Time for Tea!

Good morning! I love "tea parties"; although, I don't drink regular "tea." I gave it up years ago, but I do drink herbal teas now. But I thought I'd share with you my "tea party" today. How fun!!

Tea parties aren't about just drinking tea; it's about rituals and traditions also. I have some Old Country Roses teacups and saucers my daughter gave me to decorate and put up for sale on ebay and I have. But I always, always drink out of a china cup. I'm a china collector - plates mostly, but we eat off of china every single meal. It isn't just for show in this house. No, sirreee. It is used every single meal.

In my tea party above I have a lot of pieces that foster memories for me. The little sugar bowl was bought for me by my hubby at an estate sale for a neighbor many years ago. He thought I'd like it as a remembrance of her. He bought another bowl too, but it isn't in this picture.

The teapot is just one of several I have collected over the years. They all have roses or flowers on them in one way or another.

The plate in the background has real thick gold all around it. It is so shiny that is very hard to capture on photos, but it is absolutely gorgeous and stunning in person. I have 4 of them and love them. They cost a small fortune but I won them.

The teacup is, of course, OCR and has a teabag in it called "orange spice" and it is wonderful hot or cold. I always add lots of lemon to my teas because I like them weak and not strong with lots of sweetener. The teaspoon is a set of silver my hubby bought over in Japan about 40 years ago for us.

The little "honey pot" is one I found years ago and has a sentimental meaning for me. It has the requisite roses! :-)

The little pink plate is also gorgeous. I've put on it some faux pastries that I've made. I don't sell them but have given some away. Some of them were made by Natasha in Australia - a very talented lady who is very sweet herself! But I have lots of "eye candy" around my home. It's the only way I could live!! Love it.

The little pitcher is one of several I've collected also. I love pitchers. This one I've used as a vase and put some roses in and have it on my living room coffee table.

The vase of roses actually contains some paper roses I made and painted with watercolors. They are very time consuming so I don't make them a lot, but they are lovely when I do make them. It took me a while to "perfect" that rose.

I've used a vintage tablecloth and a napkin with a ribbon rose I made as a napkin ring........yep, I collect napkin rings also. Have dozens of them. I just put them in a bowl and sit them around usually, but since the move I've put them away somewhere and can't find them.

The little tags are some I printed out especially for hang tags which is my latest endeavor. I always have to be making something or I figure I'm "not doing anything."

So that's my tea party for you today. Enjoy and let me hear from you. I love the ritual of taking tea and chatting with friends about my favorite subject: decorating and creating beautiful things for the home.