The Pouring Teapot

May 18 - May 24
This week is all about sharing about teapots. Do you have one? two? or three? maybe more? Is it for display only or do you use it for tea? What is the tea server you use most? Your favorite teapot (or is it something like a quart jar?). Tell your teapot story, give its history, and tell what it means to you. You can share more than once if you'd like. Antique, new, Asian, English, or something in between --- we'd love to know!



So it all comes down to this... I'm displaying three teapots that have graced my home for the past eight years while my sister was in residence. The green ivy Corelle pot you've seen before and is the only teapot I own. The apple teapot and the center one belong to my little sister and soon her kitchen will be ready to receive them. Of her two, I love the center one for its feminine, autumnal appearance. As for good handles and good spouts they all fall on their proverbial keisters. I am on a mission to find a good teapot soon. I'll be eagerly reading about teapots on my tour throughout the week. I am so interested in teapot design for function more than beauty these days.

Did anyone see Mark Fitzgerald on Martha Stewart some time ago? A feature was done on his pottery shop. Amazing work he does and he's very fussy about designing good handles and spouts that pour properly. You can see a selection of his incredible teapots at Fitzgerald.com. I am saving my pennies even though I don't find his teapot items that pricey.

Oh I can't believe that we've come to the end of this most amazing Hospital-i-tea Blogathon hosted by the incomparable LaTeaDah. She has done an amazing job of gathering this all together for us. Hope that you'll join the final tour!

Edited to Add: Just one more teapot to share... My mother took this photo for me, but it didn't arrive before I posted. Anyway, this is my favorite family teapot for its charming graphics. I've always loved it. (Since I broke it while visiting my grandmother many years ago, it is used as a decoration only.)

Tea Room Ventures and Venues

May 11 – May 17

Share all about one of your favorite tea rooms. Use photos and descriptions to tell about the decor and ambiance, menus, service, and what makes this tea room special to you. Does this tea room have a gift shop? What kind of special treasures does it contain?

Tuesdays mean just one thing here at A Haven... and that is participating in LaTeaDah's Hospital-i-tea. (I'm already fretting about what Tuesday will mean when this wonderful event ends. I've enjoyed it so much and hope that you all have, too.)

This week's assignment has proven a bit more challenging because I don't have lots of pretty photos, etc. What I do have is lots of warm memories so if you have time to read... Otherwise, skip on down to the photos.

Sometime in the 1980s, my grandmother told my mother about one of my mom's old school chums who was making her way back home to Maine after having lived and raised her children in California. This friend and her husband had run a series of successful B&Bs and were planning to start another back in Maine.

I can't tell this part of the story without getting out my tissues...excuse me for a sec...

Some time later, my mother wanted to visit her friend who was now well established in a beautiful Victorian B&B with a gift shop built into the shed that linked the home to the barn. (A typical old-fashioned New England set up.) My mother had not seen her friend since they were ten years old and had not attempted any contact with her up to that point.

So here the two of us were, Mom and I, wandering around in the gift shop with no one in attendance when we heard footsteps coming through the house and then a beautiful blond woman came in smile first. She welcomed us and I could tell that my mother was sizing her up and trying to decide if this could even be her childhood friend. The two of them carried on a pleasant conversation about the dolls and things in the shop. After a few moments, the blond lady stopped and looked at my mom with a long gaze.

"Marilyn?" she said.

"Yes, hello, Betty." replied my mother.

Then they were in each other's arms hugging each other for dear life while I watched this all unfold.

"How did you know?" my mother asked.

"Your eyes. Your beautiful eyes."

*Sniff* Told you that it makes me weep.

Anyway, thus began a rekindling of an old friendship that continues to this day.

After running the Victorian B&B for a few years, Betty and her husband actually moved to the very same town that my mom grew up in. They established "The Carousel" and that was the best thing that had happened in that little community for years. There was a big, wonderful gift shop housed in the barn with a glorious view of Mt. Katahdin.







The F*riends, isn't that a great surname for B&B owners, were warm and always welcoming. One entered their home via the back door directly into the kitchen where one or the other was preparing the luncheon or tea. All preparations would be left as everyone received a hug. This was true for every single person who entered whether one was a personal friend or not.

There was a beautiful fireplace on one end of the kitchen with two wingback chairs drawn close. A vaulted ceiling on that end had windows above the mantel that were tall and showed a meadow rising high behind the house.

The Tea Room, as it was actually called, was a large center dining room with three tables...only three. Each was very different in style...Victorian, French Country, and something else that escapes me at the moment.

The first thing that I always noticed were the stacks of tea cups sitting on a sideboard. From these, a guest selected a favorite and then tea was served.

My grandmother's 90th birthday was celebrated there among family and friends. This is a very grainy, poor picture. I can see the watercolor of "The Carousel" there above the buffet.



Not long after this event in 2000, Betty sold the B&B retiring to New Brunswick, Canada. Edited to Add: Betty now makes her home somewhere in Texas.

So this is not so much a story about a favorite tea room as it is a story about friendship, love, and hospitality. It's the stuff of life that makes it all worth while.

Set the Table, Tea is On!

Share a creative afternoon tea table setting. Linens, serving pieces, teapots and teacup, tea accoutrements and accessories, centerpieces, tea trays or three-tiers, and more. Show one way you enjoy creating a memorable tea experience. This is your opportunity to show the world the fun you have when you create your own special tea experience. Then...invite over a friend or neighbor and share some tea together...



The forsythia is blooming and after days of rain, the sun was out and shining brightly so I decided to stage my afternoon tea on the deck. Yes, I said "stage." Now the thing is, I have already revealed myself to be a pretender after last week's confession that I am also a coffee drinker and I don't like loose tea leaves. So it didn't seem like too big a stretch to bake something and set up the deck a bit and pretend. After all, you know how I hate to miss a week!

In the middle of my preparations the carpenter called and asked about repairing the deck spindles. "Now? You want to come now? Well, okay, but how long is that going to take?" Gee, don't I sound all warm and welcoming?



Then I realized that I had a great helper on hand so out came the umbrella and the deck chairs. (Not to mention my first guest. ;>)



All we had was tea and cake...not much of a tea party, but a tea party all the same. Oh, I even dug out the sugar cubes and the sugar tongs.



Then my mother dropped by after earlier saying that she wouldn't be able to and so what had begun as a "staged event" ended in a real tea party with two guests! We wiled away a warm afternoon in May sipping tea and having extra servings of cake and both guests said that it was grand fun and that we should do it again some day. I think so, too!



Enjoy more of the Set the Table, Tea is On at La Tea Dah's Gracious Hospitality.

The White, Green, Black, and Herb of Tea

Tell about your favorite tea. How do you prepare it and serve it? Milk and sugar? Plain? What are some of your best memories of serving or sipping on this tea? Share a picture if you can. Tell the health benefits of the tea(s) you prefer. Where do you purchase your tea? Is there someplace you enjoying purchasing tea from? Who from and where?



Is it time to confess that my favorite hot beverage is coffee? Two cups of hazelnut coffee with cream and Splenda every morning or else I'm going to have a headache-y day.

Since coffee is my favorite hot beverage, an Earl Grey or breakfast tea is usually my tea of choice for its robust, full flavor. Besides, a breakfast tea has the same effect as the coffee with all that caffeine.

My dear blogging pal Sandi first told me about Yorkshire tea right here. It has become my very favorite tea of all. It is smooth and perfect and I drink it between the hours of three and five every afternoon, usually with cream and sweetener. Although Sandi was perfectly willing to send me some, I was able to find it at T.J. Maxx and, so far, keeping all fingers crossed, I've been able to find it every time I need more.

Yorkshire tea is made by Taylors of Harrowgate in England. You can read more about it at the web site I've included. There's a great little article there about the health benefits of tea as well.

My next favorite beverage is Nestlé green tea in a bottle. This I sip nearly all day long. When I gave up soda a few years ago, I made the switch to green tea. Love it!

The remainder is the odd assortment of teas: Oolong (Bigelow), Vanilla Chai (Bigelow), Green Tea (Tetley) Honey and Lemon Green Tea (Tetley) and a few loose tea bags of odds and ends in the cupboard. You'll note that I am not a fan of loose tea leaves. I am certainly not a tea connoisseur.

When I serve tea in my little Corelle tea pot there (the beautiful tea pots have left the building), I boil water to warm the pot, boil fresh water for the actual tea, replace the warm water with the hot water and add three or four tea bags. Nothing to it.

Now that La Tea Dah has that danged Mr. Linky working, you can join the rest of the tour right here.

The-Sweet-and-Savory-of-Yummy

Share your favorite teatime recipe for sweets or savories. Tea sandwiches, scones, and dainty desserts all count in this category. Give credit to the originator of the recipe if possible. Post a picture if you can. This is sure to make everyone hungry for a delicious tea time treat! Ideas for recipes to post this week are: scones, crumpets, shortbread, cookies, baby cakes, tarts, tea sandwiches, soups, salads, fruit treats, jams, jellies, curds, and creams.

Source

Garden Patch Sandwiches


Ingredients:

* 8 oz cream cheese

* 1/4 cup mayonnaise

* 1/2 cup finely grated raw carrots (use coffee filters to drain excess moisture from the carrots before adding)

* 1/4 cup finely chopped celery

* 1 TBS finely chopped green pepper

* 1 TBS finely chopped red pepper

* 1/2 TBS grated onion

Method:

Cream together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Spread on a fine sandwich bread such as Pepperidge Farm. Remove crusts, cut into triangles, fingers or unique shapes using a cookie cutter. Enjoy!


*Garden Patch Sandwiches Printable Recipe*


Cocoa Dreams

This is a recipe that's been around in my family since my mother was a teenager. It makes the most delicious bar with a shortbread style bottom and a gooey chocolate top. It's always been one of my very favorites!

Bottom Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup brown sugar

* 1 cup flour

* 1/2 cup butter

Method:

Press the above three ingredients in the bottom of a 9-inch pan. Set aside.

Topping Ingredients:

* 1 cup brown sugar

* 2 1/2 TBS flour

* 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 3 TBS cocoa

* 2 beaten eggs

* 1/2 cup walnuts

Method: Mix the above ingredients all together and pour over the bottom.

Bake @ 350º for 30 or 35 minutes. Allow to cool, frost with your favorite buttercream frosting, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top, and enjoy!



Hope that you find many recipes and ideas at La Tea Dah's The Sweet-and-Savory-of-Yummy!

Dressed-to-a-Tea

Share ideas for dressing up for afternoon tea. Is your favorite tea-time outfit a silk caftan, flannel jammies, or a dress with proper hat and gloves? Do you enjoy wearing tea prints to tea? Or do you prefer something more elegant? Lace and ruffles? A feathered hat? Long pink gloves? Satins and silks? Cotton comfort? Jeans and a t-shirt you say? That's okay --- share it all here.

Pictures of you in tea-time costume are welcome! But, if you are not brave enough to share a picture of 'you', simply share something you think would be FUN to wear to tea. Remember, a tea can be anything from a formal afternoon tea --- to tea in the park with a friend. It's whatever it means to you!

Whenever I think about the quintessential outfit to wear to tea, I think of something along these lines...

Source
However, as I am unable to afford the prices of an Edwardian lawn dress, I'll just have to move along to the 21st Century where, in truth, I'd wear jeans and a t-shirt because I adore those rustic teas such as La Tea Dah has shared. You can see what I mean right here at her Cabin-Woods Tea dated September 13, 2007. That's the post that made me a regular visitor to Gracious Hospitality.

Oh, have you all seen the Celestial Seasoning dress made from tea bags? Probably as it was featured in January of 2006 at the New York Times.



It was auctioned off to benefit research for women's heart health. That would be a stunning outfit to wear to tea. Just watch out for the tea kettle!

Most of my real life experience with tea parties has been in this capacity.






1. source
2. source
3. source

Still, I can be a young girl at heart so I've fashioned myself a tea party hat and donned my tea party dress (you'll have to take my word for that). I still couldn't bring myself to wear the heels so instead I've decided upon sensible shoes. I do have a number of blogs to visit after all!





Enjoy your time exploring La Tea Dah's Dressed-to-a-Tea!

Stitches-for-Tea

Welcome to this week's edition (April 6–12) of La Tea Dah's Hospital-i-tea where we are to share ideas and pictures that involve stitching for the tea table. Any kind of stitches count: sewing, embroidery, knitting, crochet, tatting, quilting, etc. The work can be yours or of someone else, but should be homemade rather than done by factory machines. Ideas are napkins, tea cozies, table linens, and other creations made with tea themes.


Alack and alas, until last evening at 5, I had nothing to share. I hated the idea of sitting out this week so much, even though I had made my apologies to La Tea Dah already, that I couldn't let it go without attempting something...anything! Besides, I'd always wanted a tea cozy...

So here's my picture story:

I remem-bered some old quilted fabric packed away for over 15 years, which definitely needed a good washing.
p

A friend had already sent me a tea cozy pattern. Thanks, Teresa!


Now that I know how to do my own bias tape, this part was a cinch.


Using this quilt block pattern, I was able to reproduce the following embroi-dery pattern. Source




...which changed this to

that















































Yes, the time is correct...roughly five hours to change this to that, but who's counting when I can participate after all?!


Have fun on the remainder of your Stitches-for-Tea tour!

Decor-a-tea

March 30 - April 5 Decor-a-Tea
Share ideas and pictures that incorporate tea and/or tea themes into home decor. Displays, art, prints, fabrics, and collection all count in this category. Do you use teapots and teacups as a part of your home decor? If so, describe how.

If you're arriving from La Tea Dah's Decor-a-tea, welcome! If you're one of the faithful, thank you for being here! If you just fell through a portal and have no idea how you arrived, April Fool's!

This little tour is going to begin with the sublime and head right down the tubes to the ridiculous with a photo of my medicine cabinet. You'll want to hang in there for that!

My favorite decoration of late with teacups has already been featured earlier (several times :P), but never one to shun the chance to post yet another picture, here it is after Easter. I'm really missing the blooms on the cactus!



All I did was to play off of another blogger's idea by using an empty antique picture frame and tying teacups from the top edge with ribbons.

Before I was displaying the little nest in the apothecary jar, as you see in my header, I often displayed it this way:



Just find your favorite teacup and turn it on its side resting the nest inside. This works very well for taller shelves. If displaying on a tabletop, the teacup could be rightside up for a visual surprise.

Last week, so many of you mentioned Sandy Lynam Clough an artist who collects teacups and teapots herself to create wonderful vignettes to paint. I love her work! Her calendars for 2005 and 2006 are among my favorite things...see, I've even saved the covers.



The calendars themselves are used for crafts and cover-ups. This is a closet door where I hang my necklaces.



























And, as promised, the medicine chest where I use tea mugs to store my toothbrush and razors, etc. Whatever fits in!



Thank you for visiting today, feel free to wander about in my blog, I'm sure you'll discover more Decor-a-tea. Don't forget to continue the tour at La Tea Dah's!

Time for Litera-Tea

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.~Bernard-Paul Heroux


This week's installment for the Tea Blogathon is all about literature and tea. The particulars can be discovered at Gracious Hospitality.




Today's selections come from two books that are being closely linked in literary circles because of similar themes. Diane Setterfield's The Thirteenth Tale is a masterful first novel and I can not recommend it highly enough. You will love it most especially if you ever loved reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.

Descriptions of the healing or restorative powers of tea always appeal to me...hence my selections.




When she found him, she raised him from the ground. He leaned heavily upon her as she led him with tender care to the kitchen and sat him in a chair. She made tea, sweet and hot, and he stared, unseeing, into space. Without a word, holding the cup to his lips, she tilted sips of the scalding liquid into his mouth. At last his eyes sought hers, and when she saw the loss in them, she felt her own tears spring up. ~from The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield



I had now swallowed my tea. I was mightily refreshed by the beverage; as much so as a giant with wine: it gave new tone to my unstrung nerves, and enabled me to... ~from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Teacup-a-Story

This is going to be a graphics dense post. Just enjoy the pictures and skip the reading if you're low on time.








These are my teacups given to me by my grandmother. She gave them to me because she knows that my favorite color is yellow and my favorite rose is a yellow one. One is considerably older than the other and is a Royal Albert, which includes the third dessert plate, I believe. The other is a Melba. Both are bone china made in England.














Nan gave my sister green teacups. She gave each of her four great-grandchildren a teacup, including my son whose teacup is a depiction of a fisherman in midstream. She also gave her great-granddaughter-in-law a pink rose teacup. All of these gifts were based on the receiver's favorite flower and color.

This is my mother's teacup collection, which now incorporates many of my grandmother's teacups. Nan was once an avid collector, but she isn't much interested in teacups these days. The time for gathering the stories has gone, I'm afraid.





Here are a few closeups of my favorites from her collection...




















This is one of my very favorites because of its little feet and the colors in the plate are gorgeous.

But I have already shown you my favorite teacup for sipping my tea right here. It's not too fussy and it's easy to hold. It's also the most recent gift as I just received it last week from a friend.

Guess I'll save my other tea stories for another day. Thankfully, this event is ongoing.

Thank you for looking at my treasures and at my mother's, too. Have a great day!

Edited to Add: Having visited others who are doing the teacup-a-story, I learned that I could look up my china teacups. The "newest" teacup with just the saucer is a Melba by "Melba China Co Ltd Stafford St., Longton. Staffordshire Potteries from 1948 to 1951." So it's older than I am and I feel ancient. ;> The trio Royal Albert Tea Rose was produced from 1942 to 1987. Though it looks older than the first, I could be wrong...I'm thinking that it's from the 40s.