Ring-aling-a-ling, Calling all Pinkies!

Ring-aling-a-ling, ring-aling-a-ling! Calling all Pinkies!

Would you like a cup of tea while you're visiting? This is the Rose Bud teacup I shared this past week at my tea party. It's covered in pink posies and is a delight to sip tea from!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved the Princess phone; especially pink and white ones! We had a white one in our home for a while when I was growing up and I've always wanted to have one of my very own. But they were very hard to come by, until now!

This phone has been calling me since Christmas and I finally answered the call and brought her home! 

Isn't she purty? She is a touch phone but she's made to look like a dial phone. I just love it!

She's sittin' pretty next to a watering can holding pink spray roses. And yes, the roses are real!

If you want to see lots more pinkness, then please stop by Beverly's and you can get your pink fix all weekend!

Do you play April Fool jokes on anyone? I do and I have succeeded in getting my hubby every year since we've been married! He hasn't gotten me yet! 
The jokes have ranged from pretending to see coyotes in the front yard, {he is VERY nosy  inquisitive and he had to go look out the window}, to putting scotch tape on the bottom of the mouse so he would think there was something wrong with the computer! Yes, I know, I'm bad! *giggles* I try not to take myself too seriously!

Thanks for visiting me today and have a delightful and fun weekend.


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Apron Love

Hello everyone~ Do you like aprons? Do you use an apron? I do  and believe it or not, my hubby likes me in an apron. Not sure why! lol!

I wanted to share my new apron which I received from a friend.

She knows my love for birdhouses and this apron has Spring written all over it! It is a bright robin egg blue; one of my favourite colours! Covered in birdhouses and Spring flowers, it is so fun to wear.

You may have read this poem before but my uncle had sent me this tidbit quite a while ago and I thought I would share it today along with my new apron...


NOTE: This poem Grandma's Apron is often listed as 'Author Unknown' but the original version was written by Tina Trivett in memory of her grandmother.
This is the original poem should you wish to check it out -  http://withagratefulheart.blogspot.com/2007/07/grandmas-apron.html

Grandma's Apron ....wrapped so sweetly around our hearts.

*The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath. Because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

*It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

*From the chicken coop the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

*When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

*And when the weather was cold, Grandma wrapped it around her arms.

*Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove..

*Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

*From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.

*After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

*In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

*When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

*When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

*It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes. 

This picture really brings back memories of my own grandmother! She was such a busy lady, cooking, cleaning, and helping my grandfather run the farm. Her pantry always had jars filled with her home made cookies. The only time I remember her not wearing an apron was when she went to church or to town!

REMEMBER:

Grandma used to set her hot pies on the window sill to cool.
Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.
They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I never caught anything from an apron....But Love. {Author Unknowwn}

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Tea Time Tuesday

Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Welcome my lovelies to the last Tea Time Tuesday of March! Can you believe how fast the month has gone by? Amazing!

Today's tea is a simple one which I have set out on top of my little green china cabinet.

The last number of weeks I have been mixing my china patterns but today I am using my Maxwell and Williams set, the chintz pattern Rose Bud.

I think Rose Bud is such a happy pattern. The roses look like they are dancing in the breeze as they appear to be going in all directions.  

My teapot is filled with a lovely Cinnamon Spice with Orange Blossom.

The flow of tea from the spout is important. When purchasing a teapot, check to make sure that the top of the spout is level with the top of the pot. More oval shaped spouts are less likely to drip than rounded ones. ~ Learn-About-Tea.com 

To keep your teapot smelling fresh when not in use, place one or two sugar cubes inside. ~ Unknown


I have baked a coffee cake for our tea today. Come and enjoy, it's fresh from the oven.

Tea is poured.

This is an easy cake to make. Serve it plain or with whipped cream. Yum!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Topping:
Melt 1/4 cup butter/margarine
Add 1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Cake:
Mix in bowl-
2- 1/2 cups flour
6 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1- 1/3 cups white sugar
Cut in 2/3 cup shortening
Make a well:
Stir in 2 cups milk
2 eggs {not too long; it's like biscuits}
Pour batter into greased 9x14x2 inch pan.
Spread topping over batter {it will be gloppy}
Bake @ 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve warm or cold, plain or with whipped cream.
Enjoy!



Last week, you all had such lovely tea posts and it's always my pleasure to come and visit you. While making my rounds, one of you lovely ladies shared a plate of darling tea cookies and I wanted to share them with you today.
Nancy at Two Cottages and Tea shared these delightful little hat cookies. I think they have springtime and Easter written all over them, don't you?

Thank you Nancy for sharing your cookies with us and if you would like the recipe just stop by Nancy's blog Here.


I have a couple of special tea parties coming up ~
An Easter Tea which is next week on April 2. The tea button is yours to take for your post or sidebar if you wish. 

Let's share all our Easter colours, the bunnies, birdies, chicks, eggs, and baskets too. Maybe even some chocolate! Whatever strikes your fancy! 
I would imagine over at Sweetology Trisha's imagination is in overdrive about now!

On April 15th, which is on a Sunday, I am hosting Tea on the Titanic.

It is Titanic's 100th Anniversary since the disaster and I wanted to pay homage to those who lost their lives and the ones they left behind. I hope you will join me for that special Tea Time. You may share whatever you wish. 

Life is precious, let's savour every moment!

"Whatever is lovely....and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." ~ Philippians 4:8


I am delighted you have stopped by for a visit today. Your presence always make my tea party that much more special! Do you have a favourite teacup/teapot or mug that you would like to share with us today? I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too!
If you wish, you may do coffee instead of tea or the following is acceptable too:
Hot apple cider
Hot chocolate
Lemonade
Iced tea or iced coffee
Punch in a lovely bowl.
No alcoholic beverages please.

The Tea Time Tuesday button on my sidebar is available for you to use in your post or place on your sidebar if you wish. A poem, tea quote, or scripture verse would be more than welcome! To be sure everyone has a visit, it would be nice if you visited the participant before and after your name.
Inlinkz is available below for you to sign up for Tea Time Tuesday.

As a courtesy, please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way here to visit with all my lovely participants.

NOTE: It would be wonderful if everyone removed the 'two word verification' from their blog. It is very difficult to read and really not necessary. It would make leaving comments so much easier without it!


I am joining the following parties as well~

Simply Sweet
A Return to Loveliness
Tea Cup Tuesday
Tea Cup Tuesday
Tea Party Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea
Tea Cup Thursday

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Spiritual Sundays ~ You Can Have Hope

Hello dear friends ~ Today I am joining Charlotte and her participants for Spiritual Sundays. Please visit Spiritual Sundays to be encouraged and inspired.

When my hubby and I were first married, he had gotten me a white angora kitten. I called her Twinkle. She was as cute as a button and I loved her dearly!

Source

One day, before I went to work, I asked my hubby, who had the day off, to please not let the kitten outside for I was afraid she might wander off or get stolen. She was my baby, you see.

Well, unfortunately, Hubby did let the kitten outside and she disappeared! I was so upset! I cried for weeks, seached for her for days, ran ads in the newspaper, and even put a plea for my missing kitten on the radio. But she was gone and I never saw her again. I was heart broken!

It is hard to lose something you love. Even harder, is when you lose someone you love!

I lost my best friend to breast cancer a number of years ago and I still miss her terribly. But I know I will see her again because she knew Jesus. Someday, we will be reunited and what a day that will be! I have that hope!

This past week, my son lost a very close friend who took his own life. My son is devastated and it is so very sad! His friend felt he had no hope. He had tried before to commit suicide and failed. But this time, he succeeded.

There is a much greater sense of loss when we think we will never see a loved one again. But for those who know and love the Lord, death is only temporary because one day we will be reunited. We have Hope!

The Bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, "The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

Death for the Christian is never a good-bye but a "see you later."

Source

"I have held many things in my hands
and lost them all; but the things I have placed
in God's hands, those I always possess."~ Earline Steelburg


I pray we are all ready to meet our Maker. If we are ready, then someday we will also be reunited with Him and with all those we love who have gone on before us. We have that hope!

NOTE~ Hubby did get me another kitten. He actually got me two!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Spring Pinks for Pink Saturday

Welcome bloggerettes to Pink Saturday! Beverly brings us together every week to share our pinks and this week she has invited us to share our pink as well as our Spring colors. 

Last Easter I had won Celestina Marie's lovely Giveaway. And since Easter is on its way, I thought I would share it with you.

Everyone loves a bunny; especially bunnies as sweet as this one!

This bunny is so adorable and she has been lovingly painted with sweet roses by Celestina.

She also handpainted a pink basket and an egg.

All of these pieces are adorned with Celestina's gorgeous pink roses. Are they not simply darling?

The cover of the basket....

Inside the cover is this sweet pink rosebud.

Eggs in the basket...

A little Spring bling is on the egg as well as her signature pink roses. Celestina paints her pieces with such love and care and I am thrilled to have won her Giveaway! Thank you my friend!

I am also sharing some teacups which came to my tea party this past week. I think you will agree that they are pretty in their pink and robin egg blue.

So happy you have stopped by for a visit and I wish you all a Happy Pink Saturday and a lovely pink Spring weekend. 
Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Celebrate ~ The Splendor of the Season ~ Spring Tea

"If I should invite just one special guest to join me for afternoon tea, I'd pick someone who knows all my faults and even still, loves me." ~ Unknown

Happy Spring my lovely friends! Are you ready to celebrate the new season? 

We had such a beautiful weekend here on the Island with mild temperatures and lots of sunshine. The snow is melting away and beneath its blanket, there is the stirring of new life.

I saw a flock of Canada geese yesterday and the robins are back. I expect my dear little feathered friends, the gold finches, will be back in about four weeks as well. I always look forward to their return!

This time of year on the Island, one never knows what one will find or make the headlines!
About a mile from our home, is our University of PEI and in a tree on campus is a crow's nest which a fox has made his home in. Needless to say, the crows are not happy about the intruder! This is already on YouTube and making its rounds! Isn't he cute?

Source

Spring brings with it a promise of lovely things to come...
We throw off our heavy coats and boots and relish the bare ground beneath our feet.
It's the season of renewal and there is a sense of expectancy in the air. Folks wear a smile and there is a noticeable spring in their step.

Every field wears a bonnet

With some spring daisies on it,

Even birds of a feather show their clothes off together.

Sun's gettin' shinery, to spotlight the finery,

Spring, Spring, Spring.

- from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Ah, yes, Springtime! It's here so ~ let's Celebrate! 

I find joy and beauty in simple things like a beautiful bloom, a bird singing outside my window, and tea in my favourite china teacup.


For today's tea, I'm going with a pink theme with just a touch of robin egg blue. 


Pink evokes a sense of romance and innocence, and it's just so pretty; a happy colour! Robin egg blue is another favourite colour of mine and we always associate springtime with the robin.

"Spring shows what God can do with a drab and dirty world." ~ Virgil A. Kraft


I looked for soft pink tulips but could only find white ones. The white will do nicely however.

I am using rose lace on the tea table as it lends a romantic touch to our tea. 
My birdie inspired teapot stands at the ready. I am serving a loose leaf Victorian Garden tea. It's a lovely blend of Ceylon black tea, China green gunpowder, rose and lavender flowers, and vanilla.   

No matter what kind of tea you serve, the best tea is made using bottled, distilled, or spring water.  

I have mixed my patterns today using three different teacups. I like mixing patterns as I think it brings a certain charm to a setting, don't you?

My first teacup is a favourite. Blossom is adorned with pink blossoms and a very soft robin egg blue. This Shelley teacup welcomes Spring to our tea table.

It is such a girly cup with its soft colors and fluted edge. Love the wee spray of posies just inside the cup!

My next cup is Veronica made by Royal Albert; another touch of robin egg blue. Brushed on gold and beautiful blue roses makes this a stunner of a teacup. This too has a sweet spray inside the cup.

Also sitting pretty is the Lavender Rose cup by Royal Albert. I love this charming pattern of pink roses with sprigs of lavender. Again, a cup with posies inside to enjoy while sipping on your favourite tea.

I love the handles on Royal Albert teacups!  

A little birdie joins the party as well.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." ~ Henry James

For our refreshments today, I have made strawberry cream cheese on pumpernickel hearts with fresh berries.

A birdie cloche holds a few shortbread and Swedish butterballs.

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul. ~ Ballou

Perhaps you would prefer a slice of butterscotch pie. This has always been a favourite of mine.

Piled high with meringue, it is rich and so good with a cuppa tea!

Yum!

Please help yourself!

In two weeks, on April 2, I will be hosting yet another special tea; my Easter Tea. Spring will be in full bloom by then and I'm sure we can all share something lovely in celebration of this joyous holiday. My tea party button is free for the taking if you wish to use it.

Then, later in the month of April, I will be hosting a tea in honour of the Titanic's 100th Anniversary which is coming up on the 15th of April. I hope you will make plans for that Tea too.

So, there is much to look forward to in the coming weeks.

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass so fresh and sweet;
For song of bird and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear and see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee! ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles He performs for people!" ~ Psalm 66:5



I am delighted you have stopped by for a visit today! Your presence always makes my tea party that much more special.
Do you have a favourite teacup/teapot or mug that you would like to share? I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too! I welcome all new and old friends.

If you wish, you may do coffee instead of tea or the following is acceptable too:
Hot apple cider
Hot chocolate
Lemonade
Iced tea or iced coffee
Punch in a lovely bowl
No alcoholic beverages please.

The Tea Time Tuesday button on my sidebar is available for you to use in your post or place on your sidebar if you wish.
A poem, tea quote, or scripture verse would be more than welcome!

To be sure everyone has a visit, it would be nice if you visited the participant before and after your name. Let's all enjoy our Tea Day!

Inlinkz is available below for you to sign up for my tea party.
As a courtesy, please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way back here and visit with all my lovely participants. Thank you! 

I am joining the following parties as well ~ 

Simply Sweet
A Return to Loveliness
Teacup Tuesday
Teacup Tuesday
Tea Party Tuesday
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Friends Sharing Tea
Tea Cup Thursday




Sharing from my heart~ Sandi