She Said Yes!

We were delighted to learn that our favorite princess is engaged! Haley is dear to me because of the lifelong memories she helped us make when she appeared at the girls' third birthday parties as Cinderella. In fact, the entire Itson family is an inspiration to me. If I could choose one family for us to emulate, it would be theirs.

As soon as I heard about the impending nuptials, I immediately offered to help out with any creative wedding projects Haley has planned. Haley's parents, Dennis and Nancy, are very talented. In fact, Dennis told me he has already done more than 80 weddings. I look forward to being an extra pair of hands while learning from the experts! This Country Living book, Weddings: Ideas and Inspirations for Celebrating in Style by Marie Proelle Hueston, seemed the perfect gift to congratulate Haley on her engagement.

Filled with beautiful photos and ideas, this book is sure to get our fairytale bride's wheels spinning. We found our copy at Books-a-Million, where it included a gift subscription to Country Living Magazine (a nice bonus for the newlyweds). Find it online -- discounted but with no subscription -- here. We presented our gift to Haley Friday night at a dessert reception in honor of Haley and her fiance, Neil.

Dennis and Nancy gave friends and family a warm welcome Friday night with strawberry lemonade and a tempting buffet of sweets. Guests were asked to post words of wisdom or well wishes on ribbon clotheslines swagged across the kitchen, and all of us left with save-the-date cards. And Haley had a special invitation to give the girls ... .

I am so excited that Mary Ashley and Emma will be Haley's flower girls! Taking part in a wedding is a special privilege I think every little girl should experience, and I feel so blessed that the girls can share this occasion with such a beloved family.

Here is Haley sharing a special moment with the girls Friday night. They are over-the-moon to be Haley's flower girls and remind me often how much they love her. Haley was so sweet to them at the party. Even with throngs of people wanting to offer their congratulations, she was never too busy to accept their hugs. Haley is one special princess, and we are so happy she has found her prince!

I look forward to sharing more about this wedding in the fall when Haley and Scott's Happily Ever After begins!

Your Cup of Tea

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comments last week about special friends who have touched your life. Reading about your mothers, sisters, husbands and girlfriends, I am reminded to treasure those relationships -- and to be a blessing myself.

Congratulations to the winner of a bag of the newest blend of Cup of Loveliness tea, Birds of a Feather. We had 33 entries, and the tea goes to Homeschool Dawn. She plans to share the tea with a friend whose sons compete with hers in birdwatching competitions. How appropriate that their team name is Birds of a Feather. I have known Dawn for a long time and have enjoyed reconnecting with her through blogging. Visit her blog for lots of homeschooling and parenting inspiration.

Our busy weekend included an engagement celebration, Carson's birthday party and a trip to Jasmine Hill Gardens. I will share all the fun with you this week!

Friendly Thoughts

Love is like the wild-rose briar;

Friendship is like the holly-tree.

The holly is dark when the rose briar blooms,

But which will bloom most constantly?

-- Emily Brontë

"A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him I may think aloud. I am arrived at last in the presence of a man so real and equal, that I may drop even those undermost garments of dissimulation, courtesy, and second thought, which men never put off, and may deal with him with the simplicity and wholeness with which one chemical atom meets another." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearlessly on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort - the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person - having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away." -- Dinah Craik, A Life for a Life, 1859

"The tender friendships one gives up, on parting, leave their bite on the heart, but also a curious feeling of a treasure somewhere buried." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Southern Mail, 1929, translated from French by Curtis Cate

"In my friend, I find a second self." -- Isabel Norton

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." -- Henri Nouwen

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." -- Thomas Jefferson

"If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me." -- Author Unknown

Thank you for joining me for this special week celebrating friendship. If you are just stopping by today, be sure to scroll back through the week to discover teatime recipes and a giveaway. I will announce the winner next week!

Gifts of Friendship and a Gift for You

Happy Birthday, Vonda!

I hope by now my gift has already arrived on Vonda's doorstep. In honor of her birthday I have a new blend of Cup of Loveliness loose tea called Birds of a Feather. To commemorate the occasion, I searched high and low for a blue and white transferware plate with birds. I found exactly what I had pictured on Ebay. I love this one so much, I might just have to buy another for myself!

Pictured above is a similar plate Vonda gave me for my birthday. We visited Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville together a couple of years ago, and I spotted this in the gift shop after our tour. I forgot about it until she gave it to me for my birthday. I don't know how she purchased it without me noticing, but it was a wonderful surprise. I was tickled to notice that both our plates are made by the same company. So she probably needs the teacup plate, too!

Vonda and I both love Royal Albert's Lady Carlyle pattern, so I will definitely need to use this teapot in her honor today.

And, of course, I will need to brew a pot of Vonda's loose tea, Birds of a Feather. New for spring, this is a delightful friendship blend of black tea with blueberries, jasmine and lemon. See yesterday's post for recipes that pair well with this fruity blend. And be sure to enter today's giveaway to win a bag of this delightful new tea.

To enter, leave a comment telling about a friend who has blessed your life. And if you would like to know more about Cup of Loveliness loose teas, share your e-mail address with me for a second entry.

Then brew a cup of tea and come back tomorrow for thoughts on friendship!

Birds of a Feather Friendship Tea Menu

This easy menu made hosting teatime nearly effortless, even on a busy weekday.

The recipes I served paired perfectly with my newest Cup of Loveliness loose tea blend, but they also remind me of the blessings of friendship throughout life. Although my sister, Jennifer's, blueberry pound cake provided the perfect ending to our meal, I have enjoyed her friendship from the beginning of my life. I tell my daughters often that a sister is a best friend God gives you to go hand in hand through life with. And I feel so blessed that He gave me Jennifer.

Our tea selection, Birds of a Feather, was inspired by my best girlfriend, Vonda. Vonda and I met at church when my husband started law school. I really needed a friend as I adjusted to life in our new city, and after we met I learned that Vonda had been praying for a friend, too. We share one of those wonderful relationships where no matter how much time has passed between visits, we can pick right up where we left off as if no time has passed. Vonda's gentle and kind spirit inspires me every day.

Our main dish for the afternoon, Joy's Impossible Ham Pie, came from a friend of my mother-in-law. Joy and Betty have a wonderful friendship that reminds me that one of the greatest gifts God gives us in this life is our Christian friends. Both of these ladies have endured hardships in this stage of their journey -- Betty suffering health problems in the last few years; Joy losing her beloved husband. But Betty and Joy have served each other so faithfully in times of trouble that each insists she owes the greater debt of friendship to the other.

And Monday's scones -- Mary B's tea biscuits I found in my grocer's freezer -- were baked for new friends God has given me in this stage of my journey. Isn't He gracious that way? I met Cathy and Stacey through our daughters' preschool, and they have been such a blessing to me. I think that even us mommies need mothering from time to time, and their nurturing spirits are a daily blessing to me.

And now I share these recipes with you, the friends who drop by here each day and offer encouragement with your visits and kind comments. Whatever your stage of life's journey, I hope this menu will inspire you to celebrate the friendships God has given you.

Friendship Tea Menu

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze

Joy's Impossible Ham Pie

Organic Field Greens with Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, Pecans and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Blueberry Cake with Fresh Berries and Almond Cream

Blueberry Scones

Bake Mary B's frozen tea biscuits according to package directions. Fresh from the oven, baste the tops of the warm biscuits with a glaze made by mixing powdered sugar, milk and a little lemon juice.

Joy's Impossible Ham Pie

2 cups cut-up ham, turkey, or chicken
4 ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup sliced green onions or 1/4 cup chopped onions
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Bisquick baking mix
3 Eggs
* Can add spinach or broccoli if desired

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 10-inch pie plate. Sprinkle ham, mushrooms, onions and cheese in pie plate. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth -- 15 seconds in blender on high or 1 minute with hand mixer. Pour over ingredients in pie plate. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting. Serves 6 to 8.

Blueberry Pound Cake

Serve for dessert, and enjoy leftovers -- if there are any -- for breakfast.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 cups blueberries
Powdered sugar, optional
Fresh berries, optional

Grease and flour bundt pan. Cream eggs and sugar. Add oil and cream cheese. Add cake mix, mix well, then stir in berries. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Wait until pan has completely cooled before removing from pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with fresh blueberries and strawberries.

Gracie's Almond Cream

Serve alongside scones or with cake.

1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Combine cream and extract. Whip until almost stiff, then add powdered sugar and whip until stiff. (Note: I sometimes substitute vanilla for almond extract. Other extracts would work well, too.)

Tomorrow we celebrate Vonda's birthday with a giveaway!

Birds of a Feather Friendship Tea

My new tea blend for spring, Birds of a Feather, inspired a lovely friendship tea party.

Yesterday sweet friends Cathy and Stacey joined me for a friendship tea. Lovely friendships have blossomed with these two ladies I met through our daughters' preschool. We were long overdue to sit down together, and I was eager to give them a taste of my newest Cup of Loveliness tea blend. (More about that later this week!)

Perched on the tea table, sweet little porcelain birds herald the arrival of spring. A little green bird at each place setting was the perfect tea party favor, reminding girlfriends we're blessed to find birds of a feather.

Our camellias yielded pretty pink blooms for the day, and our bridal bush offered delicate white blossoms.

“Through the seasons, through the years, it’s your friends who carry you through. What would you do without them – these chosen sisters who laugh with you, cry with you, and speak truth to you? And what better way to celebrate the warmth and intimacy of beautiful friendship than with the warmest and most intimate of celebrations – a tea?” – Emilie Barnes, The Twelve Teas of Friendship

Still to come, teatime recipes, a giveaway and more!

Celebrate Friendship

Welcome to a week celebrating friendship at A Little Loveliness!

My best girlfriend, Vonda, will be celebrating her birthday Thursday. But I will be celebrating Vonda all week with a special post each day celebrating friendship! Please join me for a virtual tea party with recipes, creative ideas and devotional thoughts.

"There is one friend in the life of each of us who seems not a separate person, however dear and beloved, but an expansion, an interpretation, of one's self, the very meaning of one's soul." -- Edith Wharton

April Showers Bring ...

New Rain Boots!

When Joe and I moved to Alabama during a drought, rain boots for the children seemed extravagant and impractical. But now that we have experienced one of the rainiest years to date, I decided rain boots were a good investment to save wear and tear on our everyday shoes.

I looked high and low for the cutest rain boots I could find for my money and swooned over this pink and green polka dotted pair from Hartstrings. My girls love them! In fact, Mary Ashley wore hers every day for a week when we first bought them -- rain or shine.

I plan to keep these sweet rain boots long after the pitter-patter of little feet has faded in our home. Stashed by the door, these pink shoes will remind me of the little ones who loved to splash in puddles. Nestled on the table with a vase of spring flowers tucked inside, these rain boots will remind me that April showers hold the promise of May flowers.

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby." -- Langston Hughes

I'm linking this post to Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.

Strokes of Spring

Spring is springing all over, and my sweet friend Melanie is giving away one of her paintings -- a scene from a favorite outdoor spot in her home state of Michigan. I am looking forward to visiting Melanie's area of the country in the fall for a ladies day, but for now we can all hope to experience spring in Michigan by entering the giveaway at Pretties and Posies. Drop by to register by April 10th!

Nana's Camellias

Sitting on the porch with Joe's parents on Easter Sunday was blissful. Conversation was easy as we gazed out at the rippling lake water. My mother-in-law said this is the first spring she can remember in more than 50 years that her azaleas were not in bloom for Easter, but Betty's camellias gave us a beautiful show for the holiday. Here are a few photos I snapped of some of the lovely varieties she has planted.

"Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer." -- Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Some Bunny to Love

I hope you found a kiss in your Easter basket this year, too!