Greetings! ...from Kimberly Shaw

Lilly Teacup Card

The meaning of the Calla Lilly is Magnificent Beauty and it is a symbol for rebirth.  They popped up unexpectedly in my garden.

When we bought our home the flower beds were nothing more than hard compacted clay.  As soon as I moved in I began soaking the ground to prepare it for flowers.  To my surprise, calla lillies began pushing their way to the surface.  By the time they were in full bloom it was a magnificent sight, and my garden was reborn.

I left this card blank inside so a personal note can be written with just the right encouragement for the one receiving it.  What isn't left blank is a teabag inserted in the rim of the teacup.  This card comes with Earl Grey tea.  The plate behind the teacup continues on to the back of the card with more lillies painted on it.

On SALE at HALF OFF in my Store through the end of April.

 

Shades of Pink

Now that I'm working at home, I'm trying to get away from the industrial look of my old warehouse.  When Steve hung the steel dome lights over the card assembly tables, they needed a little dressing up.
 
I found this cute pink toile fabric with little animals and children playing to remind me to spend more time playing, even if I am at work.  I added my favorite white ball fringe, and made shades to go over the metal lamps.  Here's another view showing the assembly area.

Shelves above the tables hold boxes of all the aromatic teas we use to hand assemble in each of my Teacup greeting cards and notepads. 

Thanks for visiting my contribution to PINK SATURDAY!  And Thank YOU Beverly for hosting this very fun event!  To find links to all the contributes of PINK SATURDAY visit Beverly's blog How Sweet the Sound.  You know what I'll be doing today...yep, browsing all the other wonderful PINK POSTS! 

Hey, I just wanted to add a little footnote, I am sorry if I didn't leave a nice comment on your pink post.  I've been going through ALL of them ALL day (my hubby is wandering if he should order a pizza for dinner) and for some reason my Typepad account isn't letting me leave messages on some Blogger accounts.  I'll figure it out eventually. This has been a FUN Day!!!

Here... Kitty, Kitty

In a horrific downpour we rescued a soaking wet kitty trapped in the corned of the chain link fence in the school yard across the street from our home. When we couldn't find his owners, we kept him and named him Stormy.  One cheery afternoon, when the kids and I put a blanket on the floor of our back patio to have tea, Stormy joined the party.  He walked up beside me, wrapped his tail around his front paws and help himself to my cup of English Breakfast tea with milk and sugar.  I took his picture and painted a Teacup Greeting card of the event.

After looking at this card for a while, I have to admit, the thought actually became a bit disgusting.  You know, a cat cleaning itself, eating cat food, and then lapping in your teacup.  So when we ran out of this card I didn't reprint it.  However, we had so many requests for this card after we discontinued it, that it is the only card I brought back into the line.  When I reprinted it I changed the flowers on the teapot and teacups, inspired from vintage plates I found at a thrift store.

 Just a little footnote: The actual Stormy Kitty was all white with blue eyes. Because his white fur didn't contrast well with the white background of the teapot and cups, for my final card the kitty received a classic orange coat which also contrasted well with the blue background.

Spring SALE Mosaic

Pansies, roses, hollyhocks, lilies, and mums paired with strawberries, bunnies, chicks and seed packs are all visions of Spring.  To celebrate this joyous season you'll find these twelve Teacup Greeting cards in my store at HALF OFF through the end of April. 

Charming Yellow Teacup and Saucer

Like the Spring Sun, this vintage Teacup and Saucer brightens up any room with its cheery Sun-shiny Lemon Yellow color.  It's large octagon saucer is generous enough to carry a scone to the breakfast table.  Because I know it will cheer someone up, I've added it to my Etsy shop.

Blue Wedgwood Demitasse Teacup

Classic Blue Wedgwood Jasperware Demitasse Teacup and Saucer with ivory dancer.  At only 2-1/8" tall this teacup may be petite in size but is large on style.  I've never seen one of these before.  The Ivory dancer on the teacup is surrounded by an ivory garland on the Saucer. For those who collect Wedgwood Jasperware I've made this little gem available in my Etsy shop. It it's not used for tea, it would make a lovely desk accessory for keeping small office supplies organized.

Spode Demitasse Teacup

This vintage Spode Demitasse Teacup & Saucer is adorable!  The saucer looks like a gathered skirt and its pretty pink flowers and gold edges just sparkle!  A bit hard to part with, I am making it available in my Etsy shop because I know there's someone out there who has room for it.

Pink Blossoms

Now that I'm working at home, I set up my work space where I can watch the fruit  trees in my yard blossom. Flowering trees are one of my very favorite things.

I have Apples,

Apricots

and Pomegranates.

It's amazing to me how a tree that looks dead all winter comes alive in spring bringing the hope of delicious fruit. It reminds me of myself, how without God I was like a tree that looked dead, and by God's grace He gave me a hope for a fruitful life.

Genesis 1:11 which says, "Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so."

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

I don't have a pot of gold at the end of my rainbow,

but I'm always happy to serve you a pot of tea at my table. Today it's Harrisons & Crosfield's Irish Breakfast tea delicious sweetened with milk.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY TO YA'!

No Children's Book Left Behind

 Yielding to my "No Children's Book Left Behind" rule, I rescued this sweet book from the bottom of a box at a yard sale.

By Dale Evans, wife if Roy Rogers, this Big Golden Book's illustrations are a delightful treat of a more peaceful time. 

For me, the prayers are an added bonus.

Dear blogging buddies, may your day abound with sweet blessings and the evidence of a loving God suround you.

Rayne Water

   Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
         Sing praises on the harp to our God,
   Who covers the heavens with clouds,
         Who prepares rain for the earth,
         Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.



   He gives to the beast its food,
         And to the young ravens that cry.
   He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
         He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
   The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
         In those who hope in His mercy.
                            Isaiah 147:7-11

Usually Rayne advertises events around town or posts witty quotes, but today was different. I'm hoping my wise blogging buddy Allen will enjoy this.  You'll always find a Good Word of truth and encouragement on Allen's Blog.   He has just kindly given me a blogging award with a selection of awards to choose from. 
I selected this award because this past week I had lemons hurled at me from different directions, but God taught me to rest in Him. So I collected the lemons and seen the blessing of His hope by offering lemonade in return. 


Thanks Allen!
You are an encourager. 
I give this award to you: 

Pretty Pink Rose Teacup

I adore this vintage pink rose, with a touch of aqua in the leaves.  My contribution for PINK SATURDAY is this pretty pink rimmed teacup with a cute green handle.

It's sitting on one of my pink watercolor designs which I used as a background for my Mum Teacup Greeting Card. 

Sometimes I'll paint a separate background to be used as a notepad design, or more often because the first one didn't turn out the way I planned. 

It's a ton of FUN to be participating in PINK SATURDAY thanks to the originator Beverly at How Sweet The Sound!!!  Besides listing all the contributors of Pink Saturday, her blog is delightful!!!  I'm anxious to see who she announces as the winner of her give-away and browse all the other pink blog entries.

Thanks for visiting!!!

Spring Chick

"May the blessings of the day bring you joy" is the message inside my newest Spring Teacup Greeting card. 

This is one of my favorite teacups, without any identification, just because it always looks so cheery.  The vintage lace was a very FUN challenge because I especially love to paint negative space, which I painted to match the teabag color.  I found this sweet Chick Egg Cup buried in a discount bin, and the decorated egg design was inspired from a scrap of vintage fabric.  The wallpaper, which continues onto the back of the card,  is a green on green leaf vine design in a diamond pattern.  Inserted in the rim of the teacup is a delicious Orange Pekoe teabag from Harney & Sons.

Available in my Store now on SALE at HALF OFF just in time for Spring.

Simply Elegant

I found this Teacup and Saucer at a Vintage Glass sale and propped it up on the matching mini serving dish my mom gave me.  I love how the glass pearl edges capture and reflect the color of the pink Raspberry Vanilla tea.

I've made a set of two teacups and saucers available in my Etsy shop, and I'll even include two delightful Raspberry Vanilla teabags from Harrison & Crosfield for you to brew and enjoy!

The Eleventh Hour

Last Wednesday I was so exhausted I went to bed before 9 pm.  At 11:11 on the digital clock I woke back up. Wide awake, I got out of bed to get a drink of water and turn off the lights that had been left on downstairs.  When I went back to bed I couldn’t get to sleep, but had the nagging feeling I should pray for my children, my daughter in particular.  At 11:48 I felt pressed to get up and go back downstairs.

Just as I reached the front door at the bottom of the stairs I was startled by my 21 yr old daughter  unlocking the door from outside.  I thought everyone was at home, but she had spent more time than planned with her close friend in San Diego. I told her how I had just been urged to come down the stairs, and how coincidental it was that she was walking through the door at the exact same time I was there.  I then shared with her how odd it seemed that I woke up earlier at 11:11. “That is weird,” she said. “Just as I left to come home I checked the time and it was 11:11.”  

Had I prayed her home? Was there a pressing need to intervene for something we are unaware of? Or is God simply drawing our relationship closer? It’s hard to say, but it’s evident to me God touched each of our lives at the exact same times.

If you have a "God" story you'd like to share, I would LOVE to hear it!!!

I Caught Pink Saturday Fever

My first contribution to PINK SATURDAY!

Beverly at How Sweet The Sound, originator of PINK SATURDAY, inspired me to post this photo of  my Grandmother’s pretty pink porcelain container by asking  on her blog last week, “Who is the most interesting person you ever met?” That was an easy question for me to answer.

 

Her name was Katherine Lepp and she love pink. To me she was Grandma Lepp; her friends called her Kay.  When I stayed at her house on weekends, she made an effort to leave early on Sunday morning to stop at the doughnut shop before church. While we waited in line, she would tell the homeless guys sitting at tables along the side wall that God loved them, and then ask if she could give them a ride to church which was just across the street.  At first her actions seemed so out of character. Her home, her dress, make-up (she was a Mary Kay Rep), and even her car were impeccable.  It was inconceivable she would let an un-showered stranger in her car.  But as I grew up I discovered from all my cousins that she did this for each of her Grandkids.  I learned she was modeling Christianity to me, how to love others and how share the good news of God's salvation. That was her true character.  This little dish reminds me of holding a doughnut wrapped in a napkin in one hand and an orange juice in the other, wearing a pretty dress she made me, and seeing Jesus through her life style.

WHO WAS THE MOST INTERESTING, & INFLUENTIAL, PERSON IN YOUR LIFE?

Spring In A Mailbox HALF-OFF SALE

 

This little rabbit, inspired from a Victorian Postcard, is guaranteed not to nibble away your daffodils, or anything else yummy in your garden.

Saint Patrick

"Saint Patrick" by Michael J. McHugh is an inspiring biography which vividly portrays the true story of Patrick who took the gospel of Christ to the people of Ireland.  As a youth he was captured by the Irish Celtic Warriors and sold as a slave to a Druid Priests.  After miracuously escaping, he eventually returned without fear of his own life to boldly break down the pagan practices of the Druids, and win the hearts of the people for Christ.

I loved it. It's a very well written and fast paced book for 7th graders (and you know how I love children's books) with comprehensive questions and new vocabulary words at the end of each chapter.  It appears to be out of print, but I found a few used books offered on Amazon.

Good Luck & Best Wishes

Saint Patrick's Day is almost upon us. I love the adventurous story of Patrick, leaving his comfortable home in Scotland to share the gospel with the Druid  Priests in Ireland he was previously enslaved to.  He definitely had more than the “Luck-O-The-Irish” when he escaped their enslavement of him. I highly recommend the book, and will post it next.  Patrick's true story is definitely a stark contrast to adorable leprechauns leaping through clover in search of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

To send well wishes of Good Luck in the classic Irish way, consider giving a Teacup Greeting card with a Harrison & Crosfield Robust Irish Breakfast teabag inserted in the rim of the teacup to warm their heart of the receiver.  The outside reads, "Good Luck and Best Wishes," followed on the inside with, "For Today and Always."

Available in my store.

Working at Home in My PJ's

Hello friends, I believe I promised you a funny story about working at home in my PJ's.  When I started my stationery line from my small 1950's beach cottage, my kids were all very young.  They kept me so busy during the day that I resolved to do my work at night.  So, after putting the kids to bed, my husband brewed some coffee, while I took a refreshing shower and put my comfy PJ’s on. I put tea in the cards, while Steve helped tie ribbons on notepads.

When I worked in the corporate world, the owner was always the best dressed. Now that I was an owner, and working in PJ’s, I thought  I should at least have some very nice PJ’s.  Then a Victoria Secrets catalog came un-expectantly in the mail. Browsing through, I finally found a classic pair of pink pajamas in the back, and on sale, too.  I ordered them.  When my UPS man, Vince, delivered them, I proclaimed, “Oh, yea! My work clothes are here!”  Vince’s eyes got big and his jaw dropped.  It took me a moment, but then I realize the VS logo wasn’t that discrete, and Vince had a whole different view of “work” clothes than I did.  I quickly set him straight before he left with my packages.