TEA TIME THURSDAY # 3

It's time for TEA TIME THURSDAY once again! Another week has managed to get away from me. Being retired has turned out to be busier than I ever dreamed! I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I have always had a very busy and full life. Never a dull moment here.

I just found the teacup that I am sharing today last weekend at an estate sale. It's a Foley and I love the floral pattern and the soft pink that lines the cup and decorates the center of the saucer. I don't have a lot of blue teacups or teapots as my tea room is all pink, but I do love blue.

This lovely little gold heart box has been with me for a very long time. It was made by Hallmark and when we owned our Menlo Park Pharmacy, Jim gave it to me for Valentine's Day. I loved it then and will always cherish it. I think I've had it for about 30 years or so. I kept the box too.

I picked up this sweet handkerchief at the same sale as the cup and saucer. I liked the little heart in the corner and the pastel colors.

You can see the rose design on the side of the little heart box. I keep small earrings in it and it sits on my dresser.

Jim found these little glass ladies for me several years ago. I love their long dresses. They watch over my special things on the dresser.

Don't forget you have until Sunday February 3rd to sign up for my Valentine GIVE AWAY. I will pick the winner on Monday the 4th.

January will soon be over~I am ready for February and Valentines! How about you?

Tea Time Thursday

 It's TEA TIME THURSDAY! Last  few days to sign up for this GIVE AWAY! The drawing will be on Monday February 4th.

A Sunday Drive

Last Sunday after a drive down to Salem for a few sales, we stopped at our friend's farm stand for some apples and veggies. Pat and Bernie own the stand....THE HITZ FARM. They are such nice people and it's always a kick to stop and visit. Pat was manning the shoppe as Bernie was getting some firewood in back at home. I love all the different kinds of apples. I got some for eating and some for making some apple sauce later this week.

Jim and Pat were enjoying some laughs and just a bit of serious talk about the economy and politics.
Looks like they are having fun, huh? It was wet and chilly but Pat was dressed for the weather.
They make the best apple cider I have ever tasted! Of course, we had to get another jug of that!

They sell filberts and walnuts too. Their walnuts don't look pretty, but they are really good and never bitter.

Lots of apples to choose from! I love apples. Pat and Bernie work so hard and it is a joy to support them. Great prices too.

Thoughts on a Tuesday Morning.....

Just finishing up some computer work on this rainy morning in the North West and having one more cup of coffee before jumping into the day. I find my self thinking about friends this morning. Such a joy in life to be blessed with the gift of friendship.

January will soon be over. I have mixed feelings about the month. It's a lazy month in many ways and I always hope for a bit of snow. It also seems like such a LONG month to me. The days are slipping by and soon it will be FEBRUARY ♡ ! I do love the month of February. It's a full month in our family with Valentines and lots of birthdays to celebrate.

I need to decide what kind of homemade Valentine cards to make this month as I need to start making them. I do love Valentine cards and finding something fun in the mailbox.

Gratitude Sunday~A Warm Fire and a Cup of Cocoa

Is there anything more comforting than a nice warm fire in the winter? I'm liking with Linda at
A LA CARTE for Gratitude Sunday #4. I took this picture last night of the fire in our wood stove. That little stove has warmed our little home for 34 years! We sure would miss it. Everyone loves to come in and warm themselves by the fire! I am always so thankful for the fire in the winter and miss it in the summer.

This is our wood pile outside. Jim has it covered with tarps to keep it dry. We have used a lot this year and the pile is shrinking. We burned quite a bit the last few weeks when it was so cold and windy.

Jim keeps some smaller pieces chopped for me outside to help me start the fire. It's just part of the routine for whoever gets up first in the mornings.

We found a great box for our wood inside by the wood stove years ago. I was born in Yakima WA, so I love this old beverage box.

So, you need a cup of cocoa or hot chocolate to go with that nice warm fire in the evenings. This is an organic one we found in Poulsbo WA at a great market. It's very good!

Ready for a cup? Jim loves whipped cream with his. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. The kids know we like hot chocolate and often give us packets at Christmas. We always have quite an assortment. Come on over for some hot cocoa and a chat by the fire....warm yourself!

Another Valentine Project Finished!

After making my Valentine basket for my table, I decided that I needed a bit of color in the corner of the room. I found an idea on Pinterest using a tree branch with some primitive ornaments. I thought it would be perfect to put it in a crock so I placed some oasis inside to hold the little branches. I found some very tiny stuffed hearts and I added some vintage buttons and and some linen thread for hanging. I found a package of little Valentine items on tiny clothespins that just clipped onto the branches.

A few red and white bows added a bit more color and just finished it off. I covered the oasis with a bit of wool from Montana-compliments of LaVonne's sheep.

I'm having a Valentine Give Away this to celebrate my new Tea Time Thursdays. Be sure and leave me a comment if you'd like to be entered in the Give Away! 

Tea Time Thursday #2 and ♡ Give Away!

Welcome to my second Tea Time Thursday. I am excited to share something "TEA" related each week  and hope that my fellow bloggers and friends will enjoy it too. I have been blogging for two years and I have never done a GIVE AWAY. I know there are several Give Aways being offered right now, but I think it's the perfect time of the year for one, don't you? I'm offering a ♡Valentine assortment of goodies♡ to enjoy.

Please leave me a comment and a way to let you know if you are the winner. The cut off time to enter will be Sunday February 3rd at midnight PDT. I will post the winner on Monday February 4th.

The tea cup and saucer I am featuring today is a simple bone china, white cup with gold trim. It is made in England by the Oakley China Ltd. company. It has a nice scalloped design and a sweet little handle.
It is part of the Give Away.

A Valentine treat must include some conversation hearts! Childhood memories for sure.

Let me list the goodies for you: The white cup and saucer, a charming little package of note cards plus matching tags and pencils, a heart cookie cutter, a little spool of Valentine ribbon, conversations hearts, a great pack of various trims which are perfect for making some homemade Valentine cards, a white tea light holder, a Yankee votive candle (Fresh Cut Rose scent), and of course a package of tea from a great tea shoppe here in Portland OR The Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants.

So be sure and leave me a comment so I know you would like to enter the Give Away. Good Luck.

Do you send Valentine cards? Do you make your own cards? Do you participate in any Valentine exchanges?

Monday, Coffee and My Project Notebook

Good Morning! It's Monday and a brand new week. I do love my tea, but have to have a cup or two of coffee in the mornings to get me going. I was looking at clip art and I found coffee and newspaper combos and had to chuckle. It's a cup of coffee and my computer when I wake up. Guess someone should make some new clipart for us.

Jim's show was a giant success and he was very pleased. He is tired today and sure needs to rest and do nothing for a day. The old winter EAST WIND is blowing hard again so it is a good day just to stay inside.

I haven't talked about my PROJECT NOTEBOOK before. I love keeping one to help me organize my weeks and I like having a place to write down things that I NEED to do and WANT to do. I am retired, but I'm a busy person, so my days are still very full. This is the my second planner and it is fun to keep them and look back over the pages to see what I accomplished. It's also a place where I can put my wish lists and dreams. It's filling up for the week already. Need to pick my dad's quilt up from the longarm quilter, coffee with a friend on Tuesday morning, Bible study on Thursday, Tea Time Thursday, and I have another Valentine project I want to start today. Etsy seems to find it's way on each page.

I hope you have a great week ahead! Stay warm and cozy. Spring seems far away right now.....

Thankful for Books and Libraries

My blogger friend Susan at Writing Straight From the Heart has joined Linda at A La Carte  on Sundays for a nice tradition. Linda is hosting Gratitude Sunday each week and I think it's a great idea to really make you think about how blessed we all are! So, I have decided to link up and join in. This is week #3.

So, I am thankful for books and libraries this week. I am not a good reader nor an avid one, but I do love books! Jim and I go to the local library often for movies and I just get lost and time just stops when I'm in a library. So fun to explore a favorite crafts or a new cookbook...anything! It's one thing I feel like I really get my money's worth from my tax dollar. I know Kindles are the thing right now, but there's nothing like a real book in your hands! I love books.

Below is our beautiful Portland Library called Central Library. It's a lovely building in a park setting downtown. Isn't that a great picture of the interior? It was taken by our local newspaper, the Oregonian.

Last year, out little city of Troutdale got it's own library! We have lived here for 36 years and finally we have a small local library. It's in a strip mall.....quite a contrast from the one downtown!

My friend had this picture on her Facebook page this morning. Don't they look fun?

Jimmy's Exhibiting at Clark County!

It's that time once again....SHOW TIME! Jim is exhibiting at the Clark County Antique and Collectible Show just north of Vancouver WA. He's having a great time "working the crowd" as we all know that's Jimmy's thing. The show runs today and tomorrow. If you're planning a trip, stop in and say hello! He may even give you a discount!

Tea Time Thursday #1

Miss Spenser has decided to end her Miss Spenser's Teacup Thursdays after three years. I am sad but totally understand that Spenser and her mother Donna are so busy running their tea shoppe and their Bed and Breakfast. I really enjoyed featuring a teacup each week and looked forward to seeing what other tea lovers had to share each week. I also met a lot of great bloggers and many have become friends!

So, I had to make a decision about what to do with Miss Spenser gone. I have decided to continue posting on Thursdays, but will change the subject just a bit. I will blog about TEA TIME items and things~teacups, teapots, books, magazines, dolly tea things, tea shoppes, tea, holiday teas, anything related to tea. I shall name it TEA TIME THURSDAYS.

My cup and saucer today is made by Noritake China of Japan. It's such a sweet floral pattern and a bargain that Jim found for me at an estate sale for $1.00.  My mother's china was made by Noritake.

I always get excited about Valentine's Day about this time in January. I guess I need something to look forward to! I love this sweet little handpainted heart. The spoon was a gift from my friend Kristen when she came to visit in December. Isn't it pretty?

I actually bought the other heart when Kristen was here in Oregon for a visit. I found it at the antique mall in Troutdale when we went shopping. I think they look sweet together.

This little rhinestone heart pin is something I found last weekend for my Etsy shoppe, unless I decide I can't part with it.

This little mug is another estate find that I think goes well with the other sweet items today.

So, I will keep having fun on Thursdays with my Tea Time Thursdays. I hope you will visit my blog and continue to share my fun. I think I need to put together a GIVEAWAY for Valentine's!