Tea Cup Tuesday. Second Tuesday in February

Wow Tea Cup Tuesday came up fast again.  I don't know where time is going but it is moving  too fast for me.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

                                                              ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

 This week I have chosen to show you a new tea book, well new to me anyway.  My husband found this at Recycling yesterday and brought it to me knowing I would love it!  It is a book from 1995 that is loaded with useful information about Herbal Teas.  Now I admit I don't often use herbal teas.  But it is still a pretty book. And lots of yummy recipes for scones and breads etc.  The cover itself grabs me as it features Blue Willow China, my favorite AND pansies, my favorite flower!

Since it shows Blue Williow I decided to feature a Blue Willow teacup for this Tea Cup Tuesday.  I have many because I am a collector of all things Blue Willow.  Someday I will do a blog about that collection.  But meanwhile here is the Cup and Saucer I chose for today.  It is quite old, I know because it was made in Occupied Japan. (The US occupied Japan from 1947 ti 1952)  I tried to get a picture of the back stamp but my camera would NOT cooperate so you will have to take my word for it.

It is almost a cobalt blue, or maybe it is I don't know.  But the blue is very intense!

I like the fact that it has the big design  inside the cup as well

I think, in this final picture you can see how intense the bloe color is.

Now, what shall I choose for next weeks cup and saucer........................

Quilting class

Today I went to a class at our local quilt shop to "attempt" to learn Machine Quilting.  I am pretty sure I have a really long ways to go but it was fun and with practice
I might be half way decent.  As we were working along my instructor commented that in every class she had a "miniature" quilter and it was me.  Of course that didn't seem so strange since i have been working on miniatures and doll houses for a long time.  I finally realized that I was doing my designs very small and most everyone else was doing big ones.......  hmmmmm..... wonder why that is.  So I guess I will now have to make a quilt for my current doll house....    And then, learn to do "larger scale work" for regular quilts.      LOL
No pictures to share at this point. Maybe when I get a bit more confident.

Decluttering, Quilting and whatever............

 A few things to share from outside.  Here are the visitors that came to "feast" at my garden (well the birdfeeder really)

And I am not real pleased to see all my daffodils popping up out of the ground.  It has hardly been winter here yet.  So I guess they don't know it isn't time yet!  Hope they don't get really messed up.  I love to see the pretty fresh faces of the daffodils when they do bloom.

I am still in the decluttering mode.  This week I managed to get rid of 24 piece plastic dinner set we used to use in our camper but don't use anymore.  (it went to SA) Also went through 25 magazines, tore out a very few things I wanted to keep and sent the rest off to recycling.  And I sent 10 books off to the library sale!  So for a quick total that is 59 more things gone.  So my total is now............. 124!!!!!!!   Only 242 things to go.  This is easier than I thought it might be! I have a feeling I will have more than enough very soon.

Another bigger decluttering will take place in April.  We have signed up to take stuff to an auction.  That will include things from the house and my antique shop.  That should make a big difference in the way things look around here.  I can hardly wait!

Tomorrow I am going to take a class in Machine Quilting on my newest sewing machine, a Janome.  I still have the Brother machine but it doesn't do nearly as well as this one does.  I will keep the Brother to try and master Machine Embroidery but the new one is for quilting!  I did a lot of quilting back in the 70s and early 80s but not so much now.  This should help a lot!

I will report on the class and what I learn later!

Tea Cup Tuesday, First Tuesday in February

 Tuesdays seem to come faster and faster..........

After you visit my site be sure to visit the others at

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

This week my teacup to share is a pretty one with dainty pink flowers.  I don't know the pattern name but it is from The Royal Vale, an English Company.  I looked on the internet and found lots of Royal Vale patterns but not this one.  So don't really know what to call it.

And for this week's tea book I am showing you this one called
A Perfect Cup of Tea
Edited by Pat Ross

The text of this  was originally written by Arthur Gray back in 1903.    Pat Ross has added the text and added illustrations.  It is loaded with vintage pictures, tea ads and ads for beautiful China of that time.  I enjoy perusing it every so often just to appreciate those ads.  Check it out.

And come back next week to see what I have found.

Did some cooking today...

      This past week we went to the Olive Garden for a somewhat belated Anniversary Meal.  While there we had their really yummy soup called Zuppa Tuscani! which we really enjoyed.    I had my Galaxy Tab (sort of like I-Pad) with me and decided I would try to find out if the recipe was available on line so I could make it at home.  It was. So yesterday I made it and we had it for lunch.... excellent.  Made enough to have it for lunch today too.
I didn't take a picture but here is the link to the recipe so you can try it yourself if you are so inclined. And they show what it is looks like.

http://www.tuscanrecipes.com/recipes/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana.html

There are other versions of the recipe there but this is the one I made.  (I cut the amount in half,  we used ground HOT Italian sausage and left out the ground red peppers. )  Everything else was the same.  We were pleased with the way it turned out.

Since I had to buy Kale for the recipe and didn't need all I bought I cook up the rest of the Kale for dinner tonight.  To make my recipe for Kale, I fry up a few pieces of bacon in the bottom of the pan, add the cut up Kale and a Tablespoon full of Balsamic vinegar.        I heat it until it is wilted and then serve.  For tonight's dinner we also had sweet potatoe fries which are cut from fresh sweet potatoes and baked in the oven.  I sprinkle some olive oil and salt on the fries and bake for 20 minutes. (at 400degrees) Then sprinkle some REAL NY maple syrup over it and bake another two or three minutes. (The syrup was thanks to our generous relatives from Fulton, NY.) And finally we had grilled steak.  A nice "sort of winter's" Saturday night dinner.  We still haven't had a real winter but we are not expecting it to miss us entirely.

 I don't cook this much everyday but I enjoy it when I can.  And the funny thing is, this was a very busy day in my antique shop.    But maybe that is the answer.  I do better when I am really busy.

Decluttering

                               Decluttering

            I was going to combine the decluttering info and the finished altered journals together this week but it will have to wait.  I am behind on the decluttering report  because we were away from home all day yesterday. And I want to wait on showing all  altered journals until the folks I swapped with receive them and I have received both.  I got one today and it gorgeous... but you will have to wait another couple of days.

            I got rid of a lot more things this week.  They were out on the front porch that is more a store room than a porch at the moment. Maybe once it is cleared out I can use it again.  It is enclosed so can be enjoyed in a couple of seasons anyway.
            I managed to get rid of a comforter that I don't really like, three sets of sheets, another lamp, a toy that came from somewhere that is still in its box....  sigh....   And four purses.  The local Salvation Army may not like me anymore.  But I am keeping the people in the donation center busy.
SO for this week 10 more things.  I counted the sheet sets as 1 each even though they included top, bottom and pillow cases.  But don't want to get too greedy with my amount.

The count is now up to 65 (55 in January) so I need only 301 more things to go.  It seems like it is getting easier.  I wasn't sure about it but my husband is getting into the swing of things a bit now too.  At least he is agreeing on the things I want to get rid of and helps carry them to the car.  (LOL)

Tune in again soon for another report.............

Last Teacup Tuesday in January

Before I get on with my TeaCup Tuesday I thought I would show you the pretty Cardinal I saw up in one of our Apple Trees this morning.  With no leaves on the tree he really stands out.  He looks quite proud I think!

This is the final Teacup Tuesday for January. Because I still have quite a few Tea Books I have decided to show one tea cup and saucer and one book each week until the books are finally all shown.

After you visit my site be sure to visit the others at

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

or http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

ALSO: Rose Chintz Cottage

Today I am sharing a tea party book I just bought this weekend....  at a flea market on Saturday morning.  I was pleasantly surprised to find one I don't already have.

This lovely book is written by Patsy Clairmont.  She talks about tea, speaking of a different pace, a genteel grace, a still moment, a quiet thought....  (from the back cover)  The book itself is talks about many of the various elements of tea, tea parties and lots of other things that having tea represents.  There are some lovely photographs that are from her house.  And she has a few really good sounding recipes such as Cream Scones and Pound Cake with Lemon Curb.  I will have to try them.  The book was published in 1997 so don't know if it readily available but maybe you will get lucky if you find it at a yard sale or flea market.  You just never know!

I recently purchased a large amount of Tea Cups and Saucers from a lady who is down sizing.  I was so pleased she offered them to me to sell in my shop.  I have already sold several but will try to show some of the ones I still have available in my shop.

I  like the crisp look of the blue and white flowers.  Nice for a January Day.  I hope you enjoy it.

  Join me again next week for another cup and another tea book!