the best laid plans . . .

Can sometimes be improved upon, trust me!  Because I'd had this yesterday set up to take care of some administrative stuff in the morning and then play in fabric all afternoon and into the late hours of the evening (well ... like 10 p.m.).  BUT ... I got a text ... a *great* text ... a text from Kim wanting to know if I'd like some company today.  

Ummmm....YES!!!

So mid-morning she, Sawyer, and June came over -- it was June's first visit over the river and through the woods to Neesey's house!  Kim and Sawyer went searching for some pine cones.  While they did that, June and I got better acquainted.

  

Isn't she just precious?!  She's two weeks old already!  [I almost laughingly inserted, "She'll be one in no time," but it's not really funny.  I was on the phone with Jocelyn today and she said, "Ellie's standing up.  Just standing there."  She'll be ONE in less than two months.  Boooo hooo!!!]  June needs to take it waaaaaaaay slow!

Then, when Sawyer and Kim came back, Kim fed June and Sawyer and I headed out for a RIDE! We finally got the golf cart fixed and so we went up to the upper field to chat with the cows and to see if we could find any more deer.

By the way -- we didn't find any deer.  I'm not sure why . . . Sawyer called and called and called for them . . . !!!

They left in time to get afternoon naps in, and so I finished up with my admin stuff.  I did bake some Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

And I put on my orange border and have halfway quilted the top.  

I decided that I'll back it with the darker purple and use that to bind it, both. How's that for an awful lot of purple?  LOL!  I think the purple binding looks nice. 

And I've got to share this lovely, lovely squishy that arrived in the mail . . . 

Aren't these panels darling?  It's Sandy Lynam Clough's line, Friendship Tea, by Red Rooster.  I adore Sandy's tea books and have been a follower of her website for many, many years (long before I was quilting). 

The script reads, "For friendships sent down from above ~ May this tea be steeped with love."  Sharon, from Vrooman's Quilts, said she saw it and thought of me.  I'm so, so touched.  Sharon, it's absolutely delightful!!   And check out this coordinating print:

And I had to take some closeups of the little cups, too, because they're just so darling!

Oh gracious, the possibilities are whirling through my mind!!  I'm sipping a cup of tea right now ... totally inspired!

I'm not sure what today will bring . . . but tonight is guild!  I missed last month, so I'm anxious to get there and catch up with the gals.  Our program is a trunk show by one of our charter members, and I'm looking forward to it.  I'll have to make sure the camera is in my purse with a charged battery!

Happy Favorite Things Thursday!

:)

christmas in . . . march?!

This week has been a very FUN week to make the trip to the post office and check our post office box!  First, I received a little happy from Barbara, over at Cat Patches.  I'd won her Fun Facts Freebie Friday contest and the prize was a sweet fat quarter ... in my *favorite* color!!

Barbara has the FFFF giveaway every Friday and it's easy to enter.  The button is on my right sidebar.  You should definitely check it out tomorrow!!

And then yesterday, I received a complete surprise!  It truly was Christmas in March because it was from my Secret Santa, Kris, from Lavender Quilts!! There was a package inside the package ... double the wrapping, double the fun, right?!  Isn't that paper pretty?  And such a sweet note!

Oh my, I was completely blown out of the water -- isn't this darling teapot mug rug *DARLING*?!?!?!?  And the colors are just perfect for me!  She even blogged about quilting it HERE, and I never put it together!

Check out the handiwork on that teapot -- and her quilting is perfect!  And as if that wasn't enough, she included some loose leaf teas for me, too!  Another batch of the lovely Earl Grey, plus a Darjeeling *and* a little novelty tea!

Get a closeup of this ... isn't that FUN????  Hot Lips tea?!?  That's so totally me!  And yes, those are tiny little candy "hot lips" in there with the tea!

Yup -- I'm settled in for my morning tea!!  Kris, you are such a darling -- thank you SO much!

Today I'm heading to spend some time with my Ellie-belly-baby.  Good times.  I'm taking the cream cheese mints.  I hope they last until Saturday.  LOL!  Happy Thursday!

:)

totally tea-lightful . . .

I do believe my family knows me to a "tea"! I was thoroughly spoiled in the tea department over Christmas; I really did score big! Todd, among (lots of) other things, got me two tins of Harney & Sons teas that I'd wanted ... the Chocolate Mint and the Holiday teas. Yes!

I fell in love with Harney & Sons teas after trying their Royal Wedding tea, which is marvelous.

My sister, Julia, included a box of mulling spices for tea in her gifts.

I can't wait to brew a pot of black tea and give this a try -- I bet it smells heavenly!

My sister, Cynthia, gifted me with these *darling* tea spoons (which I've shared before, but they're so cute they're worth a second mention) . . .

Aren't they pretty and feminine?

And I love the messages inscribed on them: Hi Tea, <3, and Good Morning Sister. So sweet -- I love stirring my tea (and coffee) with them!

And my sister, Laura, gifted me with this pretty little box from Williams & Sonoma:

And what do you think was in it but the sweetest little Christmas petite fours!

Chocolate, vanilla and jam filled little cakes -- yum -- I need to get the girls over here pronto for a tea party!!

My Sawyer-boo knows his Neesey, too. He gave me this darling wreath of teas!

His mommy made it. Isn't it nifty? And full of some of my favorite Twining's teas -- I'd had a hankering for a good cup of English Breakfast tea, too!

Kim and James also got me the Hot Cinnamon Spice tea I wanted from Harney & Sons.

Mary, from Quilt Hollow, turned me on to this particular blend and got me hooked!

Kim and James also got me a new book . . .

I've had this on my wish list forever. I already love Emilie Barnes' books, but to have one illustrated by Sandy Clough is a real bonus! I've followed her Sandy's Tea Society site for quite some time ... I even did Secret Sippers back in the day when they did that! Such fun and very sweet.

In addition to all that, my Secret Santa (who I found out just last night was Kris, from Lavender Quilts) gifted me with some lovely tea and tea cookies (which I blogged about here) and then I gifted *myself* with a renewal of my Tea Time Magazine subscription.

I just read today on facebook that they are making their magazine available for the Nook reader. *sigh* But not the Kindle ... not yet. Oh well. This tea enthusiast has been collecting Tea Time Magazine since its premier issue in the Fall of 2003 ... and I've kept every issue since! They're small and don't take up *too* much room in the RV.

Okay, so there you have it ... my tea immersion therapy! It should be enough to last me through to Mother's Day, at least! *giggle*

:)