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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Cup and Pansies

see the sprouting bulbs under the handle?

Our Spring bulbs seem eager to bloom and have already pushed their bright green leaves through the soil in several places. I planted Pansies as a companion flower, in anticipation of the Narcissus, to compliment the other's color. I also planted Pansies in one of the Fairy Gardens.


When I finished gardening, I sat outside for a cup of tea and browsed through some scrapbook catalogs I got when I attended the Craft & Hobby Association event earlier this month. So many neat products coming out soon!


And while I sipped and browsed, I also nibbled!


My dearest friend sent the charming pink Keep Calm Birthday Girl mug to me for my recent birthday, along with home-made tea cookies! 
 



She spoils me something awful, doesn't she? I like the deep pink of the cup and the elegant crown above the sentiment.


There is nothing like home-made! A treat from the heart <3

After looking through the catalogs and reading a chapter of The Dark Tide
on my nook, I filled the bird baths and watered the pots on the patio.




 Well, I could linger outside with the Pansies half the day but there is laundry and dishes to do and photographs to take of my newest projects - which I can't wait to show you!





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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Union Jack and Pink Banner


If you are looking for my Grow Your Blog post click HERE







Look what arrived in the mail shortly after I wrote THIS POST  about my Sherlock Holmes tea time - a crisp cotton linen Union Jack pillow cover! 
My sister sent it to me as a belated birthday gift. 
It's the perfect addition for our Holmes & Watson afternoon cuppa and reading time. 
And if that wasn't fun enough, you've got to see what Qwertee tee shirts had available the other day on their website - Sherlock Holmes and John Watson quote tees! These quotes are from the new BBC television series.



Can you stand it?! I had to order one of each for College Girl!


In addition to being a fan girl for Sherlock this week I also did housework, gardening and worked on several Valentine projects. If you missed it, I made a banner  to hang in the kitchen.

 

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 I have more projects to share with you and some recent photos of the fairy garden that I will post soon.



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Friday, January 24, 2014

Grow Your Blog Event




I'm so glad you've stopped by for visit! I'm Shawn and I'm participating in the Grow Your Blog Party  at 2 Bags Full. 

my Cherish the Journey easel card with modeling paste
 
Vicki's Grow Your Blog event is designed to bring more readers - and followers - to the blogs joining the party.

 

I originally started my blog because I joined a scrapbooking design team and it was required as part of our commitment. I soon discovered I enjoyed sharing other parts of my daily life: tea times, gardening, photographs, cooking, reading, etc. 


 

 My blog evolved into a little bit of this and that with highlights of my latest projects. Here is the burlap Valentine banner I just completed ~


 I bought the pre-cut pieces of burlap at Hobby Lobby, inserted heart shaped eyelets at the tops of each, then added chipboard letters and a few embellishments.

I often share recipes my daughter, College Girl, helps me prepare - like this one for Baked Oatmeal.

 

 Or photos from my visits to interesting places within our area of Southern California. One of my favorite things to photograph are the old homes in Orange County. 



For those leaving a comment on this post I will be having a give-away! On February 15 I will announce who will recieve one of my hand made cards with a tea sample - good luck! 

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Sunday, January 19, 2014

Tea at 221B

Home sweet home - our recreation of Sherlock and John's iconic flat.

 
After two years of waiting for the return of super sleuth Sherlock Holmes and his devoted companion, Dr. John Watson, it was with great anticipation that we curled up in front of the television to watch Series 3 of the BBC production of Sherlock! 
 

 
We lucked out in that College Girl has the know-how to use BBC's iPlayer so we could watch the episodes when they aired in the U.K. In the United States the first episode is airing on January 19 on PBS. 



Notice the cane? Meeting the one-and-only Consulting Detective let John, the injured soldier, forget his walking aid and embark on many adventures with his new friend.


After the Series Two cliffhanger where Sherlock seemingly jumps to his death from Bart's Hospital, Series Three opens with John Watson still mourning his friend's death, though he has someone new in his life. I won't give anything away, but if you've read the stories, you'll be pleased! College Girl, who is a big Sherlock fan, suggested we have tea and do a 221B themed photo shoot - she didn't have to twist my arm. 


The teacup is decorated on the outside with a black & white UK weather map accented with old world sailing ships. While a fun surprise adds contrast with the addition of red royal crowns, playfully revealed inside the teacup and on the saucer. An unusual design that blends classic British imagery together to create a new contemporary style.
 
Isn't this cup amazing? It's the very pattern used by Mrs. Hudson, and the one from which Moriarty drinks when he visits Sherlock. This unique teacup was designed by Ali Miller of London. It is called Ireland and UK Weather Map, is trimmed in gold plating and has a tiny clipper ship on the back.  

Moriarty carves a somewhat sinister message into an apple when he comes to see Sherlock at 221B in The Reichenbach Fall. "I owe you a fall, Sherlock."

I was so excited and surprised on Christmas Day when I opened one of my presents and found this beautiful China cup inside, all the way from England. I love it!
 
Sherlock's a graduate chemist, and he often conducts gruesome experiments in his flat.  Be careful with that USB - it may just contain top-secret government missile plans.


 In planning our photo shoot College Girl and I made a list of various things seen in Sherlock's flat, as well as items from different episodes. If you've watched the show you'll recognize key props. There are items from the new series too, so I don't want to point them out and give away any spoilers!

 
In The Sign of Three, Sherlock writes a violin piece for his best friend and the new woman in his life.

 One thing we were missing was a Union Jack pillow - that is on our to buy list now!

Sherlock teaches himself to play the violin between cases, eventually beginning to compose his own pieces.
 
If you take a good look at the photos, you'll notice a fancy napkin in the Sydney Opera House Fold. Thinking back to the second episode of Series Three makes me giggle every time I see it :)


Sherlock would be loathe to be caught without his signature dashing blue scarf.

You know, Arthur Conan Doyle never described Sherlock wearing a deerstalker cap! The reason many of us associate this 'fore and aft cap' with Mr. Holmes is due to illustrations by Sydney Paget. 


 I'm enjoying the television series so much that I went straight to the source and began reading the original stories about the distinguished Consulting Detective.




Arthur Conan Doyle, a Scottish physician, wrote fifty-six short stories and four novels detailing the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.



"Serial killers are always hard. Have to wait for them to make a mistake." "Yeah, but what mistake?" "PINK!" Sherlock was able to solve a murder by deducing the victim's favorite color.


 Since I don't have the matching Ali Miller teapot, I used my classic British Brown Betty.




http://www.givinggallery.com/images/products/27/Brown-Betty-Teapot-4-Cup-N9682_XL.jpg


This little teapot has quite a history! Its origins date back to the end of the 17th Century and the birth of the British Ceramic Teapot.

The original unglazed teapot was handmade out of red clay from the Bradell Woods area in Stoke-on-Trent. Today, the Brown Betty teapot is still handmade in Stoke-on-Trent with the same clay from the original area. British people believe the Brown Betty makes the best pot of tea because of the type of clay that is used and the shape of the pot. Brown Betty teapots are still lovingly hand-made in Staffordshire England, and are available in 2 cup, 4 cup, 6 cup and 8 cup sizes.
 

221B after Mrs. Hudson tidied up the place
  
 We can't wait for Series 4! Rumor has it that Sherlock creators Moffat and Gatiss already have scripts in the works.  Meanwhile, we will keep an eye open for a Union Jack pillow.
 As Sherlock says, 'the game is on!"



http://belakarloff221b.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/sherlock_2.jpg



 



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Thursday, January 16, 2014

On The First Day Of Christmas - Planning Ahead!

No, I'm not crazy. Yes, I know Christmas was just a couple of weeks ago! My friend Heather creates wonderful printables and has started hosting Challenges on the second and sixteenth of each month. 

 
 
The theme for the January 16th Challenge is to make something ahead of time for next Christmas. 
 This Challenge is called On The First Day Of Christmas. I used Heather's Victorian Christmas Blue Bird sheet to make my project. Those who read my blog know I like birds!

I just finished a tin of my favorite Tazo Vanilla Rooibos and thought it would make the perfect container for my homemade fudge come December.


 I picked up some burlap ribbon and a yellow bird at Hobby Lobby and went to work. I covered the sides of the tin in kraft paper, then wrapped the burlap around the tin. I fussy cut and inked the edges of the Christmas Birds and music tags. I also cut out an extra bird - you'll see why.


Can you see how I placed the extra fussy cut bird on foam adhesive over the original bird on the right? I also added additional Holly leaves on foam for dimension.


I dyed white bias tape ribbon with Distress Broken China ink to coordinate with the color of the birds. You can easily color ribbon by rubbing the ink pad across it or by smearing the ink on a craft sheet, spritzing it with water and dredging the ribbon through the mix.


Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads - Broken China

Here is the back side of the fudge tin. I used mini pine cones, lace flowers and K & Company holly leaves on the lid.


  The burlap ribbon was the perfect width so I didn't have to trim it.


Head on over to Heather's blog, My Artistic Adventures, to see the challenge details so you can play along! The other Design Team member's projects can be seen by clicking on the links below. 



Here are the links to see all the fun stuff the Design Team made:
Heather
Carol
Sandi
Shea
Helene

Heather is offering a 15% off any $5 or greater purchase at her Etsy shop. Use coupon code My Artistic Adventures

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Grow Your Blog

I just found out about this upcoming event - sounds like a fun way to connect with other bloggers and grow your blog while doing it.
 Go HERE for more information!