Cherries and the Opera. . .

(The background for this collage is called "Cotton Candy" and it is from a great blog called Shadowhouse Creations where a gentleman named Jerry posts backgrounds to use and all he asks is that you leave a "Thank You" or a smiley for him if you use one.)

Dear Friends,
Above is my submission for the challenge on the blog "So Artful Challenge". The challenge this week is "Life is a Bowl of Cherries". It features cherries (of course!), cherry blossoms (please hurry Mademoiselle Spring!) and one of my favorite subjects, the divine opera diva Mademoiselle Lina Cavalieri.

And speaking of the opera, I spotted the strangest sign while riding through the town in Maine where I now live. On the side of the abandoned opera house, there is a sign advertising "Phantom Flowers" and a phone number. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention there is also a Gothic Street in Paris, the next town over. Hmmm...

Lastly, please do yourself a favor and look at the sweetest blog I have just discovered! Bardot in Blue comes to us by recommendation of Judith of Paris Atelier! Between the two of these ladies, there will be enough Parisian eye-candy to last you for days!! (You are welcome!!)

Wishing you a lovely evening!

Betty

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!

Very Dear Blogging Friends,
I would like to wish you a most happy Saint Valentine's Days and invite you to my virtual tea party! Won't you please have a seat? As you can see, The Tearoom is decorated just for the holiday!



Won't you please have a piece of something delicious to celebrate? I have scoured the Houses of Haute Patisserie for lovely things for us for today!

Of course, our very favorites have out-done themselves again! Pierre Hermé has an Ispahan creation for us, in his ever-romantic combination of rose, litchi and raspberry.



Dalloyau has brought us "Petit Chou", which is a large Saint-Honoré decorated with cream Chantilly and raspberries ("petit chou" is a term of endearment in French).



Also, from Dalloyau (for all the chocolate-lovers here with us!), "Mon Macaron d'Amour", a heart-shaped chocolate macaron filled with creme praliné!



And what is waiting for you in the samovar? After all the beautiful teas from everywhere, today I hope you will allow me to serve you my very favorite black tea that I have for everyday, Tazo's Earl Grey.



As for that question I asked you...what person would you bring to this celebration? Of course, my first answer would be the love of my life, My Most Beloved Mr. V! But if you will indulge me, I would also love to invite two ladies that I have always wanted to have tea with! First, I would love to invite Sade. I have been listening to her newest CD "Soldier of Love" non-stop since we received it and would have to say that her music perfectly sums up the mood of the day. My second special guest would be another great lady of British music, Tracey Thorn. For many years, she and her partner Ben Watt created the amazing music of Everything But the Girl. In 2007, she released an amazing solo album "Out of the Woods" and this spring, she will release her next solo album, this time on Ben's label Strange Feeling Records. We cannot wait! Please welcome our two very special guests to the party!

Sade


Tracey Thorn


I wish you a very happy rest of your day. May you be spending it with your very dearest ones.

Valentine hugs to you all,

Betty

The Pear of Pairs!

Greetings to you, Dearest Friends!
I open my doors again to The Gossamer Tearoom with a silly collage I have made! It is a rather late submission to Itkupilli's and Elegia's Challenge Blog, Collage Obsession! The challenge word this week was "a pair". Now you know being a food-obsessed individual, I hear the word "pair" and my brain hears the word "pear"!!! So, why not have fun with both words! So, I turned their picture into a pair of pears, or just because it's funny to me, a pear of pairs!!!

I am so very happy to be back with you, my dear blogging friends!! Thanks so to all who had such nice thoughts for us during our move! I am planning a special virtual tea party here in The Tearoom, to celebrate my return, just for us! I think it will have to have something to do with Valentine's Day, considering we are so close! And please ponder this...what person, imaginary or real, dead or alive, someone you know or someone you don't, would you invite to come along with you to this party?

Wishing you all a very lovely evening and a wonderful weekend!

Betty