Jennifer L. Scott's Blog, page 26
June 15, 2020
Master Bedroom and Bathroom Makeover | French Country Toile
We recently updated our master bedroom and bathroom with a beautiful French Country look... but we did it on a budget. We put up gorgeous toile wallpaper in the bedroom and added some paint to the bathroom for dramatic results.
Let's look at the before picture of our bedroom.
The walls were painted a light moss color and there was no character in the room. The shutters and view are beautiful, but the space needed some color.
The wallpaper we used is Ashford House Champagne Toile. It is a beautiful traditional toile in French blue that depicts idyllic scenes of 18th century country life. The beautiful blue colors makes us feel like we are in a cloud. It is very romantic and pleasing to the eye.
When I walk into the room, I feel like I'm entering a charming bed and breakfast in the French countryside.
We will eventually put paintings on the walls, but this will take some time. For now, we're enjoying the wonderful change!
The sheets are by American Blossom Linens* (Jennifer20 for 20% off), the silk pillowcases* are by Lilysilk (Daily12 for 12% off), and the linen ruffle bedspread sits at the foot of the bed.
Let's have a look at the bathroom. Here is the before...
Our bathroom was quite dated and had a lot of clashing dark colors that fought with the lavender walls.
Because we could not afford to renovate the bathroom with new floors, countertops, and vanities, we simply had the cabinets painted (Crème by Sherwin Williams), added handles, changed the light fixture, and painted the walls. These small changes made a big impact and the bathroom looks so lovely and serene now. The wall color is Navajo White by Sherwin Williams.
We replaced the old and dated theatre strip lighting with a more modern lighting fixture.
The towel set is a gorgeous basketweave Turkish towel* set by Riverbend Home. The pretty shell bath rugs* are also from Riverbend Home.
Also featured in the video:
Bend Soap Co.* natural bath products DC10 for 10% off
Cellar Door Candles* Oregon Lavender & White Verbena
My earrings are the Genevieve pearl earrings by SKYE* code Jennifer20 for 20% off
I hope you enjoy today's video.
News
June 11, 2020
Homeschool End-of-Year Recap 10 Observations | Charlotte Mason
Welcome to my annual homeschool end-of-year recap. Today I'm sharing my observations from this year... what worked and what didn't. You do not have to be a homeschool family to benefit from the discussion in this video. These concepts can be translated to fit your family.
For more help with raising well-rounded children, check out my book, Connoisseur Kids: Etiquette, Manners, and Living Well for Parents and Their Little Ones from Chronicle Books.
Let's get into the ten observations from this year... in no particular order.
1. The power of dictation Dictation works wonders for children (adults too!) You don't need a curriculum to practice dictation. Simply read an age-appropriate passage from a living book and have your child write down what they hear, paying close attention to spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. This reveals what language arts concepts they are struggling with. The correction process should be gentle and positive.
2. The lasting power of living books Learning through living books (as opposed to a stale text book) has more lasting power. Children tend to remember the concepts in a more meaningful way rather than just memorizing facts. For example, my daughter was studying California History as is mandated for the 4th grade. We enjoyed the California History series from Beautiful Feet Books. She devoured Island of the Blue Dolphins and Zia and is really enjoying learning history through reading.
3. Art Appreciation is fun for the whole family Each Monday we study a work of art and would generally stay on the same artist for 6 weeks. We would all gather around to study it and take time on each painting. This was a wonderful part of our week (everyone can do this... not just homeschooling families!) My (at the time) three-year-old son has been able to recognize paintings from both Monet and Mary Cassatt. How cool is that?
4. Short, impactful lessons are more effective for us This might not hold true for every child and learning style, but we found that short, impactful lessons were more effective than long, drawn-out lessons.
5. A adherence to routine is necessary This might not be true for all families, but for us, an adherence to routine is important. The children build good habits by waking up and going through their morning routine before school begins.
6. The morning hours are precious Sometimes through various scheduling conflicts, our homeschool day gets pushed back and we will start in the afternoon. This is never as successful for us. There is something about those morning hours that creates an atmosphere ripe for learning. I try to avoid distractions between the hours of 9am and noon for this very reason.
7. Involve the little ones first The number one question I get from other homeschoolers is, "What do you do with your toddler and baby during school time?!" The baby's nap occurs largely during school hours so that is taken care of. As for our preschooler... he wakes up earlier than the other children and so we start school together first with uninterrupted learning time. He loves this! Then he will join us for certain morning time subjects like art study, etc. While we do the main subjects, he will play independently, work on an art project, or watch one show.
8. Certain children need time constraints One child had a hard time coming back to work from a break so we decided she needed a timer. Depending on how long the break was, she then knew that she had to get a snack and relax during the time frame, just like with a normal recess. I benefit from a 15-minute timer in my adult life and our children are no exception.
9. Lots of outdoor time Outdoor time is very important. Just spending time in nature and allowing the children to observe and relax helps to calm them down. If anyone has a bad attitude (especially the little ones!) going out into the garden tends to reset things.
10. Focus on the love of learning One of the major reasons why we homeschool is because we feel it is very important to foster a love of learning. Learning should be fun and interesting and we want out kids to be life-long learners. When homeschool gets hard or you have burn-out, focus on the love of learning. Don't be afraid to take a break from a tricky subject and get into the kitchen to bake or go to a fun science experiment, or read a living book instead. You can get back to the tricky subject later when frustrations have been reset.
I hope you enjoyed this end-of-year recap. I would love to know how your family's educational year went.
Please note: if you are new to homeschooling, you'll want to listen to the beginning chat about socialization and academics. If you are not new, and want to skip to the ten observations discussed in the video, please see these time stamps below. YouTube also has a new feature called, "library cards", where if you hover over the video, you will see the different discussion topics and time stamps:
0:00 Start
2:23 crisis schooling
4:00 socialization
5:21 academics
7:15 dictation
9:55 living books
11:14 art study
12:09 short lessons
12:59 routine is necessary
13:49 morning hours
14:22 homeschooling with babies & toddlers
15:46 use of a timer
16:35 outdoor time
17:03 foster a love of learning
What I'm wearing: Très Chic Sweatshirt
News
For more help with raising well-rounded children, check out my book, Connoisseur Kids: Etiquette, Manners, and Living Well for Parents and Their Little Ones from Chronicle Books.
Let's get into the ten observations from this year... in no particular order.
1. The power of dictation Dictation works wonders for children (adults too!) You don't need a curriculum to practice dictation. Simply read an age-appropriate passage from a living book and have your child write down what they hear, paying close attention to spelling, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation. This reveals what language arts concepts they are struggling with. The correction process should be gentle and positive.
2. The lasting power of living books Learning through living books (as opposed to a stale text book) has more lasting power. Children tend to remember the concepts in a more meaningful way rather than just memorizing facts. For example, my daughter was studying California History as is mandated for the 4th grade. We enjoyed the California History series from Beautiful Feet Books. She devoured Island of the Blue Dolphins and Zia and is really enjoying learning history through reading.
3. Art Appreciation is fun for the whole family Each Monday we study a work of art and would generally stay on the same artist for 6 weeks. We would all gather around to study it and take time on each painting. This was a wonderful part of our week (everyone can do this... not just homeschooling families!) My (at the time) three-year-old son has been able to recognize paintings from both Monet and Mary Cassatt. How cool is that?
4. Short, impactful lessons are more effective for us This might not hold true for every child and learning style, but we found that short, impactful lessons were more effective than long, drawn-out lessons.
5. A adherence to routine is necessary This might not be true for all families, but for us, an adherence to routine is important. The children build good habits by waking up and going through their morning routine before school begins.
6. The morning hours are precious Sometimes through various scheduling conflicts, our homeschool day gets pushed back and we will start in the afternoon. This is never as successful for us. There is something about those morning hours that creates an atmosphere ripe for learning. I try to avoid distractions between the hours of 9am and noon for this very reason.
7. Involve the little ones first The number one question I get from other homeschoolers is, "What do you do with your toddler and baby during school time?!" The baby's nap occurs largely during school hours so that is taken care of. As for our preschooler... he wakes up earlier than the other children and so we start school together first with uninterrupted learning time. He loves this! Then he will join us for certain morning time subjects like art study, etc. While we do the main subjects, he will play independently, work on an art project, or watch one show.
8. Certain children need time constraints One child had a hard time coming back to work from a break so we decided she needed a timer. Depending on how long the break was, she then knew that she had to get a snack and relax during the time frame, just like with a normal recess. I benefit from a 15-minute timer in my adult life and our children are no exception.
9. Lots of outdoor time Outdoor time is very important. Just spending time in nature and allowing the children to observe and relax helps to calm them down. If anyone has a bad attitude (especially the little ones!) going out into the garden tends to reset things.
10. Focus on the love of learning One of the major reasons why we homeschool is because we feel it is very important to foster a love of learning. Learning should be fun and interesting and we want out kids to be life-long learners. When homeschool gets hard or you have burn-out, focus on the love of learning. Don't be afraid to take a break from a tricky subject and get into the kitchen to bake or go to a fun science experiment, or read a living book instead. You can get back to the tricky subject later when frustrations have been reset.
I hope you enjoyed this end-of-year recap. I would love to know how your family's educational year went.
Please note: if you are new to homeschooling, you'll want to listen to the beginning chat about socialization and academics. If you are not new, and want to skip to the ten observations discussed in the video, please see these time stamps below. YouTube also has a new feature called, "library cards", where if you hover over the video, you will see the different discussion topics and time stamps:
0:00 Start
2:23 crisis schooling
4:00 socialization
5:21 academics
7:15 dictation
9:55 living books
11:14 art study
12:09 short lessons
12:59 routine is necessary
13:49 morning hours
14:22 homeschooling with babies & toddlers
15:46 use of a timer
16:35 outdoor time
17:03 foster a love of learning
What I'm wearing: Très Chic Sweatshirt
News
June 8, 2020
Homemaking Week in the Life | Redecorating the Master Bedroom
Welcome to a new episode of Homemaking Week in the Life. This week we are decorating the master bedroom and bathroom. We are making some small, but impactful changes to our decor with wallpaper and paint, but in the process a lot of dust is kicked up.
In today's video I'm cooking, cleaning, gardening, and decorating. We also celebrate our son's 4th birthday. Homemaking can be repetitive, but special celebration days make for beautiful moments.
Vegetarian Black Bean Soup When I make my soups, I don't tend to follow a recipe, but I will attempt to write down the correct amounts here. I cooked a large batch of black beans and froze them previously. To do this, I soak the beans overnight and the next day, after rinsing the beans, I place them in a large pot, fill with water (a few inches over the beans) and cook for one hour. Once cooled, I freeze the beans for later use. You can use herbs and spices if you like. I like to use bay leaves from our bay tree. To make the soup in the slow cooker, I add 3 to 5 cups of black beans along with various herbs and vegetables from the garden (bay leaf, parsley, chives, green onion), a whole chopped onion, chopped sweet potato, and several handfuls of spinach. I cover with water and add bouillon to taste. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Homemade Ice Cream I have done a lot of experimenting with ice cream and these are the right portions for us: 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 Tbs vanilla extract. I refrigerate this mixture for at least an hour, then pour into the Cuisinart ice cream maker and let stir for 20 minutes. When finished, I store in quart containers. This tastes like Italian Sweet Cream ice cream and it's so good.
Here are many of the items featured in today's video:
⚜️ Style
Mott & Bow Jeans JLS10 for 10% off
Lulu's black floral jumpsuit
SKYE blue Risette dress code Jennifer20 for 20% off
Leopard headband
chambray half-apron
French apron
Isotoner satin slippers
Nail polish (shades Full Monty and Cheerio) LONDONTOWN JenniferS for 25% off
black crop tee
⚜️ Home & Garden
American Blossom Linens Jennifer20 for 20% off
e-cloth microfiber cloths
Grove Collaborative natural cleaning products
Cellar Door Candles
⚜️ Kitchen
Blue & white plates
ice cream machine
slow cooker
cake stands
French napkins
Plastic cutting boards
Boos block
News
June 4, 2020
Ten Elegant Things You Own But Probably Never Use PART 2
In part 2 of Elegant Things You Own But Probably Never Use, we are exploring the elegant items we likely have at home that need more appreciation and use. My intention with this series is not to encourage you to buy these items, but rather to use them if you already have them.
I you haven't seen part one yet, you can check it out here. Now, let's take a look at the ten more elegant things we own, but hardly ever use.
Here's a picture of me as a child enjoying my Grandfather's favorite chair :)
⚜️ Furniture Do you remember how people used to cover their nice furniture with plastic in the old days? This was to either discourage people from using it, or to protect it from spills and stains. This is much less common now as we see the folly behind saving our best furniture for later, but we could all use the reminder to use our best furniture and rooms on a regular basis.
My grapefruit cake turned out beautifully.
⚜️ Special cookware and bakeware Many of us have received novelty gifts involving special cookware and bakeware. I have a beautiful lemon loaf pan, for example, that I hardly ever use. I'm not sure why I favor the plain loaf pans, but recently I decided to make a cake in it and it was a complete joy to behold (and to eat!). If you have special cookware or bakeware, I encourage you to use it. Don't let these items sit unused on the back of your kitchen shelf.
⚜️ Special serveware Cake stands, cheese boards, silver platters, crystal bowls... you might have inherited these items or found them at a garage sale. But do you ever use them? I need prompting in this area as well, as I tend to only use these on birthdays and special holidays. Let's break them out on a regular basis. Beautiful serveware is a joy to use.
Woman with a handkerchief, 1887 by Mary Cassatt
⚜️ Handkerchiefs Before disposable tissues came on the market, ladies and gentlemen used a good old-fashioned hankie for everything from blowing their nose, to wiping their tears, to signaling in distress (how romantic!). Considering all that is going on with the shortages in the world right now, it's a good idea to put hankies into use again.
Opale 18K gold freshwater pearl earrings from SKYE Jennifer20 for 20% off
⚜️ Jewelry Many women can get in the rut of wearing the same jewelry every day. If you have a jewelry piece you hardly ever use, cheer up your outfit by wearing it this month.
⚜️ Candlesticks Dining by candlelight always reminds me of Hyacinth Bucket and her "candlelight suppers". While most of Hyacinth's friends and family tried to escape her candlelight suppers, I would have loved to attend one :) Candlestick holders and candlesticks provide such a beautiful ambiance.
⚜️ Candle snuffer If you're going to blow out your candles, you might as well use your candle snuffer... if you have one.
⚜️ Sleepwear Elegant sleepwear can be enjoyed on a regular basis. We we become accustomed to wearing our presentable sleepwear each night, we help ourselves become more and more comfortable with looking presentable always. Check out my past sleepwear posts for inspiration.
⚜️ Perfume and cologne Perfume bottles seem to last forever... but they can also go off after a year or two. If yo love to wear perfume, wear your favorite on a regular basis and allow it to become your signature scent. I will be exploring perfume in a future post and I am excited to discuss it again with you. By the way, I have been exploring the scents from Pinrose (video to follow in the future), and I have never been more impressed with a perfume collection. Code JSCOTT gives free shipping.
⚜️ Your good crystal We don't own any fine crystal, but many of you in the comments mentioned that you do own crystal... and never use it! Madame Chic would use her crystal on a regular basis and it was so special to drink from.
I hope you enjoy today's video.
Thank you to The Chic Connoisseurs for bringing us today's video. The Chic Connoisseurs are one of the upper tiers in the memberships portion of my YouTube Channel.
A Better Life with KAT (Flylady Cleaning System)
A Sparkling Vintage Life
Andrena Patellis
Audrey Coyne
Bewitched Crafts
Bliss Peterson
Brenda Ramsey
Candace V
Catherine Huang
Chelsea Kochevar
Clare's Classroom
Denise Nuehring
DianaLC
Healthy with Luba
Helena O
Jane Goff
Jane Lynch
Janet Williams
Jennifer McDowell
Jessica Ortega-Mabry
Judy Moore
JulieMarieVh
Kathleen T. Ruddy, MD
Leslie Ring
Loraine Tadman
Lori Skees
Mary Defee
Maria Gerlicz-Pogorzelska
Space.For.Home
Melinda Loustalot
Michele Kieffer
Michelle Henderer
Michelle the Italiagal
Monique Egelhoff
Natalie Schultz
Paula Ellis
Paula Johnson
Samantha Daniels
Sarah Vitsas
Scott Rea
Shannon Biddy
Shannon Kim
Sheila Hopfensperger
ShushLorraine
Stacy Fournier
Stacy Smith
This and That with Denise Jordan
Tiki Pié
Tracy Lopez
Wendy Cassara
Wendy Somerville
Yen Lee
News
June 1, 2020
The Chic Assignment, June 2020
Welcome to The Chic Assignment for June, 2020. Before we begin, I would like to thank you as our channel has reached over 80,000 subscribers! This is a big milestone for my small channel and I appreciate each and every one of you who has subscribed. Thank you very much for your support of The Daily Connoisseur.
There are so many horrible things going on in the world right now... I hope The Chic Assignment provides a respite for you. Let's take a look at this month's assignments:
⚜️ Chic Assignment No. 1 W.A.Mozart Horn Concerto Nr.3 KV.447 in E flat major I.Allegro
Can you believe we haven't studied Mozart yet? Well, there's no time like the present. This month we are going to enjoy one of Mozart's famous horn concertos.
Here is a performance by by Radek Baborák
We will study Mozart's biography in the mid-month check-in.
⚜️ Chic Assignment no. 2 Enjoy the art of Mary Cassatt
Young Mother Sewing, 1900 by Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt is the American impressionist painter who loved to portray women in both social and intimate settings. Enjoy her artwork this month and observe her beautiful paintings.
Here is a great article on how Mary Cassatt painted domestic life in a way that Impressionist males couldn't.
We will go more in-depth into her paintings in the mid-month check-in.
⚜️ Chic Assignment no. 3 Begin to use one elegant thing you own, but hardly ever use. For examples, please see my video here and look forward to a new video this month with part 2.
⚜️ Chic Assignment no. 4 Spend meaningful time outdoors When we do go outside we can be preoccupied with our thoughts or our smartphones. Let's try to spend some meaningful time outdoors this month, if you are able to go outside.
As for books, I am still reading (but almost done with) Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow.
Thank you for joining me for The Chic Assignment this month. I hope you will invite a friend who would love to add culture and beauty to their life.
News
May 28, 2020
Chic House Slippers, Top Knot Headbands, Victoria Mag Tea Set, Engagement Rings | CONNOISSEUR REVIEWS
In today's episode of Connoisseur Reviews, I'm sharing the chicest house slippers, the amazing tea set collaboration between Victoria Magazine and April Cornell, as well as an Engagement ring special, plus much more.
⚜️ April Cornell/ Victoria Magazine Blue Roses tea set This limited edition porcelain tea set is so charming and delightful. Here is the description from Victoria Magazine:
This exquisite porcelain tea set, featuring romantic floral designs painted by acclaimed artist April Cornell, delights in both form and function. Available as a complete collection and also sold separately, pieces include a 32-ounce teapot, a sugar and creamer set, a pair of teacups, and a serving tray sized to hold the other accoutrements. For this elegant line of wares, gently scalloped surfaces mesh seamlessly with berry-shaped finials and elegant handles—styling that brings the classic beauty of Limoges heirlooms to today’s table. Whether displayed in the home or used in entertaining, this limited-edition assortment of treasures in the Blue Roses pattern offers a lovely ode to timeless pleasures associated with gracious living.
⚜️ Chic House slippers Women are always asking me about comfortable house slippers that are also pleasing to look at. Here are three of my finds from Amazon... all under $25.
Red velvet bow slippers These beautiful slippers come in a variety of colors and add a feminine and elegant touch to our outfits at home. I am wearing these with Hipstik leg wear JEN15 for 15% off
Isotoner satin ballet slippers for women are comfortable and machine washable. These are the slippers I can move around in most easily without worrying about them falling off my feet. Chic Society member, April, recommended them to me. Thank you, April!
Pom pom slipper (similar) These slippers remind me of Old Hollywood glamour and add a fun touch to every outfit.
⚜️ Top knot headbands (for big heads
May 25, 2020
Homemaking Week in the Life | Delighting in the Mundane
Welcome to another Homemaking Week in the Life video. This week we are delighting in the mundane. Baking banana bread, pressing flowers, gardening, and cleaning. Oh, and writing again :)
True joy can be found in homemaking if we delight in the mundane details of everyday life.
“You may think that being chic has nothing to do with the most insignificant and mundane moments of the day. Moments like preparing your meals, emptying the dishwasher, and paying bills. But the secret is: those moments aren’t insignificant. Au contraire. They are very significant. That’s right—if you can change your attitude about making the pasta sauce, choosing your clothes for the day, folding the laundry, setting the table, or dealing with the incoming mail, you can completely change your life.”
- At Home with Madame Chic
I hope you enjoy today's video.
Featured in the video:
⚜️Kitchen & Garden
strawberry cradles
potato growing bags
toy room cube shelf storage
canvas storage bins
microwave flower press
Nature notebook
Apron
Darjeeling tea
Kitchen-aide
Victoria Magazine limited edition tea set
⚜️Home:
e-cloth microfiber cloths
Grove Collaborative for natural cleaning supplies
Cellar Door Candle Company
⚜️Style:
Ny nail polish "vendetta" by Londontown JenniferS for 25% off
Isotoner slippers for women
top knot headbands
my favorite jeans Mott & Bow JLS10 10% off
You can find the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread recipe here.
News
May 21, 2020
Fifteen Inspirational Quotes to Live By
I'm sharing 15 inspirational quotes to live by in today's video.
Who doesn't love an inspirational quote? I'm going over several quotes that will make you think in today's video. Here they are in no particular odor. I would love to hear your thoughts on these quotes. Which ones resonate with you?
Thank you to the Elegant Connoisseurs for bringing us today's video:
All the King’s Morsels by Kristen King
Janet Wischnia of American Blossom Linens
Awesome Possum Powers by Shannon Beers
Aimee Flor of Azalia Spa Goods
Cynthia Rehbein Create Your Own Lookbook
Inspired by Nikki stationery
Julie Kolman, My Confident Closet
Katy Rose, Artist
How to Love with a Healing Heart by Melanie Tito
Little Pink Casa
Not-So Desperate Housewives
Claire Kerrigan, founder of Oh Wondrous Grace Magazine
Michelle Rohr of The Secret OWL Society digital planners https://www.secretowlsociety.org
Mrs. TJ Sturm of Sturm Brothers Jewelry
Cherish Flieder of Something to Cherish
Katherine Rae
Mercedes Gilligan
Christine Bolla
Caroline Haydu
Denise Gende
Jet Rowley-Herron
Heather Barrera
The Heern Family
Jenny Candelaria
Joanna Sitarz
Linda Eklof
Marie Caudill
Maria Conder
Melissa Ricci
News
May 18, 2020
Handwashing Delicates | Silk Nightgown and Sheer Tights
Today on the blog, I'm sharing how I like to take care of my delicate laundry. I'm washing my silk nightgown and sheer tights by hand.
I place lukewarm water in a white tub with just a few drops of laundry detergent. I like to use delicate wash. My favorites are The Laundress Delicate Wash, Grove Collaborative, Mrs. Meyer's, Method, Hiketron, or any silk wash. I place the garment in the tub and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I gently wash the garment and run under cold water (without wringing it out).
To extract the extra water, I roll it up in a towel and squeeze out the extra moisture. I hang the nightgown to dry and steam it the next day. You cold also iron it on the inside to get out the wrinkles.
This process really doesn't take long and is worth doing to prolong the life of the garment.
Featured in today's video:
⚜️ Hipstik sheer tights JEN15 for 15% off
⚜️ LILYSILK nightgown Daily12 for 12% off
⚜️ Ettitude Sleepwear DAILY10 for 10% off expires 5/31/20
⚜️ My favorite clothing steamer
⚜️ Satin hangers (set of 12)
⚜️ Pom pom slipper (similar)
⚜️ Velvet scrunchies
⚜️ Draper James chambray dress
⚜️ Earrings by SKYE Jennifer20 for 20% off
⚜️ Nail polish LONDONTOWN vendetta JenniferS for 25% off
⚜️ candle is by Cellar Door Candle Co.
⚜️ Bend Soap Co. Use code DC10 for 10% off
Laundry Detergent Recommendations:
⚜️Grove Collaborative (They have Mrs. Meyer's, Method & their own private label)
⚜️Hiketron
⚜️The Laundress Delicate Wash
⚜️Silk laundry detergent
I hope you enjoy today's video.
News
May 14, 2020
Afternoon Tea Vlog | Spring | Daily Connoisseur
In today's afternoon tea vlog, we are making scones, jam tarts, sausage rolls, and savory tea sandwiches, all served with steaming cups of Earl Grey tea. I'm debuting my new Blue & White Roses Tea Set from Victoria Magazine, which is a collaboration tea set with April Cornell. This is the most beautiful and unique tea set I have seen in quite some time. Let's delight in afternoon tea together.
The scones and jam tarts are adapted from this cookbook.
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Jam Tarts
This recipe is adapted from The Perfect Afternoon Tea Book. I use more butter than that recipe (of course!)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp sugar
8 Tbsp butter, diced
1 egg, beaten
jam or lemon curd for filling
Sift the flour, salt, and sugar into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and knead it into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a muffin tin. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. Cut out 3 inch rounds. Place the dough into each muffin cup and fill with a heaping teaspoonful of jam or curd. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Scones
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
(You can use 4 cups self-rising flour, if you have it, and omit the baking powder)
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled and chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 2/3 cup milk
fruit jam and clotted cream
Preheat the oven to 450F. Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. In a separate container, mix the lemon juice into the milk and let sit for one minute. Pour into the flour mixture and mix to form a soft dough. Knead until a ball is formed. Place on a floured cutting board and roll out to 1 inch thick (I made mine thinner in the video as an experiment... they were crunchier that way and a smaller portion size). Stamp out 12 scones with a 2 inch cutter. Dip the cutter in flour each time so it does not stick to the mixture. Brush the scones with extra milk and bake for 20 minutes. Serve with jam (I'm using Bonne Maman cherry jam here) and clotted cream. Lemon curd is also delicious with scones.
Sausage Rolls
I pre-cooked the sausage the evening before. You can use any kind you like. I'm using mild Italian sausage here. Wrap the sausage in puff pastry, brush with egg wash, and create a small slit in the top after cutting the sausage into thirds. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes.
Tea sandwiches
You can find some great tea recipes in both At Home with Madame Chic and Connoisseur Kids. Today, we are making cucumber and salmon tea sandwiches. The cream cheese base for both sandwiches is whipped cream cheese mixed with chopped chives and green onions from our garden. The cucumber sandwiches this cream cheese spread with a thin layer of cut cucumber. The smoked salmon sandwiches (my favorite!) are layered with smoked salmon. Crusts always cut. You can use any bread you like. So good.
I will do a separate review of the Blue & White Roses tea set from Victoria that was my Mother's Day present. This delicate and vintage-inspired tea set is designed by April Cornell for Victoria Magazine and is so beautiful and unique.
Also featured in today's video:
Blue & White Roses tea set from Victoria Magazine
Vahdam Teas
Earl Grey Citrus on Amazon
English tea strainer
Blue willow pattern plates
Tea set is by April Cornell for Victoria
copper measuring cups
My French Apron
Here are some beautiful cake stands from Riverbend
Cake stand with dome (Amazon)
Antique style cake stand (Amazon)
Tea towels from Riverbend Home
scone cutter (various sizes)
clotted cream 4-pack
Lemon curd
Bonne maman cherry jam 4-pack
⚜️ Style
Red velvet house slippers
SKYE Risette Dress code Jennifer20 for 20% off
SKYE Opale 18K gold freshwater pearl earrings Jennifer20 for 20% off
My legwear is Hipstik sheers JEN15 for 15% off
My nail polish is Londontown JenniferS for 25% off
I hope you enjoy today's video.
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