Victorian gift

Simply think these old fashioned little hurdy-gurdies from Victorian Trading Company are very adorable. Perhaps to be given as small romantic tokens of love, no matter what the time of year.... but yes, Valentines Day is indeed coming....














This is a product for which I receive a small commission for sales of  

Artisans on the Fringe

A bright Sugar Tree Cafe rosehip & fruit blend perfect for a energizing pot of hot tea on a winters day, or for mulling in wine as something festive; paired with a Mothers Moon wool felt rose - makes a charming gift. These and more such items available at the Artisans on the Fringe event this Saturday

Etsy Shop Teas!

Loose leaf teas from the Sugar Tree Cafe over on the Sugar Tree etsy shop!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sugartreecafe

Tea for Art*

The Sugar Tree Cafe will be offering another "Tea for Art*" opportunity on Saturday December 9th for the Artisans on the Fringe Second Saturday event!! (Artisanal Building, 10 Railroad Square in Waterville, alongside Exoptica Studio) As usual, a percentage of all sales will go to a local art organization: and there will also be a selection of items available to purchase by donation only, with *100%* of those sales going directly to an local art organization. I'll also have some Sugar Tree art available for sale as well.

Unity Barn Raisers

It has been my honor as Mothers Moon to be a 'Supporting Business Member' of the Unity Barn Raisers since 2006, and I'm so happy to also now be renting the Community Kitchen for a bit of Sugar Tree Cafe tea blending!

Peace Tea

Enjoying some Peace Tea left over from yesterday... a beautiful blend of organic Chamomile flowers, organic Spearmint, organic Lavender flowers, organic Cinnamon bark, organic Passionflower, and organic Rose petals. I place an extra cinnamon stick in my cup for a bit of an extra zing!

Bullets Over Broadway!!

In celebration of Lakewood Theater's production ofBullets Over Broadway The Musical!, the Sugar Tree Cafe has created a special tea blend called "Bees Knees"... For a flavor based upon it's namesake cocktail of gin, lemon and honey, this tea is a blend of honeybush tea*, maté tea**, lemongrass, and calendula petal. It will be sold for a limited time***, $18 (plus shipping if applicable) 6oz. Contact me for ordering information.

*Honeybush tea is imported from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa; ethically harvested and fairly traded. Naturally sweet and caffeine free.

**Maté is a South American herbal tea, ethically harvested and fairly traded. Naturally sweet and with a medium level of caffeine.

***The limited time is the run of Bullets Over Broadway at Lakewood Theater, August 17th - 26th

Lakewood Inn Restaurant

Sugar Tree Cafe wares! — at Lakewood Inn Restaurant.  Such a wonderful day, such a wonderful location. You should visit whenever you can! And OH!! the menu! And such friendly staff!

Lake George Regional Park Spring Celebration

The Sugar Tree will be one of the vendors at this wonderful event on June 4th, celebrating Lake George Regional Park's 25th Anniversary Year.  It will be taking place at the Lakewood Inn Restaurant, which is one of my personal favorite places to be; with a percentage of sales going directly to Lake George.

I'll have some of my wooden kitchen tools, felted goodies, hand blended loose leaf teas, and maybe a few other surprises!

4:00 Happy Hour, "Cocktails and Fine Craft"
SHOP with members of Maine's artisan craft, food, and farming community, with a portion of all evening proceeds to benefit Lake George!

5:30 Dinner with lively auction to follow

$30/person
(207) 474-1292

In lieu of printed tickets this year, your name will be entered on a reservation list at the door! Hope to see you there!

The Same Plant!

Did you know? White, Green, Oolong, and Black teas are really the same plant (as is Matcha) simply dried or fermented differently! And here are the “other” teas:

Mate` is a South American herb with high levels of caffeine & antioxidants. Containing amino acids and over ten different vitamins and minerals, it gives you a boost of energy without the jitters.

Tulsi is an Indian herb that is caffeine-free and offers many calming benefits for your body and mind.

Honeybush & Rooibos are red bush varieties grown only in South Africa. They aren’t technically “tea” at all. They contain no caffeine and offer a variety of health benefits.

Matcha is actually indeed made from Camellia sinensis, but is from  leaves that are grown in the shade to bring out fuller flavor. The youngest leaves are selected and their veins removed before being stone ground into a fine powder. Matcha contains more caffeine and vitamins than other teas because the whole leaf is used.

Blue Cornflower

Blending some teas today! I love using blue cornflower, yes, I will freely admit, because it is so pretty. But for what it actually adds to the teas.*  Here is what  HomeRemedies.com has to say:


The flowers of this herb are rich in mineral salts and contain a bitter ingredient known as pectin. It is rich in calcium that is essential for the development and maintenance of bones. Cornflower also contains components like anthocyanins and flavonoids, which contribute greatly to its medicinal value. Being rich in potassium salts and tannin, cornflower has powerful astringent, antiseptic, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties that are effective in treating a number of health concerns. These minerals also help regulate ph levels in the blood. Cornflower is also rich in vitamin C, folic acid, and other organic compounds that help detoxify the body.

• The bitterness of cornflower makes it an effective natural remedy against a variety of digestive problems like constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, gas, and other gastrointestinal complaints. It also acts as an appetite stimulant and is therefore used for treating cases of anorexia as well.
• The flowers of this plant are used as an expectorant, diuretic, and stimulant for gall bladder and liver function. It also supports and regulates the functioning of the kidneys. Therefore, people suffering from kidney, liver, or spleen problems can take prescribed doses of this herb for relief from symptoms of these disorders.
• Cornflower is also used as an astringent oral rinse for treating mouth ulcers.
• Women suffering from endometriosis can take cornflower preparations to ease menstrual cramps and other related symptoms.
• Cornflower has a calming effect on the nervous system and it therefore beneficial to those suffering from anxiety, stress, depression, and other nervous system disorders.

 
*The Sugar Tree shares this for educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.

Forget-Me-Not Irony

Spring is here and it is seed season! Or actually every season is seed season, as they always make great gifts - container gardening is a real thing - but springtime is when we feel it the most as we emerge from our winter rest and realize it's time for planting. I have long been in love with the beautiful watercolor illustrations used on the packaging Potting Shed Creations, Ltd. uses and it is just one of many reasons I offer a selection of their products for sale.

I adore their little tins of seeds for scatter planting of flowers, and was particularly thinking of the forget-me-nots for bringing to the Maine Retired Teachers Conference next month. And I thought I would perhaps craft little felted flowers to go along with them. Little blue flowers of course. So I set to work, from, um, memory. 

Hmmm...it seems forget-me-nots have five petals, not four; and have yellow centers not white... 

I'll just have to think of something else to do with about 30 little blue felt flowers!