Tea on Tuesday

We are back to regular T.o.T., without a set theme, just winging it- writing whatever comes to mind!!!I want to thank Kimmie for organizing our themes last month!!!

I haven't a thought in my head today, so I skimmed thru' my little book, 365 Things Every Tea Lover Should Know.

I opened to page 40 to this quote from Sir Arthur Pinero:

"Where's there's tea there's hope."

That's so true, when you need to relax, or are having a bad day, sit back, relax, with a favorite mug, filled with your favorite tea. Just clutching the hot mug, and inhaling the scented steam, can clear your head, and calm your mind.
My favorite of late, is lemongrass tea- the soothing lemon scent and flavor is a definite favorite!

In keeping with the tea theme- look what I found at the local thrift store yesterday!!
This precious little teapot clock just needs a new battery! The tiny dinerware style cup and saucer, with its faded painted flowers, will become a pin cushion or a candle. The cute little tin floral dish is so sweet- and perfect for spring!!! Total spent- about $2.50!!!

The little postcard is a work in progress- for Sunday Postcard- the theme this week is tea! On Pieces of D, I spotted another challenge, using the backround paper from Art Creations Friday. With lovely graphics from The Graphics Fairy, this is a work in progress - I had hoped to have it done by today, but still have a few more things to add to it!! I am really getting into this paper thing this week!!! This, along with the inchies I am working on with my cute little inchie supplies from Inchie Arts LLC, and the Travel Postcard Swap- I'm keeping busy!!!

Tea on Tuesday.....

....is experiencing technical difficulties!!!

I don't know if it is a coincidence, but after adding something thru the "monetize" feature on Blogger, I am no longer able to add pictures to my posts! I wrote my tea post last night, with the hopes this would be fixed today.

I only have 5 icons on the top bar of my posting form, and the photo option is not one of them!!!

It is very aggravating, and I have notified blogger about it - we will see what happens. It was like this last night, and I hoped if I (and blogger) slept on it- it would have been rectified this morning! Apparently not..............:.(

Stay tuned.................


I STILL cannot put pix up!!! GRRRR!!!
But my Tea on Tuesday post can be found HERE

Inchies, Inchies, Inchies!!!!!!!!

I am surrounded by inchies- a new found passion!!!!!!
Altho' I have seen these before on many blogs, including Patty's, I read a post the other day, on Kimmie's blog.
Her pictures and description made the process very clear. She was describing the idea of "bricolage", which led me to a post on Elizabeth's blog, which in turn led me to Seth's blog........ You can see why a few minutes on the computer, can turn into hours...............

Anyway, one thing led to another, and I have to thank Kimmie- for affording me yet another distraction from the banalities of daily living!!!!LOL

Kimmie kindly sent me a link to Inchie Arts, where Ellen Hutson stocks an inventory of chipboard inchies, twinchies, inchie +'s, and more!!!
Boggles the mind - I had to bug Kimmie with a few questions about which was what- and placed my order for a package of 72 inchies. I got them in a day or two - fast service, with a nice little thank you note and an extra surprise goodie baggie of St. Patty's Day green ribbon!

These are mine - so far - there is more work to be done on them-and I am already swapping those! I have 40 or 50 more to work on. The recent paper swaps I was in, came in handy for working on these!

When I received the chipboards, I just had to grab one and do a little zentangle on one. My favorite inchie -so far- is the "wee zen angel", the top row, 1st on left. The zentangle is middle row, 2nd from left. I am sure they will all be favorites when completed!!!

So, if anyone is interesting in swapping inchies with an obsessed newbie (that would be me!)- please let me know! We could do 1, 2 or 10 - your choice!!!!

Luigi Has Been Found!!

Since we have moved here (almost 3 years now) I have been searching for Luigi.

When last seen, he was being removed from my antique cabinet and then lovingly wrapped in mounds of bubble paper. He was gently lowered into a blue plastic storage bin - never to be seen again!!! Until TODAY!!!!

In a bin marked "quilts", there he was,under the quilts, with several matryoshkas, and Miss Mariposa.

Luigi was the first polymer doll I ever made- all original, and not very good. His arms are an inch too long, his one eye bulges out, and his hands and feet are a tad bit tiny for his body. But, I LOVE him - because he was my first!!!

I was inspired by the work of Bill Nelson, who I believe created the doll that sat on the mantle in the movie On Golden Pond. Bill Nelson is a prolific and fantastic carver and creator, bar none. I just loved that doll in the movie. I love all the creations of Mr. Nelson - they are wonderful!!

Anyway, I set out with my polymer, made some hands and feet, then made a shoulder plate with a head. Next, was his muslin body, blue jeans and chambray button down shirt. He has grey lamb's wool hair, and if you look closely, even has hair on his chest!!!

I may, one day, shorten his arms a bit, and make him a pair of shoes. But, for now, Luigi will resume his place in the display cabinet, to while away his days................

Tea on Tuesday

The last theme for Tea on Tuesday is signs of spring. In April, we go back to regular ToT- where we chat about whatever is on our mind that day- along with what we are drinking!!

My favorite signs of spring: daffodils, melting snow, green grass,new leaves on my lavender bushes, budding trees, robins, red finches, mayapples, baby animals, flies (unfortunately not a favorite!)footprints in the mud- and warm days and evenings!
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Received this in a forwarded email - thought it would be cute for today!

ONLY A MOTHER WOULD KNOW...
Cup of Tea ~
One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me.
I was maybe 2 1/2 years old. Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a gift, and it was one of my favorite toys.
Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my Mom came home.
My Dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!' My Mom waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and she watched him drink it up.
Then she said, (as only a mother would know), "'Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?"

******************************************************************************

Caught a glimpse of a program on the Bramah Tea and Coffee Museum in London, altho I thought it was primarily a tea museum. The curator and founder commented that the onset of the 50's and television, brought the downfall of 300 years of traditional tea drinking. Commercials about instant coffee, and then the popularity of tea bags, took away the very essence of tea drinking and use of tea leaves. Chopped up tea in a teabag, what I grew up using, is not the way tea had been known. We are now coming back to tea leaves again- I am a convert!!


Please visit Kimmie for links to others in our tea party!! Please, join us, every Tuesday - all are welcome!!!

More Zentangle Fun!

Sitting around today, watching The Time Traveler's Wife with my daughter- can't just sit and do nothing!! So, I did some more zentangles.

Two are book marks- both little surprises to be tucked in with a swap.

I read on the Zentangle blog (I think) about how easy it is to "tangle" on popsicle sticks- because they are so smooth. And, guess what - it is!!! It's kind of a challenge to work on such a tiny space. I still have a few popsicle sticks left - practice makes perfect!!!LOL Next time, I probably should pay better attention - and not be watching tv!!!

Both pictures can be clicked on for a closer look - they are tiny!!!

Now there's a good idea for a swap- popsicle stick zentangling!!!! Anyone up for it???

Zentangles and More...............

I finally got organized and put all my zentangles and swap art, both 'tangles and other, in a vintage photo album.

My original zentangles, my zendala card, Patty's zentangles with 2 of my daughter's, some swaps from Linda Vincent (she has a whole page!) Angie,Kimmie's puzzle piece, Postcard Travel- Liverpool and St. Petersburg, Charlotte Fern, Angie Beck, Judy Post,Mamapia who created the St. Petersburg arch, The Liverpool post card is by Marion.

If you see your art here, and I missed putting in a link - leave me a comment with a link to your blog!!! You can click on each picture for a closer look( not that mine warrant a closer look - LOL) - sorry for the flash distortion in some!