Tea Time Tuesday

"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life." ~ PD James {Victoria magazine}

Hello friends and welcome to another tea time! I hope your Autumn is off to a lovely start. Can you believe this is the last Tea Time Tuesday for the month of September?

Seems like September just got underway. The last two weekends here on the Island have been just beautiful; warm and enchanting! I never want it to end. What was your weekend like?

Before we have our tea today I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of my new followers! It's lovely to have you join me here at Rose Chintz Cottage and I hope you will find joy and friendship here.

I always have a bowl of fresh fruit in the house but this time of year, I like having a bowl of apples out.  Not only are they tasty and fragrant but they're pretty too. There were two pears but Hubby snitched one before I took the picture. I like the colour of these Pink Ladies.

These apple cups came from a secret sister many years ago. Aren't they cute? They're not much good for sipping tea from however. I just like bringing them out this time of year.

The birdies may have flown south but I can still enjoy them on my teapot. This is one side.

And this is the other. This sweet teapot was a Christmas gift last year.

And this is what the top looks like.

I love it and it holds a wonderful amount of tea; about four to six cups. It's a perfect size for company.

The other day a good friend brought me a large bag of hydrangeas to use in arrangements. I think they look pretty in my vintage pink depression glass pitcher. I love the different hues of the little petals.

"Flowers make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul." ~ Luther Burbank

Come, let's indulge in a cup of tea or two, shall we? I have set my tea out on a side table in the living room today. I placed a throw over the table with some lace and set up my birdie teapot.
As you can see, I still haven't painted the walls in the living room yet. They're still a taupey-rose colour.

Red transferware is such a favourite of mine and it all goes together like cheese and crackers, or tea and cookies.

I am enjoying Twinings Chai tea today.

I love spicy tea at any time but it is especially nice this time of year.

With the abundance of fresh apples around, I made an Apple Upside Down Cake. It is actually a Cottage Pudding with apples on the bottom served warm with Vanilla sauce. Doesn't the sauce look lovely pooling onto the spoon? Yum!

For those of you who would like the recipe, I will post it on my HOME party this week.

"Now then what'd be nice
We'll start with raspberry ice
And then some cakes and tea
Order what you will
There'll be no bill
It's complimentary." ~ From the "Mary Poppins" song - Jolly Holiday



As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We have all been touched by breast cancer in one way or another. So on October 14th, I will be hosting my annual Pink Tea to show my support of Breast Cancer Awareness. 
I hope you will join me that week with something pink. It could be a teacup or teapot, coffee mug, or tablescape. Perhaps cupcakes will be on your tea menu or a cake. Or maybe just a beautiful pink rose. You are welcome to copy and paste my button for the occasion if you wish.

I am delighted you have come for tea today and I would be happy to see your pretty tea things whether you have shared them before or not.

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

Simply link up below and I will be pleased to come and visit you. Have a beautiful day everyone.

"Why is beauty so important? Because we derive energy and motivation from beautiful sights, beautiful sounds, beautiful words and ideas, and beautiful environments." ~ Thomas Kinkade


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~

Inspire Me Tuesday ~ http://www.astrollthrulife.net/
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/
Home and Garden Thursday ~ http://www.adelightsomelife.com/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

HOME

"Not many sounds in life,
and I include all urban
and all rural sounds,
exceed in interest
a knock at the door." ~ Charles Lamb

Welcome to my HOME, friends, and Happy Autumn! I'm so glad you are here!

What a busy week! A Family Reunion and then a carload of company the other day, a few relatives who had been at the Reunion. A knock at the door of your home signifies all sorts of surprises. One being the faces of loved ones!

Here in Blogland, when you visit me and leave a comment, it's like a knock at my door. I love your company and that you have taken the time out of your busy day to say "Hello!" 

At this week's tea party I shared my gifted 'Queen's 1959 Visit to Canada' teacup as well as the commemorative silver spoon. 

If you would like to see more of my tea party, please check out my previous post.

I made an Apple Crisp Pizza for my company and enjoyed some of it for tea as well.

I can't remember where I found this recipe. If it's yours then please let me know and I will credit it to you.

Apple Crisp Pizza

You will need pastry for a 9" single crust pie
2/3 cup sugar
3 TBSP flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium apples {I used Gala} peeled and diced into 1/4" pieces

TOPPING
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened

Drizzle:
1/2 cup caramel {ice cream} topping

Instructions~
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Roll pastry to fit a 12" pizza pan; fold under the edges to give the pizza a bit of a raised crust.
Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, in a medium bowl. Add peeled, diced apples and toss.
Arrange apples in a single layer over the pie crust to completely cover it.
For the topping: Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle topping evenly over the apples.

This should resemble apple crisp/crumble on a pizza crust.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until apples are tender. Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with caramel topping. Cut into pizza slices and serve warm with ice cream. Makes 12 servings.

Enjoy!

Several posts caught my eye last week....

Debra @ Frugal Little Bungalow shared close-ups of her goldfinches. My favourite little feathered friends!



Poppy @ Poppy View shared her photos of the end of summer around her home. Isn't this a beautiful photo?

Poppy @ With a Dash of Color set a stunning Autumn table beneath her apple tree. Love it!

Bernideen @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog shared her gorgeous totes made from vintage linens. Bernideen is such a gifted lady!

Schotzy @ Wings of Eagles shared some Autumn touches around her home. Lovely!

Thank you ladies for sharing your wonderful posts. A special thank you to all of you who open up your homes to us every week.

Do you have something HOME related you would like to share with us? Then please link up below and I will be happy to come and visit you.

"Lord, this humble house we'd keep
Sweet with play and calm with sleep.
Help us so that we may give
Beauty to the lives we live.
Let Thy bounty and Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place." ~ Edgar A. Guest


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/
Tutorials Tips and Tidbits ~ http://www.stonegableblog.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Guess Who's Coming for Tea?

"In autumn when the leaves are brown
The little leaves come tumbling down
They do not make the slightest sound
But lie so quietly on the ground
Until the wind comes puffing by
And blows them off towards the sky." ~ Unknown

Happy Autumn and welcome to my first Tea Time of the new season, lovely friends! 

Autumn has arrived and there is just a tint of colour coming upon the leaves around Rose Chintz Cottage. One can see pumpkins everywhere as well as mums and pink sedum.

Here at my cottage, a yellow-peach rose is making friends with a pumpkin on my table.

A little birdie joins us.

Do you like my centrepiece? I made it with pieces of cedar cut from our tree, some baby's breath, and a yellow-peach  rose. I thought it looked just right for an Autumn tea time. 

When I was a little girl, the Island was a-buzz with the news that HM Queen Elizabeth was coming for a visit. She and Prince Phillip were scheduled to drive down our street and you can just imagine the excitement and expectation of having a chance to see the Queen in real life.

I remember I was wearing my very best dress and my shoes were shined as I waited on the sidewalk with my parents and little brother to see her.

Folks were clapping and waving their Union Jacks as the limousine slowly made its way down the street. At that time, Canadians still used the British flag as their own.

A big smile was on my face as the car drove right in front of me. I was so excited because the Queen smiled at me and waved, making me a happy little girl!

It was 1959 and my mother had a silver spoon to commemorate the occasion. Now this spoon is part of my collection. The engraving on the spoon reads "Queen Elizabeth 2 Visits Canada 1959."

Also to commemorate this special occasion I have this lovely teacup.

It is made by Colclough of England with a slightly flared rim trimmed in gold and adorned with Canada's maple leaf and HM Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

Anytime is a good time for David's Tea Pumpkin Chai. But it is especially tasty sipped from this teacup.

This teacup is special for a couple of reasons. 

You see, back in the Spring, a dear and thoughtful blogger friend was cleaning out her cabinets and this was one of her teacups. She decided that I should have it because she knew the story of the Queen waving to me as a little girl.

So today, for this first tea time of Autumn, I am sharing this special teacup sent to me all the way from Colorado from Bernideen. Beneath it is a large doilie also from Bernideen which I had won  in her Giveaway several years ago.

Thank you, my friend, for helping to make today's Tea Time very special and bringing back some fond memories.

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

Now, let's have a wee nosh with our tea, shall we? I  made an Apple Crisp Pizza and I have served it with a couple of scoops of ice cream on the side.
Wednesday I will share the recipe at my HOME party.

I'm so happy you could join me for tea today! If you have a favourite teacup/teapot, coffee mug, or a tablescape you would like to share, please link up below and I will be happy to come and visit you.

If you would like to share coffee instead of tea, you are welcome to. You may also share any of the following as well~ Hot chocolate, hot apple cider, lemonade, iced tea or coffee, or punch in a lovely bowl.

"Decide that Joy is the hue you want your heart to be. Then start making the little and large choices that over time will paint your heart Happy." ~ Thomas Kinkade

Wishing you all a beautiful Autumn day!

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~

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

HOME

"Home is where your story begins."

Welcome to my HOME, dear friends!

Ah, it's nice to be HOME again! I had a very busy weekend which is why I was so late visiting most of you last week. We had a Family Reunion over in New Brunswick which is where I am from originally.

Many direct descendants of my maternal grandparents were there and it was lovely to see everyone. Some cousins I had not seen in over thirty years. 

We stayed with my sweet cousin who offered Hubby and me her beautiful downstairs suite to stay in for the weekend. It has a fully equipped kitchen, a living room with fireplace and large screen TV, two bedrooms, and a large bath. Fabulous! Wanna see?

The first night there, we had a fire in the fireplace; very cozy!

It's nice to get away but it's nice to get back HOME again too. Tomorrow, I have a carload arriving here for a visit. Hmm, what to serve?

On Monday I hosted my usual Tea Time and set the table with my blue and white china and a jug of perky sunflowers.

I described the difference between a Devonshire Tea and a Cornish Tea. If you wish, you may check out my previous post for the information.

My tea biscuits were made with my regular tea biscuit recipe. To make them turn out extra flaky, I always sift the dry ingredients and add a wee bit of sugar. Then after cutting them out, I brush the tops with cream before baking.

Last week there were so many wonderful posts that I was hard pressed to choose any favourites. So, I will share the two most viewed.

Jeannie @ French Hen's Nest shared photos of her visit to her sister's lovely home. Love the use of transferware and toile throughout this home!

Penny @ Penny's Vintage Home shared some changes she has made in her hallway. Love those mirrors reflecting her collection of milk glass! Notice those baby pumpkins.




Thank you for sharing your lovely posts with us and a big thank you to all of you who open your homes to us every week.

If you would like to join my HOME party, simply share anything HOME related. Baking, cooking, collections, DIY's, florals, tablescapes, thrifting, etc.; anything and everything which is HOME related is welcome.

Have a beautiful day everyone!

"Lord, this humble house we'd keep
Sweet with play and calm with sleep.
Help us so that we may give
Beauty to the lives we live.
Let thy bounty and Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place." ~ Edgar A. Guest

As a courtesy, please link back to me so your visitors can find their way here and visit my lovely participants. Thank you.

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/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Tea Time Tuesday

"Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was crisp and golden as an apple..." ~ JK Rowling


Hello dear friends and welcome to my last Tea Time of Summer 2013.

Today's tea is brought to you in shades of blue and yellow. A jug of gorgeous sunflowers lends a bright spot of colour to my blue and white table today.

A field full of sunflowers is a sight to see, isn't it? Their bright heads always turn to face the sun.  

The teacup below as well as the teapot and creamer are called Botanic Blue made by Port Meirion.

Some of the flowers on the tea set appear to be sunflowers. We will pretend they are!

Seeds from sunflowers are very benefical to one's health as we all know. I always fill our feeders with sunflower seeds as the songbirds seem to prefer them. And I am happy to oblige them!

Blue and yellow are such complimentary colours and they make a pretty tea table as we say Good-bye to Summer for another year.

 The teacup above is Royal Homes of Britain made by Enoch Wedgwood of England.

It's a Cream Tea today.

Flaky tea biscuits are fresh out of the oven, homemade strawberry preserves, and clotted cream, or in this case, whipped cream, make for a wonderful tea time.

So please make yourself at home and enjoy a tea break!

For your interest~ I'm sure most of you know that there are two ways to have a Cream Tea.
Devonshire cream is not made here in Canada so we make do with clotted cream or plain whipped cream.
The Devonshire tea is applying your clotted cream first, followed by the jam.
The Cornish tea is applying the jam first, then the cream. As you can see by my photo I have used the Devonshire way of doing it. This eliminates the need for butter, so less calories.

I hope you all had a wonderful Summer and are gearing up for Autumn. Join me next week as I share a new teacup.

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-
A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted." ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2


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/
Tea In The Garden ~ 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