Block 6 Joy in the Ordinary BOM...

 

It's Winter! Well, in Australia it is, though north in the tropics our winter days are very sunny and warm indeed. The weather is simply perfect at last and that little bit of a nip in the early mornings is the best of all, especially when I stride up to the pool for my morning laps and it's still pitch black outside. It's such a change from the hot humid nights and mornings of late spring, summer and most of autumn. Hubby thinks I'm crazy swimming at this time of year, but it's so good for the immune system, and I think my body is better suited to cold than hot. 

Yesterday was the Eco Fiesta here in Townsville so that's where we headed after lunch. My man wanted to watch the wicking bed demonstration by Hannah Moloney of Gardening Australia, and though I'd planned to have a wander around the various events and stalls, she was so vibrant, funny and informative that I ended up staying for the whole demonstration. It was also great to have those in the audience so interactive with information of our particular tropical climate, as Hannah lives in the very south of our country, Tasmania, where it's cold most of the year.  Afterwards we did have that wander after all and saw lots of interesting things about the garden, bees, and sustainability. The weather was glorious and Hannah commented on how our winter was like her summer. Hope we get to do this again next year! Hubby is now planning wicking beds...

Anyhow, today I'm sharing the next block in this year's free Joy in the Ordinary block of the month project. My theme for June is friendship, and one of things that reminds me of good friends is a cup of tea. My dear friend Rosie and I have morning tea together often, and they are the very best of times with laughter, conversation, more laughter, and always delicious treats to devour with a cuppa or two. Whenever I come home from Rosie's my heart is full of joy, and I hope that's how she feels after a visit here as well. :-)

Blossom and I often have tea parties with the children, using real vintage cups and saucers, and a jolly good amount of home baked treats. As you saw back HERE the girls have their own Cafe in the cubby now, also with real cups and a teapot. 

When I was homeschooling, and the children were very young, I always used precious vintage op-shop acquired tea cups, saucers and plates, because I wanted them to know how special our morning and afternoon teas were and that I trusted them to care for the eclectic mix of vintage china on the table. In all our years of morning and afternoon teas, not a single cup, plate or saucer broke, and to this day my Blossom continues the ritual with her own children. 

I collected tea pots and bone china cups/saucers for decades (along with old doilies) but over the past few years with the regular decluttering I love to do, most have been donated to op-shops or given to Blossom. Today I only have a few for tea, and none of them are vintage, but some are also used around the house or in the garden for holding plants. 

These are my current three tea pots and they each serve a purpose. The green one is for herbal teas only, whilst the white one with gold trim is for special occasions and 'normal' tea. The brightly decorated pot is used when the grandchildren have tea with me...

I purchased this bright and cheery set of cups with a two tier cake display on Marketplace recently, and it's wonderful for when the family are gathered around the table for morning teas. 

Here's one of my op-shop finds that sits on display in the kitchen, a lovely reminder to stop twice a day from my chores and relax with a nice cuppa...

...and this is one of the re-purposed teapots that now serve as planter pots.

I thought you might like to see where I take photos of my completed designs. Due to lots of shaded areas around our home, plus the security screens and block out curtains, it is very difficult to find somewhere with enough light to take photos, so the dining table has that honour...

Use the link below to download the free pattern for Block 6.

DOWNLOAD Block 6 Joy in the Ordinary pattern

Missed any of the previous blocks this year? You'll find them HERE

I'll share more about this month's theme "Friendship" in the next blog post. In the meantime I would love to know if you drink tea, collect vintage china, enjoy tea parties, have been to a High Tea, and what you love to bake when friends come around for a cuppa? 

I enjoyed a few High Teas when we had a lovely little tea shop in town many years ago, but then they closed. Blossom and I would go often on her days off work, and I also went with my friend Rosie a couple of times. I have very special memories from back then. When Blossom became a mum we started our own High Teas with her littlies and the tradition will hopefully be passed on when they grow up. 

I hope you're all doing well, and have some fun, relaxing, and refreshing things planned for this week. I'm working on a new design for the Tilda Club (Australia) at the moment and hope to have it completed by Friday so I can start practicing some dressmaking later in the month. Blossom and Rosie are very competent with home dressmaking and they will be ready to help if I mess up or need tips. I was wise and bought three king size cotton bed sheets for $7 at the op-shop, and plan to 'learn' with them instead of spending money on good fabric and possibly ruining it. I'm all inspired by watching five seasons (so far!) of the Great British Sewing Bee.

God bless and take care, be kind, be thoughtful, and shine the Light of Christ in all you do this week. It's an honour to glorify Him. :-)

Hugs

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