Spring Cleaning & More

 I’m back.  

I have been meaning to blog but instead I’ve been Spring Cleaning.

I have a lighted China Cabinet above my coffee station that was filled with teacups, Polish Pottery mugs, miscellaneous mugs etc.

It was busy looking to say the least.

So I decided to go on Amazon.com to see if I could find some teacup holders to hang my teacups.

I found a set of four and ordered two after measuring to make sure they would fit on my shelves.

They came quickly and they were easy to put together.

I positioned a set for each side to show off my teacups through the glass.

I had a set of white teacups that I placed on the back row and put my set of Royal Daulton teacups in front.

Then I order two racks to fit on my bottom shelf to better display my Polish Pottery mugs.

I was so pleased when they fit perfectly too!

I am lucky to live very close to a Polish Pottery store here in my town.

I couldn’t believe that I have 22 Polish Pottery mugs!

I love them because they are all bordered by a deep blue ring, microwave and dishwasher safe too.

And, as many of you know, once you start reorganizing it expands to other areas.

Next I ordered six white racks to go in my Christmas Cabinet.

They look nice, are study and display my Christmas decor beautifully.

These little white racks are working out so well that I ordered three more of this size plus one larger.

I have a Knick knack cabinet in my laundry room that could use reorganizing too.

I even managed to polish my silver that had turned dark.

We had a lovely sunny 80 degree day yesterday to celebrate my niece’s boyfriend’s birthday.

Andrew loves to cook so he BBQ’d baby back ribs on the grill.

They were delicious!  

We are back to rain and cooler temperatures the next few days.

But I took a delightful spin around the neighborhood on my Liberty Trike yesterday.

The builder is still working on the drainage in the wet lands behind our property line.

They reached behind me on Friday and then quit at noon leaving this ugly thing with gravel in it and the pipes all lined up.

The machines are so noisy I had to put ear plugs in my ears. 

 I dread them coming  back but I want the work completed.  

The machines run back and forth all day!

They even drove up my driveway with a pickup truck loaded with 5 or 6 of these heavy pipes and across the back yard to dump them without asking permission.

And the ground was wet from the rain.

I couldn’t believe their nerve.

Well, I better get back to work.

Thanks for visiting and all the lovely comments.

My Newest Teacup

Of course I had to buy a teacup while visiting the U.K. this Spring.

  

After visiting Hampton Court (posted here) we stopped in their gift shop where I spied this bone china beauty.

I love the turquoise color with the gold trim and lovely little pink roses. 

And of course the crown.   

After all this  is a Historic Royal Palace teacup.

  

I love it!

I told Hubby that it would fit in our suitcase without any problem.

And it did.. packaged so prettily in this little turquoise box.

We still can't believe we toured the beautiful countries of England, Wales and Scotland.

We feel very blessed. 

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Joke of the day:

Source:  Pinterest

Tea Time for Birds

Front

You know I love birds!

Today I'm sharing with you a pretty teacup I found in a gift shop in Delaware several years ago.  

Unfortunately there was no saucer with the teacup.

Back

Even the back of the teacup is lovely.

Oh, my, I love fine Bone China made in England!

Here's closer look at the front of the teacup.

The colors and detail are just stunning.

Lovely birds!

Hubby and I gave this bird picture to his mother many years ago.  

Isn't it lovely?

I particularly loved the roses painted on the frame.  

Hope you enjoyed my tea time for birds today!

Join me for:

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Lady Katherine~  http://ladykatherineteaparlor.blogspot.com/ 
Teatime Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Ruth  ~ http://timewasantiquesfamily.blogspot.com

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Tuesday Afternoon Tea  http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/

Miss Kathy http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com

My Shelley Rosebud

I just adored my paternal Grandmother.   

We were lucky to live fairly close to my Dad's parents while growing up so we were able to have Sunday dinners with them and to see them often.  I really treasured summer time when I could spend two weeks with them one on one.   My Grandmother had quite a few granddaughters and she was an excellent seamstress making all of us lovely dresses every year including my Mom.  

I found an old photo I scanned of my Mom...my Grandmother made this beautiful blue outfit for her.

My Mom loved to dress up...she had slim legs and ankles and looked terrific in high heels.   

  

That's Lady our dog...well, she was really my Mom's dog but we were all crazy about her.   

One of these days I hope to convert the old family photos over to digital.   

Back to my Grandmother...one summer my Grandmother said she wouldn't have both my middle brother and I at the same time because we fought.  We begged to go together...said we wouldn't fight... finally my Grandmother relented.  Well, Grandmother did know best because that's the first and last time she had us at the same time because she was right... we ended up fighting.   Hey, we were just kids. 

Here'a photo of my paternal Grandparents sometime in the 1940s.

I'm so lucky my paternal Grandmother bequeathed her lovely fine bone china Shelley Rosebud Coffee Set (Dainty Shape) to me.

Coffe pot and lid

On one of my earlier posting I said it was a tea set (what did I know).  One of my readers graciously corrected me to let me know it was not a tea pot but rather it was either a coffee or chocolate pot.

I googled and found two coffee pots and lids each one selling for over $450 on eBay.  

Boy, was I shocked.  

Of course, I have no intentions of selling my set.  

Creamer and Sugar Bowl

This green back stamp was used between 1945 and 1966.

I don't know when my Grandmother purchased the set but it was probably in the 1940s or 1950s.

Lovely...isn't it?

Hand painted mint green borders complement the fuchsia roses and cornflower blue daisies "rosebud" pattern.   

The set has such a wonderful English china color palette and dainty shape. 

My Bone China Shelley Coffee Set in the Rosebud pattern and Dainty Shape.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my lovely Shelley Coffee Set and didn't mind me rambling on and on about my family.  

I miss my Grandparents and my parents so much.

Please join me for:

                                    Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday                                
                              Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday
                                        Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday
                               Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

Cielo at The House in the Roses for Show Off Your Cottage Monday   

My Royal Albert Bunny Teapot

The teapot's colors match this vintage table scarf my Mom embroidered.

I saw this cute Bunny Teapot at the English Tea Shop in Epcot (Walt Disney World, Florida) during one of our trips and had to have her.

She's even prettier in person!

So dainty and delicate.

It's Royal Albert "Old Country Roses"

More "Old Country Roses"!

Look at how pretty her back is too!

She even has a cute, little, white bunny tail.

Hope you enjoyed seeing my Bunny Teapot!

Please join me for:

Make It My Day at Backyard Eden
Gina at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursdays

Cindy at My Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

Courtney at French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday

Wendy at The Shabby Nest for Frugal Friday
 Donna at Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special

Stephanie Lynn at Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday
Cielo at The House in the Roses for Show of Your Cottage Monday

Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday  

My Royal Albert Teacup Chandelier

Presenting My Royal Albert Teacup Chandelier!

Hubby bought this new black iron colonial chandelier for my birthday last year.   I love the cottage look of hanging teacups from a chandelier but since this chandelier doesn't have open hook arms I just couldn't decide how to hang the teacups.  I was afraid ribbons would come undone.  And then it came to me...using plastic tie tags!   I think it needs some ribbons too to hide the plastic ties.   I could go crazy changing ribbons to fit the season and/or holiday.

Gosh...I've never seen blue flowers ringing the inside of a teacup like this.   It is so pretty.

Royal Albert is celebrating 100 years of English craftsmanship and these five cups represent a pattern manufactured from each of the first five decades of the 20th Century.

Pretty Roses!!!

1900's - Regency Blue

1910's - Duchess

1920s - Spring Meadow

1930's - Polka Rose

1940's - English Chintz

The decade I was born!

Look at the stunning saucers!

I found this set of teacups at the Edmonton Mall up in Alberta, Canada in a Royal Albert store on our way to Alaska this Spring.  They had other sets from other decades too...so it was a hard decision which set to pick.  Of course, I managed to find a safe place in our RV to store it all through the Alaska Highway and into and around Alaska and back home.  I'm so glad it made its way home without breaking.   

 Please join Cindy at My Romantic Home (here) for more Show and Tell Friday!


And I'm joining  Terri at Artful Affirmations (here) Tea Cup Tuesdays!

Sandy at Teacup Lane