Sunday, September 10, 2023

The Tea Party


1/3.  Aunt Augusta was having her annual tea party. She liked peculiar things and the guests always tried to find little curiosities for her as hostess gifts. This worried Freddie quite a bit. He was not what you might call ‘an ideas man’, he never had a clue what to bring. And this year promised to be worse than ever. His crazy cousin Carlos and his friend, horrid Harlod, had just come back from Turkey with quantities of Marzipan. Aunt August was very partial to Marzipan. Oh, what should he bring?

 Next: What is a tea party without tea?

 2/3.  There was a rather interesting story in the morning paper about tea. And not just any tea, Chinese tea! The story used exotic words like wild tea trees, high mountain tea and nutritious tree teas with abundant flavors. It all sounded very Aunt Augusta! Freddie had a good think. There were seven days until the party. With his frequent flyer miles, careful planning and a bit of luck, it could be done. He packed his bag, asked a neighbor to feed the cat, and he was off to China, the Land of Wonders.

 Next: Planes, Trains and Automobiles

 3/3.  The trip was quite long. Freddie found himself hopping from plane to train, taking buses and a ship, there was even a rickshaw involved. The plantation, when he finally reached it, was stunning. Freddie may have been a little deflated to discover that they ship their tea internationally, but he got over that as soon as they brewed him a cup. Oh, it was lovely! He grabbed as much tea as he could carry and started towards home. He made it to the party in the nick of time, flat broke and exhausted. But wasn’t it all worth it for the hint of a smile and a tiny nod from Aunt Augusta as she tried the tea?


Featured: The adventures of an upcycled wine bottle cork.
This story is sponsored by iTeaworld 








Friday, August 4, 2023

Make Do and Mend

 

Something is wrong,
Cinderella isn’t it!
She tries and tries
but the shoe doesn’t fit.

She explains to the prince:
It’s this awful heat,
my ankles are puffy
and I have swollen feet.
.
(©handmade by amalia)


Featured: My sister's shoes were hit 
with some acid so I made these little 
patches to give them new life.

Sunday, June 11, 2023

The Princess and the Pea

 
The little princess
had an awful night,
she tossed and turned
from left to right.

But tonight she
will sleep at ease -
she made the prince promise
to use mushy peas.

Featured: A princess bed
with extra accommodation inside.
Upcycled: a small tin of Barkleys mints




Thursday, April 20, 2023

A Small Break


 I'm taking a small blog break.
Meanwhile, you can find me 
on Instagram at (link)
 see you soon!



Saturday, April 1, 2023

A chore? A bore!


 The iron is broken,
oh, what a mess,
with a pile of laundry
waiting to press.

The wrinkles! The horror!
It's almost a crime,
and what will I do
with all that free time?


Featured: two new friends
idling about, not doing chores.

Sunday, March 19, 2023

A Dark Tale


Last night I dreamed
that I lived in deep space
I played with the stars,
that was some race.

But then I got sucked 
into a very dark hole,
it didn't end well for me
and I mean - not at all!

Then, in my dreams,
I lived under the sea,
it was beautiful there
with so much to see

Until a shark appeared
and boy, was he fast
I have to tell you -
that I did not last.

I woke up to find
I've survived all my dreams,
convinced that our world
is not as bad as it seems.


Featured: A star fleet
upcycled from paper rolls
with my little nephews.


Wednesday, March 1, 2023

A Five Star Review


 Five reasons I’m giving Five Stars to 
Down a Dark River by Karen Odden:

1. The stage - the year is 1878 and we are in Victorian 
London, a time of discovery and innovation, 
a time when people are still bound by their class and history.

2. The lead - Michael Corravan is an inspector in Scotland 
Yard, a young man with a prickly character and complicated 
history, in no hurry to share his secrets. 

3. The supporting cast - Corravan is surrounded by a motley 
crew of friends and colleagues who all add another 
dimension both to his character and to the story.

4. The plot - the book, the first in a new series, 
begins with the disappearance of one woman, 
the murder of another and a river that runs between them. 
Nothing more from me, this is a spoiler-free zone.

5. The summary - if you are in the market for a 
hard-to-put-down historical mystery with a different voice, 
plenty of atmosphere, plot twists, suspense, quality writing 
and a satisfying end, this could well be the book for you.



Featured: I upcycled these bags
with a tea wash and embroidery.