Tea
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DAVIDsTEA Spring Collection
Tea Haul, First Impressions & Review
I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope this blog post and new YouTube video adds a smile into your day!
In this blog post/video, I share my latest DAVIDsTEA haul! I ordered two new teas from their spring collection, as well as a staple tea I was out of! Please note, that some of the links (in this blog post) are affiliate links.
In the video, you will see a close up look at each of the teas. I share a close up look at the tea leaves/matcha powder, as well as show the teas being steeped and the final result. You will also hear my first impressions and taste reviews. You can watch the video HERE or down below:DAVIDsTEA Haul Items:
DAVIDsTEA Unicorn Dream
Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estoreDAVIDsTEA Raspberry Matcha
Shop DAVIDsTEA Canadian estore
Shop DAVIDsTEA USA estoreDAVIDsTEA Countess of Seville
- DAVIDsTEA, Disney x Pandora, Jewellery, Pandora, Pandora, Pandora Hauls, Pandora Reviews, Pandora Rose, Pandora Style, Pawfectella Everything!, Uncategorized
Pandora Charms Haul | New Video is up on my Youtube Channel!
I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I also hope this video adds a smile into your day!
In this video, I share my Pandora charms haul from their early March 2020 promotion, here in Canada. I am over a month late in getting this video up, but I hope you still enjoy seeing the different charms that I picked up! I purchased charms from both from my local concept store and from Gold-N-Memories Pandora. It is so crazy to think that early March, the stores (in Canada) will still open. Things have changed so much…in such a short time!Pandora Charms Haul Items:
Disney x Pandora Frozen Winter Crystal Pandora Charm
Free Hand Heart Pandora Clip x2
Home Sweet Heart Pandora Dangle Charm
We Can Do Anything Pandora Charm
Peach Blossom Flower Pandora Charm x2
Pink Murano Glass Leaf Pandora Pendant
Bird Cage Pandora Charm (retired)
Openwork Leaves Pandora Charm x2
Acorn and Leaf Pandora Dangle Charm
Clear Sparkle Spacer Pandora Rose Charm x2
Pink Flower Murano (retired)
Poodle Puppy Dog Dangle Pandora Charm
– from the Pandora Spring 2020 Collection - Afternoon Tea, Beads and Coffee/Tea, Jewellery, Ohm Beads, OHM News & Updates, Ohmily, Tea, Uncategorized
OHM Beads Giveaway | #OHMTeaforTwo
Happy April 2nd, 2020! I hope today finds you and your loved ones safe, healthy and doing well.
In today’s blog post, I will be hosting a fun giveaway on behalf of OHM Beads! For the month of April, OHM Beads is having daily giveaways, games, and themes. The official hashtag for the month is #OHMinApril. A new giveaway/game/theme will be happening every day and they will be hosted by either OHM HQ, an OHM Team Member or an OHMbassador. I am so excited to be hosting #OHMTeaforTwo for the April 2nd giveaway!Today’s theme is #OHMTEAFORTWO and I one lucky winner will have the opportunity to win the OHM Tea Bag BOTM! To find out how…keep on reading!
Photo courtesy of OHM Beads. As all of you know, I am a HUGE tea addict and I have embarrassingly large cupboards of teas (yes, I said cupboards). But not to worry, they are all organized by tea type (green, oolong, black, etc.) as well tea bags and loose leaf teas. It is very safe for me to say that I could probably open up my own tea shop, with the amount of teas I have!
Am I the only one? Do you have a large tea cupboard? Or cupboards?!One of the reasons I love tea is because of the experiences that goes along with it.
Here are some of my favourite tea experiences:
– the art of making tea is a relaxing experience that provides a wonderful escape from the hustle and bustle of every day life. I love preparing the perfect cup of tea or tea latte. It is a time to stay present, in the moment!
– designing with the OHM Alice in Wonderland collection
– picking out the perfect mug or tea cup is such a fun experience!
– afternoon tea or high tea is honestly the BEST way to catch up with loved ones and create memories to last a life time!
– having a friend over for tea!
– after dinner dessert…usually mean tea! And usually means time with love ones!
– TEA PARTIES!!!!
– going to a local tea shop and smelling and sampling hundreds of amazing teas…one of the best ways to spend an hour, if you ask me!
– grabbing a tea-to-go and going for walk in a winter wonderland or on an autumn day…nothing quite like it!
– bubble tea or iced tea…on a hot summer’s day. Again…nothing quite like it!
– sharing a cup of tea with a guinea pig named, Harlow. THE BEST!
– Unboxing a tea order! OR…the OHM Tea Bag BOTM Bead!!!!
What are some of your favourite tea experiences?As mentioned, OHM Beads is giving away the OHM Tea Bag BOTM (Bead of the Month)! This is one of my favourite OHM Beads and is an incredible experience to unbox. If you’d like to watch my first impressions and unboxing of this bead, you can watch it HERE or down below:
Fast Forward to around 6:13 to see the tea bag unboxing. The OHM Tea Bag BOTM comes with TEAriffic packaging. When you first open it, you will see that it comes inside an OHM tea tin. From there, you will pull out an OHM tea infuser and inside you will find tea bag. After gently opening the tea bag, you will find your bead!
To enter to win:
- Head over to @fashionstoryteller Instagram profile, find the official #OHMTEAFORTWO photo and tag 1 friend you love to have tea with!
- Share a photo on your instagram profile, sharing a memory/experience that involved tea! Make sure to use the hashtags: #OHMINAPRIL #OHMTEAFORTWO #BEADSANDTEA and tag @fashionstoryteller and @OHMbeads.
- For a bonus entry: leave a comment down below with your instagram name and what your favourite type of tea is.
One qualifying winner will be drawn and will have 24hrs to claim their prize. If the winner fails to claim their prize in 24hrs, a new winner will be drawn.
To qualify to win, the winner must complete actions 1 and 2 correctly. Giveaway ends on April 3rd, 2020 at 11:00 AM PACIFIC.
Winner will be announced on my Instagram stories.
Void Where Prohibited.
Best of luck to all who enter! A special thank you to OHM Beads for this giveaway and for making the month of April sooo fun!
- Afternoon Tea, Beads and Coffee/Tea, Jewellery, Lifestyle, My Favourite Jewellery Brands, Ohm Beads, OHM News & Updates, Ohm Reviews, Ohm Style, Tea, Uncategorized
OHM Beads | Alice in Wonderland Collection | Youtube Video is up!
A new video is up on my Youtube channel. If you remember my last blog post, this is the video about the OHM Beads Alice in Wonderland collection. I also share some scenes from when Nichol (MyPandoraCharmedLife) and I went to the Ivy Tea Room. They were having an Alice in Wonderland Mad Tea Party and this was one of the reasons I came to visit Nichol, at the end of February/early March (I also just LOVE her and missed her terribly, haha)! #beadsandtea was so much fun!
You can watch the video, HERE. Or you can watch it down below:
If you plan to make your first ever OHM Beads order, feel free to use my referral link or use code: EMILY1RVCHMDY (at checkout) to save 11% off your first OHM Beads purchase!
I hope you and your loved ones are safe and doing well, during this outbreak. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful rest of your day!
- Afternoon Tea, Beads and Coffee/Tea, Jewellery, My Favourite Jewellery Brands, Ohm Beads, OHM News & Updates, Ohm Reviews, Ohm Style, Tea, Tea Reviews, Uncategorized
OHM Beads is MAD | The Alice in Wonderland Collection
“When I used to read fairy tales, I fancied that kind of thing never happened, and now here I am in the middle of one!”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Chapter 4Happy Saturday! I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe, during this outbreak. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. I hope this blog post adds a smile into your day!
I am excited to announce a simply MAD new collection from OHM Beads: the Alice in Wonderland collection! It will be releasing on April 1st, 2020. This collection is inspired by Lewis Carrol’s, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It features 9 new beads, 3 of which are made of Looking-Glass…oops, I mean OHM glass.
A special thank you to OHM Beads for sending me these beads to review and design with. What a dream come true…not only to have this collection coming out, but to be gifted them! Thank you to the bead community, as well. I would not have these opportunities without your support. <3In this blog post, I will be sharing a bracelet design and an overview of the beads and their price points. Also, stay tuned for my OHM Alice in Wonderland YouTube video. This video will take a closer look at the beads, as well as share some clips from a “Mad Tea Party” that Nichol (@MyPandoraCharmedLife) and I attended at the Ivy Team Room in New Mexico.
Speaking of Nichol, she recently posted a video that we filmed together! If you’d like to see our first impressions and us unboxing the OHM Alice in Wonderland collection, CLICK HERE or watch down below:
Video from @MyPandoraCharmedLife Youtube Channel. “Curiouser and curiouser!” cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).
– Alice in Wonderland – Chapter 2When it came to designing my bracelet, I decided to incorporate all 9 beads on my silver OHM Twisted Bangle. Usually, this would be too many beads, for a bangle. However, my bangle is a size small and on the looser side. My wrist measurements is about 14.5 cm and I find the size small bangle allows more space for beads, but still provides a comfortable fit!
I may ultimately decide to do a layered bangle or OHM Whip Bracelet stack, with this collection, but it was fun to pair all the beads together. I would love to see an “Alice Blue” or lavender OHM Whip bracelet release!It was all very well to say “Drink me,” but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. “No, I’ll look first,” she said, “and see whether it’s marked ‘poison’ or not.”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 1For this bracelet design, I added a few more beads, to go with the wonderland theme.
I chose to add OHM Pretty Tea Pot and OHM Pretty Tea Cup, (which pair with the OHM Eat Me and OHM Drink Me dangles). These tea themed beads are a perfect representation of the Mad Tea Party scene from the book! I love the floral detailing on both.
I also added the OHM BOTM Tea Bag dangle (paired after OHM Painting the Roses Red). If you’d like to see a video, taking a closer look at the OHM Tea Bag, CLICK HERE.I also added the OHM Milky glass bead (paired beside, OHM Mad Hat). Tea with milk or cream…such a must! I also added my OHM Woodsy spacers to the bangle, as well. A representation of the woods that Alice wonders though, trying to find her way out of Wonderland.
“Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,” thought Alice; “but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6Now, it is time to share a closer look at the 9 beads from the, OHM Alice in Wonderland collection. All these photos below are courtesy of OHM Beads, minus the last photo.
OHM White Rabbit
“The Duchess! The Duchess! Oh my dear paws! Oh my fur and whiskers! She’ll get me executed, as sure as ferrets are ferrets!”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Chapter 4OHM White Rabbit is magical, but running quite late for an important date! It has a thin, clear glass detailing surrounding a pure solid white core and magical bits of glittering sparkle! This bead retails for $60 US.
OHM Saganistute
The word “saganistute” appears to be a portmanteau for “sage” and “astute”. We love that word here at OHM; so as part of our own “Alice in Wonderland” series, we proudly present our new glass bead entitled, Saganistute. sage in classical philosophy, means “someone who has attained wisdom” or someone who lives “according to an ideal that transcends that everyday”. Astute describes one having “mental sharpness and perception”.
– OHM Beads
Brilliantly, this creations transcends the everyday, and if you look astutely, you will find sage advice in the sprinkle of sparking magic wafting though the twilight sky and alluring depths of the wonderland around you. Saganistute: “a wise person of poetry and vision.” That’s you!OHM Saganistute – $60 OHM Saganistute is whimsical! I love the purple shade of colour mixing with sparkle and magic. It pairs beautifully with OHM Gallymoggers (pictured below). This bead will retail for $60 US.
OHM Gallymoggers
OHM’s GALLYMOGGERS is a part of our Alice in Wonderland series. Look closely at and you’ll see splashes of euphoric cream in bubbles of delirious blue tea or perhaps you’ll see only the white teeth of the Cheshire Cat as the rest him fades into a transparent dream. Maybe you’ll see Alice’s blue-and-white dress as she tumbles down the rabbit hole into a realm of wonder. Once you wear our GALLYMOGGERS bead, you’ll believe six impossible things before breakfast!
– OHM BeadsOHM Gallymoggers – $60 OHM Gallmoggers is the last glass bead in the OHM Alice in Wonderland Collection. It will retail for $60 US and is that perfect “Alice Blue”. It is a magical reference to Alice’s blue and white dress.
OHM Who Are You
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
“What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!”
“I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.”
—Alice in Wonderland – Chapter 5OHM Who Are You – $60 The OHM Who Are You silver bead is packed with detail! It captures every detail of a wonderland mushroom. It also shows evidence of the Caterpillar enjoying too much of his hookah (love those droopy “ears”/antennas). From every angle, there is something to appreciate. He will retail for $60 US.
OHM Mad Time
“In that direction,” the Cat said, waving its right paw round, “lives a Hatter: and in that direction,” waving the other paw, “lives a March Hare. Visit either you like: they’re both mad.”
“But I don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked.
“Oh, you ca’n’t help that,” said the Cat: “we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad.”
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.
“You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 6,OHM Mad Time – $65 OHM Mad Time is one of my favourite silver beads (if I had to pick). I love that we see the Cheshire Cat’s eyes and toothy grin. I also love that it resembles the White Rabbit’s pocket watch. Time is quite an interesting theme in Wonderland and I love the OHM Beads did a reference to it! I also love the back detailing that says: “We’re all mad here”. This bead can be threaded through the core or the little bale detail, on the top. It will retail for $65 US.
OHM Mad Hat
“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone: “so I ca’n’t take more.”
“You mean you ca’n’t take less,” said the Hatter: “It’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 7OHM Mad Hat – $60 My other favourite silver bead is the OHM Mad Hat. It is inspired by the one and only Mad Hatter! This silver bead has simply MAD details: a peacock feather, signs of age and wear and a saucer like base. It is truly a must for any Wonderland fan! This bead will retail for $60 US.
“I suppose I ought to eat or drink something or other; but the great question is ‘What?’”
– Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 4OHM Eat Me & OHM Drink Me
OHM Drink Me and the OHM EAT ME beads look like they are straight out of wonderland! I love how they are crumpled slightly and have small tears…so realistic. They are very light weight and with a small bale, they are easy to squeeze onto a bracelet design! Separately, they retail for $30 US each.
OHM Painting the Roses Red
A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red.
– Alice in WonderlandThe OHM Painting the Roses Red bead is heart shaped. The Queen of Hearts would be very pleased, with this reference to her! It has the option to be worn as a bead or pendant. Some of my favourite details are the “painted” red enamel roses, followed by the beautiful vines and branch detailing. This bead will retail for $65 US.
This concludes a look at the, OHM Alice in Wonderland collection. What are your favourite bead(s) from this upcoming release?
As a reminder, this collection will release on April 1st, 2020 along with a huge launch of other OHM collections and beads (stay tuned).
If you plan to make your first ever OHM Beads order, feel free to use my referral link or use code: EMILY1RVCHMDY (at checkout) to save 11% off your first OHM Beads purchase! - Afternoon Tea, Disney Magic, Disney x Pandora, Guinea Pigs, Harlow, Jewellery, Pandora, Pandora 20, Pandora News and Updates, Pandora Rose, Pandora Style, Tea, Uncategorized
Pandora 20 | The 2020 Limited Edition Bee Charm + My Story Behind the Enchanted Mouse Charm
I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this outbreak. I hope this blog post adds some happiness into your day. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone.
This year, Pandora celebrates their 20th Anniversary of the Pandora Moments charm bracelet. This charm bracelet was first released in 2000. To celebrate 20 years of collecting, Pandora is going through their archives and bringing back a vintage charm every month in 2020. All 12 of the charms will be limited-edition. Each charm will be available only until it has sold out, which makes all 12 charms an absolute must for a Pandora collector!“Pandora releases the third of its limited edition, collectable charms to mark the 20th birthday of the iconic Pandora Moments charm bracelet.”
– PandoraI am so excited to join Pandora in celebrating this special milestone! To celebrate Pandora’s anniversary, each month, I will share a special story behind a charm in my collection, and reveal what the limited-edition Pandora 20 Charm is!
So, make sure to grab a cup of tea…and let’s get started!
Sweet like honey…
* All 2020 Limited Edition Bee Charm photos are provided by Pandora *
Hello March 20th! Today we celebrate the relaunch of the Queen Bee Charm, in sterling silver! On her belly, you will see the Pandora 20 hallmark. Originally a two-tone charm, the vintage Queen Bee is found on many collector’s bracelets. She represents an unforgettable moment.
“This happy little bee, with the Pandora crown atop its head, reminds us of the power of community and the energy of nature. A beloved charm that holds so many stories for so many people worldwide.”
– PandoraFor me, the Queen Bee Charm represents when I was promoted to a manager role. She also reminds me of my former manager, who was a strong, successful and supportive leader!
Each 2020 Limited Edition Bee Charm comes with a certificate, confirming her authenticity.
The 2020 Limited Edition Bee Charm is sweet as honey. Her little smile, cheerful eyes and Pandora crown are some of my favourite details. She is available globally, at select stores. Very limited numbers are available, so it is best to purchase today, March 20th, 2020…if she is not already sold out! You can also find her for purchase on Pandora’s estore:
Click HERE to shop (EN)
Click HERE to shop (FR)
*please note that these charms are very limited. Until supplies last.Take part in the celebration, with the hashtag: #Pandora20
Now, let me share the story behind my Enchanted Mouse Pandora Charm. His item number is, 791107. This adorable little mouse was originally released in 2013, and is now retired. Depending on your location, he may go by the name, Mouse in the Cup.
Some of my favourite details:
– he proudly wears the Pandora crown
– his cute little whiskers and pointy nose
– his tail curling down outside of the teacup
– he is nestled inside a teacup and saucer
– the tea cup has beautiful little accents, like you would find on a real teacup
– placed inside the teacup is the adorable, “Be Mine” heart shaped balloon, a lovely nod to Valentine’s DayThe Enchanted Mouse Pandora charm found a home on my Tea themed Pandora Moments bracelet, a two tone charm bracelet with Pandora Rose and Sterling Silver. I added some pops of colour with touches of purple and pink enamel details. I have my “tea themed” charms on my 17 cm, Pandora Moments Heart Clasp Snake Chain Bracelet.
It also features a few Pandora X Disney charms! Can you spot Mrs. Potts, Alice and the Mad Tea Party scene?
Now, for the story behind my, Enchanted Mouse Pandora Charm…I have created a special YouTube video.
In this video, I share:
– a closer look at my tea themed bracelet
– the story behind my, Enchanted Mouse Charm
– how I styled my Pandora Moments “tea themed” bracelet with other Pandora Jewellery piecesYou can find the video, HERE! Or watch it, down below:
And that concludes this blog post! I would like to thank Pandora for the opportunity to be a part of their 20th Anniversary celebration! I am so excited to share exclusive Pandora 20 content and moments with you, over the next 9 months! Pandora will be providing me with 3 of the 12 anniversary charms, in this celebration.
I hope you have a wonderful day! Take care, stay healthy and spread love, especially during this time…praying for the world. <3
- Afternoon Tea, Ella Adventures, Harlow, Lifestyle, Making Tea at Home, Pawfectella, Pawfectella Everything!, Tea, Tea Reviews, Uncategorized
Paragon Tea Room | My favourite place to get tea, in the city | BUT AKA: how tea makes dreams come true.
Left: WALL-E added an addition smile to my first visit…and every visit afterwards.
Right: We walked into the tea room, which shares space with a local coffee shop. I looked up at the logo…and instantly felt I had found some where special!
On April 10th, 2019…I did not realize I would be stepping into my favourite place for tea. One of my best friends, Tiara had been talking about this new tea salon that opened up beside her gym…and how I just HAD to go.
April 10th, 2019…it was a really hard and emotional day. I was waiting to hear back about Harlow’s (my late guinea pig) test results, going through an extremely “burnt out” period of life, frustrated with health issues and needing to make some big life decisions. Tiara was so sweet and spent that entire day with me. As a doctor, she knew the best medicine for me: she took me to, Paragon Tea Salon for my first cup of tea misto.Tiara and I waited in line and I gazed up at the menu. I wanted to try EVERYTHING!!!
When we got to the front of the line, we were greeted by Michelle, the owner of Paragon. She was a breath of fresh air and so welcoming. I was so impressed that she knew Tiara, by name…and you could just tell she genuinely loves her customers and takes time to get to know them and build a relationship.
She was equally excited that I was about to try, the paragon way for the first time. After some helpful recommendations from, Michelle…I decided to settle on the, High Mountain Roasted Oolong Tea Misto. Although…I was very close to ordering a matcha misto, haha!When we were in line…I had to take a photo of the menu options! I wanted to be able to look back on it, to show my husband and talk him into coming back with me, haha. A smaller version of Paragon’s tea menu.
Michelle started to make our tea mistos and I couldn’t get over how she was making them!!! TEA-like espresso! It was the coolest thing EVER. I actually ended up take a short video of the experience of making a cup of tea misto. It was so fascinating for me! 100ml of strong and delicious tea…Michelle making my first cup from Paragon! My husband’s first cup of Paragon!
After our teas were ready, Tiara and I sat beside the window and chatted the afternoon away, as we sipped our delicious teas. She gave me sound advice.
But how was the tea?!!! THE TEA WAS SOOOO AMAZING! Perfect temperature, perfectly steeped. Perfect frothed almond milk (although…I ended up switching to oat milk afterwards, thanks to Michelle’s advice on my second visit). And to top the drink to perfection: the perfect cup to truly taste the aroma and essence of the tea!
I couldn’t wait to bring, Snowman (my husband) to try these teas!!! And I also couldn’t wait to go back myself.My first cup of tea from Paragon.
During my conversations with, Tiara…I received a phone call from Harlow’s vet…that she needed to be brought in for more testing. The rest of this story, breaks my heart…as I didn’t know that only a few days later, my little Harlow would be passing away in my arms. Many of you know this story, so I won’t go into details here.Harlow truly loved her tea and loved to #HarlowApprove my tea of the day.
I had hoped to do this blog post, shortly after my first visit, but with Harlow’s passing and that crazy “burnt out” period…I just didn’t have the time or energy.
However, I continued to go to Paragon and fell more and more in-love with the atmosphere, teas and people! I also made sure to bring Snowman (my husband) and he instantly became a huge fan. He often joined my on these visits.My Husband’s First Visit. e
Harlow’s passing was a big wake up call to me, to start taking care of myself and my health more. Whenever I needed to take a break…I went to Paragon. It became the place where I started focusing on new goals and dreams; a place I could escape to and just “be”. I made some of my biggest dreams and goals there, while sipping tea and taking in the peaceful, creative atmosphere. I typed these goals and dreams into my phone, laptop or note paper. And the crazy thing is…every single one has come true, in less than a year. I still cannot believe that! It proves how magical tea can be…when you add it to your dream planning ingredients, haha. Oooh..and put those dreams and goals into action, of course 😉Some of the delicious teas I have tried since my first visit!
One of my dreams, popped into my head about 2 months after Harlow’s passing. I was sitting with my husband (at Paragon, of course) and I just had this thought and major gut feeling that I needed a dog. My husband stopped sipping his tea and just looked at me…”really? Are you sure the timing is right? Shouldn’t you just focus on your health, etc?” I explained to him why this was the BEST idea, BEST medicine (besides tea) and BEST dream ever.
In that exact moment, I was convinced and when I want something, I will not give up, (poor husband). I wanted to adopt my very own puppy! I have always been a huge dog lover, since I was a little girl. But I never had the time or lifestyle to be able to take proper care for a puppy. After some big “life decision making”, the timing was perfect…and I just had a feeling that Harlow would approve of this decision. My husband soon (willingly, promise!) agreed and trusted my planner instincts, haha.
Ella came into our life and I’ll never forget bringing her to Paragon for her first visit. It was like that goal/dream had literally come full circle. It was truly incredible and felt like the biggest, “God Wink”.Ella’s first visit to Paragon. Ella being the cutest Paragon model, besides WALL-E, of course!
And just before picking up Ella…another dream came true…and then another one and another one…it was incredible. And they just kept on blossoming, even after adopting Ella.
That’s the thing with dreams and goals…you need to make time to work for them. And having a wonderful place to escape to…and focus on them, plan for them and to achieve them…makes all the difference. I am truly grateful for discovering Paragon, through a very transitional and difficult point, in my life. It gave me that space I needed to focus and I will forever be grateful for that! AND…for the delicious cups of tea!!!
I now live in a new home (one of my goals)…where I have my own office/creative space to continue making my dreams and goals come true. I still love to go to Paragon, but I now have the opportunity to make their delicious teas, at home too!! Such a treat!!!
My personal favourites are: Hojicha powder, Genmaicha powder, Mango Hojicha, Genmaicha (matcha coated) and the High Mountain Oolong (but I still have more to try)!
Paragon also has an online store, if you would like to try some of their teas. They ship or you can pickup in-store, if you live nearby!My first time making Hojicha at home!
They also have a wonderful mini gift shop…and I was able to get a beautiful new matcha bowl, right before Christmas! I love it soo much!
Well, there you have it! Quite a long and personal blog post…that was suppose to be JUST a tea review…that turned into a much more personal story. But I feel right sharing it because that is one thing I get asked all the time:
How do you stay so positive? Well, that’s for another blog post topic, if you’d like to hear it. But as you can tell, through this blog post…that period was extremely challenging, but when life gives you heartache and gloom…you make tea and focus on the true and good things in life. -
Beads & Tea | Ohm Beads – Beads and Coffee
Beads and Tea with DailyCharmAddict and ACharmedDreamer On December 20th, I woke up feeling SO excited! Today was the day I would get to see my dear bead friends, Angie and Rita!!! And not only that, but also enjoy some Ohm Beads #BeadsandCoffee, or how I like to call it: Beads and TEA!!!
We all decided to meet up at my favourite hometown coffee shop, Matter of Taste. There are two locations and we decided to meet up at the Waterloo location. I have been going to Matter of Taste since I was in high school and since moving away, it has become a special place to visit, whenever I am in-town!
When Angie, Rita and I met up, we caught up with each other first, ordered our drinks (tea lattes for Angie and I and a latte for Rita) and I gave them some special Christmas surprises to open!Opening up some Christmas surprises! And then it was time to start designing over some Beads, Coffee and Tea!!!
Cheers!!!! Ohm Beads sent me a new bead concept called, “Ocean Love”. It is a new style of clip for them (more similar to a Pandora clip) and they wanted our feedback on the function, design and style! Please note, this bead has not been released. If you would like to watch our video adventures together, as well as see their designs, check out my Instagram Stories: Beads and Coffee. I unfortunately didn’t think of taking photos of their designs, just video!
Below, you can see my design:Ocean Love Clip Here are some of my bead styling ideas. I really liked the idea of pairing the Ocean Clip with Ohm Odette. Completed look with a mixture of Ohm Glass! Another look at my design. -
Holiday Afternoon Tea | Langdon Hall Country House at Christmas Time
My Grandma and I waiting to be seated for afternoon tea On December 20th, 2019 my Grandma, Husband, Mother and I went to Langdon Hall Country House for a Christmas Afternoon tea together. This was my husband and I’s second time going to Langdon Hall and we really wanted to take my Grandma and Mother, ever since our first visit! It is such a special place and I knew my Grandma had always wanted to go.
When you walk up the steps and through the front entrance, you walk into an elegant atmosphere, surrounded by history and seasonal Christmas florals and greens, picked from the gardens and woodland outside the hall.
After taking our coats, we headed into the waiting area that had a beautiful Christmas tree decorated with old fashioned charm and wrapped presents below it!Langdon Hall Christmas Tree Soon, they called our name and we were seated at a round table with their afternoon tea menus and beautiful seasonal decor. Afternoon tea is a seasonal, set menu, but if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, it is recommended to call ahead, when you book your reservation. Langdon Hall is fantastic at accommodating dietary restrictions and allergies, and we had called ahead about both my husband and I’s. The server let us know that my meal (and my husbands) were being served as gluten and dairy free and I loved that I didn’t even need to double check!
Langdon Hall Tea Menu The server also explained their tea menu and also asked if we would like any champagne, mimosas, etc! My Grandma and I decided to go for mimosas. I rarely drink (just on special occasions) and this felt like a perfect occasion and a mimosa sounded so good! My Grandma agreed!
There were so many delicious tea options on the menu. I had quite a few I was debating between. I settled on the, Blood Orange Oolong. Oolong tea is one of my favourites and I was intrigued by the hibiscus and citrus peel notes.A look at the Langdon Hall Tea Selection The server took our tea orders and brought our mimosas. As we were waiting for our tea and treats, we laughed and chatted away and enjoyed the understated music and outdoor views through the large windows.
My Grandma also admired her tea cup and inquired about the little infuser inside her cup! I let her know it catches the fallen tea leaves from the tea pot! I hardly ever see this method being used and I absolutely love it!!!!!Langdon Hall Teacup and Saucer Our pots of tea arrived and they looked so charming! Every one enjoyed their tea selections! My mother actually got the same tea, as me! My Grandmother ordered a delicious ginger blend and my Husband got a peach tea.
Such a beautiful table setting! And can you spot the blueberry jam, butter and clotted cream? My Grandmother enjoying the atmosphere and beautiful view outside! After all our first pours of tea were nearly finished, our delicious sandwiches, scones and treats arrived! Langdon Hall recommends eating their scones first, as they are fresh from the oven!
Gingerbread and traditional scones. Mine were both gluten and dairy free!
Such a treat.The sandwiches and treats were so delicious! Below is a photo of my husband’s selection of goodies.
Overall, we had such a wonderful time together and Langdon Hall exceeded all our expectations for a lovely Christmas treat together. After leaving Langdon Hall, we drove to see some beautiful Christmas lights…such a lovely way to end the day!Which one would you try first? -
My Favourite Christmas Tea | Beadmas2019 Day 12 of #BeadmasStories
St. Nick is checking his list…twice! As the Christmas season rolls in, it is time for my favourite Christmas tea: Santa’s Secret from DAVIDsTEA*! Have you ever wondered how Santa is able to deliver all those toys, presents and cheer in one night? Well, here’s his secret (besides Christmas magic, of course)! A delicious Chinese black tea with peppermint, vanilla and magical candy cane sprinkles!
Santa’s best kept Secret!!! This tea is so delicious! I love having it black, but it also makes a delicious tea latte! There’s two ways I love to make it as a latte:
Latte Recipe One:
1. 3-4 perfect spoonfuls of Santa’s Secret
2. Fill your Steeper with about 235ml of water (roughly right above the DAVIDsTEA logo)
3. Feel free to add your choice of sweetener to the steeper (honey, agave, etc.) as the tea steeps. Roughly, 1tbs. Lightly stir in.
4. Steep for 4-6 minutes, depending on taste level.
5. Dispense tea into your favourite Christmas mug.
6. Froth about 235ml of your choice of: Almond Milk, Soy Milk or Milk. I have a video about how I froth my almond milk, HERE.
7. Pour your frothed milk over your Santa’s Secret Tea..and VOILA! Your Santa’s Secret Latte is ready to be enjoyed!
Latte Recipe Two:
1. 3-4 perfect spoonfuls of Santa’s Secret
2. Fill your Steeper with about 235ml of water (roughly right above the DAVIDsTEA logo)
3. Feel free to add your choice of sweetener to the steeper (honey, agave, etc.) as the tea steeps. Roughly, 1tbs. Lightly stir in.
4. I also add a tiny bit of vanilla extract, just a drop!
5. Steep for 4-6 minutes, depending on taste level.
6. Dispense tea into your favourite Christmas mug.
7. Froth about 235ml of Peppermint Chocolate Almond Milk. I have a video about how I froth my almond milk, HERE.
8. Pour your frothed Peppermint Chocolate Almond milk over your Santa’s Secret Tea. Please note, the chocolate almond milk will not froth as much as normal almond milk…but this tastes like a peppermint hot chocolate and is sooo sooo delicious!HO HO HO! Now, as you know, today is the last day of Beadmas 2019 | #BeadmasStories. As for today’s giveaway, Ohm Beads and I are teaming away to give one lucky winner the Ohm St. Nick bead! This is a very special bead to me because he represents my chosen Saint Name. As a Catholic, I got confirmed into my faith when I was in grade 8. I remembering researching so many different saints, but the one that stood out to me the most, was my hero since I was a little girl: Saint Nicholas. He was so inspiring to me…and the fact that his memory lives on through one of the most magical and holy seasons was very special to me! Now, pretty much every single person made “fun of me” for picking a “boy’s name” as my Saint. But I didn’t care…it wasn’t about what people thought of me! And…my Confirmation Sponsor (unknown to me, at the time) had chosen St. Valentine as her saint!
To find out how to win this bead, head over to my Instagram, @fashionstoryteller and look for one of those photos used in this blog post!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!! xx
Emily D.
*P.S: some of the links, in this blog post are affiliate links.St. Nick by Ohm Beads