‘Morning Girls, here’s your MUSICA for today. ♥ This is a very good song for memorizing ~ it’s delightful for singing at the top of your lungs in a Smallville shower, nice while cleaning out cupboards, fun while driving in the car, even good if you have to be in bed to wait for your new knee to heal (or something like that).♥ Sing it into the ear of a child, or your better half, and life gets really good.
Speaking of Smallville; here is a little thing that will make your frozen mornings 
a little less so. I have two pairs of these darling sexy shoes you see above,the most comfortable shoes in the world . . . this pair is in the kitchen in front of the heat vent getting warm, while the other is on my feet, slowly (but surely) chilling up. Soon I will exchange places with them and my cold feet, as they slip into the deep warmth of freshly heated shoes, will purr the immortal words: Ooo La Wee.
a little less so. I have two pairs of these darling sexy shoes you see above,the most comfortable shoes in the world . . . this pair is in the kitchen in front of the heat vent getting warm, while the other is on my feet, slowly (but surely) chilling up. Soon I will exchange places with them and my cold feet, as they slip into the deep warmth of freshly heated shoes, will purr the immortal words: Ooo La Wee.
Some variation of these two old cashmere sweaters and that brown shawl are my daily outfit for working at my art table. Not pretty, but cozy ~ works perfectly in Smallville. I took the picture pointed at my lap (sucking in my tummy to protect the innocent).
As you know, I’ve been doing lots of painting for my 2016 calendars, but I took a little time out and did something just for fun I thought you might like to see.
This is Paul Lucas, he is the darling husband of my good friend Rachel. It’s his birthday at the end of the month. And it’s a big one.
That’s Paul on the left, Ray in the middle,(we’re in Maine) and who’s that other guy in the picture with the beret? Oh, yeah, that’s Joe!
Some of you know Ray from Twitter, some know her from Sugar Moon Brownies, and others from her own Blog (she’s more famous every day, another hardworking girl in Smallville) . . . and,
Here’s where they live. You might recognize it because I wrote about Ray and Paul in A FINE ROMANCE; they are English and live in England and part of the reason we went over was to see them. You might remember that wonderful recipe for Ray’s amazing Lemon Butter Cookies on P. 139 of A FINE ROMANCE? (One of our Girlfriends made the cookie HERE in her Blog, in case you don’t have the book but need the recipe!)
This is Paul with Ray’s darling nephew Will. Paul is doing a one-of-a-kind birthday cello recital for Ray’s mum on her sun porch. See? he’s wonderful.
♥
Just ask the love of their lives . . . this is Ray’s and Paul’s “dog” Alice. I use the word “dog” only because I know Alice doesn’t look at blogs.
Her collar says it all.
You may have noticed that Paul is the picture of sartorial splendor, he always looks darling. As you know if you read A Fine Romance, he sometimes wears an ascot. He’s one of a kind. I love his new beard and mustache.
It’s men like this that give me hope for the world. (He’s in my pantry ironing his pants a couple of Christmases ago.) So I decided I wanted, even though I’m much too far away to do him total birthday justice, to help him and Rachel
So I decided to paint him in all his dapper charmingness, or at least as much as I could muster onto a flat piece of paper. Including the dog pin on his lapel and the brilliant scarlet handkerchief in his pocket.
The colors in that photo of him made it easy to make the decision ~ I had fun painting every single stripe, plaid and eye sparkle.
I’m almost done!
I added a few descriptive words, put on a little border, watercolored his name and then signed it. Paul is funny with words: instead of Vineyard Haven, he calls where we live “the Haven” (no one calls it that); and instead of Martha’s Vineyard which many people shorten to “The Vineyard,” not Paul, he calls it “Martha’s.” He calls Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, “Kimmie.” And now, so do we and all our friends do too. It’s catching . . . if you like Kimmie, you’ll probably call it that from now on too. It will go viral!
Witty, Talented and Cute. Oh yes, and he raises bees in their garden.
So, while Joe reglued an old frame we had lying around Smallville, taking out all the teeny nails and framing it for me . . . I wrote a card, and went looking through my sticker collection for something Birthday-like to put on the 
envelope. My eye landed on a three-dimensional pink polka-dot birthday hat, with a real, red-yarn pompom on top (no longer being made if you can imagine that sad state of affairs) I tried it on Paul. It fit perfectly. So him.
envelope. My eye landed on a three-dimensional pink polka-dot birthday hat, with a real, red-yarn pompom on top (no longer being made if you can imagine that sad state of affairs) I tried it on Paul. It fit perfectly. So him.
So I left it there, stuck to the outside of the glass, thinking it was kind of the cat’s meow. Joe wrapped it up in 3 lbs of bubble wrap and it’s on the way to England even as we speak.
So that’s what makes Smallville special, we’re in charge around here. We make our own fun.
And speaking of fun . . . it’s your turn! You know I can never just come out and announce the winner of a Giveaway. Oh no, must drag out the suspense like my dad used to do at Christmas, thereby almost doing his children in with the hysteria of the thought of what Santa might bring them!!! Unbearable! Hope I can do the same for you. (No, I know ~ it’s not quite the same thing!)
OK, anyway, Vanna, unlike her usual self (usually she sleeps in late, resting up because of the many Euro Trash parties she loves to attend), is actually already UP, and dressed and ready for her big moment. She wafts by me in the palest whisp of Chanel #5, wearing a gown that looks suspiciously JUST LIKE the one that Kate Hudson wore at the Golden Globes, (Vanna has no idea how she freaks out the people who live in Smallville. But her joie de vivre is so compelling I can’t bring myself to put a damper on her. I just let her do what she needs to do and get her out of here before Joe gets up!)
Our Vanna is named for Vanna White, the most well-known Game Girl of our times. Our virtual Vanna is a professional when it comes to 
drawing the winning name from a huge vat of names. Nobody does it better. She’s the double-oh-seven of the Game Girl world and we are proud to call her our own. This is one of her bedroom slippers.
drawing the winning name from a huge vat of names. Nobody does it better. She’s the double-oh-seven of the Game Girl world and we are proud to call her our own. This is one of her bedroom slippers.
And so. While I was writing about her, she was busy digging deep into the well with all your names ~ she actually dives in, a graceful high dive (especially in that dress), and swims through them to mix them up, she’s like the Little Mermaid that way, a little silver fish. And she just popped up with teeny piece of paper. Let me get my glasses . . .
Ohhhh, how wonderful! Here goes: The winner is . . . drum roll please . . .
J A N H A M M O N D !!!
Congratulations Jan!
You are our LUCKY Winner! Please look for an email in your box, write me back and send me your home address so I can pop your books in the mail to you. I hope the new books help organize you and Gale (in her comment, Jan mentioned that if she won, she’d give the other book to her girlfriend Gale).
But that’s not all, there’s more . . . first of all, here comes Valentine’s Day, and Janie made us some adorable new banners! I wanted to let you know before they’re all gone . . . Kellee snuck them into the store last week and they’re already flying out.
Janie always makes the cutest envelopes to go with the banners ~ these little banners make the perfect Valentine’s gifts.
Janie made these Swedish hearts for us too, they come in both white and red and in darling envelopes of their own.
Sooooo, I hope everyone is feeling festive and organized and no one is too disappointed ~ the hardest thing I do is announce a winner! But I really wanted to thank you for the lovely, wonderful comments you left on the last post. You are an amazing bunch of Girlfriends!
I feel like we’re on some sort of roll, I hate to see it come to an end, so, because it’s almost Valentine’s Day, I thought . . . maybe . . . we should . . .
have another. . .
another what? ~ another what? . . . another cup of tea?
La-dee-da . . . la-dee-da
GIVEAWAY!! After all, winter is long, and the secret of a happy life is continuous small treats, right? . . . and a tea pot really isn’t very big . . .just the perfect size for Smallville.
Remember, you saw that teapot in A Fine Romance?
I’ve had mine for a long time ~ remember how well it mixes with my mismatched dishes?
And how cute it looked at our Valentine’s Breakfast party with the Johnson Brothers Rose Chintz dishes? I think you would love having one as much as I do.
And there’s even more, it’s a really BIG Giveaway! Because I thought it would be nice to include this ~ a tin of our own private label Earl Grey tea with Lavender and Rose Petals. Yum!
Oh yes! And one more thing, since it’s Valentine’s Day we’re talking about . . .
I thought, even though most of you already have it, A FINE ROMANCE would make a good Valentine’s present because 
you could give it away to someone you love. And if you don’t already have the book, if your name is drawn, you would now have access to the recipe for Rachel’s Lemon Butter Cookies. It’s a win-win! And I hope you do! Win, I mean. My way of saying Thank You!
you could give it away to someone you love. And if you don’t already have the book, if your name is drawn, you would now have access to the recipe for Rachel’s Lemon Butter Cookies. It’s a win-win! And I hope you do! Win, I mean. My way of saying Thank You!
Kitties love it too.♥ And vice versa.
So, we’re going to have another drawing ~ after all we don’t want that silver manicure of Vanna’s to go to waste, 
and she adores Valentines Day more than any other . . . so, to sum up: if you left a comment on the post below for the Internet Address Books, you are already entered for the teapot, book and tea! But if not, leave a comment at the bottom of this post and tell your mom, your sister, your grammie, your BFF, your great-aunt Mary, your Twitter friends, Pinterest Peeps, and Facebook pals to come on over and enter too. 
The prizes: one of our dear Girlfriends is going to get a 4-cup, Emma Bridgewater Heart Teapot, my “Come Sit Stay” tea tin with delicious Lavender and Rose Petal Earl Grey Tea, AND a signed copy of A FINE ROMANCE.♥(And you think YOU’RE having fun! HA! When people talk about “the power of the Internet” I think this is what they mean! At least here in Smallville.)
Rubbing hands together in attack of pathological enthusiasm.
And P.S. if just thinking about this inspires you to envision having a Valentine’s Tea Party, the first thing you will need are invitations . . . so here you go! 
Click there and you can print out as many as you need on card stock or heavy paper (one of our girlfriends said she used a cut-down manila envelope and it worked perfectly! Probably an interesting color too, quite creative!) ~ 
invite your best girlfriends, your sisters, your mom, your best guy, or someone who simply needs an airing (as Joe would say, usually about me when I’ve been in the house too long), and celebrate as we do so well here in Smallville. Make Rachel’s cookies and some cucumber sandwiches, light the fire and a candle or two, talk, talk, talk, solve all the world’s problems, hash over Downton Abbey, and watch the cold and snow fade away to nothing.
Click there and you can print out as many as you need on card stock or heavy paper (one of our girlfriends said she used a cut-down manila envelope and it worked perfectly! Probably an interesting color too, quite creative!) ~ 
invite your best girlfriends, your sisters, your mom, your best guy, or someone who simply needs an airing (as Joe would say, usually about me when I’ve been in the house too long), and celebrate as we do so well here in Smallville. Make Rachel’s cookies and some cucumber sandwiches, light the fire and a candle or two, talk, talk, talk, solve all the world’s problems, hash over Downton Abbey, and watch the cold and snow fade away to nothing.
Ah yes, here’s Nature’s Valentine, out on our feeders . . . making the world more adorable one little birdie at a time.
Love you Girlfriends, have a wonderful day!♥
Hi Susan ~ an Emma Bridgewater teapot, oh “My”! A quick short story for you: my grandmother passed away in 2007 at the age of 102. And it was because of her that I fell in love with drinking tea ❤ and every year since her passing, for her birthday on April 10th, I have purchased a new (oh sometimes an old one) pretty teapot in her honor and brewed a pot to share with family as we reminisce about all the lovely memories of “My”- that’s what all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren called her. To have such a sweet-heart of a teapot to celebrate her life with this year would be lovely! Thank you for all the happiness you share with us in your blog and calendars and books ❤
Sweet story, thank you Alise!
Today would be a wonderful day for a pot of tea!
Would Love ❤️ To win❤️ This wonderful gift❤️
Having an Emma Bridgewater teapot would be like “I died and went to heaven(especially)
because it was first enjoyed by you! To have an extra copy of your most magical of books
Would be lovely too!
Your painting of Paul is incredible. He will be so lucky to receive that! What a good friend you are. But then we all already know that! 😉
The Emma Bridgewater teapot is adorable. Perfect for that Valentine’s cuppa!
Thank you for your blog. Each post is ALWAYS much anticipated and greatly appreciated. Hugs to you and yours! 🙂
I love reading your blog. It sweeps me away to cozy friends, family, and home. I know that it’s going to be a great day when we visit.
My girlfriends and I already have tea parties, and an Emma Bridgewater tea pot would make such a wonderful addition to our table!
Our latest party was in October and I used some recipes from your Autumn book. The spiced pecans were especially a hit!
Many thanks for your posts and your books!
HI, Susan….so good to hear from you again! Loved the musica!! And of course reading your blog. The dog collection is sooooooooooo cute!! Our neighbors used to have one like these. Did you know the HGTV Dream House is located in Martha’s Vineyard??? OMG…..I’d love to win that house! Do you happen to know if it’s located near you? It’s foggy and chilly here in Calif. today..has been all weekend. It’s a relaxing day for us too….Take care…hope to win the teapot…my grandaughter collects teapots! She would love it!! Until later, Loretta/California
It’s a couple of towns over from us, in Edgartown. We drove by to see it.
Please, please, please, please, please! That’s what I’m repeating to myself with my eyes shut tight and my fingers crossed. Why? Because I would so love to win that wonderful tea pot! Please, please, please!
I truly enjoy receiving your blog via email, love your beautiful books and your generous sharing of your wonderful island life. My 21 year old daughter and I have found a common interest in all that you offer and it is because of her and you that I have switched from being a fierce coffee drinker to now loving a life of drinking tea(s)! The teapot you are giving away seems such a lovely symbol of all that tea ( and you and my daughter) have shown me! Congratulations to whoever the lucky winner will be!
Hi there Susan,
Those doggie figurines are the BOMB!!! Your friend looks to be the absolute tops in the ‘English Gentleman’ department. What a cool dude!
I enjoy your blog so much, especially anything to do with kitchen cook wear and serving ware. Those chintz plates are dee-vine!!! I also collect tea-towels and am a quilt maker.
I never got a chance to purchase A Fine Romance, and have a penchant for quality Earl Grey tea. Have you ever tried Lady Grey tea? It is good, but not the same as EG. I was given an Emma cereal bowl from an English couple who are friends of the family and it is one of my treasured possessions. The teapot would get daily use…hint hint!!!!
Anyway, it is always great to read what is going on in your neck of the woods!
Jacqueline in Pitt Meadows
Susan,
Love, love the teapot! I have a great appreciation of good tea! I’m probably one of very few people without your A fine romance book. Santa didn’t bring it. So if I am selected as the winner, it would be like having Christmas in January ! If not the winner, still a huge fan of your artwork. I always enjoy your blog & reading all the girlfriends’ comments. Happy Sunday! Thank you for you being you! Hugs Karen C
Susan,
I love the wonderful “Giveaway”! The teapot is beautiful and would be
cherished. Since I have the book( and really can’t bear to part with it:-) , I
would give the new one to my granddaughter Erin. She is in college studying to
be an English teacher. Her dream is to tour England. She has recently become a
Susan Branch fan and I know she would treasure A Fine Romance. (It’s good to
have a dream because sometimes it becomes a reality). Jean:-)
And without one, it definitely won’t! What a lovely dream you have!
Today is a happy day! The portrait of Paul Lucas is a gem. He and his wife will love it! “Take time for the little things.” I needed to see that today. It’s a happy day because this is a happy giveaway by a happy person/artist/writer and I’m happy I decided to enter! Blessings! And good luck to everyone.
My husband gave me A Fine Romance as a Christmas gift and I have loved reading it. I was inspired to start brewing loose tea and I’m loving how good it tastes.
Thanks for writing such a beautiful book!
I love your blog! Even though it’s cold here, and colder there, your cheery blog makes it seem less so.
“AAAuuuuuu, wouldn’t it be loverly?”
Tana
As always, thanks for the beautiful life and “sayings” that you share. When your lovely e-mails come, it’s like opening a window and breathing fresh air and filling one’s mind with wonderful, comforting thoughts.
My 4 year old granddaughter and I have started having our own tea parties. I bought her a little tea set so she can have tea parties with her dollies. We wear hats and scarfs (with our levis & sweatshirts)!! We are a sight, but boy do we have fun. I love and admire your heart tea pot everytime you post a picture with it in it. I’d love to have one someday.
Such a fun giveaway! The teapot is adorable! I love to read your blog with your wonderful outlook on life. It reminds me to enjoy the things that are in my life and not to fret about the things that aren’t. Thanks for the chance to win.
Hi, I’ve been following your blog for a couple years. I was so enamored by your trip to England I decided my “bucket list” better get started so I got my first passport (I’m pushing 70) and hitched a ride with my youngest daughter-who travels extensively-and went to London and Scotland. My Grandmother was a Sinclair and some of her ancestors are buried in the Abbey next to Holyrood Palace. Chatsworth was my favorite place of all. And Althrope, Diana’s home. The Scottish Highlands are awesome! Stayed in Edinburgh. Shopped til I had swollen ankles in London! Needed to buy a second suitcase to get all the teas and “stuff” back home, ha,ha! My daughter upgraded my return flight to Club World and I felt like the Queen herself..WOW! Just remember Susan Branch, my staggering credit card bill is all your fault, ha,ha! …would do it again in a heart beat! Thanks for the journey in “A Fine Romance”…looking forward to your next book-I hope I can afford it-your last book cost me a bundle, ha,ha!
Good for you! That’s a memory for a lifetime! (In a few years, after it’s all paid off!)
Hello Susan ~ Your posts are always bright, cheerful, and inspiring. I feel right at home with your photos. I am so glad I can read the wonderful ideas for recipes, decorating and entertaining. We are very close in age, and I am amazed at your energy! Thank you for the opportunity to win your darling teapot, tea, and A Fine Romance. I would love and use all three!
Thank you for your generosity! Kris
Oh I was just telling my husband about that ability to always look forward to lovely small treats and how it makes life so happy! So nice to hear you echo it here. Oh all your treats would be more than delightful! Why your blog posts are some of those lovely small treats….I always get excited when I see one and look forward to making a bit of time and cuppa to enjoy it! A toast to small treats!
I love the heart teapot…especially as I’m a Valentine’s Day birthday…sometimes a curse (ever try to go out to eat on V Day?)…but the teapot would make a wonderful addition to the teacups that I have from my grandmother’s collection!
Hi Susan,
Love that teapot and would so enjoy having it for a tea party and to add to my collection. I have many teapots, large and small, on display in my kitchen and they make me so happy when I look at them – much like your Beatrix Potter figurines make you smile. Each teapot is meaningful, since I remember the person who gave it to me, or the gallery or museum where I bought it.
Also wanted to let you know that Cheryl in California and I connected, and I sent the extra 2015 SB calendar that I had to her. We have been emailing back and forth and she got the calendar on Friday and loves it. So glad that it worked out and to make a new GF. The goodness and happiness that you generate is spreading and Lord knows we need that these days.
Thanks again, Susan, and stay well and healthy as winter progresses. At least the days are getting longer!
Hugs,
Nancye T., Wells, Maine
PS – For Vanna – pick my name, please, please….;-)
Love, love, love your blog. Give a ways are always fun, but your inspiration is much more important. I live in the California desert around Palm Springs and the scenery is pretty much the same all year round. I don’t even try to create a weather chart in my 2nd grade classroom. (The weather is always the same) I love seeing your home and the changes in your weather, as well as the different life style due to that weather. Thank you for your inspiration and your ability to make everyone feel like family. I am like a young girl who can’t wait for a letter to arrive from her best friend. When that letter arrives I can’t wait to sit down with a cup of tea and read that wonderful letter.
Thank you friend,
Tamara
You inspire me Susan! Love your blog, books, art & your wonderful sense of humor. I’d love to curl up by the fire this winter with a full teapot of earl grey tea, a wonderful book that inspires daydreams of England & a big plate of lemon butter cookies…..Ahhh the perfect winter night.
I was born on Valentine’s Day many years ago and therefore am a huge Romantic at heart. It would be lovely to have such a pretty teapot and book to celebrate all things LOVE! Thank you for your wonderful blogs, Susan!!
I’ve already got bowls and soup bowls that would match that teapot!! My husband gave them to me for Valentines Day one year. He outdid himself that year. I got up to get ready for work and he had gifts in every room. Heart shaped candles on the bathtub, a naughty nightie on the bed, those dishes in the dining room, dish towels with hearts on them in the kitchen, and heart shaped metal hooks for the living room. Later I got a dozen roses at work. I am one blessed lady.
Suellen
sdehnke@hotmail.com
What a nice memory and nice husband!
What a lovely surprise to open my computer and find a Sunday message from you!
I love the the teapot! Fun! My heart is a flutter!
I just love your work, Susan. I’m a daily (nightly!) tea drinker…this teapot makes me smile! ❤️️
I am enjoying your blog so much. Your Christmas book comes out of my bookshelf every year. I have read A fine romance 3 times and can not pass it on to anyone (i go back to it frequently) so another copy to share would be lovely!! Your teapot is the sweetest ever. Thank you for your generous and fun giveaway!!
Your blog is wonderful……..I always enjoy reading it and the photos are fabulous. Thanks Susan for making our days more interesting……….
Reading this while drinking tea with my bestie Diane.
Hi to you both, bestie, plus, other bestie!
Hi Susan…
I love your blog. Thank you for sharing your life with us. Love the heart teapot too!
Hi Susan, I love to win A Fine Romance. I read the book via the library but don’t have my own copy. Which I love to have. Especially on the rainy cold day we have here in The Bronx, it would be lovely to drink in your book as I enjoy the gray day away.
I feel joyful and peaceful when I read your posts, as though the world was still filled with gentle people who love life and want to share the beauty of the simplest things. Making a home and garden, walking outdoors and observing nature, and preparing wonderful food for special occasions and everyday meals, are pleasures easily forgotten and your blog is a welcome reminder to live life with attention to what is truly important.
The pretty teapot would be fun for tea parties with my sweet 16-year-old twin daughters! Thanks for writing your inspiring, beautiful blog and books!
Continued thinks for your wonderful blog. I miss it when you don’t post for a while. Even a short blog, like today, is great fun to read.
Happy Sunday!
Blessing to you dear Susan. I just had my special Susan Branch blog time and I am rejuvenated as always! I love my special time with you no matter what it is, books, blogs, calendars, pictures. I just plain love your enthusiasm, charm, wit, creativity, happiness, & love. You are a gift to us all. I am tea toadler and I would love the tin with the tea and the teapot. I collect whimsical and antique tins, and I love love teapots! I grew up drinking tea all my life! Its one of life’s pure comforting joys! My Bff and I drink tea together over the phone thousands of miles away from each other. It’s just what we do…Big Hugs to you. Love, Heather
Love, love, love Downton Abbey…..I never want it to end….the hour flies bye….so looking forward to Sunday evening….Having lovely stuffed peppers tonight….lovely smells from the kitchen as they cook slowly….our woodstove, too, is fired up….nothing like the heat from a wood fire….we love the sounds and sights of that beautiful source of warmth….stay warm….
Love, love, love Downton Abbey…..I never want it to end….the hour flies by….so looking forward to Sunday evening….Having lovely stuffed peppers tonight….lovely smells from the kitchen as they cook slowly….our woodstove, too, is fired up….nothing like the heat from a wood fire….we love the sounds and sights of that beautiful source of warmth….stay warm….
I’ve come out of lurking to say hello. I discovered you in the 90’s, love all your books, and wanted to thank you for introducing me to Gladys Taber as well.
P.S. My twin’s nursery was done in Beatrix Potter 26 years ago.
Welcome in from the lurk-zone, so nice to see you here Lori!
Hi Susan, Please put my name in the drawing. I would be so honored to win the beautiful tea pot and tea. Thanks for all you do.
I always enjoy your blog posts. They are so beautifully written and the artwork is lovely. Hoping I win!
Always look forward to your blog. Love all things English….especially Emma Bridgewater!
Always love reading your blog, so comforting, you always make me feel like your closest friend, thank you ~HUGS~
Ahhhh, the teapot! Beauty of My Dreams . . . . even better, is reading “A Fine Romance” . . . . . but, I gave my copy away to a friend. Will be ordering another.
Thank you for always sending your blog posts at just the right time for quiet reflection (especially after just now finishing cleaning the refrigerator-ugh!!
). Now a cup of tea and a read!!
Tea between friends as the snow blows warms the heart 🙂 Happy January
Love,love love your Blog! Thanks for doing this give away!
You warm my soul. Oh, the things I would do with that cute teapot!
I soooo love that little tea pot! I am drinking loose tea most of the time now, and I love to display them for the joy of their cuteness! My youngest daughter gave me the big heart coffee cup for Christmas two years ago, and since then I’ve drooled over the other pieces on Emma Bridgewater’s site. My weakness is old pottery and china–Copeland Spode, Johnson Bros. and others. I bought my Rose Chintz dishes when I was a young bride back in the late 1970’s, and used them only for “special” until a few years ago. I realized if I loved them as much as I do, why not see them every meal? Everytime you share photos of your kitchen and tables, I feel a special sisterhood with you Susan! Thank you for making life more beautiful with your art and your love of living!
Dear Susan,
I think that you are marvelous. I always look forward to your blog. My sister-in-law introduced me to you, and it has been a wonderful time every since. I am originally from Scotland, and I love my tea, and also I have a lot of teapots, so it would be grand if I could win this lovely teapot, which to me would be a great addition. Keep going !!
I’m always happy when I see your email waiting for me in the morning. I loved the way you described the sounds of your day in the current blog. It would be great if Vanna picked my name since my tea-drinking, tea pot collector daughter is coming from Australia for a visit in the spring. I’m wondering if you are getting any closer to deciding if a trip to Scotland, and a book on it, will be coming any time in the near future? Scotland is my dream of dreams for a visit. Stay warm & cozy. We have a tuxedo Persian, Pandora, and we love her. She’s a sweet as your 2 are.
Love your blog, and I have all you books! I just made your chicken enchiladas last night! So yummy!
I love, love, love the beautiful Heart Teapot. I would welcome it to my collection of pots. Your blog is such a ray of sunshine I look forward to each and every one. Thank you for the time you spend brightening up our days.
Susan,
Thanks again for your great messages. I really love the teapot, a I’m enjoying my 2015 calendar. Also, I have the address book with the basket of apples on the front. It’s so full I had to tape the spine, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
Happy New year from SF bay Area.
Melissa
Tea with friends– one of life’s great joys!
Dear Susan (oh, but I admire your name!),
I am fairly new to your delightful blog and I am always excited to see a new F.O.S.B. blog in my inbox. During the time it takes to read and absorb the beauty and joy in the post, my soul escapes to a place of peace and serenity; I am instantly renewed and relaxed and ready to face the remainder of the day. Thank you, Susan, for the blessing that you are, for the blessings that you share.
Susan,
On a dreary, rainy winter day in VT, your posts bring sunshine to my day. Thanks.
Hooray! You are wonderful! You are a delight! Hope this year brings you lots of life’s greatest pleasures. xo
Susan,
How fun! I’ve enjoyed every part of this post! I’ve also enjoyed reading all the posts too. You must have so much fun reading them all.
Wishing you a wonderful day!
I love it, but I have to hurry, the British Baking Show is on now, Downton in about an hour, I’ll never make it in time, but I’m going to try . . . but it really kills me not to answer all of these wonderful comments, but if anyone’s reading, here is my thinking, imagine three foot letters “YOU ARE SO CUTE! THANK YOU!!”
After your post I’m going to make a nice cuppa tea and contemplate Smallville.
I just started getting your blog posts in my email and delighted that I found you. Every post is a new adventure! Thanks.
I adore the sweet little teapot! I love hosting tea parties for my grandchildren (four beautiful granddaughters and one mischievous grandson) throughout the year. I enjoy reading your blog, teacup in hand. 🙂
What a lucky person Paul is to get such a cool card from you! 🙂 Love it.
I have always loved your artwork and just discovered your lovely blog with the wonderful MUSICA! Thanks for giving me a chance to win the adorable teapot and book. By the way, I gave up trying to match my dishes years ago and I love the freedom! =)
Your blog always brightens my spirits and inspires me to live a more pretty life.
I look forward to your posts because it feels like I am sitting down to visit with a dear friend and I always make myself a cup of tea to make the reading more enjoyable.
What a treat! A wonderful Sunday posting. The Teapot is just calling my name and as always the wonderful fur-babies in the pictures are just the best. My best cat was “Margaret Thatcher” and right behind her was “Golda Meir”..now I have a big orange Scout and a little angora cat named “Puppy”..they make me laugh. So please enter me in the wonderful drawing…you are a true inspiration!
Ohhhhh, what a lovely set of prizes! I just love that teapot. My maiden name was actually Love…so I have a passion for red and pink and heart-themed things. What a great day it would be, to sit sipping a cup of tea while reading A Fine Romance!
I don’t have the book yet…gasp! So I would love it! And my daughter’s name is Rachel 🙂 and she would love to make the cookies. Did you know that the name Rachel means “little lamb” ? Isn’t that the cutest? That’s why we named her that! My little lamb just turned 9 and she loves home, baking, painting, sewing and tea! She collects lambs. I will have to get her your lamb cake pan! We would love to have the teapot for our tea parties. XOXO
Give a kiss to your little lamb for me!
Love your blog – it is like a cozy, safe, cheery, home-away-from-home! The art of home-making and the time for creativity – so dear. As a cat – lover myself ( we have three!) I really enjoy the cat – tales… our little guys are an endless source of companionship and entertainment! Thankyou for including me in your draw – I loves tea, and books and me cats. 🙂
That little heart teapot beams “happy”! That is appropriate as your blog brings so much joy to us, your fans. I feel my blood pressure go down and my hands unclench when I open your emails and read what you are doing and see your gorgeous kitties and sweet husband. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Hugs and hearts! Laura Strom
what a beautiful painting of that handsome man. what a beautiful give away! I’m Canadian so I’m not sure if I can enter,,, many give aways are just for the U.S, bloggers but I Canadian’s are welcome, I would love to enter! Thank you!
Canadians are more than welcome!
I enjoy reading your blog and your paintings are beautiful!
Swedish hearts, hearts on teapots, and special teas; Oh my! So happy to read your blog, Susan. You truly take me away.
You have surpassed yourself with this magnum opus of a post, Susan. You’re lovely in every way, and I appreciate the beauty you bring to my life and that of all your readers. It would be so special to win your prizes, but I’m getting quite a lot of joy out of just knowing that you are offering prizes. So either way, it’s a win-win. Take care and be well. Sincerely, Lissy
Always love win-win! Thanks Lissy!
Susan Branch, you brighten my day like no one else, especially on a (rare) gray Colorado Sunday. I just love to peek into the windows of your world!
I collect pitchers and would love to start adding teapots to the mix. And this particular teapot would be the most wonderful to start with. Curled up with your wonderful book and a hot cup of tea…ahhh!
Susan, my daughter introduced me to you (not personally but your work!) back in the late 90s when she was in college. She has loved your designs so much that I got hooked on the beauty of your creations too. It has become our tradition to share Susan Branch calendars, books, cards etc. with each other because we are both creative spirits and lovers of simple beauty and whimsical designs. Thanks for urging us on to be more creative ourselves.
What a nice thing to hear. Love being “part” of your family! 🙂 Say hello to your daughter for me, Judy!
I so love Emma Bridgewater, since visit to England in the ’90’s. Having this little teapot would be great, and would keep my other Bridgewater china good company! I love your blog, Susan!
coming to your blog always puts a smile on my face.Your personal stories & your beautiful artistic illustrations make me feel good.I’d be thrilled to win anything that symbolizes you & your style!
I’m a Downton Abby addict…I’m also loving the British Baking Contest!! …and I truly believe a wonderful cup of hot tea soothes the soul!!
Although I know the odds of getting anything, please sign me up for your teapot and the rest….I do love your products, and think I still have some of the cotton you designed years ago!
You have a better chance here than the lottery, at least, fingers crossed!
Happy Birthday to my middle-ist grandchild. Five years old today!
(His big brother is planning a surprise party and my part was to bring the “littles” as we call the younger ones, to my house to play while he prepares. Strict instructions to not let it slip so it will be, “just like in the movies!” So, please do not let the secret out!)
How much fun would a tea party at Omi’s house be with a sweet little heart covered tea pot?
Lots of fun, perhaps more fun than a barrel of sock monkeys!
Your wintery day at “Martha’s” sounds snuggley serene, tucked in and ready to enjoy a night watching the telly. Enjoy!
And now, off to the SURPRISE party!
Mum’s the word! Have fun!
So wrapped up in looking at all the detail in your painting of Paul, I almost missed the giveaway which would look beautiful with the chintz dishes I purchased after I fell in love with your set. (Love the dog lapel pin and bright scarf he is wearing…just a great look…) next..I must bake Rachel’s cookies and find some sweet lunch boxes for delivery…thanks for sharing your friends and life..
Thank you, Susan, for the delightful blog and the sunshine you bring to us!! You are a kindred spirit to so many ( to quote “Anne of Green Gables”)!
Always so nice to hear from you, Susan! Your beautiful blog leaves us feeling warm and cozy (no matter what the actual temperature is outside) and so inspired and full of possibilities as to how to enjoy life. My husband purchased this darling teapot from you a few years ago as a Valentine gift for me and I love seeing it every single day on display when it is not being used for tea parties. It has brought me such joy and I would love to give one to a friend. Thank you for being wonderful you!
I adore teapots and this one would match my Emma B. teacup that says “Darling” perfectly.
Dear Susan,
Your posts always make my heart smile. So wonderful to read such happy thoughts from someone who so thoroughly loves life. Your posts always make me feel good! I love hearts and teapots, can’t beat that combination! Love, Lee
Thank you Lee xoxo
I love scrolling through your blog and reading your uplifting thoughts and ideas. I strive these days for calmness, happiness and imagination and your blog helps me achieve these. You make me think and take stock of all I have and how to display it, share it and use it more instead of keeping it all boxed away for another day. Thank you. Cindy
What a generous person you are with your happy spirits, encouragement and give-aways. I think Paul must be the luckiest guy in the world to get that birthday card. The teapot is darling and would be a lovely thing to have. no matter what the weather outside, there’s always a bit of sunshine from your blog. And, thanks for giving us “late responders” the chance to play the give-away game.
Looks like an awful lot of gals would like to win the beautiful teapot,
but I will take a chance and add my name too. Thanks for your generosity.
Susan,
I absolutely love your enthusiasm and your positive nature! You do paint a cozy picture of “Smallville!” Your English friends, Paul and Ray, sound like fun. I especially enjoyed your birthday gift to Paul. What a remarkable painting, Susan. Valentine’s Day tea would certainly taste good in the beautiful teapot! Will keep my fingers crossed! Stay warm and enjoy tonight’s episode of Downton Abbey!
Oh my but I love that sun porch and I’d really like to kiss Alice on her nose! And I love your giveaways! I try not to enter when I already have what you are giving but this one takes the cake! I’d LOVE that teapot and I’ve been wanting to try your tea! So here I am putting my name in for Vanna. Wishing everyone luck and joy in the chance!
Jenny
Hi Susan!
I have collected your work for many years and LOVE it all. My home will have touches of Valentine soon. Your teapot would be right at home here.
Thank you for your inspiration. Have a Wonderful 2015.
Christy
You have a way of brightening my day Susan…no matter what’s happening!!! GJ
Nothing warms my heart or cheers my soul more than seeing a new post in my mailbox. All is right in the world 🙂
Gotta love that teapot!!