Greetings! ...from Kimberly Shaw

Hello Note

My Hello Note Teacup Greeting card was created after visiting a collector of Royal Albert teacups, too many to count.  This is one tea cup in the awe-inspiring display.  The woman, now in her 70's, began when she was a girl.

TeaGuide Review

The following is a generous review by Janis Badarau, Editor & Publisher of  TeaGuide: Reviews and Ramblings.  Thank you!

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Kimberly Shaw Graphics
Retail and wholesale

Let’s be honest: tea note cards are mostly a “girl” thing. But even the toughest women like pretty things — and Kimberly Shaw’s Tea Cup Cards are about the prettiest you’re going to find.

Each note card is printed from an original watercolour, in an extensive array of colourful designs ranging from simply sweet to superbly elegant. You’re sure to find a card to please whoever you have in mind as recipient — even your Red Hatted auntie.

The extra charm, and the uniqueness, of these cards is the clever little slot in each one that holds a wrapped teabag, inviting your dear one to “share” a cup of tea with you. The top of the wrapper, in a colour coordinated to the design, peeks out to display the type of tea or infusion you’ve chosen to share. The teabags are sourced from Harney & Sons and Harrisons & Crossfield, two top-of-the-line tea suppliers.

Your words and Kimberly’s pictures: Who wouldn’t be delighted to receive (or send!) one of these? (I do hope she doesn’t mind my use of her first name, but with products this warm and friendly it feels rather stilted to refer to “Ms. Shaw.”)

Most of the note card designs are also available as greeting cards for birthdays, thank yous, holidays, and invitations. You’ll also find notepads (teabag included), a clever perpetual calendar, and sheets of tea time stickers. If you’re like me, the sticker carousel is the first place you head for in any stationery store, searching — often in vain — for anything “tea-ish.”

Additional items in the collection are teacup night lights, a variety of accessories for tea service — including several teacups that appear to have inspired the designs — and a small selection of the teas used in the cards. Order online, for yourself or for gifts, at Kimberly Shaw Graphics. Resellers can click the Wholesale link at the bottom of any page for details.

Sumi-e Class

Quick energetic strokes makes Sumi-e painting turn out much better, which I am not good at.  My energetic 13 yr. old son mastered it.  Me, I'm more of a planned, precise, detail artist. 

If you work too slow at Sumi-e, the porous paper soaks up all the ink, leaving a big blob.  After twelve lessons my teacher was finally pleased with this one.

Christmas Music Teacup Greeting Card

Watercolored with the melody of Christmas in mind.  The sheet music of Handel's "Messiah,  No.12, For Unto Us a Child is born," illustrated with permanent ink after the watercolor wash of the sheet music was painted.

Christmas Lambs

Inspired by the charm of vintage postcards. I watercolored this tea pot with a shepherdess leading her flock through a snow covered pasture.  A yellow cottage and church steeple lie in the background to complete this rural scene. 

The outside text reads, "Sincere Christmas Blessings. 'This I pray that God may bless..." continuing on the inside with, ..."All thy way, with happiness. Merry Christmas"

Happy Christmas Teacup Greeting Card

Created to be used with refreshing mint tea, my "Happy Christmas" Teacup greeting card was inspired by the peace Christ brought into the world.

The inside reads, "May your home be filled with the Peace of Christmas."

A Humbling Story

This post could also be titled, "Pride Goeth Before a Fall."  It's a God inspired lesson which I learned with a bit of pain.  I've discovered children really like this story. It must be the "glasses embedded into my face" part.

When I created this Nativity Teacup card for Christmas, I delayed painting it until the last moment.  I was over ambitious trying to watercolor 8 new cards in a short period of time, and after the 7th I was drained of ideas.  Exhausted from staying up late to meet my deadline, I went for a walk and prayed for God to give me an idea for a Christmas card.  He filled my mind with images of an angel, a star, shepherds on the teacup, sheep in a field on the saucer, the manger in the foreground, and shadows cast from the star.  Behind the teacup is the little town of Bethlehem.  With new excitement I began painting, and when I was finished I mounted it next to the other new cards, stepped back for a look, and proclaimed out loud (I was alone), "Wow! I'm amazing!!!"  Returning to my desk to clean up, feeling quite puffed up from my accomplishments, my over exuberant stride caused my foot to stumble abruptly on the leg of my desk, pitching me off balance, forcefully slamming my face onto the desktop. I can still remember how it felt with my glasses embedded into my cheek.

As I lay there catching my breath, God reminded me of, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18  Lesson learned!

Red Hat Cat

My mom, a Red Hatter, has a lot of fun dressing up and going to tea parties.  My Red Hat Cat Teacup greeting card was left blank inside to be used as a Tea Party Invitation or to write a personal greeting for any occasion. It comes with an English Breakfast teabag tucked in the teapot. 

The fluffy tiger kitty with bright blue eyes was the funnest part of this card to paint.  She is adorned in a red hat decorated with roses, wearing  a purple bow, carrying a bouquet and sealed letter.