Little inspires me more to take the time to plan a tea party than reading beautiful books about the tea party. One of my earliest blogging favorites, Sherry of Semicolon, loves to read and write about what she reads. Her question during my comment contest was:

“My question is, however do I find time to plan a tea party type event?”

Well, Sherry, you won’t hear from me that you need to read and write LESS so you gain more time. From one fellow (lady?) book lover to another, may I recommend finding a book or two that will inspire you? Books and tea make wonderful bedfellows (there’s that word again!). I highly recommend tea-themed book parties or book-themed tea parties as I enjoy nothing better than promoting literacy and tea.

The colder months are coming. Plan one classic read (they almost always drink tea in the classics) you and a friend or student need or want to read. Celebrate finishing the book on a cold winter day with a brewed pot of tea in front of the fire. If you’re especially inspired, bake something to go with it. Try to drink from a beautiful vessel and share your thoughts about the book as long as the pot and your toes stay warm. Can anyone think of a better way to spend a winter afternoon? Oh, if no one’s allergic, be sure to invite the cat. If you’re lucky, it will rain.

For other ideas and inspiration, you must add the book, “Time for Tea: Tea and Conversation with Thirteen English Women” to your library. I love this book for a number of reasons. Most importantly, this book provides snapshots of the lives of women ages 6 to 80-years old (surely you and your friends fall in this category!) and their teatime traditions. These women live their beauty and story enough like you and me so we can relate to them even though their circumstances are different.

The beauty of the English countryside permeates the pages while the women’s stories unfold. Somehow this book taps into that part of my soul that loves simple beauty in such a profound way, I stand up from my time with it changed. My eyes and imagination feast on the photographs included in the book. I end up longing to grow an English garden, cut my front door in half and paint it blue, and invite my friends over for tea no matter what the house looks like (almost).

I think I also really appreciate this book because the women interviewed are down-to-earth and share from their lives. What could be better than a book that celebrates the beauty of tea, women, and the English cottage garden? Oh, and for those of you who enjoy the kitchen, some of their favorite tea-related recipes are included.

What book inspires you to bring more beauty to your day-to-day life?