Mother's Day

My Mom doesn't have internet, so she never sees my blog or anything else I do online. Sometimes this is a good thing, like when I post pictures of SUUUUPPEER SEEECRET presents for her.

My Mom lived in England when she was a little girl. They had a maid and a nanny and everything, and would have afternoon tea everyday. My Mom's childhood always seemed so far removed from mine - like she'd grown up a little princess. She always told me they had to make play dates for tea with the neighbor girl because she lived miles away, and I guess making official play dates was proper. My Mom would describe how much she loved afternoon tea, and all the little details - the lovely china or silver tea set, the tiny cucumber sandwiches, the little cookies (or biscuits, as they call them, which confused me as a kid) and scones. I always found it all fascinating, and wished I'd gotten to live in a big old house in England.


I've always wanted to take my Mom to a proper high tea as a gift for Mother's Day or her birthday, but the one time I found a place and made reservations, something went wrong and foiled our plans, and we never got to go. Once I moved to Indiana and started making ceramics, I vowed to get good enough to make my Mom a little tea set. I've had to put it off every year because I suck SO HARD at making teapots. But this year I finally got it.

My Mom loves anything to do with cats, especially if they have enormous eyes. Does the cup look familiar? I got inspired by that Hello Kitty Sake set. There's also a little warmer for under the teapot that she can put a tealight candle in to keep her tea warm, and some Japanese Cherry green tea from the local tea shop (it's not English tea, I know, but it's REALLY good stuff, and she likes green tea).

I haven't fired this yet because I was dragging my feet making it (as I do with everything), and I was sure it was going to crack or explode, or my handle was going to fall off, or something. KNOCK ON WOOD! I  know today is Mother's Day, but we're celebrating Mother's Day next weekend while I'm home in New Orleans for a long weekend.

Wish this little set luck! It's a long time in the making, and it needs to make it home.