Tea on Tuesday



In my former life as a Yankee, iced tea was always Lipton, or something similar. Always kind of bland, but good, nonetheless.All you had to do was add water and ice, and you were good to go!

After crossing the Mason Dixon line for the last time 25 years ago, I became a full fledged southerner, and "sweet tea" became a passion!!

I had always heard of sweet tea, but had never really had any, other than Lipton with way too much sugar poured in it!! While living on the west coast, I discovered "sun tea", but that, too, was a derivative of Lipton, just made outside in a big jar!!!!

The husband and I ate lunch at the local diner today, and "sweetea" it was! It is even pronounced like a single word!

"Sweet tea" is a tea unto itself. It welcomes you home, soothes the soul, and it oozes southern hospitality with each sip...........

Please join us for Tea on Tuesdays, and see Patty and Kimmie's blog for links to other teas!!

Must be the Season........

.....for blog contests and giveaways!! Here's a goodie- but one of the requirements is you must have a blog to enter. So, drop by Gene's blog and see his new baby while you're there!!!

Art Through Other Eyes.............................

If you have not been - you MUST go to Art Propelled

Several of her recent posts feature other artists' works from all over the world - as if hers were not phenomenal enough!!!:>)

The painted stones, boxed assemblages, the elephants ( I LOVE the elephants!!!) created from wood and woven recycled tires, and the Australian garden elfish gnomes- all utterly amazing!!! She has posted links to all the artists. Art Propelled's own wood carvings and totems are always very intriguing!

If you are finding your personal muse has taken a leave of absence, drop by this blog, for a pick-me-up!! A visit here will definitely give your stalled creativity a jump start!!!!

More Tea for Tuesday


I just got a little goodie in the mail today -from a new little tea business in New Market, Va.

I met the owner at the Broadway Autumn Festival last weekend-she was having a tea tasting in a quaint old building near my booth. Right now tea parties and selling teas are her business, but hopefully she will be able to open a tea room in Broadway.

I visited Susan Teter's website after meeting her that day - and filled out a little survey. Voila - a lovely free, decaf tea in the mail!!! She even took the time to visit my blog, finding out that I only drink decaf!!!!

This tea is very aromatic and tastes great-Bora Bora Mango Rooibos. I brewed up a pot earlier, and it is delicious! I will have a cup of it cold tonite, and add some of my lavender syrup to it.

I do make my own tea blends, but I am looking forward to the monthly tea tastings in that little brick building, which now houses Julieanna's, a neat little antiques/gift shop.

Be sure to visit her website, Over A Teacup and tell her I said hi!!!

Tea on Tuesday






My tea today is courtesy of Linda from Fiber Fabrications

A while back she wrote a post on harvesting hops - and I thought that was really cool! I asked if I could have a Hop(!), and she sent me a lovely bag of them!!!!
Hops are used in making beer, but are also helpful in inducing sleep. They are used in sleep masks, and I guess for tea also.
So, I took several of the dried blossoms and put them in some tea bags. These tea bags take a bit of work to open, and then (if I had read the directions before purchasing the, I wold have known!) you have to seal them closed with the heat of an iron or curling iron!!! So, curling iron it was - since that was handier!!! LOL

The daughter and I each had a cup- she thought it needed more additives, honey, etc- I thought it was just fine!! It probably could have used more blossoms in each tea bag, but I didn't want to waste my precious sleep inducers in tea!!! :>)

Well, the tea made us a tad drowsy, but it was good. I would prefer my hops this way, since I don't drink beer!

I have the lovely bag of hops hanging on my bedpost, and put it next to my pillow last night. I guess it worked - every time I woke up during the night, I took a whiff, and I went back to sleep! So, I would prefer to think it works, and is not all in my head!! LOL

So, thank you Linda for my sample of hops - and I think I may have to grow these next year!!!!!!

Please visit Kimmie, Patty and Nancy and feel free to drop in for tea any Tuesday!!!

Bird Watching

See what I see every day.............http://ooglebloops.wordpress.com/2009/09/20/bird-watching/

Sew On, and So On...........

My friend Linda wrote a post on how she came to sew.

I figured I would do the same - it might be interesting to some, or maybe not!!! I wish I had pictures to go along with this tale, but I do not............

My Finnish grandmother was a seamstress, a corsettiere, for a time.I am not sure if that is a real word - she made corsets!!! Her father was a tailor, and I was always under the impression my grandfather's father was a tailor also.

My grandmother made my doll clothes, and she made me dresses when I was in elementary school. My favorite was a 2nd or 3rd grade grape colored print dress, with a full, full skirt that twirled beautifully when I spun around!!
I still have a small collection of some of grandma's ribbons from her corset making days that I treasure, and use from time to time in different projects.

My mother sewed, but not to any great extent.She is artistic in many other ways. She taught me to sew, and I made some clothes in jr. high and high school. Granny dresses were in then- remember them???

I took home economics- I still remember the teacher's name - Mrs. Biggs! We were always at odds - because when it came time to learn to sew in class- there were steps you were supposed to follow- making a muslin sample, basting, lots of things I don't remember now - because I never did them!! I had all the sewing shortcuts my grandmother taught me - and couldn't be bothered with all these "unnecessary", time consuming steps!!
My first class project was a rust brown wool A-line skirt with pockets! I wore that thing to death during the school year!! I think I got an "A" on it too!!!

I continued to make my clothes, and after high school, made hippie blouses out of cotton Indian bedspreads and sold them! I was always making something and trying to sell it - go figure...!!!! I worked in a bank for a while and made all my suits.

One of my first home based businesses was as a seamstress doing alterations, when my son was born,and we lived in California. I grew to hate doing that - but met alot of interesting people! There was the lovely little elderly man, who brought me a slew of his suits - many from the 'zoot suit' era - he needed them taken in and modernized a bit. One woman needed a full skirt and peasant blouse for her dance class- made out of some beautiful Guatemalan fabric- wish I had a picture of that! Another man, a spaced out Manson type, needed his drawstring pants altered - as it turned out, it was just an excuse to get me to keep measuring his inseam - YUCK!! Fortunately, my husband was home- and was a policeman, so we got him out of the house!! That kind of ended my alterations at home career.

I then took a class on quilting - made a pillow in the log cabin pattern. I still have that pillow in the closet somewhere. That class piqued my interest in quilting.
I did craft shows, also made dolls, stuffed animals, went thru the teddy bear making phase!

When we moved to Va, I joined a quilters guild and a doll making club.

I discovered I liked applique, but not piecing. I liked creating my own patterns,but following other people's - not so much! I like starting new things,but my mind is constantly discovering new things to do - thus - alot of UFO's over the years!!! Once I learn something how to do something- it's kind of like, been there, done that - on to something new!!!

I continued to sew,until the mid 1980's, under the name "The Fourth Generation", making custom draperies.My proudest moment was seeing some of my window treatments in a beautiful home that was open for an annual house tour.

After some long nights trying to meet deadlines and please customers- I came to realize, I don't like to sew for people!! I like to sew because I want to, not because I have to!

So, I still sew - love to make new things, sometimes sell them, sometimes give them away. It's all part of the creative process.

Well, there ya' have it - how Pat came to sew.......spellbinding, wasn't it??? LOL

I'd love to hear how you all came to sew!!!!

The Art of Words

You must check out this young poet-she has two of her works posted on her blog. You must watch the videos - her readings of her own works are stellar!!!! I think we will be hearing more from this girl...............

Tea on Tuesday


This is actually a picture I took last Tuesday- it was supposed to be T.o.T. Part 2, but never got posted!!!
While searching for cassava, I found, not cassava, but a mother load of tea, in an obscure little shop in town.
DH waited in the car - he knew this would take a while for me to make a decision!!!
Well, a week has passed - I have tried the Egyptian Chamomile - it's good - with a hint of anise or licorice- very aromatic. The Scandinavian crispbread was a disappointment, as was the dipping oil. The crispbread was on sale - from $1.49 to 49 cents!!! That should have been my first clue!! I couldn't find an expiration date, and the store employees/owners did not speak much English. I figured it was worth risking 49 cents!! It was not!!! LOL

The TNT, is on the taste testing list for today - but I am a tad bit scared!!! From the description on the label - it is very potent, cures all ills, and is probably highly caffeinated!!! It comes in a roll, and you break off a disk to brew. As strong as it seems to be, I may break off a teeny portion of a disk!!! I actually gave one to a friend last week - I haven't yet heard what she thought!!!

So, here's hoping I don't end up bouncing off the walls today, since I live a relatively caffeine free life, as a rule!!!

Please join us for a cup of your favorite on Tuesdays, and share...............
Kimmie, Patty, Nancy- there's always room for more!!!

Another Giveaway

There is an English photographer

who does wonderful b and W photos- he's having a monthly giveaway! It is worth a visit!!! His name is Highton Ridley, tell him I sent you!!!

Join Getting Arboreal





Julie has a wonderful blog called Land of Lost Luggage

She's got a cool collaboration going on - pick a tree - any tree- your favorite tree- or a tree you'd like to become acquainted with! In photographs, Julie wants us to follow the changes in that chosen tree, from summer to fall, and winter to spring.

Kinda neat, huh?
Got to her link above for the exact details, but get out there and take some pix, before the trees start to change - time is running out!!!


I chose the mighty oak (at least I'm pretty sure it's an oak - it's definitely mighty!!! I will have to look it up and be sure!!!)

A Forest Hymn
by Wm Cullen Bryant

..............Be it ours to meditate,
In these calm shades, thy milder majesty,
And to the beautiful order of the works
Learn to conform the order of our lives.

We Have a WINNER!!!!!

I thank everyone for following!!! I actually got 76 - woohoo!!!!!

After picking the old fashioned way, names on paper (I have alot of free time! Ha!)- the winner is....................................



SANDI!!!!!!!!!

She writes a blog called A Legacy of Stitches- be sure to visit her!!!

Follow the Giveaways

I have 74, 74, 74, 74!!!!! Do I hear 75????????

I only need ONE more follower to reach 75 and have the giveaway!!! Surely there is one more person who wants to follow this Pied Piper??????


Also, visit my friend Linda at Fiber Fabrications

She's having a great giveaway also - and is very talented, with a very interesting blog!!!!

More Dance Totes





Here are 2 more of the dance totes I have been making for a local studio. They seem to like them, several have sold already.
They are each one of a kind (OOAK)- all made from recycled items, tablerunners, placemats, curtain tiebacks- whatever strikes my fancy!

The smaller one is made from a left over piece of upholstery fabric with a curtain tieback strap. The strap is attached to a pair of vintage yarn spindles.
Each tote has two pockets- one for each of the dancer's shoes.

The other fringed beauty is made out of a unique table runner/scarf. I was not quite sure of it's original use, but it lent itself perfectly to this tote, which I think has already sold!

Only 2 more!!!

I am up to 73 followers!!Woohoo!!! Only need 2 more to have the drawing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go here, become a follower and leave a comment!!!