Using fresh herbs and a free pattern...

 I'm very much a lover of herbal teas, but the ones I like are those which use herbs fresh from my own garden.

At the moment my teas contain any mix of three types of mint, as well as olive leaf and lemon balm - all nutritious with their own unique healing properties. With the addition of ginger, lemon and raw honey you can make the most delicious herbal brews for any time of the day or night. 

My favourite morning tea is mint and ginger, which I brew in a small Bodum coffee press (it's only used for herbal tea). Mostly I choose spearmint or common mint for this tea because I already have fresh ginger for that extra zing, though sometimes I'll brew a ginger mint tea with just a trickle of honey and a squeeze of lemon.

Mint teas are excellent for the digestion and to quell nausea, and ginger has similar properties with the addition of being an anti-inflammatory. 

Lemon balm, ginger and raw honey is delicious too. Though a member of the mint family, lemon balm tastes quite different with it's lovely citrus flavour, and is wonderful as a calming or bedtime tea to aid sleep and rest. 

 I had never considered olive leaf as a tea until recently, when we learned that the olive tree we planted more than two years ago would probably never yield fruit in our climate. It's a beautiful tree and I love brushing by it's willowy branches on the way from the laundry to the clothesline each day. 

Fresh olive leaves are full of vitamin C and have more antioxidants than green tea! Olive leaf tea is also beneficial for relaxing or easing arthritic pain; reducing bad cholesterol; lowering glucose levels and blood pressure; as a heart tonic; helps fight infection; and stimulates the immune system. 

Once I discovered all this I was thrilled we had planted an olive tree, regardless of whether it ever fruits or not (highly unlikely it will). The thing to remember with olive leaf tea is not to boil it, just let it steep in a pot - the longer the better when it comes to health benefits.

You can add ginger to the leaves while it steeps, lemon balm is good too...or just lemon and honey. You may even prefer it without anything else, just the olive leaves. 

Our garden has so many different herbs, and I use a variety every day in salads, teas, soups, roasted vegetables and even biscuits (cookies). What herbs are you growing and how are you using them?

I finished my linen and Tilda tea cosy last night and am rather pleased with it. Though the colours aren't really my style, that does not detract from the pleasure I gained making it. 

Before sewing the front and back together, and adding a lining, I added running stitch through the appliqued leaves and a line of very light turquoise stem stitch between the green linen and the floral fabric. A little loop at the top for lifting off and on the pot, and binding along the bottom edge were the final touches.

I made this for a tall white tea pot we often use when Blossom and the children are here because Cully May and Rafaella 'always' ask for a second cup of tea and this way we don't run out. 

Thought I'd show you another tea cosy I made many years back for Australian Homespun Magazine. They asked me to design a 2-part project which would run in consecutive issues of the magazine and I immediately thought of a tea cosy and matching tea cupboard.

This tea cosy ties up at the sides which makes it easy to use on different sized tea pots. The front and back of the cosy have the same design. 

This is the matching tea cupboard, something I thought would make a great gift for a tea-lover...

When you open it up there are embroidered pockets to hold tea bags for all types of tea.

I haven't released this pattern for many years but if you're interested just let me know in the comments and I'll pop it in my Etsy Shop. 

Or if you have a collection of old Australian Homespun Magazines you'll find the patterns inside the March and April 2011 issues. 

At the time, here on my blog, I shared a free pattern to make a set of matching coasters, so I thought I may do that again! 

These are cute and quite simple to sew with a bit of applique, hand embroidery and quilt binding to finish...

Use the link below to download the pattern.

DOWNLOAD the free Morning Glory Coaster Set pattern.

Hoped you enjoyed a little wander along Tea Lane this week. I could wax lyrical about tea for months and share so much with you, but as you are probably aware, tea is not everyone's cup of tea! Later in the year I'll switch the topic to coffee, another beverage I enjoy, though these days it's decaffeinated beans that we buy for our coffee machine as we've found our hearts do much better with it. 

I've one final token of tea week to show you...this cute little tea-cup needle-minder!

I found it on Etsy when I searched for one 'just out of curiosity' and was thrilled to find it right here in Australia (not always easy as most things I like are overseas). 

The shop owner, Donna of Designs by D and M, posted it off to me immediately so I received it in time to show you this week. If you're an Aussie who likes cute magnetic needle-minders just pop over HERE to her shop for a browse. 

And that stitchery you can see a peek of? I am remaking a very old block of the month from 2013 for next year, but every block has been altered and I've included applique this time 'round cause you know I'm rather fond of applique in everything. This version is much prettier in my opinion, and I'm using scraps from my Tilda stash too. But more about this in a few months. 

This weekend I'll keep stitching those blocks, plus continue with my Hydrangea blanket which is coming along very nicely now. I've just begun the second repeat of colours...

Next week I shall finally have a Q & A post because I get so many questions and it's much easier to answer in one post than scattered through many. Bless you all and may your own weekend be relaxing, fun, brimming with kindness and friendship, and of course - overflowing with the everlasting love of God. 

hugs

PS: I apologise for all the unanswered emails over the past couple of weeks...time got away from me and my family must take precedence, which I know you understand. xx