Recipes From the Past for Tea TIme

This morning I just felt like baking. My Jimmy loves cookies. I told him I was going to bake and he said if I made cookies, he's bring take out Thai food home for dinner. Well, how could I refuse?
I started to look through some old recipes to make some cookies from our past. I had fun going back in time a bit.

This is my little tea this afternoon. It's Tuesday and our Tasha group share tea things with our members...we call it Tea Time Tuesday with Tasha.

When Jim and I were first married, we used to go to Grangeville, Idaho to visit our friends Ed and Evelyn. They were like Jim's second parents. My first recipe~ginger snaps~is an old recipe from a delightful lady named Donna. We used to go visit her on our trips and she often had special cookies. I asked her for this one. It's a great cookie for tea time.

Here's the finished project. It's soft and full of great spices, so it's full of flavor.

The next recipe is one of Evelyn's cookies. It's called Homestead cookies. Evelyn would make it when we would stay at their home. She would make a big batch for Jim. I only make half of the recipe as it makes a lot!

This one is actually a cookie that I found a few years ago and never made. It's called an Italian Cherry cookie. It's yummy with almond flavoring and maraschino cherries. It's very much like the cookies Jimmy's aunt sends at Christmas. I was in the middle of making this one, when my daughter Angie stopped by with Otto! What a nice surprise. He loves to play in our backyard and the rain actually stopped for awhile. They had cookies to enjoy and that made me happy! It's so good to see them. We social distance and no hugs yet. Soon, I hope. 

It's always special to use my pink lusterware cup and saucer for a wee bit of tea. It was a lovely day and I just didn't listen to the news much. I needed a break.

Have you been baking? It's been fun to bake and cook with more time to enjoy it all. 

A Spot of Tea

It was just time to look at something pretty and springy and happy! I decided to have a little spot of tea but wanted to use some of my pretty tea things.

I love pink roses and this little bowl has been begging to be used.

Years ago, two of my sweet tea friends and I went to tea. When we were finished, we were browsing the gift shoppe. We all fell in love with the tea for one sets. Each of us bought one to remember our day together. I had to pick the pink rose one!

Here's my little tea, just for me today. How I miss sitting and chatting with my tea ladies! I had some fresh fruit and just a black tea with milk. Perfect. I love using my little strawberry forks for fruit. I bought back this one from MA years ago.

It was fun to reread this tea book and made me think of all my tea friends....oh, yes....Let's Have Tea Together. Maybe someday. 

Tea Time

I just felt like a little tea this afternoon. Angie and Otto dropped off eggs, spinach and homemade
peanut butter cookies today. It was good to see them. We still keep our distance and it's very hard not to hug! It was sunny and he ran around in the backyard and was so happy. It warmed my heart.

I didn't realize that my Lily of the Valley plants were blooming. My dad gave me a few plants probably 40 years ago. I have them under a tree and they have spread and are a delight.

I was looking at my Kate Greenaway book...The Language of Flowers. Do you know that these flowers mean return to happiness? I am dreaming about that and a return to some kind of normal life. All is well, but we all seam to be uneasy and so wondering what the future may hold.

I love my brown transferward . My collection is just a mix of treasure hunting. It makes me happy.

I love these cup and saucers. I have 4 that match. I enjoyed a toasted coconut black tea. It was nice.
Stay safe and have a cup of tea!

Monday Made: Tea Wallets

Good morning Blogger friends! It's a new day and a new week. I've kind of lost track of how many weeks we have been sheltering in, but does it really matter? Jimmy and I are both doing fine and making progress around the house and with projects. I do believe staying home and staying in as much as possible has made a lot of difference in our state. Not everyone feels that way. Our governor is starting to work on some plans for opening up the state but she is being cautious and I am in agreement.
So weeks ago, one of my Tasha Tudor friends Niki, contacted me and asked if I would be willing to make 12 little tea wallets for her. She is giving her sister a garden party birthday this summer and wanted tea wallets as party favors. Niki lives in Florida and has the most beautiful garden I have ever seen. She is so sweet and has sent me kind words and little gifts over the years when I was recovering. She asked me this way before the virus, and I was just kind of down. It was such a blessing to get the special order! It just was a jump start for the winter blahs. I thought I would be working on them when I went to my quilt retreat in April but that was rescheduled to June and just this weekend, it has been canceled until next April. Such is life.

 I went thought my fabric stash and of course, I had all the pink and green floral fabric I needed. It's fun to go shopping in your own sewing room, especially when all the craft stores and fabric stores are closed due to the virus. Don't they know that sewing is essential...lol

I do have a funny story. I have had this little pattern for over 20 years. I have copies of it. Do you think I could find the pattern? I spent several days looking for it. I am pretty organized and it was driving me crazy. I like this one as it has a little quilt block in the center. Well, I went over to my storage unit (close to home) and found it right on top in a tub of fabric. Don't ask...I just did a happy dance and said a little thank you prayer!

It was so fun to choose the fabrics. That's one of my favorite things to do when starting projects.

Lots of pieces waiting to go together! there are 12 pieces for each tea wallet. On of my friends said I was crazy to so such a detailed little project. I didn't think so and I know Kiki will love them.

You can see the progress in this photo. Oh, I was having so much fun.

The next step....all lined up after being sewn together. I thought they needed something in the center.

I dug out my charms! I had 8 little teapots. They are 1/2 charms so they would work. I got on Etsy and found a vender here in the USA who could send me 6 more quickly. They are very inexpensive. They arrived in just a few days. YEAH!

This is the inside of the tea wallets. They can actually hold 4 tea packets.

I added 2 tea packets...STASH tea from Oregon. There is room for Niki to add 2 more of her own choice is she wishes.

This is my very first tea wallet I made about 20 years ago. My sewing room is decorated in Mary Engelbreit colors and fabrics. I carry this in my sewing basket where ever I go.

I enjoyed the project so much and I enjoyed doing this post. Sewing and fabric makes me happy. I pray you have a good week ahead and find a little fun and joy this week. 

The Kindness of a Dear Friend

Here we are...it's Saturday and another week has almost slipped on by. Staying home and away from others is hard. It is what we need to do right now. I was really kind of blah yesterday, along with most of my family and friends. I keep saying we will have good days and we have bad days. But just think of those who are putting their own lives at risk everyday to try and save the lives of others. Staying at home is easy compared to that sacrifice. I pray for their protection and am so thankful for so many.

I received this wonderful card via snail mail the other day. My good friend Bernideen sent it to me. She is very crafty and makes wonderful things to send to others. It just cheered me up so much. When I was recovering from surgery, she also sent me a delightful box of goodies. She is a cherished friend. We have never met. I so hope that will happen in the future.

Of course she included a packet of tea! Who doesn't need a cup of tea in the afternoon?

She had a tea shoppe in Denver before her hubby and her moved to MO when they retired. She has the most yummy recipes. This one just makes my mouth water.

I so appreciated this enclosure that was tucked in the card....so positive and some great ideas.

So I hope you are doing ok and are staying home and being safe. So thankful for the internet and being able to keep in touch. 

Thank you so much Bernideen! 

Pretty Fall Days

It has been just a beautiful fall here in Oregon! The days have been warm and sunny and windy!

After days of strong east winds, the trees are getting a little more sparse.  Oh, but there are lots of leaves left to fall!

The wind piles the leaves up against Jim's cottage...they are piling up.!

I decided to do a bit of baking to enjoy a bit of tea today. Something for me and something for Jimmy.

I've been experimenting with almond flour. The tea bread is a pumpkin spice almond flour bread.
It's very moist and has a lot of flavor. It only has 2-3 T of honey, no sugar. I had a 1/2 can of pumpkin, so made Jim some soft drop pumpkin cookies with an old fashion butter cream frosting. YUMMY.

I have had these pumpkin mugs for over 40 years. I got them at the Oregon State fair when we were first married. I have used them every year.

My friend LaVonne gifted me with this darling acorn teapot. I brewed a chai tea by Stash-mild and delightful.

Our weatherman says we will have about 5 more days of this lovely weather. 

Pear Time!

It's almost fall and it's pear time!!! I am putting together Tea Time Tuesday with Dolly Time Thursday. It's actually Friday, but I had my little tea yesterday.

I adore this beautiful new teacup. It's a Royal Albert called Pear Harvest from the Orchard Collection. A great Etsy find.

It's so pretty with my tea! Why does tea taste better in a bone china cup and saucer????

This is a new tea for me and I really like it. It's a white tea, so it has flavor yet it has a delicate taste.

It's a pretty mix too! I am not a tea snob, but I do enjoy loose tea.

I found this set of pressed glass cream and sugar a few weeks ago at a flea market. Can you see the pears? No one wants these treasures anymore...only $5 for the set.

The fresh pears are so yummy now! Enjoying a couple different types.

 Isn't this dolly cute! I love these fruit and veggie dolls. They are from the 1950's and were made in Italy. I recently found one at a flea market and was so delighted to add one to my collection. She is charming.

She still has her tags...Made in Italy!

Fall is on it's way! It will be here officially next week....yeah! Enjoy.