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.

Saturday 31 October 2015

Where Did Your Teacups Come From?

Hello friends~ I hope you are enjoying your weekend so far.



Do you ever wonder where your teacups come from? 

Steam rises from a cup of tea
And we are wrapped in history,
Inhaling ancient times and lands
Comfort of ages in our hands. ~ Faith Greenbow

Some teacups are passed down from aunties and grannies, cousins and friends. Others are gifted to us. Some are found at tea shops, flea markets and garage sales, thrift stores and antique shops. Still others come from unexpected places such as an old attic where they have been tucked away in a box gathering dust.

In any case, they have all been on a journey of one kind or another, just like us. 

Some teacups have attended many tea parties and other celebrations while others sat for years in a china cabinet. Others are brand new from the store they were purchased from. 

I daresay the majority of mine have been on a journey because most of mine are antique. 

My teacups are like my friends. Each one is beautiful and unique in its own way. A little work of art, just like we are!


Today I am sharing a new Gracie China teacup that I found at HomeSense. HomeSense, TJ Max in the US, opened here a month ago and I am so happy about that! I have been waiting for years for one to come to the Island.



This teacup is in one of my favourite colours; aqua/turquoise/teal/robin egg blue, whatever you want to call it. Isn't it so girly and pretty?

My hubby got me the matching teapot too. Isn't he a dear? He's definitely a keeper!



I am so pleased to have it because I have been searching for an aqua/robin egg blue teapot ever since I started collecting teapots years ago. I think this one is really sweet with its gold trim and pretty flowers. And isn't it a cute shape? It makes me happy just looking at it. 



I am thrilled about how well my other teacups go with it too. Veronica was a shower gift from my mother when I got married. It is made by Royal Albert.






This Aynsley beauty I found at an antique shop a few years ago and which you have seen numerous times. The camera always makes it appear bluer than it really is. It is really more turquoise.

I am delighted to have this teapot and several teacups to go with it. A mix of old and new.



I’m so blessed to have friends like you to share in everything I do. For one special friend sharing a special cup of tea truly makes this a perfect recipe. Author unknown



Hope you have enjoyed seeing my pretties.   

Please visit me again on Monday and link up to my new party,

No Place Like Home 

where you are invited to share tea time and anything else that relates to your home and garden. If you're wondering how this new party came about you can read about it here.

This is my new party button. Feel free to copy and paste it for your sidebar if you wish.



Our friend Bernideen has also changed her tea party to accommodate tea time and everything pertaining to your home and garden. I hope you will join her next week as well. This is her new party button.




Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe.



Life is a cup to be filled not drained. ~ unknown

I am sharing with these lovely parties:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Blog Party
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home


 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Wednesday 28 October 2015

A Time for Change ~ A New Party

Hello dear friends~ I have something on my heart I wish to talk to you about. This is a rather long post so I hope you will indulge me by pouring a cup of your favourite beverage and reading through what I have to share with you. 



For quite some time now, I have been planning to make some changes here at Rose Chintz Cottage.


I began hosting my Tea Time Tuesday parties in January 2010 because I have a nice collection of teapots and teacups that I wanted to share with you. That's almost six years of tea parties! 



I have always enjoyed hosting this party and sharing tea and conversation with you lovely ladies each week. We have forged a wonderful friendship over the years and I am so happy we have all gotten to know one another. You are all very dear to me. Some of you have been with me from the very beginning and I so appreciate your faithfulness and support. 

Three years ago, I began hosting another party called HOME which I enjoyed very much. 



Unfortunately about two years after I began the HOME party I had major computer problems. It was a few months before I got everything sorted out again. Then, to be honest, I found hosting two weekly parties a bit overwhelming, so I felt it was a good time to shut my HOME party down. I did miss it however and the ladies that linked up to it.

One thing I have come to realize is that I want to share more than tea parties but I honestly don't have the time to write three or more blog posts a week. We are all busy people. Which brings me to what I'm about to share with you....

I do enjoy so many things in life.... Like all the little creatures and the beauty that nature offers us. I enjoy sunsets and walks along the beach as well as a trail through the woods. 



I love bird watching, writing short stories, sharing my faith, spending time with my family, giving an old piece of furniture new life, photography, collecting china, baking, etc... These are all things that I would like to blog about given more time. I used to draw and paint too but some health issues have prevented me from continuing that passion. I come from a family of artists so I have a great appreciation for art as well.


Ever since I was a little girl, all I ever wanted to be was a home maker and even though I have worn several hats, nothing has ever brought me the joy and contentment that staying home and being a mom and home maker has brought me. You see, I thrive on bringing beauty and comfort into my home for my family and friends to enjoy.

I am a domestic diva and home is where my heart is. 



Over the years, as a home maker, a mom, and a pastor's wife, I have done a lot of entertaining, and I have oodles of recipes and ideas to share.

Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness. ~ Jane Austen

















I have been pondering this for quite some time as I have already mentioned and I have decided to combine both Tea Time Tuesday and my previous HOME party into one party.




&


=



Now picture this...There is a nip in the air and the frost is beginning to paint lovely pictures on the windows but inside it's warm and cozy. 
A crackling fire is dancing in the fireplace and cookies are fresh from the oven. Big mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream are being savoured by those within.  

Mom has made home a nice place to be.



When my children were growing up, I took great pains to do special things for my family. I loved having the smell of fresh baked cookies, cinnamon rolls, or spicy apple pie greet their noses when they came home from school and work. Actually, in my home, cinnamon rolls were always called "Snails." 



It was the name my son put on them because they reminded him of snails. He was always the nature lover. *smiles*

My nesting instincts brought me joy. They still do.

Now I want to give each of you a chance to share what you are creating in your home to make it a delightful place for your loved ones to come home to. You are under no obligation to join my party but if you would like to, you are welcome to share any of the following: 


Tea time, tablescapes, cooking and baking,

recipes, antiquing, artwork, bird watching - 

because I adore our little feathered friends,

ceramics, crafts, collections, 

crocheting/knitting, quilting/sewing, floral 

arranging, gardening, home decor, hospitality, 

photography, refinishing furniture, renos. Did I 

mention tea time? That also means a trip to a tea 

shop too because I love to hear all about that. 


Thrift shopping, etc... Perhaps 

you have a new member of the family, a new baby 

or fur baby, I would love to see them too. 


Whew, well you get the picture! Anything and everything which makes your home more enjoyable to come home to, for your family, your friends, and yourself. 

There really is No Place Like Home.

I do hope all of my tea friends will continue to stop by and share their tea things for this new party. I will no doubt continue to share a tea related post myself quite often because I do enjoy it and I love pretty china. 

Those of you who may have something else to share which is home related, you are invited to link up and join me. 



This is my new party button and I hope you like it. You are welcome to right click and save this button if you wish. 

I am looking forward to this new venture and I hope you will join me on Monday, November 2 for No Place Like Home. On Monday, Tea Time Tuesday will become No Place Like Home. Have a beautiful day everyone. 

Sharing from my heart Sandi

Monday 26 October 2015

My Last Pink October Tea


Autumn is a celebration of nature,
its rarefied air tugging at our senses,
begging for praise to the Creator. ~ June Masters Bacher 

Hello lovely friends and welcome to my last Pink October Tea. As you know, I have been sharing pink all this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. 



Pink represents compassion, nurturing and love. It relates to unconditional love and understanding, and the giving and receiving of nurturing.



I hope you have had your mammogram this year. I lost my best friend to breast cancer so I know what it feels like to lose someone very dear to this dreaded disease. I know many of you have lost loved ones too or you may be living with it yourself. Some of you have also beaten it and I pray one day in the very near future there will be a cure for all cancers.



For today's tea time I am sharing a brand new teacup. 



Isn't this cute? It is marked Stechcol made by Gracie China



This set is different from anything I have which is why I brought it home. There was a pedestal teacup in the same pattern but somehow it didn't appeal to me like this one did. I rather like the idea of a small dainty mug-like cup sitting on a pretty saucer. The pink, blue and yellow posies all sprinkled about the cup and saucer makes it quite fanciful. The handle is comfortable to hold too.




Last week Penny at Penny's Vintage Home shared her teapot, sugar and creamer and they are the same pattern as my teacup. I could have bought the teapot too but I left it there. I really don't need another teapot!

Let me know when you begin the new tea...My present elegancies have not yet made me indifferent to such matters. ~ Jane Austen

I am also sharing this sweet little Moss Rose teacup which I won from Deb a few years ago. It is a smaller cup and thought it would look cute beside the black one. This too has pink and blue flowers and there is a wee bouquet inside the cup.




I love the sponged on gold trim.

The teapot is also made by Gracie China


I chose it because it is small and the china flowers seem to mimic those on the teacups. 



We gather simple pleasures like daisies by the way. ~ Louisa May Alcott




And there you have it, my October Pinks. Would you like to join me for some tea and a butter tart?



I hope you have enjoyed the past month of pinks and now we look forward to November. I am already thinking about the Holidays.



NOTE ~ I will be making an announcement later in the week so please be sure to come back and visit me.

Thank you for keeping me company today and have a wonderful day everyone!


Do you have a favourite teacup/teapot, coffee cup/coffee pot, that you would like to share with us today? I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too! Collections such as tea spoons and creamers as well as a visit to a tea shop or a tea time recipe are also welcome.

If you wish, you may do coffee instead of tea or any of the following is acceptable too: Hot Apple Cider, Hot Chocolate, Lemonade, Lemon water, Iced Tea, Iced coffee, or Punch in a lovely bowl.

I am joining the following parties as well~


 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home



 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday 19 October 2015

A Fanciful Pink Tea


Fall....the time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale. ~ Lauren DeStefano

Welcome to Rose Chintz Cottage and another Pink Tea Time, dear friends! 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so I am sharing a lot of pink this month.

This is what I woke up to today. It's safe to say, I'm not happy! It's simply way too early for this stuff!





I like the softer side of Fall and I love pumpkins, especially pink and white ones. 





I have painted a few Baby Boos over the years. Of course some of the wee ones have to have a little sparkle such as this little pink one.



What is it about pumpkins that fascinates us so? I think it is a love for Cinderella and her pumpkin coach that lives inside of each of us since we were little girls.

I still love the story of the poor servant girl who was transformed into a beautiful princess and adored by her prince and her little critters.


This Royal Dalton figurine reminds me of Cinderella so she is joining us for tea today. As you can see her frock is the Lavender Rose pattern.



A Dream is a wish your Heart makes. ~ Cinderella



I am still using my RA October Cosmos teacup and will continue using it until the end of the month. I think it looks so cute with the golden bejewelled Baby Boo in it. Kind of reminds me of Cinderella's coach....Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo! - from Cinderella




And where there is goodness, there is magic. - Cinderella



I tried to use Picmonkey on my pumpkin and my computer froze twice on me. I guess the program and Mac don't like each other so I am going to have to find another photo editing site. 

*Thank you, Judith, your advice worked!*



The tea party is a spa for the soul. You leave your cares and work behind. ~ Alexandra Stoddard


I am using my Aynsley teacup today. It is a favourite because I love the crocus shape with the pink roses sprinkled all over the cup and saucer. The roses inside the cup add a little something special too. 



My Royal Albert New Country Roses teapot holds our tea.


I have home made Cranberry muffins. The crunchy sugar top makes them a sweet treat with the tart cranberries. 


The vintage butter knife once belonged to my mother.


Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.


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




To all you beautiful ladies who have survived breast cancer, to those of you who are living with breast cancer, and to those of you who have lost a loved one to breast cancer or any cancer, my thoughts and prayers go out to you. God bless you all!

Thank you for stopping by today. I consider you my friends and I hope you enjoyed your visit.

May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer. ~ An Irish prayer


 I am joining the following parties as well~


 A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home



 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi