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with friends. |
& her friends |
Always handmade just for you |
China and Paper Tableware and Teapots with Scripture Verses |
Send Teddy Bears and Tea to our Troops |
Great Reference. Find a Tea Shop in your area or when you travel. Pictures, Menus & Reviews. |
Archived Photos & Articles of Interest |
Archived Forever Alice in Wonderland Issue |
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| Hello
Dear Ones - I'm sitting in my little porch room watching large clumps of early snow fall from my raspberry bushes. My glasses are fogging up a bit from the steam of my tea because I'm holding my tea cup close to my face. The porch room is too chilly - I think I'll return to the warmth of my office. How fortunate I am to be able to improve my life by walking a few feet. I am profoundly aware that there are many who can not achieve such comfort. Like the Proverbs woman (Proverbs 31) I am able to both laugh at winter and give graciously to those in need. My prayer for you is that you too are like that dear woman. But if fortune is not now in your favor, I pray that you will be able to both laugh and share some day soon. Holiday time is nipping away the calendar - a time to focus on true comfort and joy, not material pleasures. Have a Friendship Tea and ask each gal to bring along something for the local food pantry. You will be surprised how such a little act of kindness will change your outlook! So to each of you - Happy Thanksgiving! What am I thankful for? For my faith because it gives me great peace and joy. I'm thankful for my family, my friends and, dear ones, I am thankful for you. Consider yourselves hugged. Now go and sip some tea and enjoy this issue! Grandma  
Dear Grandma Rae: I am an ordinary Soldier from a big city who was given an opportunity to serve my country in a very unique way. During my deployment I met a very diverse group of people from different countries who never ceased to amaze me with what they could do Continue reading...  Yes, I looked up the definition. Officially a tea party is "An afternoon social gathering at which tea and light refreshments are served." (American Heritage Dictionary) Building upon the definition are many lovely rituals to having tea. Setting a proper table, cutting and presenting the food, hotting the pot, steeping time for tea, pouring, cream, milk, sugar granules or cubes....oh my! The list goes on! But I ask you - Is all this foll-de-roll and fiddle-dee-dee necessary? Wasn't the best tea party you ever went to the one where you laughed yourself silly and spilled tea on the table? What is a tea party? Friends! And evidently my daughter Sandy agrees with her Mother. (Smart child!) Here's a pix of her and two friends having evening tea and laughter. Sandy (C), Carolyn (L) and Kim (R).   Some of you may know that our friend Faith (7th grade) has embarked on a two year project to write a book entitled Tea with Famous Faces in Indiana. She will be having tea with notables such as the governor, president of Perdue and John Cougar Mellencamp. Besides notables, she also has tea with future notables. Here she is with all the girls in her Mother Annie's nursery school "The Little Tin Soldier" in Lafayette, Indiana.   Seeing this group of little girls made me think about my Aunt Gladys and Cambric Tea. Aunt Gladys came to America from Englad in 1909 to be a lady's maid to Mrs. Stewart. As you imagine she was prim and proper in the Mary Poppins way. I loved her dearly. She often talked about the English countryside and told me elf and fairy stories so often that I can't look at a foxglove flower without expecting it to suddenly take flight. She gave me my love for reading and my delight of tea. Of course as a child I had sweet milk flavored with rich dark tea. Cambric Tea. And when I read Agatha Christie's short tale, Cambric Tea, I smile and think of Aunt Gladys. I raise my teacup to you Auntie. xxx Grandma   There
is an old adage that say’s “when one door closes, a window will open”
I’m Katherine Wunner owner of the former Katherine’s Tea Room. After I closed my business I knew that I still wanted to be involved with the wonderful people Continue reading... .... 
It's Cookie Time!
Host a Cookie Exchange! It's a wonderful way to begin your Holiday Season. My Christmas Season begins with my Cookie Exchange on the first Monday in December. Hurrah! Here are a few organizational ideas. 1) Pick a date, time and invite 10 - 12 friends. 2) Tell friends to make their favorite cookies and divide them into bags, 3 per bag. If their recipe makes 36 they will each bring 12 bags. 3) Remind friends to bring or email their recipe so that you can share their recipes around. 4) Depending on your chosen time prepare brunch, lunch, tea or munchies for your guests. Of course you will also be serving cookies because most everyone brings extras to share which adds to the ones you are serving. The sugar rush will be marvelous! 5) To control sugar rush chaos, it's a good idea to have gift bags (Plain gift bags are ubiquitous.) with each woman's name printed clearly. When guest arrives put one of her cookie bags in each gift bag. 6) Everyone should go home with their sugar rush in place, laughter, memories of a good time and a yummy sampler of cookies. 7) Remember to send recipes after the party. Why not... Share your tea and cookies fun with others. Consider having your friends bring donations for the local food pantry.
Tea-Cider Punch for your Cookie Exchange This is so simple I'm embarrassed to tell you. Nevertheless...Here it is: 2 quarts each of Hot Black Tea and Hot Apple Cider. Season with 6 - 8 whole cloves and 6 - 8 whole allspice. Float apple rings pierced with cinnamon sticks. You can serve this punch hot or cold.  Did you know that cooled Chamomile tea can be used as a hair rinse to bring out the highlights of red, light brown and blonde hair. No, I haven't tried in on my turning-more-gray-each-day hair. |
Book Review by Ruth Pelio  Those of you who have been reading the Tea Shop Mysteries know how much fun they are. For the first time reader,
you may be on your way to the pleasure of a new discovery.
Theodosia Brown, the owner of the Indigo Tea Shop has agreed to cater the "Ghost Crawl" to benefit Continue reading...  
In the last issue I featured a Crochet Tea Cup design with directions sent in by Judi from Sun City Arizona.
A few of you sent emails saying you were going to try the pattern. Debbie Lawrence, owner
of Four Seasons Camp Grounds in Scotrun, Pennsylvania
made this cute little tea cup pin cushion as a gift for me. (Too sweet!)
Debbie and her Husband Ed have owned the campgrounds since 1995. Debbie taught herself to crochet, and said she loves
to crochet until her eyes cross. She made this sweet little pin cushion from the scraps of her daughter's dolphin
afghan. Debbie said she pared down the stitches to make it smaller and curl up the saucer. She made the little
cushion inside the cup from a sewing scrap. I don't crochet. I won't be able to help you with this project.
If you have any technical questions please send them to Debbie.
For those of you who are encouraged by Debbie's creativity here is the link to the original project. http://www.craftycrafty.tv  Tea Craft with Us. Paulette wrote ..."These were for our tea at church. Our church has an annual Women's Tea for which I have helped create the favors, name tags, etc. Each lady who was a hostess to 8 ladies used her own for her table. I made coordinating place cards for each table and the teabag packets were the favors.  I am a retired church secretary, a job that I loved. I have 3 married daughters and 4 grandchildren. I live in Central PA among the Amish. Hubby and I are Penn State Lady Lions basketball fans."   From time to time I get sewing questions. Melissa's question was a fun one since she was asking a creative question. Send along any suggestions after you read Melissa's query.  Patterns & Kits now available! You know who you are. You have cat mugs, cat teapots, cat aprons, cat posters, cat towels...well, you get the pictures. You just love cats! And you have friends who love cats. Now, you who are crafty and able can make your friends a Cat Tea Cozy, Cat Door Stop or a little Cat to sit quietly on their desk. Follow the links to the information about patterns and kits for Kitty Kat Doorstop, Desk Top Kitty & Pocket Pal and Kitty Kat Tea Cozy  Victoria Bauer is not a tea shop. It's a lovely Accessories Shoppe located in Irwin, PA. I was so happy when owner Linda Drahusz contacted me to include some of my products in her shop. Linda carries ladies accessories by well known names, local artisans and artisans from around the country and around the world - Brighton, Chamilia, Mary Frances, Anuschka, Mad by Design and many more. She carries lovely hand made rosaries, hand painted silk scarves, antique spoon jewelry and hand felted handbags by local artists. Inquires welcome. She will happily ship to you. Remember Victoria Bauer's motto: "I am, therefore I accessorize"  Stained Glass Teapots What an odd coincidence - in one month two people sent me pictures of their stained glass teapots happily hanging in their kitchens.  Meta's kitchen is a bright red and
white. She chose to hang her teapot over the crisp white window
curtain by her sink. She liked the way the white curtain showed off the glass.
 Lori too hung her stained glass teapot in
her kitchen but instead chose to hang it where a plant was. She
told me she was having "trouble" with that plant
anyway. No, plant lovers, she didn't tell me where she put the "troubled" plant.
Well girls - I'm glad you're both happy with your teapots and I hope they give you many moments of pleasure.  Even though The Cracked Teapot Gazette e-blasts to your home through the magic of the internet, it doesn't really appear out of thin air. YOU make it happen. All I do is paste together what you send in. And you send in some tea-riffic articles. There is one person, invisible to you, who does a great work for us all. A special thanks to Maureen who diligently reads the Gazette and corrects every jot and tittle. Thank you again and again Maureen. Join the fun! Send a photo and a blurb about your last Tea Party. Write a Friendship Poem or send in your favorite Tea Sandwich Recipe. Do you have a favorite Tea Shop? Write a review and tell us all about it. Share your creativity - send us a picture of your tea craft. Those of you who like to tell tales...Share your most embarrassing tea moment. Send in your article TODAY! and then share The Cracked Teapot with your friends |
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