Tea. Yep, it has its own page here. I am obsessed. It brings me joy everyday. It brings millions of people around the world moments to enjoy and savor life. It can bring you joy too. Won’t you join us in a healthy, lovely act of self-care that becomes one of the best ways to celebrate your day?
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea,” -C.S. Lewis
Tea at Home
“Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea.” -Sir Phillip Sidney
This is my favorite thing to eat right now: home-made clotted cream and scones with sugar-free strawberry jam (it’s tart and awesome). Eaten with Harney & Sons Earl Grey Imperial Tea it is amazing.
Making your own clotted cream is super easy. Pour 1 quart of heavy whipping cream in your crock pot. Turn on the lowest setting (I use “Keep Warm”) and warm it for 6 hours. Put your crock pot crock with the cream in it straight into your refrigerator overnight (at least 10 hours). When you take it out the clotted cream is on the top. Skim it off and store it in a refrigerator container. Keep the leftover cream to make scones with!
“She made him a cup of chamomile tea.” -The Tale of Peter Rabbit
There is something enchanting about Beatrix Potter’s illustrations for her 23 little books. Wedgwood started making Peter Rabbit china a long time ago. The china is such a lovely pleasure to have tea with and my children have always loved using it. Here is a special place setting made in 1993 for Peter Rabbit’s Centenerary. This china is surprisingly cheap on E-Bay and very easy to find.
My tea set with a teapot, sugar, and creamer, plus a cup and saucer, all adult-sized!
This little lady has been with us since 2011. She likes the dregs in the bottom of the saucer, and drinking my paint water.
This is my favorite cute little spoon to stir my tea with- part of a Mon Bento cutlery set.
“Stands the church clock at ten to three? And is there honey still for tea? -Rupert Brooke
Teddies and tea in the studio.
Tea on the studio table while I work.
Unfortunately, I have a “Dish-ease” so I have more than one favorite tea set. The next one is the first one I ever bought and started drinking tea in regularly. It’s Royal Doulton Brambly Hedge in the Summer pattern. I really liked the mice, the books, and the aqua color on this set.
One year, for my birthday, my sweet mother-in-law got me the teapot! More minty aqua!
Here is my set together.
What goes well with tea? Gingerbread cookies! These are made using a large copper cutter from Martha By Mail.
Mixing up some fun in our kitchen by making it look like a cafe!
“A cup of tea is a cup of peace.” -Anon.
And when I’m sick in bed, what do I want? Tea on a tray.
If you haunt E-Bay you can find things in “lots.” That’s how I’ve bought a lot of things cheaply!
Tea With Books
“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough for me.” -C.S. Lewis
Tea and books go together so well and they give me such good ideas!
Once we had a party to celebrate Beatrix Potter’s birthday…
Then we made eclairs for a tea to celebrate Agatha Christie…
I have found lots of ideas for tea and kitchens in “Bungalow Kitchens” by Jane Powell…
My kids love the nutcracker so we did a nutcracker tea for Christmas…
“My hour for tea is half-past five and my buttered toast waits for no one.” -Wilke Collins
And it has all culminated into dreams, creativity, joy, inspiration, and art!!!
Tea On the Road
“In an age when everyone is constantly busy and short of time, what could e more enjoyable than taking time to indulge in what was once part of everyday life, but has now become a luxury- afternoon tea.” -Lesley Mackley
Can you take tea with you? Absolutely! Just be careful not to spill it in your lap! Other than drinking it from a cup and saucer it does just fine in a travel cup. It just seems so much more special like this:
If you are staying at hotels bring a small electric kettle. The hotel coffeemakers make your tea taste terrible!
Tea While Camping
“Tea beckons us to enjoy quality time with friends and loved ones, and especially to rediscover the art of relaxed conversation.” -Dorothea Johnson
I love taking tea camping! My girl scout mommas and I make a pot, sit around the campfire and have a good ol’ chat. Then we get back to work!
Here I am packing. I use this neoprene lunch box to protect my china cup. I also take my precious Simplex kettle with me- it never lets me down! (I got mine soooo cheap on E-Bay!)
When it rains you really need tea! Break out the camp stove- but only use it outside!
Cozy journaling in my cabin.
A Starbucks recipe my darling daughter hacked- it is delightful and portable!
“Bread and water can so easily be toast and tea.” -Anon.
Bread made over a wood fire is just magical, adding tea to that mix was divine.
Camping and cooking over a fire is really hard work. Time for a well-earned break!
“It’s been well said that tea is suggestive of a thousand wants, from which spring the decencies and luxuries of civilization.” -Agnes Repplier
Life on Kansas Street 