MUSING: WHY DO WE LOVE PINTEREST?

Why Do We Love Pinterest?

There is something really appealing about pinterest and it seems no one can quite put their finger on it.  However, I am going to give it a try.  When I first found pinterest I was amazed at all the eye candy.  There is no other place on the interwebs that I have found where you go and it is like Christmas.  There is so much to look at and it can be a little overwhelming at times.  When it is to much I just move on but when I do look around I always find something that makes me say WOW!  

I guess pinterest is kind of like a dream book.  I remember when I was a young girl we would look through all the catalogs.  You know the Sears, JC Penney's and other numerous catalogs that our Mom had around the house.  I would make list of everything that I loved in them.  I would never have expected to get all those lovely things but dreaming about them was exciting.  That is how pinterest is I think, you can look and dream.

As a crafter pinterest offers me something else, a place to find great ideas.  I also did this with those great catalogs when I was young. I would see something and then go make it.  That is how it is for me and I think maybe for all crafters.  I never like to steal ideas but I use ideas to make something that is distinctly mine.  I am always more proud of my things if and when I make them.

Pinterest is a source of great eye candy, ideas, products and so much more.  I do think that there is truly no other place anywhere on the interwebs that offers what pinterest offers.  I saw a post on facebook the other day that said "I am quite sure that the answers to all the worlds problems will be solved and it will be posted on pinterest."  Well this might not be true but I can say that I love pinterest and if nothing else we might be able to at least escape our problems just by visiting. So keep pinning and I will keep looking and pinning.

Below you will find my most recent pinterest WOW moment picture. I tried to find who was credited for this picture but I could not find them.  If you know let me know so I can give them credit. You simply cut a pop bottle top off and put the opening of the bag through it. Fold the bag down over pop bottle top and then screw the cap back on. How neat is that........

Happy Pinning............

VINTAGE LINENS

Vintage Linens

I love all things vintage and beautiful especially vintage hand embroidered linens.  From time to time I manage to pick up a few of these lovelies. I love all sorts of linen things like pillowcases, table clothes and linen towels.  Yet, most of all I love the 100% cotton pillowcases that have been so lovingly decorated.  They seem so delicate and beautiful and they carry with them the love that was put into them in the first place.  They remind me of my childhood and a much simpler time.  I have quite a few vintage linen items but my favorite is a set of pillowcases.  This set is embroidered with southern ladies.  They are so charming and lovely and I wanted to share them.

FASHION PARIS HILTON SHOES

Fashion

Paris Hilton Bergo Shoes

Being a true girly girl I love shoes and every once in awhile I find a pair of shoes that I just love to pieces.  About a year ago I did just that, I found the sweetest shoes ever.  These flats by Paris Hilton are a perfect shade of pink and I love the bows.  They are comfortable and stylish all at the same time.  

Paris Hilton shoes come in the sweetest girly girl boxes with bright pink ribbon handles.  I of course have kept my box and I keep my shoes in it. These are very well made shoes and they have sweet little hearts on the heal and inside. There is even a little heart on the box that is used to open the box, the box slides open.

I was just so excited about finding these adorable shoes that I has to share them.  Have you had any great finds lately?   I know I will be wearing these pink beauties for a long time to come.  

Just adorable!

Hugs, Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

#17 LIMOGES DEMITASSE

Limoges Demitasse

Today I wanted to share the only Limoges demitasse cup and saucer in my entire collection.  I personally have never seen to many of these little darlings but I must say I love this little beauty.  The artist did a beautiful job painting this tiny cup and saucer.  I love that it is pink of course and has beautiful little roses.   It is light and delicate and oh so beautiful.

A demitasse (French for half cup) or demi for short is used to serve espresso.

Both pieces are marked

Elite

Limoges

France

Bawo & Dotter

1920-1932

As promised I am continuing to post pictures of my Limoges Collection. This will take some time to get everything on my blog. Be sure to come back to see more lovely pieces of Limoges and other vintage porcelains.

TIPS AND THINGS: LAVENDER EPSOM SALT

Lavender Epsom Salt

Imagine climbing into a tub filled with warm water and fragrant lavender epsom salt.  Around you are candles which flicker a soft glow and beside you a glass of your favorite wine or perhaps your favorite beverage.  Now imagine using that same lavender epsom salt as air freshener for your closet, your car, or for any room in home.  Imagine washing your 100% cotton sheets and using lavender epsom salt in the final rinse to add a lovely and fresh fragrance to your sheets.  Imagine what you can do with a bag of lavender epsom salt.  

I use lavender epsom salt for all these things and it is fabulous.  In the bath it refreshes and invigorates and helps sooth sore achy muscles (at least for me it does).  In my closet it freshens the air and keeps my clothes smelling fresh and wonderful and it cost way less than those pricey air fresheners.  

I also add a little to my rinse cycle to freshen my sheets in the washer.  I simply put some lavender epsom salt in a cup and dissolve it in water.  I then add it to my rinse cycle.  You may want to check with your washer manufacturer to make sure this is safe for your type of washer.  For my washer it is fine and it makes our sheets so luxurious to sleep in.   Even my husband says that it makes the sheets feel so much better.

I am not promoting any brand or product here and I know there are different lavender epsom salt products out there. There are also other fabulous fragrances that you might find you like more.  Find what you love and try using it in different way.  You may find hidden treasures where you never thought to look.

Relax and sweet dreams.......

For other uses for Epsom Salt visit eHow......

#16 LIMOGES VASE WITH PINK ROSES....

Limoges Vase with Pink Roses

Today I wanted to share my sweet little Limoges vase.  I stumbled upon this darling vase several years ago and I paid just a few dollars for it.  Most of my pieces I have collected over time and I always look for a great deal. This piece is no exception. 

I got it home and I had a perfect glass dome to put it under and some extra silk flowers.  All I had to do was paint the wooden base for the glass pink (of course).  I had been looking for the perfect piece to sit on my faux fireplace (a gift from my sister) in our bedroom and this fit the bill.  Perfect for a Shabby Chic Bedroom....

 Outside the glass

The back of the vase

 Markings

 D & C

France

Delinieres, R (D&CO.)

1894-1900

VINTAGE SPUN COTTON

Vintage Spun Cotton

Today I was looking at some of my pictures and I stumbled across some of my vintage spun cotton ornaments.  These little jewels were made in Japan circa 1960's.  they are near and dear to my heart mostly because they remind me of my childhood.  Childhood memories can be the most precious of all memories. Seeing things from the 60's bring about all sorts of nostalgic thoughts and feelings. 

So I went back through my blog to see if I had posted any of my spun cotton treasures and I found that I had posted some things around the holidays.  However, I had left out some really cute things.  So today I wanted to share some of my spun cotton ornaments and such with you.

First I wanted to share my vintage snowmen and angels.

Here are my 2 little Snowbabies.

 I have a set of three large Angels that are mint in box. I just love these little angels.

 These are my vintage snowmen.  I added these to my little collection this past Christmas.  They were all I wanted for Christmas.

 What Girly Girl could resist this beautiful vintage PINK snowman?

 Last but not least my pink angels. I have a set of 8 of these.

Next Post will be more of my Limoges Collection....

FASHION LACE RUFFLES PEARLS and DENIM

Fashion

Lace, Ruffles, Pearls and Denim

My Shopping Trip

Being a Girly Girl I of course love to shop especially when I find something fabulous.  Today my daughter Tiffany and I went out for a short shopping trip.  We always have the best time ever when we go out looking around.  Some days we just look and not buy anything and other days we score.  Today we scored and both of us got some fabulous things at fabulous prices.  I wanted to share my outfit that I found because it is so beautiful and sweet.  I found an adorable lace dress that was about 85% off and a denim jacket with ruffles that was about 50% off. Like all girls I LOVE a bargain.  Then while checking out I found an endless glass pearl necklace.  I love pearls and I could not resist adding them to my finds for the day. So here are my beautiful new clothes and my pearls......

LACE, RUFFLES, PEARLS and DENIM!
SCORE

Now think of all the things I can add to this ensemble - vintage brooches, scarves, bracelets and more!

I found this quote on pinterest and I so loved it that I wanted to share it. 

Lovely ladies in lovely dress, there's something classy about that I think...

INSPIRATION PAINTING ROSES - LIMOGES

Inspiration for painting Roses

Limoges of course.....

When you are a crafter you never know where you will find inspiration.   From my love of Limoges porcelain came a love for painting.  Back when I first started collecting hand painted Limoges porcelain I was always amazed at the beautiful roses on my pieces.   Actually I was kind of jealous and I wanted to be able to paint too.   So I set about searching the interwebs for instructional videos.   I was delighted when I found that YouTube had quite a few videos.   After some research I went out and bought myself some supplies.   Then I sat down and  I just kept painting until I got something that looked like a rose.  I am not a professional painter however, I became good enough to actually paint some items for myself.   I even eventually sold some of my hand painted items. 

I love to recycle and reuse vintage things and I always see things for what they could be and not what they are.   This led me to combine my love of vintage items, recycling and painting.   Although, I have previously talked about many of my hand painted items, I wanted to share them again today.   If you are so inclined please leave a comment and let me know what you think of them.

First, here is a cake saver that I painted. The inside was in perfect condition and I can still use it as a cake server.  I only painted the outside and the bottom of the inside.  It has a clear glass cake plate inside.

This is my coal bucket complete with shovel. This beauty was in terrible condition when I found it.  I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned it then I was able to paint it and turn it into the treasure you see here.

My Drop Leaf Table is next and when I found this is was in very sad shape. I think I paid about $8.00 for it. The top of it was laminated and someone had left it in the rain.  The prep work for this table took  forever as I had to remove the laminate and sand the entire table.  I turned it into a tea table and I love how it turned out.

There are 2 upcycled chairs in this picture as well.

This was an old window I found and I wanted to try my hand at painting on glass. I was very pleased with how it turned out. This was one of my earlier pieces and I was still learning how to paint roses.  
This piece still hangs in our quest powder room. Oh and I painted the blue and white stripes in our powder room as well.

The last item I want to share today is an old sewing machine draw.  This piece was also in very sad shape when I found it.  I brought it home and after much love I have a lovely storage box. I even gave it a beautiful fabric top.

 I  have many more hand painted items but I thought I would share just a few today and save some for later.

So be sure to come back and look for more hand painted items in the future.

Thank you for stopping by

and for letting me share my hand painted items with you!

Hugs, Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

#15 LIMOGES TEA POT

Limoges Tea Pot

This is one of my favorite Limoges pieces and my absolute favorite tea pot.  It fits into my decor so well with it's beautiful blues and pink roses.  I love the 22K gold accents on this piece. the artist did and outstanding job on this beauty.  It makes you want to put on a beautiful hat and dress
and have a tea party.  

Elite L France
Bawo & Dotter, Mark 5
After 1900 

Have a beautiful day, 
Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

#14 LIMOGES BOWL

Limoges Bowl

This is a very stunning Limoges bowl.  It is beautifully hand painted with pink roses and a beautiful pale blue.  What I love about this piece is the shape. It is unusual and this adds to the beauty of it.  I of course love that the  artist used pinks and blues to decorate this bowl and they even painted the outside of the bowl a lovely pale pink.  

Just a beautiful dish. 

The back is painted a soft pink. 

Marked

A Seynie

 Limoges

P.P.

France

Paroutaud Freres

1902-1916

#1 TEA STRAINER UNKNOWN MAKER HARD PASTE PORCELAIN

Tea Strainer
 Unknown Maker
Hard Paste Porcelain

This is just the most lovely porcelain tea strainer.  This piece has no factory markings but it is a hard paste porcelain.  It is signed by the artist and is dated 1974, not many of my pieces are dated this late in the 1900's.  It is in excellent condition and displays beautifully. 

Hand painted in soft pinks,  adorned with beautiful roses and then trimmed in 22K gold, this piece is so beautiful and fits so well into my Shabby Chic decor. It is one of my favorite pieces and a treasure to own.  

Thank you ever so kindly for visiting us 

here at Tea Cottage Pretties. 

See you next time, 

Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

#12 LIMOGES SYRUP PITCHER

Limoges Syrup Pitcher


Some of my Limoges pieces are just so special and oh so lovely.  One such piece is my Limoges Syrup Pitcher. 

This special piece is a very hard to find Limoges syrup pitcher. It is such a fabulous item and one of my treasures.  It has a lid that comes off and then locks down so that you can pour your syrup without the lid falling off.  

 Just imagine eating fluffy waffles or pancakes and pouring your syrup from this beauty.  This certainly could make breakfast feel soooooo special.  Isn't it beautiful?

I love the soft beautiful pink roses and the beautiful blue.  Just a lovely piece of Limoges. 

Markings

T & V

Limoges

France

Tressemann and Vogt.

1907-1919

#11 LIMOGES NAPPY

Limoges Nappy

This is a beautiful Limoges nappy with hand painted birds and flowers.  It is hard to find pieces with birds on them so this is a treasure to me.  It is accented in 22K gold on the handle and around the edges.   A nappy is used to serve things like lemon slices, little candies, etc.  Nappy comes in different sizes, this is a larger nappy.

Today these work well as a dresser tray.

Such a beautiful and precious piece. 

Limoges

WG & CE

France

Guerin

1891-1900

More Limoges coming soon, 

Beverly

Tea Cottage Pretties

#10 LIMOGES - TINY ART - BROOCHES, EARRINGS and A KEY FOB (RARE)

Limoges brooches, earrings and a key fob

In keeping with posting my brooches, I thought I would finish up adding my small Limoges items.  In this picture are four of my favorite brooches (one long bar brooch), earrings (bobs) and a rare watch/key fob. The brooches shown here are my favorite floral brooches. The earrings have a screw backing on them and I once tried to put them on and it hurts... I do not know how anyone ever wore them but they are beautiful.  The key fob has three pieces and they are attached with tiny chains. I am very lucky to have this piece. I made a frame holder to display them in. I used a canvas and wrapped it with gathered pink tulle and I simply pinned my items on it. It makes a lovely display.

#9 LIMOGES BROOCHES

Although I have recently posted about my brooches I wanted to finish them up on my list of Limoges Pieces. So here are some images of my Limoges Brooches. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

I think that is all my brooches for now....

Unless I should get more later....