Giveaway Winner

The winner of my first giveaway, celebrating 100 posts, is Marlena of Tea For Today.

Congratulations, Marlena.    

Table Centerpiece

Saturday is our Holiday Hearts and Homes event at church and I volunteered to decorate one of the tables, as well as do a card workshop.  I wasn’t sure what to do for a centerpiece, but then I found this cake stand at BJ’s.

It is bright and cheerful, but what I loved about this cake stand, besides the $9.99 price, was the way it can do double duty as a chip and dip plate. 

I love the polka dots on the flip side and the bowl is nice and deep.  This piece also comes in solid white for year round use.

 Then I found this wreath to add to the cake plate.

I filled a crystal compote with mints and a pillar candle.  Of course I had to unwrap them all and add quite a few more than shown here.

I thought that it looked quite nice and a good size and height for the round table.  I’ll post pictures of the finished tablescape, as well as some of the others.

100 Posts Giveaway

How did it get so late so soon?  It’s night before it’s afternoon.  December is here before it’s June.  My goodness how the time has flown.  How did it get so late so soon?
-  Dr. Seuss

Even with my sporadic posting schedule, I’ve reached 100 blog posts already.  It has been an enjoyable experience and I feel like I’ve made some new friends.  I’ve even had the pleasure of meeting one of my favorite posters, Angela McRae, in person.  Her Tea With Friends was the first of many blogs I now follow.

To celebrate all the fun I’ve had reading your comments and your blogs, I’m having a little giveaway.

I’m sure any tea enthusiast will enjoy Gail Greco’s book Tea-Time Journeys.  It is filled with lots of traditional and unusual recipes, such as Glazed Lemon Herbal Tea Bread, Sugarplum Scones and English Toffee Shortbread with Chocolate Frosting.

All you sewers and crafters will appreciate the new book Home Sweet Sewn by Alice Butcher & Ginny Farquhar.  I really like the vintage look felted wool tea cozy on the cover.

I’ve also included a “sensuali*tea” notepad.  Aw come on, you all knew that taking tea can be romantic, didn’t you. 

So leave me a comment before 6 pm on Friday November 13th and I’ll throw your name in the hat.  I’ll announce a winner soon after that.  

 

 

I Used To Paint

One of my favorite blogs Delights of the Heart mentioned pulling out some paints and it made me think about how I used to enjoy painting many years ago.  Seems like the only painting I do these days is the odd tag or scrapbook accent.

When I was attending Sheraton College, my interior design curriculum included drafting and watercolor painting.  A few years before that I took a tole painting class through the Parks & Recreation Dept of my hometown. 

This bread board was my first tole painting effort.

Next I painted a bunny basket with daffodils for Easter.  I also painted several small Christmas ornaments before losing interest and going on to other things.

I’d like to take up watercolor painting again, but I’m not likely to get back into the tole painting on wood.  I know many of you are very creative and I’d like to know if you have also tried painting.

One of my favorite artists who has combined her love of tea and painting is Sandy Lynam Clough.  She has illustrated many books and her work is featured on china, giftware, etc.   One such book is If Teacups Could Talk by Emilie Barnes.   

My Tea Tree Treat

Today, I treated myself to my first new tea tree ornament of 2009.

 I have always liked Wedgwood jasperware, but didn’t think that it would ever be affordable.

This miniature teacup is perfect for my tabletop Christmas tea tree.

This ornament was the last one on the shelf at my local Tuesday Morning store.  I’m looking forward to putting up my tree and unpacking all my treasured miniature cups, teapots, spoons, trays, etc.  

Meanwhile, I’d better get back to preparations for the workshop and the tea table that I’m doing at our church Holiday Hearts and Homes event.  The holiday busyness has started already. 

 

100 Years of Royal Albert Teacups

How could I have missed this wonderful collection of teacups based on Royal Albert patterns over the span of 100 years?

 Each set of five cups and saucers is presented in a beautiful hatbox.

 The teacups and saucers are fine bone china with gold banding.  To read the history of each individual cup you can visit Royal Doulton. 

These sets have been added to my wish list, although they are rather expensive even at the special price of $129.99.  Then there is the problem of finding them in stock anywhere.

I did notice that Amazon is selling the l00 Years of Royal Albert brooches.  The lovely cup that represents a pattern that came out in my birth year is also added to my list.

  I’m curious to know what my tea enthusiast friends have added to their Christmas wish lists. 

Gooseberry Patch Christmas

I’ve been enjoying a new Christmas magazine by Gooseberry Patch.  The first recipe I tried was Slow Cooker Chocolate Pudding Cake.  A great dessert to make when you need the oven free for a turkey, or a ham, etc.  It was very rich and delicious.

 Next was Grandma’s Date-Nut Bread, which can be made in three small loaf pans (great for giving).  The bread turned out very moist and nutty.  I used walnuts and I think next time I’ll use only one cup instead of two and maybe substitute raisins.  I like nuts, but don’t want them to overpower the dates and other flavors. 

There were ideas for tea gifts and crafts as well.  This mint tea would make a nice gift packaged with a little tea for one pot.

 Making a tea cozy from an old sweater is not something I would have thought of, but it is cute and could easily be customized. 

 There are several more recipes that I plan to try.  These little spiced  applesauce cakes look delicious. 

 How about easy microwave candy for quick gifts?

The $10.99 price tag is a little steep, but I think that this magazine will be used for many years.  It’s fun to pull out a big stack of these Christmas books and magazines each year and select a few new recipes and crafts to try.