About our Founder    "The social dimension of sharing a cup of tea is often what first draws women to our organization. However, beyond this pleasurable pastime lies the heart of The Ladies' Tea Guild. Our ladies live successfully in today's world while keeping a gentle hand on the past.  It is this combining of 19th century ideas, tastes, & traditions with our 21st century world that inevitably transforms the lives of our members."  Laurie Nienhaus      Laurie Nienhaus is the Founder of The Ladies’ Tea Guild and editor of the on-line monthly newsletter, SWEET WILLA'S REVIEW. While loving history, tea, and Jane Eyre even as a child, her passion for the 19th century was born during a month's visit to England with her grandmother when she was 24 years old.    Laurie is also the author of the teatime comedies A TEATIME TRAVESTY and  TEA-A-RIA. She is also the compiler of  AND THEN IT WAS TEATIME, a compilation of excerpts from mostly vintage literature where authors have tossed their characters and their action into the tea hour. Her children's teatime tale, NANA'S SOCKS, is scheduled for release in the fall of 2008.    With a passion for designing handbags reminiscent of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, Laurie is also the creative force behind Designs by Lady Montana, a pattern company she established in 1996, specializing in vintage inspired accessories.    Laurie is also a public speaker. Arriving in vintage reproduction attire and with presentations such as Tea - What On Earth Were They Thinking?!, The Silliness of Vintage Fashion, and Remembering Miss Millay, her audiences have been hugely entertained while learning something of the past. Those interested in receiving the latest brochure regarding  the details of Laurie's various presentations are asked to write to editor@glily.com  or to P.O. Box 2576, Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33932. She can also be reached by phone at 239-463-1079.  Click here to see her 2007-2008 speaking schedule.