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 12 November 2016

Christmas Preparations and Tea with The Friendly Village

November ~ the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

Hello my lovely friends! It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I have been really busy with appointments and life in general.

November is here and although it is becoming gloomy out there what with bare branches on the trees and more rain than sun, I am not minding it too badly. I am thinking about Christmas, you see. 



I have my fruit for my fruit cakes and one cake has already been baked and is cooling. I just took this one out of the oven. This cake is so pretty because it looks like the batter has been baked with bright jewels in it. A perfect Christmas cake!



I will let it ripen a bit before I cut it. The dark cake will get baked in the next couple of days. One son who lives out of province will receive some light cake and the other will receive some dark. Both of my fruit cakes are my grandmothers' recipes. And who knows where they got them? I do love recipes passed down from one generation to another, don't you?


I love tradition and this is one I keep every year; making my Grannys' fruit cakes. These are my "Memory Cakes." Just like many ornaments on the Christmas tree that hold such beautiful memories, the Memory Cakes hold special memories too. When I bake them, I remember those lovely women who loved me and played such an important part in my life. 

Once November arrives, I begin using my Johnson Bros. Friendly Village. This charming pattern of yesteryear will take us through till February or March. I love how each piece represents a different scene of days gone by such as The Ice House depicted on the teacups.



I am sharing a new Grace teacup as well. I like the creamy white with the iridescent overglaze. The fluted edges make it a very pretty set. 


In the display at Home Sense they had these teacups accompanying the Friendly Village pieces and they looked really pretty together so I'm doing the same. It just adds a little interest to an otherwise matchy-matchy tea table setting.

Now, how about some tea?
I had a friend over the other day and we enjoyed some lemon pie with our coffee. There are still a few slices of pie left so that is what I am serving today with my tea.



Tea is a symbol of friendship and hospitality around the world. - unknown




I know my American friends have Thanksgiving on their minds but has anyone started their Christmas decorating yet?



My next post will most likely have some Christmas in it. Till then, my friends, take care and thank you for your visit. Have a splendid weekend. 

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

28 comments :

  1. Hi Sandi! Your early Christmas tea time is just lovely!

    I am full-on into autumn Thanksgiving mode right now - and having a tea party and sleep-over today for my best tea society friends. I'm taking a cuppa break right now before I take a shower and throw myself into the last minute prep work.

    I am praying I remember to take pictures - I so often do not. You would be sad to know how many tea parties I haven't posted this year due to forgetting to document. Sad, sad, sad state of affairs.

    Have a blessed weekend. : - )

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  2. Dear Sandi:
    Oh how wonderful to see the lovely Friendly Village! I love that Canadian early Thanksgiving which gives you so much more time for Christmas decorating. Your "past" fruitcake looks wonderful! We have Thanksgiving next week and then will shift gears!

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  3. Sandi, your fruitcake looks wonderful. I'll be posting my fruitcake recipe next week. My mother and I developed it together long, long ago when I was a teenager! Your tea settings look so inviting, I'd like to just pop in, have a seat and dig in!

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  4. I baked Christmas cakes this last week too! I also use an old recipe, and am still contemplating doing a dark one as well. We have been having warmer weather than usual so it is difficult to get into Christmas decorating but the mental wheels are beginning to turn here. Love your friendly village teacups.

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  5. Hi Sandi! I always enjoy seeing and hearing about what you have been up to there on PEI. I brought out my Friendly Village as well. I am so wishing I had the teapot though! Your fruitcakes look delightful. I need to make some, but unfortunately my kids will not have a thing to do with them. I seem to like the heavier cake over the fluffier cake, if that makes sense?
    Have a great weekend,
    Gina

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  6. I love friendly village dishes, they are so perfect for wintertime. Hope you are doing well--

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  7. I love friendly village dishes, they are so perfect for wintertime. Hope you are doing well--

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  8. Your Friendly Village dishes are so pretty. The Grace teacup is a good "mis"-match. We are having a birthday celebration here tomorrow and I'm going to be using my red-rimmed plates that I purchased last year at Home Sense. They are great for Christmas, but have pinecones and not Christmassy decor on them, and I want to use them as much as I can.
    I try to wait until the beginning of Advent or the 1st of December to decorate the house. But I love looking at other people's ideas!

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  9. I'm a huge fan of your pretty new Grace teacup--it blends beautifully with your Friendly Village china (as well as other patterns, I'm sure!). I haven't been to HomeSense in a few weeks...which has been good for my wallet. HA!

    I'm planning to start putting up my Christmas decor this week. I like decorating early so I can maximize my enjoyment of them!

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  10. I love Friendly Village! I use it starting in November and through the winter! I will be away from home over Thanksgiving and won't be back until the end of the month so I have started to put up some Christmas decor. Mostly garlands and lights. So pretty!

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  11. Hi Sandi
    I actually did my winter and a bit of Christmas decorating today and love all the extra twinkling lights. My old set of white and silver china was a bargain buy when I worked in a grocery store and I just purchased Pfaltzgraff's Winter Berry pattern for my winter dishes.
    Your new Grace teacup has lovely frilly edging and looks nice with The Friendly Village. The lemon meringue pie looks like a delicious treat to have with tea.
    Hugs,

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  12. Dearest Sandi, Your post was so lovely to read on a Sunday morning. We have a fun little tradition we have started a few years ago... WHENEVER my dad can make it down for a visit, we plan a Fakesgiving celebration. It's a fun little family joke, because we don't mind that Thanksgiving has not really arrived, but are just happy to have him and we all gather around the table, with all the trimmings; perhaps a little more casual, but all the fun and fellowship mixed in. We did this last night, and my heart is so full. Your fruitcake looks delightful, and something I really want to try my hand at. I pinned a few recipes recently and look forward to the attempt :)
    Praying you have a blessed rest of your day, and thank you for sharing your sweet memories - both old and new.
    Heather

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  13. Hello Sandi! I am ready to start preparing for Christmas right now also! My mom makes a dark fruit cake, however, I have not attempted as of yet! She is coming to visit next week so maybe we will bake it together! I am going to use your phrase "memory recipes" as I myself have so many all passed down from generation to generation! Your post has put me in the Christmas spirit! xoxo
    Rebeca

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  14. Hi my friend! I always love coming to your cozy tea table for a visit. I so wish I could have a taste of both of your fruitcakes to compare the difference. JB Friendly Village is so a perfect pattern for the cold months, isn't it? Your new Grace teacup will blend with whatever pattern you are using. You lemon meringue pie looks awfully tasty, too. Have a beautiful week, dear Sandi.

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  15. Sandi,
    I hope you are doing well, my friend!! Thanks so much for visiting!!
    What a nice tradition of making your granny's cakes for the holidays. I love the Friendly Village pattern!! It is so heartwarming!!
    Joe is enjoying his retirement and I must admit that it has not been that bad of an adjustment for me to have him home. He is very helpful and since he can not sit still, he usually jumps on what ever I suggest he do. So that is a good thing.
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  16. What a lovely post! Your Granny's cakes look delicious as well as the lemon pie. Isn't it wonderful the memories that food conjures? Have a wonderful week ahead!

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  17. I have yet to make a Christmas cake from my grandmother's recipe. The last time I tasted it was over five years ago (my mom's last Christmas). But I miss it, and now's the time to bake it. Your cakes look delicious! I just love fruitcake. Your Friendly Village pieces are so quaint. I saw a lot of this at an antique barn I recently visited. I was tempted to pick some up, but left them for another time. I don't put up any Christmas decorations until December. This year it's been so warm in November that it really doesn't feel like winter is near at all. Enjoy your week Sandi :)
    Wendy

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  18. Your fruitcake looks soo good! It is something my family is not interested in, so I don't make it, and I would love to "pop over" and have a taste of yours! Your Johnson Bro's tea set is just beautiful, and I like the addition of the white tea cup. And that lemon pie, oh my! One of my favorites! Always a joy to stop by for a visit with you :)

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  19. The holidays just shout from Friendly Village! Your cake looks wonderful! I prefer the lighter fruit cakes myself. But nowadays just bake small ones...especially this year...not a lot of entertaining planned, my Honey isn't up to it. I hope things are going well with your family...our med issues are still ongoing, but I know Who holds our future,so... Thanks your your sweet words. Have a lovely week.
    Ruth

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  20. Dear Sandi,
    here the weather got cold and nasty. Typically November. Your tea time looks very inviting. The china is perfect for the season and the treats look yummy. Its a good feeling to have tea on a cold day. Thank you for warming up my heart with your pretty pictures and quotes. Have a wonderful time.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  21. I'm looking forward to pulling out my Friendly Village set. It's perfect for Thanksgiving and for the colder winter months. Fruitcake is one of those things that you either love or hate. I am in the love group (if it's homemade!). Yours looks delicious, and it's always special to make something that's a tradition handed down and enjoyed over so many Christmases past.
    Did you see a new Anne of Green Gables is being shown on (US) Thanksgiving Day ? I read a review of it that says it is a disappointment. I'm not sure I want to watch it if that is the case. The one with Megan Follows was just so good, I think it will be hard to top.
    Thank you for stopping by today, and for your encouraging and kind comment. It really meant a lot to me. xo Deborah

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    1. Deborah, I agree with you about Megan Follows being the best Anne. I could watch it over and over and indeed, I have! I actually think the whole cast in that first movie, 1985, would be hard to top. Matthew and Marilla were so perfectly played by Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth. I also don't think anyone could ever play Rachel Lynde as well as Patricia Hamilton did. It really is a classic.

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  22. How lovely this all looks Sandi! I like recipes from my family too. This fruitcake looks good. I am about ready to see some Christmas. It will be a welcome sight.
    Sherry

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  23. I think I hit the wrong button

    I want to tell you the Friendly Village set of dishes is so sweet and I have a friend looking for small bowls

    Also I want a piece of that lemon pie, my favorite

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  24. I love the friendly village teaset.. I didn't bring mine out this year... So it was nice to see yours.. Fruit cakes.. We never had a recipe.. Mama would buy one at coscos that was amazing.. Would lobe a good recipe.. Hapoy Wednesday with love Janice

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  25. Hi Sandi, welcome back! I love Thanksgiving, but Christmas thoughts are running rampant through my mind. lol! I love your Friendly Village! I have just a few pieces that I have found at thrift shops. When I found my first piece I did not know what it was, but just loved it. I came home and visited blogs. It was when I visited yours that I found out what I had. :) Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  26. The plates are really nice Sandi. November - wow. Hard to believe Christmas is not far away. The time is flying. Here we still have warm temps and I think we beat some weather records. It's a gift. Happy Thursday and hope your day is the best!!!

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  27. Hi Sandi,
    Wow you are getting organized for Christmas and your Christmas cakes look amazing. I love Friendly Village and have mine displayed too at the cottage on the sideboard. I am thinking of possibly changing it to my red and white transferware for Christmas though. It's such fun to change our transferware isn't it? I am looking forward to Christmas too! Blessings Dear Sandi! Karen

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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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