2023 Wrap-up

I can't believe we're just days away from 2024!

 

On Winter Solstice Day (December 21), I enjoyed these winter teas from my blogging friends.

 

 Tea Advent Calendar

Day 17: Hojicha Gingerbread Bundt by Dessert by Deb

Day 18: Eggnog Matcha by DavidsTea

Day 19: Sugar Plum Coffee Cake black tea by Dessert by Deb

Day 20: Candy Cane black tea by Teamancy

Day 21: Silver Bells oolong by DavidsTea

Day 22: Christmas Tea black tea by Murchie's

Day 23: Holiday Spice black tea by Geek+Tea

Day 24: Candy Cane herbal tea by Teeccino

On Christmas Day, I enjoyed this Twinings Christmas Tea from Kitty.

 

Sipdowns: January 2023 to November 2023

I sipped down a lot of teas in 2023. 

 

I'm proud of myself for buying less tea this year in an effort to get my tea collection under control.

Thank you for all the visits and kind comments in 2023.

 

See you in 2024!

Lavender Haze

Taylor banished my winter blues again by releasing the Lavender Haze music video at midnight on Friday!

 

 

To celebrate the beautiful, dreamy music video, I drank lavender teas throughout the day. 

Black Tea: Dessert by Deb's Lavender London Fog

Rooibos: Dessert by Deb's Blackberry Lavender Clafouti

 

 

White Teas: Monarch Tea Co.'s Lavender Bliss (top) and Teamancy's Lemon Lavender

January tea empties

What I've already restocked:
1) Lavender Rooibos (Tea Squared)

What I may repurchase in the future:
1) Cardamom, Ginger & Orange Rooibos (Dilmah Tea)

2) Sugar Cookie Sleigh Herbal (Celestial Seasonings)
3) Lemon Lavender White Tea (Teamancy)

I just wanna stay in that lavender haze.

Birthday teas and gifts

I have this thing where I get older but just never wiser.

Birthday Countdown: Drinking delicious cake-inspired teas!

 

Black Teas

Left (top to bottom): Panettone Cake; Almond Chocolate Cappuccino Opera Cake; Thai Banana Cake

Middle (top to bottom): Sugar Plum Coffee Cake; Peach Crumble Cake

Right (top to bottom): Blueberry Lavender Angel Food Cake; Hazelnut Buttercream Cake Pop

Green Teas

Left (top to bottom): Hojicha Salted Chocolate Cake; Lemon Chiffon Cake

Right (top to bottom): Lavender Peach Pound Cake; Gingerbread Pearcake

 

 

I've been saving this Buckingham Palace Strawberry and Vanilla Cake afternoon tea for my birthday! A work friend was in London, UK last summer and she said that the tea made her think of me. So she brought it back for me! It was one of the best strawberry teas that I've ever had!

 

 

Teas that I received for my birthday: Tealish herbal teas and some intriguing Adagio Valentine-themed teas.

 

 

I'm excited to try these sugars infused with vanilla, rose, and lavender!

 

 

 How cute are these Winnie-the-Pooh teacup sets?

 

I used a gift card to purchase this reusable bag at Home Sense (aka HomeGoods). The teacup and laptop made me think of my tea blog!

I also used the gift card for this fun and cute Rae Dunn "Happy Birthday" mug!

The friend who gave me the gift card almost bought this mug! But she thought I already had enough mugs and that cupcake wasn't purple...So it was hilarious that I went out and bought the same mug!

I'm blessed to have family and friends who know me so well!

2022 Wrap-Up

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas weekend!

 

Tea Advent Calendar

Day 19
DIY: Monarch Tea Co.'s Caramel Apple Spice green tea
Charbrew: Peppermint

Day 20
DIY: Murchie's Christmas Tea black tea
Charbrew: Earl Grey

Day 21
DIY: DavidsTea's Eggnog matcha latte
Charbrew: Afternoon (?) black tea

 

Day 22
DIY: Teamancy's Candy Cane black tea
Charbrew: Summer Berry (?) black tea

Day 23
DIY: Dessert by Deb's Hojicha Gingerbread Bundt
Charbrew: Afternoon (?) black tea

Day 24
DIY: Ashby's Christmas Spice black tea
Charbrew: English Breakfast (?) black tea

  

Day 25
Charbrew: Earl Grey

 

One of the tea highlights in 2022 was the outdoor Platinum Jubilee tea party hosted by a friend.

 

The Afternoon Tea at the Shangri-La was another memorable tea moment this year.

 

End-of-the-Year Tea Haul #1: Geek+Tea

 

I was saddened when one of my favourite tea companies announced that they were shutting down their tea business in December. I was grateful that I was able to do a bulk order (500 grams!) of my favourite blend, As You Wish black tea.   

End-of-the-Year Tea Haul #2: Dessert by Deb

This is my Christmas gift to myself. I can't wait to try out the new teas from Dessert by Deb's Little Paris Cake Shoppe!

 

January to November tea empties

Thank you all for all the visits and comments throughout 2022.

Looking forward to another year of tea appreciation!

Celebrating Persons Day in Canada

On Persons Day (Oct 18), we recognize the 5 courageous Canadian women (Famous Five), Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Muir Edwards, who launched a petition that lead to the 1929 historic ruling: "Women are persons!"

 

How 5 Women Changed Canada Forever Over a Cup of Tea

"People assumed they were just having dainty tea parties. But in reality, they were planning strategy to move forward gender equality in Canada."

I raise my pink teacup to the Famous Five! 

Their milestone victory for Canadian women's rights "paved the way for women's increased participation in public and political life."

Almost a century later, the suffrage movement has empowered women entrepreneurs to start their own successful tea businesses: Dessert by Deb, Geek+Tea, Monarch Tea Co., and Teamancy.

March Teas: Honey and Maple

Bridgerton Season 2 is back with some more swoon-worthy tea scenes!

Let's spill the tea on some new blends that I've tried recently!

Teamancy's Honey Bee is a black tea blend that contains bee pollen.

I could smell the honey as soon as I opened the bag!

I enjoyed this sweet tea in my beehive mug.

The Bridgertons would definitely approve of this honey blend for their tea time!

Miss Kate Sharma--who is not a fan of English tea--might prefer Maple Chai Sticky Buns black tea. This delicious Dessert by Deb chai also included honey and bee pollen.

This light Snow Maple white tea from Geek+Tea is perfect for the maple season in March!

What are you abuzz about these days?

2022 Valentine Teas

 Happy Valentine's Day!

My tea wagon decorated for "Heart Month".

My other Valentine teawares

 

Valentine teas with strawberries, raspberries, or roses!

 

Valentine Teas: Chocolate Blends

 

Valentine Teas: Dessert by Deb's chocolate blends.

Monarch Tea Co.'s Perfect Pear black tea

 Monarch Tea Co.'s Love You Tea (a strawberry blend)

 

 

 

I couldn't resist buying this adorable sweater from Ricki's.

The website description said it was a "coffee" sweater, but it's obviously a teacup, right????

Let them drink cake teas!

I counted down to my birthday by drinking cake-inspired teas!

 

Dessert by Deb's cake teas

Green teas (top): Hojicha Salted Chocolate Cake (left); Lavender Peach Pound Cake green tea (right)

Black teas (bottom): Sugar Plum Coffee Cake (left); Panettone Cake (right) 

Top (L-R): Dessert by Deb's Peach Crumble Cake black tea; DavidsTea's Lemon Pound Cake oolong

Bottom (L-R): Clearview Tea Co.'s Gingerbread Pear Cake green tea; Dessert by Deb's Chocolate Orange Biscuit black tea

Birthday Tea #1: Teamancy's Lemon Chiffon Cake green tea

Birthday Tea #2: Harney & Sons' Celebration black tea

My two birthday cakes: Chocolate and vanilla cake and carrot cake!

2021 Wrap-Up

 I sipped my way through 2021!

My "Drink What I Own" Tea Advent Calendar: Days 19-24

January to June tea empties

July to November tea empties

I finished tons of teas in my collection...

...but I also bought a lot of new blends (and restocked my faves) from Canadian tea companies!

 

A new tea company that I tried in 2021: Teamancy is a woman-owned tea company from Nova Scotia.

Unexpected plot twist: I started liking lavender teas!

Thank you all for your visits and comments throughout the year.

 

The second pandemic year was filled with high highs and low lows. 

 

But I'm still here!