Life With Tea Things

Now that summer has fully arrived, I naturally enjoy having more space and air. Even with hot days, early mornings and late evenings are pleasant outdoors. In fact we are still having late lunches on the lawn under the trees. Soft and light colors are where I'm at too, so I went casting around for that this week.

No doubt I am missing the days of teas on the lawn with my girls who are spread far and wide across the country now. I always miss them of course, but so much time spent under the trees reminds me of  all the delightful days of Granny Camp when they were small. 

We are finally going to have visitors again in small groups, and plan to entertain mostly on the patios and lawn. But even if we weren't, I am ready for dressing up the table with some pretty linens and dishes! 

I'm more into lemonade than tea, but we have always broken all the tea rules anyway!

And I've noticed that for some reason the visits last longer outdoors under the canopy at a garden party.

I have also been recently inspired by Rachel Ashwell's video posts on Instagram. She is currently living in a small English cottage and doing frequent broadcasts from there. While she is cloistered like the rest of us, she has been giving an interesting history of the evolution of her businesses and places she has lived.

Everything she does herself is so beautiful, but she has also started to include video tours of the homes of friends! And these homes, like that of Christina Strutt of Cabbages and Roses, while they are off the chart large, old, and fabulous places, they are also very unique and amazingly livable. Full of art, antiques, and collections, and quite unlike a lot of the trendy looks that appeal today.

These tours, which include a scrumptious English village antiques shop, have even made me relax more about living with my own large collections and very casual lifestyle, because they are unstaged and feel so spontaneous and approachable. So check out her Instagram if you haven't already. (I know that I am often late to the party!)

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this small tribute to life with tea things. Even if it's just for one or two!

So glad you stopped by!

I hope you find some beauty in your days this week.

Jacqueline

Unpacking The Holiday Treasures

Hello friends!  

I have been busy digging around in boxes to get things started. How about you? Years go by and those suckers (boxes) have a way of multiplying when the available space to keep stuff stays exactly the same! But thank goodness, yes? As life goes on we take on a few more things and let other things go. . .

One of the things I have taken on is this crusty old candelabra. I thought I was done with them and gave all mine away. Little did I know that those I had in the past were just not tarnished enough! haha!

This old one makes me feel a bit elated. And we can all use a dose of bliss I think, no matter from where.

This flocked tree is from last year and gets an iron urn this time. Small enough to land anywhere. As you can see the seasons flow together around here. I usually let things evolve rather than a big revamp for the holidays. Easing in and easing back out again. 

Bits of vintage lace also play a part. This favorite piece often makes its appearance in one spot or another. 

I'm also working on finding the perfect confection or bauble for these egg trays. Any ideas spring to mind? I like using things year 'round, and I love a dose of sparkly glass at Christmastime.

The usual dilemma of which embossed plates to use. . . .  I always think I have too many, but I boldly let some go during the year and already regret it! Some might call this obsession. . . .  I call it tradition.

And what is a holiday without hollow handled knives I ask you? Hollow, of course!

Few cheerier things than shiny silver anything.

My smaller twiggy trees are already out. I had them in the shop last year and everybody wanted them. They were a kind of dear price at Pottery Barn, but I haven't seen them there this year.

And of course always a stash of lovely doodads of some kind around for when the creative impulse hits.

This shiny garland is a souvenir from my first visit to Rachel Ashwell's Malibu shop and may end up in a tray or puddle of light somewhere.

Our decorating simply ends at some point rather than being really "done." I wonder what else I will rediscover among the boxes this year?

Finally, I want to share my new 2019 calendar from Georgianna Lane with you! She has done a NYC version and a couple of others as well, but I couldn't resist this gorgeous Paris version. You might like one too!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I hope you enjoy getting ready for a lovely Thanksgiving and holiday season in your own way! 

Have a wonderful week ahead!

Jacqueline

Homebody Abroad

I'm a hopeless homebody. I can burrow in deep and get lost in my own four walls like nobody's business. That's not to say that I'm not adventurous. Once you pry me away from my domesticity and get me on the open road, I love it as much as anybody else. Maybe more.

But that point of departure is a tricky one for me. Its preceded by a host of rituals where I seem to have to clean and touch everything before I go. It drives my husband crazy. But who wants to come home to dishes in the sink? Or sofa pillows all askew?

I spend a few minutes calming myself at the ironing board.  Nothing soothes me more. I have no fear of flying, mind you. We are driving this time anyway. But a bit of time standing at the open window in the early morning air listening to the birds does my soul a world of good and makes me feel that all will be well while I'm away.  

Ironing the new pillowcases from Rachel Ashwell are just the thing! They come in a little pouch, as many of her things do, and have these delightful buttons as a finishing touch.

I leave the nursery (my ironing room as well) smelling of freshly pressed linen, and say farewell.

Goodybye iron!

Goodbye teddy bear!

Goodbye to all my piles of shop-waiting things.

See you later roosters. . . 

Miss you pitchers and bowls!

Be good bunnies. 

The finches have only just discovered the new feeders. I hope they don't run out of seed!

I took a goodbye photo through the screen. See my Goldies there?

Goodbye fountain! (The Goldfinches love it too.)

Goodbye Swedish Ivy! Stay green!

Bags are packed and ready to go!

See you on the road!

Jacqueline

Join me at

The Charm of Home~Home Sweet Home