Mugshot Monday: Good Old Days

TeaLula storefront with customer and family pictures over the years (Park Ridge)

We headed to our favorite tea shop for Mugshot Monday. Yesterday morning was a little more festive than usual – TeaLula celebrated its five year anniversary! (What a great milestone for a new business!) Check out the big number five – a picture of Oliver is at the tail end. He fell asleep on that table, in that very window.

Enjoying a new brew

Chinese Bai Mudan white tea

Mingling around with our tea friends, having a spot of tea, scones and fruit made for a lovely morning.

TeaLula with my tea buddy

It’s hard to remember now, lugging Oliver’s infant car seat into the shop. (So sweet how the staff remembers.) Then he learned to sit up at the bar and sip his rooibos… totally content. Now we bring the iPad so I can have a little more time to chat with our friends.

It wasn’t just a teashop for me. It was my refuge once a week, a time to talk with “grown-ups”. (We tease now because we’re not sure how “grown up” our conversations were!) I was settling into my new role as a stay at home mom, and with postpartum depression experience from the first time around, I was hell bent on not going down that path again. TeaLula was my way of doing something for me, even if it was just for an hour or so.

When I first went to the store, I could not get over how quaint and cute everything was. Talk about wanting to buy everything…

Sheila capturing the morning

So, congratulations and thank you, Sheila, for not just creating the loveliest, cutest shop ever, but creating an atmosphere of friendship and hospitality. It’s a haven for anyone. The best part wasn’t learning about all the delicious teas from around the world, it was meeting you and everyone at TeaLula who I can call friends. Here’s to more good old days.

**Update: Links to more TeaLula posts including Oliver falling asleep.

Tags: favorite things, Friends and Family, monday, monday mugshot, mug, mugshot, tea, TeaLula

Mugshot Monday: Deep Thoughts Mug

No coffee or tea shot today, but here’s another way I use my mugs. Hope to make some time to draw and color after the kids are at school. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner after all.

(Don’t get me wrong… I gotta start the day with a little kick. I’m drinking some lovely coffee from Intelligentsia today.)

I’ve had this coffee mug since the 1990s. My best friend from high school (later my college roommate, then matron-of-honor) gave it to me. Who remembers “Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey” on Saturday Night Live? This one reads, “Better not take a dog on the Space Shuttle, because if he sticks his head out when you’re coming home his face might burn up.” Still makes me laugh! Yes, I’m geeky that way.

So perfect because my friend studied Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering in college.

H, I’m thinking of you today.

Have a great Monday everyone!

Tags: coffee, favorite things, Friends and Family, monday, monday mugshot, mug

Summer Blur :: Almost Wordless Wednesday

Who knew that it’s been over a month since the last post? No one but my family and a few close friends read this blog anyway… so, it’s okay, right? No, no. I know friends out there are reading. I’m sorry I’ve been away. I always seem to let too much time pass between posts in the summer months. With the kids and husband home, every day is an adventure – except when outside feels like a sauna and we hunker down in our basement and play video games and ping pong. (Not very into the pool scene. I don’t buy pool passes. No chance to break even.)

Forgive me for the lack of posting? Facebook and Twitter have been easier to update on the road and on the fly.

Since I last posted…

For neighbor kids and friends, we hosted a week long art camp in our garage.

Made some great projects during art camp.

Ssampled Brazilian Brigadeiro – chocolate truffle with sea salt and lime zest

Made cake again to make sure the recipe wasn’t faulty.. happy to report that it was not.

Managed to sew some burp cloths for expecting mom friends

Found this little guy on a garden walk which inspired me to get back into my own garden.

Made some Model Magic baked goods with the kids on a “too-hot” day

Checked out the Lego Kids Club

Celebrated 4th of July with family :: cakepops by my cousin

Tasted roasted purple cauliflower at a friend’s home

Worked on a Subway Art sign for a friend

Survived my first t-ball season

Visited an awesome bed and breakfast

Got to hang out a little at the beach, too

… and turned 39.

Tags: art, baking, Friends and Family, kids, sewing, summer, vacation

First Visit to a Bed and Breakfast

Our friend turned innkeeper - perusing a cookbook

What would you say if your friends called and said, “Hey! We bought a bed and breakfast! Who wants to come for a working weekend to help us get ready?”

We said, “Of course!” We had never been to a bed and breakfast before, but mostly because of accessibility issues. Luckily, there was a ramped entrance and we had a ground floor room. Perfect.

So two weekends ago, we packed up our bags, brought an air mattress, blankets and headed two hours out of Chicago to their bed and breakfast in Michigan. A possible snow advisory didn’t stop us either.

Doors and walls in the innkeepers home needed painting, furniture had to be moved, kitchen cabinets and appliances were waiting to be cleaned… and there were over ten adults (along with at least fifteen children – I lost count) willing and able to do jobs. Talk about a great greeting – having friends come out to your car with big hugs.

I stayed in the B&B where all the kids were. (Couldn’t leave them to their own devices.) Spent most of my time in the B&B kitchen catching up with other friends who had come to help. Oh, and I contributed – scrubbing out cabinets, finding miscellaneous kitchen gadgets and glassware left behind by the previous owners. Not your typical weekend activity but I loved it. The evening ended with wine, guitar playing, kids in the basement complete with pillow fights, and prepping for the next morning’s breakfast… awesome.

What a truly exciting adventure ahead – so proud of our friends, Julie and Eric.

Tags: bed and breakfast, chicago, driving, Friends and Family, Michigan, vacation

30 Days of Creativity – Days 21 and 22

Time to pull this all together! 30 Days of Creativity has turned into something like “months-and-months” of creativity. I’m wondering how many others have kept up with this challenge. And that’s exactly what it’s been… challenging.

Day 21: Find and photograph one object in your home and create something inspired by it.

Our stairwell. It greets me each morning – and when the sun is out, an amazing amount of light comes pouring in.

I’ve been sketching lines upon lines trying to capture the geometry, but I still want to incorporate some shadowing. So, the project isn’t done… yet.

Day 22: Take time today to thank your favorite creative people for their talents.  Comment on their blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

If you have a little time, visit these sites of goodness!

Mod Podge Rocks by Amy Anderson | Angry Chicken with Amy Karol | Ashley at Film in the Fridge | Architecture at Searching for Silsbee

Churchmouse Yarns & Teas | Share the world of tea with TeaLula

Tags: 30 days, art, crafting, Friends and Family, thanks, websites

Swimming for Katie Renz – fundraiser

From October 10-12 some of the best stampers are joining together to support and encourage fellow stamper, and former Craft Critique Reporter Katie Renz, who is currently battling inoperable gastric cancer.  If you’re not familiar with her, Katie’s cancer story started just before Christmas last year.  This young, beautiful, healthy, vibrant mother of 3 with her infectious smile was suddenly diagnosed with an inoperable cancer, virtually overnight.  A few tummy aches and then stage 4 gastric cancer.  Her first post about it is here.  The idea of “Swimming for Katie” came from her recent post here.

This exclusive stamp designed by Becky Oehlers is available as a clear stamp, as well as a digis or a dig and SVG cut file.  100% of the profits go to Katie’s fund to help her and her young family.  Her husband Kevin and her three young children need our help and support.  In addition to the Keep Swimming Octopus, Marianne Walker and True =D Doodle Designs both also donated digis that are for sale.  Direct donations are also being accepted.  Information central is HERE.  This is a permanent page that will stay active at i{heart}papers with current information and the full 3 day blog hop listing, as well as the donation button.

Please visit the blogs in the hop today to see what they have done with this inspirational stamp! Here’s mine… won’t you Swim for Katie, too?

If you would like to send her a card, her mailing address is:

Katie Renz

PO Box 5913

Bellingham, WA 98227-5913

**update** Craft Critique will be posting more creations (I submitted mine.) – supply lists and/or tutorials will be included!

Tags: craft critique, Friends and Family, gift, help, Swimming for Katie