Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Sewing on a Featherweight

February 8, 2009 at 11:33 pm by Claudia

Yes, I dream of owning a Featherweight (hence the dreamy picture) but I don’t own one yet. But I am lucky enough to have a friend here who has one. She has graciously offered its use while I am staying here. This particular Featherweight was her grandmother’s, so I am very honored that she trusts me with it. I finally had a bit of time today to figure out how to thread it and do some sewing. I am sewing the squares of my quilt together. This will take a long while because there are many, many of them. If my piecing skills matched the beauty of the Featherweight, all would be well. Nevertheless, it was nice to spend some time at the machine today. Thank you, Ingrid. Ingrid and I have known each other for many years. She used to work in the Costume Dept. at the Theater. She also altered my wedding gown so that I could breathe on my wedding day!

Classes are going very well. I’ve been teaching for 3 weeks now and the students are really lovely-talented, funny, smart and eager to learn. I find I have slipped back into teaching much more easily than I had feared. I’m even enjoying it. Who would have thought it? One of the most rewarding parts of this work has always been my relationship with the students. I’m still in touch with many former students, and now thanks to Facebook, even more! I’m also coaching my current students in a production of The Greeks. All of this keeps me very busy and that is a blessing. When I do have some free time, I get very homesick and miss Don and the dogs so much it hurts. But I am grateful and thankful for this opportunity to work with the students and get to know them.

More on the blogiversary giveaway soon.

Filed Under: sewing, teaching 4 Comments

An award!

February 6, 2009 at 1:24 pm by Claudia


Today I received my first award from Tam at The Gypsy’s Corner. Thank you, Tam! I am honored. Tam’s blog, by the way, is wonderful and I urge you to visit.

The rules are the following:
1. Put the award up on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded it to you.
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Add links to these blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog.

So here goes, (There are so many to nominate, but I tried to choose those blogs that inspire me daily and, in some cases, inspired me to start a blog.) I nominate:

1. Liz at Mabel’s House. Liz writes beautifully and is also very funny. Please visit her and Mabel, her dog.

2. Rachel at A Romantic Porch. Rachel’s was one of the first blogs I visited, and she has always been supportive and encouraging. Please visit her.

3. Sara at Sadie Olive. Beautiful photography, inspired decorating – Sara’s blog was one that I read when I first discovered blogging and it inspired me to start my own. Visit her.

4. Donna at An Enchanted Cottage. I love Donna’s blog and we have become good blogging friends. She loves animals as much as I do and her cottage is charming. Please drop in.

5. Melissa at The Inspired Room. Melissa has tons of decorating ideas and generously shares them with her readers. She sent me a welcome message soon after I started my blog. She does all this in the midst of moving to a new house! She has a large readership – stop by.

6. Maryjane at The Beehive Cottage. I love her blog, it is absolutely charming and she has the neatest little trailer that she has decorated. Go and see her.

7. Michelle at Michelle Palmer. I just met Michelle through my blog. She is a wonderful artist and I am in awe of her work. Go spend some time at her charming blog.

Well, there are many more that I could have nominated, believe me! I have a few blogging friends who are shy. I thought about nominating them, but then thought they might be uncomfortable with the award and the obligation of nominating other blogs.

I do want to steer you over to my sister’s new blog, Mereknits. She has just started blogging and is a wonderful knitter, as well as the best sister in the world. I could nominate her for every award in the world and it wouldn’t be enough.

Have a wonderful day and weekend ahead.

Filed Under: blog 7 Comments

I’m trying….

February 4, 2009 at 1:33 pm by Claudia

This print hangs above the fireplace in the apartment. (The fireplace that I would like to use as we don’t have one in the cottage, but its been too warm at night.) I like this print of a Dutch girl, but it is so faded from years of hanging here with sun streaming through the windows that I wanted to do something with it. So I bought some fabric at the quilt shop and covered the print with the fabric. I’m not sure I like it. I like the idea of it, but right now it looks like a big wrapped package.
I will leave it as is for the time being because I find it much more cheery, but maybe some vintage fabric? Barkcloth or chintz? Something flowery, but faded? Any ideas?

I spent a lovely afternoon at the beach on Monday with friends. We had lunch and laughed and caught up on all our news. The weather was beautiful, sunshine and a lovely breeze. Monday is my official day off.

I am coming up on my first blogging anniversary on February 17th. Bloggers usually have a giveaway of some kind and I am thinking of doing that….but do I have a big enough readership? I certainly don’t have the kind of numbers that many blogs I visit do. Nevertheless, I love all of you who do read Mockingbird Hill Cottage and want to do something to celebrate this past year. Blogging has been a wonderful adventure for me and I have loved every minute of it. So stayed tuned and all will be revealed.

I will leave you with a little gift I received on opening night last week. The play I coached involves one of the Lost Boys of the Sudan and his assimilation into American life. One of the pleasures of working in theater is that it is a small world. You work with someone and he or she knows someone you know. Or you worked with someone years ago and they reappear. Such is the case with this show. I worked with this lovely actress 16 years ago in Boston and she is the lead actress in this production. I love that. She gave me this lovely piece of Kenyan soapstone on opening night. It has been hand painted and polished until is smooth as silk. The wages these Kenyan artisans earn give them healthcare, support their families and provide an education for their children. I love holding it in my hand, turning it over and over. I find it comforting.

More later.

Filed Under: decorating 4 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.

Thanks for stopping by.

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The Dogs

The Dogs

Scout & Riley. Riley left us in 2012. Scout left us in February 2016. Dearest babies. Dearest friends.

Winston - Our first dog. We miss you, sweetheart.

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