Friday, December 10, 2010

Teapots in all sizes



Teapots . Teapots .  Teapots ...........

Ornaments . Ornaments . Ornaments.......

in this case, little chintz teapot replicas
that were a Christmas gift from my daughter (in-law)




who knows I love miniatures, the smaller the better. 

Of course I love my big ones, too.


 (these are only a small number of them)






Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Teacup Thursday

A bright cheery lemony yellow cup ........




with a wildly decorated inside



I have quite a few with the design inside the cup.
I think it would make a very interesting table setting.
Hmmmmm, I will defintely have to do this 
AFTER Christmas/New Years.

I'm sure my Tea Sisters will enjoy it.
We are all looking forward to sipping tea 
and our great foods and conversations 
after the hustle and bustle of December.




Wednesday, November 17, 2010

TeaCup Thursday


A lovely pale dusty rose, some call it peach apricot.
.
I like peachy colors, especially this one.





I love the shape of these teacups, of which 
I have several in different colors.

I will definitely have to set a "tea table" 
with them all someday.



Thursday, November 11, 2010

Tea Cup Thursday



 A striking black background, 
belonging to a tea setting 
in maybe the Great Gatsby era................




 My close-ups are turning out blurry.

I'll try next time for some clearer pictures.


















And of course, my kitty Sarah has to be part of the process.
She is very interested in everything I do.







Thursday, October 28, 2010

No time for teacups....

So sorry.  My computer was overrun with malware this weekend.  My cpu guru and dear friend has been working with me to get it off, and somehow I've lost lots of data.  So no time for the fun part of computers.
Hard work first.  I may have lost some of your comments that weren't published yet.  And I've also lost all my emails and address book.  I apologize, you may resend if you don't see yours.  And I'm working very hard and trying not to panic.  Patience, Marsha, patience. 

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Teacup Thursday

This little pattern charms me. 


I've always loved the strong color combinations.






 And so does my kitty Sarah.









  

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Where it began.......


Tea is and has always been an important 
part of my life. 

My German grandmother always served tea to my English grandfather early every afternoon.  
And often I was there.  

He especially enjoyed home made grape jelly 
on toast with his English Breakfast tea, therefore I did, too.  
Nothing fancy, just very simple.  

And my grandmother made a big deal about the bubbles in her teacup.  This tradition meant money would be coming her way. She would gather them in her spoon, and slurp them, giggling away.  We were always amused.  
To this day, I try to pour from the pot to 
get as many bubbles as I can.

            This is where my tea interest began. 
 

And continues today through my times with friends, earlier with my Tea Room, and has already started with my oldest granddaughter, now just three. 

Let the Tea Times begin for her. 

Here, she is helping me set the table, 
with a little help from our kitty Sarah.



Thursday, September 16, 2010

Teacup Thursday


Here we are again.  I'm enjoying others' teacups as well as showing mine.  I received around 12 teacups from my daughter-in-law's 2nd or 3rd Cousin Lynn.  The cups were her husband's mother's.  Lynn kept many others, but knew my HopeChest Tea Room... and my love of All Things Tea and she just wanted me to have them.  I think some are very unusual and I feel blessed to have them.  So I will start with these beauties and showcase one at a a time. 
The first is..........


The bottom markings are .........


 
  
Like others, if you have any information for me about this cup,  I would love it.  Leave a comment in the sometimes underlined but not always "see and leave comments" section below.   Marsha


Thursday, September 9, 2010

TeaCup Thursday



I, like Bernideen, am caught off-guard again, 
so without a lot of "type", here is my teacup.
It is one of my favorites - purchased at a garage sale, 
so I know none of its history. 




I just like its shape, colors, floral pattern, and size.  
I like to get 2 cups of tea out of a teabag,  
and I find this cup is perfect without having 
to boil more water and wait for more steeping.
In this regard, it is very valuable to me and I
would so miss it if something happened to it.




Friday, August 27, 2010

Teacup Thursday



      A very pretty blog I am following......
      on Thursdays, we are all to post pictures
      of our teacups for all followers to enjoy. 

     I will be busy for many a Thursday.  
     I have never counted how many 
     teacups I really have.  
It is time that I do and take pictures of each.  
I'll let you know.






Monday, August 9, 2010

HopeChest Teas

Check out my new "Tea Selections"
Click on an underlined group
above My Favorite Tea of the Week!!!



Monday, July 19, 2010

HopeChest with Miss Magnolia

Back to memories of the HopeChest.




For five or so years, my mom, June, helped me in the shop.  She was quite the hostess at Tea Parties.  She loved to fuss over guests, especially making sure all ages partook of the fancy hats, gloves, scarves, boas, & jewelry.  

The first half of most teas was the trying on and finding just the right accessory to "take tea" in. She showed them how to choose, style, then model their items, as she was Miss Style herself. 


Then when all was just right....the Tea commenced.



She was affectionately known as Miss Magnolia, below with 
great-granddaughter Avery. 




Christy, Avery, Marsha (tired from cooking a Thanksgiving Dinner), and June.

Miss Magnolia (June) has moved back to her home area (Mid Wisconsin) and Wednesday, July 21, is having her 90th birthday party.  She still enjoys a good party.  We wish her a good time.

You may wish her well here in the "see and read comments" below.  I'll make sure she sees them.

Monday, June 21, 2010

New Grand Daughter

 
I have interrupted All Things Tea for 

BABY, BABY, BABIES..... 
A new grand daughter born to my son and wife on June  3rd.  
She has a beautiful 2 1/2 yr. old big sister who is very proud of the littlest one and her mommy (her exact words).    


Her aunt and I had a Big Sister Party when Mom & Dad brought baby home Sunday, with all of her favorites - presents and cupcakes and balloons.  She loves her baby sister and helps Mommy fetching baby's things.




I have watched the older one for 2 years and will the younger when Mommy goes back to work.   





So right now, my tea interest is on hold.  But when I get back to it, some of you have been asking if I still order, blend, and sell my delicious teas that I carried at the HopeChest .  The answer is YES,  and I will be posting them available for purchase, along with some of my select tea pots, cups and saucers.

So till then  . . . . . . . . . 



Sunday, May 30, 2010

Thank you all, for your blog visit and lovely comments.

 
Thank you all, for your blog visit and lovely comments.  You've all helped me make HopeChest Tea Room what it was - a refuge, a quiet lovey place to be with friends doing something charming and somewhat unusual in this hustle, bustle world.  

The tea winners of those who left comments are Mary George, Joyce, and Tricia.  I love Christy's comments, too, but we have tea together all the time.  There will be more chances to win, so stay tuned.......




One of my favorite quotes:
"Our Senses are soothed by a carefully prepared tea environment ….
A graceful cup, a dainty napkin, a silver spoon, a lace doily, a beautiful teapot.
Tea is a sip of yesteryear. . . . . . ."



Pamper yourself over a pot of freshly steeped tea, morning, evening, and/or night!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Hello - Friends, Family, Fellow Tea-ers


Hello, 
I'd like to introduce myself. 
I'm Marsha Schewe

I'm originally from northern Ill, and I have lived and raised 3 sons in Baton Rouge, LA for almost 30 years, loving almost every day of it. I'm definitely a southern gal - food, climate, people, culture, and all but mostly the food. For me and my family & close friends, no other area in the world compares with it. 

My husband and I opened an antique reproduction, floral, and gift shop in 1998 named the HopeChest. His serious hobby was furniture making and mine floral design, so we ventured forth. It was in the height of the Victorian vintage decor era, the gifts and ambiance in the shop seemed to lend itself to thoughts of English Tea. 
So with the urging of many customers, we developed first a small tea party nook, then kept expanding to a full tea room for small and large groups, (tea room pictured above). 

When my husband passed away in 2006, I lost the heart for it and closed my tea room & shop.    
But I still have a passion for all things tea, and I hope we connect through blogging.  
I've written enough for one blog, so time to publish. I will blog more another time.

If any of you out there have a memory of tea at the "HopeChest," please comment below where it says "see & leave comment", or click on the date and the comment page also comes up.  It would be fun to hear your HopeChest past tea party details and I'm thinking three of you will win "Tea from Me".