Tea & Roses Blog Set Winner!

Hello! My apologies for making you wait! I've finally been able to sit down and draw the winner and post.
Congratulations Ladylydia!

Now I must go and finish up my swap goody for the Black Cat and Pumpkin Swap hosted by Debra over at HopHopJingleBoo. Debra is my swap partner and I am so worried about getting my goody 'just right' LOL!

If you aren't familiar with Debra's work please be sure and take a peek at her blog!!

(Click the Pic)
Debra has a bunch of fun pics of her home as she is decorating it for the upcoming Halloween Season. I love it! How fun is that?

I'm Late! I'm Late for a very important date!

Hello! Yes, the drawing is still on. I will be posting the winner tonight. Sorry for the delay!
Daphne

Tea for Thee Giveaway Drawing Tomorrow! Hurry!

Tomorrow is the drawing for the Tea and Roses Blog set. Don't forget to leave me a comment so I can enter your name!

I haven't had much time for tea today...just design work. I've been letting my ebay store go a bit and so needed to add some new auction templates.

Jill, if you are reading this, I haven't forgotten you!! Just trying to get caught up.

Time for Tea!

Welcome my dear friend! The tea and scones are finally ready.

I've poured a cup for you. This lovely tea is Twinings - Citrus Spice Sunset Herbal Tea -

"A tangy blend of orange zest and sweet spices that brews to the color of a beautiful sunset"

It really does too...a lovely shade of rose. The flavor is very good, a little tangy, lightly spiced. I prefer mine with a dollop of honey and no cream. How do you take yours?

Come in, make yourself comfortable. Teddy is waiting for you at table. (Please excuse his rumpled highness...he had a bit of a nap before tea.)

Would you like a Raspberry-Orange scone? Fresh from the oven! We also have some raspberry jam or peach jam if you prefer. I've chosen orange slices rather than lemon, I hope you don't mind.

Dear friend, it's been my pleasure to have you in my home for tea. Please visit again! You are most welcome here!

Have you ever made homemade scones? I had never tried, I was quite surprised at how simple they are (and that is saying something because I am really no cook). The only snafu I ran into was not having any baking powder in the house but never fear, I found a home recipe online to make your own baking powder. I didn't know you could...

How to Make Your Own Home Made Baking Powder ...
(now, if they could only come up with a way to make eggs when you run out...)

HOMEMADE SUBSTITUTE FOR BAKING POWDER
2 tbsp. cream of tartar 1 tbsp. baking
soda 1 tbsp. cornstarch
Sift together. Store in airtight container. One
teaspoon of this is equal to 1 teaspoon store bought baking powder.
OR
1/2
teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt = 1 teaspoon baking
powder
OR
1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/3 cup molasses = 1 teaspoon
baking powder

Now that you have your baking powder...

Raspberry-Filled Orange Scones

recipeYield: 16 scones
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves
confectioners sugar
Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter or margarine until
mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Beat eggs, cream and orange peel. Add to
flour mixture, mixing just until moistened. Shape dough into a ball. Knead 10
times on lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Roll out each half into a 12 x
6-inch rectangle. Spread 1 rectangle with preserves. Top with remaining
rectangle. Cut into 8 (3-inch) squares; cut each in half diagonally. Place on
lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

These are SOOO good!

Don't forget to leave me a comment so I can enter your name in the drawing for the Tea & Roses Blog Set!

Tea for Thee Giveaway!

Hello friends.


Well, I didn't get many things done today that I had planned. I had a doctor's appt. with the obstetrician.

Baby Hardy is 100% Girly Girl :)

She is doing very well and is due January, 18 2008. Her name is Emmy Anne Hardy.
I did get some work done for clients and I have finished up the Tea & Roses Blog Set I am giving away for the Make Mine Pink Virtual Tea Party . Be sure and visit the other lovely blogs that are hosting tea parties!

If you would like to be entered into the drawing for this blog set, simply leave a little comment and I will enter your name in the drawing. Please be sure there is a way to contact you listed in case you win! Here is the blog banner that the blog set is based on. It will be customized with the winner's name or message of choice and I will help you to install it yourself. The drawing will be held Friday 9/14/08.

I didn't get to have my tea party today but I am going to do everything I can to try and have it tomorrow so that I may share a lovely tea with you and visit for a while!

My Favorite Tea.

I love Constant Comment. The original recipe. It is subtly spicy and smells heavenly. And you know what? Even if the taste and aroma weren't so wonderful, I would still love it. My mother used to make Constant Comment tea for the two of us. This began when I was very small and I will always treasure the memories. What is very interesting is that my 14 year old son who is very much all boy and into skateboarding, long hair and holes in his jeans really loves tea and he particularly likes this one :)
Here is a quote from the Bigelow Tea's website about Constant Comment:

"Created by Ruth Bigelow in her kitchen over 60 years ago "Constant Comment"® is today America's most popular specialty tea. This original blend of the finest mountain-grown tea is deliciously flavored with rind of oranges and sweet spice. There's no other tea in the world quite like it."

This is also very interesting...I just found it:

http://www.shelterrific.com/category/holiday-06/

Blooming Tea! I had not seen this before.

~Welcome~

Please check back with me tomorrow.

I will be giving away a beautiful "Tea and Roses" themed blog set!

I do apologize for not quite having it ready!

There will also be some delicious crumpet recipes and pictures of my home tea party.

In the meantime please be sure and visit this wonderful lady and her very thoughtful blog:

http://blog.teapartygirl.com/

And the wonderful hostesses as listed at our sponsoring site:

http://www.makeminepink.blogspot.com/

Till tommorow...

Our Lovely Weekend Away...

It's been a long time since our little family has had a chance to go away together. We decided to take the opportunity to visit the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee on our way to visit my husband's dear Aunt Tessie. I don't have the pics of Aunt Tessie's uploaded yet so I will post about our visit with her tonight or tomorrow.

We left on Saturday and made our way (about a two and a half hour drive) to the Memphis Zoo from here in Conway, Arkansas.

The zoo is just gorgeous. So well maintained and many wonderful exhibits. We all had a lot of fun (even the 14 year old, despite himself, although he wouldn't let me take any pictures of him...) and I am so happy to have created some memories!

There was a lot of laughing and joking and silliness and of course with all these males there was some third grade humor thrown into the pot for good measure. :) Especially when my husband noticed that the water stain on this rhino's hind end resembled Che Guevara.

Yes, they are as ornery as they look.

The Panda Exhibit

Unfortunately, the Pandas were both asleep.

Pere Armand David is the priest who first made the giant panda known to the west.

My son, the monkey boy...

Memphis Zoo has a hand crafted carousel that was made just for them in Ohio. The animals on the carousel are endangered species (and a dragon thrown in). It is just gorgeous. I've never seen one quite like it.

The Northwest Passage

How cool is this Polar Bear?

Here and there, carved into the stonework in the Northwest display are these beautiful quotes from Chief Seattle. I like them very much.




We had a wonderful time and hope to visit again soon. If you know of any other fun, family friendly places to go here in Arkansas or close by, please leave a comment and let me know or if you just have a comment feel free!