Last week, I was the guest speaker for the (all-female) Kiwanis Club of Coweta County as they launched their new membership campaign for the year with a "Tea for Two" theme. Here I am with the planning committee, all of whom dressed in hats or fascinators and their best tea party attire! I was told I needed to be brief, speaking for just 15 or 20 minutes, so to keep me on track, I brought seven items that represent why I'm such a fan of tea. They were: 1) The very first issue of Victoria magazine from 1987, which had a tea set on the cover (loveliness, femininity). 2) A tea sampler from David'sTeas (representing the camellia sinensis plant and the beverage itself). 3) The Harney and Sons Guide to Tea (my favorite book for tea education). 4) A vintage tea strainer (representing the fun I have shopping for tea and tea accessories). 5) A reproduction teacup purchased at Biltmore House (tea and travels). 6) A commemorative teacup from Queen Elizabeth's coronation (tea, the royals, and history). 7) That lovely Santa mug throw I received from Teresa W. at Christmas, which represented both the fun I've had collecting Santa Claus "tea mugs" and the friends I've made through blogging. So there you go—the CliffsNotes of my presentation!
Whenever I speak somewhere that I've been before, I try to take along copies of a different book than I took the last time, and this time, that was The Vintage Christmas Cookbook. They placed some of the copies on this pretty table featuring tea wares belonging to one of the members. When I asked for a show of hands, I learned that not very many of these dozens of ladies grew up drinking hot tea (neither did I), but the owner of the tea set did, and she remembers her grandmother pouring tea out of it. Isn't that lovely? (The paper magnolias on the tables were made by a Kiwanis member too. They were stunning!)
This tablecloth was hand appliquéd by the grandmother of one of the members. Isn't it beautiful? I so love it when family pieces are still treasured and used.
They even gave me a gift, and when I got home and opened the pretty bag, inside was a beautiful new china mug along with a delicious lemon raspberry cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Are any of you in a civic club? I don't plan to join one until I retire from full-time work (still a few years down the road), but this is definitely the club I would be most interested in joining, because these ladies are worker bees and do tons of good in our community!
Of course I love the apple teapot. I have one the same. And that family treasure in the tablecloth is just wonderful. Love the magnolias too.
ReplyDeleteYour talk sounds like a very good introduction to many of the pleasures of being a fan of hot tea! Those paper magnolias are really neat--I've never seen anything like that. The poppy appliqued tablecloth is very nice, as is the apple-pattern tea set. It sounds like a very nice event.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lovely table setting. Glad you enjoyed being the speaker at the meeting.
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