Blackberry Tea

                                         

For the last few weeks I have been preparing my house  for guests who were coming to spend an afternoon with me. They were driving from quite a distance and it took them several hours to get here so I wanted to make it worth their while by getting everything in the best possible condition and showing my home in the most welcoming atmosphere.

They had heard about my berry teas and were eager to sample some, so my DH picked some fresh blackberries for making tea and for eating.  I simply place a handful of berries in a pot and crush a little them with a spoon before adding boiling water.  The fragrance simply takes your senses away -- maybe to a resort--who knows.

Below: I brought out all the old things I had of Grandma's and others to create the vintage atmosphere. My own things are starting to look vintage as well, so it all blends nicely.

Well, as you probably have experienced, I managed to wreck the entire place by simply removing one piece of furniture from a room and replacing it with another.  As you know, the thigh bone is connected to the knee bone, and everything I did had an effect on everything else. 

 I can't explain how in the world the simple act of removing a small end table caused piles of things in the dining room and the laundry room, but I will attempt it: 

  I noticed the walls behind the little table were dirty so I had to clean them, and then I saw the curtains near the walls had a rip in them so I had to mend them---but I knew better than to take them off the rod and involve myself in trying to put them back, so I mended them while they were hanging.

  Eventually I did get myself out of this mess but it took 7 days of considerable work.  I do not like to complain, but the house is not in good shape, needs a lot of painting, repair and updating.  I am reminded of it each time I start something like this.  This is part of home life.

The two ladies that came were a preachers wife and a preachers wife's friend.  I call her that because she is one of those people that is always supportive of the preachers wives and likes to keep their morale high and keep them encouraged.  (We must seem beleaguered!)

The blackberry tea was the same vivid color as my tea setting.

Here is the table being prepared the night before the Tea

Because one of the ladies owned a tea room and an antique store, I thought it would be a good opportunity to pull out all of Grandmas things and display them in honor of their interests and their visit. They were also on a buying trip for the antique store.  

In reality I live in Grandmas house, because I am using all her furniture and naturally her accessories go well with everything. 

A doll corner.

One of the crochet pieces Grandma used on the back of a living room chair.

Her bedroom furniture.

Above and below--preparing the porch and flower bed for a first impression welcome.

My family is getting ready for the 50th year anniversary of our congregation, when there will be a special get-together, and I am hoping to also have an open house, and this has all helped me in getting ready for that.  As Mary Kate said in ""The Quiet Man": "The house may belong to my brother, but what's in it belongs to me."  I am trying to show the house to a good advantage in the best way I can and I hope everyone enjoys the tour.  I will show pictures of the laundry room and kitchen in another post, as well as pictures of the Afternoon Tea for which I prepared all this.

The tea table set out buffet style for the ladies Bible class this morning.

The porch:

In the bathroom:

I took everything I had packed away that spoke of vintage and teatime, to embelish my home for this special event.  I can always gather it up and put it away again when a different occasion calls for it.

A coat rack that is usually bare for coats and bags, is decorated with some old things.

My scarves displayed on an over-the-door set of doorknob hooks.

The bathroom:

Another angle of Grandma's things in the guest room.

I did not get the sewing room tidy, and a lot of the things stuffed in the shelves are blankets and folded clothing.

Office:

It was interesting to bring out all the colors and old things:

One day maybe you will come to tea!

The Guest Room: I even have Grandma's white chenille bedspread and her pillowcases. 

Old pedestal sink (above) and old sewing  basket (below)