilliant theatre and buskers, kettle corn, running in to theatre friends and time away from the other stresses in the world. Love this time every August!
Claudia says
Have fun, Chy! There’s an art show down the road, with bands performing, etc. I don’t envy them being outside in this weather.
Chy says
That would be difficult to perform and even enjoy in the heat. Sending along good wishes for cooler weather soon.
Claudia says
xo
Shanna says
I haven’t helped put together an Ikea cabinet for a while, but I remember it wasn’t fun. Rewarding to get it finished, though. The frame for the watercolor is perfect!
Claudia says
We’re going to hang it today, Shanna. Thank you so much for this. It made both of us cry this morning – in a very good way.
Mary says
I got catalogue yesterday haven’t checked it out yet. Luckily ours is closer about 45 min away. My answer to 100 degree heat today ( 120 in driveway side of house ),I am not even going outside! There, nope! Stay cool ,enjoy putting together cabinet.
Claudia says
It is dreadful out there, Mary! Dangerous, even, for those with breathing problems and the elderly.
Donnamae says
I love the framed picture of Scout…it looks dynamite against the fabric of that chair! And that wall dollhouse…too cute for words. It has so many possibilities. Our IKEA is 2 hrs. away…so we don’t go there very often…maybe this fall I’ll be able to check it out. Slightly cooler day here…but no let up in the humidity. Don’t straighten up too much…a messy creative room is a happy room! ;)
Claudia says
This heat is so terrible that I don’t know if I have the energy to do straighten up, Donnamae!
Kaye Smith says
I have never made a ‘quick’ trip to IKEA! Their big blue bags have become my standard luggage for car excursions. Your framing choice for Scout’s portrait is lovely…sunny, bright, happy.
Claudia says
Thank you, Kaye. I thought it suited Scout and her joyful personality.
Chris K in Wisconsin says
Our nearest IKEA is in Schaumburg (Chicago), and the traffic is awful. They are to build a new one in the Milwaukee ‘burbs in a couple of years which will be so much easier! It will be nice to have a storage unit for all of your minis in one place.
Sun has just arrived here today. The humidity never left, and after the rain yesterday, it will be a sauna again. Everything is a bit beaten down from the heavy rain yesterday, but it will soon recover. Much faster than do I in this heat & humidity!! Stay cool and enjoy your day!
Claudia says
I have a friend that lives in Schaumburg, Chris. Too densely populated and busy there! I wish there was one closer to us, just as I wish there was a Trader Joe’s and a Whole Foods closer to us. Ah, well! I just went out to see if the mail had been delivered (it hadn’t) and I thought the humidity would knock me off my feet!
Dottie says
Love the wall dollhouse! Can’t wait to see what you do with it. So hot here, too, and NO rain. We are 12+ inches below normal for the year. I thought I would melt this morning watering the flower pots and bird baths. The heat just saps your energy. Have a great day and try to keep cool.
Claudia says
It sure does sap my energy! It’s simply tropical rainforest-like out there. And I don’t do well in that sort of humidity. Stay cool, Dottie!
Barbara W. says
IKEA is for us an hour and a half drive as well, so we tend to order online and have it delivered to my office. (FedEx just dumps the boxes in our lobby if we request home delivery – not okay.) I bought the same dollhouse and some of the furniture for a friend’s granddaughter, but was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t 1:12 scale (the living room bookshelf in particular is cute but very deep). It’s nicely finished though, so I’m sure that she and her small dolls will have fun.
Claudia says
I bought the furniture, but as I suspected it’s too big – I think it’s actually mean to go with some folding backgrounds that they carry – the pre-printed kind with doors and windows, etc., like the old metal dollhouses of my youth. I’m going to look for other, sturdy furniture for Little Z’s project.
Barbara W. says
Does the Michael’s near you still carry the unfinished hutches etc.?
Those might be a possibility..
Claudia says
I don’t think they do. I haven’t seen them there in quite a while. But I might have one in my stash – I’ll have to check.
Janet in Rochester says
Gee, that is SUCH a nice painting of Lil Miss. You should place it in some spot where you’ll really be able to see it a lot, at least for a while. Maybe opposite your favorite reading chair or whatever?
Up here in our booney neck of upstate New York, we haven’t any Ikea, Whole Foods or – biggest bummer of all – no Container Store. And everytime I hear anyone speak of them, I wish we did. But I can’t say I’m looking for MORE stores to come around either. Apparently shopping patterns are changing again. Macy’s just announced the closing of 100 stores nation-wide so it seems that brick-and-mortar shopping might be going the same way that general stores did about 100 years ago. My grandmother often told me about going to get groceries when she was a child and her mother would hand a list to a clerk who then scrambled all over to put her order together. Gotta say, I wouldn’t mind seeing that concept make a comeback! My days of actually enjoying shopping – of wandering up and down the aisles of stores looking at every last thing – are long over. I loved it in my 20s and 30s but now there are a lot of other things I’d much rather do. My Dad told me that his mother often had groceries delivered too, or would send him to pick up her order. I’ll bet that’s the next thing grocers will come up with – now that people order so much online [and generally sight unseen]. But there’s one downside I can find with that option. I DO like being able to select my own [bruise-free] fruit & sniff the freshly-baked loaves or bread.
Claudia says
I am not a fan of shopping. The store lights bother my eyes after a while and I get very tired. I used to love to shop when I was younger, loved going to the mall – now, I’d rather do anything than go to a mall! Antiquing? Yes. But that’s about it. I was very efficient about our time in IKEA. Had my list and we glanced around here and there, but mainly stuck to our task, ate, and got out of there!
Susi says
Oh please send some of that heat to Netherlands! It’s been raining non-stop since days now and we’re sitting inside with our own creative mess, but could really enjoy some going out. The frame fits the watercolor of Scout like a glove, it will look gorgeous on your wall.
Claudia says
I’d be happy to send some heat your way, Susi. The heat index (what it really feels like) is currently 109 degrees. Yikes.
Janie F. says
Can’t wait to see what you do with little Z’s dollhouse. I’m sure he’ll love it. Love the painting of your girl framed. It’s 92 here today but feels like 102. We were out earlier but will stay in our cool house the rest of the day.
Claudia says
Just checked: Our heat index is currently 109 degrees. It’s insane out there! I hear thunder right now, so I bet we’re going to get another storm.
Trina says
We are under a heat advisory here in Hampton Roads area. Suppose to hit somewhere between 100-115 degrees. I am staying indoors doing quiet activities. We visited an Ikea store that is in Woodbridge about 3 years ago. I was overwhelmed by the store. They have great bookshelves. There are plans to have an Ikea store built in our area in the next couple of years.
The framed watercolor of Scout is beautiful.
Claudia says
Same here. It is ridiculous out there! Yes, IKEA has great bookshelves. My very first bookshelves (purchased when I was in grad school) were from the very first IKEA, and the only one at the time, outside of Philadelphia. I loved them!
Vicki says
Your house is definitely tidy enough for me!
Claudia says
Thanks, Vicki! It could be a bit tidier…
Nancy Blue Moon says
I think the best creative people are messy…they are more concerned about how their finished project will turn out than how much of a mess they make while doing it…I believe that’s how they should be…Our nearest IKEA and Whole Foods are in Baltimore…there is a Trader Joe’s in State College (about 1/2 hour drive) but I have not been there yet…
Claudia says
Don loves creative messes. When I first started working on the dollhouse, it sat in the middle of the kitchen table for months! He didn’t mind at all – he likes it. So I’ve taken my cue from him. Embrace it!
Jan says
We only have one Ikea store here in South Australia, it’s outside the city which means a drive of just over an hour to get there. Could you please tell me the name of the little cabinet? I think the watercolour of Scout should go in your bedroom somewhere where she is the last thing you see at night and the first thing you see in the morning.
Claudia says
It’s called the Helmer cabinet and it comes in a few different colors, Jan. You’ll see in today’s post where we hung Scoutie’s portrait. Bedroom is next to impossible because it’s an attic room with short walls.
Jan says
Thank you for letting me know about the cabinet, I had a look at it online and it only comes in three colours at our Ikea. The little doll house you bought for Little Z would cost me $30.00 more than you paid for it.
Claudia says
Oh boy. That’s a pretty big price difference!
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces says
I love the watercolor of Scout…so sweet. My daughter has done portraits of some of our dogs, and they are treasures to me! I would love to have a gallery wall with portraits of all of the dogs we have had over the years.
Claudia says
Me too! I’d love one of Riley and one of Winston, our first dog.
Debbie in Oregon says
The dollhouse for Little Z will be fun for him whatever direction you take it … how fun!!
I love “small world” stories … so to add to yours about Ryan Murphy … not sure if you recall seeing Jacob Pebley in the 200M back stroke that Ryan won gold in. Jacob is a team USA member, Ryan’s Cal and Rio roommate, and is(was) the son of a dear friend of mine. I say “is(was)” because she, unfortunately, was taken by cancer about 10 years ago. Jacob came in 5th (I think) … I wish she could have seen him race.
Claudia says
I do remember Jacob Pebley, both at the Olympics and at the trials, where I remember him crying when he qualified because he was thinking of his mother. How lovely that you know him and that his mom was your dear friend, Debbie. He did very well and will be back for another Olympics, I’m sure.
Amy at love made my home says
We have one of those sets of little drawers, very useful they are too! Not to difficult to put together at all, the scary bit is bending the sides of the drawers, scary, but not difficult! You have probably made them already. I do so love your cart, I covet one of those! I am sure that Z will love the dolls house. Why not leave it mainly wooden and just gather some furniture basics and then he can make it his own and perhaps decorate it as he wants or you could do it together as a project next time you visit?
Claudia says
No, I haven’t started them! Today, I think. As far as Z’s dollhouse, that’s what I was thinking. I might make some ‘removable’ wallpaper for the interior walls and get some basic wooden furniture and then we’ll see what happens!