Spring officially arrives tomorrow, and I have a cheerful new pastel tea mug to celebrate! It's one of Lilly Pulitzer's colorful prints, the "Later Gator" pattern, and I'm happy to say it both performs well and travels well. In addition to taking it on the road, I've taken it upstairs to my craft room where it keeps my Sencha nice and hot for as long as it takes me to sip it!
Oddly, perhaps, I have a real interest in alligators, and the ones on this tea mug are some of the few "cute" alligators I've seen. Did you know that the swampy water alligators live in is sometimes called "Swamp Tea" because it is tea-colored from the tannic acid in the water, a result of the vegetation that has decayed? When I learned that, I felt a lot better about my interest in alligators. Do you have any offbeat interests/hobbies that are reflected in your teawares?
I love it when I discover the joys of tea within children's books. One of my favorites is Tea Party Today - a book of poems to "sip and savor" by Eileen Spinelli. There are days I can particularly relate to the "Teatime Grouch" poem! Another favorite is Livingstone Mouse by Pamela Edwards. Livingstone is looking for a new place to live and hears China might be just the place. At the end of the book, he finds "China" and moves into his new home. (I'll give you a clue -- his back door is a spout!) B-)
ReplyDeleteCute tea mug, Angela. You are always so full of interesting tea facts. As far as your question, off the top of my head. I love the first children's book Miss Spider's Tea Party. Such a cute story. I loved to read this to my preschool class. Back then, I was on the look out for everything "Miss Spider" for my classroom. Then, as usual, merchandising began and then came the TV show and you know when that happens, it kind of takes the magic away.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, Angela! I'm looking for a new traveling tea mug. I'll have to look at this one. I'm particular about the top/drinking part. Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteOh very pretty! I'm going to have to look for one of those!
ReplyDeleteOh that is a really pretty tea travel mug! Sure to get a lot of comments too from people you run into during the day.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, do I have any off beat interest that reflect my teawares? Well I'd have to say that I do try to find tea things with crowns and/or calligraphy writing on them.
Alligators and tea, oh my! Now I will have to think if I have an offbeat connection with tea.
ReplyDeleteSome adults I know probably think it odd that I collect Peter Rabbit teaware--the ones that have the official illustrations by Beatrix Potter--but my nieces and nephews love it when I bring out the set for litle teaparties when they visit. Oftentimes I find pieces of the china here and there for 2 or 3 dollars at places lkike T.J.Maxx or Marshall's, (mugs and bread and butter plates and the like) but I also splurged and ordered both an adult and a child's teapot and proper cups and saucers for DH and me. (He probably thinks I'm odd too, but for some reason I just really enjoy this tea set!It makes me smile just looking at the pieces even when they're still in the kitchen cupboards.)Or maybe I AM odd!
ReplyDeleteCute mug. Too bad you can't buy the fabric. It would be nice made into a tote bag.
ReplyDeleteLove your alligator mug!
ReplyDeleteHello Angela,
ReplyDeleteI love your mug - and I love the outdoors / alligator design. What a find! Leave it to you - you have a great eye for design.
As one of your earlier readers said, I also collect Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit items.
When we lived at Fort McPherson, the gift shop carried book-like 'packages' for chocolates at Easter. (You took the chocolate out and ended up with a cute little book...'The Tale of Peter Rabbit,' 'The Tale of Tom Kitten,' and 'The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck.' I think there was also a squirrel book, but Nicholas may have 'torn that one up.' These go back to 1997 and looking at them brings back so many memories, of a young son who was born on Easter Sunday and who is now a young man, soon to turn 16 years old. I can't believe how fast time goes by...looking at these old books brought all the memories back.
Thank you for giving me the inspiration, Angela - for just a moment, it was 1997 and we were hiding eggs in the yard, for a three-year-old boy to find!
I enjoy your site so much - there's always something of interest and something new to learn. I always feel uplifted and 'more chipper,' for the visit.
Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for sharing,
Joanie
Ok, I do NOT like gators (it's a UGA thing)! But this is a cute mug and I'm glad you got the Lilly Pulitzer print you like!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a great companion to my afternoon Decaffeinated Tea. When tea parties come to mind, I can't help but remember Alice in Wonderland which is written by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pen name of Lewis Carroll. The mad tea party is dignified at the same time weird. You may actually call it legal insanity if you will.
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