Mrs. Morris and the Witch by Traci Wilton

I finished Mrs. Morris and the Witch last night, second in the Salem B&B Mystery series by Tracy Wilton. This was a very good read. I was impressed with the story, characters and outcome. Love the resident Ghost and the angle of the very complex love triangle. I also loved that this book did not focus on Halloween, even though it takes place on Halloween. I think that the author did a great job of continuing to develop the characters into something more than just a typical 2 dimensional witch characters. Not your normal paranormal cozy, I very much enjoyed it.  

Halloween is the biggest holiday of the year in Salem, Massachusetts—but when B&B owner Charlene Morris finds the dead body of a witch, it spells trouble . . . Charlene, recently widowed, has renovated her historic mansion just in time to greet guests arriving for the town’s annual Halloween festivities. She’s lucky to have a helpful staff to provide support—as well as a handsome ghost named Jack standing invisibly by her side. Unfortunately, while the revelers head out on haunted tours, have their fortunes told, or grab a drink at Brews and Broomsticks, a killer walks among them. When Charlene discovers Morganna, a local Wiccan, dead in her shop, she starts getting cozy with the local coven, looking for clues to locate the crafty culprit. Salem may be famous for the false accusations of witchery in centuries past, but this time someone is genuinely guilty—of murder . . .

This book is out now and can be found on Amazon by clicking here ( I am not an Amazon affiliate)
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review 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 Barbie, A Birthday and Color Reveal Experience...

Yesterday was one of my nieces birthdays, and one month since mine, I celebrated with a social distance morning tea party with her and Barbie, though in quarantine my sister did a curbside drive by party.

I attended in my Dino Costume, gift and sign delivered, then home to find the most wonderful delivery...

 Ordered, a month ago, for my own birthday, my Color Reveal Barbie arrived. Now I know that marketing of these is crazy and the price a bit high but the entertainment value of this was truly worth it.

Basically you get a large test tube, that contains a pink colored Barbie and a few surprise bags in side.

You add warm water, dunk your new doll and the color dissolves to reveal your new doll. Complete with short cute hair and a bathing suit that is part of her body, this was a really fun gift.

So when my doll was dunked she came out with a light pink pixie cut, and I have to admit I actually giggled, this is a very cool doll!

she came with little surprise bags containing a heart shaped sponge, shoes, a unicorn skirt and a rainbow long hair wig...

I was really excited to receive and reveal my doll, even more excited that my nieces are going to have the most fun with their new "Grandma Barbie" as the have been asking me for a Grandma doll, and their Dads mom is a swim teacher who happens to have a short cut like this Barbie, when I sent them the photos this morning they were very impressed and are looking forward to being able to come over and play Barbie as soon as possible.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at my color Reveal Barbie. 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

Moon Bath, a Self Care Book Reivew, Comes out in September!

I was very excited to read and review Moon Bath by Dakota Hills and Sierra Brashear. I was able to down load a PDF to read on my computer over the weekend and just looking through this book I knew it was one I wanted to have. I pre ordered mine on Amazon. I am intrigued by the cycles of the moon and liked the way this book is laid out, I loved the journal-ling suggestions and the self care suggestions based on what the moon is doing. I think this is a book you are going to want to get for the circle of friends in your life who may also follow the moon and its cycles. This book is out in September so I have lots of time to wait and I am looking forward to enjoying it year round.

Moon Bath a luxurious guide that invites readers to immerse themselves in the healing powers of nature.

This transformative book features 16 bath and shower rituals aligned with the lunar cycles and the natural rhythms of the cosmos.

Organized by moon cycle-New Moon, Waxing Moon, Waning Moon, and Full Moon-each ritual includes a bath recipe featuring healing natural ingredients.

• Includes affirmations and meditations
• Journaling prompts promote reflection and self-discovery.
• Filled with lush, nature-inspired photography

Brimming with Ayurvedic wisdom and plant-based medicine, Moon Bath is a lovely companion for modern mystics, wellness enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to wash away the stresses of daily life.

Bath recipes include ginger and baking soda for detoxification, cacao and rose to cultivate love, eucalyptus and bentonite clay to release negativity, and chamomile and lavender to connect to deep wisdom.

• This beautiful guide to bathing rituals and bath recipes makes it easy to incorporate calming and enriching self-care practices into everyday life.
• Presented in an enchanting package, making it a great gift
• Perfect for women who love self-care, meditation, yoga, crystals, and those interested in Ayurveda
• Add it to the shelf with books like Crystal Muse: Everyday Rituals to Tune In to the Real You by Heather Askinosie and Timmi Jandro; The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide to Ancient Self-Care by Emma Loewe and Lindsay Kellner; and Lunar Abundance: Cultivating Joy, Peace, and Purpose Using the Phases of the Moon by Ezzie Spencer.


You can find this book for pre order on Amazon by Clicking here. (I am not an Amazon affilate)
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a self care book review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com 

Cate Conte's Witch Hunt

I had the most wonderful last few days of reading. I was granted an ARC of Cate Conte's book Witch Hunt, a new paranormal cozy for a new paranormal series and I loved it.  I am not sure what I was expecting when I sat down to read it, I love a great paranormal cozy and this one had a great paranormal twist but it also had a great mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle magical twists, mysterious characters and the fact that the shop that the main character owns is a crystal shop. I loved the information in the book about the crystals and like that this was not your typical Witchy Cozy. This one has some fun characters, relationships I am looking forward to seeing pan out and a whole lot of glitter!

Murder isn’t always crystal-clear . . . especially when the prime suspect discovers she’s a witch. Violet Mooney owns The Full Moon crystal shop in quaint North Harbor, Connecticut. Still grieving her beloved grandmother’s recent unexpected death, she takes comfort in her fat orange cat Monty and her work. Not everyone in town is thrilled with her business, however. When disagreeable town councilwoman Carla Fernandez picks a fight over Violet’s "voodoo shop," the two have a very public confrontation. Of course, when Carla turns up dead, Violet gets little sympathy from the police as suspect #1. But the shock of two policemen showing up at her door pales in comparison to the sudden appearance of her estranged mother Fiona and a surprise sister, Zoe. What Fiona reveals will rock her world and her sense of self—and reawaken her long-dormant mysterious power. Good thing. She’s gonna need it . . . 

This book is out on June 30th and you can find it on Amazon.ca by clicking here. ( I am not an Amazon affiliate) 

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

Carol J. Perry's Murder, Take Two

I stayed up late last night to finish Murder Take Two, the tenth book in the series, by Carol J. Perry. This Witch City Mystery is a favorite series of mine and I was so excited to get to read read and ARC on Net Galley. It is the main character Lee whom I felt such a connection to from page one book one. I never felt as connected to a character as I did her, I loved her back story and her interests, her aunt and her cat. The setting of Salem is very well and realistically incorporated, from the true sights around Salem Massachusetts to the fictional Tabby school, I loved every second of this book. Lee is an investigative reporter, and former instructor at the Tabby, she lives with her Aunt and drives an amazing red corvette. She was Orphaned young, widowed young and has an amazing resilience that is needed in all great cozy mysteries, but there is more to her than just her instincts to solve crime and bounce back from whatever life throws at her. She is generally just a happy person, clearly someone who was blessed with a keen sense of who she is despite what situations she finds herself in.
 What I loved about this mystery is the way that the author incorporated the history and mystery of the most beloved game of clue, a true life horrific mystery and the almost perfect impossible to solve crime. I struggled with having to put this book down. I love this series so much. A great read and I can not wait for the next one.

When a copycat killer has reporter Lee Barrett brushing up on ancient history, it’s a test where failure could be lethal . . . As a Salem, Massachusetts, native, WICH-TV field reporter and amateur sleuth Lee Barrett is well versed in the region’s lore. So when the murder of revered local professor Samuel Bond resembles a killing from almost two centuries ago, everyone is on edge. Especially assistant professor Cody McGinnis . . . Not only did Cody have differences with Bond, he even taught a course on the historic murder. And when his fingerprints and ladder are found at the crime scene, the police are certain of his guilt. Cody’s family, however, believes otherwise and asks Lee for assistance. Now, with the help of her clairvoyant cat, O’Ryan, her tech-savvy librarian aunt and housemate Ibby, and Pete Mondello, her handsome detective beau, Lee will delve deeper than ever into Salem’s past—and into her own psychic gifts—to find the real killer—before someone else is history . . .


This book is out in August and you can preorder now and you can find it on Amazon by clicking here. (I am not an amazon affiliate) 

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cozy mystery review. 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 

A Cup of Tea and A Ken Doll Pattern Review, Crafting through the Covid- 19 Crisis

I did it!I successfully completed three pairs of Pj's for Ken! The pattern I was reviewing from Doll Tag Clothing Co, was very easy to follow. I am a craft sewer and easily frustrated so the jacket proved to be the toughest part for me. However I am pleased that I was able to do it!

 I had just enough Christmas fabric left over to make a Christmas Pair of PJ's, then realized I had not cut out the collar, having not a scrap left, I went with a solid color, here is hoping my niece doesn't care.

The shorts were fun and easy to make, I see Ken getting lots of shorts in the future, I was pleased to find a project for the left over Transformers fabric I had for making my sons mask.

My last Ken doll got the Star Wars Pj's and they are super cool, the pattern on the fabric is a tad big but he seems to not mind.

I poured myself a well deserved peppermint tea to celebrate and now have a jump on my nieces advent calendar for this year.
Thank you to Doll Tag Clothing Co for allowing me to test this pattern, and to all of you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a crafting review. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Adventures in Sewing For Ken Dolls With Doll Tag Clothing

It has been an odd day, I have had trouble sleeping through the night and did not get my usual morning routine in, the day was off for pretty much everyone I was in contact with today and I am really grateful to have gotten through the day and be able to share some exciting to me news.
You might not know that before I had my tea and cozy blog, I wrote a very successful doll blog, for about 8 years. I was also a craft editor for Doll Diaries in the USA and I wrote and designed kids friendly crafts that could easily be done to enhance doll play. I stepped back due to some family issues and I truly miss it. I have several nieces, and the doll work I did was never wasted. I did a fair amount of work around 18 inch dolls like American Girl. I have two nieces who are currently into Barbie and it is a thrill for me as I have never out grown my enthusiasm for all things Barbie.

I did pattern testing during my doll craft years as well and one of the companies I worked with was Doll Tag Clothing. I am grateful to the friends I made through my work on Doll Diaries and my Doll Craft blog. I am excited to pattern test a new pattern for Ken dolls. I set out to safely acquire some new models as I learned from Liese at Doll Tag Clothing that the newer Kens are differently proportioned to some of the older Kens, I was lucky to add two models to my collection today.

I was really surprised with the Fashionista Ken doll that I picked up, he has long Barbie like hair, which I was surprised to find was really crunchy when I took him out of the package. I wonder with brushing if it will be more like Barbies. The Ken doll on the right is one I have had for a few years and whom I found at my local Dollarama store, he was $4, the other two were $10. This evening I printed and cut out the pattern pieces and then cut out three sets of PJ's for these Ken dolls. I am a craft sewer and self taught so I am hopeful that I can handle this pattern. I know I can do pants, I am sure of that, however I am a bit more worried about doing a collared top, especially never having done one and on this small scale. I am however up for the challenge,  I am also really excited to have something to spend time doing where I am not tied to my phone or computer.
Thank you for allowing me to share a bit about how I am coping each day. If you are interested in checking out my Doll Blog it is Karenmomofthreescraftblog and you can find it by clicking here. 
To learn more about Doll Tag Clothing Patterns please click here. 

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

Irish Tea Cake With Warm Blueberry Sauce and Chantilly Cream

I have not baked much at all during the Covid 19 pandemic, however I have been stock piling recipes and yesterday while I was looking for something to christen my new kitchen aid mixer, I decided in honor of my Irish heritage and as a salute to my Irish Mother, I would make the Irish Tea Cake recipe from Let's Dish Website.
To make it my own I made Lactose free Chantilly Cream and used the last of my blueberries to make a warm blueberry sauce.
I parred it with my Petit Point Royal Albert china and my favorite Murchie's Vanilla tea.
I also took it out of the oven flipped it on my plate hot from the oven, topped it with the blueberry sauce and the cream, took a photo and dove right in. I ate three pieces, which is why I am wearing jogging pants for the foreseeable future, totally worth it.
If you want to try this recipe on Let's Dish, Click Here

Irish Tea Cake from Let's Dish Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup butter, softened
2. 1 cup white sugar
3. 2 eggs
4. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
6. 2 teaspoons baking powder
7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/2 cup milk
9. Powdered sugar for dusting
10. Fresh berries and whipped cream, for topping (optional)

For the method, click here for the recipe on the website....

A huge thank you to websites like Let's Dish for keeping us inspired and busy during this Pandemic Time.  

Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a cozy tea time recipe. I would love to hear 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

Keeper of The Light Lantern, Cup of Tea & Haiku

I have been spending my time at home crafting with my new cricut joy and items I have purchased at the dollar store. I found these $4 lanterns at my local Dollarama and I used permanent black vinyl and added my decal, a Lighthouse. I added the words Keeper of the Light. Which is part of my Haiku, I wrote below. 

Keeper of the light

Strong, and steadfast, unswerving

The Beacons of Hope

by Karen M. Gibson

It was so much fun creating yesterday and having so much fun. Waiting out the Moon was worth it too, I cannot wait to try to paint what I saw in my night sky!

I think it looked like a painting already. So I am going to try to paint it.
Thank you for joining me this Friday for a cup of tea and a Haiku. 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 and An Inspirational Article from Tea Time Magazine.

This morning I got my Tea Time Magazine and was delighted as always to find such comfort and inspiration with in its pages.  I enjoy the blue and white theme and how easy it is to mix and match. While I don't have the beautiful teapot on the front which is available through Tea Time Magazine, I do have a great Maxwell Williams one I picked up at Murchie's and my Buckingham Palace Morning cup and saucer set I picked up in England, I love how it coordinates on my table.

For some reason I cannot seem to turn this, but the most wonderful article that caught my attention was the one written about Tea Amo, a traveling tea room in Ontario, Canada, something I have dreamed about doing myself for years. I have thought of doing it for duel purposes as not just a tea party to go, but a writing retreat as well. I almost secured one this past winter, however at the last minute if fell through so my hope is that the opportunity will again present itself. 

The article got my heart racing and my mind wandering to the possibilities that the future holds. For weeks now I have been holding my breath, without realizing it, I have been slightly more focused on the negative aspects of the unknown. This article got me excited, anxious and inspired far more than I have been in quite sometime. 
What motivates you? What gets your creative juices flowing? What are you focusing on going forward?
I learned in the last few hours that I may be returning to work very shortly. I have missed my tea shop. I have missed my customers and I am anxious to learn about how the next phase of my tea journey will unfold.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at this new issue of Tea Time Magazine. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis

I read and loved The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis in one sitting on Tuesday night. I could not put it down. This is a series I fell in love with years ago with book 5, the first I had read in the series, I quickly ordered the previous 4 and have read every one since. In the Diva Spices it up there were so many twists and turns and so much wonderfully addicting plot lines. Everything blended and meshed so well together, there was so much mystery, plenty of crimes, mouth watering recipes and deep relationship themes. This book was action packed, it was endearing, it was full of surprises. Krista Davis absolutely spiced this 13th book in the series up!

After a celebrity ghostwriter dies on the job, Old Town’s favorite entertaining expert and sporadic sleuth, Sophie Winston, whips up an impromptu investigation in the new Domestic Diva mystery from New York Times bestselling author, Krista Davis . . . Sophie never considered ghostwriting as a side gig, until former actress and aspiring lifestyle guru, Tilly Stratford, trophy wife of Wesley Winthrope, needs someone to write her celebrity cookbook. Sophie agrees, hoping she’ll earn enough bread on this assignment to finish her bathroom renovations. But as it turns out, Sophie isn’t the first foodie to get a taste for recipe ghostwriting, and if the marginalia are any indication, this project could be a killer . . . Wesley claims professional ghostwriter, Abby Bergeron, suddenly abandoned Tilly’s cookbook with no warning. But Sophie quickly discovers that Abby may be more ghost than writer now . . . and her disappearance was no accident. So Sophie cracks open a fresh investigation, but sifting the seasoned murderer from this sampling of salty suspects won’t be easy. Will Sophie savor another case closed or will the culprit simply melt away? Includes delicious recipes and entertaining tips! 


This book is out now and you can find it on amazon.ca by clicking here. 

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