The accidental Tea-cake. Was it more than lovely? Did they puff up like magic? Did it bring us together for tea? Did it bring simple OOs and Aahhs? Yes indeed, it did…
You see, it wasn’t a tea-cake recipe she searched for. It was a sugar cookie recipe. All she wanted was to play with her new cookie cutters. But, little did she know…
That when tea-cakes want to visit, they will find a way… And, when they want her to share them with you, they will most certainly find a way. I mean, for all the tea parties we have, these super easy to bake lovelies are necessary.
It began with a google search, and a recipe titled "Melt in your mouth sugar cookies." Perfect she thought. She washed her paper bag of cookie cutters she forgot she bought last year 🙂
It was late Saturday night. Lovely time for baking… (she sent the Mister out for ingredients, like sour cream and cream cheese, woweee!)
You see, she was one of those girls, you know the type. Gets and idea in her head, and has to do it right away. No matter what.
So, the baking festivities began… Now, you might say, "Vanessa, read the recipe, look at all that baking powder and baking soda, of course they will puff." I just didn’t realize it at the time.
I thought I would simply get to use my cookie cutters, and make little rock hard sugar cookies…
I have this idea that, life is so short, if I want to have the house smell like Christmas in August, I will. If I want to dress up in April, like a witch, I will. If I want to pop popcorn, jump on my bed and watch movies all day, if I can, I will! They are simple pleasures, that we can bring to life.
I do this thing, where I ask myself, what I feel like. And I don’t think things like cruises and mansions and Bentleys. I think, within reason, within my power, what would make me happy right now? And then, I try to do it…
A twirl, a hug, a dance, a french pastry, a love letter, a tall glass of raspberry swirl with ice and mint leaves, a day dream… If at work, perhaps run outside for a break, and jump up and down, and get the blood flowing, wave your hands around… Take a deep breathe… Smile, giggle for no reason… Look up at the sky, watch the clouds. Even if just for 5 minutes…
I told Mister Lovee that if you put the rainforest hose in the giant bushes, and look up through the water and the leaves, to the sky, you really do feel like you are standing on a rock, under a water fall, in an enchanted place… He looked at me, nodded, smiled… Then closed his eyes, while in his chair, clasped his hands and layed them on his lap. Then stayed like that for a long time. With a tiny smile on his face. I think we both have the daydreamer bug… 😉
Back to tea-cakes. So, they actually started puffing in the oven. And they turned into the most delicious sweet little biscuit type things…
I caught Mister lovely red handed, hovering over a fresh batch 😉 (yummy cream cheese, butter & sugar frosting, Oolala, oh and vanilla)
Isn’t that the best?? Getting a suprise like this?? What could we do?
I took my little partner in crime, and he set a lovely tea table for us in the garden…
Now, you tell me, but, I think these were a wonderful accident. We enjoyed them so very much. We rarely eat white bread. Or any refined flour. But, we indugled in these big time…
I love that Mr. Lovee enjoyed them too… Isn’t that the best, to share them with someone who enjoys the whole experience…
Of course, I didn’t bring my very very ladylike self to the tea-cake fest. My plate looked like it belonged to the Blueberry Absconder Royale…
And of course, I couldn’t resist this…
That was a lovely tea-time. Especially after hours of making up for lost time, by searching the garden for new specimens. I found a cluster of the tiniest flowers ever.
I am most certain they are fairy flowers.
I have a very small pinky, and let me tell you, these were tiny tiny star flowers, and colorful flowers… Oh lovely…
And, a very quiet bird nest visit…
Now, I am going to direct you to the Tea Cake Recipe. However, I have some tips that I am taking very seriously 😉 First of all, these are NOT cookies like the recipe says. They are more like little sweet soft cake biscuits.
ALSO you must be AWARE that mine baked in 7 minutes (not 15). I rolled my dough a bit thicker for the last batch, and they were the best. I’d say a half inch thickness. I used all real butter, for frosting as well.
And, make sure, the cakes are WHITE when you take them out of the oven. Do not let them get golden. They will be too dry to eat. At 7 minutes, mine were lightly golden on the bottom. Of course, all ovens are calibrated differently. But I am just saying, check yours at 7 minutes… (also, I only left the dough in the fridge for one hour, so you don’t have to worry to leave it in over night, but you can if you want)
As for mischief and giveaways… Wait, what is that noise I hear?? The giveaway fairies? You say they are here?
Let’s mix up some fairy potion, so that even those who do not win, can have some magic come to them…
And the Treasure Trinket Box Loot bag goes to….
The talented and lovely Icelandic Goddess!! Miss Mo’a! Woo hooo!! You must vist her, she has a lovely place!! (Miss Mo’a, e-mail me your address ppplease 😉
Now, don’t be sad if your name wasn’t drawn, cuz, guess what?? If your name was in there, then…
That was fun!! So, I best get back to work… I have some things I am working on 😉
Also, thank you for all your get well wishes! I feel like a new woman. Vertigo is gone. My Mombie says I even sound like myself again. To fill you in, my vertigo issue started with a bad head slamming dramtic fall off a horse at 17 (after a trouble making guy whipped my horse while I was on it and it set off wild bucking and racing at lightning speeds). The horse ran and ran, far from the group, and I held on as long as I could… My body was slamming so hard on the horse (I had bruises that would blow you away). Then I blacked out, and I landed on a boulder and a cactus. Hitting my head concussion hard. Ever since then my equilibrium has been a bit off. But, I only get vertigo once or twice a year… The fall discombobulated my inner ear it seems… Other than that I am a very healthy normal kinda girl… And only remember the fall during vertigo times…
I was lucky nothing else happened to me with that fall. We all know what horrible things have happened to people with horse falls.
There were some things I had to say good-bye to. No more hanging upside down and swinging back and forth for hours. No more tickets for 5 tilt-a-whirl rides at a time… No more rides on "The Zipper" (hmm, maybe that is a good thing, those cages look scary)…
So you see, when Mammie would say (when you would do things to hurt yourself as a kid), "Just wait, when you grow up it will affect you." Well, she was right 😉
Mammie, you were right, about everything. All of it!! 😉
Off I go, trying to catch up on a bizillion things!! 🖤 V
ps: I don’t know how I end up with mile long posts. I try to make them shorter, and it just doesn’t seem to happen 😉
(Zipper photo borrowed from: http://flickr.com/photos/kaytethinks)
Theses tea cakes seem delectable….I have all kinds of ideas for them!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Hugs Giggles
Vanessa,
I was so hoping to win the lovely items but I am so happy for Miss Mo’a! Maybe next time.
The tea cakes/cookies look so yummy. I will be trying these when I can use both hands again.
Wonderful that you are feeling much better. Do you have a fear of horses? I feel that eveything that happens in our life happens for a purpose if it is for your creativity then you have been blessed with so much.
Enjoying all the wonderful pictures. Thank you for sharing. Continue getting well and take care of yourself. Hugs, Bobbi Jo
your accidental tea~cake cookies
look yummy
with that frosting…
yummy~yum~yum
but
as i DID try to eat my computer screen
and THAT didn’t work
so well
now
i am going
to pop popcorn, jump on my bed and watch movies
as it is raining here
and I CAN DO THAT…
so
thanks for the idea …
🙂
{{ sometimes i can be so ~~easily influenced~~
by FOOD suggestions… }}
yippee!!
for your give~a~way winner.
i am sure she will be
beside herself with joy!
you are so ~~generous~~
missy,
which burns extra cookie calories
in case you did not know….
I’d like to try those cookies. “I think I may I think I might make those cookies tonight!! Congrats to Mo’a. Glad to see that everybody wins sometime and happy to know your vertigo is gone and only appears every now and again. You were very lucky you didn’t break your “crown”. Ha
Kris
Make ’em longer :)!
Oh those look quite yummy! I do know what you mean about the urge to do something and doing it right then and there! There is something about the man hands and the tea cups! Gotta love it.
Karla
Those look just lovely! I will have to tamper with the recipe (replacing all the things I’m allergic to…bother) and try it out myself! I am happy that the business section was open during the tea party, as Mr. Lovee realizes it’s serious business indeed…
Oh, yummy – tea cakes and blueberries! Will try thes e soon. As for vertigo, it’s a familiar visitor, although mine wasn’t caused by a fall from a horse (what a scary story); it started unexpectedly a few years ago and affects me a couple of times a year. Your mile-long posts are delightful, just like you, Miss Fanciful. xoxox
Oh, oh, OH! Your blog can be such a dangerous place! LOL! I now have the urge to go bake something.
Congratulations for Miss Mo’a – I guess her fingers were crossed tighter than my own. 🙂 I hope she has FUN with her little bag-o-treasure …
… and thank you for the recipe link & the dunk in the sparkly magic fairy potion … I feel a lottery win coming on!
xx’s ~M~
Good that you are feeling better now. Are you sure that it isn’t Menière disease? Mmm your cookies look so tasty! The little star fairy flowers almost look like Galium Odoratum (yes I have looked that up in Wikipedia!) but that herb doesn’t occur with you in the new world. In the old world Galium Odoratum was devoted to Freya (German, german in the old sense godess of love). I’m sure these herbs are related somehow, somewhere. The Galium Odoratum was used in beds, because the smell would make you sleepy. Enough herbology for now, warm wishes and have a very nice day, LiLi
Oh, don’t make your posts shorter – I love tagging along on your adventures! :)’
Glad you are feeling better!
oh my gracious those looks so delicious you are killing meeeeeeeee
that fall sounds awful 🙁 it is good you are ‘ok’. phew
and please do keep your posts a mile long and then some! I love them (& I bet everyone else does as well) Personally, I need the exercise 😉
There is NO need to make your posts shorter-they are filled with magic and are FABULOUS!
Those accidental tea cakes look so fluffy and delicious! And congrats to Miss Mo’a! What an enchanting bag of magical goodies indeed.
Hello Vanessa!
I just wanted to drop by and say that you blog always makes me dream and travel to unknown place in my mind… It makes me believe in a way of life that I’m trying to achieve for myself…
Unfortunately my blog was not up yet for you Tea Party, but now it is, as well as my shop, and if you have a minute one of those days I would love to know what you think…
http://labaleineaplumes.webou.net
http://LaBaleineaPlumes.etsy.com
Thanks for your art… 😉
Popping in to say hello Vanessa! Hope this note finds you well! 🙂
PS: I LOVE the Zipper!
Chris
Oooooooooo!!! I can’t believe it, little me winning your lovely giveaway 🙂 Dancing the dance of joy!!! :):):)Thank you, thank you!!!
Your biscuits/cookies look delicious…I think they would taste wonderful with jam and clotted cream. Love your tea set.
We don’t want your posts to be shorter anyway! I need to make those tea cakes! Maybe tomorrow with the kiddos! I love you happy philosophy too! Glad you feel better, naughty horse slapping boy!
Dang it – I licked my computer screen before I even realized it….the cookies looked so delish. I may surprise G and make them one day soon….wouldn’t he be surprised I used the oven for more than clay. HA!!
Congrats to Mo’a on her win of your bag of treats!!
Above all else I am delighted you are feeling yourself again!!
XOXOXOXO
You are so lucky with your happy accidents! Those tea cakes look sooooo goooood. I’m glad your Mr Lovee liked them as much as you. Mine’s that way too.
Congrats to Mo’a! Lucky Duck.
hugs,
Kate
yay for Mo’a! what a treat.
of course coming here is a treat in itself! thanks for that. =)
Don’t make your posts any shorter, I love them just the way they are! It’s like a little break from the mundane of the day. I’m going to try the sugar cookie recipe too!
Yummy teacakes and you and Mr. Lovee set them up so nicely. Glad to hear you’re feeling better. Mother are sometimes right lots aren’t they?
Thank-you kindly for this lovely post and pointing the correct directions to the tea cakes – you set a lovely table
Always a pleasure to visit….
XO…Kimberlee
Love, love, love the idea of the cookie-biscuit-cakes. Hungry now…
And don’t you love that a man will read the business section at a tea party? Too funny!
Thanks for sharing, as always.
xo Debbie
I love how you find magic in everything! I love this blog, I love your art. Would it be okay with you if I featured your blog in my blog? I am absolutely captivated by it!
I love how you find magic in everything! I love this blog, I love your art. Would it be okay with you if I featured your blog in my blog? I am absolutely captivated by it!
Escaping with your blog is so much fun. And, it is so nice to be reminded that we can each have fun anytime that we want…just have to stop and realize what would “really” be fun at just that moment.
I’ll just have to be happy with magic clouds carrying my wishes away. Who knows what might return. Your tea cakes look delicious and your tea party delightful. So nice of Mr. Lovee to join you. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Have a nice week. Twyla
i want those little flowery cups so much! but hell vanessa, you gotta quit making me hungry with all this delicious, tantalizing imagery, i already ate half a ton of toasted muffins, peanut butter and some traditional fish and chips.
and now i cant breathe;)
love ya!
That blueberry and tiny mint leaf made me so happy! Oh for happy accidents and puffy, delicious cookies.
In the UK a teacake is a flat round bread with currants and sultanas in it. The Atlantic creates some vast differences in our common language don’t you think?
Anyway yours look so much prettier.
I’m going to give this recipe to my daughter and her friends : they are always looking for something sweet… Ã nd when they are at my house ( just like this morning, they are still sleeping in my frontroom, like this already did loooots of time this vacation…)
they always want to make or bake something to eat..
Inge from belgium
Your attitude is beautiful…the smallest things are the ones that matter the most.
I love the cookie cutters!!
🙂
This post hit the spot – I’ve missed you so!
What a sweet little tea party, especially sweet with Mr. Lovely!! Those cakes looked so yummy!
I did some baking recently too, a carmelized apple tart (instructions on my blog) and last night I baked dog treats for my Lulu Belle beagle girl. She loved them…Pea”mutt”butter and “pup”kin cakes…hee!
I have to remark about that awful Zipper ride…I was on that thing the night Princess Diana died…and I thought I was going to die on that nauseating horrible metal monster!!
Vanessa, I don’t know what I love best about coming here…
is it the gorgeous eye candy,
the magical tales,
the beautiful words,
your incredible designs,
or the inspiration?
I think that I love it all. I have an award for you on my post today, and funny enough Miss Mo’a too. Kindred spirits travel in the same magical places, you know.
Stop by and take your award home please.
Karen
This was just the bit of magic I needed today. I bet those sugar-tea-cake-cookies would be yummy with a bit of lemon zest, or lemon glaze. I love to bake ^_^
Those tea cooking look amazing! I’m going to have to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
T
Tea with Lovee and tea cakes in the “Rain forest”? And, and, and thoughtful trinets for Mo’a? Who needs Bentleys & Mansions? You’re the Richest girl in the Rain Forest, or maybe on the Planet!
xox
Contance
Those look really good! I’ll have to enjoy them via your photos as I am laying off all sweets for now (at least until Halloween..)! Hope you feel better and sorry to hear about how you were thrown off a horse..ugh!
Oh those do look yummy! I’ll have a virtual one, please! I’m glad you’re feeling better too!
haha i bake at all odd hours myself! if Im bored I’ll head into the kitchen and start on something from scratch – these look delicious Miss V!!!
i always enjoy your posts so much. this one gets an A++! i love wonderful new recipes… i have a 3 yr old granddaughter that comes to visit at least once a year (staying anywhere from 3-7 weeks at a time). we love to bake together. i am making a cookbook/scrapbook/altered book for her. recipes that we try together, short journal entry about her at that time, and some pictures. this i will continue to compile until she turns at least 18, at which time i will have it bound into a book and give to her to keep and use with many wonderful memories. i think we shall use this wonderful little tea cake recipe the next time she comes to visit. thank you for a wonderful addition to our recipe memories project.
rho
Oh my goodness Vanessa! Those cookies are so yummy looking…
All your photos are amazing…but I have to say the blueberry photos are my favorite:)
I feel like I could reach out and grab one!
Wish I could stop over for tea today:)
Smiles,
KayEllen
Christmas in August??!! With you it’s always Christmas, or Halloween, or Easter, etc.
In other words, it’s just always a holiday for US who visit!!!
D.
Congrats to Mo’a!!
Yes,your posts are long,but i dont mind,more tea please i ask and i try not to inturput your speaking,i have nothing as interseting as fairy flowers and magic postion,and biscuit cookies i say,our visits seem almost to short….i must come back again and do this another time?shall we?And maybe we can make my all time favorite cranberry orange cookies..mmmmm:)
ps-i love the picture of mister lovee and the teacup,its like teatime gone manly;)
xoxo
ryce
a lovely tea-time treat, thank you for sharing all the details with us.
Lorrie
I’m drooling on my keyboard! Thank you for the mouth watering story! I will try my hand at those. I hope the tea cakes will be willing to visit my house too!
Becky
Your tea cakes look delightful! I love it when things don’t go as planned, a welcome and quite regular occurance in my kitchen. (teaspoon and tablespoons are almost the same thing!)
This is one of the best blogs out there and one of my favorite posts of all time. I especially love how you shape your photos so they are rounded on the corners. How do you do that? I immediately calm down when I read your posts. Yay. Have a beautiful day.
oh MY! those cakes are a delight, and make me quite hungry,indeed!!
And oh MY MY MY…what a frightening story about your fall….I’m so glad you got through it okay….but having to deal with vertigo must be very hard! Your so brave!
I am terrible about running into doorways and smashing various parts of my feet and hands…I must be more careful, methinks!
Thanks for sharing your magic recipe with us! Happy Day to Youuuuuuuu!
love love love your long posts!!! don’t change a thing!!!
and you’ve gotten me hooked on felt beads!!! i’m obsessed!!! weeeeeeeeee!!!
What a treat it is to visit your enchanting blog!
So wonderful.
Oh you must see my MILE long smile! Sugar cookies, my fave! Glitter to boot, and happy BRIGHT wishes for the winner, Mo’a too…
just delightful V.!
Right down to the crumbs.
Happy day to you sweets, Monica 🙂
Oh my goodness! Those tea cakes look so good! I must try to make those! And I love your cookie cutters– they are beautiful art in themselves! They should just be displayed as beautiful cookie decorations!
Everything about your post is YUMMY!!!
I have to try the recipe.
Lovely blog! Will check back often!
Yummy!! Those cakes look like little pillows of delightfulness!! Can I come over for aomw tea and cookie cakes or do I have to make some for myself?
I think it would be more fun if I just came over. 😉
I am so charmed by your posts that I say NAY on shorter. You must go with what feels right to you and it is always ‘received’ as just right for us!
Mmm…what a delicious looking surprise! I love your philosophy – going with whatever the heart desires, life’s too short, and you are setting a great example by making the most of it. You are super lucky re. falling off the horse, I believe the fairies and angels looked after you 🙂
Oooo! A horse fall? That is bad. When I was in ICU as a child for a ruptured appendix, there was a boy on my floor who fell off a horse into a manure pile. He broke his arm and the manure got in there and caused a horrible infection in his whole body. I have been scared to ride a horse ever since.
I am sorry for your vertigo. It sounds like you get it bad. I fell out of a shopping cart onto my head when I was like 2. Of course, I don’t remember it, but I think it caused some brain damage. :o) No, but seriously, I get slight vertigo here and there … and I am very afraid of heights because my balance is so off I always think I am going to fall … which gets really bad when high up.
wow – you really do it all; so much inspiration each and every time I return
Hi,
You’ve probably been asked this before, but I was wondering what camera you use. Your photos have such a lovely quality to them. I was wondering if you have to spend a lot of time on p/shop too?
regards
miss b
I am reading back through all your lovely entries in between my tasks for the past week or so. (Accomplish something, read a new entry, it gives me such motivation!) My fiancée is from Tucson and, well, is not a big fan but now I want to go and visit all the places you described!
I have enjoyed reading your imaginative, playful, whimsical and life embracing entries as they echo much of what I try to do in my life as well. That is to say, I love your blog, so please don’t be disheartened when I say, “I must protest that those are indeed cookies!”
The recipe sounds much like my great-grandmother’s sour cream cookies which we have made every Christmas for as long as I can remember. We do not make Christmas teacakes; we make Christmas cookies, thank you very much. 😉