Blossom & Bear

The ornamental crabapple blossoms are so pretty in vibrant pink! I decided to bring some inside and pair them with a pink blossom teacup and saucer so I could enjoy them in the house. Dusty miller provided some contrast to the vibrant pink and bright green leaves. The arrangement is more whimsy and casual than symmetrically formal or elegant. But, it was fun to create!

The pictures are of my Blossom Bear. She's just the right size to sit on a chair and to look pretty on display, but she's really not stylish any more. Trends have changed from the days when bears were so ultra-popular. But I don't mind. She is special to me. My mother made her about twenty years ago. The fabric is an embroidered 1950's luncheon tablecloth that had been a wedding gift to my parents. Mom kept it as such for about 40 years. Then she decided to re-purpose it by dying it pink and using it to make a bear out of. She strategically positioned the embroidery on the body and face so that it would be featured well. Isn't she sweet? I thought you might like to see her. I love Blossom Bear because she has become a family heirloom.

Are you familiar with the crabapple tree? I have memories of my father raving over how good crabapples were. My grandmother would stew them or can them in his childhood and he developed a fondness for crabapples that has never gone away. I like them too, but not well enough to put up with their messiness in the lawn when the apples fall. So, our crabapple tree is ornamental. The apples are very small; similar to berries. They are a popular ornamental tree used in landscaping, having beautiful blossoms that announce spring so loud and clear! Their blossoms are beautiful even before they open. The bud stage is called "balloon". Flowers in the balloon stage are often a different color than the open blossom. The leaf colors can vary from tree to tree.

Today I paired this teacup with Blossom Bear and my ornamental crabapple blossoms (top photo; lower photo is shown with dogwood blossoms).  The teacup and saucer are Peach Blo Limoges, Silver Moon pattern. They are American made and feature a square plate with scalloped corners. The teacup and saucer are platinum trimmed with a pale pink background and have pastel blossoms and foliage. It was manufactured from the 1920's to the 1940's.

The tea is Adagio's Ceylon Sonata, a black tea from Sri Lanka. Grown on the Kenilworth Estate, it is fresh, citrusy in aroma and has the sweet, juicy notes of mandarin peel or grapefruit. It is quite balanced in astringency and has a refreshing, smooth texture.

It's been fun to look around my house and the garden, finding things that go with this and that. Today is the day for pink! I hope it is a wonderful one for you!

American Country Kitchen

My first kitchen was American Country. I hardly know where to start when commenting about this style of kitchen decor, as an emotional response is quite evident as I type the words. Step back in time with me to my early married days and a little barn house set on a hillside. The kitchen was upstairs with a view of sagebrush covered hillsides through two very large windows. A dormer was the perfect size for a large, round dining room table and chairs made from pine. A painted brown bookcase sat nearby, filled with cookbooks, wooden objects, candles, and dried flower arrangements. Rag scatter rugs in blue accented a mustard-yellow floor. A collection of miniature baskets were arranged neatly along the top of the cabinets next to ceiling, adding color and a quaint sense of beauty. The curtains were my pride and joy --- creamy muslin trimmed in rows of a ruffled brown print that took hours to hem and gather. They were tied back with coordinating fabric. Everything was brown and blue except for the touches of cream and white that were the palette for the earthy colors. Wrought-iron trivets carefully selected from a family trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania graced the walls. And in those days, chickens were evident in many kitchens, and they were definitely a focal point in mine --- either as ceramic chickens, wooden eggs in a chicken-wire box, or as a copper-wire hen bought in Mexico and filled with threads of brown raffia to look like straw. Old bottles tied with simple ribbon and filled with dried grasses and wheat were set in floor corners. Cobalt blue dishes and white ironware were slowly collected and added to decor at a pace that newlyweds can afford. Woven rug chair pads bought in Pennsylvania Amish country were a colorful blue and accented the dark pine chairs. As time, and new places to live evolved, the country kitchen gave way to a traditional look, but I still miss that country look and look back on those years with great fondness.

Here are some of the unique features that make an American Country kitchen as outlined in Pat Ross's book, Kitchens.

American folk art establishes the characteristic look of this style. A hooked rug hanging on a wall, a whimsical whirligig placed on a wall, a sponge ware bowl filled with wooden apples in red or green, or a wooden slice of watermelon set atop a counter all help create this look.

Braided throw rugs work well to cushion weary feet for those long hours of chopping, mixing, or doing dishes at the sink. They are colorful, durable, and shake clean easily.

Wrought-iron trivets, either vintage originals or reproductions, can make an artistic statement when hung on a wall. To show off a handsome collection, hang large pieces of pegboard, paint them the color of the wall, and attach trivets with peg hooks. They're easy to remove and place in service. Single trivets can be hung by a long nail.

Wreaths made of softly colored everlastings find a home in the American country kitchen. Straw flowers, babies breath, or grapevine wreath trimmed with a pretty plaid ribbon all add to the country look.

A row of sponge ware bowls is always fresh and appealing.

Fish decoys painted in soft colors make great art for the country kitchen. Hang them in a row or make them swim across the wall.

Dried herbs can be tied onto a hanging or standing rack along with dish towels made of homespun fabric. For party occasions in the kitchen, tie a small bunch of dried herbs on the back of each chair.

Place a colorful old penny rug in the center of the kitchen table with an old-fashioned lazy Susan on top.

Cooking utensils are easy to get to when they're stored in a decorative stoneware jug on the counter.

Find the perfect oak rocker for your kitchen, and set it by a sunny window. [In our kitchen, a wooden cradle trimmed in calico blue was set beside one of the large windows for baby Brandon. It was the perfect place for him to sleep or sun while mother worked on supper or a canning project].

Fill a wooden bucket with dried flowers and place on the floor.

Fake fruits and vegetables made from wood, marble, ceramics, wax, or paper mache make lovely permanent arrangements.

Folk art objects and American country antiques related to the kitchen can be placed on a shelf or window ledge. Carved dolls, wooden barnyard animals, old medicine bottles, decorative butter molds, or antique utensils all make great additions to the American country kitchen.

A floor cloth stenciled in a quilt or theorem painting design is both attractive and sensible in the American country kitchen.

Use old checkerboards to make graphic wall art.

Swag a country-check fabric across the tops of your kitchen windows.

Consider a brass candle chandelier in the kitchen. The romantic candle glow in the evening will transform your family dining area.

Primitive country benches are as at home in the kitchen as they are in the rest of the house. A bench not only offers family and friends a place to drop their things and sit for a while, but also provides additional storage space underneath.

Cookbooks by the dozen become decorative objects in themselves. Stack them in a line, on a shelf, on a baker's rack, or use several over sized books as a pedestal upon which to set a lamp.

American baskets are light, attractive, and always ready when arranged on top of kitchen cabinets or in the lower portion of open shelving.

Drill small holes in antique knives, forks, and spoons --- the odd bits of flatware found at tag sales and flea markets, rarely tow of them the same --- to match up with the existing screw holes in your drawers or doors. Then remove the existing hardware and replace with your whimsical new pulls. Most silversmiths suggest looking for flatware that is sturdy so as to prevent the bending or loosening of handles. Wooden spoons provide a rustic variation on this clever idea.

Begin looking for old graters and sieves at flea markets. Then hang them from your pot rack to add interest to the new things.

Unusual and fanciful hanging lamps can be made from a tin colander --- old, new, standard size, or chef's size. Select from several graphic punched designs (stars are fun), then run an electrical cord through a hole drilled in the top. Electrify it using an adapter kit found at most hardware stores.

Painted watering cans are great for watering pots of herbs and ivy --- and look great as a part of the decor.

Old quilts and textiles make great accents in this style of kitchen. A worn quilt makes a pretty tablecloth or centerpiece.

It's reassuring to keep a small light turned on in the kitchen after dark. Small table lamps with soft pink bulbs of fifty to eighty watts provide a cozy atmosphere as well as supplemental light on gloomy days.

Mirrors do a great job in expanding a small kitchen. A pine mirror on a wall behind the kitchen table or a long piece of mirror cut to fit the space under the kitchen cabinets doubles the look of space. A grouping of whimsically framed small mirrors becomes a bright and artistic arrangement on a dark wall.

Make a gallery of children's artwork for the wall or fridge.

Start a collection of cookware, utensils, linens or other items for the kitchen. Old salt and pepper shakers, for example, come in every imaginable motif from pink flamingos to wishing wells. They're bright, useful, novel, fun to display, and even more fun to find.

Most of all, have fun and make your kitchen an expression of you and who you are!

Photo: Elm Street Antiques

Pretty in Pink

Things are pretty in pink at Elm Street. Teri and Paula have been busy finding and creating lovely new treasures for their shop. Soft pinks, creamy white, and rose decals all work together on tin, wood, and fabric to form pretty shabby chic embellishments for the home. A creamy white tea tin with tiny rose decals was too beautiful to pass by --- it had to come home with me. It's so pretty sitting on my kitchen counter. Charming and sweet, it reminds me of the creative sisters of Elm Street and of all the fun they have together, adding special treats of vintage decor to their antique and gift shop. Great job, you two! Each visit to your shop is a treasure hunt of new and interesting things!

Blog Hop-a-Long

It's time for another blog-hop. Come along with me --- let's see what's going on in Blogland.

A Haven for Vee is participating in a 'drive by' event where she is posting pictures along with others of pretty houses and neighborhoods in which they live. In a recent post, she also posted the cutest corner shelf that I adore. I've never seen one like it before --- it's inspired me!

Charli and Me is joyfully celebrating the win of the Detroit Red Wings as the winners of the 2008 Stanley Cup - hockey fan! Such memories this fact brings up for me, as my Dad loves hockey --- playing, viewing, and talking about.

Sandy at Quill Cottage is having an "I Remember Laura" blog-a-thon and recently posted an interview she conducted with another Laura Ingalls (Gunn), the great-great-great granddaughter of the Laura we all love and know from the "Little House" books.

At Happy Wonderer Ellen took a quick trip home from her condo in California to her home in Washington and shared pictures of her beautiful garden flowers and a darling teapot and creamer she found at Goodwill. In her next post she promises to post more about the Japanese Gardens she visited while in Seattle.

Junie Moon has been sharing wonderful sewing and craft ideas on her blog. I love her idea for pretty visors to protect from the sun's rays, and her apron for a swap is darling! And don't forget to check out the toe separators! Adorable!

Mary at Kettle and Cup posted a terrific recipe for Green Tea Slush. It sounds SO yummy! I can hardly wait to try it.

Over at Like a Warm Cup they are sharing a great sounding recipe for bean dip. It's an oven version, making it a great idea for entertaining when you want to "prepare ahead".

Candyce, at My Life in Teacups has been making the cutest aprons! Be sure to scroll down her page a ways so you can see them. She's made two types --- adorable!

At 4 Reluctant Entertainers, Sandy has a beautiful post in tribute to her 89 year old auntie who just had a birthday. The pictures she shared are precious and the sweet memories of her auntie create such words of blessing.

Things are always interesting at Rosemary's Sampler. You'll have to take a look at the recipe for Rose Petal Tea Sandwiches (and there's picture too!). The most recent post is of the menu for the Queen's Tea they just conducted at Rosemary House Tea Room. Yum!

The Scrabble Queen has cherries! I cannot believe that anyone has cherries ready to harvest and eat, but there must be sunshine somewhere, 'cause there is evidence in her kitchen of the beautiful red orbs! Also, take a minute to congratulate her son on his recent graduation.

Over at Storybook Woods, inspiration reigns! Clarice has made some wonderful pillow coverings for summer (sew creative!) and is sharing wonderful ideas for creative and pretty pantry's.

Karen at Sweet Necessi-Teas has designed and stitched a most beautiful teacup tote. It's elegant and sweet in soft pink with lace and ribbon. A tiny pocket on the outside is ideal for tucking a sugar packet or tea bag into. It's so nicely done!

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you know I am crazy about lavender! Alice at Tea in My Cup shares a delicious recipe for Lavender Shortbread Cookies. Lavender is just starting to bud; it's a perfect time to pick some for this tasty culinary purpose.

Lovella's walking down memory lane over at What Matters Most. She makes a beautiful "motorcycle mama" and I am green with envy! It looks like she had a blast! Go take a look.

And last, but not least, Marie at ZQuilts has had a birthday. Pop on over and wish her a wonderful year ahead! And while you are there, take a moment to enjoy her little hummingbird pictures and view her fantastic "mixed media" projects.

What a fun journey I've had, blog hopping through Blogland. Do you know what all these blogs have had in common? Each blog writer was a participant in the Gracious Hospitali-TEA blog-a-thon and is listed on "The Tea Ladies" list. If you'd like to know what some of the others are doing as well, stop on by.

Photo: Elm Street Antiques

Mouse Ear of the Woods

Forget Me Not teacup
Clare Bone China ~ Made in England

These dainty little flowers have the botanical name Myosotis sylvatica which has the adorable meaning "Mouse Ear of the Woods". They are probably better known, though as Forget Me Nots. They can be identified by their five petals, a flat face, and a yellow eye or center. They are commonly baby blue in color, but can also be found in white and pink. They are native to England but can be found in woodland areas in many parts of North America. They are easily cultivated and make a pretty addition to flower gardens. 

The tiny blossoms of this plant are edible and can be added to salads to add variety in color, shape, and flavor. And like violets, violas, and pansies, they can be candied or sugared and then used to decorate baked goods and confectioneries. Excessive ingestion of this delicate blossom is not suggested, as it contains minute amounts of pyrrolizidine, an alkaloid that is found in several common herbs like borage, comfrey, and coltsfoot. Don't let that scare you from trying this tiny blossom, though. Honey, grains, milk, and eggs are also sources where this naturally occurring chemical can be found. Moderation seems to be the key.

Historically, this flower was selected to be the one representing King Henry IV of England. He was exiled in 1398  and holds a colorful and romanticized place in chronicles of the time. It is thought that the flowers represent faithfulness and enduring love because of the life of Henry IV. This English king was the principle in a play written by William Shakespeare entitled "The History of Henrie the Fourth". Such interesting tidbits of history and information can be gleaned simply by researching a simple, blue flower from the garden.

Forget Me Not teacup
Queen's Fine Bone China ~ Rosina China Co. Ltd. ~ Made in England

Finding recipes that use forget me nots as an ingredient in food is uncommon, but the little blue flowers make beautiful decoration on baked goods. They can be arranged on cupcakes or frosted cookies. Cookies decorated with icing sugar "forget me not" flowers are pretty too. Examples can be found on Pinterest and are fun to look at. 

Forget Me Not teacup
Hand-painted Porcelain ~ No Marking

Forget Me Not Cookies

*

1 egg white

1/4 cup sugar

1/16 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

*

Makes 18 cookies

*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Be sure the oven rack is set in the middle position. Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.  Whisk egg whites in a bowl until foamy. Slowly add sugar and beat until peaked. An electric mixer works best for the whisking process. Then, fold in salt, chocolate chips, walnuts, and vanilla.  Using a teaspoon, drop cookies on baking sheet. Then place cookies in preheated oven. Close the door and then turn off the oven. Allow cookies to sit in the oven for six to 10 hours. Then, open oven door and remove. Use a metal spatula to remove cookies from the parchment paper.

February in Pink & Red

Valentine's day has passed, but I cannot allow the holiday to pass without sharing bits and pieces of this heart-filled holiday.

February has been cold and snowy. It's been the perfect time for projects and crafting. Even simple projects like organizing a bookshelf can brighten up the day.

Red is the color for tea service in February! It is such a cheerful color and is the color of love.

Valentine's cards and tea samples from friends brighten February days, making a daily walk to the mailbox a rewarding experience.

And pretty in pink, a puppy's visit was so pleasant and sweet. Cuddles and tugs-of-war alternated with this frisky little beauty.

Good morning! Being called "handsome" is a great way for some to start the day!

Flowers. Tulips and lilies.

Chocolates and a tea tasting.

Red roses. Beautiful red roses.

And a Valentine's brunch of crepes, fruit sauces, and Darjeeling tea.

Happy February!

Spring should be here soon!

Do you have snowdrops in bloom yet?

None here.

October's Roses

Last week I picked one of my last rose bouquets of the year. We've not had a hard frost yet, but it's likely to occur yet this month. Rose blossoms during October are slow to open and more compact than those of the spring and summer months. When I cut these roses, they were all in bud form and didn't completely open for several days. To help force them out, I placed them in very hot water in the sink, and later gave them another dose of hot water when I arranged them in their vase. Now they are nearing the end of their prime, but are still pretty in an old-fashioned sort of way. Red, peach, pink, yellow, and cream in color, they each have their own beauty and character.

*The tea towel shown in this picture is a vintage one I purchased at a second-hand store recently. It's cross-stitched and has just enough wear in the fabric and threads to make it interesting --- a comfortable look of age.

The Teapot Quilt Hop

It was a beautiful, sunny day! After days of torrential rain, it was wonderful to see blue skies. Karleen invited me to drive to take a day trip with her to a lovely town in the midst of wheat and wine country. She was running a simple errand; taking a quilt to a shop for machine quilting. She asked if I would like to ride along, and of course that meant the teapot too.

Karleen's quilt is vibrant and colorful! Blue, yellow, pink, and green create a kaleidoscope effect in fabric.

There was a Sunbonnet Sue quilt on the quilting machine, but they spread Karleen's quilt on the edge where it perched all pretty-like. There it was measured and much figuring was done.

It took awhile to figure out which pantograph design to use for the quilting. The little traveling teapot was stuck in a bag, just waiting for permission to peek out and see all the action.

Finally the time was right and the teapot made her appearance. She posed so beautifully on that colorful quilt. And she waited patiently while the ladies went through a bin of thread colors as they tried to find just the right thread for the machine quilting that would stitch the fabric sandwiching the cotton batting.

A choice was made and it was time to move along.  We decided to go to lunch, but discovered another little quilt shop along the way. Of course we dropped in!

The traveling teapot was dutifully introduced and a student learning to sew quilts perked up her ears and said "I'm a tea lady" and gave a happy smile. Her name is Elizabeth and she has a collection of more than 100 teacups. She shared about a recent afternoon tea that she enjoyed in the Bahamas and talked about how much she enjoyed tea at The Empress Hotel in Victoria as well. She was so much fun to talk to!

The shop owner joined right in, telling about a wonderful tea event she attended in Indonesia. She loved the tea and the sugar cubes they served with the tea so much that she stocked up and brought packages of it home with her. It's amazing how "tea" influences so many and how the little plum teapot becomes the impetus for sharing and discovery of common bonds.

Eventually we arrived at our lunch destination. Amber, immediately after being presented with the traveling teapot, offered to take the teapot to the kitchen and fill it with tea for us.

She was quite interested that the house teapots were exactly the same as the traveling teapot except smaller in size. She brought one out to pose with our little plum teapot.

After lunch and tea...

 ...we decided to hit one last quilt shop before heading home.

This shop was a busy place with all the latest trends in fabrics and patterns. After introduction, the plum teapot was given permission to pose wherever she wanted. She was very serious about her task as ambassador of tea.

While the shop keepers worked...

...and serious quilters sewed

...the little plum teapot was finding places to perch and preen. 

Eventually the plum teapot found her comfort zone on a stack of Moda charm packs and next to a delightful quilt design book called "Tea Party". Quite appropriate, don't you think?

It was such a relaxing day. Textiles provide beautiful colors and amazing textures. They inspire and help one create so many pretty things. The little plum teapot enjoyed serving tea and listening to conversation all along the way. Teapot decided that going on a quilt hop made for an interesting day.