Dirt to curtains & everything in between... The joys & sometimes trials of a simple country life.
How fortunate for me that in order to avoid an "unhappy accident" we had a very "happy accident" indeed...
Lil Sara, as 3yr olds are apt'd to do, requested a potty break while we were in a store with no bathroom...Fortunately right next door is one of our (my) favorite thrift stores...My eldest daughter was a volunteer there for a short time also....
So we leave daddy to choose his own cell phone and we pop next door to use the facilities...
Once business was taken care of, we of course must check the kitchenware section for any treasures that might have been donated...this is a RULE...and can not be broken...
Oh rapture...Oh joy...Hear the heavenly music ring...3 little delicate tea-cups and matching saucers, with just a tiny touch of pink on the flowers sat waiting for me...What a truly serendipitous moment...
The china cabinet was gifted to my by my MIL and one day I will decide what color I want to paint it (it will receive new hardware at that point)
On the top shelve I display part of my Homer Laughlin set of dishes...And the lovely china cats that belonged to my Grandmother whom passed when I was 11yrs old...My Grandfather knowing how much I love her cat collection saved these and presented them to me for my 21st Birthday, he inscribed the bottom of the cats from both himself and my grandmother...
Middle shelf starting on the left...
How gorgeous is this rabbit, hubby found him at yet another local antiques mall (we have lots of AM's around here)...he has no markings underneath...He sits on a riser of old books...the bottom 3 books are from yet another antique shop, but the top one is a English/Dutch translation of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol, printed in 1931 and belonged to my father as a little boy attending school in Holland...My sugar tongs because they are pretty.... The white bell marked Joy that was a gift from my eldest daughter...Another silver tray to brighten the background.
On the right side of the middle shelf is "Sara's Teaset"...It had belonged to her daddy's Granny and has been entrusted to my care until Sara is old enough to care for it herself....The Tiara was worn by my eldest daughter to her Prom...and again the silver tray bringing in some much needed light.
The bottom shelf right now just contains random pieces I have not yet worked out where to keep or display them...Yellow Jug from Dollar General...Flea-market cake tier, target sugar bowl and creamer jug....
The fish platter was my newest find...I took in some baby clothes to the consignment store and there it was sitting waiting for me...I already had a store credit, so walked out with the fish for no money out of my pocket...The Target bowl and jug again...White Corelle Teapot from Lowes Foods...Martha Steward sugar bowl and milk jug also from target...to the right of these is a candy dish and a candle holder...Like I said this shelf needs some thought, but not until we (I) decided on what color to paint the cabinet it's self.
All served on one of my favorite thrift store finds...My $7 wooden TV tray that will one day become a white shabby TV tray...
Look at that excited little face...She is so proud to be using the big tea set...Please note the candle sticks on the table, she insisted as I was getting the tea stuff out of the china cabinet we use the candles also.
Sara very carefully poured her own milk...
No surprise the Dora Treats were the first to go lol...
Next to go was the Teddy Bears...
I slipped in a couple of chicken nuggets since she slept thru lunch...
Snow White finally notices she is being watched and politely asks us to leave so the her guests, the Princesses from the Disney Kingdom can have a little privacy...
On a cold winters night, do you think Santa would like a hot cup of tea for a change??
The silver is polished and the candles are lit...
Christmas trinkets both old and new to give him a treat...
The colors of Christmas, Red, White and Silver...
An old fashioned Christmas, a gift to remember...
The table is set...
But where is Nanma?
Here they come...Look at that excited little face.
All the girls are at the tea party, even Nadia the dog who hates to miss anything.
Lil Sara was so excited to be having a tea party with her Nanma, before we even got the table cloth on the table she had gone inside and go her little wicker chair, even if it is to short for the table, that is the chair SHE wanted lol
Tasting to make sure her tea (milk) is just right...
Since I only found 3 teacups at the antique mall I gave lil Sara a white cup to use...But she did not mind, this was her first time using real china and that was enough to make her proud of herself.
A look at our table...
This lovely handmade doily was created by Hubby's Granny many years ago...My sweet MIL brought me a bag full of them and matching table runners this visit.
I paired each orphan cup with one of my plain white saucers,
Yup more blue and white cups for me...
Look how pretty the inside rim is...
Lovely detail even on the handle...
Made in England...
