Two nights in a row of less than ideal sleep means that I haven’t started my text research for The Comedy of Errors yet, but I have plenty of time. Hopefully, tomorrow or Thursday.
I did run some errands yesterday and added a few holiday touches to the dollhouse(s).
I found these tiny little bottlebrush trees at Michael’s. I ran the idea by Caroline and she gave it a thumbs up.
I now have four of these Petite Princess chests – two were purchased by me, and two were gifts. I love them.
In hopes of pleasing the resident of the Loft (whose name has yet to be determined) I added a little tree to the coffee table.
The bowl of Christmas candies was a part of this month’s SquintBox.
And then I decorated the somewhat hideous door to the Loft, with another Michael’s find:
The door is very wide and made of plastic and I do not like it. I’m thinking of changing it out with something else – maybe french doors, or some sort of two door-combination. But for now…it’s decorated for the holidays.
If you read yesterday’s comments, you know that I was determined to find those Shiny Brites, so yet again, I dragged out all my boxes and searched for that tiny little box. I’m happy to say I found it.
They were nestled in a box that also held some wrapped packages, so the amount of presents under the tree has increased.
I found the star, but it’s a bit wobbly up there at the top of the tree. It will do. I need to make a little tree skirt of some kind – the simpler the better – and then Caroline should be all set for Christmas.
I have absolutely no desire as of yet to decorate my own house, but I sure love decorating my wee little houses. As Brae said in yesterday’s comments, it’s so much easier!
In the mail yesterday:
Another Nancy Drew with a dust jacket illustration by Russell H. Tandy. I had to take a picture of it on the French bistro table in the late afternoon sun. I can’t help it, it’s my favorite ‘staging’ surface.
This book is in excellent condition! Hardly any wear at all. The Whispering Statue is #14 in the series. Tandy illustrated the first 22 books in the series in this format, with the script “Nancy Drew Mystery Stories” in gold at the top and a white spine. He also did the covers for 4 additional books in the series in what are called wrap-style dust jackets, where the picture wrapped over onto the spine.
I have another one on the way, which will bring my collection to 9 books. That means I have 17 to go!
It’s a rainy day today. Sigh. I know we need the rain, but there have been a lot of gray days lately.
Happy Tuesday.
So….are you going to reread the Nancy Drews? Have you started? Or, are you waiting til you get them all, so you can read them in order? Important questions! Caroline must be thrilled now that her place is done! We’ve just had 2 days of rain. Today…Nov. 29….going to be 52 and sunny…can you even believe? ;)
I will eventually, probably in order. But right now I have review commitments!
It’s supposed to rain today, tomorrow and maybe Thursday.
Thank you so much for sharing the lovely photos of your dollhouse. Such a happy visual to start my day :-)
You’re most welcome, Jeannine!
I was thinking the same thing, that its easier to decorate the doll house then our big home! Still trying to decide where to put the tree this year. It will be fun to see how Annie plays with it, but I will miss sweet Charlie sleeping under the tree (tears). The Nancy Drew books are so great, I’m glad your collection is growing.
We are finally having some rain but mountain towns are being evacuated as Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are in flames. So sad!
Oh my goodness! I had no idea that it was so bad – why is this not being covered in the news?
Yes, I understand. First Christmas without Scout. It’s impossible to comprehend. We will miss her so much.
I swear, when I look at these pictures, I can’t believe it is a tiny house. Looks so real. Especially with that gift wrap leaning against the table. Adorable!
Thank you, Tammy! It’s a lot of fun to play with – and then try to take realistic photos.
I feel so ‘transported’ when I look at the doll house photos…hard to describe, but as if I could jump in and just live there. Caroline’s house is its own Christmas decoration. Same as setting out anything else as holiday decor. So, you see, you ARE decorating your own house, Claudia.
Combat those grays by turning on a lot of lights; it’s worked before, for me. OMG, Claudia, what I always remember was that awful winter a few years ago when Don was gone for a long period of time. You and Scout were alone; you’d be up on a ladder trying to knock down ice from building-up on the roof. What was that called…polar vortex or something? You were so upset and I was worried for you! Readers wrote in and said things like, “Drink cocoa!” “Wear sunny-colored clothing!” “Bring out summer with yellow dishes!” It was endless snow and cold and very dreary outside. As I’ve said before, I was always hoping when you’d be out in all that…you had to be, with Scout becoming more frail in her last years…you’d take your phone with you in case you got stuck, slipped; whatever. It was downright dangerous. You didn’t have anyone immediately checking up on you to see if you came back inside. I’d have been so scared; it was like the unknown, of how much worse that weather could get!
I remember that vividly, Vicki! The worst winter to be alone in the country trying to shovel and deal with all the ice. I was beside myself and exhausted. I remember trying to shovel the driveway – well over a foot, maybe 2? of snow that I had to shovel because I had to drive to Hartford the next morning. I just stood there and cried. I was inconsistent with taking my cell phone with me, but after several people ‘yelled’ at me, I started to do it. I have spoken to Don about that same thing, in case we have a big snowfall while I’m in Hartford. He is to check in with me before and after he goes outside and he is to carry his cell phone with him. Our driveway gets very icy. We have to be really careful.
I think I remember being one of the yellers! I’d had this horrible experience of my widowed uncle (older than you or me), on the snowy Texas plain (although in a town, but sort of at the edge of town where there wasn’t anyone to take notice), having slipped/fallen when going to do something outside in the evening when he should have just stayed put and, exact details escape me now at the moment, he either crawled up onto a porch or into the open garage but had to spend the entire night like that, risking exposure to the harsh elements and I don’t know how on earth he kept from freezing to death because his son didn’t find him til the next morning. I think he had found a tarp within reach to pull over himself. He’d momentarily passed out and torn a ligament or something when he fell…whatever happened, he just couldn’t get back into the house for cover; couldn’t walk. He was a tough old guy, having worked on the railroad his entire life, jumping on and off freight cars in all kinds of bad weather on long runs…so, although retired, he was strong. But, still…
It’s okay to be careful. I’m glad you and Don have a plan. My husband and I do the same thing when he travels. I had a doctor tell me once that many, many people live alone…even when in wheelchairs or being bedridden…and that you can’t cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’ but, you know, do what you can to be safe. (I’m facing an hour’s drive over the foothills later today [our weather is clear and beautiful], for a medical appointment; even with that ‘short’ distance, though, I make sure I have a blanket and water in the car, and certainly my phone.) My disabled mom tried (briefly) to live alone once Dad passed (and, after nearly a year of staying with her, I needed to get home to my husband) but we set up stuff as protections, like the “Life Alert”-style bracelet where she could press a button to get an emergency service, who could hear her no matter where she was in the home. We had to trust & hope & pray she wouldn’t go outside or open the door to a stranger (installed a peep hole for her) or get hooked in to a crank telemarketer but she’d refused to go to assisted living or, at that time, have a paid caregiver/companion in the home. We got her into the habit of taking the cell phone with her; just put it in the pocket of her sweater or bathrobe. After I’d leave her for the day, I almost annoyed her with too many phone calls, checking up on her. We moved everything down or up to her level (dishes, meds; stuff in the frig) so that she didn’t have to reach, bend or do anything to alter her movements adversely. You do the best you can with a little bit of forethought.
My dad had those Life Alert aids – a bracelet and some buttons on the wall in the kitchen and front hallway. The problem was he would set them off by mistake! And the EMS crew was stationed at a firehouse about a 100 feet from his door, so they’d be there in no time. I can’t tell you how many times they came and had to be sent back. But a few times, they came and it was a good thing.
I intend to eventually get the service again…for myself. It was a godsend and very reliable; thankfully, Mom or Dad never set it off unintentionally.
Your doll house is so sweet. I have a collection of Nancy Drews. I have three of the originals with their dust jackets. I was jsst looking a one this morning thinking that I want to read them again. xo Laura
Time to read them again, Laura! I think a lot of the Nancy Drews I read as a kid were the ones with the yellow spines.
I agree that the plastic door needs to be dealt with…either a new door or cover the existing door. Since it’s a more contemporary loft, a wide door with hidden hinges? Love the holiday decorations.
Since the scale of the loft is for larger pieces (all the stuff I threw away) the door is too wide. It doesn’t make sense in 1:12 scale. So that’s why I think I’ll go for two doors that make one formal entrance – but contemporary in style.
Those tiny white trees are precious…what a cute touch they add to both houses…You are right about that door…it is definitely hideous…lol…I know you will find a way to fix it…I so glad that you found more Nancy Drew books…
I will, I’ll do some door measuring today and see what I can come up with!
I believe the owner of the loft is Lee, after Donald Lee of course.
I believe Don Lee owns his very own studio – does he need a loft, as well? That seems selfish! xo
Oh my goodness. That cushion fabric…the one on the wicker chair…if my memory serves me well is most likely from the 80’s. I remember using that same fabric to make my mom a fabric covered picture frame…for Christmas no less, so seeing it in your cute dollhouse was a pleasant surprise. As a quilter it always amuses me to find fabric from years ago in my thrift store visits.
blessings, jill
I wonder if it was still being made even more recently, because a lot of miniaturists use that print? It’s not easy to find prints that work well with the scale of a dollhouse! I also remembered it when I chose it (the wicker chair was handmade by a miniaturist friend of mine and I got to choose the fabric) because I used to quilt, as well!
Love your little house; everything is so perfect. You are making me think I need to reread Nancy Drew. Oh, if only I had a few more eyes!
I know! There’s only so much we can read!