Come and Enjoy a Cup of English Tea.

Would you like some tea - English Style?

This morning, as I was making up my little tea tray, I wondered if you might like join me for a refreshing cup of English Style brew.


Let's begin by setting out what we will need

 We are using our everyday teapot and a jug of fresh milk. (No! No! No! we Brits do not take cream in our tea, my dear. Cream is for coffee - never tea)

Please relax now, I promise that I won't scold you any more.

This is the tea we will be enjoying today. PG Tips is one of the most popular teas. You can, of course, buy the teabags - but although it's delicious, it isn't quite as delightful as the loose tea version.

I've already warmed the pot, to keep our tea hotter for longer. We are hoping for a least two cups each. Now we put in two teaspoons of tea, and pour in boiling water from the kettle.

I would be popping on the everyday hand-knitted tea cosy which also helps keep it nice and hot.

But today you are my special guests - so we'll use the pretty cosy.

The milk goes in first - except in Scotland. They have some funny customs in Scotland when it comes to tea

You can see we are getting a bit steamy, but I wanted to show you how I strain the tea, so you ladies don't get a mouthful of tea-leaves to spoil your enjoyment

If we've been chatting away, our second cup might be a little stronger. I like it, but we can always top up the pot with fresh hot water.

I hope you have enjoyed your tea-break. I hope you come again, and maybe try some of my delicious cheese scones.

Happy tea-making ladies.




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A MESSAGE FOR MARGIE - who contacted me via the feedback form. Thank you for contacting me. My replies to your email address are coming back marked 'undeliverable'. Here is the link you want for the poncho. I found it on Ebay.com

Hello Margie. Here is the link

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-Cable-Aran-Cape-Poncho-Knitting-Pattern-Rowan-/390502111690?pt=UK_Crafts_Knitting_Crochet_EH&hash=item5aebbd59ca

I hope this is helpful for you. Please let me know that you get this OK. I would hate you to think I had failed to reply to you.

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Learning to be lady-like - Gentlemen

         What have Gentlemen to do with Lady-likeness?                                                                                              

There are many privileges to being a woman who embraces her femininity. One of these that we may not have thought much about, is the privilege of enabling men to embrace their masculinity. Society is full of men who are ashamed of and confused by their masculine nature. It often seems to them that this nature is shameful or must be challenged and overcome in the interests of gender equality.

One of our national newspapers conducted a survey about the change in attitudes of women towards Feminism. Many women were beginning to question Feminist perceptions and were not identifying themselves any more as 'Feminists'. There were several reasons given by the surveyed women for this. Some felt that feminism was 'unfair' on men. Others cited that they had the desire to live more traditionally feminine roles - being wives and mothers, and spending more time at home with their families.   

Women (ladies) are finding that Feminism promised much but simply delivered them over-demanding, over-stressed lifestyles. Burnout in women is rife, as they show physical and mental chronic fatigue; the result of their lifestyles and fast paced living. Families have been undermined and children brought up hardly seeing their parents, let alone raised by them. There is not much family joy to be had when the children spend long hours with strangers and peers who may not have their best interests at heart.

Image.free-hdwallpapers.com

Since I have begun blogging, I have had comments about - and experienced myself - the amazing transformation in men, when women dress and behave as ladies. Men will relax around them, they will treat them with respect and, well, become Gentlemanly.

In this post, I have only touched a little on the subject of Lady-likeness and its relationship to Gentlemanly-ness, (is that a word?). But the point is that each of us explore these ideas for ourselves. I hope that you will enjoy meditating on and expanding some of these ideas - prayerfully considering them.

Now here is a nice image especially for any Gentleman who may be glancing over his wife's shoulder at this time

http://freescriptureprints.blogspot.co.uk/

Challenges

1. Consider how the men in your life may be encouraged to express their masculinity. How can we help them to feel comfortable in their manliness, in today's society? Find opportunities to accept and admire their masculinity. Just as you like doing feminine things in your day, allow them space and your blessing to relax in their masculine interests. These may include watching or playing sport, or tinkering with gadgets. Don't just think these things, but tell them! Compliment their masculine differences and help them celebrate being men.

2. Buy a manly-like toy for your son - and don't let their sisters play with it without their permission : ) Some examples might be construction toys, science sets or miniature glider kits that will fly once constructed. If you followed last week's challenges, you may have enjoyed a tea party, and invited the boys along. Perhaps this week you can give the boys an old blanket or something to make a den  in the garden, or collect bugs in a jar, or join them in a game with a child's set of bow and arrows.

3. Read a good adventure book to them. Boys of all ages love 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson.(girls enjoy it too, by the way)

4. One day this next week, dress and behave in a more lady-like way than you normally do. Observe the way in which men respond to your increased lady-likeness - and enjoy!

Have fun Ladies. Please let me know how you get on with your challenges, I would love to hear from you

Learning to be lady-like. Florence Hartley

The Ladies' book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness


The above title, by Florence Hartley, was written in 1860.

Flickr. Deflam

I think you might enjoy this excerpt  concerning Lady-like behaviour

 True politeness is the language of a good heart, and those possessing that heart will never, under any circumstances, be rude. They may not enter a crowded saloon gracefully; they may be entirely ignorant of the forms of good society; they may be awkward at table, ungrammatical in speech; but they will never be heard speaking so as to wound the feelings of another; they will never be seen making others uncomfortable by seeking solely for their own personal convenience; they will always endeavor to set every one around them at ease; they will be self-sacrificing, friendly, unselfish; truly in word and deed, polite. Give to such a woman the knowledge of the forms and customs of society, teach her how best to show the gentle courtesies of life, and you have a lady, created by God, only indebted for the outward polish to the world.
It is true that society demands this same unselfishness and courtesy, but when there is no heart in the work, the time is frittered away on the mere ceremonies, forms of etiquette, and customs of society, and this politeness seeks only its own ends; to be known as courteous, spoken of as lady-like, and not beloved as unselfish and womanly.

                                                                                                                                                          

LIEBSTER Award nomination

I am very excited to have been nominated for this award by Stephanie

You'll find her HERE at The Enchanting Rose

Thank you to this very lovely lady and her sweet blog

                                                           



 In accordance with the Liebster rules, I will tell you 11 random things about myself.

1. I choose the same dessert nearly every single day - Home made Greek style yoghurt topped with home-made blackberry Jam. Although I will snaffle chocolate if it is in the house!

2. I also think about food a lot

3. BBC Radio 3, Classical music, is on in the background much of the day at home.

4 One of my favourite things to do when my children were growing up, was to read aloud to them - especially funny poetry. I will still read aloud to anyone who will listen : )

5. When my middle son was struggling emotionally, I wrote him a book called 'Granny Jo-jo' She made friends with a little boy, Joe. (My son's name is Joe). My friend illustrated this beautifully too. One day, I left the only manuscript and drawings at someone's very cluttered house, and we never found it again. But Joe had heard it a lot by then and I think it helped him.

6. My husband is my absolute, absolute best friend and I can't imagine life without him

7. Years ago I used to work at home, entering slogan competitions (Contests) We won lots of exciting things for the family and our community.

8. I have a special love for and bond with the Jewish people

9. I was not brought up in a Christian family

10. I enjoy watching 'Hogan's Heroes' with my husband on you tube

11. I love the American People a lot and sometimes my husband and I feel like emigrating.

















Stephanie's questions

1. What is your favorite Bible Verse and why?
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
3. What do you like to do with your free time?
4. If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you want with you?
5. Do you have a favorite book?
6. What is your favorite food?
7. Do you play a musical instrument?
8. What one word describes you best?
9. What is one of your favorite memories?
10. If you could choose when you were born, which decade/century would you want to be born in?
11. What is your goal in life?

ANSWERS 

1. Matthew 11:28-30

 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light"

I meditate on these verses most days, as I am often feeling heavy laden. This helps to reminds me to stop trying so hard and simply rest in Him.

2. I think we would like to live in the USA, somewhere where the countryside looks a little like England and is nice and green. 

3. Things I like to do in my spare time are, spend time with my Heavenly Father, with my husband, with the children, and our two dogs. I enjoy baking, reading, crafts, blogging, and reading other people's blogs

4. If I was stranded on an island I would choose. My husband (who is very resourceful and would make sure we survived), A good supply of  long-life cheese because it is so versatile in one's cooking, and a nice big Bible.

5 Favourite book? I have several books that I reread quite often. Agatha christie's 'Miss Marple' stories and 'Miss Read' delightful stories about village life.

6. I love all foods.

7. I don't seriously play an instrument, but enjoy singing

8.The word which describes me best is 'Optimistic' I just can't help it. 

9. A favourite memory for me is when we used to spend time as a family at the seaside. We would watch the seagulls and my dad would say, 'See how the seagulls are playing in the air currents'.  Everything with my dad was fun and happy. When I was a child, he would also take us for long walks by the docks, or the parks. When he would come to flowers, trees, water, sculptures, anything - dad would say. ' feel that, touch that, what does it feel like? Now, whenever I go for a walk I have to touch the leaves and the trees and the water.

10. I'm not sure when I would have liked to have been born. I like the Victorian era most I think

11. My goal in life is to get deeper and deeper into my relationship with my Heavenly Father, I would also like to leave this earth with a legacy of love and knowing my descendants will know Him too



I will think about the blogs I would like to nominate, and try and come up with some questions for them. 

Update. I have decided to encourage new bloggers as I come across them in an individual way.

Free Pretty Scripture Printable for you

As a thank you for reading and following my blog, I have made a printable for you that I hope you will enjoy. You may recognise the picture from my previous post  'An Autumn Wander'. Having never done this sort of thing before, I'm hoping that you will be able to right-click and save to your computer. You may like to print it out.

If you use this image on the internet please attribute it to me, budgeteer © 2012
thank you

 

Learning to be Lady-like. 'Gender'

Genesis 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them

Why is something as simple as 'being ladylike' so difficult to do in practice? I think one major reason is that women are just not comfortable with their gender. Many women have lost touch with the value and specialness of 'womanhood'. The scripture above is one we may be so familiar with and yet have never grasped the immensity of its message. God created us in HIS own image, male and female! He couldn't do without one or the other, for more than just reasons of procreation..

 Genesis 2:18  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man [Adam] should be alone; I will make him an help meet [a helper suitable] for him

So we can understand that men and women are different, complement one another and are made in His image.

It can be a helpful thing to meditate on these Scriptures, asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand and become comfortable with our female gender 

Image Flickr (free parking) Is being lady-like just about etiquette?

 
 When we are unsure of, or uncomfortable with our female souls, we can feel very vulnerable with the concept of lady-likeness. Skirts feel 'funny', wearing hair long might make us feel 'unprotected' or similar. So I think of becoming lady-like as a gentle journey towards getting to know, and to celebrate our feminine selves. Whenever we begin our  journey, let's take our time and enjoy the learning.

Have some FUN with these challenges

Challenges

1. If you have any feelings of fear, vulnerability, or unfamiliarity with your femaleness, ask God to reveal and help you in those areas, so you can truly love being the womanly 'you' He created.

2. (Beginner)Put on a skirt or a dress. I know from experience that as you get used to wearing skirts, you actually start to feel more feminine and more confident. If you are afraid of wearing a skirt, try a longer length denim skirt. Wear it in the house, even in secret! until you get used to the feeling. Be careful to choose dresses or skirts that are modest - we are looking for lady-like not 'sex chick' !
2. (Advanced) Put on dresses or skirts which are of very feminine fabrics and style. Try and have a change from solid colours or drab fabrics. Think flowing, draping, full skirts and florals, and small prints. Lace, velvet, ribbons and all things feminine, or a nice barrette in your hair. Maybe have a picture in your mind of those Victorian Ladies in the paintings. Just one or two feminine touches can make you feel more lady-like, while retaining gentle modesty.

3. If you have children, join them for a tea-party in the house. The boys will enjoy these too and will have the chance to practice 'polite society', and eat some nice cakes or fancies. Girls can dress up and serve the 'tea' to guests - not forgetting teddy. They will love sharing this with you. Maybe you could find a pretty cloth or flowers for the table (or find a special children's tea-set to delight them at Christmas) Perhaps have some grown-up tea parties too, and invite your friends.

4. True lady-likeness comes from the inside, from the heart. It is gentle, kind, considerate, and thinks of others. 

 Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law

 Practice the lady-like art of conversation. Let others know they are valued and important to you by giving them your full attention when they are speaking. Listen with patience and do not be ready with a clever witicism or your own agenda.

I will be exploring more about inner lady-likeness soon. I hope you will join me.

5. Pay attention to how you walk. Look in the shop windows or ask your family. Ladies do not stride forth - unless it is an emergency- take slightly smaller and slower steps, and know that you will look instantly more elegant.

Please ladies, let me know if you try any of the above challenges and what results you got - even if they were not quite what you expected. I would love to know

farewell, adieu, dear readers - until we meet again

Learning to be Lady-like

Image - Flikr.com (goddessofchocolate)

LadyLike

Websters New World College dictionary:

 Ladylike describes behavior considered appropriate for a well-mannered female. (adjective)

Crossing your legs gently at the ankles in a proper feminine way is an example of behavior that would be described as ladylike.

This is what the Oxford English dictionary defines as lady-like:

ladylike, adj.
1 a with the modesty, manners, etc., of a lady. b befitting a lady.
2 (of a man) effeminate.

I was interested to see here, that as well as 'modesty' and 'manners' etc.,of a lady, and b befitting a lady, they have written the second definition - that in a man, to be ladylike is to be effeminate. In Mrs Helen Andelin's book 'Fascinating Womanhood' (which you can purchase from Amazon by clicking the link on this page), she explains how the feminine manner, dress and behaviour  in women most often brings out the manly, masculinity in the men around them. And one can observe that the opposite is true too.

When I was a little girl, I would often hear people say things like 'You look very ladylike in that dress' or 'that isn't a very ladylike thing to say' or 'Can you sit in a more ladylike way, please?' I really, really wanted to be a lady, and I remember how nice it felt if people commented that I looked like a lady.

Image-Antiqueimages.blogspot.co.uk

But over the years, feminism has turned the term 'ladylike' into an insult. It vehemently espouses that women must turn their back on such ridiculous desires within us to act as ladies, and that girls must suppress those nasty little inklings if they wish to gain any self-respect for themselves. I have a picture in my mind of these demanding and angry women turning quite purple in the face, as little girls persist and delight in making ladylike tea-parties (and considerately pouring little cups of imaginary tea for their thirsty teddy bears), and compassionately tucking up poorly dollies in their own little beds,(pillows prettily plumped) and sitting in their best frocks, listening and conversing kindly with their guests.

Image-4.bp.blogspot

So, in my little series 'Learning to be Ladylike' I am going to be exploring  what it is to be ladylike, and devising some interesting lessons and challenges that we might like  to try, in our roles as home-makers, mothers and daughters.

Let's celebrate being Ladylike LADIES!

I do hope you'll join in the fun. Look out for Lesson One soon

The Homey's from Poetry Cottage

Image (Winter memories) weheartit.com

I would like to introduce you to Mother and Father (Ma and Pa) Homey. They are a sweet couple whom I visit often in my imagination. You are probably familiar with them yourselves (whether they live in England or across the pond, whether they say 'tomato' or 'tomayto', 'favor' or 'favour', whether they use the 'garden tap' or the 'faucet'), the Homey's have a special place in our hearts. They live in a shabby, but well-loved and cared-for home, with a large English style cottage garden in which they grow all sorts of vegetables for the table. I hope you will enjoy our little visits to poetry cottage.




Autumn Dinner

Mother's an idea for comforting stew
- A very old recipe grandmother knew -
She saw through the window how wind whipped the trees
Snatching the last of their coppery leaves
She saw Father bending his back to its bite
Making the most of the afternoon light
Which sparkled the silvery hair 'neath his cap
And the northerly wind made his old muffler flap
She saw the gnarled hands and those lines on his face
A man made of dignity, godliness, grace
Her heart skipped a beat and she set to prepare
The comforting stew with her love and her care

The flour-coated pieces of beef on the side
She adds to the onions and garlic she fried
Hot stock and vegetables, simmer away
Ready to serve at the end of the day

And Father is finished, he leans on his spade
Tired but pleased with the progress he's made
And sniffing the air, his weariness wanes
Forgetting the cold and his aches and his pains

And there in the kitchen, gives Mother a kiss
A good stew, a good wife, a life that is bliss 





© budgeteer 2012 You are welcome to use my poetry on your blog but please credit me with the use of - thank you

 

 

Simple gifts from Fabric Scraps - Phone pouch

Mobile Phone pouch with belt loop

 

It is difficult to come up with fabric gift ideas for the men in our lives isn't it? So I thought of making this mobile phone pouch with handy belt loop. The person this one is destined for is wearing his belt today so I have had to model it on my much narrower one - but I hope you get the idea!

First, choose some unexciting fabric scrap to make it with, otherwise your man won't use it. (My recipient is an artist, so I'll just about get away with this interesting blue) Just lay the mobile phone on the fabric scrap and make sure it is long enough to go all round the phone - and for a front flap where you are going to put your Velcro fastening

Fold fabric in half (plus the little extra on one end for the front flap) Sew up the two long sides. then neaten up the short sides by hemming them. Trim neatly. If you find your fabric is fraying, you can paint PVA glue along the edges

 This one is not neatened up yet. But this is basically what it looks like when turned inside out - or is it outside in?

Now cut out another smaller piece.This is going to be the belt loop. Hem all around the edge, trim and neaten, using PVA glue if required for the edges. It is very important that this piece is big enough to allow belt to slip through easily when it is sewn in. It is very useful at this stage to have the belt that will be used on hand to adjust as you go.

Now comes the fiddly bit and I hope you don't stab yourself with the needle as I did! Pin into place and be very, very careful not to sew through both the back AND front as you attach the belt loop. Don't worry if your loop is a little too wide for the belt - you can always stitch it down a bit further along to make it narrower.

All that is left to do is trim off any bits of cotton and stitch on a strip of Velcro to the front flap. Make sure that the Velcro is very secure as it will be opened and closed a lot.

I had hoped to end with a photograph of this holding it's very own mobile phone. But I realised that I only have one phone and I couldn't take any pictures if it was in the pouch!

Happy (secret) gift-making ladies