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, 6 January 2014

Reflections and My First Tea Time of 2014


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

Happy New Year dear friends and welcome to my first Tea Time Tuesday in 2014! 

After all the busyness of the Christmas season, it is nice to slow down and reflect over the past year with a lovely cup of tea.

For me, the year 2013 started off with a bit of a tumble and I have spent the past year going to physio therapy. I am thankful that I am making progress and my back is feeling better. With God's help, I hope to keep it that way.


Some good things happened this past year too.  All my sons were home in June for a visit and all you moms know how wonderful it is to have your family around you.

The end of November, we finally got my mother moved back down to our area after spending the last two years living two hours away from us. It is a long story and believe me when I tell you that this was a miracle!

I am ever so thankful to God for His love and blessings every day and I look forward to a wonderful new year. I pray that I will be a blessing to all of you!

Where there is tea, there is hope. ~ Sir Arthur Pinero

Many of you have already shared your review of tea posts and today I decided to share mine. I just chose some favourites and I hope you enjoy them.

In January, I celebrated TTT's 3rd Anniversary with a Tea of Roses. I brought out my RA Old Country Roses.



For St Patrick's Day I celebrated with a wee bit o' green with a handmade teacup and Skye McGhie.




A soft springtime pallet using my gifted teacups, Roslyn Moss Rose and Colclough.



In May, Hubby and I celebrated an Anniversary with RA Lavender Rose.



My love for roses also had me sharing RA Old English Rose.



Lupins, roses from my garden, and tea made for a pretty table in June with a mix and match bouquet of china patterns.



In September, I set out a tea under our maple tree  using my vintage JB Rose Chintz. Most of this pattern was passed down to me by my sweet Auntie P.



Sharing some aqua blue with RA Veronica.



In honour of Breast Cancer awareness month, I shared some pink with RA Serena.



A little purple in Autumn using Gracie china.



JB Friendly Village appeals to the old-fashioned girl in me. I love this pattern depicting by-gone days!



And finally, this is my favourite fun post of the year. I felt like a little girl again playing with my dishes. My Sugarplum Fairy Tea was a delight to put together using my Skye McGhie Cream Lace  and Staffordshire teacups.



This wraps up my review of my 2013 tea parties.

Next week I will share another Tea Time with you and two weeks from now, I will be celebrating another Tea Time Tuesday Anniversary. It will be four years of celebrating tea time with well over 200 tea parties. What a wonderful four years it has been too, meeting all you lovely ladies who enjoy tea and pretty china as much as I do.

You have put gladness in my heart. ~ Psalm 4:7

Do you have a pretty teacup, coffee mug, or teapot to share? Perhaps you have a tablescape or a visit to a tea room you want to share with us. Please link up below, we would all love to see it!

I am joining the following parties as well~

Pink Saturday~ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/
A Return to Loveliness ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday ~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/
Friends Sharing Tea~ http://blog.bernideens.com/
What's It Wednesday~ http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/ 
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday, 30 December 2013

Tea Time Tuesday


The birth of a New Year is a time of reflection, bringing with it an opportunity for change....for developing a greater appreciation of what is most important in life.~ Victoria magazine


Welcome friends to my last Tea Time Tuesday of 2013!

Don't you wish that Christmas
Was a Currier and Ives scene
Where the snow was falling softly
In the woods of evergreen
Where horses pulled the sleighs
Through the village and the fields. ~ Roger Turner


Our Christmas on the Island truly was like a Currier and Ives scene. It was a beautiful day with softly falling snow flakes. The snow is so deep right now that it has completely covered the bird bath on our front lawn. The snow is almost half way up our maple tree! That's a lot of snow!

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas holiday and all your dreams came true.

My sweet grandson Brent enjoying his day. Like his daddy and his nanny, he's a critter lover!

Joanna London-Watts's photo.

Please come in and make yourself at home and keep me company, won't you.



For my tea today, I am sharing a delightful floral centerpiece arranged in a festive teacup I won in Michele's giveaway. It arrived two days before Christmas; perfect timing!


The green doily and angel pin were included; just lovely! Thank you Michele. I think most of you know Michele but if you don't you can find her lovely blog, The Nest at Finch Rest here.


Gifts of time and love are surely the basis of a truly merry Christmas. ~ Peg Bracken

The tea is steeping and there is shortbread on the table for a wee nosh. The teapot was a gift from Hubby a few years ago.


PG Tips is my choice of tea today. This is a nice orange pekoe served in my Royal Stafford teacup. Made in England, this teacup has no gold on it but instead a Christmas green trim and holly berries adorn the cup and saucer.


I found this teacup at a yard sale a couple of years ago. It is my only Christmas teacup. I would love to find other Christmas teacups.

A shortbread cookie is just right. See the holly berries?



Winter is the time for comfort - it is the time for home. ~ Edith Sitwell


Come and share a pot of tea,
My home is warm and my friendship's free. ~ Emilie Barnes



Wednesday is New Year's Day; a brand new year, a fresh new beginning, and my birthday.
I want to thank all of you, my dear blogging friends, for blessing me with your visits, comments, and joining me for my tea parties and my HOME party each week. You are the ones who make my blogging experience so enjoyable and I am so thankful for all of you! I will resume my HOME party next week on the 8th.



From my heart to yours, I wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year! May the new year bring you many blessings and much joy. Love to you all!


I am joining the following parties as well~

A Return to Loveliness ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday~ http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Tea Cup Tuesday ~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/
Friends Sharing Tea~ http://blog.bernideens.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi