Teacup Friendships

One of the loveliest benefits of blogging that I never anticipated when I first began to blog, was that I would develop wonderful friendships with ladies all around the world, most of whom I will never meet, and how remarkable, and special these friendships are!  So many wonderful ladies have become dear close friends who I correspond with both on a blogging level, and on a friendship level.  And one of those precious friends is dear Stephanie who blogs at The Enchanting Rose. 



Twice a year this precious lady hosts a teacup/mug exchange and this is open to people worldwide to share not only a teacup/mug with another lady, but to have the opportunity for a special friendship to develop through the exchange.  If you would like more information about the teacup/mug exchange, visit this link: http://theenchantingrose.blogspot.com/p/tea-cup-exchange.html and there is a wonderful page there showing the history of the exchange.

On Wednesday, April 20th, be sure and visit Stephanie as she will be hosting a linky party and all of those who have participated in the exchange will be sharing the joy with all.  Such fun and joy it will be!  It will be so delightful to see all the wonderful exchanges that took place!

I chose this time to participate in a mug exchange since we are living in very tiny quarters here as we downsize and choose to live a simpler lifestyle.  My kitchen is quite tiny and I don't have room to display many things.  And tea cups just beg to be displayed and enjoyed!  So this time around I chose to participate in the mug exchange, and what a delight it has turned out to be!

My package arrived the very day I left to go to Texas to be with my mother-in-law, who had fallen and broken her leg.  My children called to tell me that a happy package was waiting on my return. It was quite exciting to return home, and have this lovely package awaiting me.

Ida who blogs at Wishes, Dreams and Other Things was my exchange partner, and she took such tender care to put together this lovely package!  Ida had been sick, as her family had been hit with a nasty flu bug, hence she was a little later getting the package out, so she included some extras in the package, although there was really no need to... I certainly would have understood!  But!!!  Such delight in opening each lovely item was such a joy!

This gorgeous pot holder was hand sewn by a lady in Ida's hometown, and it is just so pretty, I can hardly bear using it for practical purposes!  I just adored the country spring scene on the potholder. So serene and springy!

She also sent me a lovely American themed coaster, a darling froggy magnet "Miracles happen every day" (AMEN! to that!), and a lovely stamp set that has all sorts of possibilities to create with! I just love the saying "All things grow with LOVE"... isn't that so true!  Is there anything in the world that can't be touched through LOVE? Such a beautiful stamp, and I'm so thankful to have this lovely stamp to add to my collection!

Ida also handmade this gorgeous card for me!  She included the loveliest little note inside handwritten on a sticky note so that I could use the card again... how sweet and thoughtful she was.  The card is simply beautiful, much more so in person than even the camera can capture with all the special details with the gorgeous rooster... isn't he a fine looking fellow!

Ida also sent me some sweetness!  Oh these caramels are simply delightful!  They melt in your mouth, and the delight just goes on and on!  I simply love them!  I don't think you can eat just one!

This was the perfect selection of tea beverage for me... I love peppermint tea!  Did you know that peppermint has many wonderful attributes?  If you've eaten a bit too much at dinner, peppermint tea is the perfect thing to help your stomach settle down and the indigestion ease.  I've enjoyed this peppermint tea immensely.  In fact, I really like the STASH brand, and often buy their tea.  This peppermint tea has a lovely fresh taste, and you can get more than one hot cup of tea with each bag.

And the piece de resistance... indeed the highlight of the exchange of course, is the delightful mug that we were exchanging.  When I unwrapped this mug, I couldn't believe my eyes... there was a beautifully feathered rooster with abundant and glorious colors, much like my own Mr. Rudy!

And the most special thing about this mug is that dear Ida had picked this mug out before she ever met me, or my blog, or knew that I raised chickens!  Isn't that just amazing!  I never cease to be amazed at how little details like that are just tenderly arranged it seems by the Lord himself!

I can tell you that I've enjoyed many, many cups of tea already in this beautiful mug, and it always brings a smile to my heart as I enjoy the beautiful cup... it is beautifully crafted, and holds the perfect mug of hot tea!  In fact, I've been sitting outside in the afternoons drinking a hot cup of tea while my chickens play round me.  Such enjoyable time is spent with my mug in hand.  Making friendships through this mug exchange is really what is such a blessing, and Ida and I have enjoyed emailing back and forth and getting to know each other better, and that is loveliest part of this exchange for sure!

And the fun goes on!  My teacup/mug partner was dear Anne who blogs at AnnePayne.blogspot.com. This precious lady and I have interacted and visited each other's blogs and so it was joy to be paired with Anne!  

It was so much fun putting together this special box for Anne. I made a journal with her name on it, as well as a teacup bookmark.

Also included was a porcelain tea bag holder, a short devotional on "LOVE", and several tea bag samples for Anne, as well as a KIND chocolate almond bar.

The mug I chose to send Anne is crafted by the Pioneer Woman, who is a fellow blogger who has branched out in the past year with her own line of lovely kitchen ware.  I adored this mug when I saw it, and knew that it was just the perfect one for Anne.

This little teabag holder will come in handy for mugs as you don't have a saucer to place your teabag on.  I enjoy using them :)

A short devotional on love...

And a close-up of the journal I created for Anne.

This is the little teacup bookmark that I made to send to her.  This was so much fun to make.  :)

It was such a joyous event to put this together this little package for Anne, and I received the sweetest thank you card from her soon after she received her package.

This has all been a very special and sweet exchange to participate in, and best of all, the friendships that have been born out of this exchange are what really make this such a truly blessed event. Already, I can't wait for September or October 2016 when Stephanie will be hosting another teacup/mug exchange!

I will leave you with this tea-lightful thought:





A lovely tea, and a good friend is truly one of the beautiful joys of life!  :)