teaspoons & petals

music & tea

Every now and then I'm convinced that my heart beats to a jazz rhythm, scatting along as I sip pots of tea. From singing to Ella's tunes as a child to crooning with a full jazz band in my teens, the soulful sounds always bring me home.

The City of Brotherly Love is bursting with musical moments, especially during the Philadelphia International Festival of Arts. While buzzing through my daily routine, I made sure to pencil (change that: permanent marker) in the chance to brighten up my evening with a Jazz performance at the Kimmel Center by Donald Williams, who has been playing Funk, Jazz and Blues since 1975 (take a peek at the man and his band in action above). 

No need to sing along to a sad song with Billie Holiday for missing the jam session, because there is a final free performance as part of PIFA Jazz Tuesdays on April 26th from 5-7pm. Although if you can't skip over to the Kimmel Center tomorrow, pencil in Paris-When It Sizzled, and join the "musical journey that will take the audience from Paris to Harlem and back again" (April 28th-Indep Seaport Museum). 

Jump back to my original lust for jazz and tea, and take a peek at my Music & Tea collection in the teaspoons & petals' haiku teaware line. While sipping tea, I treated my senses to the caffeinated musicality of the lady songbirds of jazz & blues: Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday and Etta James. Their smoky notes inspired this line of original haiku that features 5 haiku exploring the intimate relationship between tea and music.

So as I curl up with a vintage album of Ella and a sip of a rich, roasted Oolong in my Ella Cup, all I want to know is, what songs make your steeps feel like home?

Stay tuned as teaspoons & petals explores the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts through May 1^st. This post is supported by PIFA and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

sneak peek: teaspoons & petals' haiku vintage handkerchiefs

Bits of of gold paint and vintage handkerchiefs are making my heart skip a beat. I couldn't wait to share these new beauties with you. So, here's a sneak peek of the teaspoons & petals' haiku vintage handkerchiefs.

While making my way through antique stores and vintage boutiques in Philadelphia and New York, I carefully hand selected the most perfect handkerchiefs from days past. From floral borders, pink embroidered petals, to mint green hues, my collection started to grow. 

After learning the art of screen printing and making my very own teaspoons & petals screen filled with my tea haiku, I carefully added bits of golden tea syllables to the vintage handkerchiefs. Beyond the tea words, my screen is dotted with hand drawn tea pots and cups that find their way onto the lady-like fabric.

I'll be singing along to radio and screen printing to my hearts content for the next few weeks. So, keep an eye out for their arrival in the teaspoons & petals etsy shop. 

from alice & the ladies of jazz, with love

When it comes to matters of the heart, I'll be the first to admit that tea is a great love that's shared my many. And if your sweetheart is also fond of alice...in wonderland or the dear lady songbirds of jazz and blues, then I want to introduce you to a few tokens of affection from the teaspoons & petals haiku teacup collection just in time for the holiday of the heart.

 

Tea for two, a sweet sip and a few thoughtful words. I'm sure Saint Valentine would approve.

p.s. mention the phrase "be mine" in your etsy order message, and I'll slip in a free sample of tea for you to steep and sip on the eve of the 14th. all you'll need is the bow.

photos taken by the lovely Courtney Apple

you're invited to {steeped in beauty: DIY holiday gift workshop}

As the first icy flakes fell from the sky on Thanksgiving, I welcomed the holidays while sipping a cup of orchid oolong and anxiously anticipated what was in store for the joyous season.

Our calendars are bursting at the brim with holiday parties and gift wish lists. So in an effort to keep you calm and your home filled with handmade gifts to share with friends and family, I teamed up with my friend and colleague, Jolene Hart (natural beauty expert), to offer the second Steeped In Beauty event....

and you're invited....

Steeped In Beauty: DIY Holiday Gift Workshop

Sunday, December 5th, 2pm-4pm Philadelphia

Indulge in an afternoon of tea and natural skin care through interactive cooking and crafting demos that highlight DIY gifts to give family and friends this holiday season. Learn how to prepare holiday treats, tea blends and homemade natural beauty products that make ideal holiday gifts. While sipping tea, you'll also learn about the impact of tea and natural beauty on health and wellness.

We'll share gift bags filled with our recipes, natural beauty samples, Rishi's white detox tea/green oolong tea, Mighty Leaf's orchid oolong and Tbar tea shop frequency cards. All guests will be entered to win one of several raffle prizes, including a personal health and beauty coaching session with Jolene, a tea party consultation with Alexis, and gift certificates to Tbar tea shop. Guests can also pre-order Beauty Is Wellness health coaching gift certificates, teaspoons & petals tea party consultation gift certificates, and haiku teaware from teaspoons & petals for holiday giving.

I hope you will join me in learning a bit more about how and why it's so very special to have tea in our lives. Looking forward to seeing some friendly faces as we sip, cook and talk tea.

Here is your ticket...

p.s. why not make a day of it with friends? have brunch in the city, come to Steeped In Beauty, and then stroll down 3rd St and peek into the fabulous boutiques. sounds like a lovely Sunday with friends during the holidays, if I do say so myself.

Many thanks to Stacey for allowing us to use her lovely photograph, and to Lisa Snellings, who hand crafts the lovely Poppet creatures shown in the photo. We recommend that you check out both of their fabulous sites.

teaspoons & petals' haiku teacups featured in dailycandy!

I was so thrilled to hear the dailycandy wanted to feature teaspooons & petals' haiku teacups in their "Throw the Mother Of All Tea Parties" guide. Beyond our cups, they gathered a fabulous group of tea related goodies, including tea, sweets, decor, etc.

From rose petal macaroons, vintage teapots to decadent jams and honey, I was blown away and inspired by their selection. Although the true temptress in the guide hails from Amada restaurant in my city of brotherly love, Philadelphia. Mr. Top Chef, Jose Garces, has created a beautiful Truffled Lavender Honey and has even shared the recipe (although I recommend making a reservation before trying it at home). Maybe it's time for tea with Garces?

Many thanks to dailycandy for featuring our haiku teacups. It's such an honor!

meeting martha & handmade gift contest

 

When I'm faced with a kitchen catastrophe or a gardening dilemma (which is a daily occurrence in my just-planted patio), I tend to ask myself, WWMD (what would Martha do)? So naturally, while browsing twitter I paused to read @MarthaStewart's tweet encouraging fellow tweeters to call her while she was chatting on her radio show, Ask Martha. At that moment I was not signaling the Martha gods to answer my culinary/gardening questions, but I decided to call anyway.

Considering that I thought I would only hear the tune of a busy signal remix, I was shocked when a woman answered and asked me for my name and a question. With tea on the brain, I quickly blurted about that I had a question about marketing my haiku teacups. Moments later, I was greeted with a pleasant "hello" from Martha. As I stumbled through my question, Martha offered fabulous advice and even shared tidbits about having sweets with her tea.

Later that same day (still in a Martha daze of joy), I was researching local cooking classes for an article I had been writing, and stumbled upon info about Martha's book signing at a local Williams-Sonoma. An avid fan of her recipes, I jumped at the chance to own her new book and planned to wait in line to snag her signature.

With my book in hand, I waited in line and finally had the opportunity to meet the lovely Ms. Stewart. Knowing that I only had a few seconds of her time, I hurriedly thanked her for the on-air advice and handed her an appreciation note & gift of my haiku teacups.

A few weeks later, I was so very surprised to receive this lovely email:

subject: Message from Martha Stewart

 

Dear Alexis,

Martha wanted me to say how much she appreciated you taking the time to come to her book signing and for your lovely note. She also thought your teacups were very clever and she wishes you much success.

Kindest regards,

Susie
Executive Assistant to Martha Stewart

Martha's kind words encouraged me to recently enter my haiku teacups in her handmade gift contest. So if you share my appreciation for Martha and are a registered member on her website, I would so greatly appreciate if you took a moment to leave a comment on my entry page. many thanks!!

introducing teaspoons & petals' spring haiku teacup collection: alice in wonderland

Can you believe that spring has sprung? blooming trees are gracing us with their delicate petals and the warm sunshine is making my heart skip a beat. I've been celebrating the floral beauties with cups of flowering tea and dreams of summer tea picnics.

As the months changed from crisp air to an occasional warm breeze, I immersed myself in everything Alice...In Wonderland. From paging through vintage books, taking a peek at the 1950's animated film, treating my eyes to the first-ever film version from 1903, seeking out mad tea party sweets, participating in a mad tea soap party, to planning a mad tea party at a local museum, I've been soaking in her wondrous world. This magical story inspired the theme for my 2010 spring haiku teacup collection. So I'd like to introduce my Alice in Wonderland line (now available on etsy)...

wondrous land awaits

enchanted forests and tea

alice sleeps to dream

drink me, dear alice

graceful fall to wonderland

pocket watch gleaming

 

hatter, hare and mouse

teapot orchestra whistles

a mad time for tea

much love to my friend and fabulous photographer,Courtney Apple, who creatively styled & photographed the Alice trio.

introducing teaspoons & petals' new teacup and winter haiku line

It's been quite a while since I've shared my tea filled thoughts with everyone. Oh how I've missed it! But during this quiet time I wandered through the land of teaware as I searched for a new cup. And I'm thrilled to announce that teaspoons & petals has a new signature cup. Hooray! This delicate little beauty will hold 8oz of your favorite tea and its curves will rest gently in your palm. Its elegant handle is roomy, allowing a few of your fingers to rest within its bends and arc.

But before you scroll down to take a closer look at the new member of the teaspoons & petals family, just let me whisper one more secret in your direction. While searching high and low for the perfect tea cup, I fed my senses musical caffeine from the lady songbirds of jazz & blues: Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Lena Horne, Billie Holiday and Etta James. These smoky notes inspired my newest line of haiku that features 5 haiku exploring the intimate relationship between tea and music. Each word was inspired by a sip of a nutty oolong or floral jasmine and blues notes or a jazzy scat. Hear my inspiration for yourself. So without further ado...I'd like to introduce you to Music & Tea:

nina cup

tea drips like the rain

music sheets lined with blue notes

my stormy weather

etta cup

torn between two loves

voice draws me to the record 

kettle calls me close

 

ella cup

sing dear lady blue

teapot whistles harmony

enchanting duet

 

lena cup

steam rises from tea

gently catching her soft breath

the music begins

billie cup

smoky voice lingers

steam brushing against flushed face

lost in gentle warmth

Be sure to check my etsy site shortly, as I'll be uploading the cups to my shop later today so that you can take a closer look at each musically inspired haiku. But before you go, I'd like to send some love to Courtney Apple, the fabulous photographer who creatively shot the new music & tea line. I highly recommend that you steep a fresh pot of tea and browse her online portfolio that allows viewers to see the world in a light that is hopeful, vivacious and honest. I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek treat!

Meet Ella, Etta, Billie, Nina and Dinah...

well that ' s new: teaspoons & petals haiku teaware

I've experimented with a new font and some new cup styles that I hope you'll like. I've also welcomed a new ceramic duo to the teaspoons & petals' family, the cream and sugar set, inspired by creamy chai tea.

(these cups will be coming to my etsy shop soon!)

And over the next few months I will be seeking out the perfect vintage cups to add to my etsy shop (summer flea markets, where are you?) I'll also be adding a new limited edition tea haiku line shortly (since I was tickled pink when creating the Philadelphia line). But until the big reveal, I wanted to give you a hint about the new line before I release anything in my shop. Fill in the lyrical blank: "come on babe. why don't we paint the town. and all that _____." Hope you guessed correctly!

Have a lovely day filled with countless cups of tea!