Colorful Entertaining Items - Finch Rest Emporium

Do you have anything you would like to sell? 

You needn't even have an Etsy, dot com or Ebay store to do it!

Just go over and visit the weekly linky party

 at the blog How Sweet the Sound 

 and join in the fun at Beverly's "Blog Shop!"

4 embroidered white napkins with red Shasta Daisy nap rings

It's a fun way to share your wares -

 and it gives you or your store or collectibles some exposure

 where the right people hook up with the right stuff

 and all is well....avoiding overpriced retail and imported wares!

There's nothing better than supporting the business
of artisans who hand-make or collect wonderful items!

And in Blog Shop these are fellow bloggers, so
shopping or selling there - how is THAT a bad plan?

♥

Set of 2 bright red tea towels with embroidered flowers

My theme today is Colorful Entertaining items-

I do so hope you pop in my shop and check it out!

I have a ton of new things I am listing as this crazy life allows time-wise.

And there is no one I would rather shop my wares

 than blog readers. 

Seriously.

Pretty Red Poppy plate

4 bright floral napkins

Set of 2 green glass goblets

Two sets of 2 of these available

So hop on over to Blog Shop if you want to sell something

or if you want to take a look at some GREAT items for sale!

(You will be very glad you did!)

SAY NO TO BIG BOX RETAIL SHOPPING!

STAY OUT OF THE STORES 
WHEN SHOPPING FOR GIFTS!

SAY NO TO HAVING TO HAVE
 A GARAGE SALE
(Well kinda, anyway, haha.)

As always, thank you for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Christmas in July Garden Tea

Merry and Happy Christmas in July to you!

Our niece stayed overnight last night - always such a pleasure.

The weather has been so perfect - temps, blue skies, nice breezes.....

that we decided to set up a pretty holiday tea table

 in the garden and have ourselves a lovely garden tea to celebrate!

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

I grew up in a summer vacation lake town so celebrating

Christmas in July is a big deal....so many families that live together

in the summertime never see one another in winter....so it is a time

that many folks decorate their cottages and/or boats

and give out cards and gifts.

Years ago when I managed a clothing store up there

I talked Corporate in California into understanding how important it is in that area.....

And they allowed me to play Christmas music

and have special holiday signage with sales.

I did well at that store.  : - D

Good times.

We picked a pretty and shady spot under two trees

with pretty dappled light.

I've had three teas this week so had extra yummies leftover,

which made it super easy to do it this time.

Scones with clotted cream, lemon curd and ligonberry jam, yum.

We brewed blueberry tea for her, and I had coffee this time around,

I really needed a strong jolt after this non-stop week!

We had iced water in the goblets but hadn't filled them when I took this shot.

After teatime we played some games

 in our covered porch in the background.

She learned Rummy, we played Skip Bo

 (a family favorite for nearly 20 years), and also

Spot It and Banana Grams......all good for our brains.

If  you are looking for good fun easy brain games

these are three of our very favorites.

(This pic is the way my game looks, it's "old school.")

Look what she did with the letters of that game

and took this picture for the blog!

 I simply dolled it up Christmasy with PicMonkey.

I think she and I are both feeling quite festive today!

I wish for days like this to  never end.....

but I know right around the corner

 is the time

she won't want to do this with her Aunt Shell anymore.

But until then  I shall savor every moment with my

 sweet, pretty, fun and helpful teatime niece, Reagan.

Love that dimple!

July 25th, 2014

As always, thanks for your visit!

Merry "Christmas in July" to you and yours!

♥

~Michele

A Birthday Tea for Marina

I had a birthday tea for one of my dearest tea "sisters"

 on Saturday afternoon, honoring Marina.

I tried to make it a girlie old-fashioned outdoor garden tea....

but it was super dark and dreary and raining

so I couldn't have it outdoors in our garden,

 so I attempted to carry the theme indoors.



~~~~~~*~~~~~~



To "ground" the place setting with a little more interest
I used vintage linen pink and ivory dinner napkins.

I adore their pretty embroidered edges.

I used two matching two-tier trays on either end of the table.

You will note I don't have teacups on the table.

I filled an extra large pretty floral tea hat box

with carefully wrapped vintage teacups as their second favor......

each guest to choose one to unwrap to then use for the tea, 

 and eventually take home.

I used the teacup idea
 because I wanted to use this china my guests had never seen
 that includes dinner plates, bread plates and soup bowls,
 but unfortunately no teacups. 

Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of either the hat box or of the teacups themselves.

  I sure wish I had someone else (not a guest) following me around taking pics of things

 because I never seem to remember when I am knee deep in serving.

These are the hand painted garden flowers glasses I used for the initial Welcome To My Home drink- which was a concoction I made up of

kiwi-lime fizzie juice with 7-Up and some fruit.

(And some vodka for those more adventurous.)

This pic was taken before they arrived before the drink was made. 

It was a pretty light sage green colour.

The soup bowls I used for salad and for the soup I used my 

Depression green cut teacups and saucers. 

(Photo courtesy of Mary D.)

I forgot to put in the mandarin oranges

 and didn't include mini cream puffs on this printed menu

 but did serve them. 

(Next came the scones, no pic though.)

NO calories allowed or served at my afternoon tea parties!

(Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

You can't tell from the food pic but under the pink and brown paper

 for the brownies is a cute teapot print.

I simply tied the silk napkins

 with a little pink paper rose wire tie to make napkin rings.

I attached pink rose and tea- themed name tags

 on a little plant wrapped in a paper doily

as a favor for them, along with the teacup.

Five of the ladies stayed overnight, as they live 3.5 hours away.

We had pizza and fun snacks and watched the BBC version marathon of

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE - the one with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

We didn't finish until 3:30am, haha.

I wish I had a pic of the set-up my husband surprised us with

 up on the landing.

(I think it is now official Party Central when we have sleep overs!)

There was a card table with pizzas and a big cooler

 full of every kind of drink-close to our upstairs tv room

 and easy to grab when needed but not be in the way!

L-R front:  Dina, Marina, Pam, Karen
L-R back:  hostess, Dawn, Mary

As always we enjoyed one another's company.

I hope you enjoyed my sharing Marina's special tea day with you.

Thank you for your visit.

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tea in the Garden   *  Teacup Tuesday   *  Tablescape Thurs.

Tuesday Cuppa Tea   *  Pink Saturday

Potting Table Before / After

Greetings and apologies my sweet friends!

I am so sorry to have been so long absent!

Life has been busy and I have been busy living it!

We've been doing lots of entertaining,  

home improving and have been doing

a lot of working - all keeping me away 

from Blogland, the place I want to be the most!

Today I have a simple before and after for you.

Our potting table gets a lot of use and it was looking kinda bleh.

Forgive it's state as is, but I'm keeping it real.

Usually it also has plants on it but on this day

I was ready to plant so the vessels are there.

As you can see it has no sides, back or front 

to hide all the icky bits and to keep stuff from falling when

I get rambunctious and push too far.

Hated stuff falling behind, because this bench table

is all wood and really heavy to move!

Here is the before:

This potting bench was stained to match our hot tub

 which we sold years ago.

It was looking shabby, faded and worn... 

and since we ("we" meaning my husband) were painting the entire

outside of the house I thought it time to spruce up the table, too.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~

Here is that wonderful man on a super hot day

preparing the new sides after he had painted them!

He wanted something that could vent,

because sometimes we use chemicals

(nutrients and occassionally organic disease help for the roses)

and he didn't want anything to combust getting too hot.

The back of the house is full west and gets HOT!

Here is the prettier after:

She is still a busy working horse, not just decorative

But I love love love her new sides and back wooden lattice work!

I am contemplating a skirt in front but it gets wet and gets moldy that would be gross - 

so I think I may leave as is.

Doors that open and close could be nice, though....but 
I don't want warping, either.

Maybe wood and chicken wire? But will that be too busy

with the latticework?

I can't decide, so left like this, but do invite opinions. 

(Even you, Vee!)

During:

Sometimes the little things

really kinda feel like big things.

(Thanks, husband!)

As always, thank you for your visit!

I promise I will  be catching up

 on all my missed blog reading this week!

Hugs and prayers!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Metamophasis Monday   *   Inspire Me Tuesday  *  Gonna Love It

Tweak It Tuesday   *  The Scoop (Yvonne) *  Home Sweet Garden

Inspire Me Tuesday   *  Home and Garden Thur   *  Home Sweet Home

Fabulously Creative

A Lil Red, White and Blue

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, FRIENDS!

A dear friend of both my daughters - Sarah

 made these for us and they are so cute

 I just had to share with you all!

Here's another peek at last year's July 4th

 holiday patriotic tablescape...

in case you forgot. : - )

Regardless of the Boston Tea Party

I still drink tea.  ♥

I hope whatever you do and wherever you go

you are happy and safe.

Be sure in your busy weekend you take a moment to reflect

and give thankful prayers

to those who gave and give us our freedom.

Home of the Free

Because of the Brave!

God bless America

~and~

God bless YOU!

As always, thanks for your visit!

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Cottage Style