Tea time wouldn’t be right without tea cups and mugs, pots and kettles and we can't forget the good-old infuser that makes the loose-leaf tea experience possible. I have many teaware that I adore but there are simply 5 that I know I could not live without. Allow me to share these utensils and their stories with you…
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When I decided to start sipping tea and reading books again, it was a decision made to regain a part of myself that I had lost (this is an even longer story to tell but I am sure all giving and loving women can relate). I wanted to give myself a special gift for having decided to be true to myself and I thought an authentic bone tea cup, like the ones I owned previously, would do the trick. I searched high and low until I found an adorable bone tea cup in the most quintessential feminine color and laden with roses. The history and charm of the company drew me in and I had to have a cup of tea in Rose Confetti Vintage Royal Albert Tea Cup. I purchased my cup from Amazon.com and I have been sipping happily from it ever since.
This exquisitely delightful blue teakettle also found its way in my life during the early days of my blog, Tea End. It had been years since I owned a teakettle and I wanted one that was functional but also pleasant to look at. While browsing on my favorite online store (Amazon.com) I found the Robin-egg Blue Teakettle that you see above. Isn’t it so rustic and lovely? Although the whistling of a teakettle can be enchanting, I enjoy that this particular teakettle does not sound the alarm considering that I am an early riser and my husband is not. I use this teakettle every morning and don’t see myself ever being able to live without it.
Tea cups and teakettles are fine and dandy but without a proper infuser I wouldn’t get past the tea bag. Delving into tea again required that I open myself up to all that tea had to offer, including and definitely not limited to loose-leaf. I vacillated between a simple ball infuser to the most intricately designed infusers and decided upon the Hario Chachu Kyusu Maru Tea Pot and Infuser purchased from, you guessed it, Amazon.com. I love this infuser and use it every single day to prepare loose-leaf. It serves as, not just an infuser, but also as a personal tea pot. Additionally, I use it as my staple image for “The Sip” when performing Tea Reviews. It’s been with me from the beginning of Tea End Blog and I don’t see it going anywhere else besides on my tea tray anytime soon.
I don’t think tea and reading time would be truly complete without a tray. How else would you get your teacup, tea pot, tea snacks and books all in one comfy place at the same time? You see the dilemma. I almost never retail shop since my e-Cart is always full, but there was one store in Dallas, TX that drew me into its charm named Wisteria. I walked in and gleefully browsed until my eyes stumbled on a tray fit for a tea sipping and book reading queen! I looked at the price: $700! Oh, no… I can’t afford this…I looked again: Sale: $250…still not something I am willing to pay and then I looked up to see another tag: 90% off! Yes! To the counter I went! I paid approximately $25 for a perfectly pink Traditional Bone Inlay Serving Tray that I use often in my photos for Tea End Blog but also in my daily tea and reading time.
Last but not least: my favorite tea mug. I certainly saved the best for last because the story behind this mug may leave you pondering just how much the tea fairies wish us happy sipping. One day while shopping for various teaware in an eclectic market in Dallas, TX I started to feel a little down. I am a perfectionist and if things aren’t going perfect (which they never do because nothing is perfect) then I feel as if all my hard work is for nothing and all the hard work in the future will be for nothing. Dramatic I know…I’m (somewhat) working on that.
Well, I kept looking and found an elephant shaped mug that portrayed the elephant’s trunk as the handle. I thought the mug was cute but I really love the elegance of an elephant and I just didn't like the idea of holding his trunk while sipping. Then I found the Inspirational Elephant Tea Mug you see above; simple, elegant and the elephant portrayed is in all of her elephant-y glory. I turned the mug around to see what was on the other side and it read: “One Step At A Time”. Perhaps the tea fairies really do watch over us…
I hope you enjoyed seeing my Five Favorite Teaware! If you have any questions about these products just let me know in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them.
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What are your favorite tea time things?