Tea Cup Tuesday-My Garden Tea

Hello All!

Welcome to Tea Cup Tuesday...

My Garden Tea debut!

Our tea tent is awaiting your visit....

come in and see....

Our first tea was delayed by wind and rain

until just a few days ago.

It was still pretty breezy during this tea.

The tent is a bit lopsided with the wind moving it around all day.

My daughter and I are happy with how she turned out. 

Inside she is roomy and peaceful.

She gives us lovely shade.

And graced with a very special gift!

Dianne Buckley, a kind friend from Bloglandia...

 she painted this watercolor for me as a Christmas gift!

Here is a closer look

I was speechless when I opened it!

Isn't it just the sweetest watercolor?

I adore the dear mice in their hat, bonnet and apron.

They even have books on the floor under their table.

And in the picture frame in the upper left it says...

"Tea Cup Tuesday"!

My image does not do it justice.

It is even more lovely in "person".

Thank you again Dianne for your lovely heartfelt gift!

Dianne paints beautifully,  and she also create gorgeous cards.

She sells both in local shops, markets and shows.

Dianne is from Stoke on Trent, England, 

Yes,

The Stoke on Trent...

the area where most English tea cups were manufactured.

Dianne has generations of family members

who worked in the local potteries,

the potteries that we all often name from our tea cups backstamps. 

I thought it was fitting for Dianne's gift to be a part of my

first garden tea.

Inside the tea tent....

We used three of my newly painted chairs...

one you have not yet seen until now.

( I will share it's makeover on another post)

This all began because I wanted to create an outdoor tea setting

I could easily put together when the weather cooperated.

It is very hot here and I don't have a good shade area.

I was also really wanting some chairs small enough

for my feet to touch the ground. lol!

I am 54 years old, 5' tall, and I believe it is high time

for me to have furniture my own size : )

Yay again!

My goal was to be very thrifty!

So off to G.W., local thrift shops and my basement

to find all I needed.

The tent is made from a pile of old curtain panels and tablecloths and one very large king size sheet for the top.

I am happy to say I met my thrifty goal!

Yay!

The tent was our main challenge.

It needed to be large and sturdy,

yet romantic...

it needed to cast shade, but feel airy and light. 

The old drapes and tablecloths seemed a good choice,

and the netting on the sides helpful.

I used safety pins instead of straight pins for pinning in place. 

She is ginormous and was very tricky to move around to sew.

But we did it! Yay!

And we have named her Bertha!

A few other finds and fixes to add to the tents ambiance...

My daughter suggested I make a chalk board

from this lucky find vintage frame.

What a great idea! Thank you Sarah!

It would make a good menu board too.

The doily underneath it is from Dorthe.

Thank you Dorthe!

(The stool it is all sitting on is the very first thing I used A.S. chalk paint on for practice.)

I also found some new vintage cutlery...

Super cheap...really you wouldn't believe the luck I have had!

...these monogrammed knives....

Some new found rose forks....

and pretty spoons with roses too.

We made a pot of heavenly Chamomile tea...

I chose this old favorite cup...

And Sarah chose this one...

The funny thing about photographing a tea like this is

that you want to be sitting down enjoying your repast,

but instead you are playing photographer and your guest

is working on setting..i.e...holding back blowing netting! lol!

(on second thought, a lace tablecloth is TMI,
or too much lace! lol!) 

For our fare....

homemade, by me, leek and potato soup.

so aromatic with fresh thyme from the garden.

homemade quiche by Sarah.

mmmmmmmm delicious!

and some lovely banana bread and whipped cream made by us,

completed our first simple tea out doors.

It was very comfortable and cozy once we put the camera down.

Sarah and I enjoyed a leisurely brunch. 

Next time though,  we will forget the camera and just enjoy!

We are both happy with our new tea tent!

Bertha is very easy to put up,

and lovely to be in.

I am not very good at tablescaping
but I hope to learn, and with the summer 
there will be more teas and more
opportunity to learn how to set a beautiful table.
I have seen many of you set incredible tables. 
You are my inspiration : )

And yes, I hear you ask, "what happened to the blue chair???" ...well it did not make the scene this time,
but I have plans for another tea where it will. 
And I found more chairs and have painted them too...
I have ideas for those table settings too  : )
how fun!

I apologize for the long post.

 I wish you really could come into my yard and join me for tea!

But for now, we use this marvelous invention...

I am excited to come and visit all of you!
Many of you have shared you are getting your garden tea ready too!

Thank you for visiting

I appreciate you

I wish you well 

hugs,

Terri

if you would like to join in Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha and I,

just go and create a post with your tea cup in it,

then come back here and link that post up below.

Then we can come and visit you!

Yay!