" HAPPY NEW YEAR "

Wishing all my blogging friends  

a most joyous 

and

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2014

May health, wealth of spirit and prosperity follow you

throughout the year.

"A DICKEN'S DAY"

"Polly put the kettle on ,We'll all have tea"..Charles Dickens.

Please do come in and ... ENJOY a warm sip from this much traveled teacup, created by A.E. Gray.
Gray's Pottery company was based in Hanley, Staffordshire in 1907, later Stoke -on-Kent, which existed until 1960 when Portmeirion Pottery  took it over.

It's unique style and bold colours denote the artistic  talents of artisans from the another era. It was an age of experimentation and expression.

Gray's Pottery was very responsive to fashion  and sought to supply customers with new, useful  and exciting designs. Besides the staggering outpour of cups and saucers, they also created plates, bowls, jugs, pitchers, teapots.  They added variety by including  vases, urns, egg cups, jelly moles, bird feeders, dog bowls and juice squeezer.

Their creative  decorating focussed on floral designs, lustre-banded patterns, slipware, geometric jazzy designs, print and enamelled patterns. Gray's Pottery were well known for their  flower wall pockets, large animal studies, lustred 18th century figurines, table lamps and hors d'oeuve sets complete with wooden trays.

Grays Pottery often carried a backstamp which included ' hand-painted', for hand-painted patterns which were the  very essence  of the majority of the thousands of designs produced during the firms existence. In 1912 the company sourced an undecorated pottery, called ' white ware' from various suppliers  and using the talents of in-house designers such as Susie Cooper and Sam Talbot, developed a highly successful decorating business... and in 1930 the slogan " The Pottery of Distinction " was well chosen. Gray's designs flooded national and international exhibitions as well as being included in influential design registers. 

Gray's Pottery was a typical family  business, into which A.E. Gray brought his young son, his daughter contributed designs and in 1930 his nephew John  ran the show room, nephew Jack contributed various designs included the  distinctive "Clipper" backstamp . The spirited family worked together from the design room to the shop floor where there were many relatives working alongside one another. 

Most of the wares do not have specific names but rather a pattern  classification for example , ( above)  has a lustre band combined with a print and enhanced with enameled colours. Therefore the the classification relied on the principle colour of the pottery.  Lustre had sub-classes of silver, copper,etc ... My Dicken's Days   tea piece is what is called, " splashed lustre".

Splashed lustre is also referred to as mottled or a splatter lustre..which I personally love for it's artistic uniqueness. It is a product of the 19th century Sunderland Potteries in the north-east of England.. A.E. Gray, was quite partial to lustre and developed a wide range of splashed lustre patterns which usually incorporated a monochrome print such as Dicken's Days.

Though purple/pink is the predominant colour for the lustre, other colours such as blue and green were also utilized  in production, right up to the time when Gray's Pottery became Portmeirion.

Goodness there is so much to learn and read about this industrious family …. but ( tick tick) I  have a date with the Egg Lady ( ha Ha) Would you like to come along for the scenic  ride…. Drink up your tea  and the  we'll all gather some  fresh eggs… for egg salad sandwiches. Infact let's jump into Dicken's stage coach and follow the country trails.

I see there are still a few blooming gallardia  and echinacea in the gardens.

( Chirp Chirp) These were some of the  fluffy little " Meat King" chicks that were unfortunately eaten and celebrated this Thanksgiving, poor little things.

Here we have Gertie, Lucinda and Henrietta… who are a  little disgusted with me for  buying  all their  eggs …  Oh, I do love these temperamental girls and  I promised to brings them a big bag of table scraps.( cluck cluck) so I'm back on their ' laying ' list for next week.

The last flowers of Autumn, echineacea, marigolds and  goblin gallardia are still blooming

in this beautifully landscaped  rock garden. I know that many a weary hour were spent planning this

inviting walkway up to the lofty greens  of the farm house. It always seems to  brighten my day.

 Most delightful is this large cluster of green blossoms.

Does anyone recognize plant or know it's name. ? 

I love meandering through gardens but the kettle is still on the stove and the stage coach is waiting to take us back home for another cup of tea.

It's been a " Dickens' of a day and  I'm so glad that you all decided to visit Ladies. Now you can relax for a few more minutes and have another cup of tea while I make the egg sandwiches.

                                             "Polly put the kettle on and we'll all have tea "
                                                         Have a wonderful day !!!!

P>S>…My apologies Ladies  for this re-posting late…It was posted last week and somehow got lost in cyberspace…. You all get extra scones for visiting me twice>>HUGS

"PINK-A-LICIOUS "

It's a "pink-a-licious" day. Time to put aside those those strawberry and raspberry smoothies in favour of pumpkin tea. However I certainly won't refuse a pinkalicious bouquet of flowers from my Hubby .. Would you ?

AH Yes ... I'm still enjoying this weeks tea from same pink teacup. 

It's part of the  Royal Arden Home Collection of cups and saucers that Kim bought for me in Japan. I thought that the set might have been manufactured in Asia however,  it is another lovely new collection of Bone China registered at the  official European Union Trademark data base( CTM).  Made in England , you say ... The answer is, " YES" ... and so true to it's Staffordshire  traditions of beauty and subtle teatime enjoyment.

Infact, the tea set is "Perfect" for my, "pink-a-licious' mood. Haven't you ever had a  day when everything you touch and see shine in the universal aura of   " Pink" love.  Of course, while I'm still trying to rejuvenate from the operation, the exhileration of pink lingers in the air, as a perfect reason  to prolong  women's issues and  their " Cancer " marathon, along with just the  delicious desire for the energy of the  colour

( Ha Ha)

This is such a lovely varigated bouquet of lilies, which had to be tweeked, lest they stain the  tablecloth. It's personally, one of the  most unhappy parts of floral arranging, since the stamens possess such a gorgeous odour. I usually leave them on  for two to three days before clipping . What do you do ?

Look at the pretty molding on the cup.
It  does reminds me of a merry dance of  flower petals and it feels quite natural in my hand... I have heard  that pink is a very calm feeling colour that neutralizes disorder. That's just what the doctor ordered.

I never tire of this perpetual gathering of roses, that is seen on many of the English tea sets. I am always amazed by how brilliant and fresh they look on each new teacup and saucer that is produced. The only thing that ever changes is the colour of the cup and the taste of tea, which is m-m-m- good.

I do believe that a " Pink-a-licious' day  is best served in  by a pink cup of tea which  translates to relaxation, acceptance and contentment .

"WELCOME TO LADY AUTUMN"

I can't wait to see what she has to serve up at our next teatime session.

"AUTUMN KISS"

"Autumn scenes drift by my window .. the autumn scenes of red and gold".... a kaleidoscope of mystical bronze looms ahead for nature.  Alas .... It seems as if , the  " Prince of Thieves" has stolen sweet summer away.

It's a misty day, drizzling with cool rains that echo ,"all good things must pass" .... SO , let's get on with the tea to warm the cockles of the soul. M-M-M-M-  !!!! Autumn can  be such  a beautiful visual .

The adventure of selecting tea on such a day should be  exciting...soooooo .... Let us think of the experience of  drinking a magical elexir to brighten your rose colored glassed . Fortunately, my cupboards are stocked with many exotic blends .... I will close my eyes and select a flavour ... Oh , yummy ... It's  'Carmel Black Tea"   from " King's Place " in downtown, Fredrickton (a full bodied
tea )... Perhaps it possesses that enlightening aroma that will activate my olfactory nerve( sniff , sniff) .


 Don 't you just  love the fragrant scent  of loose  tea leaves? Hm-m-m-m-Good !!!!!

Here, I've included the phone number just incase you wish to order some of these indulgent , flavourful leaves. Oops, a few fragrant drop landed on the label....That's how good it was " Ha ha" to the very last drop.!!!!!

I am so enjoying the warmth of the autumn foliage together with  my aromatic tea blend, that I've quite forgotten to select a teacup( Ha Ha) ... Since , I'm still in recouperation mode from hip surgery last week. I will ask my hubby to select an appropriate cup. AHHHH ...Good choice ... It is one that he brought back from Japan for me. The perfect colour for  our " Breast Awareness"  that I'm joining in on over at Sandi's "Rose Chintz Cottage".

Now to relax with a few pictures of my little grand-daughter " Auriane " who just may come to visit Grandma soon.

Time to get the Autumn tea sets out .

 ENJOY the BEAUTY !!!!

"REJUVENATION "

For everything there is a season . JUNE is busting open with a delicious sense of 'rejuvenation'. It's time to take our "mind over menopause" attitudes and start looking forward to a renewed sense of being.

To begin with , Old Man Winter had sent me into a downward spiral with his blustery snowstorm cold blasts. I thought  Spring would never kick in. Silly me ... Spring was just testing my patience, which was bearing thin.

When I look out of my windows, I see tulips waving. The buds are on the trees and even the lilacs are permeating the air with a renewed scent of ' being', not to mention that the pesky mosquitoes are buzzing around.

Life isn't perfect, but it is indeed beautiful, as the foilage of mother earth unfurls. Perhaps you've heard the saying ; " Our issues are in our tissues."

Unless we  start each day with the powerful intention of nurturing ourselves as much as possible, self-defeating thoughts and activities can sabotage our goal to achieve wholeness.

I'm eager to enjoy every morning of summer sunshine , even though I am, half a century old, as my daughter puts it. ( Ha Ha)

Studies have proven how important the mind-body connection is to our well being. As we think, so we become.... thus my dolly rendition(above), which was created to improve my  personal sense of aging, gracefully.

Today , I'm feeling  much like a new born sprout popping out of the earth, a little old and weary in the mornings, but "really'  exuberantly positive about  growing into my fifty-ish groove...( Creak creak)

Time for a little Yoga !!!!

"PAINTING THE COTTAGE"

How exciting to own a cottage !!!! Tea for two and two for tea.... What fun to decorate and enjoy the quiet life. That 's exactly what Valerie and her husband over at (thesumofallcrafts.blogspot.com)  has done.

They're officially cottage dwellers . To celebrate, creative Valerie asked her artsy friends to kindly donate a piece of art for her cottage walls. The colors were a patriotic  blend  of red, white , blue and beige.

I've had such a lovely day painting Valerie's Cottage . Happy ... Happy... Happy. I do hope she will enjoy my contribution to her cottage art. Have a wonderful Cottage life Valerie and r-e-l-a-x, my friend.

"GOING TO TEA"

Today mother and I were invited to tea ... Your invited to come along for a teatime peek..( blink blink) Visiting my Friend , Renate is always  a grand adventure.

She's a busy lady who owns  fishing lodge in New Brunswick, Canada. Most of the time it's bustling with fisherman, but at this time of year, tea and cookies are her specialty.

Since it just past  St.Patricks Day, the house was  still decorated in the traditional green for that very special occasion, which is also my hubby, McKim's Birthday.  Don't these shamrock cookies look delicious!!!

Renate has an exquisiute selection of teacups that she inherited from her grandmother in Germany. many of them with rich layers of gold. They're quite frankly fit for the Queen of the Lephrachauns...

OOPS...I mean the Lephrachaun King Fred, Renate's husband, who is a retired Dentist. His only job  at the camp is to mind the fire... and he sure does keep the fire going ... It's toasty warm.

This lovely  teaset  was so appropriate for the up coming Easter celebrations with it's crackle  effects... and of course the lovely spring posies inside the cup were a plus for us snowbirds who are waiting for the long cold winter to disappear. I was tempted to look underneath the china for the name of the pottery, but then that would have been rude, wouldn't it !!!

With my ninety year old mother, Grace looking on, I decided to mind myself and act appropriately. Although, that naughty little voice inside did  keep urging me on. ( Ha Ha)

My dear friend, always presents such a welcoming table and everyone gets to enjoys wonderful variety of old world teasets and dainties.

 Here she is enjoying a delicious cup of tea.

 She always gives me rose laden teasets to enjoy .. Fortunately I did know the name of this one as it's one of my favourite designs. Do you recognize the pattern?

Yummy, Yummy ... Homemade, lemon jelly roll created with freshly squeezed lemon juice. I was so pleased when she asked if I would have another piece. When I said ' No Thank You ... Renate promptly put it aside and wrapped for me to take home... Lucky, Lucky !!!

Suddenly, the  plump little tea cosy went onto the teapot and 

Renate pulled out her accordion for some good old teatime music that she had composedand written. It was a fisherman song ... Delightful, delightful toe tapping music. What fun we had!!!

Easterners are very creative and this musical " Ugly stick"( below) as she called it, is proof  of that ...Ha Ha .. A mop, decorated with beer bottle caps that you pound onto the floor for  toe tapping rhythm. It's all part of the Folk traditions of the martimers, from the early Canadian settlers... only, with alittle modern addition (i.e.) beer bottle caps. OMG... but it was all in such good humour.

Look .... A friendly little squirrel came for a teatime visit on the deck, when he heard all the thumping  going on.

The sweet fluttering  red-caps, attentively gobbled their flax seed and seemed to enjoy the  silly antics that were happening inside the cabin.

The fishing lodge is  located  on the well known  Miramachi River, where fisherman come from all over the world to fish. Of course, they're sure to catch a salmon, if they use one of Renate's world famous salmon flies. Here's a picture of Renate with one of the salmon that she caught a few years back.

Mother and I had a lovely afternoon tea with Renate and Fred. I'm so glad that you were able to visit with us too.

Till our next  teatime rendevous.. The blessings of the season to you and you family.

Wishing you all a most joyous Eastertide.

   
                                                              Now, Wasn't that fun !!!