Attention~ My Tea Time Tuesday and HOME Party Friends

Hello bloggy friends~ I'm sorry I haven't gotten around for all my visits this week. I have come down with a really bad flu and I will have to cancel TTT this week. I will likely have to cancel my HOME party too this week. 

I also have some news about my back problem which I will tell you about when I return. Take care everyone.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

HOME

Hello friends and welcome to my HOME!


"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much we put in that action." ~ Mother Teresa

I hope you all had a lovely Valentines Day last week and your week is off to a wonderful start.

My computer is working a tad bit better this week so I will share  two posts which tied for having the most clicks last week~

Jeannie @ The French Hen's Nest ~  http://frenchhensnest.blogspot.ca/2013/02/tablescapes-seminar.html 

This is just one of the fabulous tablescapes which Jeannie shared with us from the seminar she attended. Love the red and white theme and of course, the roo! 

Wanda Lee @ The Plumed Pen ~ http://theplumedpen.blogspot.ca/2013/02/my-322nd-tuesday-and-wednesday-teatime_13.html

She shared a plethora of beautiful tea time images; lots of eye candy and inspiration for parties! Love her Skye McGhie tea set!



Congratulations ladies!

If you have been featured here at my HOME party then please feel free to copy and paste this button for your blog. 

On Valentines Day, I was surprised with a package in the mail. Since a special dinner was not on the menu that day because of my back,  Hubby went to get take out for us and when he arrived home, he also brought back a package from one of my bloggy friends which arrived in the mail.

Lady Linda did up all these little goodies for me and sent them just because....A handmade Valentine card, a pretty teacup card with a sweet handwritten note inside, a chocolate cameo, needle minder, a box of valentine candies, among other goodies. She took such care in wrapping and boxing everything up; very special!

Needless to say, it made my day! A thoughtful gesture from a lovely friend whom I have never actually met in person. Nor was she aware that I was shut in these days.
Thank you, Lady Linda, I so appreciate your kindness. I have made some wonderful friends here in blogland and you are one of them! God bless you, dear friend! If you haven't met Linda then please do go visit her blog and say Hello. Tell her Sandi sent you!


Now, because I haven't been able to bake for a couple of weeks, I thought I would go back into my archives and share a recipe for some Aero Bars I have served at numerous tea parties. They are nothing fancy, but they are super easy, really delicious, and always a hit!

Aero Bars
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
2 cups fine coconut
1/2 cup melted butter/margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Bake @ 350 degrees for 10- 12 minutes in an 8x8 pan.

Icing:
Melt 4 Aero bars
1/4 cup vegetable oil in microwave
Pour over top of bars while base is still hot.
These are easier to cut when left overnight. Enjoy!

These bars freeze well too so I hope you will give them a try.

Thank you for spending some time here with me today. I really do appreciate your visits and comments.

If you have something HOME related which you would like to share please link up below and I will be happy to come and visit you.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


I am joining the following parties as well~

Homemaking Link Up~ http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/
Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Cottage Style Linky Party~ http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Tutorials Tips and Tidbits ~ http://www.stonegableblog.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Open House~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

A Little Lavender and Whimsy for Tea Time

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size."~ Gertrude S. Wister 

Hello friends and welcome to Tea Time Tuesday! It seems February has just begun and now we are more than half way through it. I don't know about you but my heart is longing for springtime, especially with the nasty snow storm blowing around outside my window!

A little bit of floral and a little bit of ice...I have arranged some spicy carnations in a mercury glass hurricane lamp. 
Do you ever use things for something other than what it is meant to be used for? I'm sure you do!

Today I am having a tea which whispers of springtime.
Please make yourself comfy and I'll pour you some tea. All of my teacups today have violets on them.




"Surely as cometh the Winter, I know
There are Spring violets under the snow." ~ RH Newell

My little garden turtle is a new addition to the tea table and I hope you will make him feel welcome.

He has sprigs of lavender on his ceramic shell and he was just too cute to leave behind in the shop where I found him. Besides he was only a couple of dollars so how could I resist?
The fragrant sprigs of lavender beside him came from a friend's garden.

Lavender and violets have a way of whisking one back to a bygone era when ladies strolled along carrying their parasols and lace trimmed hankies. Somehow my little turtle reminded me of that simpler time.

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others. For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness and for poise, walk in the knowledge that you are never alone." ~ Audrey Hepburn

Lavender and lace, cups of steaming tea in violet teacups, and some chocolate, who could resist? Certainly not me!

These are Marilla's chocolate truffles and they are made here on Prince Edward Island at Anne of Green Gables Chocolates,  Avonlea Village. They are absolutely scrumptious! Believe me, it is difficult to eat just one.


My February violet teacup was a gift from my hubby's aunt. She is no longer with us but I think of her whenever I bring out this beautiful Royal Albert teacup. It will always be a special teacup!

I am serving two teas today, a lovely Jasmine steeps in my fairy teapot and Harney & Sons English Breakfast tea which is a wonderful Chinese Keemun Black tea is in my pansies teapot.

 "Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage."~ Catherine Douzel

The little fairy on the teapot is having fun playing in the lavender. It won't be long and all the fairies will be playing among the flowers again.

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind... let it be good." ~ Author unknown

I am always happy to have you stop by. If you have something lovely to share today, be it a teacup, a favourite coffee mug, a lovely tablescape, or a new tea you would like to tell us about, please link up and share it with us.

Or if you prefer, you may do coffee or any of the following:
Hot chocolate, hot apple cider, lemonade, iced tea or coffee, or punch in a beautiful bowl.

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 my tea party.

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

I am joining the following parties as well~

Heart and Home ~ http://angelwingsandapronstrings.blogspot.com/
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://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Friends Sharing Tea ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Cottage Style Linky Party~ http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Pink Saturday

Hello dear bloggy friends and welcome to Pink Saturday with Beverly!

It has been a while since I have participated in this pink party but since this week was all about Valentines Day, I thought I would share a few little things in pink.

This adorable little angel was a gift from my sweet hubby. She is stopping to smell the posies, which we all need to do. One cannot tell by the picture, but the posies in her bouquet and those in the basket at her feet, all sparkle. Her wings also have glitter on them. She is all dressed in pink; a pink sweater and frock. Her cute straw hat has a pink band around it. 

She is called White Heather and on the bottom of the angel it says, "Dreams can come True." 


I received two of these teacup trios from a dear friend for my birthday. Scrumptious light and dark pink roses make sipping tea from this set a real pleasure. Reminds me of sweet  Summer days and warm breezes. I just make sure I don't look out the window!

Snuggled up to a bouquet of bright pink tulips, are cookies drizzled with sugar pink icing. They sit on a pink depression glass plate under a cloche and are ready to enjoy with a cup of tea. 

Would you like to join me?

Thank you for visiting my cottage today and please take some time to visit our hostess Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. She has a big party going on with lots of pink to enjoy. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

HOME

"Nothing on earth is so divine as a home. It is four walls and a roof, with windows to let in the sunshine, and a door to bar against the outer world, and to open to one's friends. It is a nest full of sweetness and peace. It is an asylum and a refuge and a shelter and a place of withdrawal from storm and tempest. It is a place of dignity and repose." ~ Margaret E. Sangster 

Hello dear friends and welcome to my HOME ~

I hope everyone is enjoying their week. I am still having back issues and almost cancelled today's party but I wanted to give you the opportunity to share something here if you wished.

Over the weekend, we took refuge in our HOME because of the blizzards that blew in. It was quite nasty! 
This time of year, especially here on the Island, when the tempest rages outside, one wants to stay inside and keep warm in front of the fire. Sipping tea or hot chocolate or even a hearty soup like the one Kitty shared last week makes being HOME all the more enjoyable.

Last week, Kitty @ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen received the most views. Congratulations Kitty! Don't you love her red heart bowls and table covering?

You may view Kitty's recipe for Sausage Soup here.

Now, if you would kindly indulge me, I will share one of my new teacup trios which are from this week's tea party and which some of you have already seen.

This pattern is called Rose of England. Isn't it pretty with its full blown light and dark pink roses!

With tea, one must have a cookie to enjoy with it. Everything looks magical under glass, including cookies! Pink tulips lend themselves beautifully, don't you think?

There were a few other treats; egg salad heart sandwiches,  chocolates, as well as strawberries.

My wonderful hubby gifted me with this sweet little angel. She's taking time to stop and smell the posies.

Or if you prefer; a red theme which I dug out of my archives.

Since I am barely moving these days, I didn't do much in the way of decorating for Valentines Day. I did however set up this wee vignette and lit the tree.

I always keep up one or two trees from the holidays for just such occasions as Valentines day. This is one which I added red hearts and pink glitter balls to. The pretty red box is filled with Victoria and Tea Time magazines.

What have you done for Sweetheart's Day?


Thank you for visiting my cottage today. If you have something HOME related that you would like to share, please link up and join me. Also if any of my tea friends were late to the tea party please link up here. I will be happy to come and visit you.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Cottage Style Linky Party~ http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Open House~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

A Tea of Hearts

"If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give." ~ George MacDonald


Welcome my lovely friends to my Tea of Hearts~ 

February is heart month and so today in celebration of Valentine's Day, we are sharing our hearts, pinks, and reds. If you don't have any hearts, pinks, or reds, then simply share what you love.

"You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love." ~ Henry Drummond


I had a plan for today's post which didn't work out and I had to get my post ready early because of the blizzards which engulfed the Island over the weekend. I couldn't take a chance on any power outages. So, I hope you will enjoy this tea today as it comes to you with a lot of love.

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, Make every day a holiday and celebrate just living." ~ Amanda Bradley


Most everything you will see here today was given to me as a gift. The lace table cloth, the lovely lace edged topper, the teacup trios,  as well as the little angel. All are gifts given to me by dear friends and of course my hubby.

My sweetie brought me roses and tulips before the storms hit. He's the best!

This darling little angel who is smelling her posies was an early Valentine gift from my hubby. You can't tell from the picture, but her wings sparkle. The sweet bouquet she holds in her hands as well as the posies in the basket at her feet, all sparkle.

She is called White Heather, "Wishes can come True," is written on the bottom.

I am using my Valentine teacup today; a wee bit of pink and red together in the form of pretty hearts sprinkled about both the cup and saucer.



As well as the two teacup trios which were a birthday present from a dear friend. The pattern is called Rose of England, made in China. Each piece is trimmed in gold and adorned with scrumptious light pink and dark pink full blown roses.

Heart-shaped sugar cookies drizzled with sugar pink icing.  

Egg salad sandwiches cut into heart shapes, on my Amour heart plate.

Fresh strawberries, shortbread cookies, and of course, chocolate!

"Friends are kisses blown to us by angels." ~ Unknown

"The world is a rose; smell it and pass it to your friends." ~ Persian Proverb

With love from me to you!

February is also the month of the amethyst and the violet, so next week, let's share our tea things adorned with lavender, pansies, violets, etc. I know many of you love this colour.

Happy Valentines Day, my lovely friends!

 I am delighted you have stopped by for tea today! Your presence always makes my tea party that much more special and I am happy to see all your tea things, whether you have shared them before or not. This tea party is all about sharing your joy of tea time and any thoughts you might have on the subject. You may be as creative, fancy, or as laid back with your tea time as you wish!

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.

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 my tea party.

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

I am joining the following parties as well~

Heart and Home ~ http://angelwingsandapronstrings.blogspot.com/
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://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Friends Sharing Tea ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/
Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://adelightsomelife.blogspot.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Cottage Style Linky Party~ http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

HOME

"Having somewhere to go is HOME. Having someone to love is Family. Having both is a Blessing." ~ Author unknown


Hello my dear friends and welcome to my HOME!
I hope you're all enjoying your week...

You will very seldom hear me complain on my blog as I am basically a happy person and I count my blessings every day.
But this past week has been difficult. Last week was a whirlwind of activity at our home what with company, appointments, and my mother in the hospital. Sitting around in a hospital really plays havoc on my bad back.
Our computer was not working for two days and early Sunday morning, I pulled a muscle in my back. It was all I could do to sit and get my visits in and my new posts up.  

My back is still giving me grief but hopefully, it will mend soon and in the meantime I hope the computer and I will strike a harmonious chord.

Some of you who host weekly parties do not do features and I may have to join you as I am having far too many problems getting my features ready every week. I have such a temperamental computer and it doesn't always do want I want it to do! Oftentimes, it can take me hours to get your features on. So, until further notice, I am sorry but this will be my last week of features for a while.

I will begin with the most viewed post from last week. Congratulations Jeannie @ The French Hen's Nest. If you love blue and white, then please check out this charming blog as Jeannie and her sister Linda collect all things blue and white and use it so creatively to beautify their homes.

Some other lovely posts which caught my eye last week ~

Schotzy @ Wings of Eagles served a beautiful Valentine brunch for her friends.  I adore her pretty table set with lovely red transferware and silver. She also made a delicious Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast; yum! The recipe is on her post if you would like to make it for your family and friends.



Also, two of my bloggy friends made lovely heart creations, one used sea shells while the other used pistachio shells which she painted a delicate shade of pink. I hope you will check them out as well.

Sherry @ The Charm of Home created a heart out of seashells which is really cute. This was her copy cat version which I liked much better than that which was in a magazine.

And Kathy @ A Delightsome Life also created her pretty heart using pistachio shells, sugar pearls, and paint. She added a faux rose and some ribbon. Isn't it sweet!

Thank you everyone for your fabulous posts each week. I really enjoy visiting each of you to see what you are working on. As soon as the kinks are worked out, I will share features again.


As promised at my tea party this week, I will share the recipe for my Quick Victoria Sponge Cake. It's actually not a true sponge but my take on it. I almost always bake from scratch but last week, I had too much going on so I used a mix instead.

 
Usually a Victoria Sponge cake has a plain top layer or it's dusted with powdered sugar. However, my hubby doesn't like powdered sugar, so I opted to spread the top with real whipped cream and berries. He loved it!

Quick Victoria Sponge Cake

I used a plain white DH cake mix. 

Mix together with electric mixer-
Cake mix, 3 large egg whites,  1-1/3 cups water,  2 T. oil, in a large bowl on low speed for 30 seconds until moistened. Then beat with mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed.

Pour batter immediately into a greased angel food pan and bake at 350 degrees for 43-48 minutes. Cool completely and split into two layers.
On the bottom layer, spread real whipped cream and 1/2 cup of a good strawberry jam or preserves. Place the other layer on top and lather on more whipped cream. Add some fresh strawberries.

It really is a delicious cake and it's pretty too. It would actually make a lovely cake for Valentines Day, don't you think?

Thank you for joining me at my HOME this week. I just love having you! If you have something HOME related that you would like to share with us, please refer to the list and sign up.

My little tidbit for today ~

Grace isn't a little prayer you say before receiving a meal....It is a way to live." - Author unknown

Cooking and baking, recipes, antiquing, artwork, home decor, ceramics, crafts, crocheting/knitting, quilting/sewing, floral arranging/gardening, homemaking tips, hospitality, refinishing furniture, DIY,  tea time, tablescapes, thrift shopping etc....Maybe there's a new baby in the family or you have a new fur baby you would like to introduce us to. They are welcome too! Anything and everything which makes your HOME more enjoyable to come HOME to, for your family, your friends, and yourself.

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

I am joining the following parties as well~

What's It Wednesday~ http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Cottage Style Linky Party~ http://lavendergardencottage.blogspot.com/
Tutorials Tips and Tidbits ~ http://www.stonegableblog.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Open House~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/


Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi