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

HAPPY NEW YEAR WITH A GIVEAWAY!

Happy New Year Tea Cup Lovers! Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday, No. 94, our first of 2012. January 1st also marks my 4th year of blogging! When I started blogging, it was just a way to share my feelings. I have always journaled, now I had spell check! (A dream come true!) As I reflect on the ups and downs of last year, I am excited about the New Year. I am looking forward to a year that will be filled with God's blessings! I am so grateful for all the wonderful things that happened in the mist of a troublesome year. These good things are what are going through my heart on this day of annual reflection.




Each day I realized more and more, just how much my friends and family mean me and my dependence on them. Thanks to family and friends, I have felt great depths of compassion, love and encouragement. Regardless of what happened to me, my children circled the wagons to protect me. God gave me some amazing son in laws and a new grand baby, Sophia! Thank you for letting me share my crazy life another year! I am so thankful for the life long friends that I have made in Blogland these last four years!



As we start our first Tea Cup Tuesday for 2012, I want to announce a Giveaway, to celebrate my Blogging Anniversary. Is there a better way to start the year? I hope you like this cup. I think this Lusterware beauty is stunning! Rules to follow are below.




I was so lucky to find an Estate Sale this weekend. Just look what I found. This is an amazingly beautiful Aynsley. Love the teal color and the roses. I was very excited to find this. I am not sure if I even have a dozen Aynsley cups. They are so beautiful and fast becoming my favorite cups. (Don't let the Limoges cups know!)




The next cup I also found at this same Estate, it is a Foley. It reminds me of Terri so much. This cup is so her style. Don't you think? I just love it. For $10, they made me an offer I couldn't refuse.





This next cup is a Crown Ducal, Made in England, "Florentine" pattern. Love the fruit around the rim of this cup. I always do white decor for January. I love the crisp look of a winter white.





Did I ever tell you I collect vintage purses? Well, I do. Here are a few I wanted to show you. Sometimes, I forget what I have (a really bad sign!)

Here is this first Mr. Linky for 2012. Please don't forget to visit Terri, I do believe she is also having a Giveaway too. For mine, the rules are as follows:

1. Become a follower
2. Leave a comment, each one counts.
3. Follow me on Facebook
4. Visit my website and leave a comment there.
5. Let me know what you have done.

Enter as often as you like. Noah will pick from his hat (Pirate) the last Tuesday of January! That gives you four weeks to enter.

For now, Happy New Year! Let's believe God for miracles and have a great year together!

Hugs, Martha

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH!

JESUS CHRIST IS BORN! Merry Christmas! This Christmas Week has gone by so quickly. As I look back on this week, it feels like a big blur. It was delightful just the same. It started with Christmas Tea, shared with my two favorite sister-in-laws, Maureen & Kathy! I never take pictures of food, but I just had to show you this. Everything was served by a "food artist" and it looked as good as it tasted.




Of course, there was Christmas Eve Breakfast, were my children and grandchildren opened presents after we shared a delightful breakfast. My daughter, Vanessa and her husband, Kevin always do the cooking and as usually it was a treat! Everyone is a child at Christmas!







That evening we all celebrated Christmas Eve with the entire family. There are a 23 of us. We to go my nephew's home, that he keeps enlarging each year. His home is so large, we all sat on one long table. The view is spectacular and the food is endless. Our family always likes to entertain each other, this year was not exception. We did Karaoke and laughed until we cryed. By the way, the pipe is a prop, my nephew does not smoke!






For Christmas Day, we had our annual Christmas Dinner with our own police officer, Kevin and his partner, as well as, two of LA's finest EMTs! We have been doing this for the past three years and it is so much fun. Noah gets to ride in his father's police car. He also got to put on some of the EMT's clothes. They truly are Los Angeles finest. The best part was the police escort to the Freeway!




I was so tired today I took a 2 hour nap and forgot about Tea Cup Tuesday. If Terri had not gotten hold of me, I could have forgotten completely. I have a few of my favorite Christmas cups to share with you. You have already seen these but, they are worth repeating. First the Spode cups!



The next cup is the red, English, transferware, love it.



The handpainted Germany cup that hangs so beautifully on the tree.



Don't forget to stop by Terri's this week. She is doing a salute to Tea Cup Handles. Here is Mr. Linky. This beautiful card was a handmade gift from my talented friend Terri!



Have a wonderful week. See you next year! I will be having a give away to celebrate by 4th year of blogging!



Hugs, Martha