Teacup Tales

"The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. From a whimsical child's teapot to an elegant English Teapot, to collectible teapots that adorn some homes, they are a subtle reminder of all that is good in this world."                                                                     ~Barbara Roberts This week I want to simply share about some teapots I use on a regular basis. While they are not vintage English teapots, they're durable, aesthetically pleasing and hold temperature well. They're called Beehouse Teapots and Zero Japan is the manufacturer. Zero Japan was established in 1992 and its products can be purchased on Amazon and the  Beehouse Teapot website . Their organic shape appealed and still appeals to me. My fir...

Hello Tea Friends, Hope your summer days are bringing you happiness and health. I'm trying to take advantage of the cooler mornings and early afternoons with tea time in the garden. Nothing is more relaxing than reading a good book with a glass of iced tea in the afternoon or a cup of tea in the morning. Come join me for a simple tea in the garden. I was planning on making a peach crisp to go with my peach teacup but life got in the way. I do plan on making the crisp and will share the recipe with all of you soon. Today's featured teacup is a demitasse one by Royal Crown Derby. There is something so sweet about a demitasse teacup. I adore designs in the inner cup! Embossed gold "bands" on the edge Demitasse teacups pack a lot of pattern and design into a small area. Circa 1921-1940 Realistically it was a tad too hot for tea so I made some Constant Comment by Bigelow iced tea and was happily surprised by the subtle orange taste. ...

Hello everyone, Spending time with my friends and family over a cup of tea is something I always cherish. I'm sure you agree. Tea has a way of welcoming and extending conversations, and I love to chat! This summer I've been reevaluating and prioritizing things. I definitely need to dedicate more time with friends and put work priorities on the back burner for a bit. I decided tea time with friends was long over due. With soaring summer temperatures and a broken air conditioner, afternoon tea isn't ideal, but I was determined to still host a tiny tea party. Last week I hosted two very early morning cream teas in the garden. What a wonderful way to start the day! What is a cream tea? According to Wikipedia: A   cream tea  (also known as a Devonshire  tea , Devon cream tea  or Cornish  cream tea ) is a form of afternoon tea  light meal, consisting of  tea  taken with a combination of scones, clotted  cream , and jam. As you can see,...

Happy Summer Tea Friends!   One of my summer pleasures is visiting new tearooms while traveling. Saturday was my birthday and what better way to celebrate than going out to afternoon tea. A favorite travel spot of mine is the Monterey Bay. Carmel by the Sea, Monterey and Pacific Grove are idyllic towns. Last year while walking in Pacific Grove I came across   The White Hart . The beautiful Victorian immediately caught my attention. I was thrilled to learn the home serves as a tearoom to the public two weekends a month and can be rented for private parties as well.  I knew I wanted to celebrate my birthday there. We made reservations for 11:30 (right when it opened). The White Hart does not have set seating times like many other tearooms. This makes for a relaxed experience in my opinion. I was happily surprised to see the decorated table when we arrived. So sweet! A birthday card on the table! Noritake teacups We enjoyed a ...

Hello Teacup Friends, Welcome June and the start of iced tea season!  While the temperatures are still somewhat mild, I will continue to start my weekend mornings with a cup of tea and a good book outside in my backyard. There are so many good "tales" on my to-read list already.  As an avid reader I hope to start incorporating book titles of my own selection and those of my book club here on my blog this summer.  I certainly agree with this! Speaking of tales, during this last year I have been admiring teacups with scenery patterns. I feel they are telling their own tale and the artwork is remarkable. I was able to find just such a teacup and saucer on ebay a couple of months ago and it is our week's featured teacup. Rosedale by Royal Albert The scene features an open garden gate and a yellow cobblestone path. This set appears to be hand painted and the raised painted flower buds really stand out to me. I've never seen that o...

"Love planted a rose, and the world turned sweet." ~Katherine Lee Bates Hello Tea Friends, Last week we had a bit of a warm spell which my roses, flowers and budding vegetables gladly welcomed. The yellow "Mellow Yellow" rose tree became so top heavy that I really had to cut it back as it was almost ready to fall over. So alas, no photos of those pretty roses- just miniature pink ones. Since the sun is shining and not too hot, please join me in the backyard for a rose tea. I have been so excited to share my first teacup trio! While on a recent trip, I found this "Orleans Rose" trio. It's in wonderful condition with most of the gold trim intact. I've been looking for (an affordable) trio for quite a while. The almost three dimensional paintings of the roses is quite lovely. This is my first Royal Standard teaware in my collection. It was produced circa 1950's. Have a slice of cherry cobbler fr...