Tea Cup Coaster Project

There are three of us working on Tea Cup Coasters for the Mother Daughter event our womens group is planning for May.

We have shared fabric and lace and the sewing machines have been whirring.

The original pattern for these can be found at The Enchanting Rose blog where Stephanie has posted the details. Follow this link. UPDATE:  You can find the pattern here.

We are using fusible interfacing which is a bit heavy and I was concerned about trying to turn that over in the seam.  One of the other ladies offered the suggestion of making the interfacing only the size of the finished cup.  That is working wonderfully.  So I cut my fabric to 5 inches, cut my interfacing to finshed size, fuse it to the wrong side of the front piece.  I then sew the lace which provides a mechanical connection between the fabric and interfacing should the glue release over time.  I add my handle, sew around, turn it over, iron flat.  I then start my over stitch in the lace where the join will not be obvious. Go all the way around. Done!

I am working on a small tag to go with these that will encourage those using the coaster to encourage someone who comes to mind and heart while they drink their tea.

Our count is 54 and we are aiming for 80.  Over halfway there.




They are so cute!!

Sharing with the following:

Bernideen's - Friends Sharing Tea

Ruth - Tuesday Cuppa Tea 



Have a great day!

Share Your Cup - This Week

The tea cup coaster project is a go!  I am very excited.
A quilter friend who is helping on the project injected some new fabric small pieces. Some were 5" squares left over from some of her projects and some is small pieces of yardage. 
I expect I will make a couple from each fabric and return the fabric back to her. I have a few more options to use now.   Now to select a solid for the back and lace.

Check out this tea related fabric.  This will make fabulous tea cup coasters!







This is the book on my bed side table these days.  It was slow at he beginning but it is now picking up.  A little girl living in near this large lake. There is a hermit lady in village which she befriends. There is death and long lost loves.


I went searching for an image of this book and it was published with at least 5 different covers.  I wonder why that is?  Makes it hard to recognize.




This was the DIY project for this week.  I have been wanting a cast iron fry pan for a while.  The price was right so I brought it home but it needs a lot of work before I will be cooking food in it. It will entail a full restoration.

I will keep you posted on my efforts and results.

Mini Crustless Quiches Muffins

You may remember a couple weeks ago that I shared having this type of nibbly at our monthly fellowship event. I thought they were delicious and decided I would give them a try. I did not get the recipe so I found the one linked above.  They were not as great as the others but it may have been seasoning or the lack of meat.  I made them for Shrove Tuesday.

I have asked for the recipe and will keep you posted.

Sharing with Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson - Sharing Your Cup #238. 

Mosaic Monday - Valentine's Day

I have been working on my digital photography editing skills. (One of my goals for 2017)  I started out with an image I put together while I was working on a challenge on my Flickr group.  I have been gathering texture images and I was fortunate that my sister gave me a piece of cheese cloth last time I was there so I took a photo of it against black and white backgrounds.  The other layer that I added was an image of a frozen pond with horizontal textures.  This week I learned how to create an editing mask so that I can reveal my main elements through the 2 textures I had applied over them.  Wishing everyone a nice Valentine's Day.

I was out to visit my Mom and Dad on the weekend and I shared with her my Tea Cup Coaster project.  She donated several small pieces of fabric toward the cause.  I really enjoy making them. Now I have a good variety of fabric designs to ensure they are all unique.

This was breakfast this morning.  A cup of Raspberry Thriller tea in a small bone china teacup set.  Rye bread toast with peanut butter and Raspberry Jam.  I used one of the napkins I received from Margie at Tea in the Valley in her blog give away.  Pink was the color scheme and it fit right in.  I placed a Battenburg lace heart at the top of the placemat which has a saying about grand daughters. A pink stained glass angel set in a wooden base stands at the top of the place setting.

I am joining Maggie who hosts Mosaic Monday #27.

Tea with Lemon and Sewing

I had tea with lemon.  This cup was set up for a photo challenge I had on my Flickr account which was lemon. 
I made a pot of Jade Citrus Mint in my fluted clear glass teapot with an infuser.  I filled the crystal bowl with lemons. These are artificial but I would like one day to have glass ones.  The glass honey jar was added then I poured a cup into my Steeped Tea clear glass tea cup.  I created a twist of lemon with a slice cut to the center and one end flipped.  All set up on a green napkin.











I've made several more tea cup coasters.  I just love to make these so my collection is growing so I hope they get the nod for our May women's event but nothing more on the front.

This week meant a trip to the library.  It was so cold that I did not really want to venture out but one book had a hold on it so it had to be returned.  I dressed up and hit the road. It was better getting around than I thought at frigid temperatures. 

I took this book out of the library.  It was a pretty quick read.  With card making in decline I guess I have been toying with the idea of doing sewing to sell.  This book provided a lot of food for thought about product, pricing, materials and venues for selling. 

I was not convinced yet that I could make it with this venture.  I'm enjoying sewing for now so it will be a hobby for now.

With that said I would like to try making a Open Wide Zippered Pouch.  I love that you have full access to the contents of the pouch.  I would not be patchworking the outside. 

I was encouraged that a couple of my sisters are enjoying their Scrap Sacks I made as Christmas gifts.  I think they are a way too cool idea so there will be a few more of those made.

Did I say it's been COLD!  I have been hibernating more than I should.

Sharing with Share Your Cup #235 hosted by Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson










Friends Sharing Tea hosted by Bernideen

Tuesday Cuppa Tea hosted by Ruth

Share Your Cup - This Week

I've made some more tea cup coasters because they are fun to make. You can find the link to the pattern in this post.  I'm not sure how I made one facing the other direction.  It was not intentional so I will have to work on the process to figure it out, then write it down.  These feature subtle and bright fabric.

I have decided to include some relaxation into my life regularly.  The tool I have chosen is coloring so I bought my self a small book. 

I used watercolor pencils on this fish page.  I bought them for a class I am giving in the spring and I wanted to try them out to see how they worked.  I colored them just as I would with colored pencils. 

Once done, I used a paintbrush with a bit of water to blend all the colors.  It makes the image well colored as any white space is given color with the water.  This paper is not the weight needed for much water and you can see the wrinkled edges.  I had to iron it flat once it had dried. 

I am happy with the results.  It took longer as the design was quite a bit more detailed and the water color added some time.

I spent some time viewing art with my aunts. 
One of the most interesting pieces was an art piece with with this kit designed by Victor Vasarely (French/Hungarian, 1906–1997) Planetary folklore Participations no. 1 , 1969. Mixed media sculpture edition plastic, paper, metal 20 x 20 in. (50.8 x 50.8 cm.)
The plastic pieces are held in place by magnets in a black metal box frame. The pieces can easily be re arranged to create a new piece of art.  I loved the concept.  I found these images on line as photos were discouraged.

I have been sewing too.  

Car Litter Bag

The piece of fabric on the left with the marbling pattern was too small to make a litter bag. I combined it with red fabric for the outer bag and chose solid red for the liner bag. 
I have been trying to decide how to design the way the bag is held in place in the car.  I have decided to make fabric ties of 12" as well as include a loop in the center.  Some cars have a hook in the foot well which is works nicely to hold this type of bag.  Again, it holds a produce bag placed inside a plastic container which makes the opening always open and the litter in the produce bag can just be tossed when it is full. 

 

Scrap Sack

This one is made of turquoise butterfly fabric with a pale yellow liner. 

Sharing with Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs. Olson - Share Your Cup #233.

Tea Prize and Stuff

I won! This is a yellow and blue tea towel with a teapot on it!  It was part of the blog give away from Margie at Tea in the Valley for her 2 year blog anniversary.  She was so generous and I will include items over the next few weeks.  Blue and yellow are my kitchen colors so it will fit right in.


This is the first page of my Tea Time Photo Calendar.  The bright green cup is my sister's and she picked the peony while I did a photo shoot at her house. 






I bought myself a small crystal bowl to be filled with wonderful things.  My inspiration is a bowl I saw at my friend's house. 

I checked out the local craft store for small fake lemons but the price was ridiculous so for now I have blue and white balls.  I will keep an eye out for glass lemons.  Check out the small bird with a very long tail.  Christmas clearance is great!  The bowl is sitting on the platter from the Blue Nordic dishes I received a couple weeks ago.  It is in new condition which means it was not likely used a lot.  Mine is bound to be photographed more than serving food.  Who knows!


This orange is a gorgeous color and it was very delicious.  I cut it into sections and added a chocolate bran muffin for breakfast. 

 I continue to make tea cup coasters.  I have several made so I included one on my table this morning. 
The rock was a gift from a friend and is a good remind to live life grateful. 











Sharing with
Bernideen's Tea Time

Ruth at Antiques and Teacups

Share Your Cup - This Week

I was on the sewing machine again this week.

I made this tea cup coaster from fabric, fiberfill, and lace.  I have been thinking of an event I will be part of in May.  My idea is making these as favors for this event.  I'm hoping to connect with the quilting group in hopes of spreading the work if the concept is accepted.  I would like to pair that with ladies bringing in tea pots which we would use as center pieces at the tables.  This would provide an opportunity for those at the table to learn about the teapot, the lady that brought it and those around the table.  I used the template from Stephanie's blog Enchanting Rose. UPDATE: You can find the pattern here. 

I'm reading this book, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  Ann was looking to change her life to be happier when she was challenged by a friend to write down One Thousand gifts in her life. It changed her life and made her happier.  I would highly recommend it.

I will be teaching this bible study in February.



We had our fellowship group meeting today. 

We had this wonderful dish which was described as a mix between cinnamon buns and french toast. The maple syrup was there for the main dish.
It was very good!!

Fruit is always welcome.  Several books were exchanged which made everybody happy.

It was library week.   I did finish this book within the deadline.  This was a good book with stories about several people who came to a grand house in Ireland which opened as a bed and breakfast.  Some of the stories were intertwined an others were totally individual.  One of them was a woman who had taught at a school for many years.  She was given this trip as her retirement gift.   She was used to controlling all things and could not embrace the experience.  She left early and did not enjoy the experience at all.

The hostess of the bed and breakfast was living her dream after spending many years in a boarding house in New York City.  An experience which stood her in good stead in this new venture.

I would recommend this book.

I found this chair at the thrift store a while back.  It needs to glued and re nailed to be less wobbly.  It  needs a good cleaning but I am not going to change the finish at all.  Of course the fact that it was yellow was appealing and the price was great as well.

I have several goals for photography this year and I plan on using this chair as a prop in my photography.  It could be for a teddy bear, a tea party or who knows what else. It will appear later in the year here on my blog.

Sharing with Jann at Daily Cup with Mrs Olson - Sharing Your Cup #232.

Tea Cup Coaster - Pattern

I see that Stephanie's blog is no longer available so I have put together my pattern for the Tea Cup Coaster. 

It is printed on an 8.5 x 11 sheet.

I have updated the broken links as well.