BEATRIX POTTER FIGURINES

In the springtime I find myself always thinking

 about Beatrix Potter.  I loved that sweet movie

that came out years ago, "Miss Potter".  I

love so many different types of people from

the past:  Beatrix Potter, Tasha Tudor,

Jane Austen,  L. M. Montgomery, the

Bronte Sisters and Edith Holden.  It's not

 that I like every single thing about them but

 rather I choose to focus on the characteristics

I like best.  

We have been watching the Road to

Avonlea series recently and we just love it.

But we have our favorites episodes and our

 favorite characters.  I think what we love is

the idea of "community" - people who know

their neighbors and support one another.

Back to Beatrix Potter:

We have some daffodils and hellebores and

pussy willows so I did my first little bouquet.

I have been so excited to see some of the earliest

bulbs appear.  I do know that winter isn't over

 and tomorrow for example, is supposed to

 be ugly!

In Iowa maybe a blizzard - oh boy!

Doing this post,  I have pulled out these little

figurines which I collected many years ago.

This doll has stirred up memories for me

as I have a friend who is turning 80 years

old soon.  I met her when I was 17 and we

were both attending a small Iowa Bible

College.  During the 1980's she lived

in Toronto, Canada and we went for

several visits there to see her family and 

on one of the visits we went to a gal's

farmhouse who sold antiques and vintage

items and I 

purchased

this doll from her.

Beatrix Potter certainly left a wonderful

legacy which so many celebrate today.

I hope your springtime

comes very soon!

DIGGORY DIGGORY DELVET Has Come for "Tea In The Garden"

July 28th was a celebration day

for Beatrix Potter's 157th birthday.

We have had a visitor here who  

went all out  to make her birthday

extra special and really, quite in

excess!   I haven't seen him today as he

is camera shy and hiding down under.

 Diggory Diggory Delvet

wanted to make a grand statement

all over our flower garden in celebration

of his artist friend.

Well, actually, I have stomped a lot

of his hand carved tunnels down around my flowers for fear my plants roots will

not get water and die.....especially

since it is so hot now.

Just in case you might not know, Diggory

was the mole featured in the poem 

written by Beatrix for "Appley Dapply

Nursery Rhymes" back in 1917.

"Diggory Diggory Delvet

A little old man in black velvet

He digs and he delves

You can see for yourselves

The mounds dug by Diggory Delvet."

Everyone on our street seems to

be having an invasion of moles.

This is not a pretty picture so let's

do get back to our tea in the garden.

We are excited that we might

get some rain tonight!

 I am sharing with you my new and gorgeous teapot I recently got on ebay for a fraction of  what it used  to sell for.  I love Crown Dorset teapots from the 1990's.  They are so sturdy and unique in shape.  I know this because I used to sell them in my shop in Old Colorado City (Colorado Springs, Colorado)and this one was at that time, the most expensive one I carried which I could not afford

myself.

We had temps lingering

around 100 degrees last week.

Today it is only in the 80's which

was my sign to get out and set

up my little tea vignette.  Please

help yourself to my Pecan & Peach

Tea Loaf which I made using 3 medium

sized fresh ripe peaches. (recipe)

CELEBRATING BEATRIX POTTER'S 152nd BIRTHDAY for "Tea In The Garden"

I am not sure how I let Beatrix

Potter's birthday celebration

slip by me last Saturday.  She was

born July 28, 1866.  I am quite a

fan and have shared my Beatrix
 looking garden statuary many 
times with you.

I set up a little child sized table
in front of the peachless peach
 tree as the squirrels have
 removed all but 2 peaches.

Monday I thought I best sew

up a little Peter Rabbit Jacket

for a special tea time in the

garden and invite you to tea!
I saw other's do this in the past
on their blogs so I am not 
pretending to have an original
idea!

As you no doubt recall,  Peter's

blue jacket was made by his

Mother but was caught in a net

in Mr. McGregor's garden. 

 Frankly, Peter was very lucky to 

escape.  I am sorry for him that he

 got sent to bed without the

 delicious blackberries that 

Flopsy, Mopsy

 and Cottontail got to enjoy!

I do think Beatrix would approve.

 Our July was so hot - I doubt Beatrix
 ever experienced anything like the
 high 90's in her darling English
 Hilltop Garden.

I love all the photos I have seen

of Hilltop and I know many of

you have visited there.  I am drawn

to the sweetness of it all. 

Of course, we are drinking Chamomile
tea today that I got at Tuesday
 Morning
which is a favorite store!

A CUP OF TEA WITH BEATRIX POTTER for "Friends Sharing Tea"

Today I am being naughty. 

 Yes, this is a repost of photos 

from 2014 so

 I hope you

 love Beatrix Potter like I do 

and then you won't mind.

Sometimes time seems to fly faster and
that's my excuse.  

I think I have shared these two cups and
saucers numerous times as they are
definitely in my favorites box.  They
just remind me so much of springtime.

I am remembering how much fun it
was setting up this little vignette
back in Colorado.  I am looking
forward to having a Beatrix Potter
"Tea In The Garden" in the future.

Early last week I had planted some

 daffodils in my porch birdbath

 with crocus and primroses.  Then it

turned so cold, I had to 

bring it in the house. 

 These things happen - right?

Regardless of the weather there are always

fun things we can do when waiting for

warm weather to really arrive: 

 reading, baking, crafting, sewing

 and how about this:  write a letter

 to some elderly non computer person. 

 Now that would be a lovely gesture.

I tried to figure out how to delete the

old 2014 comments at the bottom

 but could not for which I apologize! 

WHEN IT'S 95 DEGREES OUTSIDE

It has been plenty hot in Missouri - 

so what do I do when it gets 

too hot to be in the garden?

I was never one to sit on my thumbs, or

watch television in the daytime or

sit around.  So this summer I have

kept busy doing several things

and one of them is something from

the "good ole days" of the 1970's 

and before that - decoupage:

I won't drive you crazy with too many

but here is one I think Beatrix

Potter would approve of:

CELEBRATING BEATRIX POTTER for "Tea In The Garden"

I apologize for being late today!  I had

some ladies over for lunch yesterday and

lost track of time!  Time flies.....

So here I am this morning setting up

a little tribute to Beatrix Potter because

this Friday would be her 151st birthday!

I have brought out some of my collection of
 books regarding Beatrix to share with you.
Please pour yourself some tea and let me
show you some of them!

We are out on the patio next to the pond
and even the little fish want to join us.
It has been very hot lately and August in 
Missouri is always hot - so let's get ready!

As I have shared before, this summer I
have been revisiting the craft of decoupaging
and this clipboard is just one of many I have done:

Beatrix of course was quite a special lady with a
huge imagination, talent and creative ability.

  She loved drawing, gardening and nature.
  I also love to learn about her from the
 many sites online. 
 These should get you started:
One lovely site
Wikipedia - Beatrix Potter
Susan Branch's recent post on Beatrix

I am sure many of you have seen the Movie "Miss Potter" which was ever so charming!  Back in 2009
I did a post about that!  I watch that movie
at least once a year.

Beatrix strikes me as a

 "Brown Betty"

 kind of gal
so I chose this teapot in honor of her!

The little squirrel was begging.  I have
 not fed the birds this summer so the 
squirrels are not happy as
they come to rob the seeds but
the feeder is empty.

It is time to get back in where it is nice and
cool - we can admire the view from in here!