Forgotten tea party photos!

I was going through my camera the other day, trying to clean off the SD card to make room for Christmas photos and I realized I forgot to edit and post these photos!  They are from High Heeled Life's charity tea party back in November.  Each of us got to go home with little treats and some of us won prizes!

Hand made, chocolate dipped marshmallows!

Soap and hand cream from C&E - I love the ribbon!

Treats for the bath, chocolates and an eye mask!  

How cute!  The ribbon is awesome!

These are such simple but sweet ideas for prizes and favours for parties!  Thanks again HHL!


Have a fabulous day!

David's Tea

 This week the lovely people at David's Tea sent me their Holiday Collection to try and review.  I have been looking forward to trying the new teas and am very happy to let you know what I think of them!

 

The box arrived by priority mail so it got here quickly.  I couldn't wait to get it home from the post office!  Inside was this gorgeous red box, perfect for gifting, and a package of David's tea filters.  I prefer filters over a mesh ball as the filters let the leaves open up much more and can then go right into the compost.

 

The box is very sturdy and good quality.  The flap has magnets in it so when the lid is closed - it stays closed.  The Holiday set came with a card telling me the names of the teas, descriptions of each one and instructions for each tea ie the amount, temperature and length of brewing time.

The three Holiday teas come in metal tins with clear lids.  It's nice to be able to see the tea without opening them.  The Holiday collection is Oh Christmas Treat, Elf Help and Santa's Secret. 

Each tin has the name on the bottom so there's no confusion.  Such a nice little detail!  I love the little tins as they are easy to pop into my purse with the filters for tea anywhere, anytime.  I will be reusing them for sure!

 

The filters are a good size for a big cup of tea and fold over the rim of the cup and stay put!  they also work with travel brewers that have screw on caps.   I love using them when I am in a hurry and need to get out the door and in the car.  My tea can brew while I am driving and in my town everyone composts so I can toss it into any compost bin I see along the way. 

I happen to be a big fan of David's Tea and have a few of their other flavours in my pantry.  One of the things that puts David's above all of the other tea bars and companies (besides their tea and awesome customer service) is their packaging.  50 grams of tea is scooped into a zip top bag that is pretty air tight.  It preserves the quality of the tea longer and means I don't have to worry about having an empty tin at home.  100 grams of tea is scooped into a free (!!) airtight tin which can be reused each time a trip is made to the store.  Even if I still have tea left in the tin they 'zero' the scale and only charge me for the amount purchased to top it up.  If you order 100grams online you get the tin for free too!

Each time tea is packaged a little colour coded sticker is put on so customers can quickly spot which type of tea is in each package.  I like to start my day with mate and work down through black, green and end the with something like a chamomile or Valerian tea and the colour codes mean I don't have to read the name and description of each one to know which one to pluck from the shelf.

David's also does custom tins so you can have your own name, logo or anything else printed on tins of tea!  Can we say 'Wedding favours'!?  Fundraising for your child'd school!  Party favours!  Stocking stuffers!

David's can be found all across Canada and now in NYC!  Slowly but surely there will be stores all over the US too!  Don't worry tho...they have online shopping!  David's ships to Canada and the US.  I checked their website for international order and found 'We are seriously dedicated to making our customers happy - so if you are big fan of our teas and you need our products shipped outside of Canada and the US, please contact our customer service department who can provide quotes on shipping costs and coordinate logistics'.  How's that for service!!

Shipping within North America is $5.00 per order and free for orders over $50.00.  Anyone in Canada will tell you $5.00 is a very, very good shipping price!

Oh Christmas Treat

16grams.  Tell Santa not to bother bringing you any chocolate this year. And forget those sweet Christmas oranges. This year, all you need to indulge your festive sweet tooth is this satisfying chocolate orange pu’erh. Just add a splash of brandy, a roaring fire, and some good company. Sorry, sugarplums – the only visions dancing through your head this year will be of dark chocolate, zesty orange peel, and earthy pu’erh tea.  Ingredients: Pu’erh tea (China), chocolate curls, orange peel, flavouring.  * Contains dairy

SP - Oh my!  This really does taste like those chocolate oranges!  Yum!  I highly recommend it in a stocking for Christmas morning!  I preferred this one cold but it was very nice hot too.

Elf Help

11 grams.  Sweet and fruity with a dash of nutty flavour, this green tea is the saviour of elves everywhere. When they’re building to deadline in the workshop, they crave a drink that’s like dessert with a kick of energy. So we made a tea that tastes just like fruitcake in a mug. Add some brandy for the authentic cake experience – those tipsy elves always do.  Ingredients: Sencha green tea, orange peel, apple, papaya, raisins, barberries, cranberries, coconut, natural flavouring. 

SP - Add booze??  OK!  This definitely has the taste of a fruitcake but without the bitterness I find those cakes have but with a nice mellow, fruity flavour.

Santa's Secret

13grams.  Ever wonder how Santa manages to deliver all those presents in just one night? Well here’s the hush-hush formula. He uses a special combination of Chinese black tea, peppermint leaves and spices – all sprinkled with real little candy canes. It’s both energizing and remarkably soothing. All Santa needs is one cup and his motto changes from “ho ho ho” to “go go go”.  Ingredients:Chinese black tea, peppermint leaves, candy cane sprinkles, clove, cinnamon, orange peel, natural flavouring.

SP - Seriously...this tastes like a candy cane, but even better!  I like a minty tea and this tastes like a mug of Christmas. 

There are lots of tea collections available for yourself or gift giving...I know a few people who will be getting them this year!  I think the 24 Days of Tea is perfect for any tea lover!

Anytime anyone asks me what I would like for Christmas I tell them I am really into tea...they always ask if I like David's Tea....YES!!  I have a feeling I will be well stocked up come Christmas morning!

You can visit David's Tea at their website, on Facebook and on twitter!


Have a fabulous day!

Monday's Random Thoughts

It has been a crazy couple of week of meetings, meals, events and work! 

- On Sunday I attended a charity tea at High Heeled Life's house...you can see the pictures here.

- On Monday I attended the annual Rural Urban dinner in our town.  The first surprise was when I found out we are the urban side.  Really?  Ok!  The rural side is verrry rural.  Farmers.  Like reallio trulio farmers.  The second surprise was when I realized that even tho we were sitting at the same table as 6 farmers, they weren't going to speak to us.  Hermes Scarf Friend and I tried forcing ourselves on them but they were having none of it!  The urbanites *ahem* are expected to mingle with the farmers and we will be called out if we don't.  It's all in fun and raises money for charity but I think I will raise some expectations of the farmers...like next year they should actually speak to us!

- On Tuesday morning I had a civic awards meeting.  I picked up the chair of the committee and we went to another member's house.  He must be retired as he is around all the time and...he baked us scones!  I want to know who the heck has time at 8am to bake and clean up before someone comes over at 9am!  I didn't know much about what this meeting was about - and I was told I was chairing it!  Ummmm.  Shoooot!  I made it up as I went along and we got through it!  The chair sent me the nicest email telling me how much she admires and respects me.  I get a bit misty just thinking about it!

- Tuesday evening I had another meeting - Rotary Christmas fundraising this time.  Last year we made it competitive and had teams assigned to each of us.  This year we are keeping the teams but not the competition...but if we sell 500 hams and 150 boxes of chocolates the chair of the fundraising committee will come to a meeting in drag...and makeup.  He is currently growing his mustache for Movember.  This will be fun.

- If you follow me on Twitter you might've been witness to my thoughts on a conversation about ribbon colours for the Christmas chocolate fundraiser.  The chair thought pink ribbon on lime green boxes would be weird (because agreeing to dress in drag and makeup isn't weird).  A lawyer on Twitter actually offered to call him and sort it all out!  Now preps, don't worry, I got my way and we will be offering the choice of pink or red ribbon on the chocolate boxes. Crisis averted.

- The basement renovation is coming along nicely.  The drywall is almost all up which means the power tools will get a break...as well as my headache.  The other day the guys were down there and a fight escalated until I thought it was going to come to blows.  The guy in charge knows one of the issues we have had is the noise level.  Not the work noise, but the stereo they play down there and the fighting that used to go on and rang through our entire house...one of them has the whiniest voice, it just makes people want to punch him in the face!  Anyhoo, the fight got louder and louder until I heard the guy in charge yelled at the top of his lungs 'We're not supposed to be yelling!!!!!!!!'.  And then silence.

- Hermes Scarf Friend and I worked for the hospital gala last week.  We set up the silent auction room and there were 85 items!  Some of them were big ticket like Pilot Friend donated a flight for 4 to Ottawa, a tour of the parliament buildings and lunch with our local MP, trips to Toronto with hockey tickets, $400 bottles of wine and so much more!  I have watched enough soaps to know getting on the hospital board will be the pinnacle of my career as a Suburban Princess...this is step one towards that goal!  It was so much fun seeing my custom ribbon on a few of the auction items!  To order your own personalized ribbon please visit Royal Ribbons!

- The other day the Little Prince was looking at photos on one of the laptops.  He came across one from the highland games in the summer and said 'Oh I do love a marching band!'.  He is definitely an old soul!

- I went to a 'shopping extravaganza' the other night.  I was invited to bring my ribbon samples, a dish for the food table and a prize for the gift basket.  I had never been to this sort of thing so I had no idea what to expect.  I'm all for being a team player but I would struggle with asking people to bring so much to my house.  Have you been to such a thing?  The hostess invited lots of vendors from different companies to set up their displays and invited lots of guests to come and get some Christmas shopping done while holding a glass of wine and eating something one of the vendors brought.  One of the shoppers won the gift basket all the vendors donated to.

- Remembrance day brought nice weather.  I am always happy to know the people at the memorials don't have to stand in the rain or snow.  I find these events so emotional and end up having to think of other things while I am there so I don't start sobbing.

-  Does no one ask 'How are you?' back anymore?  I always lead with 'Hi so-and-so, how are you?' and almost always get 'Good thanks' back but they never ask me how I am!  It's a bit of a conversation killer isn't it?  I'm always left wondering if I am supposed to walk away, carry on with what I was going to say, stand there staring at them....

- I have been talking to the Little Prince about Santa and asked if he is going to write a letter to Santa.  'Yes'...Ok...I asked what he will say in the letter.  He replied, 'Thank you'.  Four words:  Mom. Of. The. Year.


Have a fabulous day!

Charity Tea Recap & Photos!

Last weekend I attended a charity tea at High Heeled Life's house.  It was called the Serendipity Christmas Tea and we were all asked to bring an unwrapped gift for a teen girl which would be donated to the local charity collecting for Christmas.

 

We were greeted at the door with a glass of champers.  You can see it ready and waiting on the table.  I've decided I need to be handed a glass the moment I walk into any building.

The all important branding and signage!

 

Some great items were collected for the teen girls who need some love at Christmas.

 

Every surface was beautifully decorated - I know the pain of living with a renovation!

 

Sometimes we just work with what we have!

 

Prepare to gain 10lbs just looking at the food - I lost track of how many treats I ate!

Everything was beautifully made and presented!

 

Never be afraid to ask if something you are deathly allergic to is in something you are being served.  Better safe than sorry!  I was told tho, these were amazing!  

 

More food read to be warmed up!  

These were delicious - cranberry and turkey I think!

 

Seriously...I would've forgotten to serve the tea!  

Fortunately HHL always has lots of people around to help out!

 

Three different teas with all the fixins!

 

Sugars and honey!

I had eaten so much I didn't even try to top it off with a scone, but everyone else raved about them!

 

Mmmm clotted cream.  'Nuff said!

 

After sugar and champers it's nice to have a glass of cold water

 

Uh huh.  We were expected to eat it all!

 

My favourite cupcakes!

 

Macarons.  NOT Macaroons.  Two totally different cookies. 

Don't try to tell me in America they are called Macaroons.

They aren't.

 

So about those cupcakes....if you are ever invited to HHL's house, ask for the cupcakes.

Treasures from Paris.

 

One of the tables all set for a group of ladies.

 

All the little details were perfect!

 

Every teacup was different!

 

Another table by the big comfy couches!

 

Magazines were laid out...just in case 7 women ran out of conversation!

 

Fresh flowers everywhere!

 

I sat at one of the couches to eat all of the yummy treats. My favourite was the egg salad sandwiches - apparently they contained some highly guarded, secret Italian ingredient.

 

Yes, I photographed other plates too!

 

Thanks for inviting me to your charity tea HHL!  I had a great time with the girls!

After we ate everyone gathered around the big couches and like fun loving women who are no threat to each other we laughed and screeched and cackled and had a great time!  Now we know one of the girls has her family's meals all cooked by her MIL, her husband gets the kids to school and does the ironing and the children sort the laundry.  She gets to read books and take baths (oh and work full time).  We are all a little jelly bean!

At the peak of hilarity there was a tentative knock at the door - the room went silent and one of the husbands was let in....looking terrified!  We sat there looking mostly prim and proper until we forgot he was standing there before we went back to conversations about why men cheat, how to make children say please, religion in the 1st and 3rd worlds and anything else we could come up with!

I was exhausted by the time I got home!  It was a great day for a great cause!

Have a fabulous day!