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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 4 June 2016

Romance in the Kitchen

It's the month of June,
the month of leaves and roses,
when pleasant sights salute the eyes
and pleasant scents the noses. ~ Nathaniel Parker Willis 

Hello my lovely friends! Did my title peak your curiosity?



Well, I'm not talking about stealing a kiss in the kitchen while doing dishes with my hubby although that too is romantic. I'm talking about bringing romance into your kitchen through your decor, like using lace in the windows as well as that old fashioned pattern called toile. Is there anything more romantic in a home than toile and lace?



It looks splendid with transferware, I think.


This is my theme throughout the kitchen and dining room. I know this is not everyone's taste but for this old-fashioned girl, it's perfect!

I am also talking about the pretties you use every day to set your table with. Pretty china and linens. One must have a bouquet too. Fresh flowers are always best but if you don't have them then silk or something imaginative would be just as wonderful.


Look at how the petals in the pink rose are folded around each, almost as though they are giving each other a hug. Not much wonder roses are the flowers of romance!

What do you take your decorating inspiration from? For many years, I used my favourite colours. I used blue because I was surrounded by men, accented with peach or pink. But the last number of years, it has usually been my china from where I found my inspiration. You can see in the Rose Chintz pattern, a bit of pink, red, green, and blue on a creamy background.


You are all familiar with my signature pattern, Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz. Even in the dead of winter, they make me happy because they make me think of a spring day when they are on my table. I think Rose Chintz is one of the most romantic patterns ever.

Oh, for the gentleness of old Romance ~ Keats

I used Corelle when my children were growing up and also after the little grandbabies began arriving. But now I use my china even when the little ones are here. China always makes a meal or snack feel more special, don't you think?



And it's always a good idea to have something sweet in the house even if it's from the bakery. I always have my own baked goods in the house but this week has been very busy and I didn't have time to bake. So, bakery butter tarts will do the trick. Arrange them under a cloche to make them look more appealing. 

As most of you know, I mostly collect red or pink transferware and that is what I set my table with every day. I think those colours bring a little romance to the table. 

Sometimes I use matching and sometimes I use mismatched dishes which always bring a little more personality to the table. That is the charming quality about transferware, you can mix and match it. It always looks good!

I have two sets of transferware which I use on a daily basis as well as my beloved Rose Chintz. These I generally mix with odd pieces I have found thrifting.





This pattern is Staffordshire Engravings and I love the homey scene on the pieces. 



This set is one my mother gifted me with when Eaton's was going out of business. My Canadian friends will remember that wonderful department store which was much like Sears. 




It is called Eaton Home and I love this one as well. It is more pink than red but all the pieces go well together.


I have showed you this trick before but for those of you who may have missed it...To store your teacups safely, this is one way to do it. Tuck each handle into the cup next to it.



Then store the cups sitting on their saucers.


It is a lovely idea to have some vintage accessories tucked into your decor as well such as a lace tablecloth or napkins. Below is an olden tablecloth and my mother's wedding silverware.



This is a setting I have used during the holidays complete with a red charger and a few pieces of Johnson Bros. Old Britain Castles

I only use a tablecloth on special occasions because my hubby doesn't like them unfortunately. Actually, none of my children like them either and they complain if I have one on the table. If I ever get my table painted white, then it won't bother me so much not having the table covered. 

My hubby uses the table to study on instead of using the office. I don't know why he prefers the table but if I have a cloth on it, it interferes with his moving his books around. For those of you who may not know, my hubby is a former pastor and he is still very much involved in ministry. He teaches twice a week so he does spend quite a bit of time preparing for it.

So would you like to join me for a cup of tea? 


I am using my Venetian teapot and toile china mugs in the Royale Garden pattern made in Staffordshire, England. Tea is Earl Grey today.

What romantic touches do you have in your home? 



Have a lovely weekend everyone and thank you for dropping by for a visit. I do enjoy having you!

If I could reach up and hold a star every time you've made me smile, the entire evening sky would be in the palm of my hand. - unknown


I am joining the following parties as well~

 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Bernideen's TTCG Blog Party
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 The Art of Home-Making Mondays
 Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
 Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/


 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

26 comments :

  1. Lovely, lovely post, Sandi! Life has become very busy for me just now as my dad is in the hospital. This sweet, tranquil post was a blessing to me today.

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  2. This is a lovely post Sandi! Your Rose Chintz and red or pink transfer ware china is so beautiful and homey to me. I sure miss Eaton's. The store in Moncton had the best china department. My mother even worked there for a while and at Birk's Jewellers in Highfield Square too. She picked up some nice pieces in those days. I too, worked at Eaton's in the collections department, which was a tough job calling people to 'pay up' their accounts! lol I also store my teacups that way as they take up less space. I hope you're enjoying the weekend. Blessings, Pam

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  3. Looks beautiful, Sandi! I love the corner shelf with the teapots and your collection of transferware!!

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  4. I love toile and lace Sandy. Your dishes are beautiful.

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  5. Toile,transferware roses and lace....can't get much more romantic than that!

    Sunday blessings to you as well.
    Carolyn

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  6. I miss my lace curtains and sheers Sandi, one thing my hubby doesn't like so we have California shutters on the windows. Tablecloths he is fine with and my dining room and kitchen tables are always covered. I have a collection for them that I rotate. I decided long ago to use my good china and pretties on a daily basis and like you, enjoy vintage tea things and flowers on my table.

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  7. Dear Sandi:
    I love the curtains and all your transferware. Such a lovely tea vignette too!

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  8. Hi Sandi. Oh, the beautiful transferware and roses DO make the kitchen look romantic. Love them. Think I'll go out and cut some iris right now! Susan

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  9. Love, love, love....those toile curtains and the transferware items, are to die for, as is everything else in your photos. My cup of tea indeed, wish I had it all..

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  10. Thank you for sharing your beautiful collection of red transferwares, Sandi. I used table clothes all the time and my mom gave me a red toile tablecloth for my dining room table. I would LOVE to have a toile chair, but the ones I've seen are beyond my budget!

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  11. This was such a sweet post, Sandi.
    I keep my dining room table bare when it is not in use, but always cover it with a cloth at meal time. The round table in the kitchen has a bright cloth on it all the time.
    Our kitchen is in an 'in between' stage. After 20 months in this house some things from the old house still hold sway, but I am gradually changing things around. A big red dresser full of pink and red transferware is certainly dominant, but there is a lot of yellow in here too!

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  12. Such a beautiful post Sandi! I think roses are beautiful, anywhere, anytime, anyway! Your dishes are gorgeous! Hope you have a lovely and wonderful week!!

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  13. love those roses....roses mean so much to me - love, friendship - belonging. Have an amazing week Sandi. Everyday is such an incredible gift.

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  14. Sandi!! I love the drapes and the curtains!! Stunning! And you know I adore all your Chintz and transfer ware!! Beautiful!!

    Hugs,
    Deb

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  15. Eaton Home is gorgeous, Sandi! As much as I love red transferware, I've never had any myself because the blue and white goes so much better with my favorite color, yellow. The toile goes so perfectly with your dishes. My table always has a tablecloth on it. Seems a shame to some people to cover a table that's in perfect condition, but I simply must have it!

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  16. I just so admire your red transferware, my friend! It just makes my heart go pitter patter whenever I see it! Your toile and lace are so dreamy and romantic, and perfect for this old fashioned girl, too. What do I love? I adore lace and doilies, and even have my grandmother's lace tablecloth all scrunched up around the wooden barn wood box that my late beloved made for me. Even my table runners that I make, must have a bit of lace on them. What can I say? We're just some old-fashioned girls!

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  17. I love it! So beautiful. Toile and lace is romantic! My favorites though are all your dishes! Swoon! I must start looking for Red and White!

    Thanks for sharing and hosting!

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  18. Hi Sandi! I LOVE your toile curtains and everything else you have done! So gorgeous! Thank you so much for the feature today! I am over the top thrilled! xoxo
    Rebeca

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  19. I love your china - the rose chintz and transferware. Lovely, lovely

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  20. love this pattern so pretty thanks for sharing have a great week

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  21. I enjoy my red and white transfer ware as you do and like to make our table lovely each evening. My husband appreciates it so it makes it even nicer. I also like blue and white transfer ware.

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  22. I'm a fan of toile and transfer ware. Enjoy the upcoming weekend.

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  23. Lovely decorating with transferware Sandi. Such a pretty tea tray!

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  24. Sandi, I have always loved toile. I had red toile curtains in the living room of my previous home. I left them there and my son and dil still have them hanging. I am not a real frilly gal, but love a touch of romance in each room. A bit of lace, a pretty plate, etc. It softens the room as well as the heart! I love all of your gorgeous dishes. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  25. Dear Sandi:
    I have a very similar pair of curtains I got at an antique mall. We aren't going to cover our windows as we want to keep the view looking down on the garden open but I am looking for those little "side" rods and haven't been able to find them. I was thinking of a simple sheer on the sides only. Love your look as it is absolutely wonderful. This post was featured today on my blog. Have a lovely week and take care!

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  26. I am swooning over your red transferware and those gorgeous curtains.

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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