Something about best laid plans and the future...

Dearest readers and faithful followers of this blog, how is it June already? I apologize yet again for the length between posts. This new normal of covid-19, still has my world a tad sideways, though thankfully no longer totally upside down.

 I have both good and disappointing news to share with you. I will start with the disappointing news, that like a million other Canadians, in March I lost my job in the beloved tea shop, at the time I had hoped that it was temporary, but I learned last week that due to a few circumstances out of my control  I wont be returning to Murchie's Tea full time. I am disappointed but understand and appreciate everything the Murchie's Tea Company has done for me and continues to do for me. My hope is that perhaps I can return in some capacity in the future. I am currently freed up to continue with helping my two kids at home with their school work as I have done for the last 10 weeks.  On the same day that I learned that I wont be returning to the tea store, I took a leap of faith and am starting to turn one of my long term dreams into reality.

I purchased a 12 foot vintage trailer and this is going to become my long dreamed of tea shop and tea room on wheels. I have been planing and dreaming of doing this for many years and the opportunity from finding the trailer, to the price and condition and even finding an affordable parking spot, all came together. 

Over the next several months, and while I am looking for full time work, with the help of some amazing friends I have gathered for my team, I will be making small changes on the inside of the trailer and some major paint changes on the outside of the trailer. I spent my Saturday morning diligently creating some themed items for my trailer....

 Oddly enough, I purchased my mugs, cups and saucers at our Dollarama store, and then found the perfect teapot at my local thrift store that just opened and I paid $4.99. Using my Cricut Joy machine I was able to personalize them to suit the trailer perfectly...

The enthusiasm for this project I have found is becoming contagious and I am grateful for my friends who have jumpped on board to help make this dream a reality.
Much work to be done but a good time frame to work on it, and the planing and putting the work in is even something my 12 year old is thrilled about.

The plan is to transform this trailer into a food cart, store and tea room on wheels, with attention to working on catering events and parties, ladies nights and farmers markets. I am truly excited to share this part of my journey with you all today. 
While I have no idea what is around the corner, I take comfort in the fact that I am able to work towards putting something that has been a dream of mine into a tangible reality.
So up next, pick a name for it, change the glass on two windows, and a paint job...then a crash course towing it with my VWBug...

Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and catch up, I hope to have more to share with you again soon, now that I have found my misplaced kindle and charger, perhaps I can get back to reading, then there is sewing, crafting and oh yes updating my resume.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com
 

On Queen Victoria's 201st Birthday

Today is Queen Victoria's 201st birthday. She was born Alexandrina Victoria and at the time of her birth no one knew or could have imagined how her life would unfold and the profound impact it would have on world history.
For my morning tea photo today I chose to honor Queen Victoria's birthday choosing a photo of the Queen at the age I am now. Normally you see images of the Queen in her full mourning dress, and this photo is no different, at age 45 taken about two years after Albert's death.  Somehow this photo speaks to me, and it is in her resolve and duties, through unimaginable strife and duty she carries on.

She reigned for 63 years and 7 months. She gave birth to nine children, and has now become known as the Grandmother of Europe, as her children went on to marry and give birth to the lines of families who we now consider Royal throughout modern day Europe.

 Though you rarely see an image of Queen Victoria smiling I think this is perhaps one of my favorites. Towards the end of her reign, she was in her open carriage and her genuine smile was the result of seeing the young children who gathered to see her. I like the simple beauty in this photo of not just a Queen, or an older lady but of someone who still found joy in the simple pleasure of children, who's charmed,  sometimes stressful,  and complicated life, did the best she could, carried on, found new joys, and left a very long legacy, witty quotes and a lead a life that is still compared too, still talked about today.

I do realize that no one is perfect and that Queen Victoria was far from the Perfect Queen, but perhaps she was the Perfect Queen of witty quotes. My favorite one is shown above and I often think of this. Queen Victoria was assertive, she was progressive and she was an amazing  woman. She left her mark on this world and on this writer and today I lift my teacup to her in thanks, for the quote above and her great great granddaughter Queen Elizabeth, another strong and stoic woman I so greatly admire.
Thank you for letting me share with you one of my favorite ladies of history and thank you for joining me for a cup of tea today. I think I shall go attempt to make a Victorian Sponge Cake in her honor, now that I finished my morning scones.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Cup of Tea with some Sea Witches and Sea Sirens...

Over the weekend I started to make my Sea Witch and Sea Siren Spirit Dolls, one for a swap and a few for myself. I shared on Facebook what I was making and had quite a few comments about people wanting to buy them and while they are hard to part with I decided to set up a page on Facebook called Sea Witches and Sea Sirens which you can see and like here if this is something you might enjoy. 

In the last few days I have made a few different styles, of these little shell dolls and I am quite proud of them. They feel to me like they take on their own personalities as soon as I start working on their tiny faces.

This is Cleo...

There names come to me as well during the making process and I find that they are sweet as can be. I have added string to the back of some of the shells so that they can be hung on a tree or wall, but others I have left as is and can add if someone would like one. Here are a few of my creations to share.

Moria was a labor of love. She is a Grand Witch with quite a story to tell, I love her to pieces!

Wendy is one of my tinier Sea Sirens...

The last one I will share today is little Rowan, she is small and sweet cuddling her pumice stone.
Each of these was fun to make and will hopefully find some happy homes through our "adoption page" if not I see them making a beautiful drift wood Yule tree for me this year. Come take a look by clicking here. 

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a look at my Sea Witches and Sea Sirens page on Facebook. Let me know if there is one that strikes your fancy.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

My Seashell Art Dolls, why my tea went cold...

Monday night I tried my hand at making something a bit different for a swap I have coming up. We have been assigned a partner, mine who likes mermaids and so I set out to hand make her a spirit doll,  and I ended up making these three, a Madien (the little one) , Mother (above her) and on the far left Crone. I made these for myself, because I needed to make it easier to part with the one I made for my partner.

The one I made for my partner is much more serene looking and I loved everything about her, I used Jute ribbon for her hair, shells for her body and a face I crafted out of polymer clay.  I put her together with my glue gun and a lot of love.

For my other friend Lin, who commented on my photos I shared while making these little lovelies, requested I try one with Red hair, so I did, this is a tea loving Mermaid, so she has to have a facinator and her tea in her hand, mean while under the mounds of crafting supplies on my table and all over my floor, I have lost track my own cup of tea, now stone cold to the right of my mouse....

Well it is after ten, I guess I should try to discover the table so school work can begin again in the morning. Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea, cold as it is and a look at my sea shell dolls, mine can be hung up on perhaps a sea themed holiday tree...
I would love to here from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Mothers Day Weekend Reflection

It is Mothers Day weekend again and I find that each year it doesn't get easier. As soon as the adds started to pop up on Facebook, and then in my email and worst of in my text messages reminding me that I should be planning something elaborate for my mother, sending feelings of guilt, anger and grief through me in ways I was and do hope always to avoid. As a Motherless Adult Child, orphaned younger than I would have liked to be, I pretty much dread this time of year.


My mother died in 2010. I was not ready, not like one can really prepare. I was 35, a mother of three myself just got the diagnosis that my youngest son also had Autism, a few weeks before my mom died. Lost yep, I was, but I put on my big girl panties and carried on as moms do, because I  never felt like I had a choice.

Now with my dad gone just over a year ago now, and perhaps the staying safe at home all these past weeks due to the Covid 19 pandemic, I feel like I am feeling a little more this year. I did not want to let myself show that I was feeling it, for many years, still its raw.

I know that I am not at all bad off I do have three lovely children who I know love me. I have never really liked "Hallmark type Holidays" as it is, but I will be honest and say that when I got the text message from my phone provider telling me I should consider one of their services for my mother I wanted to throw my phone. As a mother myself the only thing I would really like is to know on Mothers Day is that my kids are safe and that they know I love them, and that this motherhood thing is hard but I try everyday to be the best that I can be for them and for myself and hope that in that I made my own mother very proud.  After years of wearing my big girl panties and carrying on,  I think it is time to take them off, at least for the weekend.

"For those who have said their last goodbyes,
For those who cannot be together today,
For those who have had to give one back,
For those who long to be,
For those who are blessedly stressed,
I see and honor thee today" -Karen M. Gibson

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a Mothers Day Reflection. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Tea and Treachery By Vicki Delany

I was blessed with an Advanced reading copy of Tea and Treachery by Vicki Delany. This is a first in series and it is out in late July this year.  This is the first in the Tea By the Sea series that I think you may find like me to be a new favorite. There is quite a bit to love  right off the bat. A great setting, strong characters, an opinionated octogenarian, an overworked granddaughter, a tea room, a sassy cat, a loyal pup and a slightly off the wall best friend. I also liked that the back stories of the characters were not overly traumatic and the message of strong willed women I got from reading and enjoying the book. I am anxiously awaiting the second book in the series already!

I love a beautiful cup of tea, in the perfect china pattern and was pleased to find the Royal Doulton Winthrop, red and gold maple leaf pattern mentioned in the first part of the book, the mouth watering recipes including the mention of the children's tea chocolate chip cookies, had me baking my own. My own children were happy to help me devour them. Real butter makes them so much more delicious.

The description on Amazon.ca (I am not an affiliate) for Tea & Treachery ...
"As the proud proprietor and head pastry chef of Tea by the Sea, a traditional English tearoom on the picturesque bluffs of Cape Cod, Roberts has her hands full, often literally. But nothing keeps her busier than steering her sassy grandmother, Rose, away from trouble. Rose operates the grand old Victorian B & B adjacent to Lily’s tea shop . . . for now. An aggressive real estate developer, Jack Ford, is pushing hard to rezone nearby land, with an eye toward building a sprawling golf resort, which would drive Rose and Lily out of business. Tempers are already steaming, but things really get sticky when Ford is found dead at the foot of Rose’s property and the police think she had something to do with his dramatic demise. Lily can’t let her grandmother get burned by a false murder charge. So she starts her own investigation and discovers Ford’s been brewing bad blood all over town, from his jilted lover to his trophy wife to his shady business partners. Now, it’s down to Lily to stir up some clues, sift through the suspects, and uncover the real killer before Rose is left holding the tea bag."

Out this summer and one not to miss Tea and Treachery can be pre ordered on amazon.ca by clicking here.

My Yaymaker Painting Class From Home

Yesterday I immersed myself in crafting and ended the day day with an on line painting class I found for $15 on line. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did and I am actually proud of what I made.
I am trying to use the time I have off and nurture the creative side of myself by trying new things. The Yaymaker.com website had a ton of events to choose from. I got to paint in my pj's and not have my camera on, while enjoying learning new painting techniques with people across Canada and the USA.

This was a great way to spend the evening and I have actually signed up to do a different one Monday night!

Each teacher does a little bit different technique and while the original image on the advertisement was more of a tea cup this teacher chose to do a mug, I have to say I really like how the mug turned out.

This was the original from the Yaymaker website.

I am still in awe of how my yellow swipes and flicks of the paint brushes from the dollar store turned in to something that actually resembled flowers!

I keep working on his snout and I preferred not to to put the flower behind the ear, I am so excited though to share something that I made and am really excited to hang up. You can find a Yay Maker class on line by visiting the website and clicking here

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and my Hedgehog in a cup painting. I hope to share more of my creative journey with you again soon. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Happy Beltane, Happy May Day from my table to yours...

Beltane Wishes from my table to yours. I have been working on my maypole since sundown April 30th,  which is when Beltane begins. Beltane or Beltain (/ˈbɛl.teɪn/) is the Gaelic May Day festival. Most commonly it is held on 1 May, or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. ... Also known as Cétshamhain ("first of summer"), it marked the beginning of summer and was when cattle were driven out to the summer pastures.
Beltane April 30th - May 1st. Sunset to Sunset. Beltane honours Life. It represents the peak of Spring and the beginning of Summer. A perfect time for tea and fairies.

I made my may pole out of items I had on hand and tried to focus on just crafting shutting out the din of the world, much easier when you have tea to go with it. 

This time of year I love to bring out my treasured Fairy books, I love Cicely Mary Barker, my favorite of her designs is on my plate in the photo above. I have several books and have been charmed since childhood with these beautiful illustrations. 

This morning I pulled out my yellow cup, it is an Adderly and the flowers inside are the same style as the illustrations in the books. the little pewter fairy is a statue from a collection my parents got me in 2007 and I have them in planters and around my house. I love them. 
I hope you find time in your day to enjoy a cup of tea and spend a few moments looking for fairies. 
I would love to hear from you  so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Tea 101 With Monarch Tea Co.

On Monday evening I took a very fun course from Monarch Tea Co. This was a class I found on instagram and signed up for. The course fee which was very reasonable was $35 and it included the shipping of 6 teas which we brewed and talked about throughout the class.

Mine arrived just hours before the class and they were beautifully packaged. Teas included were Pai Mu Tan, a white tea, Huji Cha, a green tea, English Breakfast, a black tea, Ti Kuan Yin, an Oolong,  Pu'erh Tea, a fermented tea, as well as a Fruit Tisane which was called Mango Love, I did not have this one as I have a mango allergy.

I had a fun time with this, we steeped the tea and covered with the saucers and sipped and chatted about the teas we were enjoying.

I have a great love and passion for tea, working in a tea shop I furthered my knowledge of tea, and I was drawn to the class because it was taught by a Tea Sommelier. What I did not expect to get out of the class was a renewed sense of passion for tea and that our instructor  Katie shared her knowledge and passion in a very engaging way. I was also thrilled to find I learned quite a bit about tea that I did not know.

I am trying to make the most of my time being laid off, learning and trying new things. This class was a bright spot in my social distancing and self isolation. If you wanted to learn more about tea, consider taking a class from Monarch Tea. Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a look at a great online learning class. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

My Mixtiles Me Moment Wall

I got a one square Mixtile box in my mail today and it had the bottom right tile for my bedroom wall of my tea photos in it. I love how it turned out and how this wall is coming along. For me the morning me moment tea is one of the most important parts of my day. I love the simple beauty of taking that time for myself and using my treasured teacups, lit by candles and often accompanied by my cat Squirrel.

My sister introduced me to Mixtiles, something she started ordering two years ago and I love them so much. They cost very little and are easy to put up and take down. I love that I can swap them out, and add different ones for the holidays. I have them on every wall of my place!

Sometimes I even know when I take a photo in the morning that I am going to order it as a Mixtile in my next order. If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive way to get the photos from your phone to the wall, give these a try! I am not an affiliate and not getting paid to promote, I just love them. Click here for their website, and they even have a phone app! 
Thanks for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at my Me Moment Wall. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Sunday Morning Breakfast Birthday Tea...

It's my birthday today. I started my day with nod to my childhood. When I was very young my mother would set up a blanket in the middle of the floor and leave me a picnic of fruit loop cereal, a cup of milk covered with a plate and a new doll. My mom died ten years ago and it is funny what you remember and what you miss. So in a nod to the wonderful memory, I ordered Fruit Loops with my groceries this week, made my self a cup of tea in my Queen Anne Birthday Teacup and set up Bath Time Barbie, which my best friend sent me for my birthday. I felt the love surrounding me as I sipped my tea, ate my Fruit Loops (which still taste like I remember) and played with my new doll.

The thing about  my birthday is I share it, with my twin nieces Cadence and Hannah. They turned 13 today, they live in London England and I was able to get their gifts of to them in time and looks like they both enjoyed them from the photos I saw on Facebook this morning. I saw them last in October, they are both much taller than me now, I hope that in time I can get over to see them again. 

My cat Squirrel came to join me at the table as she normally does first thing shared her love and cat hair with Barbie and I.

I have been playing with my new Cricut Joy and made myself a little nightlight, I have to perfect my cutting still around the handle but I love how this turned out. I got the little light at the dollar tree and am planing on doing other crafts through out the day.
I hope wherever you are today that you find time to sit and sip some tea, turn off the world, craft, garden or play. Thank you for joining me here and I look forward to sharing more with you again soon.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Rainy Saturday Share...

Good morning from my kitchen to yours, this very stormy day. The rain is falling so heavy and I am emjoying the sound of the water filling each of my plant pots, hitting the stairs and bouncing of the pavement stones.

I have made muffins from a mix, the same ones my mom would make me on days like this, and as I write this post I am on my third, with peanut butter.

In times like this it is amazing to take the quiet moments and savor them before turning on the news, the world and the hustle and bustle of just staying home. I wanted to share a bit about myself this morning. I have ADHD, diagnosed not just saying it because it is a catch phrase. Sometimes my ADHD is a huge benefit and sometimes, like in the photo below it can be a bit of a shock...

In times of excitement and in times of stress, from the time I wake up to the time I hit the pillow my mind, is constantly racing. I am so used to it that I often don't notice it, unless I am making tea...
I have to remind myself to slow down and remember that this ritual demands 100% of my attention. Most of the time, I catch myself and remember, however this week, on more than three occasions, the classic distractions of life got my full attention and my tea did not. I found more than ten tea bags in my pot three times this week. I was wondering why my tea was so strong and this was why, I know exactly how I did it, put three in the pot, turned the water on to boil, added three more to the pot, got distracted, water boiled, put three tea bags in the pot, poured the water in....had the tea, looked in the pot and realized I had added nine and missed one when I cleaned it out.  Anyway I just thought I would share that with all of you, funny and sad, but don't worry I did not waste the tea. Just enjoyed it and watered it down with more hot water throughout the day.

May your Saturday be calm and your teacup be full. Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea on this rainy Saturday and some self deprecating humor. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com