Meteors, Mice and Memorial Day

Happy Pink Saturday!

Did you see the meteor shower last night? It was visible from 10 p.m EDT until dawn if you looked toward the North Star. 

These new meteors, called 

the Camelopardalids, are dusty remnants of a previously unobserved 

comet called Comet 209P/Linear which was discovered in 2004.

Meteors occur when Earth’s atmosphere strikes the dusty trail left by comets as they pass through our solar system. The trails contain particles, which when enter our atmosphere, vaporize creating bright streaks in the night sky.

This morning I'm sharing musical mice in teacups! This little doily covered tea table is a music box made by Enesco. While the music plays, the saucer turns and the teacups spin. 

The boy mice are dressed in blue, while the little girl mouse wears pale lavender and has a bow on her head. The table is draped in a pink tablecloth and there are two teabags resting next to each other on the saucer.

Notice the dangling teabag strings?

 The unofficial beginning of 

summer - Memorial Day - has arrived and the school year is over for many, or will be soon. This weekend I'm thinking of all the men and women who've served in our military. I'm grateful for their dedication, honor and sacrifice.

On the first Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at 

Arlington National Cemetery, and 5,000 participants decorated the graves of the 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried there. 

Wishing you a rosy Saturday!

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You're My Cup Of Tea Valentine

 

I started with a plain fry box and a collage sheet from  

My Artistic Adventures

 

  called Shabby Vintage Retro Valentine's Day Cute Tags and created two decorative containers for February 14th!

  

The first one I made is primarily red and has dyed ribbon roses down each side.

That adorable teacup duo makes me smile every time I see it! I mounted the image on checkered foam, added flowers, a button and some bakery string.

 

 There is room in the fry box for a variety of 'happies'. Can you guess what I put inside?

 A doily, some paper shreds and...

Aha! I knew you'd get it. Tea! And how about some Sweetheart motto candies?

Home-made Lavender Sachets would also be nice inside.

Heather at My Artistic Adventures is having a Challenge which begins today, February 2, and runs through February 15. It's an Anything Goes challenge, so come play along!

 My second project using Heather's etsy printable is this blue fry box with a painted wooden teacup under the Retro image. I fussy cut the teacup duo twice and placed foam dots between them for dimension. Next, I added a bit of glitter around the heart and gold metallic paint on the teacup edge.

Heather has made it easy for you to make your own fry boxes with her variety of colored etsy collage sheets. There are so many things you can put in these cute containers:

• bubbles, crayons, cards
• candy, gum, snacks, mints
• gift cards
• hand sanitizer, lotion, nail polish
• beauty products,lip balm, hair accessories
• lottery tickets, event tickets
• jewelry

These french fry boxes could be decorated seasonally, for birthdays, Mother's & Father's Day, and for party favors.

Hope to see you at 

My Artistic Adventures

How would you like to try the collage sheets that Heather created  to make a Valentine banner for FREE? Make sure to see her February 1 blog post!

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entering this Challenge:

Vintage Tea Party at LunaGirl Moonbeams
Craft Hoarders Anonymous 

It's Greek To Me

It's time to pull out your most festive teacups!

Classyoption dot com

Isn't this Queen Anne Noel teacup lovely? I like the elegant handle and golden snowflakes.

Classyoption dot com

I'm also fond of details like a bit of the design on the inside rim, aren't you? It's a treat to see red berries and a Holly leaf as you sip your morning cuppa.

Classyoption dot com

 This morning I started my day with something new - Pumpkin Greek Yogurt from Trader Joe's! It's seasonal, so dash into your local TJ's if you want to try it.

 

 

I prefer Greek yogurt because it is thicker and less runny than regular yogurt, almost like pudding. This pumpkin yogurt was creamy and delicious! 

I added almonds and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

   I also made some whole wheat sourdough toast.Our toaster is on the fritz, so I had to cut the long slices of sourdough in half and the edges got a bit over done. Can't wait until our new toaster arrives: we ordered a Tfal long slot toaster on Cyber Monday. I like being able to toast 4 small pieces or two long pieces of bread at the same time.

Only 10 days until College Girl finishes her finals and Christmas break begins. I'm so excited!

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Share Your Cup 
You're Going to Love It 

Have you met Blanche?

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it 

all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion.  

Henry David Thoreau

 

Here we are in the midst of October and the Girl Scout in me says I better start Christmas shopping. I picked up a few items this past week and need to pull out my holiday binder to start writing down my shopping and to do lists. 

Meanwhile, all the fall decor filling the stores makes me happy. I love this time of year! Our temperatures are still summer-ish, however, and I can't wait until after Halloween when it'll be cooler and I can wear boots, scarves and jackets. Although I drink tea year round - but, you knew that! - it will be nice to clasp a warm cup in my hands on a chilly afternoon. I just became aware that I don't own any Halloween themed teacups. How did that happen? I spotted this charming handmade cup on etsy.

  I like the vibrant orange web on the saucer and the crisp white porcelain teacup with dangling spiders....eeek!

And speaking of orange, have you bought pumpkins yet? Because of the heat we don't purchase pumpkins until the third week of October. I'm buying pumpkins from Trader Joe's this year as they are only $2.99 each! My sister lives in the mountains where it is much cooler and already has pumpkins displayed in her yard. Here is a photo of her Garden Witch~

My sister is quite crafty and likes making the outside of her home as festive as the inside. I wonder what the local bears think of 'Blanche'? 
Look at all those leaves on the ground! The leaves are only beginning to turn color and drop in our neighborhood. I love walking through them and hearing them crunch underfoot. 

Clothes make a statement. 

Costumes tell a story.  

Mason Cooley
 
 

sharing this post with:
Make It Pretty Monday 

A Return to Loveliness - http://www.adelightsomelife.com/

Tuesday Cuppa Tea - http://antiquessandteacups.info/

Tea In the Garden - http://blog.bernideens.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday - http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home - http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Tea Cup Tuesday - http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ Rose Chintz Cottage - http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

You're Going To Love It Kathe With An E
Cottage Style Party 

You Be Peace and I'll Be Quiet

 

Today's cup was under the market umbrella accompanied by cuttings of home grown sunflowers and hydrangea. In keeping with the mood, I selected a cup with a definition on the rim:

Tranquili * tea

n. a state of peace and quiet while drinking tea

  

Grace Tea's Winey Keemun is a staple in our home , a favorite standby.  I took a photo of the steeped leaves to share with you - you can see bits and pieces of tea leaves on the saucer. Whenever I put sugar in my tea I use turbinado because I like its warm, molasses-like flavor.

I took my Nook outside with me so I could read a sample from Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes, a swashbuckling adventure.  

I nibbled on a banana muffin - it had crushed flax seed inside and was topped with toasted pecans - College Girl baked a batch of them last night. You can smell a hint of fresh ground nutmeg before you even take a bite!

Have you had a chance to read a new book or magazine article? If you were able to drop by we could chat about it! You might've noticed I added a Shelfari book shelf to my sidebar where I share books I've read or are planning to read.

this cup is made by Mud Pie

 Hope you can carve a few minutes of peace and quiet into your life this week. Whether you dig into a book or not, just sitting down with a nice cuppa will definitely recharge your batteries.  

P.S. My scraproom is covered in gold glitter! College Girl has been using my Cricut to cut out things for her sorority's Fall Recruitment. The glitter has somehow escaped into the rest of the house. It's gotten so bad that kitty is sparkling, and I could have sworn Handyman was winking at me from across the room until I got closer and saw the glitter on his cheek!

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If anyone is wondering about this post's title it is from a line in the movie 'What About Bob' starring Bill Murray.

Roses on My Table

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck~

E. Goldman

Here is a lovely way to have roses on your table! Aren't the pierced saucers elegant?

Handyman picked up a copy of the newly released HOBBIT movie, so we had a relaxing movie night while I rested my knee. Happy Pink Saturday!
 

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Easy Peasy ~

 Here is a quick tutorial for making 4 and 1/2" square easel cards that I have been sharing this week. Start by cutting and folding your paper.

 

Here is the completed card. I added a punched strip of paper along the front edge, as well as a layered sticker sentiment from K and Company.

My crafty friend Heather designs collages using Gimp and posts her wonderful creations on her blog.  She made a darling retro Valentine collage - go check it out! She graciously sent me the collage and I immediately put white cardstock in my printer, printed the collage sheet and got to work making...you guessed it, another easel card!

The red clock face is misted with Perfect Pearls and so are the white areas. Those teacups are darling!

I punched. I glittered. I had fun!

Heather's charming collage is available through her Etsy shop and makes several tags, but the images are versatile so I used the set to make a card. :)

XOXOXOXO

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Red and Black and Love All Over

I'm thinking maybe this adorable cup for tea today. Or, perhaps this one?

These stoneware cups, called Baking Days, are both made by Spode and come in sets of four. Either would look wonderful, really, and coordinate with the special decor hanging right now in our kitchen. My friend Patty, who is a crafter extraordinaire, created an amazing 'mum' for my birthday! She is on the Design Team for The Crafty Scrapper and I am the lucky recipient of some of her gorgeous work. Calling all Alice In Wonderland fans! Get ready to drool!

 

I know, right?! This hand made beauty has an Alice In Wonderland theme and is chock full of teatime goodies - where to look first? There is my initial, a sparkly bunny, teacups, a teapot, wooden letters, ribbons, flowers, glittery hearts, a tiny tin bunny cookie cutter, playing cards and tags. Let's take a closer look.

Be jealous! Just kidding, haha! Check out the detail.  Since I am a "January baby," she even added a dusting of snow on the leaves.

Look at what dangles below! I have never seen these decorative 'mums' before, but ya'll in Texas and throughout the south are familiar with them, right? Girls wear these to Homecoming Dances, so Patty shared with me.  HERE  is an article about it. They are a pretty big deal in Texas. And my birthday mum is a pretty big deal to me. Wow, it's amazing!

We nibble on Cranberry Walnut bread, toasted, and fresh orange slices with cups of Harney and Son's Earl Grey Supreme tea.

Patty made something else for me but I will share that later - keep your eyes peeled for it because it is equally awesome!

Be sure to stop by Patty's blog  to see what she has been creating, and tell her I sent you with love!

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