Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Happy New Year to Everyone! A New Venture for Me and Presenting My First Give-Away!!!!

Happy New Year!!!
I hope everyone had a blissful Christmas and Holiday Season.
2011 is here and with the new year comes a sense of adventure and new beginnings.
After many years of telling my hubby that I am going to sell on Ebay, I have finally taken some measures to do just that. I have been collecting treasures, crafting and refinishing furniture and lamps for more than forty-five years and the time has come for me to let these beauties travel to new homes where they can be appreciated and loved by others. I have thousands of antique and vintage items such as jewelry, clothing, shoes and purses/handbags, crocheted and embroidered linens, art, figurines, depression glass, milk glass, pottery, china, majolica, American and Canadian Brilliant Cut glass, silver (sterling and silverplate), copper, brass, lamps, books, dolls, toys and just about anything you can think of!! So stay tuned for more information about my Ebay selling. I will be posting again in a few days to give you the particulars.
Today is also Tuesday, so I will be participating in Teacup Tuesday with the lovely Martha and Terri of
and
These two wonderful ladies have hosted 43 Teacup Tuesday celebrations. The weekly party allows bloggers to invite new friends into their blogs, showoff their teacup collections, and share a cup of tea or coffee and the happenings in their lives. Martha and Terri were very supportive when I first began blogging in May 2010. I cannot thank these ladies enough! They are both genuine, beautiful human beings to the core!!
We are having a late morning tea today, as it is now eleven o'clock. I am using one of my favorite tea sets; it has roses on it!! The teapot, milk and cream jugs, cups and saucers were made by Wedgwood under the Imperial Porcelain manufacturing name. Some of the cups and saucers do state the name Wedgwood. This pattern is especially dear to me because it bears the name of my father-in-law, "Vincent".
Ther is a wee guest joining us. His name is "Mai" and is made by Goebel of germany. Do you see the butterfly he holds in his hand? He is telling us that on this cold and snowy day we should remember that spring is on her way! Do not give up hope!!

I have prepared some nibblies. You may choose from Almond biscotti, date squares, raspberry coconut macaroon bars or chewy chocolate and coconut bars. They are displayed in a beautiful American brilliant cut glass dish.

I have not yet found a sugar bowl in this pattern so I am using the sugar from my Birks silver tea service. The spoon belonged to Laura Mulligan, my maternal grandmother's best friend; she was one of the women I was named after.
The gorgeous tray that the tea set is resting on, is from England and made in the 1920s. 

I think this is the first time that I have shown you my tea wagon. I bought it from my friend, Dee. It is made by the Gibbard Furniture company of Napanee Ontario, which is just a twenty minute drive from my house. It was made in 1910-1920 I think. Gibbard closed its doors in 2008 after an incredible 173 year period. 
Here is a closer picture of the cup and saucer. Remember that you can click on any picture which will enlarge it and then you can zoom in on the view as well.
I am using five o'clock spoond in Birks sterling Chantilly pattern. They are dear little spoons!! 





Miss Bear has joined us! She is wearing her pearls and mink stole.

I think I'll nibble a piece of biscotti. Which would you prefer?

Yummy!!!  I promise I won't dunk!

NOW!!!!!  Presenting my first EVER give-away!!!!
As many of you already know I love roses! So, I have collected a couple of items which I wish to send off to a lucky someone. This give-away is open to anyone on Earth. I am sorry to exclude my alien friends from Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto and the other planets, but I am sure you can appreciate the fact that the shipping to Pluto would be (tee-hee!) astronomical!!!
I am giving away a Royal Albert "American Beauty" cup and saucer, a gorgeous scarf covered with roses made by Tabi, a sterling and freshwater pearl bracelet and a pair of sterling and freshwater pearl dangling earrings. I will draw the winner on my fifty-first birthday!!! January 13th, 2011 at twelve o'clock noon EST (my time zone).


You may enter my give-away by doing any or all of the following:
1. Leaving a comment here on this posting.
2. Become a follower of my blog and leave me another comment on this posting that you have done so. If you are already a follower you are automatically entered into the draw.
3. Tell the followers of your blog about my Give-away by posting about it and then leaving another comment for me here.
4. Post a link to my Give-away in your sidebar and yes, please leave another comment to tell me that you have done so.
I wish everyone luck in this, my first give-away!!
I am off to work on laundry and some more of the everyday life of a middle-aged girlie!
God bless you and give you a blissful life in this new year!
Love and warm hugs, Laura.

55 comments:

  1. Hello Laura :) Happy New Year to you :) I haven't participated in Teacup Tuesday in quite some time, but hopefully soon ~ you've certainly set out a lovely tea for everyone, and your treats looks scrumptious! How wonderful to have your first giveaway, and a pretty rose themed one at that! I would love to be entered for a chance to win.

    I will wish you the best of luck with your new venture into selling on Ebay :) I remember when I first started a few years ago, I was so scared to start, but once I did, I wondered what took me so long to do it in the first place, lol :)

    I'll be putting your Giveaway button on my sidebar, and will leave another comment as soon as I do, to help spread the word about your fabulous Giveaway :)

    Warmest hugs to you, Brenda

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  2. Okay, the button is now on my sidebar, and linked right back to this post :) Oh, and I am already one of your followers :)

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  3. Absolutely lovely 1st giveaway!
    Congrats & Happy Birthday & Happy New Yr all in one !!

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  4. Hello Laura,
    OMG, what a lovely post. I love your wonderful tea set and I think there is no need for a matching surgar bowl. This silver birks bowl is just charming. I have a fond on silver items and on roses, too. So we are sisters in mind. And I love Miss bear with the pearls and mink shawl. So cute! Did she had tea with you?
    What a generous giveaway you offer. I really love to see that, it makes a wonderful vignette.
    I wish you a Happy New Year full of Health, Luck and Joy.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  5. And I will put your button on my sidebar.

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  6. your giveaway now beautifully linked from my sidebar to your blog :)
    come take a peek !

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  7. Lovely post and tea party, Laura. Devine give-a-way, too! Happy Tea Day and Happy New Year!

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  8. another Cdn follower! ~ #59
    thx for your response to the teacup trade! love to have your participation :) would you email me at your earliest in order for me to forward the questionnaire? many thx Laura!

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  9. ok, now your giveaway is added to today's post ~ perfectly fitting i'd say !
    every blessing, Laura! so pleased to have met!

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  10. Your teacup in your give away is beautiful!! I love the scarf too!! :)

    ~ Miss Spenser

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  11. It would be fun to have tea with you! It's so cold here and tea would be perfect.
    I'm looking for white hankies with the initials I and T and J`O`Y` so when you go through your treasures and if you have them...would you email a price?! Thanks
    I would LOVE to win you very pretty Rose giveaway and Thank you for having one!
    Deb :)

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  12. Hi Laura! What a fabulous giveaway. I will start by leaving my comment here. Happy Birthday a few days early! Connie

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  13. Hi Laura,

    Oh, I would love a cup of tea, thank you...and if you don't mind I would like very much to try the almond biscotti, and perhaps afterwards a date square ~ I have a sweet tooth, and they look so delicious! The tea set is lovely, and everything looks so inviting on the tray..thank you.

    I would be honored to enter your giveaway! Oh, your giveaway items are BEAUTIFUL, and are quite 'my cup of tea'...I am into wearing scarves as of late, especially because I inherited a few from my mother, and they remind me of her. The tea cup and saucer are exquisite and would be so wonderful to see and use in person. The pearl set goes very well with the scarf. I can just picture sipping tea, while wearing the scarf and pearl earrings and bracelet.

    I would also be very happy to announce your giveaway on my blog.

    Abundant blessings to you,
    Marianne

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  14. Laura, I've linked your site to my sidebar, and when you hover the link it will say "Laura's First Giveaway". Tomorrow I will post it as a new post on my blog with your link.

    Your first giveaway will be successful and fun! If there is anything else I can do to help, please let me know.

    Blessings,
    Marianne

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  15. Hi Laura,
    Wonderful tea tray you have. It's been a while since I've visited you and I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year! I didn't know you were having a Giveaway and what a lovely one it is too! Love the RA teacup and the scarf is beautiful! I'm already a follower and I would be pleased to win. Stop by for tea; would love to have you! Have a lovely week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  16. Congratulations on your new Ebay business! Best wishes for it going very well!
    Your tea setting today looks divine! I would love to sit down on your couch there and take tea with you. Your tea cups are very beautiful, such a lovely pattern! Your tea pot, spoons, plates, just everything are gorgeous and work very well together.
    What a generous giveaway! I would love to win that beautiful cup!
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  17. Hello again! I posted your giveaway button at the end of my tea cup post today. I have never posted a giveaway before, but as yours is a tea cup, I thought I should, since many of my visitors would love to win a tea cup!
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  18. Congratulations on your new business... very interesting...

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  19. here I'm again.... your new puertorrican follower

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  20. linked in my sidebar too... and thanks for stopping there

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  21. Laura, I just posted your giveaway on my blog as promised. Also, there is a link in my sidebar.

    Have a delightful day,
    Marianne

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  22. Hi Laura,

    Thanks for stopping by my blog for a visit today. So nice to meet another rose lover just like me :) To answer the question you asked about the fabric I showed, I do not know the maker or pattern of the fabric. The photo you see in my post is a close up snapshot of a table runner I purchased a few years ago at HomeGoods. It doesn't have a tag on it so I can't say who made it. Sorry I'm not much help.

    You are having a wonderful giveaway and I would be love to have my name added to the drawing. A girl can never have too many teacups, especially when they are covered in roses. Take care and enjoy the rest of your week.

    Kim

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  23. What a very beautiful teacup. Congrats on your new business venture.

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  24. Laura, I just figured out how to link your giveaway photo to my post - I'm learning!

    Have a wonderful day, and Happy Birthday month.
    Marianne

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  25. And I would absolutely love to win this beautiful giveaway! Thank you and Happy Birthday early!!

    ~Trisha

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  26. Laura, your teaset just stunning and reminds me of Royal Albert Lady Hamilton set! and again I love your header with the posy! my fave kindda posies! and I would love to join your giveaway coz I am American Beauty fan! crossing my fingers! and I am already your follower! thank you and Happy Birthday!

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  27. Hi again Laura! I have now placed your giveaway on my sidebar...on BOTH blogs.

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  28. Hi Laura, its always so nice to come across a fellow Canadian blogger. I am from northern Ontario and I came across you via Lisa at Suburban Retreat. I would love to enter your giveaway...I love pink roses. Come stop by for a visit.

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  29. Hi Laura!

    This is a beautiful giveaway.

    Best of luck on eBay. La

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  30. I added your giveaway to my sidebar

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  31. Hi Laura, I am new to your blog, it's beautiful..I would love to win your giveaway and give the beautiful items a loving home:)

    Barb

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  32. I posted a link to your giveaway on my sidebar at
    http://dogmomdiva.blogspot.com/

    Barb

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  33. Hi Laura,
    I think your blog is so beautiful. All the lovely pics and posts. I would love to enter your wonderful giveaway. Please do enter me. Thank you so much!
    Linda gypsyluv1010@gmail.com

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  34. I have also signed up to follow you. Linda gypsyluv1010@gmail.com

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  35. I am hoping to participate in Tea Cup Tuesday this year. I have so many pretty ones but haven't had the time for posting- I do enjoy visiting other posts of pretty teacups when I have time though.

    Would love to win your pretty cup- that would be celebration for a post for sure!!

    bee blessed
    mary

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  36. How gorgous.....
    Rhonda
    rhondalou72@yahoo.com

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  37. I just became a follower of your lovely blog....
    Rhonda Lou
    rhondalou72@yahoo.com

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  38. Hi Laura,

    I am your newest follower.

    *hugs*

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  39. Hi Laura, Your giveaway is beautiful. Please count me in! *hugs*

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  40. Dearest Laura,

    Just to let you know that I'm a follower!

    Have a great year and success on eBay!

    Mariette's Back to Basics

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  41. What a wonderful tea party! Happy birthday to you (a few days early)! It sounds like you have a wonderful start to a new year...and you are wished much success in your Ebay venture. Thank you for offering the chance for such lovelies. ; )
    ~Michele

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  42. What a lovely giveaway! I would love to win your treasures!So pretty. Fit for a queen.

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  43. Laura,

    How special a blog! My sister's birthday is also tomorrow And if I were to win the teacup would got to her! I just joined Lady Estelle's blog and found you through her and Pink Saturdays!

    Hope to become good blogging friends!

    Valrie

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  44. Happy Birthday Laura *hugs*.
    I hope you had a wonderfully Merry Christmas. How exciting to be opening an ebay shop and I'm sure you will do very well...looking at the lovely pieces you own yourself. Thats a long time to be collecting and restoring..and I wonder where you keep all those treasures...
    I love the scarf and cup and saucer...please enter me in your draw!

    Your china is so pretty....lovely pictures...cute little pink bear and all...lovely.

    have a lovely day!
    Judi...and enjoy your birthday...

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  45. Hi Laura
    AND I'm a follower too... please enter my name... :o) for your lovely giveaway..Happy Birthday again!
    We are both Capricorns...

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  46. Beautiful giveaway! Please count me in.

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  47. Hi Laura,
    HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY to you! I hope you had a fine day.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  48. Hi my name is Krystal I was looking at your picture of your favorite tea set "vincent".I found the picture and your blog when I googled this set,because I have an 8 piece set of everything inculding the tea set.and I would like more information on it as it was passed down to me by my mother, that was also passed down to her by her mother and so on...If you can give me any information on this set I would appericiate it thanks so much
    Krystal
    E-mail:krystalwhyte@live.ca

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  49. Hi my name is Krystal I posted before but im not sure if it worked, can you please e-mail me at krystalwhyte@live.ca
    I would like to know more about your favorite tea set "Vincent"
    I have an 8 piece collection inculding the tea sets thanks I hope you get this message :)

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