Tea Time Tuesday~The Tea Caddy #160

When I was a young bride, almost 44 years ago, Jimmy and I went to an older home in Victoria BC Canada on our honeymoon. The home was a large white house. You had to ring the door bell and wait for someone to come and let you in. The stately lady who answered the door was named Mrs Grant. Her father had been a doctor and she had grown up in the house. She guided us through the house and shared so much with the two young Americans. There was one room that had wooden tea caddies on several tables. Oh, they were so beautiful, but way beyond our price range. Yet, it was fun to learn about tea caddies. I have never forgotten that room full of the wooden little boxes that held the precious tea at one time. They all had locks as the tea had to be locked up at one time, due to the cost of tea.

Last weekend, Jimmy won a beautiful tea caddy on bid at an estate sale! It is so pretty and I was just thrilled to finally own one!

It is made of mahogany and has inlaid brass trim on it. It also has a lock and the key. Notice the little knobs on each side. It has the tag inside...the original price tag. It dates to the late 1800's too. It is very nice condition.

I do believe that Mrs Grant would have approved of our purchase! I shall treasure it forever. Thanks you sweet Jimmy. 

A is for Annabelle Quilt

As most of my blogger friends know, I am a Tasha Tudor fan. I have been since my girls were young and I made my first trip back to Vermont in 2007. I just returned from my 4th trip back for another Tasha event. A is for Annabelle is a sweet alphabet book revolving around a little doll named Annabelle. Most of us have an Annabelle doll and we have developed quite a fine group over the years.

This is Annabelle from the book. She is a French Fashion doll. The event that I just went to was so wonderful. A small group of us were able to meet the doll used as the Annabelle model for the book. The book was published in 1954.

A few years ago, the Tasha Tudor family sold the fabric to honor the book and also put out a quilt kit. My friend Melinda bought the kit and asked me if I would make it. At first I said no, but she did so much for me on my visits back to Vermont, that I agreed. I didn't buy the quilt kit but I did buy a lot of the fabric and may want to make on for myself now!

This is the fabric after I cut it all out and had it labeled to take to a quilt retreat. I actually took it to 2 retreats and spent a great deal of time piecing it.

This is how the kit looked when I brought it home with me in 2015.

You can see the darling fabrics in the set of fat quarters.

This is one of the blocks that I first put together. I had to fussy cut so many pieces for this quilt. It said it was a beginner quilt, but I'm not sure if I would agree.

This photo was from this spring when I finally got all the blocks sewn together and had the top finished. After I got sick last summer, I had to put it away for awhile. When I found out I was going to Vermont in May, I really had to get it all together so my friend Nancy could long arm quilt it for me.

Nancy did an amazing job on it. We chose a busy quilting pattern for the quilt as it really looked old fashion to match the whole thing. This is the label I did for my friend.

This gives you a great look at the overall quilt pattern on the quilt.

I actually gave it to Melinda in our hotel room the night before our event. She was so tired! She was really speechless and delighted. She said she was hoping to snuggle up under it someday in the future with a grandchild. How sweet.

What a gift of love for my friend Melinda. It was quite the project, a learning process and a delight. As I said, now I am so tempted to make on for myself, but not quite yet! 

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing all my blogger friends a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

It's been a busy week and I haven't had much time for blogging. The sun was with us for about 3 lovely days. I got my flowers planted and Jimmy got his veggies in. We should have LOTS of tomatoes. It's been raining all day today...buckets and even some thunder and lightening. We sure didn't have to water the new plants!

It's azalea time in the Pacific Northwest. They are all in bloom right now. I didn't loose any of my azaleas this winter!

I had to replant the flower been under my front window.  I call it my Tasha Tudor garden. Tasha loved crows and every time I hear a crow, I say hello Tasha! I have crows tucked into my little garden.

I love petunias. This is a newer one that I first bought a few years back. I have to have one every year. I do love the colors!

My little fairy girl has been watching over my front flower beds for many years. I love the forget-me-nots at this time of the year. I'm not sure where they will pop up and that's part of the fun.

I do enjoy gardening and love the fresh look that spring time brings.

I will be going to Vermont on Wednesday for a very special Tasha Tudor event. I'm getting excited.

Happy Mother's Day! 

Sunshine, Otto and Imagination Station!

Oh the sun FINALLY came out today! We have been hoping to take Otto to the park on our babysitting day for weeks. We have a great park in Troutdale for kids by the local high school. It was the target of arsons about a year ago which is so sad. The city has plans to rebuild the part that was destroyed. There is still a lot left to be enjoyed.

Otto was excited when Grandma Linda showed up in the morning. Of course we had to play in his room. He has such an imagination of his own that makes me laugh. This is his boat he made out of these little snap together blocks.

He really gets into thing. He was into his Hot Wheels cars today. He wanted me to read the bottom of each car and we learned that some were made in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia! Who knew?

About 11:30 Papa Jimmy came over to take us to the park It was 80 degrees today! Don't you love his new shirt...Little Monster! Not Grandma's little boy.

He was so happy to be outside! He has a new haircut and is ready for summer.

He was catching his breath in the shade here. He found a few kids that he was having fun. I am careful about taking other children's pictures as some parents don't like to post pictures on the internet.

Papa Jimmy and his little man Otto...they love each other!

Otto wanted to jump down and then run run run out into the soccer field. He has grown a lot since last year and can do more on his own.

Yep it was a fun day at the park. He was practicing his rock climbing skills. He would climb up but then want Papa to help him get back down. That's what Papa's are for...right?

Otto was so tired when we left, he just fell on the grown and had had it! Too much fun for an almost 4 year old! It was sure a fun day at the park.