Sunday, 11 March 2012

Feeling blue...


... but in a good way!

(The images in this post look better if you click on them to view them against a black background.)


Having returned from Lacock with blue & white inspiration from the Tearooms, I rummaged through my cupboards to find my blue and white second hand shop finds (50 p - £ 1 per piece), to organise my own little tea party...


But... ehm... you can't blaim a girl for being slightly distracted by newly bought pansies and stunning sunshine, can you? And so it was that no tea was ever brewed, but pretty pansies projecting their petal pride from the small coffee cups. 

These particular cups were bought second hand by some friends in Sweden, because they knew these were identical to the ones my grandparents used to sip their three o'clock coffee from. Just looking at these little  cups and saucers brings back so many memories, and I can almost hear my grandfather quietly slurp the coffee whilst holding a sugar cube between his teeth, the way he always did...


The garden table (spray-painted to look old and rusty) was brought in to 
the conservatory and decorated with some ivy from the garden...

There is something about the white and blue that oozes summer vibes, don't you think?
And if I am not mistaken, that is where we are heading, slowly but surely!




...and then one thing led to another...


... and a blue & white cushion was born!


The perceptive reader might recognize the photo on the cushion as the third one in this blog post, although a mirror image of it due to the transfer process. I used Iron-On T-Shirt Transfer paper, which can be found in most stationery shops (I made lavender sachets in the same way here.), and some white linen fabric I had in the cupboard. A couple of straight seams and voilà, a summer-inspired cushion. The images are not perfect, perhaps because of the not entirely smooth linen fabric surface, but we can perhaps call it...ahem... "rustic"...?


Wishing all you of you, new readers and old, the loveliest of weeks, 
and thank you for stopping by!
Helena

47 comments:

  1. Å så fantastiske bilder du deler meg oss :)
    Til STOR inspirasjon ღ fantastisk vakkert
    Ha en fortsatt superfin helg, stor klem fra
    Mette :)

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  2. I love the idea of using cups and teapots as planters. I will definitely have to give this a try. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  3. Åh, dessa koppar ger mig barndomsminnen. Vi hade dessa i vårt hem. Underbara bilder du skapat! Snyggt med fotokudden dessutom.Ha en go dag! Torprosen

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  4. Hi Helene,

    This feels like spring! Beautiful!

    xoxo Rozmeen

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  5. Åhh vilka härliga bilder, jag blir så glad när jag ser dem :-)
    Kram Åsa

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  6. Jag bara älskar den söta tekannan i chintz mönster. Att sitta och dricka te i din trädgård vilken njutning. Jag planterar ochså lökar och penseèr i mina stora tekoppar. det blir så rart. Önskar dig en skön söndag. Zinnia

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  7. What beautiful blue and white china, made especially lovely by your planting.

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  8. Nydelige bilder du har tatt her,og så skjønt et koppeservice.Ja det er rart hvordan ting fremkaller goe minner:)
    Tusen takk for slik go kommentar fra deg sist..
    ha en fin søndag der borte,her skinner solen så det blir en fin dag i Birkelunden..:)
    klemklem

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  9. Love your photos Helena, the blue of Viola cornuta is representing Spring in it's very best for me!
    I bought little blue pansies too a few weeks ago, but the weather here in Bremen was always dull so far, that's why I haven't had a chance to take pretty spring garden pictures yet and for that I'm soaking in your's even more!
    Hope it's okay that I pin one on my Spring inspiration board over on Pinterest, if not please let me know and I'll delete it.
    Sending you warm Spring wishes from Germany
    Carola

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  10. Helena, Helena, kära Helena!!

    Ohh så mycket inspiration jag missat senaste tiden ser jag :-))) Har läst ikapp mig nu och gottat mig i alla detaljer. Sprang direkt till Pressbyrån på Arlanda för att kolla om de hade Country Homes & Interiors. Men bara marsnumret tyvärr..... Såååå kul och stort grattis igen. Ska bli SÅ spännande att få läsa reportaget när jag får tag på tidningen. Å... ditt våningsfat. Så vackert du arrangerat med de söta flaskorna och allt. Helt fantastiskt läckert och very sweenglinsh :-)))) Blått, blått, blått. Ja, det är något alldeles extra speciellt med det blåa nu på våren. Älskar ditt tea-party... och kudden blev så himla läcker. Så snyggt att rada upp samma bild på rad så där. Vad du grejar och fixar. Gillar!!!!!

    Semestern var underbar. Viloläge i solstol blandat med några roliga utflykter.

    Stooor kram till dig!!
    /Charlotte

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  11. Goodmorning dear friend!

    What a beautiful table, along with the cups and the pansies! A nice place for a real cup of tea in your beautiful chair with matching pillow!!

    It's nice weather, I hope to work in the garden today!

    Love, Ingrid

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  12. Underbart vackert Helena! Jag är också inne i en helt ny blå-vit-fas och har letat och letat efter koppar som dessa på loppis för just samma ändamål. Gissar dock att jag inte är den enda, eftersom jag inte lyckats hitta någon alls. Däremot fina små vaser som kommer att göra sig utmärkt till snödroppar.
    Kudden är helt ljuvlig - jag måste omedelbart leta fram transferpapperna som finns någonstans i gömmorna. Tack för all inspiration!

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  13. Have a beautiful Sunday, therefore, it is beautiful ...ŽANETA

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  14. Preciosas las fotos, como siempre!!
    Un saludo :)

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  15. What a beautiful post !!!!....love your pillow !!...have a nice sunday...love Ria...xxx..

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  16. Ahhh, lovely pictures... as always *gg* ! I love your blog and like to look in here. A nice Sunday with sweet garden greeting from the Waldhaus, Christine

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  17. Underbart Helena!!

    Sitter här och oooar och a-aar över det vackra porslinet och beundras åter igen över hur du lyckas få till det så himla bra! Glömmer heeelt bort att jag har ägg som kokar på spisen... jösses! Det blir hårdkokt till lunch kan jag lova!! Ha! Jag menar, herrrrrreguuud (som en viss person i schlagersammanhang skulle sagt, hehe) vad fint du gjort! Kudden blev superfin och passar så bra in i ditt tema. Nu blev jag inspirerad till att prova själv :) Blåvitt porslin är så snyggt och blev bara mer tilldragande med de söta violerna i kopparna. Jag har också just ett sånt minne från min morfar. Han drack alltid "på bit" som vi sa.

    Varje bild är så vacker och jag gillar hur du arrangerat det hela med bakgrunden ut mot trädgården. Ni har ju så mycket grönare än vi och det ser riktigt somrigt ut! Idag har vi en riktigt solig, vårig dag och jag hoppade faktiskt upp på hojen och tog en cykeltur för en stund sedan. Hade dock inte räknat med den kalla motvinden... så nu sitter jag här med blossande kinder.. känner mig så fin så *fniss*

    Ha en skön söndag!
    Kram Sanna

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  18. I love that blue China. It looks gorgeous with the blue pansies!
    Have a nice Sunday.
    Alex

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  19. Arj hvor er det en dejlige måde at "have the blues" på. Elsker din sofa-pude !

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  20. Vilket ljuvligt teparty du har ordnat! Visst är det härligt med penséer. Mina bor ännu så länge inomhus men jag tror bestämt att det är dags för dem att flytta ut när som helst.
    Jag går och suger på en idé som inkluderar sådant där papper för att föra över bild till textil. Fungerar det bra?
    Kram Maria

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  21. Underbart vackert,med söta penséer och det blåvita porslinet, somrigt.
    Hälsningar Marika

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  22. Your blue china is so cute, I love it. Also, I do like the idea with the cushion.
    Have a nice start into the week,
    Barbara

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  23. I love blue and white china because my grandmother had it; I've been looking for some small pieces lately but apparently people around here (Virginia) don't like to donate them to thrift stores OR sell them in antique malls! I think your cushion is beautiful - so creative! I may try that idea with some of my photos. Would it be okay if I pin the cushion photo on my Pinterest craft ideas board?

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  24. I just clicked on your site to admire the tea o' clock again, To my surprise you have posted another amazing arrangement. There is no end to your creativity. How on earth did you ever think about making the transfers on the pillows??? How about a mailorder business so us that do not have your talent can enjoy your crafts. Thanks for making such a fantastic posting for us all to enjoy!!
    Agneta in Arizona

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  25. Härliga bilder!
    Kudden blev jättefin & såå roligt då jag tidigare idag provade tshirt transfer för första gången-mina frallor fick vara motiv.
    Trycket blev inte toppen,men jag måste absolut prova igen-kul!
    Kram Johanna

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  26. You are such a clever lady, and I just love the blue and white china, and how you have made it into a cushion cover.
    lovely weekend wasn't it!
    Jillx

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  27. ...soo abdorable blue, so charming !!!!
    Love
    Gabi

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  28. ljuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuvligt helena!
    nu värmde du upp mig lite, vilken intallation
    woooooooooooooow tack också för din värme som vän!
    varmkram lotten

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  29. I love your tea table and you've given me inspiration with the pansy planted tea cups! How sweet!

    And of course, I am enamored by blue and white!

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  30. Stunningly beautiful photos....what a joy to look at!!!!

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  31. Love blue and white!
    Love your charming corner it's so poetic.
    Have a nice week
    xoxo
    Mari

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  32. Wow......
    I just loooooove your blog.

    Camilla

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  33. Wow Helena what a beautiful blog and stunning photography - a real inspiration!

    I enjoyed reading your recent article in my fave mag - Country Homes and Interiors and think I have fallen in love with your home :-)

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  34. ljuvliga bilder! Tänk att jag nästan glömt transfer pappren.... sugen blev jag nu:) Jättefin kudde

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  35. Hello Helena, blue is one of my favorite colors.

    Greetings from Rosine ♥♥♥

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  36. WOWWW! So sweet and poetic!!!
    I love it!
    Franca

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  37. amazing flowers in cups!! so beautiful

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  38. so wonderful helena, watching your blog always makes me happy :))

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  39. Underbart, lovely, gordious, shit så fint!!
    Är också inne i en blå period- haha, kolla mitt senaste reportage ;-)
    Blir ännu mer sugen på att få lite blåa toner i mitt hem efter att jag dreglat åt dina fantastiskt vackra bilder!
    Kram och ha det fint!

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