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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Don't Laugh! Well, okay, go ahead.



I don't own a cloche.


Well, actually, I do.  But it's knitted, and I wear it on my head in cold weather when I walk the dog.
It is shaped like this hat, below:
That is not me.  That is not even I.
But my hat is the shape of her hat.
Cloche-shaped.

The cloche that I don't own is made of glass, and is modeled after the garden cloches of the Victorian era,
those mini-microcosmic greenhouse bells, that would coax delicate plants to survive in too-cold weather.

Rather like my knitted hat does for my head.
But today is the Cloche Party at Marty's A Stroll Thru Life blog, and I have always gotten
such a kick out of looking at everyone else's cloche vignettes that I thought I'd give it a whirl.

IF I had a cloche.

Necessity being Invention's Baby Mama, I took the closest thing I could find -- 
my grandmother's cheese dome -- and hired it as a cloche pinch-hitter.

I tried fitting the dog underneath, because he would look so darling under glass,
but alas! his head is too blocky and big.
 Plus, he kind of objected.
 So I resorted to inanimate objects.
Like this little metal pumpkin, and some fake bittersweet that I had to jam under the dome.
 I'm beginning to think a bigger cloche is the way to go.

Rudy, our resident ghost, wasn't any more pleased than Dion to be put under glass.
I think he looks pretty nifty, reflected twice in the carved circle cut into the glass.
Plus, you can see through him!  Yikes, he may really be a ghost.

Note his spiffy new comb-over hairdo.  He saw it on TV and wanted to try it.

 Antiques experts, where are you?  Marydon, you out there?
This cheese dome shows the scratches of age and use on the plate base.
It is cut with circles and stars, and there are some bubbles here and there in the glass.
 The dome top is heavy, and the finial handle is applied.
It does have a crack from one side of the handle to the other; it's had that crack as long as I can remember.
 I know nothing about its origins, except that my grandmother bought it used.
She said it was already old when she bought it, and she set up housekeeping in 1900.

It's not large; not much fits beneath.

But my last cheese cloche vignette is the one you've been waiting for . . . 
it Gives Thanks because this silly post is over!


For some real cloche vignettes, with wonderful ideas for your own decorating,
visit Marty at her A Stroll Thru Life blog, for her Cloche Party on Tablescape Tuesday.

Can you stand one more Halloween picture?  Or two?
This one is our nephew Garrett, holding his year-old twin boys on Halloween.
 Calvin on the left, Luke on the right.  How cute are they?

Our daughter Anne teaches Theatrical Makeup at the university where she's a grad student.
Yesterday she did a quick demo of a scarecrow face on herself, for her class.
I think the purple brings out the hazel in her eyes.  :-P
The snow is still melting here, but we are seeing grass.
Woo-hoo! -- Cass

Thanks to The Graphics Fairy for the image of the vintage glass garden cloche.







14 comments:

  1. Poor, poor Dion! Trouble hopes you haven't put ideas in her mother's head!!!

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  2. Your cloche photo of your pup is hilarious! I am just going to have to get me one of those things. I have some great ideas for the next cloche party! The scarecrow make is superb!!

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  3. I love your cloche/cheese dome! Whatever works. I can't find one anywhere here and I don't have a glass cheese dome either. The twins are adorable and your daughter's makeup is very good! Enjoy the green grass while it lasts. Blessings, Pamela

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  4. Cass, you're hilarious! I've seen many cheese domes used as cloches and yours works well. Your little metal pumpkin and bittersweet look wonderful under glass. Thanks for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  5. Poor Dion, being used as a prop!! He is a doll. Love your cheese dome, I hope you find out from where it originates.

    XO,
    Jane

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  6. Poor Dion..doomed to be clocheless...is that a word? Anyway..loving your "take" on cloche land settings. That IS a great old cheese dome though..and just think- Your gramma was a thrifter, too!

    I'd say your Anne is one pretty talented gal! She has found her calling, hasn't she?

    And the nephew and twins are darling! xo Diana

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  7. This is the cutest post. Love it. I don't know anything about the age of your cheese dome, but it is stunning. The prettiest one I have ever seen. I think everything you put under it looks amazing. You did a fabulous job. Thanks so much for the fun post and for joining the party. Hugs, Marty

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  8. Cass, three of my vast array of thrifted cloches came from the Goodwill-keep on the look out for them my dear. My huge ones came from an estate sale and I have paid next to nothing for any of them. Your cheese dome is adorable. ♥O

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  9. What a chuckle .. he'd look darling under that dome if he'd sit still! Your cheese dome is fabulous ^ the finial top is magnificent, sorry it is cracked. Love your creations under the dome. The twins are as cute as a button, & so is the Daddy. Approximately $50+ to your question.

    Have a beautiful eve ~
    TTFN ~
    Hugs & love,
    Marydon

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  10. Nice cheese dome/cloche. I don't know what that pattern is called, but I have a sugar and creamer that have the stars cut into them. If I were Dion, I would run from you when you have the camera out!

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  11. Love your cheese dome! Alas, my cloches are in the garden -- doing what they are intended to be doing. I may have to brush one (or two) off and bring them inside!

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  12. I always thought that cloches were hats. I have several of those. It wasn't until I came to blogland that I discovered the glass kind. Sadly, the closest thing I own to that kind of cloche is a small glass plate with a glass dome which I use for a butter dish....it will hold only one stick of butter cut in half and placed side by side. Not much you can fit under a dome that size. But every time I go to a thrift store, I am looking!

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  13. Oh Cass, I am laughing out loud about the dog under the cloche. You are so funny! That is a beautiful cheese dome. You are so lucky to have that, and you've decorated it beautifully for the cloche party. When Marty first started these cloche parties, I turnred a brandy sniffer upside down with a little photo under it! Talk about desperate. laurie

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  14. Are you this funny in real life, Cass? If so, Howard has to be laughing from morning till night.

    "Note his spiffy new comb-over hairdo. He saw it on TV and wanted to try it." LOL You Crack me up every time I visit you.

    I'm so glad someone didn't just pitch that cheese dome because IT was cracked. Its beautiful, with its time worn patina & age.

    The little kidlets are cute, too & so is your very talented daughter. Tell her I said "BRAVO!"

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