Tea With Friends

On pins and needles

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Okay, fellow seamstresses. Do you know what this is? If not, you'll be on pins and needles until you find out, right?

Well, it's a vintage needle book, and I found it at an antique store a few weeks ago for just $6 and decided it needed to come home with me. Later, I saw a giant framed piece where someone had arranged their collection of vintage needle books behind glass. Clever idea, but I like to actually use my needle books.

And this one was marked "Made and Printed in West Germany," which tells me it dates from 1949 to 1990, and I'm betting it was from the fifties or sixties. Do any of you collect needle books?

Easter surprises in the mail

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 8 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Are you ever astonished at the sheer number of tea vendors we have today? I am. And I was reminded of this when a new-to-me name in tea showed up in my mailbox last week: “Kittea.” My friend Nancy sent me a thoughtful Easter gift, and it included this Kittea Raspberry Oolong Tea, which very much reminded me of juicy raspberries.

Also included was this nice thick Alice in Wonderland bookmark, a leather-like design I’d not seen before.

I love the back too! Amidst all the political flyers that have already started clogging up my mailbox, this was a delightful and delicious package to find in the mail!

Wrap-up of this year's Easter tea wares

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 6 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Before I move on from Easter, I realized I never shared my Easter table setting this year.

I had been so excited about using these Primuline teacups and bread plates that matched some dinner plates my late mother gave me. The matching dishes were a gift from a lovely woman named Rebecca, who read of my quest for them while she was looking up these dishes on the internet and gifted me with these pieces, which I had been stalking for years but never found. So thrilled that I can now set a full table with the dishes from my mom—all thanks to a kind woman I’ve never met in person!

I still love this T. J. Maxx bunny I found a few years ago and continue to use it on my table.

The tiered server with a bunny on top was a surprise from my friend Margie this year. Isn’t it adorable?

And Margie also gave me the pretty green teapot napkin rings, which I used with napkins my late mother made for me from the Welbeck chintz fabric that was once sold at Joann.

Finally, I was so happy to be able to use the jonquil silver plate pieces I found at a thrift store last fall. These are perfect for Easter and springtime decorating. I hope you all had a happy Easter, as I did, and now I’m preparing to turn to roses for my décor for the rest of April and May!

Wishing you a joyous Easter!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 3 Apr 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this Good Friday, I wanted to share a favorite vintage teatime postcard and wish you all a truly joyous Easter!

An Easter shelfie

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Now that I have young friends who pop by once a week or so, I'm really enjoying pulling out the decorations for each new season, which are on display in my small dining room. I haven't bought a lot of new things this Easter, but I did do a good job (I think!) of remembering where I stored everything from previous years. Some pieces can stay out in the garage after Easter, but others need to be stored inside, so I'm trying to do a better job of remembering what's where. This is the Easter shelfie for 2026, and I think I like it!

The only purchase this Easter was this little tin sign (because … teacup).

I am still just in love with the $1 vintage Avon bunny figurines that I bought when visiting yard sales with my sister on a rainy day last summer.

And then came the matching Avon figurine, a gift from my friend Margie, a piece I treasure not only because it features teatime but also because it belonged to her late mother, who, like me, was once an Avon lady!

I have three chintz teapots and used them all in the display since nothing says "springtime" quite like chintz.

And of course I will always love my vintage Easter postcards. I'm so looking forward to celebrating Easter this weekend!

Everything's coming up roses!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

So I was at a HomeSense store this week to look for pink rose accessories to use on a coffee table that is temporarily located in front of my new pink sofa. My husband had an old glass coffee table he used in his “man cave,” and it was sitting out in the garage, awaiting its transfer to a local thrift store for donation. But then I decided I would clean it up and drag it inside just to get an idea of whether I really want a coffee table there. And I decided that yes, I do! I thought I wanted a white wooden coffee table, but I really like the airiness and transparency of the glass, so this will be staying until I find the (bargain!) vintage coffee table I now desire. I found one on Facebook Marketplace that was being advertised by an antique store not too far away. Alas, that gold bamboo-and-glass coffee table is $425, and I believe I can do better than that!

Meanwhile … accessories. That was the name of the game. I found a vase with pink silk roses that was just perfect, and then I innocently wandered down the dish aisle and spotted THIS! I’d never seen a handpainted cup and saucer quite like this before. A mug, yes, but a teacup and saucer, no. It was just $9.99, and I had rewards points that actually made it free.

The sticker says to hand wash it, so I will.

So technically, this wasn’t a new teacup but simply new living room décor!

A puzzling picture

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I blame my friend Heather for this purchase. She brought a lovely sewing-themed puzzle to the craft retreat over the weekend, and although I couldn't find that exact one on Amazon, I did find a pastel sewing-themed puzzle titled "Sewing Moments" that will look great in my craft room upstairs.

What sealed the deal was this sweet little detail!

The puzzle and matching poster arrived Monday evening, and when I opened the bag, I was surprised by two things: 1) The pieces seem rather thin (although the packaging calls them "thick") and 2) they're very glossy and sturdy. So we'll see how this works up!

This is also the first time I've had a puzzle with letters on the back to help guide the assembly. I am terribly slow at putting puzzles together, so if this lettering helps, I may have yet another hobby to enjoy on the evenings I'm watching (or at least "listening to") TV. Are any of you puzzle fans? If so, what's your best tip for assembling puzzles?

Elderberry Apple Cinnamon Tea

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I got back last night from my latest craft retreat at Lake Hartwell with friends, and when we were on our way to dinner one night and my friend Heather offered to run us by a local shop we all enjoy, I was delighted to find this new-to-me Elderberry Apple Cinnamon Tea from Everything Elderberry!

Even the loose tea looked yummy.

I was curious whether the cinnamon would overpower the elderberry and apple flavors, but it definitely did not. I was delighted with the fruity and sweet taste, accented by only the merest hint of cinnamon. This one was a fun discovery, and it's lovely to have a new cinnamon tea that actually tastes like spring!

Don't read this post too quickly!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Okay, it is very important that you pause before scrolling past this first photo today. This is obviously a book, right? What's your guess? A journal? A book about teacup history? Well, you would be wrong.

It's the Tangerine Tea Time Daily Devotional Bible, and when I spotted it in a store the other day, I was just stunned that I did not know there was a Bible with teacups on it! I'm not just trying to score Sunday school points when I say that the Bible is my favorite book of all time, and as I understand things, it's also the only book that will last forever. God's word has gotten me through the toughest points in my life, and my morning time in the word with a (single!) cup of coffee is my favorite, calmest part of the day. (I've found an easy, do-able reading plan that lets me read through the whole Bible in a year, so if that appeals to you, visit Blueletterbible.org and look down the right-hand side to see the different reading plans. I like the one that gives you some of the Old Testament and some of the New Testament each day.)

There are so many "pretty" Bibles out there these days, and I have to remind myself that the cover doesn't matter if the words themselves don't make a difference in my life. I even pondered (briefly!) whether it was appropriate to have a Bible that doesn't exactly look like "the Holy Bible." I finally decided this might be a nice extra Bible to have at home, mainly because I want to have a traditional Bible (with the chapters in order) when I'm reading at church or at Bible study. Still, this was quite an unexpected find!

Inspiration at the antique malls

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I really need to delete old photos off my phone more frequently. If I did, perhaps I would have remembered sooner that I wanted to share some fun finds at one of the antique malls I visited in Monroe last month! This light fixture had just been brought in and wasn’t yet for sale, but the nice lady behind the counter said I was welcome to snap a photo.

I’ve seen similar teacup light fixtures in tearooms, on Pinterest, and elsewhere, but I’d never seen one with vintage leaves and ribbons incorporated. I love that! Now I’m going to have to check out the light fixtures in thrift stores and see if I can make one myself.

And at another mall, I didn’t buy anything, but I absolutely loved this table. Isn’t it fun?

Ready for St. Patrick's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

The corned beef and cabbage is ready to go in the slow cooker, and with a little encouragement from tea friend Margie, I managed to pull together a few appropriate tea wares to celebrate St. Patrick's Day tomorrow!

This old thrifted plate struck me as "too green" when I bought it for $3 a while back, but it had roses on it, and the price was right. Now, I'm glad I got it!

And what says "cottage style" more than a cottage teapot?

My St. Patrick's Day teacup is this Lefton teacup, a gift from a fellow tea blogger many years ago.

Will you be celebrating St. Patrick's Day in your food or decor tomorrow?

A little mystery and a big teacup

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I came away with more questions than answers after I found this lovely oversized teacup at an antique mall in Anniston this week.

I'm intrigued that this oversized cup still exists, as it's obviously very old. It measures about 6-1/2 inches wide, 3-1/2 inches tall, and is 5 inches in diameter. The teacup and saucer next to it is a standard size, not a demitasse cup and saucer. The cup at right is unmarked, and I'm wondering if perhaps this was once a breakfast cup since those cups were much larger than today's standard-size teacups. I've also read that not all teacups came with matching saucers, as some tea drinkers preferred to use sterling or silver-plated saucers of their own. Still, I'm betting this one once had a saucer that just didn't survive. (If it does exist, wouldn't it be fun to come across it one day?)

Even the shabby chic look of this cup is just charming. If only teacups could tell us their stories!

A cute new tea-shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

The other day, a friend was returning a book she had borrowed and handed it to me in a Walmart bag along with "a little something" she'd come across that she thought I needed. As soon as I spotted a T-shirt with features of a teacup and teapot, I thought, "Yes, I do!"

It's a Bridgerton T-shirt, and while I've never watched the show, I've learned that I need to be alert to Bridgerton-style items in stores. I've seen lots of wares featuring the show's name, and this design is so cute.

Here's what the whole shirt looks like: "Pardon me while I sip this tea." And the tag on it said it cost just $7.98! I looked online and it appears the shirt is still available at Walmart, so if you, too, need a new "tea" shirt, you may want to be on the lookout for this one.

Signs of spring

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 9 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0400

I was late putting away my Valentine's decorations this year, and only this weekend did I have the time to slowly make the transition to my spring décor. I started with a pretty pastel tablecloth I found at an antique mall in Monroe last month, along with blue tea-and-toast sets, a cube-shaped pale-green teapot (a long-ago Goodwill find), some mint and viola plants from Walmart, and a favorite green teacup and saucer.

The bunnies seem slightly out of place in March, but if I'm going to use them this year, they already have less than a month until Easter, so I've started adding a few. Boy, I miss having a tea trolley to decorate each month, and I'm watching one on Amazon but waiting a bit to see if it ever goes on sale. So meanwhile, I decorate any surface in the living room that is available! This one is an old melodian, or portable organ, that belonged to my husband's great-great-something Presbyterian grandfather (if I have the story straight).

I love those pretty old-fashioned baskets, and the white ones are some of my favorites. This one holds Easter eggs right now, but come May or June, I hope some of my roses can go there.

And I have to mention that my greatest addition to the living room (possibly ever) is this rosy pink skirted sofa I bought for $100 on Facebook Marketplace last weekend! The seller I bought it from had found it on the last day of an estate sale, stored in someone's basement and apparently never used, so it is in absolutely mint condition. I'm donating my old sofa and love seat to some newlyweds I know, so once they pick them up (they're in the middle of the room right now), I can play around with a new grouping in my living room and hopefully create a few new spots to display tea wares!

The Tea Water Wells of Early New York

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 6 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Because of our country having a milestone birthday this year, I am even more interested than usual in US history, and this week while perusing the (digital) aisles of the Library of Congress, I learned something I'd never known before: That in 1750 in New York, "All except the very poor bought their supplies for drinking from vendors who filled their barrels at the three or four good wells called Tea Water Wells."

And what, pray tell, are Tea Water Wells? I would direct you to the website of the Boston Tea Party ship: "The tea drinking residents of 18th century Manhattan realized their tea was only as good as the water in which it was steeped. The water from dug wells in the lower part of Manhattan served well enough for ordinary domestic purposes, but was often brackish and disagreeable to taste. Sometime during the first half of the 1700s, a spring of fresh water between Baxter and Mulberry streets began to attract popular attention. The water was so popular for the making of tea that it was known as the Tea Water Pump."

And nyhistory.org has a one-minute video that further explains the pursuit of good tea water in New York. I'm just stunned that after reading, oh, more than 100 tea books over the years, I'd never heard of Tea Water Wells before. Have you?

A gift of Mariage Frères teas

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 4 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

When my husband and I had a brief stop in Paris during a trip to Europe many years ago, I was so excited about going to the Mariage Frères tea shop, only to discover that on the day we visited, it was closed because of a bank holiday! So imagine my delight when my friend Paige, a flight attendant, recently gifted me with this elegant box of teas from there. I would know that label anywhere, so as soon as she handed me the package, I literally gasped and said, "It's Mariage Frères!" She laughed and said, "You know them?" and I explained that yes, I did, but that my one shot at ever shopping there didn't quite work out. Then it hit me: "Oh! You actually got these in Paris, didn't you!" And she laughed and said that yes, she did.

I love how you open the box and see this quote: "The fragrance of adventure and poetry endlessly pervades each cup of tea." Perfect description!

And inside that stunning box are elegant muslin tea bags (or "mousselines" in French). This Paris Breakfast Tea blend was a rich, flavorful tea that seemed much tastier than English Breakfast Tea. Turns out, the company describes it as having "tasty notes of malted chocolate, tender vanilla and warm brioche and adorned by a sweet fruitiness not unlike candied tangerine. A hint of green tea unfurls at the end, freshening the palate, sparkling and harmonious." That vanilla note is what I notice most, and I am loving this new tea. I may not have traveled anywhere exotic lately, but thanks to friends who have, I am enjoying teas from around the world!

A tale of some well-traveled teas

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 2 Mar 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Can you guess what kind of tea this is? Are you guessing a green tea? Well, you would be wrong!

This is an herbal tea I've never had before—Cherry Stem Tea! This was among the amazing packet of teas and spices I recently received in the mail from my friend Ginger following her trip to Europe. And I have to tell you that I really did detect fruity notes in this tea and learned this was a brilliant use of cherry stems.

I wish I could send you the scents in this package over the internet, because when I opened the package, it smelled so yummy that I kept walking by it and taking a whiff! I've already enjoyed most of these teas (love me some lavender tea) and can't wait to cook some chicken with the Herbs de Provence.

As if all of this tea weren't enough, some fancy chocolate was included too. Thank you, Ginger, for adding to my tea (and chocolate) education!

A new source for London Fog Lattes (and yummy doughnuts)

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Intrepid researcher that I am, I had to follow a friend's advice to try out a new doughnut shop earlier this year. Parlor Doughnuts started a few years ago in Evansville, Indiana, and has been expanding to new sites ever since, including one in Sharpsburg that is just a few miles from my house, and oh my goodness. To call their exquisite pastries simply "doughnuts" is rather like calling a filet mignon "some protein." I'm trying to get out from behind the computer and take my writing notebooks on the road at least one day a month this year, so this week, I settled in a seat before a sunny window at Parlor Doughnuts and began with their hot London Fog Latte.

The tea was prepared well, not at all oversteeped, and there was no tea bag left in the cup, just tea and that nice foam, as it should be. I will happily order this tasty treat again!

And the chocolate-covered strawberry doughnut? Let's just say that I wisely skipped lunch that day so I could afford the calories, and they were worth it! Do you have a Parlor Doughnuts near you?

Heads-up: New tea-themed Easter décor

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

I am always on the lookout for vintage holiday décor as well as pieces that look like they'd go with vintage holiday décor. I’m working on a valentine cookbook similar to the Christmas one I published in 2020, and since I’ve gathered enough collectibles for that one, I’m already thinking ahead to Easter and patriotic cookbooks with a similar vintage vibe. T. J. Maxx, I’m happy to report, is overloaded with tea-themed Easter pieces right now! Or at least they were last weekend. I was smitten by this sweet pink bunny holding a teacup.

I mean, seriously, isn’t she adorable? And the teacup even has a macaron on the saucer! She's about 9 inches tall.

Then I visited a different T. J. Maxx, and lo and behold, they had even more Easter décor with teacups and teapots on them! This 17-inch-tall piece caught my eye because it appears to be a mate to one I found a couple of years ago, and I am betting these will make a guest appearance in that Easter cookbook one day.

One store had several of this piece with chicks, but fortunately for me, I’d already bought this one on clearance for $4 last year and was reminded to go find it in the garage so I can use it this year. And there were several other pieces with teacups and teapots as well, but I felt that two was splurge enough. If I were a wealthier woman, I would have bought them all!

And as I stood there in the checkout line, I noticed that one of the shopping bags has teapots on it. Didn’t have to think too hard about that little splurge!

Southern Tea Company's Peach Sweet Tea Concentrate

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Last weekend, a girlfriend and I were at our fourth large antique mall of the day in Monroe when I came across a new-to-me tea product in a booth full of gourmet food items: sweet tea concentrate. Hmm. I had to think about that, and when it was time to check out, of course I decided that I had to give this a try, and as always, I went with my go-to flavor, peach.

Both the cashier and I were a little taken aback to read that the 16-ounce jar ($7.50) makes just one gallon of tea, but I was curious enough to give it a try anyway. When I got home and prepared to make the tea, I was surprised to realize that I do not, in fact, possess a one-gallon pitcher. I have quite a few half-gallon pitchers, though, but alas for this journalism major, that involved doing math (how many quarts are in a gallon, how many pints are in a quart, etc.) Pretty quickly, I realized that my pitchers hold a half gallon, so I measured out half of the concentrate and added it to the pitcher then filled it with ice and water as instructed.

And the result was some fine peachy-tasting tea, I'm here to tell you! Was it worth $3.75 for that half-gallon pitcher full? Well, yes. Yes, it was. I'll pay $3.99 for a glass of flavored tea in a restaurant, so as a once-or-twice-a-year splurge (or gift for a fellow tea lover), I would happily buy this again (and wish I'd splurged and gotten the mango flavor too). With 30 grams of sugar per 12-ounce serving (and 120 calories), this definitely wouldn't be an everyday indulgence. Still, a fun discovery!

The Emerald Isle and Emerald Wares

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

I don't always mention Victoria magazine, but the Ireland-themed March/April issue arrived this week, and I think it is just yummy! I am so ready for spring, and those gorgeous Easter eggs reminded me that I need to get busy stitching my annual felted Easter egg. I also like those lily of the valley tea wares on the cover since that is the flower for my birth month, May.

And oh, those Belleek teacups! I would love to have some shamrock teacups like these. Maybe one day, I'll spot some at a good price.

These green wares caught my eye, too, because I've been pondering whether to decorate for St. Patrick's Day this year. I'd like to, but with Easter coming early, April 5, I'm not sure how to do both.

But if I do decide to give a nod to St. Paddy's Day, I have some new green pieces myself. Last weekend, a girlfriend and I went junkin' on Valentine's Day and had a great time in Monroe, Georgia. We shopped some of the most wonderful antique malls I've visited in years, and I was thrilled to find some $4 green trays for St. Patrick's Day decorating, whether I do it this year or next. I liked this one with the couple…

And this chippy one with tole-painted roses. Do you decorate for St. Patrick's Day?

Some fun surprises from friends!

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Twice in recent weeks, I showed up to Bible study to find that thoughtful friends had a surprise for me! I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such treats, but I had to share them with you since they're both tea-related. First, my friend June surprised me with this 32-ounce Owala water bottle featuring a design that looks like the vintage hankie tablecloth I just used for my Valentine's Tea!

I've been drinking more water throughout the day and learned my 20-ounce Stanley, while lovely, isn't large enough for all the water I've been sipping. Not quite sure how June read my mind on that, but here we are, and isn't this design stunning? I think of my sweet friend every time I use it. (Also: When I drink herbal teas or green teas, I plop the used tea bag into my water bottle, so I often enjoy "flavored water" at no extra charge!)

And my friend Beth was cleaning out, she said, when she came across this pretty spoon that someone gave her years ago. The funny thing is, the card it's attached to includes the Mock Devonshire Cream recipe I'd had on my mind lately, but I couldn't remember which tea cookbook it's in. I haven't made it in years, but I'd like to make scones for a craft retreat next month, and what's a scone without jam and cream?

So the beautiful spoon was a lovely gift, and the recipe was a fun bonus!

A Valentine's Tea with Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:00:00 -0500

Because I was single for 42 years before I ever married, I spent a lot of Valentine's Days alone. In my twenties and thirties, I wasn't very happy about that, and then one day, it dawned on me that I should quit feeling sorry for myself and, instead, do something for someone else on Valentine's Day. So after my husband passed away, it was quite natural for me to revert to that behavior and do something for others. This year, I knew that my discipleship group friends loved teatime and would probably enjoy a Valentine's Tea, so I invited them over last week, and we had a great time together!

I had so much fun pulling out all of my pink stuff and decorating. I even found tiny little pink bags of Lindt strawberries-and-cream white chocolate truffles at the grocery store and decided to place them atop my heart-shaped pink plates as favors.

The teapot napkin rings I found at an antique mall a few years ago seemed like a good fit, along with some vintage pink damask napkins I found earlier this year. We sipped strawberry oolong tea as well as a cranberry-apple tea.

I went a little crazy with the heart theme, making heart-shaped cucumber cream sandwiches …

Heart-shaped cranberry-pecan scones …

Fruit skewers on heart-topped picks …

And heart-shaped glasses of strawberry fluff (pudding) topped with heart-shaped strawberries.

I had trouble capturing the shape of the strawberries in a photo, but basically, you just slice the top off a strawberry and cut a V in the top to make it look like a heart. I had originally planned to make chocolate-covered strawberries, but when I reached into my cabinet for what I'd thought was a yellow package of Toll House chips for melting, it was instead a package of yellow rice. Oops! But my guests never knew that the strawberries were supposed to be chocolate, and what's a tea party without at least one slip-up!

And I had gotten a loaf of gluten-free bread for the friend who eats gluten-free, so she got her own little tray of cucumber sandwiches and pimiento cheese ribbon sandwiches. (The peanut butter kiss cookies had no flour in them, so those were fine too.) It was so much fun to celebrate with friends who oohed and aahed over everything on the table, and now I'm planning a spring tea!

The teacup winner is …

noreply@blogger.com (Angela McRae) — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:26:00 -0500

Joy! Congratulations, and I'll get this headed your way shortly. Hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day!