Tune in tomorrow

I have just returned from a short trip and couldn't write up my usual end of week  post while away.  I will have one ready for you in the morning.

Pretty Porcelain from Poland

We are finally able to enjoy the spring as the weather improves. And as the weather gets better we are able to get to some flea markets.      Happily, at a recent market, I spotted this set on one of the tables.

At first I only wanted to take a picture of it to put on my blog but the more I thought about it the more I knew I needed to get it for myself.  And of course you know I did!

I realized, after I bought it, that it probably was a coffee set since the pot was a "coffee pot" style, not a teapot.... and since the cups were so small, perhaps it was for "demi-tasse."  And after checking around the internet I determined it is definitely a coffee pot and demitasse cups and saucers. But what ever it is, I like it and I now own it!!!  (LOL)   The cups could be used at a child's tea party since they are small.
 Here is the set all together in the hutch...........

And below are closeups of the various pieces......

I think the design goes very well with my Royal Albert Old Country Roses as it is very similar.

And here is the mark.

Thanks for joining me for tea today and hope you 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.

Fellowship of Flowers and the Wonders of the Internet

                             Ahh, the internet.... what would we do without it.
Today I stumbled on a blog telling how to manage your sewing machine bobbin threads.  And on reading that one I found another blog with more info and on and on it can go.
         I got this first site from a friend on Facebook....
http://www.schlosserdesigns.com/2012/02/tutorial-tuesday-diy-bobbin-clips/

              and on that site I was lead to this one........

https://missdelaney.com/blog/?p=105

And if that hadn't been enough information for me I am sure I could have kept on going.
I already have a couple of boxes for the bobbins but of course they were a mess!


Here is my "before" bobbin boxes.....  (I have two kinds of bobbins, one for my Janome and another for my Brother Embroidery (which also does embroidery) although actually they can be used on either one as it turns out.  But that is why I have two kinds showing here.)    AND I have SEVERAL boxes with bobbins.  Remember now I have been sewing for many, many years and NEVER seem to throw anything away that might have some usefulness left in it.   This grouping shown doesn't even show the several bags of pre-wound bobbins I have to use in my machine embroidery.  So yes, I have a LOT of bobbins.  You may have to look closely to see the "messiness."  But just try to get a bobbin out of one of the boxes and you will see what I mean!

  I bought myself the required tubing and plan to get it ready to use.  Next week I hope I will have had time to get my bobbins in order and will show you the finished product.

 On to FINISHED PROJECTS.......
Here is the third of the Fellowship of Flowers projects.  This time it is a pair of pillows.  I have them up on my bed now because they go nicely with my bedspread.

 I used a couple of "very" vintage buttons that I really like.  I got the trim from one of my favorite fabric shops....  Old Trail Fabrics in Shamokin Dam, PA . 
The rest of the fabric was from my stash!

I am really enjoying the Fellowship of Flowers projects.  Now I am waiting for the next project which we should receive info on next Wednesday.     

Hope you enjoyed my link to the bobbin tutorial.  And that you enjoyed seeing my pillows.   See you next week for what ever I manage to come up with to show you.  And be sure to check in on Tuesday  for tea parties and such on Tea Cup Tuesday.

Spring at last

 I think Spring is FINALLY deciding to stay with us.  There may be some lingering snow flurries in the future but the grass is greening up, the bushes are covered with tiny leaf buds and my daffodils, tulips and hyacinths are coming along nicely. I have also noticed the Forsythia beginning to bloom.

So I decided to set up for a springtime tea and to begin my seasonal journal while enjoying a "cuppa."

The tea set itself is a pretty glass set of teapot, sugar and creamer. 

 This teapot is special because it includes the infuser for the lose tea...............................

I decided to use the pretty little hand painted Nippon plate for my sweets. 

And this Colclough hand painted cup and saucer.

 

 And finally, here is closeup of the garden journal I will be using.   There is a lot to report on already.

Thanks for joining me for tea today and hope you 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.

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.