Teacup Tales

"Tea is best enjoyed in pleasant surroundings, whether indoors or out, where the atmosphere is tranquil, the setting harmonious.   ~John Blofeld One of my simple pleasures is to read while enjoying a pot of tea outside in my garden. We have had a very cool spring, so these last two weeks were the first times I was able to partake in my favorite morning ritual. I wait all week for these weekend tea times.  My morning tea choices are usually Paris by Harney and Sons, Breakfast in Paris by Stash Tea or various loose English Breakfast blends. My yellow Beehouse teapot is my go to or my larger orange one if I have more time to spare. My reading choice is a magazine and the novel I'm currently reading. I have to admit that this current issue of Tea Time magazine is one of my favorites in terms of recipes. For the past year I have been savoring my alfresco tea in this adorable Shelley chintz teacup and saucer. The story behind it is my impetus for the direction of this blog. Las...

Hello Tea Friends, It's hard to believe that February is almost over! This month flew by for me and I'm sorry I didn't get to post more. Two weeks ago I met a longtime friend for tea and she gifted me two of her late aunt's Shelley teacups. Her aunt was first generation Italian American and hosted tea parties. None of the other relatives wanted her eclectic set of English bone china teacups, so my friend generously gave me the two Shelleys and she kept the rest of the collection. Both of the teacups have been used which is unusual for Shelleys, and I'm certainly glad. I'm actually going to use this teacup for my weekend tea time.  What a treat to drink from a Shelley!  It will also be a beautiful addition to my tea party cups. I hope this teacup creates more tales in its new home.   Let me introduce you to... Shelley ~ Forget Me Not Pattern #0442 Warwick Cup Shape Similar to the Dainty Shape-but fewer pronounced c urves Person...

Come join me as we celebrate the end of autumn with a new tea and trio. Today's featured teacup is a Shelley from the Cairo line. This trio is new to me, but it certainly isn't new by any means. It is one of my oldest teacup sets with production dates from 1910-1921. It's almost officially an antique. I purchased this trio on Ruby Lane, an online antique marketplace, for the amazing price of ten dollars. The seller did indicate it had flecks of factory dirt in the glaze. For those of you who follow me, you know that I adore Shelley teacups. The flecks of dirt didn't deter me from buying the trio. Shelley produced a variety of teacup shapes. The teacup is in the Norman style and was named after one of Percy Shelley's sons. This teacup was used for Bestware and Seconds from 1915-1924. I was surprised to see how visible the flecks of dirt are on the dish. Look closely, can you see the flecks? The Cairo line features an art deco design in green, ...

Hello Tea Friends, This summer I was blessed to travel to London. Our schedule was tight and there wasn't that much time for antique shopping. I've always wanted to go to the booths and stores on Portobello Road.  It just seems like a dream place for antique and tea cup collectors. I could spend literally hours sifting through all of the tea cups in search of a Shelley (my favorite). (Internet stock image) Such fun exploring! My close friend arrived in London a week after we left. She is a complete Anglophile and visits London quite frequently. I've taught her a bit about afternoon tea and my favorite potteries. For the last couple of years she has searched for a Shelley among the tables of teacups to no avail. Finally this past June she found the most exquisite pre-Shelley teacup and saucer in pristine condition and gifted it to me for my birthday. Foley   Antique Cup Shape or early Queen Anne Some History The original "Shelley...

As I turn the calendar to February, I'm reminded of something other than Valentine's Day. At the end of the week, it will be one year since I started this blog! Please come sit down and join me as I look back on a fabulous year thanks to all of you. I have made some sweet cinnamon swirl bread. Friday I came home from work and took a double take. The front yard has about twenty sprouted daffodils alongside the lawn! While I welcome these cheerful flowers now, I was hoping for them to bloom closer to spring time. Crazy west coast weather! I will be serving a "tiny spot of tea" of your favorite tea in this Shelley demitasse teacup which was the inspiration for this blog. Growing up I always peered into my mother's curio chest and looked at her collection of teacups, Waterford crystal and other bone china pieces. My great aunt, an avid antique collector, began a teacup collection for me as soon as I was born. One of these Shelley de...

Hello Tea Friends, Hope your 2016 is starting off in the right direction.  I'm pleased with my initial attempts toward following one of my resolutions/goals. My goal of carving out more time for crafts has been achieved (well it's only been two weeks) and I look forward to sharing some Valentine related ones with you soon. Thank you for your supportive comments last post as I transition to blogging every other week. I've been really looking forward to reconnecting with all of you this week. I have today off of work so I'll be able to enjoy reading many other blogs. Yippee! I am planning a Valentine tea with some friends that I haven't seen in a while. While reading Rachel Ray's magazine (January/February 2016 issue), I came across a truffle recipe called Chocolate-Tea Truffles . This piqued my interest and I "practiced" it last night. Usually I only make truffles during Christmas time, but I thought they would be a nice dessert addition to th...

Greetings Tea Friends, I hope this post finds you in good spirits and enjoying the blessings of autumn. I am enjoying the subtle changes in the garden. We are still experiencing temperatures in the high 80's so the roses are flourishing. The cut roses here are from my Pinata rosebush. It's always a surprise which colors will bloom. As many of you know, Shelley teacups are my favorites. Their artistry is remarkable! A while ago I was on a mission to find an antique Shelley to add to my collection. Of course I found many on ebay and Etsy, but the costs were quite prohibitive.  A couple of months ago I did find an antique Shelley ~ very simple but still an antique! So this brings us to our featured teacup...a Late Foley Shelley in the Star Border pattern (#10333). Gainsborough Shape I have learned this "pattern was entered in the Shelley pattern book during or after 1908 and was still in production in 1919 when numbers were transferred from the ...

Welcome Tea Friends and new readers,  Lately I've been doing a bit more entertaining than usual.  I enjoy the energy of parties. The warm summer weather lends itself to casual get togethers by our pool.   On Saturday I had two friends over for a casual lunch and a swim. Originally we were going to meet late morning and I planned to serve tea with some cookies and pastries, but the time changed to two o'clock so my menu had to change. Instead of hot tea, we drank iced tea and the table setting became a bit more laid back. The initial table setting included Royal Albert Blossom Time series teacups along with my featured teacup which sums up the gardening spirit of summer for me... Summer Glory by Shelley Cambridge Shape Pattern  13456 Blue, white and pink hydrangeas make up this chintz pattern on a pale pink background. The word " chintz " comes from the Sanskrit word "chitra" meaning bright or variegated.  It is my first an...