One Little Word - February

Hey everyone! Welcome back to month two of my year long journey through the online One Little Word workshop, taught by designer, blogger, and teacher Ali Edwards.

The February creative prompt is to create a vision board that reflects your word. A vision board is, according to Ali, "a visual intention - a collection of images and words and phrases that speak to you for one reason or another in your life right now."

I am a collage artist and my word this year is BUILD. And if there is one thing I love, it is a collection of something! Over the years I have assembled a library of images that I've painstakingly cut from a variety of magazines. This 'library' consists of file folders labeled according to subject such as floral/fauna, letters/phrases, and home/garden. For instance, some of the images used in my vision board (above) are from Martha Stewart Living, House Beautiful, Smithsonian, The New Yorker, Better Homes and Gardens, National Geographic, Vogue, and some scrapbook and art publications that I don't remember the names of.

It was so much fun looking through my file folders while at the same time focusing on my word. It actually was a bit uncanny how many images I catalogued that reminded me of the word 'build'. In fact, at that beginning stage, I had chosen enough images to fill a board twice the size of the finished work and was seriously thinking of going out and buying a larger canvas. But eventually I talked myself out of the idea realizing it was crazy to make a huge collage simply because I was having a hard time whittling down my choices.

The piece, 18"x24", consists of both literal depictions and symbolic imagery.

The literal depictions are easy to spot: Gehry tower in the lower left corner; the scissors, camera, typewriter and paintbrushes are my go-to 'tools of the trade'; the watering can, bird house, roses, and Japanese-style garden lantern indicate essentials in the garden; the 'blue onion' patterned dinnerware plate calls to mind my newest interest in collecting vintage and antique dish ware; the tiny blue tassel reflects my obsession with the ever popular chinoiserie style of home decor; the textiles, wallpaper samples and hanging pendant bird lamp help to remind me of the home improvement and decorating projects I want to make happen.

Some of the symbolic imagery can be quite obvious as well: the plum blossoms stand for this Under The Plum Blossom Tree blog and the cup of tea stands for my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures. As well, the image of women and books is characteristic of my feelings for all the awe-inspiring creative women I've met on Instagram, in particular through #collectandstyle, a hash tag project I started; the watch and the clock - obvious reminders of time passing, time running out and making the most of the time that I have.

You may have noticed the minimal use of words and phrases on my vision board. The truth is I am an introvert. I prefer quiet, solitude and contemplation over crowds, noise and nonthinking. Even the aforementioned file folder marked 'words/phrases' is quite scant compared to the other folders, but I was pleased with what I did find: 'fun' because that's the way it should be; 'on a roll' to keep my spirit up; 'presence of mind' to keep me focused; 'power' to help me be strong; 'Pleasure, purpose, pride - the three strands of happiness' because, like in mathematics, there's an order of operations, right?

My favorite images are the free-form style white buildings with birds and flowers encircling them (upper left corner) and the whimsical people-like creatures riding unicycles (lower right corner). These represent a subjective symbolism for me because of their made up structure. They remind me that life is constantly full of new opportunities and new ways of seeing the world. They allow me to re-imagine a new way of living. And that is the kind of thinking that gives me hope, helps me to keep going in my endeavors, and enables me the willingness and the courage needed to look towards an unknown future.

Also, too, the fact that several of the images I've assembled on my vision board are collections of objects is a strong reminder that it takes practice, time and a caring attitude to build anything significant in life. I'm reminded of the many other words used to describe 'build', such as construct, oversee, incorporate, compile, establish, and develop.

I'm sure it's easy to conclude that my love of Mother Nature is evident. But on a deeper level my fascination with, and respect for, the natural world is steeped in the wonders of the essential 'building blocks' of nature; isn't it amazing how unseen particles and matter, coupled with the abstract concepts of time and space, unite and produce the physical elements that create beautiful life forms like the wing of a dragonfly, the feather of a bird or the perfect shape of an egg? The infinitesimal array of shapes, patterns, and colors delight the eye, command our awe and can inspire us to contemplate our very existence.

My favorite part of Ali's words in her description of the project was that "it's a way to connect your head, your heart and your hands". I'm always in for a good art project, especially one with rich meaning, so I couldn't agree more!

Thank you Ali Edwards, and thank you dear reader! If you feel inspired to make your own vision board, I'm happy to answer any questions you may have. You can leave me a comment here or send me an email.

And if you like this series, please visit me next month for the March One Little Word creative prompt. If you would like to be informed when I publish the post you can sign up for an email notification at the top of this blog - look for 'subscribe' under my profile photo, enter your email address, and Blogger will send you an email. 

Vintage Tea Treasures: An Etsy Shop Update

Hi friends!

Just popping in with a quick reminder that in my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures you'll find timeless, classic, and fun teatime china ware from name brands such as the Crown Dorset teapot and the Duchess teacup and saucer shown above.

The Crown Dorset teapot has a unique cube shape, a 40 ounce capacity, and will make six 6-ounce cups of tea. Adorned with beautiful fully-bloomed pink roses, green ivy, and a graceful scroll-like finial, it will be the perfect center of attention on your tea table.

The wild roses in pink with greenery on the Duchess teacup and saucer duo are a subtle reminder of the cherished rose in its natural state. An interesting egg-like oval shape sitting elegantly upon a gold gilded foot, this set is sure to please those of you that love styling your tea table in the shabby chic and/or vintage lace and roses themes.

Both pieces (and more details) are available now in the shop, where you can see even more delightful vintage teaware for sale, all at reasonable prices. And if you visit Vintage Tea Treasures and enter code PLUMBLOSSOM10 you can get 10% off your order.

As always, thank you for your support!

One Little Word - January

Hi friends! How is your new year going so far?

In a blog post earlier this month I mentioned that I was signing up for One Little Word, a year long online workshop, taught by designer, blogger and teacher Ali Edwards.

I have known about One Little Word for a long time and always thought I would like to try it, and finally, I am! And I'm excited to share this journey with you.

The purpose of the class is to invite one word into your life that will act as a year long guide and an investigative tool. It allows you to concentrate on different aspects of daily experience and apply your word to real life situations. Each month there will be a new creative prompt to help bring your chosen word into focus.

For 2018 my word is BUILD. The reason I chose build is because it feels as if there is still so much more in life to accomplish. I am blessed in that I have a solid foundation on which I have already built my life - a comfortable home, a healthy and happy family, and employment. I now wish to utilize that foundation to grow independently and thrive in ways different than what I am accustomed to. I want to challenge myself to experiment with new ways of thinking and doing.

Build feels action oriented, creative, and encourages me to be self-initiating. Build has plasticity, allowing me to decide what form it will take in my life and give me the freedom I need to shape events. Build will help me to develop ideas into actionable steps and to learn how to expand and refine those ideas. With build I can incorporate my own unique style. And lastly, build has a cumulative effect - starting now I am giving myself the permission and the opportunity to engage with life in new and unexpected ways in order to expand on that which I have already established.

And it's going to be hard! Having now answered all the prompts for January, I am now rubbing up against the challenge of diving deeper into these questions: What do I want less of in my life? What do I want to let go of? What do I want more of? What do I want to invite into my life? I don't know if you are like me, but faced with having to sit down and think critically and objectively about such questions and the act of having to write something down on a blank card is a bit intimidating.

But necessary!

Another prompt for the class is to find a quote containing your word that resonates with you. I will close with this one I found by His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

With the realization of one's own potential

 and self confidence in one's ability, 

one can build a better world.

Thanks for reading!

#collectandstyle - @annld60

Hello #collectandstyle community, how are you? I hope you are doing well. Thank you for visiting Under The Plum Blossom Tree blog to view the #collectandstyle favorite. There are now over 14,000 images posted to the tag! If you have contributed to that growing number, thank you! And if you haven't yet I hope to see you there.

Today I'm featuring one artist from among an ever growing array of talented photographers that post their styled images of vintage, new or antique collectables to the hashtag.

Embracing the moment is, I think it is safe to say, Ann L. Davis's 'cup of tea'. Ann's Instagram feed (@annld60) is akin to having your best friend put the teakettle on the stove and invite you over for a relaxing cup of tea and interesting conversation. Her warm, open and welcoming manner summons us to accept her invitation to comment about our day sharing experiences, feelings, and moods.

Indeed, it is Ann's stunning images of her floral displays that drive quite a bit of the conversation. These range from a single flower to store purchased bouquets and the newer popular seasonal and wild floral arrangements.

And Ann's followers and friends are always curious about her interesting assortment of styling props. She's fond of vintage and antique enamelware, as well as teacups, secateurs (Japanese bonsai scissors), sheet music, stationary, and ribbon spools.

Once you've visited Ann (@annld60) on Instagram, I'm sure you will agree that embracing the moment in such lovely company is indeed a pleasure worth revisiting.  

Faffing With Vintage Tea Treasures - Rosina Teacup & Saucer

Hi Friends! Before I carefully pack and ship this gorgeous vintage Rosina bone china teacup set off to Susan in New Jersey, I thought I would have a little 'faffing fun' before I said goodbye.

Of the many teacup and saucer sets in my shop, Vintage Tea Treasures, this is truly a unique set with two distinct floral patterns. First there are the pastel red-pink rose bouquets that are featured on the front and back of the footed teacup.

Then there is a border of white daisies, pink roses, blue forget-me-nots and greenery on the inside top rim of the teacup and around the perimeter of the scalloped saucer.

The saucer also has a small rose bouquet in the center.

No vintage tea set would be complete without gold gilding. This set has gilding on the upper rim, handle and foot of the teacup and around the perimeter and inside of the saucer.

Goodbye Rosina, may you bring not only the comfort of a hot cup of tea, but also joy and happiness to your new owner!

And thank you Susan for shopping with Vintage Tea Treasures!

Styling And Photographing For Instagram

Hi friends! If you are an Instagram user, you may already be aware of the fact that there are a few analytics applications that will calculate the top nine images liked by your followers, friends and other Instagram users in 2017. I used the app called instrack.app and the image shown here is the result of the algorithm doing its magic.

It's interesting to take a walk down memory lane - both figuratively as in the act of looking back at images which hold symbolic meaning and literally taking a walk along an old familiar route, retracing steps from another time.

Both of these activities have occupied my mind lately.

Recently I had reason to walk about a mile to catch a bus. The route was familiar as I used to walk it most weekdays, including during the time I got my first iPhone. Back then I was already versed in photography and having a camera phone opened up my curiosity for learning a new way of taking pictures. I would look around as I strolled along the city streets, seeking out interesting subjects to capture with my new camera. As I retraced that route last week, memories of those days came flooding back and I was thinking about my journey through still life photography and Instagram.

I discovered Instagram soon after I started taking photos with my phone. Like so many others, I began sharing my images there. I was inspired not only by the gorgeous and interesting portrayals of everyday life, but also by the snippets of conversation. People were talking to each other from all over the world! Before long I found a great community of women who were sharing their styled photos of flowers, tea, coffee and other bits of everyday life. They call it 'faffing' which is an English term meaning to spend time doing something that is not important instead of the thing one should be doing. It has gained greater significance though as a calming meditative process that helps to cultivate a relaxing mind.

Intrigued by this artistic community, I decided that I was going to learn still life 'flat lay' iPhone photography. There's something about this style of photography that taps into the ancestral memory. To create an image that is both in the present but yet evokes symbolic and emotional memories of the past piques the curiosity of the viewer. You can't help but want to stop and peer into this moment in time and engage with the objects - search out the familiar, see what resonates and find your own memory locked within. No wonder prop stylists are always on the hunt for new and interesting items to add to their collections!

At the same time, it truly is the art of placing objects. Those everyday things that are familiar to us and have meaning and context in our lives suddenly transform into objects of art. You find yourself considering size, shape, and quantity, and thinking critically about color, style, composition, unity, proximity. There are so many elements to consider, ponder and get frustrated over. But this is an invaluable exercise for developing the artistic eye. It's not easy for most of us and does not happen overnight. Similar to any creative endeavor, one must dive in, keep going, resist the urge to compare yourself to others, and take breaks along the way.

Thank you for letting me share my styling and photography journey thus far. If you would like to share yours, leave a comment or visit me on Instagram.   

Happy New Year From Under The Plum Blossom Tree And Vintage Tea Treasures

Hello and Happy New Year! Wishing you a joyful and prosperous 2018. Thank you for being here in 2017. I look forward to sharing more stories with you, through my photos and words, in the new year.

Like many of you, I am feeling grateful for all the good things that came my way in the last year. I've been spending the days since Christmas contemplating what my intentions for the next twelve months will be.

It can be difficult to ask yourself such tough questions about life. Here are some things I'm thinking about:

How do I decide the best way to spend my time and energy in the new year? 

How do I evaluate how best to help the people in my life that need guidance and love? 

What are some healthy ways in which I can better care for myself?

I never feel like I have all the answers to these kinds of questions. But what I do know is that a key component in life is to never give up. That it's important to keep going through the self doubt and the unfortunate events.

In order to keep myself grounded in 2018 I have signed up for One Little Word, a year long online class taught by designer, blogger and teacher Ali Edwards. It's going to place me smack dab in the middle of uncertainty and vulnerability. But that's okay because I need to be there. So I'm taking the brave step of showing up to indecision, risk and unpredictability.

Since I'll be creating content for the One Little Word class anyway, I'll also share something I've created for the class here on the blog, hopefully once a month.

As I have in the past, for 2018 I'll continue to share the topics you've enjoyed reading such as vintage finds, seasonal garden photography, vintage home ware design history, DIY, and art history. Something new I'll be sharing is our living room refurbish. If you are looking for an inexpensive wood floor project, James has it figured out and we will be sharing all the details of that project, plus some of the decorating and styling we're working on in that room.

And lastly, in my Etsy shop, Vintage Tea Treasures, I will continue to offer high quality classic, timeless and fun vintage teacups, teapots and dessert plates for your tea time, gifting, collecting and prop styling needs.

Thank you for letting me share. Here's to a great journey through 2018!