Tea Cozy Padded Burgundy Floral Gold Large Cosy at Antiques And Teacups

Tea cozies or tea cosies were developed to keep the teapot warm for the second cup but they don't have to be boring. I just added this one to Antiques And Teacups. The burgundy floral tea cozy is large, fits a 4-6 cup teapot, has gold metallic accents and was hand made by a local Sequim seamstress. I just love it! An inexpensive way for a warm cup as well as a beautiful table!

Tea cozies are another of the great tea time gadgets there are...LOVE 'em!
For more info, go to:
Burgundy padded tea cozy

Sterling Silver Sugar Sifting Spoon Fancy Shell USA

The Victorians were famous for coming up with fun things for the table. And everything they came up with were practical as well as finely wrought and decorated to within an inch of it's life!

I am fascinated by Victorian gadgets, and especially those that relate to the taking of tea. Sugar sifting spoons were originally design for use when sugar came in large cones and had to be broken into smaller pieces. Sugar bowls or sucriers were quite a bit larger than the sugar basins or sugar bowls of today because the lumps were truly that...lumps like coal or coke. The sugar was then crushed with a sugar tamper (another story) and then the sugar sifting spoon came into play.  Muffins, crumpets or pikelets (sort of our English muffins) and pancakes were a teatime favorite with butter, honey, jam or syrup and the sugar was sifted onto the muffins or crumpets. Sifting spoons were necessary to get a good sprinkle going from obviously un uniform sugar. And they were usually beautifully designed.

Sugar sifting spoons came in sterling silver and silver plate and were a normal part of a Victorian set of table flatware. They are very difficult to find nowadays.  Above is pictured an example currently available at Antiques And Teacups. Lovely...a spoonful of sugar will be sure to make the medicine (or crumpet) go down in a most delightful way with this!

For more photos and info, go to: Sterling Silver Sugar Sifting Spoon Fancy Shell USA

Huntley Palmer Biscuit Tin John O'Groats Tartan Tea Tin

I just LOVE tea tins...both a colorful decorating accent, a usueful thing around the house and a very affordable collectibel.

This is a vintage Huntley & Palmer Biscuits, England shortbread tin which can be used to biscuits...or cookies to you yanks!...or for a tea tin, for buttons, rubber bands, desk items or whathaveyou. 

The tin depicts John O'Groats...an English figure more famous for his name being assigned for one of the remotest corners of England.

Tartan is always popular. The Scottish tartan has always been revered by families but came to a greater United Kingdom or British Empire popularity under Queen Victoria when the Queen, her beloved Prince Albert and their children began spending holidays at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria adopted all things tartan, wore it herself, clothed her family in it, upholstered her furniture with it and generally went mad for it. 

This biscuit tin has been recently added to Antiques And Teacups. For more info and photos use this clickable link:
Huntley Palmer Biscuit Tin John O'Groats Tartan Tea Tin

Yesterday we went for a drive down 101 from Sequim, missing out the turn for the Seattle ferries and continuing actually on highway 101 headed for Shelton. What is amazing is that you have a crowded road in both directions before the ferries cut off and then after that traffic leaves, highway 101 is almost deserted! Amazes me every time!

 We continued through the sunshine to Quilcene, through the National Forest and parts of Olympic National Park. I love the forests, greenery and the feeling that you have lost civilization within 20 miles of home. Cool.
BUT....the antique shops we usually browse thru were closed. So we just enjoyed the forest, trees and getting me away from the computer!

Take a day and get out and appreciate the sights, smells and sounds of fall....before they're gone!

Now for my afternoon cup of tea....can't wait! An event to be savored everyday!
Cheers!

English Thatched Cottage Teacup & FALL FUN Sale at Antiques And Teacups

 Have you ever wanted to crawl into a picture & live there?   This English thatched cottage design cup and saucer does that to me. I recently found this teacup titled A Somerset Cottage and fell in love!

In our shopping trips around England I tend to take a lot of photos of thatched cottages...they are just gorgeous...although I understand the old ones that have not been renovated can be something else.  But, from the outside they are incredibly beautiful.

You can see more of the cup and saucer at Antiques And Teacups at this clickable link:
English Cup And Saucer Somerset Cottage Thatched

There are some great magazines that focus on the English countryside and villages and many have presences on the web.
Some of these are:
THIS ENGLAND

REALM

EVERGREEN

IN BRITAIN 

are all great ones that I have subscribed to at one time or another. I look forward to their arrival and love to sit with a nice cup of tea and devour them cover to cover. They have also been very helpful planning our next trip! Great also for armchair travelers.

   Sprinkling today, a day early, here in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. But...who cares? After church we went to our favorite place for Sunday brunch, Sunshine Cafe, and they are closing this afternoon until Oct. 21st on their fall break. Enjoy it folks....but where will we have brunch next week?????  Have a great evening....Wallander on PBS tonight. Cool!

   I forgot!!!! Antiques And Teacups has just announced a FALL FUN sale!

FALL FUN coupon for a 10% Discount on all orders...no minimum and may be reused. Fall is here...can the holidays be far behind???!!! Use coupon code FALLFUN when ordering for 10% off.  

So enjoy!