French Friday

Hello All,
This time next week I will be in Paris!
I have begun to pack already. It is very exciting!
I am looking forward to strolling down the Champs de Elysee drinking in scenery.

I would like to share my French adventure with you all and hence, French Friday will be born and begins next week!!! While I am in France I will be sharing about my trip. When I return I will be having giveaways and free downloads, as well as bits of stories of my trip and hopefully really great photos! (I am frantically reading my new camera's manual!).

Until then, I am sharing with you all a surprise gift I received from a dear friend Marlynn, who I met right here in blogland.

She made this lovely card for me!
And can yous see in the top most photo all the fabulous bits and pieces of vintage bits and buttons! I just love this little tin of goodies, and what a fab key!!!
She sent it all tucked in a gorgeous box. There is even a little bag of vintage heart shaped sequins from French General.

I was in shock as I pulled out more and more goodies!

She is so talented, and I am always sighing at her ATCs!

Below is her gorgeous Paris tag.
Stop by and visit her at Honeysuckle Breeze.

Thank you so much Marlynn, you have inspired me to create!

Paperwhimsy Enchanted Room Swap!
I was also very fortunate to get a swap item from another blog friend Christy, she too is totally amazing with what she creates. Remember my Alice in Wonderland cigar box room? I have sent it off to a secret recipient, and I received one from Christy in return. How fun is that!!!
This is her Thumbelina room.

Isn't it Enchanting??!!!
I just love her little whimsy girl and her tulle skirt! And the idea of putting it in a book shaped box is fab!!!

I feel so lucky!!! Thank you Christy!!!

You can visit Christy and her her fab art here at Christine Chronology.

A very happy Friday to you all, and don't forget to look for French Friday. I am planning on sharing from Paris, so hopefully by next Friday I will have my 1st post!
Thank you all for stopping by!
Hugs to you all,
Terri

I'm just here for the joy!

Sometimes, I get concerned about what I should be doing, what others think I should be doing, and what some need of me. I wonder what is important in my creative life.

The days of our lives seem to pass so quickly, and maybe I am not where I thought I would be. In our new world of virtual expression, the pace is fast, and the multitudes of ideas and creativity flow free and rush by me taking my breath away.

Sometimes...I am afraid it will pass me by. I have thoughts like "I should do this, I better do that or else....I'm not good enough....It's too late for me."

And maybe these thoughts only last a few moments.

It is then that I slow down and take stock of where I am, how I am feeling and where I truly want to go.

So I ask myself these questions:
What is it that I am feeling right now? What is it that I am wanting to feel? What can I see myself doing that feels like that?

If I am open and sitting quietly, my answers may come quietly, quickly, slowly, assuredly or even loud and clear.....but they always come.

And believe it or not, the answer is always the same.

"Do what you love!" "Follow the joy!"

These answers are not new, I have heard them before, but each time I really feel them.
And again I am reminded today, that JOY is my compass. There is no reason to be concerned as long as I step out in the direction of joy.

Every single moment of each day contains joy. I have lived in painful circumstances and happy circumstances (sometimes both together!), and I know, that I can find beauty and joy in any circumstance as well as gratitude for life and opportunity.

I love life, I love the opportunities I have every day to dream and create. I am so thank full to be aware and alive.

So I will listen to my inner voice and know that
I'm just here for the joy!

Hugs to you all,
Terri

New Day

Hello All,
This is a little addition to my Tea Cup Tuesday from last night. Make sure you scroll down and see the china I am showing. I woke up with a good feeling and made myself this little Victorian Tea, which I enjoyed in my window seat of my art room. It is a gloomy day, and that was my most cheerful spot.

Here are a few pics of my Tea and dessert. I am on a healthy diet so my dessert is beautiful and healthful. It is made with millet. Can you believe that??? It is delicious (to me).

I had a lovely cup of Chamomile tea, which is my all time favorite.
Scroll below to see my Tea Cup Tuesday post.

And go see more Victorian Teas by clicking on the side bar button for it.
Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday

Acchoooo! Achoo, aaaaachoooo! sniff, sniff......
I am glad for once that our Tea Cup Tuesday is virtual. Because I wouldn't want to give any of you the flu I have right now. So lucky us. We can visit anyways!

If I am feeling better in the morning I will add more pictures to this T.T. post for Cielo's Victorian Tea Party which began early today, but I was toooo icky to play. So you can visit all of us for T.T. through Mr. Linky below and you can click on the Victorian Tea Party button on my right to go see a whole list of others playing with Cielo.

I love this china I am showing you today. It has beautiful guiding, and it glows so beautifully in sunlight or candlelight, making it perfect for outside afternoon teas and indoors romantic candlelight teas.
This beautiful flower motif is inside the cups and in the center of all the plates.
On the back in gold stamp it says Liberty Gold, Made in USA, Warranted, 22-K gold, and then some have different numbers like 11 11 and 08. I have done some research but have not found the company name or year it was made. Please let me know if any of you out there know about this china's origins.

I can remember tea times throughout my life quite vividly. I remember the ladies tea at our church when I was a young woman. I love setting out all the tea cups and then lovingly washing them when the tea was over. Chatting with all the other mothers and wives was uplifting and encouraging.

Then there were the high teas that my Scottish friends shared with me. Four o'clock each day, tea and cakes! And not just any tea, fresh scones with homemade preserves and clotted cream!
And the company was so delightful. There were always plenty of stories to be told. I loved every minute of those visits.

I have been blessed to have shared tea with many friends through the years. I always loved those moments of a warm cup and a shared conversation.

Now, in our virtual world, we are sharing tea again. And even though we do not meet in person, our hearts meet. For there is no distance between hearts.

Thank you for coming by for tea today.
Hugs,
Terri

You can easily join in by filling in the two blank fields below on Mr. Linky.

Mother

It has been about 25 years since I held my very first precious baby. I had just flown across the county, when this adorable baby boy was placed in my arms. I can remember it like it was yesterday. I can smell him and remember how it felt to caress his head. I can see his baby blue eyes. Two hours later we were strolling the mall with him, and stopped at a bench to sit. An older woman came over to oooh and ahhhhh at our baby, asking all the expected questions. Then she asked a question I couldn't answer. I said "I don't know, we have only had him a couple hours." She was so surprised, until I told her we had just come from the adoption office. Her face was amazed, she looked like I felt. Amazed, stunned, awed, that this little one I had only just met, was now my son. What a miracle! I felt so very blessed, so lucky, so happy!

Many years later, my baby daughter was placed on my chest, all messy and wonderful. Her thick dark hair covering her tiny head. What was this feeling? All encompassing wonderment! Here I was, a mother again. I was a birth mother. Did it feel different? No, the same awe, the same stunned amazement was in my heart and mind. I looked her over and was totally overwhelmed with thankfulness and joy!

And then my youngest son flew into this world in less than an hour. I was shaking so much I feared I might drop him. But I held him, and felt such a rush of joy! His perfectly round messy head, so soft and downy. I barely slept that first night, laying in our hospital room, listening to him breathing. Gazing at him a million times. I felt so blessed, so much gratitude!

I have been given three gifts of untold beauty. How did I ever deserve these treasures? I have lived my mother life, being the best I can be to my children. I have learned so very much and grown so much from being their mother. They have taught me many lessons. They are still teaching me even now they are mostly grown up.

But I know that no matter how old they are, they will always be my children. Even as I strive to grow with them, and adjust my mothering with their new needs, they will still be my children. I know they don't belong to me, they belong to themselves.

I am so thankful for being a mother. I am so blessed to have met these wonderful souls.
Many hugs of love to my wonderful children.

Hugs to you all,
Happy Mother's Day

Theme Thursday Gift

Hello All,
Today I am participating in Theme Thursday. I am excited about this because I haven't joined in for quite a while. I have been wanting to make something little, that would be a lovely gift. This little hanging picture is a gift for someone I love and would like to thank for being in my life. I am working on quite a few of these, and they have been slowly emerging over time. I wasn't quite sure in the beginning what look I was going for. This would be a great little present for Mothers Day by creating the theme with picture or sentiment. I used Tattered Angels Framed Fonts for the frame, some vintage music paper, part of an old necklace, German scrap and a beautiful rusty key. I will be writing my personal thankfulness on the back.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you are all having a fabulous day!
Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday

Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha and me! We just love having you come to visit us, and we also love going to visit you and seeing all your beautiful china.

Today I am sharing a beautiful cup and saucer. Don't they look antique? They are actually new. I bought them in New York City from ABC Carpet and Home (an absolutely FAB store!). They are made or maybe purchased by a company in the Netherlands called Meander BV.

I love the gorgeous painted look, the colors and especially the roses and gilding.

Today I am enjoying some beautiful flowers and tea, with dessert (that isn't actually for me, but for my hubby after the photo shoot!).

I hope that you are all having a lovely Tea day.

And speaking of tea, Cielo is having a party, not just any party, but a Victorian Tea Party! I have decided to attend. It just sounds like so much fun! If you would like to come along, click on the button to the right of my page that features her party.

Don't forget, starting soon I will be hosting a new special day, a French day, with interesting stuff and freebies!

Also, I am working on some new ideas for another tutorial.

I love visiting you, seeing what you are up to, how you are, what you are creating. I am blessed to connect with you here in this fabulous world of Blog. Thank you so much for stopping by today!

If you would like to join in today, just fill in the empty blanks in Mr. Linky below and you will be automatically added to the list!