Lily Spotlight: New Tea Cozies and Tea Towels

One of our silk screeners Liz just came back from her month long wilderness hiatus to mainland B.C. and Alberta, and she has been busy silk screening like crazy around here the past week. Amongst some of her brilliant creations we have new and bright colours of tea cozies and tea towels to entertain and amuse.

Silk tea cozies in Pink, Teal, Pewter, Turqoise and Emerald $49

Cotton tea towels in Pink with Bunnies and Bullets, Gold with Owl, Purple with Rabbits, Wheat with Louis Riel, Striped with Enormous Heart, Lake Blue with Compass and Canoes, Denim with Tractor, Grey with Bike and Blossoms and Forest Green with Lyre Bird - all $14 each

Lily Home: Silk Tea Cozies

Recently, the studio got their hands on new colours of dupioni silk and created the most beautiful tea cozies. The colours of silk are shades of blue, pink and mustard with fantastic prints. Stop by one of our stores to see the selection of prints and the true colour of silk. Here's a few photos of my favourites (please excuse the quality of cell phone photos!) Tea Cozies are $49 and make wonderful Mother's day presents.

Lou Riel

Pirate Ship and Virgin Mary

And the most beautiful Tea Cozy we've ever made:
Filigree Wallpaper with Queen Annie's Lace

Christmas Gift Idea: Tea Cozies

Tea Cozies are one of those things that you may not think you, or someone you know, needs, but, in fact, they are. Well, that is, if you, or someone you know, drinks tea. But if you, or they, do, Tea Cozies are the best! They keep your tea pot warm for hours, and hence, your tea. So when you, or someone you know, is ready for that second or third or forth cup of Earl Grey, or Slippery Elm Throat Tea, it's ready and waiting, to pick you up, or soothe you, or give you something to do while you are perusing magazines, or websites, avoiding all the work/cleaning/baking/decorating/wrapping you have to do. Aaaaaaaah tea, such a comfort!

Here we have our most seasonal silk dupioni Tea Cozy: Mary and Jesus with gold florals.

There are many more colours and print varieties (dark teal with gold Bugz, silver with Dump Truck, unbleached linen with Periodic Table and Neuron...) in the shops right now. Feel free to drop us a line, or give us a call if you have any questions!

I'm heading off to enjoy a cup of Genmai green tea that I made about an hour ago. Cheers!

**Christmas Gift Idea #1**

For the Ultimate Ultra Fabulous Host or Hostess.

Your Smoking Lily Tea Cozy is not only for keeping tea warm when Grandma is visiting--or for keeping your New England Stone Fence hot hot hot (recipe below)--it's also perfect for when you need to keep little ones entertained. Cozies sold separately, baby not included.

Coming in a variety of print and color combinations. Be the talk of the block with your very own Smoking Lily Tea Cozy.

New England Stone Fence

5 oz apple cider

1 oz rum - maybe more depending on what in-laws are visiting.

Combine in a warm tea pot, sprinkle nutmeg or cinnamon on top.

Cover with a Smoking Lily Tea Cozy.

I personally think whipped cream and a caramel drizzle is a great topper.

Lily Home: New Tea Towels!

I had it all planned out that I was going to do this awesome blog post using my Smoking Lily tea cozy and matching cocktail napkin set today. Alas.

The time came faster than I thought (I was in the store yesterday! It was busy!) So here I am showing you something else... something just as cool, but just not quite as "at use in my home" as I would like to demonstrate... actually... hold on, I might have a Facebook photo of a crepe breakfast tea party I recently hosted!.... Yes, I do!! You may be able to seek out the hidden Smoking Lily items amongst the table. (A sort of where's Waldo of tea accoutrements per say.)

Okay, so here it is, a very cool -brand new- black checked tea towel with seahorse print, and a photo of my kitchen table overflowing with flowers, food, and my favourite matching red with scissors tea cozy and matching napkins! (Yes, those are bobbins as well as scissors on the tea cozy... I am such a sewing nerd... mmm crepes...)

Lily at Home: Cozy Tea

I can think of few things better than reading a book while slowly working my way through a pot of tea...but it's kind of less fun if the tea is cold! This is why tea cozies are so great. Problem is, they can be difficult to find and, when you do, they are often pretty lame. However, Smoking Lily is here to help with all tea temperature-related problems! I can personally attest to the efficacy and--almost as important--the very good looks of our super awesome tea cozies. As Glenda mentioned in an earlier post, they keep things toasty for a long, long, time.

Currently available in linen and a smattering of silks, the tea cozies also make really sweet wedding gifts...

Happy birthday, Canada!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

Thank Goodness For Tea Cozies

I've been battling a tenacious head-cold for the past two weeks and finally took my sister's advice to dowse it with Lemon Ginger Tea. Now I love tea, but I have a habit of making a pot and then forgetting about it. Fortunately my easily side-tracked mind (and thus my tea) has been saved by my trusty Smoking Lily Tea Cozy. For the past 4 years I have been able to come back to a pot of tea hours later and enjoy a hot cup of herbal concoctions. The Lemon Ginger tea in the photo was steaming hot after an hour and a half under the Anatomical Hearts and Jackal Cozy. And thanks to my sister I woke up the next day feeling much better.