Decorating With Tea and Teapot Memories

Decor-a-Tea La Tea Dah of Gracious Hospitality continues to host her Blog-a-thon about tea. Each week she has given us a new theme. "This is week three, and she asks us to "Share ideas and pictures that incorporate tea and/or tea themes into home decor. Displays, art, prints, fabrics, and collection all count in this category. Do you use teapots and teacups as a part of your home decor? If so, describe how."

When I first was introduced to the Tea that Gracious Hospitality was hosting, I couldn't wait to join. I think that what I love most about the teapots and teacups that you will find around my home, are the memories that they all hold so dear. Whether they remind me of another place, another time, or the memories of sipping tea with my Grandmother, they are unforgettable.


I once climbed a very steep staircase to get to a china shop, where my teapot lamp used to live in Hong Kong. I found the perfect lamp shade in a lovely part of Toronto where all the interior decorators have shops. It's light warms my heart with the memories of living in both places, as well as lighting this corner of my kitchen.

It seems that in every corner of my home you will find teapots, teacups or something to do with tea as part of the decoration. I just love everything to do with tea. When I am not decorating with teapots, I am painting teapots or tea parties.
Tiny tea is always charming for little guests.






During the years that our family lived in Hong Kong, it was still a British Colony and it was the land of tea. Whether you were attending the proper British tea with friends in their homes or at some tea house, or sipping tea in one of the most famous Chinese tea houses known as the Luk Yu Tea House, you were learning about the intricacies of tea. The array of teapots, teacups and vessels dedicated to the art of tea was truly inspiring. I began collecting teapots and teacups because the inspiration took my breath away.





Today as I look around my home at my favorite tea sets, they bring back sights and sounds from another day. Memories of special friends who live in different parts of the world, who once shared a cup of tea. My most cherished teapot, which I often paint was given to me by a special friend Elizabeth Wu, who still lives in China.







My mother gave me this teapot with forget-me-nots on it, and little teaspoons with teapots and stacks of teacups decorating the ends. Teacups and teapots holding special memories hang from my baker's rack.




Sometimes I have been known to even decorate my garden with a spot of tea.






Of course serving tea in my dining room is my favorite thing to do. Every time I see my table set for tea using this tablecloth, I think of all the friends over the years who have graced my table for tea.

Now you can visit all the wonderful bloggers at Gracious Hospitality, and see all the wonderful ways that they decorate with teapots, teacups and everything tea. Or perhaps you would like to write a post about how you decorate with tea, and just add your link to the bottom the of the ones you will find here.


The love of tea runs in the family, My sister, Susan makes her own tea, which is shown on my table. When our family was living far away from home and I was so homesick, my sister sent us her Angel Tea and it made everything better. My little daughters believed that if they were sick, only Aunt Susan's tea made them feel better.

Have a lovely tea.

For all the unforgettable memories of yesterday, and the ones we are making today sharing our tea in Blogland, thanks to La Tea Dah, I chose the song Unforgettable, sung by Mr. Special...Nat King Cole.

Photo Challenge Number Three

Beachy Cape Cod Cupboard is hosting her third photo challenge. If you visit her blog on Monday, March 31st, you can visit all the participants in this lovely challenge. I decided to begin with a story about this wonderful photograph.

The Photograph...




The year was 1935 and Whitby promised Charles that they would go to the beach and have a picnic. What he didn’t know was that Whitby had plans to bring her bridesmaids along. Charles didn’t mind, he anxiously awaited their wedding day in just a few short days.

Beatrice, Ashley, Doris, Sarah and June all went for the walk and giggled as their skirts blew in the shore breeze on Old Silver Beach on Cape Cod. Whitby had grown up on the Cape and her dearest friends would surely be missed after she became Mrs. Charles Lawford. June ran ahead and turned with her camera aiming at the foursome. Whitby yelled to June as she took the photo, “”I wish I could bring you all along to our new home.”

June would later surprise Whitby and Charles with this framed photo as her gift to them at their wedding. After the wedding Charles and Whitby would be traveling abroad to live in London, and she would cherish this photograph of them forever. Even though June wasn't in the actual photo, Whitby would always remember how her best friend made them all laugh as she knelt in the sand when she took the photo. Memories of that day in Cape Cod always made Whitby smile.


Years later the photo still hung in the parlor of their flat in London. It was a wonderful reminder of this incredibly romantic era.

I just couldn't resist creating a story about The Photograph to bring the romance to life that I saw in these delightful people. Louise from Beachy Cape Cod Cupboard originally said, "As promised, I cheerfully submit my latest photograph for the 3rd Blogger Craft Challenge! This photo originated from the same album, and this picture was entitled "Whitby - 1935." After reading Louise's introduction to this challenge and seeing the faces in this photo, I set out to create something romantic for this photo challenge.





How enchanting to find such a treasure. To celebrate the romance of this era I colored the photo by hand using colored pencils. I added a bit of glitter to show off the ladies frocks and a bit of color on their shoes.



Then I designed a shaker card, with lots of embellishments.





I do hope Whitby would approve.



Now if you would like to visit all the designs that make up the photo challenge, visit Beachy Cape Cod Cupboard" on Monday, March 31st for the links to everyone's blogs. This photo challenge was so enjoyable and when I got lost in the imaginary story I was reminded of a lesson I learned living ten years abroad.

Each moment spent with a good friend
stitches another thread into your heart.
Not even living worlds apart can
separate the garment of friendship.

back of shaker card








The song for this post is by Glen Miller, Mr. Romance himself, Moon Light Serenade

Tulip Ballet

After the holiday is over...









I need time to put all the bunnies away,



and say goodbye to all my favorite colored eggs.



I need that bit of time to reflect on all the LOVE and memories, so that I surely have them memorized.
I take time out to count my blessings,


As I sip my cup of tea and smile at all the Easter memories of past and present.



Tomorrow I will anticipate the next special day,



when all the Easter decorations are put away.




Then as Spring stands on our doorstep ready to awaken all the beauty,











I will surely welcome the new season with open arms.










Yet as my favorite guru teaches me every day,



my little puppy, the Ambassador of Joy, Cocoa reminds me to take time to smell the flowers, and to live in this moment, capture it's specialness before I run to embrace tomorrow.

The song for this post is Waltz of the Flowers.

Happy Easter

For your Easter Gift, I have wrapped lots of goodies in links all about this post, I have hidden them beneath the words, and decorated just a few words with Easter Eye Candy. What is Easter without lots of Easter Baskets and chocolate bunnies? There is this wonderful chocolate shop nearby and I love to visit them at Easter. Today they have all their bunnies on display.



A few weeks ago their conveyor belts were all lined up with these chocolate delights. Dozens of chocolate baskets filled with goodies were wrapped in cellophane and tied with pretty ribbons sitting on tables covered in pretty tablecloths.




If you would like to take a trip to the magical world of bunnyland created seventy-four years ago, just follow this link.

Speaking of Easter bunnies, I designed this Grandma Easter bunny for my mother twenty years ago.




In your Easter Bonnet, I remember Fifth Avenue in New York City and the Easter Parade with all the pretty bonnets.



The prettiest bonnets I thought were on my girls when they were little.



Oh, the lovely memories that come flooding back of all the Easter egg hunts, and the dozens of Easter outfits and soft animal bunnies and lots and lots of chocolate.


Memories are such a blessing.



We are on our way to visit my mother in Vermont to create some more memories to save for the tomorrows, and we will leave early Friday morning for our trip. I want to wish all of you a Happy Easter.

Blessings, Karen

I will leave you with a poem that I wrote about Easter.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST LIVES

Our redeemer is celebrated in the Glory of Spring,
and we like the blossoms hanging from the branches
cling to our Savior and are covered by His Grace.

The glory of His resurrection is announced,
as each tree awakens with beautiful blossoms,
each flowered branch reveals the promise
and blessings of the Gift,

The tiny birds sing Praise,
as they rejoice the rebirth of every living thing,
Declaring in their song,
'THE LORD JESUS CHRIST LIVES'

If you highlight this photo, you can read the words

The song for this post is Happy Easter, and I hope that you have a very happy day. This song is from one of my favorite movies Easter Parade, if you would like a little movie clip, Fred is still dancing.