A Luncheon Tea For Jana

 "Friendship is the golden thread that ties the hearts of all the world."  John Evelyn 

I use this silver-plated teapot a lot to hold bouquets.  It looks particularly nice with roses (my favorite flower).  I found this lid-less pot at a garage sale and knew it would look lovely once polished!

I am blessed with special people in my life.  I met Jana back in 1967 when we were both freshmen in high school.  We became good friends the following year and each year has brought us closer together.  She is my heart-sister.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her!  Although she lives in Georgia, we try to see each other once or twice a year.  Her last visit here was in the spring of 2014.

Jana and me at the beach just before sunset, spring 2014.  It was chilly!

 Jana is my 'tea guru'.  She has taught classes on the history of tea, organized tea tastings, and hosted countless tea parties over the years.  When she was here last time, my daughter, Victoria-Rose and I prepared a small tea party for Jana and my sister, Kathleen.  We used a tea set that I have had since 1977 that was purchased at an estate sale.  It was made in Japan and is hand-painted Noritake.  I have looked for more pieces every time I enter an antique store to no avail.  Our water glasses are from the 1930's and are etched with wheat and flower sprays, another vintage find from a Hospice Resale Shoppe.

Table set with vintage dishes, glassware, and silverware.

 The tea goodies that day:

• Fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil on toasted baguette slices
• Egg salad on pumpernickel
• Curried chicken salad on croissants 
• Mini orange cranberry muffins
• Cake (I can't remember what cake I made!)

The silverware is a family heirloom passed on to me by my dad and step-mom.  It is Danish Princess by Holmes and Edwards.  Most of the large set was my Mickey's (step-mother) grandparents' silverware and is engraved with the initial of their last name.  Mickey used to host dinner parties for more than 20 people so she hunted in antique stores until she had collected more than enough for her parties.  I think of her and my father every time I use these pieces.

Jana shares a special bond with both my children.  They consider her their aunt and love spending time with her.  We are all lucky to have her in our lives!

We all love you, Jana!

Jana & V-R

When a friend looks out a window of your life, 

she sees the same world you do.

Your happiness is her happiness.

Your success is her success.

Such a friend is the best sort to have.

Every good thing multiples

when it is shared by two 

with the same heart.

 Treasured Friends by Sandra Kuck and Heather Harpeham Kopp

I am sharing this post at the following parties: 

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/2015/08/tea-cup-tuesday-sharing-demitasse.html

http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/2015/08/tuesday-cuppa-tea-far-north-tea.html

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/2015/08/a-quiet-tea-time.html

Sunshine Yellow Flowers & Sundress

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. 

 You make me happy when skies are gray."

Jimmie Davis, credited song writer

We have had some very rainy weather here in Florida and I have been craving some golden sunshine!  My photo archives have come to my rescue with some cheerful yellow flowers and a little dress I made for a sweet little girl a year ago.  I also did a little internet search on the color yellow, as well.  Did you know that yellow is the happiest color?  It also stimulates the nervous system and activates memory.

I read somewhere a long time ago that every garden should have a splash of yellow.  My garden has several 'splashes'!  I know that they always make me smile.

Yellow flower photographs taken by me.  The five petaled flower in the middle on the right grows wild in my garden.  It is often called Beach Buttercup.

 The little sundress was fashioned from a vintage crocheted pillowcase and a vintage hankie.  I used one of my 'go to' sundress patterns:  Madora's Sundress & Jumper by Beaucoup.  It is an old (1985) pattern but it can still be purchased online.  I was so happy that my stash of vintage hankies yielded the perfect hankie with the same type variegated crochet thread as the pillowcase.

http://www.buzzquotes.com/yellow-quotes

May you have a 'Yellow Day' filled with positive, affirming and creative thoughts!

I am sharing this post at the Lavender Cottage's "Mosaic Monday".  You will love the beautiful posts in the linky party!  

http://www.lavendercottagegardening.com/2015/08/mosaic-monday-52-splendid-vacation.html

A Little "Pink Tea" & a New Cozy For Me

Today I'd like to sit and sip,

Forget about the world a bit, 

Ignore the things I have to do, 

And just enjoy a cup or two.

Author Unknown

Pink Aynsley teacup.

 I would like to ignore the things that I must do...and I will for a little while.  I have poured myself a cup of tea and am indulging myself in a savory snack.  I found this pretty cup at the Hospice Resale Shoppe a couple of years ago.  I love the deep pink color and the bright gold trim but the flower bouquet within the cup charms me. I love how it looks like the flowers were gathered from an English garden.  I wish that I knew the name of this pattern.  I did try to search it out on the internet but was unsuccessful.  If you know, dear reader, will you tell me?

I have paired the teacup with a newer plate by Lenox.  It is one of the many pieces of the large "Butterfly Meadow" collection.  I have have been collecting this pattern this year and have quite a few pieces now.  I think that the pink border matches the Aynsley set nicely.

Cream cheese and olive spread on honey wheat bread.  I only remove the crusts for company.  I really like bread crusts!

 The tea is Sakura Allure by Teavana.  It has a pretty pinkish hue and smells as divine as it tastes.

My teapot has a new cozy!  I made this one from a quilted pillow sham and a vintage hand embroidered dresser scarf.  It is lined in a pink and yellow striped fabric that was the back of the sham.

Front side of the cozy.

 The embroidered piece was part of a set of vintage dresser scarfs found in an antique store.  I used a part of one of them in a sundress I blogged about HERE.  I love the green of the leaves and the black centers  of the flowers.

Back side of the cozy.

 I am sharing my tea today at Sandi's party "Tea Time Tuesday" at the Rose Chintz Cottage HERE and Ruth's party at Antiques and Teacups "Tuesday Cuppa Tea" HERE.   I hope that you will stop by their blogs and see all the beautiful posts.

"Remember the tea kettle, although it is up to its neck in hot water, it keeps on singing."Author Unknown

Chloe's Fourth Birthday Party Clothes

"When I was little, I could hardly do anything. But now I can do lots of things, like braid my own hair and go to nursery school. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm me!"

 From When I Was Little by Jamie Lee Curtis

Sundress worn over her bathing suit.

This is another 'catch-up' post of things I made but didn't share last year.    I made some things for my friend Kaye's daughter, Chloe, for her fourth birthday...last summer.  She had a little celebration with her preschool friends at a splash park. Chloe's favorite color at the time was: Pink, of course.

When Kaye and another friend of ours made the stacked cubes spelling out Chloe's name using scrapbook papers it reminded me of the variety of pink fabrics I had in the same color range.  I immediately knew what I would make!

I started with the sun dress made from a vintage crocheted pillowcase and a hand embroidered vintage table runner.  I used the 1985 Medora's Sundress and Jumper pattern by Beaucoup.  (It can still be found at online stores like It's Sew Heavenly HERE.)

I really loved the embroidery on the table runner!  It was part of a set I found in an antique shop in Decatur, Georgia a couple of years ago.  I still have a little of this left!  

Pink gingham shoulder ties and bloomer-style panties coordinated nicely.

As part of the festivities was to have all the little children decorate their own cupcakes, I made Chloe an apron to wear over the white sundress.  I loved getting a chance to put all these cute fabrics together!

The apron is shown over a pinafore dress I made my daughter 17 years ago...                                                                                           when she was four!

Chloe is a character.  There were five people 'watching' her the night before her party: her daddy and four teenagers.  (Her mommy had to run out to the store for last minute party items.)  The cupcakes were on top of the refrigerator frosted with plain white icing, awaiting the next day's decorating 'event'.  You guessed it...Chloe managed to climb up on the counter, get the cupcakes down without dropping them, and decorate every single one of them herself!  And...not one of the five people 'watching' her noticed a thing.  In fact, it was only discovered when her mommy came home!  The little guests all added MORE to what Chloe started!

These were my first pennant banners and they were so much fun to make!   I used lots of pretty pink/white fabrics and pink bias tape.  I added jingle bells and bows to some of the bottom points.

Everyone had a wonderful time and it was fun to see the things I made being enjoyed at the party!

Two pretty girls:  Chloe and her mommy, Kaye.

May your day be filled with sunshine and smiles!

A Fun Getaway at the Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora, Florida

Lakeside Inn, Mount Dora, Florida.  Please click on any photo to enlarge for easier viewing.

The MacMillian Dictionary defines a 'getaway' as:  1. a place away from home where you can relax and 2. a short vacation.  My husband and I recently spent a lovely three day getaway in Mount Dora.  It was just a two and a half hour drive from where we live in St. Petersburg but it was as if we had taken a trip back in time.  The historic downtown area of Mt. Dora is picturesque with wonderful old buildings, antique stores, restaurants, gardens, and oak trees dripping in Spanish moss.

We stayed at the Lakeside Inn, which was originally founded in 1883 and was very popular in the 1890's and early 1900's.  In fact, President Calvin Coolidge and his wife were on a month long vacation at the Inn in 1930 and participated in the dedication ceremony for the Terrace Building.  President Coolidge had a very special birth date for a president of the United States:  July 4, 1872! We were there over the July 4th weekend and a banner hung over the railing of the porch wishing President Coolidge a Happy Birthday.   

The first picture at the top left is of the front desk.  Notice the wooden mailboxes for each room!  The bottom left and right photos were taken in the lobby. The center photos are of the main building of the Inn and the front porch. The center picture at the bottom is one of the other buildings housing guest rooms.

Having more fun and planning for fun were part of my New Year's Aspirations this year.  (Check the post HERE for an explanation of the Aspirations.)  When my Tim came home from a business trip in late June and suggested going to Mount Dora for a mini vacation, I had mixed emotions.  I was happy to be going away to relax but sad, too.  This would be the first trip without our children (now 20 and 21 years old).  Both of them had work and/or other social commitments.   A family milestone had been reached before I was ready for it:  a happy era had come to an end.  On the other hand, it would be nice to get away, just the two of us.

I am so glad that we went!  We had a wonderful time.  It was so relaxing just doing whatever we felt like and eating wherever and whenever we wanted.  

One side of the enormous front porch of the Inn is a dining area.  Tim had breakfast there each morning (and brought me tea in bed).

The other side of the porch has a long row of rocking chairs.  Heaven!

The Gatehouse: A Gift Gallery of Regional Art on the Lakeside Inn property.

Tremain's Tavern is on the ground floor of the main building in the Inn and has nightly entertainment.

Beautiful etched glass in Tremain's Tavern.

The Beauclaire, the Inn's dining room.  We had a delicious southern style dinner here one night.

The pool with both covered seating with tables and chairs and a sunning area with lounges.

Another picturesque guest house.  Notice the porch swing!

One of the best things about the trip was the July 3rd fireworks over the lake bordering the Inn.  We went out to the end of the dock to watch the wonderful fireworks display.  People came from all over town and sat on blankets on the sand and grass to enjoy the fun.

Lakeside Inn beach, boat and sun decks.  Chairs were set up at the very end of the dock for a great view of the fireworks.

The very long deck had side sections

The gardens are exquisite at the Lakeside Inn.  Everywhere you turn there is another gorgeous view.

This quiet little spot just charmed me!  I sat and enjoyed the swing and contemplated the gardens.

I hope you enjoyed the photos and information about the Lakeside Inn.  It really is a beautiful and relaxing spot:  a perfect getaway.  We are not affiliated with the Inn in any way nor have I been compensated for my 'review' of our stay.  I just wanted to share a 'rare find'.

I am linking this post to Mosaic Monday HERE.  There are so many gorgeous photos to enjoy at the party.  Please drop by and check them out.
I am also linking up to Make it Pretty Monday HERE.  Please visit and see all the 'pretties'.

Have a joy-filled day!