First Tea Cup Tuesday in April

We "thought" spring was coming but we were due for another SURPRISE.  What started out as rain turned into a sleet, ice and snow event and we ended up with 5 fresh inches of the stuff on the ground.  What a mess.  So now we have to wait for it to leave!  This week the temps are supposed to be in the 50s for part of each day so that "should" help!  

Meanwhile this is what we have.....................

 A couple of days ago I went out to take pictures of the spring bulbs that are coming up.  I hope they are still there under all this stuff.

Here are the pictures I took ......

Lots of Daffodils

And some Tulips!

But on to better things!

For today's Tea Party I  decided to do something very different.

 As some of you know I like to make miniatures. And so a while ago I made a "miniature tea shop."  I used the Mary Englebreit theme because I thought it was appropriate.  I painted the paper mache teapot in familiar colors with her "cherries" as the main design. I found a little paper kit to make some of the items and I was able to find a little tea set featuring the cherries too. And away I went!

 And a closeup of inside the pot.

 This is the ME style miniature tea set.

 

 A closeup of the table and chairs,

 

 And the shelf with teapots and tea boxes.
 

This little tea pot and tiered server were made from jewelry findings and beads.  Fun to make but tiny!

So I hope you enjoyed a visit to my world of miniatures and that you enjoyed the "tea party."

I have joined with the following Tea Cup Tuesday Tea Parties.

Hope you will visit them too.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Terri at Artful Affirmations *

Martha at Martha's Favorites *
Bernideen's Tea-time Blog *
Ruth's Antiques & Teacups *

Be sure to come back next Tuesday for another Tea Party and join me on Thursdays or Fridays for my project updates.+

Quilts and other UFOs

            I have been in the mood to sew lately and have been collecting up projects to FINISH!  Last week I showed the little mug rug.  Today I am showing a table topper.  This was a kit I bought a couple of years ago from Connecting Threads.  I had cut out all the fabric, so finally started sewing and am nearly finished with the top.  Now I have to figure out what to use for the backing.    I will show what I came up with next week.

 And here is my Fellowship of Flowers  project, still just "underway."  I had to order some trim to use since there isn't any available in my immediate area.  When it arrives I can FINALLY Finish this project. (I do still have to add some buttons and beads but I have them now.

I got the pattern and instructions for the March Fellowship of Flowers project and have already started on it.  Because I am waiting until the end of each month I will be able to make the projects in my own color selections AND from my stash.  I collected up everything I needed from things I already had.  That felt GOOD.  I will work on it until the trim I had to order for the other project finally arrives.  Then I can finish that.  Wonder if it will actually be done by the end of the month.  Hope so.
  I am hoping I can finally show the finished project next week along with a couple of other finished projects too.

Tea and cookies

 Blue Willow will always be my favorite.  But I like most blue and white china.  I collect it all.  I have some very old, some new and a lot inbetween.  I don't know why but I just love the look of it on the table. And displayed in my cupboards.

It all started when one of my Canadian cousins gave me a couple of very old blue willow plates she had bought at a church sale.  Right then I decided I would add to those plates.  My rule became, if it was blue and white I would get it....  I have English, Dutch, Japanese and American.  Most are the traditional blue willow but many are some of the other transfer ware patterns and some are delft from Holland.  I just love they way they all go together.

   I brought some of my pieces together to set up for a tea party.  I think I will have Earl Grey Vanilla today. 

 I am using my Sadler Teapot.

And a sugar and creamer set that has no mark.  I like it because of its interesting shape and it is really different than most of the other items I have.

For the cup and saucer I am using an old set from occupied Japan.  It looks to be cobalt blue.

Don't you just love the extra design inside the cup.

And here is the mark....

And finally here is a plate of cookies to have with tea today.  I am serving them on that original plate given to me by my Canadian cousin Helen, those many years ago.

 Here is the mark.... you can see it is very old.  I don't often use this plate.  I would be VERY unhappy if something happened to it.

Here is the link to the recipe for the cookies:    Pineapple and Pecan cookies. 
They really are yummy.  You will notice I also added pecans on top of the frosting, something the original recipe doesn't call for.  I just like them that way.

I have joined with the following Tea Cup Tuesday Tea Parties.

Hope you will visit them too.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Terri at Artful Affirmations *

Martha at Martha's Favorites *
Bernideen's Tea-time Blog *
Ruth's Antiques & Teacups *

Be sure to come back next Tuesday for another Tea Party and join me on Thursdays or Fridays for my project updates.+

Fellowship of Flowers and other crafting updates.

 Here is my new Fellowship of Flowers Table Topper, a bit farther along................  

 I have finished 5 of the 7 bees.  Should be done with the other two today.
I hoped I would be finished with the whole project this week but not to be. I am currently having a bit of a dilemma in reference to finishing off the project.  I have been trying to use only items I have in my "stash." But this time I need some beads and trims that I don't have.  (I have plenty of beads, just not the colors I want to use.  Same for the trim!)

Because I live a bit of a drive from craft stores and fabric stores, I can't just run out and get something when I need it.  We do have a Wal-Mart but it is getting more and more limited in what they carry.
Sometimes, when I can get to a flea market I can find something I can use.  But at the moment with winter still hanging on we don't do much of that and certainly not the ones that might have the items I want to buy. 

So I am still working on the fellowship of flowers project but  lacking a few things I need to finish it.  I hope to get to Joann's or some other similar shop soon.  I have tried finding things I want on line but so far NOTHING I am willing to buy since I want to be able to SEE the item, not just guess that the colors are right. 

I will not let myself drive almost an hour each way for one or two small items.  I generally check out those stores when we are doing something else as well.  So once I get this project as far along as I can I will put it aside and work on something else.

????QUESTION?????

Do any of you other folks out there have a problem like this?  How do you handle it?

I just keep making a list and hope to fulfill that list when I get to a proper store.

Meanwhile I have dug out a few quilting UFOS I have the "stuff" to complete.  So far I have finished one little mat.

 And on another project I have finished the machine applique and just need to finish the machine quilting.  It is moving along quite well... just need to find the time.  I will show that when it is farther along.  Should be next week.


So that is it for now.  I will be back on Tuesday with Tea Cup Tuesday and  Thurs. or Friday with my crafting and other projects.

The Day after St. Patrick's Day Tea Party

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


 In my part of Pennsylvania they seem to celebrate all month long. So I shall continue that.....




I found this perfect tea cup to show off today.   It is a Royal Albert set called, appropriately enough, Shamrock.
   

 

And here are a few things to go with it.

Sandi at   Rose Chintz Cottage   is celebrating welcoming Spring today with her bird lovers tea party.  I didn't do that but thought I would show this pretty little bird nest display that I received in a "match box" swap a while ago.

I have joined with the following Tea Cup Tuesday Tea Parties this week.

Hope you will visit them too.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Terri at Artful Affirmations *

Martha at Martha's Favorites *
Bernideen's Tea-time Blog *
Ruth's Antiques & Teacups *

Be sure to come back next Tuesday for another Tea Party and join me on Thurdays or Fridays for my project updates.+

A Fellowship of Flowers update.

I said I was getting a bit behind in the Fellowship of Flowers project and it is true.  BUT..... I am working on it.   The project for the flowers made in February is a Table Topper.  I have started putting it together and here is a picture of my start....

I STILL have to do 7 'bee" motifs.  They are cut out but barely started on the embroidery so won't show yet.

My new plan is the work on the complete project for a month in the next month.  That way I can decide on how best to utilize my own stash in the projects.  I am trying to USE UP stuff instead of having to be continually buying more.

So for March I am finishing up the February project.  If you want to see what Michelle has done for the Feb. project check out the Raspberry Rabbit link on the side bar.  Mine won't be exactly like hers cause I am using different materials.  But I LOVE her inspiration!

And be sure to check back on Tuesday for the next Tea Party.....

Second Tea Cup Tuesday in March

I personally am getting tired of SNOW.... and white..... SO for this week's tea party I am featuring GREEN!!!!!  And a bit of yellow. Well there is some white in the flowers but that is ok.

This is a bit different than my regular showings but it seemed appropriate.

This week's china pattern is Riviera by Homer Laughlin.  Many of you are probably familiar with Fiesta.  But HL made other patterns at that time.  One was this one called Riviera using the plate design called Century.  It was available at JJ Newberry.  and The Murphy Co. (similar to Woolworths)

Riviera is available in the same colors as Fiesta....  but is a very different shape. We like it so much we have been collecting the green color for many years and as a result probably have almost every different item they sold.

(they made it in other colors and the blue one and the yellow one go nicely together.)

If I was going to have a tea party using this pattern these are the pieces I would probably use.

There was a teapot but that is something we have not found.   We have all sizes of plates and platters, bowls in several sizes, a large pitcher and a covered vegetable dish.  All in addition to the pieces I have shown above.

Sugar and Creamer

         Interestingly enough this creamer is just a smaller version of their casserole dish.

cup and saucer

Fruit Bowl

2 tiered server

I have joined with the following Tea Cup Tuesday Tea Parties.

Hope you will visit them too.

Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *

Terri at Artful Affirmations *

Martha at Martha's Favorites *
Bernideen's Tea-time Blog *
Ruth's Antiques & Teacups *

Be sure to come back next Tuesday for another Tea Party and join me on Thursdays or Fridays for my project updates.+