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Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Kate I think I found a "lovely Place" for you to visit

Welcome to Crown & Crumpet, a stylish room with tea and wit, in fabulous Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. The delicious food and libations will transport you to a classic, traditional tea salon in England, but the stylish and vibrant décor tells you this is not a stuffy, Victoriana “ye olde tea shoppe.”Built on the love and consumption of many cups of tea the world over, owners Amy and Christopher Dean invite you to slow down and enjoy the tea experience with friends, family or on your own. Forget about that cup of coffee and step inside the world of Crown & Crumpet, a spirited, delicious, and sometimes cheeky, room with a view, serving the world’s most popular drink — second only to water.
Please visit their website for more info you won't be sorry www.crownandcrumpet.com

New Media for Christmas

These are the Movies I bought for myself this Christmas!!!!!

These are the Movies I received for Christmas......all my favorites!!!
These are the New Books I received for Christmas....can't wait to start on them!!!

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Teacup Lighting

English Tea on the go

Plates, saucers and even cookies printed on your hanky.
A new way to enjoy your afternoon tea
by miho kaneko

Awarded to Kate

To Kate for being the "perfect blend" friend
Trust, Kindness, Honesty and Caring
Thanks for all you do!
I hope you are enjoying your time with both your girls.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Christmas Tea

Lindsey made beautiful poppy seed sconces this morning for us. It's been such lovely weather here we had our morning tea and sconces outside on the side porch.

Charleston Holiday Doors

Charleston Holiday Splendor......
We had the
chance to
visit these
great homes
the day after
Christmas,
my older
daughter
is here from Chicago and wanted to visit downtown, we walked these magnificent Homes along the Battery,
had lunch at the "Haunted" Poogen's Porch". ( Zoe walks the halls and women's restroom
of this Victorian Restaurant ,
looking for her spinster sister who died before her) and shopped our hearts out......
Happy Holidays to Everyone...

Sunday, December 14, 2008

My Review of Sticky Fingers Scones Mixes

Originally submitted at Cost Plus World Market

Light, sweet and crumbly, premium scone mixes from England are a treat for breakfast, brunch and snack time. Sweeter than biscuits, more delicate than bread and healthier than cake, you can enjoy yummy flavors of these all-natural scones in a snap. Simply add water, stir and bake.


great scone

By kate english from charleston on 12/14/2008

 

5out of 5

Pros: Fresh

Best Uses: Baking

these scones are so easy and yummy. i have traveled england high and low and these are
definatly the best way to go, unless your at
home everyday with nothing to do. i love to
have a fresh baked scone on sunday morning, and
they are so fast and easy. and freeze great tooo!!!

dont forget the lemon curd, at world market too!!!

thumbnail

(legalese)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

I've been challenged by Kate

So the challenge is to tell you seven things about myself and then challenge others to the same. 1. I am married to a great guy Bobby and we have 4 girls that's right I said 4 girls no boys. I tried very hard for a son but it just wasn't meant. When I found out with my last pregnancy that I was having a girl I was very upset because I knew this was the last one and it wasn't a boy. After many days of crying I accepted the results and moved forward. What was I going to do with a boy anyway after having 3 girls I knew what to expect and had all the clothes etc for a girl. Now that she is here I wouldn't have it any other way. Girls are a pure JOY. Hannah 13, Emalie 11, Natalie 5 and Jessica 2 2. I own a wallpaper store in downtown Sarasota and have a passion for wallpaper. I also have a blog http://www.purdywallcovering.blogspot.com/ please visit and I hope you enjoy. 3. I love CHOCOLATE and I love to bake chocolaty things esp. chocolate chip cookies. I have a great recipe they are thin, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. mmm...... 4. My favorite food is Italian. I love Chicken Parm. with homemade sunday gravy from scratch, Chicken Piccata, Braciola, wild mushrooms with Ravioli. The smell (and taste) of Rosemary makes me happy. If my family would let me I would eat and make Italian food every night. 5. I love to read. But with a big family, my wallpaper store, and just getting thru the day I only read at night after everyone is in bed usually by 9pm. I just finished reading the Twilight series and I am a Edward Cullen fan! My Favorite movie of all time is "You've got mail" 6.I love country music and I love Trisha Yearwood. I just bought her new cook book Georgia cooking in an Oklahoma kitchen. I can't wait to make her blackberry cobbler this summer when the berries are in. 7.I am going to visit my Best Friend Kate (who just move to Charleston last week and challenged me) in April and we are going to visit The Biltmore House during the Festival of Flowers. I can't wait!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Iv'e Been Challenged!!!!

Design by Cathleen Challenged me to tell 7 Different things about myself. It's a great way to to get to know other Blogger friends better. So when your done reading about me I will challenge a few others and we will learn more about their lives too. So here we go..... 1) My Two Daughters. Most important in my life. I'm proud that I've worked

hard to be a good mother and now 26 years later its really paid off. I'm so close

to both my girls. We are friends as well as mother and daughters. That makes me

happy. My Mom raised me that way. All the women in my family are strong,loving

women. I hope I'm passing that tradition onto my Girls.

Above: is Anna my youngest, and myself, sending her off to College in Charleston, SC. That was a year and a half ago now. She's grown alot in that time.

The other photo is of my oldest daughter Lindsey, who lives in Chicago now after graduating

from the Art Institute of Chicago, two years ago. She is pictured in Germany this

May on her first European visit. She is alot like me, artsy, nurturing, and intense about her

passions.

2) Family--- Mother ..loving, kind, caring, made a wonderful home for us, overpowered

by my father.

Father...tough, sarcastic, made a good living for his family, smart, worked his way up from nothing, proud

Sister....loving, good mother, warm, shy, giving.

My sister and I are close in ways others can't be because we have a bond that we survived my father. We talk about being around a tough man, who never gives any form of support

or a positive word. Funny enough, I've always felt closer to him than my Mother, I think

only because I've been trying to get some positive feedback for 54 years and still have not

received any. You'd think i would have given up by now, but you know Fathers and daughters.

He's still the alpha male in my life.

My Dad is pictured above with Lindsey, my oldest. ) Friends.....are so important to me. As a girl you know we have to get out 3,000 words a day. So who better than a girlfriend. Their there at happy times, sad times. And always have your back. What more can be said. Pictured above: Gina and I after 8 1/2 hrs of Christmas shopping. Boy, do I look worn out!! But happy. 4) Kitty.......An eternal source of love and cuddling. She's always there for me. 5) Books and Movies.......... What can I say. They are both an intricate part of my life. I like period books and movies the best. Give me Pride and Predjustice any day. I read all Tracy Chevalier books, if you haven't read any of her books, and you enjoy Historical Novels, please try them. Each one is as good as the next. But I'm also a sucker for a good Romantic Comedy, give me Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal anyday.

6) Art.......is also a huge part of who I am. Whether it's watercolors, drawing, Interior

Design, making Jewelry or just looking at Historical Architecture. I love it all, I absorb

it. Give me lunch and lingering in a gallery any day.

Above...is the only Vermeer I've ever seen, I was at Hampstead Heath, north of

London, on Easter Monday, at Kenwood. I was transposed into the picture.

7) Tea.....all my friends know tea is a huge part of my life. Whether

it's making tea ( I love mixing my own blends), buying tea, or enjoying Friends at a High Tea. I travel the country and England, looking for the most perfectly served tea. I'm a conisuire. I enjoy it so. Sometimes the simplest is the best, Cream Tea in Cornwall, with clotted cream!!

Well, that's my seven challenges, I haven't mentioned men in this (couldn't go there right

now) All of the above is all me...........Katie

Lingering, relaxing.

I am going to share this challenge and pass it on to others. Thanks to Design by Cathleen http://designbycathleen.blogspot.com/ for inviting me to the challenge, it takes alot of time at this Holiday Season, but it was fun to soul search. So here are the bloggers I'm inviting to the 7 Things Challenge...... OK Go........(my older daughters boyfriends old band)

1) http://ediemariesattic.blogspot.com/)

Edie Marie's Attic

2) http://northeastgardener.blogspot.com/

Northeast Gardner

3) http://wateronceaweek.blogspot.com/

Water Once A Week

4) http://anaspangle.blogspot.com/

Anna Lloyd

5) Gina

6) http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/

The Feathered Nest ( my favorite Blog!!!!!)

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Welcome to Whitehall..........

Come visit and see my Great Neighborhood All news homes , made to look old. Great Architecture Tons of moulding...

Down the Street ....... and across the street. Notice the grass is dead now, but there are
certain flowers still blooming...and palm trees too. Were on the coast you know.
All the photos of Homes I've pictured are For Sale!!!!! Or you could rent my upstairs
bedrooms!!!!!

Thanksgiving 2008

The Head Chef Jessi
My daughter Jessica, nephew Dylan, niece Kelsie, my daughter Natalie, my daughter Hannah and my daughter Emalie

Friday, December 5, 2008

Happy Holidays!!
Gina sent me the most beautiful Christmas card and I have to pass it along to
all our blog friends...Kimberly has the most beautiful note cards, note pads,
stickers, heavenly teas and tea acessories!! Visit her site for last minute Christmas
shopping for everyone on your list!!!! And dont forget a little something for your-
self.....Thanks, Gina......

Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Thorn Birds

Don't Forget all you Thorn Bird Lovers, LTM (Lifetime Movies) will be airing the entirety of The thorn Birds, Thanksgiving Weekend. So get your kleenex, hope its snowing and settle down for those delicious moments with Meggie and Father Ralph from 1983.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

November Orchids

My November Orchids, sorry to interrupt everyone Thanksgiving Planning but I promised my Plantbuddy, I would post photos of my Orchids..

So here they are.......smiling in the Florida sunshine. Today anyway, it's in the cool low
50's in evenings here and high's are 60-70's now. Humidity is low for Florida this time
of year, hurray!!! from menopausal women....I promise to keep blogging my orchids
as the seasons change....to visit my Plantbuddy....http://wateronceaweek.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the comments.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Thanksgiving Decor.....

Here Are some Beautiful Table Ideas........
Thanks to Martha Stewart's Blog for the
Photos.....

Monday, November 17, 2008

Charm Bracelets....

Charms go back as far as the Neolithic era where man would elaborate jewelry made of precious stones and metals emerged during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs. It was during this time that the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared. Like people of many ancient civilizations, the citizens of ancient Egypt lived very short lives by today's standard - 30 to 40 years on average. With so little time on earth, they obsessively prepared for a prosperous life after death. Charm bracelets played a significant role in the preparation process. Charm wrist and neck bracelets were not only coveted as protective shields and signs of status in this life, they were also worn as ID tags to help the Gods guide the wearer and his/her possessions to the proper status level in the afterlife.
During the Roman Empire Christians would pull the (fish) charm from underneath their garments to identify themselves to other Christians to gain entry into secret, forbidden worship activities. The Jewish scholar of that same time would write passages from Jewish law on tiny slips of parchment and carefully insert the slips into a small, golden amulet that was worn around his neck. This of act reverence and piety was meant to keep the law close to the heart.. . .
Knights of the Middle Ages, found that charms and amulets were put to use by knights and kings. They were most often used with incantations to wreak havoc on the occupants of enemy castles and protect warriors in battle. Charms were also worn on belts to represent family origin, political standing and profession. General wearing of charms began to lose favor with the wealthy classes during the Renaissance as mass produced books emerged and superstitions faded. However, charms and amulets were still widely used by people of lesser means and education. The role of the charm remained relatively unchanged until the early 1900s.. . .
The bracelets of Queen Victoria ignited the next big wave of charm wearing. It was at this stage that charms had a dramatic change of purpose. They were small lockets, glass beads and family crests that hung on bracelets and necklaces were all the rage.. . .
The Greatest Generation was at the end of WWII it saw the explosion of charm jewelry as we know it today. Soldiers leaving Europe and islands in the Pacific purchased little handmade trinkets as gifts to bring home to their sweethearts. Native craftsmen fashioned small bits of metal into little replicas of items common to the locale. Enterprising jewelers in the States quickly picked up on the trend to create charms for all occasions.
I am on my second charm bracelet (the first is a story of its own) I love while vacationing to
find a special something to remind me of my trip. Its easy for friends to keep adding to it,
and so fun to show off !! Looking for an idea.......Christmas is coming.....