Victoria Magazine's Crown Jewels Article

You know, love sparkles--and plenty of them--and greatly admire the tasteful application of them. Now if we throw something vintage among sparkles, well...I'm smitten. So, when I opened the latest issue (unfortunately 'tis the last issue of my subscription) of Victoria magazine (the September/October issue) I confess to having a "gasp" moment! There was a feature entitled "Crown Jewels", and it showed the creations of Pam Claussen. Talk about eye candy! I kept telling myself that I'd sit down when the house was quiet and savor reading the feature, but, alas, I couldn't wait and have poured over the feature several times already! Pam takes vintage sparkles and beads and remnants of silk, brocade, and lace and creates incredible one-of-a-kind crowns, hats, bridal accessories and other lovelies. I received so much inspiration from the beautiful pictures and even visited Pam's gorgeous website>>>glambypam.net. Also, the Victoria magazine website has other pictures of her home. I'd recommend getting the magazine, visiting Victoria's website, and definitely visiting Pam's site. You won't be disappointed. I wasn't.

Adding Some New Vintage Image Pins

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year, and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday (with July 4th coming in a close second). Thanksgiving is DEFINITELY underrated! I suppose, just who wants to thank God for anything any more let alone have a whole day set aside to thank Him for His blessings. Can't do that! Thanksgiving unfortunately is just the kickoff to Christmas...in fact, September is the kickoff to Christmas with very little thought given to Thanksgiving. Okay...I won't get started on all of that in this post (but I just might elaborate more in another post *wink*). Autumn is also full of cool, crisp days; golden hues; crunchy leaves; orange pumpkins; squirrels gathering for the winter; wonderful smells...ah, I do like the fall, and it is coming up quickly. These two pins are my latest in my vintage image line. The turkey one I have put on Lollishops, and the other will go on either Lollishops or Etsy soon. They are highlighted with 18k gold pen and some glitter.

An Unexpected Surprise

There are few things more exciting than an unexpected surprise...a treat from someone sent for no particular reason other than they were thinking of you...especially on a day when a little encouragement was definitely needed. The other day the mailman brought us a package...and it was made out to ME! I hadn't ordered anything. No one said they were sending anything. I was sure I hadn't won anything. Well, these pretty teapot trivets were inside...and immediately I knew who had squealed and who had sent away for these. As you know from a previous post, I collect teapot trivets and have several on my kitchen wall. I have been collecting them for years. My grandmother gets several catalogs which she then forwards to my mother who then forwards on to me. I saw these in a catalog, fell instantly in love with them, ripped the picture out so that no one knew which catalog they were from, and asked my mom that if she ever saw any of these at a yard sale if she would please get them for me because I liked the so much. She still had a duplicate of the catalog, had already told my grandmother they would be perfect for me if she ever wanted to get them for me, and then (after receiving my ripped out picture in the mail a week or so later) showed my grandmother just how much I liked them. Whew! Thanks, Mom, for putting the bug in Gram's ear...and thank you so much, Gram, for getting them for me! I love them, and it was definitely an unexpected blessing on a day when I really could have used one.

Again....the Quilter Who Gets the Tool...

...is Kath. I'm so sorry that Starry is no where to be found. : ( However, as promised, if I didn't hear by yesterday I would choose a new name. I have chosen a new winner via random.org (True Random Number Generator Result: 5), and the winner is Kath of www.lilbitoldlilbitnew.blogspot.com (check out her fun blog!). Good for you Kath! I'll be e-mailing you soon for your address. Thank you again for everyone who entered.

Bees, Hives, and Honey Treasury

I love golden honey, bumble bees, and sweet bee hives and had fun putting together this Etsy treasury. There are such talented people out there. Here is the treasury link if you'd like a closer look>>>Bees, Hives, and Honey.

Thank you, Connie!

Connie, from The Cottage Loft, had a fun giveaway, and I won...this beautiful plate. Thank you so much, Connie! It is beautiful, and I love it. (I can just see it stacked with little tea cakes or bite-sized chocolate cookies). Please do check out her lovely and inspiring blog.

The Quilter Who Gets the Tool Is....

....Starry! See the results for yourself of what random.org churned out...
True Random Number Generator
Result: 4
So...Starry...because I don't have any information on you, please email me at treasuresandtea@gmail.com with your address. If I don't hear from you by August 26 I'll have to choose another, and I don't want to have to not send you one...so please write to me.
Thank you all ladies for participating.

Quilters' Giveaway--Last Day to Sign Up!

This is the last day for all quilters...or those who know a quilter...who might like a chance to win a Mariner's Compass Star tool. International entries are welcome! Just follow this link>>>Sign Up Link>>>to sign up. I draw a name tomorrow!

Strawberry Muffins

Remember all of those strawberries we picked this past summer? I froze many of them. We have several bags of cleaned and processed strawberries ready for winter. Well, I found a great recipe at allrecipes.com for strawberry muffins. With a few modifications, they turned out great. Why wait until winter to try them? To me the test of a good muffin is if it is good, it does not need anything like butter or jam on them (this excludes lemon curd, of course--lemon curd tastes good on everything or just on your finger!). These did not need anything. Yum!
So, here is the recipe...
1\4 cup oil......... 1\2 cup milk
1 egg......... 1\2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder......... 1\2 cup white sugar
1-3\4 cups flour......... 1\2 tsp vanilla
1\4 tsp cinnamon......... 1\2 cup nuts
1 cup chopped strawberries
Oven to 375 degrees. Put paper liners in muffin tin for 8 muffins. In small bowl combine oil, mil, egg and vanilla. Beat lightly. In large bowl mix salt, baking powder, sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss in chopped strawberries (mostly thawed if frozen) and stir to coat with flour. Pour in milk mixture and nuts and stir all together. Cook for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Double the recipe for breakfast with a hot cup of tea in the morning1

Music to Make Your Heart Sing

If you like music in any way, you may like this treasury I just completed. It was such fun to assemble. There are amazing artists out there who create such unique things with sheet music...treasury.

"Tea Time Tidbits" Special Posting #8

There is nothing like having a good source to find fresh ideas regarding tea, and my favorite source is Tea Time magazine. There are plenty of pretty tea tables and settings in each issue. There are exquisite recipes including usually at least one new scone recipe per issue. The vendors have beautiful wares on their web sites listed in the market section in the back. And, well, it's just nice to read something that is full of "everything tea." There are tea rooms that are featured. No, I usually won't copy a full high tea feature--complete with the entire menu and setting--but I like to find the little things that I can perhaps do. There may be a pretty napkin holder or place card to copy. There may be a yummy recipe to try out at the next church lunch (done that a time or two!). I may be introduced to a new tea flavor or company to try out. There may be a lovely teapot to dream about having someday. There might be a tidbit of tea etiquette I never knew I should be following. I might simply read a reminder on how important it is to stop rushing around and sit, relax, and enjoy a hot cup of tea in a pretty teacup and saucer. Sometimes I just like to soak in the beauty of the pictures presented just for beauty's sake!

A Heart-felt Treasure

My littlest one came in from outside to give this to me...
...she saw this little pink flower petal in the shape of a heart and had to give it to me! Definitely one of those moments to treasure and cherish.

Eye-Popping Poppies Treasury

Really, truly, I'm NOT addicted to creating treasuries--they are just so fun to do! Yes, I do have a normal life away from the computer and actually DO get away from the computer for large amounts of time. ; ) Whew, now with that said, here is the treasury I just got done creating. Such fun! Here is the link if you'd like to see it up close>>>>treasury.

To All Quilters...a Giveaway!

I have blogged about this before, but I am going to do it again only with a giveaway this time. My sister-in-law, Debby, is a pastor's wife (of my brother) in New Zealand, an avid quilter, a quilt teacher, and an inventer. She invented the "Starwhiz" which is a Mariner's Compass Star tool. Now, I'm not a quilter and know very little about all the in's and out's of quilting, but I do understand that it is hard to draft a perfect, beautiful compass star (some quilters have been quoted as saying they never do this particular pattern due to its difficulty). Well, Debby has invented an easy-to-use tool to help make this pattern easily and correctly. Do visit her website>>>>Quiltfever and especially the gallery if you'd like to see some of her work. The picture above is of her "Starwhiz" page if you'd like to go to it for a better look at the tool and how it works.

Okay, now for the giveaway. I am Debby's U.S. "middleperson" who preps the tools and mails her orders, and I have been given permission to give away one of her tools (you can see a picture of what it looks like above). It is a $19.95 value! What must you do?
1) Leave a comment below for one entry.
2) Blog about the giveaway or leave a link on the sidebar of your blog (you may use the image above) for another entry--but you must leave a separate comment below telling me you've done this, or I'll never know/find you.

Quilters, please pass the word around to fellow quilters! I will draw a name on August 24.

A Little Bit of Gold from My Two Treasures

This rose bush was a birthday present from my two little precious treasures--my two children! Though yellow doesn't go with my outside decor, they picked out this bush for me because the name was "Pot O' Gold", and there was NO WAY I was NOT going to plant it. It looked a bit "sad" for awhile this year--you know the tent caterpillars munching on it, the whole transplanting thing, Japanese Beetles...you know. However, it finally bloomed, and here is my little bit of gold to share with all of you. I didn't know gold could smell so nice. Such treasure indeed!

Wee Little Purse Treasury on Etsy

I had great fun creating another treasury for Etsy. It is the Wee Little Purse treasury featuring, well, the littlest of purses! I really like miniature things and purses and things that are real only in a smaller size...and found some great examples on Etsy. Enjoy!

What Do We Leave Behind?

Dave, a friend of my husband's and mine passed away last week. He was young--only 49--and died of viral encephalitis. We have known him for years, and one thing about him is that he was always willing to help a person out. He was great at working on computers and working on cars, and really helped us (who are somewhat challenged in these areas) numerous times. His willing heart and knowledgeable hands were such a blessing to us. These are such good, positive memories.

It got me thinking about Dorcas in the Bible. This lady had died (and was later raised from the dead by Peter through the power of Jesus Christ), and it says "...this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did....and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them."(Acts 9:36 and 39) What a legacy this lady had! I hope that I do enough good works (no, not to earn my way to heaven which is impossible by the way) but simply so that people remember those things when it is my time to pass on and be with the Lord. It is a reminder to me to not live for myself but for others--to always be willing to help others out. Just like we remember our friend, Dave, for these things.

Also, Dorcas's life is perhaps why I appreciate handmade things. Each thing that is handmade is a little legacy left behind by that person whether they are coats or quilts or brooches or bears. I hope people remember me also by the things I've made for them...and this encourages me to do my best job when I do create and be willing to give often.

Hummingbirds

One of my greatest summer joys is watching the hummingbirds. It is always exciting to await their arrival in May...and sad when they fly south in the fall. They dart each other and squeak and drink deeply from the feeder. They are so tiny and sweet and are such a pleasure.

Picture Challenge

I have been "tagged" and given a challenge by Pei Li of Miniature Patisserie Chef to do four things:

1. Open the 4th file where I store my photos
2. Pick out the 4th photo & publish it to my blog
3. Explain a bit about it
4. Pass this challenge to 4 other blogs.

Well, the above photo is the one. It is a Royal Albert set of Old Country Roses--the dessert plate, teacup and saucer. I also have on there a gold heart tea strainer. It is one of my favorites. I bought it at an antique shop in New Zealand and JUST missed out on buying the teapot that was with but not a part of this set.

Now, to pass the challenge on to four others--friends old and new. I choose the following:

1. Maggie at The White Farmhouse
2. Alaura at Cottage Rose
3. Julie at CupcakeDD
4. Joelle at Joelle Dolce Bebe

"Forget Me Not, My Dear" Treasury on Etsy

Well, I'm still working on this capturing and editing of Etsy Treasury pages, but here is one I had the great fun of doing last night. It features forget-me-nots and ways to not forget a loved one. Check it out if you have the time...where you will no doubt see it better than here (just hoping to wet your appetite with the picture above). Enjoy! Forget-Me-Not, My Dear

And the Brooch Winner Is....

...well, wait! First of all...thank you, thank you all of you who took the time to comment on my giveaway questions. I REALLY appreciate each one of you for your input. I value your opinions and comments greatly and will take each comment to heart as I pursue this new avenue. Okay, the winner is...Maggie at The White Farmhouse. Congratulations!

The Art of Good Conversation

I have had several opportunities to converse with different ladies lately in a one-on-one, relaxed setting, and one thing is becoming very clear to me. People do not know how to politely converse with others! Now, I am not an etiquette specialist or special speaker or THAT great at conversing myself; however, there is something very vaulable I learned a long time ago from a dear great aunt and uncle of mine. The ladies mentioned above were poor listeners to anything that I had to say and talked mostly about themselves. I know they had no conscious intention of doing these things, but I fear they haven't trained themselves well in conversing with others. I know a good deal about them, but they know very little about me. Perhaps I am dull and live a dull life, and they are simply not interested in what I like, who I am, and what I have to say. It is a little deflating to leave a conversation or even an entire morning spent with someone, where they have shown little, if any, interest in me. Ahh, that is the key. I have tried to determine not to do the same to others (though I admit to not always succeeding and there is MUCH room for improvement). The key, you ask? Well, whenever I visited with my great aunt and uncle as an older child and young teen, we would sit down in their living room, and they would always start in asking questions about me and then ask me to elaborate on my answers. No, they weren't nosey in any way. They knew the line between nosiness and good conversation. They drew me out. Found out about what I liked and disliked, my interests, my goals, and why. They listened intently and showed great interest in me and in whatever I had to say even though much of what I did say was probably very uninteresting to them (I mean, how exciting a life can an 8 year old have?). But with their examples they were teaching me the art of good conversation. I always left there feeling important and like they really cared and were actually interested in me. Few people do this today! It is a growing and maturing process--learning this art...and "art" it is, because sometimes one must get "creative" with the conversation and the questions (especially to those who give one-word answers) and listening. I've conversed with some pretty rude people--they keep yawning, they keep looking away at someone else, they change the subject to something totally off-subject, or they even just starting talking to someone else and left me finishing my sentence to the air. These situations are just situations of learning--making sure I don't do this to others. What valuable lessons we can learn from others!

Blog Award

The beloved Duchess of Tea has bequeathed a special honor upon my blog--thank you so much! I'm humbled and thankful to you for thinking of me. Check out the Duchess's beautiful and inspiring blog at Rose Tea Cottage. You won't be disappointed!

Melissa's Jewelry and Gems...

...is offering a lovely pink tourmaline ring for a giveaway in honor of her 40th birthday. Now, how generous! It is lovely, so check out her blog and enter if you are interested>>>Melissa's Jewelry and Gems.

Now Shipping to Select International Locations...

...thanks to Marie! You know sometimes I just need a good swift kick to get me motivated on something. I had been thinking for several months now about adding some shipping destinations to certain international countries in my Etsy shop and increasing them in my Lollishops shop. I can be such a procrastinator! Then in a separate post dear Marie from the UK kindly pointed out the fact that on Etsy I only ship to US addresses. Well, that was the kick that I needed to be wiser, update my shop, and make my things available internationally (NOT so that Marie or anyone else in particular will purchase). I've added several countries that I now ship to in both of my shops. Thanks, Marie! And...speaking of Marie...have you visited her blog, Blossom Time Creations, or her Etsy shop? She is extremely talented, and her artwork is adorable in every way.

Please Visit My Giveaway Post

Ok, dear blogger friends, it is now the weekend, only five people have commented on my giveaway since first posted last week, and the giveaway ends this Thursday (August 6). Again, this is the giveaway item
and here is the link to go to to find out all the specifics about entering>>>>HERE. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. ; )