Baby Zebra Hat for a Rockin' Friend & Her Sweet Little One.

You know when you meet someone for the first time but feel like you've been friends for years? With joy, you're so excited when you cross paths with someone who gets you so well, and is so fun to be around. Someone in the last year has been that person for me. She's wonderful, and although we haven't been able to spend tons of time together, she always makes me feel at ease and really see the humor in everything. Light of heart with lots of wit, I felt compelled to make something for her that was equal to her uniqueness when I found out she was having a baby.  

I created this little infant zebra hat using a few variations of crochet stitches and alternating super soft acrylic blend black and white yarn.  Normally,  I'm a huge fan of using natural fibers especially when projects are created for infants. But I've made a few hats in the past for my boys with these yarns and they were not only the softest, but the boys didn't have any skin reactions, even though both had major skin sensitivities when they were little. The yarn has enough give to allow stretch over a smaller cotton cap too.

My creative process is very free and fluid. I just create as I go- no patterns, and I don't record what I do. It's a form of meditation for me, and as I create, I allow my mind to focus happy, peaceful thoughts on those who will be receiving the project.  And there is usually lots of moments of joy and humor, like the instant I realized I had finished creating the mane in a way that would go seamless into my design and convey that adorable "rebel" vibe I was wanting.

For those interested in finding a pattern that is similar to this, there is one by Etsy shop, Emie Grace Creations, owned by Miriah Gilbert of Washington. She has lots of entertaining animal hat patterns, with great pictures of her designs.

Tea Chai Te Wins Big at Oregon's First State Tea Competition!

It's always exciting to hear from our customers when we blend a new tea recipe that pleases them.  And we never tire of hearing how our teas have influenced their lives by bringing people together with such an enjoyable experience. So for us to be acknowledged in Oregon's first state tea competition with so many awards for our teas is really icing on the cake. 

It's been my personal opinion that blending teas is something my husband, Dominic excels at, so I felt it fitting to share on my blog how amazing his creative skills are. If you have a chance to try out some of these award winning teas in our tea shop, we'd love to hear what you think. 

All of these award winning teas are available on our website here.

Peach Blossom White Tea- Summertime Heaven

One of my favorite things about the early part of summer is the arrival of the vivid colored peaches in the grocery stores and farmers markets. 

Originating from China, the fragrant aroma and velvet skin of peaches hint at the juicy fruit inside; opening up our summer time recipes to peach cobbler, honey fruit salads and now, our special Peach Blossom White tea.  This Chinese white peony tea is full of vitamins and antioxidants resulting in numerous health benefits from improving the cardiovascular system to protecting skin from UV radiation exposure.  Blended with peaches and various blossoms, this healing tea has a strong floral aroma with a delicate fruity flavor to the light golden colored brew. 

Peach Blossom White tea's fantastic flavor makes it a great choice for iced teas or even to freeze into summertime frozen treats. 

I made mini iced treats for my little boys, using fresh watermelon. They were a quick, healthy and fresh way to enjoy this tea. 

Peach Blossom Watermelon Ice Flowers

-Make a small cup of Peach Blossom White tea hot. I made a 12oz cup of tea using 1 TBSP of tea leaves steeped for 3 minutes.

-Blend 2 parts fresh watermelon in large chunks to 1 part hot Peach Blossom White tea

-Strain mixture into ice/popsicle tray of your choice (or use a plastic cup)

-Freeze & Enjoy!

Peach Blossom White tea is now available on our website and in the tea shops. It is also one of the teas we use to create our amazing line of kombucha teas called Happy Mountain Kombucha.

Cheers to the beginning of a beautiful summer!

A Few of My New Favorite Jeweled Things (I've made)...

I have been in a creative cyclone for weeks. Just when I find I need a mental break from life, in pops an inspiring idea that propels me into action. My mind clears when I'm creating, and I find that with each project, just as I am bringing things together to create something new, I feel I am growing in my world perception and empathy as I think of each materials origins and impact on humanity. I feel the woman in Nepal who shaped the gemstone, the animal AND the humans who were the originators of the leather. I am connected to all and want to share my love for life in it. I love experiencing my creative moments and being present in them.  If I had the time (& desire), to post each time I created something, I'd probably be over limit on blog entries (if that's possible). Instead, I'll give you a brief glimpse into what my fingers have been creatively up to.

A few fun baubles designed to inspire vibrationally through gemstones and rare rocks like Black Tourmaline and Tektite...

Then I found inspiration in working with leather and created these leather teapot necklaces for our staff (the guys received tea cup key rings).

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And finally, a fun shirt I modified with vintage pearl beaded garland I received from my husband Dominic's Granny.  This shirt was originally really wide in the neck with no support, so adding a few new positioned strands of this beautiful gray garland created something fun and now functional to wear. I first used a fabric glue to set the garland, then hand stitched it to the shirt. No more safety pins to keep this shirt up!

Short Sands Chai Beach Campout Giveaway!

Smoky. Sweet. Two words that aren’t usually together in a chai blend. But like the magic felt when camping at the coast around such places as Cape Lookout here in Oregon, where secret beach hideaways like Short Sands Beach (aka Smugglers Cove) are a short walk away, something special to be peacefully in the moment is called for.

Our newest caffeinated chai blend, Short Sands Chai, is smooth, with a smoky flavor from our pine smoked Lapsang Souchong black tea and our organic Roasted Yerba Máte. Like the joy of smores at a campout on the beach, our Short Sands Chai rounds out with a sweet vanilla flavor from the addition of our Vanilla Bean Rooibos and other sweet spices.

Beach Campout Giveaway!

Photo courtesy http://www.oregonstateparks.org

Post your favorite beach memory here on our blog or our Facebook page to enter to win a 4 1/2oz tin of Short Sands Chai & a $30 gift card good at any of the 50 beautiful Oregon State Parks.   

Campout at the beach on us!  Contest ends April 25^th, 2011 at midnight and the winner will be announced & notified on April 30^th,2011.

Memory Keeper for My Little Monkeys

One of my favorite things to do with my sons is to flip through our photo albums, showing them great memories of our past, with family, friends and even old family pets. From our wedding photos in Maui, Hawaii to trips to the Oregon coast, capturing moments of joy are a passion of mine that create life long happy reflections I get to share again and again.

Noticing we still hadn’t created a photo album for each of our boys, I was happy to come across some adorable yellow felt letter stickers that went perfectly with some small green fabric covered photo albums at a few craft stores on our recent family trip to Southern Oregon. This project took only about 30 minutes and was very simple to put together. Simply line up the letters on the album and stick them on. I also found some adorable felt monkey stickers and since I often call my sons, “my little monkeys” they were perfect for this project.  To protect the letters, I am reusing the plastic cover that came with each photo album. There is also a pocket in the back of the album, perfect for a CD of other photos (great for adding later as my boys get older).

Now Dimitri and Sol both will have the opportunity to see pictures of their adventures growing up in a quick, personalized way.

A Light & Crispy Quinoa Cookie? Yes, Please!

My family LOVES peanut butter. Loves it so much, they have it on toast in the morning, on crackers or in PB & J at lunch and will still ask for more. So when I found a cookie recipe with peanut butter and Quinoa, I had to give it a try. Although this blog is about tea, peace and unique crafts I've made, I find my creativity extends deep into the foods I prepare too.  A big part of the peace and love we show our children comes from the foods we prepare for them, so I will occasionally share them with you as well. 

Below is a modified crispy cookie recipe using Quinoa flakes from Ancient Quinoa Harvest. These cookies are light, crispy and very addicting. Similar to a shortbread cookie, these little lovelies are quick and easy to make and can be made gluten free (if you choose).  To add some variety, chocolate or peanut butter chips, dried fruit or even nuts can be added.

Peanut Butter Quinoa Crispies

¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (can use ½ cup honey + 1/3 cup brown sugar to substitute)

1 stick Butter (1/2 cup)

½ cup Creamy Peanut Butter

½ tsp Vanilla extract

1 cup Flour (can use Rice flour for wheat-free option)

¾ cup Quinoa Flakes

1 tsp Baking Soda

¼ tsp Salt

½ cup nuts or chocolate & peanut butter chips (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sugar (or honey + brown sugar), butter, peanut butter and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy.  Combine flour, quinoa flakes, baking soda and salt in small bowl.  Add to mixture and beat until well blended. If desired, add nuts.  Roll cookie dough into small balls the size of a ping pong ball and flattened with a fork on onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool a few minutes before adding them to a wire rack to cool. Wait until they are completely cool before putting them into an airtight container.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Quinoa flakes are a great staple to add to your kitchen.  An important grain for people in the Andes Mountains of South America, the tiny Quinoa seeds have been used for thousands of years. From hot cereal, cookies, pancakes, muffins and breads this amazing and quick cooked grain is a wonderful source of balanced protein and contains calcium and iron while being low in sodium. Easy to digest and a mild taste make it a terrific food for children or those on restricted diets. Magnesium, copper and phosphorous found in Quinoa are also very beneficial for those struggling with Diabetes and migraine headaches.

It’s great how many nutritional grains besides wheat Nature provides us, and I hope the above cookie recipe will inspire you to see how Quinoa can benefit you and your loved ones.

The tiny hole in the top of the crust was my husband, Dominic's accidental crust test. Nice & crispy!

My Proud Mama Moment:

My son Dimitri, helped me make our first loaf of bread in our new bread machine from Breadman,  and he loved the bread so much this morning that he wanted 3 pieces with peanut butter! I can’t wait to make a loaf with the Quinoa flakes, dried currants and dried pear next!   

A Polite Hat for a Polite Mind.

Grief. Not something you may want to encounter, but just like love, it’s an emotion we all experience at some point. At 98 years old, my Great Grama was a pillar of joy and strength. She inspired me from an early age through her love for color, costume jewelry and even jewel-encrusted sandals. But what she passed down to me was a deep reverence for faith and humanity. Her firm, yet polite ways of reminding my sister and I to be nice when we were kicking each other under the table during lunch as children were (although probably a huge reason I tend to err on the side of being overly polite), such a clear message to me about how interconnected we all are. We all deserve respect. We all have something unique to offer.  So in my grief over my Great Grama’s exit from this physical world, I found myself honoring her through my craft, creating a soft wool hat that I know she would have politely said, “Well done, Angela. I love it.”

My Great Grama & Grampa Leuppie.

Sweet Energy from Blue People

When Dominic showed me this tea, I initially thought the beauty of the “moss colored stones” was enough to entice me to try this unique jade oolong. Then he told me the tea leaves are coated in Ginseng powder and Stevia, and my nose scrunched up and a few doubting comments came out of my mouth. I will admit I am not a fan of Stevia Leaf. Years ago, when we first started carrying Stevia Leaf in our shop, I had one too many unfortunately strong brewed sample cups as we tested it out to get the steeping time right. As much as I loved providing it as an alternative to sugar for our customers, I swore it off personally after that. But fate had other plans for my taste buds when these tiny little matte green pebbles arrived and I just can’t turn down a chance to try something new. 

Why Blue People? No ties to any of the different Blue People you may be thinking of, rather, this high mountain jade oolong tea from Taiwan is pressed tightly into little mounds, then coated in a blend of Ginseng and Stevia powders to give its blue pebble like appearance and memorable name. But the Ginseng and Stevia bring something far greater to this oolong than just a unique look. Upon first infusion (steeped 3 minutes with 180ºwater), this tea has a crisp, slightly cooling (almost minty fresh) flavor with a strong and sweet stevia leaf aftertaste. The first few sips yield an energizing and uplifting feeling while the last few leave a sweet and fulfilled taste in the back of your throat. Not one to waste the opportunity to re-steep tea leaves, I found the second infusion really brought out the best in this lovely jade oolong as the tea leaves completely unfolded, and the sweet aftertaste became more subdued. The third infusion is far more mellow, but still has a nice aroma to it.

Blue People tea is energizing, sweet and uplifting- a terrific way to start off any morning or to drink as an early afternoon pick-me-up.

Now available in our tea shops and online.

Rosy Ring Around My Neck

Not to be confused with the nursery rhyme, "Ring a Ring o' Roses" or "Ring Around the Rosie" by Kate Greenaway from the 1790's, this necklace was created to beautify my wardrobe and not ward off black plague as some historians may attest.

In need of something pretty for a fantastic dinner engagement with some new friends, I pulled a heap of yarn scraps together and was inspired by the warm rainbow of bark, burgundy, red, orange and coral colors. At first attempt, this necklace started out shorter, but as I worked on it, I came to see the folly of having a scalloped petal collar around my neck. 

A clown, was not the impression I wanted to portray (although, my goofiness still shined through out the night as I challenged a new pal to a "Running Man Off". Yes, there is video evidence, and no, you may not see it.). So, I lengthened it by adding a burgundy single stitch chain that weaved through the top of each petal. The fringe, was a fun afterthought, as I liked the idea of incorporating more of the rose bud colors into it.

The yarns I used were Michael's Loops & Threads Charisma 100% acrylic yarn in Mountain Majesty and a super soft acrylic/wool blend from Bernat Roving Collection in the color bark.  
 

Who Says a Kid Can't Safely Rock a Scarf?

Inspired by repeated requests from my son, Dimitri, to dress like his Daddy, I dedicated a few hours this  week to crochet a safe scarf he could wear that matched his new favorite beanie. A major fan of Yo Gabba Gabba, I had special ordered Dimitri a Muno beanie (& Solbug a Brobee beanie) from an awesome Etsy shop in Indiana back in the fall. With winter in full stream right now, it became apparent how uncomfortable a traditional scarf was for our little boys as they found it more fun to drag on the ground in puddles rather than try to wrap it around their little necks.

Using some acrylic black yarn with vibrant all cotton red yarn, I created this simple cowl neck scarf using single crochet stitches and a larger crochet hook.  The scarf took less than an hour, and Dimitri was happily parading around the house wearing it over his pajamas. His excited smile & repeated "thank you Mama" comments through out the rest of the day has been a reminder to me of the simple joys and comforts we all need and deserve to enjoy the winter time. Now, when Dimitri goes to play outside, he's happy to be warmer, I'm happy to see him unhindered in his outdoor adventures and also grateful that it's one less thing poor Dominic has to wash. ;)

Sen Cha Fukamushi: When Only a Deep Steam Will Do.

Amazing illustrations like the one of the mystical Asian mountain escape above can be found at AppWill, a great iPod wallpaper application.

 A new sencha I have been enjoying for a nice flavor and caffeine burst is our Sen Cha Fukamushi. This deep-steamed style of sencha was developed 35 years ago and is rarely seen outside of Japan.  The deep steaming of the tea leaves creates a vivid emerald green infusion that is strong and full bodied, without bitterness.  The terroir (or combination of soil, climate and environmental factors) of the Shizuoka tea region of Japan gives this sencha a sweet, rich marine taste.  Like walking in a rainy forest in Southern Japan, this tea is quickly become a new favorite for me. 

This tea can be found now both on our website & in our tea shops. 

Cold Nose but Cozy Toes!

The weather is cold, crisp & clear here in the Northwest and I have been in need of replacing my worn out slippers. As I warmed up with my favorite morning brew, Velvet Oolong, a Taiwanese milk oolong we sell at our shop, I thought about the lovely shade of soft grass green suede with lavender leather bow ties. They were a Christmas present that treated my feet well for almost 3 years, but the time had come to branch out into trying to make my own.

Using Michael's Loops & Threads Charisma 100% acrylic yarn in Electric Blue and Lion Brand Homespun acrylic blend yarn in Lagoon, I decided to crochet myself some slippers. They have three ankle straps with wood burned Iris flowers and a reinforced double yarn sole layer.  I didn't follow a pattern, but choose instead to let my imagination guide my stitches. Using mostly single crochet stitches with a variation of longer stitches for the toe sunburst designs, I came up with a style that was both unique and yet simple enough to finish in an afternoon.

My creative & inspired 3 year old son, Dimitri, took these photographs for me.

These slippers definitely suit every need I have for warmth, comfort & breathe-ability while having some rich colored Angelbaby flare to them. Now my little boys each want some new slippers... looks like a few new inspiring projects just got added into the mix!

I Know You Are, But What Am I?

Who am I?

I am Angela.

A loving, cheerful, goofy, strong & creative woman.

The other half of my soulmate, Dominic.

A guiding & playful mother to two joyful little boys (who are also pretty goofy).

A hardworking & dedicated tea business owner with my love, Dominic.

A mad scientist crafter, taking old things and giving it new life as something useful & beautiful.

An inspired poet and writer.

A singer, songwriter & musician in an awesome band that performs weekly in our living room.

A small bit of the light we all are.

To share a little of who I am, I challenged myself to a week long self portrait challenge. Learning to draw more fluidly on my laptop trackpad, I used the ipod application, SketchBook Mobile by Autodesk. The user friendly interface made it easy to select the correct tools and colors for a quick sketch session. This drawing challenge was a great way for me to daydream a little about who I am inside and what I want to be in life. I’m a superhero, an angel, a goddess and even a Ninja Turtle. It’s moments like these that can break up the mundane or stressful times, giving us a chance to go inward and reinvent who we are and what we have to offer to others. Just because we grow up, doesn’t mean we can’t still see ourselves through the eyes of our inner child. And what fun that can be!

 

So, who are you?

Well, only you know truly who you are, but I’m grateful to be on this planet with you. Regardless of statistics or odds, you are here right now, sharing the same airspace with 7 billion others, and you can be whatever you want to be. Life can be whatever you want it to be. And I hope you’ll share your journey with me.