Karen's Cottage and Castle: December 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

A Highland Heather Tea

Hello Friends!

Welcome to

"A Highland Heather Tea!"

When Sweet Sister came for Christmas Dinner this year she brought me some special gifts.... a treasured Foley Highland Heather Teacup and also two Friendly Village teacups.

We had 22 for dinner. Everyone brought a special Christmas dinner dish!

I set a table for ten in the dining room where some of the (older) adults sat .

Even my soon to be 93 year old mother came. (Me with my dear mom).

One table was set for nine in the kitchen for the (younger) adults.

And one in the family room for the three wee kiddies. They wouldn't sit still long enough for a pic.

I was overjoyed to see this teacup gift because I had the matching cream and sugar bowl which was once my dear mother's!

This elegant Foley teacup is a soft pale blue with designs of Highland Heather.

On the inner cup and on the inside of the cream and sugar bowl, you see a dainty strand of pink and white heather with greenery.

The cup and saucer are trimmed with gold.

The handle shares the same pastel blue tone.

I am enjoying my time today and having tea with a few leftover Christmas treats. I am blaming my weight gain on my recent surgery. Lol!

Thank you all for visiting me today for

A Highland Heather Tea!

Wishing You All A Very Happy and Healthy 2014!

Karen

This week I will be joining:

Bernideen’s ~ http://blog.bernideens.com/

Friends Sharing Tea

Beverley~ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Pink Saturday

Cindy ~http://romantichome.blogspot.ca/

Show and Tell Friday

Courtenay ~ http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca

Feathered Nest Friday

Jann- http://jannolson.BlogSp ot.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

Tea On Tuesday

Ruth~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Sandi  ~ http://www.sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Teatime Tuesday

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/
Teacup Tuesday

Hope to see you there!

Thursday, December 26, 2013

A Relaxing Winter Tea

Welcome friends to a

"Relaxing Winter Tea".

Isn't it a perfect day for one to stay indoors and snuggle with favourite recent Romantic Country and Romantic Homes magazine editions?

The snow has left a soft blanket on the ground and it looks like a Winter Wonderland outside.

After the hectic Christmas preparations and dinner I would like to relax and play with my pretties.

I have developed such a love for red transferware.

I have a collection of Mason's Vista dinner plates, teacups and side plates.

I am still searching for a Mason's Vista teapot, creamer and sugar bowl. They are very costly on e-bay.

The lovely thing about transferware is that it blends so nicely with other red transferware china patterns.

I do hope that you can find some time to relax today too!

Winter has definitely arrived!

Thank you for joining me for

"A Relaxing Winter Tea."

Season's Greetings!

Karen

This week I will be joining:

Bernideen’s ~ http://blog.bernideens.com/

Friends Sharing Tea

Beverley~ http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Pink Saturday

Cindy ~http://romantichome.blogspot.ca/

Show and Tell Friday

Courtenay ~ http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.ca

Feathered Nest Friday

Jann- http://jannolson.BlogSp ot.com/

Share Your Cup Thursday
Martha~ http://www.marthasfavorites.com/
Tea On Tuesday

Ruth~ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Sandi ~ http://www.sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Teatime Tuesday

Hope to see you there!

Friday, December 20, 2013

A Vintage Christmas Tree (With Teacups)

Welcome Dear Friends to

"A Vintage Christmas Tree"

(With Teacups)

This year I did my best to be organized for Christmas.

Since I was scheduled for spigelian hernia surgery on December 10th I had the house decorated early. We had put up a living Christmas tree that was over 8 feet and smelled heavenly.

While recuperating in my hospital bed the day after my surgery I was worrying about what my family might be eating for dinner without me there to serve them. (Do you do worry too?) I had made a large hamburger soup in the crock pot and was texting my son from my hospital bed and asking whether they had it for dinner.

My eldest son was acting rather peculiar in his texts to me....when I asked him what they had for dinner he said suspiciously, "We have bigger fish to fry". I was confused laying in the hospital bed. What had happened? Was something wrong?

Finally they came clean - the living Christmas tree that I had spent hours decorating had fallen over. Some ornaments were broken too.

My husband and son were unable to make it secure and so the tree went outside along with it's new stand.

(Tree Skirt)

Well.... when I got home much to my horror all of the decorations were no longer on the beautiful real tree but laden across the dining room table, coffee table and chairs. Water covered the carpet floor.

Unfortunately no pictures were taken before it fell.

(Sorry this picture my son took with his phone and then sent it too me - it was too upsetting for me to photograph).

So, as I was recuperating at home in bed, hubby went out and bought an artificial Christmas tree. He felt so badly.
Isn't he a dear?

Can you tell it's an artificial tree?

He secured it with a wooden base and I started decorating all over again. Much slower this time since my incisions were a little painful.

To make it look vintage I added lots of pink and gold sparkly bows, a strand of white pearls,

A vintage sequined tassled white purse and

A cameo ornament and more to come.....

I do like the artificial tree (yes, no needles everywhere) except that I do miss the fresh outdoor scent of the real trees. Did you know that you can bend the artificial branches so that the heavier ornaments stay in place? And it came with the lights attached...(another plus)!