A Tea of Roses For Tea Time Tuesday's 2nd Birthday

Happy Birthday Tea Time Tuesday!

"Know you what it is to be a child?

It is something very different from the man of today.

It is to have a spirit yet streaming from the waters of baptism;

It is to believe in love, to believe in loveliness,

To believe in belief;

It is to be so little that the elves can reach to whisper in your ear;

It is to turn pumpkins into coaches,

and mice into horses, lowness into loftiness,

and nothing into everything,

For each child has its fairy godmother in its own soul."

~ Francis Thompson

Welcome friends to Tea Time Tuesday's 2nd Birthday!

I am so happy you have joined me for this very special occasion!

A single rose from the grocery store just for you...

Two years ago this week, I took the plunge and began hosting one of the very first tea parties in Blogland. Today, we have many lovely tea parties to enjoy which just goes to prove there are many tea loving souls who enjoy tea time and lovely tea things as much as I do.

Sweets & savories...

Some of you lovely ladies have been with me from the very beginning and I want to thank you for your dedication and support. Thank you Carolyn, Judith, Beth, Diann, Carrie, Sherry, and Bernideen.  

Since those early days, many more of you have joined me and I want to thank you too. You all bless me every week with your lovely posts, comments, and friendship. I always feel like I'm getting a big hug. God bless you all!

Friends are flowers in the garden of life. 

Old fashioned roses from my garden; Theresa Bugnet...

In honour of this special occasion, and my love of all things roses, I am celebrating with a Rose theme today.

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck." ~ Emma Goldman

Fresh roses adorn the cake...

So, bring out your favourite rose inspired tea things and share it with us here at Tea Time.

"There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

My roses from last Summer...

I have many rose inspired teacups but none make my heart go pitter patter like these do! There is a reason for that...

There was once a little girl whose family moved from her home town in New Brunswick, Canada to Prince Edward Island, home of Anne of Green Gables.

The little girl missed her home terribly as well as all her cousins, aunts and uncles. She especially missed her beloved grandparents!

But happily, the family traveled by car or train almost every weekend, holiday, and summer to visit the folks back home. In many ways, it seemed as though they had never left.

Over the years, there were many changes but one thing always remained the same... Auntie P always set her table with the prettiest and most romantic china the little girl had ever seen.

The little girl always felt like a princess when she dined at her auntie's table set with the pretty china. In the little girl's mind, she always wore a lovely frock with ringlets in her hair and a sparkly tiara on her head. 

She was very young when she developed a passion for her auntie's beautiful dishes.

When the little girl grew up, she longed to set her own table with the same china.
Alas, it was no where to be found in the Maritimes where she lived and she was greatly dismayed!

Then one day she was surfing the 'Net and she happened to find some pieces on eBay. She was ecstatic, and with the help of her son, she was able to purchase several pieces.

Shortly after that, her beloved Auntie P down-sized and gifted her with many pieces of the lovely china.

And so now you know the rest of the story...The story behind the collection of my most cherished china pattern, Rose Chintz.

Rose Chintz was produced by Johnson Bros. of England in 1883 and their pieces bore the mark below. Vintage pieces are still available on eBay, estate sales, and auctions etc...

This pretty pattern tugs at my heart strings every time I look at it. It is a glorious bouquet of pink roses and soft blue forget-me-nots on a creamy white background, captured under a glaze, to be preserved forever. The teacups and mugs each have a delightful little spray of blue forget-me-nots and a single rosebud inside the cup.

A romantic nod to by-gone days; a time when manners were still in fashion.

Everytime I use my Rose Chintz I remember the little girl surrounded by her family and all the lovely memories come flooding back!

I have other teacups and china pieces adorned with roses but Rose Chintz is my favourite and I am proud to share it with you today.

It symbolizes happy times in the life of a little girl who loved her family and fancied pretty things.

Thank you, Auntie P for helping my dream come true. I love you!

This is my Auntie P and Uncle Doug pictured above.

Another pretty pattern which I want to share with you today is my mother's china, Lavender Rose. I started it for her when I worked in a jewelery store as a young bride.
When my mother down-sized, she passed it on to me. This lovely Royal Albert china sprinkled with sweet lavender roses is so very elegant and perfect for a lady's tea party or a quiet tea for one.

Life is like a mirror; we get the best results when we smile at it.

~ Unknown

Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn, or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude. ~ Denis Waitley

Lastly, I have to share my favourite 'blue' teacup adorned with roses! This pretty Veronica teacup is made by Royal Albert and is adorned with luscious robin egg blue roses and a brushed on gold trim. Robin egg blue happens to be one of my favourite colours. Sadly, the teacup has a broken handle so unfortunately, I cannot use it. However I can still enjoy its beauty just by bringing it out from time to time and setting a votive in it. It was a gift from my mother many years ago.

I think it's stunning, don't you? I love the bouquet inside the teacup too.

"So shall a friendship fill each heart

With perfume sweet as roses are,

That even though we be apart,

We'll scent the fragrance from afar."

Would you care for a cookie with your tea?

Tea is the second favourite beverage in the world after plain water.


UPCOMING EVENT~

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and soon it will be hearts & flowers time. On February 13th, I will be hosting my Valentine's Day Tea. I hope you will plan to join me for that special occasion as well. Bake up something special and share it along with all your pink, red, and heart inspired tea things. 

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

Now, I am most anxious to see all your rose inspired tea things! Just link up below and I'll come visit you. Thank you for making Tea Time Tuesday such a rewarding experience for me and others who enjoy the wonders of tea.

"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man." ~ Proverbs 27:19

I am joining the following parties as well~

Trish~ http://angelwingsandapronstrings.blogspot.com/

Simply Sweet

L.A.C.E.

Cielo~ http://houseinroses.blogspot.com/
Show Off Your Cottage Monday

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

Trisha~ http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/

Tea Party Tuesday

Ruth~ http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Bernideen~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea

Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/

Teacup Thursday

Sherry~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi