Tasha Tudor Day~2020

Today was Tasha Tudor's birthday. She would have been 105 years old. Our Tasha groups enjoy honoring her in some way on this day. Of course, 2020 has changed the way we celebrate everything. Our Pacific NW Tasha Tudor Chapter can't gather together due to this continuing virus. My friend Ann invited me to do a Zoom virtual tea party to celebrate and I agreed. We had a great time. It was a bit different but we managed to talk for 1 1/2 hours.

I used my Pink Luster Ware dishes for the tea. This is the first time I have used this tea pot. You have to be a bit careful with this china as it is very old. I make the tea in another pot and when it's a bit cooler, I pour it into this teapot.

I have several cup and saucers to use. It's always hard to pick one.

I had out out a few of my Tasha books. A Time to Keep was one of the first books I got and I still love it.

My assortment for tea time. I used almond flour and found ways to cut the carbs. Its hard but I'm learning. Of course I did treat myself to a little chocolate.

Chicken curry on apple slices and cheese bites.

Almond flour blackberry scone drops and almond flour brownies. The brownies were a big gooey.

Little tomatoes from our garden. I stuffed some with herb cream cheese.  The cucumbers are filled with an egg salad mixture. These were all very yummy.

Watermelon hearts...yummy.

This is a silly photo I snapped of Ann while she was saying "Tasha"! She lives in Mississippi and woke up to a tornado warning this morning! Thankfully, she didn't loose her power so we had our Zoom meeting.

I made this little banner last night for my wonderful dollhouse. I will have to do a post on this as I haven't been posting much. My Tasha doll and Lilly are having a little party and tea time too.

I love the little shawl she knitted for Lilly! Looks like fall is coming. Ann picks wonderful books for me.Isn't the little fabric teacup darling?

These are the gifts I sent to Ann and her Tasha doll. It was fun to make things too. I loved making the little apron out of a vintage little girl's slip. I made the tea wallet, the card and covered the little box with ephemera.

The Purple Heart

My friend Ann is an interesting woman, loving person, very giving, extremely smart, so encouraging and just a wonderful friend. I first met Ann a few years back when she joined my Take Peace group. This is a group who loves Tasha Tudor and is keeping her legacy very much alive. I was matched up with her on a Christmas exchange. Group exchanges are so fun as you really get to know your partner. You know how you just kind of click with certain people? Well, Ann and I just clicked.
Last year, we both experienced very difficult health issues. Ann actually almost didn't make it.It's often at those times that you realize how much a friend means to you. Well, the struggles we faced only brought us closer together.
Ann is an Episcopal minister. She retired last year, another difficult part of her journey. We are currently working through the book Woman of the Bible. It's a year long study and it's great to be sharing it with a friend. Her insights on life and her experience as a minister bring a different dimension to our bible study. She is so open and honest.
So, we have become very good friends. We have never met in person yet, but we intend to!
Today, I got a delightful card in the mail with a little purple knitted heart! So sweet. She sent me a print out from her blog about this adventure. She award little hearts to people who do special or caring things and really don't get credit for it. We don't need to get credit or recognition but how nice to be surprised by this sweet little gesture.

So she awarded me with one and it arrived in the mail today. I was so touched, I cried. Things like this are so dear and are very encouraging.

So, go out there and spread some joy or happiness or help. Who knows, you may get a purple heart.
Thank you sweet Ann.

Happy Birthday Tasha Tudor! Our Pacific NW Tasha Tudor Society Gathering

Today is Tasha Tudor's birthday! She would have been 102 years old. As her fans, many of us like to remember her on this day in some special way. This year, we have a very magical weekend celebration with our Pacific NW Tasha Tudor Society group. Two of our members, Joyce and Carla, offered to have the meeting at their homes in Puyallup, WA.

Diane and Sue met me in Longview, WA at 8:30 am Saturday morning. We left my car at Diane's brother's house and off we went! We were a wee bit early, so we stopped at a thrift store and Sue got some books for her classroom.

We arrived at Joyce's darling home around 11:00 am. Robin and her neighbor Erika joined our group.  She has a lovely home, filled with antiques, toys and DOLLS! She was so eager to share it all with us.

Joyce is such a Tasha Tudor collector and has been for many years. She made this Tasha doll years ago and it is so cute. It was fun to listen to her tell us the story how she made the doll. Several pieces of the doll furniture was made by Seth Tudor, Tasha's son who built Tasha's home.

Look at all the fun items on top of the corner shelf! There is so much in these two rooms to study.

The stove is just wonderful and to die for!

I am lucky enough to also have a little spice cabinet like this one that was made by Seth too.

Of course, you need to have a corgi in the dollhouse!

I loved the crockery...especially the teapot. What a great job Joyce.

This is the doll that Marjorie Tudor, Tasha's DIL made for Joyce. It is a representation of Joyce as a little girl. She has made clothes for this doll from photo's of herself as a little girl....charming.

Joyce is so sweet...she put this wonderful redwork quilt out on her bed just for me! Oh, it is just fantastic. It is in excellent condition too.

In another room, you will  find more fun things...a little bedroom scene and more dolls!

This sweet little child's bed used to sleep her preschool children when she ran her little business. Now it is enjoyed by very large baby dolls.

I loved this story! This chair was made by Seth. Joyce had been to an event and Tasha was sitting on a chair like this. When Joyce returned home, she decided she really wanted it! When she called Seth, he said he had 2 chairs and couldn't remember which one Tasha had been sitting on! So, they had Tasha sit on it and he took a photo to send along with it. When she received it, she dressed up and had a picture of her sitting in the chair too.

She framed both photos. Isn't that fun?!

She has darling child size items in the little area where she once ran her daycare. Oh, I loved everything in that room!!!

How about this stove?

Rub-a-dub-dub....three babies in a tub!

After we got to enjoy the downstairs, she took us one by one, up to the attic. Oh my....more dolly treasures. Diane is enjoying some of the goods and hearing a good story from Joyce. Can you see the clothes behind Diane? That little red coat was SO adorable!

This cabinet was the home of small dolls and her Hitty.

After everyone had a chance to be overwhelmed by toys and dolls, it was time for our picnic. The weather was nice, a bit warm, but we were happy to be outside. The lunch was so good, cold cuts, bread, Tasha's baked beans, blueberries, watermelon, pasta salad, yummy kale salad and a great iced tea.

Of course, the dollies were invited and they also had a yummy picnic. Such a variety and so many nice dolls.

Joyce has a lovely garden with all kinds of fun things to look at.

We went down a little pathway and found the Secret Garden.

Look what was in the secret garden...the outhouse is actually where she stores her garden tools. Pretty funny.

Our sweet hosts....Joyce and Carla. I caught Carla with her eyes almost shut but I still like this photo. Carla made their aprons.

After we finished up our lunch, it was time to travel over to Carla's home...two blocks away. But first, we made a stop at Erika's home to see her special dolls. Oh my, such beauties.

She was also selling a few dolls as she is down sizing.  I did have to take one home. I will feature her at another time.

All the little ladies traveled over to Carla's home too. Our hosts had goodies very similar to our goodies...they even had churned ice cream, as we did! They also had a floating cake...a Tasha birthday must have!

Can you see the cake floating in the little tub?

Carla's garden is also amazing. She keeps chickens and has these doves that sound like the are laughing.

And here is our floating cake...so clever and pretty cute idea.

Robin and Diane are enjoying some of Carla's lovely Tasha books from Japan. I have never seen most of these.

Carla has not been a doll person. She enjoys gardening and loves Tasha's work, but has never gotten into the dolls. Now she has made two of the china dolls from the kits that were put out sometime ago. She made the clothes the dolls are wearing.

The ladies also had a craft for us. I love this photo of Diane, laughing as she was trying to separate the embroidery floss. We were all laughing with her.

Carla is stuffing her little corgi fabric dog with lavender.

Sweet Sally the corgi wanted to be a part of everything!

Our project supplies....

The finished projects.

The dollies were finishing up the afternoon visit and each had a can of pop! I had to laugh when I went back to look at them.

We packed up and said our good byes and Diane, Sue and I took off for our hotel in Bellevue. We made a stop at Hobby Lobby and boy was that fun. I have NEVER been to one, so it was a treat. Of course, we all found a few treasures. We got checked in at the Red Lion and went out for dinner. We all crashed when we got back.

We had breakfast in the morning and then went to the doll show.

Erika and Joyce met us there to join in the fun. They know a lot of dealer, so it was fun. Actually, about 6 vendors were ones that I buy from at the Portland Doll shows, so that was fun to see them  in a different place. I also met a dolly friend there from home and we were so surprised to see each other.

I just got the biggest kick out of Diane...it was her first time at a doll show. It won't be her last. Doesn't she have the best smile?

The hotel gave us an late departure time, so we went back to our room and had show and tell before we left. Poor Sue, a elderly lady needed CPR at the show and Sue stepped in to help her. It was scary. I was so glad Sue was there, but it was upsetting to her after it was all over.

We hit a Starbucks and another Goodwill on the way home. More books for Sue!

We had a full trunk and a full car! Oh what a fun weekend.

These were my party favors and my hostess gifts for my friends.

Daphne and Gretchen sure had fun. They were so pleased to have new clothes for the party.

We are hoping to plan a fall event and are thinking ahead to spring.

Well, Happy Birthday dear Tasha Tudor.