Snowman Tea

Weather today....3 degrees driving into work this morning and a light misty snow.  Is spring coming this year?  Looks like it will be a late cold one.  But no worries, staying warm with some hot tea, Earl Grey today.

 Linking this photo for texture Tuesday-Snowman faces, warm smiles!

I've had these dishes for quite a few years now, I just purchased them from Target, but they just add a little fun during the winter months.

 I made this snowman quilt 1 patch (quilted with snowflakes) and 9 patch with fun prints.

This snowy couple always joins us.

 Quilting done in blue thread, Had lots of fun making this one.

The kids used to have hot chocolate in these mugs.

 Warm snowy wishes on cold snow days and nights.

 This beautiful azalea topiary has been blooming for over a month now.

Portrait of Mr. Blue Snow.

Cookies, tea and Snow people, we have to make our own fun most of the time.
Blessings, Michelle

Linking up today with Rose Chintz Cottage, http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/ and artful Affirmations http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/

The white snow stands for the purity of souls filled with God's grace. The circular snowballs represent, God's everlasting love.

The pieces of coal used to make the eyes, mouth and buttons symbolize God's Almighty power.

The carrot nose reminds us that god gives us everything we need to live and grow.

The scarf suggests the warmth of God's tender care. The top hat reminds us always to keep faith our top priority. The arms are outstretched to us, as God's always are. The broom made of straw and wood signifies that Jesus was born and died to cleanse us of sin. May your heart be ever warmed by the good news of God's great love for you!

Author unknown.

Teacup Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday, sharing a teacup that I gave to my grandmother probably 25-34 years ago, one Christmas, not sure exactly when.  It's amazing now that I think about it, that I even packed it well enough back then to ship from NY to FL, and now even back from FL to NY and a house move too and it's still all in one piece with no cracks or chips.  I knew my Grandma Doris enjoyed bird watching very much so I had picked this cup especially for her.  Now it's in my collection to enjoy.

This is a Royal Albert Bone China, England, Woodland Series, Goldfinch.

The saucer is round in style with a fluted scalloped upturned rim that is trimmed in a rich vibrant gold.

Decorated ith a pretty transfer design depicting a bright yellow Goldfinch sitting on a pine branch.  The pattern is repeated on the balloon bell shaped cup.

The round base, scrolled handle and scalloped rim are also trimmed in a rich vibrant gold. 

 

From what I could find looks like this as produced in the 1980's , which lines up with the timeframe I gifted it to my Grandma Doris.

 

Have a wonderful week, blessings Michelle

 

Linking up today with Rose Chintz Cottage, http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/ and artful Affirmations http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/

 

Texture Tuesday

Flowers for Texture Tuesday.  Hop on over to Kim's blog and see all the beautiful posts there.
http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe

Here's my angel with some garden zinnia's from the summer.

I used Kim's latest texture, I like how it makes the angel standout and the flowers.  Have a wonderful week.
Blessings, Michelle

July's Garden Flowers

Flowers in the Garden in July consist of such a range of color.  Blooming at my house right now are:  daylilies, pink coneflower, daisies, roses, sea holly, hostas, crocosmia, and lots of annuals, zinnias, pincushion, salvia, snaps, marigolds, and petunias.

Linking up with Beverly today for Pink Saturday, go visit  over here:  http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Have a wonderful weekend, praises for all our blessings, Hugs, Michelle

Crochet dishrags and reading now

Linking up with Beverly for Pink Saturday over here:  http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/07/pink-saturday-july-6-celebrations.html

On my bookshelf...just finished reading this...and it's a great series, have each one of them and started re-reading, only read about four of them and there are nine.  The first few I read about 9 years ago. {Debbie Macomber's "Blossom Street Series"}

 I read the first two with my mother and then she went home to be with the Lord and didn't get to read the third one, which she was hoping to.  My daughter also read the 1st one, so we had three generations reading which was so cool three people enjoying the same book one in her 40's, one in her 70's and one 15 year old teenager.

I love how these cotton cloths feel and they wear like iron, can't even compare to the filmsy feel of those store bought ones.

Have a blessed weekend, Michelle

Spring Flowers

Linking up with Pink Saturday over at Beverly's:  http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

 

Late with my spring flower post, but they were so pretty I just can not NOT share them with you. 

 

I have to say I was thrilled with the tulips...I moved in October and planted about 80 different types of blubs and a couple of them were these two varieties of tulips.  At my other house I was never able to have them because the deer would eat them, no problems with deer here, woo hoo.

I found my spring floral tea cup that was just perfect for this photo shoot, in case you're wondering it's Earl Gray filling the cup.

 

I took many, many photographs of all my spring flowers and then did some fun things in photoshop, but I save some of those for another time.  Maybe in Winter when we need a pick me up.  Have a blessed weekend.

Michelle

Crocheted blocks=granny squares

I'm currently crocheting these granny square blocks, each a two color design, reminds me of a quilt block and I'm crocheting them together with black so it also looks like sashing and reminds me of an Amish look to it.  Not sure how large I'm going to make this one at this point, I thought it would be a baby afghan, but now I'm thinking maybe a lap size.

Using Paton's wool, worsted and crochet hook size F.  Three rounds of 1st color (center) and then four rounds of 2nd color (outside).

This will be my third style of granny square afghan's and I will spend some time deciding what border to add, because I think that always gives them just the right final finish detail and make the piece complete.  Have a wonderful day, hope you are enjoying your hooking or needle making time.  Michelle

Texture Tuesday

Black and white with a touch of color!  That's what Kim's theme is for today's {and use one of her textures} link up-over here:
Kim over at Texture Tuesdays  . http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/tag/texture-tuesday

Here's my contribution for today, a antique black and white photo with a touch of floral color.  The vase was my mother's, a gift from my father.  The peonies were from my Dad, unfortunately I moved last October and they were not able to be dug up, how I will miss them and have to replant new ones.  Have a wonderful day, praise God for all the beauty around us and all his wonderful gifts.  Blessing, Michelle

Seasonal Flower Bouquet

Seasonal Bouquet Project

Today, I am linking up with Erin (Floret) and Jennie {Love ‘n Fresh} with their new "Seasonal Bouquet Project".  You can read all about it on their blog:  https://theseasonalbouquet.wordpress.com/.

A photo of your own locally-grown, seasonal bouquet.   Rules:  All the ingredients in the bouquet must be sourced within 25 miles of your home, ideally including flowers you grew yourself

Flower recipe-tuplis, pansies, daffodils, dogwood, narcissis and green leafy filler..

Thank you for visiting

Blessing, Michelle

Pink Saturday=Stamped Cards

I'm linking up with Beverly, stop on over and see all the great "Pinks".
http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/
Here's a few of the cards I've been making lately, enjoying creating.

Hope you've had a great day!  Sunny and 70's, did lots of planting outside and adding peat moss to gardens and transplanting and seed sowing, whem, I'm beat.  Blessings, Michelle

Texture Tuesday and Seasonal Bouquet Project

I have two places I'm linking up with today.
One is Kim over at Texture Tuesdays.  http://www.kimklassencafe.com/thecafe/texture-tuesday-wise-words-edition-a-give-away.html  Head on over and check out all the beautiful photographs.  I used Kim's Coffeeteaorme texture today and really like the painterly feel it gave to the photograph.

The other link up is with  Erin (Floret) and Jennie {Love ‘n Fresh} with their new "Seasonal Bouquet Project".  You can read all about it on their blog:  https://theseasonalbouquet.wordpress.com/.

A photo of your own locally-grown, seasonal bouquet.   Rules:  All the ingredients in the bouquet must be sourced within 25 miles of your home, ideally including flowers you grew yourself.

I found this pretty cut  crystal  basket vase at an antique barn several years ago and I just love it, it's fairly large, I also picked up a real small one too.  Not much to choose from other than daffodils for blooms and a couple fillers.  Tuplis should be blooming next week, can't wait.

Here's some of the players in today's arrangement.  I planted quite a few different varieties last fall and am enjoyng seeing each of them come into bloom.  So here's a few close-up portraits of each.

Have a fantastic day.  Blessings, Michelle