Tea Cup Tuesday: The Yellow Rose of Tea Cup!

 Today's tea cup is covered with luscious yellow roses that are so real looking, one can almost smell their sweet fragrance, along with deep purple violets.

It was on a clearance rack at Home Goods. When I saw it, my heart started skipping a few beats. I held it in my hands, oooed and ahhhed, put it back on the shelf, picked it up again, and then deposited it into my shopping cart.

If my husband saw it, and questioned me on the lack of need to buy another tea cup, I had my defense all ready. This is what I was going to say:

"It's Martha and Terri's fault. They hold this Tea Cup Tuesday party  in blogland and I ran out of tea cups to show my dear fellow bloggers. So if I want to participate, I have to buy more cups and this is one of them."

Luckily, I was able to unwrap the cup  and plop it into the dishpan in the kitchen sink before my husband came in.  When it got washed with all the rest of the dishes at supper, my darling husband never knew the difference.  I didn't have to feel guilty and he didn't have to complain so it worked out for both of us.   :) 

Can you imagine sipping a cup of fragrant tea in this cup next to a bouquet of these?:

The cup was made in China:

Don't miss the other gorgeous cups shown for this weekly party. Just go visit Martha, from Martha's Favorites, and Terri from Artful Affirmations. These dear ladies sponsor Tea Cup Tuesday.  Trust me, it's a blast!

Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha and Terri!

At a used antiques and furniture store, Sanford and Kid, in North Adams, Massachusetts, good deals can almost always be found.

The owner apparently goes to estate sales in different parts of New England to find things to stock his store which opens only Fridays through Sundays.

While looking through shelves filled with a diverse assortment of "junk,"  I spotted a whole set of plain but lovely teacups.   They are creamy white with gold rims and  pink roses right inside the cups. There are also a few gold, patterned leaves on the saucers and near the pink roses.

On the bottom, it reads H&E Selb,  Bavaria, Germany, Heinrich.

The Heinrich company was founded in 1904 and has produced thousands of china pieces in a startling array of patterns and colors.

In the end, I bought only one of the teacups because I honestly don't need a whole set. It's quite simple, delicate, and lovely.  Who could resist it for only $1?

For a look at more great tea cups, check the blogs of the two sweethearts who host Tea Cup Tuesday, Martha and Terri, at http://www.marthasfavorites.com/  http://www.martha'sfavorites.com%20and/ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/.

WHAT IS THE MOST YOU WOULD PAY FOR A TEACUP?

Rose-Covered Royal Albert Tea Cup for Martha and Terri's Teacup Tuesday!

(Click on cup to see it bigger---if your heart can stand it!)

The first time I saw a Royal Albert teacup, it made my heart beat faster than usual. To pick up a cup, covered with roses, with touches of gold and pastel background, is exciting!

Royal Albert china is elegant, classy, and even romantic. It's now a world renowned company but it had humble beginnings. Thomas Clark Wild established a small pottery company in London as a family business in 1986. His sons, Fred and Tom, followed in their father's footsteps and kept the company going.

Many of the designs of Royal Albert pieces are inspired by English country gardens, and roses, of course, come to the forefront of each piece.

The company has made china for queens in England. The china was actually named after Prince Albert who became King George VI of England. Once called Albert Crown China, the Royal was added in 1904, according to the company's website. Then it became known simply as Royal Albert.


Today's teacup, Royal Albert's Rose Cameo Pink, has red, pink, and yellow roses against a creamy pink background with touches of white and, of course, green leaves. Gold edges the cup, handle tip, and saucer.



While my teacup collection has grown to include all kinds of cups, Royal Albert selections still make my heart beat just a little bit faster, since they are so beautiful.



P.S. Be sure to check out Martha's Favorites on the sidebar to see more gorgeous teacups. Terri's blog address is there, too!)

ARE ROYAL ALBERT PATTERNS APPEALING TO YOU?