old words and vanilla tea

Tea Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 14:56:00 +0000

"Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea."

— William Ewart Gladstone

Have a great Sunday ladies! And drink some tea :)

Spanish Designer: Alma Aguilar

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Alma Aguilar is my new discovery and I so glad I found it! It may be a bit out of my reach

but still, it is worth it :) Don't you love this retro style? Those pastel colors? The textures?

In love!

Lisbon Romantics

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 15:03:00 +0000

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi there ladies! I just came back from Lisbon! I spent 3 days there with my closest friends

laughing, walking, shopping and enjoying... I love them so much, I can be me no matter

what, they always understand and support me. We were also at Sintra, an amazing dreamy

small town. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I did enjoy the trip! :)

Magnificent Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:32:00 +0000

I know it had taken me sooo long to be back and post my Russian pics and so I apologize

lovely ladies, but I promise I have been too busy this past month :( Oh well, but better

late than never! :) Russia was such a great experience, we went to Moscow and Saint

Petersburg and I must tell, I felt in love with Saint Petersburg... it is so big, so

impressive... its views, its palaces... You better see it through images :) By the way, I

introduce you the boy for the first time! :)

Alma Mahler

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 06 May 2011 15:47:00 +0000

"I can not express in words how much I love you"

Gustav Mahler - Symphony 5: Adagietto

Alma Mahler was famous composer and conductor Gustav Mahler's wife. Although I don't

fully share her lifestyle, I admire her independence, strenght and uniqueness. She chose

the life she wanted and she loved the men she wanted to as well. She was deeply loved

by many, but especially by Mahler. Some people believe that he dedicated her his

Symphony 5. Listen to it, it's amazing.

Have an amazing weekend ladies! Some Russian pics coming up this weekend!

Sources: Google

Spanish Designer: La Bigotera

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 11:06:00 +0000

Trying to find the perfect spring-summer dress? I think I have! La Bigotera is my new find

and I already love it! Every single 50s inspired dress is amazing and not expensive at all :)

So how have you been doing darlings?

NEWS on my side:

- I just came back from a small trip to Russia! Pics coming soon...

- I got an 8/9 on my English exam! So I'm ready for London!! :)

Spanish Designer: Pepa Loves

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 17:53:00 +0000

Pepa Loves has been one of my favourites Spanish designers for the spring-summer season

for awhile. It is very colourful, lively and bright, with a bit vintage vibe, just lovely! They

do have an online shop, so go ahead and check it out if you like these designs :)

Exam Day

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:37:00 +0000

On Saturday I took the English exam that will give me access to University in London. As

you know, the boy and I are moving this fall to the UK and we are pretty excited about it!

I think I did a decent job on the exam, but fingers crossed girls! :) Oh! And the boy was

the sweetest and made me a chocolate mousse for after the exam! Yummy! Anyways, this

is what I wore (a comfortable outfit for the exam) :)

Skirt: Pins & Needles (UO)

Shirt: Oysho

Riding Boots: Vintage

Belt: Vintage

Bag: UO

Strong Women

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:27:00 +0000

"I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves."
— Mary Wollstonecraft

Hello ladies! We had such a great time in London. I visited the University I want to make my Phd at next semester and became really excited! Fingers crossed! :) And we went to the National Portrait Gallery, make sure to visit this gallery if you go to London, it's amazing, I had the chance to see the original portraits of some of the women I most admire. Strong women. A visit to remember. How about you? Did you spend a nice weekend?

Stones In The Road?

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:44:00 +0000

"Stones in the road? I save every single one, one day I'll build a castle."
— Fernando Pessoa

The boy took me to Coimbra, Portugal, during the weekend to relax, go for long walks and eat good food. I took these few pics and I just wanted to share them with you. If you have the chance make sure to visit this ancient college city, it's worth it! This weekend we may go to London with the same purpose :)

How Do I Love Thee?

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:48:00 +0000

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight.

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise

I love thee with the passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE, ESPECIALLY TO YOU MY LOVE

I'm Back (For Good)

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:46:00 +0000

"Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them."
— Leo Tolstoy

Hi there ladies! It's been a while... I am sorry. I've been through a lot this last month and I didn't feel like blogging. But it's getting better now so I found the strength to go for a walk with the boy and take some pics. It did me good indeed! Hence I've decided to be back in blogland, I've missed you ladies! A lot! What have you been up to?

Coat: Armani, Vintage

Dress: Vintage, Its Bella's etsy store

Wedges: Kling

Bag: Misako

Terrific Dinner, Amazing Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 08:12:00 +0000

"There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature."
— Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey)

Just a very fun night. Delicious home dinner, loving friends and lots of fun. I'm a very lucky girl! :) Hope you had a perfect weekend girls! :)

Jane Austen, 235 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 09:21:00 +0000

"The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid."
— Jane Austen (Northanger Abbey)

Oh my, I HAD to make a quick post about it. Today it's the 235th Birthday of the amazing JANE AUSTEN. I'm quite obsessed with her, not only because I find her books entertaining, but because they talk about us women and about our inner strenght. I'd say my favourite books by her are Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice, but I haven't read Emma yet! :) I do also love the BBC adaptations of her books :) What about you? Do you like Jane? Favourite books? Have a charming weekend ladies!

Pics found through Google

Spanish Designer: diKsí

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:22:00 +0000

Hi there lovelies! I've been kind of stressed out this week buying Christmas gifts, studying for my MA and getting ready for a business trip to Granada in the south of Spain for the next three days... Fortunately next Monday I'll be officially on vacation for 2 weeks! What about you? Many gifts to buy as well? Everything going smoothly? I hope so!

Here you have a few pics of the new Autumn-Winter collection of the Spanish brand diKsí. I love it since it is very romantic and a bit naif, just like me :) As you can see it is inspired by Paris... Oh la la! I am specially fond of the velvet dress, I wanna get one for Christmas! :)

The Cozy Coat

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:59:00 +0000

Some more pics of the snowy weekend. I am so proud of my new-old vintage coat. It's so warm and old-fashioned, I love it! :) Hope you are having a lovely week darlings, mine is being pretty tough, too much work and many mean people :( But I'm strong! :) I always have Eleanor Roosevelt to inspire me:

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."
— Eleanor Roosevelt

Snow: The World Looks Brand New!

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:17:00 +0000

"Wow, it really snowed last night! Isn't it wonderful? Everything familiar has disappeared! The world looks brand new! A new year...a fresh clean start !It's like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on! A day full of possibilities! It's a magical world...let's go exploring!"

— Bill Watterson (It's A Magical World)

I spent the weekend in the countryside and had a wonderful time! It snowed for the first time this season and I enjoyed it like a child. My weekend was full of blankets, tea, books, good conversation and cuddles... Couldn't ask for anything better! :) By the way, that little beauty you'll see below is Kenia, our pretty dog, that has stayed with the family for the last 13 years!

Hat: Kling

Coat: Modcloth

Dress: Kling

Shoes: UO

Scarf: Vintage

Can't Say No To Praline Mocca

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:17:00 +0000

"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee."
— Abraham Lincoln

I love tea, you girls know that, lol. Unfortunately I don't enjoy coffee, I love the smell of it, but for some reason I can't get used to the taste. But praline mocca is a totally different story... If it's cold outside and you had a bad day, there's nothing as good as a praline mocca... :) Have a charming weekend ladies! :)

Books For Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:44:00 +0000

I had to make a post about this. Isn't this handbag amazing? Spoonful of Chocolate is a great Etsy crafter who makes super pretty handbags, passport holders and page place holders from recycled books!! As a proffesed bookworm I love the idea. Just discovered her today and her creations made me feel weak in the knees at once. But her story really moved me. Please take some time to read it, it is worth it. You'll love even more her creations. Thank you lovely ladies!

Spoonful of Chocolate Hope was created to help my father save his house. It's a long story, so I'll try to make it as short as possible. My father is a simple man who immigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1969 searching for a better life. Growing up, I watched him build our house with his own two hands, constantly adding things that reminded him of Czechoslovakia. A couple of years ago my mother's brother (Frank) asked for my father to co-sign a loan for a business he was starting. My father wanted nothing to do with it, he had worked hard to get out of debt and didn't want anything in his name. My mother and uncle constantly asked about the loan, until my father finnally gave in.

Uncle Frank is now basically homeless, his business has gone into bankruptsy and is now unable to pay off the loan. My parents are now forced to pay $3,000 a month with a combinde income of $27,000 a year. So I created this site to give my parents 100% of the profits. Wanting to give my father back some of the life he worked so hard on acheiving.

Yes I Do Wear Hats

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 12:53:00 +0000

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

— George Eliot

I'm enjoying the last days of fall... 23 more days and winter will be here... :) We had a lovely super cold Sunday. I love feeling the freeze air on my face while the sun is shining... It's such a great feeling! I had the chance to wear my new-vintage hat, it has a bow in it, which I adore :) I love wearing hats but I never find the chance to wear them as often as I would like. Hence I promised myself I am to wear more hats these days. Hope you had an amazing weekend ladies!

Hat: Vintage

Coat: Modcloth

Shorts: Vintage

Brogues: Office

Bag: Kling

Scarf: Vintage

Come Join Me For Morning Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 08:40:00 +0000

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

— Henry James

I do totally agree with Mr James, but I enjoy afternoon tea almost as much as I enjoy morning tea... I woke up today feeling a bit blue --no reason for it-- and made a big cup of tea... It made me feel instantly much better :)

Here is a list of my very favourite tea, add yours if you want to and I may try them, mmmmm :)

Vanilla Comoro, Harney & Sons

Decaffeinated Black Tea and Vanilla

Earl Grey Supreme, Harney & Sons

Té de la belleza (Beauty Tea), Hornimans

White Tea and Vanilla

Harmonise, Pukka

Organic Rose, Sweet Vanilla, Chamomile Tea

Earl Grey Lavender Tea, Revolution

Yorkshire Tea, Taylors of Harrogate

And The Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 10:48:00 +0000

The lovely Kellie of Second Star!!! She just graduated Writing, Lit, & Pub major. Dance teacher and choreographer. She loves clothes, shopping, and reading. So I guess she'll enjoy the Old Words And Vanilla Tea Kit :)

I enjoyed so much with this very first giveaway, so stay tuned, many more coming! :)

That 1960s Vibe

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 17:02:00 +0000

We took these pics after the boy came back from London, he had such a great time and we are so looking forward to moving there!! :) I felt such a sixties vibe while getting ready to go out for a walk. It may be the coat or the new haircut or the day :) Hope you are having a great week ladies!

By the way, don't forget to enter the giveaway, you still have time. I'll anounce the winner at the end of the week :)

Coat: Thrifted (Topshop)

Dress: Dahlia

Shoes: Clarks

Scarf: Topshop

Spanish Designers: Kling, Winter 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 10:09:00 +0000

Kling did it again. Their Winter 2010 collection is superb. Loving the colours, the texture and the originality. And what's best it's the price, they are becoming very well-known but they still offer such low prices. Well done! During the crisis period, we need to stay within a budget :)

Maude Fealy

noreply@blogger.com (Darling Lei) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 15:53:00 +0000

I want to share with you a few pics of Maude Fealy. She was an American stage and film actress born in 1883. She was quite a woman and very modern for her time. Now I feel like wearing lots of flowers on my head! :) Isn't she gorgeous?

On a different note, the boy is away in London, he has another audition, so fingers crossed! :) I miss him lots... Have a lovely Sunday ladies!

Love,

Darling L