sunday scorcher!

The first Beckenham Hidden Teapot, held yesterday, was brilliant! We had the best time. If you came along – thank you! You helped make the day exactly what we had hoped it would be.... there was such a fantastic, relaxed vibe. The weather was stunning, the hottest day of the year I believe.

Oh, and if you couldn't make it, don't fret pet, there will be another one along soon. We're planning the second Beckenham event and the first for Blackheath. So, without further ado, here are a few pics of our day.

come into my teapot....

calm before the storm-in-a-teacup (bad, I know)

a bit of va-va-voom with your tea

loving the tea!

making lemonade

little teapots

glamour teapots

service with a smile

Some of the Davies & Daughters bits in the pop-up shop

yawn....

night-night teapots, see you tomorrow x x

blah, blah, blah, blah... Button It!!

Yay! Guess who's gonna be at the teapot tomorrow? A certain miss that makes clever and original jewellery made primarily from, you've guessed it, buttons! So if you're looking for something a little different from the same old, same old, then the Hidden teapot is the place to be!

Miss N will be showcasing items from her summer collection and there are some really cute pieces. I look forward to asking her to 'Button It' tomorrow! xx

tea please Bob

Sunday is nearly here! Hurrah. Time for tea and cake. And if the BBC is to be believed, their weather report for Beckenham on Sunday is Sunny! 

The menu's are drying and the oven is hotting up. There will be cream teas and a selection of scrumptious cakes, including good old Victoria sponge and a seriously rich chocolate cake too. Keep an eye on the blog today and tomorrow as there will be postings about times for lemonade making and the treasure hunt! 

how do you like my teapots?

just a few of our lovely china cups

Monkey Leaf....

My friend Fede was the girl who thought of the name 'The Hidden Teapot' and I have been meaning to give her a mention for a while.

Now is an especially brilliant time to do so as this Saturday 25 June, she will be selling her gorgeous (and thoughtful) handmade soaps at Wonder Hill. The name of this soap-making loveliness is Monkey Leaf. Do have a look at https://www.monkeyleaf.co.uk as there is some fascinating information about the background to the company and the support it gives to the Orangutans of Borneo.

Wonder Hill is a vintage and ethical market held about 5 minutes walk from Borough Market. Its FREE to drop in and there are some lovely stalls selling lots of stuff including cake! Monkey Leaf will be there from 11am to 5pm.

Hopefully Fede and Monkey Leaf will be at the Hidden Teapot very soon! x x

https://www.facebook.com/wonderhillhigh

stop press * stop press * stop press * stop press

Hello teapots... good news, Davies and Daughters will be at The Hidden Teapot this Sunday! 

Recognised for their unique woodcut prints they will be showcasing some of their pieces in the pop-up shop. This is going to be a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking for an unusual gift or to treat themselves to an individual homeware product. 

Crane cushion

Riders Woodcut

Tickets are available: www.wegottickets.com/event/122285

My physic sense tells me the weather will be much improved, so book your tickets and see you there!

Butterfly woodcut

the baby range from fabulous fripperies

blue gingham letters

Fabulous Fripperies have created a gorgeous range of nursery accessories. All of the products are handmade to a unique design and are made from 100% cotton. The lower-case letter cushions have been hand cut and hand appliqued. Items are available to order at fantastically accessible prices. Samples from the range will be available on Sunday 26 June.

pink gingham letters

Mouseness in pink and blue gingham

For prices and and more product info you can download a fabulous fripperies brochure here http://www.filefactory.com/file/ccdb653/n/FabFripBrochureJune.pdf

fabulous fripperies at the hidden teapot

On Sunday 26 June, fabulous fripperies will be guesting at the pop-up shop showcasing their quirky, urban designs. Their inspirational work really is unique. All products are handmade and all designs are original.

Pigeons, sparrows, even mice! Hand appliqued and hand-sewn and made from up-cycled material or lovely wool felt. You can order bespoke products at very reasonable prices. You can download their brochure here http://www.filefactory.com/file/ccdb653/n/FabFripBrochureJune.pdf 

We look forward to welcoming fabulous fripperies to the hidden teapot x

Saturday night in

So, its Saturday night, I’m a girl about town with nowt to do.... Do I go out? Do I have a date? No and no. So, do I dial a ‘thousand numbers’ Donna Summer style? Nope, I bake. Tonight I thought I would test-make cupcakes in preparation for the tea party. I have spent a couple of hours in the kitchen and it has lead me to a startling conclusion.... I am a slutty baker! I probably shouldn’t be allowed within twenty feet of an oven. Too much mess, no technique, rubbish equipment, flour and sugar all over the place mixed with a large glass of vino!

Nigella, eat your heart out!

What is more amazing, is that what I manage to produce under such shabby circumstances, is really quite delicious! Being a slutty baker means that I cannot be sure of the results unless they are tasted and tested, so I tasted and tested 3 cupcakes and copious amounts of butter icing. Very, very nice. At this rate I will be 17 stone by August.

Add some caster sugar to your caster sugar and mix well...

To make scrummy cupcakes,  you need loads of sugar, slabs of butter, a few eggs, a bit of milk and a few other bits and bobs.... I can supply the necessary details if you’re feeling up to the challenge. Besides, how hard can it be? If I can do it, trust me, anyone can!

  

Ta-daaa!
I ate the rest....

Find your inner kitchen slut goddess!

sparkly Crystal Palace

hello teapots. I have been out and about spreading the good news of the Hidden Teapot. On Tuesday I found myself up in Crystal Palace. What a great community vibe they have going on up there! I was popping into shops and cafes asking if it were possible to put up a flyer and everyone was so friendly and obliging. And no one wanted paying!

I popped into the Blackbird bakery (71 Westow Street, SE19 3RW) for a coffee and a muffin, very nice, and they were happy to put a flyer in the window. There were lots of events and workshops being advertised in there. I think they are playing a vital role in advertising what’s going on in Crystal Palace and the adjoining areas.

The barman in the Westow House pub (79 Westow Hill, SE19 1TX) was very amused by the flyer, chuckling as he said “the first rule of the tea club... is you don’t talk about the tea club”. Very funny.

As I was walking down Church Road, a little number in a shop window caught my eye and I was distracted from my mission. I was led involuntarily into ‘Vien’ - 87 Church Road, SE19 2TA (020 8653 6943) and into a little world of wonder! What a lovely discovery. Lots of bits for the home, unusual photo frames, modern ornaments and the like. Towards the back of the shop is a selection of truly gorgeous vintage clothing. All of it was in excellent condition and well priced. There was also a line of new clothing which looks vintage-inspired. And there I found the object of my distraction. A lovely little dress just perfect for a tea party! I had to have it. It was on offer at £25 which was a total bargain. If you are up in the CP area you should ensure you pop in to Vien as it is well worth a visit. I had a chat with the proprietors and they are a really friendly couple. Go check it out.

Im loving my dress

After much traipsing, myself and my teapotting companion walked down through Crystal Palace park. We had a plate of chips in the cafe situated in the park (very clean, reasonably priced, good menu) and then had a stroll around. I loved the gorilla sculpture which is a short stroll from the cafe (see pic below).

The park looks like it has undergone some refurbishment since I was there with my little teapot. It was good to see that the dinosaurs around the lake are still in residence! The park is a lovely green space and again, well worth a visit. Especially as if like me, you haven’t been there for a while. Go and surprise yourself.

Gggrrrrr

Gorilla sculpture, David Wynne, 1961

tickets available now!

go to www.wegottickets.com/event/122285 for tickets. Address info will be revealed with your virtual ticket.

tea and tarot

The Court Cards

Tea and Tarot... a perfect combination­. Enjoy a cup of tea, a slice of cake, and a peek into the mystic.

I’m not sure when my interest in the Tarot began but I know it was many years ago. As is tradition, a friend gave me my first deck and that was over ten years ago.

There are 78 cards in a classical Tarot deck, though the Tarot is actually comprised of 2 decks. These 2 parts are called the Major Arcana, comprised of 22 cards, and the Minor Arcana comprised of 56 cards. The word Arcana is Latin and means ‘secret’.

Every ‘reader’ of the Tarot will have their own style of reading and will interpret the cards in their own way. There are many meanings depending on where a card appears in a ‘spread’ and where it is placed in relation to other cards.

I started reading cards for myself. After a few years of doing this and attending a few workshops and the like I became confident enough to read for other people. The key for me was allowing myself to intuitively ‘feel’ the cards, to listen to my intuition and trust what I was feeling was accurate. Of course, there are no guarantees with the Tarot but the feedback I get is always positive so I must be doing something right.

It’s wonderful to think that in the present day, with amazing technology at our disposal and the constant buzz of communication all around us, we still turn to an ancient divination device when we are seeking answers.

I believe we all have a sense of knowing within us. Women are especially intuitive. Yet we are taught from an early age to dismiss anything that cannot be touched and proved. I think we can all access this knowing and turn to it in times of confusion. On Sunday 26 June mini Tarot readings will be available at £5. See you soon, Miss SOS x

Samples from the Major & Minor Acana

A peek in the pop-up shop

area code cushion, commission your own

Captain Jack Ahoy

yeah baby

sweet heart for your sweet heart. say it in lights

this is Felicity

Mouseness i-pouch

3 weeks and counting

Only 3 weeks until the first Beckenham Hidden Teapot secret tea party and pop-up shop. I've been busy baking and making. This morning I baked some delish scones... very nice but a bit on the small side. I think next time I shall make them a bit bigger. Then perhaps I can eat just 2 instead of 3 and won't feel so guilty!

It's so exciting. My hope of creating a platform from which to show and sell quality designer/maker pieces is born. There are so many talented people who fulfil their creative impulses by making their own stuff but don't have anywhere they can sell. This has been one of my frustrations. Attending different events has proved successful by degrees but was never quite right. And if you want something done, you need to do it yourself (as my mum is fond of saying). So, never one to shy away from a challenge - here we go.

tea and cake in the garden, what could be nicer?

The first Beckenham Hidden Teapot (HT) will be on Sunday 26 June which is the last Sunday of the month. Entry for adults will be £3 (children free) and a donation from each ticket sale will be made to Marie Curie Cancer Care. Ticket entry will ensure a table for an hour where you can order teas, coffee, homemade cakes, scones and lemonade. Fresh, scrummy and much cheaper than the high street chains! After tea and cake you can have a browse around the pop-up shop. There is going to be loads of totally fab bits to buy. Exclusive and unique as each is handmade. The designers will be around on the day so you will be able to commission work too.

a partial view of the garden

The secret location will be revealed once you have purchased your ticket. Details of the ticket site will be posted in the next day or two. Its a lovely 'secret garden' in Beckenham. It will be bedecked with bunting and balloons, lots of comfy cushions, rugs, sun umbrellas (hopefully these will be needed) and ladies to wait upon you! We shall be leaning towards a 1940's feel with cute tea dresses and lots of red lippy! If you need further info just send a post. Miss S x

take a seat...