IT'S TEACUP TUESDAY!

I've linked this post to Terri at Artful Affirmations do go and check out the lovely posts.  You can't appreciate the time and effort everyone puts into their oh so lovely posts until you try and do one yourself!  I will try and do better..

This snack set is part of my "good china".   After I was married my MIL encouraged me to pick out a china pattern.  Once I saw this Royal Albert pattern "Brigadoon", well that was it.  The pattern featured a Scottish Thistle and my favourite colour blue with soft lavendar and green. The family name being McLean it was a hit all round.  The majority of my set was purchased by my MIL for birthdays and holiday gifts.   It's a soft and sweet pattern that I hope will find favour with one of the family in the future.

GIFT BOX WITH A PINCUSION TOP

Lacee Broyle`s September Embellishment Kit ``Sew Vintage`` is full of the sweetest bits!  (check it out by clicking on the title of this post or the picture on my sidebar)  Inspired fellow DT member Maggie  challenged us to covering the box the kit came in using the kit bits!  What fun!  This will be a sweet gift enclosure for one of my girls..

A SATURDAY ``IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!``

Yesterday was a beautiful warm and sunny fall day.  This morning I woke up to the fog horns, a peek out the window confirmed a fairly light cover of fog but not just in the distance.  I've been meaning to take my own pictures of the Fisgard Lighthouse this summer to share but these much better pictures from the lighthouse sight will just have to do LOL

Isn't it a beauty?  It is a National Historic site and we are so fortunate to have it in our neighborhood!  The next batch of company will be an excuse for a visit...why make an excuse well that just is how it is right?

This picture gives you a better idea of the setting.  The Olympic Pennisula mountain range (Washington State) on the horizon to the right.   That tip of land on the left would be the Naval base and just to the left of that would be the city of Victoria proper.  In front of this picture (see how directionally challenged I am?) is a road which has a small lagoon on the opposite side.  Bordering the other side of the lagoon is Hatley Castle which has much local history.  Above the lagoon (and not with a view of the lighthouse but a view over to the mountains) is where I live.  Let me know if you post an  "In My Neighborhood" and I will come for a visit!

TEACUP TUESDAY!

These are a few pieces of a chocolate set that my mom bought at an estate sale in about 1962, at the time I am quite sure my mom thought it was a tea set.  It was her first antique purchase and started for her (and me) a lifelong love of all things old.  I considered myself fortunate when I was included on a road trip to hunt antiques. At one point mom opened a small antique shop in our home, so I grew up surrounded with fine china and glass pieces particularly.   Its my birthday today and I wanted to remember my mom in this special way as it was always something we shared.

These pieces are marked Royal Hamburg which I have never found on another piece.  I believe the set to be RS Prussia Dogwood blanks (mold 256).  Circa 1880 to 1910. The painting is very like the RS Prussia patterns Jonquil or Narcissus but is in fact much more ornate with more luster and gilding.

BOO BELLA! A Halloween Bingo Card Banner!

We got Halloween going on in the BOO BELLA! group at Bella Creations.  Why don't you come and join in!!

My goal here was to create a fairly simple banner.  Really this one is all about the assembly of different elements, no complicated techniques and I used what was in my stash!  My base and inspiration is the Jenni Bowlin Halloween Edition Bingo cards, all edges inked with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink.

The top border on each is a strip of green, black and orange ribbon as I wanted to use those three colours overall.  The bottom border is a candy punch from MS, a strip of vintage orange velvet ribbon and some fun pom pom trim.  Black satin ribbon to string them all together, black tulle for some fluff and a bit of orange organza added,  MS skeletons!  Platinum Stickles around the edges.

The running Jack O Lantern scrap is from Paper Valise (check them out for wonderful bits!) I need to highlight his face so that he isn't lost.  I punched out and inked a moon to set him on.  A vintage owl button and the Jack O Lantern button from my stash.  The center medallions are all from MS.   The "rosettes" are old yellowed cupcake papers which I misted in a different colour for each.  Fringed with my pinking shears. Edged with more glittery Stickles!  The gold centers are chocolate foils (cupcake papers and chocolate foils are a newest obsession!).

A vintage owl button and a candy corn button from my stash.  The "candy" is from MS.

The bat and metal Haunted House brad are Making Memories.  Eeek is K&Co.  Hope you enjoyed looking and are inspired to create a little Halloween for yourself!

IT WAS A VINTAGE SATURDAY!

A local group of friends who all collect vintage holiday items were trimming their stash and did I luck out!  The DH knows this group through some trading that he does, it's a mystery to me that he never thought to tell me what their speciality was!

Christmas gift boxes, printed crepe paper, a printed department store box, Santa die cuts, a couple of Christmas postcards, German paper mache Easter Eggs, a bunny candy container, a little vase with blue bunny, two chalk Easter bobble heads, a number of Easter postcards, several German Valentines, a small Valentine candy box, Bethany Lowe Pin the Tail on the Cat game and picture/alphabet wooden blocks, several paper animal puzzles and a little pile of bingo buttons!

"GOOD GRACIOUS WITCH!" - A HALLOWEEN BANNER

Inspired by a banner in the Fall 2011 volume of "Paper Creations" this banner combines a lot of my favourites i.e. it is a hangie thing, rosettes, vintage image, crepe paper and lots of glitter!  One of the groups I moderate at Bella Creations  is all about holiday projects - Celebrer La Fete.   BOO Bella! (halloween) is our focus right now and three different challenges are running.   Banners, exhibition style ribbons and cones - all with a halloween touch of course!  The prizes are a Halloween RAK from me...I have a GREAT halloween stash!  Membership in Bella Creations is free..why don't you check us out and come be a BOO Bella with me!

"TO MARKET" A Fall Banner

I picked up some of the "Garden Variety" paperline from Cosmo Cricket some time ago anticipating a fall project, I particularly adore the veggie patterned paper!  I have had several packets of "Aunt Martha's" Embroidery Transfers in my stash for awhile, this packet was for a set of "days of the week" dish towels.  Perfect match! I fussy cut the ones I wanted, adhered them to card stock then inked and glittered.

Chipboard banner pieces "My Little Yellow Bicycle"
Calendar spots "Jenni Bowlin"
Cow image "Crafty Secrets", green beans "Graphic 45"
Ranger Distress Inks and Stickles
Petaloo Flowers
Yellow tulle and satin ribbons
Core'Dinations card stock in red, MS border punch
Gingham garter ribbon in red, yellow, green and black
Making Memories glittered brads
Vintage - bakelite vegetable buttons and mini clothes pins, milk bottle caps, pea label

TEACUP TUESDAY!

My first "Teacup Tuesday" post!  Warning this is about sweet tea and actually I am not posting a teacup but  my set which has not, as long as we have been together, EVER served anything but sweet tea!  I do have teacups to post but I was putting this away today  and thought this is the opportunity to finally join in and share a post with Terri.  The table is bare now as I put away my favorite spring and summer pieces and start to ready the house for fall but I know you have an imagination with out boundary.

Every spring I put this set out on my sideboard, polish the spoons and honestly enjoy looking at it more than using it often.   I do imagine and look forward to having a little summer garden party with the grands.  With the right story and treats even the boys would indulge at least for a little while.  The glasses are large for little hands  but you know that long handled spoon is more fun than a straw and so very grown up!  Add a few little sandwiches with the crusts trimmed off, tiny tarts and cookies - all on a tiered dessert tray of course.  Maybe a chocolate bonbon or two, well actually there should be no limit on bonbons.  All laid out on a lace cloth with vintage luncheon napkins.  A sprinkling of fairy dust!  And a pink princess ruffled cushion to sit upon. Oh it will be a grand summer garden party!

THANKSGIVING - VINTAGE IMAGES

Here in Canada Thanksgiving is only a month away!  I wanted to give all of my Canadian friends a chance to use these early enough!  Just to tease you though, I have a number of images that I will be offering exclusively to Bella Creations members in one of the groups I moderate, Images d'Autrefois.  Membership in this fast growing on-line paper crafting community is free - come on over and have a look.

A German card circa 1909.  Perfect to send to your American friends!

TOP OF THE MARK (San Francisco) - A VINTAGE IMAGE

A little something for a travel project and if Art Deco is your thing - this is a classic!  Image is from an original cocktail coaster.

BOO BELLA! The September Challenges

I have changed up the groups I moderate at Bella Creations.  JINGLE BELLAS  is now Celebrer la Fete!  Instead of just Christmas our projects each month or two will focus on the upcoming holiday.  That is Halloween and Harvest themes for September and October.  There are currently two member challenges running for September.  You had to know that I would do a Halloween version of the schultuten - introducing BOOtuten!

Membership at Bella Creations is easy and free!  If you have never checked out one of the on-line crafting communities come and have a look!  Join me for some absolutely wicked Halloween crafting!

IMAGE OF VINTAGE FAIR BUTTON (PNE)

I am in love with this one!  The perfect bit to add to a fair themed project (city or country).  Soon I will photograph my ribbon collection for a bit of a show off!

OH JOY - A SCRAPBOOK LAYOUT

L

One of my favourite pictures from last year!   Lucy (2 last summer) had gone along with mumma to pick up McLean from at African Drumming class he took at the Sechelt Festival of the Arts.  A couple of minutes with the sticks and Lucy stole the show..this picture was featured in the Sechelt Recorder that week.

This layout is a lift from "Scrapbooking and Beyond".   Love banners and was looking for a simple layout that I could put together from my scrapbox.  The cardstock is Core'dinations and the pps are BoBunny.   I used Robin's Eggs to "string" the banner.  Distress Inks for shading and edges, Pigma Pen for faux stitches,  Peacock Liquid Pearls and both black and white Enamel Accents from Ranger.  Butterflies and hearts are Marvy punches.

BELLA CREATIONS TRES CHIC CHALLENGE SEPTEMBER

It's reveal time!  Lacee has put together her second "inspiration packed" monthly embellishment kit "Sew Vintage" (see sidebar) and set out the details for the three monthly challenges at Bella Creations!

This is my design team submission for the Tres Chic challenge (sponsored by Copic markers) using the new kit.  I rarely do cards but the sweet bits were perfect for this.  I have been taken with the versatility of Lacee's kits as it has been so easy to pull together different colour schemes in addition to the obvious.  For this card I have put a wedgewood blue with the gold ribbon, crocheted flower and silk thread in the kit and played down the pinks.  The exclusive die cuts created by Heather are absolute treasures!  I am loving the thread spools!

The patterned paper is Stella Ruby from Basic Grey - perfect here!  You know I have been hanging on to (hoarding) that for awhile LOL   I used Distress Inks to match up and age the bit of doily.  A first for me, I smudged the ink around a bit and then hand washed it.  Faded to exactly what I was looking for.   My faux stitching is around the edges of the pp and then with black pen around the dress form chippie which is topped with Stickles.   The stickpin is created using my vintage stock of florist pins and a Prima pebble picture adds the last bit.  Check out this kit, the value and versatility in each of Lacee's creations has been incredible!