Create a Mother's Day Tea Garden

Courtesy of Melissa Caughey

Hi Friends,

Put a twist on tea in the garden by planting up vintage teacups.

Enjoying tea in the garden has a rich history that dates back to the 18th century. Tea gardens were created to enjoy life and a delicious cup of tea. Within these gardens, patrons would partake in entertainment, dancing, attend concerts, enjoy bowling greens, fireworks and strolls among beautifully tended grounds. In their heyday, tea gardens were so incredibly popular that they were frequented by and inspired world famous artisans, musicians and authors. These tea gardens gave people a place to meet and enjoy one another's company despite class ranking in society. During their height of popularity, tea gardens became popular worldwide but once tea drinking began to decline most of the gardens disappeared. Today there are a still a number of tea gardens around the world where you can still enjoy an afternoon tea and the great outdoors.

Whether you plan to visit a tea garden for Mother's Day or just enjoy an outing, planting a tea cup garden is a lovely way to upcycle and create a memorable planter for the windowsill, table or outdoor garden. I especially love the look of vintage tea cups, with their varied, delicate designs. Try exploring antique centers and thrift stores in your area to add rustic charm to your wee tea garden. As for the plantings, consider herbs used in teas or smaller plants designed for fairy gardens at your local nursery. Here's what you will need to get started to create a perfect cup of tea for the garden!

Supply List:

• Teacups
• Assorted miniature plantings
• Potting soil
• Moss
• Twigs
• Cardstock
• Marker
• Scissors

Take a peek at the photo gallery below and its captions for all the step-by-step instructions on how to put together a tea cup garden.

DIY: Teacup Garden

Tea in the garden takes on new meaning as vintage teacups are turned into miniature planters.

Gather Your Supplies

For this craft you will need: a variety of teacups and saucers/ multipurpose glue / small plants / potting soil / garden twigs / thick cardstock / marker / X-Acto knife / scissors.

Stick Together

Adhere the cup to its matching saucer with glue. Set aside to dry.

Prepare the Plants

Some plants, like this Irish moss, can be split apart.

Plant the Teacups

If you prefer, add a thin layer of gravel to the bottom of each teacup to help with drainage. Next add a combination of plants to each teacup. Once planted, add a layer of moss to cover any exposed areas of dirt. Wipe any excess soil off the teacup and saucer with a damp cloth.

Make the Tags

Clear your work space and gather the twigs, cardstock, marker, scissors and X-Acto knife.

Make a Slit

Carefully with the X-Acto knife, make a slit in the top of a twig.

Cut a Banner

With scissors, trim the cardstock to resemble the banner.

Insert Your Banner

Write on the banner with a marker and slide the banner into the slit on the top of the twig. We decided to make this teacup garden a tribute to mom.

Mix it Up
Here assorted plantings add variety to the teacup. Water sparingly as there are no drainage holes.

String of Pearls

This teacup is filled with string of pearls (Senecio rowleyanus).

Plant Your Own Teacup Garden

Plantings used in our teacups include: Soleirolia soleirolii, Othonna capenisis, Sagina subulata, Isolepis cernua and Sencio rowleyanus.

A playful take of tea in the garden...

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Yvonne

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Courtesy of History.com

Hi Friends,

Cinco de Mayo gives us the perfect opportunity to share some information on the history of Cinco de Mayo, which we've shared with you below. Enjoy the read...

History of Cinco de Mayo: Battle of Puebla
In 1861 the liberal Mexican Benito Juárez (1806-1872) became president of a country in financial ruin, and he was forced to default on his debts to European governments. In response, France, Britain and Spain sent naval forces to Veracruz to demand reimbursement. Britain and Spain negotiated with Mexico and withdrew, but France, ruled by Napoleon III (1808-1873), decided to use the opportunity to carve a dependent empire out of Mexican territory. Late in 1861, a well-armed French fleet stormed Veracruz, landing a large French force and driving President Juárez and his government into retreat.

Certain that success would come swiftly, 6,000 French troops under General Charles Latrille de Lorencez (1814-1892) set out to attack Puebla de Los Angeles, a small town in east-central Mexico. From his new headquarters in the north, Juárez rounded up a rag-tag force of 2,000 loyal men-many of them either indigenous Mexicans or of mixed ancestry-and sent them to Puebla. Led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829-1862), the vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied Mexicans fortified the town and prepared for the French assault. On May 5, 1862, Lorencez drew his army, well provisioned and supported by heavy artillery, before the city of Puebla and led an assault from the north. The battle lasted from daybreak to early evening, and when the French finally retreated they had lost nearly 500 soldiers. Fewer than 100 Mexicans had been killed in the clash.

Although not a major strategic win in the overall war against the French, Zaragoza's success at Puebla represented a great symbolic victory for the Mexican government and bolstered the resistance movement. Six years later-thanks in part to military support and political pressure from the United States, which was finally in a position to aid its besieged neighbor after the end of the Civil War-France withdrew. The same year, Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who had been installed as emperor of Mexico by Napoleon in 1864, was captured and executed by Juárez's forces. Puebla de Los Angeles was renamed for General Zaragoza, who died of typhoid fever months after his historic triumph there.

Cinco de Mayo in Mexico
Within Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is primarily observed in the state of Puebla, where Zaragoza's unlikely triumph occurred, although other parts of the country also take part in the celebration. Traditions include military parades, recreations of the Battle of Puebla and other festive events. For many Mexicans, however, May 5 is a day like any other: It is not a federal holiday, so offices, banks and stores remain open.

Cinco de Mayo in the United States
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Chicano activists raised awareness of the holiday in the 1960s, in part because they identified with the victory of indigenous Mexicans over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla. Today, revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. Some of the largest festivals are held in Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston.

Confusion with Mexican Independence Day
Many people outside Mexico mistakenly believe that Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years before the Battle of Puebla. That event is commemorated on September 16, the anniversary of the revolutionary priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla's famous "Grito de Dolores" ("Cry of Dolores"), a call to arms that amounted to a declaration of war against the Spanish colonial government in 1810.

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Live well,
Yvonne

Host a Mother's Day Tea Party

Courtesy of Camille Styles

Hi Friends,

Break out the good china, set the table and host an unforgettable afternoon tea party to celebrate all the deserving moms and daughters in your life.

Gather the Girls

This year celebrate Mother's Day by inviting your girlfriends and their daughters to don frilly frocks and sip steaming cups of tea at a sumptuous afternoon tea party. A lavish spread of decadent sweets and springtime decor sets a festive tone.

Entertain Alfresco

Embrace warm spring weather by setting up a table on the lawn. Highlight the natural beauty of the outdoors by topping a simple white linen tablecloth with burlap and ferns potted in terra cotta. Bird and butterfly tabletop details add to the setting's lush, botanical feel.

Let Them Eat ... Butterflies

Cake stands and pedestals piled high with sweet treats serve as delicious centerpieces. Now's not the time for sensible eating: Finger sandwiches, sugar-dusted cookies, macaroons and petit fours are delicious ways to indulge. Even store-bought treats look special when artfully displayed at varying heights.

Feather the Nest

Transform a bundt cake into a whimsical nest by surrounding its base with tufts of green moss and raffia. Tuck a single pink peony in the center for a sweet, feminine touch. To keep it from wilting, place the bloom's stem in a water tube concealed within the center of the cake.

Butterfly Tea Sandwiches

Delight guests of all ages with tiny tea sandwiches shaped like fluttering butterflies. Using a butterfly cookie cutter, cut shapes from thin white bread. Toast under the broiler for one minute on each side, then cut half of the butterflies down the center to make "wings." Place a teaspoon of paté, herbed goat cheese or salmon spread in the middle of the whole butterflies, then stick two wings into the spread at a 45-degree angle. Add thin slices of cucumber or radish to the sandwiches for a splash of color.

Baby Cakes

Adding a few store-bought treats to the menu helps lighten the load on the hostess. Miniature cupcakes topped with a single red raspberry are a perfect choice and appear very dressed up when presented on pretty glass cake stands of varying heights and sizes.

Flights of Fancy

Delicate paper butterflies perched on the rim of each glass look as though they might take flight. To create, spray-mount colored paper onto card stock and fold in half. Trace the outline of half a butterfly onto paper, with the center of butterfly's body against the fold. Cut out butterfly, and snip a v-shaped notch along the folded edge. Open butterfly and slip the notch over the rim of a glass.

Sweets for the Sweet

Even the youngest guests will be smitten with a selection of diminutive treats. Small, bite-sized items work best for this kind of spread since they're easier for little ones to enjoy, no fork and knife required.

A Proper Spot of Tea

Every good hostess should learn the basics of brewing a proper cup of tea. Bring cold water to a boil then remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes. In a teapot, toss in a teaspoon of tea leaves for each cup you are making and fill pot with boiled water. Let steep for three minutes for green teas and four minutes for full-leaf black tea. Pour the tea into cups, using a strainer to catch leaves.

Take Your Seat

Golden eggs bearing cards with hand-stamped names are a playful way to assign guests' seating. These gilded holders from Paloma's Nest double as party favors: Guests can tote them home as a memento of an afternoon spent with their most-adored girls.

Bon Appétit...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Make a Ribbon-Embellished Mother's Day Card

Courtesy of Kim Stoegbauer

Hi Friends,

Dress up our free printable Mother's Day card template with a sweet ribbon bow. Materials Needed:

• card stock or matte photo paper
• scissors
• hot glue gun
• glue sticks
• ribbon
• scoring board and bone folder (optional)
• Click HERE to download Mother's Day Ribbon Card Printable Template

Print Card Template

Gather supplies and download and print the free Mother's Day card template.

Trim Card Template

Use scissors or a paper cutter to trim card just inside the dashed line. Fold in half, or use a scoring board and bone folder to create a perfect fold at five inches.

Add Ribbon and Finish Card





Cut a strip of ribbon the width of the front of the card. Use hot glue to adhere to the card.

To create bow tie, cut a strip of ribbon, loop both sides and adhere both ends in the center (overlapping), using hot glue. Cut a short length of ribbon to wrap around the looped ribbon for the center of the bow and secure with hot glue. Use hot glue to attach the finished bow tie to the ribbon strip on the front of the card. Then, add a personal Mother's Day message and present to Mom.

Mothers will enjoy, appreciate and feel so special that you took the time to make them a card.

For that special touch, on the back include "Hand-made by (and insert you name)...

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Live well,
Yvonne

Printable Flower Garden Mother's Day Card

Courtesy of Kim Stoegbauer
FREE Printable Compliments of The TomKat Studio

Hi Friends,

Moms everywhere will love this 3-D cut-out card featuring patterned spring flowers. The inside is blank, so you can add your own personal Mother's Day note.

Materials Needed:

• card stock or matte photo paper
• scissors
• self-adhesive foam squares or dots
• standard single-hole punch
• scoring board and bone folder (optional)
• Click here to download Mother's Day Flower Card Printable

Print Card Template

Print the free Mother's Day flower card template. Using scissors or a paper cutter, trim card to just inside the dashed line. Cut out orange flag and fingerprint-patterned square.

Cut Out Flowers

Cut out 3 small circles from the patterned paper, fold in half and cut the rounded edge into a scalloped edge to create the flower shape. Use the hole punch to punch out 3 circles. These will be the centers of each flower.

Attach Pieces

For added dimension, use foam dots or squares to attach cut flower shapes and flag to the card. Use foam dots or double-sided tape to attach punched circles to the center of the flowers.

Fold and Finish Card

Fold in half, or use a scoring board and bone folder at 5 inches to create a perfect fold. Add a personal message inside and present the finished card to Mom.

Voilà!

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Live well,
Yvonne

8 Unexpected Mother's Day Gifts Under $50

Courtesy of Bridget Mallon

Hi Friends,

Every year when Mother's Day rolls around, countless people rush out to buy gifts for the important women in their lives. More often than not, shoppers go back to the same gifts year in and year out. And sure, flowers and jewelry are always appreciated, but why not go for something a little more unexpected this year?

There are so many fun personalized products that not only make great gifts but are easy on the wallet, too. So treat the mother figures in your life to something a little extra special this year.

1: Llama Teapot

$29; asos.com

There's something instantly soothing about a piping, hot cup of tea, and using a proper teapot to boil the water really makes all the difference. This adorably quirky version will look great displayed all year-long and will make your special lady smile every time she uses it.

2: Rosé All Day

$15; winc.com

Put that bouquet of roses down; they won't last that long anyway. Instead, pick out a refreshing bottle of pink wine that will help Mom unwind or entertain. This Summer Water variety from Winc and Yes Way Rosé is refreshing and crisp, making it perfect for warm-weather imbibing.

3: Floral Phone Case

$36; anthropologie.com

Most people have their phones on them at all times, so why not deck Mom's out with a decidedly stylish case from Rifle Paper Company? The sophisticated floral print will turn her phone into the picture of spring in an instant.

4: Polka-Dot Lunch Tote

$32; highfashionhome.com

Say goodbye to sad paper-bag lunches, thanks to this charming Kate Spade tote. The style is sleek enough to look like a purse but insulated to keep lunch items fresh and cold.

5: Artisanal Candle

$26; paddywax.com

No offence to the mass-produced candles that populate most homes, but this nature-inspired version is a step above the rest, thanks to its hand-painted holder and delectable scent: elderflower and guava.

6: Floral Gardening Tools

$45; mackenzie-childs.com

For the woman with a green thumb, this tricked-out set of gardening tools is sure to please. The pretty floral print adds a super stylish twist to the otherwise utilitarian pieces.

7: Silk Sleeping Mask

$45; net-a-porter.com

Add some luxury to Mom's sleep routine with this insanely soft mask that also protects against skin damage.

8: Crown Catchall Dish

$29; westelm.com

Treat your favorite ladies like the queens they are with this royal-worthy catchall. The gilded crown is perfect for holding knick-knacks, jewelry or just placed on a styled shelf.

This year, treat the women in your life to something extra special...

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Live well,
Yvonne