Happy June Giveaway!!!

(First giveaway....this Marie matchbox filled with lovely papers, lace and embellishments!)

Hello All!

I am delighted to announce my Happy June Giveaway! It starts today!

I will be posting each week a new giveaway all to be awarded by the end of the month. So each week you can leave a comment to have a chance to win that item. Yay! No matter where you live in the world, you can sign up to win. Any follower or new follower can enter!

Why am I having a giveaway?

Because it feels good to give...

Because I am setting my intention for a very Happy June...

and because most of all I want to thank all of you for your kind visits!

My issues with Blogger seem to be mostly cleared up...and I am hoping it will only get better with time. I am having this giveaway all month so that no matter what goes on with Blogger, hopefully every one will get a chance at some point to sign up. If you can't comment on my blog post, just look to the right hand column for the E-mail me button and you can sign up by e-mail. Yay!

I will be posting more items in my giveaway this week, and weeks following. You can sign up to win each item, or just sign up for the ones or one that you really love.

Just leave a comment here if you would like a chance to win this Marie Matchbox....leave a way to contact you as well.

Hugs,

Terri

(New tutorial coming soon...needed Blogger to settle first)

Tea Cup Tuesday-French Aqua

Hello All!

Welcome once again to Tea Cup Tuesday...hosted by myself, and Martha from Martha's Favorites. Both of us are having a wonderful time sharing our tea cups and visiting you and seeing your beautiful tea cups. My Cup today is from France. I picked it up at a huge antique mall a few weeks ago. The bold aqua color caught my eye...and since it was bargain priced, I brought it home!

It does seem plain from some angles...

Until you look directly across from the handle and you find this gorgeous "S"!

And this bamboo style handle is really stunning with the coloring and gold trims.

This gold design on the inner rim looks hand done to me.

All in all, I am glad I found it!

Here is the backstamp. It is from France, and the crown stamp is really lovely, but I don't recognize this symbol. Maybe some of you do? It could be a very popular brand and I wouldn't know it!

(Now before I forget...I must remember to tell you that I am having a month long giveaway! Yes! I will be having at least 6 items to win!!! I will be posting all about it June 1st!)

I am participating in a really fabulous swap at Marie Antoinette Mail Art Ning group, a Tea Cup book swap. We are all sending in 4 pages, we create a page for ourselves as well as a cover.

This below is my cover page.

Aqua is such a beautiful color! I really loved working with this color scheme.

Thank you so much for stopping by today. Some of my Blogger issues have been fixed...YaY!!!

I am hoping this post goes well too. I have missed visiting your blogs in the past two weeks or so, I could comment on some, but then not on others. Hopefully today I will be able to comment on every ones blogs.

If you would like to join in on Tea Cup Tuesday, please create a post with a tea cup in it that you would love to share. Then come back here and link that post to Mr. Linky below. Just fill in the two blanks.

Hugs to you all!

Terri

I am also joining with Trish at Sweetology for her first ever Tea Party Tuesday!

Temporary Issues with Blogger

Hello All!

I am having difficulty posting properly, commenting on others bloggers blogs and my "Followers" is missing. I have had e-mails saying you can not post, or become followers. I am really sorry. I am trying to resolve the issue by changing browsers, clearing the cache, checking pop up blockers, and I am going to try uninstalling Firefox.

Earlier today I could see Followers on Google Chrome, but not Firefox or Internet Explorer. Now I can not see it on Chrome either. Also, I could not sign in with Blogger on Firefox at all. Plus my blog page was double loading the sign in page at the same time.

UPDATE: Thank you for all your responses! I see there are many of us with the same issue. I am heartened that I can receive comments. That is a good sign! I have added a place to follow at the top right hand corner "Follow My Blog!" just click on it and even though my followers are missing you can still join in, Yay! I will let you know if I find anymore out.

(I tried three times to change the color of this paragraph, and even though in Compose it turns the right color, in my post it does not work....hmmmmm)

I thought I would check and see if any of you have these issues and have you found how to resolve them?

It is a lovely stormy day here, and I am going to give this computer stuff a good go.

Wish me luck!

Hugs,

Terri

Artist Share!

(a gift from Debi)

Hello Everyone!
Happy Weekend....well, almost : )

Today I am sharing about two artist friends who have swapped with me recently.
I am so lucky to have been the recipient of this colorful and sweet Post Card Art from Linka K.

She has used Paperwimsy images for this "Spring Friends Swap" we had on the PW forum. I love the purples and greens that she used, as well as the sentiment. It is just such a sweet card!

I love that she made the back look just like an old post card!
Linda is a wonderful person and an amazing artist. Thank you so much Linda!

Below is the swap items I received from a Marie Antoinette Mail Art swap. Debi was my partner. A few posts ago I shared what I sent her. Here are the beautiful gifts inside the packing box. So pretty, I didn't want to open them!

But I did!
And inside was this gorgeous pink box (created from a larger size matchbox)!
The colors and textures of it are sublime
And it is filled with goodies!

Here are a few of the goodies that were inside this beautiful box.

I love the frozen Charlotte doll....and the lovely pearl necklace, the rhinestone necklace, the two pair of lovely earrings, the spools of lace so gorgeously decorated, the tiny bottle of beads, and many more items as well! Debi really spoiled me!

Below you can see more of the goodies. See the wooden handle with the curled wire ends? I didn't know what it was...it turns out it is a handle for carrying packages tied up with string. Isn't that fab! There are also wonderful vintage postcards and a lace doily. Can you see the little tea set? Yes, Debi sent me a miniature tea set!!! It is on Mrs. Rose's bed in the first photo of this post. Mrs. Rose is really going to enjoy this beautiful tea set!

Thank you so much Debi for your incredible work of art and your generous gorgeous gifts! You can visit Debi's beautiful blog and see her amazing work at Life In My Studio.

May you have a wonderfully creative weekend!
Hugs,
Terri

Tea Cup Tuesday-Pretty Pink!

Hello All and Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday, where my dear friend Martha and I share a cup or more that we love.

I don't know why I am so thrilled with tea cups....I have felt this way since I was barely 20 years old, and I still feel the same way. I love picking out the tea cup I am going to use. I walk to one of my china cabinets and gaze at all the lovely pieces of china in there....then I pick my favorite of the moment. I am an equal opportunity cup owner, every cup gets used!

Today I am sharing a sweet cup that I bought on eBay. I really love the colors in this cup and it's plain pink handle.

The pink trim around the outside and inside edge is so quaint...and the poesy of flowers inside is really pretty too.

I would have called this a corset shape, but on a Shelley page I found it and it is called the New Cambridge shape. I did not know that before! Did you? Is this correct?
The cup lip and the plate edge have a sweet scallop design.

I normally wouldn't like orange flowers with pink roses, but somehow on this cup it works.

This backstamp shows that it is a Shelley, made somewhere between 1945-1966. Here is a great page that shows Shelley backstamps. The Shelley comany is well known for it's very fine china. The Dainty cup shape is their most famous.

I also would like to share with you a little tea pot I found. It is about 5" tall and fairly heavy.
I think that is a W engraved on the front. I bought it because I found the shape and weight pleasing and it was only $8.

Here is the backstamp, and it is Reed and Barton. I do not know anything about these kinds of wares, and if you do, I would love to know anything you can tell me about it.

I was recently in a Matchbox Swap at Marie Antoinette Mail Art Ning group (my previous post shows two boxes I created). I received a gorgeous box from Debi, filled with goodies! Inside was an extra little gift, all wrapped in pink....and inside was this tea tray! I was so surprised and so delighted! So off it went to Mrs. Rose's bedroom. She lives above her tea shop. She likes a nice cuppa after a long day waiting on costumers. I will be posting another Artist Share this week and I will show you the fabulous box I received from Debi. Thank you so much Debi!

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit today. I really appreciate it!

If you would like to join in and share one of your tea cups, please create a post with your cup and then come back here and fill in the two blanks below making sure the link goes to your tea cup post. Then we can come and see your lovely tea cup!

Hugs,
Terri

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!