Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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I Can’t Resist Red Shoes (and Flowers)

June 10, 2014 at 8:52 am by Claudia

Remember my red shoes? The shoes I found that were unbelievably comfortable? The shoes that were so popular that several other bloggers bought them?

Not long after that post, I sent an email to Spring Step Shoes. I raved about the shoes, thanking them for creating such comfortable, yet attractive footwear. I mentioned the fact that writing about them on my blog had resulted in some readers buying them, as well. And I sent a link to my post. I just thought it would a fun post to share with Spring Step.

Imagine my surprise when I received a response from Spring Step. They loved the post and graciously offered to send me another pair of shoes of my choosing. What?? I certainly wasn’t expecting that! I was so grateful and amazed by their generous offer. Narrowing down the options was the tough part, but I finally picked a pair. I’ve been wanting to share them with you, but held off until Spring arrived, as I consider this pair to be Spring and Summer shoes.

I chose this pair, which is named Martine:

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You’re looking at the broken-in version of Martine. I wore them all day on Friday and Saturday at the Country Living Fair. Absolutely no problem and incredibly comfortable.

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On the day of their arrival.

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They’re so cute!

A big thank you to Spring Step! I know we’re all on a budget and shoes can be pricey. But I have problems with my feet and back and support is an absolute necessity. It’s a no brainer for me. When I buy cheap shoes, I suffer. When I buy well-made shoes, I don’t. It’s a simple as that. (And that may be why I don’t buy new shoes very often!)

These shoes are very well-made and I didn’t have to break them in. Perfect from the get-go. I’m taking them with me to Chautauqua.

They make me happy. They make me smile. And they’re red.

I’m a bit crazy at the moment, trying to get ready to leave for Chautauqua. It’s all lists: lists of things I need to pack, lists of things I need to show Don, lists of errands I need to run. I’ve had to write a couple of posts ahead of time, something I almost never do. I’m not a post scheduler. I write daily. But, travel time tomorrow coincides with a book review that is scheduled for the same day and I had to write a draft of another post for BlogHer. I won’t get in until late on Wednesday and I have no idea where I’m staying or what the next day’s schedule will be, so if I miss a post on Thursday, you’ll understand, right?

Flower update: The Climbing Hydrangea, which has never bloomed in the six years I’ve had it, has given me two blooms this year. Wonder of wonders! The flowers are fascinating, which you’ll see by observing this progression:

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Wow. They look like little mid-century modern designs, don’t they? Sputnik-like.

Thank you, Climbing Hydrangea, for putting on such a great show! Please provide even more of these beauties next year.

I’m off to start doing laundry.

Happy Tuesday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Tagged With: shoesFiled Under: flowers, garden 32 Comments

The Country Living Fair – Part Two & Some News

June 9, 2014 at 8:18 am by Claudia

heidi&me

Part of what made the Fair so much fun was seeing my friends do what they do best. Heidi designed a great space at the Fair, chock full of all her finds. She might not have a brick-and-mortar shop anymore, but she’s still merchandising and styling. Her space was packed, her daughter Whitney and son-in-law Cory were on hand to help, the inventory was fantastic. Our friend, Susan Hill, took this picture. We both worked with Heidi at the shop, so at one time there were three of us Hills on the staff.

Heidi gave a presentation on Saturday and she was great.

elyse1

Then there is my longtime blogging friend Elyse. She is a delight. Her presentation focused on ‘from blog to book.’ Her blog, Tinkered Treasures, showcases her charming crafts made out of simple materials. She also writes for several magazines. Her second book, Seaside Treasures, has just been published and I couldn’t be happier for her.

We had a chance to meet about 4 years ago when I was working in Providence, RI. We met for breakfast and never stopped talking the whole time. So I was very happy indeed when Elyse told me she was going to be at the CL Fair. We had a chance to catch up before and after her presentation.

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So proud of her! (Boy, was it hot under that tent! We were wilting.)

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My hair was wilting, I was wilting, Elyse was wilting…..

Right after Elyse’s presentation, I headed home.

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But, at the end of the first day, I ran across some of the wonderful Sisters on the Fly. Have you heard of them? They have vintage trailers and travel all around the country for meet-ups, some fly fishing, some campfires and a lot of fun. Four of the ‘sisters’ had their trailers on display. Since I’ve always wanted to have a little trailer that I could renovate and decorate, I had to take a peek.

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Adorable. Pink and jadeite green.

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Another trailer. Check out the floor and the vintage stove and the charming curtains and chandelier….hello!

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Please, Don…may I have one?

trailer Janine

But the trailer that was the most amazing, by far, was the one that belongs to this lady, Janine. You won’t believe what she’s done with it. (She’s a veteran of this, having renovated several of these beauties.) When you first peek in the trailer and look to the left, this is what you see:

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Sorry for the very blurry photo, but I wanted you to see this single bed she found on Craig’s List. She cut it down so it would fit. Oh my goodness!

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I believe that’s a cleverly disguised heater. The toilet is behind that curtain and to the left.

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The sink. The sink! The tiny refrigerator.

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The perfect folding table, lots of pillows, a tole tray and that ceiling! This seating area converts to a bed.

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Janine told me she had the tin that she used for the backsplash in her stash. And the motto on the wall is The Campfire Girls Creed. Perfect.

I’ve always wanted one of these little gems. Now I want one more than ever.

In other business, Janie F. is the winner of a copy of Eyes on You by Kate White! Congratulations, Janie. I’m sending you an email. I need your mailing address.

And my dear friend and colleague Darko Tresnjak (he’s the director I work with in Hartford) won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical last night! A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (first performed at Hartford Stage and then at the Old Globe) also won Best Musical. I’m thrilled for Darko and Hartford Stage. I screamed and jumped up and down when I heard his name announced – by Clint Eastwood, no less.

Finally, while I was at the Fair on Saturday, I got a call from an Artistic Director who wanted to know if I was available to coach a production of A Raisin in the Sun that starts rehearsals today. It’s a quick turn around – just 2 ½ weeks, so I’m headed out of here on Wednesday. I’m taking the train to the western side of New York state to work at the Chautauqua Theatre, part of the renowned Chautauqua Institute.

Needless to say, I’m bit discombobulated. There’s much to do before I can turn over the cottage to Don – even for just a couple of weeks. But I’m so grateful for the work – we need the income. So I’ll miss a lot of peony time and goodness knows what else will be blooming but it’s only a couple of weeks, right?

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Tagged With: Country Living Fair, Sister on the FlyFiled Under: country living fair, Elyse 47 Comments

The Country Living Fair – Part One

June 8, 2014 at 9:12 am by Claudia

lamp

Greetings on a Sunday morning from one exhausted fair goer.

Two days at the Country Living Fair is about one more than I could handle. I ended up going twice because I wanted to see my friends’ presentations (more on that tomorrow) yesterday. If I could do it all over again, I would have combined everything into one day. On the other hand, going back enabled me to get the lamp you see in this photo. There were two small pottery lamps in aqua that I loved. They are hard to find. I kind of loved the other lamp even more than this one, but it was gone when I returned to the booth yesterday. But I’m very happy with this beauty.

If you snooze, you lose. I lost out on two things I had my eye on. On the first day, I saw a Nelson McCoy piece with a parrot that I’d never seen before (in aqua), at a very reasonable price. I held off for an hour or so and when I returned to that booth? Gone. Sob. Same thing with the other lamp. Attending for two days really enabled me to see what pieces had been sold – especially by viewing my photos this morning. I look at them and think “Oh, that piece was gone by yesterday.”

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I’m dubbing this year’s Fair as the Olive Bucket Fair. They were everywhere and the prices varied depending on the age and condition. If any attendee was in the market for an olive bucket, he/she certainly hit the mother lode this weekend.

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Be still my heart. What is it about little drawers or cubbies? Add the chippy paint and, my goodness, this is gorgeous.

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Earth Angels Studios showcased a lot of their artists, including Jennifer Lanne. I love her paintings.

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Also from Earth Angels – Nancy Wiley’s exquisite Art Dolls. This Alice In Wonderland piece was so beautifully done.

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Hello chairs. These Tolix-style chairs were hugely popular and many of them were gone early on during the first day. Clearly painted and ‘aged’ for the CL audience.

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This gorgeous zinc double sink was gone by yesterday. Sigh.

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This religious statuary reminded me of my friend, Donna. She collects them.

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Doesn’t this potting bench with the sink remind you of the one in my dollhouse? I guess I’m more in tune with what’s in style than I thought!

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I loved these and saw them in at least 3 different booths.

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Be still my heart – again. This was a four-piece set consisting of four chairs and the table. Vintage, original paint, fantastic condition, cushions recently redone in Ralph Lauren fabric. $1800.00

Why am I not wealthy?

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Oilcloth creations in Modern June’s booth.

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Mason jars and galvanized anything were everywhere.

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This exhibitor created the most beautiful Fairy Gardens, all of them set in aged metal containers. I’ve been suffering from a case of fairy garden fatigue – I see them everywhere. But these beauties made me rethink my fatigue. Here’s another one:

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Works of art.

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There was even a booth that sold miniature supplies for fairy gardens.

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Would I like this in my house? An emphatic yes.

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I was tempted to buy this poster, but wall space is extremely limited here. Isn’t it lovely?

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Yes, more olive buckets.

Hope this gives you an idea of what was on display this year. Lots of the industrial, rustic, wood-and-metal look. Lots of fairy gardens. Lots of garden things; seeds, plants, tools, vintage tools. Lots of architectural salvage. Lots of antiques and vintage. Lots of vintage fabric and sewing notions. Lots of birds/nests/faux eggs. You can tell that the exhibitors know what is on trend and they understand the kind of person that is drawn to the Country Living Fair. They know their audience.

It was a visual treat, that’s for sure. But, boy did it get crowded! Yesterday was hotter than Friday and I was wilting by about 11:00. I stayed to watch Heidi and Elyse give their presentations and meet up with some of the bloggers from Hometalk, where I got the opportunity to chat with Country Living’s new editor. Then I came home and collapsed.

More on all of that tomorrow.

My dear friend and colleague Darko Tresnjak is up for a Tony for Best Director of a Musical (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder) tonight. I’m so hoping he wins!!

Don’t forget to visit my post on Gardening with Hydrangeas from the Endless Summer® Collection for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card!

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: antiques, country living fair, vintage 40 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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