Tea Time Thursday #55~The Holly and The Ivy

I imagine that most of you are enjoying listening to all kinds of Christmas chorals these days. I so enjoy Christmas music of all types. It just seems like such a very  short time that we get to enjoy these beautiful songs. A few years ago, I paid attention to THE HOLLY AND THE IVY and fell in love with the charol. I have to say, it is one of my favorites. Maybe part of the reason is that I just love holly!
When choirs sing this lovely tune, it's just lovely, but I have to admit, I really like to listen Bing Crosby's version.

As it is Tea Time Thursday, I thought I would share a few pieces of my "HOLLY" collection of Christmas china.My main Christmas china is the traditional Spode pattern, but I think it's fun to find other designs to enjoy. This cup and saucer belonged to my Grandmother Smith. She had a tea cup collection. I never saw her drink a cup of tea, but the cup and saucers lived on a shelf in her front room. People would give them to her as little gifts. I think it's funny now that I just thought it was kind of an old lady thing and I really didn't pay much attention to them. When she passed away, all of the granddaughter received a teacup. I was given this one. It's a Royal Albert and I really like it. I have found 2 others now and am on the hunt for one more. It's just old fashioned and I adore it now.

The tea cup is called Holly.

This is a sandwich plate that is a favorite of mine. It's really lovely and has some of the words from the song. I got it when I had my card and gift store~Holiday Card Shoppe years ago. It is marked 1995 Made in Britain. The company is Portmeiron.

I really like my December teacup. I like the delicate holly graphics. It's called CHRISTMAS ROSE and part of the Bouquet of Month Series by Golden Crown.

Saturday is St Nicholas Day and our Tasha Tudor group will be having an event. I hope to have a little tea again, so pop back by to join the fun.

December!

Hello and welcome December! I love the last month of the year. It is filled with busy days, joy, music, church, birthdays, shopping, friends and lots of family fun!  I spent the days after Thanksgiving decorating our home. I have the house all decorated and today I will go over to my dad's to decorate his apartment. Once that is done, it's on to St Nicholas Day and my birthday celebration this weekend.

My daughter Angie always gives me tiny gifts wrapped up like an advent calendar for each day of the month of December. It is my birthday gift every year. I really don't know when she started this, but she has never missed for years and years. It is so much fun and I just look so forward to it and love it. Even the years when she was really broke, she gave me the same gift. Yesterday was December 1st, so I opened my first treat! How cute is this! It's a Cinderella slipper filled with Jelly Belly candies.

Thank you my sweet Angie.

Time for one more cup of coffee and then I need to get ready to go over to dad's. Let the decorating continue!

Tea Time Thursday #54~HAPPY THANKSGIVING

A quick note to wish all my blogger friends a Happy Tea Time Thursday and Happy Thanksgiving!
I love this holiday and I am looking forward to the day with my little family. I am so thankful that God has given us this time to be together and of course, I am especially thankful for our little grandchildren...Ava and Otto. Ava will be with her mommy this Thanksgiving and we will miss her.
I'm sure her mother will be so happy to have her for this holiday. We all have to share her! My friend called her a bonus grandchild and that really is so true! It will be hard to get my hands on Otto today!

When we were in Ilinois for Jim's mother's funeral, we stopped in a thrift store to look for an extra suitcase to bring back home some items. I found this night light for $2. It is so cute....a teapot shape with a turkey. I have a Christmas Spode on that is similar. I just love the gentle light.

We also had some good news last night! We have a new great niece that was born in Illinois. She's a tiny little thing. Welcome dear Audrey.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

It's almost Thanksgiving and I always get a little sad to say goodbye to autumn. We are going to take the kids to The Black Rabbit at Edgefiled this year. It's a sentimental place for our family and we are looking forward to it. Eric and Gina will be coming from Seattle.

Tomorrow is grandma's day with little Otto. I haven't seen him for awhile and I am looking forward to playing with the little guy. He's really at a fun stage right now.

Today I finished all my Tasha Tudor exchange gifts for St Nicholas Day~December 6th. I was in charge of it this year and it really was fun. I will post pictures after the 6th. Jimmy was very sweet and took all of my packages to the Post Office for me.

It's time for this old grandma to get some sleep! Otto will be waiting for me!

Tea Time Thursday #53

Something different for this Tea Time Thursday post! I found this little miss when I was out shopping with my good friend Lynda. Handmade and just a cutie made of wood. It just reminded me of the nursery rhyme " Polly Put the Kettle On". I love nursery rhymes.

I think my little miss looks a lot like the little maid in the graphics below. Her hat and her dress are really similar.

Here are the words for the nursery rhyme and the song. It was first published in 1803 and it is English.

Enjoy a  cup of tea and enjoy the graphics.

I handed over my two quilt tops to my friend Nancy to do the long arm quilting. I will get them back after Thanksgiving...exciting! Pictures will have to wait until after Christmas. I am now working on my Tasha Tudor exchange gifts for St Nicholas Day.

Tomorrow I am going to the Monticello Antique Mall Christmas Open House! I look forward to it and will do some Christmas shopping.

One week until Thanksgiving.!

Quilting

I spent the day at my little quilting group today. I am finishing up some projects that I started in October when I was able to attend my favorite quilting retreat. I was thinking of my other quilting friends and how much fun I had with them all. Most of the ladies live in Central Oregon and belong to the Scrapbaggers quilting group. We have given ourselves the nane Can Bee Quilters for the retreat held in Candy OR. It's a great conference center with very nice private rooms and good meals provided.

Here we are....all smiles and having a great time.

Susie is Gloria's friend from Hood River OR. I had actually been to a few retreats with her years ago.
She was having fun with a Jelly Roll race quilt in greens.

Charity quilts ready to be delivered. The group works on these all year. The contact person came to pick them up.

This is Nancy's modern quilt. Such a cute little fun quilt.

Kathy was finally able to finish her kitty quilt. It turned out so cute. I ike the boarder too.

Roberta and Ina were working on these amazing pot holders or hot pads. They are just beautiful.

One of Vicky's many quilt tops that she finished. She is amazing.

Nancy was helping Peggy make scarves. They are really fun to make.

Nancy was finishing her baby quilt. She didn't want me to take a picture, but how could I resist?

Peggy and Gloria are such good friends. They went to Alaska this summer with their husbands for 2 months! They had a ball.

Serious Nancy!.

I can;t wait to go back next fall. 

A November Sunday

How I love November! I cherish this month and I am always a bit sad when it slips away. I like the slower pace, the short days, the woodstove burning, thinking over gift giving and even time to work on some handmade gifts. This autumn month suits me.

Today is Sunday and the perfect for thinking and praying for my two grandchildren. We had a busy and fun week with the snow and ice and time with the little ones. I am so thankful that I have been blessed with grandchildren. I just didn't think we would be grandparents.

I wanted to share a few pictures from the busy and fun filled week with Otto and Ava.

Otto and Grandpa getting all bundled up for a ride in the stroller. They both wanted some fresh air.

Ava and Otto at the pancake house. Ava is so good with her brother. It makes me happy that they look like brother and sister even with different mommies.

Ava and I spent the afternoon and part of the evening yesterday playing with our American Girl dolls.
That's my Rebecca in the background. The dolls live in my Tea Room, in fact, they may be taking over the room!

This is Ava's doll Saige. Miss Ava is wishing for Samantha this Christmas. The doll is coming out of retirement.

Do you like November?