Island Tea Company's Blog

Oh, NO!

2012-02-10T17:23:00.000-08:00

We have experienced a major technical problem and all images have apparently been deleted from our blog. It's not sounding like a restore is possible. What a bummer! We will begin reloading images. We are so sorry for the ugly black boxes! : (

Holiday Schedule

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness! Crunch time is upon us! Our shipping deadline is ~~but a mere two weeks away~~ today! Hard to believe, but it is true.

Deadline to order for shipping is Thursday, December 15 at 4pm PST.

The last day we’ll be dropping orders at The Paint Escape in Freeland is Thursday, December 22. We love you, but no “if-and-or-buts” will be accepted.

Island Tea Company will be closed from December 23 through January 2 for vacation and inventory.

First shipping and delivery day in 2012 will be Wednesday, January 4, for orders received by 12:00pm PST the day prior.

Good luck with your preparations and planning!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

May this Thanksgiving day find you with many reasons to give thanks. May your table be full of favorite foods and surrounded by those you love. May your heart be warmed and memories stored for the years to come.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Online Holiday Open House Now On!

2011-11-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

Our Online Holiday Open House and Sale has started! All of our delicious holiday teas are now in stock and we have special pricing on much of our giftware. Shop early for best selection! Event ends Monday, November 28, at 12:00 pm Pacific Time.

Introducing Leneen Carr of Natural Touches

2011-11-10T21:05:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of featuring Leneen Carr's handmade paper gift cards in my shop for many years and am so delighted to again have her creations at our open house. Her gift cards are artful little collages of handmade papers, ribbons, charms, and hand cut paper embellishments. Last holiday season, Leneen began crafting wreaths of northwest greenery adorned simply, but beautifully, with elegant ribbons. We will have ordering information for you at the open house. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with Leneen, a busy mom, wife and artist!

Q. You make some of your own papers for use in your cards and the textures and colors are so interesting. What are some of the ingredients you add to the mix?

A. Handmade paper is a wonderful way to recycle what some might view as "junk!" I may incorporate egg cartons, junk mail, dryer lint and dried flowers. Many of the flowers are from my garden or my friends' gardens. Every handcrafted paper turns out different.

Q. Your new holiday wreaths are beautiful! Approximately how big are these and what greens are you using this year? These must be a lot of work!

A. The wreaths are the same size as a standard wreath but end up being bigger because they are so full of greens. What would that be... maybe 26 inches or so? Since we live next to the Trillium woods, we go on many hikes, and that is where my inspiration for our lovely wreaths of northwest greens came from. I like to use wild huckleberry greens, salal, cedar and sometimes pine and hemlock.

Q. I know you enjoy working with nature's bounty and I've heard rumors of flower designing..... What's coming up for you?

A. Yes, the rumors are true. I did two weddings this past summer and really LOVED working with flowers. I also did all of the handmade paper cones, guestbook and invitations!

Leneen's artistic flair and attention to detail is evident in all she creates. Stop by on Monday, Nov. 14, to see her work in person. Her handcrafted cards make perfect keepsakes for friends and loved ones, and her fresh wreaths will add fresh Northwest beauty to your holiday home!

Introducing Alecia Cox of Heartworks Studio

2011-11-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

I would like to introduce you to Alecia Cox of Heartworks Studio. I had the pleasure of meeting Alecia several years ago when she moved to Whidbey Island. While she no longer lives on the island, she has become a dear friend. Alecia creates lovely, sweet little treasures, and I am delighted to have her participate in our Holiday Open House next Monday, November 14. I asked Alecia to answer a few questions and share a few photos of her work.....

Q. How long have you been making your jewelry?

A. Two years ago I bought a Jewelry Solder Kit for myself as a Christmas gift, and have been designing and making charms since then. I love that they are small treasures, a challenging tiny "canvas," easy to make, can be customized and are versatile.

Q. I know many of your pieces have messages or special meaning. Can you share a little about this?

A. Since my business mission is "Bringing inspiration, beauty and art to life," I try to create items supporting that philosophy. I also enjoy using "found" or unusual items; I just made charms from some of my vintage marbles! I also make greeting cards and have prints available this year of two photos that received 2nd place ribbons at the Evergreen State Fair.

Q. What inspires you?

A. I find it rewarding to use my creativity in hopes that it will be a delight for others to discover. I hope you can join us for the Holiday Open House and discover some gifts for giving ~ Happy Holidays!

Thank you so much, Alecia! We will be looking forward to seeing you and your creations next Monday!

Holiday Open House 2011

2011-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

This year we will again hold two special holiday events!

Local customers are invited to attend our November 14th Holiday Open House, in Freeland, on Whidbey Island. Indulge in mini-scones, cookies and tea, while you browse displays of holiday teas (scooped to order), tea wares and fine gifts, including creations by local artisans. All Island Tea Company gift items are marked down 20% or more for this event. Look for special purchases and discontinued items!

Customers attending the online version of our Holiday Open House will find special purchases and temporary markdowns on giftware throughout our online shop. All of our delicious holiday teas will be available in plentiful supply. And, because we will regretfully be unable to treat you to scones and tea, a pretty little gift bag of holiday tea samplers and other treats will be tucked into your package. Sales are limited to stock on hand, so shop early for best selection.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Tina and Susan of The Paint Escape for sharing their beautiful studio with us!

Wishing you a warm and cozy November!

Tea Quotes & Sayings

2011-07-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

There is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea.

~Bernard-Paul Heroux

Vacation Time

2011-07-26T14:43:00.000-07:00

Island Tea Company will be closed for vacation and mid-year inventory, August 3 through August 14. Orders received August 2 through August 15 will be shipped on August 16.

Wanted: Summer!

While many of you back east have been sweltering in heat and humidity, those of us in the far northwest corner of the states have been scanning the sky in the hopes of a break in the stubborn gray blanket overhead! We've had a few sunny spells, but they have been few and far between. It really has been a long cool and rather damp summer here in the Pacific Northwest. Most likely we'll finally have summer weather come August, but to be on the safe side, and to store up a little Vitamin D for the winter, I'm popping my little family in the car and heading out in search of sunshine!

(Oregon Coast)

August 4 we head out on a good old-fashioned road trip. We'll be driving out to the Pacific coast and heading down legendary Highway 101 to beautiful Napa Valley in California. Along the way we'll be stopping at as many beaches, scenic overlooks, parks and monuments as we can. Hopefully we will all still be friends when we return!

(California's Giant Coastal Redwoods)

Once home, I'll quickly catch up with orders and messages, and then I have some wonderful specials to share with you! Stay tuned!

Remember, take time for tea! Sip, savor and enjoy!

Tea Quotes & Sayings

2011-07-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Iced tea may not have as much wisdom as hot tea, but in the summer better a cool and refreshed dullard than a steamy sweat-drenched sage - leave sagacity to the autumn! ~ Linda Solegato

Tea Quotes & Sayings

2011-07-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Iced tea is too pure and natural a creation not to have been invented as soon as tea, ice, and hot weather crossed paths. ~John Egerton

Iced Tea Tips & a Sale!

2011-07-06T10:38:00.000-07:00

Those of us in the Pacific Northwest have been wondering if we were ever going to get anything resembling summer, but finally warmer temperatures have arrived and it is iced tea season! In my home when the forecast is for anything over 65 degrees, you can bet I'll be steeping tea for pouring over ice. When it gets really warm I'll be preparing several pitchers a day. I refuse to buy bottled iced tea filled with expensive water and too much sweetener, or powdered mixes with strange sounding ingredients, when I can make a pitcher full of fresh delicious iced tea for a dollar or two.

Here are my tips for making iced tea you, your family, and your guests will enjoy.

For two quarts of iced tea:

Fill two quart pitcher nearly full with ice

Scoop three gently rounded tablespoons of loose tea leaves into a large T-Sac Tea Filter.

Place T-Sac Filter in a large teapot or pyrex pitcher and fill with 3 to 4 cups boiling water. (If you like your tea sweet, add sugar at this time so it can dissolve.)

Steep for four to five minutes, remove tea filter, and pour steeped tea over ice in pitcher. Fill pitcher with more ice or cold water and place in frig until needed. (If using a fruit or herb blend, you may need to allow extra steeping time to pull out all the wonderful flavors.)

May be safely stored in frig for two days. After that, toss out and start fresh.

If your serving pitcher is heat safe, here is my quick and easy method:

Put prepared teabag in pitcher, fill 1/3 full with boiling water, steep for 4 to 5 minutes, remove teabag, and fill up with water and ice. Done! Easy peasy! This is what I do nearly every warm summer morning.

To make just a glass or two:

Go ahead and use your teapot. Use twice as much tea as you would for hot (two teaspoons instead of one per cup), steep an extra minute or two, strain and pour directly into a glass filled to the brim with ice.

T-Sac Filters are compostable and can be tossed into your garden compost bin. The little staples will just rust away. (You do compost, yes? Plants and garden worms love tea leaves!) For convenience, make up a number of teabags ahead of time and store them in an airtight tin or canning jar. Just fold the tea bag top down, and down again about 1/2” and staple it shut.

T-Sac filters and a number of our favorite teas for iced tea making are now on sale through July 21. Visit our website and click on Iced Tea Special! Limited to stock on hand.

Take time for tea! Sip, savor and enjoy!

Results from the Washington St. Track and Field Championships

2011-06-02T11:04:00.000-07:00

My son, Will, finished 7th in the long jump last Thursday, but due to a hamstring pull suffered in his last jump, he was unable to compete in the triple jump on Friday. Nick French finished 6th in the javelin and Angelina Berger finished 4th in women's shot put. A fine showing by our South Whidbey Falcons. Three athletes competed and three came home with medals! They gave it their all and in spite of strong gusty winds and heavy rain did so well! I am very proud of all three.

Now it is back to end-of-term school work for the athletes and back to tea lady duties for me! And I tell you, my workroom sure needs some attention!

A little shipping and delivery delay....

2011-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

I am going to be out of the office for several days this week, so orders placed today, May 24, through Monday, May 30, will not be shipped out or delivered to Freeland until May 31.

I'm never comfortable delaying orders, and I dislike disappointing customers, but I hope you'll forgive me. My soon to graduate youngest son has qualified for the Washington State Track & Field Championships to be held later this week and this mama is going to go cheer for her boy. I'll be back with a little update next week.

Thank you for your understanding! :-)

Happy Valentine's Day to You!

2011-02-14T16:18:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day to you, dear people! If my little shop was still open I would probably have two sample pots of tea ready for you. I think I would most likely fix Lover's Leap Estate Ceylon, and perhaps Kyoto Cherry Rose Festival. The first a lovely, smooth black tea, and the second a fragrant Japanese sencha type tea with the taste of cherries and a delicate rose note. Both lovely teas for a sweet day such as this.

Following a rather hectic holiday season, January and February have been surprisingly busy. Thank you! I am caught up with paperwork, teas have been reordered, and inventories of your favorites are nearly back to where I like them. I believe the only tea we are out of at the moment is our house Breakfast Blend. Our favorite supplier was low on inventory also, so it will be another two weeks or so, until we have this back in stock.

We do still have some of the popular holiday teas in stock. However, we are nearly out of stock on three: Organic Christmas Tea, Cranberry Orange and Grandma's Pumpkin Pie. To economize on our storage space we are going to pre-pack these, mark them down a bit and put them in the clearance area for you. Please check back later this week for these.

Holiday Shipping and Delivery Schedule

2010-11-30T08:12:00.000-08:00

Be still my heart! Tomorrow is the first of December!

The pace definitely started picking up two weeks ago in Island Tea Company's studio and workroom. Tea leaves, packing peanuts, and bits of white and gold tissue are scattered everywhere and it is a constant challenge to locate scissors, the proper size box, and tape. Three full weeks of busyness are ahead until I take a deep breath, turn off the lights and phone, and descend from my aerie studio with its lovely treetop view to relax and celebrate with family.

To help you with your planning, our Holiday shipping and delivery deadlines are posted below, as well as our vacation schedule.

Christmas Shipping Deadline
Order by 2pm on Friday, December 17, for shipping on Monday, December 20.

Orders placed after our cut off on December 17, through December 31 at 2 pm PST will be shipped Tuesday, January 4.

Freeland Drop-off Deadlines
Order by 2 pm PST on Monday, December 20, for drop-off at The Paint Escape on Tuesday, December 21.

Order by 2 pm PST on Wednesday, December 22 for drop-off at The Paint Escape on Thursday, December 23.

Next drop-off day will be Tuesday, January 4. Orders must be placed by 2 pm the day prior.

Holiday Closure
Island Tea Company will be closed December 24 through January 3, 2011.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T09:11:00.000-08:00

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving weekend!

Thanksgiving Week Schedule

2010-11-20T09:01:00.000-08:00

Island Tea Company will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 28.

Our shipping and local drop off schedule for Thanksgiving week is as follows:

We will ship via UPS and USPS on Monday and Wednesday. Orders must be received by 6 pm. the day prior to allow adequate time for processing, packing, and delivery to UPS or USPS offices.

The only day we will be dropping local orders at The Paint Escape in Freeland will be Tuesday. Orders received after 6 pm on Monday, will not be dropped until Tuesday, Nov. 30.

Online Holiday Open House!

2010-11-17T13:27:00.000-08:00

Island Tea Company's first annual online Holiday Open House is underway!

Scattered throughout our shop you will find many items on sale 20% off. Most sales prices are only good through 6 pm on Saturday, November 20, and many items are limited in quantity. To thank you for your business, every purchase will have a festive party bag tucked in filled with tea samples and other small surprises. Have fun shopping!

One more day.....

2010-11-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

We had a surprise windstorm here in Western Washington last night, and we were without power on South Whidbey for nearly 24 hours. This puts us a little behind in loading products and descriptions onto our website. We should be ready to start Island Tea Company's Online Holiday Open House tomorrow right about noon PST.

Thank you so much for your patience!

A little delay.....

2010-11-10T07:39:00.000-08:00

Due to the success of Monday's open house, the disarray in my workroom, and my fatigue, I am going to delay our online open house and holiday kick-off by a week. This will give me time to catch up on paperwork, perhaps even give time for a couple of lagging vendor orders to appear, and give us time to fully stock our cyber shelves!

Our Online Holiday Open House will start bright and early on Wednesday, November 17, and will run through Sunday, November 21.

Monday's Open House at The Paint Escape on Whidbey Island was fabulous. It was wonderful to gather my helper elves around me and to see so many favorite customers (and friends) again. I don't think I sat down for more than 15 minutes total. The mood was bright, the sun even shone, and there was not a single cranberry orange scone left by day's end. I have no idea how many sample pots of tea we steeped. We were pouring Midnight Celebration Rooibos, Whispering Angel White Tea, and Holiday Pear. All three are new teas for us this season, and have already been re-ordered.

Now, it is back to work for this tea lady. Please come visit islandteacompany.com next week. We will have temporary markdowns throughout the shop, and some special purchase items, too! Early birds will be rewarded with the best selection. Sales are limited to stock on hand.

Orders placed during our Holiday Open House will ship with a complimentary little 'party bag' with holiday tea samples and other treats. Alas, I cannot send you a scone!

I will leave you with two photos from Monday's function. The first taken shortly before we opened....

The second taken shortly after.....

From the left: Carol, Monica, Ruth, me, Leslie (my mom) and I think that is Amy back there zeroing in on her scone! Susan and Tina, thank you so much for sharing The Paint Escape space with us. You are so appreciated! I'll be in soon to play!

Holiday Open House

2010-10-25T17:21:00.000-07:00

This year for the first time, we will hold two holiday open houses! Our regular Holiday Open House, for local customers, will be held at The Paint Escape in Freeland on Whidbey Island. A second online open house will be held November 10 - 14 for our customers unable to attend the physical open house.

If you are able to come to our November 8th Open House you will be treated to mini-scones, holiday cookies and samples of our seasonal teas while you browse displays of holiday teas, imported British goodies, and lovely giftware, including creations by local artisans. All non-tea purchases during this event will be discounted 20% at checkout.

Customers attending the online version of our Holiday Open House will find special purchases and temporary markdowns on giftware throughout our online shop. All of our delicious holiday teas will be available in plentiful supply. And, because we will regretfully be unable to treat you to scones and tea, instead a pretty little gift bag of holiday tea samplers and other treats will be tucked into your package.

We would like to extend our thanks to Tina and Susan of The Paint Escape for generously offering the use of their store for our open house! Thank you so much!

Chocolate Zucchini Tea Bread

2010-10-19T14:39:00.000-07:00

Summer never fails to bring a bumper crop of zucchini! Every summer I endeavor to come up with new recipes in my attempt to keep this veggie under control. I steam it, butter it, stuff it and fry it. I slice it into salads and grate it for use in a variety of breads. This version of Chocolate Zucchini Tea Bread is definitely a hit. If you don't have zucchini, you could easily substitute another summer or winter squash or even carrots. If using winter squash or carrots, do peel them before grating.

Ingredients:

2 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (or nonfat sour cream)
2 cups grated zucchini (grate with skin on)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. (I recommend lining pan bottoms with parchment paper to help baked bread release.) In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate until melted. Stop and stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth.

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a second large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, zucchini, vanilla and melted chocolate; beat well. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. Fold in mini chocolate chips. (Dusting chips with a little flour will help prevent them from sinking.) Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in a preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes, or until loaves tests done with toothpick. Run knife around sides of loaves and remove promptly. Cool on rack.

This bread freezes very well.

Vacation Time & Temporary Shipping/Delivery Schedule

2010-08-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

After a very busy and hectic summer, it is vacation time for the staff and families of both Island Tea Company and The Paint Escape, our Freeland order drop-off location. We will have limited delivery and shipping during the last week and a half of August and first week and a half of September. The schedule is as follows:

Aug. 22 - 28: Shipping and Freeland drop-off on Tuesday, 8/24 only.
Aug. 29 - Sept. 4: Shipping and Freeland drop-off on Friday, 9/2 only.
Sept. 5 - 11: NO Freeland drop-offs (The Paint Escape will be closed), but we will ship as usual on Tuesday & Friday.

I know this is a little confusing and I do apologize. We will return to our regular shipping schedule of Tuesdays and Fridays the week of Sept. 12. Remember to place your orders by 2:30 pm PST the day prior to shipping or delivery to minimize any delays.

Wishing us all lovely late summer weather! I'll soon be off to Whistler, B.C., to enjoy fresh mountain air, hiking with my family, reading poolside (if the sun cooperates), and NO cooking for a few days! :-)

Chai Snickerdoodles

2010-08-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite ready for summer to be over, we waited a good long time for warm days here in the Pacific Northwest. Even so, I can tell that autumn is just around the corner. The late summer flowers, the cone flowers and black eyed susans, are blooming and attracting butterflies, and the first apples have fallen from our trees. While I hope our late summer is filled with warm, sunny days, I find myself ready for some of the spicy flavors of autumn. Apple pie, gingerbread, snickerdoodles, chai lattes with whipped cream....yum...all are calling to me!

Since the closing of my shop, I've had more time to bake and have been enjoying playing around with some recipes. One of my family's favorite cookies is the classic snickerdoodle with its crispy cinnamon sugar outside and tender inside. There is certainly nothing wrong with a basic snickerdoodle, but I decided I'd like to zip it up a little by adding more of the chai spices. It's those chai lattes calling me! (Perhaps.... if I can manage with just one or two cookies and a regular cuppa, instead of a chai latte topped with whipped cream, maybe I can save a few calories, but still have all that satisfying flavor? Hmmmm..... one or two? We'll see how that goes!)

If you do a search on Chai Snickerdoodles a number of recipes will come up, but I've increased the amount of the classic chai spices in this recipe and incorporated some of them right into the dough. This layering of spices both inside and out enriches the cookie's flavor. I also added a bit of fresh ground black pepper, often found in chai blends. Pepper accentuates the other spices, while barely adding a perceptible flavor and heat of its own. Add more if you like pepper, or less if you don't.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (if using whole wheat, we recommend spring wheat or pastry flour)
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, combine sugar and spices; remove 1/2 cup of this mixture and set aside in a small, shallow bowl. Add butter to bowl and cream with sugar and spice mixture until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, add vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture and stir until fully incorporated.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in reserved sugar-spice mixture. Place on baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between balls to allow for spreading. Bake for about 12 minutes, until edges are firm to the touch, but not quite browned. Cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen hard to resist cookies.

(Tip: Chilling dough will make it easier to handle. Mix one day and bake the next, or shape into balls and freeze for later use. Baking from frozen just requires an extra minute or two.)

And now, I am off for a good long walk with Miss Millie, because I took my quality control work very seriously! :-)

Sale on favorite blends for iced tea!

2010-07-17T18:52:00.000-07:00

I start looking forward to iced tea weather once April rolls around. This year it has been a long wait, but it looks like we finally have summer in the Pacific Northwest. It may not be hot and toasty like so much of the country, but I think we'll happily take anything warmer than 60 right now!

To celebrate our warmer weather we are putting eight of our favorite teas for iced tea on sale. Apricot, Breakfast Blend (our go-to "Basic Black" for iced tea), Decaf Apricot, Mango Rooibos, Passion Berry, Summer In Provence, Pomegranate White & Green, and Strawberry Papaya Sencha are all 20% off through July. Needless to say, these are all delicious as hot tea. So, if some of these are your favorites this is a great time to stock up. Click here to go to the sale page on our website.

(Limited to stock on hand.)

Hibiscus & Lavender, a lovely blend!

2010-07-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

Hibiscus and lavender are each lovely infusions on their own, but together they are wonderful. This combination makes a delicious hot tea, but over ice with a sprig of mint it is stunning and so refreshing.

For a six cup teapot, add 6 heaping teaspoons of hibiscus petals and 2 rounded teaspoons of lavender buds. Add boiling water, steep for about 5 minutes. Enjoy hot, or strain off into a small pitcher and cool to have over ice. Sweeten, if desired, and add sprigs of lavender and mint for prettiness.

The basic hibiscus and lavender infusion can be used to make other beverages special, as well. Mix with sparkling seltzer or add to lemonade for a rosy hue and subtle flavor twist. We find hibiscus lavender lemonade to be the perfect accompaniment to music on the lawn!

Shop assistant Millie, doesn't care much for the lemonade (she prefers ice cubes), but she sure seems to enjoy the musical entertainment.....or maybe it's having the kids on the lawn, down at her level, which makes her smile so merrily? :-)

Millie and I wish you many warm (not too hot) sunny days, and plenty of time to relax with good books and glasses full of your favorite iced teas!

Up and running!

2010-06-20T07:40:00.000-07:00

Goodness! What a fast, furious week! Many boxes have been unpacked, teas and merchandise have been organized and reorganized and organized yet again..... :-) Packing supplies have been found and numerous orders have been shipped. I wouldn't say we're running smoothly yet, but we are getting there.

This next week, while I'm away for a short vacation, Andrea and Millie will be minding the store. Regarding orders, we are currently packing and processing orders on Mondays and Thursdays, for shipping or delivery to our Freeland pick-up location at The Paint Escape the following morning. Orders should be placed by early afternoon on Monday or Thursday to allow processing time. If you're running late, give us a call (360-331-6080) we'll certainly do our best!

To our Whidbey Island customers, thank you so much for hanging in there with us during this transition! If you have any questions, or just want to say "Hello," don't hesitate to call! We love hearing from you!

I'll be back in the office Monday, June 28. Have a great week!

Whew!

2010-06-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

One more partial truckload and a Suburu car full and I believe I'll have the shop emptied! Whew! As my friend Connie said "Oh my...who knew there would be so much to do in closing that sweet little shop?" I had no idea. ;-) I'm very, very glad I gave myself two weeks to pack and tote everything home. My deepest thanks to those who came to help!

Now, I have to organize everything that's been brought home to my studio that once felt so big! A little bit at a time I'll get there. In the meantime, I do have my desk, my phone, and all the tea in one place, and I'm good to go! :-) I have already packed and sent out orders, and tomorrow morning I will drop off the first local orders to our Freeland pickup location at The Paint Escape. Thank you, dear people, for hanging in there with me.

It's going to be awhile before I dare show you photos of my studio/workshop. I know, I know! You want to see, but truthfully, there is nothing at all charming to share....yet!

A few have stopped by to ask how shop pup Millie is doing with the transition and in all honesty I'll say she was not a happy camper last week. She waited by the door every morning to go to work. Millie is definitely a social creature! But she is enjoying our more frequent walks and time in the garden.

This summer watch for us walking around Langley or out at Double Bluff Beach. :-)

Time to unpack a few more boxes and add more goodies to the website! Take care!

Onward and upward!

2010-05-26T19:01:00.000-07:00

Today at 4:30 pm, our little shop on Main Street in Freeland, Washington, ended its last full and very busy day of business. After closing and balancing the til for the last time, we filled glasses with champagne and toasted the past, the present and the future. After today, dear customers, you will need to order from our website or phone to place your orders.

I'll be taking a brief break to attend the Washington State High School Track & Field Meet, where I'll be cheering on my youngest son. (Go, Will!) Next Monday comes the task of unpacking the many boxes of tea and merchandise moved home to our new workspace, packing and filling orders, and updating our website. It is going to take or week or so, for our new routines to be worked out. Your patience during this transition time is so appreciated.

I have other thoughts to share, but they will have to wait, for this tea lady is feeling just a little tired. :-)

Have a lovely weekend, and I'll be back with you next week!

Peaceful Mind Rooibos

2010-05-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

We just received in a new rooibos blend. I took a bit home and tried it out on my family last night and it was a hit. Peaceful Mind Rooibos is an intriguing blend of rooibos, coconut bits and French lavender buds. The coconut adds a gentle sweetness and a nice body to the infusion. The lavender, one of Mother Nature's soothing herbs, adds a subtle and not over the top lavender flavor. A very, very nice caffeine free tea for evening, before bed or anytime you need a little respite. (Andrea just had her first sip and said "That is nice....VERY nice!" ) I think we have a winner here!

Updates and FAQ's....

2010-05-18T14:32:00.000-07:00

It is very hard to believe that I am just a little over a week away from closing my sweet little Main Street shop. The days are just flying by! Last week we celebrated Customer Appreciation Week, treating customers who happened in to tea, baby scones and gingersnaps. It was a lovely week, enjoyed by all! I had many lovely comments left in my memory book.

We have been receiving quite a number of questions from customers lately, and I decided we just better address some of them posthaste! Change can be concerning, I know.

Q. Why are you "going out of business?" Is it because of the economy?

A. Well, first of all we are not going out of business, and no, it has nothing to do with the economy. In fact, Island Tea Company has weathered the recession remarkably well. We are moving to a home-based internet business and it is all about family. In particular it is for the young man pictured below, flying through the air! :-) I promised to be home before he started his senior year.

And it is also about my other son, soon to finish his college program. I'm looking forward to helping and encouraging him as he begins the next phase of his life. In this photo of my 23-year old, I can just imagine the pensive look on his face.

I'm am also looking forward to spending more time with my ever so patient husband, and in my garden, and creating in my studio, and taking tea with friends.

Q. How will the shop's closure impact local customers?

A. Customers accustomed to visiting our Freeland shop, will need to order online via our website's secure ordering system, or can call our same old phone number, 360-331-6080 to place orders. Local customers can have their packages shipped at a reduced rate or will have the option of picking up their orders at The Paint Escape, a paint your own pottery studio, right next door to our present location. We'll be dropping off orders twice a week.

Q. Will online customers be impacted?

A. Other than a bit of a transition as equipment and phone lines are moved at the end of the month, our online customers will not be impacted. In fact, our online shoppers will see our website expanded with new teas, teawares, gifts, recipes, etc.

Should you have other questions or concerns, please do post them here and we'll address them promptly! Rest assured Island Tea Company will continue on. I can't imagine life without it! :-)

The days are flying by!

2010-04-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks are very nearly a total blur! When I am not at the Main Street shop, many hours have been spent readying my home office and workshop for Island Tea's pending move. Reclaiming space has been an interesting project, to say the least! Much decluttering and "excavation" work was required. I'm happy to say local charities have reaped the rewards of my efforts, and empty shelves now await jars of tea, and boxes of infusers, teapots and the like.

Now that space is ready for Island Tea's homecoming, it is time to focus on other things such as gardening, high school track meets, and fully enjoying the last full month in my shop.   Andrea, Millie and I have decided we need to have a party...or two!

First on the list is Miss Millie's Birthday Party, next Wednesday. If you happen to be in Freeland on April 28, stop by and give our sweet little shop girl a birthday pat! Attendees will be treated to cupcakes and tea, and for those of you with pups of your own, Millie will have party favors (Millie’s Munchies) for you to take home. For the past year and a half, Millie has taken her job as shop greeter very seriously, and we know she is going to miss all of you so very much!

The following week, May 4 through May 8, is Customer Appreciation Week! This will be my last full week in the bricks and mortar shop and it is important to me that you know how very much I have appreciated each and every one of you. We invite you to stop by for a complimentary cuppa, cookies and mini-scones, and hope you'll take the time to sign our guest book. Check back here for our annual May Gift Basket drawing, too!

More updates to follow!

Changes ahead...

2010-01-20T19:55:00.001-08:00

When I opened Island Tea Company in 1998, my youngest son, William, was preparing to start kindergarten. That little boy is 17 and 6' 5" tall. (He's the tall one in the photo above.) Both of my boys have grown up with my business and I'm delighted to say both Jamie (23) and Will know and enjoy tea! Five years ago, I promised my family and myself that I would be home before Will's senior year of high school and I will be honoring that promise. I wish to be available to help with college applications, to visit campuses, and to just be present. I cannot go back in time and give my sons a "stay at home mom" but I can give Will this next year. As my youngest said, when I told him about my plans, "I'll remember this year, Mom" and so will I.

So, this spring Island Tea Company's shop on Whidbey Island will close and the business will go totally online. All will be business as usual through March and then in early April we will begin an inventory reduction/streamlining sale. Our last day of business in the tea shop will be Saturday, May 29. After that you will find all of our teas, basic teawares and many of our gift items in our soon to expand website. I have no plans to discontinue any of our favorite teas, in fact, we will most likely add new ones. Items and gift lines to be discontinued will be what you will find on sale in April.

Starting and nurturing a successful shop has been a dream come true. It has truly been a wonderful twelve years filled with learning, growing, and much laughter. I will miss my sweet little shop and seeing my customers, so many of whom have become dear friends, but home and hearth are calling me, and my retail journey will continue from a lovely office and studio waiting there!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T14:13:00.000-08:00

A new year full of promise; each day a fresh page waiting to be embellished. What a lovely thing.

We had a wonderful holiday season at Island Tea Company. We broke a few records both in the shop and online and when I turned the lights off and buttoned up the shop for winter break I was a grateful and tired little shopkeeper.

On one of the first evenings in January it is my custom to light a small candle in the darkness of my office and sit for awhile enjoying the candle's glow and the quiet. I think about the year past and about the year ahead, and always my thoughts come around to what is most important and that is of course the people in my life, including my customers.

November and December was a very bittersweet time for me, as I tended each visitor to my shop, for this was the last holiday season through which I shall steer the sweet little shop on Freeland's Main Street. Yes, there are changes coming. In our January newsletter, due out this next week, I will let readers know first of these changes, and then I will post here. If you would like to join our mailing list you may do so over in the sidebar. Please rest assured, we will not flood your inbox or share your information. Our newsletter this year will be a very good way to stay in touch and it is important to me that you know first of changes and transitions.

But, not to worry, changes ahead will be handled as gracefully and gently as possible, with time for all of us (including me) to adjust!

Tuesday morning, the shop will reopen, just as it always does, and we will be busy scooping out tea and sending out orders!

Early Bird Shipping Special!

2009-11-30T06:01:00.000-08:00

From today, November 30, through Sunday, December 6 at 9pm PST, we are offering $3.95 flat rate shipping on all website orders. No matter how big your order, or how heavy it may be, shipping will only be $3.95. At checkout please select "$3.95 Shipping 11/30 - 12/6" from the drop down menu.

If your order totals $25.00 or more, don't forget to also choose your free sampler of tea!

Our Gift to You!

2009-11-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

We have much to be thankful for here at Island Tea Company. In spite of a challenging economy we have had a good year and we are grateful for the continued support and encouragement of our customers.

To thank you for your patronage we would like to tuck a complimentary sampler of tea into your package! To every website order totaling $25.00 or more in tea and merchandise, we will now be including a sparkling cello wrapped, one ounce package of one of our lovely teas. This is a perfect way to try a new tea, or to share one of your favorites with a friend. Teas offered will vary with the seasons.

Enjoy!

Holiday Season 2009

2009-11-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Last week was a blur! After a weekend closure to redecorate, we opened on Monday for our 12th annual holiday open house and had a wonderful turnout. The rest of the week continued nicely with many customers stopping in to see what is new, to visit, and to enjoy a cup of tea with a cookie or two.

It took us two full days to redecorate and place our special holiday offerings into displays! For some reason it was more challenging this time. I'm not quite sure why, but perhaps because of a number of new lines we are featuring this season. The shop is absolutely packed full!

We have new linens and aprons, nearly 100 teapots (yes!), books, ornaments and candles. We even found a soy candle in a little travel tin that smells just like our Candy Cane Lane tea! It smells yummy!

Our corner hutch is full of holiday treats including fancy sugars, cookies and biscuits, preserves and sweet confections. Many of these goodies will be added to our webshop in the coming days. If you happen to find yourself in our neighborhood, stop by to see the whole collection. We'll have tea and gingersnaps ready to warm you!

Back up and running!

2009-11-10T11:20:00.001-08:00

Our webshop is back online. Thank you!

Website temporarily down....

2009-11-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

If you are trying to enter our website, we are temporarily down and are researching the issue.

Thank you for your patience!

Holiday Redecorating Closure!

2009-10-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

It is down to the wire here! Except for two small shipments everything is here and accounted for and just in time, because we redecorate the shop for the holidays this weekend! I can hardly believe it is that time again, but it is. Tomorrow evening, as is our custom, we will paper over the windows, allowing no sneak peeks, and early Saturday the elves will get to work! A big mess will be made as boxes are unpacked and displays are dismantled and rebuilt, but by next week our tiny shop will be merry and bright, and stuffed to the rafters with holiday treats and gifts!

We have many new gifts to add to the webshop, as well. So please stop back by to see what is new!

Have a lovely weekend!

Autumn Greetings!

2009-10-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

The first week of October..... Where did September go? It was gone in the blink of an eye and much too quickly for me. I always look forward to autumn, it is such an interesting time and one I like to savor. Summer's heat wanes and the crispness of fall creeps in. Green returns to parched lawns, reds and golds spark the woods, and the first snows dust the peaks of our northwest mountains. We begin to bring out our sweaters, the flannels and boots, and in our homes firelight begins to dance and candles to glow, and the spicy scents of the season grace our homes. It's a lovely time.

In our shop, business has temporarily slowed as tourists return home, staff and customers settle students into school, and households into new routines. We take advantage of the lull to swing our holiday preparations into high gear. Shipments arrive daily and in our small shop this always presents a challenge! Extra help is called in to check and price. Autumn goods are put into displays and holiday giftwares are tucked away to be brought back out and featured the first week of November.

Many customer favorites are now back in stock. On the tea shelf you will find Grandma's Pumpkin Pie, a smooth, rich spice tea, and Cranberry Orange, an elegant blend of black teas with dried cranberries and orange peel. Mulling spices and cinnamon sticks are available now, too. The shop smells delicious! If you need a recipe for Mulled Cider you can find our recipe on our website in the Recipes section.

Oh, it's going to be a busy month! For local customer who do not receive our email newsletter, please be aware the shop will be closed for holiday redecorating Saturday, October 31. Yes....we'll be redecorating on Halloween. Now, that's scary! :-)

Wishing you a lovely week!

A vacation break

2009-08-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to let my customers know Island Tea's hours are just a bit uncertain this next eight days. I am leaving for vacation with my family tomorrow, and Andrea has been called for jury duty. If she is not needed, the store will be open. If she is needed, we'll be closed. We will just have to wait and see! For our local customers, please call the shop and feel free to leave a message. We'll get back to you as soon as we can. And remember, if we are open our welcome banner will be flying!

Any website orders placed Aug. 21 through Aug. 28 will be packed and shipped Tuesday, September 1. We thank you for your patience.

Off to Arizona and the Grand Canyon I now go!

Iced Tea's 105th Birthday!

2009-07-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

We have been enjoying a real summer here in the pacific northwest. In fact, we've been breaking records and while the temperature today here on Whidbey Island will probably only make it to the high 70s, by early next week we anticipating temperatures approaching 100! And that, is too hot by most anyone's standards, certainly mine.

With all the sunny days we have been steeping and pouring fresh iced tea like crazy and we thought you might enjoy learning a bit more about this wonderful refreshing beverage.

Antique cookbooks show us that tea has been served cold since at least the early 19th century in both England and America. The oldest recipes called for green tea, not black tea, and were called punches. Frequently spiked with liquor, these punches were very popular. (You'll find a recipe for Pomegranate White Tea Spritzer HERE on our website.)

During the 1904 World's Fair in St Louis iced tea was popularized and heavily commercialized. As the story goes, a group of Far East tea producers lead by Englishman Richard Blechynden traveled from Calcutta, India to the World's Fair to sell their tea. The group set up a tea pavilion and sold cups of hot tea to the passing visitors. Unfortunately, it was a very hot summer and tea sales were dismal. People were passing right by the brightly-colored, Indian-inspired pavilion and heading to the booths with ice-filled drinks. Being a good businessman, Richard saw an opportunity, filled glasses with ice cubes and poured hot tea over them. Word spread quickly throughout the Fair and customers lined up outside the tea pavilion to buy the cooling beverage. Iced tea began appearing on the menu of nearly every restaurant and by the time the Fair closed, iced tea had become extremely popular.

Today, iced tea is America's national summertime drink. More iced tea is consumed in the U.S. than hot tea. In fact, we drink more iced tea than any other country in the world.

To sweeten iced tea, make a simple syrup by boiling one cup water with one cup sugar. Cool and store covered in the frig. Try adding fresh sliced berries or peaches to your favorite iced tea for flavor and interest.

500 Plastic Bags, Labels and Twisties Saved!

2009-06-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today, Island Tea Company donated $50.00 to The Nature Conservancy in honor of our customers! I'm so proud!

In 2007 we started giving our customers a 5 cent discount for reusing our tea packaging or for bringing in their own tins or jars to be filled. They received a 5 cents discount for each bag or container and we committed to tracking these nickels and then matching those nickels with nickels of our own and then we would make a donation to the Nature Conservancy when the fund reached $50.00. Last month we hit the mark! Actually we are $5.90 over. We'll use that to start rebuilding the fund.

The twenty-five dollars worth of nickels saved by our customers represents 500 plastic bags, labels and twisties that did not have to be trucked off our island to a landfill. That's neat enough, but that is also a bundle of bags, labels and twisties that Island Tea Company did not have to buy. This is such a win-win for everyone and our lovely planet, don't you think? In fact we are so enthused with this little program of ours that we are now giving our instore customers a 10 cents discount for each bag or container that they bring in to reuse.

Maybe, just maybe, we can make our next donation before the end of 2009! That would be sweet indeed! :-)

Lovely Lemon Tea!

2009-05-23T14:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite teas is back in stock, Lemon! One of my dear friends nicknamed this flavored black tea "Lemon Drop Tea," because that is indeed what it smells and tastes like! It is delicious hot or iced. In fact, it is one of my personal favorites over ice. I'm enjoying a glass right now, because we actually have warm sunny weather for this Memorial Day weekend!

Lemon Tea is a rich blend of black teas and is generously flavored with lemon peel and lemon oil. For an interesting twist in your iced tea try adding a sprinkling of lavender buds, a sprig of mint, or fresh sliced berries. You can find this lovely tea on our website right here!

Win this!

2009-05-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

Do you love pretty stationery? Do you journal? Or, think you might like to? Go to Women Take Wing!'s blog and enter to win this lovely lined journal! Winner will be drawn at noon today, PST.

If you want to see the journal and other items from this pretty desk collection, stop by our shop!

Pomegranate White Tea Spritzer

2009-05-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

For Mother's Day sipping I served a delicious spritzer made with our Pomegranate White & Green Tea and champagne. So easy, so yummy and very pretty in a tall slender glass. I used pilsner glasses, but tall champagne flutes would be lovely.

You'll need:
Pomegranate White & Green Tea (or any fruity white or green tea of your choosing)
Grenadine syrup
Champagne (inexpensive is just fine for this) or a fruit flavored seltzer (we like raspberry)

Earlier in the day I steeped up a pot of double strength tea and placed it in the frig to chill. To serve I poured about a teaspoon of grenadine syrup in each glass, filled each about 1/2 full of crushed ice, 2/3 full of chilled tea, and topped each off with champagne. Sometimes I add sliced strawberries or crushed raspberries or a mint sprig.

Makes a very pretty and refreshing drink!

Millie's Birthday Party

2009-04-28T11:23:00.001-07:00

Tuesday we celebrated Millie's first birthday. Many of her favorite peeps stopped by including Grandma, Auntie Connie, Ruth and Shirley. Our FedEx driver even popped in with a little cookie for our shopgirl. For her guests we served tea and "pupcakes!" Inspired by my dear friend, Lesley, I simply decorated the little cakes with a light touch of frosting and a sweet little violet blossoms picked early in the morning from my garden. While Millie could not have cake, she did snatch up one of the violet blossoms when I dropped it.

Below Millie is greeting her beloved Auntie Connie with hugs and kisses. Let me tell you, these two have an understanding! Connie brought Millie a bag full of gifts including a pink, fuzzy squeaky piggy, treats...more treats.....

Ruth B. brought the little miss a party dress! Well....a be-ribboned party collar, really. We were amazed that she happily wore it all day. In fact, she has worn her party attire most of the week, looking for it each morning. :-) Such a funny girl!

Happy Birthday, sweet Millie! You bring smiles to many faces!

Felted Tea Cozy Adventure - Part One

2009-04-03T07:21:00.000-07:00

Last week my tea drinking college boy informed me that he needed a tea cozy, a masculine looking tea cozy, if you please. In other words, one of the sweet, floral models available in my shop simply would not do. After discussing his wishes, we decided a felted wool cozy might be just the thing. So off to the local thrift store we went in search of a thick, wool sweater.

The ladies at the store told us this is a great time of the year to look for wool sweaters, as many people are doing their spring cleaning and the donation bags were rich with sweaters. We were directed in the right direction and the hunt began. Some were too thin, and some contained synthetic fiber which does not felt. Many were the wrong color, but then my son spotted just the right sweater. His choice was a Pendleton Shetland wool sweater with a great pattern of blues and grays AND some poor soul had already started the felting process for us. The price on the tag was $3.75 but we were delighted to discover sweaters were 50% off! Can't beat that for an experiment! :-)

Back at home I tossed the sweater in the washer with some detergent and washed it in hot water with high agitation. (Note: Next time I will follow wise advice and put the sweater inside a large lingerie bag or pillow case closed with a rubber band for washing! Lots of fibers come off these sweaters and it is not a good thing for your poor washing machine!) I washed the sweater twice to really felt it down thickly and then tossed it in the dryer to damp dry before patting it out flat on a towel to finish up.

I quizzed my son on his design preferences and he decided he would like the cozy to fit rather snugly over his 6-cup teapot, and to have the spout and handle poke out so he can pour his tea without removing the cozy. Hmmmm...... Now to come up with a pattern.

Check back next week to see the rest of the project, and retrieve directions. In the meantime, if you are so inclined, go find yourself a old wool sweater and catch up with us!

My "Inspired to Soar!" friends!

2009-03-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

I am the proud member of a women's entrepreneurial community, "Women Take Wing! Inc." Members are wonderful, talented women busily following their dreams of business ownership. Early each week, in our community's forum, members have the opportunity to post a hyperlink to their blogs with a snippet of information about what they are doing or talking about. Each Thursday these links are gathered up and posted on the Women Take Wing! blog and on participating member's blogs so that our readers have the opportunity to learn about some of these inspiring women.

I am delighted to invite you to visit a few of my friends! Welcome to "Inspired to Soar!"

Sparkles from Beach Haus Designs- Exciting things are happening from becoming an Ambassador for Crystallized Swarovski Elements to new design techniques. Check out what is happening at the beach!

Keeper of the Pennies talks about averting disaster as a single employee when life hands you unexpected changes.

Raised In Cotton Blog - Carol is headed to the beautiful Texas Hill Country to shop the wonderful antique shows taking place!

Island Tea Bits Dori (yours truly) announces Island Tea Company's Spring Fling sale and shares photos of her building's completed exterior re-do.

(WTW members, remember to stop by the forum early each week to post your blog and news bit!)

A fresh face greets spring!

2009-03-26T07:48:00.001-07:00

The sprucing up of our building is all complete and we are so delighted with the results! With fresh cedar shingles and sparkling white trim, it just looks beautiful and very beach cottagy! A perfect look for Whidbey Island, don't you think? :-)

Last weekend we were treated to some lovely, spring-like weather and I took the opportunity to finish planting our pots with golden primroses and soon to bloom daffodils. Andrea and I toted them out front and now these bright spots of living sunshine greet us every morning! Something about those shingles just calls for more flowers.... I think we're going to add more planters out there for the summer and just stuff them full of color!

(Aren't those primroses just a glorious yellow? They make me so happy! )

If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and see what's news. Remember, if our banner is flying, we are open!

Spring Fling!

2009-03-20T16:44:00.001-07:00

Hues N Brews iPots (infuser pots) are great little teapots! They come in three sizes and are available in many colors. Each iPot comes with a removable stainless lid and mesh infuser. With the stainless parts removed, the iPots can be put in the microwave to easily reheat your tea. This design pours very nicely!

When we placed our last order we received a few bonus pots which translates into savings for you! This little sale is on for this first full week of spring only. Click here to visit our iPot page.

A bit of history and a face lift

2009-02-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Two and a half weeks ago the face lift of our building began. Old cedar shakes were removed, but before fresh paper and shingles was applied a bit of history was revealed.

It might not look pretty, but the original painted signage for the coffee shop that once existed in my building revived pleasant memories for many of my customers. The old coffee shop was a well loved fixture in the Freeland community for years. I have been told the coffee was always hot and fresh, the baked goods were "to die for," and the greeting you received when you walked in the door was always warm and genuine. The owner fixed lunch for the Nichol's Brothers Boat Yard "boys." The lunch meal would be on the table, family style, when the workers arrived each day. A dear friend's mother cooked there for many years.

I enjoyed hearing the many stories, and being gently teased by customers for the misleading advertising!

The old signage is again hidden from view and the application of new shingles is nearly complete. Our sign and light will be back in place later this week and flower pots will once again flank the front door. Yellow primroses, purple violas, and cheerful daffodils will soon greet you as you approach.

Spring is coming to Whidbey Island and we will have a fresh, new face with which to greet it!

Thank you, Carol Pucci and Seattle Times!

2009-01-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

I was so tickled to have our tiny shop mentioned in the NW Weekend insert in the Jan. 22 Seattle Times newspaper. You can read a little about Freeland, its history and offerings, here. Island Tea Company is under the 3:00 pm time slot. As a result of that little mention, we had 5 or 6 new customers come in this past weekend. It is always so fun to find out how people find us.

The Seattle Times travel writer, Carol Pucci, came into my shop two weeks ago with her husband and shared a pot of tea. I did not know who she was until the next day when she called to formally introduce herself and ask a few questions. I started laughing and apologized for all the interesting entertainment that had occured and she laughed saying they had enjoyed their visit. How very gracious!

Carol is focusing on writing about affordable day trips and some of the places not so well known. That is so nice, and so appreciated!

What a great day!

2009-01-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

Like so many, I spent much of the day glued to my television, tissues in hand. I would have loved to have been there to witness in person our new President's swearing in and to share it with so many. Such a wonderful, hopeful day!

When President Obama left his car to walk up Pennsylvania Avenue with his wife, Michelle, I cheered along with the crowd. Don't they look happy, excited and proud? What a job this man has taken on, and this woman, too. Good luck! God Bless!

Holiday Greetings!

2008-12-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

Like much of the United States, Whidbey Island had a white Christmas! The snow started falling here on Saturday, Dec. 13, and continued off and on through yesterday. The photo above was taken about a week ago. I love the snow decorating the garland and the wreath above the door.

I have had a love/hate relationship with the snow these past two weeks. It has been lovely to look at and very challenging. It has delighted some, scared others, and most certainly put a crimp in holiday festivities and sales. At Island Tea Company we took it one day at a time. Some days we opened a bit late, but only one day did we actually not open at all. We had some quiet days, when it was difficult for customers to venture out, and then we had some very busy ones as roads became safer to drive upon. All considering, the season treated us well.

However, we do have a fair amount of holiday merchandise remaining and away it must go! We have already marked down some giftware on our website, and this coming Monday, December 29 we have our annual One Day Only Sale. If you're within driving distance, this is a sale worth coming to. And remember, except for our one day sale, Island Tea is closed until January 6. So, if your tea jars are getting low, come in on Monday to stock up.

If you haven't been to Whidbey in awhile, come on over! Come for the day, or stay over at one of our many lovely inns and B & B's. Most Whidbey Island businesses are open this next holiday week and have special sales and activities planned. For more information, please visit: http://newyearsweekendonwhidbey.blogspot.com.

Order deadline approaches!

2008-12-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

If you have been thinking about ordering, please take note, our last shipping day is this coming Friday, Dec. 19. Orders received after 12pm (PST) on the 19th will not be processed or shipped until Thursday, Jan. 8. This applies to all website and phone orders.

We do want to encourage you to order via the website, rather than by phone. With the snow and ice conditions here on Whidbey, we have been understaffed at times in the shop. Please feel free to email questions to: info(at)islandteacompany(.)com. We'll respond as quickly as we can!

Yummy Gingersnaps!

2008-12-12T08:13:00.000-08:00

My goodness! December 12th already! Whoosh!

In our shop we have a little teacart that always has a sample pot of tea (or two) on it and at this time of year we often have a plate of cookies waiting there, too. This holiday season my favorite cookie has been homemade gingersnaps, and they've been quite a hit with our shoppers! I've received several emails requesting the recipe, so here you go.

Island Tea Gingersnaps

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup shortening (I use Crisco cubes for easy, peasy measuring)
1/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soada
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger (1 tsp if you like them less zippy)
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
granulated sugar for cookie tops (I use organic for richer flavor)

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg. Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.

Heat over to 375. Shape dough by "teaspoonfuls" into balls. (I use one of those little mini-ice cream scoops. Mine is probably closer to a tablespoonful of dough.) Dip cookies in granulated sugar and place sugared side up about 3 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet. With juice glass gently flatten each cookie to about 1/2" thick. Bake approximately 10 to 12 minutes. (10 for chewy cookies, 12 for "snaps.") Immediately remove to rack to cool.

One or two of these with a big cup of tea is a great pick-me-up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Wherever you may be, we wish you a peaceful and joyful day. Blessings to all those who contribute to and help prepare your feast, and blessings to those who can not be with their loved ones today!

Our Gift to Our Customers!

2008-11-23T12:25:00.000-08:00

We have much to be thankful for here at Island Tea Company. In spite of a challenging economy we have had a good year and we are grateful for the continued support and encouragement of our customers.

To thank you for your patronage we would like to tuck a complimentary sampler of tea into your package! To every website order totaling $25.00 or more in tea and merchandise, we will now be including a sparkling cello wrapped, one ounce package of one of our lovely teas. This is a perfect way to try a new tea, or to share one of your favorites with a friend. Teas offered will vary with the seasons.

Enjoy!

It has begun!

2008-11-17T07:50:00.000-08:00

The first weekend in November we always close, paper over the windows, and redecorate the shop for the holiday season. Behind the cloak of butcher paper there ensues a frenzy of activity. Boxes full of new merchandise come out of hiding, lively holiday music is played to spur us on, and a tremendous mess at first we make! We started papering over the windows about 6 years ago. It keeps distractionss to a minimum, allows us to work quickly and adds nicely to the suspense. We can hear passersby giggling and whispering outside the windows, and some will tap on the glass and ask "How's it going in there?"

Slowly....out of the jumble of boxes, paper, bubble wrap and packing peanuts...a pretty little shop emerges. In all honesty, it took twice as long this time to pull the displays together! We have just as much merchandise in a space nearly half as large. For awhile, we all had doubts whether we would get everything placed, but we managed to shoehorn it all in!

Doesn't it look cozy and sweet?

The elves did a fabulous job and on the morning of November 3, when we opened for our annual holiday open house, our customers agreed. It was a wonderful day!

Fragrant distraction

2008-10-26T17:28:00.001-07:00

Boxes full of fragrant distraction were delivered to the shop this past week and we have been busy! Pounds and pounds of our favorite autumn and holiday teas and spices are here! The display jars have been filled and we are pre-packing hundreds of colorful little foil bags in preparation for our holiday kick-off next week.

The wonderful spicy aromas of our classic Christmas Teas, Grandma's Pumpkin Pie, and Mulling Spices, mix and mingle with fruity Sugar Plum and Cranberry Orange and the fragrance tends to stop customers right in their tracks as they enter the shop! We do not yet have all of these teas on the website, but by tomorrow afternoon they will be!

With all of the craziness in the financial markets and all the political hullabaloo, having our holiday teas arrive has helped to calm my nerves and warm my heart. Somethings never change. Autumn is here, winter is coming, and with it the holiday season. Take joy!

Warning! Rant ahead!

2008-09-24T15:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, my tea drinking friends. I must warn you, this post is unlike anything I have EVER posted before. Usually, the "tea lady" tries to bite her tongue in her shop where politics are concerned, and yes, my webshop is my shop, too. But today, TODAY I must speak up.

I am so upset with this country's state of affairs and dead set against the $700 billion Wall Street bailout plan. Do YOU really want to hand over what is basically a blank check to the Fed to purchase what amounts to bad loans? Think about it. Let's say a friend comes to you, confesses he has mismanaged his finances poorly, has spent his money frivolously, can't stick to a budget, hasn't balanced his bank accounts in years, has run up all his cards, defaulted on his home loan, but gosh you love him so much, you will loan him money and guarantee his debts, won't you? That's what this is folks, but to the tune of $700 billion. And if this doesn't work, you'll probably have to fork over some more.

Oh my gosh! Wake up people! This is our money they are talking about here. We have got to start demanding accountability and fiscal responsibility. The national debt is at $9.5 trillion and growing. How in the world can we dig ourselves out from under this load? We're not going to do it by bailing out Wall Street, and we're not going to do it with a few tax cuts, either.

Let's get real here! Take a look at this: http://www.uwsa.com/us-national-debt.html. Scary isn't it. Downright depressing. We have built ourselves a house of cards and the winds are blowing.

Just think about what that $700 billion could buy. It is mind boggling. We could provide small business loans to little businesses like mine that actually operate in a fiscally responsible fashion, we could improve our deteriorating infrastructure, provide health care to those who need it, research alternative energy sources, and vastly improve education for our children who will inherit this whole dang mess.

I could go on and on, but I've drained my teapot dry!

And the winner is.....

2008-09-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Gail aka 'mooselovingmamabear!' I'll email you for your mailing address and then we'll send you off your little basket of treats! I'm enjoying a cup of Grandma's Pumpkin Pie Tea as I write this post. I had forgotten how much I like it. It's also perfect for this rather drippy northwest day.

Thank you for your entry and post, Gail! Most of our entries typically come via email. So it was delightful to have a couple here!

Happy Sunday to you!

Happy 10th Anniversary to Us!

2008-09-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

All next week, September 16 through the 20th, we are going to be celebrating Island Tea Company's 10th Anniversary! We have planned and prepped, shopped and baked, wrapped and beribboned "Thank you for your support!" gifts, and I think we are ready to just have some fun! Our local customers will be treated to complementary sweets and tea and we'll have door prize drawings! We know that many of you will not be able to come :( , so we have a drawing just for you! In a sweet little white washed basket we have a package of Biringer's Pumpkin Pecan Tea Cookies, a package of Grandma's Pumpkin Pie Tea, honey straws and a little autumn theme coaster. Please leave a comment below to enter, or send an email to: info[at]islandteacompany[dot]com and we'll put your name in the drawing. Winner will be drawn next Saturday, Sept. 20.

It is so hard to believe that more than 10 years have passed since I hung the shop's welcome banner out for the first time. It has been the greatest adventure growing a little business here on Whidbey Island. Sometimes I think, only here on Whidbey could I have been able to do this. I've met so many wonderful people, and many of my customers have become dear friends. Lots of sweet memories, yes indeed!

Happy Anniversary little shop!

Honoring our friend, Rose!

2008-08-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Rosemarie Dascher - Artist
One-Woman Show
August 14, 15 & 16

Many of you have commented on the tea party painting featured in our blog header. This charming piece was painted by our friend and local artist Rosemarie Dascher. We love Rose's work and thought you might enjoy the opportunity to see more of her paintings and perhaps purchase a piece for your own enjoyment. From Thursday, Aug. 14 through Saturday, the 16th, we will be hanging as many of Rose's works in the shop as we can find space for. The show opens Thursday, August 14, and Rose will be present much of the day.

Complementary tea and sparkling cider will be served. Please stop by and meet one of our favorite Whidbey Island artists!

A new little "shopgirl!"

2008-07-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to our newest shopgirl, Miss Millie. Millie came visiting a week ago with two of her sisters and decided she'd like to stay with me. Oh my! She is such a little love and her fan club is growing rapidly! Millie is a nearly 12 week old, Cardigan Welsh Corgi. Many of you are familiar with another Cardigan, Miss Clover Meadow, who appears frequently on Alicia Paulson's "Posie Gets Cozy" blog.

As I type this Miss Millie is out in our little shop garden nipping the blossoms off the calendula plants. She likes to pick a blossom and then curl up under the table and very carefully pull out each yellow petal. Silly thing, she makes me smile. We lost one of our Pembroke corgis, in May, our dear sweet old Rosie. I miss her so.......and, I thought I'd want another Pembroke, but Millie convinced me otherwise. She's sweet, gentle, quite smart (of course) and it is rather charming to have a wagging tail about! As my friend Steph said, "Millie is good for your soul." She's right. :)

Most days, if I'm on deck here in the shop, Millie will be, too. Stop by and say "Hi!" She'll be very happy to greet you!

(Over at Nancy's blog "My Crafty Little Page" there is a wonderful pet show going on! I found the show through Gina at Feather Your Nest. You can see Gina's sweet Sophie here. )

Aloha, Kauai nani! Mahalo no kou ho`okipa!

2008-07-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

Farewell, beautiful Kauai! Thank you for your hospitality!

We had a lovely, lovely time, but it went so quickly! And while it is good to be home, and lovely to be back in the shop, a piece of my heart lives in Hawaii on the beautiful island of Kauai. I shall let the photos pretty much speak for themselves.

Where we stayed......

And where we played.....

The friends we made.....

The beautiful mountains, cliffs and sea.....

The flowers......

The history and the haunting beauty......

A hui hou kakou! (Until we meet again.) Aloha!

Sigh.........

:)

Summer? Really? Unbelievable!

2008-06-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

We turned the calendar page over into summer and by golly, summer like weather is actually here! We are nearly up to normal temperatures, and wouldn't you know it, I'm leaving for vacation in Hawaii! That's okay, I trust there will be two to three months of lovely weather to enjoy when I return......I hope!

With an unusually long, cool spring, we have only just begun to prepare iced tea for customers. Usually we're keeping several pitchers "on tap" by now in our little frig. We do have a sturdy few who will start ordering iced tea when the sun shines any day past March, be it warm or not! So I did run a quick report to see what customers are purchasing to enjoy iced. The top five thus far are:

Breakfast Blend (Our "Basic Black" Iced Tea!)
Passion Berry
Mangosteen White
Apricot
Summer in Provence

(No decafs or herbals in there! Hmmmm.....That's interesting.) At home, my boys and I have been enjoying a blend of Breakfast Blend and Spearmint over ice. It is so refreshing and of course a little lower in caffeine, too. I like this blend a bit sweet. :)

For iced tea you will use about 1 1/2 rounded teaspoons of tea leaves per cup. Put loose tea into a large infuser ball or fill-your-own teabags or loose into pitcher. Pour in several inches of fresh, boiling water. Steep for about 5 minutes, remove tea, fill with cold water and put in frig. Your infusion will be strong enough to handle those ice cubes. If you prepare sun tea, please make sure your container is absolutely, spotlessly clean. Tea is a perfect medium for bacterial growth. (I know...yucky!)

If you drink your tea sweet, we recommend making a simple syrup of sugar and water. Boil equal parts sugar and water on stove or in the microwave until the sugar dissolves. No more stirring and stirring and stirring to try to dissolve the sugar in iced cold tea. Simple syrup looks lovely in a small glass pitcher.

I wish you lovely (but not too hot) iced tea sipping weather!

New White Teas

2008-05-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

We have several white teas to tell you about. Two are new, Mangosteen and Pomegranate (pictured above), and one is a returning favorite, White Calypso. White teas are the least processed of all the teas. Frequently the leaves are merely carefully picked and then dried. The natural down that baby teas leaves have are usually rubbed off during processing, but in white teas this is still visible and gives the tea leaves a silvery look. Hence the name "white tea." White tea is by itself rather mild and slightly sweet in flavor, and therefore takes flavorings very nicely.

Our Mangosteen White is a "limited edition." The mangosteen fruit is quite tropical, rarely seen in the west, and is considered to be one of the "superfruits." It is cultivated extensively in Thailand and in a limited way in Sri Lanka, India and the Philippines. The flavor of the white fruit reminds us of a cross between perhaps cantaloupe and mango. It's hard to describe, but is absolutely delicious. We have a limited amount of Mangosteen White Tea available in 1 ounce, 2 ounce and 1/4 pound quantities. If you desire a larger quantity please call the shop (360-331-6080) or email for availability. Little bits of dried mangosteen are sprinkled throughout this tea along with some mango to accentuate the flavor.

Pomegranate is actually a blend of white and delicate green teas and has lovely fresh, berry-like flavor notes. (As I'm typing this, I'm enjoying the tea in the photo above! Yum!) White Calypso is flavored with essence of pear, mango, pineapple, orange and plum. It makes an extraordinary iced tea and is a top seller during the summer season here. In fact all of our flavored white teas make wonderful iced teas, but enjoy them hot, too!

Next time you order, please feel free to ask for a sample of one of these. We're always happy to treat you to a cup or two of something new. :)

In search of spring....

2008-05-01T16:37:00.001-07:00

Poor little blog...so lonely and abandoned!

Life has finally calmed down a bit. The parties responsible for the local burglaries are now behind bars and we are finally catching up in many ways. There are a number of new teas recently in to tell you about, but we'll start that tomorrow, I think. First I want to share a few photos with you.

Spring has been a long, long, lonnnng time coming to our island. We are all desperate for sun and warmth. Yes, even those of us born and raised in the mossy Pacific Northwest have had enough of the chilly, damp days. A few mornings ago, I grabbed my camera and set out on a walk in search of spring......I knew there had to be signs, and yes, I found a few. Spring is here, you just have to look....

Spring in the northwest comes in many shades of green. Fortunately, green is my favorite color. :) The photo above is the driveway into a neighbors house....Don't you just want to walk down around that bend?

The salmon berries are in full bloom right now. When you see these bright pink blossoms you know it is hummingbird time. Down the road from us is an area of quite open woodland and beneath the tall alder trees the forest floor is thickly carpeted with salmon berries and elderberry bushes. If you stop, close your eyes and listen, you can hear the buzzing and tiny chirps of hummingbirds all around you!

Sometimes you have to step off the path and look down, deep down into the lush grass. And there you will find some of the most delicate blooms. These little flowers are so tiny. The little buds hang down like bells and then as they begin to open, they turn tiny faces up to the sun. I love the rosy stripes on the petals.

I returned home just as it began to gently rain and captured this photo of my forget-me-nots just coming into bloom in the garden. So sweet in many ways. These little gems are the great, great, great grandchildren of plants that came from my grandmother's garden. I forget her not. :)

Happy May Day!

Happy Spring!

2008-03-22T14:12:00.000-07:00

This is what greets me each morning. Even on the grayest of days, there are two pots full of sunshine right outside my door! There are yellow pansies in the pots, too, but they need to grow up a bit. If you come this way, you'll be able to spot the shop pretty easily. Just look for the red door and my pots full of color!

The website is coming along. I thank you for your patience! Some of you know, and some of you don't, that my little shop was broken into during the dark of the night on March 2. Between the dollars taken, repairs to re-secure the shop, time spent talking with our Sheriff and his detectives, and hours devoted to resulting paperwork, I am behind in just about everything imaginable! But, the parties responsible for this upheaval are now behind bars, tranquility is returning to my sweet shop, and I am rapidly catching up.

Many, many of you have stopped by, called, mailed or emailed words of support. From my heart, I thank you. You have cheered many a day!

Happy Spring to all!

Our website is moving......

2008-02-28T08:42:00.000-08:00

Please, don't panic. We are in the process of moving and rebuilding our website to better suit our customers' needs. We'll soon be able to offer you more payment options, including PayPal, and will be able to update our offerings much more quickly and efficiently. It is a very good thing!

The website should be back up within 24 hours, but it will take a few days for us to re-enter all of our teas and tea accessories. We appreciate your patience during this process. Should you have any questions, or require assistance, please don't hesitate to call the shop at 360-331-6080.

Thanks so much!

Sweet Basket

2008-02-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've had several inquiries about the little basket sitting on the tea table photo in the previous post. Here's a close-up for you.

I filled the basket with moss, added a small white azalea, tucked the little birds in and there you have it. It does look sweet, doesn't it? The basket is now in the window and greets us each morning. With snow still threatening, it is a most welcome spring-like touch.

We have a few sets of these birdies available and we'll have them on the website under spring gifts on Monday.

We're getting there!

2008-01-25T15:56:00.001-08:00

There is still much fluffing to be done, but we are getting there. There are still pictures and wall racks to be hung, and linens and vintage goods to be put out, and we need to locate all the studs in the walls above the tea jars so we can hang our blackboards back up. Funny thing about this old building ...the 2 x 4's in the walls are not where one would expect them to be.

So here are a few photos for you. Now, keep in mind this is a tiny space we're in now! The retail area is only 16 x 19! We're going to make use of every bit of space; high, low, and in between! When you step into the shop this is what you'll see to the right...it's kind of the pantry area with jams and biscuits and yummies of different sorts...

and beyond that is the most important area...the tea...of course! :) The beadboard on the counter is going to get a fresh coat of paint soon....green. It got a bit dinged up in the move, but will look good as new in a jif.

and on around to the back wall where you can peak into the office/storage room/kitchenette. See my sunny window? I love that window! Natural light for my desk, what a treat! I can't believe how much more creative, and on task, I am with all that lovely light. You should see my sketchbook! Whew Hoo!

This is in the front of the shop on the other side and is where you can come in and have a cuppa and sit and visit with us for a bit. We love that!

This last photo is of the beautiful bouquet we put together with flowers brought into us from Nancy S. and Deborah S. So sweet of them! Thank you so much!

Busy, busy, busy!

2008-01-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

It has been a wild, wild time! Right after a brief post holiday respite, we did a rush inventory count, and slammed into the big move project! First we had to pack up and make room for The Paint Escape fixtures and inventory which then allowed me and my wonderful staff and volunteers to ready our new space. First came repainting! The Paint Escape had cheery yellow walls, which while perfect for a paint studio were a bit too bold for a tea shop. Several of the walls have beadboard type paneling, so below you see my dear father, cutting in edges and painting in grooves with our base paint of pale wheat.

....and more painting of the grooves by Ms. Ruth....and there in the background is Steph, with her trusty extension roller. She'd been rolling the walls in the back room with Kilz, readying it for the first coat of red.

After a good base coat of the pale wheat color, DeAnn and I started sponging the walls with a rich gold.

Look, Mom! No windows! We are now blessed with brand new double-paned windows, but below you can see the temporary open air look! Thank goodness we had a break in the weather, because down on the floor is our brand new carpet! The installers did a fabulous job and were so kind. We were beginning to move small fixtures and some inventory in while they were working. Never once did those two guys even frown at us! And, just as they finished up, it began to rain!

Here is my son, Jamie, hamming it up! He's kind of doing the "Ta Da!" thing. By this point the walls are nearly done and the first tea shelves have been put up. Behind Jamie, you can see the rich red on the walls of the office/store room/kitchenette. My dad had a reeeeeeeally hard time with this paint! As he was rolling the second base coat on the walls he stopped and informed me that he felt we needed to do a third coat. When I assured him that once we sponged over with the deep raspberry all would be well. He looked at me for a moment and asked "Then why did you 'hire' a painter who seeks perfection?" I replied "Because he works cheap!" He laughed. Yup! I'll pay him, and my mom, in dinner and a nice red wine. :)

The plywood in the backdoor has now been replaced with glass, and everything that we could fit in is in. There are more photos to come! But.... let me tell you, it is so good to have the shop back in it's old home! It is very good indeed!

Order deadline approaches!

2007-12-17T12:25:00.000-08:00

This coming Wednesday, December 19th, is the last day we will accept and ship any online, phone or email orders! Can you believe it? Whew! After Wednesday we will be scrambling to take care of our in store customers and readying for our relocation the first week of January! It's going to be a wild couple of weeks! More on that tomorrow!

If you have been thinking about ordering any of our holiday special-teas, you best hurry! We have only a few pounds left of Candy Cane Lane, Grandma's Pumpkin Pie and Sugar Plum. Our supply of Cranberry Orange is shrinking rapidly, too. Candy Cane Lane is without a doubt, our top seller this season. What a winner!

Free shipping offer ends tonight.....

2007-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Whew! We have just been a'hopping in the shop this week, but we managed to keep our turn around time for website orders to under 48 hours. Remember, our 'Free Shipping' offer for all online orders ends at midnight tonight. Any orders placed today or during the weekend will post on Tuesday, December 4.

Take time for tea, today!

A few more photos....

2007-11-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

Customer have been bringing their children and grandchildren to view our front window. Many of us who grew up in the Seattle area remember with fondness the wonderful holiday windows that the big downtown department stores used to do. Bundling up in coats, hats and gloves and venturing downtown on a chilly evening was a wonderful family tradition. My brothers and I would run from window to window. My favorites were at Frederick & Nelson's. I miss those windows. :)

Our diminutive display reminds me and others of those displays of old. Below is Billie's little cabin. You can just see the popcorn decorated tree in the window....and the firelight glowing. Do you see the elf perching in the branches at the upper right and the tiny wreath upon the door? I keep expecting that door to open.......

In the photo below you can just make out the little woodland Santa in his sleigh, and another little elf to the right.

But this little sprite....she is my favorite. Sometimes she faces into the shop watching the goings on, and other times she gazes out. It's the oddest thing, but when I leave in the evening, she almost always appears to watch me as I walk to my car. I wonder what the elves do after we leave? Perhaps they meet in the little cabin, sit on the settee at fireside, and discuss the day's happenings or maybe they flit about the shop. I can't help wondering....

I hope a little magic touches YOUR weekend!

I love this shop.....

2007-11-07T17:20:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we had a busy, crazy, wonderful time! All the elves hustled and bustled! First a huge mess was made as we hauled out boxes and unpacked. And then...little by little throughout the day...it all came together into something beautiful.

Here's Andrea putting some finishing touches on the front table. Behind her you can catch a glimpse of the main window display featuring Billie's absolutely charming cabin doll house. I'll post more close up photos for you in the coming days.

This was taken near the front door looking into the shop.....

A display area at our 'peek a boo' kitchen window....

Some of the new ornaments on the tree......

....and another photo...see that teapot & mug set? It's gone already! It has cute little snowmen and winter birds scattered all over. Just darling! I'm going to try and order more.

Here is a first look at the front window. Doll house with flickering firelight, icicles, snowflakes and fairies, santa and deer, all combine into something truly magical. You will need to see more!

So much fun! More photos tomorrow! :)

A fragrant time of year......

2007-10-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this time of year in the shop! Shipments of holiday merchandise arrive almost daily, including our favorite fall and winter teas, and mulling spices! The shop just smells delicious! Customers come in the door and just stop dead in their tracks, exclaiming "Oh, Wow! What smells so good in here?" Well....it's the Cranberry Orange Tea....

And it's the Organic Mulling Spices................

These mulling spices are just the best! We'll be treating our customers to complementary spiced cider this next week. Find our recipe here. Preparing mulled cider is so easy. Use a BIG mesh infuser ball. You really want the spices to rattle around in there. If the spices swell up and pack the infuser then it is too small. Bigger is better! We have a shipment of the 3 inch infusers coming in later this next week and will be putting together some Mulling Kits for you. Each kit will contain mulling spices, cinnamon sticks, an infuser ball, and recipes. Watch for the kits later this week.

Would you like to play, too?

2007-09-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

I received an email from one of my customers now living off island, asking if she could come to the MadHatters' Tea in a cyber fashion? Well, "Of course!", I replied! So, she is emailing me a photo of herself in her tea party ensemble. I can't wait to see!

If you'd like to join us, and you are far, far away, please send your photo to: info@islandteacompany.com. We'll enter you in the doorprize drawings, too!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

2007-09-07T14:52:00.001-07:00

Next week we have a whole week of fun planned as we celebrate Island Tea Company's 9th Anniversary. Actually, this starts a whole year of celebrating our 10th year in business. Why wait until next summer!?! In my island community making it to your 10th year is big news! :)

Starting Monday we'll expand our Summer Clearance Sale into a "Make Room For Christmas" Sale. There is so much new inventory coming in....I'm really at a loss as to where we'll put it all! Customers who spend a minimum of $30.00 also get to choose from a basket of tea tins, our gift to them. (Next week's website customers will find one of these tins tucked in to their orders, too!)

The week will finish up with our annual MadHatters' Tea Party where we treat our customers to complimentary cake and tea. If you can, please come! And, don't forget your hat and gloves! The most creative ensemble always wins a prize! ( We take photos!) Below are two of our lovely participants from last year's
function...

And, yes, we even have some guys participate from time to time! :)

It is going to be a fun week! Hope to see you!

P.S. That fellow in the purple beribboned bonnet is my Dad! The other two gents are good friends Chet (my computer's "Dr. Chet") and his son, Colin. Hi, guys! :)

Happy September!

2007-09-03T11:09:00.001-07:00

September already? The summer has passed in a flash, leaving me feeling a bit wistful. I spent not a single lazy afternoon at the beach! Fortunately, there should still be many warm, sunny days ahead and our beaches are just lovely, and quiet, at this time of year.

Autumn is usually beautiful in the Northwest, and like many beach communities, Whidbey Island seems to breathe a sign of relief as the pace slows and quiets. Mornings can be a bit misty and softly veiled in fog which clears to warm, sun-drenched afternoons. This is my favorite time of year without a doubt, but then, I am a September baby!

September is also the month in which we celebrate Island Tea Company's anniversary. We have a full week of sales and special events coming up, including our annual MadHatters' Tea. I'll share more information on all of this in a day or so. Until then, enjoy your Labor Day week-end!

Top Selling Summer Teas

2007-08-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

I just did a quick check to see what our most popular teas have been this summer and they are:

#1 Passion Berry (No surprise here!)
#2 Breakfast Blend (Makes a fabulous, rich "basic black" iced tea)
#3 Lemon Meringue Herbal (One of our newest teas.)
#4 Mango Rooibos (Wonderful & caffeine free.)
#5 Apricot (Always a favorite.)
#6 Apricot Decaf (A very, flavorful decaf.)

The first three in this list have been in our shop frig ready to pour, since the start of iced tea season. The Lemon Meringue has really been the surprise of the summer! It's so refreshing and has been fun to play with, too. Try it with a sprig of fresh mint. Earlier in the summer we enjoyed it with sliced strawberries. Talk about yummy!

There are still many warm days ahead in September and October, so don't run out of your iced tea favorites. We should have an adequate supply of Passion Berry and Lemon Meringue to take us well into next month.

Yes! We have a winner!

2007-06-05T17:36:00.000-07:00

I'm still trying to get caught up, but yes, I did remember to draw the winner of our May Basket. The winner is Ms. Liz Leese of Greenbank, Washington, and I am just delighted that Liz won. She has been a customer of Island Tea Company for many years and is one very hardworking, home-schooling mother of a wonderful brood. My hope is that she and her daughters will take the time one lovely afternoon to enjoy the basket and it's contents. Congratulations, Liz! See you soon! :)

We had more than 100 entries, and the most cyber entries ever! So, I think the next time we do a gift basket drawing we will do two baskets, one for customers who physically visit our store and another for our cyber guests. Yup! That sounds good!

P.S. Hi there, Jenny! :)

May Basket Drawing

2007-05-24T15:44:00.000-07:00

Allrighty! I'm back from a lovely, relaxing vacation and trying to get back into the swing of things. Easier said then done, I tell you! The fact that it is just a lovely, sunny day is not helping me attend to desk matters.

Those of you who receive our newsletter, or are able to stop by our shop, already know we are doing our annual May Basket Drawing again. In a cute, little white picket fence basket we have stuffed Hobnob Cookies (to die for sweet, flaky British digestives), Strawberry Preserves, Biringer Farm's Strawberry Tea Cookies, Strawberry Black Tea and Strawberry Papaya Sencha. We'll be drawing and notifying the winner May 31. Basket can be shipped anywhere in the U.S.A.

If you'd like to enter please shoot off an email to us at info@islandteacompany.com with "May Basket" in the subject line. If you'd like to sign up for our newsletter, let us know that, too!

Good luck!

Vacation!

2007-05-11T20:49:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from packing to say "Have a good week!" Tomorrow, my husband and I will be leaving Whidbey Island on a 5:30am ferry. By evening we will be in Florida and the next day we'll embark on a Caribbean cruise! Yippee! I'll share photos when I return.

The tea shop will be left in the care of my wonderful staffers, Andrea and DeAnn. We are going to semi-close the website down during my absence. Any orders placed from now through May 20 will be processed and shipped Monday the 21st. If you're desperate please call the shop and they'll ship your tea out the next day.

Back to choosing my shoes and packing those bags!

Going Green!

2007-05-11T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, at least we are taking our first steps toward doing so! 2007 is the year Island Tea concentrates on going green, organic, and fair trade wherever we can. In the shop we will be shifting from our white gift bags back to unbleached kraft and we hope you will reuse your bags. With pretty tissue and a sweet ribbon even a simple bag becomes festive.

We would also like to encourage our customers to bring your own containers in for filling with your favorite teas. We can easily scoop right into your own tins or jars. You will receive a 5 cents discount per container up to 25 cents total with each visit. (Minimum of 1 oz. per container, please.) These discount pennies will be pooled and later this year we will make a contribution to The Nature Conservancy. Island Tea will save a little on packaging, you will save a bit on your tea, and our environment will benefit, as well. We will keep you posted on how we all do with this.

Please visit The Nature Conservancy's website. It is very educational. Check out their Carbon Calculator to estimate your impact on Earth's climate.

Spring Break

2007-04-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a couple days off this week to enjoy time with my son during his spring break and to hopefully get a few things done in my garden. We're several weeks into spring, but until just moments ago, I had yet to plant a seed. I always have this vague sense of unease until I get my garden planted.

So, a lovely hour was spent digging in compost, and raking and smoothing the soil. A ready to plant bed is to me is as a fresh canvas must be to an artist. I sat on the edge of the bed with my seed packets before me deciding which seed babies to plant first. It's so nice to have contrast in color and texture...hmmmm..... In my mind's eye I can already see the tidy rows of rich greens and reds.

Carefully tucked into the first raised bed are now spinach, mustard, red lettuce and radishes. Radishes are such a lovely thing. Whether or not you like to eat them, you must admit, they are about as close to instant gratification as a gardener can get! After a long northwest winter, I'm looking forward to the first harvest even if it's just a handful of radishes! Now we just need a bit of sun.

After I washed up, I wandered around the garden taking a few photos to share with you. The photo immediately below is of my grandfather's trilliums. Every time my grandmother would get the itch to move, my grandfather would carefully dig and relocate his trilliums. He gave a start to my mother and she in turn shared them with me. I have carefully dug and moved these little living mementos six times now, I do believe. Thankfully they are quite resilient; these blossoms are some of the first to grace my shade garden each spring.

This time of year is also a very, busy and buzzing time for our little Anna's Hummingbirds. I stood very, very patiently a mere two feet away from our deck feeder and managed to snap a few photos of this tiny little female! From the top of her tiny head to the tip of her tail feathers, this little girl is barely 3 inches long! (Do notice the watchful eye she has trained on me!) Our hummingbirds return year after year right about Valentine's Day. If we're slow bringing out the feeders they will buzz right over your head, or hover outside the kitchen window as if to say, "Hey, you in there! We're starving!" This year they arrived along with the last of winter's snow.

Speaking of snow, I do hope the warmth of spring soon returns to my friends back east! Enough already!

Time now for a cuppa...I think I'll fix a little pot of our new Strawberry Papaya Sencha and spend some time visiting about in blog land! :)

Yummy Lemon Curd!

2007-03-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

When life hands me lemons, I make lemonade....ummmm....actually I make lemon curd! Fresh lemon curd is the best! Enjoy it on english muffins, angel food cake, fresh gingerbread, and scones, of course! This recipe makes a large amount, so use it lavishly and share. We make our lemon curd in the microwave rather than on the stove top; quick and easy!

Ingredients:

5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
zest of one or two lemons (if you want to take the time)
1 cube unsalted butter

Equipment:

Food processor or blender
Small microwave safe bowl or cup
Large pyrex/glass mixing bowl
Whisk
Microwave (Yes!)

Into blender put eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest. Blend together for 30 seconds. Melt butter in small bowl in microwave. With blender running gradually pour in melted butter. Pour mixture into large pyrex bowl and place in microwave. Cook on high for 3 minutes. Whisk well. Continue cooking on high for 3 to 5 minutes, but stop every 30 seconds and whisk. Each microwave is a little different, but you want your lemon curd to be thick, but smooth and creamy. When you plop a spoonful on top, it should like the photo below.

Pour your fresh curd into clean containers, refrigerate and enjoy! Stays fresh and yummy for one week. Oh! I almost forgot! Lemon curd is absolutely grand on fresh, spring strawberries!

Scones in March?

2007-03-03T07:11:00.000-08:00

Since y'all have been asking, I guess I better give the baking schedule! We'll be baking oatmeal scones with dried fruit (maybe currants) around St. Patrick's Day, and then to celebrate spring, we'll be doing vanilla cream scones with fresh lemon curd. Yum, yum, YUM! So, two weeks in a row this month you have a chance to enjoy hot from the oven scones! And, by-the-way, our oatmeal scones are not those stone-like scones!

Have had a number of requests for our lemon curd recipe and I'll try to get that posted in the next day or so. Want to know our secret for smooth, creamy curd? We make it in the microwave! :)

Fun!

2007-02-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

We have so much new merchandise arriving, and we are very pleased with what we are unpacking! Shown below are iPots, short for "infuser" pots, from Hues N Brews. Aren't these spring colors a refreshing sight for winter weary eyes? Each iPot comes with a removable stainless lid and mesh infuser. With the stainless parts removed, the iPots can be put in the microwave to easily heat water. All iPots are dishwasher safe. We have the 40 ounce iPots available in many colors. Pictured below are Rose Petal, Stem Green, and Ballet Pink. ($24.95 each)

More boxes await, so I'm heading to the shop early today. More for you later!

Cherry Scones for Valentine's Day

2007-02-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

We will be featuring our yummy cherry scones February 13, 14 and 15th. Treat a friend, your mother, or daughter, or even just yourself to these special treats. Scones and pot-of-tea are $5.50 per person. We do recommend calling and making a reservation, because we no longer bake our scones daily and we anticipate an enthusiastic response! Plus, when we know you are coming we can have your scones ready for you, fresh from the oven!

A Fresh New Year

2007-01-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I received my beautiful new calendar from my friend, Lesley, at Small Meadow Press. A fresh new calendar, a fresh new year full of promise, potential and adventure, awaits.

As there are with any new year, there are many little changes in the works here at Island Tea. We've been busy brainstorming and researching, plotting and planning. We will be offering more organic and fair trade teas and will be bringing in a number of beautiful and affordable gift lines that are also eco-friendly. Yes, organic and eco-friendly can be stylish, beautiful and affordable!

We're going to be doing some website updates, including taking down some of the gift pages that we never did get completed! Sorry 'bout that! What the vast majority of you buy from our website are teas and teaware basics, so we'll be concentrating our efforts there. We will be posting more photos of gift items here in the blog. If you see something of interest, please do call or email for availability and/or more information. A new FAQs section will be added to the site also, with all kinds of information on teas, their history and preparation.

One little note here that will sadden many: We will not be baking our scones as often this year. Many of you don't realize we are not able to mix on site, but must go to another commercial kitchen to mix. This is because of the age and condition of our aged septic system. (Oh, for a sewer system!) This hauling of supplies to and from another kitchen, and then the racing back to freeze the scones for future baking is just becoming too difficult, not to mention expensive. So, scone days will become special event days. Please watch for announcements and then make your reservations!

While scones will become more of a rarity, we are expanding our prepackaged cookie options, and will always, always serve a lovely pot of tea! Goodness! We are a tea shop!

Wishing you all a lovely year!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T13:20:00.000-08:00

All of us at Island Tea Company wish you safe, joyful, and peace filled holidays!

Holiday deadlines approach!

2006-12-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

Okay, my dear customers, if you wish to receive your tea BEFORE Christmas, you must order no later than Monday the 18th. The last day we will process ANY orders before we close for the holidays, is Thursday, December 21st! No "if, ands, or buts" will work past the 21st.

We will close the shop promptly at 2:00pm, Christmas Eve, so that all staff may enjoy a well-deserved vacation with their families. We will reopen Wednesday, January 3rd. Orders received after December 21st will not be processed or shipped until Friday, January 5th.

I must run now and help prepare for this BIG storm blowing in from the Pacific. We are told to anticipate winds up to 100mph and to prepare for power to be out for up to three days. Whew! So,if you place an order in the next day or so and do not hear from us promptly, we'll get to you ASAP! Thank you for your understanding.

Top selling teas this season.....

2006-12-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

I had time yesterday to run a quick report to see what our top sellers have been this holiday season. Our wonderfully sweet and spicy Organic Christmas Tea is number one, just as we would expect.

#1 Organic Christmas
#2 Hazelnut Crunch Rooibos
#3 Organic Christmas Rooibos
#4 Earl Grey
#5 Cranberry Orange

I'm not at all surprised to see Earl Grey in there, it's a top seller the year round. Cranberry Orange is to be expected, too, but I am just delighted to see two rooibos blends in the top five!

Rooibos (South African Redbush) has become sooooo popular. It's a fabulous tea alternative; tea like in body and color, high in antioxidants, caffeine free, and takes flavors wonderfully! Hazelnut Crunch has become one of my favorite beverages for after dinner enjoyment. I like to add just a touch of sugar or honey. The flavor is so rich and nutty; it helps me avoid sneaking into the holiday chocolates!

All of these teas are currently available, but our supplies are beginning to dwindle. We will be able to restock all of these in January. Then that will be it for several of the seasonal favorites. Should you order in the next two weeks and we are out of stock, we will email you and let you know the delivery status. It will be FIFO or first orders in will be first orders out. We have our clipboard ready!

I'll be posting a bit later today with our last minute shipping schedule and our holiday vacation closure info. Remember! We are always closed while the local schools are closed for winter break!

Yummy, Mulled Cider!

2006-11-29T13:33:00.000-08:00

Today is most definitely a day for mulled cider here on Whidbey Island! We have 8 inches of snow on the ground and it is now snowing again! I'll be preparing a large kettle of spiced cider this afternoon with our wonderful mulling spices.

Mulled Cider:

Gently simmer 1 quart apple cider, or cran/apple juice, with 2 Tbs. Mulling Spices for 5 to 20 minutes. (5 minutes for a gentle spice, longer for stronger.) Remove spices and serve in mugs garnished with a cinnamon stick or orange slice.

Mulled Wine:

Gently simmer 1 pint Burgundy wine and 1 pint cider or 1 quart Burgundy wine and 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (to taste), and 2 Tbs. Mulling Spices for 5 to 20 minutes. Remove spices and serve hot with cinnamon stick or chill and serve over ice.

Enjoy!