A Charming Tea Time

Hello my lovely friends! I hope you are all enjoying your summer. We are having such beautiful weather these days. I'm so grateful for sunny days and birdsong in the trees behind our home. Some days it just feels like paradise outside my window.

There is a smiling summer here, which causes the birds to sing, and sets the bees in motion. ~ Emily Dickinson 1858

While I was in between surgeries, my dear friend Bernideen who blogs at Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden, sent me a lovely gift package. She thought I could use a treat and she was so right!

There is nothing more beautiful than someone who goes out of their way to make life beautiful for others. ~ Mandy Hale

She sent me a number of things and I was so excited when I opened her package and saw all the goodies, I felt like it was Christmas! The lovely item I want to share with you today is this charming, old-fashioned tablecloth that she fashioned herself. I made a collage of some of the work that is featured on it. The pink posies in the upper left corner remind me of the intoxicating pink wild roses that grow along our banks by the seashore.

I think this tablecloth is just darling with its lace, needle work, and doilies sewn on. I have long admired her tablecloths and she blessed me with this one. I just love it and I will always treasure it. Thank you, Bernideen!

Now, to have such a pretty tablecloth on the table one has to have pretty china too.

It has been warm and breezey here lately but I had my hubby help me set up my tea table out on the deck. It was a quick photo shoot because of the wind. I like the juxtaposition between the weathered wood of the deck and the fine china. 

The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. ~ Barbara Roberts

Royal Albert - New Country Roses

No easy feat with the wind and alas, my pink depression glass looks orange in the photos!

Aynsley

I love roses, whether they are growing wild, lovingly cultivated, arranged in a vase, or captured forever under a glaze on pretty china.

"After all, the only real roses are pink ones. They are the flowers of love and faith." ~ Anne of Green Gables

Royal Albert - Lady Carlyle

My tea is one that my sweet friend Deborah, who blogs at the Beautiful Matters, sent me. Victorian Rose tea is packaged by Eastern Shore Company and it was in a lovely package that she had sent me and the tea was tied up with a sweet pink ribbon. I can't wait to try it because it was packaged so prettily. 

Somehow presentation means everything when you're hoping to bless someone with a little something special. Thank you Deborah!

Walk as if you were kissing the earth with your feet. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh { a quote from a lovely little book of quotes that Deborah also included}

This week Hubby started his holidays and most of my family will be home in a couple of weeks so I feel it is a good time to come away from the computer and just enjoy this time with my loved ones. I have had a rather difficult year as most of you know so I am taking a break from blogging until about mid August.

I am going to end my post with a picture taken by one of our Island photographers; Paul Baglole. This is a beautiful sunset at Thunder Cove Beach. Isn't this just amazing?

Thank you for joining me for tea today and have a fabulous summer. God bless you, dear friends! I'll be back soon.

There is Beauty to be found in every Moment. ~ unknown

I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Tea in the Garden
Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home

 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Christmas in July

"I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month." ~ Harland Miller

Welcome friends to my Christmas in July Tea! I really like that quote, don't you? Christmas is such a happy time! It would be lovely if people everywhere could share the joy that this particular Holiday evokes in all of us.

I love little teacup trees! Maybe, like some blogger friends I know, you have a little tree up for the month of July. This tiny tree is decked out in rhinestones, baby's breath, and pink beads with a miniature jewelled snowflake at the top. The wee rocking horse accompanies the tree because of my obsession with rocking horses.

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year." ~ Charles Dickens


I thought about baking some mincemeat tarts.

I have a couple of Christmas teapots I could have chosen for this post. I also have a couple of Christmas teacups, and a set of Christmas mugs. 

However, twice a year I make my Sticky Date Pudding with Hot Toffee Sauce; for Christmas and once in the summertime. So once I had my pudding made, the rest was easy.

I thought rich reds and golds would be perfect for a Christmas in July Tea.

As well as some red roses.

"A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose. It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other flowers in the garden to be both red and roses." ~ Oscar Wilde

This time of year I always think of my Daddy because his birthday was in July and he adored Christmas. He passed his love for  Christmas and all its magic on to me.

"Celebrate love. It is the breath of your existence and the best of all reasons for living." ~ Author unknown


As some of you know, my father loved the Old Country Roses pattern. So, you know which pattern I am featuring today.

One year, my sweet hubby gifted me with this vintage OCR teacup on my Daddy's birthday in remembrance of him.

"I believe I could be a model child if I were just invited out to tea every day." ~ Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

My family gifted me with the OCR teapot for my birthday a few years ago. These pieces are very special to me in many ways and I know my father would have been delighted that I have them!

Did you know that Royal Albert's Old Country Roses is the most famous china pattern in the world?

I love the attention to detail that Royal Albert is known for such as the roses on the spout.

And the gold leaf on the handle.

Please make yourself at home and join me for a cup of orange spice tea.

There is more than enough dessert so you are welcome to help yourself.

I love the sparkle of silverware and just like tea always tastes better in a china teacup, a pudding always tastes better when eaten with a pretty spoon; a thoughtful gift from Nancy, a dear blogger friend! It has my initial on it.

Mmm! Warm sticky date pudding sitting in a pool of warm toffee sauce and topped off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Scrumptious!

"Perhaps that is the true gift of a
teatime celebration:

It fills our cups with joy and 
warmth and friendship.
May the echo of the teacup's 
message be heard not only
at Christmas, 
not only on special occasions,
but anytime friends come together. ~ Emilie Barnes

"Christmas is a time to open our hearts to God and His gifts. Just like the rest of the year." ~ Author unknown

You know, we are all blessed with special people in our lives. My father was one of those people. He taught me what was important in life and he took me to church every Sunday. I wish he could have lived long enough to see how his grandchildren turned out. He would have been so proud to know that one of his great grandchildren has been named after him.

My Daddy has been gone a long time. If you still have your father with you, give him a hug today and tell him you love him. 

I am ending this post with a photo from my Sugar Plum Fairy Tea I had hosted in December 2013. Just a little whimsy to add some cuteness to your day. If you wish, simply click on the link beneath the photo to go to that tea.

Sugar Plum Fairy Tea

Thank you for the pleasure of your company today and have a Happy and Blessed Christmas in July!

"Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land..." ~ Exodus 20:12

PS ~ Part of this post is a repost.


I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Tea in the Garden
 Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home


 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi