Tea Time

I was reading another artists blog and came across a lovely watercolor of a tea set she owned. It made me pause and think about why I love a tea party or even just a quiet time alone with my favorite tea pot and cup.

There is something special about having a cup of tea in a cup of fine china. I am partial to English fine china. It brings back memories of my great aunt Ava and my grandmother. When I was a young girl, these two lovely ladies, who were special in my life, would have a tea party using my aunt's beautiful china. She had a collection of cups and tea pots. I was fortunate enough to inherit her collection. Every time I pick up one of her cups I am reminded of the wonderful memories of spending time with them. It reminds me of how special I was to them and makes me feel pampered.

Years later, my family and I went on a missions trip to England. We stayed with families from the local church. My husband and I stayed with a lovely couple. Phil and Frances became quick lifelong friends. We were staying in the pottery district where most of the fine china in England is made. Frances was such a warm and loving lady. She came into my life at a time when I really needed her strength and understanding. I'd recently lost my mother. It wasn't until I met her that I was able to begin to heal from this insurmountable loss. I'll always be grateful to her for her kindness.

They gave us a Country Roses tea set from Royal Doulton, where their daughter-in-law worked. I was so excited that I could barely contain myself.
It was such a generous and loving gift. Every day I walk by that set placed lovely in my china cabinet. Whenever I use it, I am reminded of the love and kindness of strangers. The day the we met, we were strangers. The day we parted, we were friends for a lifetime.

They taught us how to brew a proper pot of English tea. We were introduced to teas we had never heard of, much less tasted. I learned how to make a cup of tea with cream and sugar that is absolutely wonderful from the first sip to the last. Whenever I sip tea now, memories begin to flood my soul. It brings up images of these special people that from early childhood into adulthood have had such a lasting influence on my life.

I know this has been a lengthy post and differs from my usual artistic posting. But just seeing the beautiful watercolor from a fellow artist, brought so many thoughts and memories of times past into my head. As I began to write, I began to realize why tea, tea pots and cups have such a significant meaning in my life. Funny how one thing leads to another. Even though it may seem odd, this all began to unravel in my head from the work of that unknown artist.
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For the love of Pigs

My grand-daughter loves pigs. So I did this for her on an 8x10 canvas. It was inspired by a Christy Tomlinson sketch. I showed it to her via FaceTime so she wouldn't have to wait until I see her next time. She was so excited and said she loved it. She said she already had a place to hang it in her room. She's so funny with her love of pigs. Said she wants a pot bellied pig to raise. My DD said "no way"! Anyway, she can add this one to her collection. I forgot to ask her what she wanted to name her. Hmmm?

So now I think I'll quit for today. I'm tired but have had so much fun. My fingers are all inky but my desk is clean. I got my gelli prints cut to size and have two paintings. I think I've had a productive day. Oh yeh, I even had some Cardinals come visit on my windowsill. Don't think I've ever been that close to one. They are such gorgeous birds!


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Rainy Day Fun

I liked the idea that Marianne had of using old calendar pages. I've saved a few that were very large, so I decided I'd give it a try. I love exploring new surfaces to paint on. I saw a picture that had an island caught in the middle of a wave. It inspired me to do this piece.

Yesterday I had taken the calendar page and gesso'd it. Then I took various stencils and spray inks to create an abstract background.

Next I used my Golden fluid acrylics and my fingers to begin painting the scene. I wanted a transparent paint so some background stencils would peak through. I just kept going until I liked the result. I really should have taken a picture of my fingers. I really like the feel of the final piece. It is very flexible, not stiff like a canvas. I think I'll find a frame and mat it. I love the beach, waves and sunsets. It makes me happy. So much fun on a rainy day.



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Mr. Cardinal

Mr. Cardinal came to visit my windowsill this morning. It is raining so I think he wanted to get somewhere it is dry. This is the first time they have ever gone to the windowsill feeder.



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