Favourite things: tea time

Could you do with a cup of tea right now? Me too. Do you take it hot or cold? Sweet or straight? And what goes perfectly with tea? How about this? 1. The travelling tea parlour This is Lady Bonin’s Tea Parlour, selling mobile, take-away tea from the back of a vintage caravan. Oh how I long to while away the hours sipping tea on that Persian carpet and soaking up the South African sun. I wish, wish, wish Lady Bonin would come to Adelaide, but methinks the odds are against me. I'm not sure how watertight that caravan really is. (Lady Bonin found via Shannon of Happiness Is)

2. The teapot wildflowers We have the perfect teapot for this at home, so I am most definitely going to borrow stylist Amy Merrick's fabulous idea. I subscribe to Amy's blog An Apple a Day for a regular dose of beautiful things.

3. The DIY teacup lamp If I ever find the patience (it must be here somewhere), I'd like to make not one but two of these fabulous teacup lamps and use them in our bedroom for night-time reading. This is a lovely, long-term project. First, the hunting through thrift-shops for just the right teacups, saucers and teapots. Then the fun stacking and re-stacking to find the best look. After all that, I suspect the actual making of the lamp may seem pretty quick! Does Bunnings sell lamp kits?

4. The tea party I love the ideas, inspirations and tips for a wonderful tea party in this article on All Women Stalk. All I need is (ahem) some friends in my new town of Adelaide, and I will be tea party ready for spring!

5. The cup cozy When the auld Irish fisherman comes in from a blustery day on the waves, leaves his raincoat and hat dripping by the door and thumps in to warm his hands by the kitchen fire, Mrs Fisherman will bring him over a steaming cup of tea wrapped in this cable knit cup cozy. I want one, too.