Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

A Favorite Thing #16

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afavoritethingWelcome to A Favorite Thing #16. I’m so glad you’re here.

Before we begin, I feel I must express my heartbreak over what has happened this week – in Clackamas, OR and today, in Newtown, CT. The horror of these tragedies is too much to comprehend. Such loss, such heartbreak for so many. I know that area of Connecticut fairly well. Both my husband and I spent a great deal of time in CT this past year due to our work. I cannot imagine the shock, the grief that so many families are feeling. I’ve spent a good portion of the day watching the coverage of the Newtown tragedy on our local networks. Say a prayer for everyone affected by these unspeakable events. Two of my former students are close friends with a family that lost a child yesterday. Another friend lost a close friend from childhood in the Clackamas tragedy. Hold your loved ones close.

Now, let’s look at some of last week’s highlights.

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This amazing tree made out of beer bottles and acrylic shelves blew me away. My goodness! It’s beautiful. Thank you to This Green Life, for sharing this wonder with us.

This made me laugh out loud:

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Fairhope Supply Company shared her one-of-a-kind manger scene with us. Notice anything different? Elvis is in attendance. Love, love, love it.

And finally, Maureen from It’s All Connected showed us how she can change up her lampshade for the holidays:

shade done final

Adorable.

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My favorite thing this week is the Doily/Industrial Swag Lamp I made last year from an old lampshade frame, some doilies and a swag lamp kit. Why is it my favorite? Because at this time of year, I turn it on in the late afternoon and it fills the room with the loveliest glow. It’s beautiful and it’s one of my favorite DIY projects.

Next week, we will share our very favorite Christmas things. I know some of you have already been sharing them in this party and I love that. Keep them coming! And then, we’ll take the December 28/29 off and we’ll resume again on January 4/5.

Okay. Now it’s your turn!

You can link up anytime from this evening through Sunday. Make sure you enter the URL of your post. If you’re unsure how to do that, just click on your post title after you’ve published it and copy the information in your browser address window. Come back here, paste the URL into your link entry and there you go! If you have any problems, drop me an email and I’ll help you out. Please link back to this blog on your post. That way, those that read your post and are interested in reading more can do so.

One of my concerns about link parties is that the very reason for them has somewhat gone by the wayside. They’ve become so big and there are so many of them that many bloggers don’t take the time to visit any of the other participants. Link parties are a way to meet new bloggers and share with each other and the only way to do that is to visit each other. So, please, take some time to visit everyone over the next few days. No rush. Stop by, introduce yourself, and leave a comment. It’s the neighborly thing to do. It’s also nice if you leave a comment here, as well.

Have fun!

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Surprises

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I often get requests for a custom scarf order. One of these, from a reader in Texas, was for a scarf in the deep purple silk and bamboo yarn I’ve used in the past.  I had some on hand but, as it turns out, not enough, so the scarf I was crocheting ended up being half again as long as it should be. Off I went to the yarn store to buy some more of the luscious yarn in a new dye lot and that scarf was completed and sent off the other day.

What to do with the short version? An idea.

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A head band. A unexpected surprise.

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There. You can see it a bit better in this photo – taken by me with my iPhone, which always ends up being a somewhat surreal experience.

I think I might make some more. I wore it all day long and it took me right back to my childhood, where a stretchy cotton headband was worn daily. I’ll find a photo someday and show you. Or not.

On another note, I have been spoiled lately. I’ve received a couple of surprises in the mail. Remember Judy’s giveaway? In that post, I said I’d had my eye on one of Judy’s pillows for a long time. Look what arrived on my doorstep:

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The pillow I’d had my eye on, that sweet green pillow with the piece of vintage embroidery, was sent to my by Gail, a longtime reader of the blog. Gail is a Veterinarian with a kind and loving heart.

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Isn’t it lovely? I was delighted with Gail’s lovely surprise. Thank you, Gail. (I’ve sent you an email.) It looks so pretty here in the living room. And thank you, Judy, for your beautiful creation.

My friend Sheila told me to look for a box that was coming in the mail.

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In it was this adorable sheep. Handmade out of wool. Oh my. You know I love sheep. I have a couple of Putz sheep in my studio (one of which is in this blog’s header) and this one is a perfect addition to my sheep ‘family.’

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Isn’t it amazing? A name will be forthcoming. Thank you, Sheila!

The salt shaker snow globe came in the same box as the pillow. From ever generous Judy. She also included an adorable wooden angel made from a domino and a key.

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You can see it hanging from my Miss Keyboard’s School sign – over there on the right. Thank you, Judy!

Such wonderful surprises.

Of course, if I had been a bit more patient and a lot wiser, I would have waited to open these until my solo Christmas morning. Oh well! I will gaze upon all these things which embody the goodness and generosity of my dear friends and be very thankful, indeed.

I will be back at 8:00 est for A Favorite Thing. See you then.

Happy Friday.

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A Tree for the Dollhouse

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I wanted a Christmas tree for the dollhouse. But I didn’t want to spend any money on one. What to do?

I had some bottlebrush trees from our Dickens Village days that I had thrown in my wrapping paper bits/fabric Easter Eggs/ ribbon drawer in the den. I pulled out the tallest tree and pondered bleaching it. I googled ‘bleaching bottlebrush trees’ and what should come up first? My friend Terri’s video! Thank you Terri, it was extremely helpful!

Bleaching it took a while. I get impatient. I probably should have gone even lighter, but what the heck, I was just playing around. I looked through all my little bits for decorations I could glue on the tree. Here’s the finished product:

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That’s a bit of French silk ribbon winding its way around the tree. Plus some little beads and sparklies I had in my studio.

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The wider view. It wasn’t quite tall enough so I put it on a stand. I’m not sure I’m happy with that little crochet skirt but it will do for now. Or at least until I start obsessing about some other possibility.

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The den just got a touch of Christmas – the red ribbon wreath on top of the blue armoire. Less is more.

There’s still so much to do in the dollhouse: moldings, more wallpapering, more wooden floors, finishing touches and more furniture! Winter always seems to be the perfect time for work on the dollhouse. I’m starting to get that ‘itch.’

Another new scarf in the Etsy shop:

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I have two more coming up in the next few days and I want to assure you that if you place a timely order, I will get it out to you in time for Christmas. The shop link is in the menu above and on my sidebar.

Happy Thursday.

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Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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