LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

Hello Ladies! Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday! February is upon us, with Valentine's Day just around the corner! Next to Christmas and Easter, it is my favorite month. Love is in the air and we all act just a little foolish. I love it! I was with Noah at Target this week and he was willing to pass up a toy for himself to get a Princess wand for his mother and me (3 in a package, one for him too.) He told me his heart would be broken in half if he could not buy this with his own money. (He has no money, he's three!) When I finally said yes, he wiped his tears and said "Grandma, you are so useful." Isn't that what we all want to hear from a man? When we got home, he hide them so he can give them to us on Valentine's Day! It was his big secret. He told his Mom all about it, but she could not guess what the gift was until Valentine's Day! He is so cute! Right then and there, we all decided we had to take him on a date for Valentine's Day!



While I am think about celebrating, we have a winner of the 4th Blog Birthday! Drum roll please . . .Brenda of http://downmemorylalalane.blogspot.com/ Down Memory La La Lane. Brenda is new to blogging and has recently started joining us for Tea Cup Tuesday! Congratulations! Please email me with your information!
I will be having another Giving Away next week. To celebrate 700 plus followers. This will be open to just followers, so if you are not a follower, this week is your chance.



This is 98th Tea Cup Tuesday for Terri and I! Can you believe it? I thought I would show you this wonderful Tea Set by Aynsley. It reminds me of love. It was purchased for a Wedding Shower, I gave Vanessa and her husband, so many years ago. They were so in love. Her husband told me yesterday, that he loves Vanessa more today than he ever did when he first married her. A Mother cannot ask for more!




What says "I love you" better than a rose? This next tea cup is a Taylor and Kent, Longton, England. I love the single huge rose that covers this amazing cup. It is so very rich looking. Love the white with the pink center, almost like candy!





This next cup also features a beautiful single rose. It is a common set you might have seen. It is by Roy Kirkham, Redonte' Roses, Made in England. I am lucky enough to have the tea pot too. Since I usually only buy my cups at estate sales and thrift stores, I do consider myself lucky to have both. I purchased the tea cup first and a few years later, found the tea pot.





Did I ever tell you I collect Vanity Boxes? You guessed it, I do! It is my fourth largest collection. I going to be sharing them with you this month.



Here is Mr. Linky for this week. You know what to do. Please visit Terri, she just put a new face on her blog and it is beautiful. If you have not had a chance to purchase the new Shabby Lanes Magazine, take a peek. I have a two page feature it in I would love to have you read. Here is my lastest listing, on Pretty Vintages Things! Great for Valentine's Day!



May your week be filled with love. Hugs, Martha

FOR THE LOVE OF WHITE!

Hello dear friends! Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday No. 97. Hope you had a wonderful week. So sorry for being late, my computer has been giving me so much trouble. It has been chilly and rainy in Los Angeles. We have needed the rain so I am thankful. When I look at the garden it literally looks like the plants are Praising God for the rain. This is the last week I will be sharing my January cups. Next week, I will have to begin to bring out Valentine decorations. Noah will be asking about them, since his mother already has her home ready for February. Oh, before I forget, Vanessa is doing very well. Thank you so much for praying for her. It is wonderful how I can count on you for prayers. I am very honored to have such fine friends. I have to show you this picture of Noah. He is wearing a Green Power Ranger Costume that I made for his Uncle Kyle, when he was 5 years old. My little Noah is three. Isn't he the cutest?



I have a lot to share with you this week, so I will get started with my first tea cup, it is a Clarence from England. I love the shape of this cup. The fact that it is black and white makes it that much better! Just look at the lovely gold details on this cup.




This next cup is a Roslyn from England. Very simple white designed with gold trim. Classic! Love the dainty thumb rest!




Did I ever tell you I collect Milk Glass? Well, you guessed it I do! I especially love the very ornate Milk Glass. Throughout this post you will see various pieces of this wonderful depression glass.






My next cup is a classic design. This gilt on white cup and saucer by Haviland Limoges, is made of French Limoges porcelain. This is a simple cup, heavily decorated, by hand, with gold and it is a trio to boot! That wonderful, vintage butterfly brooch is also a prize. One like it is on the cover of a Costume Jewelry for Collector's Book. Needless to say, one of my favorite pins!



This next cup is a antique German Cup. It has some loss to gold gilt due to it's age, however, I think it just adds to it's beauty. It is one of those cups with messages. This one reads "Present." That cute little girl in the frame is my Princess Maya. She loves to take pictures and never takes a bad one.




One of my favorite tea pot of all time is this beautiful, white, Aynsley. I am planning a post soon where I just share tea pots. They seem to get forgotten. Did I ever tell you I collect tea pots as well? I am sure I have. They tend to get the short end of the stick. I will fix that soon.



Don't forget, Noah picks the winner next week of this wonderful tea cup. Signing my guess book at Pretty Vintage Things also with get you extra chances. For all the information, read the January 2nd post. Thank for all those entries.




Here is Mr. Linky for this week. Terri is sharing some beautiful Romantic cups that you just must see. Terri and I are both hopeless Romantics, February is our month. Here are a couple of projects I have been working on. They are the cutest candle holders. If this computer permits, I will be listing them in my shop today. Remember if you are a follower you do get a discount.




As I say goodbye for another week, I will share a couple of wire pieces that I just love. I know I have told you I collect wire!




Remember you are loved! Hugs, Martha

MORE JANUARY TEA CUPS & A GIVEWAY CONTINUES!

Hello Ladies! Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday No. 96. Here we are in the middle of January already. It seems like we just finished up with Christmas. I want to thank you for your prayers, I do feel like I am getting better. I get a blood test this week just to make sure. God is so good to us. My daughter, Vanessa (Noah's Mom) is still sick, so please continue to pray for her.



As I share more January tea cups with you, I want to also share other collections along the way. My very first cup is a Castleton. It was Made in the USA and the pattern name is "Royal." I am lucky enough to own the matching demitasse. They were a gift from my husband, years ago. He purchased them for me in San Diego. They are still one of my all time favorite cups, they are so classy looking.




Did I ever tell you I collect glass baskets? Well, you guessed it, I do! I have them in every color you can think of, but one of my favorites are the lead crystal and the clear depression glass baskets. This next cup is a vintage Fostoria cup. It is an etched cup, Elegant Depression Glass. Just like my baskets, they look wonderful as part of the January Decor.





The next two cups I am going to share with you are all white. This first one is a Coalport. I scrapbook and have a gadget that will make paper look just like this cup looks. It is really very beautiful, much better in person than in my pictures.




You will notice I did not add jewelry to these last to cups. Did I ever tell you I collect shoes? Well, I do and I want to start sharing them with you. I these shoes are "Just Right", but I have beautiful porcelain shoes as well. This last cup is a Wedgewood. It is has a beautiful rose lace trim.




Here is this week's Mr. Linky. I want to thank you for your faithfulness to this weekly party. I just love looking and reading your wonderful stories and drooling over your cups. You make it so special. Don't forget to visit Terri, she promised us a new cup this week. I can't wait! Don't forget I am still having the giveaway. You can get more information on January 2, 2012 post. Signing the Guest Book on my website will also get your name added one more time. Noah will pick the winner from his Pirate Hat on the last Tuesday of January!




This last picture is a beautiful American Glass Bowl. It is known as flint glass, sun glass or purple glass. When they are placed in a sunny window or otherwise exposed over time to the rays of the sun they turn lavender and eventually really purple. Most the glass was made prior to ca. 1915 when most, but not all, glass companies ceased using manganese and substituted selenium as the clearing agent. Heisey, Duncan & Miller, Fostoria, Cambridge and Imperial glass companies are some exceptions. These pieces have become highly collectible. I am selling some of my collection, including this pedestal bowl on my website.




Have wonderful week! Hugs, Martha

BEAUTIFUL BLACK & WHITE TEA CUPS!

Hello Ladies! Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday, No. 95. Hope you had a wonderful week. I finally finished packing away my Christmas things. I have been running a little late due to health reasons. I do believe I am on the mend and my energy level is coming back. I received a message from Wanda Lee and Pam. They are the two wonderful ladies that host 'Teapot And Tea Things Tuesday', as well as, 'Tuesday Tea For Two', a weekly blog tea party. They are going to stop blogging because of personal reasons. I for one will greatly miss their beautiful tea parties. They always raised the bar for beauty. Ladies you will be missed!



As I mention, illness really hit me hard this past week. I had some serious problems with my kidneys and would appreciate your prayers. I do believe I am getting better. I have some wonderful cups to share with you this week. The first is this a EB Foley, pattern name FLORENCE ROSE. I love the black and white cups. This one is one of my favorites. The rose on the inside looks so amazing.





Cup No. 2 is a Royal Stafford, England. I do not know if you can tell by the pictures, but the black body of this cup has a matte, satin finish. You don't see that very often. Love the gold trim on the bottom as well as on the handle of this cup.




My third cup is super amazing. It is a Mitterteich, from Bavaria, Germany. The pedestal bottom is shape like a crown. It has a wonderful shape to it. I was so excited when I found this cup a few years ago.






The last cup I will share this week is a New England Toile from Tabletops Unlimited. It is not fine china, but I do love the Toile look of this cup. It is hard to find pretty black and white cups so I could not resist this one.




I do want to thank you all for your well wishes on my 4th Blog Anniversary. Please continue to leave your comments. Each new comment will add your name to the Pirate Hat! For more information on this give away please view this post for more information Monday, January 2, 2012, HAPPY NEW YEAR WITH A GIVEAWAY! This post will tell you how you can add to your chances of winning this fun cup!



Here is this week's Mr. Linky. Please visit Terri, I know she will have wonderful new cups to share with us. Her cups are always amazing. Did I ever tell you I collect vintage, lead crystal? Well, I do! I use a lot of it during January because my house colors are white, black, silver & crystal. You will be seeing various pieces this whole month! I know some of you have already gone into February colors. You are just too together!




Have a wonderful week. Thank you so much for adding me to your prayers.

Hugs, Martha