TEACUP TUESDAY'S "JAPANESE LUSTRE"

Lustre Love  is the  appreciation and humble  " LOVE" of lusterware" to which, I am smitten, especially in the china department.

Royal Sealy, is a vintage  porcelain manufacturer known for their highly collectible teasets ( 1940-1950)....   Like the glimmer of the silkworms, Art Deco styled cups and saucers were  made in Japan for export.  The designs  are history and became the most popular collecible of the era. I'm tickled pink to be able to share one of my favorite Japanese inspired cup and saucer with you.

I must admit that  living in Japan( five years)  certainly does gives a person, a lustered appreciation of cultural folk arts and the 

brilliancy of beauty, sheen and gloss ... which is exactly what lustreware is ....  a glaze, a varnish or an enamel applied to porcelain in a thin layer and giving it a smooth, glistening surface. It's quite dazzling!!!

  I was first attracted to the octangular  beauty of this porcelain  by it's opalescent pink coloration.... and  ...   bought it on sight.  My first impression  was look on the bottom and see where it was made... " JAPAN " !!!!!! Yes .. exclamation mark ... not impressed , but upon  research , I realized that  occupied Japan items, Nippon  and general Japanese porcelain  pieces are really state of the art artifacts , even without the ' made in England " stamp.

I quess, a Honey Tea  would  honor this cup, but I have never sipped, even a drop from it's ethereal being ... Somehow, I feel that it is either, too fragile or too elusive, like a butterfly... It is a work of art. !!!!

 The   honeycomb body is rare,  if not unique in the teacup and  saucer world. The raised mold of this inner cup is enhanced by the pearlized pink/lavender  finish .  A lot of imagination went into creating this  delicate  tea sipper.  

 If you look deep enough into the essence of the cup, it might remind you of the Nellie Moser Clemetis petals  that  shimmers like fairy gossamer  in the sunlight....Beautiful !!!! ... or you might just  find a quiet moment to reflect... We had a tornado touch down last month  so, I find these  reflective moments of nature with my teatime, a calming therapy !!!! .

Goodness, I must admit to a fetish for the 3-footed, gold gilded beauties that balance, soooooo ....  daintily on their  base.  Infact, I smirk at the  simple audacity of this saucy little set, to display itself so boldly, yet, it's also so much like a Grecian urn, sitting silently in a corner, waiting for  admiration ...  " will someone please notice me " ...  Often times, I feel like Disney,  sweeping the inanimated objects into animation ...  I quess I shan't worry until I  start talking to the cups and saucers  ... That's the problem ... I do ( Ha Ha) !!!

Japanese artists  have focus and precision when it comes to balancing beauty and nature. An opalescent finish, combined with  a hand-painted metallic gold gild, is why  lustreware and fine china are still sought out by collectors.

I wanted you to  take a peek at the fancy gilted medallian and scalloped edges of the saucer.  Don't you think it looks regal ?  Lustreware is not everyones cup of tea, but it's sheer wonderlust to me. ( Twinkle Twinkle )  Quite simply ... It's pretty!!!!

If you do feel the urge to collect something  a little different  ... Please .... pause for a moment to just admire the creative aspects of the Japanese teasets... It  really is fine porcelain art,  fit for a King or Queen ... Oops ... Emperor or Empress!!!!

Thank you all for your kind visits and know that I'm so excited to visit your Teacup Tuesday Blogs.
Would you like to try a crumpet  with your tea today ?

"TIGER LILIES "

Morning walks are always exciting, especially with Dolly, my seven month old Spaniel. The mist was rising and the birds were trilling in song... Dolly looked  up, way up high, to see where all the twittering sounds were coming from. She cocked her ears from side to side and wondered about those strange creatures overhead... then frollicked after a butterfly..run, run, run.... Oh, it's a puppies life in the country.... Isn't it !!!!

I would imagine that the path hadn't changed that much since the Grand Lady was built  over  one hundred  years ago . I pondered, how many people may have journeyed this same woodland path,  by foot,  together or by stage coach. The carriage gutters could still be seen through the thickets, where the wooden wheels  had worn away the  earth, grooving and carving their mark for history.

The brooks were bubbling and gurgling, where we stopped for puppy  to lap up some of the  spring water ... then suddenly ( SPLASH)  ...  Dolly,  proudly,  jumped  into the muddy ponds to chase the   dizzy little water bugs.  I laughed at her curiosity and playfulness ."Good Girl Dolly"...( Pat Pat)

What a lovely autumn day !!!! I say autumn, because the morning mists  were still rising from  the cool dampness of the night air . At the same time,  the leaves seemed  to  be doning  a new array of  colors ." It's too soon for FALL", I sighed .

Don't you marvel at the humble beauty of nature? I suddenly realized that, Dolly and I , were  surrounded  by blooming daylilies,.You know... the wild daylilies, that glow and open in full cup, to drink  the warm sunlight. The blossoms stretched far beyond the corners of my driveway, deep, deep into the woods, where ( SHHHH) the fairies live... At least that's what I like to think!!!!

In Victorian language, the tiger lily represents wealth and pride.  In German folklore, the soul  is supposed to take the form of a flower such as the lily.  AH ... the romantic sentiments of days gone by !!!

It's much more fun to fall into the imaginative  powers of nature than reality, especially on such a lovely day ....As I remember, in Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,  it was this old fashioned tiger lily that lured Alice into the looking-glass garden. Oh my goodness, we all know what happened to ALICE.  I wonder if Dolly and I might see a White Rabbit on our way home....OOPS !!!!

 Too late ... We're already under natures' spell.... The teaparty has begun and the guests have arrived. Would you like to join us !!!!

" TEACUP TUESDAY "

Today I'm romancing memories of my summer trip to beautiful Prince Edward Island on the eastern coast of Canada.

My son, Garrett   and daughter -in-law,Clea were visiting from Australia . Her childhood dream  has always been, to  visit  the  Anne of Green Gables house in P.E.I.   Clea had read  ALL the Lucy Maud Montgomery's books and she was determined to visit the " land of shining water... and maybe even open the blue chest.... Goodness, I had read the  now, famous Anne series   over twenty years ago ... and was also  inspired and excited  to experience the magic of the Island.

We embarked on our five  hour journey on a perfect sunlit day  and emerged as weary   travellers needing a stretch and a  good cup of tea......

Prince  Edward Island  seemed to  hum with the pace  of a  slow moving clock, that ticked and tocked twenty to thirty years back in time....  and funnily enough all the local people   seemed to be tea tottlers because the shops were filled with tea cups and teapots and wonderful Island teas...

I, of course,  had to buy  a souvenir  .....  Wouldn't you?.... Now, some people might argue, that I needed another cup and saucer like a hole in the head... but that 's just some people !!!! Normally, I choose antique, traditional styled  items... but today, I was feeling perky and keen. It must have been island fever( ha Ha), because  I bought this, very, Art Deco  teapot, cup and saucer set and I LOVE IT !!!

It's definately a girlie- type  cup and saucer,  beautifully  decorated with the romanic  artwork of Gustav Klimt.

And of course the matching teapot just beams with the anticipated  magic of brewing an aromatic cup of tea.  I shall choose jasmine tea !!!! What  type of tea would you choose??

I think my favorite part of the set is the elegant  teapot lid with its  circular  sweetheart posies and of course the pinks and purples  warm my heart too. What are  your favorite colors?

Oh..I just have to show you the other side of this dreamy cup, which by the way, is called " Desire ". Don't you just want to sip a soothing spot of tea from it !!!

The saucer is larger  and flatter than most traditional saucers , but would definately accommodate maybe two NewYork slices instead of one...So that a yummy positive.

If I was to recommend  tea cups and teapot china to new-up and coming  tea lovers...the Dunoon China would be my choice.The china is light and fine, yet sturdy enough to endure the heat of the brew for years and years.. I've never had any of my Dunoon cups and mugs  crack or break and I put them in the microwave and dishwasher, on a regular basis.. Goodness, if I were superstitious, I  should touch wood, just in case( Hee Hee) one does break now  ( Gulp).

But, it's not as if I don't have any other cups in the  house...one day I shall count them. I just wonder if I can count that high( Ha ha) How many cups and saucers  do you have?  I promise I won't tell anyone ladies , especially your husbands !!!

Thank you for your kind visits... I'm off to make a relaxing  cup of tea and to  read some of your  wonderful Teacup  Tuesday blogs...CHEERIO

"TEACUP TUESDAY"

It's my first " Teacup Tuesday "

and the china  cupboards are all a bustle with gossip... One could almost imagine the cups and saucer clinking together as I make my selection.

 

 I've collect black cups and saucers decorated with roses, since childhood. Last month while cruising Ebay , I happened upon this lovely  teaset. At first I thought it was a match for a  German collection that I had, but upon  closer inspection, realized that it was the predecessor to what is now formally knows as  Royal Alberts, "  English Rose". I'm sure you might recognize the modern," English Rose" alternative  white/red china sets  with the circular  red rose motifs. 

This particular  English Bone China( above)  heralds a rare persona  proudly displaying a more  dramatic color contrast. It is very hard to find.   The  cup boasts a 3.5 octangular mouth  so it holds a full plus  cup of tea for traditional tea leaf readers and it is black with a thin gold trim. It looks beautiful on the table.

While  frantically bidding for the set, I was informed that  ladies from Australia and England were also  competeing for the  prize cups and saucers ... which of course made me sad, as I dearly wished to add to  a cup and saucer set  that I had inherited from my great Grandmother.  Yes it was the same pattern.... I couldn't believe it !!!!

I  immediately emailed the vendor, who incidently was called " Grannie and Me" ( Ha Ha)... I chuckled at the coincidence , but never thought for a moment that I would ever possess these beautiful dishes. I infact had tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat ... ( Boo Hoo ) Silly Me !!!! 

The tale was told that the vendors grandmother was selling off her favorite teaset  and she wanted it to go to someone who who would love and cherish it.  A little voice inside said " Pick Me, Pick Me  " !!!!

Unfortunately ebay stores sell to the highest bidder and I had a budget, so was up front with the lovely lady and disappointedly bid her adieu.

Well the moral of this story is that, "What's meant for you will never pass you by". The next day I received an email, stating that because I lived in the same province,  the Great- Grandmother thought it best, to hand deliver the set to the young lady who was completeing her grannies collection ... Hey  that young/ older girl was ME !!!!

A week later , family members from " Grannie and Me"  delivered the twenty- six  piece set . The china had been,  ever so neatly, wrapped and packed in a  laundry basket ... How sweet is that !!!

 I  now own this gorgeous set and proudly display it in my tea cabinet...  So here's a tea time wish and a kiss to grannies around the world . Thank You, "Grannie and Me" from Ebay... Teatime Fairytales just don't get any better than this.!!!

" A BUTTERFLY DAY "

Today, I'm having a " Butterfly " day.

 

 It's a daydreaming day, when you sit and create pretty things.  Funnily enough, I had stumbled upon some  early 1900  's images  that sparked  a feeling, similiar to one that any person  might have experienced, in days gone by.

The sun was shining, birds were singing and the leaves were swaying gently in the breeze... As I gazed out of the window, a myriad of butterflies floated and danced above the daylilies, landing only once or twice to kiss the flowers.

I imagined they were whispering to one another  or  perhaps playing a  game... How pretty they were suspended within my imagination.

So, I set out to recreate some trading cards, much like they did in Victorian times....and decided to use the vintage images, to create butterfly wishes and and butterfly dreams, in the 3.5 X 2.5 ATC format. Really,  it's just an artists card, that you can trade or give to someone as a gift.

Oh, what fun I had, sprinkling the fairy dust and glitter on their wings. You'd almost think that they could take flight on such a lovely day.( Flutter Flutter)