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.

Monday 29 November 2021

Christmas is Coming...

Home is the nicest place there is. ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder

Hello dear friends! T'is the season for busy-ness! It is snowing! The fluffy flakes are coming down slowly like feathers floating to the ground, and it's quite beautiful!

Hubby and I have been busy putting our trees up and getting all the decorations out of storage. It's a big job, and after the holidays, I am going to have to scale down because a lot of them I no longer use. I have put up four trees this year. One in the family room, one in the living room, and two in the kitchen-dining room. 
My beloved daughter-in-law tells me it is a good thing because surrounding myself with beauty helps make me happy. She is right of course! You see, I am shut-in most of the time and Christmas just helps to make the weeks ahead a little more enjoyable.

I am however running behind. I don't have my fruit for my fruit cakes yet. This time last year, I had them both made. But I have been busier than usual this year. 

Our son was over again three weeks ago and I am so thankful that he can come so often. Since moving from the west coast to the east coast in June, he and his family have been here every month since July. Sometimes we see him twice a month. What a wondrous thing to have taken place! God is good, and He does answer prayer in His own time!!

Let's have a tea break. I am using my Friendly Village today. I love this pattern by Johnson Brothers. It will take you through the Autumn and into the Spring. 

I am using several pieces of FV including, The Ice House which are the teacups/saucers, the small tea plate is Sugar Maples, Willow By the Bridge, and The Covered Bridge.


I have made some muffins and some mincemeat tarts. Last year there was no mincemeat to be found in the stores so we have stocked up on it this year. I can do so much with this incredibly spicy fruit concoction; muffins, squares, pie, tarts, and there is even a sauce you can make to pour over ice cream. Yummy!

I have also been watching Hallmark Christmas movies with my hubby and reading some new books.

 When you have flowers, books, and tea, you are never alone. ~ Alexandra Stoddard

I ordered Laura Childs' two new books and got a couple more Joanne Fluke books. If you enjoy mysteries, tea, and baking, then you will enjoy these books! 

I am reading this one at the
moment. Isn't the jacket fun?
All but one of these books have a Christmas theme which is fun this time of year.

I hope all my American friends enjoyed their Thanksgiving weekend. Next on the calendar...Christmas! 

Thank you for your visit and have a lovely week! Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends as well who begin celebrating today! God bless you all!


Give every day the chance

to become the most

beautiful day of your life. ~ Mark Twain


Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

12 comments :

  1. Friendly village...it even sounds perfect! I love it and I love holiday books too. I need to get mine out of the bookcase and make a stack for reading! Happy holidays!

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  2. I love a good Christmas themed book and it's the perfect time of year to curl up by the fire with a good book.

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  3. What a lovely "it's time to start thinking about Christmas" post. You sound happy and upbeat, and I'm sure your home is beautiful. I'm decorating a bit at a time - today I'm sewing pajamas for the grandkids for Christmas. I'm a little behind, but if I just concentrate and don't get pulled away, it will all get done. I'd love to share a cup of tea from the Friendly Village ware, and nibble on a cookie or two from your kitchen. Have a wonderful week, Sandi.

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  4. Hello from Kansas. I had a wonderful THANKSGIVING. House full of loved ones. No one was ill!!! Now to rest and regain some energy as the month of November was too busy. Your dishes are lovely! All the best,
    ~d

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  5. This was a delightful post! I always look forward to hearing about you and seeing your lovely tea tables/decorations. I love that God brought your son and his family closer to home so that you can enjoy their sweet fellowship more often! That is a real blessing. We live about a mile from our oldest son and his sweet wife, and our youngest son lives with us, and we enjoy being close to them so much. I really don't know how folks retire and move south to Florida (where we live) and leave all their family behind. That would be difficult for me to do. I love your Friendly Village tea set. That is so pretty. Johnson Bros. had some lovely different kinds of china. I have the blue and white Currier & Ives, which came from them originally, but I think some are reproductions...but I still love them. Enjoy your Christmas baking and planning and family. "Tis the season to be jolly!" God bless you dear friend.

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  6. Sandi, your photos are always so lovely, but especially when they include tea and muffins and mince pies! I'm so glad you get to see your son so frequently now. Have a lovely December!

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  7. I'm in complete agreement about surrounding ourselves with beauty.

    I've always admired your JB Friendly Village tea set. I got my mom the mugs and teacups and saucers. But I'm still on the hunt for the teapot.

    I've fallen behind on the Teashop Mysteries...didn't realized the latest book was a holiday version!

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  8. I love coming to your cozy tea party, Sandi! I’d love a cup of tea and a muffin and tart. Your quote at the beginning is so perfect...thank you for sharing. Isn’t it wonderful that you see your son and his family so often?? God is indeed good! Enjoy your trees and decorations. I’m so enjoying mine. Happy Advent!

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  9. We should always decorate for ourselves, for what brings joy to us! I'm happily in the middle of putting out my garlands and lights and ribbons. It makes me so happy.

    The light of the world has come!

    I'd love to have tea together with you and share our stories. I'm so pleased for you about your son being so close now to see him several times a month. What a joyous gift!

    Merry Christmas, Sandi!

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  10. So happy for you that your son is in the East now and can visit more often. Such a blessing. I haven't read Laura Childs for several years now but always enjoyed them. WE need to start downsizing on all our stuff. Happy December to you!

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  11. Sandi,
    So glad to visit here again and I have missed seeing all the beauty that you always share...The books look interesting!! I am hoping to be able to read more over the holiday Season as I finished all my decorating by Thanksgiving Day.I love being retired...But Joe, Joey and I all got sick over Thanksgiving and to keep Jim and Danielle safe, we celebrated apart as I packed up food to take to Jim and Danielle's house. Thank Goodness Joe tested negative for co vid as he is out in the public working part time again..Sinusitis is running rampant in our area and I also have pink eye in both eyes which I have never had before!! Very annoying!! LOVE your Friendly Village dishes!!Looking forward to see your 4 Trees that you mentioned!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Debbie

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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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