Tea Time Tuesday and Sheila's Heart of the Home Party

Every limpid brook is singing Of the lure of April days~ Lucy Maud Montgomery - Spring Song 

Hello friends~ A warm welcome awaits you here at Rose Chintz Cottage as we partake of another Tea Time Tuesday.

It's the first week of April! Can you believe it; we got more snow dumped on us over the weekend! Surely this is the last of it. I haven't seen a robin yet so I think Spring must be playing a trick on us. Oh, how I long to hear and see the song birds; especially the finches!

For now, I will enjoy this sweet little birdie on my coffee table. He is joined by a small bouquet of white carnations which are still going strong since last week. I think they look lovely in the cranberry basket, don't you!

I thought I would do something a little different for Tea Time this week.  I am joining Sheila @ Note Songs for her Heart of the Home Party. She had asked us to share our favourite cupboard. Well, since mine is my china cabinet I thought I would share that with you today for Tea Time Tuesday. So, please come in and make yourself at home.

I have spread the table with my favourite lace tablecloth and I have set out a red transferware teapot and creamer as well as my Cream Lace teacup. A candle in my newest votive holder and a vase of white tulips joins the party.

The dainty teacup is made by Skye McGhie which you've seen before. I love this pattern with the cut-outs on the saucer and the fleur de lis on the cup!

I love red transferware!

The marking on the bottom of the teapot says only Antique Reflections.

If the inside of your china teapot has turned brown, clean it with a little bleach and be sure to rinse thoroughly before using. Let air dry.

The creamer also says Antique Reflections. That's all I know about the teapot and creamer except that I like them! They are different patterns but the red transferware unites them very well. That is the charm of transferware; the colours and patterns go so well together!

Now, how about a nice cup of tea? I am having lemon ginger tea today. Perhaps you would like some cheesecake to go with it. Hubby loves it when I have a tea party because he gets to sample everything!

I have a lovely little lemon swirl cheesecake with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.

To clean silver, place a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom of the sink. Fill the sink with water and add 1 cup of Tide detergent. { It must be Tide and no other.} Set in silver pieces and soak for eight to twelve hours until tarnish free. 

Are you comfy? Some of you may have wondered where I keep my china. Well, this is one of the places.

This cabinet was once a closet between the living room and dining room. I wanted a cabinet to display my china in so I drew up a design and a friend built it for me.

The door of the closet was removed and the closet gutted after which my friend built the interior shelves, installed the lighting, and I painted. I had the cabinet doors made and the glass put in.

I bought the crystal knobs...

...and another friend built the drawer for me. I also got the scrolly pediment above it which adds some nice detail. It took about six months over all but I'm very pleased with the finished cabinet! I am so happy I went ahead and did this because now I have a lovely space to show off my favourite pieces as well as some of my tea sets.

As you can see, I have all of my Rose Chintz in here as well as a few pieces of other china patterns.

The top shelf  houses my Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz platters, teapot, double egg cups, jug, gravy boat, as well as some demitasses.

The lower shelf  holds all the JB Rose Chintz place settings as well as my Maxwell and Williams Rose Bud candle sticks and a Skye McGhie Florence tea set. There are some salt and peppers and votive holders. Tucked in behind are some cake plates, coffee mugs, and a Rose Chintz butter dish as well as a lidded serving bowl.

The opening below the main cabinet, I had made specifically to display my Nativity at Christmastime. The rest of the year, it is a wonderful place to display my Rose Chintz coffee set and some rose coloured stemware. I often have a little lamp lit in here as well. The pink floral rimmed bowl you see on the left belongs to another set of dishes. I love how I can mix and match all my china pieces!

I usually have a few other teacups in here too but I've cleaned it out so you can see clearly the coffee set.

In the drawer, I keep my chest of silverware, napkins, and napkin rings as well as some doilies.

Below the drawer, behind the closed doors, I store my Kings Crown punch bowl set, and odds and ends of china pieces such as a tiered cake plate, chargers, and trays. It is kind of a mishmash and not overly neat in there, so I won't show you that. I know you'll forgive me!

I am also sharing a favourite little green cabinet. I know some of you have seen this before but have you ever wondered what I kept inside it?

This cabinet is a lovely shade of apple green with a curvy top and legs. It is also distressed which makes it a charming piece. Inside, I store a few of my cake plates, trays, and a few more teacups. As you can see from the photo, my little birdie creamer is kept in here as well as a couple of others. I keep my Kings Crown candy dish and salt and peppers in here too.

In this cabinet there are the following patterns: a green handpainted teacup which I won in a Giveaway from Amy at Vintage Porcelain Art, Rose Bud made by Maxwell and Williams, Rose Chintz by Gracie China, Lavender Rose by Royal Albert, Cream Lace, Pierced Lace, and Garden Whispers all made by Skye McGhie. There is a pattern called  Butterfly Gardens by Maxwell and Williams and a three-footed teacup which I won in a Giveaway from Martha at Martha's Favorites. Finally there is a Valentine teacup made by Gracie China as well as a number of different china plates, creamers and trays.

The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose. ~ George Gissing

All the rest of my teacups, teapots, and other china patterns are stored in a different area. I have most of my teapots displayed above my kitchen cabinets.

Would you care for another cup of tea before you go?

It has been a real pleasure having you stop by!

I think I will enjoy another cup of tea as I peruse an issue of Victoria. Do something lovely for yourself today. Better yet, do something lovely for someone else!

The week of April 18th I am hosting my Easter Tea Party so please do join me again. Would love to have you! Enjoy your day everyone!

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

If you would like to participate in Tea Time Tuesday, please use the inlinkz below. Thank you.

"May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you His favour and give you His peace." ~ Numbers 6: 24-26

I hope you have enjoyed a wee peek into my cupboards and I hope you will visit Sheila and all the other ladies who are hostessing parties below -    

Sheila~ http://notesongs.blogspot.com/ - Heart of the Home Party

Kathy~ http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/ - Victoria- A Return to Loveliness

Marty~ http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/ - Table Top Tuesday

Martha~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ - Teacup Tuesday

Terri~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ - Teacup Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://silkenpurse.blogspot.com/ - Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday 

Pam~ http://breathoffreshair-paperbutterfly.blogspot.com/ - Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday

Wanda Lee~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.com/ - Tea For Two and Wednesday Tea For Me and Thee

Donna~ http://thehomemakingarts.blogspot.com/ - Tuesday Tea

Donna and Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/ - Teacup Thursday

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi