Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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Top Secret Project: Oh, That Orange!

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Don: Do not read any further!! Stop here. xo

Don was out and about yesterday morning, so I took the opportunity to work on the TSP, along with cleaning out the big garden bed. Spray painting was on the docket, which has to be done outside, so I painted, then started raking out the big garden bed in between coats of paint. I managed to get it done and hide all traces of my activity before Don came home. (I even finished raking out the garden bed.)

When I went to Lowe’s the other day, I was also looking for just the right color of spray paint for this:

10-19 fireplace

Do you remember this little project that I made last year? It’s from a tutorial by Kris at 1 Inch Minis.

As I was ready to dip my toes into the TSP once again, I thought this would be a good start.

I taped off the interior of the fireplace, went outside with spray paint in hand, and sprayed two coats of orange paint. After it was all dry, I hand painted the interior.

4-16 tsppaint

To my surprise, it worked! I love, love the way this looks!

The paint is by Valspar. It’s Premium Finish Interior/Exterior High Gloss (paint and primer all in one.) The interior paint is from FolkArt – Black Metallic. I already had that on hand.

When I look at this fireplace, I see an A-Frame house built in the sixties – perhaps a ski getaway, or a house on a lake. It brings back memories, that’s for sure.

4-16 TSPfireplace1

Now, doesn’t that just make you smile. I love the way the orange shows up in the Beatles canvas. On Paul, of course – my young girl crush.

4-16 TSPfireplace3

The pipe will look straighter when I can attach it to the roof, which has yet to be painted. To be honest, I love the way the light pours in the TSP without the roof. I’m not sure yet if I want to put it on! I’m pondering that one.

4-16 tspanotherview

In the TSP: a mini guitar. Outside the sliding doors: Don’s real-life guitar stand. Real Life meets Miniature Life.

I told Don I was real excited about ‘a secret thing I worked on while you were away.’ He is eager to see the finished product so we have now set a deadline. I will have it done by June 24, his birthday. I mentioned that it would look finished but that I reserved the right to tweak it as necessary.

So now I’m making lists of Must Haves.

It felt good to do something, to accomplish something. Ever since my dad died, my creative spark has been missing. It’s slowly reemerging. Slowly. That makes me happy.

4-16 DHlivingroomwithroseville

A late afternoon shot of Caroline’s living room with Roseville pottery.

I have a book review up on Just Let Me Finish This Page: I Let You Go  by Claire Macintosh. I won’t give away anything except to say the this is an incredible read. Stop by.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Comments

  1. It’s so fab Claudia! Do you have any record albums for it yet? If not, I want to make a contribution.

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

    • I have about 7 or 8 but I want a lot more – I’m thinking of building a shelf above the record player that will hold albums.

  2. It looks perfect! That color is the same as a chair my parents had in the 60’s and now resides at Sara’s mid-century modern home. I want to contribute also, send me a list to choose from. We will help you get this done for Don’s birthday! I’m so excited.
    hugs,
    Linda

    • Oh gosh, you’re so sweet! I don’t need any more Beatles albums, but anything folk from the sixties or Simon and Garfunkel or The Eagles, etc. He’d love anything like that! Especially sixties and seventies music. Some Johnny Cash, maybe, or Glen Campbell?

  3. A-mazing! Fabulous! You have really captured the era, and, as before, you’ve got the scale so perfect that it could be a photo of a life-sized room. We had an orange acorn in our first rental in 1975.
    Virtual hugs,
    Gail

    • It does, doesn’t it? Orange was often used in these types of fireplaces, so I’m simply recreating an old favorite!

  6. Oh my goodness! A blast from the past! I remember these orange fireplaces. It look perfect in the studio. I want to sit on the sofa and sing along.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

  7. This is FABULOUS, Claudia! I adore it, and I know that Don will be blown away!!!

    I can’t get over how perfect it is with the painted stove (good job!), the Eames leather chair and ottoman, the plexi table, the Beatles poster, the British mug, the goodlooking sofa, oriental rug, and Don’s guitar! He is going to flip out over this gift! I lover surprises so I can’t wait to see his reaction.

    And Caroline’s house is adorable, and I am envious of her collection. Caroline, if things go missing you will know it is one of us. ;-)

    Can’t wait to see the wrap-up in June and yor progress shots. This is such FUN,

    xoxo

    Sheila :-)

    • I would like both the sofa and the Eames chair in real-life size, Sheila.

      I’m going to have to video Don as he opens it, don’t you think?

  9. As soon as I saw the color of the fireplace, my thoughts went to pictures we would see (in the 60’s & 70’s) of the “beautiful people” lounging about, and a fire going in the beautiful orange fireplace!! Perfect!! Don is going to be beyond surprised with the TSP!! Can’t wait for the reveal!
    Another beautiful day here today. The rest of the week is cooler ~ but still in the 60’s ~ with some rain which we do need badly. Things will be popping even more with the gift of some rain.
    Hope you have a great day!!

  10. You are spot on with that color….it screams MCM! Paul, was my crush too…I wonder how many of us there really are? I think June 24 sounds sounds like a fantastic idea….I’m excited for you! As far as the roof is concerned…could you add skylights? ;)

  11. Claudia, if I didn’t know better, I would have thought the photo of Don’s studio, was a “real” room. Boy, does it ever look good. Good friends of ours had this same fireplace, same color. You did an excellent job, love love it!!!

    • It is! (although it’s a word I didn’t use, for some reason, even when it was the sixties!)

  13. Hmmm, just wondering who will “move into” the studio? Perhaps Carolyn’s boyfriend???!!?!

  14. Looking at just your photos, how could anyone else know that these are DOLL houses and not REAL houses? You’ve done a fabulous job, Claudia. The orange is perfect. I know of two human houses who had remodeling in the 60s featuring those exact ‘stoves’ which we called ‘Swedish stoves’ – and both were painted that all-too-prevalent avocado green we saw so much of in the late 60s/early 70s. By now, they’re both painted a shade of white for a more-neutral theme but the TSP needs to look authentic…and it is! FUN!

    • Don would much rather have orange, I think, than white! (and so do I!) The great thing about minis is that you can make a daring choice and it’s just fine – no money lost!

  15. Your fireplace looks sooooo Cool, Claudia! The color is perfect and the way that you have arranged the furniture and propped the guitar and displayed the accessories, couldn’t be better!
    It gives a contemporary vibe with a nod to nostalgia, AND it looks masculine whereas Carolines’s cottage is definitely feminine. Don will be Thrilled especially if it includes a variety of his favorite music. I think that everyone in our age bracket thinks of the Beatles era, with a wide smile, at least I know that I do because I am smiling now! :D

    elizabeth
    p.s. Paul was always my personal favorite too! :)

    • Don is definitely a huge Beatles fan, Elizabeth. He knows just about everything there is to know about them. Collecting records will be fun!

  16. I showed it to Ric – he thought it was a life sized “real” room. He also said if I had a top secret project- he’d peak! ( he is honest , to a degree!)
    This is looking wonderful. I’m glad that your desire to create is coming back. Dons birthday / a deadline will help. Take care!

    • Don hasn’t peeked once. I don’t know if I would be as well-disciplined about the whole thing!

  17. The orange could not be more perfect!
    Such fun! I hope you list your “must haves”. You never know what people have in their stash waiting to find a home and wouldn’t it be lovely to have it ready for Don’s b-day? :D

    • It would be lovely. I’ll make a list and post about it soon. This room is fun. I have to figure out how to make a sound board or whatever you call them. You always see them in home recording studios.

  19. Oh!!! MY!!! This is really FEELING GROOVY!!! I LOVE this!!!! It’s not my style of furniture for myself but it fits the bill for Don and fun minis. I looks so perfect!!!! I want one!!! I think you will be making the magazine again.
    Be sure to get a pic of Don’s first impression…..it will be priceless I am sure!!!
    One question???….you must have to dust these rooms too???…ouch!!!
    Creativity is the BEST for the blues!!!!
    Addie

    • It’s not my style either, and I’m not even sure it’s Don’s, but I don’t care – that’s the fun of miniatures. I dust them, but not all that often, Addie.

  20. Oh…one more thing…..LOVE the speaker as an end table…those were the days!!!! Also, just an idea…..maybe you could put the classic “cider block and wood” for shelves!!! Remember??
    lololololol

    • Well, I want it to look mid-century modern but present day MCM. No cinder blocks! (Though I remember using those in grad school!)

  23. Oh My Gosh…Claudia…The orange fireplace looks so real now…I wanted one of them so badly back when…You are really out doing yourself on this one…I would also love to see his reaction when he opens it…This is such fun to watch happening…like a trip back in time!!!!

    • She did and I mentioned it the other day in a response to a comment. They are made by Jeanetta Kendall. She doesn’t sell from her own website, but if you google her name, you’ll see shops that carry her products.

  26. Orange! Perfection. I am decorating a new little cabin for hubby and me. So far, nany linen sofa, caramel leather chairs, lime/ green stools, lots of white and red and now ‘Claudia Orange’ for tables. Love it!

  28. Love it! The orange really takes me back to the 60’s and early 70’s. My friend’s parents home had one just that color, or that is how I remember it. Our home had old cast iron wood stoves that were the only source of heat in our farmhouse. I did not appreciate antiques at the time or for several years later. After they were distributed throughout the family and friends.

    You just need to know that I smile at your, I mean Caroline’s home. Sometimes I even laugh out loud! Thank you for the joy!

  30. Claudia! I grew up spending weekends and long summer weeks at my grandparents’ rustic cabin on a mountain lake north of Seattle. In the corner of the living room was a fireplace just like this and in exactly the same color! Oh….how I miss that place. There is a piece of my heart there forever. :)

    • You are welcome to gaze upon this mini version of your grandparents’ fireplace any time you wish, Dori!

  31. What a transformation. The fireplace looks great. Even if it’s not your’s or Don’s style, just the fact that you put so much work and heart into Don’s TSP, means that it will certainly be treasured and loved.

    • That’s the fun of it. I actually like this style – I wouldn’t have it in my real-sized home, but working in this style for the TSP makes me appreciate it all the more.

  33. Wow! I love the orange. I’m not sure if this the first sneak peek of the TSP but it’s my first look.
    I cannot wait to see the finished product. Your creative flag is flying. High!
    Caroline is shameless for sure. lol
    Monica : )

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