Sunflowers and Playing with Transferware for Tea Time

Welcome to Tea Time dear friends! Can you feel Autumn coming? There are signs of it everywhere now here on our little Island although we have just had the most amazing run of warm sunny weather with record breaking temperatures. We have been lovin' it!

By all these lovely tokens
September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather
And autumn’s best of cheer.
Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885

Do you like my sunflowers? You will never guess where they came from. Yesterday Hubby and I were out driving around and we passed a small construction zone where a tidy little subdivision of duplexes was going up. As you turn into the subdivision, there is a large grassy slope covered in grass and of all things, sunflowers! Those big smiling flowers were there just begging me to bring some home. So, Hubby got out of the car and climbed a little bit of that hill and pulled out a big stem of them. He's the best, and super fit so he didn't mind!



And here they are, on my tea table bringing their sunshine and smiling faces to our tea time.

At first I had set my table with brown transferware and thought, it just looked flat. So I removed the brown and brought out my blue instead. Hope you enjoy! 

Tea is like a hug and a handshake; something about it warms friendships and inspires confidences. ~ Victoria magazine

It seems I have been sharing a lot of transferware lately. I love mixing and matching it because it seems to bring a little more personality to the table.

I like how each piece tells a story and some of the patterns date back quite a way. 

The Blue Willow pattern was popular in 18th century England, e.g. porcelain designed by Thomas Minton around 1790 and has been in use for over 200 years. The design was inspired by the china England imported from China during the late 18th century.  

And who isn't charmed by the love story conveyed in the pattern?

The Enoch Wedgwood Royal Homes of Britain pattern has been around since the 1970's. I love the blue flower and scroll edge adorned with the castle in the center. 

And the 222 Fifth Blue Adelaide square plate. I love this vintage-inspired florals and birds on white porcelain plate. 

Lately, I have been hankering for some sticky date pudding with hot toffee sauce. I usually make this at Christmastime and at least one other time of the year. This is the time.

This pitcher filled with hot toffee sauce is yet another pattern in blue and white. It depicts some elegant ladies window shopping but I can't make out the mark, only that it is made in England. 

Would you like some pudding? 

Time spent in the company of a friend is like a golden moment in our day. ~ Ron Lessin

This pudding is such a treat with a cup of tea or coffee. Care to join me?

Steam rises from a cup of tea, 
and we are wrapped in history, 
inhaling ancient times and lands, 
comfort of ages in our hands. ~ Faith Greenbow

I love how the glow of the candle brings out the sparkle in the gold thread of Bernideen's table topper. I won this pretty topper in one of her giveaways several years ago.  

On that note, I will bid you a lovely day and may it be filled with plenty of sparkle!


Never lose an opportunity to see anything that is beautiful. It is God's handwriting - a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, every fair sky, every fair flower. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Please join me by linking up below. I would love to see your teacups, coffee cups, teapots or coffee pots. A tea time recipe is always welcome as well as a visit to a Tea Shop or tablescape. 

Please be sure to link only tea or coffee related posts. Thank you.



I am joining the following parties as well~

 A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home

An InLinkz Link-up

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

A Little Aqua for a Late Summer Tea Time

Welcome to Tea Time dear friends!

Teapot is on, the cups are waiting,
Favourite chairs anticipating,
No matter what I have to do, 
My friend, there's always time for you. ~ Author unknown

Last weekend Hubby and I were up west to a lovely outdoor wedding. I forgot my camera so I had to borrow these. Congratulations Amanda and Terry! Amanda was our Sunday School teacher in Hubby's last church.

Isn't she beautiful!

We stopped at Simply Primitive on the way to the reception, you know the shop where I found my swan and the blue teacup I shared a few weeks ago? Well, I found something else I simply couldn't resist.


But first, I will tell you a little story....For most of my married life, I decorated with blue because I was surrounded by a flock of men; my hubby and boys. Peach was my accent colour. After the boys grew up and moved out, the blue went into the family room. Aqua/robin egg blue, peaches, and pinks took their place in the kitchen, dining, and living room. Hubby didn't mind a bit! 

For many years I used those colours because I really love them. Many of you will remember this french moire fabric chair. 

I have two of them and the cushion is the same fabric which was on the sofa.

Anyway, a few years ago, I tired of the decor and felt I needed a change. You know all about that, I'm sure. So I got two new wheat coloured recliner chairs which you have all seen and I am waiting to find the right sofa. 

Well, I discovered that I truly miss the aquas. I do believe it is genetic because my mother and my Auntie P always loved the aqua too. 

The decor I have in my living room just isn't me. The gold/beige is nice enough with red and green accents but it lacks the 'pretty' factor. And I like pretty. So, I am going to start incorporating the aquas back in again. 

When we down-size, hopefully next year, I intend to use these colours because they make me happy. 

Beginning with this pretty chair I found at Simply Primitive. I love the luscious aqua/robin egg blue. It's already distressed too so I don't have to do a thing to it. 

I usually have this little chair sitting in a nook as you enter the back door. Bunny sits on it to welcome you with his cushion tucked behind him. 

But we will switch out the gingham cushion for a Battenburg one because Bunny is joining me for tea in front of the window. Would you like to join us?

Serenity is a solitary cup of tea; pleasure is sharing it with another. ~ Victoria magazine

Sorry, the lighting is so very poor due to the cloudy weather. My pictures were very dark and I had to brighten them up so you could see them clearly. These are not my best pictures.

The other day was my oldest son's birthday and I made him a cake. A yellow cake layered with Shiriff lemon pie filling and whipped topping. Dollops of lemon decorated the top of the cake too. It was a lovely cake and my son and his family really enjoyed it. 

I had lemon filling left over so I also made some tarts. Sweet little lemon tarts for our tea today.

I had my heart set on having tea outside in the back yard in front of our trees, it is so pretty out there. But it has been cloudy and raining for days. So, once again, we will be having our tea indoors.... 

The aqua napkins are from a blogger friend. The inscription says, "well... Hello doily!" They match the vase and chair perfectly. Aren't they cute?

Our friendship is like a pot of tea...a special blend of you and me. ~ Unknown

I don't know the maker of the red transferware teapot as there is no name on the bottom.

Bunny's cup is a Vista demi-tasse made by Masons in England. 

And I am having tea in this teal Aynsley teacup also made in England. It appears to be blue but is really teal.

My lovely roses are rainbow roses we got from the grocery store.


Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud. ~ Maya Angelou

Once again, I apologize for the poor quality of lighting in the pictures.

Happiness is sharing tea with friends.

Thank you for joining me for tea on this rainy day. Do you have some tea wares, coffee wares, a tea time recipe, or a visit to a Tea Shop you would like to share with us? Please link up below and I will come and visit you. 

Please Note: I must ask that you only share tea or coffee related posts. I will have to delete those that do not apply to tea parties. Thank you for understanding!

Have a fabulous day friends!

Peace be to you, and peace be to your house,
and peace be to all that you have. ~ The Book of 1 Samuel


I am joining the following parties as well~

 A Return to Loveliness
 Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Tea Cup Tuesday
 Share Your Cup Thursday
Home Sweet Home

An InLinkz Link-up

 Sharing from my heart~ Sandi