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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 photos2. Pick out the 4th photo & publish it to my blog3. Explain a bit about it4. 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 Farmhouse2. Alaura at Cottage Rose 3. Julie at CupcakeDD4. Joelle at Joelle Dolce Bebe
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
...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!
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!
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!
...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.
...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.
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. ; )
One thing I really like about summer is the abundance of berries--especially the ones anyone can pick and eat for free. On some land close to us there are mulberry trees and blackberry bushes (yes, we're allowed to go there and pick), so my husband and children went with their buckets and picked a bowl full. Of course, they returned with purple faces and fingers. Yum! The berries are dark and juicy and sweet. I wish there were enough to, say, make some jam, but our little bowl full of succlents will have to suffice.
I've been eyeing this field next to us. It is a house lot that has not sold; however, a field of wild flowers resides there at the moment. It DOES make me sneeze, but it has grown so beautiful over the last week that I can't resist enjoying it anyway. It is full of Queen Anne's Lace and clover and a periwinkle colored flowering weed (I've forgotten the name). Beautiful! The children and I like to find the Queen Anne's Lace that have "rubies" or "amethysts" in the centers of them. I always thought a bridal bouquet with those and red roses would be lovely (mmm, along with lots of allergy meds!). It's amazing that God makes even weeds to be enjoyable as He paints the countryside with color and beauty.
It's hard to believe that my little girl turns six today! It seems just yesterday that she was born. We thought she was going to be a boy, and what a surprise (full of tears, might I add) to find out that she wasn't! She was so little, and really still is for a six year old. What a delight she was and is. She is a blessing, and I'm very thankful for her. Happy birthday, Sweetheart.
Well, today around 2:00 a thunderstorm was brewing outside, so I decided it was time to brew something inside--some tea, of course! I announced to the kids that we would be having a tea party, and a tea party we had! It was simple with black tea with milk and sugar and some Walker's petticoat shortbread cookies, but who needs something fancy to have a tea party? I was in the mood for my blue flowered teacup and saucer that I found in Canada the last time we were there. It is a rather modern company, but I love the old, chintz-like look that it has. For my son, well, I used the most "masculine" teacup I have--a Royal Albert design that has grapes scattered on it and says "Grapes" on the inside. I suppose now that he is getting older I really must find one with a hunting scene or fish or dogs or something. Then, though she's almost six, the smallest member of the family used the smallest teacup and saucer to match her little appetite, and one that is indeed her's. It is a petite, delicate, almost transparent teacup and saucer with an understated gold trim that comes from France. We each had two petticoat sections, and while it rained outside, we had a most enjoyable time!
I have been "tagged" and given a challenge by Pei Li of Miniature Patisserie Chef to do four things: 
