Fawkes Day

Hi! Welcome back! [Or welcome if this is the first post you're reading.]

Oh, my…5 days have passed since my last post. Please forgive me.

Saturday was a Fawkes* day. We reached all the way up to the top shelf for the Teavana Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong Oolong tea tin. It’s loose leaf tea so we also got out the glass tea pot to watch the leaves dance. This blend you can re-steep; the second and third cups are still really good; the fourth…starts to get weak.

The best oolongs come from China and Taiwan.** Many Chinese restaurants provide a pot of oolong with your meal. The flavor is so unique I don’t need to put sugar or milk in it. (Although, I admit adding a hint of sugar to the Phoenix Mountain tea.)

One more tea item before heading to the wardrobe. Xyra found a great magazine called Tea Time. It’s a bi-monthly magazine (like American Girl magazine) based in Birmingham, Alabama with a subscription office in Harlan, Iowa! I can’t directly reprint any of the recipes due to copyright laws, but I can point you to the website http://teatimemagazine.com/ Check out the recipe for Mini Pound Cakes with Raspberry Jam…they are made using a brownie pan like this one.

Now away to the wardrobe! 

Hmmm, skirt or pants…it’s still chilly out so let’s look at another layered piece. The Go Anywhere Outfit works quite nicely.

Initially introduced as the American Girl of Today meet outfit in 2002, you could get it with a doll or separately until 2004. It’s quite lovely and toasty. Though I can’t find any documentation…I believe if you bought the outfit separately you did not automatically get the boots. Why would I say this? Because I know I don’t have short, dark purple, zipper boots anywhere in my closet. J However, the boots from the Mod Outfit work quite well here. Don’t you think?

Anyway, this outfit added to my closet and my “unmentionable” drawer! It included a pair of lavender panties [The Mod Outfit included a pair polka dot panties.]. You can’t see them, but they are in the picture. J

I love this outfit! It comes with a purple cardigan—soft & comfy—that has embroidery on the sleeves and a ribbon closure (I don’t usually tie it); a cream, cap-sleeved, mock turtleneck tee shirt decorated with sequin flowers; an olive green tweed skirt with ruffled hem; and lavender tights. The whole thing matches perfectly with my lilac glasses.

I got the outfit before the glasses…the lilac glasses (in the metal frame version) were released in 2004. These are great…the purple accentuates brown eyes. My eyesight may not be perfect, but my glasses are a great accessory. My prescription doesn't change by much so I can wear the different styles without sacrificing clarity. However, if yours does change significantly be sure to choose a pair that reflects your personality and style best then stick with it.

How are you doing with the challenge? I’m looking forward to hearing your selections and modeling your outfits.

Best wishes!

Melody

* Fawkes is the name of Prof. Albus Dumbledore’s phoenix in the Harry Potter book/movie series.

** From the English Tea Store Tea Blog: http://englishtea.us/2010/10/20/spotlight-on-oolong-tea/