I have found the coolest coffee cup ever. Well at least for today. Decided to share it with you. Maybe I will do this on a more regular basis, I don’t know.

I love Shakespeare, and most of the kids have a tolerence for it, if not full fledged love. And, as happens with many big families, once in awhile good natured insults seem to fly back and forth.  Ethan, in particular, is the most likely one to break out the Elizabethan vernacular and taunt his siblings with unique descriptions of their characters.

This Shakespearean Insult mug has 30 Shakespearean insults. One for every day of the month. Take it to work. Take it to school. You will never be without a upper crust literary comeback.

image:via Amazon

So, as some of you know, I worked hard this past week trying to get a menu done for my daughter’s baby shower. I wanted it to be just right, not because it was her first shower (this is her third adorable child) but because Erin is just that awesome.

After a lot of thought and research I ended up with:

• Balsamic and basil strawberries
• Mango chicken salad tea sandwiches
• Spicy curried chicken tea sandwiches
• Mushroom, bacon, and Parmesan palmiers
• Earl Grey truffles
• Chocolate Irish Cream coffee
• Custom roast coffee
• Custom blended tea
• A selection of other teas.
• Sherbet punch

and of course, cake. Not just any cake but almond cake with alternating green tea and cherry filling. Most of the recipes will be showing up over at baking delights over the next few days, but some of them will be showing up here.

Balsamic Strawberries & Basil

Just thought you would like to see some pictures. If you are planning a baby shower, this menu works well for doing ahead. I spent most of the day friday doing the cake so didn’t have much time for anything else. It HAD to be easy and quick and transportable. It was 95 degrees, the church is 30 minutes away and I don’t have air conditioning in my van.

The cake I made for the baby shower

The lady that did the decor did an awesome job! I love the way she took vintage items and massed them together.

Vintage decor for the shower created sweet ambiance.

Apparently this lady collects items from thrift stores, antique shops, and garage sales and then uses them in a sort of cottage chic style to decorate for various celebrations.  I loved it!

Anyway, here are some ideas if you are looking for them. The shower was a big hit and we had a great time.

images:marye audet

O.k..So…the only way I can possibly link this Hot Java LUSH bath bomb to a coffee and tea website is….the name.  I know.  Cheap trick. But you will thanks me, oh yeas you will.

I stayed up all night last night. Supposedly I was working but  the truth is that I have some things going on that are bothering me and I am having trouble concentrating.  So I am at the end of the month with deadlines looming and the concentration level of a hummingbird at the Dallas Arboretum……on speed.

I ended up falling asleep on the couch in the front parlor (old house, we have 3 parlors) at about 5:30 a.m.  As I was up by 7:30 a.m.  you can imagine that my eyes were a little unfocused today.  O.k,  a lot unfocused.  I mentioned on Twitter that I felt like a teenager again; cranky, irritable, depressed, angry, lethargic, and prone to dramatics.

I decided for the good of the entire household to take a bath about noon.  And I happened to remember that I had gotten a great shipment of LUSH a few weeks ago.  I grabbed the Hot Java because it seemed like i It  might be one of those that woke you up.

Actually according to the site it is warming and comforting. Something to be soaked in after getting caught in the chilly rain.   The aroma that filled the bathroom was amazing: ginger, cinnamon, coriander and juniper.  Mmmmm.

And it was warm and tingly….And it turned the water bright red!

I loved the smell…I loved the color..but, my very delicate skin feels dry and parched right now several hours later.  So, my thoughts?

Plan on lots of body lotion but get this bath bomb!

And LUSH? I am still waiting for the espresso caramel bath fizzy I KNOW you are going to make someday.

Image:LUSH

I haven’t done this in awhile and I ws lured to  Etsy this morning.  It was the Sirens that did it, calling my name from across the Internet.  Pinkie swear.

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?

The newsletter that I get from Adagio alerted me to the fact that there is an interesting new series for “tween” girls.  Called the Teashop Girls this series revolves around a fourteen year old who works in her grandmother’s tea room.

The book got rave reviews from the reviewer at Adagio.  Obviously, I can’t say because I haven’t read it.  It is suppose to cater to the young teen that likes tea and cooking.  I will have to get a copy for Shiloh and see what she thinks.

Amazon reviewers describe the book as being “sweet”, “informative”, and “cozy”.  I would guess that if your daughter is into cutting edge drama she would not find it interesting but if she is into Little House, American Girls, and Anne of Green Gables she may well like this book too.

Anyway…check out the review here and the book here.  If your daughter has read it what did she think?

If you are looking for something adorable to add to your tea collection check out this adorable tea for one set from The English Tea Store!

He is called Chubby Bunny, for obvious reasons!

Even the grumpiest, most hormonal person could not resist smiling when using this!

Image: English Tea Store

One of my favorite Christmas movies is Christmas in Connecticut, the old original version with Barbara Stanwyck.  Barbara plays a food writer who writes these amazing articles about her family, cooking adventures and life on a large farm in Connecticut.  The problem is that she is a single woman, living in a cramped apartment in New York …and she can’t cook at all.

Now, I am not saying that I have been lying about who I am..let’s get that straight right now…but I seem to have a RSS feed of my alternate life going through my head all the time..You know, the one where my house is spotless, I wear vintage aprons, and take a break two times a day to gaze out the window and sip tea from an antique china cup whilst nibbling (alter egos always nibble..munching is for reality) on a biscotti, cookie, or scone.

And honestly sometimes it is hard to live comfortably in one reality while another is playing through your head.

So…thoughts? Anyone else besides me feel that way? Or do I need to make another appointment with the VA?

What is your real life like?  The one that plays in your head?   And if you were a book character who would you be?

Image:SXC

Tonight has been rather eventful.  Or, excuse me, this morning has been rather eventful.  I planned on being up late, and jokingly said I was pulling an all nighter.  Well, it wasn’t a joke.

About three this morning I heard one of the goats going nuts and so I went out to check it out.  When I came in a little over an hour and a half later, I smelled like goat and we had added FOUR baby goats to our farm.. Thank God for solar powered lights in the barn.

I think on is a female and the rest male.  The light was too dim for me to see properly.  I will get pictures and share them later because, seriously, these tiny baby goats are adorable.  FOUR.  Twins are normal, and triplets are not unknown but four? What an overachiever that girl is!

Anyway, as I came in the house, cold, smelly, wet, and shivering,  I realized that there was coffee in my cupboards and I could drink it.

I don’t think there is anything as nice as coffee when you are chilled and tired, and have been playing midwife to a goat for over an hour and a half.  I have to get breakfast now, and in a little bit I am going to take a nap, but right now?  mmmm..the coffee is brewing, the house is warm, and there is nothing quite like coffee under those circumstances.  I am off to sip my coffee and make breakfast..I will be back on later.

Hey, enjoy your Saturday!

image:SXC

When Truvia contacted me about trying the new sweetener I was pretty stoked.

I have used stevia a long time. I just am not into chemicals and I don’t trust the FDA.  Well, truthfully I don;t trust the government, medical personnel, or most others that have been corrupted by"the establishment".  Yes, I am a throwbback from the 60s.

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Wasn’t it Lana Turner who was discovered in a coffee shop?

When you hear the words “coffee shop” what do you think of?  The first thing that came to mind should NOT be a big corporate owned conglomerate.

I think of a small place, cozy, with great pie and cake.  Coffee in heavy ironstone mugs (or whatever they call it), and someone who knows that I like a dollop of unsweetned whipped cream on the top of my coffee to stir in with just a pinch of Stevia.

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