OUR 2020 ELECTION PRAYERS

 As 2020 comes to a close,  I want to thank everyone who purchased tea cozies from me this year of 2020!  I ended up selling 311 tea cozies over the year.

We have enjoyed our Christmas

 decorations even if no one else saw them!

Over 50 people have died  from Covid

 in our county so we only go to the market.

  The first person who died had

 been to China to visit relatives.  

Yesterday I  reorganized my sewing room. I get those free throw away boxes at Sams Club.  They are the ones that are like  narrow trays.  I make large readable labels which I tape on the fronts and sides of the boxes for various fabrics and organize all the different fabric themes for future tea cozies.   Yes, it isn't pretty but it makes all the difference in finding  what you are looking for: 

I love my sewing room which will never be one of those darling shabby chic perfectly appointed "where I create" rooms. 

I have seen some on blogs that are amazing. No, this is a very functional room I walk away from when the work is done. It also provides a backstock area for my ever revolving  seasonal teasets.

I also have recently used my sewing room as a Warrior Prayer Room.  As I sew, I have been praying about all the illegal and fraudulent votes cast in our recent election. There is so much evidence of all the illegal voting.  There were many votes from dead people, illegals, duplicates, mass printed ballots and in some states the rules were changed illegally without proper legislative process. The videos were absolutely appalling of the women in Georgia, pulling out suitcases full of fraudulent ballots from under covered tables late at night.  We believe every legal vote should count and every illegal vote should not.

On the night of December 1st we participated in an organized and orchestrated prayer time that started on the East Coast and moved across all the states with believers praying moving west across America clear to Hawaii and Alaska.  At 3:00am  Eastern Standard time in the early hours of December 2 we joined others online with a group who gathered by live video in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia.  It was an incredible experience that was thrilling to participate in. 

 

 Under the encouragement and direction of the prophets, we have spent over 55 days now joining with several hundred thousand Americans in daily intense prayer intercession.  

 I believe Father has heard the people

cry out and will answer our prayers.

A great victory is ahead for America.

God answers prayer!

HIGH TEA VS AFTERNOON TEA

I came across a great video that

explains the difference between 

Afternoon Tea and High Tea.

Hope you enjoy !

Unlike last year, we did not have any

 snow for

Christmas!

This was last year in

a neighbor's yard!

HISTORIC COLONIAL FRUITCAKE

 So with my sewing projects done for

 this week, I decided it still was not

to late to do some baking and to make 

some Historic Colonial Fruitcake.

Do you have any Pickled Watermelon Rind sitting around the cupboard?

Unfortunately, I always get it from House of Webster and would you believe that they have discontinued making it.  But, alas, I still found I have a jar!

So I spent my day baking today.

Here is the recipe:

HISTORIC COLONIAL FRUIT CAKE

Pickled watermelon rind was called American citron in the 18th century.  It adds its special flavor to this chock-full-of-fruits cake.  Bake this cake at 300 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes if using a 10" tube pan or if  making these using eight 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2" loaf pans.

Here are the ingredients:  2 jars (10 oz. ea) pickled watermelon rind - drained, 1 carton (8 oz.) candied red cherries, 1 carton (8 oz.) candied pineapple, 1 -15 oz, box golden raisins, 2 cups slivered almonds (8 oz.), 2 cups chopped walnuts (8 oz.), 3 cups sifted all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, (reduce to 1 1/2 tsp in high altitude)1 cup (2 sticks) butter, 2 cups sugar, 6 eggs, 1/2 cup of brandy or orange juice. (I use brandy and also brush it on top after baking and once a week for about a month)

Thank you all for following 

 along with me on this blog!

STARTING OUT WITH LIMITATIONS

 As I start typing this post, a flood

of memories comes over me of

places where my husband and I have

lived.  I remember them all.

I remember a tiny 2 bedroom furnished house we lived in back in 1968 in Mansfield, Ohio - $65.00 a month rent.  I don't have a photo or at least it's not conveniently located.  We will be married 53 years in 2021.

Our wedding was extremely modest since we did not have the blessing of my Mother and step Father.

Unfortunately

I wanted to marry a poor preacher or at least that was what she thought we would be.  I still remember holding up a cheap plastic orange juice pitcher at our wedding and being absolutely thrilled.

Lately, I have been sharing some videos 

done by creative people that I 

came across on YouTube.  

There are so many to watch.  Some are wealthy women living in Chateaus in France and others are young women showing us their mansions in America.  Some are young women positioning themselves as experts.

I think I know which ones I like best. 

It's the charming ones that burst with creativity, contentment and modesty.

As I am 

 In my search I found a young couple

 that certainly won't impress you with their affluence or CEO jobs. 

 They don't live in a Chateau in France 

but rather a tiny cottage in rural New York:

You can find them here:

A White Christmas in

A Tiny Cottage

and

A Slow Living Christmas Time

YOUTUBE VIDEOS CONTINUED

 I want to suggest 

 some more videos I have

come across:

#1Victoria and Albert - A Love Story 

# 2

This one is with Kirsten and is

called Tea with Jane Austen

And my last suggestion is

CHRISTMAS AT HIGHCLERE 2020

I hope you enjoyed these

videos and got some decorating

ideas you can enjoy.

And this is a late addition 

I couldn't resist - I would

love, love to visit the

Cotswold's:

Kirsten and Joerg in the Cotswolds 

LOVE TO SEE "YOUTUBE" VIDEOS

I love to look things up on YOUTUBE 

and learn new things.  Here are

some recent favorites: 

#1  Jeri Landers of Hopalong Hollow

Jeri does many videos you will love

and has a website as well as she sells

her creative designs.

This is a very fun young couple who

live in the UK:

#2  This is KIRSTEN AND JOERG

AT A VICTORIAN TEA in the UK

Hope you enjoyed these!

And I came back to add one more

#3 A Corgi Cottage Christmas

with Tasha Tudor

A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT - ANOTHER COOKBOOK

 If you love Afternoon Tea and baking,  I would

imagine you are like me and own a few

cookbooks!

I recently received a gift from a long time

fellow blogger,  which was her new cookbook. 

 It makes a wonderful Christmas gift -

 just in case you

are considering ideas.

I know many of you follow Angela Webster McRae's 

blog "TEA WITH FRIENDS" and enjoy

her great ability to write!

You can find her cookbook following this link

to her blog!  I thought these orange balls

looks really delicious.  Angela shares her collection

of vintage decorations and recipes in this book.

I am really enjoying it as it was a special

surprise from Angela.

If you missed the link it is above!

CHRISTMAS COMES FOR 2020 Part 2 and Outdoor Nativity

Truly the song is right when

it says "It's the most wonderful time

of the year"!

 Just because we are stuck inside

doesn't mean we can't enjoy all the

decorations.

Last Christmastime I got these English

Staffordshire dogs for Christmas so I

just added gold and silver floral pieces around

them on our mantle:

The stockings were made from an old antique

 quilt that I cut up back in the 70's.  

I can't believe that was  probably 

45 years ago now.

I love the print of Queen Victoria and 

Albert around their Christmas tree.

 I made this ephemera nativity 

decoration when I was crafting

for Christmas last year.

I love this Wendy Addison tree

that I have had for a long time.

It is decorated with Wendy's glass

glitter stars and collected

vintage and antique

ornaments.

Hope you have fun decorating too.

This week I want to find some fresh

greenery for my front porch area.

I did go out at night and took a photo

of our 35 year old Nativity set. It was

hand painted by an artist but NOT us!

 Also, it took a few years but my Hubby finally

gave in and painted the front brick on our

house and I am very pleased.

Christmas Comes for 2020

We love celebrating Christmas which is

the time we reflect on the birth of our Lord!

This week we took the time

 to get out our decorations.

I did the armoire in the kitchen 

over with cookbooks and

Christmas tea wares.

This is a hearth room with the tree

and fireplace:

I have shared my Nicol Sayre angels

here over the years......

Last year I 

found some real vintage and

Victorian short garland pieces on ebay 

for this tree.

I haven't made or purchased

anything new

this year as I

feel I have

plenty of decorations.

I am going to start baking soon and so look

forward to that.  We have been spending a 

great deal of time in prayer for America and

I sew tea cozies which I sell on Etsy so actually

I pray a lot as I sew.  These are some of my

personal tea cozies and an English teapot:

I have so many photos I will save some for

another day.  Here are two of my larger

Nicol Sayre favorites:

 

EVERY LEGAL VOTE SHOULD COUNT

We are running behind in our decorating this

Christmas because we have been spending a

great deal of time in prayer for our nation.

Like others, we have noticed so many irregularities

and questionable things in the voting establishments 

of our country and we have joined thousands in

praying about the election results.  We are calling

for a revote on paper ballots in every state

where signatures need to be verified and

identification needs to be required.  We do

not believe in the integrity of Dominion

voting machines.  We believe every legal

vote should count and every illegal vote

should not!

Luke 12:2  "For there is nothing covered that will

not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.

RESET AMERICA 2020!!!

OLDE ENGLISH TRIFLE

 

As you may know I haven't blogged much 

lately but I wanted to just start sharing a 

recipe here and there.  I have been participating

in intercessory prayer daily for America and 

the recent Presidential election.

Olde English Trifle made with English Devon Custard

In a glass bowl or compote layer the following:

  Split lady fingers turned sideways around the edge of the glass bowl or cubes of pound cake, fresh fruit of your choice or according to seasonal availability,  raspberry jam and Devon Custard (repeat layers again to the top)

At the top of the bowl, pile on the lovely whipping cream (cool whip could work too) – maybe some of the fruit on the top!

*2 cups whipping cream – whip in ¼ cup of powdered sugar till stiff

 If you don’t have access to Devon Custard – vanilla pudding made up or lemon pie filling will work!!!

A NEW SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM

 I recently joined the social media

platform known as MeWe.  If 

you are a Christian this might

be a place to visit.  

Christian Tea Time & Afternoon Tea

is for women who love the Lord

 and want to share their tea time

experiences, recipes, scriptures and

Christian music, etc.

Mewe is similar to Facebook but with

NO ads, no censoring and no collecting

your data. 

Think about it - you are invited to join!

FALL DECORATING

So we saw they have snow up north in

Iowa today.  We have temperatures here 

at about 42 degrees so after a long, hot

 summer that feels very cold.

I am sharing some fall decorating at our house.

So as part of our kitchen we have a

hearth room where we put some of our

 more formal antique pieces.

 Our home is very casual.  We are retired

and that is reflected in our home.

I am enjoying the fall transferware

pieces mixed in with some fall and

thanksgiving cookbooks.

We used our fireplace

last night and it felt wonderful.

Some were are saying it will be a colder

winter so we shall see if that is correct.

It isn't saying that here!

We are finishing up our last of the out of doors

projects this week and Thursday promises warmer

weather so that will be much appreciated!