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Powerful and eye-opening, I'd even boldly suggest it be mandatory reading for us all. A youth version is now available and, if you purchase directly from www.threecupsoftea.com, 7% of your book purchase goes toward a girl's education scholarship fund in Pakistan and Afghanistan. And why should we care about that you ask? Now isn't that the crux of the issue. As fate would have it, if you educate young girls, you can indeed change the world. But on the chance that you must have my And Then It Was Teatime for your gift giving, may I mention that there is no shipping charge through December 10th on both wholesale and retail orders? Please click here to pursue this option. Keep hope my friends. Good times never leave forever. Merry Christmas and Happy Everything.
Feather
Trees: Carrying On a Victorian Tradition
Although natural evergreens were most commonly used in the Victorian era, the Industrial Revolution brought the first artificial tree to Europe and North America - the feather tree. With an eye for conservation, these were made of carved or lathe-turned wooden rods, attached at one end to a base. As a cottage industry, bases varied – some were round, others wooden. Iron bases were also available and the most elaborate were musical bases that rotated the trees. Goose feathers, although sometimes turkey feathers, imitated tree branches. They were either inserted into many holes bored into the top ¾ of the rod or were wrapped around wires to create bottle brush style branches. The branches usually possessed a composition berry tip, although there are examples with candle clips on the tips. A lucky collector can even chance upon the more unusual, electrified ones with a light bulb at the tip of each branch. Generally small enough to sit on a large table in the center of the family parlor, feather trees were first decorated with small and simple homemade ornaments. Over the years, the homemade ornaments became more elaborate and included edible items like small cakes, cookies, bags of sweetmeats, and garlands of dried or candied fruit, nuts, and popped corn. Gilded walnut shells and apples were attached with ribbon. Paper chains, tinsel garlands, paper cornucopias, and candles also made an appearance. More permanent, store bought decorations including glass balls, wax angels, crosses and stars were introduced beginning in 1870. These were largely made in Germany.
The ornaments were often intended as Christmas gifts, especially for the children. Small non-edible gifts such as handkerchiefs, bracelets, brooches, neckties, and other lightweight items could be wrapped in plain paper or left unwrapped, marked with a name and tied among the other ornaments with a piece of ribbon. Feather trees resurged in popularity during the 1920's and 1930's and were now most often purchased in dime stores, along with the necessary ornaments and garland. Today collectors seeking antique feather trees can expect to pay somewhere in the $100 a foot range. Some damaged trees can be repaired, but the feathers of others are too brittle and so are beyond repair. They can only be loved as they are. The options are many for those wishing to purchase new. Sizes range from 3" dollhouse versions to those 7' tall. They come in an array of colors and can be customized by width, height, number of rows and even 2-toned color combinations. To make ornaments for your own feather tree, you need look no farther than your local craft store - if nothing in your desk, dresser, and closet inspires you. For example: 1. Tie a ribbon to small brooches and earrings to hang from the branches.
2. Make small paper ornaments
using the technique
known as 3. Using stencils or scrapbooking supplies, create snowflakes, hearts, angels, doves and dolls from decorative or gilded paper. 4. Tie small pieces of colored raffia into star, asterisk, and bow shapes. 5. Glue moss, ribbon, glitter, or strips of colorful paper torn from magazines or wrapping paper to small wooden balls or beads. Create tiny loops from baby ribbon and glue to the balls.
6. For a true Victorian tradition, write messages on small pieces of paper and insert into hollowed out walnut shells. Note: Feather trees are best stored in a cool closet with their branches left open. The unavoidable heat of an attic will turn feathers brittle and a damp basement will find your feather tree dotted with mold. Avoid displaying in direct sunlight to keep the paper wrapping on the trunk from fading. With proper care, your feather tree will last for many years.
To purchase feather trees, their
ornaments and miniature metal stands
(or to have a vintage one repaired), visit:
Feather trees aren't just for
Christmas either. Click on this link to see an adorable vintage
inspired
Halloween ornament you can make:
And for a Fourth of July ornament,
click on this link:
Those
interested in pre-1966 Christmas collecting, can visit:
Paulette McDaniel grew up drinking tea with her Celtic grandmother on her mother's side. Her paternal grandmother had read tea leaves since the 1920’s. It was only natural then that she would begin a tea business and so was born The Ideal Tea Party, specializing in children’s tea events. But the above question spurred her to shift gears. The Ideal Tea Party was slowly but surely transformed into The Ideal Tea Leaf: The Home of Artful Tea Blends. Education is now a large part of her business but she also says, “Because I’d grown up watching Julia Child with my dad, I first approached tea blending from a culinary perspective. But, when I took Mim Enck's tea blending class at The World Tea Expo, I had an “aha” moment. Once Mim said, ‘Water is the canvas and tea the muse,’ I got it. The fascination of tea blending, for me, is not scientific. It’s an art form with an intuitive process. It’s very right brained.” The Ideal Tea Leaf, on-line only, is a high-end boutique style tea business catering to tea connoisseurs. McDaniel had originally considered serving a larger customer base and was leaning towards the purchase of a tea blending machine. She realized that with traveling such a road she’d lose the artistic process, which is what she most treasures about blending tea. McDaniel is a pilot and so likens this decision to flying a small plane. “By necessity, an airline pilot flies the plane's systems. But, I love to fly the plane and feel one with it. The most satisfying moment in blending is not when people taste your tea or in any accolades a particular blend earns. It’s that moment when you’re surrounded by your teas and botanicals and you realize you’ve just gotten it right.”
This author has had the opportunity to taste Lemonhead and it's likely the most delicious and complex tea my palate has had the joy of experiencing. And it did alleviate my headache - and on more than one occasion. The Ideal Tea Leaf is offering free shipping on all orders through January 1st. You are warmly invited to visit The Ideal Tea Leaf. And if you happen to find yourself in the Fort Myers area, consider giving Paulette McDaniel a call. You're invited to stop by and sample her latest creations. I was treated to an intriguing blueberry oolong when I last dropped in on her. "Can you taste it?’ she asked. “The blueberry should be translucent. I want it sitting on top of the tea so the tea can rise through the flavor.” I thought it was perfection. She closes her eyes and lets the tea swirl in her mouth before smiling. “Bam!” I believe she just chalked up another satisfying moment.
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Little Ella learns a valuable lesson about other people's things while having tea with her grandma. Click here to order. |
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A
monthly review for tea adventurers 
"I
didn’t understand how 5-star restaurants, that had sourced
incredible wines from all over the world, could not know a thing
about tea. How was that possible?”
Aside
from sourcing the high-end organic ingredients and flavorings crucial to her blending, her next big challenge came
upon deciding to create a line of spa teas. After working with a
naturopath, she created teas such as Lemonhead, Globe Trotter and Mo
Jo, which, respectively, have the potential to aid in headaches, jet
lag, and even a sluggish libido.
