Teacup Carrier

I'm so excited to announce that Marmalady (Marilyn) will soon be releasing patterns for a teacup carrier! I was lucky to be a prototype tester (see below). Look for these to be available in May, and if you happen to be lucky enough to attend the World Tea Expo, look for them there! Marilyn is providing additional patterns, too. Congratulations, Marilyn! I look forward to the patterns!

Friendship Patchwork Tablecloth

I made this patchwork tablecloth over the weekend. It was a BIG project, but I'm so happy with the outcome! I call this my Friendship Patchwork Tablecloth because so many friends had a role to play (though they might not know it).

First, Sweetcakes made the fabulous, amazing, soulful orange patchwork tablecloth for me. It's been my favorite ever since, and I've longed to try it. I've never done patchwork before, so I was a bit anxious about giving it a try.

Well, then RoxyRed gave me this teacup fabric. I've been waiting for months, trying to determine the perfect project for it. (The fabric I'm referencing is the one with the yellow flowers on it. If you look closely, you'll see there are two teacup fabrics in the mix.)

In the background, AZ tea lover has been gently nudging me to take a closer look at quilting. Quilting really intimidates me, so I decided to start with a patchwork project.

The ingredients: I had a patchwork tablecloth that I loved, I had this gorgeous fabric that needed a project, and I had this desire to try patchwork. So I dove in.

The pattern is from the great book, Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson and photos by Anna Williams. Martha Stewart featured the book and you can find the pattern, for free, here.

I did a few things differently than the pattern.

• First, my table isn't that big, so I reduced the measurements. Thankfully, I could use the one Sweetcakes made as an example.
  
• Second, I skipped the rickrack. Don't misunderstand - I LOVE rickrack. It's just that after all the piecing and sewing, I was DONE. Makes me appreciate the orange one even more, if that's possible.
  
• Third, I didn't use a half and half pattern. The fabric I chose as my dominant one has a lot of white in the background. The DH came to look at my creation, before I sewed the pieced columns together, and said..."Hmmm, that's a lot of white!" He has a great eye and I agreed, so I cut that half in half...now I had four alternating columns, and I liked it better. The white blended.
  
• Fourth, I haven't made the napkins (yet). But I will!

I'm looking forward to showing off the tablecloth at my She's CrafTEA! event this coming Saturday. In fact, I've been inspired by the tablecloth to go with a blue-and-white china theme. Here, you can see me testing out a few pieces.

To lead up to the She's CrafTEA! party, I'll be featuring crafty things all week. Enjoy!

Flowers Make Me Happy!

Some photos from my yard and around the neighborhood...

Daffodils in the front yard
Anemone

A neighbor's daffodils, and I like them in contrast with the
limestone steps

Forsythia

Crocus

Don't know the name of this one (do you?). It's not hyacinth, but it sure is lovely!

The Bittersweet Poetry of Time

We have so much to learn from our elders, if we can just get past our egos (our fears of our own futures) and do nothing other than be present with them.

I visited some friends at a local nursing home recently. The wife is in the nursing facility, and the husband visits her every day at 4 pm, to have afternoon tea. They were proud to show me their newest tea passion - a black spice tea that was very good indeed! (They'd discovered "large leaf" tea sachets.) They keep a hot pot in the room to boil the water for tea. They enjoy a cookie with tea and talk about the day's visitors and events. It's a sweet, sweet, sweet story.

As I was preparing to leave, they asked if they could recite a few poems for me. I was honored to listen. This one captured my heart. Let me set the scene...they looked at each other, eyes misty, a loving energy surrounding them, and recited:

The soul's dark cottage, batter'd and decay'd,
Lets in new light through chinks that Time has made.
Stronger by weakness, wiser [we] become
As [we] draw near to the eternal home.

On the Diving Poems (1686), Edmund Waller (1605 - 1687)

To learn more about ourselves and how we relate to our elders, I recommend the book Another Country by one of my favorite authors, Mary Pipher. (She wrote Reviving Ophelia.)

I prepare to visit my grandparents this weekend, both in the nursing home. They are blessed to have lots of family nearby, and regular visitors. They share a room. There's a funny irony in their circumstances. My grandfather's body is in pretty good shape, but he'd rather sleep than do anything. My grandmother gets frustrated by what my grandfather could - but doesn't do. Her body has worn out...yet she'd love to be in my grandfather's position to go DO something. They suffer, and yet they laugh and tell jokes and enjoy a piece of chocolate.

While I visit my grandparents, I plan to share that Waller poem with them. I know that, as is natural and whole and holy, their bodies will soon let go completely. I also know that love never dies. My memories of them will remain, and I will carry their love in my heart.

I celebrate my 36th birthday this weekend; my grandfather celebrates his 91st. Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Laini's Ladies

I'm a big fan of Laini's Ladies. These gals remind me to find whimsy and joy in my everyday tasks. The beauty above was a gift (thank you!) and the one below (smaller version) is something I picked up for myself a couple of years ago. Artist Laini Taylor (see her blog) is pretty amazing, too!

I'm sharing these as inspiration for your own creative dreams! What might you do if you had wings?

Green!

Fresh green daffodils poking through the ground, green buds on the trees, St. Patrick's Day... GREEN is on my brain! I had a friend over for lunch recently and we had a loosely-themed St. Patrick's Day tea.

I used my Old Country Roses china because it has such gorgeous emerald green in the rose leaves and stems.

We started with edamame for its gorgeous green. It's one of my absolute favorite foods, and so healthy, too. If I had to choose between scones or edamame, it'd be a really hard choice. At that's sayin' a lot!

We also enjoyed a vegetarian version of Cock-a-Leekie soup, minus the cock, of course - so it was potato and leek soup.

For the scones course, we had Irish Soda Bread Scones. The recipe is in the recently-released book Celtic Tea with Friends, by Elizabeth Knight. (I adore this book, by the way.) I changed the recipe a wee bit to use whole wheat and honey, instead of white flour and sugar.

We had a very simple dessert, Dolfin chocolate with Konacha green tea. Wow - very good! I've had other Dolfin chocolates with tea, and this is my favorite so far.

Tea Quilt

This tea quilt is one of my favorite things!

The quilt was a gift from my dear friend, AZ Tea Lover, when I moved away from NM. It has kept me warm through several Midwestern winters! I bundle up with it in my "tea cozy corner" and enjoy a few moments to myself. And a Happy Birthday to AZ Tea Lover!

She's CrafTEA!

I'm excited to introduce a new concept today: She's CrafTEA!TM

The picture above is from an invitation I'm making for a birthday party/craft day at the end of the month. I'll be doing more with this concept (and making some artwork related to tea), but I've been in love with birds lately and wanted to include that in my theme.

My party will be like an open house. I'll be doing crafty stuff from 11 - 5 and have invited friends to join me whenever they can. I'll be serving afternoon tea, buffet style, at 3.

Won't you join me? If you're interested in holding your own She's CrafTEA!TM party in the future, I give you permission to use the name. In return, please write about it on your blog and link to mine. I'll provide a link in return. And your party doesn't have to be like mine - it can be whatever you envision. In addition, if you're working on crafty projects this month, I'd love to provide a link to them, as well.

Happy March!

Orange Skirt

March is National Craft Month in addition to Women's History Month. I'll be sharing some crafty things over the next few weeks. Here's one - another skirt! Same pattern as this one. The fabric is vintage (thanks, AZ Tea Lover!) I love this skirt!

The Teashop Girls and Whole Wheat Scones

Sometimes I find gems in surprising places! I'm always on the lookout for a good whole wheat scone recipe. These recipes aren't that easy to find. I recently found one that I love, in a novel for young adults! The novel is called The Teashop Girls and is written by Laura Schaefer. See the official website here.


The story is about Annie, an 8th-grader. Annie convinces her parents to allow her to work part time in the teashop that she adores, run by her grandmother. (Grandma Louisa is my favorite character - she's a hip gal!) Annie and her gal pals (the Teashop Girls) struggle through growing pains, crushes, and manage to rescue the teashop from demise. It's a sweet and touching story. Given my recent discussions about positive-message books for girls, I give this one a thumbs-up. It gives a fairly accurate depiction (as I remember it) of the struggles of middle-school, while allowing the girls to work things out and be the heroines.



Now back to those scones....

They are fabulous! One of the best whole wheat scone recipes I've found. And I love the name: Louisa's Very Best Spiced Blueberry Scones.

Since this is a relatively new book, I'm not going to post the recipe (staying true to my recipe attribution policy). However, you can find the recipe for yourself if you check this book out from the library or pick it up at your local bookstore. (It would make the perfect gift for a middle-schooler in your life.) I replaced the sugar with honey and used skim milk instead of half-and-half. And they were so yummy!

If you've read this book, please leave your thoughts on it here!

3/17 update - check out the Tea Pages' review with this author! Go here.

Quilts!

I had the opportunity to attend a fabulous quilt show in my hometown this weekend. And then, with a bit of serendipity, I found a showing of antique quilts in my community, too. Wow - both shows were awesome! The quilts below are from the quilt show. (Photos a little dark, sorry - it was the cell phone cam.) Unfortunately, I don't have photos of the antique quilts.

My favorite one (above)!

Twilight Review - Grab a BIG Mug of Tea!

OK, Twilight fans, this one's for you, and I want your opinion! Grab a BIG mug of tea and settle in for some deep contemplation, and leave me your thoughts!

I've finished books one and two of the Twilight saga. Book three should be here from the library any day now! I read them voraciously. I enjoyed them. I think author Stephenie Meyer and I must both have been in love with Johnny Depp, in Edward Scissorhands because when I picture the Twilight Edward, I see the Scissorhands Edward in my head!

The books have been a super-huge hit with the tween set (and their moms)! The books have also been subject to a lot of criticism, both from a literary perspective (holes in the plot) and from a feminist perspective. I clearly see the plot potholes, yet they don't impede my enjoyment. The feminist issue is of more concern to me. Over the weekend, I was talking about the books with a group of girlfriends, and one friend asked me about the feminist concerns. I've spent the last few days thinking about it, and here's my reflection.

• It's a paradox. I really like the books. Yet I do have concerns, too.
  
  
• Bella is far too wimpy for my preference. She's presented as clumsy and insecure. True, lots of girls her age identify with that. And yet, I would have liked to see her represented as a stronger lead. (BTW, I found the movie Bella to be more to my liking than the book Bella.)
  


• The love story transcends logic. That's part of what draws me to the book. I like fantasy, and tie that up with vampires, and I'm a gonner. I just love vampire books! So for me, this story caught and kept my attention. However, others have criticized the love story for being too out there. Obsession, not love. I don't have an issue with this part of it. It is, after all, a fantasy.
  


• Bella gets pushed around by the boys. This was distasteful to me, even while caught up in the reading frenzy. Edward can be very bossy, and so can Jacob. She immediately takes on the role of the house-daughter for her Dad. Here's a criticism from Sue Corbett, a children's author."Bella is constantly in need of getting rescued. She moves in with her father and immediately starts cooking for him and doing his laundry. She's on track to go to an Ivy League college, but doesn't because of Edward. It's the exact inverse of what I'm trying to teach my daughter." I wonder if that's why they have Bella and Dad eat out in the movie. Stephenie Meyer counters by encouraging readers to get through the whole series. "The thing about Bella is her story isn't finished yet."
  

I'm going to finish out the series, and I'm certain I'll enjoy the last 2 books. If I had a daughter, I don't think I'd keep her from reading the books. But I would have some girl-power conversations about Bella's choices. That's my 2-cents. Will you share yours?

Books with Positive Messages for Girls

I think these books would be a great start to giving positive messages to our young girls (and boys!). I'm showing the Amazon link (unless otherwise noted), but I bet many of these are at my local library, too. Note: I haven't read any of these - just the reviews. If YOU have recommendations for other books (etc.) with positive-girl messages, please leave the name in a comment!

Call Me Madame President - By Sue Pyatt. "This is the story of Amanda, a delightful, imaginative eight-year-old who hasn't any trouble envisioning herself as President of the United States and longs to show her older brother a thing or two. The story is told against the backdrop of Washington, D.C. with all the splendor and charm of the famous places. It is obviously a timely and uplifting book for girls from three to eight years and their families. Perhaps it is particularly uplifting to little girls with troublesome older brothers."

The Girls' Book Of... - (Link to author's site.) Series by Catherine Dee. Topics include Girls' Book of: Wisdom, Friends, Love, Success, Life.

100 Women Who Shaped History - By Gail Meyer Rolka "This selection of 100 profiles reveals how much women have done to shape history. Beginning with Queen Makare Hatshepsut (c. 1503-1468 B.C.) and concluding with Rigoberta Menchu, still actively involved in human rights issues, the concisely written profiles span history and place each woman's accomplishments within the context of the society in which she lived. As a bonus for readers who enjoy trivia and challenges, Rolka includes a trivia quiz and a list of related projects. A time line, locator maps, cross-references, and an index are planned. With those promised additions, the book, while not inclusive, will be a must for women's history collections." Patricia Braun, Booklist

33 Things Every Girl Should Know about Women's History: From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A - Edited by Tonya Bolden. "Begins with Abigail Adams's 1776 letter to her husband, 'Remember the Ladies,' proceeds through Charlotte Perkins Gilman's groundbreaking 'The Yellow Wallpaper' (excerpted) and includes thoughtful reflections on other leading women, such as Patricia McKissack's fictional essay narrated by Charlotte Woodward (the only woman in attendance at the Seneca Falls convention still alive to exercise her right to vote). Period photographs, quotes, timelines, bios and varied typography give the volume an attractive, accessible feel." Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Girls Rock! Fifty Years of Women Making Music - "When Leah Hinchcliff played her guitar in a fourth grade talent show, a male classmate said, "You can’t play guitar because you’re a girl." I'm not sure what age this books is for - so read the online descriptions.

What good "girl-positive" books do you know of?

A Tea-Partying Feminist

*Rant warning*

I have a card (like a calling card) I like to give out that describes me with various phrases, including: feminist, swing dancer, computer geek, and tea consultant. I'm a tea-partying feminist. I enjoy sewing and baking and love to wear skirts. And I'm very concerned about women's rights and equalities. I think these various parts of me blend well. Feminist isn't the "F-word" and it certainly doesn't mean I hate men. I hate discrimination. And tea parties fit well into the feminism world. Tea parties are, after all, an historical tool women have used to organize for causes. (I'll be writing more about that later this week.)

I'm declaring this to be Feminist Week on my blog. The topics will cover various aspects of feminism - through my filters. And I'll make at least a couple of connections to tea, as well.

If you don't like the label "feminist," it's OK - but keep reading. I know that you're concerned about the equality of our sisters. For example, just yesterday the NY Times published this comparison of earnings between men and women. The data comes from the population survey for 2007 and includes at least 50,000 responses for each sex. Move your mouse over the dots to see the differences. I'm practically screaming from my chair. I know all about the "opt-out" to have babies issue and why it impacts the numbers. And I think that's bunk. If men had the babies, do you think they'd earn less? In addition, a whole bunch of women don't have the luxury to stay home with their kids, or have healthier balance to their lives by working, or just enjoy the work stimulation! Second, an increasing number of us are choosing not to have kids (me included). I'm sure this opt-out business does impact the numbers, but I'm even more sure that there is institutional bias in the mix.

I am fortunate to have been raised in a time when the way for women has been pretty easy. I grew up under Title IX sports. Even though I didn't play sports in high school, I had girlfriends who did. I grew up always thinking I would go to college. I've always thought I was just as smart (often smarter) than the boys. In some respects, I've had it pretty easy thanks to the hard, hard work by women (and some men) who've gone before me. The question is this - Is that enough? What about the women who come next? What about my niece? There is much more to do. Because even though I've had it pretty easy, I have experienced discrimination and other messages that say "you can't" because I'm female.

For example, when I was a young girl, about 10, I thought I wanted to be a vet. Not a small-animal vet (dogs/cats), but a large-animal farm vet (horses/cows). I mentioned this to our family vet one day and he told me I should consider dogs and cats because I was too petite to work on large animals. I didn't want to work on dogs and cats, so I gave up the idea. My little 10-year-old self accepted that lie. The truth is, there are lots of women vets who work on large animals, regardless of the size of the woman. It's more about technique and tools than heft. The family vet was well-intentioned, I'm sure. But it's no excuse. I don't want anyone to tell my niece that she can't be whatever she wants because she's... too small, too big, too smart, not smart enough, too pretty, not pretty enough, a girl. This is just one story. There are others.

I think that's enough for today.

Tea at the Office

Hard at it at work today. Got a lot to do, but I like finishing the week with a sense of getting stuff done! I can be such an over-achiever. It's a blessing - and then it's not. ;-)

I am very, very blessed to have my office in my home these days, but it wasn't that long ago that I worked in cubicle land.

I still managed to have nice tea there. My work mates and I were fortunate to have a break room on each floor, equipped with super-hot water spouts. I had a small teapot at my desk, a small strainer and a mug with a lid. (A lidded mug was a safety requirement. No loose hot liquids.) I would make myself a pot of tea in the afternoon, to keep myself going. I generally chose green teas b/c the temps from the hot water spout were about right for a green.

I still smile when I think of the looks I got and conversations I had about my tea time. Many were curious about my tea routine. Some just chuckled. Others asked for a taste.

If you fit tea into your work routine, how do you manage it?

Happy weekend! Raising a cup to you!

Images from corbis.com

China Beauty Rings

The dry leaf of this Chinese green tea is just so pretty. I love the shape and texture of this hand-shaped tea. The tea comes from the Sichuan Province - Mount Meng Region. The tea is picked in March and April, so it is a fitting tribute to Spring.

I love the color of the steeped tea. It's a soft peachy-gold, looking just fabulous with this cup and saucer. The flavor is toasty.

While steeping the leaf unfurls yet maintains some of its curled shape. It's such a textural treat to watch as it steeps! It moves around as it opens.

The Crocus

THE CROCUS

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Beneath the sunny autumn sky,

With gold leaves dropping round,

We sought, my little friend and I,

The consecrated ground,

Where, calm beneath the holy cross,

O'ershadowed by sweet skies,

Sleeps tranquilly that youthful form,

Those blue unclouded eyes.

Around the soft, green swelling mound

We scooped the earth away,

And buried deep the crocus-bulbs

Against a coming day.

"These roots are dry, and brown, and sere;

Why plant them here?" he said,

"To leave them, all the winter long,

So desolate and dead."

"Dear child, within each sere dead form

There sleeps a living flower,

And angel-like it shall arise

In Spring's returning hour."

Ah, deeper down cold, dark, and chill

We buried our heart's flower,

But angel-like shall he arise

In Spring's immortal hour.

In blue and yellow from its grave

Springs up the crocus fair,

And god shall raise those bright blue eyes,

Those sunny waves of hair.

Not for a fading summer's morn,

Not for a fleeting hour,

But for an endless age of bliss,

Shall rise our heart's dear flower

Turkish Tea

I love exploring tea customs from across the world. There is both depth and expanse to tea. It is a study in world cultures, for certain!

I am fortunate to live in a University community, which means I have access to fabulous ethnic restaurants. The DH and I are both adventurous eaters, and we love exploring new places. Having said that, one place we go to repeatedly (and there aren't many repeats for us) is a Turkish restaurant. Of course, one of the highlights for me is the Turkish Tea.

Turkish Tea is made and served in stacked teapots. Hot water is made in the larger pot, and a concentrated tea in the smaller pot on top. The tea is served by pouring some of the concentrate into a glass cup and then diluting with water. It's a very visual feast!

Until...

So Spring is here, and it isn't. The DH and I celebrate the first day of Spring on Feb. 1st. That's the time when gardeners in my area begin to notice subtle changes. The light changes, the ground warms a wee bit, trees stir, bird song is louder, etc. AND it's a long time from Feb 1st to the warmer days of traditional Spring. So between Feb. 1 and March 21, I have devised strategies to get myself through. I've been taking full advantage of all of them of late:

• Walking in the sunlight
• Flower-spotting adventures; I'm happy to report we saw our first crocus blooming this week!
• Eating blueberries I've frozen from summer picking
• Cutting branches (quince this time) and forcing them to bloom inside; mine now have fat green flower buds. I expect them to bust out with flowers soon.
• Looking at seed catalogs
• Planning a camping trip with the girls and a week-long bike tour with the hubby
• Forcing bulbs in pots and enjoying their beauty and aroma. (See hyacinth photos. The first hyacinth flower peeked out at me on Wednesday. Potted daffodil bulbs will bloom in a few weeks.)

How do you manage spring fever?

This is actually my favorite image of the set; I like the blurred lines

And more to come!

Grandma's Pin

This pin (which is actually a cameo - it's hard to tell) is from a clip-on earring set that belonged to my grandmother. I loved this set, but probably wouldn't wear them as earrings. (They are heavy! How did women do that?) But I LOVE this as a pin! And I love having something of Grandma's with me!

Do you have jewelry from a family member that you love? Or something that you've re-purposed? I'd love to hear about it!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Book by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The setting is London and Guernsey (an island in the English Channel) in 1946, just after WWII. The story unfolds via letters, a format that I love. Juliet Ashton, a main character, is a writer (from London) with an adventurous spirit and a deep, deep love of books. (She called off an engagement over books! My kind of gal!) She forms a relationship with a book club in Guernsey and decides to tell their story about the Nazi occupation.

I found the book to be very witty and funny, and at the same time very serious. The subject matter is a tough one - the nightmare of Hitler's actions. The authors don't let the reader off the hook. While much of the book is light-hearted, it's anchored in the very real need to survive atrocities. And some people didn't. In addition, the authors don't make it easy to form clear lines of good and bad, even among the German soldiers. Oh, and there's a love story, too!

I am always grateful about a book that opens my eyes to history and challenges my perspectives. This one did just that.

The book left me with a deeper sense of the importance of thinking for one's self. Read this book. And thanks to MEP for the recommendation!

Menu for a Thank You Tea

I've already shared the recipe for Blood Orange Hearts, but I wanted to pass along the rest of the menu from my recent "Thank You" tea. I kept the menu simple because I needed to be able to pull this together quickly. It was an after-work tea. We also chose herbal "teas" since it was evening.

Savories:

• Squash soup (Soup made by the DH with squash and pumpkin, both from the local CSA)
• Blood Orange Hearts
• Sprouts with rosemary butter on honey-wheat bread. (The DH grew the sprouts, too. He's a one-man sprout industry in the winter.) Aren't those sprouts just the cutest?!!?
• Pesto Puff Pinwheels (Pesto also made by the DH, from basil we grew. The pesto freezes soooo well!)
• This course and the scones were served with Hurricane Herbal from Tea G. Unfortunately, this blend is discontinued.

Scones:

• Treacle scones with butter, the real deal
• Dates stuffed with pecans (and toasted - so simple and YUMMY!)

Desserts:

• Blood orange sections
• Brie and strawberry jam in puff pastry cups
• Chocolate-covered almonds rolled in matcha. These were tasty, but next time I will use dark chocolate. I used semi-sweet. I think dark chocolate will pair even better with the matcha.
• Served with honeybush tisane

A Thank You Tea

I've just had the joy to share a supper tea party with a friend. She had recently taken some pictures for me and I wanted to thank her. It was her first official tea party (with real tea party foods), and so it was fun, fun for me to plan!

Our menu was special in two ways: 1 - I made up several of the recipes and 2 - I used many things that were either locally grown or grown by the DH! More on that in a future post. For today, and in honor of Valentine's Day, I want to share with you my recipe for the sandwich I've named Blood Orange Hearts. Blood oranges are offered only for a limited time each year (which is now), so give this a try soon! This sandwich has just become my new favorite!

Ingredients:

• Honey whole-heat bread (I made this from scratch a week earlier and froze it, tho purchased bread will work fine)
• 4 oz cream cheese (I used "light" cream cheese; it was also the softened kind, which I find easier to work with)
• 1.5 Tablespoon honey (I used local, wildflower honey; you can adjust the amount of honey to your taste - I go lightly on the sweeteners)
• Zest of a blood orange, some in tiny shreds and a few longer pieces for garnish
• Dash of ground ginger powder

Mix the cream cheese, honey and ginger powder. Stir in the blood orange zest (use as much or little of the zest as you prefer). It's good to make this a few hours ahead, so the flavors can meld. When you're ready to make the sandwiches, thinly slice the bread. Cut into heart shapes and reserve the cutoff pieces for another use. (I gobbled them immediately.) Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the bread and add a heart dimple in the corner. If not serving immediately, cover with a lightly damp cloth and store in an air-tight container.