Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It's March 17, happy St. Patrick's Day!  Join me in celebrating Irish heritage whether you are of Irish descent (I am!) or, if not, to just have a good time :). 

It's snowing again today, so it's a perfect day for tea. I set my tea cart to share with you.

In the front is my Belleek set.  It is not a matching set; the plate is in the classic basketweave pattern but the cup has the harp shaped handle with the matching saucer.   I like that the plate is slightly different.  I also really like the harp shaped handle--perfect for my Irish set!  Here is a closer look at the cup:

 

Belleek is very light and delicate.  The inside of the cup is iridescent, similar to a shell. 

 

This figurine is Irish Dresden.  Her name is Caroline (same as my full name).  I love her green and white ruffles with roses intermittently placed on the dress.  Irish Dresden is made of real cotton lace impregnated with porcelain clay, which is then used to dress the figurine.

This vase with the green and white flowers is a new find from an antique mall, a little Belleek vase.  I loved the shape and the shamrocks in the front with Celtic looking symbols embossed on the side. 

 

Below is a teapot I found at Homegoods last year.  Also in this picture is a little creamer that I found this year that matches.

In some of the other pictures I've posted, you can see the little feet holding up the teapot and creamer.  I couldn't find a sugar bowl, but I think one of my grandmother's green glass bowls works perfectly to hold the sugar cubes.

Now let me prepare the tea.  I saved a tea bag from the hotel I stayed at in Dublin last year.  I might have traveled the UK and Ireland picking up tea in each of the hotels I stayed at :). 

Robert Roberts is an Irish tea company located in Dublin.  This is a strong black tea (very like an Irish breakfast blend).  I usually like mine with cream and sugar, but for today, how about an "Irish tea"? 

Maybe some of the soda bread scones I shared the recipe for yesterday?

I really enjoy posting on the various Tuesday tea parties and this week Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage suggested a tea party celebrating Spring with a Bird Lover's Tea or a green tea for St. Patrick's Day, or a combo of the two.  So I have a special guest for tea today:

She's even wearing a  hat, all ready to join us for a Spring tea (even though it is snowing outside right now, but here's hoping!).  I think her peach plumage is a nice contract to all the different greens on the cart.

And I'll leave you with a bit of an Irish song, because how can you talk about Ireland without music:  "So fill to me the parting glass, good night and joy be with you all."

 

This post shared at:

 

Tea Time Today @ http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/

Friends Sharing Tea @ http://blog.bernideens.com/

Tuesday Cuppa Tea @ http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/