Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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On the Cusp

December 31, 2015 at 9:20 am by Claudia

Thank you so much for all the positive comments on the new office space. I realize, of course, that it’s modest by many standards, but it’s mine and I love it. If you can imagine how tricky it was for me to work on anything in that niche at the top of the stairs – especially when it involved sewing and ironing and quilting – always afraid I’d roll my chair too far back and down the stairs, trying to move around in such a confined space, and then add to that the challenge of trying to find a place to spread papers out and do my research – well, this little corner of the room is manna from heaven.

We went on some errands yesterday and were amazed by the fog that started in the morning and stayed with us all day long. I’ve never seen anything like it in this neck of the woods. It never left! We were also amazed by how many drivers drove through the heavy fog without their lights on. Half the time we couldn’t see them until the last minute. What were they thinking?

Anyway, I got my chair mat and now I can move around to my heart’s content.

12-31 chair pad

And I got a bulletin board.

12-31 bulletin board

Where I am going to hang it has yet to be determined. I think the wood trim needs to be painted first. Hmmm. What color? Not turquoise/aqua or things will be way too matchy-matchy. I’ll think on it.

I was reminded that another piece of Roseville sits on the shelf in that pink cabinet. I got it years ago in San Diego – there’s a chip on the handle, so it was reasonable at a time when Roseville prices were through the roof.

12-31 roseville

It’s a bowl in the Zephyr Lily pattern. I haven’t finished arranging things on those shelves. I’m putting the bride and groom cake toppers away for the time being. I’m in a ‘there’s too much clutter on the shelves’ phase.

We’re on the cusp of a new year. We have no plans for the evening. New Year’s Eve is not a big deal for us. I know for a fact that we won’t be staying up until midnight. We’ll lounge around, watching something on the television – or maybe we’ll spin some records on the turntable.

No New Year’s resolutions from yours truly, either. I’ve never made them. To be perfectly honest, every day I think of something I want to change, do better, learn. It’s an ongoing thing in my life; so making a resolution and saying it aloud simply because it’s a new year just seems superfluous.

I’m a work in progress. All the time.

It’s been a good year in some ways and very, very tough in others. As was last year, when I lost my mom. Losing both parents in the space of eighteen months has left me forever changed. How could it not?

So I’ll be thinking of them as we move from 2015 to 2016. And counting my blessings as well.

Happy Thursday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: office 64 Comments

Presenting: the Office

December 30, 2015 at 9:06 am by Claudia

Goodness, I’m so happy with my little corner of our shared office space! Yesterday, I put it all together and except for a piece of that plastic stuff to put under the chair (it doesn’t roll around easily on the carpet) and a bulletin/pin board, I’m open for business.

The days have been dreary and cloudy, so I did the best I could with my picture-taking.

Let’s take a little tour:

12-30 facingthedesk

It’s the classic work triangle. I pictured this in my mind for several months and it’s all come to life beautifully. The desk is the Malm from IKEA. You can place the drawers on the left or the right. I chose the left because I knew I would be moving back and forth between the desk and the work table. The desk has a very large work surface, which was number one on my list of requirements. I do a lot of research when I’m coaching which involves a lot of books and paper and I need space for it all. Part of the impetus for this space was the fact that I was so sick of trying to do that work within the confines of the kitchen table. It was incredibly frustrating.

The chair is also from IKEA – the Lillhöjden in a gray check. How could I resist those ties on the back?

12-30 pinkcabinet

The pink cabinet moved from the hallway into the new space. The girls maintained their perch on the top of the cabinet.

12-30 wallpockets

My birdie wall pockets are hanging on the side of the cabinet.

12-30 cornerminipottery

Framed program from the Broadway production of “Claudia” circa the Forties. Shelf unit full of miniature pottery. Lots of supplies stashed against the wall.

12-30 wickerbasketstorage

The wicker flower basket holds wood trims for mini making.

12-30 glovebox from don

The vintage pink glove box was a birthday gift from Don. He thought it would be a neat bit of storage. It is.

12-30 containers

The pottery holding pens and pencils was a gift from my friend Tina. The framed Friends motto was a gift from Lori, my friend who owns Vignettes in San Diego. And you recognize the Roseville piece, right? It’s the one that arrived in pieces and has been glued back together.

12-30 chair

The other side of the chair.

The desk lamp is Ranarp from IKEA. I have the white version on the table by my chair in the den. It’s a great utility lamp and provides a lot of light.

12-30 slopingceiling

Yes, we have sloping ceilings upstairs – in both rooms. So we have to work around them and every piece of furniture has to be measured within an inch of its life.

12-30 miniaturemaking

The other side of the triangle. This is the sewing machine table that was formerly in the niche in the hallway. When we decided to open up this space by getting rid of the bed, I immediately envisioned it as an extension of the desk. I can move it in to the wall when I don’t want it taking up as much space and I can move it even further out than it is in this picture, as well. The cart is the Råskog Utility Cart from IKEA. It somehow manages to corral almost everything I need when I’m working on the TSP.

I should add that normally the TSP is covered with a remnant of barkcloth so it remains hidden from my husband. I took advantage of his absence and unveiled it for the photos.

The plant is one of my overwintering impatiens.

Don’s guitars in the distance.

12-30 viewfromtheTSP

The view from the other side of the TSP.

12-30 eggcups

The mantel and eggcups have also moved from the hallway niche to this new space. They make me smile. The card with the word Heaven on it was the birthday card from my parents that Don gave to me.

The calendar you see hanging above the desk was a $3 find from Target.

And let’s see who joined me in the office:

12-30 lamb

The lamb with the party hat. Now the space is complete!

If we ever get a sunny day again, I’ll take more photos for you. I promise.

This was done on a budget, of course. Is there any other way? Not for yours truly!

The Malm desk: $159.00
The Lillhöjden chair: $79.99
The Ranarp desk lamp: $39.99
The Råskog Utility Cart: $29.99

Total cost: $308.97

I assembled the chair, lamp, and cart. Don and I assembled the desk – it was definitely a two person job, as was moving the big pieces into the room from the hallway.

To say I’m thrilled is an understatement. I’ve wanted this sort of arrangement for the ten years we’ve lived here. The rest of the room? Still under construction. We moved out my grandmother’s trunk and some other pieces. They are now in our storage space (huzzah!) so we have much more room to play with. Don has to rethink his part of the space. He wants to clear some clutter.

And we’re thinking a vintage loveseat would be really cool in this space. We have all sorts of plans!

I hope you like the new space! Something tells me you’ll be seeing it fairly frequently.

Happy Wednesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: decorating, DIY, Don, Ikea, office 86 Comments

Small Scale Mid-Century Modern

December 29, 2015 at 9:09 am by Claudia

Ice, sleet and snow overnight. This morning, there’s a very small amount of snow on the ground and a layer of ice over everything. My dad’s Florida car, now mine, has never seen snow or ice. It must be shocked! (I apologized to it.)

Scout managed to do her business safely and that’s all that matters to us. We’re going to sit back and wait for the temperatures to warm up. Fortunately, we don’t have to be anywhere

12-29 tree

I’m happy that I waited to put the tree up because we’re far from tired of it and the glow of the lights is such a lovely antidote for these dark, gray mornings. The outside lights are still glowing on the porch railings. I find it all very warm and comforting.

12-29 tree2

Don: Do Not Read Any Further!

In my searches on Etsy, I discovered a wonderful miniaturist, Gabrielle of In the Twelfth Scale, who lives in Australia. I was drawn to her work because she had designed a modern sofa that I thought would be perfect for the Top Secret Project. I had to wait a while to place the order, as she had other commissions to finish, but it was worth the wait. This arrived on Christmas Eve:

12-29 dhsofa3

Isn’t it wonderful? Quite frankly, I would love a life-sized version for our den! It’s long, deliberately so, and it looks very nice in the TSP.

12-29 dhsofa2

I’ve begun to feel the urge to work on this project again. But I have to finish putting my office together and then I have to do all my research for Romeo and Juliet, which starts rehearsals January 12th. (We won’t talk about the fact that I don’t want to leave home for five weeks.)

Maybe I’ll be able to do a little work on the TSP before I go. Fingers crossed.

Happy Tuesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: Christmas, miniatures, Top Secret Project 28 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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Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

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