Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday 16 August 2010

Tea Time Tuesday


Hello my sweet friends and welcome to Tea Time Tuesday!
I am back from my holiday and I'm pleased to invite you to my 30th Tea Time post!
Did you all enjoy your weekend? I sure did! Even though it was sad to see my son and his family leave, Hubby and I got out to the beach three times over the weekend, once with our grandson Brent who's six. He's as cute as a button!
We also met friends for breakfast at my favourite tea room.
I am still experiencing much pain in my lower back but I am thankful for so many things!
Today I am celebrating my 30th post by sharing a few pieces of my favourite china; my Rose Chintz. This pattern makes me swoon as I just love the roses and pretty posies sprinkled all over the creamy white background.
I realize many of you have seen some of these pieces before but there is a reason for my madness!

Two reasons why I have chosen to share this pattern today; firstly it reminds me of my childhood and a very special lady in my life. Secondly, two wonderful ladies have gifted me with one or more pieces of it and I want to pay homage to them!


Now, please come in and I'll pour you a cup of tea. Are you comfortable? I hope you will allow me to regale you with how my love for this pretty pattern first began.
As you know, I adore teapots and teacups; anything related to tea, really.
There are so many lovely patterns out on the market but there is just something about Rose Chintz that makes my heart go pitter-patter like no other! It is called sentiment.



When I was a little girl, my Daddy moved us to Prince Edward Island. Moving here made me very homesick for my home in New Brunswick and all the family we had left behind. Our family traveled to NB almost every weekend and every holiday to visit the family. Sometimes the whole summer was spent over there. It was a very long trip but worth it when we got there. I loved seeing my grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins!


While visiting the home we left behind, my Auntie P, whom I'm very close to, always used her Rose Chintz china at mealtime and I fell in love with her dishes at a very young age. I found it to be a happy pattern which was how I felt when I was over there with all the family.


Auntie P's Rose Chintz china brought a great deal of comfort to this lonely little girl and to this day, it conjures up such wonderful memories whenever I look at it. I just love the pink florals. I find it charming, feminine, and romantic; very girly. Some might find it too busy but I like it just fine!
"Tea is instant wisdom - just add water!" ~ Astrid Alauda


When I got married, I searched high and low for Rose Chintz but could not find it, and to my dismay, I learned they were no longer making it! Then one day, a few years ago, I discovered by accident this lovely china on eBay and I was able to purchase several pieces with the help of my savy computer-skilled son. I felt like I had struck the jackpot! Funny thing is, up until that day, I hadn't even looked on eBay. I hardly knew what eBay was, believe it or not!

I had just given away a whole set of dishes I only used once a year to a worthy cause and I felt like God was rewarding me for doing so. I was so excited!

Shortly afterwards, my auntie sold her home and moved into a condo. How thrilled I was when she gifted me with many more pieces of it; plates, bowls, teapot, coffee pot, and platters!

Since then, I have attained a good collection of it, I'm happy to say. There are still some pieces I don't have but hope to find sooner or later.


How pretty the strawberry shortcake looks in the rimmed bowl; so summery! The presentation of food can look so much better in a pretty dish, don't you agree?

I have a couple of adorable demi-tasses nestled together under glass; gifts from my auntie.

I love square plates, don't you?

Along with the many pieces of Rose Chintz which my auntie gave me were the mugs, perfect for tea, coffee, or chocolate.


Rose Chintz is a pattern produced by Johnson Bros. in England and although they stopped producing the pattern years ago, there are reproductions around today. The originals had a pink or green mark on them such as you see below on this saucer.
A Rose Chintz pitcher, another gift from Auntie P, is good for many things including a vase for pretty flowers!


"A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards." ~ A.A. Milne


Thank you Auntie for gifting me with this beloved china. Everytime I look at it, I think of you. I love you and I am blessed that you are a part of my life!


I haven't added to my Rose Chintz collection for some time now but about a month ago I received an email from someone special.....


One thing I love about Blogland is the wonderful opportunity we have to 'meet' lovely friends. One such friend is Patti @ Fill My Cup.... with Beauty. This sweet lady found a piece of Rose Chintz on one of her treasure hunts, and she wanted to bless me with it. She sent it all the way from her home in the States to me here in Canada, just because! Let me tell you; my hubby was impressed and I feel so blessed that Patti wanted to do this for me! A lovely card accompanied the piece.


How sweet is that and what a lovely thing for Patti to do!

This pretty little fruit nappie arrived a couple of weeks ago, all wrapped up in pink tissue paper and ribbon. I am so happy to be the recipient of such generosity. I really love it! Thank you Patti, I so appreciate your kindness and thoughtfulness!


I do hope all you lovely ladies out there will pay my sweet friend a visit at her blog. Patti @ Fill My Cup...with Beauty ~ http://pattiannsblog.blogspot.com/ I just know you will be happy you did!



"The first sip of tea is always the best.....you cringe as it burns the back of your throat, knowing that you just had the hottest carpe-diem portion." ~ Terri Guillemets

The scripture I am sharing today is from one of my favourite chapters in the Bible. I felt it appropriate considering all the love which has been lavished upon me.

"Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." ~ 1 Corinthians 13: 13


NOTE: I am nearing 300 followers and when I reach the big 300, I am going to have a little Giveaway which will probably be tea related! Perhaps next week?
UPDATE: I just reached 300 wonderful kindred spirits following my blog! Looks like there will be a Giveaway on the horizon! Stay tuned and thank you everyone!

I am also contemplating the changing of the name of my tea time meme from Tea Time Tuesday to Tea Party Tuesday as some may find it confusing with two of us having the same tea party title. What do you think, should I change it?

Thank you for visiting today. I especially want to thank you all for your lovely comments while I was away. Many of you continued to link up with me even though I was not able to reciprocate. You are wonderful friends and I do love every one of you!


If you are new to my blog and you wish to participate in Tea Time Tuesday, please let me know in your comment. I will gladly add your link to my post; just share a teacup, teapot, or some china used in a tea. You may also do coffee, chocolate, or iced tea. A poem, quote, or scripture verse is also most welcome. Either of the two Tea Time Tuesday buttons near the top of my sidebar are available for you to use in your post if you wish. Please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way here to visit my other lovely participants.

Today I am also linking with Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for her Table Top Tuesday and the other tea party hostesses, Martha & Terri, Wanda Lee & Pam, and Lady Katherine.
You will find them all with the stars ** before their names.


Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.


The participants listed below are in the order in which they first started to participate.



PARTICIPANTS





TEA CUP TUESDAY





TEA POT and TEA THINGS TUESDAY





TEA TIME TUESDAY


TABLE TOP TUESDAY
Sharing from my heart~ Sandi