Souvenirs from a teatime trip

Naturally, on our trip last week the other tea lovers and I were eager to see what we might discover in the Biltmore gift shops. My favorite souvenir is this teacup and saucer set, a reproduction of some Biltmore china we saw on display.

It's a very decorative and highly gilded design, which seemed well-suited to the house.

And while I've seen these miniature journals many places over the past few years, I've not seen one with teacups on it! Not sure what I'm going to use this for, but I know I'll have fun finding just the right tea-related use.

And I came *this* close to not coming home with this cute ornament for my tea-themed Christmas tree! I rushed right past the display of ornaments until Linda found me and showed me her own teacup ornament like this one, wanting to make sure I'd seen it. I immediately headed back to the display. There were two left, and a woman literally reached past me to get the last one just as I stood there taking this one off the rack. Whew!

Acorns are part of the Vanderbilt crest, and these acorn teaspoons were so pretty, I thought they'd be a nice addition to a fall-themed tea—and with a happy memory attached.

Love that little acorn!

I had done some "advance shopping research" before arriving in Asheville, and I knew I had to have this unique Lazy Morning Tea Cozy pattern I found at Waechter's Fine Fabrics in Biltmore Village. I also came home with a couple of other tea-related goodies that I can't show you because, to thank you for reading this week of travel-related posts, I am offering them as giveaways beginning Saturday. Stay tuned!