Friday, January 30, 2009

These are too cool!

Hi Everyone!

I want to share a few items that I found on Artfire with you. I know that I usually do my hotfire lists on my Art Blog, but because these items were tea related, I thought I'd share them here...

These first three items come from BudandLucyskid Studio... all of their stuff is really fabulous... but they have a few CHOICE tea items that I have fallen completely in love with!

This Exotic Romance Teapot is beautiful and amazingly detailed! The seller describes it as...

Lacework medallions of hearts are on a field of orchid pink. The accent color of a mysterious violet glaze covers the handle, spot, foot and lid. Wonderfully romantic flowers and leaves spill from the handle and spout.

Four coats of color glaze are applied, then two coats of diamond gloss glaze. The lace work is dimensional glaze applied not unlike cake icing.
Wouldn't this be perfect for serving tea on Valentine's Day? Of course, you would need to serve Chocolate Rose Romance tea to make it complete!

The second item I'd like to share with you from BudandLucysKid Studio is a bit more whimsical and fun...

Here it is! The perfect teapot for tea with the girls!

The Sassy Purse Teapot is described by the sellers as...

Sassy in pink and black! This purse shaped teapot has lace lacework accented with small pink handmade flowers. At the base of the handle at at the spout you will find pink roses and buds, accented with other handmade flowers and leaves.

Four coats of color glaze are applied, then two coats of diamond gloss glaze. The lace work is dimensional glaze applied not unlike cake icing.
Both of these teapots are food safe; BudandLucysKid Studio recommends hand washing and handling with care as the flower details are fragile.

What lovely additions to any teapot collection!

BudandLucysKid Studio also has many other cute, whimsical, and beautiful offerings, from teapots, to keepsake boxes, decorative plates... visit them soon!

And while you're at Artfire... don't forget to stop by my Tea Shop and pick up some tea!

~Anne

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Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Time Has Come!

To announce the winner of this contest!

To select the winner at random, I visited random.org, and put in the names of the entrants, and the lucky winner selected was:

Katina! She selected the "Behind Blue Eyes" photograph...


I will be contacting you via email to obtain your shipping information, which I will then forward on to Infivision ... who will then mail you your photograph. CONGRATULATIONS!

I will be posting a new contest soon... so keep a watchful eye out!

Thanks to all who entered in this contest!
~Anne

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

January is Hot Tea Month!

Yeah, I know I'm a bit late to be celebrating Hot Tea Month... ha!

The truth is that I've been really busy trying to get the photos up in my shop (still not finished with it!) and getting other things done, that I've not had much time to give Hot Tea Month much thought, I mean, for me, every day is Hot Tea Day! (although in the warmer summer months I drink much less of it and drink mostly iced tea)

Anyways... to "celebrate" Hot Tea Month -- for the rest of January, you can Buy 1 tin of my loose leaf tea, and get the second tin (or refill bag) of equal or lesser value at half price! NO limit... if you choose to buy 2 tins of tea, you may bet 2 tins or refill bags at half price. If you buy 3 tins of tea... well, you know... There is, of course, some fine print that goes along with this offer, which will appear on the bottom of this post...

Now, time is limited on this offer, as the end of the month is just around the corner!

You can shop at either my Artfire Tea Shop, or my Etsy Art Store.

~*~

Currently, I have my Sweet Caramel O'Mine back in stock, and it seems to be flying off the shelves! I've had a lot of orders for it, fortunately, I did make a large batch, so I have enough (I hope) to accomodate everyone. (this one is currently only available at my Artfire Tea Shop)

Also newly available in my Artfire store: Sublime Sunset. For those of you who have been shopping with me for a couple of years now, this is NOT a new tea (tisane!), it just has a new name. Some of you may remember my Red Velvet tea... however, I started to see "Red Velvet" teas/tisanes pop up everywhere, so I wanted to find a new name... and I asked my daughter to name it, and she calls it Sublime Sunset... it's a delicious blend of sweet pears and juicy blood oranges, with apple, rose hips, hibiscus and roses. It's very delicious -- yes, sublime! And it's naturally caffeine free too!

I've also just brought back my Allergi-TEA, as the allergy season is approaching (or already in full force for some of us!!!) Yes, there is snow on the ground, and yet, I'm beginning to suffer the effects of my seasonal allergies... let me ask you something, how can it be "seasonal" allergies when it spans through 3 seasons???

UGH!

Anyway, my Allergi-TEA is a nice alternative to the drowsy effects that come from the over the counter medications. It tastes great, relieves the symptoms, and I don't have that "fuzzy headed" feeling in the morning like I do from the other stuff!

I have most of my other teas up in my Artfire Tea Shop... and have been working to get the final items available for purchase.

Also available are my T-Sacs.... however, I can't list them in my Artfire studio because they're mass produced... so if you want T-Sacs... just let me know and I'll take get you taken care of!

~Anne

Fine Print: offer limited to stock on hand. Valid through January 31, and offer ends at midnight on January 31. To take advantage of this offer, you may purchase from either my Artfire Tea Shop or my Etsy Shop. Place your order, and then, either process your payment through paypal, and leave a message in the paypal payment "note to seller" field, stating that January is Hot Tea Month, and when I receive notification of the payment from paypal, I will refund your discount to you via paypal. Alternatively, you may email me after placing your order but before processing payment, and I will send you your final total, and you may mail me your check or money order. Discount will apply to the item of lesser value, and primary (full price) purchase must be a tin of tea to qualify for the discount on the second item.

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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Reposting: Enter my Contest - Time is Limited!!!

Contest Announcement!

Win your favorite 8 x 10 Photographic Print from Infivision's Artfire Studio!

Here's just a sampling of what you can choose from...

I know, gorgeous, right?

And then there's this...

and this...

A - MAy- ZinG!

And this is just a small sampling of the 8 x 10 prints he has available. This is a really great opportunity to decorate your home with some fabulous art... He's got mad skills when it comes to the camera!

So, you're probably wondering, OK I so want one of these prints! How do I win?

It's really easy to enter:

1. Visit Infivision's Artfire Studio. Look through all of his amazing artwork. You'll probably drool a little bit. That's ok. It's normal.

2. Now, here's the hard part: Decide on the 8 x 10 Print you'd like to win. I know, I know... how do you choose just one? But, yeah, you have to choose one. I don't know... if it were me, I'd probably choose "Splat" -- that last one I posted above... it would go nicely with my existing artwork. Or... I don't know, I might choose "She Loves Me" -- the first one I posted above, because it would work well with my kitchen decor. I know... like I said, it's hard to choose just one...

3. Once you've decided which one you'd like, come back here to my blog (you've got it bookmarked, right?) and leave a comment on this post. In that comment, you should mention which of the prints is your favorite (in other words, which print you'd choose should you be selected as the winner).

4. On Wednesday, January 28, I'll select the winner. I'll do this some random way, like, maybe I'll put everyone's name in a hat (wait, I don't have a hat)... OK, I'll put everyone's name in a teapot, and then I'll have my daughter pick a name from the teapot. Or, maybe I'll go to random.org and have it randomly selected that way. I'll do it in a way that's fair.

5. I'll contact the winner via email, and get your (well, assuming that you're the winner) shipping information, which I'll then forward to Infivision, who will send you package off to you. And then... here's the really cool part... sometime thereafter, you'll receive a package with your favorite print! I know, right? I told you it'd be the cool part.

So... what are you waiting for? Go visit Infivision's Artfire Studio! And then, after that, if you want to go buy some tea from me, I won't be upset or anything...

~Anne

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Friday, January 23, 2009

I've been tagged! *And ENTER a Contest!!!*

Oh... dear... yeah... ok so you're going to understand my distress when you see my photo.

I've been tagged by Rosemary from Rosemary's Sampler and this particular tag is called a "6th picture Meme" tag.

For those of you who do not know what a 6th picture meme is... basically, you go to your picture file, and select the 6th folder. From the 6th folder, you are to select the 6th picture in the folder... that is the photo for the tag, and you're to write a bit about the story behind the photo to complete the tag.

However, since the 6th photo in the 6th folder of my Picture file happens to be art related, I've decided to switch this tag over to my Art Blog... so if you want to see the photo that has me distressed... and read the story behind it... you'll have to visit: My Art Blog!

IN THE MEANTIME... click here to enter this contest

That is all!

~Anne

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Caramel Tea & Don't Forget the Contest!!!

Hello Everyone!

If you are a subscriber to my Newsletter, you should already know that my Caramel tea is finally finished and ready to purchase in my Artfire Tea Shop! For the rest of you, here's the official announcement... my Caramel Tea is READY!


This is one of my best sellers, and it doesn't stay around for long... so it's best to get yours now, while the getting is good!

And speaking of my newsletter, you can subscribe to my newsletter by filling out the small form to the right. I don't create newsletters often, I do try to do one at least every month... sometimes I manage it, other times not...

Anyways!!!

CONTEST!

Don't forget about the contest I'm hosting, courtesy of Infivision's Artfire Studio ... This contest closes on Wednesday, January 28, at midnight. Hurry and enter... it's really easy! To learn more, scroll down to my next post, and read all about it!

That's all for now!

~Anne

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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Contest! Win a Free Print!

Contest Announcement!

Win your favorite 8 x 10 Photographic Print from Infivision's Artfire Studio!

Here's just a sampling of what you can choose from...

I know, gorgeous, right?

And then there's this...

and this...

A - MAy- ZinG!

And this is just a small sampling of the 8 x 10 prints he has available. This is a really great opportunity to decorate your home with some fabulous art... He's got mad skills when it comes to the camera!

So, you're probably wondering, OK I so want one of these prints! How do I win?

It's really easy to enter:

1. Visit Infivision's Artfire Studio. Look through all of his amazing artwork. You'll probably drool a little bit. That's ok. It's normal.

2. Now, here's the hard part: Decide on the 8 x 10 Print you'd like to win. I know, I know... how do you choose just one? But, yeah, you have to choose one. I don't know... if it were me, I'd probably choose "Splat" -- that last one I posted above... it would go nicely with my existing artwork. Or... I don't know, I might choose "She Loves Me" -- the first one I posted above, because it would work well with my kitchen decor. I know... like I said, it's hard to choose just one...

3. Once you've decided which one you'd like, come back here to my blog (you've got it bookmarked, right?) and leave a comment on this post. In that comment, you should mention which of the prints is your favorite (in other words, which print you'd choose should you be selected as the winner).

4. On Wednesday, January 28, I'll select the winner. I'll do this some random way, like, maybe I'll put everyone's name in a hat (wait, I don't have a hat)... OK, I'll put everyone's name in a teapot, and then I'll have my daughter pick a name from the teapot. Or, maybe I'll go to random.org and have it randomly selected that way. I'll do it in a way that's fair.

5. I'll contact the winner via email, and get your (well, assuming that you're the winner) shipping information, which I'll then forward to Infivision, who will send you package off to you. And then... here's the really cool part... sometime thereafter, you'll receive a package with your favorite print! I know, right? I told you it'd be the cool part.

So... what are you waiting for? Go visit Infivision's Artfire Studio! And then, after that, if you want to go buy some tea from me, I won't be upset or anything...

~Anne

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Monday, January 19, 2009

My favorite cookies

When I was young, my best friend, Paula, introduced me to her favorite cookies, and they quickly became my favorite too. They were Chocolate Chip Meringue cookies: slightly crisp, airy, light, and delicious!

I still love these cookies, and now that I have a new stand mixer, I can make them easily. Here's the basic recipe:

Meringue Cookies

3 Large Egg Whites (don't use the pasturized egg whites in the carton)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c superfine sugar (or Baker's Sugar)
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment (easy cleanup!).

In the bowl of your stand mixer, with whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until it begins to look foamy. Add the cream of tartar, and continue to beat on medium speed until you reach the soft peak stage. Add the sugar gradually, and continue to beat until the meringue forms stiff peaks. Add vanilla extract and continue to beat until sugar is completely dissolved. (you can test this by rubbing a small amount of the mixture in between your fingers, if it feels gritty, it isn't dissolved completely yet)

Now, I drop the meringue onto the parchment lined cookie sheets in mounds using two spoons. You can use this method, or you can put it in a pastry bag and pipe it into little peaks if you want to make them fancy. They don't need a lot of room in between cookies because they don't rise, but you do need enough room to allow proper air circulation.

Bake the meringues for about 1 1/2, and then turn off the oven. Leave the cookies in the warm oven to cool (I usually leave them in there overnight, but, 2 or 3 hours will be enough time). This allows the meringues to dry out and crisp up.

You're probably wondering what happened to the chocolate chips... well, one thing that I've discovered is that you can put all sorts of flavors into these cookies, and they'll turn out great.

  • At Christmastime I'll add crushed candy canes and mini chocolate chips after I've beaten in the vanilla extract and I'll put these out for Santa.
  • Instead of Vanilla Extract, I'll add Orange Extract and add mini chocolate chips. These make a delightful treat with tea!
  • Chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips, added after the vanilla extract step makes for a great fat-free alternative to the classic chocolate chip cookie.
  • Try sprinkling on some almond slivers before baking.
These are just a few ideas.

What makes these so great is that they're fat free... so you can indulge a little bit without feeling too guilty about it!

A great Tea Time Treat!

~Anne

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Friday, January 16, 2009

How To Brew Chai Tea

Hello everyone:

This is a question that I'm asked rather frequently, even though I provide brewing instructions that are printed on the labels of my teas. There is so much "out there" about how to brew Chai tea properly, that it has caused a great deal of confusion.

So let me say this right up front, the way I brew chai tea is NOT the traditional way that Chai tea is brewed. Traditionally, you would brew your chai tea leaves and spices in a pan of simmering milk (or a blend of half milk, half water) and allow your tea leaves and spices to steep in the milk. After allowing to steep for several minutes, the mixture is strained, and then honey is added and it's served, sometimes with steamed milk. The Chai tea concentrates that are available commercially and that are used in coffeehouses to make Chai lattes uses a variation of this method, usually including the sweetener, to make their product.

The first few cups of Chai that I made in my own home were made using this method, and I have to say that after I had made those first few, I was reluctant to make more, because it makes an incredible mess! First of all, I don't like to heat milk, it is a messy endeavor at best, and I only do it when I really want a cup of rich hot cocoa (yes, I do drink beverages other than tea! Just not as often). I made the mistake of once attempting to heat milk in my electric tea kettle, and let me just say -- don't try this at home. Not a good plan.

So, when I decided that I really wanted a Chai tea blend in my collection, I first began sampling the other chai blends that were available out there, I mean, let's face it, every tea company out there has a chai tea these days, don't they? So, I thought to myself, there was no need to reinvent the wheel if I could find a chai that I like, why not add that to my collection.

The next thing on my agenda was to determine what I wanted out of a Chai tea. I wanted a Chai that was robust with spices. I wanted something that rivaled the best coffeehouses chai lattes without the complication of having to steam milk. But most of all, I wanted simplicity in the brewing process. None of this brewing in milk nonsense. I wanted something that I could easily steep in boiling water for a few minutes, add a bit of honey to, and then add milk or cream to (my preference is half & half), and have a cup of rich, satisfying chai.

Unfortunately, none of the teas that I was sampling from my suppliers fit that bill. Most of the teas stood up well to the water brewing process, however, when I added the milk or cream to the tea, much of the flavor became masqued rather than enhanced by this addition, which was the opposite of what I was looking for. The addition of milk should always enhance a tea, never detract from the flavor.

So I set out to create my own blend, and the results of months (and months, and months!) of flavoring, blending, and sampling, and then trying again, and again... is my Masterpiece Chai. This is a tea that tastes really great when served hot, with just a drizzle of honey. It also tastes remarkable when you add a splash of half and half. It's not the same thing as the coffee house chai latte, but I prefer my chai over those, because mine is not overly sweetened with corn syrup and the like. And I know what I've put into my chai... just tea: High Grown Ceylon and Assam; and Marsala Spice, a touch of vanilla, and honeybush (this adds just a bit of natural sweetness to the blend without ever overtaking any of the bold spice).

So, whether it is proper or not, here is how I brew my cup of Chai:

  • Start with fresh, cold water from the tap. I filter mine with one of those countertop filter pitchers. Bottled water should never be used to brew tea, as full flavor of tea will never be obtained using bottled water.
  • Bring the water to a boil. I use an electric tea kettle for this. It's fast, and a lot more convenient than the stovetop models, however, if a stovetop model is what you have, it will work just fine. Water should be brought to a gentle boil, do not overboil the water, though, as it will brew a flat tasting tea.
  • Warm your teapot. You can do this by adding some boiling water to the teapot, swill the water around until you can feel the warmth on the outside of the pot. This is an important step if you wish to keep your tea warm, as the chill of the pot can rob the tea of it's heat rather quickly.
  • Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of Masterpiece Chai tea for every cup of tea you are brewing. Usually, you would use just a teaspoon of tea for each cup, however, since there is an abundance of spice (and bulky spice, at that!) in my Chai tea, you will want to manipulate the amount that you use to make sure you're getting full flavor.
  • Now, when it comes to brewing loose leaf tea, there are those who use infusers, and those who do not. I usually do use an infuser, because I've found that it's a) easier to clean up; and b) it's easier to re-use the leaves for a second brewing. If you choose not to use an infuser, that's fine, just place the loose leaf tea directly into your warmed teapot. If you do choose to use an infuser, be sure that the infuser you choose offers ample room for your tea leaves to expand. Most tea leaves will expand to three times their dry volume. If they aren't given enough room to expand, then you will lose flavor. I use a chatsford teapot, and I've found that the nylon infuser that is provided with the teapot works well in allowing enough room for the tea leaves to expand. (and yes, I've tried it both ways -- with and without the infuser -- and have found no discernable difference in flavor) Just make sure that you have enough water to fill the teapot, thereby allowing the water to come to the top of the infuser and filter through the leaves adequately, and don't forget to add enough loose leaf tea for this amount of water... if you're using a 4 cup teapot, for example, you'll need 6 teaspoons of Masterpiece Chai tea.
  • Gently pour the boiling water over the tea leaves, and steep for 4 minutes. This is the time I use. You might want to play around with the time until you find your perfect time. Everyone's palate is different!
  • Remove the tea leaves, and serve. I add a good size drizzle of honey (it would probably equal about a teaspoon and a half if I were to measure how much I use). Alternatively, I have used Agave Nectar in my chai tea with pleasant results, but I find that the honey adds a certain authenticity to the chai. Add a splash of half & half (again, if I were to measure how much I use, it would probably equal about a teaspoon, perhaps a teaspoon and a half), and stir until the honey has been dispersed throughout the tea.
What you are left with is a very pleasing cup of chai tea. I find it very comforting and warming on the cold winter mornings that have become commonplace over the past month here in the great Pacific Northwest. The spice is satisfying and warm. The tea is robust. It's delicious!

~Anne

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

An Interview with me...

Rebecca at Soap Deli News recently conducted an interview with me, and today it has been published on her blog. Thank you Rebecca for the opportunity to talk to your blog readers, what an honor! Click here if you'd like to read the interview.

Also, if you read more on the Soap Deli News, you'll find other interesting interviews with other artisans, as well as some cool tutorials. A great blog... one worth reading regularly!

On to other tea news... As the weather grows colder... what's in your teacup? I've been drinking a lot of my Chocolate Rose Romance tea lately, because it is a great comfort tea, and is a great tea to sip on these bitterly cold days!


Another favorite tea during cold weather is my Masterpiece Chai. The spice of the tea warms you up, and the delightful flavor lifts you up! Yum!!!

Well, two posts from me in one day... that doesn't happen often!

Enjoy!
~Anne

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Time for Tea!

Good Morning everyone!

Seldom am I up this early... well, I have to get up earlier than this to get my youngest daughter off to school, but, then after I get her on the bus, I usually head back to bed. I'm a night owl, I've always been that way, and it would seem that since the artist in me has re-emerged over the past several years, that the night owl in me has taken full force. Bedtime before midnight or one am just seems impossible for me.

However, today is a bit of an extraordinary day for me and my household as my mother in law will be arriving in just a few short hours. So, I'm up... sipping tea, and trying to get my eyelids to open and my eyes to focus.

This morning, I find myself sampling Darjeeling. I have wanted to add a Darjeeling to my tea collection for some time, however, there are so many excellent Darjeelings out there, and let's face it, also some not so excellent ones as well... so I want to choose just the right one... and I still haven't found what I'm looking for

On to other interesting tidbits... I have been featured in an Artfire Artist's blog... so I'd like to share with you! LibertyDoll has a lovely blog in which she features some of her favorite Artfire items. I may just have to do a post or two soon where I feature some of my favorite Artfire items as well, there are many marvelous items to choose from!

If you haven't yet checked out Artfire, I suggest you do so... right away! It's a great website... and really, why buy commercial items when you can buy handcrafted, the quality is so much better when you buy directly from the artisan rather than buying from an assembly line in some factory! Head on over to Artfire, and see what all the fuss is about!

OK... so that's enough from me this morning, I need to finish up my tea, and get the bedroom in order for my MIL! Have a splendid day!

~Anne

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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

I've been Tumblr'd!

This is one of the coolest blogs I've seen in a long time. It's a blog created by another Artfire artist, and it basically provides a picture of random items that can be purchased from Artfire. The blog is called the Tumblr. Check it out!

And, if you want a new view of different random items from Artfire, just click on the "Random" button on the upper right hand side of the page. You'll get a whole new set of random items.

And... if you really like what you see, all you need to do is click on the picture, and you'll be taken directly to that item's listing on Artfire so that you can buy it... or perhaps browse through the other items that artist has to offer!

How awesome is that?

Please take a moment to check out the Tumblr. You may just have found a new favorite blog spot!

~Anne

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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Weekend Sale at Artfire!

Hello Everyone!

Well, many of the merchants at Artfire are conducting a weekend sale, so I thought I'd join in...

Now through Sunday, January 11th at midnight, receive a FREE box of T-Sacs (100 count, size 2, just right for a cup of tea!) with every 2 tins of tea purchased. On my website, I sold the T-Sacs for $6.00, and if you go and look online, I think you'll probably find that this size is sold for a little more in most places. They are disposable and unbleached, and work perfectly for loose leaf tea.


To receive your free T-Sacs (I won't even charge additional shipping for your T-Sacs, they're absolutely free!), just place an order at my artfire store for 2 or more tins of tea. This offer is limited to stock on hand, so please hurry for your *free* T-Sacs!

~Anne

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Monday, January 05, 2009

A new place...

Hello Everyone!

Well, it's been a while, hasn't it?

First of all, I want to update you all on the cupcake contest... we have selected a winner! Before I announce the winner and reveal the recipe here, I want to first get in touch with the winner to let her know... so please be patient until I hear back from her.

Thank you to everyone who submitted recipes!

Second, I have found a new "home" for LiberTEAS! Some of you may have noticed that when you type in www dot liber-teas dot com that you are lead to my etsy store (and for a few more hours, you will continue to be, until the changes update in the server's system), but, I have found a new place to host my teas.

Artfire!

I will still keep a few teas at etsy for the time being, until I see how well I do at Artfire. I wanted a store that could be accessed by my brand name LiberTEAS... rather than use my EccentricPastiche store on etsy, which was intended to be the store where you could buy my artwork and 'zines.

The artfire store will be dedicated only to my teas.

MORE TEA NEWS: I know that some of you have been eagerly awaiting the return of my caramel tea. Well, the wait is nearly over, as the tea is nearly finished with it's blending time. (It does take a little bit of time for the flavors to mingle amongst the tea leaves and create the perfect brewed tea) I expect to have my Caramel tea at my artfire store by the end of this month!

Also... I don't have all my teas posted in either store, there are still a few favorites that are not listed... including Chocolate Rose Romance and Breakfast Blend. These haven't been "shelved" -- so to speak -- I just haven't been able to get photos taken of them so that I could list them properly. However, if you're craving one of my classic flavors... just email me and I'll be happy to set you up!

~Anne

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