A visit to the Carolina Parakeet — and a giveaway for one of you!

On Saturday, I had the great pleasure of being the guest speaker for the morning's "Tea and Topics" program at the Carolina Parakeet, a tea shop in Anderson, South Carolina. After corresponding back and forth with owner Donna Siemen for months, I was delighted to arrive there on Friday evening to meet her and look around the shop.

And I must admit I was almost giddy when I saw my name on this sign. This was definitely a first!


This is Donna, her husband, Wolfgang (what a great name!), and me on Saturday, but I loved that I got to meet them both when they welcomed Alex and me to stop by on Friday evening to say hello and set up early if I wanted. That ended up being a great help, and I was so at ease that all I had to do on Saturday morning was arrive and I was good to go!

The Carolina Parakeet is not a tearoom that serves afternoon tea but rather a tea and gift shop that is well-stocked with their beautifully packaged "Tea Bird" loose leaf teas, and later this week, I'll be telling you more about some of the teas I purchased. I know many of you live near tearooms and tea shops, but I do not, so walking into this welcoming shop with its soothing decor and a vast selection of teas and tea gifts was an absolute delight! And in case you're wondering about the shop's name, here's what I learned: "Carolina Parakeet takes its name from the now extinct bird that was North America's only native parakeet. It serves as our reminder for preservation. Our mission is to offer tea instruction and high quality products to our customers that will assist them in preserving a lifestyle of civility, hospitality and health. These things have been associated with tea for many centuries and in many cultures." I could quickly tell that Donna and her husband are all about using the tea shop to promote "civility, hospitality and health," and I knew immediately that I'd made some new friends.

I was also tickled to see my books so prominently on display!

Of course, I had to look around at the displays in the shop, and this terry cloth tea towel with "Camellia Sinensis" woven into the design immediately caught my eye. Pretty!

I loved the shop's tea packaging, and I so enjoyed getting to do a little in-person tea shopping instead of having to rely on mail order, although I should mention that the Carolina Parakeet does indeed offer mail order for those of us who don't live nearby. (Go here to visit their shopping site online.)

Donna had charming and elegant tables set up for the event, using a variety of pretty blue and white china, fresh flowers, and white tablecloths.

So for her Saturday morning "Tea and Topics," Donna provides a treat and some tea selections, and the attendees get to hear about different tea-related topics. This time, she made Higbee Muffins from my book and served an iced peach oolong and a hot peach tea, in honor of yours truly being from Georgia, the peach state. I shared some of the department store tearoom info from my book Dainty Dining, and Kim, the woman holding the book in the photo above, was singing its praises to the others. As anyone with a book will tell you, that's the best kind of endorsement you can get. And at back is Michelle, an old friend from Newnan who now lives in Greenville, S.C., and showed up for the talk and even treated me to lunch afterward.

The guests were all so friendly and gave me great feedback as I asked questions or shared stories during my talk, and it was truly a pleasure to be part of such a fun morning at the Carolina Parakeet!

So since you all couldn't be there, I knew that something from the Carolina Parakeet would make the perfect August giveaway here on my blog. Now my styling isn't nearly as good as theirs, but I'm giving away one of their Camellia Sinensis tea towels and a bag of their delicious Fig Festival black tea, which I'll be sharing more about on Wednesday. So if you'd like to win these treats I picked up just for one of you, leave an "Enter me" to this post between now and 7 a.m. EST on Friday, August 9, making sure I have a way to contact you if you're the winner, and you'll be entered to win. (US only, please.) Good luck!

Valentine's Week Giveaway #7

The final tea-themed Valentine I'm sharing this year is a reproduction from the Old Print Factory, a mechanical Valentine I found at an antique shop about fifteen years ago. (When does a reproduction itself become an antique, I wonder?) At any rate, when you lift up the teacup, you'll find …

This lovely lass! Isn't she sweet?

And for our final giveaway of Valentine's Week, I decided one of you can select your own gift (tea? teatime gadget? tea cookbook?) with this $15 e-gift card from Amazon.com. If you'd like to win it, just leave an "Enter me" to this post between now and 7 a.m. EST on Friday, February 15 (making sure to leave an email address or some way for me to contact you if you're the winner), and you'll be entered to win. US only, please. Good luck, and Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Valentine's Week Giveaway #6

While adding to my collection of tea-themed vintage Valentines over the years, I've found that "waitress" Valentines often have teapots in them, since apparently a pot of tea was a more common beverage order years ago.

This card is signed but appears to have had part of the paper on the back removed, possibly from a price sticker at one time being on the back. But if I'm reading it correctly, it says Wanda Lawson, maybe? Can you tell?

And since I know not everyone subscribes to Tea Time magazine, today I'm giving away a copy of the March/April 2019 issue, the annual British issue, which is lovely as always. If you'd like to win it, just leave an "Enter me" to this post between now and 7 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 14 (making sure to leave an email address or some way for me to contact you if you're the winner), and you'll be entered to win. US only, please. Good luck!

July Giveaway: A teatime oven mitt!

I didn't technically *need* a new teatime oven mitt when I saw this one at Marshalls over the weekend, but I could not in good conscience leave this behind because, well, one of YOU might need it! So I decided this would make a fun giveaway for July!

I love everything about this mitt, from the sunny color scheme to the cute teapots and teacups …

… and even the sweet little ruffle at the top. Do you need (or simply *want*) this oven mitt? Just leave an "Enter me" comment by this Friday, July 17, 2015 at 7 a.m. EST and you'll be entered to win. This giveaway is open to everyone, no matter where in the world you may live, so everyone please feel free to enter. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #52 - $25 gift certificate for tea

The winner of the 2013 calendar from last week is Jackie C., who says she thinks of this blog every time she sees something with teapots on it, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. And now, can you believe we've reached the end of the year and the last giveaway for 2012? It seems appropriate to end a year of tea giveaways with a gift of tea, so I decided to let the winner select which tea she (or he) wishes to receive. Here I show web pages for some of my favorite tea suppliers, including Upton Tea Imports, Twinings, Harney & Sons, Adagio and a 2012 discovery I really enjoyed, Capital Teas. Of course I'll be happy to order the winner a gift certificate from any U.S. tea company you like, you'll just need to tell me which company, since I discovered, for instance, that Stash Tea does not offer gift certificates.

As we end this year of giveaways, I'd also like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone for making this such a fun Saturday project for me in 2012! I've gotten so many nice thank-you notes in the mail and by e-mail, along with heaps of kind comments (and even some gifts!) thanking me for my "generosity." I must tell you I'm not really that generous, but I'm sure trying to be! The Bible tells us that Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). I can't help believing that my year of giving is one reason I have been so very blessed this year!

Now, to enter this final giveaway of 2012, just leave a comment with the name of the tea company from which you'd like to receive your $25 gift certificate. I believe most of them can deliver them electronically, so please enter by midnight EST New Year's Eve, and on New Year's Day you just may get notified that you're kicking off the new year with a gift of tea! Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #51 - Teapot Calendar

With a new year just around the corner, it seemed appropriate to offer a tea-themed calendar for 2013 as one of my last giveaways of the year!

I ordered one for myself and an extra for one of you here (and it was still on sale last I checked). If you'd like to win, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Dec. 28. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #50 - Spode Teapot Ornament

The winner of the tea-themed stationery from last week is Nancy Carr, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get these goodies headed your way. And this week, since Christmas seems to be advancing much faster than I am this year, let's have a shortened time period for the giveaway. To be sure you get this Spode teapot ornament in time to hang on your tree, let's say these entries have to be in by noon EST on Wednesday, Dec. 19. That'll give me time to hurry up and get this in the mail to the winner!

And here's a close-up view in the plastic packaging. Want to win this ornament? Again, just be sure to enter between now and noon Wednesday. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #48 - Goodies for Baking

The winner of the teacup pin from last week is Dee, so congrats! Now, all year long I've kept a giant shopping bag of goodies on hand for these Saturday giveaways, and this week I found I still had a lot of little things in the bottom of the bag, so I'm offering an assortment of baking items.

There are some reusable silicone baking cups for making mini-muffins.

There are two different sets of tea-themed cupcake papers from Michaels.

And there's a small cookie cookbook and a teacup cookie cutter. In a baking mood? To be entered to win, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Dec. 7. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #47 - Teacup Christmas Pin

The winner of my book "Dainty Dining" from last week is Kim, the Pastry Princess, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. Now, why do you suppose I have not one but two cute little teacup Christmas pins here?

Yes, it's because I got one for me, and one for one of you! The little gingerbread couple looks quite festive, and hopefully you will be too if you win. To be entered, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Nov. 30. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #46 - A copy of my book "Dainty Dining"

The winner of the book "The Pleasures of Tea" from last week is Belinda in South Carolina, so congrats! I said earlier this year I would be giving away a copy of my own book quarterly, so now it's time to give away the year's final copy of "Dainty Dining: Vintage recipes, memories and memorabilia from America's department store tea rooms."

To be entered, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Nov. 23. And if you win and want it autographed to yourself or someone else (maybe you already have a copy but would like to give one as a gift?), just let me know. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #45 - "The Pleasures of Tea" book

The winner of the "Vintage Tea Parties" book from last week is Susan of The Pink Ribbon blog, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. And maybe November is going to be book month for giveaways, because this week I'm offering a copy of "The Pleasures of Tea" from Victoria magazine (1999). I was so happy when a thoughtful friend recently dropped off a copy of this book at my office, and she said if it was a duplicate I could feel free to give it away. I didn't think I had this one, but in fact I do. (I think I'm lacking one of the Victoria tea books, I just don't know which one.)

So I'm keeping the copy my friend gave me with her sweet note taped inside, and I'm giving away my old one, which is a good used copy. I decided it needs a good home, and I just know one of you will be willing to provide that! To be entered, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Nov. 16. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #44 - "Vintage Tea Party" book

The winner of the teapot tape measure from last week is Frivolitea, so congrats! I'll get this headed your way ASAP. And for this week's giveaway, I am offering a new copy of the book "Vintage Tea Party" by Carolyn Caldicott.

Earlier this year I reviewed this delightful book, and when I saw it again in a store last week I realized I'd meant to offer a copy as a giveaway, too, so here it is! If you'd like to enter the giveaway, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Nov. 9. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #43 - Teapot Tape Measure

The winner of the tins of tea from last week is Crescent Moon, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get these headed your way. And for this week's giveaway, I'm offering a small but (hopefully!) useful treat, this Teapot Tape Measure. I gave away several of these in some giveaways a few years ago, and recently I came across one more I had tucked away.

It's a very small, lightweight tape measure on a key chain, perfect for tucking in your purse so you can measure the height and width of tea tables, tea cabinets, etc. when you're out antiquing or thrifting! If you'd like to be entered to win, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Nov. 2. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #42 - British teas in tins

The winners of the Two Leaves and a Bud giveaway from last week are DJ of Freehold, NY and Sadie Rae of See Sadie Rock, so congrats! Please contact me via the e-mail button at right, and I'll get your info so the company can ship your box of tea sachets directly to you. And for those who didn't win last week, there's another tea giveaway this week, this "Traditions of London" set containing three small tins of tea. I've had some of this company's tea before and enjoyed it, so I'm hoping this tea is just as good. At any rate, I really like this set more for the cute tins than the tea!

Here you can see the detail on front of the tin that looks like a double decker bus. I love the "TEA 4 2" license tag! If you'd like to win this set of tins, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Oct. 26. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #41 – Two Leaves and a Bud Tea

The winner of the tea mug and napkins from last week is Ginger, so congrats! I'll get these items headed your way ASAP. And this week, the folks at Two Leaves and a Bud have generously offered to donate some of their tea to not one but TWO lucky winners!

Here's what was inside the generous gift box I just received from them. I've already enjoyed some African Sunset Red Tea (a citrusy rooibos with lemongrass and lemon peel), Alpine Berry Herbal Tea (a great berry flavor that's not too tart) and Mountain High Chai Black Tea (a classic chai, perfect for a cool October morning). Want to win some of their tea for yourself? Just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Oct. 19, and if you're one of the two winners you'll get to choose a box of tea sachets from Two Leaves and a Bud in the flavor of your choice. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #40 - Ikea mug & napkins

The winner of the teacup ribbons from last week is Marie, who reported she had been unable to find them at her Michaels, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get these ribbon rolls headed your way. And for this week, well, you know the old Willie Nelson song "You Were Always On My Mind"? Well, you tea friends are always on my mind, like when I was shopping at Ikea last week.

Knowing that some of you probably don't have an Ikea nearby, I thought I'd offer up this tea-ish Ikea mug to this week's giveaway winner.

And a pack of paper napkins. Use them for teatime or, if you're fond of the graphics, use them in decoupage or other crafts. To win these Ikea goodies, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Oct. 12. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #39 - Teacup ribbons

The winner of the tea tin and tea from last week is Gram, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. And for this week's giveaway, we have two rolls of teacup ribbon from Michaels.

This red ribbon is a grosgrain type ribbon and says "Keep Calm - Carry On." Always good advice!

The purple ribbon features a row of teacup designs and would be great for accenting tea party favors or perhaps even wrapping up a few Christmas gifts. If you'd like to win, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, Oct. 5. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #38 - A Tea Shop tin & tea

The winner of the tea soap from last week is B.J. Elder, so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. And for this week's giveaway, we have a cute tin of "Tea Shop" tea I picked up on clearance at T.J. Maxx recently.

It comes with a box of mystery tea, Earl Grey in the most nondescript packaging ever, so who knows if it is good or not--but hey, I bought this for the tin, not the tea! To be entered, just leave a comment between now and noon EST on Friday, Sept. 28. Good luck!

Teatime Giveaway #37 - Citrus & Black Tea Soap

The winner of the magnetic notepad from last week is Amber S., so congrats! If you'll send me your snail mail address via the e-mail button at right, I'll get this headed your way. And for this week's giveaway, I wanted to share one of the yummy new soaps I got at the beach last week!

This soap is by L’épi de Provence in France, and I have been using mine all week and love it! The citrus scent is very refreshing, and it's also got some of those nice exfoliating bits in it, too. If you'd like a chance to win, just leave an "Enter me" to this post anytime between now and Friday, Sept. 21. Good luck!