" CHRISTMAS ROSE TEATIME"

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" ..Welcome to a carolling teatime ... ' Yes , I'm still singing ... Today, we will be humming  and listening to   "We Three Kings ",

 written by John Henry Hopkins(1857)

"We three kings of orient are

Bearing gifts we traverse afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

Following yonder star."

Who can resist a handcrafted star to symbolically glorify the message of of Christmas and the Christ Child. This is one which I purchased at the Frederickton Christmas Craft Fair. An elderly German lady  had patiently folded over two hundred of these wax paper treasures to sell. The walls  of my studio are mauve, I bought three in varying colours of purple. 

 It sets the tone for the Christmas window display, doesn't it !!!

I never tire of  Christmas stories and all the heartwarming tales. Luckily, I  found  a charming  Staffordshire tea set, called the Christmas Rose. If you care to blog along, it has a lovely little legend to tell. 

"The Legend of the Christmas Rose"

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem. There came three Wise men from the East bearing gifts of  gold, Myrrh and Frankincense. A little Shepherdess, watching from afar, wept because she had no gift to offer the Christ Child. As her tears fell to the ground, flowers sprang up, which the child gathered and hastened to bring to the infant.

In adoration, she knelt at the crib, so  Jesus could see the flowers and when his blessed little hands touched the flowers, a delicate pink appeared in the centre of each floret. So a flower that never blossomed before came into existence- the Christmas Rose. To this day, the Christmas Rose blooms more abundantly at Christmastime than any other season.

The Staffordshire company has beautifully decorated this tea set in vivid colours, unlike the actual  plant which  has only a delicate blush of light green and pink on it petals .. . still, it is a very eye catching set.  While living in Vancouver , B.C., I had a Christmas Rose  blooming in my garden during the wintry months... Thus, this pretty tea cup and saucer bears  a fond mid-winter memory and of course another favourite carol .....

" Lo how a rose 'e're blooming from tender stem has sprung ".

 I'm so  relieved that you're  enjoying  the sing song. ( Ha Ha)

Honestly,  I won't ask anyone to go solo!!!

Another  variation of my Christmas stars is this rich colour combination. Do you see how the precise folding technique allows the light to shine through, making  the  starry pattern?

( Pretty, Pretty)

                                     During Christmas, I do believe in drinking, loose tea,
              since we don't take  enough time out of our  busy schedules to pamper ourselves.

                           So Ladies ... Let's make loose tea a ritual during the festive season.
                                How about some Carmel Chai, with or without milk added.
                                                          It's a Rootibos  based tea,
                                    that has a earthy, robust taste, to get you through the day.
                                                Heaven knows ... You deserve it Ladies !!!

                                 I like taking that little  pause in life and saying to myself,
    " I'm important enough to take the five or six minutes needed for a nice cup of tea "...
                                                                     otherwise ...
                                            How would we ever get through the season !!!!

                                             Now doesn't that look full, rich and flavourful.
                                                M-m-m- girls, it tastes as good as it looks.
                                                                            OOPS....
                                                      You need your teacup replenished.

                      It is always best to store tea in a tin or specifically designed bags that seals,
                  since loose tea is like a sponge and soaks up  surrounding  scents and flavours.
                         I have  also been told, not to use "zip ", glass or plastic containers.
                                                                        ALWAYS
                                      store your tea in a cool, dry place, away from the light...
                                                                           AND
                                                      that's the teatime lesson of the day.
                                                                   

"

 "O, Star of wonder, Star of night, 

Star with Royal beauty bright, 

       Westward leading , still proceeding, 

Guide us to thy perfect light. "

                                       Thank you for lending your voices and spirit in a
                                                                     teatime song.

Today, I'm joining: Rose Chintz Cottage, Martha's Favorites, Tuesday Cuppa Tea and
 Bernideen's Teatime Blog.

" T'IS THE SEASON "

"T'IS THE SEASON" ...  Do you have a Christmas list  ? I threw mine away and decided to hit the streets with a Fa-La-La...I can't wait for the Christmas  Carols to start.

Welcome Ladies ...Let's have a good old  traditional cup of tea  in a  traditional green  cup  to get us warmed up and  into the  Christmas mood ... This festive  Ansley set fits perfectly into the spirit of the  season.  

Doesn't all  that golden ric-rac remind you of  wrapping tinsel about  the christmas tree, especially while singing , "Deck the halls with boughs of holly ( Fa-la-la-la..la-la-la-la-la)"... and ...  Don't you think the ring of leaves could be holly? Maybe,we could all use our imaginations and put red berries on the cup. ( poof) There now ... Can you see the red holly berries?

I'm so glad to have teatime friends to indulge me and my imaginings .... During this magical season, it's always exhilarating to see the spirit of Christmas through a child's eye  and quite frankly, I'm only one step away from that ( Ha Ha)

This week, all the Christmas Carols are blaring on the CD player and the decorations  are being brought down from the attic. I love singing the old Welsh Carol " Deck the Halls" since it conveys  the significance of merriment, fellowship and social  events that  characterize the holiday season.

I'm ready to trim the tree and decorate the house, like the layers of this saucer ... however my creativity  may not be as ornately and skillfully edged around the house ... I tend to go out of the lines when decorating and I do not follow the strict rules of having everything perfect, since I'm eclectic by nature . 

Oh I almost forgot to introduce you my guest  " Chantelle "  a cute little Victorian Doll, who loves to sing  at teatime... Can you imagine a merry gathering in a hall that has been decorated in seasonal greenery and people dressed in their finest garb. Now, envisage a  room, warmed by a blazing fireplace with a harpist playing a golden harp ,while  you sit and sip on  your tea.

OK , back to reality, we need something yummy to go with our tea. How about some  Peppermint Bark ?.. Let's make it together Ladies. ..Only kidding...I have some already prepared.( Ha Ha) Usually, I buy peppermint chocolate  for hubby's  Christmas stocking but must admit to  munching a few  yummy bites. 

So today, we're  indulging with a  chocolate peppermint tea.  Can you smell it ?  Hopefully, the taste will  give us  that special bit of  synergy and  zing to sing and shop a lot ... On your mark , get ready, GO

Deck the hall with boughs of holly

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

T'is the season to be jolly

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Don we now our gay apparel

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Troll the ancient yule tide carol 

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Thanks for the visit Ladies

 Let's   savour the essence  and flavours of Christmas

by 

Drinking in the season  

with a teacup full of

 KINDNESS

 and

 LOVE

Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la

Today I am joining:Rose Chintz Cottage, Martha's Favorites, Tuesday Cuppa Tea & Bernideen's Teatime Blog

" A LIMONCELLO TEA "

WELCOME Ladies ... to my rather late teatime.  The kettle is whistling and the tea cups are on the table awaiting your visits. The music is rather loud, so  feel free to join into the spirit of the song  any time.

Masquerade!

Paper faces on parade...

Masquerade?

Hide your face,

so the world will

never find you!

I  have found something special to share with you  today .

Yes , I'm listening  to  the lyrics of " Masquerade " from  Andrew Lloyd Webber's " Phantom of the Opera which perfectly describes todays ' Paragon',  cup and saucer.

It's an unusual tea set, that  is filled with artistic folly.  I was originally attracted to the  imperfect  colorations that ooze around the pattern . Is it a mistake? ....or is it an Artisan creation?

As the song goes...

Masquerade!

Every face a different shade ....

Masquerade!

Look around

There's another mask behind you!

              The china seems to have been created somewhere  between 1939 and 1949,
                                              according to the " Paragon" markings chart.

Forgive me for smiling  but ...

It looks like pink icing has stained the inside of the cup in such a delicious manner,

                                  that  I won't have to add sugar to taste the sweet imperfections.

While the scalloped edges balance the set quite nicely, each piece seems to stand alone. The saucer, itself, is another work of art, imprinted with a textured leaf or petals resembling a  lotus blossoms. I am  wondering, if more than one artist created this curious  little gem.

I  dare say that most people would not buy this set due to it's peculiar

attributes ... It is a continuous version of the song " Masquerade"... and I love this irregular creativity.

Flash of mauve ...

Splash of puce ....

Fool and king ...

Ghoul and goose

Green and black ...

Queen and Priest ...

Trace of rouge ....

Face of beast ...

It reminds me of the  Arts and Craft Fairs that I attended last week in Montreal. 

What a creative frenzy of synergy.

There is a  distinct difference between an Artisan Fair and a Crafters' Fair 

One is more  professionally focused with higher priced goods while the other is more creatively focused, in a homegrown and cutsey fashion,  plus,  the prices are cheapers.

I was so happy to find this original blend of tea,  created in Quebec, Canada.

Loose tea just seems to release a little more flavour into the teapot.

                                         Hopefully, you can imagine how it smells and tastes
                                                                      FABULOUS !!!!
                                                 Not to mention the sweet packaging can.
                                                                              AND ...
                                                                 It's my colour  ( Ha ha)

                                                 

Look at all those  yummy ingredients......

 black tea, lemon peel, essential oil of 

Italian lemon and chrysanthemum.

There is a lot of great information and steeping tips inscribed on the can too (for instance)

Instructions:  1 teaspoon percup .. steep for four 

minutes.

Would  you like to see what else I bought? 

Yes, I splurged and purchased two silk poncho shirts and a scarf from"Caspian Design, Hand painted Designs on Silk"

The purple one is a Christmas present for my mother and 

the blue one is a Christmas present for me ( (ha ha)

The  garment colours were amazing!

Each  of the Caspian designs is a stunning display of colours and originality. I have always loved the art of " tie dye"  so the soft melding of the dyes on shimmering silk is personally exhilarating  to me. 

Made of 100% genuine silk, each piece is individually hand painted and signed

 by the Canadian Artist, Majid Sadri. HA HA ...Nothing like wearing and artist's name ...too funny, but so appropriate for an Artisan Fair. Artist definitely don't get enough credit for their  wonderful talents.

Of course ... No two items are ever the same at an Artisan Fair.... It's a Artist thing!!!!
Later we continued the " Masquerade " journey while  attending a good old fashioned 'Crafters Fair, where we had tea and cookies and bought many,many adorable ornaments for the children.  I'll show them to you when we decorate the  Christmas tree.

It was so much fun !!!!

The most special piece of artwork was from my Grand-daughter, Auriane, ( 2 years old) who created this"Welcome Grandma" picture  for me, on the day I arrived.

You can't buy this  kind of art. 

                                                                         Faces ...
                                                           Drink it in, drink it up,
                                                               till you've drowned
                                                                       in the light
                                                                      in the sound

            LADIES  .... Don't forget to don your " Happy " faces and  feel free to masquerade
                                              around in curious teatime places this week ...
                                             You never know what treasures you will find.
                                        THANK YOU for joining  me  for a late cup of  TEA

Today I am joining:Rose Chintz Cottage, Martha's Favorites, Tuesday Cuppa Tea&Bernideen's Teatime Blog

"CRAFT FAIR "

                                         It's time for Gingerbread Houses and  Craft Fairs.
                                This week-end I will join my daughter and  grandchildren  
                                               in Montreal for a 2 day craft extravaganza.

SO I might be a little late for tea !!!

( Artwork) courtesy of pinterest

" BIRD SONG TEA "

GREETINGS  LADIES . ..Are you ready for teatime and a song?

The North wind doth blow

And we shall have snow

And what will poor robin do then,

He'll sit in the barn 

And keep himself warm

And hid his head under his wing

Poor thing.

This 16th century, Nursery Rhyme is so appropriate for today's gathering .
LOOK  WHAT 

I have found in my cupboards... It's a novelty teaset, that I purchased in Manitoba, Canada, around  the 1980's.... Ouch...I'm telling my age !!! 

Let's just say, I'm young at heart, like all of you.

The  little birdie told me to pick this  "Royal Albert" teaset for  today ... and  to peek  into the music room ... Yes indeed ... There is something magical happening there.

It's the  Christmas Cactus  .... Isn't it beautiful ... I had not  been into the room for a few weeks, so you can imagine my surprise, to see such a huge cascade of blossoms.  Quite frankly, it took my breath away ... " Neglect ", is the secret to growing the Christmas Cactus ... Truly, I only water it every two weeks, when the soil is absolutely dry.

Seeing the mass of blossoms was like adding  sweetness to the sugar bowl.  I was so excited, that I simply forgot about my tea. " Snap Snap", I must have taken a hundred pictures, so that I could share the beauty ...  Just a little excited !!!!

This plant loves it's  sunny location  and of course the musicality of the room... there is always a song to be sung there. Funnily enough,  I had read an article stating that the  Christmas Cactus prefers a diffuse light, but this one is sitting pretty in our bright, chilly window.

It is so befitting to use this cheery little set with it's pert cuteness, however, I'm not sure if the artist was painting a robin, a blue jay or chickadees... Can you tell ? No matter, it looks to be a  feathered whimsy of all three, that makes me smile.( ha ha)

As a creative bonus, the artist has roughly smudged stains around the rim of the creamer in a delightful way ... a little here and a little there...too charming !!!

While the teacup is much more delicate, it blends quite nicely with the whimsical accents of the teapot , sugar bowl and creamer.

The rippled surface of the saucer spins with glimmers of light that are reflected  throughout the surface of the  arched lip.  I'm wondering if this plate was designed as a drinking  saucer since it is  twice as high most of my other tea saucers. 

There now, the tea has been poured with a  melodious  amount of song and warmth from the heart of this little songbird. ( Tra-La-La )

Although it's a cold, windy day .... Teatime can be such a happy throng ... especially when the sun is sparkling all around. 

( Happy Happy)

The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
Poor thing.

He'll come in for tea,
With you and  me
And flutter and sip and  sing
Happy thing.

(My rendition of the nursery rhyme)

"ENJOY YOUR DAY LADIES"

 Today I am joining:Rose Chintz Cottage, Martha's Favorites, Tuesday Cuppa Tea&Bernideen's Teatime Blog