The Cue, a Pause, a Blessing

Victorian Violets teapot, sugar, & creamer.
Hammersley, Made in England

The Sisterhood of Quilters publishes a column called Girlfriend Wisdom. I always enjoy their perspective. Today when I picked up a Country Register magazine and read the column, I realized that their advice went with my day. Listen to this...

"Did you ever wish you had a Peaceful Pause Button? A button that would simply pause all the actions that surround your busy day. Errand running, chasing children, cleaning and cooking, working, working, working. If you had an imaginary Peaceful Pause Button that would de-stress your day, how would it work? What lifts your spirit and stirs your soul?"

Violets Tea Towel
Painted by my mom

They suggested that you think of a word and use that word to cue into mentally pausing during stressful moments during the day. Good idea, but better yet, what about actually taking time to pause. A break from daily routine and doing something that's calm, quiet, and special can do wonders for a person! Tea breaks are good for this. Best are tea breaks with a friend! Add a little window shopping to the mix and you're set to go!

Teacup marked JAPAN
The other teacup is Colclough China,
Made in Longton, England

Since it was Karleen's birthday, the decision was made to take a pause-day; a day away from chores and routine. We started with a tea break on the porch, enjoying cups of white blueberry tea. From Fujian, China, this Adagio tea is very fragrant and deliciously soft. Homemade cinnamon rolls and smoked almonds added energy for the day.

After visiting some of our favorite shops and looking for summer sandals, quilt supplies, vintage ware, and assorted plants and flowers, we took a break for lunch.

Chilled carafes of spearmint water refreshed us while we waited for a pot of Assam tea.

Our shared lunch tray

We decided to share a Mediterranean platter for lunch. It was filled with mixed nuts, assorted salty olives, hummus and dips, pasta salad, crusty bread, crackers, and cheeses.

Chocolate with peanut butter frosting

And since it was a birthday, we walked down the street after eating and enjoyed cupcakes from that sweet little shop I'd found with Dad and Alma last week. The shop carries cupcakes for everyone with options for vegan, gluten-free, and every taste bud.

Searching for a Picasso petunia 

The day ended by another stop for plants and flowers. With a car filled with an assortment of cosmos, petunias, million bells, and more, we stopped one more place before arriving back home. It was to the home of a quilt guild friend. What a sweet little cottage she has. It is surrounded by a fence to contain a friendly dog and happy chickens. An abundance of lilies line the parameter, filled with buds and ready to burst forth in blossom at any time! Some kind of exercise gadget sits on the front porch, and it was appropriately covered with a colorful quilt made just for it! She invited us inside for a chat before we headed home.

A pause. A birthday. A friendship. God's gifts are abundant. How special it is to take a pause so that one can stop and appreciate each and every one. Today, the chores will be a bit easier as a result. Plus, there are flats of plants to get into the ground which is another kind of reprieve. Blessings.

Tipping the Pansy Teacup

 

It's been fun sharing about pansies this week. They are such a friendly, expressive flower. Just looking at their happy faces makes me smile! I hope you've enjoyed learning about these garden friends. I have a few more things to share about pansies today. Today's post is a bit of an assortment of ideas related to pansies. Please bear with me and next week we'll start a new topic with a bit more clarity than what you're seeing here today.

 

Pansies are a subject that's photographed and painted fairly often. They can be found on stationary, gift wrap, or in magazines. Clip art of pansies can be found on the Internet as well. Here's a craft project with which you can use the pansy pictures you like (or color photocopy them so you don't destroy the original) to make stickers. Everyone loves stickers! They are fun for children and adults alike. They can be used to stick on envelopes, assignments, packages, and more.  Some people create entire journals or books filled with stickers!  Making your own stickers out of magazine pictures, wallpaper samples, gift wrap, or drawings is even more fun!  You can even use old greeting cards and family photos.

Homemade Stickers
Here's a recipe for this fun craft.

2 parts white glue
1 part white vinegar

1)  Create a sticker sheet by gluing pictures on an 8 x 11 sheet of paper or by sketching them on.  Color if desired.

2)  Photocopy on a color copy machine.

3)  Coat the entire back of the page with the white glue/white vinegar mixture.

4)  Allow page to dry completely.

5)  Apply a second coat of white glue/white vinegar mixture.  

6)  Allow page to dry completely.

7)  Using scissors, cut out pictures to create stickers.  Leave a small, white border around each picture.

8)  To use, moisten back of sticker and apply to page, envelope, or more.



 

And look! Yesterday when shopping for groceries at the supermarket, I saw the most recent issue of Martha Stewart Living. On the front cover was a cake decorated with pansies. How fun! I did not copy her with my series this week, but I wonder...did she copy me? Of course not, but it is fun to imagine. 

Pansies can be found in my bedroom too. This little bird's nest is hanging on the wall and little silk pansies add color and flair.

Above the bed is a watercolor painting of pansies. It was painted by my mother whose love for pansies was so genuine and deep!

Dad and Alma have been here to visit this week. Here's dad, tipping his pansy teacup to you! He's saying: "Hello, friends! I'm glad you've stopped by my daughter's blog today." Dad does not know a stranger. We went to town yesterday and he befriended everyone in his path.

Lastly, yesterday while shopping I came across two beautiful planters of pansies at a pretty art and decorating shop. They were abundant! Blooms were spilling over the sides of the planters. Such cheer! Such joy! Such delight!

Enjoy a happy and blessed day!

Reminders While Shopping

Have you ever noticed that sometimes things you observe while shopping remind you of a friend you have? Does it make you smile? The cute little pigs above remind me of my friend, Pinky! Aren't they cute? 

Sometimes some unusual things can be seen while on a shopping trip. This is especially so when visiting quaint little tourist-type towns.

But it you look carefully, you will be sure to find things that make your spirits soar! How about an antique shop called "Made in England"?

Or a sign that says "Tea for Two". Now, doesn't that sound nice?

Now --- is a good time for a cuppa!