Annual Fruitcake Reveal

Thank you for the gift of a delicious homemade fruitcake like none other!

I’m loving that darling Tea Cozy too. No matches allowed near that muslin cloth wrapping it!

My sister Mary and I indulged today, now we are back in the Burgh.

A great way to start the new year.

Do you like fruitcake? I especially like this homemade one, chock full of wonderful ingredients.

Annual Presidents’ Teapot Shot

Last year I had the handle to the right. George was a bit more in focus. It sits in my China cabinet on the top shelf.

From last year’s post

PRESIDENTS ON A TEAPOT – 1966

LBJ is the last president printed on it. 

My friend Joanne give me the teapot.

Presidents’ Day -a Federal Holiday on the 3rd Monday in February clickHistory here

The date imprinted on the bottom of the teapot is 1966. Not sure if newer versions of Presidents on a teapot exist. This one is enough for me.

Yes that’s George Washington on a plate

Mug Shots

The title of today’s post was created by my friend Joanne in Florida . We were talking on the phone about the different types of mugs people have in their homes. Think about the clunky white mugs in a diner, sometime decorated with a single stripe near the rim. What do your mugs say about you?

One afternoon my friend Vincie made a cup of tea. She asked me “ Do you prefer a thick lipped mug or a thin lipped mug?” Hmmmmmmm. I can tell you I had to think about it. Here’s what I learned about my preferences.

When I make a cup of coffee with a paper filter in a cone, I’m choosing a thick lipped mug. When I make a cup of tea I find I’m reaching for a think lipped China mug. I’d never really thought about my preferences before she asked me. I usually choose a family picture mug in the morning.

So I asked a few friends and family, who follow the blog, to send me some photos of their mugs. Mug racks snd mug trees seem out of style although there are hundreds of stock photos of them available .

What kind of mug do you choose? Do you have matching mugs or a hodge podge, mismatched collection? thin lipped, thick lipped, white interior, or whatever is on hand?

Joanne’s six white mugs, all matching.
Joanne can’t abide a dark interior to drink from.
Joanne’s other mug with the Canadian flag
My mugs are a hodge podge mismatched collection on this shelf. There were more in the dishwasher Anna’s second grade drawing on the left, Steve’s Edvard Munch Scream, family photo mugs created by Marlene and sent as presents. There are two gifts from former students.


(Don’t put photo mugs in the dishwasher!)
My friend Vincie has used each of these mugs for a period of time. The one on the right is in use now.
Afternoon tea with a thick lipped on the left and a thin lipped on the right thanks V and G
A gift from a woolswapper representing common interest- Knitting
Special Occasion Gift mug
A thin lipped mug called a beaker.
Perfect for a hot cup of tea
Amy’s mugs with Polish Pottery, Best Grandma and her Yarn Store mug
Colleen says- Loved all the mugs on your blog Ruth. After a lot of downsizing and a little editing this is what happens here. Joanne and Katherine prefer the yellow mugs for tea and I like the Union Jack unless I’m having tomato soup and then it’s the yellow. And, you’ll never see dark in my mugs either.
I think I need a cup of tea.
Perhaps you’ll join me….
Colleen

Landscaping Goats at Knit Night

Six HaveUHerdLandscaping Goats have been munching some undesired vegetation behind Tupelo Honey Teas in Millvale, PA. They’ll eat anything, I’m told. Even poison ivy!

We were knitting at knit night on the back porch of the shop, and I snapped a few shots of the goats.

Taking a well earned rest

Real Lancashire Eccles cakes at Afternoon Tea

This week I received a package of yarn and goodies from a Woolswap knitter who lives in the UK. Amanda included a tin of Traditional English Tea and a packet of Real Lancashire Eccles Cakes with Real Butter.    She mentioned her husband likes to dip his into his tea. This afternoon I was inspired to make a tea party for one on my front porch. The Eccles cake  was delicious and went perfectly with the English Afternoon Tea. I added a drop of milk. There are three cakes left so three more tea parties on the porch.    Here’s what the bakery says on their website

 

The Eccles Cake is a traditional product, which is believed to have originated in the town of Eccles, approximately five miles from our bakery.

The Edmonds family recipe and method of manufacture has been handed down through generations. Our Eccles Cakes are handmade and consist of a mixture of the finest Vostizza currants, raisins, butter and sugar enclosed in a shell of flaky buttery pastry.

 

 

Presidents on a Teapot – 1966

LBJ is the last president printed on it.

My friend Joanne give me teapot.

Monday February 15 is Presidents Day-clickHistory here

The date imprinted on the bottom of the teapot is 1966. Not sure if newer versions of Presidents on a teapot exist.

Tea Bag Art

Joanne painted this tea bag art and created a greeting card for my July 4th birthday.

My friend Joanne, belongs to an artists’ group in St. Augustine, Florida, -Cafe Sketchers

“Mary Ann Miller is the leader . Our group is the Cafe Sketchers and the blog is Sketching in Provence as a group of them went a few years ago…
We meet at a different cafe each time and sketch and eat. Lately we meet via zoom and share what we’re working on
.” Joanne writes

The Sketchers in Provence founder, Mary Ann’s blog post says….

“the idea was to use a teabag in a sketch/painting/print in any way you desired. Ideas included painting directly on dried and emptied teabags (inspired by New York artist Ruby Silvious), printing with the wet bag and making something out of that shape, painting with tea or painting a picture of a teacup. I used tea to dye unbleached muslin to cover my T-Doodles books

The members painted tea bags and to see their artwork click here

A Tea Wallet

One birthday, my friend Donna mailed me a teabag in a little fabric envelope. Here’s how I learned about another Tea Wallet.

Last week at the NY Public Library, my sister found a murder mystery with knitting on the cover and thought of me. (Yarned and Dangerous by Sadie Hartwell) see cover image below

In the back of the book she said there was a knitting pattern for a Tea Wallet.  I found another Tea Wallet pattern for one by Diane Trap on Ravelry. I knit one for my friend Vincie because I knew she carries her own tea bags in her purse. In a little plastic baggie. Not any more!

I made a modification on the front flap and made it a triangle shape, decreasing at each side.

The quilted knitting motion bag serving as a pretty backdrop for the photo shoot was stitched by my Woolswap partner, Catherine, in New Zealand.

Knit with scraps of organic cotton yarn –Made in America Yarns, the Wildflowers Collection . from Philadelphia

(Modified the front envelope flap- shortened it by half and made a triangle by knitting 2 together on edges while in one row BO 3 then next row CO 3 to create a button hole.)

These were photographed vertically on my phone and I attempted to adjust them on the computer before publishing. And of course they look perfectly aligned and oriented to me but I can’t tell if I’ve gotten them correct for some viewers.  Trying