Pink Saturday, Bunnies, Shelley Eggs and Kate and Will in Wax

This is rather a mixed Pink Saturday with How Sweet The Sound. The post is for Easter and seasonal themes. The first thing that comes to mind...after the real foundation of the season of the Easter resurrection of Jesus which is central to every Christian, or the Passover or Pesach deliverance to every Jew...is bunnies and eggs!

The only bunnies I seem to have left at the moment are these Wedgwood, England Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit dishes...a plate and a mug. I love the wonderful drawings. I didn't like the books when I was very small. I was so frightened for Peter in Mr. McGregor's garden, but fascinated by the drawings which I still love! So cute! Perfect for an Easter tea!

On an egg theme, I have a Shelley, England unusual plate in the Naples pattern that, frankly, I have always thought looked like Easter eggs to me. I can't figure out why it was named Naples. I've been there, and can see NO resemblance!!!

 Aren't they perfect Easter egg designs?????

In royal news, Madame Tussaud's unveiled the wax works images of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday as an early tribute in celebration of the couple's upcomoing 1st anniversary to huge crowds in London, New York and Amsterdam.

In London, the couple were depicted in their engagement announcement attire. I think they are really very good!

 
In Amsterdam, the couple are depicted in the attire they wore to a the London premier of the movie War Horse.

  
In New York, the couple are depicted in the attire they wore to a state dinner in Los Angeles.

So you can visit them the next time you are in any of those cities.
Here are links to 2 articles for more on Madame Tussauds and the Royal couple joining the galleries there.

The photos came from this article:
 Kate and William wax figures unveiled at Madame Tussauds

also:
 Happy anniversary, Kate and Wills! Madame Tussauds unveil waxworks of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to celebrate one year of marriage

Have a wonderful holiday weekend enjoying the season of hope, joy, deliverance and new life!

 
 

Thursday Tea Things And Talk, Shelley Teacup, Queen Elizabeth In York, Maundy Thursday

Welcome to Thursday Tea Things and Talk. I am joining Teacup Thursday with Miss Spenser and Vintage Thingie Thursday with Coloradolady. Today I want to share several things. It is Maundy Thursday, the day in the Christian calendar that commemorates the Last Supper.

 In honor of the color of Queen Elizabeth's hat in the photo below, I have a Shelley teacup with an aqua feather design. 

The pattern is called Serenity and was made by Shelley between 1940-1966 when the pottery closed and has platinum trim. The shape is Gainsborough, which is a favorite shape. So elegant!

Maundy Thursday has been traditionally celebrated in the UK by royalty giving our Maundy Money to deserving poor. This year Queen Elizabeth II was in York with Prince Philip and Princess Beatrice (she of the pretzel hat at her cousin Prince William's royal wedding to Kate Middleton almost a year ago) for the ceremony. The visit was also part of Queen Elizabeth;s Diamond Jubilee trips around the UK.

Beatrice, who is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson is 5th in line for the throne.

In the royal Maundy money tradition dates to medieval times and originally had the monarch or a representative washing the feet of the poor. King George V changed the custom to the current one of the reigning monarch presenting red leather bags (or cases) of money to worthy elderly recipients...one male and female for every year of the monarch's life, so this year there were 86 men and 86 women. Normally the ceremony is done in London, but as Queen Elizabeth was in York on her Diamond Jubilee visit it was done there.

York minster from a 2005 visit

Below is a link to a video of giving the Maundy money and other photos of the York visit from the Daily Mail. Click on the Daily Mail name to go to the article and video or click this link to the video:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2125538/The-Queen-Bea-Royals-hand-money-pensioners-York-mark-Maundy-Thursday.html

I hope your preparations for Easter are going well. I want to also wish our Jewish friends a Pesach Shalom.

Queen Elizabeth II visits Manchester And Crashes (sort of) a Wedding

Queen Elizabeth II continued her Diamond Jubilee visits to Manchester and Salford looking like spring in a pale pink outfit. She and Prince Philip visited the Cathedral, and the town hall where she was scheduled for a luncheon as well as other sites in the town. 

But whilst she was at the town hall, she stepped over to a wedding reception and greeted the flabbergasted and chuffer (Brit speak for tickled) bride and groom, John and Frances Canning, which was captured by the Daily Telegraph on video and posted with an interview with the bride and groom. The video is at the bottom, as I am not good at the html needed to insert it in the post

It seems that the couple already had the venue reserved for the date when the Queen's Diamond Jubilee visit was planned. Feeling that there would be little conflict, the wedding plans continued. When the groom heard she would be in town and lunching in the same building, the groom sent the Queen an invitation with a personal note telling her she was welcome to stop by if at a loose end. 

The invitation was declined with many thanks and best wishes from a lady in waiting, which is normal. BUT...on the day the Queen took them up on their kind invitation...and shocked them no end.

Quite fun!

Tuesday Is Tea Day, Antique Staffs Green Transfer Teacup Trio, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Irish Guards

Hi and welcome to a Tuesday post. I am joining Tuesday Cuppa Tea and the other wonderful blogs (among many others) that are listed at the bottom of the post.

In honor of St. Patrick's Day still...here is an antique Staffordshire teacup trio in a grass green transferware floral pattern. The set was made in the 1870-1890 and I think it's lovely! The set is unmarked, which was quite normal prior to 1891 when potteries were required by law to mark country of origin on their items.  I'd call it shamrock green!

Also on the subject of shamrocks, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince William visited the Royal Irish Guards on St. Patrick's Day to present shamrocks to the troops.

Apparently, as reported in an article about the visit, 3 guards fainted during the visit. You hear of girls fainting for the Prince, but the guards go down for Catherine!

The Irish Guards are one of 5 divisions of the Queen's Royal Brigade Of Guards, members of each regiment taking turns changing the guard at Buckingham Palace and other royal monuments like St. James Palace and others. The Guards are:
1) Coldstream Guards (have to put that regiment first as my husband was a Coldstream Guard and found the guard at Buck House)

2) Grenadier Guards

3) Welsh Guards

4)  Irish Guards

5) Scotch Guards

All of them are rigorously trained soldiers and all wear the bearskin hats they are so famous for when on duty at the Palace. You can only tell them apart then by their hat and collar insignias and from a distance by the placement of the buttons on their red tunics. At the bottom of the post, you will find a video of the Duchess of Cambridge's visit. It has to be there because I don't know enough HTML to put it in below this but before my list of blog parties. Sigh...oh to be more techie!  Sorry about the ad to start!

I will leave my posts about Queen Elizabeth's Royal visit to Manchester to a bit later in the week or this will be too long!

For more info on the teacup trio at Time Was Antiques, click on the photos.

 Here is the list of blog parties:

 

 

Ruth ~ http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Ruth  ~ http://timewasantiquesfamily.blogspot.com

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Miss Kathy ~ http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com/

Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea

Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday

Shelley Shamrock and Old Ireland Teacups, Antique St. Patrick's Day Postcards and Shamrock Napkin Ring

Hello and welcome to my post for the tea related blogs listed at the bottom, as well as a Wednesday vintage blog party.  

As it is close to St. Patrick's Day, I am sharing two very different Irish themed teacups from the archives of Time Was Antiques.

This is the Shelley China, England Shamrock pattern in the Bute shape that was made from 1908-1916. The shamrock was used on several different shapes but this was the first I could locate. They never were around for long, because a lot of folks collect the Shamrock pattern.

This is a Shelley cup and saucer in a landscape pattern called Old Ireland with a cottage that is also pretty neat. This one was made in the Cambridge shape and dates from 1940-1966 when the pottery closed. I always love the landscape patterns. You sip you cup of tea, look at the saucer and dream you were there....

And to go with it, and English EPNS silver plated napkin ring with a shamrock theme dating to the 1930s. Pretty cute! Irish or shamrock themed collectibles are so fun! On St. Patrick's Day, everyone's Irish!

The teacups and the postcards are from the archives of Time Was Antiques.

We have visited Ireland several times, and Dublin is always a favorite. This part of the post is for my husband, a Brit who loves Guinness Stout. Here is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin where he took a tour...and got samples...I went shopping!

I left he and his buds here, and the ladies went to Grafton Street, the best shopping area in Dublin. We had a great time and ended up at Brown Thomas, one of the best department stores which also has a lovely lunch room where we had a smashing lunch!

Have a great day, a cup of tea and enjoy the blog parties I am in participating in below.

Ruth ~ http://antiquesandteacups.blogspot.com/
Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Common Ground ~ http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com

Monday Marketplace

Terri~  http://artfulaffirmations.blogspot.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday

Trisha~  http://sweetology101.blogspot.com/ 
Tea Party Tuesday

Sandi  ~  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Teatime Tuesday

Kathy~  http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/
Victoria - A Return to Loveliness

Martha~  http://www.marthasfavorites.com/ 
Teacup Tuesday 

Bernideen’s ~ http://bernideensteatimeblog.blogspot.com

Friends Sharing Tea Wednesday

Angela  http://teawithfriends.blogspot.com/

Tea With Friends

Miss Kathy http://thewritersreverie.blogspot.com

Celia ~ http://attitudeivlife.blogspot.com/  Afternoon Tea

Ivy And Elephants ~http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

What’s It Wednesday

Queen Elizabeth And Catherine in my Hometown!

I am so excited! On the first leg of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee tour, where she has been joined by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge as well as Prince Philip, her first stop is my hometown Leicester!

The Queen & co arrived via British rail from St. Pancras, visited the cathedral, Montfort university and met waiting crowds.

all photos from the Daily Telegraph photo galleries photo gallery

I wish I had been there! Joining Pink Saturday with How Sweet The Sound!