Tea Cup Exchange

I was so privileged to be able to participate in the 9th Annual Tea Cup Exchange through Stephanie's beautiful blog, The Enchanting Rose. You can find the rules of the exchange here and a broad overview of what happens here.


Basically, you sign up and get sent someone's address. You send that person a package containing a tea cup and saucer and another item (such as tea or coffee). You can also add anything else to your package that you like. So you send a package, and someone else from somewhere in the world sends you a package. Lots of women from all over the world participate. It was my first time participating and it was so much fun!

The person I sent my package to was the lovely Kim who blogs here (she lives in Auckland, New Zealand). This is what I sent:

A pretty flowery teacup and saucer, a pretty notebook with some oh-so-cute little birds and flowers on it, some scrapbooking supplies, some Twinings Chai vanilla tea, a body wash/scrub and a wee note introducing myself.

So I posted that off in a little parcel and waited impatiently to receive a parcel from someone else. Well I didn't have to wait for long before that arrived!

The lovely lady who 'drew my name' was Lillie who lives in Malaysia and blogs here (her blog is in English and it's really interesting!). 

Here's what she sent me:

The whole package! :) see the cute wee card with CUPCAKES on it on the left!

That adorable box!! It came with several packages of beautiful coffees and some tea (from the Borneo rainforest, or so the package claims!) :)

The gorgeous teacup and saucer Lillie sent me. My joy in opening this package was dampened to discover that the saucer is rather smashed. :/ Unfortunately when you send parcels overseas you can't make sure they don't get dropped in transit! It was wrapped so carefully in bubble wrap but I guess even bubble wrap isn't perfect. So I'm disappointed the saucer is broken. I thought about glueing it together but sadly there were too many pieces (I reconstructed it a little for the photo, from the angle it's taken you can't really tell!). The teacup is beautiful though and I'll definitely use it without the saucer.

This cute little spoon and Japanese tea plate. What's a tea plate? I'm not sure! Is it an alternative for a saucer? Hmm, I'm sure I'll find a use for it!

I thought I would share this - it made me laugh. On the packaging of the tea plate:

"The tea plate was politely drawn by Japanese craftsman's hand work. It is different texture one by one, and only one tea plate in the world."

Fascinating! :P (I'd love to know how to draw politely... if anyone has any tips!)

So anyway, that's my wrap up of the tea cup exchange! :) I'll be keeping an eye out for the next one. It was so much fun! Hopefully next time my saucer isn't smashed, but I'm so glad I took part anyway. I've made two new friends. :)

Linking up here.

Have you ever participated in anything like this? 
How do you draw politely? :P

Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways! Romans 11:33