Not much to say today...

Hi Everyone:

I don't have a lot to say today, but I figured I'd go ahead and update my blog with some of my latest art while I have a chance, since hubby has a day off today and I won't have much time on the comp.


This first piece (to the left) is a piece I made for Flory's puzzle, she chose a 1960s theme. I am not sure why I find certain themes more challenging than others, but for whatever reason, I found this theme challenging for me. I do like how it came out though.

The last puzzle piece for the set of 7 that I created is Crystal's. She chose a 'fantasy' theme -- think dragons, fairies, and other cool, mystical & magical stuff.


It's a little difficult to see this piece, because it's a dimensional piece so I had to take a pic of it rather than a scan. And because there are a lot of sparkly, shiny embellishments on there, they reflected in the picture.... so like I said, it's hard to see... but the piece is nicer than the picture reveals. At least, I think so!

Also, Crystal is a jewelry artist, and makes some really fabulous pieces (my daughter loves her site!) ... you can check out some of her creations here.

Hmmm... some other things I've been working on.... I've been working on my Accidental Artist Zine... just a few final copies that I need to finish. So I have 2 new centerfolds for those....



As you can see, I've been kind of going through my Asian inspired funk... not a bad thing... it just seems like whenever I go through these "funks" that everything has a touch of Asian influence in it. The above centerfold is for issue #9.


Yep, another Asian collage! LOL The above image is of the centerfold for issue #10. These issues will be finished by today, and I hope to get a couple more finished, so that I can close the chapter on this zine.

Speaking of zines... I'm going to republish my first issue! For those of you who are familiar, my first issue of EccentricPastiche is a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. I have had a demand for more copies, and one of the copies that was mailed in February got lost in the mail... I think I've allowed for sufficient time for it to arrive, I guess it's safe to assume that someone else is enjoying my 'zine! The saddest part of this, is that I also included a gift along with that issue, so, the gift has also gone missing.

OH well... for the most part, USPS is reliable, right?

Anyway, I'm printing a very, very limited run of 10 copies of the 'zine... and selling the remaining 9 copies to the first people who speak up and want it! Email me if you're interested!

~Anne

Another Break for Art!

Hi Everyone:

Our weather lately has been weird! Earlier this week, we had some heat waves, and today, it's overcast and even a bit chilly! Like I said, weird.

Anyway, I've been working on quite a few things... since I'll be heading to the printers within the next day or two (I hope!), I've been hard at work on a zine that I'll be contributing to a swap I'm hosting and is due early October for the Gleaner Group. I've also been finishing up the puzzle pieces (which I did finally finish) so that I could send out the puzzle swap packages to my group.

Here are a few more puzzle pieces that I've worked on:


This first one (to the left) is for Nancy's "Sweets" puzzle.














The piece to the right is for Teresa's "Wine" puzzle.

I really enjoy doing puzzle pieces... each has a unique shape so it's fun to play around with the images to get them just right.

Um... ok, so I guess I should have a tea update or two, huh? Well, my breakfast blend has been delayed, unfortunately, due to backorders from my vendors. I hope to have the blend back in stock by mid July, and I'll keep ya posted on that!

Have you signed up for my newsletter? I try to keep my newsletters limited to once a month... sometimes I get excited about something and make it more than one a month, and sometimes, well... I forget to make one at all (which reminds me, I do need to get started on a newsletter within the next day or two!) Every newsletter contains a special DEAL on my teas that's not available elsewhere, so it's definitely worth the subscription price! (FREE!)

I've also been working on DECOS! If I let too much time slip by I am soon BURIED with decos... so I try to keep on a timely schedule with them. Also, I know how exciting it is for me to get one of my decos BACK... so, I can only imagine that it's that same kind of excitement for the other people in my deco group when they get theirs back. If you're interested in decos or possibly joining a deco group, click here for info on my favorite.

The most recent deco that I've worked on was Marianne's "Old Movie Classics" (Below).

I am, by no means, an old movie buff, so I felt a little intimidated by this theme... to me, "Police Academy" is an old movie classic! ha! Well, one night I needed to sort through some of my miscellaneous images, and I came across some Charlie Chaplin images someone had sent me in a RAK package, so I chose to do a chaplin theme for this deco. I used an antique gold metallic tissue paper that I wadded up for texture and then used an inkpad to bring out the crinkly texture for the background, and I thought it kind of played nicely with the "silence is golden" layout.

I hope Marianne likes it!

Anyway, that's my update for now... I have a couple more puzzle pieces and a few other things to show you, but I'll save them for my next update or two! Thanks for reading along!

~Anne

Zines, Zines Everywhere!

Hi Everyone!

I just love 'zines. I can't explain why, exactly, I just do. Of course, I should probably explain a little bit about what a 'zine is... at least, my definition of a 'zine...

'Zine is a self-published magazine. There are many different kinds of 'zines out there, cartoon 'zines, 'zines with political agendas, personal 'zines, literary 'zines... but my favorite 'zines are "art" 'zines. These are 'zines that have some sort of artistic slant... some have 'how to' type of articles, some have interviews or articles about other artists, and some are pure eye candy, with a stunning array of artwork upon which to feast your eyes! Most art 'zines, though, are a montage of these different things: artwork, how-to's and interviews & articles. They aren't always just about art, they are about different aspects of life.

For example, one of my earliest zines is my popcorn issue. I listed my favorite movies and movie characters, talked about life in and out of the movies and even had a round robin story written by several artist friends. It was all wrapped up in a retro-style wax popcorn bag. It was a fun 'zine, it wasn't entirely about art, but it was something that I still considered an art 'zine.

One of my favorite things about 'zines is all the goodies that come with a 'zine! I have often described the opening of a zine like christmas morning... you remember... you wake up extra early, and the first thing you dig in to is your stocking filled with candies and small trinkets and toys. Well... a 'zine is a lot like that experience! Not only do most 'zines include little fun inclusions (usually, art zines have fun little goodies to use in art: fibers, beads, baubles, and other ephemera), but the articles and artwork inside is also a fun gift!

I also LOVE making 'zines. I tried to explain my love for making 'zines as sort of a completion for me... it's my way of expressing my art and my passion for art with words.

What started this gushing over 'zines was recieving two fabulous 'zines in the mail today! :)

Anyway... I have some new artwork to share! Here's are some puzzle pieces that I worked on recently for my yahoo group's puzzle swap:

the piece to the right is a piece for one of my group members, Carol, and her chosen theme was Tuscany and Provence.


















The piece above ^ is a piece I worked on for Brenda's puzzle. Brenda chose a vintage theme.



The piece to the left is a piece I worked on for Janice's puzzle. Janice chose "Purple" as her theme. It's a little hard to see all the detail in this picture. I'm a lot better at scanning than I am at photography... :) But I needed to photograph this puzzle piece because it's got a lot of dimension to it.

Now... for a quick tea update!

August's (Yikes! August already!) tea of the month is Summer's Harvest! This is a great blend of High Grown Ceylons with the delightful summer flavors of Sun-ripened Peaches and Apricots. It's one of my favorite teas to serve iced!

So that's all for now, thanks for reading along!
~Anne

A little early...

I'm posting 'tomorrow's' blog entry a little early, because I just have this feeling that tomorrow, I'll forget! And since I'm here and trying to procrastinate doing the dishes, I figured I'd go ahead and add to my blog.

Tea of the Month Club members:

If you haven't received this month's tea shipment, it will be arriving soon. All orders will be shipped by Thursday.

I wasn't sure which tea I'd make my tea of the month for August. But I let a few of my tea club members decide for me, I received quite a few emails from my members requesting that I make Summer's Harvest the tea of the month for August... and so Summer's Harvest it is!

I've also had a few requests from customers that used to be tea of the month club members but have had to drop the membership... to bring the membership back! So I will be working on that, and look for it in the coming weeks on the website! In the meantime, if you just can't wait, please email me and I'll set something up for you!

Last... but not least.... time for an artsy update!

I finished 2 more altered Carte De Vistes. Here's a before & after of the first one, I call the finished piece "Key to the Castle"...
















Next, this one is called "birdman" -- the original photo was kind of "creepy" -- he kind of looked like he belonged on the addam's family or the munsters! So, I kind of went with this idea, and turned him in to a guy who turns in to a bird monster at night.
















So that's it for now, I hope you enjoyed catching up with me!
~Anne

July 18, 2006: Winners of the Contest!

Hi Everyone!

Well, for those of you who frequent my tea website, you know that I ran a grand opening contest to celebrate the unveiling of my whole new site! Well, I've finally had a moment to sit down and collect myself... so I am ready to announce the winners of the contest!

The winner of a full-sized tin of tea *Winner's Choice!* and an Empress Style Tea Strainer is:

Tamma W.

The 3 runners-up, each winning a $5.00 gift certificate are:

Doris P.
Thomas F.
John R.

I have emailed the 4 winners, and they have 1 week to respond to my email. If I don't hear from them, then I will hold an alternate drawing and award their prize to someone else.

NOTE: The $5.00 gift certificate must be used at http://www.liber-teas.com and can not be redeemed for cash.

Anyway, I hope to hear from my winners soon!

That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'll have tea, tea of the month & art updates! yippee!!

~Anne

July 14, 2006: another quickie...

Hi Everyone: Just gonna take enough time here to post a new pic of a deco spread. This one was for Sharon's Ooolala! Deco......

There's a lot of sparkle on this deco, with rhinestone embellishments and stuff, which don't come out very clear on the scan.

I also finished a deco for Cheryl, called "children's literature" -- unfortunately, I forgot to scan it before I packaged it up... hopefully Cheryl will scan it for me!

~Anne

July 11, 2006: Just a quick post

Hi Everyone! *wondering if anyone actually reads this, or if I'm addressing everyone to no-one*

Anyway... I just have a quick update today, I have another altered CDV... this one I'm happier with than I was my first...

The left side is kind of blurry because the musical symbol is dimensional and lifted the card away from the glass of the scanner.

Thanks for checking in...

~Anne

July 9, 2006: More Art

Hi Everyone!

A real short update this time, more pics than words! This first one is my layout for Laurie's Belly Dancer Deco...

This next pic is my first attempt at altering a Carte de Viste. (A carte de viste is a smaller Cabinet Card)... I'm still a little unsure about this... since it's my first one... I'm not sure if I like it or not... What do you think?

So, that's it for now. Tomorrow, I will probably have a couple more Carte de Vistes... since I need to make 3 for an upcoming swap......

Thanks for checking in with me!

~Anne

July 8, 2006: Tea & Art

Hi Everyone!

I'll start with a quick tea update. For those of you who are awaiting your July tea of the month package, it will be shipped by Wednesday of next week! This month's tea is Strawberry... it's perfect for Iced Tea brewing! The strawberry flavor is subtle and sweet, and very refreshing! Just the ticket to quench your thirst on these hot summer days!

August's tea of the month will be Blue Eyes! (Another perfect choice for iced tea brewing, and a delicious treat for the kids! Shhh, Mom! don't tell them it's a healthy drink, they'll never know!)

Now... for more art updates. As I promised with last night's update, I bring you my Asian Deco. This is the cover of my deco, which I will send out on Monday to begin it's round robin journey:

This deco actually took me a long time to get started. A big part of the delay is due to the fact that I had a lot of 'zines to get finished, but another part was that ever lurking fear... I had something in my head of what I wanted, but I couldn't express it.

This deco doesn't quite match the original idea that I had in my head, but I actually like it better than my original plan... so, I guess that's a good thing!








I had some fun in my photo processing program this morning and tried a few effects. Here's the cover using the 'antique' effect... I think I actually like the pic better antiqued! It just sort of adds to the whole feel I was trying to convey with the deco.

I also did the first layout for the deco...

Thanks for checking out the blog!

~Anne

July 7, 2006: Decos!

Hi There!

I've been working on Decos today! It feels good to finally be working on something other than Zines. I love 'zines... but, sometimes, you need to do something else! :)

















The theme of this deco is "Mystic Mermaids" and it belongs to Sharon. This is side one to the layout I completed for her. It looks better in person! The scan kind of came out blurry.


Here's side two!



















This was a fun deco to work on.

I've also worked on the cover and first layout for an Asian Deco (my deco) and a Belly Dancer Deco that belongs to Laurie. I'll post pictures to those at a later time (the decos are still drying!)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Anne

July 6, 2006: More Art Updates

Hello Everyone!

Over the past weekend I've been finishing up the handmade 'zines I've been making for a swap. I've made a total of 8 so far (just enough for the swap) and I'll be making more over the next couple of weeks or so for the people who I'm doing private 1-1 swaps with, or am selling the 'zine to. So far, I've posted the first 3 centerfolds (each centerfold to the 8 zines is different), so, I think I'll go ahead and post the next 5 centerfolds today. The first three are 'zines 1, 2 & 3, consecutively... and here are the next 5:

The above centerfold is for issue #4.

The above artwork is the centerfold for issue #5 (LOL I just noticed that the corner was bent in the scan!)

The above artwork is the centerfold for issue #6

The above piece is the centerfold for issue #7

And finally, the above is for issue #8. I had a lot of fun exploring with different techniques on these centerfolds. I find that the more I create, the more freedom I begin to feel in my expressions, which is truly a joyful experience for me.

I hope you enjoy the artwork! Thanks for stopping by!

~Anne

July 3, 2006: 5:09 pm

Hello Everyone! Well it's a Monday evening, but it feels like a lazy Sunday to me. I think it's partially because hubby is off work today (and he's usually off on Sundays, but wasn't this week) and asleep at the moment, and partially because I want an extra day this week so that I can finish my project on time! Ha!

Anyways, I promised a few more tea updates the last time I posted (early yesterday morning, or perhaps LATE LATE Friday night?)... so here they are!

I don't remember if I *told* you about my current romance with Yerba Mate. See, once upon a time, I used to drink mochas quite frequently -- and I loved everything about them -- except how they made me feel shortly after drinking them. I'd feel nervous, jittery, and physically ill. Like I was about to hurl! So, I had to give them up, but it was a sad moment for me because I really did love them. I especially loved my favorite chocolate almond mocha... It was so delicious, decadent, creamy... just... YUM!

About a year ago, I tried Yerba Mate. I was less than impressed, to be quite honest. I didn't really enjoy it, and I didn't *get* why people were so excited by this drink. But, then, one of my vendors sent me a sample of flavored Mate... chocolate flavor, to be exact! And I was hooked! It tasted so similar to my dearly departed mochas, but I didn't have the jittery ill feeling that I'd get from them. So I decided I must try working with them more!

I think I've finally managed to perfect the flavor I was searching for... my chocolate almond mocha! I should have my first batch available for sale by mid to late month July! yes, this month! Woo hoo! Be watching my blog for the update on my Almond Mocha Mate!!!

Other Updates: I will have a batch of my allergy relief tisane in late this month. And... DO I EVER NEED IT! The allergies are hitting me hard this year, I'll attribute that to the wet winter and spring we had this year. So much green... so much pollen! If you also suffer from allergies, I recommend trying the allergy relief... it is very soothing and really does help with the symptoms (without the side affects of the OTC meds).

Now for some artistic updates... I've been really working hard to get my zine project done! Here's another centerfold....

Anyways... that's all for now... have a great Sunday... errrr... Monday evening!

~Anne

July 2, 2006: 1:22 am

Yep, a late night again.

I had actually typed out a long blog update earlier today (well, technically, yesterday) but I accidentally deleted it when I attempted to load a pic. Oh well.

So here I am again. I'm going to start with a tea update or two...

First, the tea of the month for July is *STRAWBERRY* ~ and is there really any more perfect tea for the middle of summer than my strawberry tea? In my opinion, no fruit represents the summer more than Strawberries. My tea has just a subtle strawberry flavor ~ a perfect choice for sun-tea brewing or perhaps you'd like to try my new iced tea recipe? It's the easiest way I've found to brew delicious iced tea every time.

Next... I'm sold out of my Liberteas Breakfast Blend, and I will have more in stock by the middle of the month. The same is true for my Chocolate Rose Romance -- although I didn't technically sell out of the Chocolate ~ I've blended a whole new batch because I've improved upon my recipe! A deeper, richer chocolate flavor -- more sinfully delightful goodness in every sip! This is truly a dessert tea worth trying... and with ZERO fat and calories, it's worth a second cup. (Note: the chocolate tea does taste better with just a dash of sugar and a splash of milk... but, even with these additions, the fat and calories are very low!)

I will be updating the blog this coming week with more exciting tea news.

Art updates!

I've been busy at the art table.

This is another centerfold to my upcoming 'zine ~ Discovering the Accidental Artist. As I may have mentioned previously, this is a zine unlike any other I've done, because each is handmade. I typed the text, printed it, and then cut and pasted it in to the pages of the 'zine. Every centerfold is different, making each 'zine a unique, one of a kind booklet.

This is the centerfold for copy #2.

I have really enjoyed working on this 'zine, because it's really challenged me, and also given me a chance to actually just... create art! After the crunch time of the projects that I've been working on, primarily the Sunergos zine, I felt exhausted. I mean, I did enjoy it immensely, however, there were times where I felt like I lost the artist inside me to a machine. So... this 'zine has really helped me get back to the artist within and has re-invigorated my muse!

So, that's all for now... thanks for reading along!
~Anne

June 30, 2006: 11:49 am

Time for a Tea update!

The last few updates have involved art, now it's time for some tea time updates! July is right around the corner -- OK... it's tomorrow! July's tea of the month is Strawberry. This is a flavored black tea with a sweet and subtle touch of sun-ripened strawberries! Nothing says "summer" quite like strawberries! Some of my favorite childhood summertime memories involve strawberries, like my gramma's delicious strawberry shortcake, and visiting the strawberry fields for freshly picked strawberries! Yum! (NOTE: I'll be moving the strawberry tea over to the 'tea of the month' category tomorrow)

I love my strawberry blend because the flavor is delicate, and allows the flavor of the black tea to shine through. Most of the fruit flavored teas that I've tried have masked the flavor of the black tea rather than celebrated it! Being a tea lover through and through, I found this practice to be disappointing. My strawberry blend is one of my favorite iced tea flavors too! It's very refreshing served chilled!

Speaking of berries, I believe that I spoke recently of a new berry blend on the horizon. That's still in the works. I'm still trying to perfect the recipe, and I've not come up with a balance that pleases me. But, I'm still working at it!

Other tea news: I'm taking my Chocolate Rose Romance down from my website (temporarily!) because during my 'tea blending playtime' I've found a way to improve the flavor! So, I've blended up a full batch of the NEW and IMPROVED Chocolate Rose Romance. It will be available after July 15th. The new flavor brings a richer flavor... a true dessert tea! Sinful chocolate flavor without the fat and calories!

I've developed a very timely herbal blend! I suffer from horrendous allergies this time of the year, and they really drag me down! Some days they're so dreadful that I can barely function! I used to take benadryl, and while it does help knock the symptoms out, it also knocks ME out... for a good 24 hours, I'm in a fuzzy haze! I've had no real success with any of the over the counter options, so I turned to a herbal approach. I've come up with a blend that I'm really pleased with, and it helps with the symptoms, and allows me to keep alert!

Well, that's all for this update. Thanks for reading along!
~Anne

Some more art...

Well, just one piece. here's one of the centerfolds for the 'zine I'm working on. As I think I mentioned before, each one is handmade, so each centerfold & cover will be different... The text content will all be the same in each 'zine made, but the artwork will all be different

So that's it for now... Have an artful day!

~Anne

June 24, 2006

More Updates: Well, for the next couple of days, I'll be super busy, trying to bind some 'zines. Back in April/May, I was part of a collaborative group that made a 'zine for a contest for Etsy. Don't know what Etsy is? Well you should! It's a great site for the artists... by the artists! It's a great place for artists to display and sell their artwork. The people of etsy have worked to make the costs of posting work to sell on etsy affordable (which is a must for artists... we're constantly starving!). Anyway, I strongly recommend that you support Etsy! Here's a link to my store at etsy.

Anyway, we did a 'zine for the coproduction contest at Etsy, where we needed at least 3 but not more than 7 participants (we went with 7). We made a 'zine -- and it sold out within 26 hours! Woot! So... needless to say, I don't have any of these left, but if you want to get a quick glimpse of what the cover looks like, here it is:

Anyway, each contributor to the 'zine gets 2 copies (one for themselves, one for a gift) and I need to bind the rest of them. See that binding >>>

I hand knotted it. I thought it would be a simple task, unfortunately, I learned it took a lot more concentration that I realized. See... once upon a time, back in college, I used to make and sell the hemp bracelets... and I could whip out a dozen or so of those in an evening... but using the same knotting technique on a book... is quite a different thing indeed.

Oh well.

Anyway, I need to get those finished this weekend, so that's what I'll be doing! :)

After that I can focus all my energy on the few things I also need to get finished up -- my 'zine for the Gleaner swap, for example. I'm making each of these by hand, so each will be a one of a kind original. I won't be making many of these, needless to say. ha! Yeah, they're fun, and I love making 'zines, I love the process... so I'm not complaining. My muse just hasn't been really cooperating with me! When I have very little time, it seems like she comes up with the most time consuming projects! It would have been a lot easier if she came up with a 'zine that didn't require this much attention.

Oh well!

Here are a few other things I've worked on in the past few months...

























I made the photo as large as I could with this one, so that hopefully you could see it amid the blur...

This is an altered bottle cap. The reason the center is so blurred is that it's filled with a crystal lacquer, so it didn't take to the scan very well. The petals are made of a air dry porcelain compound, and then painted with acrylic paints and acrylic glaze. The center features a small picture of a fairy with a sparkly background, and then is filled with the aforementioned lacquer. I wish the scan could have come in better, I think these are a lot nicer than the scan represents.

I made a total of 8 of these, all with different fairies, and all look slightly different, since I hand sculpted the petals, and mixed the glazes and colors as I went along... so they all have their own little quirks. I made them a swap I hosted with my yahoo group, EccentricPastiche.

Hmmm... what else? How about some tea information? did I mention previously that I have concocted an herbal blend that helps keep my allergy symptoms under control? I need to get blending more of this! I made just a small amount of it to test it... and I like it so much!

Anyway... that's it for today... I have to go get busy!!!

Thanks for reading along...
~Anne

June 23, 2006 ... part 2!

OK... I'm back... and here to post a few more pictures of my altered book. The last two pictures I posted feature recipe card pull-outs... the first one has a library pocket, and inside is a card with tea time recipes on it. The second one has a tag with a recipe for chocolate tea bread. Here is a better view of the left side of the second set of pages... without the tag.

This is the last set of pages....

Here's the back cover....

Here is a scan of the cover with the ribbon tied... I made the tassels too!

Anyway... so that's it, my first real altered book. Even if it's not really, technically an altered book, at least, not an altered EXISTING book. I've found it's somehow easier to alter the blank books than it is to alter an existing, published, printed book. I'll get over this though. I will!!!

Thanks for reading along!

~Anne

June 23, 2006: Time for some art...

I have been working like crazy to get myself all caught up with my various art projects that I've got going! Here are some recent pieces I've worked on...

The right is a scan of the cover of an altered book I made as a gift for a friend. The theme I chose was "Victorian Tea Journal" since we both have a passion for tea. The altered book is an accordian book -- yeah, I'm still not quite over my hesitancy to alter a 'real' book and chose a blank book to alter this time. I'm getting better though, and I learned so much throughout the journey of creating this book.

I'm going to show the rest of the pictures of the pages gallery style....

I guess I'll need to make another post for the rest of the pictures.... I'll try to plot this so that this post will be on top, and the other pictures will be below.... But... no promises!!!

June 18, 2006: 1:06 am

Yeah, it's early... I'm kind of a night owl. I have a couple of updates that I wanted to post here...

Back on the shelves:
*My sampler tins are back in stock. I have a limited quantity of them, but they're here! I'll be posting them to my website soon, keep an eye out for them. Click here to access my website.

Out of stock:
*Momoko Melon ~ I will probably have this restocked by the end of July at the latest. This is my favorite iced tea, so I don't think I could be without it too long!
*Storage Tins ~ These were supposed to be in the same crate with my sampler tins, but were not. I probably won't get these in now until the end of July. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Of interest (possibly):
*I've been working on a new berry blend. I've been working on this blend for some time now (by request of a favorite customer of mine who wanted a nice mixed berry blend), but you know me, I'm not very easy to please when it comes to the right flavors for my teas. I think this is a good thing. :)

*I'm also looking for the best darjeeling I can find. I've been sampling several different varieties from several different estates... I hope to have decided upon one soon.

OK... so that's all the updates for now. Thanks for catching up with me!
~Anne

June 14, 2006: 11:20 am

Hello Everyone!

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last journal entry, so I figure it's definitely time to update it, and everyone who reads it! :) I was away from the 'tea cupboard' for about a week, but I'm back now and ready to serve you!

For everyone who has been keeping up with my happenings:

*As I posted previously, Red Velvet is in stock... and it is NEARLY sold out! So if this is one of those you've been meaning to try, I recommend you order some right away! It is June's tea of the month, so it's available at a special discounted price! This is one of my favorites for hot weather, because it's so refreshing served iced! Yum! To order or to learn more about Red Velvet Tisane, click here.

*My Earl Grey Creme is back in stock!

*My Sweet Caramel O'Mine is back in stock too! This one is one of my very best sellers -- so you better get it now while the gettin's good! I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to restock this one after my current supply is gone...

*Shangri-La is finally ready for shipment! For all you tea of the month club members, your May and June teas will be shipped out together (Shangri-La for May, and Red Velvet for June), and will be going out this week! This is a truly unique blend -- perfect for the warmer weather that's ahead! It's so delightful when served iced!

*Starry Night is also finally back in stock! This one is a very popular green rooibos blend that I've found to be nearly impossible to keep stocked! As soon as I get it back on my shelves, it's sells out! Hey... I'm not complaining!

*Chocolate Rose Romance is back in stock! Another popular blend!

*Liberteas Breakfast Blend is in stock, but I have a very limited quantity!! I won't be blending this one until next month at the soonest, so if you want some of this... you better get it now!

Here are a couple of other updates:

*Candy Shoppe will be ready for shipment around June 22nd.

*Honeybush with Vanilla will also be ready for shipment around the same time!

Well, that's all for my updates for now! Thanks for catching up with me!

How's about an artsy update?

Hi everyone:

Well, since I got my vision restored, I've been working like crazy trying to get caught up. Wanna see what I've been working on?



This is a chunky book page that I've been working on. It's my first real attempt working on 4x4s and also my first time working on a chunky book page. So it was an adventure, and a lot of fun.

I had to make 12 of these, so the background papers and the torsos are all different on them. The faces are all the same, except for small variations in color, because I used milk paints (reconstituted with water rather than milk) and watercolors so the color wasn't consistant. I liked it though, it make for an interesting look.

The wings are made of muslin that I dyed and then painted with metallic paint.

Rolodex cards! Been altering them like a crazy woman too! The theme this month was a self portrait with contact info on the back. So, I made a larger, 6x6 of my self portrait (as seen below) then I shrunk it in psp and printed it out for the rolodex cards.


The title of the piece is "painting a self portrait" -- the gnome is an inside joke (Hi Gail!) unfortunately, everyone else who is receiving the cards probably won't get the joke. Oh well. It was a lot of fun to do.

My next project is to make 2 mini-books for another group I'm in. I've already begun this, I've cut the covers out of some very thick book cover stock, and have bound the cover. Now, I'm working on the inside pages.

These have been really challenging because I'm stepping outside of my box, having never really bound a book before, but, I feel like my work with the zines has really prepared me for things like that, so it's been fun and I've not felt too lost or overwhelmed, except for maybe by the list of things I've gotta get done!

Anyway, that's all for now. Remember, Shangri-La will be ready to ship tomorrow! YUM!

~Anne

May 29, 2006: 10:32 am

Hello Everyone!

It's been a pretty crazy week! I just realized that I had forgotten to mention June's tea of the month in my last posting, so here it is...

My tea of the month for June will be Red Velvet. Some of you may remember Red Velvet, as I carried it for a brief time last year. This is a recipe I devised for a customer who was looking for a tisane that was similar to another tisane she had tried. I really like this one too, it's a real burst of delicious fruit flavors. I begin with a base of hibiscus and rosehips, and add the flavors of sun-ripened Washington pears & juicy-sweet blood oranges. The result is a velvet-y smooth, delightful flavor. It's a spectacular choice for iced tea... I love this one as a sun tea!

Well, that's all for my updates for now, I'll be working on my newsletter next. Have you signed up to receive my newsletter? If not, click here to sign up!

Thanks!
~Anne

May 25, 2006: 11:54 am

As I think I may have mentioned before, I lost a contact lens... I hate not being able to see. For whatever reason, I don't have as much trouble using the computer as I do doing other daily tasks, such as cooking or washing dishes... LOL! Some may think it's just me not wanting to do those things, but I think it actually has something to do with the fact that the computer screen is illuminated, and since I do have a mild case of night blindness, the light definitely helps with my vision.

Anyway, I have a few updates concerning tea:

Chocolate Rose Romance: will be ready to sell on June 2nd.
Sweet Caramel O'Mine: A slight delay in this one, it will be ready June 9th.
LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend: A very small batch will be ready June 2nd.
Honeybush with Vanilla: Will be ready June 9th.
Earl Grey Creme: Will be ready June 9th.
Starry Night: Will be ready June 9th.
Shangri-La: Will be ready June 9th.
Candy Shoppe: Will be ready June 30th.

I'm sorry about the delays on some of these... I had hoped they'd be ready for shipment on May 31st, but after a quick sampling last night of these, I realize they need some extra time.

Regarding After Dinner Mint... I am not sure that I'll be restocking this one, at least not for the time being. Perhaps when the cooler weather begins again in the fall, I'll be more in 'the mood' for this desert beverage, and I'll bring it back. If, in the meantime, you just CAN'T WAIT for it, please email me and let me know! I like to hear from the customers to know what you guys think of everything.

~Anne

May 20, 2006: 1:54 pm

Ack! I've lost my contact lens. I guess I should have prefaced that by saying, without some sort of vision aid, I can't see very well... I'm currently hunched over the comp screen to read it... with the screen about 2 inches in front of my face.

So... needless to say, I need new glasses... wanna help me get them? visit my website, purchase at least 25 dollars in tea and other stuff, and get a 25% discount on your total order, just use the coupon code "newglasses" in the coupon field at check out, and 25% will be deducted from your final order. This offer is only valid through May 26th.

Anyway... I guess I should be glad that ... if I had to lose my contact, I lost it now, instead of say, a couple of days ago... when I was going nuts finishing up two projects. I finished them before losing the contact, I'm glad to report! Want a sneak peak at what I've been working on? Here ya go......
This is an altered tea tin. I first sent it to an artist (Anne-Marie Richardson) in Australia, who added the wool papers. She did it in a pattern to represent the sea, mountains, soil and meadow. Then she sent the tin to an artist (Crystal Calhoun) in Florida, who added a wool fiber palm tree and the shells. Then she sent it to me, and I added the heron (porcelain air-dry clay) and the tree, as seen in the photo to the right.



The tree is a little hard to see with the lighting... but because it's dimensional so it's very prominient in the finished piece. Also, the leaf bunches on the trees were done with wool fibers. I also finished the lid with batik paper and porcelain tea leaves, and a sun charm. I really like the finished product... it's very nice. :)

I'll be including tea with the tea tin when it's purchased at my etsy store. (Note: It's not added to the store just yet, it will be up there a little later today though!) The teas that will be included are my new Namaste Chai (Fair Trade, 100% organic), Ming Jasmine (A sample of this tea I obtained for this project), and my Heron's Sanctuary tisane. Also included as a bonus will be an altered book style journal of the trials and tribulations of this project written from the tin's perspective.

The second project I've worked on is a 'zine!

This is the cover of the 'zine. (front and back outer cover). The paper is handmade by Crystal Calhoun and hand drawn by Ria Seaton. The title plates were created by Amber Dawn Goldish-DeLaCruz (BeauIdeal Zine), and I bound the zines with macrame knotting using hemp fibers). This 'zine is amazing... 7 articles written by 7 different artists, with different interests... it has a little something for every artist out there!!!

This was printed in limited quantities (Only 16 are available for sale) so my recommendation is to buy one AS SOON AS IT'S LISTED because it will go FAST!

Well... so that's what I've been working on... neato...huh?

~Anne

Blending Updates...

Hi Everyone!

Just a quick update on my blending activities... as I mentioned before, I'm sold out of my Sweet Caramel O'Mine... and we simply CAN'T hav that, can we? It's my best seller!

So, I got to work on this one right away... and I'm happy to report that Sweet Caramel O'Mine will be ready for shipment on May 31st.

Also ready for shipment on May 31st: LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend (also a best seller!), Honeybush with Vanilla, Earl Grey Creme and Starry Night... and of course, my newest tea blend: Shangri-La.

Because I blend in small batches, it's always a good idea to snatch up the teas you want as soon as they become available.

The following teas will be ready in June (actual dates to be released when I know them!): Chocolate Rose Romance & After Dinner Mint. I am not sure when I'll be blending more of the Heron's Sanctuary, but it should be in either June or early July.

To see what I DO have available... click here to visit my website!

Thanks everyone for your support! I really appreciate it greatly!
~Anne

May 15, 2006: 11:04 am

First things first: I've had a few requests to post pictures of a few things, so here goes:

This first is a picture of an art doll I made some time ago, as visual inspiration for my popcorn issue of EccentricPastiche...

I think I may have posted this one previously to the blog... but, I like her, so she bears reposting!

These next pictures are of a shrine I made some time ago as part of an 'altered dollhouse furniture' swap, called "My Cluttered Mind" ...

This is the outside of the shrine. Since the cabinet is made of wood -- I didn't want to cover up the natural wood grain with gobs of opaque paint, so I opted to give it a thin coat of Twinkling H20 wash instead, which gave it a nice color and shimmer, but didn't detract from the beautiful grain of the wood. I did the outside simply, because I wanted the real action to be on the inside of the shrine...

Now, I just love the inside of the shrine, I got to use a bunch of the nifty little objects that I've been stashing (yeah, I'm a packrat -- like most altered art artists, I guess!), so in reality, it was kind of a bittersweet creation for me, because I loved making it... but, I was sad to say goodbye to the shrine when I sent it off to be swapped! I didn't want to let it go, because a large portion of my stash was going along with it!!! haha!

On a more serious note, this shrine represented something big (artistically) for me... a big step for me, but to completely understand it, you'll have to indulge me in telling you a bit of a long story, I'll try to condense it as much as I can!

Before the birth of my first daughter, my art was very limited (not my art attempts, but the art that I completed... was very limited... to say... oh... ZERO!) because I was never very satisfied with what I was creating. I had convinced myself somehow that I wasn't a real artist because I didn't paint or draw the way I 'wanted' to... and since these were the only real artforms (at least in my mind) ... I wasn't a real artist... so I struggled with this for many years. It took me a long time to embrace and accept the fact that collage was a true artform and an amazing path of expression.

Once my oldest was born, my art voyages became limited because well... I was a single mom without much time on her hands, between work and daycare, and running around doing the things that I had to do. At this point, I became a crafter. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The stuff I was making... was fun, but it was craft, not art. I was just going through the motions to create something because I felt incomplete without at least creating something... but, I wasn't really creating art. I was making a lot of dried floral wreaths and polymer clay ornaments... but they were crafty... not arty.

Of course, this delves in to the whole art vs. craft debate, which I don't wish to start right now... so I'll just part this section of the story by saying, it was craft by my own standards, not art by my own standards. :)

Onward... when I returned to college, I explored many avenues of art, but most of my art education was limited to art history and the study of other artists... rather than a study of the artist within... because I didn't have much patience for that. I tried taking sketching classes, drawing classes, painting classes, but I'd end up dropping the class before long, because I simply didn't have the patience to have someone tell me how to create. The only techniques class that I actually completed was my ceramics course, which I simply loved.

Shortly after I completed college, I met my current husband, and we had my second (and last!) child, also a girl. She is a bit more exploratory than my first... who would be content if I sat her down with a pile of toys... where as my youngest... wanted to help me with my art... so I had to put that stuff up for a while. At this point, I was beginning to explore the joys of collage... and lets face it... you just can't really do a lot of cutting and pasting if you have a 8 month old on your lap who wants to help! :)

So, I put my stuff away for a couple of years, until she was able to let mommy have her art time. Still... the stuff I was creating was rather cutesy (Nothing wrong with this either, a lot of the stuff I still make is cutesy, but, I find myself more satisfied artistically when I am doing stuff... not so cute), and I still felt like I was crafting -- going through the motions, and not really creating art.

Even as I started the progression of getting in to altered art and ATCs, much of my stuff had a sort of 'pretty' appeal and felt not quite like the artistic expression that was clammoring inside me.

This shrine represents for me an escape from that oppression... I really felt -- for the first time -- that I was making art... and this shrine will stand as a monument (in whose-ever hands it has been entrusted) as that first real step I needed to take toward embracing the fact that I am indeed an artist, and an altered art artist at that!

So... no real news on the tea front... except... PLEASE VISIT my tea website and buy tea! LOL

Thanks for reading along!

~Anne

May 11, 2006: 8:33 pm

Yeah, I just posted yesterday, but I have some exciting tea news!

My Momoko Melon Oolong tea is ready for shipment NOW! This is a delicious flavored Oolong -- imagine the flavors of sweet, juicy summer melons combined with the uniquely smooth flavor of Formosa Oolong! It's absolutely delightful! I can't decide if I prefer this one served hot or cold -- both are truly wonderful!

My Masterpiece Chai is also ready for shipment NOW! This is one that you should get while it's available because it GOES FAST! My Masterpiece Chai is unlike any other chai you've tasted! This is my very own top secret recipe!

Finally, I have one more NEW chai tea to tell you about: Namaste Chai! This is a 100% organic, fair trade certified tea. Fair trade certified teas offer you the opportunity to enjoy top quality and flavorful teas while directly benefitting the lives of the tea pickers and their families. Namaste Chai is Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International.

And... now for an update on my sold out list: Heron's Sanctuary, Sweet Caramel O'Mine, LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend, Chocolate Rose Romance, Earl Grey Creme, Honeybush with Vanilla, Candy Shoppe, Starry Night, & After Dinner Mint. ZOUNDS! I better get busy blending!!!

Thanks for checking in!
~Anne

May 10, 2006 ~ 11:06 am

Hey!

So it's been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry. I finally got my new and improved website up and running! I'm really excited about it. It's exactly the website I've always wanted! (Thanks RD -- for all your help with it!)

What's really great about the website (besides everything!) is that I also get a great shopping cart that goes along with... it allows me to offer discounts, which is really cool!

So, what's new in the world of teas?

This week, my Momoko Melon tea will debut! It was actually supposed to be April's tea of the month (it's just late!). It begins as my Formosa Oolong-Choicest tea with a delightful summer melon flavor!

Coming soon: Shangri-La! This is a blend of Chinese & Japanese green teas, and a malty Assam, blended with the tropical notes of coconut and lime. It's amazing! I love this tea served both hot and iced!

Also... my Tisane with no Name... is nameless no more! I've decided to exalt the town that has become my home... Ridgefield, WA! Our town is home to a Wildlife and Bird Refuge, and our annual BirdFest is a pretty big deal! This year, the Great Egret is the celebrated bird, and since not many people recognize "Egret" -- I decided to embrace a similar bird... the Heron! So, now, my newest Tisane is called Heron's Sanctuary. It is a blend of lemongrass, mint, orange peel, hibiscus and rosehips. The flavor is refreshing and light. And... best of all, $1.00 from each sale of Heron's Sanctuary Tisane will go to the Refuge to support their continued efforts to preserve our wildlife.

Currently Sold Out: LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend (will have more available May 21), Honeybush with Vanilla (will have more the week of May 28), Potpourri (not sure when this will be restocked), Earl Grey Creme (will have more the week of May 28), Sweet Caramel O'Mine (will have more in June).

That's all for now! Thanks for reading along!
~Anne