Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Monday Morning Catch Up

January 27, 2025 at 9:13 am by Claudia

A slightly cluttered corner of the den.

We finally went above freezing yesterday and I could hear the drip, drip, drip of snow on the roof all day long. The same goes for the next few days. So our lovely white snow will be melting. I’ll miss the sunlight bouncing off the white snow. The light streaming through our windows has been wonderful. There’s still snow on the ground today. I hope it sticks around a bit longer.

Don is sick and is feeling pretty miserable. He played that gig on Friday night and he was playing near the door to the street, which kept opening and closing while he was standing there – the temps were below zero at that point. The next morning, he felt miserable. It seems he caught a chill which blossomed into a big old cold. Bless his heart, he really doesn’t feel well at all.

The puzzle arrived. It’s a newish Laurence King puzzle – The World of Oscar Wilde. Wilde wrote what I consider the perfect play, and it’s one of my favorites: The Importance of Being Earnest. It looks like it will be fun. King’s puzzles are always beautifully designed.

Okay. I did another video tour – I had to take advantage of the winter light flowing into the the corner of the den where the girls live. It’s often a little dark there, which makes photography problematic. But the light that day was perfectl. It’s up on my YouTube channel, but you can watch it here.

Visit YouTube – my account: claudiathechroniccollector

My Blythe Doll Collection

I also named my channel. (Don’t worry, it will be a modest little channel.) The name? Claudia the Chronic Collector. Might as well get these collections on video while I still have them!

Hope you enjoy it.

Stay safe.

Happy Monday.

Filed Under: Blythe dolls, collecting, Don 22 Comments

Saturday

January 25, 2025 at 9:13 am by Claudia

Because they’re so darned cute and we need to see some flowers in the midst of this frigid winter.

Thanks for all the book recommendations! I’ve already written down a few to reserve at our library.

And yes, I succumbed and ordered a puzzle. It should arrive today.

We’re going to hit a balmy 30° today! And wait for it….39° tomorrow! Should I wear shorts? A bathing suit? I’m happy to see some relief is in sight.

I am restless, I’ll admit it. I can’t always concentrate on the book I’m reading. I think about working on the dollhouse – then I don’t. I think about painting with oils, then I don’t.  Or any one of a number of projects that need to be done around the house. This will pass, of course. It always does. I keep dreaming of spring, which in reality is a long way off. Hence the photo on today’s post.

I ordered another Little Keiko doll head and it’s been sitting here for a while. (The creator of the doll had a few left in stock so I grabbed one.) But I can’t paint the face yet. The weather has to be warmer so I can spray the face with a seal coat and let it dry for a period of time. I’m sure the spray can says it cannot be used in this kind of cold weather. And you have to spray several coats during the process. So that’s a project for sometime in the spring.

I wanted to create one more Keiko girl so that Jessie can have a sister, and to see if I can learn from the minor mistakes I made last time.

So there you are! I’m hanging in there. I have some chores to do today and that will fill up some time.

Stay safe.

Happy Saturday.

Filed Under: life 15 Comments

Very Cold Weather and What Are You Reading?

January 24, 2025 at 9:42 am by Claudia

It’s 9:20 am and I just remembered I’m supposed to blog today.

Yikes.

We are in a long stretch of subzero crappy weather and we’ve lost all sense of dates and time. It’s frigging cold and we’re sick of it. We feel extremely housebound and restless. Our heads are congested, we don’t feel well, the air is extremely dry, and we’re ready to scream. (Yes, I do have a humidifier running. Not a big help at the moment.)

It will start to warm up ever so slightly tomorrow. Ever so slightly.

Don is currently completely covered with an afghan, wearing one of his wool caps. I am in my pajamas, with a hooded sweatshirt on, also covered by an afghan.

The only plus is that every day this week has been sunny and the combination of sunny skies and snow brings bright sunlight into the house. Grateful for that, for sure.

Don has a gig tonight, which, given the temps, he’s not looking forward to. But he’ll do it.

I’m trying to keep myself occupied. I’ve been trying not to spend any money so I haven’t ordered a new puzzle. I may cave today. I can only read so much and, frankly, it’s been hard to concentrate lately. A $20 puzzle to preserve my sanity? Hmmm.

I think I’ve talked myself into it.

I’m reading The Cold Cold Ground  by Adrian McKinty. It’s about a detective in Ireland during “The Troubles.” I need to dedicate a bigger chunk of time to it today so I can get a rhythm going.

What are you reading?

Stay safe.

Happy Friday.

Filed Under: life 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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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.

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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