Tea time!

Mom called me the other day and said she signed us up to decorate a table at her church's tea.  I was happy to do it because usually with teas I am in a position of STRESS instead of relaxation.  Don't get me wrong, I love the hustle and bustle of getting ready for a tea, it's just nice sometimes to be a spectator. She said she wanted it to be a vintage table so I REALLY got excited! She borrowed Nana's dishes she had given to Michelle for our "china".

They are the sweetest color, it's neat to think these dishes were a wedding gift for my Nana and Grandpa.  I like that they didn't match, it's kind of a neat window into the tastes of my Nana way back then.

Of course we had to have a picture of the lovely couple on their wedding day and an old camera that has taken so many pictures, catching evidence of a happy life on film. Mason jars from years gone by, some have stories behind them, some just reminders of the wonderful talent my mom has for making homemade jams, jellies, preserves and pickles. The lovely Kitty cookie jar that sits smiling at me in my kitchen every day, used to sit on the top of my great grandmother's refrigerator. I remember sitting on top of the deep freezer that sat in their kitchen while eating room temperature pancakes, looking at that pretty cookie jar. I'm honored to have her now.

And we can't forget the sweet apron that Nana made for me. I had originally asked her to make three aprons so I could sell them.  She was happy to do it and when I received them in the mail I was so excited. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the stitching used to make the ruffle was done by hand.  All I could think of was her sweet soft hands bent from age and arthritus making each stitch just so.  That did it, there wasn't a price for that so I surprised my sisters one Thanksgiving and gave each of them an apron (one for myself as well). That apron was in the very center of our beautiful tea. Nana and Mamaw (my great grandmother) were right there with us as we enjoyed our tea. If you have "old things" someone has given you, take them out of their hiding places and show them off.  There is a story there, there is a family member your children need to meet through your stories and memories.