A Cute Pink Cupcake

I occassionally take my 3 nieces to paint pottery.

It's a quiet, artistic, relaxing and fun time together.

This is something I painted recently at one of our get-togethers.

It's a trinket jar with the top part that can come off.

I just adore how it came out...

sometimes it's hard to tell till after the firing.

BTW-

If you've never painted ceramic pottery before,

 I highly recommend doing it!

It is so much fun!

You will find all sorts of seasonal items to paint, too.

(Makes the nicest homemade gifts!)

And with the biggest gift-giving season

 just around the corner you have enough time to do so...

Think: teachers, mail carrier, pastor, neighbor, hostess gifts, etc.

Happy Pink Saturday!

Click on image below to take you to the to the party!

Also linking to:




(click image above to take you there also)

As always, thanks for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Go Buckeyes - beat Penn State tonight!

Stay #1 and undefeated!!

Whoo Hoo!

Teacup Exchange Part 1 - Margie

Each year, once in spring and once in fall 

sweet Stephanie from  The Enchanting Rose 

hosts a wonderful teacup swap!

This was my first year finally getting in on the fun,

 and what fun it has been!

I sent my first package to Debbie from
"She Graces Her Home" blog
who posted about it here. 

(I forgot to take pics of the treasures, oops.)

I did two swaps this time, so will do two separate posts

so a single post sharing both isn't too large.

I am so blessed and happy she first paired me up

 with Margie from Tea in the Valley blog.

This is what I excitedly opened up:

All sorts of goodies filled that big box up;

wonderful tea-themed everything!

A cute note card with a pic of macarons on it inside a teacup:

Margie knew I loved birds and included this cute tea towel
 in my package of delights:

Here's the other side:

My first and last name starts with an M -
these are simply perfect note cards for me!

This gorgeous ornament pompander will look perfect

 on my all-white-ornament Christmas tree! 

I may have to find fresh cut tree balsam oil for it!
In the meantime this orange scent is amazing!

What a unique lip balm - once again, tea themed!!!
The delights just went on and on!
I am so spoiled!!!!!

Margie mentioned that these delicious coffee crisps
 are quite popular in Canada -

(I have never seen them here in the States.)

Just look at this sampler pack of tea! WOW!

There isn't a single tea I have ever had before,
this has been super fun tasting them all!

I wish each of you could come over to try them with me!

Maple is such a symbol of Canada!

She included an awesome stainless steel teabag drip catcher!

(My husbs, an avid tea drinker, really likes it, too 'cuz it isn't so girlified!) 

But by far the highlight of this exchange was the lovely TEACUP!

She did some research on my blog
and remembered that October is my birthday month!

I have really wanted one of these beauties forever!

I absolutely ADORE this very special teacup by Royal Albert!

(It was wrapped up carefully in that beautiful birdie box!)

Oh, thank you so so much Margie, for all my lovelies!

Be sure to visit her blog when you can!

Again, it is Tea in the Valley.



PLEASE DON'T FORGET
 TO SEE THE OTHER TEACUP SWAP
I HAD WITH TAMMY -
 IT IS PART 2 OF THIS POST!!!
IT'S EASY TO MISS,
AND SHE DESERVES HER KUDOS TOO!



***And a HUGE thank you goes out to Stephanie***
 for hosting such an amazing and fun swap!

Be sure to hop on over to The Enchanting Rose
to see all the participants teacups!







As always, thank you for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Exchange Part 2

Each year, once in spring and once again in autumn 

sweet Stephanie from  The Enchanting Rose 

hosts a wonderful teacup swap!

This was my first year finally getting in on the fun,

 and what fun it has been!

I exchanged in two teacup swaps this time;
 therefore shall have to share them in two separate posts

because a single post is just too large.

I am so blessed and happy she paired me up

 for a second exchange with Tammy!

She wrote me the sweetest note
 on this lovely embossed roses and lace note paper,
telling me a bit about herself.

Isn't this an absolutely gorgeous teacup?

It's a lovely handpainted Japanese teacup & I love it!

I have a somewhat similar one so now have a close 
matching pair for when I have a guest over!
(So come on over, Tammy, let's sip!)

I adore its intricate botanical details
and embellished with such feminine swirls.

Also enclosed was a adorable little teapot spoon
that matches the set so nicely!

Beautiful Christian stickers were included
in her precious exchange gifts for me:

And the sweetest vintage
 embroidered rose runner!

Isn't it stunning!?

And tucked also inside the box was
three beautiful lace napkins.

They are so soft, beautiful and delicate!
I wish you could feel them to know!

And to complete my teatime happiness-
some yummy chocolate raspberry sweets
and a huge sampler box of Bigelow teas!

(A variety pack will come in handy with the holidays coming up!)

Oh, thank you so much Tammy
for my wonderful teacup & exchange gifts!

And a HUGE thank you goes out to
 Stephanie
 for hosting such an amazing and fun swap!

It was a real pleasure to be part of it!

Be sure to hop on over to The Enchanting Rose
to see all the participants teacups!


As always, thank you for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tea Time Tuesday

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

Thinking of you all,

 with thanksgiving in my heart

for your kind friendship.

May your cornucopia be filled to the brim

with life's precious bounty.

May your cup overflow with

 the warmth of love and joy

 all around you-

(and also with comforting hot cups of tea!)

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

 His love endures forever.

                                                                                     

                                                                                          1 Chronicles 16:34

 Let us come before him with thanksgiving

 and extol him with music and song. ♫

                                                          

                                                                                  Psalm 95:2

Enjoy your day, dear friends!

Comments closed.

Pretty Tea Set & Family Goings-on

Greetings to you all!

 I have really missed you!

I have just about enough time today to share a lovely

 china tea set

 my dear friend Mary D gifted me a long while ago ....

 and it is so perfect as Autumn decor,

 or for a lovely fall tea I thought I would share it with you today.

We're having the most perfect outdoor tea time weather,

 but unfortunately there is no time for me to do so. 

In fact, I've not even had time for tea today.

(Is that just sad or what?????)

However I DID grab an ice tea this morning, for the road

and just kept super busy running all day!

That's best I could muster between so much

 work and appointments and tasks

 that are simply long overdue to be finished!

I think the handpainted flowers on this set are stunning.

And I absolutely adore the feet, the fancy gilted handle

 and those sweet finials too!

Mary gave this to me to just

 "take and keep or sell, whatever you do is fine with me!"

Mary is the QUEEN of thrifting -

 no one quite does it better.

So for now I am keeping this to enjoy - but who knows?

I do tend to eventually let go of much of my really beautiful china.

And she understands me.

SHE loves the thrill of the hunt and I love the thrill of the sale!

I only wish she didn't live 3 hours away!

Oh, my goodness, the trouble we could get ourselves into!!!!!

So this past Sunday was 

our sweet little niece Charlotte's Baptism!

That little angel slept through nearly all of her Baptism,

including the Baptismal water fount!

I sat behind her and her momma Angela

and was able to scoot myself around enough

to capture this sweet pic of her sleeping.

We had to miss our nephew's birthday party on Saturday

the day before all this, but here is an amazing

 birthday cake the same Mom above

made for Nathan-the-baseball-lovin-boy!

The entire theme was "Take Me Out to the Ball Game!"

We're talking hot dogs, Cracker Jack, popcorn in little bags, etc.

What a fun party - sure hated to miss it.

The ball players on this darling cake 

are Lego ball players.  : - )

Nathan and his momma Andrea are huge baseball fans.

Like. In. Humungus Cleveland Indian fans.

Here is a cute pic my MIL sent me of him this summer.

Yes. Cleveland Indians hat

 and a big baseball blow-up pool toy.

So now you see what I mean.  : - )

These last two weekends were also two of my nieces'

Homecoming Dances!

Here is my sister's middle daughter, a freshman

going to her first high school dance.

Gosh she sure looks like her momma!

And here is my little sister's eldest daughter, 

who is a sophomore with her boyfriend.

She just got her driver's license

a couple weeks ago, too.

Gosh they're growing fast!

Since most of all this happened within about a week

I will close with my birthday, which was also Sunday.

I met up with my 2 sisters and my 2 daughters 

after the Baptism to spend a much-needed girls'

 night out with dinner, a comedy club and nice hotel

with hot tub and swimming pool.

Here is a pic of my girls and me just before we went out.

My sister Mary Beth captures the best pics with her phone!

And just to show you how the evening progressed

 just after the above one was taken.....

I am not even sure what we were laughing about.

I think we just had joy being together, ya know?

We literally laughed for hours.

And yes, that really is a "Birthday Girl" pin,

along with some pink plastic Mardi Gras beads

my sister brought for me that I am wearing.

Life is short, why not, right?

♥

So now you know a little bit of what I have been up to!

I promise to be back soon to share lots more with you,

including the wedding pics - 

which I haven't even glanced at yet!!!!

 Now THAT is truly busy, folks!

YIKES!!!!!

As always, thank you for your visit!

BIG HUGS!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tea Time Tuesday   *   Friends Sharing Tea