Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

  • About MHC
    • Disclosure
  • Dollhouses/Minis
    • Hummingbird Cottage
    • The Studio (Formerly TSP)
    • Dove Cottage
    • The Lake House
    • The Folk Art Dollhouse
    • The Modern Dollhouse
    • The Beacon Hill Dollhouse
    • Dollhouse Source List, Information and Tutorials
  • On the Road
  • Collecting
    • Roseville Pottery
    • McCoy Pottery
    • Egg Cups
    • Bakelite
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Five

February 11, 2021 at 10:34 am by Claudia

There are little snow showers going on now. Very pretty! We scanned the weather forecast this morning and were alarmed to see a prediction for 5 – 8 inches of snow on Tuesday.

Ummm…no thank you. That would put us close to a total of 40 inches on the ground. I’m hoping this ominous forecast changes.

I filled in the proscenium arch and the boxes on either side yesterday. I’m quite pleased. The red stage curtain is next and that will be a bit more difficult, simply because there is so much red and variations of red. The stage set won’t be as hard. But the hardest will be all the squiggles that symbolize the orchestra.

I’ll be tackling that last.

Two more puzzles arrived yesterday morning:

These are made by Cavallini & Co., a company that makes all sorts of beautiful paper goods. I purchased these through the Victorian Trading Company web site.

I haven’t much felt like working on the dollhouse lately, partly because I’m into the puzzles, but also because I’m just in one of those brief phases where I feel uninspired. I’ll get back to it. I do love sitting at the kitchen table and working on the puzzle while Don is noodling around with his guitar or recording music. We share the same space but we’re each doing our thing, yet we can have a conversation.

I think what I love about doing the puzzles – and understand, I was not at all into them before last year – is that they require a kind of concentration which is almost zen-like. It’s very akin to the concentration I feel when working on a crossword puzzle. I can shut the world out and focus entirely on shapes, sizes, colors, words. I can step away feeling I’ve done all I can and come back later and immediately see where that troublesome piece should go. It’s creative, it’s satisfying, and I love nothing more than figuring something out – how it works, how it goes together. That’s why I’m good at assembling furniture, putting things together. That would drive Don nuts, I think. He’s never expressed a desire to contribute to any of my puzzles, nor would he. Also – he knows me very well. I like to figure it out all by myself.  Some words that describe me: independent and stubborn. And let’s throw in patient, but only in the case of puzzles and dollhouses. I can be very impatient about other things. But, I have finally learned to ask for help if I need it – not with puzzles, but with bigger things, for sure.

Anyway, it’s an escape. And a very satisfying one.

I ordered The Shell Seekers  and it should be arriving tomorrow. In the meantime, I have to get back to Mrs. Tim.

I won’t talk about our frustration with NY’s COVID vaccination rollout. Just know that we curse a lot. And I’m not watching the Impeachment trial. I get caught up each morning and I know what’s going on. As Hillary Clinton said – and I’m paraphrasing a lot – if there isn’t a conviction it won’t be for lack of evidence, etc., it will be because a segment of the jury is made up of co-conspirators.

Yep.

Stay safe.

Happy Thursday.

Filed Under: jigsaw puzzles 34 Comments

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Four

February 10, 2021 at 10:28 am by Claudia

We have at least 30 inches of snow on the ground. Today is sunny and the snow is sparkling. There are big wavy mounds of snow here and there – Don says it looks like whipped cream. Very magical. But that’s all the snow we need, thank you very much.

I took a break from the very challenging jigsaw puzzle to give Stella a major cleaning – there’s still a bit more to go. She really needed it. Here’s a view you don’t often see:

Stella with her ‘lid’ down. The lid converts into the shelf you see normally. Such a smart design! I keep forgetting about that gold strip across the back which glitters when the light is on. I have to say, getting Stella is one of the best things we have ever done. She’s clean now, nearly grease-free. I just have to soak the burner grates in some Dawn to degrease them and we should be all set. I just have to remember to do a deep cleaning more often.

As for the puzzle…it’s hard…which is what I want, of course. So while I mildly complain, I really love the challenge. You won’t see as much visible progress from day to day, but believe me, it’s there.

I’m currently working on the proscenium arch.

Have you seen puzzle tables? Someone I follow on IG bought one from Amazon and it has nifty side drawers. She has a cat and it keeps the pieces relatively safe from cat paws. I’d love one for the portability, but I can’t justify the expense.

Heck, I need to keep the pieces free from my hands and arms. I continually knock puzzle pieces off the table and have to go searching for them.

I finished Winter Solstice. Sob. I started Mrs. Tim Carries On  by D. E. Stevenson. I’m going to order The Shell Seekers  today. Mrs. Tim is a relatively short read, so I should be finished by the time the new Pilcher arrives. Thanks so much for your advice yesterday!

Of course, it’s not like I don’t have stacks of books to read. I do. But I’m yearning for simple comfort reads that are well written and engaging. That’s what I need right now as we get ready to head into our second year of this strange time. And while I’m so happy for those of you getting your vaccinations, there are no appointments available here. We have a shortage of vaccine here in NY. So I feel like a kid who doesn’t get picked for the team (that happened to me a lot when I was young) but in this case, the stakes are much higher. We check every day. But we’re still isolating and are fortunately able to do that, so it’s not like we’re facing danger on a daily basis. I must be patient.

Stay safe.

Happy Wednesday.

Filed Under: books, jigsaw puzzles, Stella 36 Comments

Day Three Hundred Thirty-Three

February 9, 2021 at 10:24 am by Claudia

You can’t see it very well, but it’s snowing. Lots of snow has been falling all night long and by the end of the day, we should have at least 6 more inches of snow on the ground. More likely 8. That will result in more than 30 inches on the ground at the moment. It’s very cold and snow isn’t melting. It’s accumulating.

I started in on The New Yorker  puzzle – The Opera House. These are notoriously difficult because they’re based on art work, with all the brush strokes and squiggles and slashes of paint. Plus, this company – as I well remember from last year – doesn’t use traditionally shaped puzzle pieces. There are all sorts of weird shapes. I managed to finish the top of the puzzle and believe me, though it was quite difficult, it’s the easiest part of the puzzle.

And the other puzzle arrived in yesterday’s mail:

Appropriately, given my years of piano lessons, it’s entitled The Piano Lesson. Love this cover, with class clearly taking place in a New York City studio.

In the Sixties, as you can see, The New Yorker  was 25 cents an issue. It’s now $8.99 per issue. Yikes.

Two things:

1. Don released a new single, one I really love. Here is the link. They’re all available for download – free of charge. It’s called Red to Red. Don plays his electric guitar in this one. It’s a nod to Don’s beginnings in his godfather’s Polynesian band, with (in my humble opinion) another nod to Les Paul and Mary Ford.

2. I’m just about to finish Winter Solstice. Love, love it. I read some Rosamunde Pilcher decades ago, some of her earliest novels. What would you Pilcher lovers recommend that I read next? I’d love your advice.

Thank you for all the lovely comments about our girl. We miss her terribly. We were her parents for 16 years, but she was actually 17 when she passed away. We rescued her at the age of 11 months. All of our dogs were rescues. We wouldn’t do it any other way.

Stay safe.

Happy Tuesday.

Filed Under: books, Don, jigsaw puzzles 37 Comments

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 475
  • 476
  • 477
  • 478
  • 479
  • …
  • 1843
  • Next Page »
  • Email
  • Instagram

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.

Searching?

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

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

All Content © 2008 - 2026 Mockingbird Hill Cottage · Log in