"HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINK SATURDAY"&"Julie Marie,Tea, & Me"

"HAPPY PINK SATURDAY BIRTHDAY"!!! 

We MUST have PINK CUPCAKES for Beverly today! These "CUPCAKES are coming to us today from CLOUD NINE CUPCAKES in the UK"(to see more temptations click their link)... " These delicious delights are strawberry swirls"

"Lucky Me to have won these exquisite gifts from Our Julie Marie @ Idyllhours"... Being part of Our Land of Blog is like living Christmas Every Day!!! Please SCOOT OVER to Julie's to read ALL ABOUT where she hand picked each and every item SPECIAL for the Lucky Winner "Who Is MOI"!!! This silk zipper purse is PERFECT for a book I am reading. It slips right into it like a glove... AND this sweet little journal is going to keep pressed flowers near and dear to me...

The Lightkeeper's Daughter looks JUST LIKE Julie Marie(don't you all agree)...Author Colleen Coble created this story... about... Addie Sullivan leading a quiet life in a northern California lighthouse. She mourns the death of her father and endures her mother's bitterness, until the night a storm brings an injured stranger and a dark secret to her home. The man insists she is not who she thinks she is, but rather "Julia Eaton", the child long lost and feared dead by her wealthy family. Seizing the chance to be reunited with the Eatons, Addie leaves her lighthouse home but decides to keep her true identity a secret until they can unravel the mystery...

The pleasure of a hand beaded necklace sparkling into  vintage Heisey cups...

It's 4 O'clock and time for Julie Marie & Me to have tea!!! I'm serving it on an "American Limoges Briar Rose" Platter... 
If you would LOVE to own German Rose Silver Spoons like these "You MUST visit Our Johanna @ Siber Rosen"...

I found this lonely little CAPODIMONTE sitting on a high shelf at GW. It reached down a gentle temptation of $1 that made it immediately a member of Conghaile Cottage...It is simple perfection for a my special tea. I KNOW Julie loves roses, so what could be better than some from Italy...

Strawberry Scones are in the oven and will be severed on this "Frilly Vintage Rose Plate"!!! I'll post the recipe below...Right NOW I must tend to my Sweet Guest Julie and get our scones from the oven, Can you smell them calling???

The rose scarf was a 10cent purchase years ago at a tag sale... My Heisey Cups are in the "Empress" pattern in Flamingo Pink, made from 1930-1938... I found a set of 6 at GW for 50cents each... I didn't recognize them at first... When I began to examine them I "Saw the trademark "H" inside a diamond on the bottom of each cup"...The glass is crystal thin YET it has a durability to it! It's one of the most beautiful little cups I have ever seen...
"Can you hear Julie & I giggling about all the things we Love and have in common"??? "The atmosphere here is bubbling with FUN"!!!

Thank you "SO MUCH" Julie for all my new treasures... This book of Sharon's is "Such a fun" read... I LOVE all her books and her way of thinking... Her stories, illustrations, and ideas of life, bring joy with lots of smiles from cover to cover.

Some of the "Smiling Faces from Conghaile Cottage Gardens"     Varigated wiegela & Clematis...

Beautiful Julie Marie @ Idyllhours

The Double Strawberry Scones PICTURE & RECIPE  belong to  "Hana Trafford @ Mama Knows"  ... Click on her highlighted link and "She'll teach you the magic of this recipe"!!!  WOW is it Yummy!!! "Thank you SO MUCH Hana"!!!!!!!!

Roses from Julie Marie's Gardens... Please take time to visit Julie@Idyllhours, She is one of our cherished flowers that bloom in Our Land of Blog... 

I'm Linking To 
these highlighted parties this week
"Share your Cup Thursday@Have a daily cup of Mrs.Olsen" 
"Home and Garden Thursday@A Delightsome Life" 
"Let's Dish@Cuisine Kathleen" 
"Vintage Thingie Thursday@Coloradolady" 
"Cottage Garden Party@Fishtail Cottage" 
"Time Travel Thursday@The Brambleberry Cottage" 
"Open House Party Thursday@No Minimalist Here" 
"Tablescape Thursday@Between Naps on the Porch" 
"Vintage Inspiration@Common Ground" 
 "Feathered Nest FRIDAY@French Country Cottage"
"THRIFTY THINGS FRIDAY@The Thrifty Groove" 
"
"Home Sweet Home Friday@The Charm of Home"
"PINK SATURDAY@How Sweet The Sound"
"Seasonal Sundays@The Tablescaper"
"Blue Monday@Smiling Sally"  
"Nifty Thrifty Tuesday@Coastal Charm" 
"Tea Time Tuesday@Rose Chintz Cottage" 
"A Return to Loveliness@A Delightsome Life" 
"Table Top Tuesday@A Stroll Thru Life" 
"Tea Cup Tuesday@Artful Affirmations" 
"Tea Cup Tuesday@Martha's Favorites"
"Wow Us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style" 
 

"Our Land of Blog"...

Our Land of Blog is such a magical place where we all come to find solace in familiar faces... Computer issues have brought me to a halt "BUT" Mr Cottage is working on a cure... I thought I'd post a few smiling faces from my gardens just to let you all know "I MISS YOU SO"!!!
...Virginia Bluebells...

As I spend some time in my gardens I bring "You perched upon my wide rimed hat" for advice along my path... We stop often to "Smell the Flowers", and "Sip Tea on a little stone bench"...
...Azalea...

My Sweet little Lady is upset... At First she was Dancing amongst the flowers SO HAPPY because we have won so many "Wonderful Giveaways"...But then the computer issues have silenced us almost completely "SO" I'm "HOPING This little POST will POST"... It's a THANK YOU POST to "Julie Marie @ Idylhours" ... "Marilou @ Lulus Lovlies"... and "Kathy@ A Delightsome Life"... You are all such very "Special Ladies here in Our Land of Blog"... I will be "Showing off my Giveaway Goodies" soon in special posts... Love & Hugs to you All!

"Oh, my Sweet Little Lady is ALSO bothered by that leaf sitting there in her garden"...She keeps reminding me I have "Work to Do"!!!

"HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY"... "My Mom's Cookie Jar"

"Happy Mother's Day to My Sweet Mom"... AND "Happy Mother's Day to all of Our Very Special Ladies in The Land of Blog"...Whether you have one child, three or 4, no children, or a WHOLE SHOE FULL, those of you who make our lives "Sweet as Sugar and are always there for us" are Loved on Mother's Day and held in the heart of so many...All You who nurture and comfort us all in our times of need and beyond..."I Love you all and Big Squishy Hugs to you today and Always"!!!

"Peek a Boo" was always filled with Mom's homemade cookies...Her little Bunny Belly was ALWAYS full...Did you notice her Sweet little bunny ears Look Like a Heart? I only display her for the month of February..."She is my Special Valentine"..."Peek A Boo" is a rare cookie jar designed by Ruth Van Tellingen back in the 1940s...

LOVE all my Friends here in the Land of Blog! "Sherry from Back 2 Vintage" has come to my rescue with the name and manufacturer of my Crystal cup & saucer...This beauty is "Indiana Glass" in the "Pretzel" pattern or as they refer to it "no.622". Sherry found it in her "Gene Florence Glassware Book" and this PRETZEL pattern was made between the 30s-80s... "Giant Squishy Hugs" Sherry to you for coming to my rescue!!! You can visit Sweet Sherry here 

A GW treasure that followed me home... I have tried to identify this beautiful cup&saucer with no luck until Sherry helped me out(Love you Sherry for all your help)...  This pattern is gorgeous, and I would LOVE to own a small set... OR "at least" one more cup&saucer...The pattern name "Pretzel" fits it perfectly!!! This Cup&Saucer was made in the 1930s. It blends with just about every vignette... adding sparkle without overwhelming the scene...

"Oh My Goodness", it was such a treat to have a sniffle in the 50s and the luxury of patting your nose with a delicate hankie... My Mom always made sure I never left home without a "Crisply ironed Floral Bouquet" tucked in my pocket... "It's hard to imagine how these little treasures survived the endless attention they received"...

"What little girl hasn't sung this sweet song and acted out her own interpretation of being a Little Teapot"... Is there Anyone who doesn't know this tune???

Ms Potts was there the Moment I mentioned the title of her "Favorite Song"... Some days I can hear her humming the tune from her high shelf in my kitchen...

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Did you know that this song "Also" had a dance??? It's called "The Teapot Tip"... and on the back page of the sheet music there is a full page dedicated to teaching you "Just the right steps and gestures"...How adorable is This???

"Somehow I just can't imagine the men doing this"... although I just may check out YouTube to see if there is PROOF they did, hehe... I'm a Little Teapot was printed on Broadway, New York City in MCMXLI(1941)

This "IS" my Mom's song!!! I knew the lyrics to Mairzy Doats before I could read... My Mom would be bobbing around the kitchen in the 50s, baking cookies for Peek A Boo and humming a happy tune... Sounds like a Disney Movie, but that's what my life was like with my Mom... "A Happily Ever After Life"...

Mom grew up on a Huge Farm in northern Maine and was part of an Old Fashioned Farm Family... If they didn't grow it or raise it, it wasn't part of their meal or life... She actually went to school by "A Horse Team drawn Sleigh"... She said the sleigh was SO BIG they had a contained fire on it to keep them warm... I love to listen to all her life stories and she is was always so generous with telling them... "Wouldn't you have LOVED to go to school by a Horse drawn Sleigh"???

Mairzy Doats (1943)

Can you hear Mom humming??? It's a beautiful world when she sings...

I "Love" this photo of her in Maine... I'm not sure how old she is (maybe 16)... She is the Most Beautiful Lady I know...

I LOVE this picture... Maybe Mom is about 10 to 12 here... Look at her smile with her puppy... "So Precious"!!!

Royal Doulton made this teacup&saucer with Cinderella's little friends Jaq&Gus... I wish they had made some without the little guys in the cup because it would be SO nice to have tea with them... Hmmm...Having tea with them swimming in your cup is Just Not Convenient... Their little tails kept "Tickling my nose"!!!

See Moms tea cloth embroidery... She "LOVED" doing this and I LOVE having them to treasure... She was always making something... Sometimes when I woke up in the morning, My Tammy Doll Case would be open on my nightstand... Mom had made her a beautiful new outfit... and  Tammy would be standing there, modeling it to surprise me!!!

One of Mom's favorite books and movies was "The Egg and I"... I have seen the movie so many times and what's NOT to love about a Women following her Hubby's dream(before you even START you must THROW Woman's Lib OUT the window)!!! Recently I found the book which was a "MUST HAVE"! A true delight, Cover to Cover!!!  Of Course "The Egg and I" Movie ALSO introduced us to "Ma & Pa Kettle", and we MUST say Thank you for that alone! You can watch the movie trailer from 1947 "The Egg and I" on YouTube or TCM...One of my favorite parts is HER STOVE(which had a personality all it's own!!!

"My Mom will be 88 on May 28th"



I'm Linking To 
the highlighted parties this week
"Seasonal Sundays@The Tablescaper"
"Blue Monday@Smiling Sally"  
"Nifty Thrifty Tuesday@Coastal Charm" 
"Tea Time Tuesday@Rose Chintz Cottage" 
"A Return to Loveliness@A Delightsome Life" 
"Table Top Tuesday@A Stroll Thru Life" 
"Tea Cup Tuesday@Artful Affirmations" 
"Wow Us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style" 
"Share your Cup Thursday@Have a daily cup of Mrs.Olsen" 
"Home and Garden Thursday@A Delightsome Life" 
"Let's Dish@Cuisine Kathleen" 
"Vintage Thingie Thursday@Coloradolady" 
"Cottage Garden Party@Fishtail Cottage" 
"Time Travel Thursday@The Brambleberry Cottage" 
"Open House Party Thursday@No Minimalist Here" 
"Tablescape Thursday@Between Naps on the Porch" 
"Vintage Inspiration@Common Ground" 
 "Feathered Nest FRIDAY@French Country Cottage"
"THRIFTY THINGS FRIDAY@The Thrifty Groove" 

"Home Sweet Home Friday@The Charm of Home"

Darling Nellie Grey

The list of hydrangeas that grace my gardens seem ENDLESS!
Of all the varieties and colors my heart beats fastest for this one...
It's "ENDLESS SUMMER"... and it's just that...ENDLESS FLOWERS that start early and continue ALL SUMMER and FALL... It blossoms on both NEW and OLD wood so it's EASY GOING! If winter has taken it's tole on my garden, "Endless Summer" is guaranteed to sooth my losses of it's cousins that ONLY BLOOM on OLD WOOD... TRUST ME... If you can have ONLY ONE HYDRANGEA, "THIS IS IT"!!!

Darling Nellie Grey on the "Ups and Downs of Every-Day Life and Their Lessons"... This is my "Very Favorite" book of the day... My Little Sunday School version was printed in 1855 and I've read it many times... Its the VERY FIRST print in pristine condition... Always pondering where my little book has been and what sweet little children held it dear to them for the stories are darling "Just like little Nellie Grey"!

This evening we are pouring ourselves some refreshment while reading and showing off a few treasures...

Have you ever been in your favorite shop and "KNOW you were being watched"??? As though someone or something was quietly calling your name??? ..."Well"... I turned a bit and there she stood, So elegantly dressed I felt as though she would not LIKE to ride home in my Carriage(an old Explorer SUV)...She didn't mind & accompanied me to where I named her "My Darling Miss Nellie Grey"...

Right away she noticed my gardens and asked if she could help me maintain their brilliance...

I will have to convince her of a more casual attire come morning when the gardening begins...

This teeny tiny teapot is a challenge to my table. It's color has made it a MUST to CONTRAST, therefore I choose to use it with "Blue&Whites"! The little pots explosions of GOLD add a touch of Royalty to a simple setting...

"LOVE this LAMP"!!! It's Just the right size,  illuminating a powerful glow, bright enough to read by... I had found it for $2 at an establishment that looked HAUNTED, and I worried a bit that I may never return if I entered... It was even hard to know HOW to enter(Nothing seemed to even resemble a door)... AND if I were to EVER regain the light of day after I passed into this PLACE, I would most certainly have the "FLEAS" that were promised by the SIGN!...BUT Something inside was "Calling my name" and I took the plunge!!!!!!!!!!!! It was... "This Frosted White Lamp"... and for $2(total) Mr Flea included a light bulb!!!  I was sure it would not work, BUT it does...I changed his light bulb into a candelabra version... 
WELL, you ask, "would I go back"??? 
"Of Course I would"!!!

My little porcelain Nellie is actually a dinner bell...She is so dainty with a masters eye for details... It is impossible to capture this in pictures, "You would have to meet her in person" for tea in the garden...

T

This is my Endless Summer Hydrangea from last year... This is what Darling Little Nellie Grey & I will be pruning tomorrow morning for a perfusion of beauty come 4th of July!!!

"I need to add much more information and pictures from my little SundaySchool book"...
"NELLIE GREY on the UPSandDOWNS of EVERY-DAY LIFE"
my little book states...
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by the AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 
The type in this book ALMOST looks as though it were done on an old typewriter(the print embosses through the back of each page) ...There are wonderful illustrations throughout the book, and the stories are incredibly interesting and so much fun to read(especially knowing they were such a part of the innocence of yesteryear)! My book STILL has the tissues inserted to protect the illustrations...
The story CONTENTS are not ones of preaching, they are stories of simple and wonderful pleasures(ups&downs) of life "THREW the eyes of Darling Nellie Grey"...
If you could find a copy, "I HIGHLY Recommend it"!!! 

PARTY TIME@
"Seasonal Sundays@The Tablescaper"
"Blue Monday@Smiling Sally"  
"Nifty Thrifty Tuesday@Coastal Charm" 
"Tea Time Tuesday@Rose Chintz Cottage" 
"A Return to Loveliness@A Delightsome Life" 
"Table Top Tuesday@A Stroll Thru Life" 
"Tea Cup Tuesday@Artful Affirmations" 
"Wow Us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style" 
"@Have a daily cup of Mrs.Olsen" 
"Home and Garden Thursday@A Delightsome Life" 
"Let's Dish@Cuisine Kathleen" 
"Vintage Thingie Thursday@Coloradolady" 
"Cottage Garden Party@Fishtail Cottage" 
"Time Travel Thursday@The Brambleberry Cottage" 
"Open House Party Thursday@No Minimalist Here" 
"Tablescape Thursday@Between Naps on the Porch" 
"Vintage Inspiration@Common Ground" 
 FEATHERED NEST" FRIDAY@French Country Cottage" 
"THRIFTY THINGS FRIDAY@The Thrifty Groove" 

"Home Sweet Home Friday@The Charm of Home"

the LAST TRAIN from PARIS

I don't really know how this scape began... It seems as though it all started with "The Last Train from Paris"...We'll talk about this great book in a moment...

Whirling in my head all week were shades of amethyst, mosses, & sapphires... In case you don't remember my "French Chateau Stone" that I carried back from France many years ago ... TAKE A PEEK where I told it's story in my "Breakfast at Tiffany's" POST HERE

Majolica was my FAVORITE FIND this week... I have been faithfully visiting this little "Antique Italian Bird",on an artichoke, covered bowl, SINCE it landed at a local thrift shop...It started out a very pretty penny that I could not afford on my THRIFTING budget of $1(I kid you not, that is ALWAYS my goal!). OK, I have been noted to splurge an extra dollar or two... BUT... if it's more than $3, It's a dream to take home and sleep on with multiple visits of examining such an extravagant purchase... As you can see the "Little Majolica Birdie on an Artichoke has moved into Conghaile Cottage"... At a price of $10... It's VERY OLD...It's from Italy... and now...It's MINE!!! "What do you think? Do you like it"???

April Cornell linens are scattered about my table today... April has such an artists eye for attraction to a tablescape. I have trunks of her beautiful materials and will never ever have enough... I do wish she would name her prints to make it easier to match up when we "NEED" more(which is often)... Thank you April for always making me smile!

Once upon a time I fell in love with these "Vintage Garden dishes by Ambiance Collections"... I bought a large set of them from HORCHOW long before I had ever even known about ebay... Those were the days when the "Thrill of the Hunt" was much more fun...Although NOW that I've discovered the $1 allowance budget... "MY thrill of the hunt just got more exciting"!!!

I have always had a household of "MEN"...of course they started out as little princes... I have 3 sons, add Mr Cottage to that and it totals 4 burly 6ft,plus,plus,plus MEN... My pretties get ignored "BUT" when I use these dishes, "THEY SPEAK"!!! They DO have a soft spot!!! Yes, they all compliment these green figural flower bowls & plates...How about that???

The olive green napkins were a thrift store find ... This tablescape was SITTING here needing a few more touches of perfect... I was going grocery shopping "AND" stopped into my usual places "AND" there they were, "THE PERFECT COLOR" too... The material is MADE in India 100%cotton(which is probably my FAVORITE), Matched PERFECTLY with Aprils table runner...

The cup&saucers are "Duralex Rivage, Made in FRANCE" and the pattern is "AMETHYST"!  I think I get more use out of these than any other little extra cup&saucers I've ever acquired. LOOK at that rich color!!! My table today was a trick to brighten WITHOUT any whites. It would have to be the lightest mauve and palest moss that would enrich the scene... Somehow the French Chateau Stone in it's natural form "worked well though"...

"The Last Train to Paris" is a gripping love story that illustrates how art and passion can transcend despair... It is set against the chilling backdrop of Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944... This story is of forbidden love between an artist turned French soldier and a Russian ballerina...I will not say any more other than "It was a great story" and the author "Stacy Cohen" has my attention for MORE READING! 
Oh and "You WILL need to have a hanky available"...

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I'm sharing today with
"LET'S DISH THUSDAY@Cuisine Kathleen"
"HOME and GARDEN THURSDAY@A Delighsome Life" 
"VINTAGE THINGIE THURSDAY@Coloradolady" 
"TABLESCAPE THRUSDAY@Between Naps on the Porch" 
"VINTAGE INSPIRATION FRIDAY@Common Ground"
"HOME SWEET HOME FRIDAY@The Charm of Home" 
"FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY@French Country Cottage" 
"THRIFTY THINGS FRIDAY@The Thrifty Groove" 
"SHOW&TELL FRIDAY@My Romantic Home"
"PINK SATURDAY@How Sweet the Sound" 
"SEASONAL SUNDAYS@The Tablescaper" 
"SHOW OFF YOUR COTTAGE MONDAY@The house in the roses" 
"TEA TIME TUESDAY@Rose Chintz Cottage" 
"Nifty Thrifty Tuesday@Coastal Charm" 
"A Return to Loveliness@A Delightsome Life
"TableTop Tuesday@A Stroll Thru Life" 
"Tea Cup Tuesday@Artful Affirmations"