The T-Cozy

A "Just Your Cup of Tea" Giveaway

It's that time of year again. We'll be embarking on our annual vacation to Martha's Vineyard. But before we go, it is my pleasure to announce a new T-Cozy giveaway in honor of . . . you!

It has been rather hectic around here these past two months and your nice comments and emails have really been encouraging during this crazy time. A heartfelt thank you to all of my readers. To show my appreciation, I'm giving away a little sneak preview of what I'll be offering for sale on my new T-Party web site this fall. Along with vintage treasures, I also plan to sell all 15 of T-Party's loose teas and various tea related items just like the array of goodies in this giveaway, below.

The lucky winner will receive these T-ish gifts; a new ceramic Bee House tea mug in a pretty shade of periwinkle blue and a stainless steel mesh tea ball for steeping loose tea by the cup. Included is a tiny glass jar filled with special rough cut cane Comptoir Du Sud sugar cubes. The winner will also get a four ounce tin of Lavender Lace, one of T-Party's most popular blends. Lavender Lace is a flowery, slightly sweet tisane (meaning herbal infusion) made with lemon verbena, spearmint, cinnamon, lavender and rosemary. Soothing, light and fragrant; tasty when iced, too.

I do hope these items are just your cup of tea and you'll participate in my giveaway. Here's what you'll need to do to be included in the random drawing on July 22. Just leave a comment on this post. Sounds easy, right? Well, I do have one request. I'd like to know what your favorite T-Cozy post has been to date and why. (So if you simply write "Enter me in your drawing," that just won't do! And if you reference a post older than the 30 shown as you scroll down, I'll really be impressed!)

If you're shy about leaving a comment, please don't be. I'm not looking for anything profound here, just a little feedback on what has interested you on my blog. New to leaving comments? Read the simple instructions shown on the right.

The deadline for leaving your comment is midnight Monday, July 21. The winner will be announced in a post on Tuesday, July 22.

And now we're off to our most beloved place on the planet. When we return from MV, I look forward to reading your comments and announcing the winner.

Thank you in advance and have a great week,

Susan

Painting Pots

Looking for something creative to do this summer when the weather won't cooperate? These painted flower pots are a great rainy day project to do with your kids or a friend.

Here's how to turn a lowly terra-cotta pot into a work of art . . .

Start with a new, inexpensive terra-cotta flower pot and saucer. The first step is to prime the entire saucer and the outside and inside lip of the pot with any latex primer. You can also use artist's gesso, which I prefer. (Leave the inside of the flower pot unpainted. It will get sealed later.)

Once the primer is dry, draw out your design in pencil. On larger pots, I  like to paint text around the top of the pot. (My bee pot says "If you let the bee be, the bee will let you be." And my large seashell one says "She sells seashells by the seashore.")

Next, use acrylic paint (found at any craft store) to fill in your designs. Or any leftover latex paint from other projects you might have around your house can be used, too. For an interesting background texture, try using an old toothbrush to spatter the paint or a sea sponge to dab on layers of color.

You can also decoupage on the pot's surface. My frog pot, shown above right, uses photocopies that I tinted with watered down paint, cut out and arranged on a painted background. Glue the images down with thinned out white glue being sure to work out any air bubbles. 

Once I'm done painting, I like to use sand paper to distress the paint slightly. Wipe off any loose particles and let your pot dry thoroughly, preferably overnight.

This last step is most important. Apply at least three coats of water-based polyurethane to both the inside and outside of the pot and saucer. This will seal the surfaces and prevent the terra-cotta from absorbing water which could eventually cause the paint to peel. I painted all of these flower pots several years ago and they have held up well both indoors and out. (Just be sure to take them inside in the fall.)

All that's left to do is fill your masterpiece with pretty plants and place it on your front stoop, patio or terrace.

I hope you'll give this project a try. If you do, please let me know; I'd love to see your creations.

Susan

Nasturtium Notes

I know summer is really here when the Nasturtiums start to bloom. My favorite of all annuals, Nasturtiums are carefree and colorful. If you have a young gardener in your family, they are a breeze to grow and the large seeds are easy for children to handle. Plus the plants require very little care---just my kind of plant! Nasturtiums spill beautifully over walls, window boxes or planters. I love their large, umbrella-like leaves that resemble water lily pads.

Both Nasturtium's leaves and flowers are edible with a sweet, peppery taste; great in salads and even tea sandwiches. The happy, bright flowers make a beautiful garnish and their leaves have 10 times the vitamin C of lettuce.

But not only will you find Nasturtiums in my summer garden; they also reside in a cabinet in my kitchen year-round.

I have a collection of vintage Nasturtium-themed kitchenware consisting of canisters, napkins, glassware, a sifter and a cake carrier. And I'm always on the look-out for more. Aren't they fun?

 

Here's an interesting Nasturtium Pesto recipe I came across while surfing the Web. I'm going to give it a try this summer, once my plants get large enough.

Nasturtium Pesto
by French chef Joel Chenet
Put the following ingredients into a food processor or blender:
• 4 cups packed nasturtium leaves
• 3 to 5 cloves of garlic
• 1-1/2 cups olive oil
• 2 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup walnuts
Process the mixture until smooth. The pesto can be frozen and stored in ice cube trays so it's ready whenever needed. Excellent on top of grilled salmon, halibut, chicken or steak.

Susan

Setting the Table for Summer

To me, nothing says summer like a fabulous vintage tablecloth. These textiles, from the 1930s and 40s, are perfect to use for a picnic at the park, on a cottage breakfast table or for a backyard tea party.

 

Aren't they lovely? Surprise! These four beautiful tablecloths are offered for sale this week on my sister blog, Kitsch Encounter.

Along with these pretty vintage linens, I continue to offer some of T-Party's tea room treasures for purchase along with a few Dutch motif collectibles at a reduced price. Click here for more photos, detailed descriptions and prices.

Susan

Red, White and Boom

On weekends or national holidays like today, John is kind enough to accompany me on my brisk morning walk (after he finishes his run). But today our pace was more of a stroll so I could snap these photos. Things were particularly red, white and blue along our way.

 

We're looking forward to a nice meal and some awe-inspiring fireworks at our neighborhood beach this evening. I never tire of these annual festivities, do you? What a grand way to celebrate our country's independence and commitment to freedom for all.

I'm sure many of you will be viewing a pyrotechnic display tonight, as well. Enjoy and have a happy Fourth of July!

Susan

Building Art, Brick by Brick

My family and I went to a fascinating exhibit on Sunday. Nathan Sawaya is an artist whose creations are constructed exclusively from LEGO® bricks. His exhibition, titled "The Art of the Brick," is currently touring North American museums. The show has more than thirty large-scale sculptures built from nearly one million standard LEGOs. Here are a few that I photographed to share with you . . .

Pretty amazing, don't you think? From a life-size Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton to a corner of an artist's studio complete with tile floor, easel and still life, these works are both playful and beautiful. Mr. Sawaya has definitely elevated a common toy to the status of art. To view more of his incredible work, check out his web site at www.brickartist.com.

Susan

Bark Cloth Bonanza

I recently acquired a small collection of vintage bark cloth. This heavyweight weave fabric is from the 1930s and 40s and was used primarily in home furnishings like upholstery, bedcoverings and drapery panels. With a texture similar to but much less pronounced than the bark of a tree, these textiles were often produced in rich tropical prints with big flowers or Asian inspired motifs. In the 1950s, bark cloth had atomic patterns and boomerang designs. I prefer the floral ones.

 

This fabric is thick and sturdy and I hope to create some fun items with these bark cloth scraps. Smaller pieces are perfect for eyeglass cases, make-up bags or tea cozies. Larger lengths can be used to line an old tray with a piece of glass cut to fit on top. Another cool project is to glue this fabric onto the sides of a vintage suitcase or boxy handbag with trim added to the raw edges.

Because of its durability, bark cloth is often used for tote bags. Here's mine that was a Mother's Day gift from my family this past May. Isn't it pretty? Patterns with a black background like this one are very dramatic but can be harder to find. My tote was made by Sylvie Farrington, a textile artist who lives and works on Martha's Vineyard. Trimmed with hand-beaded velvet piping, Sylvie’s bags are exquisitely made with perfect attention to detail. Though she is taking a break from bag making this year, you can visit her SylvieBags web site to view more of her inspiring creations.

And now that I have some time and a comfortable sewing corner in my studio, I'm looking forward to doing a little bark cloth sewing myself.

Susan

I Feel Lighter

All week long I've been chipping away at the many tasks that go along with closing down a shop; things like paying bills, going to the bank, doing a final inventory, meeting with our book keeper and canceling utilities. Our phone was turned off today. Can you believe we were still getting messages from people wanting to make reservations for tea?

So many loose ends to tie up. But every time I cross another task off my list, I feel lighter. All the while, I've been trying to rest my back which is finally feeling better.

John and I headed over to the shop to do one final chore; taking our signage off the house and surrounding lawn. (Nothing like doing that for a little closure!) Patiently waiting for me at the store was the cute little cutting in the terra cotta pot shown below. Martha, one of my favorite tea patrons, left a plant for me and one for Cynthia along with the sweetest card. She explained that this parting offering from her garden is Borage, an herb with gorgeous blue edible flowers. She also mentioned that, in the language of flowers, borage means "courage" which she wished for the both of us as we stride into the future.

How fortunate I feel to have had such extraordinary patrons. And Martha's was not the only parting gift we received recently. There was a journal from Joann, note cards from Linda, a book from Esther, Godiva chocolates from Bob, Corgi prints from Cathy, a teapot from Mary, and more. Thank you all!

I also consider the sweet and encouraging comments left on my last post as wonderful gifts. If you have the chance, please take a peek and read a few of the lovely words from some of the nicest folks out there. Thank you all for lifting me up. Your kind words are truly appreciated.

Now I'm off to stride into the future . . .

Susan

My Tribute to T-Party

I'll be taking a little blogging break for the remainder of this week to give my aching back a rest. All of the lifting and moving has made it difficult for me to even sit at my computer comfortably. But before I put my feet up and switch on the heating pad, here's a little tribute to T-Party. I took a stroll around the shop a few months ago taking photos to help me remember all of its nooks and crannies. So come on in and take a last T-Party tour . . .

 

After five successful years, the brick and mortar T-Party Antiques and Tea Room has now officially closed. And though it was five years of incredibly hard work, it was also a lot of fun. This isn't the first time I've left a job that I really enjoyed. But shutting down T-Party has been entirely different for me since I built it from the ground up.

So this has been a bittersweet week. Certainly I look forward to having more time to do those things I haven't been able to fit in over the last five years; like having time to read and comment on my favorite blogs, hosting more dinner parties, taking a yoga class, going to a museum in New York City on a weekday afternoon, and of course, spending more time with my family. But I also know how much I'll miss my little shop.

I feel so fortunate that my vision of "vintage treasures and afternoon tea" became a reality in T-Party. One of my most exciting moments was early on when we had a full tea room of happy patrons. I listened to their lively conversations and realized that I had done it; my little idea had became reality!

My hope is that T-Party Antiques and Tea Room provided our patrons with something unusual that they couldn't find anywhere else. Its goal was to be a place where it's not unusual to be greeted by name as you walk in the door; a place to unwind and be enveloped in the comfortable warmth of time spent with good friends and family; a place filled with nostalgic items from a simpler time. I'd like to think that our shop was a local gem, unique in today's monolithic, bigger is better world of retail chains.

 

 

So what is the future of T-Party? I'll still be around doing many of the things I love to do. You can keep in touch through this blog, The T-Cozy. My other blog, Kitsch Encounter, will continue to offer fun collectibles for sale. (I also plan to sell on the Etsy web site soon.) And I'll continue T-Party's web site, tpartyantiques.com where you'll find vintage wares along with teapots, loose tea and tea related items. The revamped T-Party site should be up and running by early September. In the meantime, if you are in need of loose tea, a Bee House teapot, or any other vintage or tea item, feel free to email me at info@tpartyantiques.com.

Remember when Seinfeld went off the air? They decided to end their run when they were on top. And though the closing of T-Party is entirely out of our hands since our building is being torn down (and we were unable to relocate due to high rents in our area), I feel a little like Jerry. According to TeaMap.com, T-Party was ranked #1 out of 21 tea rooms in Connecticut and was in the top 100 in the country. Those statistics make me very proud.

 

Rankings like that are nice, but it's really the people who made T-Party so special for me. I'd like to thank everyone who patronized T-Party Antiques and Tea Room over the past five years. I've been so fortunate to have had the very best customers and it was my pleasure to serve you. I'll miss you all.

Susan

JT and His Band of Legends

I spent the past week packing, moving furniture and tying up loose ends at T-Party. Did you know that closing down a shop is almost as difficult as opening one up? And now I have a colossal back ache to prove it! Fortunately, John and I were able to round out this tiring week with a special treat. We headed to Long Island's Jones Beach Theater, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, to see James Taylor.

On a lovely, breezy night, velvet curtains opened to reveal platforms resembling an old-fashioned bandstand. James appeared with his 11-piece "Band of Legends" who performed several enduring JT favorites.

They also gave us a glimpse of an upcoming album of "covers" that will be released this fall with songs like Elvis's Hound Dog, the Silhouettes' Get a Job and the Dixie Chicks' tune Some Days You Gotta Dance.

This concert marks the eighth time we've seen James perform live. And he never, ever disappoints. Last night's performance was fantastic; the perfect way to relax and to celebrate the first day of summer.

Susan

Making it Work

On Wednesday, the day of our daughter's graduation, a beautiful, sunny afternoon quickly turned dark and gray right before the ceremony was about to begin. Hannah's headmaster had to make a tough decision; inside or outside? If graduation was held inside, it meant that only two family members per student could attend because of the size of the school's gym. How disappointing that would be for all of the siblings and extended family that wanted to be there. So we were told to bring umbrellas and hope for the best; the ceremony would be outside on the athletic field as planned.

And I have to say, the headmaster "made it work" with a smart decision to rearrange the program's order and pass out diplomas earlier than planned in case the skies opened up. Luckily, the rain held off and Hannah was able to deliver her Valedictory address. The speech she wrote was beautiful and moving. We are so proud of her, not only for her eloquent words, but for the four years of hard work she put forth to become her high school's Valedictorian.

Afterward, my family headed out to to dinner to celebrate. That's when my niece, Hilary, presented Hannah with a very special graduation gift.

Hilary happens to work at the corporation that has Tim Gunn (of Project Runway fame) as its CEO. And we happen to be very big Project Runway fans. To Hannah's surprise, Hilary gave her an autographed copy of Tim's book A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style. Inside it read "Dear Hannah, Congratulations on your graduation. Make it work!! Tim." (Very cool!)

After dinner, we headed to the Post Graduation Party, a wonderful event chaperoned by us parents that went from 10 p.m. until 4 a.m. Just about the entire senior class attended and the kids had a blast, in a safe, alcohol-free environment. My shift was from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m.; John took over from 1 until 4 a.m.! A little tiring for us old folks but well worth it.

Susan

A Little Blue Box for Hannah

Busy, busy, busy! Not only is this week my shop's remaining days; our daughter will graduate from High School today. So what would be the perfect graduation present for Hannah?

 
After much thought, John and I found just the right gift at Tiffany and Company. It's wrapped and ready for her in their iconic robin's egg blue box. It seemed fitting because Breakfast at Tiffany's was the final book Hannah's English class read. And they watched the movie, as well, so Hannah has now discovered Audrey Hepburn. Our daughter shares a similar grace and quiet confidence that Ms. Hepburn embodied.

We are ever so proud of Hannah as she'll be delivering the Valedictory Address at tonight's ceremony. I'll share more with you in my next post.

And please excuse me if I've been a bit distracted lately. There really is an awful lot going on around here!

Susan

Garden Glances

The kids and I really enjoyed spending the day with John yesterday. I hope you all had a lovely Father's Day, too.

Being home this past Saturday gave me a chance to finally get out and do some gardening. I've been too busy lately to do much in my yard, but once I walked around and surveyed the beds, I realized that my garden has been doing just fine without me. That's what's so nice about planting perennials. They go about their business growing beautifully whether you give them the time of day or not.

Here are some garden glances . . .

Shown above, top to bottom: A birdbath surrounded by Ajuga, European Ginger, and Sweet Woodruff. Allium. Foxglove. Cranesbill Geranium. Climbing Honeysuckle. (Click on any photo for an enlarged view.)

How wonderful to spend an afternoon digging in the dirt. I've really missed gardening. And now that I'll have more free time, I look forward to doing a little more cavorting with nature.

Susan

Saturday Possibilities

As T-Party's brick and mortar shop winds down this month, I'm taking turns with Cynthia working every other day. So that means I am home today . . . on a Saturday. Except when the shop has been closed for vacation, I haven't had a Saturday off for five years. And it feels pretty good!

It's nice and sunny today. I think I'll head outside and work in my poor, neglected garden.

And later on, maybe we'll head to the beach. Or perhaps I'll read the newspaper in our screened porch. Or how about a bike ride? Ah, the Saturday possibilities are endless!

Enjoy your Saturday,

Susan

Up and Running

Here's an update regarding my recent computer woes . . . two days and a few hundred dollars later and I'm up and running again!

My tech guy, Chris, worked wonders, as usual. But I had to bring T-Party's computer home a little earlier than planned to transfer all of my data from my eight-year-old G4 Cube to the eMac computer shown above. T-Party's eMac is only five years old but apparently even that is considered old for a computer. (Yes, it's that dreaded planned obsolescence again.) So Chris updated its operating system and installed more memory. Sometimes I wish I could buy a memory chip or two for myself.

My computer guru was even able to work his magic on my old G4 Cube so it isn't a complete goner after all. But I decided it's best to put it into early retirement anyway. It's still acting very quirky and Chris is sure it's bound to have another nervous breakdown before long. With all that's going on around here, I just hope I don't have one first!

Susan

Trash Collecting (and a Bit of System Overload)

There has been a lot going on around here lately; like my shop getting ready to close, my 50th birthday, my daughter graduating from high school next week and my 20th wedding anniversary. And amidst all of the chaos, my computer decided to crash last night! ARGHHH!

I've felt a bit overwhelmed lately and I guess my computer was suffering from system overload, as well. My Mac, a very old G4 Cube, was probably one of the few out there still running. (Notice how I'm referring to it in the past tense as I have a feeling it has really kicked the bucket this time.) So I'll be working on my kid's computer today. And luckily. last night I had finished most of this post before the fatal hard drive event.

As you know, I'm a bit of a collector. I even have a collection that's meant to collect trash. Here's a peek at the varied vintage waste cans around our house . . .

 

Aren't they pretty? Certainly some of the things I collect might be considered trash to the some people. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so what's trash to some is a treasure to others.

And it sounds like my computer may be "trash" soon, too. (How I loathe planned obsolescence!!!) I sure hope my computer guy is able to stop over today. If nothing else, maybe he can retrieve my data from the hard drive. Wish me luck . . .

Susan

From T-Party to You

After reading about our closing sale that started this week, several of you were sad that you couldn't attend. So I thought I'd bring a little bit of T-Party to you.

From the tea and toast sets to the sugar bowls; these items came straight from our tea room. And they are all offered for sale on my other blog, Kitsch Encounter.

 

 

So if you'd like to have a little piece of our tea room for your very own, mosey on over to Kitsch Encounter for detailed descriptions and prices.

Susan

Finishing Touches

My studio is really coming together. This week, I've been putting on the finishing touches in between the craziness at T-Party. Have a look . . .

I brought a few pieces home from the shop to help me finish off the empty space where John's weights used to reside.  What a cozy corner this has become.

The counter-height stainless steel work table was in T-Party's kitchen. It has a bottom shelf that provides lots of storage and the addition of 1940's fabric around the sides hides clutter. This fabric also came from my shop where I had used it to make a "skirt" around T-Party's front desk. These metal tables can be found on restaurant supply web sites or in catalogs. They would make a great kitchen island, too.

I made these curtains five years ago for T-Party's front room. Little did I know they would be perfect for my studio!

This storage piece was made by a local carpenter from savaged elements. Isn't it cool? I love the old tin ceiling tiles on the front and the use of a window backed with fabric on top. This cabinet will be devoted to tea and will house canisters of loose tea and tea tins that I plan to sell on line.

 

 

My studio will be where the T-Party spirit will live on. It's where I'll continue writing this blog and manage my tpartyantiques.com website selling all of the things our patrons have come to know and love. Plus, I'm looking forward to sewing tea cozies and other fun items for Etsy this summer. 

I've worked hard on this room over the past month and I'm more than pleased with the results. It's a colorful, happy oasis filled with inspiration and all my favorite things. And though I'll miss the "brick and mortar" T-Party, I do look forward to spending time here in my studio.

Susan