Cherries, Chocolate and Tea

Valentine's Day is just around the corner.
How do I love Valentine's Day?
Let me count the ways!!!!

It's time to pull out my Emma Bridgewater heart teapot

and heart shaped crochet hot-pads that I made last year.

The trio is from The English Table.

I love the flowers.

A bird on one side of the cup and

flowers on the other.

I'm going to fill my teacup with

Cherry Chocolate Tea

A Cuppa Romance Tea from The Republic of Tea.

Fine black tea blended with sweet blackberry leaves

natural cherry and chocolate flavoring.

Time for chocolate covered cherry fudge.

Delicious but oh, so rich. 

Heart shaped sugar cookies.

Don't like fudge?

How about chocolate cake?

Remember:

"Seven days without chocolate makes one weak."

~unknown

I'm joining several parties today:

Sandi is having her Valentine Party at

Tea Time Tuesday 

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Teatime Treat

Isn't it lovely?
The Aynsley teapot was a gift.
I found the sugar and creamer in a thrift shop.
They are marked Aynsley Pembroke reproduction of an 18th century design.

I paired the tea set with my favorite Aynsley teacup.
I love the aqua shade and the beautiful interior design.

Aynsley sure knows how to make teatime a treat!

Speaking of a teatime treat.
Here's an oil painting by John Charlton done around 1883.
It's title is Teatime Treat.
Looks like my house when three kitties realize there is food around! 

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining the following tea parties.

Thank you to the hosts of:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Isn't She Lovely?

Isn't she lovely?

She was a gift from a dear friend.

I've mentioned Vivian before.

We worked together at the museum before Vivian went off to China --

this last time as a Fulbright Scholar.

I was fortunate to have lunch with Vivian and her husband during the holidays.

Vivian is off to D.C. for a few months -- all part of a fellowship. 

Smart gal. 

She is a YiXing teapot.

The YiXing teapot came into favor in China around 1500.

The small teapot, made of unglazed red or brown stoneware,

is well suited to bring out the flavor, color and aroma of the leaves

and it's size makes it easy to balance the ratio of water to tea.

It should be kept for one type of tea only.

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful?

Isn't she precious?

Yes! 

I'm joining some tea parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing you well much joy and a lovely cup of tea!

Happy Owloween!

Halloween is just around the corner and
 I'm celebrating potion (tea) making Owl style!

I found the owl teapot and cups and saucers at Macy's -- on sale!

Yippee!

The pattern is Edle Rose by Rachel Bilson Dinnerware, Owl Teapot

I don't believe the butterflies on the saucers have a true function other than being cute!

I'm careful how I handle and store them. 

I'm joining:

Nancy for Tuesday Muse 

 and some lovely tea parties:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Wishing all of you well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

Happy Owloween!

Confetti Rose

I went shopping several weeks ago with a dear friend.

She had to make a run to the Premium Outlets for some clothes for her son.

I went along for the ride figuring I needed some new undies.

One thing led to another (Kate Spade was having half off) and

I ventured into the Waterford outlet and came home with this

Rose Confetti teacup by Royal Albert.

What really led me into the store was this tea strainer that I saw from the window.

I had to have it!

Then I saw the teacup.

 Such a pretty light pink with the beautiful confetti roses on the inside.

Sold!

I found the teapot at Homegoods.

It is by GRACE Teaware.

A pretty tea setting for the holidays! 

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea.

My thanks to our tea party hosts:

Tea Time Tuesday

A Return To Loveliness
Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Tuesday Cup'a Tea

Tea Talk

Share Your Cup Thursday

Keep Calm And Drink Tea

It's been raining.

One of those slow, soul clearing, nice to walk in rains.

Three days now.

Cool temps --- 80s instead of 90s.

Nice!

Perfect for tea drinking and reading.

I saw the teapot on a blog and began the search for one.

Months later I was in Marshalls walking through the clearance section and

there it was.

Grabbed it ... $2.99!

The Royal Worcester cup and saucer is another find from The Guild Shop.

I love the handle, the gold accents, the lovely flowers.

Pretty in the pot!

Two Leaves Tea Company announced a new line of affordable "luxury" teas

from the Paisley Tea Company.

They are traditional English Style paper teabags (no tag or string)

with tea that's organic and fair trade certified.

I was asked by Stephanie at Steph's Cup of Tea

if I would taste test three of the new teas and I said yes!

Today I'm sharing the English Breakfast Tea and Decaf English Breakfast.

I let the kettle come to a boil and then let the water rest for a moment before pouring into

the pot and adding the tea.

I let the bags steep for 3 full minutes.

I thought they were both delicious with a nice full tea aroma.

I added a lemon slice and thought they were even better.

When I taste tested this tea, the weather was very hot and that means iced tea.

It was okay, but I much prefer English Breakfast hot.

 

Thanking our tea party hosts:

Tea Time Tuesday
Friends Sharing Tea
Teacup Tuesday

Tuesday Cup'a Tea

Wishing you WELL, much JOY and a wonderful cup of TEA!