Tea Time for Miss Zyra

It's time for another one of those extra special little girl birthdays.  Zyra is turning 5 and has not received her tea set from me yet.  I was so busy doing quilts last year that this got overlooked.  Her birthday is coming up and it's time to get busy on this.

3/26 - My plan for today is to work on the tea set for Zyra and I get everything set up to paint only to discover that all my paints have totally dried up.  Drat.  I call the shop and order some new ones for Mister to pick up on is way home from work.

4/2 - I am finally getting back to working on this project.  Where has the past week gone?  I bought this tea set greenware OVER 20 years ago.  Two years ago, I took it out to clean while I was working on one for Elena.  I left it sitting on a tray in my studio and somewhere in all that time and various grandchildren visiting, the spout got broke.  About six months ago, we fixed it and today, while I am trying to clean the repaired area, it broke off again, hit the floor, and shattered.  Great!  I call the local ceramic shop to see if they have ANY teapots poured and the owner says yes.  I quickly call DART and take the train up to Spring Valley to just get a teapot.  I don't care if it matches the set.  When I arrive, guess what???  She has the exact same one only with a different lid.  No problem.  I didn't break the lid.  What are the odds?

4/3 -- I am rapidly running out of time to get this finished and I am flying to Denver tomorrow to pick up grandsons for 10 days.  This must be painted today.  First, all the pink areas get underglazed.  That is obviously the largest area of all.

Add some purple and cream and this little set is looking pretty dang cute.  Mister pitches in and helps me as it has taken ALL day and I have to have it ready for him to drop off tomorrow morning for firing.  It is late when we finish, but it is boxed up and ready for delivery.

4/9 - Mister is working from home today, so while the boys are watching a movie in the afternoon, I run to the shop to pick up the tea set.  As I take a few pieces out of the box, I am stunned.  Sincerely.  The pink has somehow turned a golden yellow.  Really?  Now what do I do?  I literally do not have time to continue painting and firing this thing.  Ugh.

4/15 - My house is empty again and the tea set is back out to be finished.  It needs to be glazed and dropped of for a second firing today.

I have to return the rental van around 4 and they are in opposite directions.  I settle in and have three coats of glaze to put on.  It takes awhile to get the first one on everything - including bottoms and insides -- and then it has to sit for awhile to dry.  I give myself 45 minutes to sew between each coat and am ready to go around 2:30.  Everything is once again boxed up and ready for drop off.

4/18 - Mister and I drive up to Spring Valley to retrieve the tea set for the last time.  Although it is not pink, I do like it and hope Zyra will too.

Next, we are off to JoAnn's to find some foam for the box that we purchased over a year ago.  Yes, this project has been in the making for awhile.  Mister takes a file to the bottoms of all the pieces and sands down the little points created from the stands used while in the kiln.

4/19 The set is in his hands now.  He has to figure out how to box it up best so that it can be shipped without anything breaking.  Yep, I leave this part all up to him.  As I peek in on him out in the studio, he is standing and just staring -- trying to determine the best way to do this.  Shortly, he has a plan and settles in cutting the foam to fit each individual piece.

He glues all the foam into place and also glues a large piece onto the inside of the box lid for extra cushioning.  Now to wait and let it dry.  Fingers are crossed here.

4/20 - Everything fits and is in the box.  Woohoo!  The box is then placed into a larger box that Mister has created for shipping and cushioned with more peanuts.  Oh, please let this make it there okay.  It has become very expensive and I feel as though there is a part of me in each piece.  I hope Zyra loves it and treasures it always.  I so wish I had had something like this from my grandmother.  I can't wait to have a tea party with her.  Mister is putting it in the mail tomorrow morning and it should arrive ON her birthday.  Whew!

UPDATE!!!!!

Pictures from my daughter-in-law Rebecca --- THANK YOU