Tea with a Bone China Glow

Let’s have some tea and talk about happy things…

I’m holding a lot of hot cups of tea this time of the year. When I come in the bedroom with the teapot for my lovely soft start in the mornings I light the little tea candle in the teapot warmer and sit the teapot on top. The bone china glows beautifully, giving off a soft light in the winter darkness. There is something about fire in our human DNA that just makes us feel better when we see it in cold weather times; warming our minds and bodies. I sit in bed, reading, drawing, or writing and drink my tea before my busy day starts. I cannot imagine a better way to wake up, especially as I am the first up, and it’s often 5:45 when I have to get out of bed! I want to paint the china glowing in its candle-light…

Bone china is a type of ceramic made from finely ground bone ash mixed with feldspar and kaolin. the phosphate content in the bone ash is kept above 30%. It us used to produce high-end ceramic products known for their bright milky-white color, translucency, and lightweight, but sturdy properties. Bone china is usually registered and beneath each piece you will find its trademark and pattern, along with the words “bone china.”

The bottom of a saucer with “bone china” in the trademark.

As I drink in the tea the steam curls up from the teapot spout and the cup, making delightful curly lines of fog.

The tea warms my hands and my heart. The candlelight through the china looks so gorgeous and glows in the darkness of our bedroom. My bone china is so strong- it never cracks, chips, and only breaks if I drop it. It can be glued back together with ordinary super-glue and reused. Every morning I pour boiling water in it and it never even cracks!

At times like this the old house has a life of it’s own…

Translucent, milky-white color, light-weight, sturdy, glows in the light, semi-flexible for hot & cold transitions, and tough- bone china is the best china for everyday pampering! Since the bottom fell out of the china and porcelain market several years ago it is also very affordable second-hand!

Candlelight through fine bone china tea cups and saucers, steam illuminated by the soft light as it rises from the hot tea… Tea is a ritual for calm and creativity. A ritual to center and ground myself, self-care, and meditation, a time for God, a time for peace. Tea is a treat, a key to my good life, and recharges me for the day.

Slowly, softly, with no one there to see, the house whispers her secrets and the secrets turn to stories. -Daphne Du Maurier

Tea should always be drunk out of a china cup and saucer, otherwise it doesn’t taste right. Don’t ask me – its like the microwave- it works and I don’t know why.

While I’m savoring my cup I prop my phone up and put in my airpods so I don’t wake anyone up. I love love love to have a super soft start in the mornings. That means no politics, no abandoned building vids (I do love these though!) definitely no Facebook or Instagram, just my favorite youtubers or podcasters. Here’s who I find to be the most peaceful and that share my interests:

Unexpected Gypsy- my favorite! Beautiful soft, art videos with life journaling advice and the loveliest voice! Her Patreon is great too!

Kitsten & Georg 2 Germans in Britain- more lovely voices (yes a theme!) beautiful interiors all over Britain, lots of china collecting too!

Jeri Landers Hopalong Hollow- a sweet country artist who shares my passion for tea and baking!

Cavalcade of Food- vintage kitchen everything plus recipes!

Bealtine Cottage- an Irish writer reforesting her land and speaking so gently and softly to you over a cup of tea.

Grimm Life Collective- for my little goth nugget self- cutest goth couple travels all over to film movie and true crime locations!

Clean with Kate- Kate helps me get my hiny going with her inspirational cleaning and home videos!

If you have any “soft start” channels to recommend please let me know in the comments!

As the tea warms me from the inside my cat warms my feet. Spooky is delightfully cozy! When my sweet golden retriever Abbey was still alive and able she loved to get in bed in between me and my husband in the mornings and snuggle too. Her with her big dog happy sighs! I miss her so much.

As close as she can get. And yes, all 91 lbs. of her is laying on top of my legs!

The process to make bone china tea sets is very long. It includes pouring liquid porcelain clay slip into moulds, letting the water evaporate for a day then taking the mould off. Handles and spouts are now placed. The piece then has its seams trimmed and smoothed. Then the piece is bisque fired. After that the first glaze is applied, usually by dipping the piece and sponging off the bottom so the glaze doesn’t stick to the shelf in the kiln. When the glaze is dry it can also be rubbed off the bottom with sandpaper. The piece is fired again at a very high temperature. Lastly, any transfers are slipped carefully on and placed with water, then squeegeed to the piece to press the water out from underneath. Lastly, one final fire to set the transfer! A gold or platinum edge might be added and then the piece is ready for market!

Mmmm. I love what can be done with the transfers!

I dropped this cup many years ago when my kids were babies. It split cleanly in two. I glued it back together with superglue and use it for a pretty holder of all the playground flowers my students bring me from recess (yes it still holds water!) on my school desk. I thought it would be cool for you to see the shape of the inside of the cup!