"TEA FOR TWO AND TWO FOR TEA"

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday August 7, 2009 as we present "TEA FOR TWO AND TWO FOR TEA"

Teas can be used to celebrate many occasions. Whether it's a mother and daughter tea party, a bridal tea, a special time with friends or some quiet time by yourself, it's always the right time for a tea party.

First introduced in China, the tea service was elevated to an art form as the Japanese Tea Ceremony in Japan. As the art of serving tea made its way across Europe, tea drinking became part of the way of life in each country. In recent years, tea parties have become more popular with tea rooms opening everywhere. Tea rooms have been are springing up all around us in the United States., and from fine hotels to country inns, tea services are now offered.

Beautiful tea cups, saucers and pots and now cozies, are an essential part of the tea ritual. From fine bone china painted with pink roses or cherries to ceramic cups painted with bumblebees and sunflowers, you can find a tea set that reflects your personality or brings back fond memories of afternoon tea with your grandmother. If you don't have a completed tea set with a matching pot, you can use a mismatched set of tea cups to stir up conversation. To make tea for one, you can use an elegant stacked teapot with spring tulips or pink roses.

Don’t forget the accessories that accompany a tea party. You can display your specialty teas in bone china tea bag holders painted with blue roses. Or rest a tea bag and silver-plated teaspoon on a purple violet spoon rest.  Place loose tea in a muslin tea bag; use a tea infuser to make a cup of tea for yourself, or a tea ball to make a larger pot. You might even want to carry your favorite teacup with you in a tea cup tote, always ready for the opportunity to share a cup of tea.

Whether at your home or at a formal tea service, a cup of tea adds a sophisticated and soothing touch to your everyday routine.

Photo Contribution 1: Sisters Gift Company |  Photo Contribution 2: Sweet Necessi-Teas

Christmas in July Shop Hop, Please join us July 20th - 26th.

You will need to sign in with your e-mail address or register below to participate. I need to register

Instructions

MMP Shop Hops are a type of contest where you try to find as many MMP “shopping bags” as you can. Each of our participating boutiques (see the list below) has hidden a shopping bag image on its website that says, “You Found It!” on the tag (see image to the left). Click that image to return to Make Mine Pink and get credit for finding it. The more bags you find, the better your chances of winning great prizes.

Anyone (excluding MMP members and employees) can register to play. There is no cost and no obligation to purchase anything. However, if you do happen to find some products you might be interested in, don't forget to bookmark those pages so that you can come back later! Good luck!

Winners will be drawn the week of "July 27th" and posted here on the prize page next to each prize. Have fun and good luck!

Here is a list of all of the participating websites. See how many shopping bags you can find. Good luck!

• Beloved-Creations http://beloved-creations.com

• Business in the Bag http://www.businessinthebag.com/

• Candylights http://www.candylights.net

• CarolineAlexander http://www.carolinealexander.net

• C'est Chouette http://www.cestchouettehome.com

• Coeur d'Alene http://www.coeurdalenegifts.com

• Cottage Collections http://www.cottagecollections.com/

• Cottage Flair http://www.cottageflair.com

• Forget Me Not Dreams http://www.forgetmenotdreams.com

• Gail Friend Designs http://www.gailfrienddesigns.com

• Grandma G's http://www.grandmagscottage.com

• Hydrangea Home http://www.MyHydrangeaHome.com

• Meadow Street http://www.meadowstreet.com

• Misty Moonlight Creations http://www.mistymoonlightcreations.com

• Noelle Garrett Designs http://www.noellegarrettdesigns.com

• palepinkandroses http://www.palepinkandroses.com

• Patricia Rose http://www.patriciarose-apotpourri.com

• Petite Bookstore http://www.PetiteBookstore.com

• polka dot rose http://www.polkadotrose.net

• Rose Blossom Cottage http://www.roseblossomcottage.com

• Shabby Shan's Cottage http://www.shabbyshanscottage.com

• Sisters Gift Company http://www.sistersgiftcompany.com/

• The Polka Dot Rose http://www.ThePolkaDotRose.com

• The Quilt Shoppe http://www.thequiltshoppe.net

• The Raspberry Rabbits http://www.theraspberryrabbits.com

• The Roseberry Cottage http://www.theroseberrycottage.com

• the sassy beach http://www.thesassybeach.com

• Tres Belle Boutique http://www.tresbelleboutique.net/

An English Cottage

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday June 17, 2009 as we present "An English Cottage"

The English cottage was introduced by British aristocrats who admired the simple beauty of the homes of farmers and craftsmen. These nobles hired architects to design similar buildings for them. The English cottage soon became popular with the general population, especially in North America, because its small scale made it more accessible. Today, the country charm of an English cottage can be created in any home, not just those with thatched roofs and ivy covered walls.

The windows of an English cottage are often decorated with delicate lace curtains or a floral fabric, like cabbage rose print. A cozy window seat provides a perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea in the china cup passed down from a grandmother.

On the walls of an English cottage hang framed nature prints or memories preserved in vintage frames. A bird tin wall plaque, a collection of framed vintage postcards, or a carefully stitched sentiment, are equally at home here. Favorite family photos in antique frames might hang in the hall, a vintage framed mirror in the entranceway.

The cottage cupboard is an essential element of the English cottage and is used for storage or to display a collection of treasures. On its shelves you might find a glass vase painted with pink roses, an antique English teapot with plum flowers, or a vintage cottage plate. This is the place to store the embroidered tea towels from your mother or the vintage pure white linens you bring out for special occasions.

Outside in the cottage garden, you'll find colorful blooms and roses, or ivy that climbs trellises and arbors. Homemade bird houses wrought iron bird baths, welcoming garden statues, and sweet garden plaques create a cottage feel here too.

With cottage touches in just the right places, the simple beauty of a country cottage can live anywhere, not just in the English countryside. Photo Contribution 1: C'est Chouette  Photo Contribution 2: PetiteBookstore

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday on Friday July 10, 2009 as we present "SUMMER PORCH AND GARDEN"

There's nothing more inviting than a summer porch and garden. It can be a source of shade when the temperature gets too warm, a place of shelter during a gentle summer rain, or just a place to sit with someone special on a lazy summer day. It can be a welcoming start your day with your favorite antique tea cup in hand or a front row seat to watch the sunset from the weathered oak rocker, that in it's day sat proudly in your grandmother's home.

Lazy employees……what to do?

I’m not sure what to do about my employees, today I caught them again……..

Meanwhile, I worked really hard packing orders for UPS to pick up, they just snoozed away……I think I will be a cat in my next live ;0)

I bought some flowers the other day, will be fun to see how long I can keep them alive, it is do dang hot already and the summer just started, please send some rain our way…………

I luv the Sparkplug/Dragonfly my husband made for me, I have asked if he could make some more, I really think they are cool!

You gotta have dreams!!!

As some of you know, I’m born in Sweden and me and my husband moved to California in the 90s. I was surfing the web the other week and found “my dream”!!! I found this fixer upper farm for sale and it’s just outside the town we used to live in. It’s situated on approx. 5 acres of land and with a main house probably built in the 40s, the old farm house still intact, several outbuildings, garage and even the old barn. My head has been spinning with ideas since I found it, it would be a dream spending the summers months back home and the rest of the year in California. The timing is not right at the moment but maybe one day that can be a reality, you gotta have dreams!!!

View from the road, the old farm house to the left

 

 

View from the main house over the outbuildings and the barn  

Old farm house with all the old details intact inside

 

The barn, I can almost hear the cows and horses………

And the lake is just down the road!

The scary part is, that I grew up on a farm more or less like this and as a kid I could not wait to get old enough to move in to town and now this is my dream!!!!

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday June 26, 2009 as we present "A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME".

I've never seen a rose I didn't love. From the first blossom of spring, gently swaying in the breeze, to an intricately stitched needlepoint rich in history, I love them all. Silk roses mixed with a bunch of silk hydrangeas, gracing a vase on the mantle. Cabbage roses on a sugar bowl and creamer, brought out for a grandmother's tea. Colorful rose cupcakes scented as beautifully as they look..........

Photo Contribution 1:The Decal Cottage 

Photo Contribution 2:Katie's Rose Cottage

Save 20%

All item listed in our Pink Friday Category will be priced with a 20% discount

Offer only valid Friday June 26, 2009

Glad / Happy Midsummer!!

Happy Midsummer!!
This weekend is one of the biggest holidays in Sweden. It’s Midsummer with all that goes with it! The Maypole, Summer Solstice, the Pickled Herring, the New Potatoes and the Nubbe (Vodka shot). I so wish I could be home in Sweden to celebrate, maybe next year!

This is an old picture from the 70’s, I’m the “cute” girl second from the left ";0)

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday June 19, 2009 as we present "Favorite Finds".

You know that sudden flutter you feel when you discover a long sought after treasure? Maybe it's a piece of faux pastry delicately iced and trimmed with lace satin ribbon that takes hold of your imagination and makes you smile. Or vintage china pieces with hand painted roses that bring back forgotten memories. A cottage frame trimmed in vintage wallpaper to hold a treasured photo. Crisp table linens, reminiscent of special teas shared with Grandmother so many years ago. Hand painted silk roses adorning a beautifully wrapped gift or Cameo soaps, delicately scented to tuck inside a drawer of vintage hankies.An armful of hand-embroidered pillowcases you can't wait to bring home and show off by piling them on your bed.  A rose scented candle that hides inside a special teacup. Garden party hats with vintage floral brooches and ribbon bands, just right for a party or to dress up a corner of your room. Broken china mosaics on a teapot, lamp or silver plated tray to bring out when company comes.  A vintage rhinestone necklace and bracelet to put on for just the right occasions............
Joyce Lucas, Founder Make Mine Pink

 

Photo Contribution 1: Pink Hugs Sweet Shoppe  Photo Contribution 2:The Roseberry Cottage

Save 20%

All item listed in our Pink Friday Category will be priced with a 20% discount

Offer only valid Friday June 19, 2009

Please join Sisters Gift Company & the Participating Boutiques at Make Mine Pink for Shopping with a Twist on Friday June 12, 2009 as we present "Along the Garden Path"

 Photo Credit:Treasured Heirlooms

Delights and pleasures that make your heart beat a little faster await you along the garden path. Sights and sounds and smells that excite your senses and inspire your imagination. Perhaps it's the purple cone flowers, multicolored morning glories, fragrant angel trumpets, or the lordly foxglove, all grown from seed and tended with love, that line the path and remind you to dream. Or the delicate shadow of a Victoria trellis supporting a new vine that takes you on a new flight of fancy. In the early morning hours, or when the sun begins to set, a verdigris candle holder or metal scroll work lantern might illuminate the garden pathway. But it's the vintage metal buckets painted with floral designs and planted with overflowing flowers, that seem to light the way.......... 
Joyce Lucas, Founder Make Mine Pink

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Caroline Alexander

 

Save 20% All item listed in our Pink Friday Category will be priced with a 20% discount