Tea on Tuesday

                    'Tis the season to be jolly..............

                                                                      or

                                                          stressed

                      by all the last minute things you feel you must do for the holiday!!!!!

So, it is always a good time to have a nice cup of tea, sit back, take a deep breath, and think about the real reason for the season..............

This morning's tea is a mug of chamomile- because I am hoping to go back to  bed after writing this post - it is wa-a-a-ay too early!!!!!! Words were struggling to get out of my head, so.......

My favorite tea of late has been loose leaf Provence Rooisbos- I just love the scent and the flavor- and it is caffeine free! From South Africa, it contains rooisbos, rosehip, lavender, raisins, black currants, blueberries, and rose petals. 

Yesterday, a friend gave me some Twinings Winter Spice to taste test. It passed the test!! It is a "camomile tea flavoured with cinnamon, cardomom and cloves".

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This past Friday was Julieanna's 2nd Annual Holiday Dessert Tea and Teacup Exchange.

I designed and made the 43 ornaments, with some additional embellishment by Julie.

 

One of the teacup exchange attendees made a gorgeous pineapple centerpiece

 

The dessert included chai mousse, a peppermint scone, and another tasty treat with pecans-pecan puff, maybe?

 

The mystery teacups lined up for the exchange

Tea mistress Susan getting ready to read her traditional tea story

Some of the lovely tea cups that were exchanged

I LOVE this blue one, received by my friend, Judy. It is a pottery mug/teacup, created by one of the guest's mom. The potter goes by the name Hot Flash Pottery!!!! Gotta love it!!!

I received a lovely, delicate, vintage Noritake demitasse set- coincidentally, from the same lady who gave me a wonderful Shelley set last year!

The rest......

A lovely time was had by all - Susan and Julie outdid themselves, as usual!!

Today, after I get more sleep - I will be off to a cookie exchange. D/H and I spent several hours night before last, making 9 dozen pizzelles. Next week, we should be making another 9 or 10 dozen. The holiday is not complete without pizzelles- we have been making them together, for over 20 years....

One of my daughter's fondest memories, is pulling a chair up to get at the container of pizzelle "trimmings", that I would "hide" on top of the refrigerator.

Trimmings are just as delicious as the cookie, by the handful or, as she would do - in a bowl of milk!!

Please be sure to drop by Kim and Patty, for links to other tea fanciers.

Tea on a Rainy Tuesday

Torrential downpours from down south have made their way here. We have had unseasonably nice weather, and it is still in the 60's, but POURING!!!!!

So, that will keep me inside today, scrambling to finish the ornaments for the upcoming Julieanna Holiday Teacup Exchange and Dessert Tea.

Am starting the morning with some loose leaf mint tea from Frontier, mixed with assorted dried mint from my gardens.

 

I chose a vintage mismatched teacup and saucer, that rarely leave the cabinet. I don't remember if they are thrift store finds, but this marriage seems to work- since they are both of vintage blue design.

 

I love the scalloped rim of the cup. The maker's mark on the underside is barely distinguishable -from Japan, most likely. 

Here are the stacked pieces of the Julieanna ornaments that I am working on:

 

They WILL be done and delivered on Thursday!!!!

While waiting for paint to dry on the ornaments, I threw together these two little Christmas goodies:

 

Above is a canning jar "snow globe"

Two tiny trees, some batting, and a tiny Red Rose Tea English Wade snowman, with silver glitter for snow.

Below is a tiny Xmas mouse peeking out from under a tree- set in a vintage zinc canning jar lid.

                                               She is really cute- and needed a new home...

.

Please drop by every Tuesday, rainy or not, for tea. Visit Patty and Kim for a list of other tea fanciers..

Tea on Tuesday

As I sit here drinking a Twinings Pure Rooisbos from Finland (!), I am sorting thru' some photos taken at a tea class at Julianna's the beginning of October.

The class was about the different material types used in creating teacups - porcelain, redware, ironstone, etc.

 There is another class on Thursday evening- What's in Your China Hutch - Part 2. Can't wait!!!

               I figured it was about time I post the pics from Part 1 !

                                                 My friend Judy, waiting for class to start

 

We all brought our own teacups - Judy brought a lovely one from her friend, Lennie. This was Lennie's mother's teacup- unusual "flocking"  on the pedestal teacup and saucer.

A crazed ironstone pitcher below

                                                Some beautiful cream Wedgwood Queens Ware

                                                    Vintage traditional blue Wedgwood

       My beautiful teacup above - looks like Shelley - but it's English Staffordshire-thrift store treasure!

Please visit Kim and Patty for a list of other tea lovers- drop by any Tuesday for a visit,  to comment, or to share your tea on Tuesday!!

Tea on Tuesday- Tea Tasting at Julieanna's

This post will be mostly a pictorial........attended a wonderful tea tasting on Saturday, at Julieanna's shop in Broadway, Va. A peachy ice tea, and little peach scones, with a free neck massage , and the opportunity to make a necklace. An order of some hand dyed scarves came in, and they were being tried on and purchased as fast as they came out of the box!!

So, as I sip my hot mug of yerba mate, on this beautiful, brisk August morn, enjoy your own cuppa and the tour.................( click on pics for a closer look)

                                                                    A peachy iced tea

                                              Peachy mini scones and traditional mini scones

         Color coordinated displays of mouth watering, gotta have 'em teapots, teacups, and jewelry

                           Above is a glimpse of my D/H awaiting his complimentary neck massage (I had one too)

                                  Need a vintage chapeau to wear to tea? - Julieanna's has them!!!

                                                      Sea glass beads and colors

                                                     The glorious scarves................

                                                           The models and buyers!!

                                               One of the necklace samples above and below

                                        Colorful array of supplies to make your own creation

My favorites - the birds - a wool bird perched in a tree branch with paper flowers crafted by Julie's daughter

 

                                                              Tea, tea, and more tea.......................







                                   Some vintage Godey's fashion prints, vintage and new teacups

 

 

My personal favorite and on my wish list - Lily of the Valley!And, oh, I just realized, the teapot is perched on one of my own hand crafted upcycled vintage Wedgwood pedestals

Julie and Susan know how to throw a party!! We can't wait for the tea room to be finished and open! In the meantime, shopping at Julieanna's and going to the monthly tea tastings and fall tea classes are not to be missed!
Also not to be missed - Kimmie's and Patty's blogs- to see what they are having for tea today - and to find a list of other tea fanciers!
Please feel free to join us for tea every Tuesday!!