Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Let There Be Light

December 5, 2022 at 8:36 am by Claudia

A little trip to Target yesterday morning and there were no lights in stock. None. They go so quickly! But we did get a few other things because when you’re at Target, that’s what you do. Then we drove down the street to Michael’s. I needed to buy a couple of picks. I remove the sparkly little balls and glue them to my mini Christmas trees. Lo and behold, Michael’s had plenty of lights.

Then, of course, it was on to Five Guys where we ate fries while sitting in the car people watching. I couldn’t finish them, of course, there are always too many. And the server was over generous with the salt. But they are the BEST fries in the world and the indulgence is worth it, as long as it only happens every few months.

Back home, strands of lights already on the tree were adjusted a bit and a new strand was added:

Much better.

This year’s tree skirt is a vintage barkcloth curtain panel. I love barkcloth and I like using something that isn’t the standard Christmas skirt.

Today we’re finally getting our flu shots – this morning, in fact – and then we’ll come home and decorate the tree.

I cannot tell you how much I love seeing the lights on the tree. Especially this year.

I’ve already decorated two of the dollhouses, though I want to add some ‘bulbs’ to the tree in Dove Cottage – which is why I needed to stop at Michael’s. I ran out of them last year when I was making the tree, so I never fully finished it.

I’m also thinking that the vintage dollhouse on top of the cabinet in the den needs a tree. Even though it isn’t the best match for the dark wood and lake cottage kind of decor, I do have a fully decorated modern tree that I used to use in the modern dollhouse. I think I’ll put it in there.

Lots of life-sized and mini decorating to do and, eventually, I’ll share it with you.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

 

Filed Under: Christmas, decorating 24 Comments

We Need a Bit More Light

December 4, 2022 at 8:21 am by Claudia

Whoops! We need another strand of lights. Even after I purchased two new boxes! I briefly wondered if I could just go with it…but no, that’s not going to happen. So I suggested a trip to Target this morning, casually adding that Five Guys with the best fries in the world happens to be right down the street. Bingo.

But I like the rest of the tree a lot.

Now that the Blythes take up the real estate that once held my aqua McCoy/Putz houses, I need to find a new place for the houses. I’m considering  the temporary removal of the aqua vase and singing birds from the piano so that I can create a little village there. The top of the piano is the closest thing we have to a mantel (remember, I called it a “pantel”once?) so I think that might be the solution. I try to keep it simple around here because our cottage is small and it already has a lot of ‘stuff’ everywhere. But the houses? Yes, please.

I feel like I’m finally rested from the intense experience of the premiere. I’d like to preserve that joyful feeling I had – still have, a little. But it’s hard to maintain that kind of high over time. I’ll just have to hold it close so I can access it when I need to.

I love Christmas. I love the tree lights and the ornaments and the feeling of peace and hope. We plug in the tree lights first thing in the morning and don’t unplug them until we go to bed. The rest of the winter can be rather bleak, but at least we have this in December. Our porch lights will stay lit for a few months, of course.

Stay safe.

Happy Sunday.

Filed Under: Christmas 21 Comments

Saturday Thoughts

December 3, 2022 at 9:04 am by Claudia

Well, we’re a day late with the tree lights. I felt under the weather yesterday – a reaction, I’m sure, to searching for trees on a very windy day. So I asked if we could delay until today and Don, who was tired, thought that was the perfect idea. Today, we’ll put on the lights. Tomorrow, we’ll hang the ornaments.

It’s going to rain a lot today. The temp will reach 54 degrees, which is warm for this time of year. It’s so dark out there right now, you’d think the sun had just come up! Sort of the perfect day to put on some Christmas music and light the tree. We always like to wait a day or two and enjoy the tree with the lights before we add the ornaments.

Still on a high from Tuesday. As is Don. I’m so, so grateful for this entire experience, from the initial coaching with Ben, to filming in the NYC area and living in Brooklyn, and then to a year later and the premiere. I am a theater animal and though I tried to get into movies many years ago, the woman I spoke to had an immediate opening for a Nicole Kidman movie that she wanted me to drop everything for, but I was coaching the Summer Shakespeare Festival at the Globe and I refused to quit my job  and leave them in the lurch. So those dreams quickly vanished. Having the opportunity to do it 15 years later, is a nice little ‘coda.’

And I’ll say one thing more. I’m sure working on any movie is exciting, but the thing that made this such a powerful, one-of-a-kind experience was Jim. The young man we auditioned for the program 24 years ago, the guy who suddenly had unexpected and enormous stardom come into his life and who handled it with great integrity, the guy I had so many laughs with over the years, the guy who is true blue – well, it made the whole thing so personal and intimate. And I have to add Ben, as well, whom I got to know very well when we worked on his dialect during pre-production. Add to that the gift of properly getting to know Todd, Jim’s husband? Icing on the cake. It could never be duplicated and I am profoundly grateful.

I felt the need to dress a girl yesterday:

Darling little Pippa.

Okay, my friends.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, Christmas, decorating, Spoiler Alert 16 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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