Thursday Tea Time

This week - Comfort and Joy Tea The Republic of Tea

Holiday Spice Blend - When It's Gone It's Gone Limited Edition Tea

Cost: $10.49 at Cost Plus World Market
Number of teabags: 50!

Caffeine: Yes
Type of tea: Black
Steeping time: 2-4 minutes, 3 worked for me
Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk.
Teabag fragrance: Clove, licorice, cinnamon

Ingredients: Black tea, cinnamon, natural flavors, cloves, licorice root and apple pieces
Opinion: Licorice? What a surprise! The apple is a supporting flavor. An interesting combination and taste. I liked it!

Rating: 4.0

Test

Trying out my new Galaxy Tab!

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Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Rock Mafia - "The Big Bang" - 2:40

Proof things improve over time as things to be replaced over time. And this Betty Crocker non-stick oven liner is a definite improvement from my worn out, thick, icky-looking black oven liner. Pretty gold color, almost sheer and very flexible -- easy to trim to fit. With a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I found this at Bed, Bath and Beyond for only $9.99. I could get lost in BBB for hours. Dangerous aisles beckon. I originally went in for a flour sifter (and found a more usable 5 cup size to replace my broken 2 cupper).

Oooh! Gingerbread Cocoa?!

I found this on sale at Cost Plus World Market, on sale for $3.99 (regularly $5.99) Eight ounces, using about 2 1/2 tablespoons will make approximately 6 servings. The very gingery-gingerbread flavor definitely goes well with cocoa. Who knew? Yum!

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Edward Maya, featuring Vika Jigulina - "Stereo Love" - 3:04
Great beat...and how many songs have you heard lately featuring an ACCORDION?!
Perfectly timed for swimming laps and doing your flip turns.

Hello Kitty Christmas

I found them near the Christmas candy/stocking stuffer section. Grab these at the Target after Christmas sale! Original price was $6.99.

"Holiday Home" and "Snowy Day" are Target exclusives.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

Snapped before the birdies got them. . .

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !

O Christmas Tree!

Part of our Christmas tree, it was almost 8 feet tall this year. L tried something new, putting four different types of lights on it. I love the way it turned out -- very fun!

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Pomegranate Vanilla from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

Cost: $3.95

Number of teabags: 5
Caffeine: Yes

Type of tea: Oolong

Steeping time: 5 minutes

Mix ins: Fat-free condensed milk

Teabag fragrance: Sweet floral/fruity, with hint of vanilla
Ingredients: Oolong tea, lilly blossom, dried pomegranate, natural and artificial flavorings

Opinion: Very smooth, not tart as I would expect from pomegranate. The vanilla is detectable and delectable, and really adds to the taste. Bonus with the cute little 3 1/4" tall mini tin, with inside lid. I will definitely repurpose this in the sewing room! I would buy this again, but this was the last one. I wish CBTL had this in the larger, 20-bag tin. Maybe next year they will bring it back in that size.

Rating: 4

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Patrick Hernandez- "Born to Be Alive" - 3:07
I actually entered a dance contest to this song way back when. Despite a swishy red dress, we didn't place. But had a great time then and now, dissolving in fits of laughter trying to teach my daughter the moves for one of her retro school dances.

Our 2010 Poinsettia

Does anyone know the name of this poinsettia? I got it at Costco the other day, marked down to $11.97. Isn't it gorgeous?!

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

December 26/January 8
Every skein of yarn on sale!

New Year's Sale - December 30/January 2
Vogue $3.99
McCall's 99 cents
50% off thread

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Jet - "Are You Gonna to Be My Girl?" - 3:34

Christmas Jingle Bell Scarf

I used Size 17 needles and two strands of yarn knitted together - I Love This Yarn "Seasonal" red/green/white, and its sister version in "Sparkle" with the silver metallic thread woven in. (Hobby Lobby $3.69 per skein) I thought it just begged for additional accents of three silver jingle bells on each end. Enough to be pretty without being irritating

Netflix Stars - Letters to Juliet

4/5 stars - A bit of a slow start, hang in there. The scenery is gorgeous, reminiscent of "Under the Tuscan Sun". Vanessa Redgrave steals the movie. There were several lines which just struck me as LOL funny. Whether they were intentional or not, it helped turn this into a rom-com for me. Most definitely a chick flick and an enjoyable way to spend a Saturday morning knitting a Christmas present scarf.

Thursday Tea Time

This week - Tazo Joy Limited Edition Tea from Starbucks

Cost: $6.95 at Starbucks

Number of teabags: 15 sachets (usually Tazo Teas in the cardboard boxes in the paper teabags have 20)
Caffeine: Yes

Type of tea: Black, Green and Oolong

Steeping time: 5 minutes.

Mix ins: Skim milk and sugar. I also tried it with honey, and it didn't taste quite as good.

Teabag fragrance: Tea-y! Faint jasmine scent, perhaps from the green tea?
Ingredients: Black, green and oolong teas and natural flavor

Opinion: Pretty tin and limited edition Tazo tea. This is moving fast at Starbucks. I first bought this about 10 days ago from the bookcase display and there were plenty of tins. When I went back tonight, one store was sold out, the other only had two. I left one behind for good Tazo Tea style Karma! Hopefully they will be restocking soon. If you are looking for a nice drinking tea without any exotic flavors and definitely a step above run of the mill Lipton, this is an enjoyable change of taste.

Rating: 4.0

Netflix Stars - The Losers

0/5! How did this appear in my queue? It must have been the preview trailers seen on another DVD or in the theater. I like a good CIA/op movie, but this was awful. Both my daughter and I watched this and both of us ditched it after about 5 minutes. Loser indeed!

Netflix Stars - Sex and the City 2

1/5 stars. Only because I got halfway through until I ditched. This was terrible! The stupidity, stereotyping and racist/sexist remarks just offended me. I loved the series. The first movie wasn't that bad. But this!!! I hope they don't bother doing SATC3.

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Jem -"Just a Ride" - 3:19

Cool Christmas Ornament

I found this at Hobby Lobby during their 50% off Christmas ornament sale. It was in the "Fashion Ornaments/La Boutique" section. Even at the regular price of $4.99; it's quite the affordable addition to your tree and later on, your sewing room!

(The barcode item number is 6589311)

12-11-10-9

Dear Sweet Blog,

I have missed you. I promise to be more attentive.

And I wanted a post date and time stamped:

12-11-10 9:00

XOXO,
Me

Thursday Tea Time

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Holiday Tea Trio - three tins of five tea bags each. $11.95

I'm not going to do my usual post for these teas, as I was not able to try all of them. They were packaged as a trio, which also included their featured Winter Dream Tea. Winter Dream had orange and lemon bits - and citrus gives me migraines. I gave that tin away as part of a holiday present exchange. But I thought I would at least be able to enjoy the other two. Nope!

Sugar Plum has Ceylon black tea, orange peel, whole cloves, ginger root, cinnamon, anise seed, mulling spices, nutmeg and lemon peel. It is very fragrant and smells interesting. I want to say I detect a faint Robitussin waft? I can't quite place it.


Candy Cane - Surely I'd be able to drink this one. Nope. I'm allergic to strawberries - they give me hives. What are the odds this tea would have Ceylon black tea and -- FREEZE DRIED STRAWBERRIES? I do give kudos to CBTL for an interesting combination - I bet it looks pretty and tastes great.

1, 2, 3 strikes - This week, I'm out!

Today's Favorite iPod Workout Song

Enrique Iglesias (featuring Pit Bull) - "I Like It" - 3:51
Great beat to keep you moving through the water when it's 42 degrees outside!

Upcoming Jo-Ann's Pattern Sales

December 10/12
$1.99 Simplicity
50% off Notions Wall
50% off Gingher
50% off interfacing

December 5/24
50% off flannel shirtings - sale $3.49/yard
(gah, I love flannels shirts on guys, even if I have to sew them myself!)

December 17/18
$3.99 Vogue
$1.99 McCall's

December 18/24
$1.99 Butterick