Rose Chintz Cottage: 02/09/15

Monday, 9 February 2015

A Valentines Tea

Welcome to my Valentines Day Tea!

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

Hello lovely friends ~
I have been waiting for a special occasion to share what my dear friend had gifted me with for my birthday last month and today is the day.

I only had about an hour to set my tea up because I had someone coming to fix my kitchen cabinets. As soon as I finished taking my pictures I had to clear it all away and everything in my pantry and on top of the pantry was loaded on to the table. This past week my kitchen looks as though a cyclone had hit it. A story I won't go into just now.
Because of my hurried tea time, I wasn't able to take my time and do the lovely affair I had planned, so please bear with me.

On to my delightful gift....
Two matching cups and saucers; one for me and one for my little granddaughter, Jenna-Lynn. One is a regular size cup and saucer and the other is a miniature set, just perfect for little hands.

Both of these sets are made by Masons and are they not adorable? I was elated when I opened the gift box and found these!

My teacup....

Red is perfect for Valentines Day, don't you think?

Jenna-Lynn's teacup.

Charming red transferware, which you know I love, and when my little lambie comes to visit, we will sip our tea from these teacups.

This is my little lambie a few months ago watching her brother play soccer. She was mimicking her mom sitting like that with her legs crossed; so cute!

It may be a while before she and I can actually enjoy having a tea party together because she lives on the west coast. But Tea will be so much fun when we do finally get together.

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

For those of you who like hearts, I have set out my heart teacup too. This pretty set is from Gracie Bone China. I have tucked in a rose from last week's bouquet just for fun.

And just to mix things up a bit and keep it interesting, I am also using my red Felicity set made by Burleigh of England.

Which teacup would you like to choose today?

The teapot is Victorian Bird made by Gracie China.

The pink iridescent tree was a Christmas gift from Hubby and I have kept it out for this special occasion. I had hoped to get it decorated beautifully for today's tea but it was a crazy week what with my kitchen in shambles and two major snow storms so I didn't get out to Michaels.

So I just used what I had on hand; a few hearts and pink roses.

"Life is a journey, and love is what makes that journey worthwhile."

Chocolate anyone?

Now let's gather around my table and we'll have a wee tea party.

Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.

I have cranberry muffins, which resemble homemade crumpets, and chocolate hearts to enjoy with our tea. The plate is Vista, just like the teacups, made by Masons of England.

These are the best cranberry muffins! My father really loved them and so does my hubby. They don't look very fancy with their flat tops but believe me when I tell you they are scrumptious!

It's an old recipe and there is no need for butter because they are rich and buttery all on their own. They have a sweet and tangy taste to them thanks to the orange zest folded into the batter. They are simply wonderful for breakfast, tea time, or a snack. I will share the recipe on Thursday for those of you who would like to try them.

One thing I should mention to inject a little romance into my post is that it was on this date, February 9th, Hubby and I had our first date and our first kiss. It was the beginning of a life long romance with the one I love. Life is sweet!

Thank you for visiting today. If you have some tea wares, a coffee or chocolate pot, a collection of creamers or sugar bowls, please share with us. A tea time recipe, a tablescape, or a visit to a Tea Shop would be welcome too.