The Best of Binging

Warning:  If you are late to the game (as I was) and have not watched Downton Abbey, this post may contain spoilers.

Hello, dear friends!

Thank you so much for stopping in to visit my blog.  August 14-18 2017 is Afternoon tea week in the UK, and what better way to enjoy it than with a binge of brew, baked bites, and brilliant television?

My kiddos have just started another school year, and because chauffeuring, checking homework, and navigating the day-to-day for four children takes effort and lots of dedication,  I spent the last meager hours of their vacation binge watching Downton Abbey. 

A sweet antique tea cart filled with all the accoutrement necessary.

 


A silver tea service on a footed silver tray.

Some of my favorite teacups of very fine bone china.

Some delish noshes on a footed silver plate.

Finally, the series, served also in silver.  We are binging on Downton, after all.  ;-)

 

I know, I know...I am very late to the game.  I didn't learn about the series until it was already in its third or fourth season, so I decided to wait patiently until the whole series was available on DVD.  Oh, how I wish I'd discovered it sooner!!

This drama has me completely ensnared; I love it!  A fantastic cast of characters face the turmoil of war, death, love and loss, romance and strife, the storylines are so eloquently told!




There are characters you will find endearing, such as sweet and beautiful Sybil, who had an untimely death during childbirth.

The dashing Matthew, who met an unfortunate and tragic fate via a car crash.

There are characters you will love to hate, such as Thomas and O'Brien, and yet even they have some admirable tolerable attributes.

Although the series is a drama, I must admit, I really enjoy the bursts of laughter I have had due to the snappy one-liners via The Dowager Countess and Mrs. Patmore.  Here are a few of my favorite moments:

Lady Violet:

And my favorite thus far:

I also quite enjoy Mrs. Patmore's acerbic no-nonsense wit.  A few of my favorite scenes:

Who could forget this expression as Mrs. Patmore tried to explain to Daisy that Thomas just was not for her?

I feel like Mrs. Patmore always has that exasperated expression, haha.  This gave me a chuckle: 

I especially liked this scene:

I can't wait to see what happens next, so please don't tell me!!  If you have watched this series, who were your favorites?





Please be sure to visit other lovely bloggers this week at Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage, and Garden for the Afternoon Tea Week blog hop!

 


Until next time--


From my collection:


Tea Service, all, Sheridan
Footed silver tray for tea service, Sheridan
Footed silver tray for cookies, Godinger
Footed silver bowl for Downton DVD, Wallace Baroque
Bone china teacups and saucers, Haviland France


**My apologies for the tardiness of this post, my sweet puppy Brody was very ill, and ended up having a surgery to remove bladder stones. 

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

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Thank you for stopping by! ❤

Set Your Table With Flair--Taking Tea for Afternoon Tea Week

Hello, sweet friends!  Won't you join me in the garden?  A sweet little corner to enjoy the femininity of teatime...just in time to celebrate Afternoon Tea Week, which will commence in the UK this year on August 14th. 


 A bountiful basket of nature's beauty (wink wink)

is the perfect compliment to ultra-feminine pretties.

A topper of pretty pinks and sweet subtle greens begins the setting.

Simple plates of celadon,

pretty china on which roses dance merrily,

followed by delicate saucers

and demitasse cups of intricate detail.  I love the scalloped pattern, and soft gild; so darling!!

Closer look.

The matching chocolate pot plays gracefully

with a delightful hand-painted creamer and sugar with nesting plate and

pretty pink hemstitched serviettes.

 
To add a bit more elegance, each tea serviette is outfitted with pretty petals fresh from my garden.

Such a pretty selection.  There's nothing more charming than that!!

I started each napkin with a stem of Senecio Silver Dust,

followed by a pretty Petunia Surfinia Purple Vein,

a Guara Lindheimeri Gaudi Red (Whirling Butterflies),

and finally, a pink Mexican Petunia (Pink Ruellia Brittoniana)

all tied together with a bit of raffia.

The flowers really compliment and showcase the details of the china!

A rustic antique silver champagne bucket makes for a wonderful smaller centerpiece better suited for guests.

Oh, it's the simple things...

such as dainty pastry forks and teaspoons...

that make my heart sing!

Completed tablescape.

Place setting.

A perfect way to enjoy a wonderful Summer's day, especially during Afternoon Tea Week!

Enjoy the beautiful weather! 

Until next time...



From my collection:

Floral topper, local vintage
Hemstitched tea serviettes, local vintage
Demitasse cups, saucers, and chocolate pot, hand painted Malmaison Rosenthal Bavaria, Alice pattern, local antique shoppe
Hand-painted creamer, sugar, and nesting plate, Lois White's CreARTive Treasures, you may visit the website here, but I found mine via a local antique.
Saucers, Princess House Hammersley for Spode 
Champagne bucket, Pilgrim Silver, P705, antique.
Celadon plates, thrifted


If you are a tea enthusiast like I am, please join me and other lovely bloggers at Bernideen's Tea Time Cottage and Garden for a blog hop in honor of Afternoon Tea Week.  The Celebration will begin on August 16, and we would love to see you there!

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤

A Simple Summertime Tea for One

Sometimes, pleasure can be found in the simplest of things.  A tiny mason jar full of pretty little blooms freshly picked from the garden.

Aren't these sweet?

A cheerful little teapot with flowers indicative of the beauty of Summer...

paired with a beautiful cup of freshly brewed lavender tea.

I love the subtle gilding on the rim of the cup and top of the teapot.  So delicate.  The two are from different makers, but they play quite nicely together.  ;-)

To make Lavender tea, simply steep culinary lavender in a tea infuser.  It can be done in the pot or cup.  I enjoy the tea with a splash of lemon, and a tiny bit of honey and sugar.

The lavender tea was steeped in this darling little teapot infuser.  So cute!

The tea was quite lovely with a slice of my Nue Gâteau au Citron avec Infusion des Raisins Blancs, set here on a miniature fluted cake plate.

If you would like to view the recipe for my Nue Gâteau au Citron avec Infusion des Raisins Blancs (Naked Lemon Cake with White Grape Infusion), you may do so by visiting the post on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum by clicking here.

These light flavors are delicate and just right for a warm Summer day.



I hope you all are enjoying the beautiful weather!

Until next we meet...

From my collection:

Floral teapot, Sadler for Royal Windsor, Duchess Pattern; local antique

Mini cake plate, Ralph Lauren Pavilion

Coffee/tea mug, Royal Heritage England no. 8; local antique

Stainless Steel Teapot tea Infuser, Cost Plus World Market

Mini fork and teaspoon, Grace's TeaWare

Crochet topper, Local antique

If you are a tea enthusiast like I am, please join me and other lovely bloggers at Bernideen's Tea Time Cottage and Garden for a blog hop in honor of Afternoon Tea Week.  The Celebration will begin on August 16, and we would love to see you there!

If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives!  You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling.   You might like to visit my other blog hubs,  

The Marvelous Maison, a lifestyle blog hub and 

Frugal Fab Fashionista, my fashion blog hub. 

Follow me on Pinterest!!  Please be sure to kindly follow the board guidelines, as it takes time and effort to find fabulous pins across the Internet and Pinterest!  Thank you!  

Thank you for stopping by! ❤