Saturday Meanderings
It is the Saturday before Christmas and only one more Saturday after this in 2024. My heart is full as my two out-of-town children are home for the week and all three rascals will be here for Christmas. As I watch tragedies unfold around the world, I certainly appreciate the gifts God has given me. I feel like a mother hen, getting all the chicks under my wing and assuring they are happy and healthy. My greatest wish for everyone is to love and be loved. What a week to share and I am very delighted you are taking time out of your busy holiday to chat about all good things this week.
My First Christmas Tea
Last Saturday, I hosted my very first Christmas tea with a small group and friends and their children. Setting up in the dining room, I continue to use (and love!) my tablecloth from Studio McGee (now sold out).
A square Aristocrat Ambiance collection plate with a white on cream design is the perfect size to hold the tea cup. I love this sweet Wild Strawberry Wedgwood pattern, from Harrod’s in London. You can still find this pattern which originated in 1964 at Macy’s, Bloomingdales and of course online at Replacements and eBay. The Battenburg lace edged napkins are a score from a vintage shop and it all works together.
It was nippy outside and our old home tends to be even colder inside in the winter. However, with the fireplace going, this is the perfect room for a cozy cup of tea.
Freshly cut roses from the garden make a simple, yet elegant (and fragrant) bouquet. The silver creamer is the perfect vase and adds to the English tea theme. You can get pieces like this for next to nothing at vintage and thrift store.
It helps to have a tea cozy to keep the tea hot in the pot and my vintage needlepoint Santa one did the trick. With its wool front and green velvet backing, it fits my teapot perfectly. I find an identical one on eBay here, but some of the antique ones are quite the collectables (and expensive).
A Mark Roberts Santa announces the start of the tea!
The Food
I cannot take any credit for the food. Typically, I try to make everything, but with such a busy week, I turn to the expert on this~Beverly from Lilibet’s Cakery and English Tea Room.
She provides warm homemade scones, served with strawberry preserve and English clotted cream. Then comes a variety of tea sandwiches : Smoked salmon with cream cheese; Cream cheese with cucumbers; Coronation chicken; Roast beef with horse radish, and English sharp cheddar with fig jam. Happily we finish with desserts: Miniature cupcakes, French macarons, Chocolate dipped strawberries and miniature sugar cookies.
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon. This is so enjoyable, I hope to do this next year with a larger group of women.
Love this Gadget!
Though I still haven’t hand washed my cashmere sweaters (maybe this weekend), I did buy a fabric shaver and lint remover to get rid of all the pills and fluffs. I am obsessed with this!
I am finding sweaters that I stopped wearing because of all the pills. For some reason, I thought that inexpensive sweaters are the only ones that do this, but my cashmere sweaters are showing pills too.
This battery operated tool is so easy to use and I do not feel like it will ruin the garment. You just run it along the fabric and it chops off the pills. A tank on the underside of the handle collects all the fluff.
What an improvement! I seem to be shaving a sweater a day and can’t believe I haven’t done this before now. Very therapeutic and in no time, you will have a much better looking sweater.
Much Needed Work around the House
House maintenance for an old historic home is critical. If you don’t get on a problem early, it tends to exacerbate. The brutal summers take a toll on the property and its buildings. Though the body of the house is in great condition, we are now addressing some issues with the original French exterior doors.
John, our talented painter, is removing the paint, repairing the damaged wood frames that secure the glass panels and filling holes. It’s a mess now but will look nearly new soon.
Experiencing Allergies?
Now is our allergy season~with so many things growing and blooming. Though I typically don’t have any symptoms, many of my friends have stuffy noses and scratchy throats. Here is a local honey which apparently helps alleviate allergy symptoms.
The theory is if you ingest the pollens that bring you discomfort, you build up an immunity against them. So far, 4 people have told me that this honey works. Bianca, from Beetanical Garden and her family make a Late Summer Desert Bloom Raw honey that is delicious and produced here locally. They sell their products at 2 local farmers markets every Saturday. Here is the information:
Roadrunner Park Farmers Market, 3502 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix; 8:00 a.m. to noon
Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market,3806 N. Brown Ave., Scottsdale; 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 pm
I will be heading there tomorrow to pick up more jars of honey for gifts. You may want to check this out
Gorgeous Holiday Home Tour with Cathy Kincaid
Dallas-based interior designer Cathy Kincaid shares her festively adorned 1920s Highland Park home and her favorite holiday traditions. I am partial to older homes and Cathy’s does not disappoint. See the article from The Glam Pad here.
Wrapping Gifts
I am a big fan of a pretty wrapped gift. When I was a little girl, my godmother brought me a beautifully wrapped birthday present. Instead of tearing into it, I just recall staring at all the pretty ribbons and paper. Does that make me weird?
Cindy Hattersley writes a post on The Best Simple Gift Wrapping Ideas and you can see it a roundup of her previous posts here. Gift wrapping doesn’t need to be expensive only thoughtful.
I will be wrapping gifts this week so I am not doing it late on Christmas Eve (like I did for so many years!). Do you love to wrap presents?
This weekend will be joyful and filled with family moments. My desire to make a gingerbread house is strong, yet not sure I will have the time. Finishing my Christmas painting is at the top of the list, as is picking up a few more gift items.
Of course, in the middle of the holidays, our neighborhood association is preparing for a zoning hearing on January 2 which will require a bit of preparation. Bummer but necessary.
If you missed my 2024 Holiday Home Tour you can see it here.
What are your plans this weekend? Hope all with be “calm and bright”. Stay safe out there.
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