A Little Chintz for Tea Time

Like seeds dreaming beneath the snow, your heart dreams of spring. ~ Kahlil Gibran

Welcome friends to my last Tea Time Tuesday in March. I hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Since my last tea party our Island was engulfed by a dangerous blizzard with hurricane force winds and accompanied by almost two feet of snow. Today we are having freezing rain and they are calling for another snow storm tomorrow. Spring, where art thou?

What should be starting to look like spring, is still looking a lot like winter. But winter cannot last forever, can it??

Therefore, I'm feeling like some pretty chintz today. Chintz is a pick-me-upper.

My Maxwell and Williams Rose Bud teapot stands at the ready. I like this teapot because it's very light in weight and easy to handle. The pretty chintz makes it pleasing to look at.

It is holding Cranberry Autumn tea sent to me by a sweet blogging friend and it's delicious!

I am dreaming of springtime. Pink Shasta daisies help lift my spirits.

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

Rose Chintz made by Gracie China is today's first teacup.

The plate beneath it is Maxwell and Williams Rose Bud, a mate to the teapot and my next teacup. I like the saucer of this set as it is shaped somewhat like a bowl and therefore catches the drips very well.

Chocolate and Strawberries....

These chocolates are really mini chocolate covered cheesecakes and I am going to indulge a bit today. 

Would you like to join me? There is a comfy chair on each side of the fireplace. Please make yourself at home.

A cup of tea, a sweet, and the latest Victoria Bliss magazine helps me to reflect on all things beautiful.

The daintiness and yet elegance of a china teacup focuses one to be gentle, to think warmly and to feel close." ~ Carol and Malcolm Cohen

　　

I am delighted you have stopped by today! If you have a favourite teacup, teapot, coffee cup, tablescape, or a visit to a Tea Room to share, please link up and I will come and visit you.

Have a happy day, dear friends, and I hope it's warm and sunny where you are!

I am joining these parties this week!

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/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Violets and Spring Flowers for Tea Time

"It is spring again.

The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Welcome friends to Tea Time!

I am seeing small changes around our property and even though signs of winter still linger about, this wondrous, magical and childlike season of rebirth is here.

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. ~ Hal Borland



Tea time is me time, a time to savour and reflect. It's a time to share a cup with friends, a time of  comfort, camaraderie, and closeness. ~ Sandi W.

I set up a small tea table in front of the window and I am using my Sadler "Spring Crocus" teapot. This lovely teapot is covered in spring posies; daffodils, crocuses, irises, violets, etc.. I love how it has flowers on both sides, the handle, the top, and the spout.

And a Royal Albert Violets teacup.

Yes, it's February, one of their Flowers of the Month teacups, but I won't tell anyone if you won't.

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea. ~ Bernard-Paul Heroux


I'm having a cup of David's Pumpkin Chai tea. It is really an Autumn tea but I like the spice all year round. It is a black tea with cinnamon, cloves, lemon peel, squash, carrot, caramel, and pumpkin candies....Delicious!

Tea and ginger snaps.

A sunny shot in front of the window.

I am delighted you have stopped by for tea today! Do you have a teacup or coffee mug to share? How about a teapot or tablescape? A visit to a Tea Room is always welcome too. Please share them with us and I will be happy to visit you. 

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/

Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

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

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Mini Butter Tarts for HOME

"Peace, like charity, begins at home." ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

Hello everyone and welcome to my HOME!
Are you as anxious for Spring to arrive as I am? Hard to believe its arrival is tomorrow when it is still so cold out. But it's coming!

I think perhaps some of you had missed my announcement that I am no longer hosting the HOME linky party.

Back a couple of months ago, I was having some serious computer issues and then my computer crashed on me. Now I do all of my blogging on the laptop which I'm not crazy about but I am thankful I have it.

I decided to keep my Tea Time Tuesday linky party going and opted to shut down HOME. I found hosting two linky parties on the laptop too much to handle. However, I am planning to post a recipe, craft, or something home related the middle of every week in place of my HOME linky party.

Today I am sharing my recipe for Mini Butter Tarts which I served at my Spring Tea Party this week. You may check out my tea party which is "A Bird Lover's Tea" in my previous post. There is still lots of time to link up if you wish. I am keeping the tea party open until Saturday, March 22.

Mini Butter Tarts

Use your regular pie crust recipe or a Pillsbury pie crust and cut out rounds with a regular cookie cutter. Using your own recipe will result in a little thicker shell.
Grease a mini muffin pan {I always use coconut oil} and place a round into each muffin cup, pressing into the cup and pinch a little rim around the top of each one. 

For the filling ~

Beat slowly with hand mixer:
1 egg
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup softened butter
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Spoon into unbaked tart shells. Fill only about 1/3 to 1/2 full otherwise, the filling will spill over while baking. Bake @ 375 for about 20 minutes.

NOTE:

To make regular sized tarts, I just use frozen tart shells and stir in 1/2 cup of raisins into the filling. Bake same as above.

Thank you for visiting today. I love it when you stop by and leave a comment. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring so Happy Spring 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 beauty and Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place. ~ Edgar A. Guest

I am sharing with these parties this week ~

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

Celebrate Spring with A Bird Lover's Tea

March

The month of cold mornings and warm afternoons
when the Fairies weave rugs with flowers
adorning the meadows and roadsides with color...
Edith Holden

Happy St. Patricks Day, dear friends, and Welcome to my special tea party! I am  Celebrating Spring with A Bird Lover's Tea.

Like many of you, I am a bird watcher and I always look forward to the return of the songbirds. Spring is only three days away and there are definite signs of it in the trees behind our home. The gold finches are beginning to change into their bright yellow plummage and the days are growing longer. I cannot wait to see green grass and flowers growing in my garden!

Tulips always say Spring so well, don't they? So I have chosen pink and yellow for my table today.

I am using a few different patterns so I decided to use my lace tablecloth and the same topper I used last week.

If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited it will calm you. ~ William Ewart Gladstone


My Victorian Bird teapot topped with a birdie has been invited to my party as well as a few of my little feathered friends.

There are so many wonderful sounds we enjoy in life but the sound of birdsong in the springtime is simply quite magical, don't you think? 



Mr. Blue jay....

Soon the windows will be open and the sweet sound of birdsong will fill my days.

The sweet bird's nest is one my son found for me while on one of his wildlife field trips. It was once home to a red-eyed vireo.

Today I am sharing three of my trios. I hope you enjoy!

The first is Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz which was given to me by my sweet Auntie P. This is my signature pattern for which I've had a love ever since I was a little girl. I adore its pretty sprinkle of posies and that it is oh, so girly! So many happy memories come flooding back to me when I look at this pattern. It also reminds me of springtime.

I meant to do my work today,
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me. ~ Richard Le Gallienne 

The next trio is one I had shared not long ago which my darling hubby gifted me with for Christmas. It is Staffordshire transferware in a charming green pattern and I am using it in celebration of St. Patricks Day and springtime.

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

My last trio is Royal Albert Serena.

The plate was gifted to me just recently by my dear blogging friend Bernideen of Bernideens Tea Time Blog. She sent this to me 'Just because!'

She knew I had the teacup and she wanted to bless me with the matching dessert plate. Isn't it  gorgeous? This darling card accompanied the plate. The teapot is topped with a bit of real bling.

Thank you, Bernideen, for your friendship and thoughtfulness. I absolutely love the plate and I will think of you every time I look at it!

But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes


This is my favourite little feathered friend, the Gold Finch.

Because it is St. Patricks Day, I am serving Irish Breakfast tea.

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

As well as tea, our tea treats consist of cucumber and cream cheese on whole wheat sandwiches, home made raisin spice scones drizzled with almond icing and accompanied by my raspberry jam and whipped cream.

I have four of these vintage pink sherbets that Hubby got at an antique shop. They are probably depression glass, not sure. They are etched with flowers and vines. Although they don't look it, the bowls of the sherbets really are a pale pink.

One holds an easy-peasy Raspberry jam which I made just for my scones.

This one holds whipped cream.

Birdies on cupcakes....Mr. Robin. When we see the robin hopping about, we know Spring is truly here.

The cupcakes are filled with custard and sprinkled with white chocolate curls. Very decadent!

The butter tarts are easy to make and I'll share my recipe later in the week. They sit on a pink depression glass plate.

Would you like a cup of tea and some goodies?

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

I am delighted you have joined me today!

 I wish you a season filled with birdsong, lovely blooms, and joy. Enjoy your cup of tea today and the Lord bless you!  

Your presence always makes my tea party that much more special. It is all about sharing your joy of tea time and 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? How about a tablescape? I would love to see it and I'm sure others would too!

I will bid you good day with an Irish blessing~
 
May brooks and trees and singing hills
Join in the chorus too,
And every gentle wind that blows
Send happiness to you.


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/
Share Your Cup Thursday~ http://jannolson.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home~ http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Aero Bars for HOME

" If Home is where the heart is then may your Home be blessed . . . " John McLeod

Welcome to my HOME everyone! I hope you're all having a lovely week.

Do you ever feel like having something sweet but you don't want to spend too much time preparing it? These Aero Bars are just the thing to satisfy that sweeth tooth and they are so easy to make. They freeze well too.

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
Mix altogether and press lightly into a greased  8x8 pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes {I like them a couple minutes longer}.

Icing
Melt 4 Aero bars
1/4 cup vegetable oil; in microwave
Stir until mixed well and pour over the top of squares while they are still hot.
These are easier to cut if left overnight. Enjoy!

These bars are wonderful for tea or to take to a gathering. I hope you will give them a try.

Thank you for visiting today and remember to join me next Monday, March 17th, for my Celebrate Spring~ A Bird Lover's Tea. Everyone's invited!

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 beauty and Thy grace
Shine upon our dwelling place. ~ Edgar A. Guest





I am sharing this with these lovely parties~

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