Blue Tea Cup

Teacups.

One tends to either loves/uses them or simply ignores/stores them.

I have two daughters.
One loves them and one hates them.

Like my tea parties: one attends and one would rather be tortured than come to one of my formal afternoon tea party ladies' gathering.

One daughter usually finds lovely teacup treasures -like this pretty blue vintage one - to give to me as a hostess gift....and she happily attends my afternoon teas, dressed in lace and pink and enjoys every single girlie detail of the party.

She is an apple of my eye and fun to share/show off to my tea ladies.

And my other apple, my younger daughter who just moved back from San Diego-surfer-girl-tom-boy-daughter who wears black, grey or navy almost exclusively and knows how to fix stuff? 

She and my DH make plans together on tea party days. They will just go eat barbeque and test at power tools at the hardware store, or shop at landscape nurseries and laugh behind our tea partying backs at how
foo-foo chickified and crazy we other two are......

And when the tea is all over and they return from doing boyish tomboy things, they eat up the leftovers and yummy sweets left behind and hug me and help clean up..........and let me regale them with party faire.


It never fails that my sweet baby 2nd apple always makes sure she didn't hurt my feelings not wanting to attend, and makes sure I try to understand her concerns over using delicate antique china has nothing to do with me......

....then reaches in my cabinet and grabs the largest and heaviest of our ceramic mugs and asks if I would mind if she makes some coffee.......

Well I guess all this tea stuff just isn't her cup of tea.

♥

And, frankly, I am glad of it.

What a boring world it would be if we were all exactly the same.

Linking:

Blue Monday

Mosaic Monday

Tea Time Tuesday

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Teacup Tuesday - Martha

Teacup Tuesday - Terri

ROMEO - Camera Critter Cat

ROMEO - Camera Critter Cat

~~Shadow Metamorphasis~~

 as the sun moves during the day.



Start with one very-much loved adorable kitty
sitting in his favorite sunny spot just chillaxin'.......

Then the combination of the bright warm sun

and a happy full tummy makes him kinda sleepy.

Doesn't he have that "What, Mom? Sheesh,  can't you just please leave me be and quit your blog pic takin' for half a second so a kitty can be lazy for a while uninterrupted??!!??"

He's closing his eyes, oh boy, look out, he's gonna be out all day!

Like this!

He is a seriously sound napper

who can and will sleep for hours upon hours

and roll about, trying to keep up with the

changing moving sunbeam.

Yes I have used this pic before but it is just perfect for this post.

Hey Romeo, you silly!

Half of you is out of your sunbeam, my friend!

And now you're out of ROLL room, goofy kitty!

He is the sweetest rescue kitty boy in the history of EVER.

Sharing this with Camera Critters linky party!

Also Linking:


Shadow Sunday

Metamophasis Monday

It is Beverly's milestone birthday celebration from
How Sweet the Sound!

She is the delightful host of the weekly blog party

PINK SATURDAY!

We know how much you love yellow and pink, Bev!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

 

I don't own much yellow china but do have this old

Jason of England one to share.

 

 

My husband - a medieval fencing instructor and blacksmith

(both fav hobbies after leaving his corporate office after the work day is done) likes the back on this one and thought I should show you.

He really likes that Old Roman helm stamp on the bottom!

Who knew we could mix pink china teacup and armor-smithing?

My friend Marina's pretty chintz teacup has pink & yellow on it
that I thought you might enjoy today!

Shared a similar pic a little while ago but couldn't resist
 sharing again - just for you!

Who doesn't love lemon cookies with her tea?

And a pink Knock-out Rose china tea mug?

A pretty pink hydrangea arrangement for Pink Saturday!

I have a couple of cute internet images for you!

Again - pink and yellow look so wonderful together!

I accidentally linked this last week - oops- and had to have it deleted.

I was just so excited about Bev's birthday that I got ahead of myself!

I felt like a silly-but-festive pink and yellow troll!

Google image

Joining all the pink and yellow fun today!

Please pop over there join us in wishing Beverly

a very happy birthday.

~Michele

Also linking:

Color Connection

Thrifty Finds

As like most bloggers, I really love thrift shopping.

......the thrill of the savvy frugal found treasures.

Maybe it is the complete satisfaction

 of a successful hunt for good bargains.....

Sometimes it's wicker, sometimes it's lace

Sometimes it's crystal....

Today it was ironstone, hat boxes, old crockery, silver & clock find .....

Linking:

Thrifty Things Friday

Friday Pretties

Show and Tell Friday

Bernideen's Open House

Merry Christmas in July!

Merry "Christmas in July" to you all!

You know some of you may think the whole Christmas in July thing is a bit crazy nutty kookoo. 

And for most you, well, it probably is just that!

But when one grows up in Vacationland - a place where many of the residents live in the summertime only, on one of the Great Lakes on an island - well, it is can be a big deal.

Because summertime vacation folks & neighbors
 never see one another during the actual REAL holidays. 

And seeing one another  year after year as summertime neighbors vacationers may become real true friends - living in their cabins or on boats, or summer homes....even trailers or campers!

So some of us DECORATE boats and the like and really DO have a holiday celebration in July- with all the bells and Yuletide that we can muster!

I no longer live there, nor have a boat - but I do visit, still have family and friends who do.....and July 25th can't come around without the fond and special memories that keep Christmas July strong in my heart.

 

 

And as crazy busy as our own real holidays are in December, with all the travelling, dining, shopping, baking, wrapping, church and social committments......what better reason to have a tea or a nice little party than July 25th for Christmas in July got all those dear friends you tend to have to ignore in December?

(It's a great occassion to get more use out of your gorgeous china!)

 

So, let the festivities begin!

(And let's have a happy new year, too while we're celebrating!)

Thanks for stoppin' by!

Linking:

Tea Time Tuesday

Tuesday Cup of Tea

Bernideen's Tea

Open House Party

Share Your Cup

Tablescape Thursday

La Belle Cloche

Ah.......cloches.

 What is it about them we love so much?

Is it the mystery behind the container?

The intrigue of the "you can look, but don't touch?"

Whatever the reason - cloches make
the perfect display case.

Designing with one can be as simple as housing a potted plant

on burlap, inside an old shabby copper tray.

La belle cloche.......the beautiful bell

With humble beginnings....made of heavy glass
in a dome shape - used to protect seedlings....


Has become one of the best design elements in
our beautifully designed world.

It comes in many sizes and materials and has many uses.

(But my favorite is still the original use of simply housing a plant.)

Vive la cloche!


Please join the fun over at Marty's 
A Stroll Through Life
Cloche Linky Party!

Also linking:

Primp Your Stuff

Open House Party

 

Amazing Blue Sky

At the end of the day yesterday I went to check the birdbath and hummingbird feeder....and found my husband taking photos of the sky.

I am so glad he did, for I was on warp -speed all weekend and hadn't even noticed what a beautiful sky it was - a true blessing.

This isn't an award winning sunset or anything - it is just awesome cloud formation, taken by my wonderful husband from our backyard late in the day yesterday.

It's just too pretty not to share.

Joining Sally today.

Bless This House

An Irish Blessing

May you always have
walls for the winds,
a roof for the rain,
tea beside the fire,
laughter to cheer you,
and those you love near you.

I wish this for all of you today and always.

♥

~Michele

JULY CARD PARTY

My theme for the Note Card Party this month
 is pink flowers.

Original post here.

Original post here.

Original post here.

Original post here

Thanks for stopping by!

Also linking:

Wordless Wednesday
Pink Saturday

Tea on the Patio

I posted about our covered patio wicker furniture makeover yesterday.

It was a perfect segue to sharing a simple little tea with you

out here on the patio today!

We had milder temps a few days ago

making it tolerable enough for a lovely little respite.

Though it stays cooler & shadier back here behind the house
 until later in the afternoon, it's still been too hot mostly.

A tablecloth, a lace covered tray, tea, pound cake with

strawberries & cream - just delightful!

Antique silver & china always make things seem more special.

Add sweet lace vintage linens and we're set for a party!

This is one of my treasured tea sets.

I've the pot, sugar, 4 dessert plates, 4 teacups & 4 saucers.

This sweet antique china is truly paper thin and so delicate.

It is so thin that when held up to the light
 one can clearly see the marker's mark stamp on the bottom.

These sweet vintage silverplated sugar tongs

were a gift from my older sister.

I use them all the time.

(The tongs aren't tarnished, that's just a reflection.)

I left a little bit of tea in the bottom of my cup to show

the hexagonal shape at the base of the teacup.

The same shape is on the saucer, teapot & sugar bowl and their lids.

As always, thanks for visiting!

Linking:

Tea Party Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday - Terri and  Teacup Tuesday - Martha

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

A Return to Loveliness

Tabletop Tuesday

Tea in the Garden

Cottage Garden Party

Time Travel Thursday