....My Garden of Eden.....

YAYYYY!! A bit of rain and sunshine and the garden breathes a sigh of relief. Running several businesses doesn't give me much time for gardening but I love getting out there when I can....

With this in mind I took an early morning ramble, camera in hand around the garden.

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves....

Fragile "Cistus" Rock Roses whose petals resemble pink parchment.......

The fragrance of lavender....EVERYWHERE!!!

Terraces of olive trees, lavender, and Carpet Roses, yet to bloom......

Rockeries of Iris and Carpet Roses, Wisteria and Lilacs.....

David Austin English Roses are my Passion........

The beautiful "Mary Rose"whose blooms were so heavy

I had to hold one for the photo.....

The fragrant "Charles Austin"...........

"Abraham Darby" - gorgeous blooms, perfect fragrance.....

The clear pink of the Old-Fashioned Climber, "Zephirine Drouhin"......

I just wish you could enjoy the fragrance and bird song that accompanied my walk.......the garden after rain is a wondrous place to be......

Have a Lovely Day,

Sue

xo

...A Change is as Good as a Holiday...well, nearly!!!...

....Long Time, No Post....

BUT

I haven't been idle :)))) Being a natural Arian, and getting bored with things..... probably too quickly...... I decided it was time for a Cafe revamp. So I channelled the inner French girl and Bonjour, we have gone to Paris.
Well, if I can't REALLY go there I can at least do the next best thing :)))))

....Some new Wall Art....

One of our new Eiffel Towers.... Ooh La La....

...Antoine and Antoinette ~ my two French Mice...Tres Chic


Just a few bits and pieces at the moment......it's a work in progress :)))

...Some new prints...

I want to be the lady in this picture...

...Or this one...

Maybe one day I will REALLY get there....Until then, I'll continue to Dream....

a bientot,

Sue xo

...No Room for a Princess...

What's a dog to do when every pink frou-frou bed in the house is taken????

Bonnie in one.

Tashi in another.

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Sleep on the Computer case, that's what. At least it gets your dilemna noticed!!!!!!!

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PHEW!!! I FINALLY got one!!!!!

Miss Daisy has just placed a request for a "PINK" computer case on her Santa list!!!!!

Have a Great Weekend,

Love,

Sue and The Princess

xo

PS. Don't feel TOO sorry for Miss Daisy - her usual spot is on one of Glenda's raggy cushions on the sofa!!!!!

.....Cupcake Day for the RSPCA......

Hey Girls,

Tomorrow is "Cupcake Day for the RSPCA", but as we are closed on Mondays, we are celebrating today. So last night, off to the mixing bowls and oven and "Abracadabra" a whole lot of mini cupcakes.

This tower is a tribute to "All animals, Great and Small". Mini chocolate cuppies, with pink, white and mint buttercream frosting and of course, decorated with all manner of furred , feathered and scaly critters :)))) Topped off with two cute little puppies, looking for new homes. They are from the new Pet Adoption Centre in the Bear Shoppe.
For those who want a more substantial cuppie, we have regular size chocolate and vanilla, still decorated with four-leggeds.And of course, all proceeds from sales of today's cupcakes is being donated to the Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I can't think of a better cause so I hope people eat up BIG!!!!!
Have a Great Day and spare a thought for the many "unwanted" dogs and cats and hope that one day they too will have a happy home like SOMEONE I know.....

Love Sue and Miss Daisy

xo

....Thoughtful Gestures Mean a Lot.....

Hi Everyone,

Anyone who has worked in the "hospitality" industry, knows the ups and downs of dealing with customers and food. It is difficult to please some of them, no matter how hard we try. I sometimes go home and ask myself, "Why am I doing this?"

And then something happens that makes me realise why :)))))

Look what arrived the other day..........

Aren't they stunning? This beautiful arrangement was from Mary, whose High Tea Birthday Party we hosted last week(see previous post).
I was surprised and touched. We loved hosting Mary's Tea Party.....it was a real Buzz.....the girls are still talking about it. And then this......

Thank you Mary, your thoughtfulness is very much appreciated.....

Love,

Sue

xo

...Of Pink Boas and Tiaras...

Hi Girls,

When I turn sixty (if I ever do!!!) I am going to do it in style like Mary :))))) Yesterday we hosted a Birthday Afternoon Tea for Mary and her friends and boy, did they do it in style!!!!! We set up the Tea in our (and their) favourite colour - pink, pink and more pink).

Mary's daughter arrived with balloons in guess what colour? You got it - PINK!!!

We added the yummy food - well some of the food. We could only fit so much on the stands and this was one big High Tea - tea sandwiches, cold savouries, hot savouries by the plate load, scones with jam and cream, gorgeous petit fours and of course, mini birthday butterfly cupcakes. I should have taken more photos of the food - it looked scrumptious - but it's hard to cook and take photos!!!!
Then the guests arrived and what a hoot that was. These gorgeous ladies had decked themselves out in all tones of pink - from the tips of their toes to the tops of their heads. The "piece de resistance" was the Birthday Girl herself resplendent in hot pink and black with pink party hat enclosed in a tiara and a hot pink feather boa. One of her "older" friends had the BEST pink and white striped stockings - think of the witches in Practical Magic, when they stepped off the roof. They all looked "FANTASTIC" and having already had a glass of champers at home, they were ready to party!!!

They had a ball and so did we serving them - the best group we have ever had. Two quotes of the day:
One..... a lady looked under her cup to see which piece of Royal Albert she had and exclaimed to her friend, "Oh, I'm Lady Carlyle!" Only to be told by her friend (in the striped stockings). "Well, I"M QUEEN ANNE!!!"
And the second...."This is better than The Windsor"!!!!!! That made my day:)))))

Have a Great Week,

Love,

Sue

xo

.....New Pretties......

Hey Girls.......

.....Just a quick post to share some new "pretties".... for my home ..... not the Shop. YAYYYYY stuff for me :)))))

The first is a gorgeous, new lamp from Mandii. You may have seen it on her ebay listings....well now it's in one of my guest bedrooms. It's a milk glass base with a gorgeous Rachel Ashwell shade and matching bow. Thanks Mandii, it looks stunning by day..........

And by night........

The other pretties are the strawberries I bought from Kathryn. I have hung them all over the place but my favourites are on a shabby tin hanger in my bathroom with my "lovee-dovees". Thanks Kathryn....they look beautiful and smell great too.

You gotta LOVE these talented bloggers :))))))))

Have a Lovely Week Everyone,

Sue

xo

"Earth laughs in Flowers" ~ Emerson~

All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

~ Indian Proverb

.....Spring is my favourite season ..... The Earth begins to warm a little.....the birds start nesting.....the first of the butterflies appears and all seems right with the World.

So halfway through Winter I am thinking of Spring. The first glimpse of sun and my thoughts turn towards the garden......Nature never fails to amaze me..... a little caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly, a tiny tuft of grey, skin with a gaping mouth turns into a swallow and a small point of red will turn into a gorgeous peony. At least that is my Hope!!!!
I adore peonies..... they are right up there with the Rose ~ the so-called Queen of Flowers. But can I grow them.... not yet....but I have decided this year is going to be THE ONE. My tiny little red points peeking through the soil are going to blossom into stunning bushes and eventually reward me with frilly blooms in the palest of pinks, the brightest of magentas and the purest of whites.
I spoke to the Nurseyman.....begging for ideas as to what I did wrong when my last peonies grew into beautiful bushes and that was it.....No flowers.....they faded, returned to winter in the soil and never reappeared. He gave me tips....I had done them all..... and then went on to say he had just come back from China where stunning peonies were growing by the wayside in the poorest of conditions. Now, how does THAT work???? Did I give them too much care? Did I smother them with attention instead of letting Mother Nature nurture them? Who knows????

This time I am going to tread gently.....watch them quietly from a distance......and hope sometime soon I am gathering baskets of their beautiful bounty. Until then, I guess I will have to make do with the silks. Not the real thing but stunning anyway........

Are not flowers the stars of the earth, and are not our stars the flowers of the heaven.

- A.J. Balfour

Wishing you arms full of Blossoms,

Sue

Let's Play Ladies ..............

Hi Girls,

We had a photo shoot this week of one of our Vintage Garden Afternoon Tea Parties, so I thought I'd share some photos with you..........

Angel lights in the background, and a table scattered with rose petals and decorated with pots of roses...........

A three tiered stand full of delicious treats ~ sandwiches, savouries & sweets ...............

Dainty Tea Sandwiches, fit for a Princess ......................

A tempting array of delicious desserts ...... all fat free ...... of course!!!!!!!

Each place complemented with rose strewn Royal Albert china .........

The Duchess of Bedford certainly got it right when she decided an afternoon tea was the call of the day. Nothing beats getting the Girls together for an Afternoon Tea Party, whether out, or at home.

Now, who wants to come and play Ladies ????

'Til next Time,

Sue

Cushions to Die For........

Hi Girls,

Just had to quickly share with you, these GORGEOUS cushions I received today from the lovely and very talented Kathryn.

Aren't they "scrumdiddlyumptious" :)))) Kathryn very kindly delivered them along with some lavender strawberries I also bought from her. I hope nobody else wanted any as I think I bought them all........Sorry, girls......you were just too late :)))))))

You'll know from one of Kathryn's previous posts about the blood(and I really mean it), sweat and tears that went into these cushions and I know it was difficult to part with them.

So thank you so much Kathryn for sharing them.....they have gone to a good home...... I LOVE them and they have pride of place on our bed :)))))

Catch you all Soon,

Gotta go and watch Masterchef!!!!!!!

Sue