Teatime card making at the lake

Last fall, I was looking forward to using these new stamps and dies, a gift from my friend Joy, at the crafting retreat I enjoy twice a year at Lake Hartwell. Well, guess you who left that entire tote of supplies at the top of her staircase? Yep. This girl. For the spring retreat this weekend, however, I did like Santa Claus and made a list and checked it twice, and I am happy to report that I finally got to break in these lovely new designs!

I knew I wanted to emboss some cards with my gold embossing powder, but I'm very rusty at this technique and had to get reacquainted it.

Once I got the hang of it, I was embossing up a storm!

Then I made more cards using the new Honeybee Stamps I recently got. I wanted to try making the teapots in a lot of different colors, and I did.

Also, I got inspired by my friend Jennifer's Christmas stocking, a knitted work in progress.

Vicki was busy making her beautiful cards …

Janis was readying for Christmas with some diamond art …

And Becky continues to wow us all by making a quilt in the time it takes the rest of us to make a few cards!

As always, I found time for a little of this activity as well. It was a fun weekend, and I loved having the opportunity to catch up on my teatime card making while enjoying another great retreat with my sweet crafty friends!

Recommended Reading: May/June 2025 Victoria Magazine

The new issue of Victoria magazine that landed in my mailbox this week is themed "Escape With Us to France," and it has so many lovely articles that I wanted to share a few thoughts about them.

First, the recipes include what may be the most beautiful shortbread I've ever seen. Wouldn't this Vanilla Rose Shortbread at left be a stunner at a tea party?

But what most fascinated me was this article on Haviland china. It's fun to learn about the teacups and other wares we use each day, and Haviland teacups always seem to be some of the prettiest designs out there. I was intrigued to learn that though the company dynasty started in 1835, it was founded in 1924 "when Robert Haviland established his factory in Limoges, later partnering with Camille Parlon." In 2021, two sisters, Marie-Caroline Guillot Kowal and Marie-Amélie Guillot, took over leadership of the company and "have been hard at work to waken this remarkable porcelain house but have intentionally refrained from making changes to the actual fabrication process." Isn't that refreshing to hear?

And while everything is still handmade, they do use computers in the design process! If you're a fan of "dish history" like I am (or just a Francophile in general), you may want to check out this issue.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Do you save old bananas? I never did until I was at my stepdaughter's house up in Wisconsin years ago and asked her why she had a frozen brown banana sitting there in her freezer. (We have a great relationship, by the way, so she knew this was not a criticism!) She told me she'd always thrown them away, too, until her mother-in-law told her to toss them in the freezer and then use them later for making banana bread. I thaw mine in the microwave for about a minute, and they are a wonderfully mushy consistency that you can mash with a fork. I think they give the banana bread a better flavor than the fresher bananas I had always used. Anyway, I spotted some in my freezer last week, and that's how I ended up making Peanut Butter Banana Bread over the weekend.

I didn't find a recipe I really liked online, so this is a mash-up of several recipes as well as a few tweaks of my own. I think it's a great teatime treat!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 well-ripened bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped peanuts + 1 tablespoon for garnish

Glaze

1/2 -3/4 cup powdered sugar, or amount needed for desired consistency

1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Using a large mixing bowl and an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs then beat well. Add the peanut butter, bananas, flour, and baking soda and combine well. Fold in the 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, then pour batter into pan.

Bake for about an hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the loaf comes out clean. Remove from pan and allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. When cool, whisk all glaze ingredients together, drizzle on top of cake, and garnish with reserved tablespoon of chopped peanuts.

Easter with the family!

I haven't shared a family update in a while, so I thought I'd share some photos from our celebration yesterday! I went to my church's early service (He is risen!) then headed to Tallapoosa for lunch at my sister's.

Rhonda had a ham and all the sides, and Daddy made his famous coconut cake in honor of niece Cari's 26th birthday! The iced tea was plentiful, and Ezra, who will be two soon, couldn't seem to understand why his little cousin, six-month-old Hoyt, couldn't share the tea in his sippy cup.

Ezra searched for a few eggs but was much more interested in sliding on "The Whee!" (which I thought was a great name for this contraption since kids hear us say "Whee!" much more than they ever hear the word "slide").

He's also fascinated by cars. I love his big blue eyes, which are just like my niece Cari's!

I missed getting a photo of Hoyt in his Sunday best, but at least I got a picture of him and his mom, Madison, before their family left.

And here are the newlyweds, Amelia and Korbin.

And the youngest of my sister's four, nephew Matthew.

After a hearty lunch, the Easter egg hunt, and a visit with my dad (who lives next door), I headed home, but not before I inquired about the plentiful nectarines that I saw coming in at Rhonda's. I hope a nectarine recipe will be in this blog's future!

To wish you a Happy Easter

Today, I want to wish you all a Good Friday and a most Happy Easter!

A tale of two Lilys

I've tried so many mugs and tumblers and teatime vessels over the years that I have a pretty good idea of what will and won't work for keeping tea hot and/or old. Two that I am completely loyal to, though? These two Lily Pulitzer pieces, the small tumbler on the left and the large stainless steel tumbler on the right.

The small tumbler was a Christmas gift from my friend Deberah, and for some reason, I didn't get around to trying it until several weeks later, when one of our (rare) snowstorms hit Georgia. I'd prepared some hot tea and poured it into the tumbler, gone outside for snow pix for maybe thirty minutes or an hour, and only then did I take my tumbler upstairs to my craft room. After a while, I got a little thirsty, so I opened the slide closure on the lid, expecting at best a lukewarm sip of tea, and friends, I burned my lip! That tea was still scalding hot, which was a shock to both mind and lips. So I know my tea will not get cold in that tumbler, and as the Monkees used to sing, "Now I'm a believer."

I've also been wanting one of those large stainless steel tumblers to help me drink more water, but I've so far avoided getting in on the Stanley mug craze, and I wasn't sure I believed anything would keep a drink cold for hours on end. (When I see everyone getting on the bandwagon for something like that, I resist. I don't know why, but I've never liked to follow the crowd—except for when it comes to tea. Then I gladly participate.) Anyway, at a cute gift shop in Statesboro earlier this month, I was as always attracted to the Lily Pulitzer accessories, which we don't have in my neck of the woods. I finally selected this pretty tumbler, and when I got home, I added ice, water, and a peach tea bag. Hours later, about halfway through the tea, I picked up the mug and was stunned to hear ice tinkling around in there. After all that time? I added more water. By bedtime that night, I still had ice in this tumbler! So despite my earlier skepticism about stainless steel tumblers, I've become a real fan of these pieces. Are you?

Recommended Reading: "The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All" by Mary Martha Greene

On April 5, I was in Carrollton for a writers conference, and the first session I chose to attend was with South Carolina author Mary Martha Greene, whose books include The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All and, most recently, Kiss My Aspic. I liked her immediately and was intrigued by the story of the "cheese biscuits" (known around here as "cheese straws") that were so legendary in her family.

The cheese biscuits were a specialty of her late Aunt Mimi, and Mary Martha has now accepted the mantle of Cheese Biscuit Queen and carries on the tradition. As soon as she mentioned that these were made with Rice Krispies, I realized I had made these before—or so I thought. She had brought some of them on a three-tiered silver server to share with us, and though I assumed I knew what they tasted like, I took one bite of hers and realized the light and airy treats were vastly superior to mine. (And I'm a pretty decent cook, if I do say so.) The trick? Among other things, Aunt Mimi grated her own cheese, creamed her cheese and margarine using a particular process, and set the baked cheese biscuits on paper towels to absorb any grease. (Aunt Mimi also bore a resemblance to Queen Elizabeth, and her niece relayed several humorous tales about that!)

Over the weekend, I sat down and read the stories in this (autographed!) book cover to cover, something few cookbooks have ever tempted me to do, but Mary Martha can definitely spin a yarn. As a seafood lover, I was happy to see quite a few shrimp and crab dishes in the book, but my tea-lover heart was especially warmed by recipes for Black Tea Ice Cream, Lemon Sherry Tea Cakes, and a tea punch. I can already tell this is a cookbook I'll be using again and again.

Mary Martha was once a lobbyist in South Carolina and shares quite a few political tales from her time working at the State House. My favorite of these stories, though, was about the day she ended up "Driving Miss Hillary," and the story didn't quite go in the direction I expected it to. 

Beyond the tea recipes, there are seafood dishes and appetizers and sweets I want to try. After I master Aunt Mimi's Cheese Biscuits, I plan to cook the Shrimp and Corn Pie, Jane's Slow Cooker Pulled Pork, and the Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, which caused a delightful dust-up in the South Carolina State Senate.

I told a friend all about this book yesterday, and she told me her copy is on the way. I don't usually just rave about a new book I've read, but this one's mix of fun and funny stories, a wide array of scrumptious sounding recipes, and the author's absolute reverence for family and friends make it an exceptionally good read.

And this summer, I'll let you know what I think about that Black Tea Ice Cream!

How do *you* stir your tea?

Ever heard of "fluid mechanics"? I certainly had not, so when a friend sent me this video, I wanted to share it with you.

I had honestly never thought about the efficiency of stirring my tea in a circle, but next time I'm stirring milk, sugar, or what have you into my tea, I'll go for "some crazy pattern" instead of a circular one!

 

The Skinny Sweet Tea: Peach-Flavored Green Tea

Here in Georgia, my beloved state is doing its normal spring thing and bouncing around from eighty-degree temperatures to sixty-degree temperatures, and when we hit the eighties last week, I was in search of my first iced tea of the year. T. J. Maxx helped meet this need by introducing me to The Skinny Sweet Tea line of teas. Naturally, I chose the peach flavor.

And as always, I'm grateful for the individually wrapped tea bags. I've got a couple of trips coming up soon, and these will be great for travel.

This tea is interesting because it's a cold-brew tea, and sure enough, it steeped in a glass of water after just five or six minutes in the fridge. Out of curiosity, I later tried it hot, and it didn't seem quite as flavorful. The ingredient list is short: green tea, stevia, peach flavor. It did indeed taste sweet, and while sometimes stevia has an odd sweetness, I really enjoyed the smooth and sweet flavor of this tea. Now I'll be looking for other varieties!

A treasure trove of tea accoutrements!

Last week, I spent a few days visiting my friend Kathy down in Statesboro, and when I settled in at "my" room (featuring beautiful antique iron beds and vintage quilts),  I noticed two full plastic baggies on the bed I always use, and "Angela" was written on one of them. "Is that a tea strainer?" I thought, but I literally plopped my bags down and joined Kathy and her husband, John, in the living room and didn't give it another thought until late that night when I was getting ready for bed. Then, I realized what a treasure trove of tea accessories she was giving me!

I knew she'd been cleaning out for a neighborhood yard sale that's coming up soon, but my goodness, I hit the jackpot! She included tea strainers …

And teaspoons and jam spreaders …

And napkin rings …

And adorable little chair-shaped place card holders, among many other things. Thank goodness I recently bought a fresh jar of Wright's Silver Cream! People don't always love hand-me-downs, but I sure love these!

Shopping alert: New teapot shopping bags

I learned years ago that when I spot those pretty 99-cent shopping bags with teapots on them, I need to grab a handful. They're useful not only for toting things around but also for gift bags for large gifts: puzzles, fleece throws, and pillows are just a few of the things that I've "wrapped" in these bags over the years. So when I spotted these at T.J. Maxx this week, I grabbed five. I may grab five more next time I see them!

The teapots caught my eye, of course.

And the Staffordshire dogs and other china pieces are cute as well. So if you like to use such shopping bags as gift bags, too, I just wanted you to know about these so you can run get them before the non-teapot-appreciating public gets their grubby little hands on them. Have a great weekend, friends!

Checking out a new coffee (and tea) shop

I'd been seeing the sign above a shop in neighboring Peachtree City, so last Saturday morning, I packed up a journal and some pens (I've been in a writing mood) and headed to Beignets & Brew, which promises "New Orleans–style beignets."

I tried the Turtle Beignets, which were covered in caramel, cream cheese, chocolate, and pecans. While these were nothing like the beignets I remember eating at Café du Monde in New Orleans on my honeymoon, they were nonetheless quite decadent! (I recommend skipping a meal if you decide to order these.)

And for sipping, I ordered the Sugar Cookie Chai, which was delicious even though it made me think of a Christmas treat (and this was still March). The beignets were something I would order again if I had a girlfriend along to share them, and the chai was something I would definitely order by myself. Have you heard of Beignets & Brew? If so, any favorites?

New tea-themed kitchen towels

Over the weekend, I was at Marshalls buying a gift for a friend when I came across some cute new pink kitchen towels. I thought it was just one or two, but when I pulled these out of the packed-to-the-max rack of towels hanging there, it was a package of three, and these are those nice thick ones!

I often see these with teapots and teacups on them, but teakettles are kind of different!

And it was just $9.99 for the set of three, so I thought these were a really good buy if you happen to be looking for some new kitchen towels. And while my Easter decor will again be mostly vintage stuff, I wanted to let you know that Marshalls also had an Easter bunny *snow globe* in a pink teacup as well as a stack-of-teacups figurine with a lamb popping out of the top teacup, so if you're in the market for some cute new spring decor, you may want to pay a visit to Marshalls!

New artwork that I just love!

I promise that I won't share every single drawing my little neighbor makes for me, but when she rang the doorbell yesterday and handed me this and a hug, I was delighted! (And I love her "so! so! so! much!" too.) I'm pretty sure that word in the middle of the drawing means "color."

And I strongly suspect these are the M&M cookies from our tea party earlier in the week. What a sweet way to kick off the weekend!