Aug 28, 2011

COLLECTING TEA CUPS ON A BUDGET!



Hello Ladies: Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday No. 77. Hope you have had a great week. I am still struggling with my back, however, my spirit is in a much better place than last week. Thanks for all your sweet comments and your prayers. It helped a lot. You always are so kind and have an ear to hear me. I know a lot of you had a some terrible weather and I am sorry. We all seem to be on the receiving end of some serious news lately. I am so glad God is in charge. It would be so scary if we did not have His assurance.




It has been so hot here, I hate leaving my home. I did manage to go to an Estate Sale this weekend. I picked up two beautiful teacups, so I am glad I went. This first cup is one of my newly purchased and my new favorite! It is so beautiful. It has the feel of a Belleek. The cup is unsigned. It is so very thin and it takes on the color of whatever it is near. The flowers are enamel and of course, look at all the gold gilding. I love, that part about it the most. It cost me $7. Just amazing. The pictures do not do it justice.




Cup number 2 is also a new cup. It is all hand painted with beautiful violet flowers. It is also a $7 cup. I know I said I was not going to buy any more, but I just had to make an exception with these two. I have been selling cups so I do get a few points for that! There were so many beautiful cups there, it was just too hard not to come home with a couple.




This next cup is a Mitterteich, Bavaria, Germany. You know how much I love ladies. So when this portrait cup came out of the china cabinet, I just had to share it with you. All the gold is hand painted and it looks like the Transferware has hand painted details that were added. It is a demitasse cup.




This next cup is also a Bavarian. It is completely hand painted with pretty pink roses. It is a demitasse cup. I love how the handle has a stem color.




The last cup is vintage California Pottery. I have had this cup for years. I love the scallop shape of the saucer and the cup. It too, looks hand painted.




Here is Mr. Linky. I want to thank you for making this Party so much fun. We have had several new ladies join us lately. Last week was one of our largest party's. I hope to show you Baby Shower pictures next week. I am almost ready! Don't forget to visit the fabulous Terri. Her site is always amazing.





Hugs, Martha

Aug 22, 2011

FEELING & CREATING A MESS WITH TEA CUPS & THINGS




Hello My Tea Cup Loving Friends! Hope you are all having a wonderful week. Our home is filled with the excitement of Baby Shower, Tea Party Menu and projects for my website. I am part of Shabby Lane Shops, and we have been asked to donate 40 Handcrafted items for a big Holiday Boutique. Plus, I am part of a giveaway this same group of stores is having. To make a long story short, I have been crafting like a crazy woman. I am happy to report I finished the 40 items today. Now I can get back to getting ready for a tea party.




I have to confess, I am a messy crafter. I have a craft room and still I am all over my bedroom and part of my dining room. I wish I was not like that. Crafting without a mess is just not in me. On top of that mess, I have the Tea Shower items everywhere. Today, it is not tea cups everywhere, now it is sterling silver, napkins and sugar & creamers, Jam Jars for the all the tables, as well as the boxes I am using for transporting. I am big on order, I don't want to be missing a thing, especially when the shower will not be at my own home, but at my sister home. So, the mess continues!



As luck would have it, my car had to be repaired to the tune of $600. Ouch! Life goes on, I know, but why this month?! That only adds extra pressure. I feel like I need to just talk and talk and talk until I feel better. However, everyone else's problems seem so much bigger than mine this month, so I will wait. I know God calls us to be content in all things, but I hurt my back and everything seems hard. Don't be surprised if I email a few of you and just vent!




So lady's, lets talk tea cups, Number 76 no less! Today I am going to show you more cups that have been long forgotten. I am sorry to say. Last week, I received a comment from Linda, which I thought was a wonderful idea. Linda at http://ladylindateacup.blogspot.com/ was short of space, so she collected demitasse cups. Where there is a will, there is a way, Ladies! A woman after my own heart!




Wasn't last week's Tea Cup Tuesday fun? So many cups that I had never seen before. What about Terri's cup? Amazing! I did some serious coveting last week. As I sat with my daughter today, just waiting for our little baby to give me a kick. Who would have ever thought my baby would be having her own? Cup No. 1 is this vintage, German made "Baby" cup. Since that is all that is on any ones mind around here. I knew I had to show it to you, when I found it.




Cup No. 2, is a cup that is not signed, however the cup and saucer are numbered! That is all I can tell you about it, except it was purchased at a thrift store for $1.49. It is beautiful.




Cup No. 3 is not really a cup at all, it is a vintage bouillon cup by POPE-GOSSER. I have had this cup for ever. It is so beautiful, completely hand painted and just look at those handles! I have used it as a candy dish, soap dish, to hold buttons, you name it, and I have used to display pretties. I have even put a cute little pink Christmas Tree in it one year. I decided to put this cup for sale on my website. I have to thin things out, I just have too! I can't become a special on Hoarders!





My last cup this week is a Shelley, pattern name "Heather." Not my favorite Shelley, I am not sure why, it is pretty. I might just put this one up too. (How many cups do you need Martha?) I think I am in a bad place, say a little prayer for me please!




As I put up this week's Mr. Linky, I have a question I need to ask. How can I make tea for 50 ladies all at once? I would like to serve at least 3 different flavors, but how? Help, please. Thanks!



Have a great week! Sorry for the talk, talk, talk, I will be better next time. Don't forget to visit Terri's her site is a must! (I think I must have told you I collect Ladies!) Hugs, Martha

Aug 14, 2011

SURROUNDED BY BEAUTIFUL TEA CUPS!



Hello Ladies! I hope you are all having a good week. Our summer is coming to a quick end. The older I get, the fast time goes by. I see my grandchildren grow right before my eyes. Did I tell you I am going to be a Grandma for the third time next month? The excitement grows day by day. I am in the process of preparing a High Tea for one of my daughter's baby showers. My home looks like a tea house. I have tea cups everywhere. Trying to decide which ones I will use for the party. Being very ADD, a new problem develops, as I am also rearranging things, as the tea cups come out. Which presents problem number 3, do I really need all these cups? Which cups do I no longer want to keep? It feels like "up-grade" time. So, as you can see one project opens another project. Today I feel like the "Tazz", just watching the wheels go round and round!



With tea cups literally every where I turn, I just could not decide which ones to show you. So, I made the executive decision! You will only see demitasse cups today. Did I ever tell you I collect demitasse cups? Well, you guess it, (you are so smart) I have quite a large collection of these stunning little beauties. "Let's just pretend" (to quote Noah) they are regular size tea cups and enjoy them today.



I am going to start with my favorite Haviland, Limoges. The beautiful teal cup has a ribbon shaped handle. I am pretty sure this is my favorite "little cup." For the shower, each table will have different color demitasse cups for center pieces. I like using matching colored cups with baby pink roses. It looks so pretty. I promise to take lots of pictures.




In my master plan for this post, I was going to only show you Limoges cups, however, I purchase this cute little thing this weekend at an estate sale. It has no name, is very delicate, and I just fell in love with it. The porcelain is almost see through. I love the scalloped edges and the little thumb rest. It has the cutest double row of beading. Just look at that handle, too cute. It was less than a dollar and I would have paid more. It was my lucky day. Did you know that with all demitasse cups, you can always place your finger in the handle?






I have to tell you about this estate sale. I didn't have a lot of money on me (that always happens at good sales). I went up to this building where a sign read, "Please ring door bell." An older lady came to the door and lead me into this large empty room, where there was only very, old dirty clothes. My thought was "I parallel parked for this?" We went into a very dark second room, now I'm thinking, I am going to get mugged because I have an expensive purse! I promise God, I will never bring it again! Just let me live! (No more police shows for Martha!) It was very dark when I entered the third room. As she turned on the lights I saw rows and rows of her mother's collectibles. It was like that scene in Indiana Jones where the Ark of the Covenant is put into a wear-house of the Government for storage. I'm talking glass and china stacked to the ceiling. This woman collected everything any self-respecting collector would want! Everything was so dirty, but so pretty. I left with a large bag full for under $20. I did make the wise decision to always go with someone to dark building that are having estate sales (just in case.)

Ok, back to the tea cups. The next cup is a Tuscan from England. It always reminds me of a large cup because of the print. The flowers are "Old Roses". I can easily see this in a large cup.





Last cup I am sharing with you today is a Coalport. As elegant as only a Coalport can be. Love the handle on this one as well.





It was my son, Kyle's, 22nd birthday with week. He has been celebrating all week. Here he is with Elyse, his girlfriend. The cute little girl, is my Princess Maya. She loves to get into pictures.



Here is Mr. Linky. Ready for you to add your beautiful tea cups to this post. Thank you for being a part of Tea Cup Tuesday No. 75!



I will be adding tea cups to my website "Pretty Vintage Things". Please check out the new items. Hugs, Martha

Aug 7, 2011

TEA CUPS, BLING & LADIES!




Hello Ladies! You know what I love about Tea Cup Tuesday? Well, I am going to tell you. I love that all over the world, there are ladies who love looking at a beautiful tea cups. You appreciate the craftsmanship, the colors, design, how the cup feels in your hands. For years, I felt alone with this passion. The brunt of so many jokes. (How many tea cups do you need, Martha?) Well, no one needs a tea cup, but every one wants at least one. You ladies, appreciate the simple beauty of these lovely cups. You are living proof that everyone wants one. Every Tuesday, we come together. We read about the history of a tea cup or the memories they bring to your hearts and minds. They are a symbol of Romance and Beauty! Here we are each week, loving the fact, that we get to see some pretty awesome tea cups, we may have never seen before.




You know what is so funny? All the magazines are know doing articles on tea cups and having tea. Some of us have been doing it for years. Ladies, we are ahead of our time! Trend setters, that's us. Don't let anyone tell you different or call you crazy because you just have to buy one more tea cup! "That is all I have to say about that!" Forrest Gump quote.




This first tea cup is one of my new favorites! I love it because it is beautiful. I love it because it was given to me by Terri, a lady I simply met on my blog. She loves the things I love and most of all she has a heart to hear. (I love that the best about her.) We got to talking about our love of tea cups one day, next thing you know, Tea Cup Tuesday was born. Terri is so kind and talented, if you don't follow her blog, you should. The cup she gave me is a Royal Ivory by KPM. It is prettier in person. I always think of her when I use it. Thank you Terri, for everything!




Cup number 2 is a A L Limoges, Frances. I had not show you a Limoges in a few weeks and it is time. This cup is very old and is quite large. Limoges cups are always so much smaller. This one is gorgeous!




Cup number 3, is incised POINTONE. It has no other mark, so I am not real sure who made it. Let me know if you know something about it. It has gilted gold and silver flowers with a white background. The inside of this tea cup is pink. The pictures really do not do it justice.




Last but not least is this wonderful large white rose tea cup by Taylor and Kent of Longton, England. It looks like you can almost smell the roses. I have had this one a couple of years. I remember when I saw it at an Estate Sales, I knew it would be mine. It so beautiful filled with tea!





I am a wanna-be Interior Decorator. (In case I have not confessed that before, now you know!) So today, I am also showing you pictures of Ladies that I collect, as well as, more bling. As you know, I am always changing things around displaying my lastest collections. So take a peek, and please let me know how you are doing.



Here is Mr. Linky. You know what you have to do. The picture above is one of four dessert plates or bread plates. These four amazing square plates are Fenton! It was a surprise for me too! They are signed with the pottery mark of a Fenton (Staffordshire) maker called Morley & Fox (1906 - 1944). I am selling these on my website. I told you I have been getting ready for a tea, well, dessert plates are coming out that I totalling forgot about. (I am not a Hoarder!)



Thank you for joining Tea Cup Tuesday No. 74. It would not be the same without you!
Hugs, Martha

This week I was featured at "Launch Your Creativity". Stop by and take a look. I am so excited. :)