Today Elizabeth and Bleubeard celebrate two years of her weekly T Stands for Tuesday blog posts wherein she invites folks to share tea- (or other beverage) related posts. I haven’t been to a tea party in a long time, but you know me, I’m ready to put on a frilly whimsy hat and white gloves and head on over.
Of course, for me, the very best part of virtual parties is I don’t actually have to leave home. So that being the case, let’s pretend we’re hanging out and I’ll share my repertoire of party tea talk.
First, to make things official, here’s a photo of the iced tea I’m serving. I love my little cherry-painted goblets, and although they actually look prettier with lemonade in them, I can tell you the tea tastes just fine. I’d show you the delicious chocolate-filled croissant I had as well, but oops, I ate it…
Of course since we’re milling around in the kitchen, let me show you my salt and pepper shakers. While I have a special place in my heart for vintage anthropomorphic fruit and veggie shakers, this cup and coffee pot are winners as well. Clearly I’m a soft-touch for expressive eyebrows.
Speaking of anthropomorphic, I am so on the lookout for these. Seriously who wouldn’t want a marionette tea bag? I’d probably have to be treated for tea addiction because you’d never be able to pry the puppet bags out of my hands.
Another tea delight is the zodiac tea from Adagio. Being a moon-child I like getting their Cancer blend which is a white and green tea blend, with hints of pear and apricot, plus rosehips, chamomile, and cornflower and marigold petals. Pretty and delicious. While they sell it in larger boxes, back when they first released their zodiacal series, I order their little sample tins which I find adorable. The tea long gone from them, I like keeping little treasures in them. Because after all, isn’t that what little tins are meant for?
Another clever idea is the Monthly Muse subscription box – a monthly pairing of a tin of tea and a book to go with it. While I confess I’m not a subscriber (at the moment anyway), I did support the project when it was gathering funding via a Kickstarter program. And so I received their first ever box a few months ago.
The tea was delicious (both hot and iced) and I’ve just started digging into the book Our Endless Numbered Days. I had a plan for this summer’s reading – I chose an armful of books with the intention of focusing on them, but I’ve already deviated from the program. I kept thinking about summers as a kid when time felt so endless, and thinking how nice it would be to capture that again. So when I passed this book, sitting in a to-be-read-later pile, I thought I’d pull it out. So far so good, but an official review will follow at another time.
But another fun thing about the Monthly Muse program is the creator puts up a music play list on the blog, so you can check out some tunes as well.
And finally as the party winds down, perhaps we can adjourn outside and study the evening sky. Did you know there was a teapot constellation? You can find some interesting facts here along with instructions on how to locate it.
And there you have it friends – a peek into my pekoe passion, along with other tasty varieties. What about you? Have any tea trivia to share? A favorite blend? A summer book you’re indulging in? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
Oh Deborah, I’m simply thrilled to have you here for T this week. And what an ingenious post. And who doesn’t like kitsch? I know I sure do. That teacup and teapot are simply adorable.
Enjoyed also the book and tea Monthly Muse sent. Of course, that Cancer blend sounds great, too, and so many antioxidents! I must check both out. Not that I don’t already have enough tea to last a lifetime!
Teapot constellation? I will have to see that to believe it.
Thanks for joining us this week for T and thanks for wearing your party hat and gloves. I’m not that formal, but I AM British (or at least mostly so), even though I live in the states. We appreciate you joining us for T this Tuesday.
What a warm welcome Elizabeth – thank you. And what a delight to join the party and celebrate two years of T. How fun!
Wow! I’m not a tea drinker but this post is so interesting and I do love a party! I think even I would like those little puppet tea bags and your tea tin!! Happy T day, Chrisx
LOL – glad to hear you’re an equal opportunity enjoyer Chris! Wishing you all the best.
So nice to see you for T Deborah and what a great post filled to the brim with interesting links and information.
Happy T Day and Happy July.
oxo
Thanks Patty – wishing you the same!
Love having you for for T day this week! You are a wealth of information Deborah! That marionette tea bag is too cute, as are your shakers. That cherry goblet is beautiful! I think anything in it would taste special. And….I had no idea there was a teapot constellation:) Thanks for sharing such a lovely post and happy T day!
Thanks for the kind words Linda – it was a delight sharing T-day with you.
Pretty colored drink in your goblet. Your shakers are cute…although the expression on the teacup one makes me wonder if he is angry. 😉
Happy T day!
Oh I don’t like to think I’m sharing a table with an angry companion. 🙂
Oh My! What a delightful post ♥ So much eye candy and info to boot. Those S&P’s are so darn cute!!!! My grandmother had some of the cutest shakers… I have no idea who ended up with them. The dancing tea bags are adorable…. so much fun in oh so many ways. So glad you joined us and brightened our party 🙂 !
I’m always delighted when I stumble on a charming vintage set of S&Ps. It’s entertaining to think of all the meals they’ve been party to. And speaking of parties, it was a delight to join this one.
What an interesting post, i nearly feel I was sitting at a tea table with you. The salt and pepper shaker set is too cute. I’m off to check out some of the links you posted.
Darla
Thanks for stopping by Darla – I enjoyed having tea with you!
I really enjoyed reading your post today–it made me smile! I had no idea there is a teapot constellation–I will definitely be checking that out. I seriously loved that marionette tea bag!!!! I’ve always wanted to make one, a marionette, not a teabag, LOL!
I’m pretty much in the dark about art supplies, too, but saw the gelatos in a great sale on some website and after hearing everyone talk about them, thought I would give them a try. I am actually more of a bead artist but am enjoying exploring altered books and mixed media projects.
I think making a marionette would be great fun (although probably crazy hard). I like beading as well, and for a while I was beading around those tiny wooden tubes with tops that are needle holders. I’d add a round thing for a head and create “people.” I should have added some strings and been on my way to marionettes. 🙂
I hope you found the constellation, but even if you didn’t it’s always fun to gaze into the night sky isn’t it?
A wonderful post for Elizabeth’s anniversary!
Happy T-Day !
oxo
Susi
Thanks Susi – I’m delighted you stopped by to say hello.
Oh Deborah! I’m delighted to have tea with you. It certainly is a lost art. A dear friend of mine who spent a good deal of her life in England and even owned a tea shop taught me the delightful way to prepare tea so that it can be its most delicious. I have a beautiful gold painted teapot from her that I cherish too. My favorite kind of tea is English Breakfast with a bit of sugar or honey and poured into a spot of milk placed in a fine china tea cup with its own delicate saucer, ideally painted with watery flowers of any kind… Thank you for having us. A virtual tea though, I might add, is a tad too short for me. Give me a good old long lady’s tea with scones and collated cream and jam and many dear and interesting friends to share it. But thank you, this will do… for now.
Oh how fabulous to have “official” training in the art of English tea by a tea shop owner! Your teapot sounds lovely, and I like the idea of a saucer with the proper kind of flowers on it. You most definitely have me wanting to look at cups now. Wishing you happy tea times always.
Now you have me trying to figure out how to make a teabag marionette of my very own lol
I’ll be checking out the stellar teapot the next time I’m in a place with a dark night sky. I’m looking forward to it. It looks like the Muse Monthly playlist is on Spotify, so I’m checking that out, too.
This has been an eventful post for me 🙂 Thx!
LOL – yay you! I’m definitely going to want to see your teabag creations. I’m already imagining fabulous dialogue as a marionette gets in hot water.
What a fun post Deborah! I love your cherry glasses and vintage salt & pepper shakers. I like Wild Sweet Orange tea by Tazo. I make iced tea with it all summer long and it is so refreshing. My six year old granddaughter, Ana, and I have tea parties when she comes over to visit. I bought her a little tea set that came in a wicker basket and even has forks and spoons. It’s one of our favorite things to do together. Thanks for sharing about your tea party Deborah!
Oh yum – the Wild Sweet Orange tea sounds delish. I’ll have to check it out. And how fun you and your granddaughter have tea parties! Your comment made me think about a teeny tiny tea set I had as a kid – I hadn’t thought about that in forever. But I remember how I delighted in it.
About twenty years ago, I ran into a tea set at a shop in Olympia, Washington, and fell in drop-jawed love. The set consisted of the usual triad — pot, creamer, and sugar bowl — but what made these different is that each round-bellied piece had feet, actual feet, wearing cute little Mary Jane shoes and tiny flowered or polka-dotted socks. They were all ceramic or porcelain, shiny and child-like, bulbous and adorable. At the time, I was a college student living on refried beans and cheap tortillas, so I didn’t invest in the coveted tea set. Now I wish I had. If you come across a set like this in your travels online, let me know and shoot me off a link!
Oh Harmony what a fabulous set to fall in love with. Mary Janes do it me every time and add polka dot (or flowered) socks and I’ll be in a full-blown swoon. I’ll keep my eyes peeled, but fair warning, if I find it, we may well have to share joint custody. 🙂
Oh my gosh, Deborah, I hit the motherlode. Of images, at least. Still not sure where to buy them!
https://www.google.com/search?q=walking+ware+teapot&biw=1280&bih=630&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CEQQsARqFQoTCPWlp7LSgccCFYsviAodoB8GOQ
Turns out that these teapots are called Walking Ware!
LOL – and now you’re one step closer in your search to finding where to buy them.
Oh Harmony – how fun! They’re all adorable, but the peg leg pirate one totally cracks me up.
I’m not a big tea drinker (hot tea that is – iced tea – another story – i do live in the South) – but I was inspired by the blog. I love that marionette, and I’m going to check out the constellation. Whenever I think of a tea party – I think of Alice and her tea party with the mad hatter!!!!
Oh yeah, how can we forget about Alice?! I’d like to be at that party for sure.
Deborah,
what a fun post- not only do I love tea too I’m also a cancerian. I will have to try out that zodiac tea. Thanks for sharing
Oh great Sue – I hope you enjoy it. And belated b-day wishes.
Tea can be such fun can’t it! Thank you for the reminder … Off to make tea now 🙂
Indeed. Thanks for stopping by Kama, and enjoy your tea.
Gorgeous Tea party!The zodiac tea is super cool!Love your post!
Thanks Karla. Wishing you a happy weekend.
I have become a big fan of mixing up my tea-drinking over the years; it pleases me to not drink the same blend two days in a row.
For fancy tea parties in person, I recommend Brit’s Pub during the holiday season as they have a traditional style English afternoon tea during the holiday season.
I also found a place called the Mango Factory over in the Seven Corners neighborhood–they do sushi and desserts, and have a fancy tea with honey toast (but very expensive and it’s for a minimum of two people so I haven’t actually tried it.)
Oh I like that Scott – a routine of variety. While I like to have a number of teas to choose from, I pretty much get swept away by one and make it a favored until the whim passes.
Holiday high tea sounds like great fun, and the place tea and honey toast sounds pretty fabulous as well. I imagine it’d be great for a very special celebration.
Those are some lovely items. I don’t think I’ve ever hosted or been at a tea party. They’re just not fashionable here.
LOL Linda – then I think it’s up to you to lead the way. And as I’m totally willing to believe – eccentric is the new fashionable – there’s never anything to lose.
Hi Deborah,
I wish I was home now so I could show you my little teapot with a fade on it. I love your sweet little salt and pepper shakers!
LOL – I’m betting you meant faCe Amy. A teapot with a faDe on it might indicate it’s well-loved and well-used though…