Dressed-to-a-Tea.....

"If your tongue trips over 'oolong' and there's no place for your spoon,

If you end up with your cookie on your knee
If dainty conversation leaves you speechless far too soon,
You need some help surviving Ladies' Tea."

From the book, "Afternoon Tea at Pittock Mansion" Quote by Haddyr Leigh

This weeks challenge in Gracious Hospitality's blog-a-thon is Dressed-to-a-Tea. We are to share ideas for dressing up for afternoon tea. Is your favorite tea-time outfit a silk caftan, flannel jammies, or a dress with proper hat and gloves? Do you enjoy wearing tea prints to tea? Or do you prefer something more elegant? Lace and ruffles? A feathered hat? Long pink gloves? Satins and silks? Cotton comfort? Jeans and a t-shirt you say? That's OK - share it all !

Pictures of you in your tea time costume are welcome! But, if you are not brave enough to share a picture of "you", simply share something you think would be FUN to wear to tea. Remember, a tea can be anything from a formal afternoon tea - to tea in the park with a friend. It's whatever it means to you! Just for fun, go here to find out How to Dress for Tea.

I am really a casual tea kind of girl. Most of the teas I host are very intimate gatherings of just close friends and we have a come as you are policy, nothing fancy. I have to say that a typical tea outfit for me would include denim, linen, and lace. I would choose my favorite pair of dark washed jeans from Old Navy. Everybody needs a fabulous fitting pair of jeans and for me it is the flirt! And I would pair them with a favorite gauzy white top with detailing of cotton crochet lace inserts and a row of white pearl buttons, layering it over a white tank top.A casual wedge with sisal detailing would be my shoe of choice.These are borrowed from darling daughter's closet. They have a bit of a summery feel and would grace my feet as pretty raspberry colored polished toes peeped out!If I decided to wear a hat it would be my favorite beach hat left unadorned save its gauze like scarf and jaunty bow.However, if the mood struck me I might add a splash of faded color by pinning on this vintage velvet flower that has aged and mellowed to a very soft peachy pink.

For jewelry I'd simply have to go with pearls, after all, a Southern girl has got to have her pearls! I'd choose the earrings that were a Christmas gift from my husband. I'd wear the ring I got in Hawaii, where we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, with its blue and white pearls and delicate gold plumeria leaves that twine around the tiny pearls, and a necklace I had made in Hawaii from a pearl I dug out of an oyster.

There I'd be, outfitted for a casual and comfortable tea! While I have indeed attended formal teas and dressed and acted appropriately I really do prefer intimate casual gatherings without all the fussy rules of deportment, pinky pointing, and civility of conversation in a well modulated voice. My gal pals and I like to laugh and often it bursts forth with spontaneity and a bit louder than polite society deems proper. AND (insert gasp here!) we actually like to lick the last delectable bite of whatever we happen to be savoring off of our fingers rather than sigh and politely cast away that very last scrumptious taste on our napkins! Sometimes we even exit the tea table, kick off our shoes, and sink down on the sofa or a comfy chair, feet curled up under us as we wile away the afternoon, (with frequent trips back to the table, which is not proper to make a pig of ones self in polite society!), sharing our hearts and lives. We might not have done it right, but, oh, we experienced it well! What would be served at this comfy casual tea? How about Raspberry Tea, either hot or iced garnished with fresh mint served in a cup with a raspberry tint and rings of roses like this one from the Royal Albert collection sold here. This fine bone china cup and saucer has English grace and elegance to its design as well as a sense of timelessness and romantic fantasy. These qualities are reflected through its delicate floral decoration, its feminine colors, and its gentle flowing curves. This is where we would keep our civility in comfy casual tea! The menu would consist of Raspberry Cream Cupcakes, or Lemon Poppyseed Muffins or if you prefer a traditional scone with Raspberry Butter and Chocolate Raspberry Truffles! The picture below is of raspberry muffins, if you prefer you can bake them from a quick mix instead of making the cupcakes and then just make the filling, slicing , filling, and eating them, or slathering them with homemade raspberry butter, yum!

Were I to indulge in a fantasy tea, it would most certainly be held on the shore of the sea. The gown I would choose to wear was designed and sewn by Jaime of elyseREUBEN Coutour Gowns and is pictured below. (Since this is my fantasy tea, I'll take that figure to go right along with the gown!) I love the soft aqua color that is reminiscent of the clear aqua water off the coast of Florida. The filmy frothy over lay of sheer fabric give this simple gown an ethereal quality and would be befitting for any mermaid to leave her enchanted home of the deep and sip and stroll along the edge of the sea for a sunset tea! (Shameless plug here folks, Jaime happens to be my cousin and I am so proud of her work!)

No shoes will be worn with this gossamer gown as sand in your slippers is to unromantic! Only bare feet with pearly pale shell pink painted toes will be present and oh so much more pleasant for strolling in the sand, sipping by the sea, and dipping toes in the briny foam.
As the ocean breeze can get quite cool in the evening, I would take along my favorite wrap to ward off the chill. It is a soft, off white cashmere shawl with a simple fringe on the ends.To keep the shawl fastened against the breeze I would pin it with this vintage floral shaped broach. The broach is studded with the palest of aqua rhinestones that match the color of the gown and sports a large faux pearl center.Like the beautiful young model pictured wearing the gown above, I too will wear my hair up with a few loose trendils curling down. I'd adorn my up swept curls with a mermaid crown by pinning shells and pearls at the base of my gathered curls. Well, let me show you, like this:
(Yes, that is me and my very real hair, please excuse the gray, there is no gray hair in this fantasy!) And, of course, my jewels of choice will once again be pearls!For this tea I would keep it light and airy serving a honey lemon tea from an antique cup and saucer like the one pictured below that I found here.
This unique teacup and saucer has a nautical motif - the saucer is in the shape of a half-shell and the teacup appears to be a shell on the bottom half! The top of the cup is finished with a pretty floral painting and gold edging.

The menu will consist of Fresh Cubed Fruit with Honey and Lemon Dressing, Quick Lemon Crisp Cookies, and a delectable piece of chocolate to finish things off nicely! (OK Pam, I know you are reading this and shaking your head. I know, I don't like chocolate! This is my fantasy tea in this fantasy I like it or at least the sound of consuming it after a spot of tea!)
Honey Lemon Dressing for fresh fruit:
1/4 cup honey to 2 TBS lemon juice per 6 servings
Whisk together ingredients and drizzle over fruit that has been placed in dessert cups.
Garnish with fresh mint if desired.

For Quick Lemon Crisp Cookies, go here. You can also top these cookies with a glaze, which consists of powdered sugar, a bit of milk, and a dash of lemon flavoring. While glaze is still wet, you can garnish the cookies with a tiny bit of fresh grated lemon zest, yum!
I picture myself strolling along the edge of the briny deep swaddled in my shawl, gown swishing around my feet as I glide along sipping my tea and occasionally dipping my toes in the foamy edge. The feel of the sand beneath my feet is cold, wet, and wonderful! My stroll is set the music of the moody sea, lapping waves on the shoreline, an occasional punctuation in the air of the cry of a solitary gull, and the crescendo of waves against the rocks. The crescendo sends up a salty sea spray that glitters at dusk like diamonds dripping and dropping onto the sand. The air is fragranced with salt and brine and breeze that speaks of far away places from which it has traveled. My walk is aimless and my mind and emotions are set free as I drink the vast beauty of the fathomless deep that lies before me and the expanse of sky above me.

I feel very small standing there on the edge of the deep, sandwiched between ocean and sky. My mind fills with the thought that this is where He says he cast my sins, into the depths of the sea, a place I cannot reach, and He remembers them no more. My heart fills with the wonder of it all, the depth of His forgiveness, the bigness of his mercy, and the vastness of His love. I stand there truly feeling like a pearl of great price, His treasure beyond measure, comforted that He is so very big and I am so very small, for I know He is watching over me. The sun has set as I retrace my steps and pack away my fantasy tea. Thank you for joining me!

I realize I bent the rules a bit with this challenge but to be quite honest I found my dressing habits to be a bit boring so I thought you might be distracted from me keeping it real with a few pretty cups and yummy recipes. I did think about taking a field trip to a local vintage clothing store in the old part of downtown and taking photos but time is of the essence this week and a field trip did not fit into my plans nor did scouring the web for the perfect tea outfit. I'm off to see how lovely everyone else is dressed for tea!

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

P.S. For details and to sign up for my 100th post give away go here!

100th POST GIVE AWAY.....

This Give Away is Closed

"The purpose of art is not a rarified, intellectual distillate ~ it is life, intensified, brilliant life."

Alain Arias-Misson
~Anna Corba's favorite quote~

In two more entries I will reach my 100th post and it is time to celebrate! I gave you a sneak peek of a part of the give away package at the end of a previous post, in case you missed it, here it is:Anna Corba is one of my favorite paper artists. I came across this little volume in a local book store a few weeks ago and thought it perfect for building around as a give away package for my 100th post. This hard back book like case includes a DVD where Anna gives you the exciting opportunity to learn from her, an expert in her field, how to create beautiful paper crafts. This volume features a dozen projects that Anna will walk you thorough on the DVD, teaching you to make your won versions of the designs. (Pictured below is my storehouse of ephemera!) Also included is a CD-Rom where you will find selected patterns, vintage post cards, and vintage embellishments for your paper crafts from Anna's own ephemera collection! When you insert the disk into your computer, it will automatically load and give you instructions on how to print the items you choose for your projects. The great thing about both of these items is that they can be used again and again! (Maybe this will be included!) The set also includes a beautiful full color project shopping guide which features pictures of the projects and a list of needed materials. (Or perhaps copies of some of these!) In addition to that, I will be including a package of ephemera, which I will be choosing from my own collection! There will be vintage sheet music, vintage French textbook and dictionary pages, book pages from a 1886 reader, as well as some more surprises! I haven't decided if I will send copies of the ephemera or if I will make a CD-Rom of them. Please state in your comment which you think would be a better idea. (Or these?)Also, I will be sending along some supplies and embellishments for finishing touches to your projects! I'll be pulling some sheet music from this stack:
AND, last but not least, I will include a custom made decorative storage box to hold all the items! (Maybe some of these lovely ladies will be included?) To sign up, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. A winner will be chosen one week from today on Monday, April 21st!

Blessings on your week,
Miss Sandy

Stitches-for-Tea...

A Tea Tidbit:
"In 1908, New York tea importer Thomas Sullivan sent out samples of different kinds of tea, each of which had been sewn into little, individual silk bags. Some customers mistakenly made tea with the little packages. Soon many people were complaining when the tea was not in the tiny pouches and the tea bag was Invented."

~A Little Cup of Tea~

I thought I wasn't going to get to play tea party with La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality this week! She really stumped me with this weeks challenge ~ Stitches-for-Tea! This week are to share ideas and pictures that involve stitching for the tea table. Any kind of stitches count: sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, tatting, quilting, etc. The work can be yours or of someone else, but should be homemade rather than done by factory machines. Ideas are napkins, tea cozies, table linens, and other creations made with tea themes.

I could only think of one thing I had that would fit but it is done by a factory machine! I had to peek around the blog block at the other posters to see what they posted but didn't feel quite up to Vee's cleverness of crafting something just for this post. Then it hit me suddenly, I'd showcase my best friend's handiwork! She has made me some amazing pieces and we have had tea parties with them and she just gave me four new pieces on Tuesday so I even created a tea party just for me so I could show you her fantabulous stitches-for-tea!

Before I let you take a sneak peek at all my lovely gifts from her I have to tell you a little about her. Her name is Pam and she is one of the most precious people God ever made! She has been my friend and mentor for going on nineteen years and she along with our other amigo, Sharon, introduced me to Jesus. You can't have better friends than that!

Pam is a very talented artist. She paints, draws, sews, does all kinds of needlework, including crochet and tatting. AND she rides a Harley! How cool is that? She has an equally talented husband who is creative and inventive and hold your hats girls, romantic, he writes her poetry! She has traveled to some amazing places and has the most fabulous collections from all over the place, plus all the stuff she makes. My daughter loves to hang out at her house and considers her and our other friend, Sharon, to be her other moms. (She thinks my friends are cool to hang out with and gets miffed if she is not occasionally invited to hang out with us!) She said she hopes to able to create the atmosphere in her own home that Pam's has. Pam's style is eclectic and fantastic! There is always a spirit of welcome in her home and love lives there. She is my flea market buddy and the best thing about her is that we laugh together all the time over everything. We have shared our tears, our hopes, and fears, but mostly our joys. One of our frequent things to share is tea!

One time she tried to teach me to crochet and tat, huge disaster! We sat side by side on my couch, she was very confident that I could learn. We had our little hooks and yarn and I learned to do a slip knot thing and I could do a really good chain! It was when you got to the end of the chain that I got really confused and ended up making this little lumpy squiggly thing that was suppose to be the beginning of a simple doily. After her making me take it out and begin over and over, with sweat dripping off my brow, I begged her to let me stop. She had mercy on me and relented.

We took a break and then we changed to tatting. I got my fingers all tangled up in the thread and poked myself about twenty or so times in the very tender spot between my thumb and finger with the shuttle and I never could get all those little knots right. I resorted to needle tatting and had some moderate success with that but my drill Sargent er teacher was not pleased as she wanted me to learn how to use the shuttle. (Pictured below is my first and probably only tatted piece, its a little lumpy and wonky but lovable don't ya think? I'd show you my crochet piece from that session but dear friend that she is, laughed so hard and managed to gasp out between fits of laughter, "What is it?", that my strangely formed green thing has gone into hiding and refuses to be photographed!)And here is my attempt at butterflies and blooms:She took me to lunch at the home of a precious older lady in our church. They ganged up on me and decided that I would most certainly learn to crochet. After a delicious lunch we commenced to crochet, or at least they did, I just didn't get it. Exasperated, they gave up. Mrs. Martha declared me hopeless and I tarnished her record. I was the very first one she was unable to teach! Ever since then Pam has had mercy on me, although she does periodically threaten to resume our lessons, and she makes me wonderful pieces. Lucky me! Not exactly incentive to learn, hee hee! (I may be in trouble after she reads this post, I feel another lesson coming on!)For an apple blossom tea party I used an old linen table cloth with apples and apple blossoms appliquéd on each corner. You can see the irregular hand stitching around the piece. I had forgotten that I had this piece which was picked up at an estate sale years ago. (I didn't have any apple blossoms so I used Hawthorn Blossoms for the center piece. These are also sometimes called May Blossom and they match the ones printed on the appliqué!Here are some place mats and napkin rings she crocheted. She made me a set of four! You can use the napkin rings or you can use the stem on the place mat to hold napkins, so clever! I keep thinking I need to make some green napkins and fold them like leaves to tuck into the stem sometime. I used some of my Arcoroc French glass apple shaped saucers and cups, which happened to be a gift from Pam also, and combined them with some apple shaped dessert plates with apple blossom cutouts on the underside, which were flea market finds. A spicy apple cinnamon tea is perfect for this tea party!
The apple shaped glass bowl resting on another of her creations was also a gift from Pam and is perfect for serving some fresh apple butter to slather on fresh baked scones! Sugar cubes are tucked into a red wooden apple, a flea market find, which is perched upon yet another of her crochet creations.Pam, the table is set are you ready to party?

On Tuesday I stopped by Pam's after getting my really good news and she had a gift waiting for me! I decided to showcase them by creating a little tea just for me! She will be sharing the spotlight with our other friend, Sharon as both their handiwork takes prominent place in this cozy curl up setting! Wouldn't you just love to curl up in the big over sized comfy chair and wrap up from the spring chill with this gorgeous cross stitched throw? This throw features an abundance of pink roses and satin pink ribbon bows and was a labor of love done by our friend Sharon. I dropped in on her one day and found her making it. She said it was for one of her daughters. I oohed and aahed over it, little knowing that she would change her mind and give it to me, making another one for her daughter! This is one of my most special treasures. (What can I say, they love me almost as much as I love them!) After sinking into the chair and being blanketed in a bed of roses you could sip a warm bit of spring with a fresh berry flavored tea served up in a cabbage leaf cup by Peter Rabbit himself ! Peter was a gift I gave myself when I adopted him from, yes, a flea market! Other finds pictured are the basket tray, the small vintage flower book, the fruit motif spoon, the hand painted tea bag holder, and the dainty purple pansy place card holder, which is holding the berry flavored tea. The open book pictured in the background is a favorite of mine. It is entitled , The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, by Edith Holden. This book is a naturalist's diary for the year of 1906 in which Edith Holden recorded with words, poetry, quotes, and beautiful illustrations in watercolor the seasonal changes in flora and fauna of the English countryside.You could also admire the little pot of posies, which happen to be original tatted designs by my friend, Pam! I perched the dainty blossoms on chenille stems and put them in a bit of floral foam in the tiny pot and tucked in a bit of pink grass. I want to wear them as pins! I have some great old buttons and will glue them to a tack pin back and put it through the middle of the flower and I will have an original and unique broach! Perhaps if I look pitiful enough she will make me just one more so I will have a set of four as I might want the pin them to ribbons and tie them around napkins for rings! For now they will remain a little pot of posies!Perhaps while you are sitting there sipping, admiring the flowers, and perusing one of the beautiful books, you will be lucky enough to have a special visitor flutter in! Isn't this butterfly exquisite! The detail is incredible and I love the brilliant color! Pam said she had a pattern for this one. I just love all the swirls and twirls of the wings that give them a feel of movement! Perhaps by chance you will be even more blessed as you sit all alone yet snuggled and surrounded by love and the handmade things by special people that have made your life a little brighter and a little sweeter and most certainly better!
Thank you hardly seems adequate to say to two of the most important and special people in my life for making my little spot in the world a better place. For all the tea times we have shared, I think they were stitched with the finest of threads, the threads of love.

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

P.S. I was unable to get my sign up post done for my 100th post give away as I will be out of pocket for the weekend, so pop back over on Monday for the festivities!

DR. CHI SMILED FOR ME.....

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds..."
Genesis 9:13

Yesterday I had to make a return visit to the illustrious Dr. Chi to get the results of my last tests. Before I tell you about that I have to tell you about before the visit where something really amazing happened.

I got really sick over the weekend was hoping against hope that I would feel better in time for my visit. On top of that, we are in our storm season and it has been non stop for days now. I dreaded the thought of driving 45 minutes while feeling sick in stormy weather. I was still feeling bad up to the very last hour that I needed to travel. I plodded through getting ready and left after an email to the precious Vee at A Haven for Vee to ask for her prayer support! She is such a sweetheart, she said she would drive me if she were here!

I stopped and picked up a milkshake to sip, as this always seems to have a calming effect on my upset stomach. It was raining absolutely cats and dogs when I left and I was worried about interstate travel with so much water standing on the roads it is easy to hydroplane. I don't know about your neck of the woods but around here people drive like maniacs on the interstate, they think they have hit a speed limit free zone on the Autobahn!

This is where amazing comes in. When I got on the interstate it was as if the rain had literally parted! I am not kidding! It was raining on both sides of the road but not on the road! Then the system shifted and it was raining up ahead but not where I was driving. It brought to mind the Scripture that says that during the Exodus out of Egypt that God was in the pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. By the time I hit the next town twenty minutes away the storm had passed and it was smooth sailing the rest of the way.

Now, you might remember the last time I went there I had quite the adventure. This time was not so exciting. Maybe it was because last time my appointment was in the morning and this one was in the afternoon. The morning is very busy and the afternoon a bit slower in pace and activity.

I think a for real and for true miracle happened while I was there. I only had to wait ten whole minutes, did you get that, ten whole minutes in the waiting room before I was called back to the refrigerated room where they put you to really wait to see the doctor.

This time I really hit the big time, the duck picture on the wall kept me really busy. Last time it only had one duck in it, this time there were thirty three ducks! How do I know? Well, I had such a long wait on ice that I counted them! They were mallards coming in for a landing on a pond. Thirteen of them were females. How do I know? I counted them. I had plenty of time.

Oh, and you know what else? This room had more fun bones in it than the last on did! There was a big ol’ hip bone right there on the counter. It looked like it had been glued together a time or two with super glue and I hoped that wasn’t the method they used repair a fractured hip! This room had little flexible knees too! Not just one or two, but a whole row of four and yes, I flexed them! I had plenty of time.

I was going to read a magazine but the only one they available was one with a baby on the cover and he had a mustache and crazy hair like Einstein which might have intrigued me had it not looked like someone had sneezed all over the cover ~ enough said!!! I didn’t touch it even though I had plenty of time.

Finally Dr. Chi arrived and delivered some very excellent news ~ all the tests he did came back negative! The reason I didn't get the results sooner is because Dr. Chi thought the lab had made a mistake and he had them run a second time to be sure of accurate results. He said when I left his office the last time and after the exam and the tests I failed he pretty much knew what the diagnosis and his prescribed treatment would be. So, when the test results came back he was sure there had been a mess up at the lab. He didn't think it was possible that they could come out negative. Maybe he does not know the great Physician!

So he pronounced me an enigma ~ puzzling and inexplicable! He was totally puzzled with the outcome of the test results and could not explain them. He said he had never seen this happen. Well, we know how it happened don't we? Answered Prayer!!!!! He said that he was unsure how to treat me and the only option he saw was to do a sixty day trial drug therapy. I asked him about the violent onset of fever and he said with all these virus strains going around that it could have been that and not an autoimmune flair. So, he left it up to me if I want the try the medicine or not, he wants to see me at least one my time in July and then I will be released from his care. The bone and knee damage is very minimal and should not affect me as long as I take care of myself where those issues are concerned. There is a possibility that we are dealing with a different auto immune disease that is a bit harder to detect or that I may just be entering into first stages as my positive ANA's were on the low end of the scale and both were done when I was very symptomatic.

All that said to say, I am choosing to believe that the Lord will remove this from me! If not, I'll deal with that at the time but for the time being I am rejoicing in good news. I got a fantastically great night's sleep last night and feel good today. Hopefully I have turned a corner and I can't wait to see what is next!

BUT, here is the very best part ~ I made Dr. Chi smile!!! Remember, this was my mission. It was the simplest thing to do. At the end of our visit I said, "Dr. Chi, thank you for your excellent care and for your concern over making sure the tests were accurate. I really appreciate that. Most doctors would have let it go at the first result and moved on to the next patient without a second thought. Thank you for being so thorough." You know what he did, he smiled a little smile, then he grinned, and then he positively beamed! I didn't even have to pull out my Groucho glasses with the big nose and mustache or wear by Bubba teeth! (I really did have these in my purse as you never know when you will need them!) I just had to say, "Thank You."

Before I left he said, "Now, if you need me, don't hesitate to call. I am on call all the time. The best time to reach me is in the evenings and on weekends when I am not in clinic. I will call you back so feel free to call with any concerns you may have." WOW, I think he is a positive jewel in the field of medicine these days! I thanked him but said that it would have to be a true emergency before I did that and we parted ways.

As I was driving home I saw a rainbow over a field to the west, arcing over the setting sun and I smiled a little, then I grinned, and then I beamed! There was a bow set in the sky which represents God's promise. There was the sun (Son) which had chased away the storm and calmed the flood of emotions ebbing and flowing through me like the waves on a stormy sea. The clouds that had hovered and threatened had dissipated the road ahead seems paved with hope.
My heart is light, I feel good and relieved, I am not sure what the future holds or where all this is going but I will take the approach from Scripture and let tomorrow take care of itself as there are enough worries in today. I'll also put on my Scarlet act and not think about it all or I'll go crazy, I'll think about it tomorrow.

Thank you all so much for the concern and especially for the prayers! I am sure they are responsible for the outcome of the test results and I appreciate them more than you will ever know. God's best blessings to you all!

Miss Sandy