Time Out for Tea

What a lovely surprise today when I discovered a new friend who loves tea-time possibly more than I.  Actually, she has a lovely blog totally devoted to tea time savored with other blogging friends... My friend Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage is someone I'd love to meet in person someday! She lives way up in Prince Edward Island...Anne of Green Gables country...and that is definitely a location on my most desired places to visit list.  You may ask why? Well, I refer you to a story I wrote some time ago entitled "A Kindred Spirit", which will fill you in on the history of my interest in Anne of Green Gables.

All that aside, I realize that I am a couple of days late for the "Savor the Summer Tea" at Rose Chintz Cottage, but perhaps I can "crash" the party just this once.  It's a little late in the evening here to set out my tea party things, so I will add a few pictures that might be appropriate for the occasion.  Next time I will try to be better prepared. 

To properly set the mood, why don't you "Come into my kitchen and chat with me while I prepare a pot of tea?"....I love this needlepoint picture created by my Grandma Mursch and given to me after her death. My grandmother and I always shared the love of a good cup of tea together, so I was thrilled when I was able to receive this from her home.  It now graces my kitchen and invites all who enter to sit and visit over a pot of tea.

I have chosen for my cup of tea this delightful bone china teacup that fittingly enough is named

"June Bouquet", and is a Duchess Bone China teacup from England. And guess what else makes this cup extra special?  It was a gift from my Grandma! I know she is smiling up in heaven right now knowing that I am treasuring her gifts to me in this way and sharing them with you.

Remember...click on the pictures to enlarge and enjoy!

I love the delicate little rosebuds that grace the saucer and the cup.
Roses are my favorite flower anyway...so that makes this even sweeter.

Now I suppose I need to also find just the right teapot to go with this little cup.  Let me see....Oh, here's the perfect teapot... one of my Hall Teapot collection...a rose colored teapot...and guess what else? You are getting good at this...you guessed it!  Yes, this also once belonged to my Grandma! You know, I really didn't plan this at all...it just happened this way...or maybe I just needed to remember my Grandma today.  She was such a dear sweet lady.  But then again, aren't all Grandmas sweet?

My Grandma Mursch's Hall Rose Teapot and my June Bouquet Teacup, a gift from my Grandma when I was a young lady...   To see a few more of my teapots I refer you to the page  entitled "A Few of My Favorite Things" . Be sure to scroll down to see the china closet and a few of the special treasures in my home that I cherish.  Another good place to visit is "I Come By It Honestly", which shows some other of my favorite collections.

So now, since you are joining me for tea, perhaps I'd better get another teacup for you! 

This lovely little tea set actually didn't come from my grandmother...it was a gift from a dear friend. I just love the whimsical style of this, don't you?  The pattern is called "Chintz Charming" by Julia Bullmore. It certainly fits its name.

I just thought of another teacup that you might like to use...

My Grandma Tedlie's Haviland Limoges China tea cup and saucer and luncheon plate.
"The Princess" design...perfect for a couple of princesses having a tea party,
don't you agree?

This is a very special teacup that came from my other Grandma...Grandma Tedlie...and I just recently received it from my Mother's home after we settled my parent's estate this past year.  Yes, this is a lovely teacup, and I just happen to have two of them, one for me and one for you!  We could do what my sister and I did this past September for my birthday...we had a little impromptu tea party, using these cups in memory of my mother (and Grandmother too)....

Can you tell we were having fun in our little impromptu tea party? Two sisters, doing what we enjoyed doing as little girls growing up together.

So now, I've given you several choices...and they are all uniquely lovely.  You know, a tea party should be something that is designed to bring out the best in each of us...it doesn't matter if we use my Grandma Tedlie's Haviland Limoges china, or my Grandma Mursch's June Bouquet Duchess Bone China ...or the newer "Chintz Charming" set.  The important thing is to just do it...have the tea party...you may only have ironstone mugs made in China...that's okay too (although it'd be better if they were made in the USA)...it doesn't matter.  Invite your friend(s), sister, mother, grandmother, the little old lady next door, or a couple of young teenagers who need to feel special...and do just that...make them feel special.  Share yourself with them...whatever God leads you to do...

"Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life."  I Timothy 6:17-19.

We are so blessed with such treasures...let us use whatever we have to honor and glorify our Lord...and who knows...by opening our homes to share what we have with others, we may even be entertaining angels!

Hebrews 13:2 says,

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels."

This little angel is tuning up the violin to serenade us while we have our tea!

She is standing in front of that beautiful antique flow blue china platter that belonged to my mother.

Now THAT'S a group of Angels! What a tea party that would be!

 Y'all Come!