Lovely Afternoon Tea~Tablescape Thursday

Some days, you need to take a few minutes, pour yourself a cup of tea and let the sun shine in. For an "Afternoon Tea", I am going to use one of my favorite teapots. I started collecting teapots in 2006 after going to a teapot show in Chicago. I was so enamored with them, that I thought I would start a collection. After all, every good home needs a collection of something.

This teapot is very special to me. I found it in the gift shop at Big Academic Medical Center in 2006. My Dear Son was hospitalized and on a ventilator with a MRSA pneumonia and nearly died. He was hospitalized for over three weeks and vented most of the time. He came home for a week and was re-admitted but I'll never forget it. I was very fortunate to have some wonderful people who saved my Dear Son's life and allowed me to see him grow up.

I always stay with my Dear Son when he is in the hospital or when he goes anywhere. He is on multiple medications several times a day and requires total care. When he was on the mend, I went into the gift shop and saw this lovely teapot. I purchased the teapot, cup, saucer and biscuit holder.

Here is a closer picture.

I decided to use this ornate mirror, that normally hangs in my foyer, as a beautiful tray. The detailing is not only feminine but pretty. The mirror reflects all of the light coming in through the window. Using the mirror as a tray is a great way to add a little drama to an ordinary day. It's also a wonderful way to make things more special, if you are having a guest over.

Another view of the tray and the linen monogrammed napkin.

Here is a close up of the tray.


The faux bearskin rug adds some luxury to the tablescape. You can see the biscuit holder next to the tray. Does anyone really store biscuits in there? I store my iPod accessories in there for my workouts.

I love the way the light filters in on the crystal lamp. I originally saw a crystal lamp in a magazine and cut out the page and put it in my home file. The one I saw was an antiqued brass and fluted crystal floor lamp with a solid crystal base; it was made by Decorative Crafts. When my sister died, I found this lamp in her apartment, hidden away. It was nearly identical to the one I had saved in my home file. The only difference was that it had a long, tall shade and the base was giltwood, not crystal. I have since replaced the shade and at some point will probably have a custom silk shade made for it. What a nice find and a nice memory of my sister. Also, if you look closely, you'll see some black and white fur behind the floor lamp~that's my cat lying in the sunshine.

A larger view of my living room.

In this last photo, you can see the botanical print on the wall; it is one of a pair. I purchased the teapot because it matched my prints. My two favorite things in the world are flowers and children. Nearly every print in my home is of flowers, with one exception, the print over my bed. I started collecting botanical prints many years ago for my birthday.

I hope you have enjoyed my "Afternoon Tea" tablescape. Perhaps you can join me next time. In the meantime, be sure to check out other lovely tablescapes here at Susan's blog, "Between Naps on the Porch".

Note: I work part time as a Home Stager and Professional Organizer. I run a business called, "Dream Organizers"; my motto is, "Keep it simple. Get organized. Make it beautiful".