Monday 12 August 2013

China, 'LOST AND FOUND'










A few weeks ago my sister, Bev said to me, 
"Let's clean out your garage."
Now I will have you know, that my garage was SO dirty, messy and congested that I couldn't get from one side of it to the other without having to shift boxes and junk all along the way.  It would be take a few steps, move something, take a few more steps, move something else..... You get the idea.
So when I got this proposal, I did what I usually do, and that was to try
 and Stall.
"Hmmmm, okay", I said vaguely
(I didn't want to do it.)
    The thought of going in there voluntarily was overwhelming and the confusion that I felt and the anxiety that came with every visit into that Messy space was  
more than I wanted to think about.  But Bev, would not be put off and bless her heart, she KNOWS me like the back of her hand. 
 SO SHE SET THE DATE!
(now I was committed)
 When the fateful day arrived, she made a banana bread, first thing in the morning and I thought ....
("woohooo, she forgot")
 (No, she didn't ) 
She put that loaf in the oven and then went out and she got started.  Yes, She actually got busy and began hauling the stuff from the garage and out onto the driveway.  I couldn't just let her work out there on her own cleaning up my garage, so reluctantly,
 I  slowly,...   slowly,...    slowly... went to join her. 
  But once I got started.... !
 overdrive kicked in and the two of us, went through EVERYTHING!  It took us 8 hours, from the beginning to the end but  we got it done!  I went through every single box of junk ( and there was Scads of junk ) and bags of fabrics, and old furniture,  books and magazines, papers and lamps, cushions, toys, games, huge heavy rolls of old carpets, golf clubs, art work, canvases, art supplies, frames of metal and wood and broken glass,  and knickknacks, etc. and lots of old dollhouse trash and rolls and rolls of wall paper that I use to buy  for doll's houses, that I hadn't looked at in over 12 years.  I threw it out!   I was ruthless and I combed through it all tossing more and more into the discard pile out in the yard.  And still I kept going!
I had had the roof replaced about 4-5 years ago and the debris that had fallen down into the garage was compounded in equal measure with the accumulated dirt, dust and spider webs up in the loft.  I swept it up and out.   It was a hot day and the clouds of  dust kicked up, stuck to the skin like glue and  yet the 2 of us  kept on going.  I was on a roll and Bev was too.  At 4 p.m. we took a break and came inside hot and sweaty and ate that banana bread that she had baked earlier and washed it down with tea, and then back out to the garage we went. The pile for disposal was growing larger and wider and we were getting very close to the end of the purge.    I found 2 additional doll house kits up in the loft.  That now makes a total of  6!  Who knew?  I went through a ton of old fabrics used for my miniatures and threw out more than 2/3's  and found some nice surprises mixed in with them!  Bonus! While I was busy with the box of materials,  Bev was going through some other small boxes that I had  earlier handed down from the back of loft  to her.  They appeared to be a hodge-podge of forgotten junk mixed in with  layers of dirt.  "What should I do with this stuff?  Throw it out?'  she asked.  "Ya, but better look through it first, and then just get rid of it" I said.....

and that is when she found it!
The missing tea sets!
O happy day!
in the box of junk, carelessly stored but carefully contained were boxes of tea sets that I had entirely forgotten that I had.

 Don't ask me why I have 2 of these Kaiser sets but I do.  The top one was the one that was LOST.   It is without the cups and saucers.  I don't know which I bought first but I have a thing for tea sets so I probably have 2 because I am greedy.   
I was delighted that the great mystery was finally solved as to the whereabouts of this set.  If we had not decided to do a clean sweep of the loft, it would probably be up there still. 
This is the other set by Kaiser.  This one was already found but 2 of the cup and saucers were gone from it.  Lost but that day Found again in another small box in that box of junk.  Now this set is once again complete.   I remember buying these 2 coffee sets at an antique store in town and they cost a pretty penny at the time.    But I was enchanted by them and I still am. They are perfectly crafted and the little cups and saucers are wonderful!   Just Imagine, all this beautiful china in the junk box!


And this was in there too!  More china in the garage garbage.
This set of china is by a Canadian Artisan by the name of Marie Luce-Pelletier.  I purchased these at another Real life store back in the 80's.  I have lost the top to the teapot, unfortuneatley but the top from the sugar bowl fits.  This was not a set, when I bought it, but they look cohesive.  This was something I had totally forgotten that I had.


Then I found this set!
This I remember purchasing in Seattle and it is by Avon  miniatures , a British vendor that  specializes in pottery and china
These little piggy banks are also by Avon and also were lost
and now found
And These are by the Canadian Artisan Janice Crawley!
I bought these here in Vancouver long before Janice became an I.G.M. A. Fellow.
These were found in the box of junk too!




This was Not lost but I have decided to show it to  you anyway as it is favorite.  It is by a Canadian Artisan by the name of Paddy Culhane from Vancouver, and I purchased it at her store Paddy's Place back in the 1980's.  I use to sell my stuff through her store and usually I would spend what I made, on I wanted to collect and I bought this from her while she was still making teapots.  Isn't it cute?  I had built a small shop called
 "Two Bad Mice" and this china Hunca Munca, fit right in!



Signed and numbered
This was not lost but this found a place in my collection when I was down in Seattle last March with Janine and Fatima.  The vendor was selling a astonishing amount of miniature pottery that he threw on the wheel himself.  I misplaced his name, but Fats bought some of his work too and I shall get the info about him and insert it once I have it because his work is truly amazing!  


This little casserole is one of my favorite things

UPDATE!
THE POTTER'S NAME IS JASON FELTROPE of Feltrope Studio, Eureka Springs , Arkansas
 ( thanks to Janine for tracking down this information for me to insert here )

Then I found these in the garage in the same box as the rest.
This is sponge ware and they and the bowls were Lost and then Found


This beautiful glass cake plate was Lost and now found again.
  ( I am glad that these items were at least stored so that were safe from breakage even though they were tumbled about in their safety containers.)
  The tea service below, was another set that went astray.  I found it during my first foray into the garage last year.


This vase was tucked away inside a  miniature metal garbage can.  It was safe but also Lost until I lifted the lid of the mini trash can and wondered what was wrapped up inside of it.
This beautiful pitcher was lost for years and I hunted  high and low trying to find it and Finally it turns up in the box Bev was looking through.  It is by a French/ Canadian I. G.M. A. Artisan
Monique Jouvenel.  I recall when I bought them in 1990.   Monique knew a friend of Janine's and I went to Janinie's friends home and Monique showed us all her pieces.  I chose what I most desired and so did Janine.  I was enchanted with the delicacy of the patterns.  This was well before she became an I. G. M. A. Fellow.  I loved Monique's work and  I felt that I just had to have some of her china. I bought this pitcher and also the 4 plates that you see below.    Each one is signed and dated and numbered.  Janine from Minworks, has this pitcher too I think, and a bowl that she  also bought from Monique, and if you pop over to Minworks you will see that the beautiful bowl suffered  a dreadful fall.  Janine loved that bowl even after it got broken.  Not willing to part with it she still makes use of by blaming it on the mini cat, Cleo! ( but Janine is still is not over the disappointment. )
These are the plates that I had lost and now are found.
Monique, was a self taught artist and hand- painted each plate.  She did extensive research and so her patterns are authentic to different regions of France.



Below is the teapot I forgot I had
I not only Lost this little tea pot in the same box of junk, but I had forgotten that I ever had it!  When I opened up the box that it was stored in, then I remembered it.  I bought it also in Seattle and I remembered how delighted I was with it.  I love salt glazed pottery in miniature and I have some Mt. Vernon salt glazed ware  ( see below) that I bought to accessorize the American Country house that I had planned to someday do.  Now, I have found a doll house kit in the loft that I can use this in.  
I love the color and the quaintness of this little pot
signed "Trip" ???
And now this!

I had been tearing my hair trying to find this teapot!  Of all the pieces that I did forget I had, this was THE one that I clearly remembered. It is my very favorite but I could NOT find it till Bev opened the box and there it was!
This is by a potter by the name of Laurie O'Halloran.  She used to be a regular at the Seattle show for years and years.  I bought a number of contemporary lamps from her in the late 80's and also this teapot.  When I thought I had lost it for good I was so unhappy.  This little pot is eggshell thin and has the most luminesent quality to it when held to the light.  Every detail is extraordinary both inside and out.  The lid has a tiny pin hole so that the tea can pour easily and the pattern is as fine as gossamer.

Just look at the proportion of it and the teeny tiny grip of the lid.  The spout is in total harmony with the body of the pot and the handle is graceful and hold-able.




I am so happy that I found this again.  What a perfect treasure it is and I
 just love to look at it.

And last but not least I end with sheep.  2 of them recently recovered having gone astray.  These I made, and lost through  my own negligence but now I am going to be more careful with them.  I bought the little china house as a pair of earrings last year from the thrift store, wouldn't you know,
 I have no idea where the other one is.!?
so
  Here we go again.
 China Lost 

and then
China FOUND

and thanks to my dear sister Bev, my garage is Finally Clean
 and all
 this china 
can be found back, on my shelf once again! 
Anyone care for tea?


elizabeth












































































































































































































































49 comments:

  1. Beautiful china! My favorite are those french flower plates and the jug. It's worth to cleanup time to time :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Merja! I love those plates too! It is so nice to have found them, it is like being reunited with family and friends after a long absence. And the garage is now organized and the loft half empty! God is good!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  2. As they say in dutch : "whenever you keep something, you've got something". In this case: an a-ma-zing amount of gorgeous china! Definitely "my cup of tea" :-)
    Hugs, Liduina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that saying Liduina! I Love china and I have way too much of it but I just can not stop myself from acquiring it! I find the cups and saucers as enchanting as the tea pots but I have far more pots than I have of cups! I guess we all have our weaknesses and mine is tea-sets!
      Now will that be one lump or two?

      elizabeth

      Delete
  3. What a wonderful collection of china!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh thank you Eliana! I am a real sucker for china and it is usually the first thing that I look for at a miniature show. Last June, at the West Coast Miniature Show, was at a vendor that sold the china almost exclusively! I was very frustrated not being able to find a good half of my collection after nearly a year of looking for it. It is nice to have it all together again.

      elizabeth

      Delete
  4. Hello Elizabeth,
    that is so not fair! all I find when I clean is old socks!
    Thank goodness for Bev. I am so happy you found all these wonderful lost minis. You have such an incredible collection. It is so beautiful. I am a huge Janice Crawley fan myself. I have to go drool over the pictures again.
    Big hug my friend,
    Giac

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahaha! It is Socks for me too most of the time Giac! But that is in the laundry room; 2 go in and 1 sock comes out!? In the garage, that was another story. Almost Nothing Ever came back out once it went in. You know, Giac,I am so glad that I had the foresight to actually recognize good pieces early on. I would have a hard time getting any of them now. Many of the artisans that I admired then, have long been retired and a lot of their work has become so collectable that it is now way out of my budget! I find this medium of porcelain and pottery probably my favorite, it is so fascinating and looking at all of these bits and pieces of china bring back many happy memories for me! Ahhhh youth!
      a Big Hug back, my friend!


      elizabeth

      Delete
  5. Hi Elizabeth, Sam here,
    Give your sister a big hug! (I miss my sister as she lives about 5000 miles away on the other side of the world!) It seems really wonderful that you got to spend the day together, getting the garage clean and finding all those incredible pieces! They are all so beautiful.
    Congratulations on your new lost treasures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sam! My sister and I are as close as two peas in a pod and she was so happy to help as she knew how overwhelmed I was with the task. If left to my own devises, it would still be in chaos! I gave her many hugs and we both happy danced afterwards only THAT was not very graceful as she has arthritic hips and I was hurting all over by the end of the day! My sister has a heart as BIG AS TEXAS, and I do not exaggerate in the least. The feeling of being as light as air after that Purge, was rewarding for us both!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  6. Hooray! It's like shopping without spending any money! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Brae! You are so right! The big difference was the way the parcel arrived. Who would have thought that the wonders inside all that filth were so fantastic!? Like pirate treasure buried beneath the layers of dirt. Herein is the return on my investment,.... loads of joy at our reunion!
      Yipee!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  7. I love that second china, the Canadian one =) You found lots of nice things!
    Isn't it great when you find things you forgot you had =) Its a very pleasant surprise =) And with my bad memory and lack of space I do find forgotten things in a box now and then =)
    Hannah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Hannah it is such a treat to re-find what was Lost! I am getting more forgetful each day and I devise all kinds of strategies to help me remember where I put things, and then I can't remember the strategy! My workroom is always a mess because I tear it all apart every time I go to look for what I put away so carefully. It doesn't help when everything is spread out so now I am going to consolidate all this collection and put it all in a container that I can see through and yet that will protect it. If I can't see it, I can't remember it then it is lost!

      Delete
  8. Wow!!!!! What fantastic treasures! I love everything, especially Hunca Munca! It must feel like a big weight is off your shoulders now that you've cleaned out the garage AND found your mini treasures. Good going, Elizabeth! xo Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Jennifer and it continues to feel good even after several weeks have elapsed. My sister also labeled the boxes that were sorted and made me do it too! Now I don't have to guess when I am hunting for what was stored. The floor is actually visible and just having the rolls of old carpet disposed of has given me a half empty loft! A first! Two years ago we cleaned the lower section out and that felt good but then it got bad again. The loft now has a lot of what was cluttering up the floor, re-packaged and organized. And the mystery of the missing china solved; what more could a girl ask for! heehee

      elizabeth

      Delete
  9. wow elizabeth,
    that is a lot of china I would be scared to touch it cause I'm just that clumsy. Im glad you were able to find everything and you also have a clean garage. thank you for sharing your wonderful pieces I loved looking at them and Im going back to look again :)

    Hugs
    Marisa

    ReplyDelete
  10. Impressive so many treasures hiding in your gargage. It's really great treasures you have found. Nice that you have so sweet a sister, she deserves more than a banana bread.
    It's so nice to see and hear about all the minis you have collected over the years, it helps a little, on my own guilt over all the things I go and buy.

    I just note the reason why I buy new and new all the time. I am very results oriented and I have pictures of my scenes in my head. When I have to do my scenes, I come to my weaknesses (I'm not detail oriented) my scenes are not as I want them, it's because I just miss the "pink pitcher", the "black light" and the "special bench", etc. NOW,I practice in using what I have, I have now practiced for 7.5 hours.

    Oh, you can buy such fine things in Seattle, I did not know. I was in Seattle in 2008. My daughter are going to a wedding there in October. If you have the address of the shop you mention, please write it to me, maybe she can buy something to me.
    Hugs
    Wyrna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Wyna! I as so pleased to see you back from your holidays! Welcome friend! I have a weakness for teaset, and I hear you Wyrna with thinking that you would just need one more thing to buy to make the scene complete. I am like that too, and yes I too feel the guilt when I over- indulge. Most of these tea sets are over 20 years old! I used to spend my paycheck for them but I could always justify it by the quality of the purchases I made. Most of them came from the Seattle Shows that happened twice a year, both in March and in September. At the time the shows were held at the Seattle Centre in the heart of the city. Now the show is only in March and I hear that they are re-locating the show close to where the Sea-Tac airport is, just outside the city. I had stopped going to any shows for over a decade and just began again last year in March. A lot has changed and with so much on-line shopping the vendors are staying home and so there was not even half of what there was when I use to be a regular. I think that is why they are moving their venue. It is a sad thing really because that was the highlight of my year going to those shows! The energy was electric and so much fun! Janine ( Minworks) bought All of her doll's house furniture ( when she was brand new to the hobby,) from the Seattle Show and later we took Fats when she was just new and starting with her Garfield doll's house kit and of course, she got hooked at that show, too. So I don't have a store to forward to you Wyrna, but I am sure that there must be Someone local, I just don't know who. If I do find something though I would be more than happy to pass it on to you! Minis are everywhere and it is always nice if you can get something special as a souvenier of your journey, isn't it?

      elizabeth

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the information Elizabeth. I thought I had missed a good shop, it helps you bought it at a trade show. Yes I will, probably find something else. And you are absolutely right, the Internet takes over miniature trade. We have here in Denmark had several miniature shops, but they are closing one by one. It's an impressive nice collection you have and I also love china.
      Hugs
      Wyrna

      Delete
  11. Oh, Heavens, Elizabeth! I am coming right over!!!! I adore your china!!! And I'm so glad you looked inside EVERY box before tossing them!!! You have Treasures upon Treasures in your Found pile!!! That Hunca Munca pot is Adorable!!! (An all time favorite story of mine of course!)I always thought I was a bit nuts to collect tiny tea sets.... but I never found any of the truly great Artisan made sort that you have! What a Wonderful collection! I am so Happy for you that you found them and they were so well stored that they were not damaged at all!!! Now Please show us some room settings with the exquisite china in them .... we want to "play" with your china!!! LOL!!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, and I forgot to add that your Sister is a Treasure herself!!! You better be sure to reward her persistence and loyalty... a Tea party perhaps??? LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Betsy! Come on over!!!! The kettle is on as we speak! I am not a big fan of real life mice but the story of Hunca Munca was also a big favorite of mine too. When I started buying mini china it was because there was a lot more available at the shows that I then attended. I wanted what I liked, and I was able to find the pieces while the artisan was still actively producing it. As soon as they stop, up go the prices! sigh... But I am still always looking for more to add to my collection, one of life's indulgences! ( That and ice cream! hee hee)
      Yes, my sister IS a treasure and I love her dearly. She is beloved by the entire family and she has a wagon load of friends that she has had since grade school and on. She is always fun and encouraging to be around. A tea party for her sounds good but she wants me to make her a little room box that will showcase her interests and so the 2 of us are collecting mini items that are stored in a shoebox for now but that will eventually become a part of the scene, Just for her! She was so excited that she found the china for me, you should have seen her joy; she was grinning from ear to ear!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  13. I was getting more and more excited with each picture. I love the sets and the individual pieces! You have got to find a way to display them all. That way they won't get lost again and we get to enjoy seeing them. :-) Your sister is a gem and sounds like loads of fun! Too bad she is not like a mini toy so we could take turns playing with her. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Grandmommy! It is lovely to hear from you and Welcome! I am so glad that you have enjoyed this trip to the lost and found! I have been thinking about how best to contain and/or showcase this collection so that I can enjoy it more. Still working on that, but meanwhile I am planning to use some of the pottery in the Arthur once the kitchen is ready. It will be something to look forward to! My sister although not a miniaturist herself often comments and critiques my work and is very honest. I am always enlightened and encouraged when she gives her opinion. She is one in a million!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hello Elizabeth,
    What a buzz to find those wonderful treasures all over again. I especially like the exquisite Laurie O'Halloran teapot.
    Cheers Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Yvonne! What a buzz is right! Finding all those treasures after so much time gone by was just as much fun as when I first bought them. Looking at them actually makes me feel young again! So many memories can be triggered by a word a scent, a melody or a picture and as I bought almost all of them 20 years ago, I am back there in my mind when I view them. I'm glad that you like the Laurie O'Halloran tea pot Yvonne, because of them all, and I enjoy each and every piece; but the craftsmanship of This tea pot, is truly the most Magnificent!

      elizabeth

      Delete
  16. Dear Elizabeth,
    When I visit my garage the only things I find there are a lot of tools, bags with cement, bicycles sometimes my husband.
    Not the lovely items you found in your garage.
    Do you also have an attic? Maybe your sister should do the magic touch there also.
    Now you can start a little china shop.
    I love the the white teapot. What a nice little thing and so perfect.
    Hugs Dorien

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Dorien! heeheehee, nothing in my attic I hope, except fiberglass insulation and that is fine with me! I am happy to report that there are no more missing minis in the garage only the bulky boxed dollhouse kits that have been in the loft for the past 13 years now. However, discovering the dollhouse kits that I forgot that I had, was a surprise that I discovered last year but found that there were still more hidden way at the back of the loft, thanks to that major clean out. Now they are grouped together and at the ready for Whenever I am. You know, a china shop might not be a bad idea..... Dorien the wheels are turning!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  18. It's not a garage it's an Alladin's cave! That is a seriously impressive collection of lovely pieces.

    I've been wondering why I haven't been receiving updates from you because I was sure I'd registered to follow through GFC - I was wrong but it's remedied now :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Norma! Thanks for the visit! Nice to see your smiling face! I like your description of Alladin's Cave! It says it all!
      I am so relieved to have finally located everything and so it is all now safe inside the house. However, it is still in boxes and I would like to get it out somewhere so that I can see it. That is the next step, but that has to wait until the doll's house is done. I've got Christmas as a deadline and I would really like to make it happen.

      elizabeth

      Delete
  19. Well it was definitely worth cleaning the garage. Wow I wish I had found those sort of treasures when I cleaned up my garage! You have a lot of wonderful items.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi there Indy-Poppy! Yes it was worth it, in more ways than one, too! Just being able to walk in there without the accompanying anxiety was well worth the eight hours spent in hard labour! I feel so much better now and have a clean and organized space and also of course for finding the china collection. Finding it was my reward! Hooray!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  21. I wish I could clean out my garage and find such treasures. What a wonderful collection of china and pottery items. I especially love the plates by Monique Jouvenel and the lovely dainty teapot from Laurie O'Halloran.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sharee! Ain't it Grand!!!? After looking for Laurie's tea pot for so long and despairing of ever remembering where had I put it or if it was given away or inadvertently thrown out, it's re-discovery was a very joyous surprise! My sister and I were ' High Fiving" each other, let me tell you! I would love to be able to find a way of displaying those plates within # 43 ( the Arthur). They are very French but also very cottagy too wouldn't you agree? The best way would be on a wall or on a plate rack, or maybe even above the stove? hmmmm????.... I see More thinking is required....

      elizabeth

      Delete
  22. Waouh ! que de petites merveilles, oubliées et quel bonheur, de les redécouvrir !
    La journée avait été dure et éprouvante mais la récompense était bien là , cachée, je dois écrire les récompenses, de quoi retrouver un très large sourire après un dur et salissant labeur !
    rosethé

    ReplyDelete
  23. Me, me , me ! I will love to have tea with you, Elizabeth and over banana bread, admire those China found. So delicate, so pretty and that French set, si exquis!

    I will also want to give you a standing ovation for cleaning out that garage. I have a tiny storeroom that has so much sh*t I don't know what's in there anymore. 18 years and I absolutely have no energy to want to clean it. Everything is just stuffed to the front of it after a while. LOL!

    Much of your China is treasure but you know I think the real gem is Bev! Bravo, Bev! Best sis in the world!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hello my sweet Sans! I couldn't agree with you more! Bev is the 'Best in Show' as far as I am concerned, and deserves a metal of honor. It sound as if your storeroom could use a "Bev booster" too. I know that If it hadn't been for my sister's prompting and active help, my garage would still be just as chaotic and I would still be avoiding it. So find yourself a partner to give you a hand Sans! Many hands make light work! And I think that I shall show my sister all these wonderful comments. It will make her day!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  25. Привет Элизабет!
    Мое сердце замирает, когда я вижу миниатюрные изделия из фарфора и стекла! Я восхищалась вашими фотографиями. Когда я прочитала ваше сообщение, и поняла, что вы дважды испытывали счастье. Один раз когда покупали, второй раз, когда нашли. Вы счастливый человек:):):) Я недавно потеряла настольную лампу! Так как у меня нет ни гаража, ни чердака, значит моя лампа уже давно в мусорном ведре!!! Увы! Я восхищаюсь Вашей сестрой! Она по всей видимости чуткий и отзывчивый человек с добрым сердцем! И тоже счастливый человек, потому что она подарила Вам двойную радость.
    Татьяна

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hello Tatiana! I think that you understand 100% how I felt loosing the china having now told me that you lost an important piece too! I have great joy at having recovered all the missing china and I am trying to group it and organize it all in one place so that I will be able to find it again later! I am always misplacing things in my futile attempts to get organized. But so far so good. I let my sister read this post and see the comments, last night and she was so touched by what everyone had to say, so thank you, Tatiana for the compliment to my sister. It makes us both happy!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow! What gorgeous little tea sets! I love the piggy bank... So adorable! :)

    toddlindsey.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Lindsey! Aren't they cute? I have let my sister pick the one that she would like for her future room box and she has picked the blue piggy bank as part of her decor. I'm not ready to tackle her project as yet, and she is still collecting for it but now she has yet one more accessory for when we get there!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi Elizabeth! wish I had a sister! How lovely to work together to get such a big job done. Your sister is certainly a treasure. I adore lovely plates and teasets etc so I was wrapped with your finds - wonderful that the lost is now found. Sandie

    ReplyDelete
  30. Sandra you and I can be porcelain sisters! I have a passion for miniature tea sets and plates and cups and saucers etc. that is bordering on obsessive! But I really have to pull back on the reins because now the budget is a lot tighter! So it was a great pleasure to find again, not just what I remembered losing but couldn't find, but also what I had totally forgotten I had at all. It was literally a Christmas in July!

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  31. I just stumbled across this post and my ooh my, did my mouth drop wider and wider as i read down and down. It just got better and better :)) What an A-MA-ZING re discovery. Most is already said, but i can't leave you without saying how happy I feel for you! All these incredibly beautiful and cute teapots are simply to die for. And thank you so much for giving credit to the makers and putting up their names. So helpful if one is interested to look for some equally perfect pieces for their own collection.
    Your collection looks fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thank You for stopping by Debora! I have a passion for miniature china ( among other things ) and loosing the greater majority of it was Very Distressing. For the 12 years that I was "taking a break from miniatures" it didn't bother me, but when I decided to return and then tried to bring my treasures back into the light, not finding the china caused me to seriously question my sanity!? : ((
    I am ALWAYS very happy to credit the original maker when I can because I am very honored to have some of their Fine Art in my collection. I have found that so many of the artisans that I purchased from in the 80's and 90's, have long since retired from the business and that makes their work even more Precious to me. I am delighted to have been able to share it with you and with all others who can fully appreciate the top quality of their craftsmanship.:D

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wow! What a treasure trove of pottery. You must have been so pleased! I own several pieces of Marie Luce Pelletier's salt glaze pottery myself. I love it! It must have been like Christmas morning to you! I've been reading your blog from beginning to end, hence why I am commenting on a two year old posting! Thanks for sharing your work!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hi Wanda! I was so surprised to see your comment on this post, but it sounds like you enjoy miniature china as much as I do!!:D It WAS like Christmas all over again, and it was a relief too, because prior to its discovery, I had been wracking my brain as to what had become of it and was convinced that I must have been suffering from a "black out" because I couldn't recall where it had all gone. Knowing that
    I Was Not Crazy, was the first blessing and re-finding the china was the cherry on top! :D

    elizabeth

    ReplyDelete

DO OVERS! a Glencroft Living room redecoration

    Back in April of 2022, I made up a storyline for my Glencroft renovations, which went something like this...   "After due considera...