A Band Of Angels

Picture a group of giggling girls in light blue skirts and white blouses. There is the requisite amount of skinned knees and ponytails. Red hair, blond hair, brunettes, and even one little cherub with almost ebony tresses made up the little group. Some are tall, some thin, some a little on the chubby side, some short, but a perfect band of angels nonetheless. Such was my little Missionettes group. I loved them and love them dearly still. They were all unique, showing such promise, and most of them not at the age when a Wednesday night church group was de'classe (excuse the poor punctuation marks, lol). We sang, we crafted, we talked, we prayed, we went to camp, we lived in each others lives on Wednesday nights and Sundays. I had them such a small amount of time. They filled a place in my heart that yearned for children, but more than that they were souls that God wanted to touch. I hope I fulfilled my edict from God to make an impression on their life's journey.

I know they touched me much more than I could ever touch them. Some were so brimming with life, it bubbled out of their pores. Others I am sorry to say were already world weary, which made me suspect dark secrets and home lives that were unthinkable and unspeakable. Love can have the power to crush, and it almost crushed me. I remember praying one time and feeling as if God was saying, "I didn't give those children to you, they belong to their parents, do the best you can with the time you have with them and leave the rest in my care. " I always remembered that, and tried to fill our times together with a path of fun and merriment, along with a sense of duty to others and definitely a path that led straight to the saving grace of God.

I have lost touch with many of the girls. One, I am sad to say, took her own life, oh so many years ago. It is still a dagger in my heart, a wound that won't heal. The past and pain she suffered with, all her young life, are no more. One prays for the best.

This is not meant to be a sad post, perhaps a little introspective. Okay, you caught me, a lot introspective.

I only said all that to say, sometime I see these girls as full grown ladies. They remember me which always surprises me, since our time together was limited at best. They introduce their children to me (some of whom are full grown now). I forget I was only 21 when I started the group and most of them were 10 - 13. Roughly ten years separated us, but the weight of responsibility rested on me, and it seemed more like 20-30 years in age difference.

Along comes facebook, and lo and behold, first one then another has friended me (much to my delight). So far six beautiful Christian ladies, former Missionettes, are on my friends list, and I am blessed that it is so. They are never far from my heart and mind. The last one found me just two days ago. She was the spunkiest little redhead with freckles. Smart and witty, always helpful and kind, I think of her as Pippi Longstocking, but with the added attraction of our Savior in her life.

I know we can not and should not live in the past. However, these girls, now ladies, are chiseled on the walls of my heart. Each unique, each talented, each loved unconditionally by God. I would love to hear your story if you care to leave a comment. I know you have touched lives too!

Thanks for taking time to listen to my heart today!

Blessings and blessings,

Theresa

Lovely Autumn: Time for a Sale

Autumn doesn't last long here in the desert valley. The raging heat turns to chilling cold in a nanosecond. The trees who dare to turn their leaves from green to red to gold are often confused. After they make up their minds to give us a glorious flaming show, the santa ana winds come to blow them all about. They land in obscure piles around cars and trash cans. Much to my dismay they often land in the pool along with the thorny spikes from the redwood trees. This is why we often take our decorating indoors. Cornucopias don't jump off the table and whirl themselves about. Charming autumn teacups stay in their saucers and provide us with a much needed "drap of tea" (scottich ancestry, lol).

In honor of this short lived season, Cottage Violets is having a SALE. What a sale it is! From now until Thanksgiving you will receive 30% off your purchase (not including shipping). All you have to do is type "autumn" into the discount code. Gabby and Miss Violet Teacake will be there to package and ship your purchases. Miss Violet Teacake always likes to add a treat or two so make sure you don't miss out.


Miss Violet Teacake, H. Harriett Hatrack, and Gabby will be adding many products during the next two weeks. Be sure to come back often and see what's new.

So settle in with your blankie and laptop. Do some window(s) shopping and make sure you type "autumn" in the discount box for 30% off your purchase.

Here's a little peak at an autumn Hammersley fine bone china cup and saucer.

"No Spring nor Summer Beauty hath such grace,

As I have seen in one Autumnal face."

John Donne

Beautiful Autumn Blessings,

Theresa

M.I.A. or May I Apoligize?

I seem to have been missing in action for several months. Life has been happening all around me with great rapidity while I jumped off the merry-go-round in favor of facebook games. I came to my senses tonight, and determined to apologize and start visiting my lovely blog friends again. I have no excuse, I literally threw the disconnect switch on life. I have been greatly troubled by our countries current direction. Enough is enough. One can not live without the touch of others, and I would much rather read your blogs than the news. Miss Violet Teacake and all the ladies at Cottage Violet's are happy to hear my voice again. They are happy to see my smiling face and feel my loving touch.

To you dear friends I say, Please forgive! I will endeavor to pick up the mantle and go forward, happily, singing on the way. There is so much to discuss. There is beauty all around, and we have a commitment to make it known to the world.

Here's a little excerpt from a well know tune to help us go singing on our way.

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN

Happy days are here again,

The skies above are clear again,

So let's sing a song of cheer again,

Happy days are here again!

(J. Yellen and M. Ager)

Most amazingly fond wishes,

Theresa @ Cottage Violets

Muchness, Madness, Merriment. It's All About Alice!

Mad about Alice? Yes, indeedy. Miss Polly at the French Cupboard is sponsoring a blog party. There is much "muchness" going on behind the scenes. You are all invited! So mark your calendars, it is only a week away. Cottage Violet's is happy to be giving away a prize. You will get a sneak peak later on in the blog. Cottage Violet's has a few Alice items up for sale. Check out the Alice thimbles and tea tile.

Simply Mad About Alice Blog Party

May 1st, 2010

Time to Show Off Your Alice Muchness

(click on the button for details)Okay everyone here's your sneaky peaks at the Alice prize given by Cottage Violet's.

And if you think that's all there is, "Well, you just don't know much about "Muchness".

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine"

God Bless Your Merry Heart,

Theresa

Every Vase In Its Place, or My Vase Gets Ooohs and Aaahs

No matter how you pronounce the word "Vase", everyone has a favorite vase or two. Poems have been written to celebrate them, i.e."Ode to a Grecian Urn". The best china and glass companies manufacture them to go along with their best selling patterns. Almost everyone has a cupboard full of teleflora or grocery store vases that contained flowers to profess undying love, get well sentiments, and other various and sundry occasions. The sight of a glass vase sitting on the shelf can evoke happy memories, and perfumery smells. Now that spring is here we will wash all the vases in readiness for a garden's bounty. The glass sparkles in the sunlight sending shafts of light thither and yon, while the houses spring airing takes on the fragrance of spicy carnations, early roses, and a California native, the lovely California lilac. It's too hot here in the valley for Violets, but I still dream of camellia bowls full of violets. Then there is that special vase that is a work of art all in itself. Like the Grecian Urn, the ornamentation or decoration is enough, simply enough! So in honor of the noble vase, Cottage Violet's is proud to pass on the savings received on two lovely Royal Albert Old Country Roses Vases. They are available at Cottage Violets. They are 9" tall in the Montrose shape. Beautiful in form and pattern, I hope you will take advantage of the savings. Each vase is sold separately, not as a pair.

Ode to a Grecian Urn (an excerpt)

When old age shall this generation waste,

Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe,

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty"----that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

John Keats (1820)

Enjoy springs bounty, it is God's gift to you and me,

Theresa

Little Squares of Heaven

We live in a disposable world. No one, that I know of, darns socks anymore. Do you use cloth napkins at your dinner table? Hmmmm, I thought not. For that matter, is there china in your picnic basket? Well, I seem to have wandered far afield from the subject I was pondering.

Last night I was going through my hankie stash. I have a nice collection of around three dozen hankies, some of which are for sale at Cottage Violets. I love to look at them and weave stories about them. I tend to set aside the baser use of these little bits of fluff. Men's handkerchiefs are reserved for nose blowing and other unmentionable practices, lol. In the movies, women's hankies were reserved for flirting and grieving. Example, son stays out late with questionable company, and moms sits up waiting, wringing handkerchief between fidgeting fingers. Or, there is the classic girl wants fellas attention, so she walks by and nonchalantly drops her hankie in his path. Hankies were also used as pretty props. How many times have you seen a waitress with her hankie tucked in her sleeve or under her wristwatch. No doubt about it, hankies were and still are eye candy. They draw the eye to the area one is trying to accentuate. If I think of one pinned to the chest with a pretty brooch, it is always a teacher or librarian I am thinking of. If the hankie is tucked up a sleeve or held firmly under one's wristwatch it is always a waitress or some one's long suffering grandmother. If I see a hankie falling to the ground, I am reminded of : 1. A siren going after the innocent unprepared gent. 2. The innocent unprepared belle trying to get a man's attention. Now hankies are consigned to drawers, made into pillows, and "repurposed" into any number of handicrafts. Mine sit in a tissue lined box waiting to go to other homes, or hoping I will once again open the box and weave love stories around their existence. Speaking of love stories, I have tender memories of going to church as a small girl holding in my hand a little handkerchief with a nickel for the offering tied firmly in its depths. What better love story could there be? There is something so lovely about that memory, that I cannot think about handkerchiefs without it bubbling to the surface of my thoughts. When I look at my little stash I think how many dimes, nickels, pennies, were tied lovingly in the depths of these hankies. How many mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and big sisters took the time to prepare a little offering, all tied up in a bit of fluff. Next time you see a hankie think of the path it followed. It is definitely more than just a little square of pretty cloth. It might have held precious tears, started a life long relationship, or held a dime or nickel for an offering that changed some one's life.

In his holy flirtation with the world,

God occasionally drops a handkerchief.

These handkerchiefs are called saints.

Frederick Beuchner

Have a beautiful blessed day,

Theresa

"All The Old Familiar Places"

The old Frank Sinatra standard goes like this,

"I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places,

That this heart of mine embraces,

All day through",

In that small cafe, the park across the way,

The children's carousel, the chestnut tree,

The wishing well."

Lyrics by Sammy Fain and Irving Kahal

I was thinking about all the "old familiar places" we visit in this remarkable kingdom called the internet. I was led kicking and screaming to Facebook, and now I seldom miss a day of catching up with old new friends. I visit several on-line stores, and keep up with several amazing blogs. I am always in awe of the talent, and creativity I find in the souls of my friends. I find pure delight in the way they express their art through so many varied mediums.

I had been missing one particular artist for a long while. I only know her as "The Muse", but she has the gift of bringing out the "child's play" in all who venture into her domain. She has word games and amusing challenges on one blog, and varied works of prose on another. She lives in the shadow of her name, and for reasons known only to herself prefers a certain measure of anonymity. Well, Miss Muse (as I prefer to call her) is back! Hurrah! I am having a lovely time feeding bits of silly rhyme (in my preferred style: the quatrain) to her comments section. I hope you will take the time to visit her blog: A Diva's Hammer, Wielded by the Muse. Remember to bring along your inner child, all ready for an interesting excursion into the mind of the Muse.

I must add a warning: Child's play is addictive, and can lead to copious amounts of creativity and freedom from care. So, enter at your own risk!

Happy Late New Year and May It Be Everything You Want A Grand Year To Be!!!

And please stop by Cottage Violets and have a look around!

Blessings, Theresa

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14