‘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!♥
Dear Susan, everything you do is so wonderful, I wish we could have more of your lovely stuff in Europe!
Your 2015 calendar cheers me every morning!
Pick me, pick me! xxoo
The little teapot is precious! You have such a generous heart. I’ve been following you for 20 years and still treasure the handwritten cards you sent me long ago. Warm hugs to you from Southern California! <3
Goodness, I love your things and your ideas and your girlfriendness! Thank you so much for the opportunity to “play!” Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday and I just LOVE that tea pot! And, I love tea! AND, I love your book! So, I’m very hopeful. 🙂
Susan , I just L<3VE your blog . Your posts are a bright spot in the middle of a dreary winter! The teapot is absolutely adorable . Thank you for the give away!!!
Susan, what a fun and inspirational blog you have! Love the giveaways and the tribute to your friends and I love all your photos! What a joy to read!
__Nancy
You put us into “another world” of beauty, charm, love, friendship, etc!
Can’t wait to try the lemon cookies–bought the tin of tea for a Christmas gift! Lovely!
The little teapot is so precious! Susan, you have such a generous heart. I have been following you for about 20 years. How time flies! I still treasure the handwritten notes you sent to me long ago. They’re kept between the pages of my favorite recipe books. : ) Warm hugs to you from Southern California… Deb
You really do have the loveliest blog, Susan Branch.
<3
It is so”happy” to read your posts…thank you for sending pleasant thoughts to us. Hope your day is full of sunshine…evangeline
have a lovely wonderful day…you are so special…thank you for all the inspiration you give us all….Loved the birthday card/picture…so beautiful..and unique of course. May you enjoy your days to their fullest…evangeline
Oh I would love to win your giveaway.
<3
Your giveaways are the best! Love all your books!
Thanks for the beauty and joy you share! 🙂
Love, Love, Love the teapot!
Dearest Susan,
My heart is so heavy of late with the misery of the world and some personal misery. But your posts always, always cheer me up and help me remember what is good and gracious and joyous in the world. Thank you for continuing to beam that grace into our lives! Please count me in for the chance to win the lovely teapot and goodies.
Brightest blessings and love,
Stacey
Hope it gets better for you soon. Put your face up to the sun, and think of all the ways you are lucky. It helps.
Such a pretty giveaway! My three girlies would love it! 🙂
Hello Susan, I discovered you and your delightful blog today courtesy of La Table de Nana. It is so nice to be inspired by your art and quotes. What a joyful site and blog. Thank you.
I have loved your art and your blog for years! I would be tickled pink to win one of your giveaways! Always thinking of you over tea and bird watching! Cheers from sunny Florida!
I love your colorful, happy blog!
Your blog inspired me to re-read “A Fine Romance”! A coincidence; my sister lives far away (seems to me) in another state; she is also re-reading your book! I love ‘sister moments’! So, it’s been a week of smiles and sighs, as I waltz through England with you and Joe….and the sheep, cows and dreams of high tea in the gardens galore. Fingers crossed for your wonderful giveaway. Thanks for always sharing your talents with your bloggies. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.
Thank you dear Jan!
I love your blog!!!!
Thank you Elicia! Love having you here.
Thank you for the opportunity to win such a beautiful tea pot, tea or book. You make so many people’s live richer by being able to read about our life and by your generosity. Pat Holland
Your blog is always so very uplifting and inspiring. I smile whenever I read it.
I think it is so fun and sweet that you have these giveaways. I already have the Emma Bridgewater mug to match the pot…..so I girl can hope to win the matching pot:)
I’ve adored that teapot for so very long!!! You are very generous to us, Susan! Someone will be *so* happy 🙂 🙂 🙂 (maybe me???)
Susan – I look forward to your blog – you have a special way of uplifting my spirits and making me smile.
i enjoy reading your posts & especially love your illustrations!
I am the Christy, as referenced above by Jaymee, and it is true your delightful stories and recipes have fueled many adventures for us. An adventure through Martha Vineyard, your stickers annotate some of the biggest memories I have placed in scrapbooks, and your books started it all! 🙂
How nice that is to hear . . . adventures!
Susan,
I’m a late comer to your blog but enjoy it immensely, as well as the rest of your work. I am looking forward to reading, “A Fine Romance”. So envious of your England trip. It has been my dream to visit there since I was a young girl. Love “taking tea” too. Would be thrilled to add this sweet teapot to my collection and brew the Lavender Rose Earl Grey tea in it to share with my dearest friends. Thank you for adding beauty to this world.
Nice to meet you Suzanne!
LOVE seeing a new blog post from you in my mailbox – thank you for brightening my days with them!
Love it!! Planning a tea party now!
Your blog is such an inspiration. I can get lost in it for hours. So much to read and enjoy.
We’re working on our fourth year now. Thank you Angie!
oh susan! i am so COMPLETELY inspired by the blog i just read!!! i ADORE your birthday card for paul, i am smitten with your “swedish” banner, i am in love with the teapot (LOVE all things emma bridgewater) – i just want to create all day l-o-n-g and celebrate the beautiful things of life and its simple pleasures! thank you for reminding me how valuable our kindred love of creating is…oh, it makes my heart sing!
i have told so many of my friends about “a fine romance” but selfishly don’t want to let loose of my copy…i go back to it again and again…if i could win a copy, wow, i know just who i’d give it to:)
anyway, thank you for, again, touching my heart…your words and pictures and the wonderful work of your hands mean so much to me:)
xo
I’m happy you enjoyed it Heidi!
what a beautiful post as usual! I love this teapot so much and have wanted this book for a long time so this would be an amazing giveaway to win!!
It would be so wonderful to win something, anything.
Thanks for the opportunity,
Jo Ann
Dearest Susan, thank you so much for sharing your talents with all of us. You have brought so much joy to my life through the years! ♥
Thank you ,Susan,for extending the give away. Knitting by the fire
snug in our relaxing clothes-wishing for some snow here in bare
ground Cape Ann MA. Thanks for your wonderful illustrations!
We’ve got bare ground too, I can see a barn going up (being built, they just laid the foundation) outside my window, the sky is blue and pierced with white clouds (pierced because of the sun shining through them), and yes, it’s freezing out there!
Love all of your sweet drawings. They make me smile!
Would love this teapot for my sister for Valentine’s Day. She does so much for others and she never does anything for herself. She especially enjoys teapots and this one is stunning!
I would love to add that to my collection!
Thank you for extending the give away. I almost missed it! I need to check my settings to see why I don’t receive all your posts. I just discovered not only did I nearly miss this but there are other posts I have missed. Thank you.
I enjoyed every page of this book, one of my favorites! Off to England in June, so excited!
I’d love the teapot, et al. I love reading your blog, especially reminders of England.
Hello Susan,
I have enjoyed your books for many years, and especially loved hearing you speak in person several years ago near Indianapolis, Indiana at Conner Prairie. I’d love to win this lovely prize!
Thank You,
Denise
Would love to own this wonderful EB teapot. Just think, my two favorite people and me sitting down to a spot of tea!!
Love, love, love your blog! And just what I needed today. Have had several bouts of unpleasant news over the last several day! The sun is finally out, someone “Played it Forward” for me at Starbucks, had a delightful visit with a girlfriend and came home to your Blog! Things are looking up! Thank you!
So happy to hear that Martha!
Love it! Broken elbow can’t type.
Feel better soon! Owie!
Thank you for extending the giveaway! I’d read this entry, well, skimmed it and meant to come back when I could take my time, and I came back today to find you had a new entry. I always love to come back and re-read your blog entries to see if I missed anything, because there’s usually so much good stuff in them. The teapot is so cute and so is the tin and “A Fine Romance” is so much fun to read, so count me in on the drawing.
Oh, I am so excited about this cute, cute teapot!!! I already have your wonderful book, but I have a friend who was not familiar with Susan Branch and I made a salad from your Summer book and she loved it. She asked about the recipe and I told her all about Susan! Also will you ever get another supply of the cute girlfriends charms? I want one and waited too long to order and now you are out. 🙁 Thanks for always making life a bit sweeter! Judi
We’re working on that Judi!
I love everything you do! I would love the teapot and really do want to get your book.
Thanks for brightening up my day with each blog. I really missed you when my computer was in the repair shop. So happy to be back together again.
Your blog makes me smile!!!
Oh, Susan! Your blog just warms my heart. ♥ Thank you.
I happened to buy your 2015-2016 pocket calendar a few weeks ago and have been poking around your website and blog ever since. I love everything you are doing! This teapot that you are giving away will really make someone’s Valentine’s Day (maybe mine?!?)! 🙂
I have read and re-read a Fine Romance many times. I pick it up daily and smile as I am sipping tea! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I love your blog It feels like I am visiting friends
Susan, your generosity is almost as amazing as your artwork!
I would like to become your face book friend. I do love your postings, pictures, and story’s about Jack, friends, etc. I do have your Autumn book, and I would love to order your Swedish hearts. Also please enter my name in your next drawing. Thank You Sallyjo
Thank you for your lovely blog and for sharing your life with us.
Here’s me making sure I’m on your huge list of anticipating winners! Your paintings and life stories always put a spring in my step Susan…if I get any cozier there’ll be no housework done today!
Happy New Year! Hope is a good one, full of health and happiness
You make Valentine’s Day such a happy day!!
Dear susan, thank you for your blog and books. Your talent warms my heart and lifts my stress!
Thank you Susan your talent warms my heart and lifts my stress!
I am new to your blog, and I love reading it so much. It is so fresh and thoughtful and makes a positive feeling in your heart. It would be so exciting to be the winner, but if not me someone will be so happy. I have always loved your items and books and am so glad I found your website, I love it. Thank you so much.
Nice to meet you Marty!
oooh I hope it is not too late to enter…love your blog it is so nice to read first thing every morning.
The most charming teapot….love it! It would have a good home with my other teapots….I’m the 2,437th person to comment….hmmmm, hope it’s a lucky number!
Love your books and all your charming watercolors you are so talented
Love your blog! Such a cute teapot 🙂
Whenever I need to escape from the hectic life I drop in to check your latest blog entry and take a little mental vacation. I have told my daughter and friends about your fun site.I would like nothing better than to sit by the fire and drink a cup of your lovely tea and read about England. Or have the latest discussion of what the latest goings on, on Downton. Thank you. Annie
Hi Susan,
I absolutely LOVE you – your teapots, decor, calendars and books! Back in the day, me and my late mother would get so excited to receive “Willard”. She was especially happy when you arrived on the internet and then Facebook. In fact, I still have the last calendar of yours that she wrote in. She wrote you once telling you how much she loved you and asked if you would draw some pink roses as she was a breast cancer survivor – and then you did. I still have the book mark with a pink rose that you posted after her request. She was so tickled. Thank you, Susan for bringing so much coziness into our lives. Whenever I think of anything “Susan” I get all happy and misty eyed at the same time, thinking of Mom. In kindness, Noelle Dunn.
I remember your mom, she was the perfect inspiration for pink roses. I put that on Facebook and it was one of the most popular pieces I’ve ever done. Thank you Noelle, that was so nice. xoxo
Thank goodness my copy of,”A Fine Romance” came before our trip to England. After reading about Hever Castle in your lovely book, I knew we had to visit. It was just about the best day of our two week trip. We took the train from London, and walked a mile down country roads to the castle on a beautiful sunny day. Such a lovely memory.
I do love your books Susan, and can’t wait for your next one!
I love the teapot! I have a small collection, including an elephant & a Tardis, as well as several from China, courtesy of my daughter-in-law. I would dearly love to add your hearts to my collection!
Susan:
I love your blog and love Emma Bridgewater. It would be wonderful to win the adorable heart tea pot. I could do a post on my blog – The Tablescaper – thetablescaper.com, and feature it. But most of all, I would just love to add it to my collection of tea pots!
I truly enjoy reading your posts (as well as your books). You have a wonderful knack of rejoicing in the ordinary and making one remember how great an ordinary day can be.
– Alma, The Tablescaper
Hi Susan, your art and writing always make me smile. You “speak” to my heart!!
And you, dear Donna, just spoke to mine. Thank you. xoxo
My goodness, over 2,000 comments!! I’d love to win this wonderful Valentine’s “prize package.” What a treat to sip the special tea that’s been brewed in such a pretty pot while reading “A Fine Romance”!!
We’re having strange weather here in Maine…it was in the mid 40’s and felt Spring-like…also very, very muddy!! But, it was just temporary – it’s supposed to get colder as the week goes on. But it was nice to think Spring, even if only for a day.
Take care! Lori from MDI, Maine
It all seems temporary this winter, doesn’t it? Us too, wild fluctuations in temperature. We had the mildest, most wonderful summer I can remember this last year — and now, if this keeps going, it’s going to seem like a mild winter too.
Thank you for sharing your talents with the rest of us. I love reading your books and calendars…I have been saving them for years. Your pictures and quotes inspire me each day. You have even made writing lists fun with your monthly note pads. I hope that you don’t mind that I “borrowed” your snowmen picture for this month’s facebook wallpaper; it was too cute to resist.
I don’t know if I’m too late for the drawing, but I’ll just take the opportunity to tell you again how much I enjoy you blog, your artwork, calendars and books. You are very talented!
Loved all the pictures that are in this post! If the drawing is not over I would like to be considered:) Love that drawing you did for your friend too.
You emailed me back on Twitter once and it made my world. My husband swore an assistant did it for you lol!
Count me in this magnificent give a way!
No assistant! Tell him! 🙂 You’re in!
I used to sing “A You’re Adorable” to my son when he was a baby and toddler. Now i’m singing it to another baby!
Love looking forward to your blog! What a wonderful gift that would be for my daughter who hosts tea parties for her favorite ladies. PS I get included in that group.
Happy Valentine’s day! Love all the hearts and the bright reds and pinks of the holiday! Time to start decorating!! Thank you for sharing from your heart!!!
I just re-read this blog post. I LOVE your table setting with the Rose Chintz! I have English Village by Johnson Bros. All blue tones at my table. Of course, that’s just one of my seven sets of dishes. Ahemmmm. What? Too many?!
Would love to curl up with one of those goodies you so generously are giving away:) your one of a kind, Susan!! Love all that you do:)
reading your post is like stepping inside a favorite painting, or falling into the pages of a much-loved book, or crawling inside a favorite dream. i am transported to somewhere else, to a more romantic and cozy place. thank you for inviting me inside your world. thank you for a most generous giveaway. doing things like this must make you extraordinarily happy; not just for the giving, but imagining the joy someone so lucky will have when they receive your splendid surprises. thank you.
It truly does. I just wish I was Oprah and could hand out teapots to EVERYONE!
Your website is so much fun, it is keeping me up at night. Last night I didn’t turn out the lights until 5am!
Some of lifes little precious gifts are your blog posts that bring so many people happiness. I hope when my children are older they have gifts like this. They do have the appreciation of old books though thank goodness. And pray they teach my future grandchildren the same appreciation of real books and flipping pages along withhand written letters. That seems of yesteryear. They arent even teaching cursive any longer. How sad is that.
Terrible. Very sad, but you are doing your part, being a teacher, and I think the kids of today will treasure the things of the past just the way we do ~ someday. Some of them already do! They know realness when they see it.
Finding your blog just now was exactly what I needed…thank you for reasons you don’t even know.
Susan, thank you for sharing your wonderful talent with us! I’ve been collecting the Rose Chintz china pieces from antique/vintages stores ( and also your website store), inspired by you! 🙂 I LOVED “It’s a Fine Romance” and I’m in the process of reading it again! Can’t wait for your new book to come out!!
Your blog makes me feel like grabbing my blanket and living here forever. We have a lot in common!
love all of the Valentine’s Day artwork.
Hi Susan,
I just read this post having just arrived home from Australia! Hopefully I’m not too late to enroll in the contest!
Great post! I loved the birthday card!
Thank you
Lucy in California
I am so grateful that you share your gifts with us ~ your beautiful and sometimes whimsical artwork as well as quotations that touch the soul. I have your cookbooks from long ago (1986,etc). In the 80’s, I combed through your cookbooks while vacationing on Newfound Lake in New Hampshire. (Of course, recipes were tested & enjoyed.) Right now “Heart of Home” cookbook is on display on my counter. (Your cookbooks bring beauty into the room & into my life.) I feel like facebook has introduced me to you in new ways. Grateful in so many ways……
I have several of your beautiful books and always love the writing and recipes. I have used a few of your recipes too! I cannot miss a blog post of your’s, love all of your photos too! Thank YOU!
Yikes! Hope I’m not too late.This is an another awesomely generous giveaway, I would love pour a special SB tea blend, from such a sweetheart of a kettle! Thanks!
Love the blog, love your artwork, love teapots!
What a delightful newsletter.
So happy to hear about your lovely give-away.
Thank you for brightening an overcast winter morning.