White Teas, originally uploaded by Ayala Moriel.

Cold rainy morning, and so I'm shivering and cuddling by the fireplace with my morning tea, wishing I would have not taken off my flannel pyjamas and imagining that I'm still in it...

Working too many days a week and too many hours a day sure takes a toll - especially when it cuts into one's sleep. I'm making a pledge with myself to got to bed super early in the next few days if I can help it. And by early I mean 9pm. Yup. I think I must do this if I want to get well for the next weekend show, which is followed by a soiree on Tuesday, leading to the OOAK show on Thursday (and these would be 14 hour days - 8am-10pm), counting commute, prep and clean up at the beginning and end of each day.

So today I intend to stay in, but not just blog/brag/complain about how hard I work and how tough it is to be a one-woman-show, single mother and a business owner in today's economy - I actually wanted to share with you my cup of morning tea :-)

Last year I've been talking a lot abut my ginger and amber perfume , which I created especially for days like today, when you feel under the weather and wish you could stay in your flannel pyjamas and cashmere underwear (apparently, there is such a thing, and although I am not fortunate enough to own a pair, I imagine they would be quite wonderful). This tea is the equivalent of that feeling the tea gives you - sweet and warm and fuzzy but very delicate, with white tea and vanilla and ginger.

Next year I am planning to dedicate to studying teas and the art of tea blending, and would love to bring out a some new teas if I am ready to show them to the world. For now, I'm just sharing with you this morning tea. I think it's simple, elegant and balanced. And it makes me feel a little bit better yet without feeling like I'm drinking medicine.

P.s. This tea was originally designed for my spring-welcoming tea ceremony on March 21st 2010.