Random Ramblins

Hi, folks!

Happy Weekend to you all!

I am sharing some random ramblins with you today

just to let you know I am alive and I have not forgotten you!

My son-in-law is a world traveller who just recently

 returned from a visit to Peru.

(He really loved Machu Pichu.)

He brought back this cute knitted hat

that he bought off a sweet little old lady who makes them

to give to baby Vivian-the-niece.

  Here she is modeling it, and showing off her first 2 teeth

(and her cute chubby cheeks!)

Five minutes after they put it on her head

 she bit those cute wee pom poms off the ties. 

We had some 70 degree weather recently

 that brought the crocus into bloom....and

many buds on the trees start to show......

and I just got SO excited about it

 and brought out some transitional spring decor...

HOWEVER, this IS Ohio and I KNOW I cannot go too crazy

 with the early spring decor because
THIS HAPPENS!

 I took this snap this morning.

HOWEVER, I am not letting that little bit of snow
stop me from dreaming of spring's arrival!

I got the pretty glass tray below in the last teacup exchange
I was in - from a dear lady named Margaret.


Here is my post about it, in case you missed it.

Be sure to check my sidebar for the current teacup exchange -
and I posted something about it on my last post.

I bought tulips this week for myself to pacify my need for springtime!

And yes, for here it's much too soon for pussy willows,
but I brought them out anyway!

I wonder if it will ever be warm enough 
 to get out our nests, bunnies, baskets and eggs!!?

(Soon, but not too soon.)

But Lent has begun and it is all just a matter of time, right?

This wee fella from my friend Karen stays out all year.

I had such a busy, whirlwind week!

One of the best things that happened was on Tuesday!
 I met a dear fellow blogging friend;

 Deborah from The Beautiful Matters!

She posted all about our meeting in detail here. 

I invited my friend Melinda for coffee on Thursday (she hates tea,)

and my friend Dee for teatime today.

(So, yes, I technically had three tea parties this week.)

Mel and Dee knew they were only getting leftovers sweets,
but they acted as though the humble offerings were fit for royalty.

I like the way the teacups have the floral inside.


As always, thank you for visiting!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Friday Foto Friends   *   Friends Sharing Tea

Stephanie's Springtime Teacup Exchange!

It's that wonderful time again!

This is an amazingly fun event!

You needn't be a blogger, either!

Go to The Enchanting Rose to sign up -

trust me, you will be SO GLAD you did!

Some of my most favorite blogging friends

started as exchange partners.......

I think you may just find it be the case for you as well. ♥

Hugs always-

~Michele

I made this post "no comment"

 so you don't have to waste any time

to sign up!

Pretty Pink Valentine Decor

Well, St. Valentine's Day has come and gone for another year

but I couldn't stand the thought of putting my romantic pinks

away for another year till I shared just a few of my pretties.

I have used red many times over the years,

but this year I did subtle, I did less, and I did soft pretty pinks.

I don't know, perhaps I used only pink this time

because usually it is snowing in February here in Ohio;

this time it was warm..... reminding me of sweet spring

just around the corner!

I had a pretty tablescape for six all ready for 

a lovely afternoon tea that never happened.

Life has me so busy lately, and I am sorry for that,

as I so love to host an afternoon tea for my friends.

I grab a cuppa on the go

or sip while working these days.

I must remedy that soon....spring is around the corner....

oh, truly that is the very best of tea party seasons.....

at least for us pink lovers!

As always, thank you for visiting!

♥

~Michele

Feathered Nest    *   Friends Sharing Tea   *   Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Pink Saturday  

Happy Val Day & Winner of Teacup!

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY TO YOU ALL!

Sure hope your day has been going fabulously!

♥♥♥ Love is in the air ♥♥♥

As promised, I am announcing my teacup giveaway winner

~by Random Generator~

The winner this time is Mona Gabriel

 of Hidden Art of Homemaking blog!

Mona - just let me know where to ship this

and I will get it out for you asap!

Thanks for all who entered the giveaway!

Hugs and prayers!

♥

~Michele

Kelton House Valentine's Tea

I attended the Kelton House Valentine's Afternoon Tea last week, 

and thought I'd share it with you today before Val Day comes and goes!

Each month this wonderful old downtown historic

 Victorian mansion hosts a truly wonderful themed tea.

I try to always attend the Valentine tea,

 there's just something about tea in February that makes me happy. 

Perhaps I need a reason to dress up and possibly because I seem to need a pick-me-up during these winter grey days, who knows.

Oddly, what we thought we'd like least on the menu 

we ended up liking most.

Can anyone guess what it was?

It was unanimous to us six at our table.*

I really liked my seat this year - the hosts always have two more

giant tables there - which made it dangerously crowded.

It always has been so difficult to move to get food or fill cups of tea.

This year they seem to have less coming by 12 count-
 so it sold out FAST.

Two long tables of 6 of either side are gone now.

I sat in that seat empty right above where the plates are stacked.

(see first foodie pic)

Easy in and out - loved that.

Little tiny doughnuts was quite a surprise,

very unusual.

The caterer who does the Kelton teas

has long been retired and moved to a different city-

but comes back every month to give this gift to

the city and Kelton House.

It is run on donations and charitable work,

and is the #1 philanthropy of the city's

Junior Women's League.

There's always a raffle to off-set the cost

of running the house and such.

I always bring a box of themed gifts for them to raffle off.

It makes me feel good to see the smiles.

No one ever knows it's me, which makes it even more fun.

Valentine's Day and chocolate

 just seem to play well together,

do they not?

They don't over-do the decor, keeping it simple.

These pretty heart tealight holders were on the tables.

For information on Kelton House <click there.

(great info on this important Underground Railroad home)

There is always a program after the tea.

This year is was all about the history and maker's

of Art Deco jewelry.

Fascinating bit of history there.

I learned a great deal.

Also on the back of our menus was all sorts of interesting 

trivia about St. Valentine's Day.

The info was found here if you care to read it.

There's a lot of info but it is fascinating!

♥

If you haven't yet signed up to win my teacup giveaway
I pick the random winner on Tuesday!

Click here to take you to the post!

As always, thank you for visiting!

  Hugs,

~Michele

* The pickled radish and sweet butter tea sandwiches is the answer.

 And there is a misspelling on the menu for it.

Linking:

Amaze Me Monday   *   Teacup Tuesday  *   Bernideen's Tea  

Pretty Teacup Giveaway!

T'is the season of romance and loveliness and beauty.

So to celebrate this special time of year -

 with St. Valentine's Day, spring, Mother's Day

and tea party season all just around the corner...

 I am offering up this lovely vintage Japanese

MOSS ROSE TEACUP and SAUCER SET
to a follower of this blog.

Who doesn't love pink roses

 with pretty lavender sprays tucked in around them?

I just love pretty floral teacups.

(Especially ones with a pedestal and lovely handle.)

Random drawing on Feb. 14th.

You needn't have a blog to enter.

I only ask that you are a follower of my blog,
(and maybe double check you are, it's easy to fall off, not sure why.)

Please leave a comment saying you wish to enter.

Did you know that you are able to leave comments
on blogs even if you are a non-blogger?!? 

You can do it in "anonymous" form!

Just remember to include your first name so we all know who visited!

♥

My teacup giveaway is open only to US and Canada,
 due to the high cost of shipping. I'm so sorry.


As always, thank you for your visit!

It really makes my day when you stop by!

~Michele
xxooxxooxxooxxoo

Linking:

Inspire Me Tuesday   *   At Our Home  *  Feathered Nest

Winter Afternoon Tea Party

I was invited to the loveliest of afternoon teas recently

and I am so pleased to be able to share this with you.

My dear tea society "sister/friend" Marina hosted a tea in January
 with the most perfect winter's theme and attention to detail!

This is a very pic-heavy post so I will hush and allow
the pictures to do most of the the talking.

Here was the gorgeous teacup I used.

I loved her blue and white and shiny tablescape!

I could spend an entire month showing you

 all Marina's collection pieces.

Her china cabinets are filled to bursting with exquisite tea items!

(And she has a great story behind nearly every piece, too!)

Oh, my, the food was so pretty and sooooooooooo delicious!

This was our delicious and pretty "welcome to tea" beverage

 in her gorgeous heavy leaded crystal goblet.

             (Which matched her yummy mini cupcakes perfectly!)

And don't they look nice all snuggled up

 to yummy frosty white pretzel bites?

I got lucky with the little gift bags I brought as gift favors for the gals-

seemed to fit in rather well with the tea colors.

Here are my very best of my best friends;

 my Sandy's Tea Society Ladies.

L to R:

Dawn, Karen, Pam, Mary, Auntie Pam, and Marina.

I absolutely adore these gals. They are so loving, polite, giving, kind, thoughtful and sweet.

My time with them is never enough. I miss them even on my way home from my visits.

They are truly beautiful both inside and out. 

The adorable snowman towels that were placed

 on the backs of our seats

was our thoughtful favor from our lovely hostess, Marina!

Thank you, sweet friend, for a most delightful tea party!

♥

As always, thank you, too for your visit today!

Hugs!

~Michele

Linking:

Inspire Me   *   Teacup Tuesday   *   Friends Sharing Tea 

Tablescape Thursday   *   Bernideen's Tea Time