A Birthday Message....

Dearest Friends of The Tearoom,
This birthday message is from one of my great musical crushes, Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. Today, he is 50.

This was brought to my attention by My Darling Mr. V, my husband, who, in 1985, loved teasing me about my crush on Mr. Rhodes! I don't think he had any idea he would end up being my biggest crush after all.

Happy Birthday, Nick and thank you for all of the wonderful musical memories.

Do You Love Vintage French Postcards?

I do and have just created the first of a series of collage sheets using images from them! I think the ladies were so lovely and the colors of these cards were amazing considering they were done in the 20's and 30's. I couldn't resist playing with them a bit more, making some into oval shapes, adding colors to others. I even took some of the words from the backs of the postcards and made them into digital elements for you to use in your art work! Very fun!

Available here in .jpg and .png from Velvet Revived on Etsy.

Some Music for You...

Dearest Friends of The Tearoom,
If you have not heard of the band The Blue Nile, please do yourself a favor and make them new friends of yours. Unfortunately, the band did not make that many albums and it is my understanding that they are now broken up, but their lead singer Paul Buchanan's solo album is just out and is truly indescribable. His music always makes me cry, in the very best way. May your heart be broken by this:

Five Years Ago Today...

...I married my best friend. Thank you, Dear Caroline, for capturing this most beautiful evening in our lives so we can live it over and over again. And thank you to everyone else who made our wedding so special. We love you all.

For Our Mommies....

Wishing a Very Happy Mothers Day to all Mommies today! I made this little card for My Mommy Cupcake and I'm sure she can smell the flowers from where she is...

Wishing Mommy Agnes, Mommy Elfriede and all the other Mommies in the world A Most Happy Day!

With our love,


Betty & Mr. V

(Thank you to The Graphics Fairy and Asunder Ephemera for the images I used in my collage.)

An Illuminated F....

Flowers...

fragrances...

fairies...

framed by frame inside frame inside frame...

an illuminated Letter F...

(of course, I took the concept of "illuminated" rather literally!)

(This is for the collage challenge from Collage Obsession this week. Thank you to Marsha of Tumblefish Studios, Inka of Altered Artifacts and Josie of Charmed Memory Collage.)

No Doubt...

After seeing this sketch by Pierre Hermé, is there any question that the best patisserie is art in its own right and that Haute Patisserie can be compared to Haute Couture?

I only wish I was going to be in France for the exhibit of the sketches he has made of some of his wonderful creations. They will be on display at three of his locations at Galeries Lafayette stores. But for those Dear Readers of The Tearoom who live in Paris or who plan to visit there by the end of the month, here is more information about the exhibit from his site:

Exhibition of Sketches
With pleasure as his only guide, PH imagine the architecture of taste, flavors, textures, and then draws his fantasies and his daring sweet on paper before giving them life. His sketches allow the transmission and reproduction of the fruit of his imagination. The designs evolve over time, encounters, discoveries and inspiration, their design is the impression left by this process.

On display at Galleries Lafayette stores in the 9eme in Paris, in Nantes and in Strasbourg from April 4 through 30.

A Visit from Past Friends...

Dearest Friends,
This is my submission for this week's collage challenge at Collage Obsession. While digging through the imaginary attic at The Tearoom, I found this cabinet card of Mademoiselle Magnolia and her Baby Petunia from 1923. Oh, what a wonder it is to find these pictures of friends from such long ago! I remember Mademoiselle Magnolia best for her beautiful green eyes! Aren't they lovely?

New in Mirabella Morello

Dearest Friends,
Do you love vintage silver? I do! And I love to mix and match pieces on the same table for a gorgeous eclectic effect!! In what seems like the never-ending supply of amazing things to sell in my vintage Etsy shop Mirabella Morello, I am beginning to list some beautiful silverplate pieces. Here are some additional images of the first two offerings:

The image above and the three below are of two lovely berry spoons, "Primrose" from 1915 and "Violet" from 1905.

Not only can these beautiful vintage spoons still be used on the table, they can also be used very creatively in your vintage vignettes. This one is holding my "Catwoman" brooch from The Gossamer Tearoom shop, also on Etsy.





The next three images are of a fork and spoon set for feeding the baby (or for when they get ready to feed themselves)! The set is in a lovely pattern from 1946 called "Queen Bess".

Flowers at Tea

Hello Dear Friends,
I welcome you back today with a topic that is near to my heart! I just love how the scents and flavors of the flower garden can be brought to teatime! I have spoken of this before, but I follow up on some news from The Valentine Tea of this year. Just announced, the third in the new series of flavors from The House of Pierre Hermé: Jardin Secret, an original composition of rose, vanilla and clove, developed to remind one of the scent of carnations! Unfortunately, carnations are a flower which have fallen out of favor somewhat, I am certain, in part, because the ones which are grown in hothouses to be the longest lasting in cut flowers do not have the delicious scent I remember from when I was young. They were always a favorite of my mother (along with their delightful little cousins the pinks!) and I still remember their distinctive soft but spicy scent. I am very excited that M. Hermé is still inspired by them as well! This is what is written about what I am certain is a most delicious flavor combination:

The third part of this garden tour: Jardin Secret created in companionship with Jean-Michel Duriez, master perfumer at Rochas. Inspired by a floral "carnation" note borrowed from the repertory of perfumemaking, it is a sweet blend of rose, vanilla and cloves. The palate first encounters the taste of rose, which prepares it for the heady intoxication of vanilla and cloves. A trio of tastes merging into a single secret flavour.

On his site, he recommends having them with his Ispahan tea (with notes of rose, raspberry and litchi). I am reminded that my favorite tea from Pierre Hermé is the Jardin de Pierre, with notes of citrus, jasmine, rose and violet - truly hypnotic and near hallucinatory in flavor! And, the next time we are in Paris, I will be tempted by his other flower-scented tea, Envie, which carries the notes of violet and blackcurrent up to your anxiously awaiting nose on clouds of steam from your teacup!! (Teas pictured here from left to right: Ispahan, Jardin de Pierre and Envie)


and....while I was in M. Hermé's site today, I see that he does tease us so with the prospect of summer and all the delights waiting for us then! Last year, I was most remiss in not telling you about these:


But I will not miss out this year....

And who is doing the teasing now?

Will it be YOU?

Just posted at Mirabella Morello:

Almost there....almost.....there.....!!!
Will you be my 100th Sale???
If so, there are surprises waiting for you!!

(Images in this collage by Cemerony, Valentine Grimm and Asunder Ephemera, all on Etsy.)

Introducing....

Velvet Revived, A Digital Department Store

...the newest shop on Etsy in The Gossamer Tearoom family!!!

I've have been very busy turning the piles of beautiful ephemera left to me by my mother, along with a collection of my own into a new line of very original digital collage sheets!


The first sheets are called

Wishes and Apple Blossoms,

Fresh and Delicious

&

Bunnies and Pink Blossoms!

Please keep checking back!

More new sheets coming soon!!

Just One More Tease...

Opening today....

....on the same street as The Gossamer Tearoom Shop and Mirabella Morello....


I'm hard at work to get the doors open today, so please keep checking back!

Thank you, Dear Friends!!

Next?

Some are a bit faded, so I touch them with just a taste of color to give them new life.

Some are torn on the edges, but this just gives them more character.

They have all been alive a long time and deserve to have a new appreciative audience.

Soon enough, you will see who I have been keeping company with lately...

And Now...

...the countdown to springtime begins...

A Valentine Tea...

Dearest Dear Friends of The Tearoom,

Welcome!

Today, it is only you and I having our special Valentine tea in front of the fire.




My mind returns again and again to the theme of today's party...
Fruit, beautiful, sun-ripened, sweet, luscious fruit...
The purples and reds of fruit juice,
the pleasure of the sweet,
the pucker of tart,
the intoxicating madness of that first bite of fully-ripened summer fruit.

Some people get this rush from the first sip of their favorite alcoholic tipple or a drag from their first cigarette of the day. (I myself do not understand this, but I have seen the unguarded look of pleasure on the faces of people indulging in these things, so I know it is true.) But for me, the miracle of my first bite of the fresh produce of the season provides that momentary dizzying high. This one living object, devoting its whole life to being the most perfect version of itself that it can be. What lies sleeping in seeds, in dormant plants, in the Earth at this very moment, just waiting to bring us pleasure?

I dare you to sit on the purple couch in The Tearoom, under the enormous wall decoration of fruit I have placed there for our party today, and not feel just a fleeting moment of this singular pleasure....

Welcome, Dear Friend, to a Valentine's Tea, fairly bursting with life!


Can't you just smell the fragrance coming to us from the ornate tea pot?
It is a tea that I am still just dying to try: Charlotte au Chocolat, from Dammann Frères of Paris
with flavors of sugared almond and chocolate,
with sunflower petals for brightness!
Can't you just taste it as we speak of it?
Can you imagine how really decadent
a cup of this would be with a dabble of cream
and (if you wish), a bit of sugar?
I could drink it all day!

Oh, but My Dear, we have some catching up to do!
It has been such a long time since we have
taken a tour around Paris to see what is new
and just with us for Valentine's Day only!
The House of Dalloyau has a luscious-looking pair of religieuses named Valentine et Valentin (sold only as a pair, not to be separated until shared with you and your love!) A description of them: "My Pulpy Raspberry delicately scented with violet reveals a tender and luscious raspberry heart. My Soft Caramel is sure to thrill with its cream flavored with rum ..."

Here is another of Dalloyau's Valentine treats: the Duo de Macarons Coeur, in raspberry and chocolate/duja (chocolate and hazelnut) flavors!

The House of Laduée surprises us with a tangy, creamy combination in their newest macaron flavor: grapefruit and vanilla!

"From The House of Pierre Hermé, exclusively for Valentine's Day, the Envie macaron, which he describes this way: "Macaron biscuit, vanilla-violet cream and blackcurrants. The "Envie" combination featuring blackcurrant, vanilla and violet was created by Pierre Hermé in 1992. The intense floral note of the violet, tempered by the vanilla, softens the tart bitterness of the blackcurrant."

And a macaron not specifically with Valentine's Day in mind, but only available until the 27th of this month, his new "Jardin Enchanté" with the flavors of rose, lime and touched with the tingle of Espelette pepper! It is the first of his new collection for spring, which I will be following closely. For more information, please click here.

And of course, returning like the dearest of old friends, some of the most lovely things:

A pair of Ispahan heart macarons filled with luscious fresh raspberries, with notes of rose and litchi. If you just can't get enough of this most romantic of flavor combinations, please take a glimpse here for the dizzying array of other forms this one of his Fetish flavors comes in.

Our old friend the Coeur Infiniment Vanille,
made even more complex and beautiful with Monsieur Hermé's signature combination of vanillas grown in
Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico, looking just as elegant and beautiful as ever...


Because we just can't have enough today, couldn't we just go for something luscious and chocolate? How could we forget when
The House of Fauchon graced us with their Joconde eclairs?


Have had enough sweets today? Here's a visually arresting, beautiful and nutritious salad recipe from Etsy, especially for Valentine's Day! What a great example of the miracles of nature that are available to us each day that are delicious, fascinating and so good for you.

Thank you, Dear Ones, for celebrating Valentine's Day with me today and indulging in some of the most beautiful and delicious that Paris has to offer.



We now look forward to spring and the birth of yet another new shop on Etsy....

(Thank you, as always to Asunder Ephemera, The Picture Palace and The Graphics Fairy for some of the graphics used in the collages.)

The Latest Treasuries....

An Enchanted Tea Party With Friends


Spring Is On Its Way


Two Treasuries I did on Etsy today,
both with spring in mind...

The Gossamer Tearoom Joins The Twtittersphere....

Still finding my feet and getting settled in.
Please visit me there and bring me a cup of tea.
It still feels a bit strange and overwhelming to me...

Me at 50....

Today I am 50.
This is me.
And this is what my Darling Mr. V has posted on his Facebook page:



In my mind, it is 2006 and I am sitting at my job at a photographer's studio, watching out the window, because I can see the Dupont Circle Metro at Q Street from here...

Today is not just my birthday, but an anniversary for us. Six years ago, after not having seen each other for 18 years, My Dear Love got on a plane to Washington, DC (where he had never been before), got on the Metro to Dupont Circle (he had never been on a subway before) and came to stay with me for 5 days (it was supposed to be only 4 days, but he got snowed in and had to go back the next day instead). On the third day, he woke me up to tell me that he wanted to move to DC. He visited again in March for his birthday and in April, moved there in June, proposed to me on Fourth of July and we were married at The Woodrow Wilson House on May 31st of the next year. How I deserved such a fairy-tale life, I do not know, but my gratitude knows no words to express it.

If he had not done this, I might have still had who-knows how many more birthdays. But without him, there would be no double reason to celebrate today. Chivalry is not dead, but just be aware, I may have been lucky enough to have been swept away by one of the last known knights. I don't know how I deserve it. I'm just glad I was.

If you ever see anyone who shows this much bravery, don't let them get away.
And don't get too very worried about how many years it takes to get them back.
Just make sure they don't get away again.

An Invitation...