Match Box Treasures

Happy Saturday Everyone!
I thought I might share a little of what I have been working on in my art room.
I love making lovely things from items I would normally throw out! There is something that feels so good about taking garbage and giving it a new purpose.

This match box project was inspired by Holly who hosted this swap at Marie Antoinette Mail Art Ning group. The first one I have sent off to Debi and the second is one of my upcoming giveaway items! Yes, I am having a giveaway for June, and there will be at least 6 gifts to win!
Yay! I love giveaways!

To create one of these you begin with an empty match box. This is the larger 4 3/4"x3 3/4" size boxes. If you don't have any almost empty ones sitting around, they come in a pack of 6 and only cost about $3 at Kroger's.

I used a French perfume label made available by the Graphics Fairy.
Thank you so much Karen! (Today I am joining Brag Monday for the first time)
If you have never been to Karen's site, you are in for a treat. It is full of all kinds of free images that are perfect for creating and decorating.

I primed the box with gesso to hide the bright red color.
The background paper I made myself by doing a tissue paper transfer off of an 130 year old French document I purchased in Paris at the Fleas.

I am just finishing a new video tutorial on how to do tissue paper transfers (paper saving version).This video will be out before next weekend. Yay!

I filled the box with all kinds of paper ephemera, as well as charms, ribbons, lace, and millinery (new and vintage). It was stuffed to the brim!
Inside is also a tiny matchbox that I filled with vintage beads, cabochons, buttons, pearls, rhondelles...little treasures for creating.

Art Tea Life by Sandra Gordon, has a fabulous paper doll Marie page. I have minimized it's size so I could mail it along with the box.

This second box I have made is for our upcoming GIVEAWAY!!!

This time I used a Echo Park Papers "Be Mine" series scrapbook paper. I gessoed it a bit to take the brightness down, added some silk ribbon, velvet leave, and a vintage flower. The Marie cameo I created myself.

...and here is a sneak peek of some of the goodies inside!!!I will be announcing the beginning of the giveaway by June 1st.I would love to hear about what you are creating this weekend.Thank you so much for stopping by!

Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday

Hello All!
Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday!
Today, Martha and I will share with you some tea cups from our collection. We love sharing with all of you who have an appreciation for these little works of art.

Today I am showcasing a pretty trio I found in Williamsburg, Va, at an antique mall that was the largest one I have ever been in.

The second I saw this set it was in my hands! The photos do not really show the lovely pink it is. But you can get an idea. The posies of roses and garlands of flowers are so pretty,
as well as all the gold trims.

It has a bit of a fancy loop handle with a couple of scrolls detailed in gold.
I feel like a princess holding this cup!
Lately I have been finding these kinds of cups and I am delighted with them.

It is unusual for me to find trios, so I was really delighted to see this set.
The beautiful faux cake is by Cassandra Van Curen.

See the shape under the edge of the cup? There are lines there that remind me of the Morning Glory Flowers shape. I love how this cup fans out towards the lip of the tea cup.

This cup was created by Foley. As my cup last week also was made by them, and about the same time period, 1948-1963.

Here I have placed the trio on a cake stand I found today at Goodwill for $3.99! It has a gorgeous frilly edge and the embossed design on the base is repeated on top. I just love it!

Here is something I have been wanting to share with you all...my new to me china cabinet! I found it at a Antique store, it was in pretty bad shape and really dirty. My hubby and I gave it a really good cleaning and he reconditioned parts of it. What drew me to it were the design on the two side panels. It really looks better! Now 35 sets of tea cups have a new home! Yay!

I found this tea pot today at Goodwill as well. I do not usually buy dark colored anything! But this good sized tea pot has a depth to the glazing that makes it look like dark chocolate! The designed is raised. It was really dirty and I hoped it had no cracks and as it was was only $8 I took a chance on her. She cleaned up beautifully! I tested her for leaking and she is just fine. So I am thrilled with this find and wanting to know more about her.

Design on the back is a little different than the front.

With the lid off here you can see that she is not porcelain, but some kind of red clay.
She does not have any markings at all.
Do any of you know about her history??? I would really love to know.

(Update from Martha: "It is a Red ware Teapot, Brown Glaze, Made in Japan, Moriage Decor")

Thank you all so very much for stopping by. I am trilled to have you and I would love to come an see your beautiful tea cups! If you would like to join in, just go and create a post with a tea cup(s) you would like to share, then come back here and sign up with Mr. Linky. Check your link once it is up to make sure it goes to your post.

Have a wonderful week!
Hugs,
Terri

I am also joining Wanda Lee today for Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday!

Creative Fun!

Hello All!
I have been crafting away over this past week,
and I thought I might share a part of what I am doing....
More domino books!
I love making these!

This little girl is Parisian!

I really enjoyed creating this one, with all it's pink and glitter goodness!

The images I have been using are from Digital Collage Sheets, The Graphics's Fairy, Art Tea Life by Sandy Gordon and Narry from Etsy. Thank you to all these artists for making available inspiring images.

I adore this image of Marie Antoinette.

Here is a blue version of the same, only the inside is more modern.

It is a travel mini book....you could add some pictures and words to it.
(....this one is going to be in an upcoming giveaway).

Here is the back...I just happened to have a little suitcase charm that includes Paris on it.

Side view.

This glittery one is not quite done.

Here is the back, I am still working on the other side.

This one is one of my favorites because of the cool crackly and antiqued finish.

A little vintage lace and closure...

And an inside that is vintage on the front...

And the back.

Happy Friday!
I hope for you two days of creating something you love!
Thank you so much for stopping by.
(and yes, I did say I was having a giveaway...I will be posting about it soon, many gifts to win!)
Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday-Mother's Day Gift!

Hello All!
Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday!
Martha and I are excited to show and tell tea cups with you.
Today I am very lucky to show off a cup my husband gave me for Mother's Day.
This beautiful cup has one of my favorite shapes. Can you see how it flares out below the lip?

I just adore this cup! It is so romantic and...I think...
it looks like it is made for a queen!
It shows off beautiful sprays of colorful flowers as well as garlands of gold.
It looks a little purple in the image above, but the first image is more true to it's color.

It has an all gold kidney bean loop handle.
(My own made up term!)

The pink roses are really beautiful along with the other vibrant florals.

It is not showing up in this photo, but the flare of the cup also has ridges all the way around and reminds me of Morning Glories.

The plate has a lovely scalloped edge trimmed in gold, and the plate has a similar flare shape.

This cup was created by the Foley China Works sometime between 1948-63. Their shop was in Fenton, Staffordshire England.

My first enjoyment of this gifted cup...chamomile tea and a Chocolate Chip square.
Delicious! Beautiful tea cups are one of life's joys to me. Taking the time to set a lovely tray for myself is one way I can take a few moments and cherish them.

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit!
If you would like to play along, just go and create a post with a cup you would like to share with us, tell us about it, how you got it, who made it...things like that.
As long as your post shows us a tea cup we are happy!
Then come back here and sign up with Mr. Linky. Once your link is created, check it to make sure it goes to your tea cup post.
We are excited to come and see your tea cups.
Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday Easter Swap!

Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday!
Today I am sharing two beautiful cups that I received in tea cup swaps! Last week I shared the cup I received from dear sweet Martha (my partner in Tea Cup Tuesday) as well as the baskets and goodies I was lucky to receive from her and Sylvia. During the week I posted what was in the blue wrapping paper from Terri (see that post here).

This first cup was a swap gift from Terri G at Terri Gordon Designs. I asked for a cup Marie Antoinette would love, and she really took that to heart as you can see from the photo above. Isn't it gorgeous???

It sports an elegant loop handle with a slight spur.

The cup is generously shaped and the insides is decorated beautifully!

I adore the pinks and the blues! I love the spray of roses in the bottom.

The handle and as well as the edges of this cup are trimmed in gold.

The plate is beautifully detailed with flowers and scroll work, even a shell design!
Terri, Thank you so very much for gracing me with this beautiful cup! I was so thrilled to see it in all it's splendor!

The second cup comes from Sylvia at Sylvia's Simple Life
She sent me such a lovely basket of goodies, as I showed in my last post. I was so thrilled to open the large basket she sent filled with lovely gifts!
Today I am sharing the spoons she sent me as well.

This cup is simply lovely! The color is a pale peach, not too often seen.

I love the gold trim, and especially the ring of gold and black....very dramatic on a simply beautiful cup!

The bottom of the cup has a pretty poesy in it!

I love the gold design around the plate and inside the rim of the cup.

She also blessed me with a set of silver spoon, engraved with a B....and I choose to say they stand for BEAUTY! They are really lovely spoons and I am enjoying using them with my tea.
Thank you so much Sylvia! I love this cup, the spoons and all you sent!

Both of the cups above are Paragon cups,a fine china company, and one I love to collect because of their quality, and the shapes and beautiful patterns they have.

I have been thinking about the friendship forged here in blogland...and since participating in these swaps and others, I am truly amazed at the generosity of those I have been blessed to interact with online. The kindness is so heartwarming! My only sorrow is that I am only able to visit about 20 blogs a day, and since I have over 900 followers and many, many other blogs I follow, it seems a mere drop in the bucket! If I could, I would visit each and everyone of you! You are all so special, so creative, and so caring! What an amazing world blogland can be!

Just know I appreciate all of you.
I appreciate these lovely cups given with a loving thought!
I am excited to use them, and I will treasure them!

Hugs,
Terri

If you would like to play along for Tea Cup Tuesday, go and create a post with a tea cup you would like to share. Tell us about the cup, about how you got it, about who made it, anything like that. Martha and I love coming to see your lovely tea cups!
After you have created your post, please come back here and link up with Mr. Linky by filling in the blanks below. Check your link out to make sure it works. Please, if you do not have a tea cup in your post, do not link up. Thank you so much!