Flavor of the week: Comments

Happy Monday, blog world! This flavor of the week may turn out to be a bit of a pot stirrer - we shall see! If you have a blog of your own, there's a good chance that you love comments just as much as I do. There is just something incredibly encouraging about working hard on a post and receiving some validation from your readers that they are glad you took the time to post.

Not only are comments encouraging, but they can also lead to great reader/blogger interaction. When I blogged about a debate at our house on whether or not Santa gift wraps, it led to a super fun, silly, and enlightening discussion in the comments. I would so much rather my blog feel like a conversation than a soliloquy!

Because I love comments so much, I want to make it easier for you to share your thoughts. I decided to remove the word verification for comments. This makes me a little nervous because I do not want to be spammed with ads for prescription drugs and enhancement products, but hopefully all will be well! I also plan to try to respond to all questions within the comments. If you would rather me reply back to you directly, just leave your email or blog address. I can't access my blog at work, but I do plan to respond to all comments within 24 hours. I've also been thinking that it would be fun to feature the blog of one commenter per month, because don't we all love finding new blogs to love?

While I'm talking about comments, I had to share a few of my favorites.

I love this comment because Mrs. Nepper knows me so well! And yes, I have to have a beautiful red front door!

I die for a ruffle too, Selina!

This has to be my favorite comment of all time. I spewed tea out my nose when I read it!

Finally, if you've ever been targeted by a blog troll and received a nasty comment, you have to check out the new blog my favorite hate mail.

And before I go, a question for you: What makes you decided to take the time to comment on a blog post?

<3
Hattie

Flavor of the week: Tea

I love that my flavor of the week actually comes in flavors! I have long had an obsession with tea. Since Ireland drinks the most tea per capita of any place in the world, I must come by this genetically. When I was younger, I liked black tea with milk and sugar, and I didn't care if I drank it out of a chipped mug or a beautiful tea cup. Now, I like a ton of different tea varieties, drink most without any sweetener, and get a little giddy over beautiful tea accessories. Here are a few tea items that make my heart sing.

Duchess Grey tea from Trader Joe's has been my favorite tea of the summer. It's light and a little fruity and a little bit spicy, but not nearly as much as a true earl grey. I like it plain or with a little bit of honey. It would probably be good iced as well, but as long as the AC works, I'm content to down steaming cups of tea in the middle of a heat wave!

I love my red fiesta ware mugs, but this picture has me ready to find a navy mug and attach paper anchors to all my tea bags. Yes, that is silly and unnecessary, but silly and unnecessary things are some of the most fun - just ask any two-year-old with a bubble wand.

I drink a lot of tea by myself, but tea parties are also fun. I think this is a lovely way to throw together a casual and elegant tea tray.

If I was having my sister over for tea, she would love to be served some dragon black tea out of an adorable owl teapot.

My love for tea goes so far, that I made sure part of our Charleston vacation included a trip to the only tea plantation in North America.

We saw how the tea leaves are prepared and took a trolley ride through the tea fields.

This crazy machine, called the green monster, is driven through the fields and harvests the new leaves from the tops of the bushes.

They had an amazing gift shop that did a very good job of parting me from my money. I came home with five boxes of tea, including this delicious southern variety.

I think this fancy paper cutting sums up my feelings about tea to a T!

What's your flavor of the week?

<3
Hattie

Flavor of the week: maps!

Hello, lovely blog friends! I decided to start a new weekly feature around these parts: flavor of the week. The plan is to highlight something different that I'm loving once a week. It could be related to design, fashion, food, life, etc. This week I'm loving maps! They deserve the exclamation point because I am crazy for them.

I love maps on furniture.

I love free maps to print and play with.

I love globes all in a neat row.

I love globes in a big colorful mish-mash.

I love the globes I've collected over time.

Some for free or cheap.

and some that were not so cheap - but I had to have. I'm talking to you, beautiful medium globe, second from the left.

I love that they are all wonderful shades of aqua. I love that they show this wonderful world that God gave to us to explore. I love that they are educational sculptures. I just love all things map/globe!

Are you on this bandwagon with me? What's your flavor of the week?

<3

Hattie