12th Tea Cup Exchange

I have been participating in Stephanie's Teacup Exchanges for several years now, and it is truly a rich delight to enjoy both giving and receiving a tea package, and then to see what other ladies have given and received as well!  The greatest highlight of these exchanges is the sweet friendships that evolve because of the gifts that have been given and received! 

I received the most incredible package from Mary.  She does not have a blog, but tells me that she does like to visit blogs and even had visited my blog before, what a coincidence!  She sent me the most thoughtful and beautifully packaged box, oh my, it was pure delight to open it!

The box had the cutest little teacup stickers all over it, just a hint of the delights inside.

Each beautiful item so prettily wrapped and packaged in pinks and greens!  Oh the delights of wonderful
flavors of green tea (my favorite) and biscotti, a new flavor I had not had before too! 

This Chcolate Super Berry Burst tea smelled SO good... even without unwrapping the package, and it was wrapped so prettily with pink ribbon!

Mary sent the sweetest handwritten card, oh I just loved it!  I enjoyed reading her notes about herself, and getting to know her better...look at this card, isn't it the cutest with her name on it! 

Look at this darling tea strainer!  I do love to drink loose leaf tea, and dry my own raspberry leaves to make tea as well, so this is just a delight to have! It is amazing how each special thing Mary sent was just perfect for me :) 

And stamps!  Mary knows I love to stamp and make cards, and she sent me these two stamps with the sayings "Sending cheerful thoughts your way" and "Just to say Hello"... aren't they the cutest! 

It seemed like the package Mary sent kept giving and giving... this powerful book was photographed and written by a local Christian photographer in Mary's community, and its powerful images captivated my heart. 

Mary writes that this photographer likes to photograph using black and white photos, and truly amazing heartfelt pictures were included, but most of all, each photo was graced with a scripture... oh my, just a beautiful book that I will treasure always! 

Inside the sweetest floral box was this gorgeous teacup! I do not have a teacup like this one at all, it is stunning!  

I just love the beautiful rich colors of this teacup with the gold edging... in perfect condition... oh I couldn't wait to brew up a pot of green tea, and enjoy the biscotti... but wait,  there was more! 

Yes, sweet Mary included not one, but two little books to enjoy at tea time!  This Tea for Two book was
full of sweet anecdotes about teatime, and included stories about how tea became so fashionable, little tea quotes, thoughts and recipes too!  

Truly a joyous delight to savor with my tea!

Ahh... what delight!  A new teacup, a new tea flavor, and a raspberry chocolate biscotti...
as I sat down to savor and enjoy the new delights that had been delivered to me, I felt so thankful for this beautiful tea exchange, and the sweet surprise and joy that it delivers to each participant.  

I had so much fun putting together this package for Lynn!  She told me she liked to scrapbook and make cards, and that she loved all things pink and blue, so I went with a pink and turquoise blue theme and included some fun items from the Pioneer Woman, including a magazine, teapot-shaped salt and pepper shakers and her magazine.   

I spotted this teacup at a local store, and thought it would be perfect for Lynn... She tells me it was :) 

I packaged all of Lynn's gifts into this box, it was perfect for holding all of the little goodies that I sent to her. Lynn sent a handwritten thank you back to me (as she doesn't have a blog) about how thankful she was to receive the tea package, and she wrote me the nicest letter!  Beautiful handwriting, and it was just so nice to sit and read her letter, and learn more about her.  

Thank you again to both my sweet new friends Mary and Lynn for the delights of meeting and getting to know you better through this tea exchange.. I know that neither of you have a blog, but I hope to continue to communicate with you through "snail mail", really the loveliest form of mail there is!

This tea exchange is so much fun in every way, but I think the thing I cherish most about the exchange is the making of new friendships along the way! Each lady I've exchanged with through the years has become a dear friend to me, and it is amazing how this way of exchanging love through teacups and mugs really becomes a greater blessing. 

Thanks again to sweet Stephanie for organizing and putting together such an incredible exchange... I cannot imagine the hours that are spent organizing and sending out emails, and just the time of it all.  I sent sweet Stephanie a thank you gift, as I think it is always good etiquette to thank any hostess for her time and efforts in some way.  I appreciate the love and care that she puts forth, and want her to know and feel that appreciation. 

In the heat of the afternoon, as spring has fallen by the wayside, and summer has somehow slipped into the front row, I have been quite busy getting my garden back into working order after the long winter.  It seems I spend most of my waking hours outdoors enjoying the beautiful days.  Our wildflowers have not yet begun to bloom, yet the tulip blooms are fading ... and it seems that while spring has come and gone, quite quickly... the warmth of summer days are here. 

I promised a post soon about our visit to Canada with my parents, and the celebration of our son's graduation... and I hope to get that up within a few days.  Hugs and blessings to all :)