Artwork of the Week: My 13 Cups

Yeah, that's right. I'm keeping the tea train on the tracks this week! 

(Because I love themes! And classifications of things! Hot damn, it's a twofer!)

My 13 Cups by Angela Dalinger

 via angeladalinger.tumblr.com

- Cathleen

Tea and Biscuits

Chocolate Digestive Screen Printed Cushion

$45.82 from nikkimcwilliams via Etsy

I've been hitting the Raspberry Leaf Tea hard these days (spoiler alert: it's for increasing milk production!) and have seriously considered establishing a regular afternoon tea time replete with biscuits and tea cakes to make the whole thing a bit more festive. These sweet treats in giant pillow form handprinted, sewn and stuffed by Scottish designer Nikki McWilliams would definitely help brighten my long afternoons spent pinned down by my sleeping baby Graham cracker on the couch.  

Nice Biscuit Screen Printed Cushion

$45.82 from nikkimcwilliams via Etsy

Tunnock's Teacake Screen Printed Cushion

$45.82 from nikkimcwilliams via Etsy

Tunnock's Caramel Wafer Screen Printed Cushion

$69.12 from nikkimcwilliams via Etsy

Taste test more of Nikki's scrumptious goods, including prints, iPhone skins, and coasters, on her website: www.nikkimcwilliams.com

- Cathleen 

What Do You See?

Have you ever had your fortune told? My mom and sister used to get their tarot cards read, and I once went to a palm reader in college who predicted my future for $20 then asked me for more money so she could perform a ceremony to ensure her prophecies came true. Needless to say, I declined her generous offer. Obviously no one knows what the future holds, but it's always fun to speculate. Especially when lottery tickets are involved. There's also something about coincidences that never fails to give me a curious pause. Tea leaf reading, or tasseography, is another foretelling device that involves deciphering the clumps, patterns, and pictures that form in your mug after a piping hot cup has been drunk (coffee grounds and wine sediments will also apparently do the trick). Seeing a candle can signify enlightenment, a dog represents a loyal friend or relative, flying birds mean good news—but if it's a raven, it could mean death. And since tea leaves and coffee grounds and wine sediments are all dark, I don't know how you're supposed to tell the difference between those last two. Anthropologie has a Fortuitous Cup and Saucer by Molly Hatch for $78 that will hopefully help us figure this all out.

- Cathleen 

[Images courtesy of Anthropologie and Wikipedia]

Tea for Me!

Tea Rex, $14, Fred Flare

We're on a new beverage regimen in the McKeon-Cueto household: TEA. We've given up coffee cold turkey (Well, Micky has, valiantly. I still sneak a small cup here and there. Shhh) and replaced our regular morning jolt with the gentle nudge of hot tea. I'm drinking two, sometimes three cups of tea a day now. And it's great! Really! I appreciate all of the health benefits that tea has brought into my life, and a hot mug on a chilly afternoon around 2 or 3 can be just the thing you need to pick you up when you start dragging. But I'm starting to feel a little tea fatigue, I think. I have exhausted the regular old Earl Greys and Peppermint Greens available at our local grocer, and I'm thinking I might want to try mixing my own blend soon. I know, exciting stuff! With that in mind, I started investigating tea infusers that might make this whole endeavor even more fun. I know what you're thinking, what is more fun than concocting your own signature blend of tea?! Why, steeping that custom blend in a super cool steeper, OF COURSE! Here are some that I've found that have made deciding quite difficult: 

Tea Sub, $18, Fred Flare

Robot Tea Infuser, $12, Kikkerland

Tea to My Heart Infuser, Now $9.99(!), Fred Flare

Chrome Tea House Infuser with Caddy, $5, The Tea Corner

That last little gem is just like one my mom had when I was growing up, only once the automatic Mrs. Tea moved in, it was relegated to decorate the dusty windowsill over the kitchen sink. But now I feel a change is a-coming! Electric tea machines and soggy tea bags should tremble and beware: I think it is high (tea) time the infuser reclaimed it's rightful place in mugs and cups everywhere! 


- Cathleen