Tea Tastes Better...

...in a pretty teacup, of course!  I have SO admired the pretty patterns of Cath Kidston products on Pinterest (Greengate is another line I adore!).  I've gone all over the official website wishing the company and items would come to America.  Oh, I know we can order the items...but for a a price.  Besides, there is nothing quite like actually going to a brick-and-mortar and looking at things.  We visited Victoria, British Colombia this past summer, and while no official store was anywhere close, a tea shop we went into was carrying this beautiful tea mug.  How could I resist?  I'm convinced my tea tastes better in it!

Teatime Pretties and Happy Spring

First of all...happy spring!  Yes, it is finally here.  What a winter it has been!  That is one thing I like about March...the hope of spring (among other things!). 

 

I go shopping and rarely buy anything for myself.  I'm either looking for things for other people, or just shopping for necessities, or shopping for things to either resell or to make into something to sell.  Well, these pretties I actually bought for me. 

 

 

 

The teacup/tea mug is from a gift shop.  It reminds me of a Cath Kidston print, though this is not related to Cath Kidston at all.  I've been greatly admiring all things Cath Kidston lately--the flowers, the colors, the prints--on Pinterest and elsewhere, and this tea mug was just perfect (in fact, I'm drinking tea from it right now).  The mug really does make tea taste better....really!

 

This little single-cup teapot is from the local antique mall.  I had had my eye on it for awhile, picking it up every time I went by it.  Remembering the old motto "Buy it or you wish you had", it made its way into my hands somehow.  Now it is mine!  It is very small.  Chintz patterns have always been a favorite.  I'm delighted to say the least. 

 

New Teacup and Saucer

I really wasn't looking for a new teacup and saucer.  I was actually looking for a teapot--the perfect teapot with fruit on it to be exact.  However while at a flea market a few weeks back and while looking for that teapot (which I never did find, by the way), my eye immediately noticed this beautiful teacup and saucer.  Isn't it pretty?  The price was right, and I bought it. 

It is "Tapestry Rose" by Paragon.  While I was checking it over for cracks and chips, the man thunked the edge of the teacup with his finger and it "rang".  He said that that is the way one checks for hidden cracks.  If it does not "ring" and instead "thuds" it has a crack or chip somewhere.  I didn't know that!  So not only did I have a pretty teacup and saucer, but I learned something new too.

Hot Tea Month Giveaway

As promised, I'm having a giveaway in honor of January--Hot Tea Month.  It certainly has been cold here lately in Wisconsin, and today we are expecting more snow.  This is definitely a day for a hot cup of tea (or two...or three).  I'm giving away a pretty teacup and saucer found on one of my hunts for vintage treasures.   It has pretty scattered bunches of flowers and roses on a white background. 

The package of hot tea is new, of course, and is a yummy red tea that I recently discovered (I take mine with a dollop of honey).   Finally I've made four thumbtacks.  Three are reproduction tea labels and the fourth is a 3-D vintage brass teacup charm with a brown glass cabochon in it to look like it is full of tea. 

Here are the details:  Due to rising postage prices, I'm so sorry to my out-of-country friends, the giveaway this time is for US addresses only.  I will choose a name randomly on Monday, January 30.  Please make sure I can contact you to get your address for shipment; otherwise, I will choose a different name.  You may enter once or up to three times total by doing the following:  1)  Leave a comment below to enter.  2)  Blog about this and leave a separate comment with a link to your blog post below telling me you did so.  3)  Go to my shop--HERE--and tell me something you especially like from there in a separate comment below.  Thanks for entering!

Hot Tea Month

Yes, January is Hot Tea Month.  I made this Etsy treasury this morning to celebrate that.  To further celebrate, I'll be announcing a giveaway shortly....not sure exactly when...just shortly.  Can you guess it will be tea related?  Until then, relax with a hot cup of tea and please enjoy the treasury and the pretty things these Etsy sellers have to offer (feel free to click on the pictures to see up close anything that you take a particular fancy to).