Tea on Tuesday

I am actually ON TIME for tea today!!!!

I decided to skip the thrift shop volunteer today, because my son is visiting thru tomorrow. I would rather spend the time with him, even tho he is still asleep at the moment!!

I grabbed a quick cup of tea for the "photo shoot"!!! As soon as I post this, I have to run out and check to see if there are any raspberries left. They are usually a tiny crop, only a couple of pints. I did discover a new group of plants, and I'll see what's left. The blackberries are next to pop out - and those are very prolific. Last year I had pounds of those - I am hoping for the same this season - so I can sell some at the market!

Anyway, this teacup/pot combo is from Pier 1 - but I got a pair of them at the thrift shop for a dollar or so- one for me, one for my daughter. The cute little tray is another thrift shop find ( a set of 3), and the tiny bowl with my blueberry breakfast is one of Richard Busch's Glenfiddich pieces. I love his pottery!!!
The tea is Arizona Green Tea with pomegranate and acai.

The sun is peaking out again, so I am off to pick berries before it rains!!
Be sure to visit, Patty, Kimmie and Nancy for tea, and join us next week, won't you????

Free Paint

Want some free paint??? Glidden has a promotion- go to their website and get a free quart of paint, your choice of color!
I read about this on Jodie's site- she has a more detailed explanation, and here's a link to Glidden
I got mine in Sea Foam Green - and it should arrive in 3-4 weeks. Woohoo - I love FREE!!

Aaaaw, Come On......................

..................49 followers- won't somebody make it 50?????? There's an apple in it for ya'!!!!

I'll send out an apple pincushion to whoever becomes my 50th new follower (color and stem may differ from pic - all apples are different!)

I Got an Award!!!

Woohoo! I am soo excited!!! I got an award once on my other blog
and never expected to get one here!!
But, thank you Linda!
Linda has a successful alpaca biz and still finds time to birth crias, write 2 or 3 blogs, FB, and make very cool aprons and yarn for her Etsy store!

Now, I have to nominate 7 of my favorite blogs - that was VERY hard to do!!!! I have too many favorites, so I will just do the ones I read most often - that would make them favorites - but would still leave alot out!! So, you are ALL nominated in my book!!!

1- Magpie's Nest- Patty's creative endeavors are endless and a wonder to behold!!! Is there anything this woman CAN'T do?????

2- Art in Red Wagons- Kimmie's art and words are always inspiring- she has 2 blogs! Her creations can be owned - just check out her Etsy store!!!

3- A Little of This, a Little of Pat- clever title, wonderful quilter, and I get to see of glimpse of the shore when I visit her blog!And she helped boost my readership up a few followers! thank you Pat!!!

4- The Farm Chicks - you can't NOT love this blog - it has a little bit of everything!!! And links to some fabulously creative folks!!!

5- Northstar alpacas - this woman does everything- just like Linda and her alpacas at Fiber Fabrications

6- The Altered Page- this list would not be complete without Seth - he is a fantastic NY artist - and has opened my eyes to all kind of wonderous art!

7- Smashing Open my Head - strange title - but very creative thoughts and words - a bit on the rabble rousing side -you might not agree with what he says, but it's always thought provoking! He's my brother! Sorry - a little nepotism slipped into my list of fav's!!! He is also the father of the 2 creative boys I wrote about in a previous post!


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Now, I have to list 7 things about me that you might (and probably don't!) know:

I should just refer you all to a previous post- I Am About......!

1. Afraid of heights
2. Always up for learning a new skill or artistic method
3. Can't walk away from an animal in distress.
4. Have trouble saying "no", but am getting better at it!
5. Wish I had finished college or taken courses at the Corcoran, while I was near DC
6.Love to be in charge!
7.Sometimes my barn gets cleaned before the house does- but when the 'dust ponies' start rearin' up(we don't have dust bunnies - they're ponies!), I get out the broom and clean house!!! I can be Martha Stewart!!!


Now - if I could just figure out how to put this award in my sidebar............


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you have been nominated - you must choose 7 of your fav blogs, link to them, link to the person who nominated you (that's me!), and tell your readers 7 things about yourself that they might not know.
And, if doing this kind of thing, is NOT your thing - I won't be offended- I still love your blogs!!!

Tea on Tuesday

Well, here I am, taking my afternoon tea break again!! I do try to post this early - but tuesday is thrift store volunteer day - and I am not organized enough to drink and post before I leave!!!

Yesterday, was lavender day. I spent a good portion of the day, picking lavender, weaving lavender wands, and "talking" to my friend online about lavender. I got her into it, and she was sending me recipes she found and lots of good ideas!!!
One of her ideas was lavender syrup. I made it - and it is wonderful!! I think of it as a lavender flavored hummingbird food!!! The premise is the same as making syrup for hummingbirds, but just on a larger scale!!!
This syrup is wonderful in tea, hot or cold,and to flavor just about anything you want, I guess! Next on the list to try - lavender pound cake!! I make a box (ssshhh- don't tell!) pound cake, that I have tweaked and call it a featherweight pound cake, because it is so light and airy. I think infusing it with lavender might make a new taste sensation!!!

Back to the tea - my afternoon tea is just plain ol' iced tea, with 2 tablespoons of the lavender syrup. I did plop my obligatory sprig of mint in the glass - AFTER I took the picture. The etched glass ( a thrift store find)with the vintage silver iced tea spoon, is sitting on one of my favorite thrift store finds of all time - cost me $2.25!!!! I love this tiny birdhouse table - it is painted primitive green, with little rose decals - love it!!! Paired with a tomato sandwich, the iced tea completes a perfect late light lunch.

Here is the recipe that my friend Teresa emailed me -

LAVENDER SYRUP

2 cups of water
2 cups of granulated sugar
2 tablespoons of fresh or dried lavender blossoms (I used fresh and would even increase it to 3 tbsps)
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large, stainless steel saucepan. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 30 minutes (I covered the pan and left it in about 45 min or so)
Strain, chill and refrigerate, tightly covered. Use to sweeten hot or cold drinks. Delicious in iced tea or lemonade.
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Please join Kimmie, Patty, Nancy and I for tea on Tuesdays!!!

I Am About......

http://awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com/a_whimsical_bohemian/

I was scrolling thru my dashboard, seeing what everyone had written, and came across this little post. It was a great prompt for me- so, here is what I am all about - today, at least!!! :>)

I am about corralling my scattered mind - an endless pursuit.
Directing my inner creativity into something tangible, beautiful, worth sharing.
I am jack of all trades, master of none- but at least, I tried!
I am about enjoying life, within the parameters of my paranoia!!
I am about contentment, having reached a plateau in my life I never thought I'd see.
I am about joy in little things- rocks, bugs, flowers, the birds who show up at my feeder, the husband who keeps me sane, yet drives me crazy, my kids- my best creations!
I am not above talking to the plants in my garden, the snake I unintentionally disturb, and myself...
I am thankful for what we have and try not to miss what we don't.
I try not to be bitter when we lose the lottery yet again!! Just think- our tickets are funding those who do win- maybe they need it more than us.:>)
I can be jealous, envious, and fall prey to "why me?" But that is a very small pity party, not very well attended, and short lived!
I love sunny days, rainy days in moderation, but need the sun to keep my spirits lifted.
I miss the ocean, but have a river.
If my studio was really organized, I would be a happy person. If someone would come from the Oprah show (like Nate Berkus) and organize it for me - I would be eternally grateful!!
Procrastination, thy name is ME!
Words tumble out of my head in disarray- I can't write fast enough to assemble them in any kind of order some days.
Words keep me up at night.
My life is scrawled on tiny scraps of paper- the decoupage of my life.
Am I my mother? Is my daughter destined for the same "fate"? We are our mother's daughters- no matter how hard we try not to be!!
All life ends the same way - I am learning to make the most of it in my own way.
Clouds are like snowflakes - no one is like another.
I am rarely without my camera.
I need a better camera!
Collections rule my life - to purge is a good thing!!!

This could go on indefinitely, since, as I mentioned before, words just tumble out of my head!!!
But, for now, this is what I am about - today...................................

I Just Have to Brag....

My 17 year old nephew is a special effects master! He lives outside of LA, the perfect place to be for this profession. He has a natural talent and has trained with some of the Hollywood masters in this field.
Christopher has a show this weekend, so, spent all week readying this mask to be included in his portfolio.
The elderly man pictured is Christopher's 15 year old brother in full makeup- all created by Christopher!!
If you want to see some of Christopher's other works (he is into horror) and what his brother really looks like sans makeup, visit his myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/christopherwillets
I think he may have a future in special effects- Hollywood, look out-and he's only 17!!!

And the Winner is...........

Thru the magic of the Custom Random Number Generator

THE WINNER IS:


GENE, an Alabama artist!!! Congratulations!!!

Send me your address and I'll get your apple, and tea goodie in the mail!

And thank you all for signing up to follow!! Now the pressure's on - I will try to keep it interesting, so you all will keep coming back!!! LOL If you get bored, you could always check out my other blog, about life on the farm!!

Speaking of which, time to get off the computer and get back to planting, before the heat of the day bowls me over.....................

Follow Me, Follow Me to a Summer Giveaway!!!

Woohoo!! I just got another follower!!
If I can get to 40 followers, I would be a happy camper!! That's only 11 more!!
When I get to 40, I will have a giveaway of one of my apple pin cushions, and something tea related.
So, spread the word, leave a comment, and become a follower!!!!

Pin Cushion Swap

I received my lovely primitive pin cushion from Linda at Lavender Ridge
It is a wool bird on a pillow- love anything primitive!!! I am already putting it to use!!!! Thank you so much!!! The little bird actually stands up - but I put him on his side, just for the photo.I am anxious to do another pin cushion swap - one can never have too many!!!



I mailed mine out to my swap partner last week - I'm going to assume she got it by now, so hopefully, I won't spoil the surprise by showing a pic!!!

Usually, most of my pincushions are my original patterns, but this one looked so cute, I couldn't resist. It was in Mary Jane's Farm magazine- called 'quilty apples'.
I had to do some tweaking to the pattern - it did not turn out the way I thought it should at first. But, maybe because I was not using old quilts to create these apples, made them turn out a little different.
I added some pins in the shape of a bee (or at least that was the attempt!), and off in the mail it went! Hope she likes it!

Anyway, after finishing the swap apple, I have been making them like crazy!! I will take a basket of them to the farmers' market on Saturday, and post a few on Etsy.
They really are so cute- I have been using all sorts of fabrics and in some cases, using the reverse side of the fabric for a more muted look.
Today, I am out to look for perfect little branches for the stems, and leaves. I cannot ravage any more of my tiny Harry Lauder Walking Stick tree for stems (LOL) and have used the last of my vintage velvet leaves. So, when the rain lets up (more rain, what a surprise.....) I will be taking a walk in search of the perfect stems for my 25 apple pin cushions!

Tea on Tuesday

Well, here I am, in the garden, at the crack of early, before the heat rolls in.

I'm having a mug of tea, in another thrift store mug, that was actually made by the local Broadway Pottery!
Today's tea is Tulsi tea - which has 2 kinds of Indian basil in it - good for what ails ya'!!!
My other favorite tea of late, is one my friend picked up for me while in Japan.
It is called Mugi-cha, a roasted barley tea. It is delicious, hot or cold, and is what is called a summer tea.
Please join us, Kimmie, Pat, and Patty,for tea on Tuesdays!!! Tell us your favorite of the day, with a link to your blog!!!

Tea on Tuesday.....OOOPS!- It's Wednesday!!

What's the old saying - "a day late, and a dollar short"? That's me lately!!!

Due to inclement weather (read: more rain!!!), my satellite service was sketchy yesterday, which meant I was on the verge of killing my computer most of the day!!! So, before the cloud cover rolls in again today, I will quickly post my Tea on Tuesday!!!!

I had my tea late in the day, again- helping myself to the sweet tea that my daughter made Tuesday morning. I put it in one of the lovely lead crystal goblets I just got at the thrift store(for $1!!!), with a sprig of my homegrown mint.

I also have to share the goodies from Japan, sent to me by a traveling friend!! Green teas, iced teas, tea bags, handle-less mug- woohoo!!! I can't read the directions on the bags, but I am sure I can muddle thru!!!

Also pictured, the cute little tea set - or is it a chocolate pot set?- also courtesy of my local thrift shop!!! Yesterday was a bonanza day at the thrift shop!!!!More about that another post, another day...............

More Rainy Day Creations

It's like I'm on a mission - to see how much stuff I can make in one day!!!!

I had a little rusty covered tin, that was rescued from the thrift store trash.It had a little scrap of paper labeled "soda" taped to it, so it served a purpose in someone's life for a while! Today I started covering it with paper from my stash. One thing led to another, and I started in on the old cardboard suitcase I had.

This little suitcase was picked up at a local auction last year. It belonged to Margaret, who passed away a year or so before. She apparently last used this suitcase in 1977, if we are to believe the little receipt left inside. Also inside was her passport- she had gone to England- don't know if she took this suitcase along with her. It was apparently her only trip out of the United States. She's one up on me!!!

This suitcase has been a project in my mind for more than a year now. The other day, I was taking some stuff to my friend's thrift store-part of my purge of the garage! This suitcase and another 1950's Samsonite were part of the purge! As I handed them over, a little voice in my head was protesting parting with Margaret's little cardboard travel case! I ignored that voice, trying to be true to my purge!!!

Well, two days went by, and I called Connie on another matter. I asked if she had sold the little suitcase yet - and she hadn't! So, I asked to buy it back - she wouldn't accept my $2!!! After all, I did bring her quite a pile of junk, uh, valuable treasures- so she was more than happy to give me back the suitcase in trade!

So, today, Margaret's little cardboard "grip" is undergoing a makeover! It only took me a year to get started, and will probably take me a good few months to have it completed- if it keeps raining, I may have it done sooner than that!!! The glue was still wet in the pix- it would have shown better dry - but patience is NOT one of my virtues!

Passing the Time on Yet Another Rainy Day

I should be catching up on my other blog, or transplanting seedlings, or making the enclosure for my mulch pile, but..................no!
Rain just gives me the blahs, so I have just been playing around with glue and paints, and stuff.

Nothing great, but these are what I've been experimenting with: the canvas board was a practice in crackle paint - which ended up a shiny brown board looking like alligator patent leather! So, I glued a few things to it, and this was the result. It's "titled" Always Late.

The other was me playing around with some inexpensive water colors, while staring out my back window- at more rain!

The last, are some of the tea infusers that I'll be adding to my inventory at the farmers' market (which I am putting off til next week- my teas were late coming in, plus the weather is kind of iffy!) I got the idea for the infusers from one I purchased from Peggy at Chapped Chick.

Now, it's time to go in the basement and paint some old oak chairs that I am refurbishing for the shop.................maybe!!!!

Tuesday Tea

It's not that I had forgotten that today was Tuesday - there was just so much going on!!!

I got a call from the little grocery store up the road - my tea order was in!!! Woohoo!!! I have been playing around making my own tea blends, and found this catalog -Frontier Co-op- and boy, do they have alot of neat stuff!!! The little grocery orders their items thru this catalog, so I got to look and pick out a few things. I am waiting for my own catalog to arrive in the mail, but in the meantime, I now have a few things to play with!!!
I will be selling at the little local farmers' market, and until the veggies start producing, I'll be selling tea blends, scones, and tea related items. There are some cute little teapot tea infusers also!
The large silver packs are tea leaves - a lb of each - lemon ginger, peppermint (or was it spearmint?) and stevia leaves. I got neat re-useable draw string tea bags, and a pack of bags for one time use. I will be making my own teabags out of cheesecloth and cotton string.

Since it is evening, and still hot out, I opted for plain old Lipton's ice tea, with a sprig of my home grown mint, stirred with one of my vintage silver iced tea spoons. The fragrance of my first peonies of the season, combined with the scent of honeysuckle wafting in the window on a faint breeze, makes the evening complete........................