The Life Poetic

Travels & Things Twice Loved: Volume Two

Well this week takes me out of the studio and jet setting to NY for my now annual pilgrimage to the Surtex show. Traveling is so bittersweet for me as I’m such a cocoon-er.
The warm embrace of home, being in the haven of family is truly where I most like to be. But I suppose if I have to venture out, heading to the dynamic city of NY is a fabulous destination!

In addition to deadlines, Beth and I have been busy planning our Sonnets Studios booth (space #1101-- same as the last two years). Making a 10 x 10 space come alive with our artwork is really quite a fun undertaking. (Photos from last year’s booth at the left). Seeing the faces of people we interact with all year long via e-mail and phone is really a treat too. Sadly, Beth has to stay home though, to man the studio; with her due date looming and doctor’s orders to stay,  I had to find another travel mate. (I know, Ger is the obvious choice, but with the kids having lots of end-of-the-year assignments and activities we really wanted them to have a parent at home.) But I’m really thrilled to have Jenn Burke as my roomie. Jenn was my first Sonnets employee. She really helped me get my vision for the company off the ground, and with Jenn having such a solid grasp of what our studio does, it just made perfect sense to coerce her into coming (not too much arm-twisting was involved). Jenn now works for Apple, but I try to snag her whenever I can for a little tech help or some odd graphics job. Jenn and I are going to meet up with our dear friend Kathy (who once lived down the street from me and now lives in coastal New Jersey) and while we indeed will work by day, when the Jacob Javits Center boots us out at day’s end we have plans!!

While I may be missing my home and family (and believe me, I will be!!),  there are certain perks to travel. Which leads me to my
“Things Twice Loved: Volume II”entry.
(Check out my first volume of “Things Twice Loved” if you missed it.)
Today’s featured items that has been loved, not once but twice, are room service condiments (one of many travel perks):

Loved the 1st time: as teeny tiny compliments to my room service meal!

The self-proclaimed cocoon-er that I am,  room service is something I can really appreciate! Propping up weary “trade-show feet”, and letting someone bring a brass tea-cart to me with something warm and savory is pretty heavenly. And seeing these Lilliputian sized jars of honey, jam, catsup, and other accompaniments to the meal there on the cart just makes me smile. Anything in miniature like that is just too cute! If you happen to get to sample some wonderful gourmet chutney or unusual jelly, that makes it even more of an indulgence.

Loved the 2nd time: as adorable embellishment storage!
With the cap spray painted gold and the label removed, these room service condiment jars make the most adorable little container for tiny paper crafting supplies! Here, what once bottled catsup now holds in Making Memories decorative brads in style. And what once held honey now proudly flaunts a small collection of rhinestone brads.

Being inventive and recycling at the same time is something that really makes me happy! I hope this makes you happy too.

Now off to attack my very long "to do" list before I head out to The Big Apple on Thursday.

Things Twice Loved

I’m starting a new blog category today to address a topic I’d like to revisit often:
things twice loved.
Today’s thing that has been loved, not once but twice, is The Republic of Tea “Travelers Tea” and Loose Tea. So here it goes:

Loved the 1st time: as tea!
With beautiful and visually complex packaging that conjures up all manner of fantasy (envisioning where the tea leaves were grown and harvested, and perhaps where the inspiration was drawn for the combining of other flavors and essences) it is a treat to behold, and the tea within does not fall short of the expectation set by the exterior . These are fabulous both iced and hot, relative to the season. I think I was first introduced to their tea in the form of the Blackberry Sage variety served iced at one of my very favorite little eateries, The Ramos House Café. (In a little historic section of nearby San Juan Capistrano, home to the mission and the swallows, it’s a place we love to go to celebrate something special or to take an out of town guest.) Favorite flavors of mine are the aforementioned Blackberry Sage, Ginger Peach, and Vanilla Almond. But I have barely made a dent in taste testing their broad array of flavors! Their tea is intense and complicated, and a thoroughly delightful surprise to the taste buds.

Loved the 2nd time: as a studio container!
Now, granted, these teas carry a higher price tag than most. But when appreciated for its recylcing value, I consider them a steal. Covered in patterned paper, and given the appointment of lush trim, the vessel for tea bags is transformed! (Show in the left photo, the tin is covered in a paper from our Sonnets Enchanted Evening Collection.) If you prefer a sleek modern appeal, the raw tin of the container is actually quite modern alone when stripped of its paper label (see right photo)....or it could easily be spray painted a matte black.

Regardless of treatment, the tall narrow shape is just perfect for housing pencils, paintbrushes, awls, and various studio tools. I even like keeping the existing black lid in tact for another kind of container: one that holds things like elastics, buttons, acrylics, etc. Try drilling a hole in the lid to allow twine to be stowed inside and fed through the top. What is a wonderful added bonus is that the container continues to hold the fragrant memory of what it once held. So every time you open the lid, the bursting aroma of herbs, flowers, fruit, and tea is still present.

Don’t you just love something that goes above and beyond the call of duty? Kudos to Republic of Tea for doing just that!

I must go now....it's time for afternoon tea!