December Sweetness ♥ Snickerdoodles

Family traditions shine through in many rhythms and rituals, perhaps more at this time of year than any other. December is the month when families gather in the kitchen and rummage through their old heirloom recipes...those that have been guarded and passed down from generation to generation. Baking is one of the most beautiful ways for family traditions to come to life. And Christmas baking is just about as good as it gets!

My family has a number of precious recipes that have been passed through the generations...the cards are old and worn and their age shows clearly through the many splatters or creases in the cardstock. Snickerdoodles are one of those recipes. I don't know just how far back this recipe goes in my family, but it's one of those beloved, old favorites, beloved and cherished. In fact, these were my Grandpa's favorite cookie of all. Their flavor is simple, but when you roll them in a spicy, sweet mixture of cinnamon and sugar, well, you've got a delectable little cookie in your hands. In my opinion, there are few other cookies out there that go so well with a cup of tea as snickerdoodles...and as an added note, they freeze wonderfully. And folks seem to love them! So friends, neighbors, family...hand them out to all you know {{smiles}}

♥ ♥ ♥

Snickerdoodles

1 cup softened butter 

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and eggs. 

Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Stir into the creamed butter/sugar mixture.

Roll into balls the size of small walnuts. Roll the dough balls in a cinnamon/sugar mixture (recipe below). Place on a prepared baking sheet tray. Bake at 350*F for approximately 10 minutes, until set and lightly golden brown all over.

Allow to cool, then store in an airtight container. These also freeze wonderfully.

Cinnamon Sugar Coating:

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

May your day be sweet and filled with beauty, lovely friends!

Bless you this day!

♥

Gathering In: Late Autumn Ramblings

for the beauty of the earth

November is here and I am absolutely loving this month. I know that for many October is the epitome of autumn delights and weather and such, but where I live, October can be a hit or miss...some days warm and some cooler, but November, now that's where autumn is at. We are delighting in days that are chilly and even chillier nights. For me, it's always the colder the better, so every time I see it dipping into the low forties during the day and twenties at night is just perfect. Of course, as wintertime comes, I will be wishing for snow. 

Our summer was much cooler than normal, which was a tremendous blessing. However, the last six weeks or so of summer and the first month of autumn were totally stifling! On top of that, it was an extremely dry summer...we've only just begun making up for the rain these last few weeks with several rainstorms. Because of those things combined, I believe, we are not surrounded by the autumnal color that is normal for this time of year. Some trees have turned bright reds or golden yellows, but mostly they've just turned brown and the leaves have fallen to the ground. With all that said, last week my mom, sister and I spent an afternoon at a park not too far from our home and we walked around a lovely pond with geese and ducks and admired the seasonal beauty that was alive and well there. It was such a peaceful afternoon and so wonderful to breathe in some fresh, crisp air. I'm convinced that is the sure remedy to clear one's head and to pour life and goodness and beauty back into one's life. No doubt about it.

And, finally, we've been enjoying several fires in our fire pit in the evenings. The three of us enjoy sitting around in chairs and just chatting or listening to Irish traditional tunes whilst we feel the warmth from the fire. It's truly becoming an autumnal favorite of mine.

musical treasures

Yes, I know that many folks have started in on listening to Christmas music already...but I want to remind you that it's not even Thanksgiving yet. {{winks}} We usually start listening the day before Thanksgiving as we prepare for our feast the next day...then, after Thanksgiving, it's Christmas music full-on from then until Epiphany, or a little after if I'm being completely honest.

At the time of this writing (Thursday night), I'm listening to a selection of songs on shuffle, including favorites from Christy Nockels, The High Kings, and a few others.

bookish ramblings

Confession time: I have not read a book in its entirety since June. 

There's been a lot going on and I have been so uninspired to read. I pick up a book and get about a third of the way into it, then stress or anxiety floods over me and I set it down. I repeat that several more times and here I find myself with a stack of almost half-read books and another that is nearly done that I'm needing to finish this weekend because I'm supposed to be posting a review for it very soon. (And another one, too, that's in the same situation.)

I do, however, have a Christmas novel that I hope to read...in fact, I have a few of them. I'd love to read a wonderfully Christmasy story. Part of my problem, which I'm fully aware of, is that I can't seem to find a book that can suck me into it. You see, I read three completely amazing books in the spring and ever since no other books can compare, so that really puts a damper on things. Anyone else relate? I'm hoping that a Christmas novel will be the antidote. 

in the world of TV and movies

While I may not have read much lately, I have been having just a little bit of fun with new shows and movies. Here's what I've found here recently:

~ Call the Midwife ~

I just randomly watched one episode of this show last month after hearing about it for literally years. Well, that one episode turned into my binge-watching all eight seasons in a month. Oh, it was so good and I am beside myself anticipating the new season next year. I really love that it's a show with both drama and heavier moments and topics, but also some of the most hilarious scenes as well, especially with one particular nun. And I have to say that the teatime desserts that the nurses and Sisters enjoy during their daily afternoon tea look absolutely delectable. So much so, that after watching an episode one night in which the nurses partook in eclairs, we went to the store the next day and I picked up a package for us to enjoy as well. This is a new favorite show of mine and I highly recommend! It is delightful in every way!

And a few new-to-me movies that I've enjoyed...

~ The Time Traveler's Wife ~

This was a different type of movie than I usually watch, as it had a sci-fi element to it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars, but it is one that I'd watch again.

~ Under the Tuscan Sun ~

I've been wanting to watch this movie for months and finally found it on Hulu. It was such a good movie and almost takes you to the beautiful countryside of Italy as you watch it. It had kind of a magical feel to it, which I loved. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

~ You've Got Mail ~

This is one movie that I'd seen talked about for literally years, and I finally watched it. My, it was a charming one! Everything people said about it was true and I heartily enjoyed it. And true to many opinions, it is the perfect autumn movie. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. The only thing that would have taken it to 5 stars would have been if there had really been a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils in the movie. {{smiles}}

~ No Reservations ~

If you know me, you know that Julie and Julia is one of my favorite movies of all time. This one had a similar feel, so obviously I loved it. It was a really sweet movie, with a tenderness and gentleness to it. Then there was, of course, good fun and laughter which almost always had to do with food, of course. I give it 4.5 of out 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Have you seen any of these movies before?

a grateful heart

My heart overflows with gratefulness to the Lord for allowing me to complete my October blogging series. I had set that as a challenge to myself back in June and began work on it in July. I put a lot into it, and honestly didn't think I would be able to pull it off. I thought about throwing in the towel many times but I am very thankful that He gave me continued inspiration and ideas and the ability to write and energy to do so as well. That was a major accomplishment for me, as it was the first time in nearly seven years of blogging that I wrote 31 days of entirely new content and that feels like a HUGE accomplishment. All glory to Him...thank You!

from my kitchen

Cooking has been rather fun lately, but then again, I love cooking so it's almost always fun! Hee! A few favorite meals from the last while include our first stew of the season with homemade crusty bread; my mom's chicken and stuffing with gravy and mashed potatoes and veggies and cranberry sauce; and finally, a creamy chicken vegetable soup that we enjoyed on Sunday. It was magnificent and such a comforting meal...we served it with homemade biscuits and enjoyed them with homemade apple butter and Irish butter. It was heaven on a plate! 

fashionable fun

Seeing as how it was a chilly and rainy day, I am wearing layers. A corally colored sweatshirt and a cami under with skinny dark blue jeans. My hair is pulled up in a messy bun type thing on top of my head...because, little fun bit of randomness, I cannot write if my hair isn't pulled up. Weird, I know.

home and hearth

Our home really shines in the autumn and winter, in my humble opinion. We pull out all the stops with coziness this time of year and nearly every day I wake up, as I'm coming down the stairs, I am met with scents of cinnamon and vanilla wafting through the air, coming from diffusers, candles and stovetop potpourris. Blankets galore are draped over our sofa and chairs. We are enjoying our autumn decorations for a few more weeks before all the Christmas things come out the day after Thanksgiving.

my cup overflows

I've been enjoying nightly cups of fruity herbal tea in a new "cozy" mug this week. My favorite blends are strawberry raspberry and then a blend of too many berries to name. Ha! These cups of tea keep me company as I watch Call the Midwife. {{heart eyes}}

these are a few of my favorite things

Right now I am absolutely loving warm, cozy flannel pajamas and cups of tea at night and the new season of Blue Bloods each Friday night.

for the love of words

I've always got a million quotes that I'm loving at any given moment, but here's one that I particularly love:

Everyone should regularly have themselves overwhelmed by nature.

(George Harrison)

That quote has been on my mind, especially as we enjoy the wonders of autumn and prepare to welcome the beauties of winter. Truly, there are so many ordinary little miracles in nature if only we open our eyes and ears to them.

creating and crafting

So far this season I've knitted two cowls, one for my sister and one for myself. Next up is a cowl for my mom once she chooses the color yarn she wants and then I plan on making one for our friend's Christmas gift. I also have a smallish list of projects that I want to work on throughout the winter months, so I'm hoping to get started on them after Christmas, because I may have an idea or two for the holidays.

  

Goodness me! This was one heck of a rambly post, but those are fun sometimes, don't you think? Thanks for coming by to visit with me for a bit today...I hope you are enjoying a lovely November so far. And I'd love to hear what's going on in your corner of the world, so do share below!

As always, may your day be a wondrous beauty!

♥

A Cozy Halloween Evening

There is magic in the night when pumpkins glow by moonlight.

Halloween has always been a fun night in our home. When my sister and I were younger, it would include wearing the most perfect costume we'd picked out weeks before and then going around the neighborhood with friends to get the best treats...and maybe a few tricks for each other along the way. 

I vividly remember Halloween nights, and the magic they brought to my childhood. I'm so thankful that we weren't deprived of wonder, magic and fun in our childhood...and in turn, that has carried over to our adulthood. How much richer I am because of them and my mom, too, for she always created (and still does!) the most magical, wondrous holidays. I remember one Halloween in particular because she'd made a yummy dinner...something autumnish, no doubt...but my sister and I didn't eat but just a bite or two because we were out of our minds with excitement to just get out the door and get some candy! 

There was another year when we went to visit my aunt and uncle to show off our costumes. (We were always proud of our outfits.) He and my mom took us around his gigantic neighborhood and boy did we rack up...I'll never forget their faces when they saw how full and heavy our bags were.  

Now that my sister and I are older, and until we have wee ones of our own, our Halloween nights aren't as dressed up. But that doesn't mean that we don't desire to have a bit of fun and magic in the night! Typically Halloween in our home consists of a yummy homecooked dinner, always something cozy and autumnish, and a seasonal dessert as well. Then we spend the evening and night watching favorite Halloween movies or episodes of shows we love. We may play a game or two...and we always, always carve a pumpkin. Usually, that gets done a day or two in advance...but on Halloween, we light a candle and make it glow...blissfully magical.

Every year the menu changes because that's just how we roll. We like trying new recipes and making each year unique. In the past, we've had chicken pot pie, chili, soup, or roasted chicken. Our desserts vary as well. We've had different cupcakes for various Halloweens and homemade candy with pretzels is always a fun and easy treat...and hard to resist, too!

Finally, we always, always, always must make Barmbrack. (RECIPE HERE.) It's a traditional Irish Halloween bread that we began making about four or five years ago...and now we cannot have Halloween without it. It would be a sin! I make it the day before and we nibble on it all week long. It's something we all look forward to all year because it's only made for October 31. 

I wanted to share an easy, but delicious recipe for roasted chicken. 

Apple Herb Roasted Chicken

You'll need a whole chicken that's been washed and patted dry. Place it in a baking dish and place a quartered apple, two celery stalks that have been quartered and about five baby carrots in the inside of the chicken. Tie the legs up and tuck the wings under. Brush the outside with melted butter and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Then generously sprinkle Herbs de Provence all over the chicken. Don't be lazy...give it a good sprinkle!

Then bake at 350*F for about 2 hours, or until a meat thermometer shows it's cooked through.  

Immediately upon removing from the oven, brush the outside with 1/4 cup apple jelly that's been melted just a bit. 

Serve and enjoy!

We enjoyed this chicken with cornbread stuffing and homemade chicken gravy and green beans with thyme and slivered almonds.

Our centerpieces are always quite simple, but I always love them. For this cozy Halloween evening, I've laid out a tea towel with a ceramic pumpkin we've had for years and a few little candles. I also grabbed a mini pumpkin from the produce section at the grocery store and included it as well.

As Sally Clarkson says, "food always tastes better by candlelight." 

I'd have to agree.

And it makes the meal special and memorable.

And finally, for dessert, I made some cinnamon sugar baked donuts...and we enjoyed them with coffee.    

Thanks for coming by, dear readers! I hope you have a magical and fun Halloween...

♥

A Lovely Afternoon Tea for One {Plus a Recipe for Simple Scones}

Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. 

Seize common occasions and make them great. 

-Orisen Swett Marden

Some days, or evenings, it's just nice to pause and savour a bit. Picking out the most beautiful teacup or mug from the cupboard. Setting the kettle to boil and listening for the rumble of the water as it heats up. Popping a bag of fragrant, relaxing tea into the bottom of your cup and watching it transform the water as you pour it in. Smelling the sweet or spicy or earthy or minty aroma...adding cream or sugar or honey if you like. Choosing a little sweet treat to accompany your cup of liquid gold. Placing it on a pretty plate or adding an extra touch of something to make it special. Sitting down in the comfiest chair in the house, propping your feet up, cozying up under a blanket if need be. Listening to calming music, or watching an episode of your favorite show, or reading a chapter or two in a book, or soaking up the sun and admiring the beauty of creation, or just savouring a bit of silence.

 We all need moments like this from time to time...definitely more often than we perhaps give ourselves. These moments are the ones that fill us up and bring life back to our soul and inspiration to our hearts. These moments invite us to pause and slow down and whilst we do, they breathe life, beauty and goodness back into us. 

I love lighting a candle or one of our oil lamps. I love setting the lights low and really taking in the moments...smelling the tea and really tasting it. Feasting on my chosen treat slowly and savouring its scrumptiousness entirely. 

Peace. Calm. Quiet. Stillness. Beauty. 

These are things we crave and our bodies and minds and hearts desperately need.

We have the power and ability to create and cultivate them in our ordinary days. It takes creativity, purpose and a bit of planning, but the result far outweighs any work or effort you put towards getting that moment. 

Give yourself the gift of afternoon...or morning...or evening...or night tea for one.

Simple Scones

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup pure cane sugar

6 Tbsp. cold, cubed butter

2 Tbsp. milk or cream

1 egg

Combine the flour, sugar and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture. The mixture should end up crumbly.

Add the milk (or cream) and egg to the dry ingredients. Stir just until a dough forms. Overmixing could result in a tough dough. (If the dough seems dry, you can add a dribble of milk.)

Gently pat dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut the scones into your desired shapes.

Place on a prepared baking tray and bake at 400*F for about 10 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Allow to cool completely, then serve with your favorite toppings!

Wishing you all the most splendid, peace-filled teatime!

♥

Teatime Recipes ♥ Simple Apple Butter & Spiced Cream

Sugar and spice and everything nice,

that's what autumn is made of.

Whenever we have a tea party, of course we have scones. Usually I make a simple cream scone recipe that way I can add some special additions to make them a bit more festive. It not only adds to the flavor of the scone, but it's so fun getting to come up with different combinations. 

For our springtime tea party, I made a mock Devonshire cream, along with strawberry freezer jam and homemade lemon curd. Oh, the combination of these flavors was divine and so refreshing for a spring teatime. However, for our autumn tea, I knew I wanted something with apple and spice as the flavor on display. So apple butter and spiced cream it was!

The apple butter is super simple and easy to make on the stovetop. Just add all the ingredients to a pot and let it simmer for a couple hours, stirring every so often. As it cooks, the apples soften and the spices mix and mingle and the scents that fill your home will smell of heaven. When it's done cooking, you end up with the most beautiful, richly colored apple butter...and then when you taste it, you are blown away! 

And my spiced cream is so easy it's ridiculous! But the flavor is out of this world good...our friends loved it, too! They kept going back for more!

Simple Apple Butter

1 1/2 pounds of apples (we used Gala, but any will work fine)

2 1/2 Tbsp. pure cane sugar

2 1/2 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Peel, core and chop the apples. Add all ingredients to a pot and give them a gentle stir. Cover the pot and cook the mixture over medium-low heat for two hours.

Stir the apple butter every so often.

After two hours, remove the lid and continue to cook on low for one hour. This allows the butter to thicken and get the right consistency. 

After the hour has passed, give the apple butter another stir. You can use an immersion blender to get it very smooth if you want. (This is not necessary, though I do prefer a smooth texture.)

Store in a glass jar in the fridge for up to three weeks.

Spiced Cream

Simply pour a 16-oz. container of heavy cream in a mixing bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Then add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and about 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Taste for the spice flavor and if you want it to be more prominent, simply add more spice. 

Happy autumn baking, friends!

♥

Crusty Dutch Oven Bread

There's nothing better than a bowl of homemade, steaming soup with a nice slice of warm, straight-from-the-oven crusty bread. This recipe quickly became a favorite after the first time I made it last autumn...it's so quick and easy to pull together and the flavor is scrumptious. 

This recipe is a little time-consuming in the fact that you need to allow it to rest for several hours. Other than that, it's a cinch to make! I love making it either the night before and allowing it to set all night and then baking in the morning, or making it in the morning for an evening bake. Either way, the results are lovely each and every time. Not to mention, the way this bread smells whilst baking...absolutely heavenly! 

Why not bake a loaf tonight?

Crusty Dutch Oven Bread

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. yeast

1 1/2 cups water

Mix together all of the above ingredients. Stir well. Add more water if necessary to moisten the flour.

Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let rest for 4-12 hours. 

After the time has passed, check on the dough. It should have risen significantly and be full of holes. Preheat the oven to 475*F and place your Dutch oven, with the lid on, into the oven whilst it preheats. 

In the meantime, place a generous amount of flour on your work surface. Pour the dough out and gently coat the dough ball with flour. Let the dough rest until the oven preheats entirely.

Carefully place the dough into the hot Dutch oven, return the cover and bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on how dark you like the crust.

Allow the bread to cool for just a wee bit before slicing...

Then slice and serve with your favorite homemade soup or stew. 

Most of all, enjoy!

Creating the Perfect Tea Party ♥ Simplicity Meets Beauty

Come, share a pot of tea,

and let us chat about lovely things.

Tea parties have become a regular thing in our home. Any occasion that a tea party can fit in, I make it! Ha! Our first tea party was nearly four years ago, and we've delighted in many since. They are a favorite tradition and celebration for us and I love incorporating them in with different seasons and holidays and other random events and such.

I'm certainly not a tea party expert or anything like that. Most of the time I just fly by the seat of my pants whilst I'm gathering all my ideas and plans. I like to make things beautiful and lovely and the food must be scrumptious, of course. But I am also a lover of simplicity...especially when it comes to decorating and tablescapes. I am not a fancy person in the least and that's not my style at all. I love things to be cozy and comfortable and homey. So that's what I always go for.

Today I wanted to share some of my ideas for creating the perfect tea party. These ideas have been tried and tested by me and my family and they work for us. I hope you'll find some inspiration here, if not in decorating or cooking and baking or anything like that, at least, maybe, in being inspired to host your own tea party very soon. It's truly such a fun time!

~ The Menu ~

Right at the time of putting together my first tea party, I went online and read about the proper way to host such a party. I learned that the proper afternoon tea service includes three savouries, three sweets and a scone, along with some curd, jam, or cream of some sort. Since then I've seen many teas in magazines and online, etc. and they are all done in that manner. So that's how we do ours. 

For our most recent party, I decided that it would be nice to have the menu printed out and framed. We were having some friends over, and whilst we are accustomed to how we put on a tea party, they were not. This was helpful and super handy. After the party was over, I removed my menu from the frame and stuck it in my tea party notebook (where I keep recipes, ideas, etc.). It will be nice to refer back to and it also is a memory of a wonderful time had. I just need to add the date and that will make it perfect!

~ Savouries ~

Three savouries are not hard to come up with. The internet is filled with ideas and recipe after recipe. The "Tea Time Magazine" has also come in handy on more than one occasion. Sometimes I like making all the savouries individual sized, but other times I make something like a full-size quiche to cut into slices and serve it that way. In the photo above I have my Broccoli, Bacon & Mushroom Quiche which I make in a regular sized pie plate. Then below are Potato Leek Quiches that I decided would be nice in small, individual servings. These were lovely for our St. Paddy's tea. 

Phyllo cups are perhaps one of my best friends. I do so adore these little things! They are so versatile and can be used in sweet or savoury dishes and their flavor is so buttery and flaky and just heavenly! I almost always make a wild rice salad with a citrus vinaigrette for nearly every tea party we host. They've become a favorite and I just can't imagine a tea party without them. For St. Patrick's Day, however, I decided that an English pea salad would be nice, going with a green them and all. 

If more of valued food and cheer above hoards of gold

it would be a merrier world.

-Tolkien-

If you don't imagine, nothing ever happens at all.

-John Green-

~ Sweets ~

Sweets are the same way as savouries for us...sometimes we like small servings and other times we enjoy making a loaf cake or round cake and cutting slices to serve. Either way is nice and I love creating a variety. 

One thing that I've personally learned when it comes to picking sweets (same goes for savouries) is to choose different types of desserts. "Variety is the spice of life" as they say. And I do know that to be true with tea desserts. For example, choose a cookie or biscuit, cake or sweet bread, and a mini pie or cheesecake. Then pick different flavors for the chosen desserts. For our autumn tea party, I knew I wanted something other than the usual pumpkin-flavored everything, so I strayed away from that and instead picked gingerbread, mini caramel apple cheesecakes, and cinnamon spice cookies. All three of our sweets tasted completely different and it wasn't like every bite you took was the same. I also like the various looks of the different desserts on a plate. 

Some ideas for tea time sweets...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Toffee Oat Cookies

Almond Tea Cake

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes

Maple Carrot Cupcakes

Autumn Spiced Mocha Cupcakes

Christmas Shortbread

Cream Cheese Cookies

Daisy Cookies

Sweetly Simple Lemon Cake

To practice any art, no matter how well or badly,

is to make your soul grow. So do it.

-Kirt Vonnegut-

~ Other Bits Not To Be Forgotten ~

When serving scones, I tend to go all over the place. There are times I want to keep the scone simple and then go all out with the condiments, such as jam or curd or apple butter and always some sort of cream. Then there are other times when I want to forego the condiments and make the scones special all on their own. It all depends on my mood! Hee! I'll be sharing a couple recipes next week that are a match made in heaven with scones, so do be sure to come back then to check them out.  

Of course, with any tea party, you'll be serving some sort of tea. Where we live, it does get miserably hot in the spring and summer...and during those months I avoid hot drinks at all costs. We choose a flavorful iced tea then. But just as soon as the first chill arrives in the air, we pull out our boxes of tea and get the kettle boiling. Herbal teas are our favorite, but black tea is always nice too. We avoid caffeine most of the time as it doesn't make us feel the best. And I often have fun creating new blends and trying new recipes for teas and such. 

Here are a couple favorites...

Minty Fruit Tea

Spiced Tea at Home

...and I'll be posting the October's Party Tea that we enjoyed recently next month.

~ The Perfect Pieces ~

Tea parties always call for a teapot or kettle of some sort and of course, teacups. Mugs also work just fine and in some cases are what I personally prefer. Again, my mood changes with each tea party and I love changing things up. 

 I have a number of teapots and they are all very dear to me. I was very paranoid for the longest time about putting hot, boiling water directly in my beautiful pots, but I found an easy solution to my problem. I simply washed my teapot as normal and when I was ready to fill it I ran very hot tap water through it a number of times, pouring out after each turn. I also didn't put boiling water into my pot; instead, I allowed the water to cool down just a bit and it worked beautifully. I also made my October's Party tea on the stovetop and allowed it to simmer for a couple hours to get really warmed through. Before I ladled it into my pot, I pulled it off the heat and allowed the burning hot temperature to come down a bit.

And if you want to keep your tea warm for a really, really long time, do use a tea cozy. They are not only such cute little things, but they really do work!

Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.

-C.S. Lewis-

~ Ideas for Serving ~

Serving varies for us each time we host a tea party. When it's just the three of us, I set all the food on the dining table, along with our place settings and teacups. However, with our recent party, since we had two other guests, I used our kitchen counters as our serving buffet of sorts and the dining table was set aside for our place settings, teacups, and the pot of tea. Of course, there was also a simple centerpiece. I'm not a professional tablescape artist by any means, as is evident by these pictures. But I've learned that my style is to keep the table simple and to always leave room for a candle or two...or three. The only thing I wish we had is a nice table cloth, which we are currently on the lookout for. That's really all that's missing in my book.

Tea Ritual...

Turn the kettle on.

Find a favorite cup.

Breathe in the scent.

Watch the amber darken.

Warm your hands.

Cozy into a comfy chair.

Teatime...a time to slow down and appreciate the little things in life and notice their beauty.

~ Simple Decorating and Table Settings ~

As I mentioned above, our tea party tables must always have candles. I'm an eternal lover of the flicker and soft glow that they offer. For St. Paddy's Day, I found these little pompoms in the Target dollar spot and they worked nicely as an accent in our candle holders. They added a bit of whimsy, which is just what I was hoping for.

Our place settings are also always kept simple. So that everyone knew where their place was at our autumn party, I had my sister trace a leaf cookie cutter out onto bright red paper and cut them out. Then I came along and painted each person's initials on the leaf. I was quite pleased with how they turned out...glitter would have been a nice touch, but let's be honest. Glitter gets everywhere!

Simplicity is beauty.

Beauty is simplicity.

Nothing more, nothing less.

-Oscar Wilde-

~ Host a Scone Party ~

If you don't want to pull out all the stops for a "proper" tea party, may I suggest hosting a scone party? We've done this once, and it was the most splendid thing! In fact, that's how we celebrated our Royal Wedding watch party last spring. I simply chose five different variations of scones (yes, I went a little crazy) and spent the afternoon before baking. The day (or rather, nigh) of, all the work was done and all we had to do was sit back and enjoy the delicious fruits of our labors.

Here are some of our favorite scones...

Toffee Caramel Pecan Scones

Pumpkin Maple Scones

Lemon Almond Poppyseed Scones

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Scones

Cranberry Orange Scones

Apple Spice Scones with Cider Cinnamon Drizzle

...and next week, I'll be sharing our recipe for cream scones.

I hope you found some tea party inspiration, dear friends! Now, go and host your own tea party!

May your day be lovely in every way possible!

♥