A “Teacup Exchange” Tea

Yesterday I attended a fun event at Holly Cottage Tearoom in Newnan, Georgia.  I met Angela of Tea With Friends, Teresa of Southern Touch Catering and Deberah of Everyday Finesse for a two o’clock teatime.

From the left is Teresa, Angela, me and Deberah.  We each have a pot of tea with a cute tea cozy.  They are available in many fabric choices and are one of the items for sale at the tearoom.

This was not only a teacup exchange event, but also a fundraiser for Coweta Pregnancy Services.

We all enjoyed a well brewed pot of tea, as well as a fresh fruit cup and scone with lemon curd, cream and jam.

It was funny that I had been admiring the mismatched saucer and  opened my package to find the same Johnson Brothers pattern “Old British Castles”.  It is such a pretty pattern (especially in pink) with over 45 English castles represented on the various pieces.  My saucer shows Kenilworth Castle in 1792 with two others represented on the cup.  I’ll show you a photo one Teacup Tuesday. 

You can see the other lovely cups on Angela's post about our tea.   

Teacup Tuesday–Royal Stafford & Homer Laughlin

It’s Teacup Tuesday again and I believe this is week sixteen for me.  Today I have a favorite cup that has been on my blog before, but perhaps you haven’t seen it. 

I’ve had this teacup for several years and it was a yard sale find.  It is a pretty pale blue with a lovely single rose pattern.

It has lots of pretty gilding on the foot and around the scalloped edges.  It is bone china made in England.

The teapot is by Homer Laughlin in the Skytone pattern.  I purchased it in Paducah, KY when I was there in 2000 for the American Quilter’s Society show.

Today I’m having a cup of Harney & Sons Citrus Green tea with a chocolate chip cookie.  This sounds like an odd combination, but it was good.

Please join Terri and Martha for Teacup Tuesday and Wanda Lee and Pam for Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday.

A Moment With Melanie

Last Saturday I had the privilege of joining some friends for our monthly meeting and luncheon at the beautiful home of one very talented lady.  Melanie McClelland is an artist and baker extraordinaire. 

It was a lovely day, so we headed outside to a patio to enjoy our refreshments.  Melanie had placed four large round concrete tables, with matching benches, along the length of the patio.  Here’s where it gets interesting.  Three of the tabletops had wonderful mosaic designs that she had handcrafted herself. 

The first one has a lot of blue and white in a pretty and casual design. 

This one has a wonderful flower type design.  I love all that brown with the blue and white. 

This last one is a cheerful radiating sun pattern.

Whatever motif Melanie chooses for the last table, it is sure to be great.

It was so much fun to tour her home where each room had special hand painted walls in a variety of colors and patterns.  You could see her style and artists touch everywhere.  I was excited to find two china cabinets packed full of miniature tea sets (a kindred spirit). 

You can see her fabulous made to order cakes and confectionary by visiting her website “Melanie’s Moments” here.    And let me tell you – they are delicious.

Tipu’s Authentic Indian Chai

I’ve always enjoyed Indian spiced tea and was happy to receive a sample of Tipu’s instant chai.

Tipu’s instant chai surprised me from the moment I opened the package.  A very spicy, rich aroma was the first thing I noticed, followed by the appearance of the powder, which was much darker and finer than the other chai mixes I’ve used.

After a quick glance at the preparation instructions, I added a heaping spoonful of the powder and some amber sugar to a large mug, then filled it halfway full with boiling water.  After stirring long enough to dissolve the sugar, I topped up the mug with milk.  Well, suffice it to say the first sip from this mug was also my last.  Wow, it was spicy.So, after reading some materials that were enclosed with the sample, I discovered that this is a potent mix of pure organic tea and spices, without the usual powdered milk and sweeteners that are contained in most chai mixes.   Once again I prepared the chai, this time using my baking measuring spoon to measure a level teaspoon of powder into the mug.   This serving was pure enjoyment and probably the best and most authentic instant chai that I’ve ever tasted.

Now I understand why the company claims that this is an economical way to make great tasting chai.  It doesn’t take much powder to make a wonderful, spicy and authentic tasting Indian chai.  There is even a spice residue left in the bottom of the cup, just like when I prepare it from scratch.

Bipin Patel, president of Tipu’s, says that this recipe was passed from his grandmother to his mother and then to him.  It has traveled from Gujarat in India to Africa, England, Montana and now to your very own cup. 

If you’d like more info you can visit Tipu’s website here .

Teacup Tuesday – Portmeirion, Brunelli & Melitta

Today I’m showing a Portmeirion teacup, along with a Melitta pot and a pierced Brunelli plate from Italy.

This is a pretty botanical pattern called Pomona and this cup has a Wild Blackberry design.  The saucer has an attractive border of leaves. 

I found this lovely plate at Marshalls today and couldn’t resist the gooseberry pattern (at least that’s what I think they are) and cutouts, not to mention the bargain price.

When I was a girl, my Mom picked gooseberries from the bushes in our neighbors yard and used them to make jam.   I haven’t seen any for many years now.

This plate was made in Italy and I thought that $2 was a bargain.

A friend found this white Melitta pot at an estate sale and thought that I might like it.

Recently I discovered that you can buy a large bag of dried cherries at BJ’s for $7.99.  They are perfect for making cherry scones. 

    A little lemon curd goes very well with these scones.  I’m having Darjeeling tea with them.

Please join Terri and Martha for Teacup Tuesday and Wanda Lee and Pam for Teapot and Tea Things Tuesday.

Teacup Tuesday – Denby & Johnson Bros.

My goodness the weeks are flying by and with the holidays fast approaching it seems like warp speed.  I’m running out of fine china teacups to show you, so this week my cup and saucer is Denby stoneware. 

My service for six of Denby stoneware is almost twenty five years old (1986).  It is in the Camelot pattern and was made in England.  These were my “everyday” dishes for many years.  I have mugs, as well as cups and saucers, but unfortunately I didn’t purchase the teapot.  The grey green color is better represented in the picture below. I’ve always liked the shape of this Johnson Brothers “Fruit Basket Green” teapot and the green fruit and leaf pattern.

It was also made in England.

Please join Terri and Martha for Tea Cup Tuesday and Wanda Lee for Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday.

My package from POR AMOR AL ARTE

Isn’t it exciting when you receive your package from a blog giveaway that you’ve won.  Today my box from Constanza arrived. 

Doesn’t it make you wonder what on earth they do to these boxes.  Football comes to mind, but that’s a whole other story. 

Sadly, there was one casualty (a small hand painted dish).  Look at all the pretty things.  The ruby slippers have little kitten heels.  The handwork on the blue pin cushion is pretty and look at the dainty heart shaped box and those tiny china piggies.  There is Orange Blossom cologne and Lily of the Valley talc.

Also a great Christmas collectibles book, a journal, magnets and a blank art card.  The blue lacey card was from Constanza. 

These handmade tags are great and I love the ATC with the pink bird.  Look at the pretty crocheted tissue holder with pink ribbon in the top right corner.

There’s more!  This lovely pendant and necklace and the Lu Lu (Los Angeles) flowered mat with pink satin border.  Be sure to visit POR AMOR AL ARTE blog and check out the free art downloads and her Etsy shop items.

Teacup Tuesday – Spode Blue Room

The Spode Blue Room collection is one of their most collected patterns.  The majority of the china is blue and white, but the Geranium pattern was also made in red, green, yellow and black and white.

This is one of the few cups in my collection in this color.

 This under glaze china pattern was printed using an interesting process that uses copper plates. 

The plates are heated with applied oxides and then wiped clean of the excess and stamped onto tissue paper.  The tissue is then transferred to the ceramic blank.  The piece is immersed in water so the tissue will float off leaving the pattern behind.  Then it is glazed and fired.

 I’ve read that Spode was purchased in 2009 by Portmeirion, another of my favorite china companies.  They want to carry on the work of this renowned British company that was founded over 200 years ago.

For some reason this is the teacup that I always choose when I have a cup of chai (Indian spiced tea) – it just seems to suite it. 

Please join Terri and Martha for Teacup Tuesday and Wanda Lee for Tuesday Tea for Two.