April Showers 2016

It's time again for the April Showers that bring May flowers! I decided this year to set up an April Shower tea table in my parlor.

My centerpiece is flowers set in glasses of water tucked into these children's rain boots. I added a small brass watering can and used a teapot with a gardening theme.

I love the flower pots on top of this teapot.

Even a trowel on the back!

The tea cups have butterfly handles and a butterfly motif.

Some bright floral napkins with dragonfly napkin rings complete the table.

Here's a view of the tea table in my parlor bay window.

I will be sharing this with Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

When will Autumn Leaves begin to Fall?

"Since you went away the days grow long
And soon I'll hear old winter's song
But I miss you most of all my darling
When autumn leaves start to fall"  Autumn Leaves, lyric by Johnny Mercer

Well I hope you have missed me! There have been many reasons for my blogging break - some good (trips, vacation) and some not so good (a parent's broken hip, my broken rib), but I am back! 

Fall is my very favorite time of year and always has been. Pumpkins, turkeys, the county fair, (usually) cooler weather and lower humidity, Halloween, Thanksgiving, the anticipation of Christmas - I just love it all!

Here are some selected scenes of fall around my house:

Walk on up the front steps but watch out for the various mums and pumpkins!

If you come around the side of the porch, I have a little fall flag to greet you!

I call my parlor mantle "The Pumpkin Patch" in the fall!

 And over at the tea table, I have tea for two ready!

I love how the morning light comes through the glass pumpkins!

Turkey and Pumpkins in metallic shades decorate the dining room mantle.

In the Billiards Room I am going for a Pheasant theme!

That's all I have to share today. If you noticed I didn't show you my dining room table. That's because there has been a delay renovating my sewing and craft room and right now the dining room table is covered with fabric!

My younger daughter Emily graduated from college last May and she and I have been sewing up a storm for our Etsy store, The Chapeau Chateau.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheChapeauChateau

We have added lots of items other than hats and fascinators and we have teamed up with Darwin's Screen Printing to do monogrammed pocket T-shirts. (Another thing that has kept me from blogging!) Please check out our store!

I will be linking to Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen and Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Tea Time in my "Pumpkin Patch"

The table I usually spotlight in this blog is my dining room table. Today I am going to feature my parlor tea table. Every Fall the mantle in my parlor is covered with pumpkins, ceramic, plastic, glittered, plain, big and small. I jokingly call it my "Pumpkin Patch" - so today is Tea Time in my "Pumpkin Patch!"



The piecrust table sits in the bay window of my parlor and is covered with a round lace tablecloth. I have several glass pumpkins that I have been given or have bought through the years and I love how the light coming from the window lights up the pumpkins. I have a pumpkin tea set that I got from Cracker Barrel years ago. And at each place is a pumpkin plate and a pumpkin mug from Dollar General a few years ago. I then scattered silk leaves and acrylic leaf "jewels" all around.
Here is the "Pumpkin Patch!"



Speaking of mantles, I showed my dining room mantle last week. My theme was metallics: copper, silver and gold.


Here is the mantle in our library/study. Can you tell it's my husband's room? All he would let me do to the mantle was add the leaves. I did put a few turkeys around the room also!

My last mantle is in the billiards room and it is my favorite. I went with a pheasant theme.




I love how this little pumpkin glows at night!

I will be joining
Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen
and
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.

Step into My Parlor

Step into my parlor for a Pumpkin Tea Party!



I will be joining Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Be sure and see all the wonderful ideas on that site!

In the bay window of my parlor I have a tea table and it is decorated for the season!



My pumpkin teaset is from Cracker Barrell many years ago.



And the mugs and plates were from Dollar General last year.



Rounding out the decor are some glass pumpkins which catch the light from the bay window!



Across the room is my mantle, which I call the "Pumpkin Patch" this time of year!







And on the tea table in front of the sofa you could be served either tea or hot chocolate.



The turkey tea pot was from Cracker Barrel and the chocolate set was a gift from my aunt. It was passed down to her from her family.

We could play some Pumpkin Carols on the old organ for a musical tea party!



I hope you have enjoyed my parlor and make sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!

Tea Time Shortbreads

It's Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor. Be sure and visit her blog for other tea time treats!



I made Tea Time Shortbreads 1965 (Canadian) (click for recipe). These are a nice soft tea cookie with a distintive orange aroma and mini chocolate chips! Perfect for your next tea!





I used a tea set given to me years ago and a Spode Tower Pink plate, cup and saucer.

Be sure to visit Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor for more tea sets and snacks!

Tea Time Treats Re-Post

I am reposting this for Tea Time Tuesday at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor. Be sure and visit her blog for other tea time treats!



It's Foodie Friday hosted by Gollum at Designs by Gollum.


I have been participating in an event for the Cooking Forum at Recipezaar called Afternoon Tea and Light Suppers: The BIG Tea-Party. I have made and photographed 2 of the tea time treats I signed up for. I will do the third one this weekend.

First I made Sweet and Spicy Texas Pecans. Click for the recipe.

These were delicious! As you can see by my review, I made them a little spicier than the recipe called for.





The tea set shown in the back is one I got years ago from the Ross Simons catalog.

The next treat I tried was Hawaiian Tea Sandwiches Filling. Click for recipe. I used pecans for the nuts and served this filling on Pepperidge Farm Very Thin whole wheat bread.
So good!





I used a Churchill Blue Willow tea pot, creamer and sugar dish with Spode Blue Italian salad plate in this picture.

Both my tea time treats were wonderful! I hope you enjoy them also.