"A Tea of Roses" for Tea Time Tuesday's 4th Anniversary Party

It's not the tea that makes teatime special, it's the spirit of the tea party. ~ Emilie Barnes from "If Teacups Could Talk"

Welcome dear friends to my 4th Tea Time Tuesday "Tea of Roses" Anniversary Party!

I am posting my party early this week because I am having major computer problems at the moment.

I am delighted you have joined me today and I invite you to sit and stay a while. This is a long post so please make yourself comfortable.

Four years ago this week, I decided to begin sharing the things I loved here at Rose Chintz Cottage. I have a passion for many things and afternoon tea time is one of them.

Like many of you, I adore pretty teacups and teapots and I have been collecting them for a number of years. Having been a pastor's wife, I did a fair amount of entertaining over the years and most ladies enjoy pretty china.

My collection began with teapots because I have always been captivated by them. Then, I started to collect Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz, my favourite pattern since I was a little girl, as well as any red transferware I could find.

Then the teacups followed....
There is just something special about sipping tea from a fine china teacup. The chink of the cup being placed back onto its saucer has an almost magical quality to it.

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

And is there anything more enticing than tea being poured from a lovely teapot?




Johnson Bros. Friendly Village.



The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. ~ Barbara Roberts

What do you collect? Do you have a favourite pattern or flower graced teacup?

My china cabinet is filled with many beautiful  pieces of vintage china. It is also filled with memories; treasures from the past.

Each piece tells a story as most pieces came from loved ones; my hubby and my Auntie P. 
I have other pieces which are housed in other cabinets. These came from family members,  friends, and thrifting.

For today's party, I have something new to share. Hubby gifted me with this for Christmas. She is accompanied by these lovely pink blush roses.



Made in England, she is a luscious soft pink and white Royal Albert teapot.  

I have had her on my wish list for a couple of years and I am thrilled to have her finally grace my tea table. {And unless I find one which I simply cannot live without, she will be my last teapot.}

Do you recognise the pattern? She is the New Country Roses and she is made in the Hampton shape which I love.

She is encircled with lovely pink roses and one tiny yellow rose that just peeks between two leaves at the top of the large rose. I think she is exquisite in every way that counts.

Tea would arrive, the cakes squatting on cushions of cream, toast in a melting shawl of butter, cups agleam and a faint wisp of steam rising from the teapot shawl. ~ Gerald Durrel

From the top of her to the bottom, she's a beauty!

RA Lavender Rose cream and sugar which came from my mother.

 I have been searching the thrift shops for a soft pink teacup but couldn't find one so I am using a variety of my teacups today which I thought went nicely with her.

This teacup is RA Old English Rose in the Avon  shape.

This is another RA Old English Rose in the Hampton shape like that of the teapot.

And this chintz teacup made by Maxwell and Williams which is called Rose Bud.

A little nosh with your tea? Some double decker egg salad sandwiches made on Tramezzini crustless whole wheat bread which Judith told us about last week. Makes wonderful tea sandwiches.

Accompanied by Apple & caramel and Strawberry swirl cheesecake from the bakery. 

There is Chocolate and New York Style cheesecake too.

I am having chocolate. What would you like?

The sun is beginning to set and I've lit the fireplace.

Thank you for coming to tea today to help me celebrate four years of tea parties. I have met so many of you lovely ladies from all over the world  these last four years and I am blessed by your friendship.

Many of you have been with me from the beginning and I especially want to thank you for your faithfulness. I hope we can continue to 'come to tea' often.

The sweetest flower that blows
I give you as we part
For you it is the Rose
For me it is my heart. ~ Frederick Peterson

Now I bid you all a lovely day. I hope you enjoy this cute little tidbit I ran across one day.

If we treated everyone we meet with the same affection we bestow upon our favourite cat, they too, would purr. ~ Martin Delany

I am joining the following parties as well~

A Return to Loveliness ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday ~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/
Friends Sharing Tea~ http://blog.bernideens.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi