So, if you want to get Christmas Tea and send it along with a teapot then you can order it now, save the shipping and schedule the delivery in December.  What a great idea?

I love Adagio. I have been buying their tea for several years, and used to send it to my daughter when she lived out of state. The favors are clean and clear and the variety of tea available is almost endless. I have never had one problem with them at all and often they have sent me coupons for discounts and free tea with my purchases.

If you want a holiday theme but the Christmas flavored tea doesn’t interest you consider:

• Sweet Potato Pie
• Chai Sampler
• Peppermint
• White Tangerine

image: SXC

Post from: Kettle and Cup

It is hard for me to remember to do special Mother’s Day editions because my mom passed away in 2002.  I think it was 2002…sigh…anyway, since I don’t buy Mother’s Day gifts anymore I don’t think about it much.

Etsy has some too cute stuff, as usual.  Some of it would be great for Mother’s Day and some is just great.  Ready?

Kyrie would love this felt tea set.  I think it is adorable, and would make a great home decor item as well.

White tea and ginger soap sounds refreshing and romantic to me.  You?

This is one of the cutest whimsical tea prints ever!

No more Chapstick for me.  One up Bonne Bell with this Indian Spiced Chai Lip Conditioner.

I love my tea cup collection.  I may have to consider adding this vintage tea cup to it!

I like this retro looking tea cozy.

This vintage tea dress is beautiful  I wish that they still made clothing like this!

Pink Tea Party Earrrings are an awesome nod to a girly girl!

I love hand made items, don’t you?

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Adagio Tea has come out with this  Tea Chest just in time for Thanksgiving.  If you are invited to celebrate with someone this is going to make you one very, very welcome guest!The chest is hand carved wood, and perfectly stores your choice of teas.  You can purchase it filled or fill it with your own choices.  You canbuy this in either the Gourmet Collection, which includes:

•  English Breakfast
• White Peony
• Pu Erh

Or the Premium  Collection, which includes:

• Wuyi
• Golden Monkey
• Silver Needle

Personally, if you are going to the trouble to be this thoughtful, I suggest that you buy the box empty and fill it with tea that is tailored to what your host likes.  Adagio has some amazing and imaginative teas and it seems a pity not to utilize some of them.

SO, if you are coming to my house? Bring the box with THESE teas inside…:)

• Foxtrot is one of my oldest daughter’s and my favorites.  Chamomile, Rooibos, and Peppermint make a relaxing and yet invigorating combination.
• Christmas has all of those spicy, cozy, yummy Christmas aromas and flavors.  Black tea flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and orange peel
• White Peach Tea is amazing.  Clean and juicy.
• Yunnan Noir is a new one, so I haven’t tried it but the description is tantalizing.  Sweet with hints of honey and fruit. To the palate it is red wine-like with notes of fruit and cocoa

Of course, my choices are all loose teas because I really, dislike the bags.

Anyway…check it out.  It is a great, under $40 hostess gift.

Image:Courtesy Adagio

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I fell in love with this vintage black cup and saucer set…Very delicate with lots of gold trim.

I am going to guess late deco, maybe 1930s with this rose painted tea pot? What do you think?

I have the entire set of these late 1940s cannisters, including the cake plate. These are in much better shape than mine though. The seller is not very knowlegable about these because they have them dated as 1970 LOL!

Ansley cup and saucer…sigh..romantic rose motif with light blue..I could so go for this one! What do you think?

McCoy Pinecone teapot..I am not sure when this was done..but it is fantastic!

Incredible German Tea pot..so you are starting to see how my tastes tend to be, aren’t you?LOL!

I love this footed tea cup with the peaches on it.

Elephant collector? Look at this 1930s deco lusterware tea pot. It is so cute! I love the bright colors.

I love old photos. This vintage sepia of two little girls having a tea party is adorable!

I know I said I liked those other cups..but trust me..THIS one is my favorite..Lattice work saucer, amazing little cup…my favorite..until the nest one, right?

I love red and white kitchens. I think this vintage Noritake set would be so cheery for a continental breakfast with a croissant or brioche and tea…a few pieces of fruit…

Really cute Dutch boy and girl teapot. I haven’t seen one like it before. I would say mid 1950s?

O.k.. My feet hurt…see ya next week.

image: Morguefile

Post from: Kettle and Cup

There are going to be a ton of posts about what to get your mom for Mother’s Day and I could sure add to them, but I thought I would take this in a slightly different direction.

I mean…You probably all ready know what she likes, and have plans to get her that thing, to show your love and appreciation for all she has done.  And that is awesome, I could not hope to improve on your own ideas.

Except….

My mom passed away nearly 6 years ago. She was the last of Marc and my parents left, so her passing was significant to us..we were orphans.  If you haven’t experienced that odd feeling, sadly you will, everyone does.  It is weird to not be someone’s kid.  Even at 40-something.  And even though her and my relationship had alot of rocky moments I adored her.  She lived with us that last, very hard, six months. Wouldn’t want to ever go through that again. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Time.  Time is the one gift that noone else can give her.  It is the one thing that you can’t buy on eBay, or get back once it is gone.

So.  Take her for coffee.  Create a tea just for her. In fact..check back with me  because I have the making for the coolest Mother’s Day tea ever.

But it can really be as simple as having a standing coffee date regularly, if she lives close.  Head over to her house with your coffee maker, a grinder, and a bag of your favorite.  Take special mugs to use ONLY with her, ONLY on your coffee day. Take some cookies like Maple Shortbread or Faux Berger Cookies 

Sure.  She is gonna harass you about you nose piercing, and that new tattoo.  She may even ask if you have changed your underwear lately. Mom’s do that.   They are the most irritating, critical creatures on the planet.

But when they are gone there is this big hole that never quite heals up.  It never quite gets filled with other things.  And you find that, once in awhile, you would endure that criticism for just one more hug from her.. if only you could.

If you have the opportunity to spend time with your mom, do so.  It is the best gift of all.

Oh..the image? Me and Kyrie..bad hair day, no make up.  She loves me anyway.

Image: Marye Audet 

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HA! You say, what does that have to do with flowering teas?

I admit that while I like tea alot I am not a tea snob. I dislike words like bouquet unless they are talking about flowers, and you guys know that I have had it with hearing that a coffee is chocolaty and nutty. Grr. You should be able to say, hey this tea tasted good…it smelled great and it reminded me of mint juleps..or whatever.

Now, if you are a tea snob please don’t get offended. I am a snob in other areas, like architecture and antiques. I personally know the difference between a Roycroft and a Greene and Greene. But tea? I want it to taste good.

The flowering teas always seem like a great idea for Mother’s Day but really they are not, in my ever so humble opinion, that great. They are very grassy tasting for the most part, and often they do not open properly so you have an odd lump of plant cells in the center of your clear glass teapot. I once waited for several hours for one to open up. It was Numi, too.

So, if your Mum likes flowers, by all means, get her flowers. If she likes tea then get her tea. If you have money get her both but don’t try to do it all in one juxtaposed mess. Because then the cheap figurine that your sister buys her at Wal-mart is going to rack up brownie points as everyone waits for the tea to turn into a flower.

This is the formal parlor. It is always clean, and it is the room that I take company to. You know the people who come to the front door rather than the kitchen door. People who MIGHT want to drink flowering tea. I love this room. I sent Marc to visit his brother in Mass, for 3 days so I could stencil the walls. Yep..that is not paper, it is hand stenciled. The woodgrain is faux grained, too. I worked round the clock (lots of coffee) until he got back. But he liked it.

If YOU came to tea we would probably only pass through here. As I said, it is for company.

Image:Morguefile

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Kettle and Cup

So…maybe if Santa had had coffee he would not have drank coke, did you ever think of that? I mean, after a cold, snowy ride in an open sleigh at the speed of light wouldn’t you rather warm up with a hot cup of coffee than an icy cold coke? See what I am saying?

Late..I know..but these are so incredible they are worth looking it, if not adding to some very lucky person’s stocking. I think I am holding out for #4

1. Bodum Granos Coffee Maker is incredible. I think the lines on it are very deco..which I like, however it is described as being ultra modern and Jetson like so I don’t know… Because it is mostly stainless steel it is going to last forever!

2. Learn to do Latte Art. Remember the video that I posted here?

A very cool gift for the artsy do it your self type.

3. How about the KitchenAide Pro Line Burr Grinder?And do I really need to say more?

4. O.k..IF your coffee junkie really does have everything, check out the Yunessun Spa in Japan..The can bathe in coffee made with the natural spring water at the spa. And..if they get tired of bathing in coffee they can bathe in red wine or green tea for a change of pace .

5. Mmmm.. End dry winter lips with Perk Lip Lattes

All natural ingredients and vegan friendly.

Ingredients: Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter, Candelilla Wax, Soy Wax, Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Carnauba Wax, Mica, Natural Flavors and Stevia *All Natural *Vegan Friendly

6. How about getting a caffeine burst before you drink you coffee? Shower Shock soap does not smell like coffee but contains caffeine which can be absorbed through the skin. Don’t wash your kids’ mouths out with this one, folks….

7. Want to make something homemade? Check out these great home-made gifts for coffee lovers

8. Give them the opportunity to roast their own with the Bravi Coffee Roaster – one of the best for serious coffee drinkers, it roasts a half pound of beans at a time.

9. How about an espresso set that is unique and beautiful? This one is amazing. The saucers are flowers, the spoons are shaped like prairie grasses..and the handles are twigs.

10. Consider the gift of time. Yours. Make a date to go to a coffee cupping, or to a fancy coffee shop, or shopping for a coffee you have not tried. If you have a coffee roaster locally then call and ask if you and the giftee can come in to have a special roast/blend created just for your coffee freak. Name it something cool.

Post from: Kettle and Cup