Celebrating Tea Time

We're celebrating T.T.T.'s Second Birthday!

I'd love to be knocking on Sandi's door tomorrow to celebrate Tea Time Tuesday with her in person. It's been TWO years since she started being our hostess. Congratulations!
This teapot with roses was a Christmas gift from Wally's sister. She is so cute and gets so excited when you open what she knows is the perfect gift. Her excitement is as much of a gift as is the package.

Now in your mind we're singing Happy Birthday, Dear T.T.T., and then as soon as we finish singing, out pops:

"I'm a Little Teapot, short and stout.
Here is my handle...

Here is my spout!"

And since this is a party, there's lots of chatter, laughs, and time for a blessing before we begin to eat. We hold hands in friendship, over long miles, and quietly ask the Lord's blessing for all in attendance, thanking Him for our Tea Time Tuesday friends, and praising Him for the fellowship we experience with Sandi's talent and commitment to bringing us together.

And now for the food...did you know you could have stopped by this wee grocery store and picked up nearly everything that we have on today's menu? The teapot measures 4 1/2 inches and is not hollow, although the lid comes off. How about that shadow? I left this picture "in" because of it. That is our afternoon sunshine at work!
The grocery store caught my eye while in Denver and was $1. A fair price I thought. It reminded me of my Lilliput Lane and David Winter cottages but had "Hometown Teapot Cottages" on the bottom. There are others in the set, so I'll keep my eyes open for one.
Sandi, Thank you for letting me join the fun when I have things together. It takes a lot of time to do this each week and to celebrate TWO YEARS is amazing! Not only are your pictures and tea things lovely, your words are beyond beautiful. We are blessed that you share this talent with us each week. Tell your family that we appreciate them, too. May God continue to wrap His arms around you. ♥♫

Tea Time Tuesday Anniversary!

Sandi is celebrating her first anniversary for Tea Time Tuesday! I try to join whenever I can and didn't want to miss this party.

If I took time to find a tea candle for this cup I found while wandering around GW on Saturday, I'd miss the fun. It has the prettiest pink roses and hearts for Valentine's Day and will be fun to have on the table/shelf.
I ♥ finding new books that make me happy and here is my newest one that would be delightful for Sandi's new grandbaby! It would be perfect with a certain little tea set she shared recently! Ruby has been invited to have tea with the Queen and daydreams about the event. She is reminded to use her very best manners by her mother as she is dressing for the tea. A bit of a twist at the end of the story just made me smile.
Sandi always includes some of the best quotes and life lessons with her tea time and I'm sharing something I made for Sarah Josephine. She went to San Diego over the Thanksgiving break last November and I asked for some sand from the beach. She did have to explain to the security people why she was going home with a big bag of sand. Ooops! Thankfully she didn't miss her flight back to Colorado!
I filled this thrifted bottle with the sand and glued some buttons together to seal the top. I typed some of her favorite verses, then cut and mounted them onto card stock. You can click on any pictures to enlarge them to read them more easily.
Sarah had written in the sand and taken a picture, so I printed her BELIEVE onto paper that I trimmed to fit onto the bottle and asked her to bring me a shell from her beach visit. I glued it under the first part of believe.
I put it all together with Psalm 139: 17-18 around the side. Punched holes in the tags, slipped them onto a split ring with a heart and some ribbon. I added a ribbon, a few roses and seashells.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

I'm happy to say Sarah loved it when I gave it to her before school. Thanks to Barbara Jean at Treasures from the Heart for the idea. This bottle was unique and I'd love to find another one someday so I could make another one for my Sarah Joy!

Happy First Anniversary, Sandi!

Plain Tea

I'm always happy to be included in Sandi's Tea Time, even though my posts are so simple and plain. Sometimes, I feel like Sarah, Plain and Tall, except I'm rather short and plump. Yet it gives me such pleasure to visit as many pretty blogs as I can before the next week comes around.
Last week was such a busy one with conferences scheduled after school during two evenings. It makes a very tiring day to be at school twelve hours and by Friday we are all exhausted--even my younger colleagues (we could all masquerade as tired teachers for Halloween)! Our school district has allowed us to have compensatory time on these Fridays and I am thankful I can relax with a late breakfast and enjoy several cups of tea.
A friend gifted me with this unusual tea pot this past February for my birthday and my aunt sent us a set of birdie mugs and plates one Christmas. I thought this mountain blue bird would look nice with the last of my delphiniums. No more until next spring. :-(

A quote by C.S. Lewis is one I've seen many times and describes my three day weekend:

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.

Plain or fancy, enjoy your tea time and reflect on the gifts from God that make each November a time of gratitude. Peace and grace to you! ♥♫

Tea Time Tuesday

Last Saturday I went to the Greeley Wesleyan Church Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival. There were over 60 artisans with temptations of all kinds.
In the first room we stopped and found delicious jams and jellies and the cutest spreaders. Everything was displayed beautifully ~ all the booths could have had professional designers setting wares out for the shoppers.

Sarah and I will enjoy using these when we serve our guests at our next tea time. We found her yellow teapot at a thrift shop several years ago still in the box. We love the color and unusual shape. I'll miss it whenever she has a larger kitchen and takes it to Denver!
The best part of all was visiting the Nativity Room. Church members and friends bring in family Nativity sets to remind everyone of the ultimate gift. There is a variety of styles and countries where they were made. I didn't think to bring my camera along and most likely wouldn't have been able to get good pictures in the darkened room. A flash would have disturbed the calm, serene feeling of the room.

"To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"
John 1:12

I'm joining Sandi for Tea Time Tuesday. Visiting her and others is a blessing and so much fun! ♥♫

Tea Time Tuesday

When I have something to share I'm delighted to join Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for her lovely Tuesdays.
When I got home after school today I went to the mailbox and found two packages waiting for me from Paper Back Swap members. I was looking forward to getting these because they are favorite themes for me. This is the best book club because it is free to join and the only cost is when you mail a book to another member.

The Tea Party Book is a sweet book for children and would make a nice gift book for Christmas. birthday, or just because. I'm keeping this one for myself as I plan to use it with two of my groups as we explore Mother Goose rhymes. And we'll have a tea party to celebrate our improvements in reading!

I collect hearts and angels and discovered that Jane Seymour had published another book. (Read about it in Angels on Earth). I had received her other book Open Hearts and went right to PBS to see if it was available. It's now mine!!

Here is something to read and ponder while you have tea today from Among Angels:

"You can't receive the gift of an angel with a closed heart.

If you didn't manifest living with an open heart,

you would close yourself off from those possibilities.

OPEN YOUR HEART!

Believe,

and you will RECEIVE."

Thank you, Sandi, for allowing me to join in today!

Morning Tea and Inspiration

I'm joining with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage today. Please click the link or the picture of the two friends sharing tea to return to visit the other participants.

Each morning when I go to the sink to get water for my morning tea, I am looking at my small worship center right on the window sill.
I have hearts and words that encourage me each day.
Some things are only an inch or two across, about the size of a quarter, but the messages mean a lot to me. The angel says "JOY", from my own Sarah JOY and the snowflake was a gift from my other Sarah (Jo). Just try saying those two names quickly over and over.
The "Lamb of God" and my dog (Depend On God) don't have meaning to some people, but many of you will 'get it' right away!
As you begin your tea ritual each day perhaps these words from I Corinthians 16:14 will come to mind: Let all you do be done in love.

Even though there's not a drop of tea here today, it all begins with the water. Who is our living water? Thank you Sandi! ♥♫

Morning Tea with a Rainbow

My morning starts with me at the sink getting water for tea for breakfast. I looked out to the west and saw this partial rainbow about 6:20! The cows at the dairy next door have yard lights and that is what is "in front of" the rainbow. Not an alien invading my yard! It's so amazing to see one in the west in the morning.
I could have titled this plain or fancy because I like my tea in one of my favorite mugs below~one from England or one from Japan.
The one above was made in England! It has sugar beets and it came from Beta Seed Co. Wally was a farmer and grew beets, corn, hay, and even tried onions and pickles. Tate and Lyle (United Kingdom) invested in sugar production when producers started up after several years of no one growing beets.
My other favorite is Mikasa made in Japan and I use it all year long as I love Christmas. Hot tea in the morning gives me a wee boost to start my day.

I'm joining Sandi this week for tea. Please visit her to see more wonderful tea time posts. Sandi always has thoughtful readings for me that help me reflect and ponder.
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. Jude 1:2

As I visit others in the Land of Blog, I am thankful for those that are helping me to grow in faith and open my heart to new possibilities during Plan B of my life.

The drawing for my goodies will end tomorrow night. If you'd like a win, you need to leave a comment on my give away post. (Look on the side for a link). ♥♫

Tea Time Tuesday!

This time of year I'm always behind in everything I do. Didn't make it last week to tea with Sandi, and don't want to miss it again because it's so much fun!
Sarah spoils me and brought home this new PINK teapot and wonderful cozy!
I've secretly wanted one for quite some time. It's so well made it could be turned inside out, although there's the cutest tag on the bottom hidden on the other side.
There were also two packages of scone mix with the teapot! I made one batch and intended to take pictures of the cherry almond scones. There are a few in the freezer for another time.
The mini cup and saucer were from GW and the miniature rose is outside now.

My daughter makes me feel so special and happy. God Blessed me with her.

He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. Job 8:21

Please visit Sandi for other tea time delights.

Tea Time Tuesday

When my godmother moved from her home last year, I helped my cousin do the sorting and organizing for the estate sale.
I asked if I would be able to have this tea cup with my favorite flowers on it.
My cousin was very gracious about letting me bring it home. Violets are also the flower of the month for my birthday!
After coming home later than usual, I enjoyed more violets in bloom. Waiting for them each spring, knowing they WILL come up again, reminds me of my "word" believe. It's my signature picture, although why only part of it shows on some comments is beyond me! Then on other comment pages the whole word appears...I am not going to try to fix it because when I do that, things disappear!

If you were to come have tea with me, you'd see believe in several places. They all have helped me this past year to remember and know...
He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. Mark 16:16a

Please visit Sandi's Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage. She is a blessing to me! ♥♫