Retailer Spotlight: Friday Afternoon Tea

So excited to do a retailer spotlight on the wonderful Friday Afternoon Tea! Friday has run an amazing tea shop for over a decade serving up tea blends, pure teas and more. I’ve enjoyed several teas from Friday recently, I am currently sipping on moon magic! Want to know more about Friday Afternoon Tea? Check out the interview questions below!

Who knows, maybe you’ll encounter Friday Afternoon Tea in a future countdown box :D

Please also check out the Friday Afternoon Tea shop!

Some of my favorites: Zhang Ping Shui Xian, Darkest Chai, Moon Magic, Father Zambezi’s Mission Oolong

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Friday Afternoon Tea?

I'm Friday (yes, that's my real name), the founder, CEO, and Head Tea Witch of Friday Afternoon Tea. My tea company is best known for our synesthesia-derived fandom tea blends, unusual small farm pure teas and big ol' Care Bear heart. It's my life mission to serve as liaison between ethically-run small farms and a customer's Exact Right Tea for any given moment, mood, weather, book, etc. If a guest does not feel like they're being personally greeted with a loving hug from an old friend after every cup, I do not consider my job complete. So that's us, basically.

2) When did you start drinking tea?

My grandmother was an herbalist, so growing up I had an intimate relationship with medicinal plants. "Tea" typically consisted of chamomile, lavender, olive leaf, spearmint, blackberry leaf, and so on. We drank tea together to set intentions, aid sleep, or ward off colds. True tea didn't really enter the picture for me until I was about twelve. I had a bagged strawberry black tea while visiting Vancouver, BC with my mom and fully lost my mind. I was like, "Whaaaaa? Black tea can taste like that?!" and from that moment I got really weird about tea. Flash forward to my first restaurant job out of cooking school at 17 years old: an English tea room's kitchen. I got my hands on a Golden Monkey for the first time and that was that. I became obsessed and haven't stopped studying tea since!

3) What inspired you to start Friday Afternoon Tea?

When I say I got obsessed with tea, I mean I got obsessed. When I develop an interest, I go deep. Hermione Granger levels of dweebdom. So on my mission to learn everything about tea and taste every single tea, I quickly discovered that I will never be able to accomplish either of those goals. Which means a lifetime of learning and tasting and connecting and building friendships over a world of tea tables. What a life! I had to start my own company both because I wanted the freedom to pursue, evolve, and express myself creatively in my work, and because I didn't want to choose between a vibrant career and being very present for my child's early years. It was a single mom dream to do work I love and not miss out on any of their Firsts.

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

When I slow down for tea, rather than just having it on the go all day every day while I'm working, I have a little corner in my home office with twinkle lights and a soft blanket on the floor. There's a shelf at hand with all my gaiwans, tea pets, and a basket of my favorite teas for gongfu service. I have two trays and really enjoy picking out specific pieces to suit my mood. I also like to pair a tarot deck (there are about thirty on a shelf under the gongfu trays) and quietly read cards while I drink my tea.

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

You know that's an impossible question! I refuse to pick one, but I WILL give you one pure tea and one blended. For pure tea, I'm obsessed with a gorgeous unsmoked Lapsang Souchong from the Lin farm in Fujian China. It's figgy and smooth and the leaf is so shiny! For blended tea, I'm all about our Friday's Evening. South Indian decaf black tea with rose, tulsi, and cardamom. It tastes like daydreams.

6) Where do you draw inspiration from for your blends?

I'm drawn to lush language, bright colors, and deep feelings. My brain is wired such that I literally taste words, feelings, ideas, etc., and I choose to create blends that translate things I find beautiful into tea blends for others to experience as well! Music, movies, books, weather, memories...you name it.

7) Is there anything upcoming this holiday season and beyond for Friday Afternoon Tea that you're excited about?

I'm always excited about everything, so this is gonna be a big yes. We're very excited about our brand new Zodiac-inspired collection, which I think is going to be our most popular gift this season. We're also bringing our CommuniTea Book Club back for a second year, and early next year we are planning to crowdfund an expansion into a secondary storefront with a dedicated production facility! We've really outgrown our little tea house and are excited to have space to do all the cool projects we want to take on (hello, tea advent calendars for 2022), not to mention be able to shorten our turnaround times and take on more wholesale clients. All very exciting stuff!

Tea Thoughts Gift Guide

Do you have a tea lover in your life and want to surprise them with something special? I have a ton of products in the shop that fit the interests of a wide variety of tea lovers! Sometimes when there’s so many things to choose from, finding the perfect gift can be difficult!

I’ve created a guide that will help you cut your search in half and find a great gift!

If you want to view the gift guide as a PDF with embedded links, you can find it below:

Gift Guide with Embedded Links

I’ve also shared them below, using categories that might fit your loved one perfectly!

You can find everything and more in the shop! Please note that several items will be in stock starting 11/19.

The Shop

We all have that friend who hoards stationery, for me….it’s me ! Diversify their stationery with these tea themed items! The wax seal kit adds a classic touch to letters and gifts. The kit includes a was seal stamp, handle and 2 wax sticks, there are also 2 other designs in the shop. Washi tape is so fun to use to wrap gifts, hang small prints and to use in planners! This special stamp kit collaboration between Justine Gilbuena and I features two flowers that we felt represented home - The Philippines and Iran. The kit includes 3 stamp colors, a makahiya stamp and a honeysuckle stamp.

Wax Seals

Washi Tape

Stamps

All Stationery

I have a special connection to gaiwans. When I was first given a tea I didn’t know how to brew, the first guides I found suggested getting a gaiwan and I’ve been hooked every since. The simple design of a lidded bowl enhances the tea tasting for me as there are so many aromas that come through due to the wide opening. The gaiwan is also featured in a lot of my products because I wanted to have gaiwan merch and couldn’t find it so I started making my own! Gaiwan studs and socks allow you to flaunt your love of this brewing vessel and also look pretty stylish :D I also have some actual gaiwans in the shop as well like the persimmon design shown. I also have several different designs on this same style gaiwan.

Gaiwan Studs

Moon Gaiwan Socks

Persimmon Gaiwan + Cup

Especially when it gets colder, we all know that one person who loves to be cozy or to have cozy things. These fuzzy socks are a new addition to the shop and something I’ve wanted to do for the longest time! They are soft and have a fin embroidered piece on the side, I highly suggest pairing these with some leggings or your favorite onesie! The sloth magnet is a great gift for someone who likes cozy and chill vibes! He likes to hang around and really space out that gong fu cha session!

All Socks

Sloth Magnet

Pins are great for collectors and people who love to add some flair tot their outfits! I’m featuring the camellia sinensis, pangolin teapot and sakura pins because I am running low on all of them! Make sure to grab some pins soon as I wont have new or restocks until next year! In addition to enamel, I also have a few wood pins.

All Pins

Matcha and green tea are thins I’ve seen be a huge hit for the American tea market recently. They are sold as health hacks but honestly, they are just delicious! While I don’t drink as much green teas as I’d like I do rally enjoy a bowl of hot matcha or a pot of genmaicha or gyokuro! For the matcha lover I have stud earrings of matcha bowls and a wood pin that makes you part of the chasen club! For all other green teas, I have this lovely kyusu!

Matcha Studs

Chasen Club Wood Pin

Kyusu

Some people collect pins and some people collect teaware! This year, I’ve added lots of teaware to the shop that I either sourced like the gaiwan shown or designed like the bamboo mat and highball glass! This landscape gaiwan is one of the other options of the persimmon gaiwan shown earlier. These have a good shape if you have smaller hands like me as the opening isn’t super wide. The bamboo tea mat is perfect for tea times where you don’t need a tray and need a lot of space for your setup. Highball glasses feature a tea leaf design and are great for iced tea or tea cocktails and mocktails!

All Teaware

Small Business Spotlight: Volition Tea

I’m spotlighting another Chicago business! Introducing Volition Tea! I recently purchased the raw jade, white jade and white peony. The two jade teas are in pillow format which are so lovely. I’ve always had a soft spot for compressed tea. There is something about the ease of it being pre-measured. I can just plop it into my brewing vessel and sip, sip, sip for hours! I love them both but as I write this I am re-tasting the raw Jade.

The dry pillow leaf aroma fills my nostrils with the memories of lavashak - a persian fruit leather type snack. While Lavashak comes in many flavors this aroma reminded me of the lavashak that was made with stone fruit like apricots or plums. Once the water hits the leaves the aroma stays fruity but also almost instantly adds a layer of cocoa which is such an interesting an lovely marriage of scents. The lid of my easy gaiwan changed fruits to a more pear type aroma. Light and refreshing. I usually brew my first steep a little light to taste it but even so the fruity notes with a hint of cocoa really come through well. As I drink these flavors deepen. Truly a spectacular tea!

Volition Tea Co also has several more teas and teaware to brew with as well!

You can check out all their offerings on their site!

Learn more about Annie and Volition Tea!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Volition Tea Co? ​

This is Annie, a proud first-generation Chinese American and founder of Volition Tea Co. I am a huge fan of the food & beverage industry, particularly here in Chicago. I used to have a customized Google Map of all the incredible restaurants and speakeasies in Chicago for my friends and families to try. Volition Tea is a tea company focusing on sharing single-origin, sustainably grown loose leaf teas from China, and celebrating tea farmers who grew and made them. We also let our farmers dedicate pricing so they can ensure their fiscal wellbeing.

2) When did you start drinking tea? ​

I grew up in Xinjiang, the northwest corner of China. The earliest memory of tea drinking I have is with my family sitting in a yurt sipping black brick tea with yak butter. The brick tea is often boiled in a large teapot over bonfire, then yak butter is added in so it tastes like salted milk tea. I can't find yak butter here in Chicago, but my mom and I would still make this tea with butter sometimes and it immediately takes me back home.

3) What inspired you to start Volition Tea Co?

In my prior life I was a tax manager at one of the big four accounting firms. Though I was working on very challenging issues, I found myself craving for deeper connections with others. As hate crimes against my community continue on the rise, I developed a burning desire to do my part to reconnect the world. I chose tea because although it's a household staple, farmers who created teas were hidden behind the curtains from tea brands' marketing. Very much like the fate of Chinese food, much of the western society believes that tea should be and need to be cheap. That expectation forces tea farmers into a vicious circle of heavy fertilizer and pesticide usage to guarantee high yield, in exchange for ever narrowing profit margin that's not fiscally sustainable. Volition Tea is here to break the chain, celebrating our farmers and their perseverance for regenerative farming. Through storytelling, We've been able to form so many deep connections with farmers and tea drinkers around the world. It's been truly a dream come true.

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like? ​

My mornings are always hectic, getting my son and myself ready, and then sending him to school. I usually come home around 9am, that's when I get to start my morning tea ritual. If I've got places to go, I usually steep tea western style. If I am fortunate enough to have some time to myself, then I pick a tea and do it gongfu style, sharing it with my mom and my partner. All of VT teas can offer multiple steeping, so I would drink that tea throughout the day.

5) Do you have a current favorite tea that you offer? ​

My current favorite tea has been the Lu'an Melon Peel. I'm convinced it's my ultimate living-in-the-present challenge. Its flavors are so nuanced and subtle. Drinking this tea forces me to quiet down and focus. If I can be really present, then it always surprises me with a discovery of a new flavor/aroma note. Living in this fast-moving world, I am especially appreciative of this tea that gets me to slow down.

6) How did you curate the selection of teas that you currently offer on the site? ​

The original plan is to procure 2 different teas for each of the six types of tea to give tea drinkers a full range of single-origin tea experience. I worked with my exporter to meet and vet farmers who are in the sustainable farming community, which is fairly small to begin with. We cupped approximately 50 different teas and finally decided on these 7, because the teas are incredibly delicious, they have passed the pesticide residue test, and the relationship we have built with their respective tea farmer is genuine and candid.

7) What are your hopes for the future of Volition Tea Co?

​I have a bold vision that Volition Tea will form a community where tea drinkers around the world demand for high-quality, farmer-focused teas and are ready to support this cause, so that the tea farmers have the market confidence and fiscal security to continue striving for sustainable farming.

Nifty November Update

I’m back to talk about my November Shop Update, Nifty November!

Why nifty? Well, honestly, I like alliteration and I think a lot of the items are kind of nifty!

Mini Countdown Box

As you might know, the advent/winter countdown box sold out in ONE HOUR! This is insane. It certainly helped my fears about it selling that I always have but I know this was upsetting for a lot of people who wanted to box. In the aftermath, I had enough materials to make 5 extra somewhat smaller boxes and send them to those who claimed them first.

For this next update I am going to offer a limited run of mini countdown boxes. It will be 6 days that you can countdown to whatever day you want or open all at once. There will be one piece of teaware, a complete brewing vessel and 5 teas. The teas will be one of each: pu’er, black, oolong, white and green. All will be lovely for this time of year and all are purchased from some lovely vendors!

I do have enough penguin wrapping paper to wrap these up so you will get some penguin wrapping paper if you missed out on the advent!

These will be released on 11/19. There will only be 20 available and will cost $36.

Gold Plated Ear Cuff

I’ve had so much fun designing jewelry that I decided to try something new! I only have one piercing and it’s on my upper right ear. Often, I will wear an ear cuff on my left ear. Originally, I had my simple leaf design engraved on sterling silver ear cuffs but they ended up not showing up enough.

Since these are gold plated copper, I figured they would show up a lot better and they did! Since I still have all the silver ear cuffs, I will be including a free one of those with every order of an ear cuff while supplies lasts!

Cloud Gaiwan Stud Earrings

This year I came out with 2 new stud earring designs and I’m so excited to be able to bring you a gaiwan themed one. I was inspired to include clouds. I feel like clouds get a bad reputation, they’re often seen as something gloomy. They can be gloomy but they can also be so beautiful and I made these gaiwans light blue so that it looks like the clouds are floating in the sky. I hope you love these!

These are made with nickel free silver with stainless steel posts and measure 1 cm.

Cloth Pouch

A small addition to the shop will be these cloth pouches that you can get for $5 each. The are a softer cloth with a pocket, my logo and a string to tie it up. I think they would be great for storing jewelry !

New Packaging

As I design more jewelry, I wanted to create packaging that is a little bit nicer, keep the goods more secure and if you are gifting, make it a prettier gift! Earrings and ear cuffs will now be shipped in these white drawer boxes that are hot stamped with my logo in gold color!

Digital Journal

I’ve been playing around with designing a physical journal but have run into a lot of hurdles and am pushing it back to next year. In the meantime, I wanted to create something for those who are interested. While I am a lover of paper things, this will be a digital journal that you can download in PDF and either write into it if you have adobe or print pages out.

There will be:

-Tea Tasting pages (a few designs) based more on visual aspects like drawing the tea

-Self reflective journal prompts

-Lists to write what is in your stash and what is on your wish list!

Spider Tea Cup

THESE WILL BE BACK IN STOCK, YIPEEEE!

Retailer Spotlight: Thésaurus Tea

As Tea Thoughts grows, so do the number of places where you can find my items! In the last year, I have expanded my retailers and wanted to share a little bit about them. Hopefully you will be introduced or re-introduced to a new tea shop.

I want to introduce you to Thésaurus Tea!

This is an online tea ship based in Canada! If you’re in Canada, they might be the best option to order a Tea Thoughts item to save on shipping! Additionally, Thésaurus Tea has a few items that I don’t have in stock anymore like the Camellia SInensis Necklace and Camellia Sinensis tea socks!

Learn a little more about Robyn, the owner of Thésaurus Tea below!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Thésaurus Tea?

Thésaurus Tea is blended with dainty claws by a geeky dinosaur (that'd be me, Robyn), and then steeped in fandom! While I have all the usual classic blends (and more!) that one might expect of any tea shop, I also host an ever-growing list of original teas based on popular sci-fi shows, movies, books and videogames! On top of all this, I take special care with my impact on the environment: The majority of my teas come from fair-trade suppliers who also prioritize that their products are ethical, ecological, and economical.

2) When did you start drinking tea?

When I was a little girl, my father used to take me to a tea house (sadly long gone) called Franny's. Their specialty was cheesecake, but I loved it there for the tea. They had one that I THINK was called the Hobbit's blend, or at least it should have been. I always imagined that the softly floral tisane was surely what Bilbo or Frodo might have drank in the Shire, and was utterly hooked from then.

3) What inspired you to start Thesaurus Tea?

I had always thought I would want to open a tea shop after I retired, but when I was about to end my maternity leave, my husband asked me what I was waiting for. From there, everything came together very quickly. I suppose I had always had an image in my mind of what I wanted to do. I even had a dream about it, when I was trying to pick a name, and dreamed of a tea house run by dinosaurs...and thus Thésaurus. (Thé is tea in French, and as my fans know, I live for a good pun!).

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

When I take a moment to make tea for myself, I spend almost as much time trying to pick a tea cup as I do the tea itself. I have a huge collection of tea cups, stemming to back when my grandmother gave several to me. I've collected them ever since, and each one has a special meaning to me. That said, once I've chosen a cup, I will often match it to a tea, though sometimes I pick the tea, and THEN the tea cup to match. From there I suppose it is no different than anyone else, in terms of heating the water as needed, and steeping.

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

You want me to pick between my babies?! I suppose I would have to say that the Silver Wolf and Leader of the Pack are my two favorites for the moment.

6) Where do you draw inspiration from for your blends?

Everywhere, but especially anything science fiction related. Most often, I will watch through a show, or a movie, or read a book, and ask myself what those characters or moments, or even songs, might taste like.

7) What do you envision down the road for Thesaurus Teas?

It has long been my plan to open a physical location for a real tea house, but the pandemic interrupted those plans. That said, once things are calmer, I still fully intend on moving forward, as I feel that having a place that I could host people for tea, as well as for the geeky community in general, would be a wonderful and fulfilling experience for me. I have so many ideas for events and I look forward to sharing them.

Tea Infused Product Spotlight: Few Spirits

I am always on the look out for tea infused products. I am a huge bourbon/rye lover and while I have infused bourbon with tea on my own I have yet to taste a great infused spirit. Enter, Immortal Rye. I first saw Few Spirits at a local Whiskey Saloon called Jack Rose. I later checked out their site and was so excited to find that they had a tea infused rye and even more excited to see that it was an 8 immortals tea! I am a huge fan o dancongs so I had to give it a try. Check out my instagram for a reel with a quick cocktail to make with this rye!

Get to know a little more about Few Spirits below and check them out HERE .

1) Can you give us a little introduction about Few Spirits?

FEW Spirits is an innovative and creative grain to glass distillery. We focus on making bold, Chicago style whiskies, full flavored and strong and with subtlety and depth.

2) Are you a tea drinker? If so what does your tea ritual look like?

I’m an occasional tea drinker, generally lapsang souchong or black teas, although i’m a incessant coffee drinker. My tea rituals are rather simplistic and utilitarian- hot water and steep, with minimal ornament.

3) What inspired you to make a tea infused rye?

We are always working to create and add unexpected flavors into whiskey. Whether that is a fruity note in our rye to cinnamon notes in our bourbon, or 8 Immortals tea in the Immortal Rye!

4) What inspired you to choose 8 immortals for the rye?

We chose 8 Immortals after extensive experimentation to see what we liked. We tried probably 30 different teas, from black to white to green to chai, as well as different preparation methods and intensity. We found that this was what we liked best - the cold extraction of the 8 Immortals, while rather non-traditional, accentuates the fruit and really enhances the fruitiness of the underlying rye whiskey. We found the flavors very balanced and rich and complex. While several other teas were exceptional as well (I personally really liked the lapsang souchong), our entire team just knew this was right.

5) What is your favorite way to enjoy the Few immortals rye?

Responsibly, of course! But I’d say i find myself drinking it most often on the rocks or in a Boulevardier.

6) What is your favorite spirit in the Few Spirits line up right now?

I can never pick a favorite - it’s just like my kids. But I am definitely reaching for the Immortal Rye frequently these days.

Shop Update: Overjoyed October!

I’m excited to share more about the October Update! I’ve named it Overjoyed October because I am overjoyed to share all these new & fun products with you!

In September, the theme was stationery. This month, there isn’t as much of a connecting theme but one thing all these items have in common is the holiday season. A lot of these items are things that have been on my wish list to make! I will also have some deals for the update, many are based on the first orders so I highly recommend signing up for my newsletter if you haven’t already!

WINTER/ADVENT COUNTDOWN BOX!

I haven’t posted too many previews of the box yet except this one reel where I show how I’m making the tags! Here are some details for the countdown box!

• 12 days of goodies to open

• Ships in early November

• Combination of loose tea and compressed tea + one festive tea blend

• Matching teaware set

• 6 teas

• 6 days of non tea items

• Cute penguin design !

• Edible item: Unfortunately, it is hard to find tea themed things that are also allergy friendly. This item is not gluten free or vegan friendly. Made in a facility that has peanuts, tree nuts. Contact me before the update (earlier the better) if this is a concern!

• This box will be $68, this includes free shipping for US Orders

• ***The first 20 box orders get either an extra of day 3 or day 5! ****

HIGHBALL GLASSES

One thing I want for Tea Thoughts as I grow is to keep designing but to have those designs on more functional items that you can use everyday! While I do have some of these items in the shop, this update will bring more of them like these highball glasses. I know it’s not really ice tea season anymore but I often like to make tea cocktails and mocktails and why not have a tea themed glass to make them in!

This photo shows the glass filled with cold brewed da hong pao!

WRAPPING CLOTHS

Inspired by furoshiki, I’ve designed two wrapping cloths just in time for the holidays! These are the two designs that will be available - Camellia Sinensis and a tea pot & tea tray design. Each cloth is a 60cm square and made with 100% cotton. The fabric is soft and have a tiny bit of stretch. You can easily wrap small to medium objects like a book, tea tin, short bottle of alcohol and more! I shared one reel so far wrapping a book but will continue to share more examples while this is in stock in the shop. These cloths are also good for other uses if you don’t want to wrap a gift with them. Try using them to wrap a tea cake or as a neck tie!

BAMBOO MATS

Another item that I found while researching products that can be used daily are bamboo mats. These bamboo mats are exciting because they can be used for tea sessions! I have my own bamboo tea mat that I enjoy using for some tea sessions and when I found a printer, I was excited to get two designs printed. Each bamboo mat is 60 cm X 30 cm and provide a good amount of space for your teaware. I shared two reels hat show the entire bamboo mat!

Peach Mat

Leaf Mat

FUZZY SOCKS

Fuzzy socks, finally! I searched and searched for a manufacturer that didn’t have a ridiculous minimum order and finally landed on one. I chose to go with simplicity here and have the plain socks with a small embroidery. The tradeoff with where I got them made is that these socks are a bit smaller than some of my other socks fitting us women’s sizes 5-10. I hope to find a more inclusive solution in the future! These socks are snug when you first wear them and loosen up a little bit and are really cozy. These will have directions on the packaging but please know that these socks are handwash only!

SPIDER TEA CUP

Since this update is in October and I’m not doing a Halloween Countdown, I thought it might be fun to include these spooky spider tea cups I found! The black portion is smooth, almost matte and the gold parts are raised slightly, providing some texture. I will have a limited amount of these in the shop update!

TEAPOT VASE TOTEBAG

Some of you might have been following along long enough to see my other tote bags and its been far too long since I had one in the shop. I thought about what design to use and landed on this teapot vase from the stationery update! You may have read about supply chain issues and well, I had a lot of trouble finding the right kind of tote bag. This one is a little thinner than my previous camellia sinensis one and has shorter handles but it is much wider and still does fit over your shoulder thankfully!

Small Business Spotlight: Topaz Tea Co.

When one of my dear customers, Shaylee reached out to me about her new endeavor Topaz Tea Co, I knew I had to do a spotlight post! One of the fun things about being a small business and using social media to communicate with people is that you get to forge connections and friendships, like I did with Shaylee! Shaylee has so sweetly cheered me on and now it’s my turn!

Normally, I purchase the items in my small business spotlight because that is my way of supporting the business I’m spotlighting in addition to sharing about them. To be transparent, the 3 teas I was given from Topaz Tea Co were gifted to me but I will definitely be back for more.

Topaz Tea Co is launching on 10/15 and you can use code TOPAZLAUNCH for 15% off from 10/15 to 10/17! You can check out all their offerings on their site now though!

I was gifted the Evening Zen, Pumpkin Spice Chai and Beauty & Balance. It’s really hard to choose my favorite. The evening zen and beauty & balance were both brewed before bedtime and gave very different feelings. The evening zen was definitely more chamomile forward and mellow. The beauty & balance was nice and tart due to the hibiscus. I loved them both and I think choosing between then would depend on my mood before bed. Sometimes I just need something mellow but sometimes I want something with a strong punch of flavor even though I want to go to sleep. Last but not least, the pumpkin spice chai! I made this on the stovetop adding a little honey and milk. I used a bit too much water but even still I got a nice pumpkin flavor that wasn’t too overwhelming :)

Want to learn more about Topaz Tea Co?! See what the founders have to say!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/Topaz Tea Co?

We're a team of two (Shaylee and Alison), launching our first business. Officially, we've been working on launching Topaz for a few months, but it's been a dream of ours for quite a bit longer. We really became friends through our shared exploration of tea, and it has become something sort symbolic of our friendship as well as our individual journeys. Because of that, we began dreaming of having our own tea shop long before we had the knowledge or experience to really give it a shot. Topaz Tea Co is the culmination of a lot of work, a lot of learning, and a lot of love.

2) When did you start drinking tea? 

Both of us are sort of late arrivals to the tea scene. Because of our upbringings, neither of us had even tasted tea until adulthood. Prior to the age of 24 or so, Alison's experience was limited to tisanes and the occasional Starbucks chai latte. Shaylee had sipped a small selection of tisanes as well, but only for medicinal purposes, until she took the plunge at age 26 and tried Earl Grey and English Breakfast tea bags for the first time. Shortly after that, we were trying new teas together as fast as we could get our hands on them.

3) What inspired you to start Topaz Tea Co?

We’re both rather ambitious, so as we fell in love with loose leaf tea we decided we wanted to learn how to make our own. As we considered the idea of creating tea blends, we immediately started dreaming about opening a tea shop together despite now living across the country from each other. With our own past experiences with being new to tea culture, we also wanted to create a space for other beginners to find answers to their tea-related questions and feel a sense of solidarity as they embark on their tea adventures. We’re both very passionate about tea, as a beverage and a philosophy, and while we have a lot yet to learn we’re eager to share what we do know so that others can enjoy the beauty that tea has to offer. 

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

Shaylee: Honestly, I haven’t really established a ritual yet, but I do try to make each drink special. Each morning, I choose teaware that fits my mood for the day, and then select a tea to match. I try to remember to inhale the aroma before I take a sip, and when I do remember that deep breath can be magical. In the future, I plan to incorporate aspects specifically related to witchcraft for more intentional tea sessions.

Alison: A lot of the time I’m drinking tea on the go, or while multitasking elsewhere, so my personal rituals tend to be a bit scattered and hectic. However, the part of the process I enjoy the most is selecting and brewing my tea. Aroma is a huge part of the tea experience for me, so I always try to be present and mindful during the brewing process when the complex aromas are changing and growing so rapidly. 

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

Shaylee: It’s hard to choose a favorite because everything I have in my tea drawer is so delicious, but my top three go-to teas are Lavender Earl Grey from Hackberry Tea, Ya Bao Silver Buds from Curious Tea, and our Lavender Berry blend at Topaz Tea Co (can you tell I like lavender?).

Alison: I love mint in my tea blends, so my favorites would probably have to be Hackberry Tea’s Pomegranate Mojito (which is unfortunately no longer being sold), and our own flavor, Vanilla Mint. I also love just about every chai I’ve ever tasted.

6) Where do you draw inspiration from for your blends? 

More than many other senses, scent and flavor are tightly tied to memory. Think about walking into the kitchen as a child and smelling your favorite meal cooking--for most of us, smelling that same dish again, in any context, can transport us back to those happy childhood memories. This is part of why there are certain seasonal flavors that get so popular every year, such as pumpkin and turkey over the holidays. These sensations can remind us of the past, and help us to create new memories in the present. When we’re thinking about creating new flavors, the question for us is always “How can we use these scents and flavors to make us feel a certain way?” You’ll notice if you read some of our product descriptions that we like to mention some of the moods and memories that we are trying to evoke with that blend. 

7) What are your hopes for the future of Topaz Tea Co?

It would mean a lot to us if Topaz Tea Co became a place that was known for helping people to learn about and explore loose leaf tea for the first time. We’ve worked hard to create blends which provide familiar and accessible flavor combinations, while still celebrating the unique flavor of our teas and other ingredients. Many of these blends would be a fantastic early step into the world of tea. We’re also working hard behind the scenes to develop a lot of short and easy-to-understand articles to help people learn more about tea, from tea science to tea history and culture. As we grow, we hope to provide more and more options that are appealing to just about anyone; delicious, interesting, and made with love. 

September Stationery Update Details

Fall is almost here and this month’s shop update is focusing on stationery. Stationery is special to me because it marked the start of Tea Thoughts. Back in my etsy days when I started, I hand made cards with tombow markers!

As I taught myself graphic design and tried out other products, I didn’t forget about cards but they weren’t a main focus. I started picking up interest in stationery that I love like sticky notes and washi tape. I decided it was time to make a shop update dedicated to my love of stationery.

On Friday September 24th at 11 am ET, the products shown below will be available in the shop. I want to go through some of these designs and tell you why I created them.

In this shop update, you will find 4 greeting card designs and these designs will also be represented in other products. Let’s start with the TEArarium. This teapot terrarium is an old pin design that was pretty popular and instead of just using the same design, I wanted to redo it. I kept the glass teapot exterior but changed the plants inside. Like my original design, I chose succulent and cacti. Mostly, I chose these because they are what I know best since they are what I can keep alive (mostly!). I started looking up different cacti and succulents to choose different types to include.

After redesigning the TEArarium, I decided I wanted to make a few other designs where a piece of teaware would be used in another way besides for drinking tea. My thought was that I could design some plants which is what I am best at and what I enjoy the most. I also wanted to expand the designs to something that anyone, regardless of their place on a tea journey could enjoy and use. I have a lot of designs with gaiwans for example so I wanted to use teaware more people would recognize, even if you aren’t a tea drinker. I made the tea cup with flowers first using some of my favorite colors and then decided to make a birthday card using the mug as a cake with candles. Finally, I wanted to add another teapot to the mix so I went with something simple and used peace lily flowers to represent peace and calm for the coming season. The fall and winter season can be so fun but also hectic and it’s also a tough time for my family as we’ve lost many family members at this time of the year.

Magnets have been on my mind because I ran out of what I had and because I had several people ask about magnets and lots of people tell me they love them! I first decided to keep the theme and use the same designs as my cards. I didn’t want to make a birthday magnet so instead I revamped a sloth design I had to hold a gaiwan and cup and decided to make that a magnet as well!

I’ve also been wanting to make new washi but wasn’t feeling inspired. After creating these cards designs, I knew they would be perfect for washi tape. I chose to make washi with two of the card designs, the sloth design and a new pear gaiwan design I made! I always think about pears around the holidays because we would often be sent a harry and david box of fruit from a family member as a christmas present, the boxes always had pears! I also love pears. In farsi we call them gol- ahbe. This gol is flower and ahb is water, pretty fitting name right?! I’m not sure if I’ll make a pin of the pear gaiwan but I wanted to at least create a matching sticky note!

Last, but not least, I decided to finally take a leap and make something I’ve always wanted to. Planner notepads! I love having paper to write down quick notes, reminders and to do lists! I go through phases where I use a proper notebook and others where I just reach for what I have. I chose to have a whole slot for Monday, reminders and the weekend and then have shared space for the other days. Often on Mondays and the weekend we are looking forward to the week and write more or we feel super motivated to be organized but then it fades. This is often how I feel and I designed these pads with this in mind.

Everything here will be in the shop on 9/24 and will be included in the normal stationery volume discount when adding 3 or 4 products or more to your cart! If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or send me an email: hello@teathoughts.com

Small Business Spotlight: The Silk Tea Co

I’m so excited to share the incredible MJ of The Silk Tea Co with you! I’m currently sipping on the Zen & Tonic herbal blend as I write this. I first found MJ on Instagram and while I’m not usually a blended tea fan, I decided to give The Silk Tea Co a try because I heard so many raving reviews and also MJ is just a lovely person. Not only is she blending up tea, she’s supporting causes she cares about as well!

Check out this reel I made showing off her beautiful packaging!

1) A short intro about yourself/ The Silk Tea Co

Thank you for inviting me to this interview. So honored to have this opportunity to share a bit of my journey with you, Nazanin, I’m very grateful for all you do for our tea community. 

I’m MJ Pham and I’m committed to leading a business for social good. I identify with being a maker — a maker of beauty, unforgettable moments, and transportive experiences. My current medium is tea. I founded The Silk Tea Co in the midst of the uncertainty and fear that came with the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City in April 2020. I want to empower all of our tea drinkers to travel the world with just a sip, while giving back to communities in need.

I create powerful and luxurious teas found nowhere else. Each blend is inspired by desire and ancient cultures. I’m so fortunate to have the joy of dreaming up all of our luxurious tea blends and the excitement of running a very small business. As a former U.S. diplomat and news reporter who’s won two national U.S. journalism awards, I’ve worked at the intersection of identity, culture, narrative, and history my entire life. As a first-generation Asian American, I’m honored to own this business as a woman of color. 

2) When did you start drinking tea? 

The role of tea in my life is ancestral. I grew up with tins of loose leaf tea from the local Asian grocery stores in Springfield, Massachusetts. My mom is a refugee from the Vietnam War and I was fortunate enough to be born in the US, thanks to the kindness of the Skruches, strangers who became family to us when they sponsored my mother to this country. 
Tea brought my mom the comforts of her native Saigon. As a child, it was something that connected me to my mother tongue and one of my cultures. Today, it still connects the both of us to our roots. Growing up, trà sen, or lotus tea, as well as trà lài (jasmine tea), were always available in our kitchen. I witnessed how these teas marked the passage of time and solemnized important Vietnamese rituals, including weddings, the lunar new year, and paying respect to our ancestors. 

Yet, it wasn’t until I was studying abroad and learning Mandarin at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China that my tea journey took a more serious turn. I discovered the beauty of the famous 龙井茶 (Longjing cha or dragon well tea) straight from local farms thanks to the community of professors and friends I encountered there. Every day I would bike around West Lake and go past a number of gorgeous tea fields, marveling at the beauty of it all. My classmates and I visited the tea museum and learned more about China’s incredible tea history. I fell in love. It was just before I turned 20 and I could finally appreciate the wonderful experience of steeping tea — the boiling of fresh water, the fragrant steam, the ritual itself. And I was able to finally taste a rich range of flavors that unfurled — a lovely floral bouquet in the tea, a certain grassiness, a slight astringency, and a sweetness I’d never before appreciated. 

While I’ve inherited a respect for tea with my own culture as a Vietnamese-American, it was in China that I first took a deep-dive into tea. 

3) What inspired you to start The Silk Tea Co?

My love of travel and desire to make others feel their best, wherever they are. Tea has made me feel so welcomed and seen in so many countries. Saudi Arabia comes to mind, especially. That’s where the inspiration for my Desert Rose blend comes from, and there’s a greater story behind it (two incredible women!). 

I began The Silk Tea Co because I was craving teas that I couldn’t find online. I thought to myself, Well, if I’m going to make my own teas, I should find a way to share them. It’s been such an adventure since, and I’ve been so humbled and touched by the outpouring of love and support in our community. This is truly the greatest reward I’ve gained since starting this business — the warmth of new friendships, the incredible stories people have shared about our teas helping them and their loved ones through difficult times, surgeries, cancers, and more. There’s no greater honor than gaining the trust of each Silk Tea collector.

While I work in tech full time today, my passion is always centered around the table — and how we can come together. I’ve always been interested in food and I’ve spent a few years discussing gastrodiplomacy before. How are we connected? What do we have in common? What nourishes us? Tea connects each one of us; it’s rooted in the survival of humanity and civilizations. With The Silk Tea Co, it’s such a joy and honor for me to craft exquisite, luxurious blends that bring the ancient magic of tea alive with a modern twist. 

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like? 

There’s something freeing in the flow of tea, the pouring out of one’s self, the filling up of a cup, to replenish your own or to nourish another. I’m very experimental in how I brew. While I don’t adhere to any particularly strict brewing practice, I care deeply about the quality of the tea leaves and the blended ingredients — if I’m drinking a blended tea — and of course the temperature of the water. I like to say, once that’s all accounted for, brew however suits your life and flow. And I’m always experimenting with blends at home, too. 

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

Can I share a secret with you? Lately, I've been savoring a delicious, highly-prized aged oolong that I will share with everyone in the coming months as part of an upcoming product launch (!!). Every tea drinker has a certain palate, and mine loves highly oxidized teas.... 

Also, as the season changes, I've been drinking a lot of our own On the Rocks tea blend — made with sliced whole vanilla beans from Madagascar, a Rwandan black tea as well as two oolongs, one a dark pearl oolong from Taiwan and the other a jinxuan oolong cultivated in Thailand. I love how versatile it is, it's lovely hot, iced, and as a latte. Kenny Wu from @mr.yumtums just made scones with his On the Rocks tea blend, and I'm excited to craft more blends with food and culinary delights in mind.  

6) Where do you find inspiration for your blends? 

It all comes down to the feelings I feel in the places I go and have been. Sometimes these blends are inspired by a certain nostalgia, and sometimes they’re inspired by a certain idea I have about a place, an interplay of fragrance and flavor, and sometimes, even by a person. I’m inspired by so many places where I’ve lived and visited — Cambodia, Vietnam, Jamaica, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Morocco, and Italy to name a few. These have truly shaped the arc of my tea drinking practice and my tea making journey. With each blend, my aim is to curate a sense of wellbeing for our Silk Tea collectors, and to empower them to travel the world with just a sip while making a social impact with their purchase.

7) What are your hopes for the future of The Silk Tea Co?

To keep making teas with a positive social impact. Since our founding, we have donated 5% of profits to the UN Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence Against Women. As a survivor of domestic violence and abuse in my former marriage, this is something that’s so close to my heart. It’s my personal mission to empower women everywhere. And most recently, in August 2021 after the crisis in Afghanistan and Haiti, The Silk Tea Co made a two-week call to fundraise for Save the Children and Mozaic DMV, a non-profit in the Washington, DC area resettling 2,500 Afghan refugees. We managed to raise $4,712 thanks to the generosity of our community as well as to our donors, including a third-party donor who helped us make this impact. I’m so grateful and inspired by everyone in our tea family.

8) One more thing to add…

Just as often as I'm drinking the teas I make, I'm always enjoying and in awe of the work of other teamakers and purveyors. There are so many I appreciate. I love offerings from Kiani Tea, TWG Tea, Chiki Tea and Naoki Matcha. I put in a massive order for White2tea recently and can't wait. And I hope to discover more brands to cheer on this year. We’re all in this together!