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.

Thursday, 16 August 2012

A Lovely Surprise

Good afternoon dear friends. I am sitting here sipping my cup of tea with a thankful heart for all the blessings in my life.

I love giving gifts and I know you do too. I also enjoy receiving them. Yesterday I received a surprise package in the mail from my youngest son.


He has just left Canada this week to embark upon a career which he had been studying towards for years.
His career move has taken him to Illinois, a new state as well as a new country. While he was packing up, he also packed up and mailed out a surprise for his mama.

He had gone to France this past June and while there, he picked up a couple of things for me; a lovely cake of lavender soap from Provence, and a miniature replica of the church Sacre-Coeur in Paris.



I wish you could smell this soap! It is exquisite! The little cicada came with it. Provence is known for them apparently. We also have them here on the Island. In case you have no idea what a cicada is, it is a tree cricket with a loud, shrill sound which we hear in August.


This little cicada is a magnet.





"Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your prayers." ~ Maya Angelou



The Sacre-Coeur is a famous church in Paris which stands on one of the highest points of the city. From its vantage point, one can have a wonderful view of the city. The church is pure white and it took forty years to build.

The photo below was taken by my son when he was there. This is the front of the building. Isn't it beautiful?


Family is a precious gift. In this case, my youngest son, in the middle of all his packing and all the busyness which accompanies such a big transition, thought of his mama back home and sent her a little memento of his trip to France.

God gives good gifts and my cup is overflowing with them. I am very blessed! What are you thankful for today?

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday, 13 August 2012

Tea Time Tuesday






"Fairest of months! Ripe summer queen

The hey-day of the year

With robes that gleam with sunny sheen,
Sweet August doth appear."
~R. Combe Miller 

Hello dear friends and welcome to another Tea Time Tuesday! Did you all have a nice weekend? My h
ubby and I were away for the weekend visiting my family in New Brunswick so my post will be a wee bit shorter today.


It was a busy weekend so I am enjoying some peace and quiet today. The sound of birds singing outside my window and the scent of summer is wafting its way through the open windows.
I do love this time of year!

For our tea today, I am using a teapot I found at the Anne of Green Gables Store at the beginning of the Summer.


It is sitting on a Skye McGhie plate called Coventry Garden.

The Coventry Garden teacup goes well with it. I love these beautiful pink roses that smile sweetly from these pieces!



Cupcake under glass.


I have decided to move my tea into the living room where I can watch the birds at the feeder.

These are my last roses of Summer. It is sad to see them go!


I have a cup of tea for you too. This is another Skye McGhie teacup called Chantilly Lace.


Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.


 "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, like pearls slipping off a string." ~ L. M. Montgomery






Tea is a hug in a cup. ~ Unknown


"Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company." ~ Unknown


"But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." ~ 1 Corinthians 13:13


Next week I will share another new teacup which I found on the weekend. Thank you for visiting today. Your presence always makes my tea time that much more special! I would love to have you join me by linking up below and I will be happy to come and visit you.

Thought for the day

"Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it." ~
Author Unknown

I am joining the following parties as well~

Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Heart and Home ~ http://angelwingsandapronstrings.blogspot.com/
A Return to Loveliness ~ http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday ~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea~ http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Tea in the Garden~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/
Tea Cup Thursday~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/



Sharing from my heart~ Sandi