The Rexphiles

Rex moritur. Vivat rex.

2011-07-27T13:21:00.000-07:00

I don't use this blog much anymore since I am having so much fun with Steampunk Addie.

However, today I needed to post here.

Sixteen months ago a woman found a Cornish Rex male in the Tucson desert. He was cold and shivering as well as wet from a storm.

He also had a deformed tail which curled like a snail.

She brought him back to Phoenix and contacted me. I can't remember if she took Curley (as she called him) to the vet first or if I did, but he had several stubborn infections.

Several rounds of antibiotics later (as well as neutering!) he went to Fountain Hills to live with a dear friend and another one of my former foster Cornies, Habanero.

Now named Mezcal, he lived in the lap of luxury. She took him to the vet and fed him deli chicken. She sent me regular photos. For 16 months he lived the good life.

And today he was found dead.

I was not expecting that when she called me. When I heard the tears in her voice I expected her to say Habanero had died.

Not our little Mezcal.

Rest in Peace, Mezcal, for you were loved.

And still are.

My Review

2010-12-14T09:23:00.001-07:00

Originally submitted at Teavana

Tea-rrible

By rexphiles from Scottsdale, AZ on 12/14/2010

Tea Body: Light

Tea Flavor: Fruity

Cons: Bitter, Too Strong, Weak

Best Uses: Never

Describe Yourself: Tea Enthusiast

What a way to ruin what was probably a perfectly good Ti Kuan Yin Oolong. I don't know if it's a good Ti Kuan Yin or not since the fruit overpowered any tea flavor. It only lasted one or two brewings, not the multiple I expect from a good oolong. I'd call this a tisane not an oolong.

(legalese)

It's beginning to look a lot like Advent

2010-11-23T21:14:00.002-07:00

What's a girl to do when she's nuts about the holidays but works for a bishop who is adamant about the separation of Advent and Christmas?

I love the holidays. Starting with Halloween and ending with Epiphany on Jan. 6 (I celebrate Christmas for as long as possible!) I get all sentimental and happy. I decorate for each holiday and wear annoying holiday-themed clothes and jewelry.

I was contemplating the first Sunday of Advent, which is a season of waiting and preparation, in church Sunday and I thought about Advent wreaths. My eye fell upon my Mah Jongg bracelet and I had an early Epiphany. An Advent bracelet!

I went home had chose three purple tiles and one pink tile. (The pink tile is for the third Sunday in Advent which traditionally is rose or pink in honor of Mary or Gaudete Sunday.) I paired them with large 12mm crystal rounds. I'm quite pleased with it and version of this will be available in my Etsy shop.

I drilled a necklace last night for a customer who bought an Ivory-colored Mah Jongg tile on 18inch silver cable choker but asked if I had any Flower tiles instead. I found, and she approved, a Flower tile on a green flower-backed tile. I paired it with a green cable since it added to both sides beautifully.

Finally, I made a cute red and green checked bracelet similar to what Mom did in August but forgot to photograph it. Oops. Three green-checked tiles alternate with three red-checked tiles. This can be worn year round but I admit I had Christmas in mind as I made it.

Spring forward, fall back

2010-11-11T21:35:00.005-07:00

Phew! Now that I've had a chance to catch my breath, I realized it's been two months since I last posted! Not that I've been lounging around. I've been to the emergency room (twice in one day!), helped host the Episcopal House of Bishops (including a trip to Mexico), staffed our annual Diocesan Convention, had a flu-like illness, AND gave myself a concussion!

In between all that I have managed to sneak in a few craft projects....

First of all, I created this Betsy Ray bracelet while thinking about my favorite kidlit author, Maud Hart Lovelace. While I don't know if she ever play mah jongg, the tiny green print on this set makes me think of her and the old-fashioned wallpaper that might have adorned the rooms of her or her friends. And it's green which was her favorite color! So I chose her birthdate, 4/25/92 and added a green dragon since 1892 was the year of the dragon. The beads I chose are 10mm jade since Maud mentions jade so often in her Betsy-Tacy books. It's available in my Etsy shop.

I made this Golden Anniversary bracelet in honor of my parents' upcoming 50th anniversary. We love the colorful gold confetti mah jongg tiles and Mom paired it with the 10mm blue fiber optic rounds since it picks up one of the many colors in the tiles. Personalized versions of this are available in my Etsy shop.

I got two lots of blank mah jong tiles which I thought would be fun for jewelry - and they are! The first is a blue-striped Mah Jongg bracelet with 10mm powder blue fiber optic rounds, although white would work well, too. It's available in my Etsy shop.

I also got these lavender mah jongg tiles and paired them with cracked blue and lavender resin beads of slightly differing sizes. It's fun and makes me smile. It's available in my Etsy shop.

Finally, two necklaces. The first is a set I've admired for awhile so I was delighted when one appeared in a mixed lot I bought. It features two traditionally dressed Chinese children in a colorful print. I plan to keep this one, but if I get enough requests I can buy a set and make more. It's on a 20 inch steel cable necklace with a magnetic clasp.

I also made an elegant necklace from a single gold and black glitter tile on a 20 inch black steel cable necklace with a magnetic clasp. There's another that's black with a faint glittering in it like stars but I'll have to shoot that another day.

I need to make up some new bracelets on 9 inch steel cables which will match the necklaces. Look for those soon! (Seven inch cables are also available but I personally think they'll be too small for anyone to wear after stringing a tile on it.)

I also intend to make more Christmas items, such as my Gingerbread bracelets.

My friend Jennifer taught me to crochet this fall, thanks Jen! Once I get the hang of it I can't wait to try some felting.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Do you lilac these?

2010-09-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

Just a couple more to show you tonight. First I drilled white Mah Jongg tiles and strung them with 10mm rainbow-and-white-striped roller beads and 10mm white fiber optics rounds. Adding the rounds helps the roller beads lay better so I'll attempt to do the same with yesterday's black bracelet as soon as I get more black beads.

I then drilled these lilac and white Mah Jongg tiles and after much looking decided I liked them best with the 10mm white fiber optic rounds.

I need to get into some fall type bracelets but they'll have to wait a bit since I've got a major work commitment Sept. 13-21. The bishops are coming! That's right, The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona is hosting The Episcopal Church's House of Bishops. More than 200 bishops and their spouses and partners will be here.

It's a good thing I love the color purple, right?

I'm bead, flat, worn out, tired....

2010-09-08T20:51:00.007-07:00

I haven't been able to do any drilling since last Thursday due to two emergency room adventures, but I'm slowly getting back up to speed and thought I'd share two of the items I've worked on.

First of all is a custom Trinity Cathedral bracelet I did last Thursday as a prospectus for the Dean after he showed interest in the Diocesan one I did a few weeks ago. I had white Mah Jongg tiles engraved with the Cathedral's crest and strung it with amethyst beads. (Purple is the cathedral's color since it's the Bishop's see, or seat, and the Bishop's ring is traditionally made of amethyst. It's also why bishops wear purple shirts and vestments.)

He liked it and showed it to the Cathedral Shoppe manager. After some discussion we're going to try stocking a few things such as bracelets, necklaces, key chains, and a bolo tie and see how they do.

Tonight was the first time I felt up for using my drill press so I drilled some black Mah Jongg tiles with primary engraving and strung them with 10mm rainbow roller beads. I'm delighted with the colors but the roller beads don't lay as smoothly as I'd like, so I'll be experimenting with them. I plan something similar with white tiles and rainbow roller beads with white spacing between the stripes. Both black and white versions will be available in my Etsy shop with personalization available.

I also tried to drill some chopsticks for my lovely noodle hat but both broke so I'll have to experiment with that when I have both the time and energy.

Don't worry, bead happy

2010-08-29T22:12:00.007-07:00

I had yet another productive weekend, although I didn't get much drilling done.

Friday afternoon I stopped by a small local salon and boutique in Scottsdale called S.tylers of 5th Ave. A friend told them about my jewelry and the owner asked me to stop by. They loved what I have and put 11 bracelets and four necklaces on consignment!

So I got busy, after making Mom a Patriotic bracelet. She didn't realize the one I had made was a sale item and had been looking for it so I made her one of her own. Using 7-4-1-7-7-6 (Character?) tiles I made it with red stripes and royal blue beads.

That done, I had to get busy making new items so I started stringing some floral Mah Jongg beads I had. This has been a favorite bracelet of mine for years so I was delighted to find more online. I thought they were drilled tiles but after getting them I think they are just really good beads. Who knows.

First I made another bracelet like mine (six tiles) with 10mm white fiber optic beads. This is on Etsy.

I also made some with 10mm magenta, blue and green glass pearls, which pick up the three colors in the floral tiles. All are in my Etsy shop.

These are really festive but only the green and white beaded bracelets are truly reversible since the magenta and blue don't match the faces.

Saturday was busy with various events so I didn't string or drill anything! However, I was able to give my future sister-in-law her personalized bracelet for her birthday celebration and she seemed very pleased.

Tonight I made more floral bracelets and drilled my four final black Rexphiles logo tiles and strung them with two 20mm twisty black cinnabar beads between each. It's stunning but you'll have to wait to see it since I forgot that to shoot that one.

Monday I need to get busy with gift boxes and tags. And restring a butterfly bracelet for the shop owner's granddaughter.

Oh! And here's the ice-blue bracelet I did last week for Mom with the 11mm sea-green cinnabar beads.

Proud as a peacock

2010-08-26T21:02:00.007-07:00

I only made three bracelets tonight but my mind worked on dozens, thanks to a new shipment of cinnabar beads. Oh, the possibilities!

First of all, I restrung a blue denim/granite bracelet I made last week from 15mm red cinnabar rounds to new 15mm dark peacock blue cinnabar rounds. While I liked it with the red I am really tickled with the new blue beads - especially since the one Bamboo is a peacock. I'd make more but I'm out of the blue tiles for now.

I then drilled six of the pink breast cancer awareness tiles I did yesterday and made a similar bracelet for myself. I do love this odd combination.

Sadly, I can't show you my last effort since I couldn't pry it off Mom's wrist! Drilling the same ice-blue tiles from yesterday, I strung them with these lovely new blue-green cinnabar beads. (The beads in the photo are 15mm but we got those colors.) The beads are supposed to be 10mm but are more of an 11mm so we'll have to play around with the number of beads for size.

When I get it off Mom. It's too bad she "doesn't like" these ice-blue tiles!

Click on any photo to see it larger.

She wore a raspberry pie-ret

2010-08-26T16:07:00.014-07:00

My friend Jennifer is the best!

In the past month she has not only crocheted my family six (6!) pie-rets:

lemon meringue (niece)
chocolate cream (niece)
key lime (Mom)
pumpkin (Mom and I'll share this!)
wild berry lattice (Moi)
raspberry lattice (daughter)

but the hat of my dreams - Ping's noodle hat from Kung Fu Panda!

Ooh, I can't wait for cooler weather!

This almost makes me want to learn to crochet.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Mum's the word

2010-08-25T22:19:00.021-07:00

I had yet another productive night drilling and stringing six (6!) bracelets but, first, I wanted to show off two of Mom's creations.

I love this green gingham set she did. (I drilled the tiles for her but she strung 'em with 8mm white fiber optic rounds.) She has a green gingham jumper and this makes an adorable accessory for it.

Mom didn't care for these ice-blue tiles ... until I held them against the blue and green 8x10mm tube beads. Now she likes it so much she asked me to drill a matching necklace to go with it! She likes the white Dragon tile with the "P" since that's the first letter of her name. Why a "P"? According to Sloperama:

Po means "white" or "blank." Some tiles come marked with a letter "B" or "P." Why "B" or "P"? In Mandarin Chinese, most people these days call the white dragon tile "bai" or "bai-ban" (sounds like "buy" or "buy bonds," er, I mean, "buy bon"), meaning "white" or "white board." In Cantonese, the white dragon is usually called "bok" or "bok bon" (as in "bok choy" which means "white vegetable"). In Cantonese Jyut Ping, "bok bon" is written as "Baak6 Baan2." In some parts of China, what we Westerners think of as "B" can be pronounced "B" or "P" depending on the word and the local dialect. Originally, white dragon tiles were all blank.

As for what I did, my first effort tonight was with pink tiles from an incomplete breast cancer awareness set. I made this to sell on Etsy but I'm so pleased with it I think I'll make another, larger version for me. (If you see five tiles in a bracelet it's pretty much guaranteed to be for sale!) It's strung with 10mm frosted red plum glass beads.

If you like to wear more than one at a time, as I do, then the pink bracelet looks great with this similar mint green bracelet with 10mm frosted green glass beads. As with all these bracelets, it's reversible so you can wear it either direction.

I was shocked by how much I liked this pairing. I'm more of a silver girl, but had five gold mardi gras tiles. I drilled them then stared at my beads trying to decide what went with them. Strands of metallic blue in the gold tiles caught my eye, so I grabbed these 10mm blue fiber optic rounds. Wow! As I said, I'm more of a silver girl, but if I had more of these gold tiles I'd make one for me, too. This is for sale on Etsy.

I then went on to patriotic and Christmas themes. The first set is a red-stripe tile with 10mm frosted green glass beads. It features 1-2-2-5 Bamboo tiles plus a Winter tile. All very Christmasy, no?

The patriotic bracelet is made with either lighter red or a very deep pink stripe tiles. Neither Mom nor I could decide but we loved it paired with the 10mm royal blue fiber optic rounds.

I ended the evening with lovely turquoise-stripe tiles paired with 10mm white fiber optic rounds. It's made with NEWS Wind tiles and the blue and white Dragons.

Not bad for a night's work.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

The beads of ummer*

2010-08-24T21:28:00.012-07:00

*with apologies to Don Henley**

Tonight's beading was fun!

As I was sorting through my projects for tonight, I discovered an oops. The summer Season tile was missing its "S" so it was an "um" tile. It made me laugh so I had to drill it as one of my projects. (I've seen some with a letter not filled-in before but not missing the letter altogether!) Here's the coral-backed Mah Jongg tile bracelet made with the four Season tiles, a three Character and a Joker, since I thought the "um" tile was a joke. I strung it with 10mm frosted green glass beads with facets.

I then did a burgundy-backed bracelet with 10 or 12mm beads. I forget what they are but possibly Rhodonite? I like it but I'm not thrilled so I'll probably list it for sale.

I also made a bracelet for my daughter's teacher (the principal's sister!) at her request with the custom tiles I had made with the school's Good Fortune logo.

I also drilled necklaces with my custom black and white (with red engraving) chops and a school tile, too. All for me!

Ooh, and I sold my first bracelet on Etsy tonight!

Click on any photo to see it larger.

**Hmm, yesterday the Eagles', Take it Easy (Eagles), and tonight Don Henley's, Boys of Summer (Building the Perfect Bead?). Guess I need to go listen to them!

Take it easy, take it beady

2010-08-23T21:44:00.004-07:00

I decided to take it easy tonight and only strung a few bracelets I had ready and waiting.

First of all I replaced the 8mm dark pink fiber optic rounds on a black Mah Jongg bracelet I've owned for years. What did I replace it with? The same, only larger: 10mm dark pink fiber optic rounds. I liked the color but not the size. I need my bracelets loose or my skin gets irritated and I get eczema - yuck! That's why most of my bracelets have six tiles and about 20mm of beads between each tile.

After that I restrung my blue glitter tiles with midnight blue 10mm fiber optic rounds, since I stole those beads to make my daughter's custom school bracelet. I still love how the midnight blue beads compliment the pale blue glitter tiles.

I then strung green granite NEWS tiles (plus a red and green Dragon) with luminous frosted red glass beads. I'm tempted to keep this one but I can't keep them all!

Speaking of keeping them all, after looking at my rapidly growing collection I decided I needed to sell some. My Etsy store is filling up nicely. Now if only someone would buy or order something.

Oh well, local sales are going well.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Just for the drill of it

2010-08-22T22:25:00.014-07:00

I had a such a lovely weekend being creative!

Friday night I made a personalized bracelet representing my daughter's birth. It's on pink-backed tiles since she's a girl. The numbers represent the date of her birth. (I used Jokers as "0" since there are no zeros in Mah Jongg.) May's birthstone is Emerald so I chose tiles with green in them and strung it with green 10mm fiber optic rounds. I love how it turned out and even my mom, who loathes pink, liked it!

More of my custom tiles arrived on Saturday and oh! I had fun creating jewelry!

First I made a bracelet featuring the logo for The Episcopal Diocese of Arizona where I work. I told the engraver to use her best judgment on what would look best after I told her the color palette we use. Wow, did she deliver! The ivory-colored tile nearly matches our stationary and the logo is engraved with a slightly pearlescent aqua. I strung my bracelet with alternating bands of dark brown and aqua 10mm fiber optic beads.

I then made a bracelet with milky white mah jongg tiles I had engraved with a midnight blue Chinese "Good Fortune" symbol. The symbol is the logo for my daughter's school and I thought they might be able to use it for appreciation awards and school fund-raisers. (Navy and light blue with white are the school colors.) I strung the bracelet with matching midnight blue 10mm fiber optic rounds to wear and show the principal.

I proceeded on to a black bracelet featuring my Rexphiles and Rextiles logos! Engraved in red and green on identical black tiles, I alternated them with black 10mm fiber optic rounds since I wanted the red and green to pop. I think it's simply stunning and totally me. (People have been teasing me about all the purple in my wardrobe. I foresee a lot of black in my future!)

I saved the best for last - and the hardest! My chop, or Chinese seal, was engraved in red on both black (above) and white tiles. I strung the white tiles with red 10mm South Sea China pearls. The reconstituted (!) pearls had the gorgeous color I wanted but the hole was small so I had to carefully ream each and every bead. Some broke and it took me more time to create that bracelet then all the other projects that night!

Tonight I wanted to continue with an idea I had Saturday night. A couple of weeks ago I had picked up an inexpensive 18 inch green cable choker with barrel clasp. It fits me and is surprisingly comfortable, although I do want to get some in a 20 inch length.

The green didn't work with the piece I was thinking of but on Saturday inspiration struck and I drilled a single hole through one of my Rexphiles tiles and threaded the green cable through it. It's not normally something that would appeal to me but I love it with the funky Mah Jongg tile.

So today I bought more cables and tonight I made more. Lots more. I made one for my daughter's principal on a blue cable. I made one for work on a dark brown cable. I made some for fun, and I made a bunch for my Etsy shop.

I also got out my heat gun and embossed some gift tags and boxes.

Can you tell I'm having fun?

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Happy bead day to me!

2010-08-19T22:11:00.009-07:00

I went a bit crazy again tonight drilling beads. I finally got caught up on Mom's requests, then did some for myself and for my new Etsy shop.

For me, I drilled some lovely pale blue glitter Mah Jongg tiles and matched them with 10mm midnight blue fiber optic rounds. I love how the contrast in blues works together.

I then made up my own birthday bracelet featuring the date of my birth in numerical tiles: 7-1-1-6-4. Since I'm a July baby I used onyx beads to space the tiles. The year? I thought about using a dragon tile since '64 was the Year of the Dragon, but decided to use a summer Season tile instead since I already have so many dragon tiles in my bracelets.

These are a lot of fun to do since you can commemorate any date (as long as I have the appropriate numbers!) and can use either semi-precious birthstones or beads of appropriate color. I want to do one for my daughter but didn't have the right emerald glitter tiles for her birthdate, so I'm still thinking that one over.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Beauty and the bead

2010-08-18T21:40:00.001-07:00

Well, the wedding dress is done. Phew. The bride can now wear her dress with a smile on Sunday while standing on a Hawaiian beach at sunset.

Putting in the new zipper left me with little time for drilling or beading tonight, but I have high hopes for Thursday. After all, I have a brand-new Etsy store to fill!

When it rains, it pours

2010-08-17T10:57:00.008-07:00

I am sooo tired.

My friend-the-bride decided today that she wanted the zipper replaced in her wedding dress. So after leaving work I got my daughter and took her home. While waiting for my friend to call I showed my daughter how I drilled holes in the mah jongg tiles.

This time I used the green & white speckle-backed tiles with copper beads. Living in Arizona one gets to see a lot of copper. I love mixing old and new and the green of the tiles reminded me of the patina of old copper, so I wanted the shiny new copper beads to go with it. I'm very pleased with the result. I might try it again with some Bali copper beads I saw at the same bead store.

After going to the bride's house and measuring the old zipper I slowly made my way to the fabric store to get a new zipper. Sadly, all the local fabric stores have closed so I have to travel much farther than I used to.

Why was I slow? Of course, that's when Scottsdale got hit with a microburst. The palo verde in our front yard snapped at the base as I was leaving home and I saw downed branches and light poles all over the place. So I took my time getting to and from the store. I removed the old zipper after I got back and told her I'd be back tomorrow to put the new one in.

I was tired when I got home but the rhythm of the steady rain was soothing so I went outside to drill one more bracelet. Similar to what I did Monday night, it has six 1-9 Character tiles and the large twisty modern red cinnabar beads.

Jennifer commented today that she liked the meaning I had in one of the bracelets. I actually try to do that in most of my bracelets. For myself, I prefer the Wind tiles in the N-E-W-S order since I'm a journalist and I try to match them with the dragon tiles since I was born in the year of the dragon. I also like to spell out important dates if possible with the numbered tiles.

Of course, some are just a pretty blend of different tiles.

Well, I head back tomorrow to hopefully finish the wedding dress zipper. Please wish me luck!

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Just bead it, bead it

2010-08-16T22:33:00.016-07:00

I have had so much fun making bracelets and being creative since I got my drill press on Friday!

I love to make things and, while I also love to sew, making several bracelets in one night is much more satisfying than taking several days (or weeks) on a dress.

Last night was especially fun since I finally got to drill and make some bracelets that have been haunting me for more than two years.

Using what is called a blue denim Mah Jongg tile, I strung it with red (modern!) cinnabar tubes. This one is for sale on Etsy.

Pleased with the results, I made one for me that's a little larger and heavier. It's also made with blue denim tiles but with modern red cinnabar rounds.

When I started sorting through the black & white speckle-backed tiles (similar to the blue denim), I was delighted to find a Mazel Tov joker. I immediately thought of my soon-to-be sister-in-law. She's Jewish and loves to go canyoneering year-round. So I made her a bracelet with the Mazel Tov tile and four Season tiles on the black & white speckle-backed tiles (which I think looks like granite) matched with some twisty red cinnabar - just like her beloved Utah slot canyons.

Mom and I were so pleased with the results that we bagged up several more sets in black & white and green & white speckle-backed tiles for me to work on Tuesday night.

Finally I got some .7 Stretch Magic and got my Christmas bracelet finished. I am delighted with it and can't wait until the first Sunday in Advent, Nov. 28, so I can wear it!

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Drillin', drillin', drillin', Rextiles!

2010-08-15T22:06:00.009-07:00

Phew, what a weekend!

I got my new drill press, got it set up and, after a lot of adjustment, drilled my first holes in more than two years. Yee haw!

I drilled purple glitter and purple mardi gras tiles for me (both sides are shown), green stripes and green checks for Mom. (Can you guess what our favorite colors are?)

I also strung these tiles with a purple glass pearl. I really like how the pearly surface set off the sparkly tile. I'm looking for matte beads too since I have more glitter and mardi gras tiles. I might restring the pictured braclet too if I can find some purple matte beads for it.

Saturday I drilled three green striped and three red striped tiles for a Christmas bracelet I'm working on for me with gingerbread boy polymer beads from Kennick Kreations. The red and green striped tiles made me think of Christmas candy. I'm having to adjust the beads a bit since my gingerbread boys are about 12mm in diameter so I needed 4mm fiber optics rounds to make the size I need for my wrist. (I've found the perfect mah jongg bracelet for me is six tiles and 20mm of spacers between each tile, such as two 10mm beads, or a 12 mm bead with two 4mm beads on each side.) After getting the right beads I realized my Stretch Magic™ Elastic 1mm cord was too big so I'll need to find something smaller on the way home. I don't like .5mm so I hope to find some .7mm or .8mm. We shall see. I'll post photos soon.

I spent most of Sunday finishing a friend's wedding dress alterations. She leaves for Hawaii on Friday and is getting married next Sunday on the beach. She got a gorgeous dress (right) but sadly the shop where she got the dress had no records of her pre-paying for alterations and wouldn't do it. Of course I said I'd help her and shortened the skirt so it's ankle length in back, raised the hemline in the front to mid-shin, and shortened the straps, too.

We had a scary moment when she was trying it on for the last time. When we went to take it off her the zipper stuck! After much effort (and tears) we got it off her. I offered to put a new zipper in but she refused. I told her to think about it overnight....

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Drill, baby, drill!!!

2010-08-13T07:46:00.019-07:00

No, not that kind of drilling!

I am getting my new drill press today after work! I had one, for drilling mah jongg tiles for jewelry, but someone decided they needed it more. Grr.

Last weekend I received my custom tiles and was dying to make jewelry but had no way of drilling them. So I went to my local Ace Hardware store where a very helpful sales associate was outraged by my tale of woe, showed me what they had with an enthusiastic review (He loved his so much that his wife had to tell him to stop drilling her spoons!) and drilled my tiles for me for a nominal price. Talk about a good sales person and good customer service. I was sorry to hear they don't get a commission since I promised I'd be back today to get my own.

Now where should I start? I've got more than 500 to choose from.

Rainbow Delight
purple glitter
red glitter
pink glitter
gold glitter
silver glitter
mint glitter
emerald glitter
blue glitter
gold mardi gras
silver mardi gras
purple mardi gras
green stripes
red stripes
ivory
white
blue
burgundy
green checkered
coral
black & white speckled
blue denim
and more that I can't think of!

You know where you'll be able to find me this weekend. Drilling ... or finishing the alterations on a friend's wedding dress.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Weigh to go again

2010-08-11T13:44:00.008-07:00

I wrote about Teavana's Weight To Go! Pu-erh Tea in February but we tried it iced this week and wow, it might be even better cold than hot.

Smile inwardly while convincing your taste buds they are enjoying a forbidden treat. Fresh mint, ripe strawberries and crisp apples provide a burst of refreshment in this rare diet blend of Oolong and Pu-erh teas. The combination of two diet teas, Oolong and Pu-erh, provides a potent jump start to your weight loss plans.

Mom and I both prefer our plain teas hot (or cold) and the more flavored, fruity teas cold so we were surprised when we liked Weight to Go! hot. (Since we have come to that realization we have marked our fruity teas with a "C" for cold.) I got to thinking about the mint in Weight to Go! and thought that might be refreshing in Phoenix's heat so I pulled it out and gave it a go. Maybe it was the mint but the fruitiness wasn't overwhelming. It's a winner - cold or hot.

All strung out

2010-08-10T22:01:00.010-07:00

I kept my beading streak going tonight. First of all, here's the frog bracelet I made for Mom on Monday and she hasn't taken it off since. I'll make matching earrings soon.

Tonight I restrung the bracelet I made Monday with the Singapore Mah Jongg tiles. I thought the "woven" beads detracted from the tiles so I substituted cobalt fiber optic rounds. What do you think?

I then got to looking at some leftover (two purple, one royal blue, one light blue, and one clear lucite with blue flowers) Mah Jongg tiles I had and wondered how I could tie them all together. I came up with this using some blue and purple cracked glass beads I got last month in Prescott. (I photographed it from two sides so you could get an idea of what it looks like.) The beads came in two sizes and I first did it with the larger beads but the bracelet slid of my hand so I had to use the smaller beads. It's busy and crazy but I like it.

I've also inquired about three more personalized tile designs. I'll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, I found a drill press to replace the one that was stolen so I can start drilling my own tiles again on Friday. Woo hoo!

Click on any photo to see it larger.

The Rextiles*

2010-08-09T21:47:00.014-07:00

*Thanks Jennifer for the pun!

I was a beading fool Sunday and Monday. My favorite was a bracelet I made from custom Mah Jongg tiles engraved with my Rexphiles logo. One cracked when it was drilled but the remaining seven were matched with 8mm green fiber optic rounds.

Once I got started though I couldn't stop. I made the bracelet on the left from Singapore Mah Jongg Tiles. (Mom loves frogs and I love cats so it was a fun set to split.) Mom got six of the Singapore pieces spaced with 8mm green fiber optic rounds, while I did mine with the remaining four and cobalt and white "woven" beads from China. I might restring it with royal blue fiber optic rounds. We shall see.

Then I made a large, heavy piece with large polymer "melons" that I thought looked like Easter eggs and matched them with cracked, iridescent 16mm acrylic beads from Joann's. I saved four eggs that were mostly black-and-white although two have a pale pink center and made that into a bracelet. This will make a great piece to wear at Easter, and the matching bracelet can be year round.

I then went on to make a candy corn bracelet (from Joann's) for Halloween.

Since I was feeling seasonal, I went ahead and strung some adorable gingerbread men and houses I got from Kennick Kreations. Lots of fun and very lightweight! I made one for Mom with Kennick Kreation's Frog with Spring Stripes, but forgot to photograph that one. It has two 6mm green fiber optic rounds between each frog bead.

So here's my personal collection so far. What do you think?

Click on any photo to see it larger.

A beady eye

2010-08-05T09:12:00.013-07:00

In case you haven't noticed, I love Asian culture. It started as a love affair with all things Japanese as a child and it morphed into a love for Chinese thanks to my Taiwanese roommate in college. (Her mom, who owned a tea shop in Taipei, first introduced me to oolong in a serious way.)

I also learned to play Mah Jongg with Amy and the other students of the Chinese Students Association at Northern Arizona University. I haven't played it since, although I am looking for partners. So I was tickled when I spotted Mah Jongg bracelets online several years ago.

Being a crafty sort, I decided to try my hand at it and a beading addiction was born. I've purchased bracelets and taken them apart and restrung them. I've gotten beads and made my own. I even got a drill press and started drilling my own tiles - never from a complete set but from broken sets or tiles I've purchased online.

So here are a very few of my recent efforts.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Blog, take 3

2010-08-04T14:41:00.003-07:00

Sadly, I seem to have killed both of my previous blogs, Ooh-la-long, and Episcayune, when I deleted what I thought was an unused e-mail. Oops. So I have created yet another spot for me to post my random musings.

What will appear here?

Heaven only knows.

www.oolongtea.org

2010-05-18T11:39:00.002-07:00

Wow, I'm impressed. Apparently oolong has its own official webpage now. "Official site of Oolong tea, supported by Fujian Province in China." I wonder who its spokesperson is. Maybe I should apply?

My mom and I have heard from several baristas lately that oolong is the new green tea - and the tea of the future. We can only hope.

How now Bao Zhong?

2010-05-14T09:26:00.003-07:00

Mom and I tried a wonderful new tea last night, Rishi's Bao Zhong.

Bao Zhong is lightly oxidized oolong that exhibits characteristics of green tea and oolong tea. The long, twisted emerald colored tealeaves provide a fresh, clear green and delicate infusion with fresh flowery notes of lilac and lily. Bao Zhong is a Taiwanese specialty oolong with wide appeal.

Wow, is it good. Both mom and I were itchy last night and I think we both wanted to bathe in this. Not only does it smell heavenly but the taste is to die for. We'll be ordering more of this pronto.

On another note, Mom and I recently got a second batch of a favorite local oolong tea. When we opened it we both thought the scent (dry and brewed) and taste were wildly different. We found the remains of our first bag and compared it. Yup, wildly different.

We called the store who said they had changed nothing but to please bring both bags in for a comparative tea cupping. We did and after cupping both they agreed there was a difference in the vanilla. Apparently no one else has mentioned the difference so I guess we have either educated or spoiled palates. They're investigating to see if they changed vanilla suppliers.

And finally, I love dachhunds. "That's nice," you think, "but what has that to do with oolong tea?" Everything, when it's a dachshund rescue group called Oolong Dachshund Rescue, Inc. I am so getting one of their shirts!

Do the Bossa Nova

2010-03-22T10:43:00.004-07:00

I know it's been a month since I last posted, but this tea is so good you'll want to dance while drinking it. I was in Tea Gschwendner Saturday while getting a couple of items for a silent auction tea basket when I spotted their Bossa Nova. I'd seen it online before but the store doesn't put it with their other oolongs so I'd always forgotten about it when in their Scottsdale location.

Creamy hazelnut and vanilla give warm rhythm to this customer favorite.

Ingredients:
Oolong tea from China
Hazelnut brittle*
Mullein blossoms
Flavor

*Contains nuts and lactose

One heaping teaspoon (3 g) per 8oz cup of filtered, boiling water. Allow to brew 2 min.

It's a fascinating tea. What I smell and what I taste when I'm drinking it are two different things. It's a very rich, complicated tea. My mom actually thought it was "kind of weak" (!) but warmed to it as she sipped. We'll be getting this again soon.

Way to go Teavana!

2010-02-02T14:12:00.004-07:00

Okay, I'll admit I was dubious when I first sniffed this new tea at Teavana. (I know, I know, it seems like all I do is write about Teavana lately.) Called Weight To Go, it smells very fruity sweet. My first impression wasn't helped when the salesperson enthused that she, "loves this tea! It's so sweet it doesn't need any sweetening." Oh dear.

Smile inwardly while convincing your taste buds they are enjoying a forbidden treat. Fresh mint, ripe strawberries and crisp apples provide a burst of refreshment in this rare diet blend of Oolong and Pu-erh teas. The combination of two diet teas, Oolong and Pu-erh, provides a potent jump start to your weight loss plans.

Well, I'm glad I tried it because it was to die for. It's not sugary sweet, but it is fruity sweet. However, the addition of rosehips and the mint leaves balance it well. I have to admit I can't taste the oolong or the Pu-erh (an aged tea known for its earthiness) teas so it tastes more like a tisane.

It's called Weight To Go since some people claim that oolong and pu-erh teas help with weight loss. Sadly, that hasn't been true for me. However, my skin doesn't itch so the oolong has helped my skin. I can live with that.

Crouching tiger, hidden Wood Dragon

2010-01-04T13:12:00.002-07:00

While Mom and I are mourning the closing of Scottsdale's Souvia tea shop, we did accidentally discover a new joy last week while out shopping for my new iPhone.

We were enjoying a delicious lunch at Biltmore Fashion Park's True Food Kitchen and were delighted to find a new-to-us oolong on their tea menu: Wood Dragon Oolong by In the Pursuit of Tea.

This is one of the most popular teas in Taiwan, enjoyed in many restaurants and homes. It is a twig tea with a strong roasted flavor. This is a result of an extra firing after the tea is made. The farmer who grows this tea comes from a family of tea-growing artisans. They hand-process the tea differently depending on the weather and the final result they are looking to attain.

We ordered it and, wow. It's not much to look at since it's very twiggy and you'd expect the flavor to be unimpressive but it was deep and rich. It was also good for several brewings. (We were amused to find the manager thought it was "very expensive" since it's only $11 per quarter pound.) It's currently out of stock at In Pursuit of Tea but we'll be ordering some as soon as it's back.

(And I used my new iPhone Teavana app to time it while it was brewing at our table.)

No joy in Teaville

2009-12-22T09:23:00.002-07:00

I was crushed to learn today that my favorite Scottsdale tea shop is closing at the end of the month:

Souvia Tea will be relocating our Scottsdale store. The existng Scottsdale location will close permanently on Dec. 31st, 2009 at 3 p.m. The process to select a new location is expected to take 12-18 months. We very much appreciate all of your business during the last three years but there were just not enough of great customers like you. We also want to thank the great staff that worked with us over the last three years.

We hope you'll continue to shop for tea at our Phoenix location (15414 7th St) or online at www.souviatea.com.

Where will I get my Lemon Basil Oolong now? Where will Mom get her Grey Duchess? I know we can order them online but the shop is more fun and the Phoenix store is so far from us. I hope I can get frequent driver miles....

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout . . .

Just my cup of tea!

2009-12-22T07:52:00.004-07:00

I really do need a new cell phone and have been debating between an iPhone ("My name is Greta and I'm a Mac user") or a Droid. This new app from iPhone and Teavana may have tipped the tea scale for me:

Make the perfect cup of tea with our Perfect Tea Touch app! It features everything you need to blend and steep your favorite teas including a musical tea timer.

Features:

Tea timer with specific instructions for Teavana teas or generic tea instructions.
Tea blender tool that suggests other teas to blend with your favorites. Great way to discover new tastes!
Detailed information on Teavana teas including ingredients, steeping instructions and health benefits.
Mark your favorite Teavana teas for quick access anytime.
Store locator that finds the Teavana stores nearest you.
Tea timer is a visual and musical delight offering unique sounds depending on which type of tea you’re steeping.
Share your favorite tea blends on Facebook, Twitter or via email with friends.

Become a tea expert with our Perfect Tea Touch app. It has all the tea-making expertise you need right at your fingertips. And it makes discovering delicious new tea blends easy and fun!

Not only is this a perfect app for me to have but what is the very first image you see when you open this page? Oolong teas on an iPhone, including my beloved Jasmine Oolong!

Purple Bamboo reigns!

2009-12-18T09:41:00.003-07:00

Mom and I tried a wonderful new oolong last night that is unlike any we've had before: Purple Bamboo. We took advantage of a great sale last week to order another pound (yes, pound) of our favorite Citron Oolong from Rishi. While ordering it we decided to try a new oolong they were raving about:

"Purple Bamboo is one of the most interesting and unique teas we tasted on our recent trip to China. It is an experimental type of oolong tea made with a white tea bush varietal growing on one of our organic-in-conversion farms in Northern Fujian. It has nuances of many different teas yet stands out as one of a kind. The processing of this tea has similarities to Taiwanese Bai Hao Oolong and Fuding Gong Mei White tea. The dry leaf shows a unique and colorful style with a silvery, white, dark green and tippy appearance. One serving of Purple Bamboo can be infused many times and offers deep, complex fruity flavors and floral aromas. The rich mouth feel and upfront and lingering aroma suggests Darjeeling Muscatel, Lilac, Gardenia, Pit Fruit, Grape and Hops."

Oh my! Did it ever live up to our expectations. It only comes in a 50 gram bag (1.7636981 ounces for $8) and while it smelled pleasant upon opening, it didn't come to life until we brewed it. That's when it began our sensory overload. As we began sipping it we were stunned by its complexity and richness. I felt like a cat rolling in catnip.

We used six rounded teaspoons in our 32-ounce pot instead of the recommended "2-3 tablespoons per 5-6 ounces of water" but it was still rich and lasted through four brewings. We'll be getting more of this!

Of all the gall - or lack thereof

2009-12-15T13:53:00.002-07:00

Three days after I last posted I had my gallbladder out. Thankfully it was laparoscopic but I still had to deal with the aftereffects of major abdominal surgery. My two days in the hospital were spent staring at my box of Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong. Water tasted good but not much else did. I think I finally got two cups down while I was hospitalized.

However, since I was still trying to clear up my eczema I was (partially) motivated to start drinking oolong again once I got home. My mom got to do double duty as my own private-duty nurse and tea-brewer. It's a good thing she likes oolong too! (She even bribed my taste buds with my favorite Jasmine Oolong.)

While it's impossible to list all the oolongs I drank in the past five weeks I did discover a few things. Teavana's Eastern Beauty Oolong Tea is a new favorite.

This tea was made famous by Queen Elizabeth for being exceptionally beautiful in appearance and having the most exquisite taste of any Oolong tea. This rare Formosan Oolong lives up to its reputation with a sweet and even-bodied cup that is a feast for the senses. Known as 'Champagne Formosa,' this Taiwanese tea starts with a floral aroma and gives you a naturally sweet fruit and honey taste. Perfect anytime of the day.

Teavana also "improved" their Six Summits Oolong Tea so it now includes raspberries. I was not happy with this announcement since I love the old version. I tried the new blend with trepidation and have to admit I like it - although I can't say there is a huge difference.

Mom and I went to The Urban Tea Loft in Chandler and tried to get more of their delicious Lemon Ginger Oolong but they only had a few ounces left - so we bought it all. Our server was startled when we ordered a pound (we really like this one!) but assured us they'd call when more arrived. I mentioned that I love their store but their site needs to list their tea menu - not just their food menu. She thought that was a good idea and said that would be added soon.

Creativi-tea in a cup

2009-11-10T08:31:00.003-07:00

I found some mugs I had to share with you! First of all, as a tea-drinking journalist, printer, and webpage designer I adore these Pantone tea mugs:

"The perfect choice for the urban sophisticate, design aficionado or color fiend, these clever mugs feature PANTONE's smoothest shades in differing tones of brown to suit your tea strength and tastes.

These fine china mugs are glazed with a pattern resembling the iconic PANTONE Color Chip and code from strong Ceylon to gentle Earl Grey, mild Oolong and pale Silver Needle."

I'm going to get a set of these for work.

I also like these Tea-Talk mugs:

What do you need today? Some creativi‑tea? Tranquili‑tea? Simplici‑tea? Sinceri‑tea? Sereni‑tea? Or prosperi‑tea? Each 12‑oz. ceramic mug features a clever definition on its colorful interior. Like "Creativi‑tea: Having more creative ability while drinking tea." And "Sinceri‑tea: The quality of being open and truthful while drinking tea." Each arrives in a clever "tea bag" gift package.

Tea-hydrated

2009-11-09T09:12:00.003-07:00

I found proof this weekend that drinking oolong has helped my nummular eczema. As I mentioned in my last blog, I had the flu and nausea forced me to cut back considerably on my oolong drinking capacity. What happened this weekend? I got my first flare-up of eczema since January - ouch! So now when I'm not drinking oolong by the gallon in an attempt to rehydrate my poor red, itchy skin, I am trying not to scratch said poor red, itchy skin.

Among the many teas I recall consuming this weekend:

TeaGschwendner's China Oolong Kwai Flower - 525
Souvia's Lemon Basil Oolong
Rishi's Citron Oolong
Teavana's Jasmine Oolong Tea
bottled Leng Pao Cha - Oolong Tea
Teavana's (discontinued) Tung Ting Jade Oolong

I'm seriously considering steeping myself in an oolong bath tonight!

Flu-long

2009-11-02T08:40:00.003-07:00

I have been "lucky" enough to have the flu (or flu-like symptoms) for more than a week now. And while I was lucky enough to have my own personal registered nurse (aka Mom) waiting on me hand and foot, our tea preferences quickly became apparent as she tried to pour me cup after cup of oolong tea.

Mom likes strong dark tea while I like lighter, more delicate teas. In an effort to keep me drinking lots of fluids she made what are to her comfort teas. I like strong teas such as Formosa when I'm healthy but the scent of them while I was sick nearly pushed me over the edge on more than one occasion. So she started diluting it with hot water - only to watch in amazement as I added even more water.

So she started making some of my favorites but even they were too strong for me and had to be diluted. (I note that she never made my favorite Jasmine Oolong!) Apparently the scent of tea is very important to me - and even more so when I'm sick.

On the bright side, we received (most) of our Harney & Sons order while I was sick at home:

Pomegranate Oolong (they sent us Dragon Pearl Jasmine by mistake)
Ginger's Oolong (nice, but I doubt we'll reorder it)
Wuyi Yancha Oolong (the best Wuyi oolong I've had!)
Fenghuang Shuixian (good but I'll have to retry it when my palate returns)
Wenshan Baozhong (ditto)
Li Shan Oolong (ditto)
Ali San Oolong (ditto)

Well, I'm off to the doctor's office again!

Java anyone?

2009-10-23T13:17:00.003-07:00

This morning I decided to try an oolong I haven't had in several months: Tea Gschwendner's Tangerine Vanilla Yogurt - 995.

"The rewarding zing of tangy tangerines are balanced by a sweet creamy (?) and blended with a full bodied and smooth Oolong Tea."

Once I sipped it this morning I was reminded why I haven't had it more often - it is strong! I ended up adding hot water so it was approximately one part tea to two parts hot water.

That was just the first cup. The second was very tasty. Tangerine Vanilla Yogurt contains "semi-fermented tea from Java, orange peel, orange blossoms, (and) flavor" so I'm not sure why it's so strong. Is it the Java oolong or the "flavor"?

As far as I can tell there is no added milk or yogurt so those with lactose intolerance should be able to drink it. Just be warned - it's a strong cup of Java!

Lemons and basil and oolong! Oh my!

2009-10-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning craving Souvia's Lemon Basil Oolong. Yum! The package is at home but it's one of my all-time oolong favorites. As I recall its ingredients are oolong, basil and lemon granules. If Souvia ever stops carrying it (please don't Kerstin!) I'll try making my own but using Penzey's Minced Californian Lemon Peel instead of the lemon granules, which losses its lemon flavor quickly. Thankfully a friend of mine is an herb farmer so I can experiment with his wonderful fresh basils, too.

Quali-tea

2009-10-21T09:05:00.002-07:00

At our Convention this weekend my parents got an interesting book, The Better World Shopping Guide, by Ellis Jones. The book and its companion website, Better World Shopper, ranks things according to five criteria:

Human rights
The environment
Animal protection
Community involvement
Social justice

Of the many companies, products and categories it lists, tea is one of them! Many of the teas in this chart I have tried but some are new to me. The book has some other teas listed also.

At a quick glance of the online listing, I have tried these oolong teas:

Choice
Numi
Republic of Tea (I love their Wuyi Oolong)
Tazo (see yesterday's blog)
Twinings
Stash
Bigelow

According to them, I need to try:

Tao of Tea
Honest Tea (great oolong name but sweetened)

I hope this helps you in your search for quali-tea!

Meanwhile last night I continued my Teavana rut by buying their new Toasted Nut Brulee Oolong Tea, which is a oolong/rooibos blend. It's naturally sweet, nutty and very tasty. I might add some Formosa oolong next time though to make it a bit more oolongish.

This morning I wanted one of my favorites, Rishi tea's Citron Oolong. "A signature Rishi blend of high-grown jasmine scented oolong tea cured with rare blossoms, aromatic herbs and succulent citrus fruit designed to refresh and rejuvenate." Mom loves it too and doesn't mind the jasmine since the citrus balances it out so we're both happy.

Jasmine in my mind

2009-10-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have survived yet another convention - woo hoo! Armed with Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong Tea I had plenty of good tea to drink. The hotel had Tazo teabags but Tazo doesn't appear to do any straight oolongs - only blends such as its Montage or holiday Joy blends which combine green black and oolong teas. Good but not what my skin needs.

The first thing I did when I got home Saturday (well, second - I collapsed on the couch first) was to make my "comfort tea" of Teavana's Jasmine Oolong Tea. Jasmine tea has always been a favorite of mine so I was thrilled when I discovered Teavana's oolong blend. Apparently my mom is getting sick of it though so I have to use it sparingly. (Insert eye-roll here.)

Yesterday we enjoyed some of Teavana's Six Summits which is another favorite blend. However, I have noticed that the "improved" blend online now has raspberries in it. I haven't tried that yet so I'm not sure how I feel about it.

This morning Mom chose Teavana's Utopian Jewel Oolong Tea. It's a good blend but very fruity so when I make it I blend it with some Formosa Oolong to make it a tea instead of a tisane which is what it tastes like to me otherwise.

Hmm, we seem to need to get out of our Teavana rut....

Oodles of Oolong

2009-10-15T11:14:00.004-07:00

Ay yi yi, what a week! Our Diocesan Convention starts tomorrow (I am armed and ready with Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong Tea) and I've been swamped with work. Wouldn't you know it but I pulled the muscles in my lower back and could barely move earlier this week. And then my 6-year-old daughter got a fever and cough. But while I haven't been able to blog I have been able to drink tea - oodles of oolong to be exact.

These stand out among the many that I've had this week:

Amber Dragon from The Urban Tea Loft (why can't they list their teas?!)
Sumatra Oolong Barisan - 860 from Tea Gschwender
Formosa Superior Choice - 625 from Tea Gschwender
Maracuya Passion Oolong Tea from Teavana (my daughter loves this one!)

I placed a first-time order today from Harney & Sons for their:

Pomegranate Oolong
Ginger's Oolong
Wuyi Yancha Oolong
Fenghuang Shuixian
Wenshan Baozhong
Li Shan Oolong
Ali San Oolong

I'll keep you posted when I get them!

It's easy being green

2009-10-09T08:46:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was busy and I didn't have a chance to blog - my apologies! I can't even remember what oolongs I drank except for a bottled Leng Pao Cha - Oolong Tea (Sugar Free) from Kuang Chuan Dairy in Taiwan. I had it with me when I saw my doctor and told him how it seems to have cured my nummular eczema. He was fascinated and asked me to send him the links. (Take two tea leaves and call me in the morning?)

I had a delightful experience after my doctor's appointment at a new (for me) tea shop, Born Green Tea & Beyond, in Mesa. Operated for a year by a friendly Korean couple (not Japanese or Chinese as some reviewers assume) they offer several teas (ceremoniously prepared) as well as Asian tea treats. What shocked me was they only had one oolong! ONE! When I asked about others they seemed surprised. Thankfully, the one oolong they had was very tasty. It's from the Korean Hankook Tea Company in California, although the online photo looks very different from the tea I was served and purchased (repackaged) to take home.

She prepared a tea tray and brought it to my table where she performed a modified Taiwanese Gongfu tea ceremony with a delightful (if cracked) yellow Yixing dragon teapot. She then withdrew to the kitchen area so I could enjoy my tea in peace. Part of the presentation was a small dish with two slices of candied ginger (Yum!) and a slice of what looked like a dried apricot stuffed with a walnut.

The biggest surprise came as I was finishing my oolong. I watched as she blended and brewed a tea, prepared two small trays, and poured the tea. She poured cups on both trays, tasted one, nodded with satisfaction, then brought me the other! It was a blend of black and Hydrangea teas. The aroma was heavenly and it was slightly (sugary) sweet. She insisted the sweetness was natural to the hydrangea and not added, but maybe we weren't communicating well. I'm still not sure if it was dried leaves (pictured), stems, or blossoms.

I bought some of the Oolong and took it home to share with my family. Mom and I think it smells similar to a Ti Kuan Yin. However, I think I shall go back to get some of the Hydrangea tea to blend with some oolong - probably Formosan.

To start my morning I had some of Souvia's Orange Oolong. I usually don't care for flavored teas in the morning but make an exception for citrus-based teas. The tanginess helps wake me up and get me going.

What's in a name?

2009-10-07T08:54:00.002-07:00

The names of teas can be amusing. They can be straight forward, they can be cute, or they can be bizarre.

Last night I had some Caramel Sugar Oolong (or something like that) from Tea Infusion in Tempe. I strongly suspect it's artificially flavored but I enjoy it every now and then.

This morning I had some After the Rain from White August Tea Co., which is universally known as a first flush Tie Guan Yin - or Ti Kuan Yin, Tit Kwun Yum, or Ti Kwan Yin. Why rename a perfectly good tea? It's not like it's a blend. I can understand renaming something if it's your own blend, but otherwise leave a good thing alone. If you think the Chinese name is confusing then call it by one of its English names: Iron Goddess of Mercy, Iron Buddha, Iron Avalokiteśvara, or Tea of the Iron Bodhisattva.

Anyway, the name did make me laugh this morning when it started to rain while I was brewing it but quickly stopped. When the tea was drinkable, it truly was After the Rain.

Once I got to work I tried for the first time some White Tip Oolong from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. It's a bit dark, strong and bitter but maybe I over brewed it. I'll try again later.

Hmm, I have since tried The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Orange Blossom and the Honeydew oolongs. I don't think I'll be repeating any of them.

Orange you glad I love oolong?

2009-10-06T14:35:00.002-07:00

This morning started off with Souvia's Orange Oolong. "The smooth malty taste of Oolong married with a wonderful orange infusion." This is a nice floral without being overpowering.

Since the temperatures are finally dropping here in Phoenix I feel a bit more inclined to drink hot tea during the day. Today I satisfied my oolong craving with Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong Tea. "Somewhere between a green and a black tea, Dragon Eye Oolong begins with the finest quality Oolong tea available. This smooth, well-rounded elixir blends smoky Chinese oolong with safflower, peach and apricots."

Eau-long de toilette, or, Eew-long Part 2

2009-10-05T09:32:00.001-07:00

Boy, did I learn a painful lesson this weekend. I re-injured a foot I damaged 27 years ago so was trying to keep it up most of the weekend. Saturday morning I made a pot of Chakra 4 Herb & Tea House's organic Almond Blossom Oolong Tea (they get it from Frontier) with the last of our filtered water. Not wanting to stress my foot and ankle I didn't go out for more. We know tea tastes better with filtered water so we did without.

By Sunday morning Mom and I were having oolong withdrawal so she suggested I use some of her Smartwater. All I can say is that was not a smart idea. While Smartwater is wonderful either cold or at room temperature, it reacts badly to the tea when hot. I took a huge gulp of Yellow Plum Oolong (from The Urban Tea Loft) when it had cooled a bit and nearly spit it out. All I could taste was hot electrolytes (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and potassium bicarbonite).

After church, I limped into the water store when I got more filtered water. I rushed home with it to prepare a pot (after rinsing everything carefully) of Teavana's Jasmine Oolong. Ahh, bliss.

We followed that this morning with Teavana's Tung Ting Jade Oolong while vowing to never run out of filtered water again. And if we do, we'll make do with the tap water.

To bergamot or not to bergamot

2009-10-02T08:36:00.003-07:00

After spending so much time thinking and writing about bergamot yesterday, I went home and drank one of the two bergamot teas I have ever liked, Octavia Tea's Lemongrass Oolong. (The other was an Earl Grey from a store in Tucson about 15 years ago.) According to Octavia Tea's site: "This award-winning blend of lemongrass, bergamot & antioxidant-rich oolong tea fills your cup with the invigorating fragrance of citrus. This natural, gourmet tea is the ideal way to rejuvenate both body & mind.

"This lively blend lifts your spirits and seems to magically increase your energy with its fragrance alone. Lemongrass Oolong won the best hot tea award 3 years in a row. This tea is also excellect (sic) on ice."

I think if I was listing the ingredients I'd put bergamot last because it is very light. I can taste it but I don't get the itchy chin (my asthma trigger signal) that I do with most bergamot teas. I picked this gem up at The Urban Tea Loft in Chandler, Ariz.

This morning I indulged in some Foojoy Gold Royal Red Robe Oolong (Da Hong Pao). I get it at a local Chinese grocery but you can also get it online through Mark T. Wendell. "Perhaps the best known rock tea from the Wuyi Mountains in the Chinese Fujian province, this tea is a rare find. It brews an amber cup that almost startles with its aroma and smooth finish." (A word of warning: I like this Foojoy loose leaf tea but their teabags I tried weren't nearly as good.)

Eew-long

2009-10-01T10:11:00.001-07:00

Someone just asked me what I meant by "sweet, plum oolong teas." Does it have sugar in it? No! It is not sweetened. (By a sweet tea I mean naturally scented or flavored with dried fruit or blossoms.) If there is one thing I despise about tea, it's when someone sweetens it. Coffee must be sweet (in my humble opinion) but not tea. That's my biggest complaint about Teavana stores is all their sample teas are sweetened - eew!

My other tea complaint? Most teabags. Did you know most teabags contain the dust, or fannings, left over when tea is processed? It's too small to be be used elsewhere so they blow, or fan, it into a collection unit and then package it in teabags.

One of the very few teabag oolongs I have found that I really like is Revolution's Dragon Eye Oolong Tea. "Somewhere between a green and a black tea, Dragon Eye Oolong begins with the finest quality Oolong tea available. This smooth, well-rounded elixir blends smoky Chinese oolong with safflower, peach and apricots." It's a premium full, or whole, leaf and not the fannings. It's very convenient for work and I keep a few in my purse so when I eat out I can have good tea instead the stale teabag I am usually offered.

The Empress's New Tea

2009-10-01T08:55:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was a long day so this morning I wanted something stout but soothing so I brewed a tea of my own creation: Lavender Empress. I don't like bergamot (I think I have a mild allergic reaction to it) but I like Earl Grey's smokey, autumnal qualities so I created my own "smokey" blend a month or two ago. In my 16-ounce teapot I put two level teaspoons of Formosa Oolong and a half teaspoon of Organic Lavender, both of which I got at Souvia, but are available elsewhere, too.

Formosa Oolong is "Medium bodied, with a golden-brown colored liquor and a light floral, nutty taste" which makes it a good tea for the base of blends. Lavender is relaxing, but strong, so I use it sparingly. The name, Lavender Empress, is a salute to both Earl Grey and its Eastern and European roots.

Episco-what?

2009-08-28T10:16:00.012-07:00

As a cradle Episcopalian, I grew up with almost everyone saying “Episco-what?” when I told them what religion I was. Imagine my surprise and delight when I was in seventh or eighth grade to discover in the school’s library a series of books featuring a girl my age who was an Episcopalian, too!

These delightful books by Maud Hart Lovelace have been in and out of print since their publication began in 1940. Betsy, her family and her friends live an idyllic life in fictional Deep Valley, Minnesota about 1900. It starts with Betsy’s fifth birthday and goes through her first few years of marriage. But while it’s an idyllic life, it also shares some of life’s hardships: disappointment, heartbreak, and death.

In the first four Betsy-Tacy (1940), Betsy-Tacy and Tib (1941), Betsy and Tacy Go Over the Big Hill (1942), and Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown (1943) Betsy attends the Baptist church while her friend Tib goes to the Episcopal church. These four books have usually been in print since their initial publication.

However, in the harder to find Heaven to Betsy (1945) Betsy and her older sister decide to become Episcopalians! In some of the wisest writing I’ve ever read Betsy’s father says of their decision,

“The important thing isn’t what church you want to join but whether you want to join a church at all.”

After more discussion he says,

“And we support the church. You have to think of that. Churches need the income just as a family does; and it is your duty to support your church if you join one. With more than money, too. A church needs members who take an active part in the church work. Mother and I don’t do as much as some, and some folks overdo it, in my opinion, but we try to carry our load. My point is that if you’re going to join a church, you want to be prepared to support it, both with money and time.

“But that’s just the beginning,” Mr. Ray went on, and sat straight in his chair. “It isn’t enough to go to church, and to support the church. The most important part of religion isn’t in any church. It’s down in your own heart. Religion is in your thoughts, and in the way you act from day to day, in the way you treat other people. It’s honesty, and unselfishness, and kindness. Especially kindness.”

I can pretty much say that everything I learned as a kid about faith, religion and the Episcopal church, I learned from Betsy Ray and her father, thanks to fellow Episcopalian Maud Hart Lovelace. (The change of religion was so controversial when it was released in 1945 that some libraries, such as the New York Public Library, banned it!)

On Sept. 29, 2009 HarperCollins in reissuing six of these out-of-print books in three volumes as part of their Harper Perennial Modern Classics:

Heaven to Betsy (1945) and Betsy in Spite of Herself (1946) with a forward by Laura Lippman
Betsy Was a Junior (1947) and Betsy and Joe (1948) with a forward by Meg Cabot
Betsy and the Great World (1952) and Betsy's Wedding (1955) with a forward by Anna Quindlen

And finally, three very hard to find books set in Deep Valley (including my first-read and absolute favorite, Emily of Deep Valley) will be reissued Oct. 12, 2010 as Harper Perennial Modern Classics:

Carney's House Party (1949) and Winona's Pony Cart (1953)
Emily of Deep Valley (1950)

I hope that you find these books as delightful as I have over the past 30 years. I have worn out library copies, paperbacks, and hardbacks reading and rereading this series, and am delighted to have the chance to buy more copies to share with my friends and family, especially my church family.

Antiques Roadshow

2009-08-02T10:26:00.003-07:00

Mom and I had fun at the Phoenix taping of Antiques Roadshow on Saturday, August 1. We had tickets for 5 p.m. and got there about 4:45. Believe me, it was a challenge moving Mom, her wheelchair, two O2 tanks, and a suitcase loaded with our antiques. A couple heading in took pity on us (it was 110!) and the man grabbed Mom's wheelchair while the woman grabbed the suitcase and escorted us in. After Antiques Roadshow volunteers checked our tickets they told us to get into the rapidly moving line.

While in line we gawked at the other people and what they had (such as a life-size fake horse with a fly net from an old tackshop and a gorgeous Chinese folding chair) and watch clips from former AR shows on the giant screens.

When we got to the head of the line they checked what we had and gave us four tickets (Asian Arts, Toys, Pottery, and Jewelry) telling us what lines to get into. (Each ticket holder gets to bring in two items although an "item" can be a collection although the appraisers might not accept them as a collection.) When we got into the main room a volunteer looked at our four tickets and made recommendations about what line to get into first.

We got into the Asian Arts line and quickly got to meet AR celebrity Lark E. Mason. He accepted my four Chinese teapots as a collection (I told him the 100+ modern ones were at home which surprised him) and looked them over with interest. He quickly zeroed in on one with a sterling silver spout and said it was 18th Century and the best of the lot! The other three he said were late 19th or early 20th century. He appraised the lot at $1000-1500.

We then got in the line for Toys. While in line we got to see AR host Mark L. Walberg. When we got to the table my grandfather's "pre-erector" set by The American Mechanical Toy Co., was appraised by AR celebrity Noel Barrett. Barrett seemed tired (the 5 p.m. group was the 10th and final of the day) and unimpressed with Grandpa's 1913 Christmas present. (Another AR celebrity Gary Sohmers was seated next to him and leaned over. HE seemed to like it!) Barrett appraised it at $150.

Next we went to the Pottery line where two guest (I didn't catch their names) appraisers looked at Mom's pottery dogs she bought for $25 as a teen from some elderly neighbors. The appraisers said it was "definitely Austrian" and most likely an Amphora from about 1915 and worth about $250.

Finally, we got into the Jewelry line where Christie Romero from looked at Mom's family necklace - a small sterling silver mirror on a LONG chain. She thought it was delightful although she couldn't find a makers mark, guessed it was about 1910, and appraised it at about $250.

We made our way out slowly (observing the tapings) and reflected that while we weren't millionaires we hadn't lost any money and no one told us we had a fake. We were tired but happy and left for dinner - hoping Antiques Roadshow comes back again so we can try to get more treasures appraised. The entire process took less than two hours!

As an afternote, a friend of mine had his 1797 Chester County Marriage Chest appraised by Leigh Keno. It was fun to watch that when it aired!

Freedom of the Press?

2008-01-28T08:29:00.002-07:00

God was willing and Mom is now the Rev. Mom. Woo hoo! A more tired or blissful deacon you have probably never seen. The service Saturday was beautiful (the rain waited until Sunday - phew!) and packed.

I got to do double duty as one of my mom's presenters and as the Diocesan communications officer. Once my duties to her were done I was to wander and take photos of the service and the seven new deacons as they participated in said service.

Imagine my surprise when a woman (lightly) whacked me with her rolled-up order of service and told me not to take photos! I have been taking photos for the diocese since I was in high school and have worked as a professional journalist since 1989. I never dreamed that my first "assault" as a member of the press would happen within church!

I told her that I had the bishop's permission (he is my boss, after all) and she nodded and said "Sorry," but it was still about all I could do not to fall on the cathedral's floor and die laughing.

As I said, I've been doing this since high school and I know the dos and don'ts of church photography; walk softly and carry a quiet camera. I wear rubber-soled shoes and do not use the flash during the service. I'm the first to grind my teeth when I see flashes going off in services, especially important services when the flashes get to look like strobe lights. But the note in the order of service asked people to please refrain from the use of flash photography.

Next time I guess I'll have to ask the cathedral to print in the program:

Please refrain from both the use of flash photography and whacking the bishop's communications officer with your order of service.

What's the big deal?

2008-01-18T10:34:00.001-07:00

Currently, it's homosexuality. But as a cradle Episcopalian I've seen controversies in the last 43 years about ordained women (1976), the new Book of Common Prayer (1979), and the new Hymnal (1982). I wasn't around then but I've heard such controversies also happened with the 1928 BCP and the King James Bible, published in 1611. (And by the way, King James was rumored to be a Queen, so we can combine those controversies!)

My response? Get over it. Change happens.

Jesus was Jewish, not a Christian. What happened? The faith/church changed. (And he did not speak King James' English as I have actually heard some claim!)

What inspired me to write this? God willing, the Rt. Rev. Kirk S. Smith will ordain my mom on Sat., Jan. 26, 2008 to the Sacred Order of Deacons. Go Mom! This is something she has wanted for nearly 20 years. My dad's a deacon, too. Am I next? I sincerely doubt it.

Who cares if Mom become the Rev. Mom? Oh, I'm sure some do. The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth (Texas) is one of three Episcopal dioceses which doesn't ordain women to the priesthood. Thankfully, Mom, Dad, and I live within the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. We have gay and female clergy here. But that's not the point! We are members of the worldwide Anglican communion, something we're all proud of. And we're saddened by the continuing divisiveness some people want.

A friend of mine used to be adamantly opposed to the ordination of women. He went to seminary and God (whom I believe has a wicked sense of humor) assigned him a female priest as his advisor. Oh, Mom and I laughed when we heard that! He quickly changed his mind and then adamantly denied he'd ever been against the ordination of women! He was ordained as an Episcopal priest but left the church when the homosexuality debate raised its ugly head. I only hope God reveals His sense of humor to him again.

I once heard a vestry member literally say that she would rather have "a fornicating heterosexual priest instead of a celibate homosexual." Guess what? She got both.

I guess all I'm trying to say here is why do we continue to tear ourselves apart with hatred and labels? Do unto others as we'd have done unto us.