A Spot for Tea

Tim and I are blessed to be able to travel to different parts of the country periodically because of our ministry. We rarely have the time to experience the places we visit to the fullest, but occasionally we do have a little time off. Tim enjoys the history of whatever city we are in but I on the other hand, enjoy visiting Tea Rooms! We visited a one-of-a-kind tea room in Oklahoma City recently.

 “A Spot for Tea” is just the right spot for someone who enjoys the whole tea experience. I knew when I walked in the door that the owner Tammy Seibert was a kindred spirit. Actually I knew before I walked in because I had read her blog prior to going.  So much effort has been put forth to create the perfect atmosphere in her 14,000 square foot facility. 

Through her years of experience Tammy has been host to: rehearsal dinners, baby and bridal showers, anniversary and holiday parties, birthday parties for all ages, graduation dinners, and receptions, bridesmaid luncheons, church and club meetings, even wedding ceremonies and receptions. As she gave us the grand tour I was amazed at the attention to detail in every room. 

Tucked away upstairs is the enchanted “Rose Cottage,” a dream place for girls of all ages.

Each guest will have fun picking out their dress and accessories. Then a picture and fashion show parade. During the tea party a special guest, Victoria Rose, will come and help each child learn about etiquette. It’s a party that the birthday girl and friends will remember forever.  

  Another upstairs oasis is the “Queen’s Room.” It’s a unique setting that is perfect for a day out with friends or a special event. Each guest gets to pick out a hat or dress up clothes for all ages. This room is sure to create a love for the art of tea while you sit and   enjoy the fine loose leaf tea and delectable cuisine. 

On the bottom floor you will find the “Red Room” and the “Green Room.” These rooms are absolutely lovely and can accommodate several guests for larger events. 

This post would not be complete without letting you know how wonderful the menu is. I enjoyed the tea of the season, “Sweet Serenitea”, it’s a black tea blend with caramel and whispers of lavender.

 Tim and I shared the wonderful  “Tea Party Sampler.”  It was served on a lovely plate and was an assortment of some of their finest delights: chicken salad on a small croissant, a smidgen of tuna salad and a sliver of guiche. It was more than enough for both of us.

Tim had a cup of the soup for the day and if I remember right it was a chicken and wild rice that he thought was wonderful!

 We also decided to share a dessert and our choice was the “Chocolate Italian Cream Cake” which was amazing!. 

 If you are ever in the Oklahoma City area be sure to stop in and visit Tammy, and tell her I sent you.  You can learn more about “ A Spot For Tea” by clicking here. Enjoy!

Making Memories,

Curb Appeal !

As you may know our house is on the market. We have been working on our curb appeal. I have never been gifted at landscaping or anything that might have to do with real plants. Although I do have several women in my life who are really gifted at it. After consulting one of those women I took the plunge reluctantly. I am always afraid to invest money in this area because I am certain I have limitations that will hinder me keeping things alive.  I have added a few before and after shots. It's not finished and will be an ongoing project as long as we live here. Any drought tolerant plant ideas are welcomed.

When we bought the house two years ago the lawn was covered in weeds. My Italian Man has worked quite a bit to eradicate them. The difficult thing now is to keep the lawn green throughout the summer months with a minimal amount of rain .

We wanted to put a paved driveway with a cover in but living inside the City limits, we would have to get permits to do so. Permits would require investing more than we want to. We decided to use a small pea gravel that is usually used for paving walkways. Interestingly we priced it at Lowes and it was going to cost around $240 to do what we needed. I called around and found it at a local sand and gravel company for $27 for a half of a yard, which was all we needed.

The stone you see outlining all the beds was given to us. Our sweet friends had an overabundance and wanted to share. All we had to do was bring our truck and load up all we needed. All it cost was a couple of chiropractor visits( I pulled my back out unloading them). I wasn't sure how it would look but it seems to accent the stone fireplace very well.

I also added a few window boxes, rather than planting a tree at the corner. They seemed a bit more decorative to me. Notice my sweet little flamingos. I was in Ballinger, TX and stopped at their True Value. I found the birds and thought they would be perfect but when I saw the price my mind said "Forget this", as I was walking away I saw a sign that said " All Accessories Half Off" then my mind said " These are mine!"

Just another view from the front.

...and another...

This is just a little project I have been wanting to do for years. I have had a picture of it in my project book for what seems like forever. The plates are actually suppose to be planted in the ground but because we might be moving I didn't want to leave mine behind so I used a container. Old chipped plates, platers, or saucers make great borders for flower beds,  for those of you who like a vintage touch to your landscaping. 
I hope you enjoyed  and hopefully are encouraged that anyone can spruce up their curb appeal even if you might be lacking when it comes to the great outdoors! On to the back yard... and then who knows what?
Making Memories,

Things I enjoy!

I haven't had much time these days to do some of the things I enjoy, like blogging, because I have been busy doing things I enjoy! I have a few pictures of the enjoyable things I have been doing! Enjoy!
In January I had the opportunity to work with a beautiful, creative, single(just thought I would mention) and gifted photographer. You can see more of her work here.






In Feburary I spent time with a wonderful group of women at the Heart of Motherhood Encounter...

I also enjoyed the musical gifting of my husband at the Winning Families 2010 "Rhythm and Romance" Ministry Awareness Night.

We had a little Frank Sinatra...

accompanied by some Celine...

Lets not forget Brad Pasley...

along with some MOTOWN...

and last but not least" The Italian Man"  himself...It was a great evening enjoyed by all!

I cranked up the Month of March by celebrating 30 years of marriage to my best friend! We were awaiting a new grandson so we stayed close to home but enjoyed our trip immensely! We stayed at a quaint B&B right outside our city.





We also celebrating the birth of our first grandson in March."The Jewel" got to spend time with us while her Mom and Dad were away getting a new baby! We had a great time!

OK, that covers January through March...I'll have to catch up with the rest later.
Making Memories

The Jewels

Just when I think...it can't get any better...

The Bean Pot

I made the time to blog today because I want to share some amazing products with you.

As you well know MOTHER”S DAY is approaching quickly and if you are anything like me, I am usually scrambling to try to find something special and unique for the Mothers in my life.

Consider sending your Mother a  Celebrating Home bean pot!

 I purchased my bean pot in November of last year and have used it weekly ever since. It is an item that every busy mother will enjoy.

It is part of our stoneware collection and is very functional because every piece is microwave, dishwasher, oven, and freezer safe.

I am especially fond of the stoneware because of the versatility it offers me.

We have lunch together at our Church every Sunday and it’s nice to heat my bean pot up in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, put any hot recipe in it and the bean pot keeps it hot for up to 3 ½ hours. Likewise I can put the bean pot in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour, then put  a cold salad in it and it will stay cold for up to 3 ½ hours.

 I also have two amazing recipes that I would like to share with you:

Pot Roast

Put one roast of your choosing, ( I prefer  a chuck roast) one can of cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup, and one can of regular coke (not diet coke) in your bean pot, cover and bake at 400 degrees for 2 ½ - 3hrs. You will have the most amazing tender roast with gravy that you have ever eaten!

Dessert ( I like to call this Dump Cake “ Death by Chocolate”)

Mix a box of chocolate cake mix with pudding in the mix, three eggs, 16ozs  of sour cream and ½ cup of chocolate morsels in a mixing bowl, then pour into your bean pot, cover and microwave for 13 minutes on high power. Check to see if it’s done by sticking a knife in the middle (every microwave cooks differently). When done, remove lid and let cool for ten minutes then turn upside down onto a plate and either sprinkle with powdered sugar or cover with chocolate icing. Amazing, fast dessert! Once you try this you will never want to be without the ingredients in your home.

 Things to know:

Right now if you order a Bean Pot you get 10% off for my Mother’s Day special!

You will want to order right away to insure delivery by Mother’s Day (You will be safe if you order by April 26, 2010)

Choose the one you like and send me an email ( hospitaliteacottage@gmail.com)  or call (325-653-8521) me with your favorite item’s number, along with your shipping address or the address of whomever you want it shipped to. I can ship it anywhere! 

I will add shipping and your local tax amount to your purchase less 10% and contact you with the total.

 

You can pay by cash, check, or credit card.

Remember you can shop for other items in my catalog at

www.celebratinghome.com/sites/51969592/PWPHome.ashx

Enjoy!

The Winner Is...

It is my honor to announce that the winner of the "Veranda Dip Bowl and Seasonal Spreaders"
"is Shelley Gully! Thank you Shelley for becoming a follower of Hospitali-Tea Cottage. I hope you enjoy your visits and glean something that might be helpful to you as you pursue being hospitable. I will be contacting you about your gift.
Making Memories, Elaine