Angela Webster McRae's Blog, page 42
May 22, 2023
'Tis the season … no, really!
On Saturday, I ran in Hobby Lobby to get an ink pad, and as always, my eye gets drawn to those bright-orange clearance stickers scattered on items throughout the store. This time, I saw one on a package containing a cute Christmas mug die set and thought, "Wait a minute… I always say I'm going to get started on Christmas cards early. This is a sign!" And of course the good discount was another sign, so yesterday, I made my first Christmas card of 2023!
I collect every Christmas cup/mug die set I can find, so I was happy to discover a new one. These Momenta dies were super easy to use, and I really like the way this card turned out. I didn't have any brown card stock to make the cookies in the package photo, but I think I like the card better without them because it focuses on the tea mug. The green background was made with one of Stampin' Up's Scalloped Contours dies, which are absolutely the best all-purpose background dies I've ever owned. (Got mine from my friend Kathy here, if you're interested in these.)
I'll wait and add a sentiment at Christmastime, whether that's a "Thank you" or a "You're invited" or simply "Merry Christmas." Or maybe I'll make a few cards that say nothing and just use them as notecards during December. If you're a card crafter, too, you may want to check out your local Hobby Lobby before these sale dies get scooped up!
May 19, 2023
The winner of the signed copy of "The Roots of All Evil" is ���
... Ginger in North Carolina, and I have her address, so I'll get this headed her way ASAP. Congrats! Here's a photo from my book launch last night at the Newnan Carnegie Library, and I assumed Russ Moore was buying this for his wife, my friend Mary Caroline, but no, it was for him. A fun time!
The ebook should be available next week (I'll announce it here), and if you want a print copy from Amazon, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Roots-All-Evil...
Also, I do have a handful of extra copies on hand from last night, so if you want a signed copy shipped to you and you have PayPal or Venmo, just email me (angelamcrae at charter dot net) and I'll be glad to invoice you ($19.95, same as Amazon, and free shipping). Thanks for all the kind comments about my book launch week, friends!
The winner of the signed copy of "The Roots of All Evil" is …
... Ginger in North Carolina, and I have her address, so I'll get this headed her way ASAP. Congrats! Here's a photo from my book launch last night at the Newnan Carnegie Library, and I assumed Russ Moore was buying this for his wife, my friend Mary Caroline, but no, it was for him. A fun time!
The ebook should be available next week (I'll announce it here), and if you want a print copy from Amazon, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Roots-All-Evil...
Also, I do have a handful of extra copies on hand from last night, so if you want a signed copy shipped to you and you have PayPal or Venmo, just email me (angelamcrae at charter dot net) and I'll be glad to invoice you ($19.95, same as Amazon, and free shipping). Thanks for all the kind comments about my book launch week, friends!
Some in-and-out thrifting
Last week, I ran by the local Salvation Army to drop off boxes and boxes of books and household goods that I'd been meaning to donate. "Should I go inside?" I asked myself after making my donation at the back door of the store. I mean, the purpose of the trip was to de-clutter, not re-clutter. But of course I decided that a quick visit wouldn't hurt.
And when I saw this wooden teacup container/basket/bin, I immediately thought of the upcycling possibilities for its use in my craft room. Now that I've launched a new book and finished the first draft of the second book in the series, I plan to take some time to chill and play in my craft room. One thing that's been on my wish list for a while is a new organizing system for craft supplies, and if I paint this pink or turquoise, I suspect it will be just the thing I need! (Would you decoupage a design on it or leave it plain? I'm torn!)
And I also found this cute little milk glass pedestal bowl that matches a platter I got at an estate sale last year. For $2.99, it seemed like a good buy and a worthy companion to a piece I'm already using. I've been too busy to do much thrifting lately, but these fun funds were certainly worth that five-minute shopping spree! May 17, 2023
A very different chamomile tea!
Last night, it was pouring down rain and lightning, and it looked so gray and gloomy outside that of course I required tea!
I hadn't yet tried the Sleepy Time Tea my husband got me for my birthday, so I decided it was time to give it a try. At first glance, the steeped tea looked rather like a typical chamomile tea blend.
But when I removed the infuser basket, I went, "Wait a minute! Why is my tea blue?" And then I thought of all those blue teas that came on the scene a few years ago. Was there any of that in this tea?
Butterfly pea flower! Yes, that was it! The butterfly pea flower made the tea blue, but the licorice root made it delightfully sweet, so this tea from Hyamoon was a delicious surprise in more ways than one!
May 15, 2023
Giveaway for a signed copy of "The Roots of All Evil," my new book!
It's book launch week for The Roots of All Evil, the first book in my new Silver Sisters cozy mystery series, so of course I wanted to do a giveaway here! I'll be officially launching the book on Thursday night at the Newnan Carnegie Library, and I'm so excited about this new series. I just sent the second book in the series off to my editor last week, and I'm planning to release it in the fall. Then I'll continue working on my third Junkin' Jewelry mystery (did you follow all that?). This new series features two middle-aged sisters, one of whom is a tea lover and one of whom is a coffee lover, and I do hope readers will enjoy it. The paperback is now up on Amazon here, the ebook is coming soon, and here's the blurb:
***
Sisters Carolyn Hopeworth and Nan Padgett are busy growing their Silver & Salvage junk shop in Alabama and decide to take their vintage campers out for one last hurrah before putting them in storage. While out “glamping” for the weekend, they compare notes about their other big project—letting their hair go gray after decades of dye jobs.
At the campsite, they quickly find a new friend in Kitty Monroe, part owner of the Monroe Construction empire. The sisters hit it off with Kitty, and the three of them can’t wait to show off their vintage campers at a charity fundraiser the next day.
But before the Tour of Campers can get underway, there’s a shocking discovery of the body of a deceased glamper—the floozy whose affair with Kitty’s ex-husband led to the end of the Monroes’ marriage. When Carolyn and Nan's new friend Kitty is hauled off to jail, they must rescue more than just roadside treasures. This time, a woman’s life may end up in the trash bin if her new friends can’t salvage her reputation …
***
P.S. The ebook is coming soon, and I'll let you know when that is available as well.
May 12, 2023
"Floral Tea Kit Vintage Junk Journal" images by Sam Poole Designs
I go through different phases with my paper crafting, and I’m currently in the “collect and collage” phase. Inspired by some videos on Instagram, I’ve started making tiny little cards that I will compile into some sort of project—hopefully soon. So when I came across some gorgeous vintage images with teacups and roses on them on Etsy recently, I thought it was well worth the $4.48 to download them.
And I was so impressed with my download from Sam Poole Designs that I wanted to let you know about it. It was quite easy to download the file and print the images. I used cheap copy paper for the current project because I don't need anything too thick, but I’m glad I still have access to the images and can print them on thicker card stock when I need a nicer paper quality. If you’re a paper crafter who might be interested in these images—for crafting or for tea party signage and invites—go here to check them out!
May 10, 2023
Some fun new teatime socks!
I wish I were going somewhere soon where I would have to take off my shoes, because I received the cutest new socks from my friend Joy for my birthday last week!
Aren't these great? And Romans 15:13 is one of my favorite Bible verses, which makes me love these socks even more.
I sometimes think I've seen all the tea-themed goodies around, but then something like this comes along and proves that I've seen perhaps a thimbleful of what's out there. I'm so enjoying my cute new "Standing on the Word" socks, thanks to Joy, and they're as soft and comfy as they look!
May 8, 2023
Let's talk Coronation Day!
Okay, before we move on with this week, I feel the need to process the Coronation. I must admit that for the first time I can remember, I didn't have even a small celebration to mark such a grand Royal occasion, but an old friend's daughter had just died of cancer at only 35 years old, and so I just didn't find it appropriate to plan a big gala this year, especially since I was headed out of town for the memorial that evening. (Plus, I didn't get my new book sent off to my editor until late the afternoon of my birthday, so I was a bit wiped out for a lot of reasons last week!) All that said, I did get up in time to watch the event and quietly sip my Coronation Tea (that's the lid above).
I thought it all went off beautifully, and King Charles was probably correct in his reading of the public mood when he decided to scale things back just a bit. Still, "scaled back" is still a grand thing in the UK, and I always say that nobody does pageantry better than those folks. My favorite moment in the whole thing was probably when the king was presented with a Bible and it was described as "the most valuable gift that this world affords." Amen to that! If I had to choose between every tea ware in my home and my Bible, you could take all the tea wares, no contest.
It's always fun to see what the women in particular wear at these Royal events, and this time, I was absolutely smitten with that gorgeous teal outfit worn by Member of Parliament Penny Mordaunt. (I originally typed "tea outfit." Freudian slip?) And did you catch the info from the Twitter post above? "She's Lord President of the Privy Council and one of the two politicians King Charles sees most regularly."
I was so happy to find lots of info on places like the BBC website that explained what she was doing with those ceremonial swords. I also thought there would have to be a real craft to maintaining such a neutral expression on your face for hours on end, and she certainly nailed it.
I didn't do screen grabs of all the other things I noticed, but as I continue to sip my Harney & Sons Coronation Tea, here are my thoughts:
• King Charles looked quite humble, like he couldn't believe all this was for him. Found that touching.
• Queen Camilla's gown sure had some beautiful and meaningful embroidery on it.
• Was happy to see Harry show up and be smiling and looking fairly comfortable.
• Princess Anne became one of my new favorite Royals when her mother died. I didn't realize what a worker bee she is, and she never seems to want to claim the spotlight for herself. Love her.
• The Prince and Princess of Wales (and all of their children) carried out their duties beautifully. I personally would have liked to see a few more shots of Kate, but then it wasn't her day, was it?
• Am also a fan of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and they, too, looked and acted brilliant.
If you watched the Coronation, what were your thoughts? Were you pleased too?
May 5, 2023
"Happy Birthday to Me" with Love Potion Tea
My husband and I traveled together to Lavonia, Ga., last weekend, and he stayed at the hotel while I met up with my craft retreat girlfriends during the day for crafting, shopping, and dining. Some of us gals had talked about going to an artisan festival in Hartwell on Saturday morning but decided against it. It turned out that Alex, who enjoys gallivanting on his own while I'm away, went to the festival himself the morning we were all out shopping elsewhere, and he surprised me by sending along a photo of the teas he'd just purchased for me as an early birthday gift! They included the Love Potion Tea and the Sleepy Time Tea from Hiyamoon Apothecary and Tea Shop, a new vendor to me, so a girlfriend and I ended up heading over to Hartwell after all!
This Love Potion Tea is fabulous! I don't know what all is in it except for strawberries and hibiscus, but it's a wonderful blend, and I can definitely taste the strawberries. It also seems to have a glittery dusting of something or other on the tea, and since this company advertises their organic offerings, I'm assuming it's not glitter (or if it is, it's certainly edible). Their website just says strawberries and hibiscus, but boy, is it good. Not too tart and delightfully berry-flavored.
Let's just say that Alex splurged more than I would have, because he also got me a heart-shaped tea infuser and their Sleepy Time Tea, which I look forward to trying.
Yesterday was definitely a workday for me since book number seven was due to my editor (and I did succeed in meeting my deadline, hallelujah), but I began and ended this week with teatime gifts, and for a tea lover, that makes for a lovely birthday week!
