Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday 27 September 2010

A Last Taste of Summer and A Little Taste of Autumn for Tea Time Tuesday


A warm Welcome to all my tea loving friends~ It's Tea Time Tuesday again and today I'm sharing a last taste of Summer and a little taste of Autumn.

Autumn is in full swing now with the leaves changing colour and the days getting shorter. Gone are the lazy hazy days of Summer and everyone, including me, is doing some fluffing, getting out the throws and making changes in their decor. It's also time to start planning for Christmas but I'll hold off on that for a few more posts yet. It is fun to look forward to it though!

For today's tea, I'm sharing my Maxwell and Williams 'Rose Bud' tea set. It is quite summery looking and I have one of my last roses to adorn the teacup. This is the last taste of Summer which I was referring to.... I will miss my roses!


A little pink and sparkly pumpkin decorates the dessert plate while I get the tea ready....a little taste of Autumn!
Tea is ready....
Warm home made apple crisp with whipped cream is what I'm serving with tea today. The apple crisp is made with Granny Smith apples and the crumb mixture is spicy with a nice blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; perfect for Autumn!

I know the majority of you have seen my Rose Bud pattern before but I have never shown it altogether until today. The teapot was a gift from my hubby and the teacup I gifted myself with. The whole set came about because of some candle sticks which my youngest son gifted me with several years ago and I always wanted to add to the pattern. I also have the tea bag holder. " A woman is like a tea bag- you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water." ~ Nancy Reagan My tidbit for today is taken from Tea Time with God:

"If you have someone who has been a challenge for you to love today, think of something extraordinarily nice you could do for them. Pray for them, and determine in your heart that no matter what happens, you will love them as unconditionally as God loves you."

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." - John 15:12

Thank you for stopping by my 36th Tea Time Tuesday post. If you would like to join me, please let me know in your comment and I will be more than happy to add your link to my post.
You may also do coffee, chocolate, or iced tea if you wish. A poem, tea quote, or scripture verse would be more than welcome! Either of the two Tea Time buttons on my sidebar are available for your use in your tea post if you wish. Please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way back here to visit with all my lovely participants.

The participants listed below are in the order in which they first started to participate.
PARTICIPANTS
I am joining the other tea party hostesses as well~

TEA CUP TUESDAY



TEA POT and TEA THINGS TUESDAY
&
WEDNESDAY TEA FOR ME AND THEE~





Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Friday 24 September 2010

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday bloggerettes! I have been pinking up some pumpkins lately and so I have decided to share them with you today.

Normally, I keep a little sugar and creamer set on this little tray. The sugar bowl holds pink sugar.

I took this little tarnished silver tray and spray painted it white. Then I spray-painted my little pumpkins and set them on it.
Some of the pumpkins are the real deal while others were orange plastic and I spray painted them all and glittered them up.
I decided to just keep them simple without too much adornment. I like them that way because they tend to sparkle more when the light hits them!
I love baby pumpkins because they're sooo cute!
One day when I was buying flowers for my mother, I found this pretty pink hobnail vase at the flower shop. I cannot wait to put a spring bouquet in it!
Well, pinkie friends those are my pinks for this week. Visit our pink hostess Beverly at http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/ for more pinkness. Hope you all have a delightful weekend.


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Calling All Divas of Decorating!

Hi there! First of all, I would like to say a big Thank you to all those of you who participate in my tea parties. I love seeing all your tea things and I enjoy receiving all your nice comments. I feel like I'm getting to know most of you!

Like many of you in blogland, I am trying to make my little cottage into a place of beauty and relaxation which brings me to my cry for help!

You see this mirror? I love it, but I have been debating whether to paint it or not. All of the wooden furniture in the main living room are white except for one small side table which also may get a coat of white paint yet! I've cleaned off the mantle so you could get a good look at the mirror. It is very ornate as you can see.
Stereo stand and coffee table.I adore white and romantic decorating. Would the mirror look better in the room painted white or left as it is? Would the mirror painted white, be too much white? What would you do? Leave it or paint it?

A little aqua blue chest I use as a side table which I love the way it is. There is another side table which is brown that I may paint white! I also have this grouping over the sofa. As you can see, there is gold in the frame of the picture and the scrollwork above that.
They say that there should be a little 'black' in every room to ground it but I don't know whether these fit or not. I have brought more and more white into the room since I hung these a number of years ago. I thought about taking the picture down and hanging it in the family room and spray-painting the plate wrack white. I could find something 'white' for over the sofa. All of the pictures in the room have gold frames.

I'm open to all suggestions and advice. Thank you ahead of time and have a beautiful day.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday 20 September 2010

Welcome to Tea Time Tuesday!


Hello my lovely tea friends and welcome to my 35th Tea Time Tuesday!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. We did, what with all the beautiful weather we had and we even got out for a walk along the beach yesterday. Today was not quite so nice as the skies were overcast and it's a bit cooler. In any case, I'm glad you're here! Please come in and have a seat.

It's a good day to have a nice hot cup of tea.

Do you ever get a hankering for cinnamon toast? Well, I did and so I cut a thick slice of home made whole wheat bread we got from the bakery and popped it into the toaster. Mixed up some brown sugar and cinnamon and then spread it on the toast. Mmm, good!

I got my little pink tea-for-one which was a gift from my hubby a while back and served my favourite Green Chai tea from it.




Now, I'm going to tell you a funny story. Have you ever found something totally unexpected in your home? Well, I did! My hubby and I were house cleaning and throwing out a bunch of boxes which I had stored up in the closet in the office.

He still teases me about my 'box collection' because well, I won't tell you how many boxes we threw out. He told me I had enough to fill a warehouse! It was an unbelievable amount anyway! Some might have reason to believe I'm a hoarder! He he! But you see, one never knows when one will need a box, right?
Anyway, as we were getting the boxes down from the top shelf, Hubby found one that was a little too heavy for an empty box, so he investigated and you'll never guess what he found!

Back in May of this year, I had shared a new tea-for-one pot on a Pink Saturday post. I had shared all the pictures of this pretty little teapot and received some very nice comments about it. There are no markings on it but it is made of porcelain and trimmed with gold. I love the pinkness of it!
Well, when he opened up the box which the teapot came in, we got a big surprise! He discovered the matching saucer which accompanies the teapot! Can you believe that? Be still my heart! Thank goodness he found it when he did otherwise I might never have known there was a saucer included in the set!
My advice, be extra careful ladies when you're throwing out your boxes!


" A good laugh is sunshine in a house." ~ Thackeray

Here is the whole set. Isn't it a cute thing with its chintziness and butterflies? He had gotten it at Hallmark back in the Spring just because he knew I would like it. I keep telling ya, he's a keeper!

Now that I've made my confession, let's have some Cinnamon toast and tea, shall we? I always take my tea black. How do you like yours?
Next I would like to share with you a lovely Giveaway I won from Amy @ Vintage Porcelain Art ~ http://vintageporcelainart.blogspot.com/ Amy is one of my regular tea party participants and she had a Giveaway a couple of months ago which I was fortunate to win. I had shared about this teacup over the weekend on Pink Saturday but I wanted to show more photos of it for those of you who may not have seen it.

This lovely green teacup is sprinkled with pretty little pink roses and trimmed with gold. The teacup is hand-painted by Amy and I am thrilled to have it! I didn't have a green teacup, believe it or not, so I am really happy to add this to my collection. Isn't she purty?Amy has signed the bottom of the set with her own signature.A plate of my favourite tea biscuits, Petit E'colier, accompany the cup of tea. My Uncle Doug who hails from jolly old England introduced me to these wonderful chocolate covered tea biscuits. Not only are they delicious but they're pretty as well. They are presented on my favourite Rose Chintz square dessert plate which is produced by Johnson Bros. of England. The greens and pinks match the teacup very well. "Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things." ~ Chaim Potok



Perhaps you would prefer a fruit cup. Strawberries, grapes, and bananas; yum!


I have been painting pumpkins as of late and thought the teacup would look cute snuggled up to some sparkly little pumpkins. Just a little ambiance for your pleasure.

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love." ~ Goethe

Last week I asked you what made you happy and we all seemed to like many of the same things. There is nothing more important than family, other than your relationship with God, and we spend time and energy creating loving relationships with our loved ones.

My hubby and I went together for four years before we got married and we've been married for 38 years! We are the best of friends and we love being together. I guess you could say we know each other pretty well by now!

Anne of Green Gables once told Gilbert when he was trying to win her hand that they would end up being like two old crows!

Well, I prefer to think of Hubby and me as being more like two song birds! We make beautiful music together and I like to think that we are creating a wonderful symphony for our family.

Fortunately for Anne and Gilbert, their story also had a happy ending.

" Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." ~ 1 Corinthians 13: 7-8







I am so happy you have stopped by today. I do hope your visit was a pleasant one. If you would like to join me in my tea party please let me know in your comment and I will gladly add your link to this post. Just share a favourite teacup or teapot. A tea quote, poem, or scripture verse would be welcome too. Either Tea Time button near the top of my sidebar is available for you to use in your post if you so desire. As a courtesy, please link back to me so that your visitors may find their way here to visit with my other participants.


I am also linking with Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life for her Table Top Tuesday and the other tea party hostesses today. You will find their links with the asterisks ** before them.


The list of participants below are in the order in which they first started participating.

PARTICIPANTS











































































































































Table Top Tuesday












Tea Cup Tuesday



















Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday



&

Wednesday Tea For Me and Thee


















Lady Katherine Tea Parlor






Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Friday 17 September 2010

Pink Saturday


Hello pinkie friends and welcome to another Pink Saturday. Today I have a couple of pinks to share with you. With the Fall rapidly approaching, I am doing some housecleaning and getting ready for the new season. I have been making some changes around my home and switching things around.

This is a birdhouse which I painted years ago and had sitting above the kitchen cabinets. I am taking all the birdhouses down and replacing them with teapots. So for now, this birdhouse is sitting on a table in the living room.

It is a soft aqua and cream with pink trim around the dormers and the door. There is also pink in the coleus leaves and the roses. Little birdie is quite happy perched among the posies! I'll leave this birdhouse on the table for a while.


Then there is this~


A beautiful hand painted tea cup which I won in a Giveaway from Amy at Vintage Porcelain Art. As you can see from the photos, there are little pink hand painted roses all over the cup and the saucer. Isn't it scrumptious? I love the pink and green colour combination! The teacup and the saucer both are trimmed in gold and Amy has also signed the bottom.

Thank you Amy, my friend! Please do stop by Amy's blog http://vintageporcelainart.blogspot.com/ and see all her wonderful hand-painted creations. She's a very talented lady who specializes in the painting of china and almost every week she participates in both Pink Saturday and my tea party on Tuesdays.

Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you will take some time today to visit our lovely hostess Beverly @ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/ and her party of pinkies. Wishing you all a marvellous weekend filled with pinkness and sunshine.


I invite you also to stop by on Tuesdays for Tea Time Tuesdays.

Sharing from my heart~ Sandi

Monday 13 September 2010

Tea Time Tuesday


Hello bloggerettes and Welcome to my 34th Tea Time Tuesday post!

I don't know about you, but I'm taking my time putting away my flip flops and packing away all my summer stuff. I want to hang on to Summer for as long as I can! The Fall season is so short and the forerunner to a long cold Winter here in the Maritimes.

While many of you are looking forward to cooler temperatures and brightly coloured leaves, I'm easing myself into the season. I want to savor the last few days of Summer.

I do love the look of the hydrangeas as they take on a blush of colour though and there is a crispness in the air. Alas, these are not mine!
Yes, Fall is coming whether I like it or not! But whether it is Summer, Winter, Spring, or Fall, it's a good time for a cup of tea!

Tea ...."As the centerpiece of a cherished ritual, it's a talisman against the chill of winter, a respite from the ho-hum routine of the day." ~ Sarah Engler


Today, I'm serving tea in two different rooms. The teapot sits on a little table in the corner of the living room while the teacups are out on the kitchen table.

A peachy-pink hydrangea wreath lends itself to this tea set. The sugar and creamer compliment the lacy cut-out topped teapot. All three pieces are by Skye McGhie. The teapot is Cream Lace and the sugar and creamer are Country Rose.


Love the soft hues of these. The peachy-pink is a lovely colour for easing into the Fall colours, don't you agree? Gold trim adorns the sugar and creamer. One cannot tell by the photos but there is gold outlining the roses too.
"One sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight, beyond the bliss of dreams. " ~ Milton


Now how about a cup of Earl Grey tea? Fresh whipped cream and strawberry-applesauce accompany a lovely piece of Gingerbread cake which snuggles up to a couple of pretty teacups.

I am using both my Rose Bud and Rose Chintz teacups. This Rose Chintz is not my usual Johnson Bros. pattern but is produced by Gracie Bone China.



The green pin was a gift from a lady at our last church. I don't know much about this Rose Chintz pattern other than I like it. I found this teacup at Winners and the Rose Bud teacup made by Maxwell and Williams, I found at my favourite tea room. They are very similar in their patterns and both are made of china and trimmed with gold. The little demitasse silver spoon is a piece from my mother's silverware which was a cherished wedding gift from my grandparents. The pattern is Evening Star made by Oneida and my mother received it in 1950 on her wedding day. Only last night, she passed it on to me. I am beyond thrilled to have it in my possession!


Today I am serving home made Gingerbread cake with your tea. It is the perfect dessert for Fall, don't you think? I serve it several different ways; with apple sauce, lemon sauce, or vinegar sauce. The vinegar sauce is my grandmother's recipe and it is delicious but today I'm serving the gingerbread with strawberry-apple sauce and whipped cream.

The jam pot with the cut-out bottom is also Skye McGhie Cream Lace. It holds the strawberry-apple sauce.
Oh, look who showed up! This cute little bunny, which was a surprise gift from my sweet hubby, is inscribed with "Happiness is....Life filled with Love."

Let's talk about happiness today! What makes you happy? For me, it's many things....

The love of God and my family is of course at the top of my list.
I enjoy long walks along the beach or through the woods.
A beautiful sunset or sunrise. Springtime and Summertime. And yes, I love Christmas!
I love music, flowers and trees, and our little feathered friends. Yes, I love birdhouses too!
The cry of a newborn baby fills me with such joy and I love the sound of children laughing.
You all know about my love affair with teacups and teapots, and old silverware.
I love seeing lace adorning a table or on the window, gently blowing in the breeze.
I adore white distressed furniture and toile fabrics.
I love nostalgia and sitting with a cup of tea, listening to stories of yesteryear. My Daddy was a great storyteller.
I enjoy old movies and books; particularly the Bible....
Come to think of it, I love a lot of things; a lot of things make me happy!

I love to laugh and they say laughter is good medicine. I'm thankful for a mate who makes me laugh! He's been doing that for a long time now. He's a keeper, alright!


"A joyful heart is good medicine." ~ Proverbs 17:22

"Wisdom and understanding lead to happiness." ~ Proverbs 3:13


Happiness is sharing tea with a friend.


This has been another long post. I always set out to make my post as short and sweet as possible but I always seem to end up with a lengthy one. Sorry about that! I do hope you have enjoyed yourself and you will feel welcome to partake again soon. I so enjoy your company!

If you would like to participate in Tea Time Tuesday with me, please let me know in your comment. All you need to do is feature a teacup, teapot, or china used in a tea. You may also do coffee, chocolate, or iced tea. A scripture verse, poem, or tea quote would be most welcome. If you wish, you may use either Tea Time Tuesday button near the top of my sidebar in your post. 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 also joining the other tea hostesses today; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays tea parties. Their links are those with the asterisks ** in front of their names.

The participants listed below are in the order in which they first started to participate.


PARTICIPANTS

Lorena~ http://rosechicfriends.blogspot.com/











Tea Cup Tuesday




Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday &
Wednesday Tea for Me and Thee



Miss Spencer's Tea Cup Thursday
** Donna & Miss Spenser~ http://missspensersblog.blogspot.com/



Lady Katherine Tea Parlor


Thank you for stopping by for tea and God bless you!


Sharing from my heart~ Sandi