Once again, Stephanie from The Enchanting Rose has hosted her teacup exchange! I always look forward to this event, and enjoy putting together a package to send out, and receiving one from a different kind lady every year. This year I was blessed to have been given a package from LeAnne. It was her first time participating in the exchange, and she put together such a lovely box for me! Today I'm sharing with you some of the wonderful things that were inside it.
First the very cute tea cup with a scripture verse in an elegant script (and blue, of course!)
A few packs of green Elephantea, which are honestly so adorable (there were also several packets of raspberry tea, but...I drank all of those - so delicious!)
My favorite part, though, is that gorgeous bookmark and the lovely table runner. LeAnne hand wove both of these on her looms at home. How neat is that? They are both beautiful and sturdy, and absolutely amazing. I have already put the bookmark to good use, and look forward to using it often.
So many thank yous to LeAnne for putting together such a darling package, and to Stephanie for putting the exchange together for us yet again!
I've gotten so far behind on my blog, I can't deny it. And honestly, this post is quite late in coming, but I really did want to get it up all the same. Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose hosted one of her Teacup Exchanges this spring, and I was so thankful to participate. Above I've posted the pictures of what I received in the exchange; it is always such a blessing to open the package and see what someone else has taken the time to put together, and this time was no different.
I received this lovely package from Salinn. The teacup itself is simply charming; look at those butterflies! Of course there were chocolates and teas and all sorts of fun extras. And the fun notebook that I cannot wait to use! Thank you so much Salinn!
I have a bit of a shorter post today - reason being, I'd love some feedback! (reason #2 being my minimal talent with the phone camera...) I've been projecting lately (no shock there) and my latest arts and crafts indulgence has me at the sketch book. I drink a lot of tea (it's actually getting pretty insane) and though perhaps I could reuse all of those tea bag tags that simply go to waste. Simply put, I added some cutesy teacups to go with them, and have been going through the different teas in the house ever since.
So do tell, what do you think? Comments, suggestions, tips, thoughts?
Last fall I participated in a teacup exchange, and I loved it so much I joined again this year! It's hosted by Stephanie at The Enchanting Roseand she is so kind and thoughtful in the way she runs everything. There are many participants, but she still manages to match us up with other ladies who often share similarities to us in age or interests, which makes finding out who sent your package that much more exciting (as well as finding out who you are sending to!)
This year I received a package from Ashleigh, and I was so excited and blessed by her generosity. As soon as I opened the package I could smell the beautiful rose soap. All of the wrapping paper and cards were scented so lovely. As you can see, the teacup is gorgeous and just as vintage and classy as I love, and look at that detailed blue rose design! She sent some of my favorite fruit teas and wonderful chocolate treats (that I must admit are gone by now...) Also papers and stickers and a lovely book for baking, complete with recipes specifically for tea parties and full color pictures.
Ashleigh also creates things, and sent a variety of handmade gifts made specifically for me. The stunning dress bookmark is already in use, and you must look at the bunny pin! SO adorable! It's my favorite shade of blue, complete with pearls and fluffy tail.
Thank you so much Ashleigh for everything, I loved it all so much. I can't wait to keep in touch! (Your official thank-you note will be in the mail shortly :) )
"It smells like warm!" - Sammy, one of the first days we opened the windows to let the sunshine and fresh spring breezes in. I sat playing the piano, and he sat in the rocking chair next to me, simply staring outside and watching the robins and the flowers and the neighbors. This spring Aly was in a production of Mary Poppins, the girls hosted their very own tea party, and I sewed both my sister's theatre costume and a dress for myself. --- In between the business of the season, we spent quite a bit of time enjoying the spring weather. I would carry all of my devotional items outside and Sam all of his coloring supplies and we'd sit on the back deck together. We also played catch, picked flowers, washed rearranged the dirt on my car, and listened to a lot of K-Love.
Just recently Stephanie over at Enchanting Rose hosted a tea cup exchange, and this was my first year participating! (I've just been a bit late getting my post up as I've been fighting a cold here.) The way it works, various ladies from all over the world sign up, and Stephanie matches us up. We send to one person, and receive from another so there is the opportunity to make two friends through the exchange!
I sent a tea cup to Lexi from Times and Seasons of a Beautiful Life. I had so much fun putting a package together for her and looking through her blog (which you should go check out!)
I received a tea cup from Cryslyn who blogs over at Joyfully Inspired. It was such a delight to get her package in the mail, decorated in special butterfly stickers. Inside it was filled with lovelies. A mosaic-styled tea cup and saucer with many shades of my favorite color; a delicate white doily; delicious berry teas; and this amazing necklace in the shape of a book - none other than Pride and Prejudice. <3 I absolutely adore all that Cryslyn sent me - thank you so much for being so generous!
Many thanks to Stephanie for putting this all together! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am looking forward to the next exchange. Hugs and thanks to all! <3
The fourth annual History Trip arrived! Here is what we do, who we are, and how we manage it. We are the youth group from one Emmanuel Baptist Church located somewhere in the United States. Our fearless leader (a.k.a. my dad) runs this crazy bunch with the help of our less fearless but irreplaceable driver, my mom (also holder of money, counter of heads, keeper of time, hydration enforcer, first-aid distributor, and clothing counselor.) We are one van full of teenagers. It's also full of snacks, drinks, pillows, books, pens and paper, shoes, and random bags. We all pack up early Monday morning and get on the road, on our way to tour historic landmarks of the midwest and east side of the country. My parents spend days and weeks and months planning and mapping and purchasing tour tickets and hotel rooms, so the morning of everything is planned and we're ready to head to our first stop (location unbeknownst to the passengers in the back of the van.) It's a fast paced trip. Some of our lunch stops involve literally running in and out. There is too much to see, and we don't want to miss anything! What we see is part of what makes us a unique history touring group. Our trip focus is not only on our country, but on our religion. Many of our stops are directed specifically toward Baptist History: how we came to be what we are and why we believe what we believe We learn about historic men of the United States, historic men of God, and the times when the two combined and we have famous historical leaders who were also followers of God. Our goal is to see God in History, by looking at both famous buildings and obscure rocks in the middle of fields.
Warning: Picture Heavy. Information Heavy. Random Stories Heavy. Skip to the videos at the end to see the highlights! ;)
The new year brought with it a new youth group! (Plus Lorin and myself, 19 here and coming anyway.) The previous year brought a transition between the old and the new, leaving 2014 with a van almost entirely full of History Trip Novices. ;) With all these brand new teenagers it was time for the trips to recycle, and we hit many of the sites visited back in 2011. Colin, Riley, and myself were the only three returning from trip one, leaving the history brand new for the majority of our van.
The gravesite of John Gano
He was the chaplain who baptised George Washington. Later in life General/President Washington gave his sword to John Gano.
Part of the trick (and fun) here is to actually find the grave. He is buried in what looks like the largest graveyard in Kentucky.
The site of Sandy Creek Baptist Church and grave of its Pastor Shubal Stearns
Bri was so excited she could touch the grave of Shubal Stearns. Not exactly the typical road trip full of museums with No Touch signs. Sandy Creek is one of those places where you feel like you're walking on Holy Ground.
Historic town Bath, NC
A small town a great man of God, name of George Whitefield, visited. Unfortunately, the town was also a port for Blackbeard the Pirate. The people were more interested in the pirate and wanted nothing to do with God. Whitefield crossed the river and left, brushing the dust of his feet and cursing the town never to grow. We drove through the town in approximately five minutes - it never did grow.
St. John's Church
It was here the famous Patrick Henry spoke the words "Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!"
Site of Jailhouse used to imprison Baptist Ministers
Baptist preachers, such as John Weatherford, were once thrown in prison here, for nothing more or less than preaching the gospel as the Bible tells it. Thing is, the church came to the jailhouse to hear him preach! The guards build a wall around the jail, but the people came anyway. They put glass on the wall so no one could sit on it, but the people came anyway, bringing with them a white handkerchief to wave over the wall so the pastor would know when to start preaching. Snakes and hornets were thrown into the crowd, but the people came anyway. They put a drunken man in the cell with the preacher, only to have the man get saved! His release was later secured due to the work of Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.
Montpelier - James Madison's homestead
This was a beautiful piece of property. Really and truly amazing.
Unfortunately, as we were driving through all sorts of back Virginia roads, the air in our 15 passenger van (full of 13 people) gave out. Right in the middle of a preaching tape on Romans 8:28. Key point: It's okay to question the ways of God, but it is never okay to question His wisdom. We needed that reminder as the temperatures passed 90 and the van C-D player got so hot the preaching tape completely quit.
Walnut Grove. How very Little House on the Prairie!
Hotel Fun
Williamsburg
Sweet horsey who tried to eat my hat ribbon.
This was lovely. Sitting down in the middle of the hot afternoon inside a nice cool building and drinking tea. Well, until half of our group put salt in their tea instead of sugar. That was actually quite awful, but once remedied we had a wonderful time.
Yorktown
A site of victory. We spent the morning and early afternoon here before heading back to Williamsburg for Fireworks and Fun!
Bamboo - an important Sunday School lesson of my dads that they would be getting soon. Also, very hard to cut off. Apparently...
