Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Summertime Tea

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Join me in the garden today for tea and macaroons. I am happy to be a guest blogger for Tea on Tuesday with Pam@Everyday Living and Mary@ Homeiswheretheboatis. Pam and Mary share teatimes on the third Tuesday of each month.  

  "If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden." Frances Hodgson Burnett.





It is cool in my shady garden. You can see the overhead canopy of trees reflecting in the mirror tray.

"God Almighty first planted a garden. And indeed, it is the purest of human pleasures." Sir Frances Bacon


The vintage Chintz teapot was a Christmas gift from my kids. It was the neatest surprise.


This small Lenox basket vase holding tulips was a wedding gift, accented by a rose medallion plate, adding many colors.


The teacups were a surprise birthday gift three months later. China dishes make me feel special, and I enjoy using them even for everyday use. I decided I was not saving them for special occasions but would savor tea using them on ordinary days, be thankful for my children's gifts, and remember them.


"Summer afternoon, Summer afternoon; To me, those have always been the two most beautiful words in the 
English language." Henry James



I love how tulips drape naturally, and each flower has so much personality.

 " Friends are like flowers. They fill the world with beauty." Celeste Barnard


Macaroons are always a treat and perfect with a cup of tea savored in the garden. 
I'm always entertained and amazed by the birds. Sitting in the garden is a beautiful quiet time to reflect and count my blessings. Early mornings are especially pleasant to me.


The riser bought at a local gift shop elevated the teapot, and the gold trim matched the gold accents on the teapot and cups and saucers.



The gold mirrored tray is very versatile. I like it everywhere I use it. It usually resides on my coffee table. I bought it at Home Goods in Dallas, Texas.


The name of the vintage Chintz pattern is called " Summertime." An English Chintz pattern is an all-over, tightly grouped, multi-colored pattern, usually floral. My daughter found the pieces in an Etsy shop.
 Royal Winton Grimwades is an English brand of ceramics made in Grimwades Limited, a Stoke-on-Trent-based company founded in 1885. 



Take a closer look at the top of the teapot. The top of the lid is shaped like a strawberry. The summertime chintz pattern contains roses, daisies, violets, harebells, and other summer flowers. It was first introduced in 1932 and is still popular today.
 This teapot was made in the 60s.



The tablecloth is actually a sheet from the 1970s. I wish I had saved more sheets when patterns were so popular.



"Teatime is a chance to slow down, pull back, and appreciate our surroundings."  Letitia Baldridge

I have enjoyed sharing my tea table 
with you today. Please take the above quote to heart, slow down, and appreciate 
your surroundings. 🌸 Please join my creative friends below and leave them a comment so they will know you visited. 
Thank you, Pam and Mary, for inviting me to be your guest blogger today!


Pam~ Everyday Living



Mary~ Home is Where the Boat Is


Happy teatime! I have been deeply saddened by the passing of Phyllis Hoffman DePiano, editor-in-Chief of Hoffman Media which produces, TeaTime magazine, Victoria magazine, and Southern Lady magazine. She was a very talented and inspiring person and will be greatly missed. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.

☕️🌸☕️🌸☕️

Living thankfully,


Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Summer Blessings

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Happy June! Our weather has been glorious, with beautiful spring-like weather. As Southerners, we know the humidity is coming soon, but we will enjoy it for as long as possible.
Today, I am joining blogging friends and fellow table stylists for a summer tablescape blog hop sponsored by Rita @Panoply.  Twenty total bloggers are participating. Thank you, Rita, for organizing these hops.


I've set the table on the patio today using my favorite colors, which are blue and white. I've added a little green color and texture using Bordello Pinheiro chargers.



I chose an Asian planter with a footed saucer for the centerpiece container. 
Hydrangeas are my favorite flower, and cutting them from my garden brings me much joy.



Johnson Brothers Blue willow plates coordinate with the blue and white floral tablecloth and say welcome summer. Officially summer begins June 21, but everyone will agree that summer activities begin when the kids are out of school.


You can see a little of my garden in this photo. I have a few white and pink hydrangeas but mostly blue. The last time I counted, I had over 80 hydrangeas of various kinds.  With the extreme cold at Christmas, I was afraid it would affect the hydrangeas, and grateful I did not lose any.


I do have a story to share about the Blue Willow plates. In the late '80s, we lived in Fairbanks, Alaska. There was no Amazon, or eBay, then. Southern Living magazine offered a mail-order sale on these dishes, and what a great blessing that was for a young army wife who loved dishes and did not have a source. I am still enjoying them. According to Google, The Blue Willow pattern's exact origin is unknown; however, it's believed it was first made in England during the late 1700s. There are conflicting stories about who created the pattern, too-some claim that Josiah Spode invented it. While others say, John Turner did.
There are key motifs in the Blue Willow pattern. These include willow trees, pine trees, the bridge with three men on it, a fence, a boat, a teahouse or pagoda, and two birds in flight.



Bamboo cutlery adds more texture and contrast. Blue goblets from an estate sale complete the tablescape.



This is my favorite napkin fold. It is Carolyn Roehm's signature napkin fold. 


"All which we behold is full of blessings." 
William Wordsmith


I wish all my followers and table stylist friends a restful and happy summer. I named this post "Summer Blessings" because I am thankful to enjoy a slower pace. What summer activities do you have planned?

Click on the links below to view all the summer tablescapes. Each blogger would love to hear from you.

Home is Where the Boat Is - Hydrangeas and Butterflies
Life and Linda - A Boho Alfresco Tablescape
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Summer Plaid and Polka Dot Picnic
Living With Thanksgiving - Summer Blessings
The Painted Apron - Boats, Floats and Fish!
Pandora's Box - Summer Blues
From My Carolina Home - Welcome Summer Tablescapes
The Bookish Dilettante - Summer Tablescape:  Old Glory
My Thrift Store Addiction - Summer Picnic Brunch under the Texas Mountain Laurel
Red Cottage Chronicles - Lemon Tablescape for Summer
Hyacinths for the Soul - Long May She Wave
Dinner at Eight - A Summer of Colors

Wishing you many summer blessings! By the way, the as I close this post, the humidity has arrived!

🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿

Monday, June 5, 2023

Monday Morning Blooms

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I am honored to be invited to be a 'guest bloomer' for Monday Morning Blooms.  Pam, Mary, and Lidy are very talented floral designers that showcase their talent on the first Monday of every month. Click on the links below to view their beautiful posts.  The theme today is watering cans.
I am so happy to join them for this edition of Monday Morning Blooms.







My original plans for this post changed as the wonderful cool morning progressed. My shady garden works well for gardenias, hydrangeas, and other shade-loving plants. I had a delightful time cutting flowers and greenery and deciding where my table would be. The birds were singing, there was a pleasant breeze, and I was happy and thankful to see the fruit of my labor in my garden rewarded with lots of blooms. I wait all year for this time to arrange my own flowers instead of store-bought ones.
 I'm showing you a little of my garden to set the stage for some of my choices of flowers.

Agapanthus are scattered throughout my woodland setting.


Gardenias have a lovely fragrance and make a great scrub year-round in my garden. It has been very rewarding to root three bushes that are huge now. It is an older variety, and the blossoms are fairly large.


In keeping with the watering can theme, I wanted to use a tole watering can I was gifted some years ago as a vase. Thank you, Johanna. I feel especially grateful because it was her mother's. It has a small opening on one side. A gardenia, pink hydrangea, blue hydrangea, and some dusty miller would all fit.


My mother's smaller tole metal watering can hold agapanthus, solid leaf dusty miler, and hydrangea. If you haven't seen the solid-leaf dusty miller, it is awesome. It adds a pop of white in the garden that catches your eye and is a great filler in arrangements.


It took over twenty stems to make this large arrangement. I love my vintage can that I have had for many years. Gathering flowers and arranging them was so much fun.
 Greenery, especially variegated greenery, adds so much to the garden and to the arrangements. The texture and color contrast is pleasing. Acuba and Pittosporum are my 'go to's'. 


You can see the Acuba at the back of the hydrangeas. It also roots easily in water.


I can't tell you how satisfying it was to enjoy the gorgeous day as I styled these flowers. God has blessed me with each one. Every day is indeed a blessing. I like to talk to Him as I stroll through the garden. It is a wonderful fellowship time.


After making these arrangements, I decided to make myself a refreshing compote of berries.

The embossed tablecloth was my mother-in-law's. Her brother brought it to her from the Phillippines in the late 50s. I noticed the label says "Made in Spain." I enjoy learning the history of vintage items.
 While I was smoothing the tablecloth out, it reminded me of a long bridal veil.


The napkin is equally beautiful.


I look forward to viewing Mary, Lidy, and Pam's watering can arrangements. Thank you, ladies, for inviting me to join you today! 
Click below to view their lovely posts.


Pam at Everyday Living


Mary at Home Is Where the Boat Is

Living Thankfully, 
🌿🌸🌿🌸

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Easter Fun

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Today, I am joining twenty other bloggers for a Spring/Easter Tablescape Blog Hop sponsored by Rita@Panoply.
Our weather has been beautiful, so I set the table in my garden for the blog hop. Join me as we celebrate spring and Easter.

Thank you, Rita, for all you do organizing the tablescape hops! You do a fabulous job. 
 
White hydrangeas accented with pink carnations were arranged in a vintage basket borrowed from a dear friend and placed on a pastel stripe napkin for the centerpiece.

Spring has arrived in south Alabama. The azaleas, dogwoods, spirea, flowering trees, and  Lady Banks roses are all blooming.
I wish you could all be here and enjoy the beautiful weather in my garden.
Can you see my Pink Ruffle azalea behind the table?
Grace Tea Ware scalloped bunny plates with pretty pastel colors was found at Home Goods. I knew when I saw the bunny plates they would match my Paula Deen aqua plates. I was thankful to find floral napkins at Home Goods too, that brought out all the colors in the plates. 



This is a close-up of the Nicole Miller floral napkin with a rattan napkin ring. The napkin ring found at a local gift shop tied all the natural elements of rattan, bamboo, and water hyacinth together. 

The sweet pastel hand-tooled real eggs carved with beautiful designs were a birthday gift last year. They are so delicate.


Here is a close-up of the intricately designed eggs. They were such a sweet gift. I placed them in egg cups in several photos.

Natural elements are a major theme unifying this tablescape. Water hyacinth placemats, rattan centerpiece basket, napkin rings, rattan liners for the glasses, and bamboo cutlery are all-natural elements that give great texture to this spring table.



Click here to view the video.

After several days, some of the flowers began to wane. I broke down the centerpiece arrangement and placed it in smaller vases on my kitchen table to enjoy it longer.

"Our Lord has written the promise of Resurrection, not in books alone but in every leaf of springtime." Martin Luther.

It was the blue hour outside when I took this picture. I know you are wondering where I live because all our spring flowers arrived about two weeks early this year. Usually, in south Alabama, the azaleas open now and last until the end of the month. We had two weeks in late February and early March with highs in the 80s during the day, so everything bloomed earlier. The blooms are all gone now, and it has turned cooler. Monday night, it is forecast to be a low of 28. I guess this is the cool spell before Easter. Did you know the farmers say if the pecan trees have leafed out, there will not be any more cold weather? They have not leafed out yet. All my hydrangeas are full of leaves which is a concern. But, by Thursday, it is forecast to be a high of 80. 



Below, you will find the blogger's links to view their creative tablescapes. 
Home is Where the Boat Is - Cottontail Farms
Everyday Living - The Blessing of Easter
Corner of Plaid and Paisley - One Happy Bunny
Bleu Belle Interiors - Spring Brings Joy
Living With Thanksgiving - Easter Fun
Hyacinths for the Soul - Springtime Pleasures
Celebrating Everyday Life - How to Style an Elegant Easter Brunch Table
The Painted Apron - Carrots and Cottontails
My Thrift Store Addiction - Egg-cited for Spring Breakfast Table
Celebrate and Decorate - Spring Table Decor
Red Cottage Chronicles - Blue and White Tablescape for Spring
Thrifting Wonderland - Spring Forward Tablescape
Thank you for viewing my post today. I am grateful for your friendship and support. Reflecting on life's blessings, you are a great blessing to me. 
🌸🌿💐🌿 🌸🌿💐🌸🌿🌸🌿💐🌸🌿💐🌸🌿💐🌸🌿💐
                                  Living thankfully,