Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

She’s Got Moxie

at by

A couple of years ago, Don came him home with this:

kitchenmoxie

A wonderful old wooden crate advertising Moxie. We love graphics in this little cottage and it fit right in. It lives in the kitchen and holds Scout’s distilled water, when we remember to buy it.

At the time, we wanted to learn more about Moxie, so we did the whole google thing. Moxie is a carbonated beverage that started out in 1876 as a patent medicine called Moxie Nerve Food. The claim was that it contained an extract from a South American plant and was effective against “paralysis, softening of the brain, nervousness and insomnia” Eventually, soda water was added to the formula and it became Beverage Moxie Nerve Food. It’s fans included Calvin Coolidge, Ted Williams and E. B. White. As a result of a big advertising campaign, the word ‘moxie,’ meaning courage, daring or spirit, eventually entered American speech. A word I love, by the way. (All information is from Wikipedia.)

Moxie is still produced today.

So. The other day when I was looking for my soda crate, I found a tiny shop that had some lovely vintage items and what did I see?

moxie nerve food bottle

A Moxie Nerve Food bottle. It’s very old and quite tall. I’ve never seen one before.

Do I even need to mention that initially, it was the color that drew me in? Of course I don’t.

But I quickly realized I’d hit the jackpot.

moxie nerve food bottle

Oh my goodness. I knew I had to get it. When would I ever see one of these again?

And the color!

So I brought it home and Don, of course, loved it and now it is on display on the shelf under the dollhouse.

moxie nerve food bottle

I could use some nerve food.

And, really, couldn’t we all?

Anyway, I love serendipitous experiences like this one. Pressed for time and on my way to buy a soda crate, I quickly detour into a little shop and bam! I discover the Moxie bottle.

Excuse me, the Moxie Nerve Food bottle.

Gosh, I really love this little find.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Planking, Mixing & Meeting Us Halfway

at by

After shuttling back and forth between the two of us this morning, Scout planted herself here:

scouthalfway

Exactly halfway between her dad’s chair and mine.

She’s had it with us.

We’re due for some snow this afternoon. How much, I don’t know, as the last forecast was off by a more than a few inches. It’s COLD. I’m wrapped in my crocheted throw as I type this. Bundle up, everyone! I know that this frigid air mass has covered much of the country. Stay safe, stay warm. This is when I realize how much more efficient our new oil burner is. This particular delivery of oil has lasted much longer than it used to. Yay! We’re saving money! (We’d better be, after the cost of that new burner!)

This is the idea that I was pondering for the the dollhouse craft/studio/office space. I finally bit the bullet and worked on it yesterday.

dollhouse plank walls

I thought it would be neat to have a plank wall. It’s not finished yet and I have to do some touch up painting and work with the trim, but I’m pleased so far. This kind of work takes several hours. Trimming the craft sticks, painting, measuring, fitting, gluing, and my neck gets sore from contorting my body so that I can work in the rooms. It’s darkish outside this morning, so the photo isn’t the best, but it will give you an idea of what’s happening.

Now, I’m wrestling with whether I do this all the way around the room, which seems especially daunting, or whether I go for a contrast on the other walls by using wallpaper. I’m leaning that way. Maybe those plank walls were original to the house and the owner decided to keep them because she has a funky, artistic side. I’ve already got my eye on some striking wallpaper – a bit more vivid than that used in the rest of the house. Maybe the top half the remaining walls will be wallpapered and the bottom half will be planked? Hmmm. I already have lots of ideas as to what I want to hang on these walls.

The great thing about a dollhouse is that you can decorate, experiment and re-do for a small amount of money – unlike a real house. Redoing anything in our real house is beyond our means at the moment. But a few bucks for wallpaper and sticks and craft paint? That I can afford.

Look what arrived in the mail yesterday:

dhmixer1

Eeeeek! I am swooning here.

dollhouse kitchen aid mixer

You can’t see it, but it even has a cord.

dollhouse mini kitchen aid mixer

We have the life-sized version of this mixer in yellow. I much prefer this color.

Can you stand such cuteness? Don couldn’t get over the detail. I’ll tell you one thing, it sure is a lot lighter to lift and carry than our life-sized version.

Some of you may be getting rather tired of all the dollhouse posts but, hey, this is what I’m doing at the moment. My creative juices are shouting out “The dollhouse, the dollhouse!” And so, that’s where I’ll be.

If I’m not shoveling.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Mad About Minis

at by

foggy snowy morning

You’ll be happy to know that upon rising, I immediately grasped the fact that today is Saturday. Looks like I’m back on track. We had predictions for lots more snow than this rather paltry amount. I was actually a little disappointed. Scout loves to play in the snow and I was in the mood for a snowy landscape.

We don’t even have to shovel.

It’s a lovely foggy morning here. The candles are lit, husband is reading in his chair, I’m in my blogging chair in the den, and Scout is shuttling back and forth between us. We’re drinking Peet’s French Roast; mine with half and half, Don’s black. I’m just starting to get the urge to decorate, but I can stem that tide until next week. There’s plenty of time for the house to be decorated for the holidays. My dad and I were talking about that the other day. When I mentioned decorating for Christmas, he immediately said, “You don’t want to do it too soon. You’ll get tired of it.” Bingo.

Dad gave away most of his decorations this year. It’s too much work for him and since Mom is in the nursing home and not at home with him it just makes him sad. He only displays a decoration or two, mostly for the cats to play with.

dollhouse miniatures fireplace

I painted the bright brassy andirons a metallic black. I like them better this way. And I added some birch logs. Very hard to get a good photo yesterday as it was gray and rainy all day long.

dollhouse miniatures entry foyer

And I added this mirror to the entry. One of my readers sent me this a long time ago, specifically for the dollhouse. I was thinking of using it in the bathroom, but I like it better here. The owner of Hummingbird Cottage likes to check her appearance before heading out the door. (Don’t we all?)

Wouldn’t some mini paperwhites look good on that dresser?

I am so sorry but I can’t remember the name of the wonderful person who sent this to me. I’m thinking it’s Linda, but I’m not sure. If you’re out there and you see this post, can you leave a comment? I want to thank you properly!

I was all set to start in on the craft room/office but I wasn’t feeling inspired. I’m not sure exactly what I want to do with the walls. I have an idea which keeps calling to me and I think I’ll give it a go today. I also need to add some more molding to the top of the walls in the living room and bathroom.

I could spend hours, and have, looking at miniature blogs and the dollhouse mini listings on Etsy. Oh my goodness, what a treasure trove for the senses! After I’ve finished putting together the basics in the dollhouse; wallpaper, moldings, trim and furniture, then I get to add all the little touches that will make Hummingbird Cottage look lived in. Books, dishes, pots, towels, rugs, more books, lamps, and I don’t know what all else. I did find some little treasures from two sellers on Etsy. One lives in Spain, the other lives in Australia. I’m crossing my fingers that the little package from Spain will arrive any day now. I just ordered from the seller in Australia, so I don’t expect it to arrive before Christmas. Eeeek! I can’t wait to see what’s inside. Oh, and I ordered one kitchen accessory that should be arriving any day now. None of these ‘littles’ cost more than a few dollars.

Honestly, if you gave me a new credit card (which I need like a hole in the head) I could go nuts in the dollhouse miniature section on Etsy.

This hobby is addictive.

Yesterday I asked Don if it was wrong to love my dollhouse so much.

He immediately answered no. (Smart man.)

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

Thanks for visiting! Feel free to browse, read and enjoy. All content is my own; including photos and text. Please do not use anything on this site without permission.

Disclosure/Privacy Policy can be found in the Navigation Bar under ‘About MHC.’

Also, I love receiving comments! I do, however, reserve the right to delete any comment that is in poor taste, offensive or is verging on spam. It’s my blog. If you’re a bot or a troll you’ll be blocked. Thanks!

Archives