Share Your Cup - Last Couple Weeks

It's been a very hectic 2 weeks. I had my first craft sale last weekend. I've been teach a class twice a week for 6 weeks. I'm nearly done my 2016 Be Prepared for Christmas classes.  I concluded the first group on Thursday and will finish the second group on Monday.  It's been good discussion with the ladies becoming more aware of slowing down, being in the present, thinking of others and being intentional in their daily lives.  Attendance has been a challenge for some participants which speaks to the lessons we were trying to learn in the class.

We put together Advent Calendars in our last class.  It will soon be the Sunday to put them up which is November 27th this year. This is a sneak peek as the post will show up on Monday.

At our sale last weekend I was looking for a bag to hold my Advent Class materials.  I have been using a re-useable bag from a grocery store and since I will be teaching this class for a long time I thought it deserved a nice bag. There were 2 quilters among the vendors but I was disappointed to find no bags on their tables. I spoke to one of the ladies on Friday night and she said she had some at home.  Saturday morning this one appeared. I am grateful to have a nice large bag for my class at a good price.  Thanks Linda.  The craft sale was slow on Saturday with not much public showing up at all. Quite disappointing.  The weather was good so we need to check our advertising. 

I've purchase a couple of items in the blue and white dinner ware category.  The cup and salad plate were together but the saucer was missing.  The pattern is Chelsea Garden made especially for Bloomingdale's by Myott in England.  It's not antique as it indicates dishwasher safe on the back label.    The other dinnerware I found were Myott Meakin white dinner plates. They were a good price but they were disgustingly dirty.  Once cleaned up they look brand new with very little signs of wear.  Great find.  I've used my scallop edge saucer from Johnsont Brothers under the tea cup. It's nice when things can mix and match.

I'm sharing with Jann at Daily with Mrs. Olson for Share Your Cup #223.

Share Your Cup #218 - This Week

This was breakfast this morning.  I laid out my new navy tablecloth with a Battenburg lace table mat.  I set the navy and white Blue Carnation large plate with the white IKEA ARV salad plate on top. I chose apples, rye bread toast, couple slices of old cheddar cheese and chai tea.
I drank my Himalayan Chai from a IKEA 365+ Cobalt Blue mug.  I drink my chai tea with a bit of honey and cream.





The apples are from Mom's tree as she brought some back with her this week.



I put together likely the last bouquet of the year with a few small yellow crysanthemums and some Celosia ‘Dragon's Breath’ in the background in a lovely small white vase.

I've decided to change the containers I use to store my eggs in the fridge.  I buy eggs in card board containers but they are getting so flimsy and soft that there is a danger of cracking eggs.  I acquired a couple of these clear containers which will keep the eggs more secure. Also, I can see at a quick glance how many I have when checking for a recipe.  A win win for me.

I had this book on my night table for 3 weeks and could not finish it.  I'm sure the author is representing the atmosphere of the talent shows accurately but it was a most frustrating reading experience.  About half way through I read the last few pages to see how it turned out but I was done with the insanity for Zack of competing, being far away from Reese and the unwanted attention from Zoey.

Sharing at Share Your Cup #218 hosted by Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs Olson.

Normandy Life #8 - Garage Sale Finds

I found these red, green and gold plaid Christmas place mats at a large community garage sale last weekend.  They look brand new and were a steal at .10 cent each.  The washed up beautifully. They work very well here with my red table cloth.  The ones I have had are headed to the second hand store.

This is a single blue and white dinner plate I bought recently for a couple dollars.  It is Liberty Blue - Independence Hall original copper engraving of historic colonial scenes printed on Staffordshire Ironstone.  I paired it with my IKEA Cobalt Blue cup and saucer on a warm blue table runner.  I used a white Battenburg Lace napkin to provide contrast against the blue table runner and the plate.

I bought this tea cup to pair with my Sadler tea pot.  It needed to be a warm background tea cup to work with the pink tea pot. It has roses and gold gilding which the tea pot has as well so it will work well.

You will see the table runner under the tea cup which is woven with some shiny threads.  I'm sure it is wool and is very soft and luxurious. Again, a find at the garage sale for a couple of dollars.  It has a great fringe.








Sharing with Mosaic Monday hosted by Maggie at Normandy Life.

Share Your Cup #112

These are crystal tree ornaments for our Christmas Craft sale in November.

They are octagon chandelier crystals connected with brass wires and measure about 3 inches. I have added some gold organza ribbon hangers to make them easier to hang on the tree.

They will make any tree sparkle and shine during the Christmas season.

I made sixteen which I will donate to raise funds for mission work.

This was lunch today featuring fresh garden tomatoes from my Mom's garden. 

I toasted two slices of multi-grain bread. 
I then added some old cheddar cheese and melted it under the broiler.
I sliced a nice fresh tomato which I layered onto the slices and seasoned them with salt, pepper and a bit of greek seasoning. 
The sandwich was placed on a blue glass plate which is Luminarc France - Avon Royal Sapphire glass.
I had cup of Masala Chai tea in a nice yellow mug which coordinated with the charger plate. 

I finished this book Maeve Binchy - Scarlet Feather this week.  My aunt passed it onto me recently and it was an excellent read.

I will have to check out some of the other titles by this author.  She passed away in 2012 at the age of 71 and she had written 37 titles I believe.



Tea tonight was decaf Earl Grey with a few chocolate cookies.

The tea cup is Countryside in blue by Wedgewood.  The saucer for the teacup was not included when I purchased the plates from the thrift store so I substituted a plate white saucer.   The white tea pot by Stokes is just right for evening tea.

I'm working on a macro photo for a challenge on Flickr.  We have to take a photo of an object on a mirror.  I've not done that before so I'm taking some practice to get a great shot.

Here's is a teardrop crystal from a chandelier on a mirror.  We cannot include the edges of the mirror.  I will have to search the web for samples.

Sharing with Carol at Art and Sea for Share Your Cup #112.

Share Your Cup #201 - This week

I have been looking for some blue and white patterned plates to coordinate with the rest of my dinner ware collection. They had to be smaller than the luncheon plates but not a saucer.  I found these at the second hand store last week and they are perfect.  The right blue, the right size and the right price.  Unfortunately, there are only 2 so I will keep looking.  They did several patterns in the blue so chances are good I will find something.
They are vintage blue transferware dessert plates made by Myott, England 1940-1950s in the pattern called The Hunter measuring 7 inches in diameter. The ironstone plates have a rural scene with a hunter and his dog coming home.  I love the fluted rim which adds just a bit more to the presentation.

At the same time I found these gorgeous small square yellow bowls.  They are really nice.  Just the right size of a dessert.  I scored 5 of those.  They hold 1/2 cup so they would work well for yogurt and berries, pudding with fruit, hummus with veggies, fruit salad, and a bunch more.

My aunt and I took in the James Taylor concert last night.  Some of the songs were familiar and the crowd was chilled and well behaved. We took the train to the venue and managed to leave just a tad early to beat the rush on the train home.

It was a good experience.

On one of  my walks this week I left a little earlier because I had a full day of things to do.  I was rewarded with seeing a hot air balloon flying over the river valley while the temperature was cool and the winds were calm.

I took a picture of this cobalt blue glass vase on the window sill at my aunt's house. She has a lovely collection of this glass the the light was making it look pretty.


Joining Share Your Cup #201 with Carol at Art & Sand.