It's always fun meeting new tea friends in cyberspace, but last week I had the pleasure of meeting someone I already considered a tea blogger friend, Lynn, face to face! Some months ago Lynn, who lives in North Carolina, wrote me that she would be coming to the Atlanta area for an art workshop and wondered if I would like to meet. Of course I said yes! We met for dinner at a delightful French restaurant Lynn had heard about, and our time together passed all too quickly. She was even warmer and friendlier in person than I'd imagined she would be, and I felt so lucky to get to "pick her brain" for a bit and ask all the nosy questions I'd had on my mind. (She took them well, and there was much laughter during our time together!)
One of the things Lynn and I have bonded over in addition to tea is our love of handmade arts and crafts. Her blog has often featured items from her Asheville shop, also named Frivoli-tea, and I must admit I have been hankering for one of the
beautiful domino necklaces she has been making with alcohol inks. Well, Lynn came to our meeting bearing gifts, and I was one happy camper when I opened this beautiful necklace (matching earrings, even!) she made for me! The blue and green spa colors are just beautiful, and I wore them to work the next day and got so many compliments. (How did she know I love jewelry?)
Now that would have been quite enough, but my bottomless (it seemed) gift bag also contained a new giant tea mug and some Harney and Sons iced tea -- quite welcome here in the hot and humid South!
There were also some crafty items from her shop, and I don't guess Lynn could have known it, but I have been coveting some of these Stampington and Co. tea-themed stamps for years! An old rendering of a cup and saucer ... the definition of camellia sinensis ... a vintage look design of a teaspoon ... and some great Nick Bantock inks in Van Dyke Brown, Chartreuse Leaf and Lamp Black -- all perfect tea colors!
A recent post on Lynn's blog showed this beautiful leaf design ribbon she'd found. I had thought about e-mailing her to see if she would consider selling me a yard or so when she came down, but I didn't want to be a pest just because she was coming to my neck of the woods so I didn't ask. I was so touched when I found in my gift bag an entire roll of that very ribbon! (Lynn said she was thinking this would be great for something involving tea leaves, and I heartily agree!)
And speaking of tea leaves -- I have some! Suddenly, it doesn't matter so much if my camellia sinensis seeds produce (although that would be nice!), because I now have a live tea plant of my own. Can you believe Lynn went to the trouble to bring this to me all the way from North Carolina? Her gifts are all so lovely and so appreciated, but I think the best gift of all was simply that a kindred spirit sought me out when she was planning her trip to Georgia! It was, indeed, an evening of Frivoli-tea!
It's always fun meeting new tea friends in cyberspace, but last week I had the pleasure of meeting someone I already considered a tea blogger friend, Lynn, face to face! Some months ago Lynn, who lives in North Carolina, wrote me that she would be coming to the Atlanta area for an art workshop and wondered if I would like to meet. Of course I said yes! We met for dinner at a delightful French restaurant Lynn had heard about, and our time together passed all too quickly. She was even warmer and friendlier in person than I'd imagined she would be, and I felt so lucky to get to "pick her brain" for a bit and ask all the nosy questions I'd had on my mind. (She took them well, and there was much laughter during our time together!)
One of the things Lynn and I have bonded over in addition to tea is our love of handmade arts and crafts. Her blog has often featured items from her Asheville shop, also named Frivoli-tea, and I must admit I have been hankering for one of the beautiful domino necklaces she has been making with alcohol inks. Well, Lynn came to our meeting bearing gifts, and I was one happy camper when I opened this beautiful necklace (matching earrings, even!) she made for me! The blue and green spa colors are just beautiful, and I wore them to work the next day and got so many compliments. (How did she know I love jewelry?)
Now that would have been quite enough, but my bottomless (it seemed) gift bag also contained a new giant tea mug and some Harney and Sons iced tea -- quite welcome here in the hot and humid South!
There were also some crafty items from her shop, and I don't guess Lynn could have known it, but I have been coveting some of these Stampington and Co. tea-themed stamps for years! An old rendering of a cup and saucer ... the definition of camellia sinensis ... a vintage look design of a teaspoon ... and some great Nick Bantock inks in Van Dyke Brown, Chartreuse Leaf and Lamp Black -- all perfect tea colors!
A recent post on Lynn's blog showed this beautiful leaf design ribbon she'd found. I had thought about e-mailing her to see if she would consider selling me a yard or so when she came down, but I didn't want to be a pest just because she was coming to my neck of the woods so I didn't ask. I was so touched when I found in my gift bag an entire roll of that very ribbon! (Lynn said she was thinking this would be great for something involving tea leaves, and I heartily agree!)
And speaking of tea leaves -- I have some! Suddenly, it doesn't matter so much if my camellia sinensis seeds produce (although that would be nice!), because I now have a live tea plant of my own. Can you believe Lynn went to the trouble to bring this to me all the way from North Carolina? Her gifts are all so lovely and so appreciated, but I think the best gift of all was simply that a kindred spirit sought me out when she was planning her trip to Georgia! It was, indeed, an evening of Frivoli-tea!
That sounds like a delightful evening. It is special to meet a blogger friend face to face.
ReplyDeleteLynn's handmade jewelry is beautiful and she certainly picked some other great things for you. That is exciting to receive an already established plant for your tea garden.
Oh Angela! I had such a wonderful time meeting and visiting with you! Thank you for this kind post! I have been absolutely swamped so I have not had time to post yet, but I will soon! Warmest wishes, Lynn (Frivolitea)
ReplyDeleteYour lush tea plant is like a mini-trip to a Ceylon tea plantation !
ReplyDeleteSo nice for cyber-friends to become face-to-face friends. Thanks for a great entry, Angela -- as crazy as it sounds, your blog makes us feel as if we (readers) were in on the fun, too. B-)
ReplyDeleteDear Angela, what a sweet story! I just love your site. Cyber-friends meet face to face, thanks for sharing, Joanie
ReplyDeleteThat tea plant looks great. I would love a cutting when it grows and flourishes a bit. It really looks healthy. I am glad you finally have your tea plant.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun evening. And what great gifts.
ReplyDeleteLynn, where did you find the tea plant? If you found it locally let me know. My DH will be up your way in a few months.
Ginger, I got cuttings from the Caw Caw Interpretive Center near Charleston when they had a tea party. My stepbrother who is a horticulturist rooted them for me.
ReplyDeleteTea-rrific!! What a nice evening, and beautiful gifts. But mostly, like you said, the best part is getting to meet a cyber buddy in real life! After recently getting to do so myself, I can totally appreciate what you're feeling.
ReplyDeleteI love bloggy friends!
What lovely gifts, including the tea plant. I recently received an invitation with the leaves only in gold applied to the front of the card. It looked so pretty.
ReplyDelete