Flowers and a new toy

Spring is definitely coming along.  The temps are a bit milder.  And while walking up in our woods today my husband discovered these pretty little Crocus.  (what is the plural????)
     

On another note:

I do have a couple of modern day sewing machines. BUT I have become very interested in some of the vintage machines that are available out there.  They were made of METAL not PLASTIC and even after 50 or 60 years they still run strong if you take care of proper oiling and other maintenance.
So yesterday while out at a sale to buy things for my antique shop I came across this little machine.  JUST $10.00.   I couldn't bear to leave it.  So home with me it came.  It is what they call a Japanese Clone of the Singer 15 and was made in the early to mid 1950s.
I was able to look up an instruction booklet for the Singer  Machine that is so similar and have learned how to thread it and how to oil it.

So far it sews fairly decent.  I have to work on the tension a tiny bit but I think I have a keeper.

This picture was taken before I cleaned it up at all, just wanted to show it off quickly.  So what do you think?

Because Spring has arrived I have been spending time out in the gardens cleaning up from Winter's mess.  So I won't be doing as much sewing as I would like for another couple of weeks until I feel like I have things under control outside.  Of course when it rains I can stay in and sew.

I hope next week I will have another finished project to show you.

The snow is gone

The snow from last week is gone, the sun was shining all day yesterday and my tulips  and daffodils made it through the storm. We are due for quite a bit of rain over the next few days but  I figure I will have a few daffodils to bring in the house by this time next week.

Mean while I was trying to decide what I would show for tea cup Tuesday this week.  I found a few mis-matched things that I liked and will share them with you this week.

The tea cup set is interesting, especially when you want to try loose tea.  It has the infuser included in the set.

I dearly love little cottages, and naturally a tea pot that features one would be one I would need to have.

It is fairly new teapot from Arthur Wood pottery in England.

And the next picture features a tea cup or sugar or creamer cover.  I have seen they used in various ways.  I did not make this one but they don't look too hard.  I have seen different styles.  But I like this one with the pretty little beads.

And to enjoy the tea time even more I have included some tiny spring type cupcakes.  I did not make them but got a few from my local bakery.  They are really quite simple but good.

I hope you will join me for tea today and visit all the other TeaTime blogs as well.

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.

Finishing up some projects AND making gift tags

I finished the second Fellowship of Flowers project, the pretty little table topper and here it is. Haven't  quite figured where I will put it but I will find somewhere.

Meanwhile I worked more on the table topper I showed last week.  After finishing the top of the little quilt I used up all the rest of the material and made a backing which  does use up all the rest of the fabric nicely.  Probably will never use it that side up. Some doesn't "match" up like on the other side but it serves as a good backing. 

 

I hope to start the machine quilting on it next week.  It is all pinned and ready to go!!!

And on a completely different note:
        While sitting out in my shop, between customers I started making these gift tags using various vintage and vintage looking things I had sitting around.  I had previously "antiqued" the tags using wet tea bags. Click here to see one of many tutorials on antiquing paper..  You can sprinkle cinnamon onto the tags while they are still damp and it will add a pleasant scent.

 

 And here are some more tags plus a couple of book marks made using handmade paper I made a while back.

So that is what I have accomplished this week.  No telling what I will do next week.

And don't forget to check in on Tuesday for Tea Cup Tuesday.

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.