Reflection Friday - Real Friends Share Tea

Always bring me tea in your finest English china cup and saucer. The  feel of the tea cup  makes me feel better!

Having wonderful time, wish you were here, Theresa

For Love of Linens

I am in the midst of a linen bombshell. A whole trunk of linens exploded all over the  living room floor. Well, to be honest it looks like they exploded, but I put them there, yes, I did it.

What was I thinking? I knew this was going to be a huge task. A big wooden trunk of linens left over from the 1980's antique store called Manya's. My mom and I had a room there called , Marie Therese'.

Do you remember the 80's? Everything collectible for your hearth and home was selling like wildfire. The internet was in it's toddler years, so everyone travelled to the antique shops and sidewalk sales. H Street had a big following from L.A. and all points west.

We couldn't keep linens on hand, so I searched high and low, and gathered a great huge  amount. Sadly, we had to give up our room and I put the linens in a wooden trunk. I'd earn the trunk painting crafts for my sister-in-laws craft fair business (craft fairs were big then too).

So here I am, washing, and soon to be ironing. Then the picture taking and listing begin.

Tally Ho, onward and upward! Cottage Violet's will soon have linens added to the linen category as well as the crocheted dish cloths and potholders.

Having lovely time, wish you were (to help), Theresa

P.S. I use the term "linens" loosely as most of these linens are cotton.......

Strawberry Yogurt PIe ~ Simply No Guilt

Sometimes I want something sweet, even though I have given up sugar for the time being. It's hard to wade through summer's celebrations without indulging once in awhile. It's nice that carb cravings subside when sugar is forsaken, I like that part. But, the soul thirsts for a treat and tells the mind, "Get me something now or regret it".

This Strawberry Yogurt Pie doesn't qualify for the Atkins type lo carb. However, it helps me navigate through the dessert grenades lobbed my way.

It's simple. I crumble 2 sugar free cookies in a dish. (The dish I used was a flat rimmed soup bowl from my everyday dinnerware). I used cookies from this recipe .Thank you, All Day I Dream About Food, an excellent lo carb blog. You can use any sugar free cookie, store bought work well also. You'll notice I have a cookie for myself, as a reward for being such a good wife!

 

 

 In a medium bowl I mix a container of 80 calorie strawberry yogurt and approximately 1/3 container of Sugar Free Cool Whip. I fold it over and over to get out any lumps from the greek yogurt I prefer.

 

 

Then I spoon the yogurt mixture over the cookie crumbs. I slice a strawberry  and put it on top, and sprinkle the strawberry with a little splenda. I refrigerate the pie for a few hours, it holds up nicely.

It makes 4 servings of yummy pie at 140 sugar free calories per serving.

 

 

The only problem is my husband can't wait and eats two servings, then wants mine. Life is not perfect, but it is good, really good. This yogurt pie is good too, really good!

 

Having Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Here,  Theresa



A Little Crochet With Your Tea

Sometimes Monday is just the perfect day to put the kettle on, and get out your favorite teapot.

Get out a pretty little trivet to set the teapot on. I hand crochet ours at Cottage Violet's.

















Choose your loveliest teacup. This Hammersley Clover Trio ranks high on my list. Remember you are treating yourself.
















You must have a coaster to set your teacup on. I love little crocheted heart coasters. They make me very happy.












Now get out your knitting or crochet bag and settle in for a day of pure enjoyment.

 A cup of tea, a ball of yarn, a quiet spot, aaaaahhhh,  that's the thing that dreams are made of....

Having lovely time, wish you were, Theresa

Reflection Friday ~ Life in Wonderland

 

Sadly, March Hare skipped her deportment lessons.

 

 

Having lovely time, wish you were here! Theresa

My Ivy League Pick

We're not talking prestigious schools here! We're talking china. English Ivy fine bone China! Ha....
If you haven't noticed Cottage Violet's loves English china. All sorts of patterns and companies call our name. They say choose me, choose me.
Well, I have chosen. This is my favorite ivy pattern of all time.
It's Colclough's English Ivy Leaf pattern. A lovely leaf pattern on a creamy white background. It is versatile and the best mix n' match pattern I think I've ever seen.
We have 6 trio's available. Mixed with six set's of your own china and that's twelve eye catching tea time favorites.
Here's the eye candy now:

http://www.cottageviolets.com/item_49/Colclough-English-Ivy-Leaf-Trio.htm

Beautiful, wish you were here, Theresa



 

Reflection Friday ~ Unfading Beauty

 

Have a lovely weekend! Take a little time to pause and reflect, it's free.......

 

Having a lovely time, wish you were here, Theresa

Button Button I Have The Buttons

I have an age old love for buttons. This love affair has been a constant in my life for decades.

My husband is aware of this affair. I am sure he is okay with it, unless and until it reaches hoarder status.

So I've come up with a good plan. I am selling button jars on Cottage Violets. I am calling them "Not Your NaNa's Button Jar"!

I found some lovely single serving glass milk jugs. I gathered up some crisp white tulle rounds, Velcro strips, grosgrain ribbon, and bakers twine. I made some cute little tags, added a button and voila' : "Not Your NaNa's Button Jar". For the buttons, I chose the Button Galore buttons. I measured out 4 ounces each, which is approximately 175 buttons.
At last I can have my buttons and sell them too! They sure look cute sitting around the craft room. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Can you resist buttons? If so let me know how!

Here they are sitting in their sweet little crate waiting for a new home.

I will leave you with heart full of buttons Cynthia Houot, the Rose Queen , Miss Angelheart from Angel Heart Designs custom made for me. They are ceramic, and I use them on special projects when I am not just sitting and staring at their beauty.

 

 

Button up your overcoat
When the wind is free
Oh, take good care of yourself
You belong to me
Boop-boop-a-doop

 

(Brown, DeSylva, Henderson)

Having lovely time, wish you were here, Theresa

I ♥♥♥♥ My Cottage Violets

I really do love my Cottage Violet's. I hope you love my shop too. Cottage Violet's has received a little makeover  huge makeover. Catherine at Avalon Rose did an awesome job and has a wealth of knowledge to impart.
I love Cottage Violet's so much I am adding handcrafted crocheted heart coasters to the website.
 Click on the picture to see them at Cottage Violets . After you check out the coasters, click the home button at the top of the page and watch the slideshow on the home page.
I hope you like Cottage Violet's new look. I am adding new products daily and I will be having a grand re-opening as soon as I get the shop adequately stocked. Plus, we'll have a sale and other surprises.
Here's a picture of the lavender heart coasters, too. I'm adding lots and lots of handmade items.

 



I couldn't resist using this picture of an Aynsley Wild Violets cachepot with handmade dishcloths setting next to it, all available at Cottage Violets. Oooooh, good times are ahead aren't they!

 

"We may pass violets looking for roses. We may pass contentment looking for victory" Bern Williams

Have a Blessed Day filled with thoughts of Violets, Theresa





Strawberry Baskets - Wimbledon Tradition

We love Hammersley china here at Cottage Violet's. The beautiful patterns and lovely shapes are some of the finest of traditions from England's china heyday.

Wimbledon is also an English tradition. The lovely grass courts and royal spectators make this one of the finest tennis events every year.

Besides having jolly old England in common, tennis and Hammersley china share another connection. Strawberry baskets! That's right, Strawberry baskets.

Visitors and spectators at Wimbledon eat literally tons of strawberries and cream each year. Now, they are served in punnets (little baskets). But in days gone by when there was a piece of china for every eating event, Strawberry baskets were all the rage..

Strawberry baskets usually consisted of three pieces. A lovely handled basket with a removable creamer on one side, and a removable sugar bowl on the other side. They sported the loveliest patterns of the day.

A Hammersley Morgan's Rose pattern Strawberry Basket

 

There would also be china tennis set's in the same pattern. A tennis set was an eight inch salad plate with a lipped rim to hold a matching teacup. Of course, what would an English event be without a spot of tea.

 

Hammersley Chrysanthemum Pattern available at Cottage Violets

 

So in honor of Wimbledon, Cottage Violet's says "All Hail to the Queen", and let the serving begin.

 

Blessings, Theresa

 

 

 

The Tale Of Miss Angel Heart and The Fairy Tale Buttons

I wanted you all to meet the lady behind the wonderful handmade ceramic buttons used on my Tim Holtz rosettes.  Here is a post from July 2008. Please meet Cindy Houot, affectionately known as Miss Angel Heart.

Once upon a time in the Land Up North, way across borders and mountains and streams, there lived an Angel with a heart of gold. Now Miss Angel Heart (for that is her name) was sitting in her throne room (license taken) overlooking her kingdom, where goats and chickens and dogs and nature sang together in three part harmony.

Amid the cacophony, there came the message, "You've got mail". Flying to her magic box, Miss Angel Heart read the request. Oh my, the land down under (under Sammamish, that is) was in need of buttons. Fairy tale buttons, ice creams colors, pastel wonders, could she do it, the sender asked?

 Miss Angel Heart went to work with earth, and paste, and glaze, and all the colors of the rainbow. At just the last minute, she raided her stash of fairy dust and threw in a goodly amount, because there is an overwhelming need for Fairy Tales in the land down under (under Sammamish, that is).

With a mighty launch, Miss Angel Heart sent the Fairy Tale Buttons flying over land and stream to their new home. In the package the poor Southlander found an added treasure, a beautiful polka dot bowl. Miss Angel Heart wanted to make sure the Fairy Tale Buttons had a royal place to reside, so she sent the bowl to keep them company.

. Satisfied with her hard days work, Miss Angel Heart laid down her weary head, and dreamt of all the Fairy Tale treasures her buttons would soon be a part of.

 So in honor of Miss Angel Heart, let the festivities begin. Welcome to the World of Fairy Tale Buttons, the story is just beginning.............. it's a love story.........

NOTE: Gentle readers, who is Miss Angel Heart you ask? When she is not ruling her Royal Kingdom, she takes on the mortal personna of Cindy Houot (pronounced Who, like the Who's in Whoville, but that is a story for another time). Her boutique is http://www.angelheartdesigns.com/ .

P.S. If you are interested in the Pinwheel Tags, they are at http://www.cottageviolets.com/ this evening. I love my Pinwheel Tags, so fun.

See you in Fairy Tale Land, Theresa

Rosettes - You Can't Make Just One!

Hi All,
Theresa from Cottage Violets here. I ordered a new die for my sizzix. It's the "Paper Rosette Die" from Tim Holtz. I had some cardstock strips 2" x 11" in pastels that I got at Michael's on clearance, a perfect fit for the die.

This is a die-cut machine (just one option). The Pink Sizzix Sidekick

 

 

I told myself I'll try out a pink strip, hence, pink rosette. Crank, crank, crank, out comes the perfect rosette strip. I fold, fold, fold, and glue, glue, well, you get the idea.

 

I honest couldn't stop, I made over forty!

 

I take a look at the finished rosette. It is sheer perfection. The ideas are jumping out of my brain. Mixed media art, scrapbook pages, journal covers, clean room awards (lol, for the little ones), cupcake picks, and etc.

 

A Rosette with a Handmade Button

 

As of today, I have finished half the stack of pre-cut strips, 40+ rosettes in pastel colors.I JUST CAN'T STOP...... Right now I am happy just to sit and admire them. They were a pure joy to make, and even look pretty sitting in a gallon Glad bag.

So, Cottage Violets will be selling some paper rosette crafts in the future. Unless, I just leave them out on the table in a crystal dish, all pastel perfection!

Blessings, Theresa

She selects wool and flax, and works with eager hands. Proverbs 31:13

 Oh, I couldn't stop and after I wrote this blog post, I made this little sign. So fellow bloggers and crafters: Bloom Where You're Planted!

Happy Mother's Day From Cottage Violet's

Dear Friends,
I am taking time out from the vicarage to come and tell you, "Happy Mother's Day".

It's a nice spring day here in Harrington Woods. The violets are in full bloom, and it smells like the English countryside.

Gabby, the girl of all work, lost her dear mother, our housekeeper, two months ago. I am guest posting on her behalf. She is deeply saddened, but holding up rather well after all.

                                                                                                                                So "Happy Mother's Day" to all the mothers and substitute mothers out there.

Hold you mother close and dear. Never take a day for granted. We only have one day at a time to fill with joy and gladness

A few pictures that make me very happy, enjoy;

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day from Cottage Violets,
 Miss Violet Teacake and Friends

Note: Miss Violet Teacake is a fictional character from the website "Cottage Violets" However, my grief at losing my mother two months ago is real. Blessings, Theresa

My Mother Told Me, If I Was Goody

The old nursery song goes, "My mother told me if I was goody, that she would buy me a rubber dolly." Well, I had enough dolly's, so I opted for paper dolls.

 I still like paper dolls. I am an avid fan of old cinema, and the movie star paper dolls are the best. I even keep them on my website, Cottage Violet's, for old time's sake.

 Truth be told, I often take them out and look at them. Grace Kelly is my favorite. What a fairy tale come true. I remember her best for her role in "Rear Window", and "To Catch A Thief, both Hitchcock thrillers. She was always graceful and glamorous. Her paper doll looks graceful and glamorous.

.

By the way, if you see or hear of an Ingrid Bergman paper doll let me know, okay? I just wrote a little review on the Victorian mystery classic, "Gaslight", and would love to have a paper doll of Ingrid.

You can see the review at Victorian, Etc., the premier magazine of the "Victorian Heart Shoppe." The Victorian Heart Shoppe brings the Victorian era to life through a network of  lovely web shops all in one place.
                                       



Here's a little selection of paper dolls available at Cottage Violets. Hop on over and check them out if you care to. Paper dolls have many uses these days,especially with the mixed media craze going on.

Bette Davis

Myrna Loy

 

Carmen Miranda

While we're about it, who was your favorite paperdoll? My most remembered is Little Lulu, but my favorite, Grace Kelly.

June Allyson

 

Blessings, Theresa

......to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Isaiah 61:3

 

 http://www.victorianetc.com/

The Touching Garden

Royal Albert's American Beauty

Have you ever thought how much fine bone china can resemble a garden? First, there is spring, with a lush vista of flower patterns, ivy in the shade, roses in the sun, peonies, iris, and all the colors of the rainbow. Then there is summer, with its bold sunflowers, fruit or vegetable patterns,  and all the bright cheery designs that thrive on sunshine. When autumn shows up the wonderful world of color turns to oranges, deep reds, forest greens to match the changing of the seasons. And last but not least Winter where white reigns supreme, and all the Christmas patterns take center stage.

I think I express myself through the china patterns I choose. I would be hard put to choose one season over another. In spring I favor Royal Albert's American Beauty, Colclough English Ivy Leaf, and Hammersley Victorian Violets. The summer is my time to enjoy Hammersley Cornflower, Royal Albert Tea Rose, and Hammersley Thistle. Autumn brings a new feel with Hammersley Morgan's Rose, Royal Alberts Old Country Roses, and Hammersley Fruits and Nuts. What would the Christmas season be without Hammersley Grandmothers Rose, and again Royal Alberts Old Country Roses because Old Country Roses offers so many Christmas variations.

 English fine bone china is never far from my heart or hands. Simply put, I love English china.I love the cool touch, the smooth feel. Here are some photos of patterns I favor. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. My little shop, Cottage Violets is always open for your viewing pleasure. Please stop by and browse to your hearts content.

Colclough's English Ivy Leaf

Hammersley Victorian Violets

A selection of Hammersley Cornflower

Royal Albert Tea Rose

Hammersley Thistle

"Touch has a memory"

John Keats

In parting, here is a little quote from me

Only when I behold our Lord will I see something more beautiful than English china

Theresa Winter

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 27:4

Blessings, Theresa