Happy Valentines Day to all my blogger friends.

 Snowy Days and Fellowship of Flowers

Since we can't seem to break the back of winter.....  it is getting sort of like the energizer bunny.... just coming and coming and coming.    So I am so thankful I can participate in Michelle's Fellowship of Flowers.

I did the third flower of the month  shown here at the top of  the first two, though I am not crazy about my work.  I am seriously considering changing the black yarn.  I have been trying to ONLY use items in my overwhelming stash so sometimes my choices aren't the greatest.  This time the yarn is too thick.  I will try something different I think, if I can find something I like better.  It won't be too hard to redo I don't think.

The next flower in this series is a daisy and what she has shown us is lovely.  So I will be working on that as soon as I get the felt cut out and supplies gathered.  I think she told us there were 6 flowers in this next set. So we are at the half way point.  I look forward to seeing what she had in mind for us to do with these.

If you are thinking you still might want to get involved with all this be sure to check her blog.  The patterns and instructions and all are just  $35 through Craftsy.  You can also buy supplies from her if you are not  "blessed" with an over abundance of "stuff" already like I am.  Click on the logo on the right side bar.  (no she didn't ask me to do this....  I just happen to believe this is a really good deal and FUN)

A Valentine Tea Cup Tuesday.

Happy Valentines Day

Here are some things I have pulled together to make a fun Valentines Day Tea Party.

The heart above was something I made in an art class a couple of years ago.

I thought I would use PINK this time, not the more traditional Red and White.   This teapot is part of a set I probably featured awhile back.  There is a sugar and creamer that goes with it. AND they each have copper tea cozies.  For this I just chose to include the tea pot.

The mark on the bottom indicates this was made for Forman Family Inc. by the Hall China Co.  After an internet search I think I have learned that it was a restaurant in NYC somewhere.  If you know add a comment.

  Carnations

 Since I was using the pink theme I found this cup and saucer featuring carnations.  And in my china cabinet in the house I found this Aynsley floral... A carnation.  It is apparently the August flower of the month.  I have one of these little porcelain flowers for all the birthday months in our family.

 AND here is the cup and saucer.  It is made by Royal Tuscan. (According to the mark it is part of the Wedgewood Family of china makers.

 

I hope you will enjoy a cup of tea on Valentines Day.  

And be sure to visit all the other tea parties going on today and tomorrow.   

I hope you are enjoying this weeks Tea Cup Tuesday.   Here are links to some of the other sites.

 http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

 

Rose Chintz Cottage

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

 http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

  http://blog.bernideens.com

 

I hope you will come back here next week for another tea party.  And check with me on Thursday or Friday when I hope to show some progress on my latest Fellowship of Flowers projects.

Snowy Stormy Days and February Fellowship of Flowers

 As our winter continues I keep getting opportunities to take interesting snow scene pictures.  This is a shot across the road from my house.  The "smoke" you see is what some call "sea smoke" along the Susquehanna River. The "smoke" is just beyond the line of trees.   It is caused, I think, when air temps are different from water temps.. Or something like that.....  One definition I found said  "Steam fog forms when cool air moves over and mixes with the relatively warm and moist air near the surface of the water. The moist air then cools and becomes saturated, causing fog to form."    What ever the cause,  it is pretty.                

This next picture was taken yesterday morning when the sun was coming up.  Quite a "Christmas Card" scene I thought.

         I have completed two of the flowers of the six we have been told will be part of this month's project.  AND the third one is cut out....  I should start embellishing this evening.  I felt like I was getting behind a bit while working on the bell pull, but by working diligently I think I am presently caught up.  If you haven't seen the bell pull I made you can check back a couple of posts.  And check out Michelle's blog from a week ago to see what she did.  We did very different projects.

Here are the two flowers I have finished do far.....

 

 I am continuing to use ONLY things from my stash of fabrics, felts and such.  I even found those cute little buttons in my button box.  I think they must have been from when I was making doll clothes.  They are tiny.  I don't have any more so they will only show up on these two flowers.


Keep checking back.  I should continue to have a post of some kind about the Fellowship of Flowers every week... sometime between Wed. and Fri.  AND of course be sure to check here on Tuesdays for   Tea Cup Tuesday posts.  (although I admit they sometimes show up on Mondays.)

Tea Cup Tuesday in February

This week for my tea party I found this tea cozy in my shop and set about to use that as the starting point for gathering items to use.

 

Someone must have made this a long time ago.

 I began finding things to go with it.  Houses often have Ivy (although this one doesn't) but since I had a nice ivy decorated platter I thought it would be a good addition.  Then I found the little cup and saucer with ivy and pretty little yellow flowers and then it just moved from there. I found the green checked towel that was originally a feed sack. And the pretty little towel on which someone had embroidered  some yellow flowers.   I had some dried hydrangea from last fall so put them in the little clear vase to tie the whole thing together.

The cup and saucer I chose are from Queen Anne Bone China, a favorite of mine.

And here is the platter.  It was made by Homer Laughlin.  From what I can gather Debutante must be the plate style.  Or even more confusing, I read that it is the Julilee plate pattern with decals which makes it Debutante.  But there are many different decals designs that have Debutante as the mark.  The  company must have had reasons for doing this but I don't know.  It makes it hard sometimes.

 Here is the mark for the platter.  I am sorry it is blurry but that is the way it is on the plate.  It does show it is Homer Laughlin, Debutante pattern and I think it is from 1952.  Can't be absolutely sure.  But everything I can find says this is a 50s pattern. 

 

So it all comes together for this weeks tea party.

I hope you are enjoying this weeks Tea Cup Tuesday.   Here are links to some of the other sites.

 http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

 

Rose Chintz Cottage

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

 

 

                                      http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

  http://blog.bernideens.com

 

I hope you will come back here next week for another tea party.  And check with me on Thursday or Friday when I hope to show some progress on my latest Fellowship of Flowers projects.

A Three Flower Bell Pull

Last night I finally put the finishing touches on the first monthly project of the Fellowship Of Flowers.    I am pleased since last night was the last night of January.  I wonder if I will be so good in February.  I am already behind a tiny bit on making the flowers.  But I PLAN to catch up this coming weekend.

Here is my first project.  When Michelle showed us the firtst project I knew right off I would have to do mine a bit different than hers.  But I loved the idea of a bell pull......   (She used Downton Abbey as her inspiration.)     So here is mine.  If you visit her blog you will see hers is very different than mine.   But I like the idea of doing it my own way.

I should state that I don't have a bell in my stash, at the moment, to add to the bottom so may end up just putting a tassel.  We shall have to see.  But I am happy with what I have so far.

Here it is......

I know the yarn trim looks a little funny in the picture but not in real life.  It is very thick yard but doesn't show it in the picture for some reason.  But you get the idea.

I am hopeful I will be able to show you the first two flowers for the next project by next Wed. or Thurs.  With some degree of luck and planning I should have them to show you then.  We shall see.

MEANWHILE.......don't forget to check in next Tuesday to see what I have in mind for my weekly tea party.

A "Crazy" UFO is now a finished project.

 This morning the sun is shining and although it is cold it look nice out!  I love seeing all that blue sky.    The sun helps a LOT.

I checked in with The Raspberry Rabbit and got directions for our first project and more info on the next flower.....  So I am hoping, tomorrow or maybe Friday to have something to show you on that front. BUT..... MEANWHILE........

One of my goals for the New Year was to finish a few UFOs.  I have more than I want to list here.  But at least I can now say another one is DONE!  A few years ago I was with a group of artists on line that did a lot of altered and assemblage  art.  Someone suggested we should do a crazy quilt. Although not a "new type" of art by any means it was definitely a way to use some of our learned skills AND use some of our embellishments. 10 people participated.

Each one of us made a crazy quilt base about 25 to 30 inches square.  Then it was sent around the country so each of us could do some work on each other's quilts.  It was such a treat when mine arrived home, all finished.  I loved it and showed it off to friends but somehow never did the last finishing.... UNTIL YESTERDAY.   

 Here is whole little quilt. And below this I have shown 4 sections in more detail.

 Be sure to click on each picture to see more detail.

These are close ups of the four corners.

 This is the upper right.  A beady snake is pretty impressive!

This is the lower right corner.

 And here is the lower left....  I love to use buttons in projects. So did this participant.

 And finally the upper left.  I love the way the lace has become a mask....  Notice the eyes.....

               I love it and and so happy to finally have it finished.  It took way too long!!!!


The really nice thing is that each artist signed on the back of the areas they work in.  So I have that history with it.

         Check in tomorrow (or maybe Friday) and see how I am progressing with the Fellowship of Flowers project.

And I want to give out another welcome to all my new followers.  This week, with the Grow Your Blog Part, has been so much fun.  I have loved meeting so many new folks and to learn more about our shared interests.

A 1940s Tea Party

Here I am again.  It is still quite cold out but we haven't had near the snow some areas have had so life pretty much goes on as usual.

For this week's tea party I started the planning when I found this little teapot wall pocket which I am using as a napkin holder.

 Then I just started collecting up all the things I could find that went with it.  I sell a lot of linens in my shop, especially 40s type so didn't have any trouble figuring out what to use.

The perky little red and white polka dot apron will be useful!

As will this  red and white basket pot holder.  Actually this item was usually made with two smaller round pot holders that fit inside the basket but they didn't come with this one.  And I wanted to include it anyway.

 And how about some nice floral dish towels.

 For the cup and saucer I picked this interesting Cat Tail pattern that was sold by Sears and Roebuck.

 

And here is its mark.....

I have known about Cat Tail china for many years and about the fact that Sears sold it in the 40s but I thought I would try to learn a little more about it to share with you.
The Cat Tail china was made by Universal China Company (Cambridge, Ohio) and distributed by Sears.  They were inexpensive and considered every day dishes.

Not only could you buy your dishes with this design but the Sears catalogs offered many other items with that design to make sure your kitchen was COMPLETELY coordiated.   They sold china, things like mixing bowls and canisters.  Also linens, glass ware and tin ware (called Pantry Ware)  such as bread boxes and trash cans were available.  AND you could buy a table and chairs set with the design as well.  I have seen a number of different things in this pattern over the years.  If someone was really industrious they could do their entire kitchen in the design.  It would be a fun and useful collection.
If you want to see more check out a sears catalog from that era.  I imagine there are some on line.

I got a lot of this information from The Encyclopedia of American Dinner ware by Jo Cunninham.


I hope you are enjoying this weeks Tea Cup Tuesday.   Here are links to some of the other sites.

 http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

 

Rose Chintz Cottage

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

 

 

                                      http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

  http://blog.bernideens.com

Be sure to come back on Thursday when I will be showing some of the sewing projects I am working on at present including The Fellowship of Flowers.