In my bag

What's in my bag posts are some of my favourite posts to read. I don't know why but I love them.  I thought I would share with you whats usually in my bag.

I have a bit of thing for the colour red ever since buying my glasses. I just treated myself to this new purse from Kate Spade. I love how structured it is and the pop of colour that it adds to my outfits is great. 

Wallet. iPad Mini. Keys. Headphones. Advil. Nail File. Chapstick. Hand Cream. Extra Tea Bags.

Whats in your purse?

DIY Love Jar

This is a cute and quick way to show someone that you love them. I had everything I needed to make my Love Jar around the house.  I got the idea from Collen Ludovic she has a full tutorial here.

I decorated the outside of my jar with glitter heart stickers that I got from Michael's. I covered the lid with some heart tissue paper I had left over from last year's Valentine's Day. 

I filled my jar with some cute notes, cinnamon hearts and Love Tea #7. I used the tea filters that I had and secured the end with some glitter heard stickers to make them a bit more festive.   

Winter Essentials

We are experiencing some extremely cold weather here! Like -40 C with the wind chill kind of cold. The university actually canceled classes yesterday because of the extreme cold weather, which is something they rarely do. The cold temperatures and the lack of class made for a good excuse to stay inside all day, drink tea and watch copious amounts of netflix. Here are some of my cold weather favourites:

David's Tea Timolino - I don't know how this thing does it. But it keeps tea hot for hours. I was walking around with it in the cold weather and my tea was still nice and hot when I came back inside.

Netflix - On cold winter nights all I want to do is curl up on the couch or in bed and watch some netflix. Lately I have been watching Dance Academy and Suits.  Any suggestions for movies?

Vaseline Lip Care - I use this before I go out, before bed and when I get home from being outside. It saves my lips from the harsh winter cold. You can see my other winter beauty favourites here.

Cozy Sweater - Aritiza has a version of this sweater every winter (its on sale right now!) and I love it. It is so warm and cozy!

Crochet Slipper Boots - My grandmother made me a pair similar to these for Christmas. If I am home then they are on my feet. They are so soft and warm.

Lululemon Wonder Unders - I wear these as leggings or if its really cold I wear them under my clothes.  I basically lived in them when we had no power because of the ice storm and just threw jeans or other sweatpants on top when I left the house.

What are your winter essentials? 

Jaclyn

David's Tea Advent Calendar: Week 3

Day 13:

This tea steeps up beautifully. The leaves have tiny gold balls in them that actually glitter once it is steeped. It is beautiful to look at and true to its name.  Its not officially labeled as a chai tea but it definitely has that spiciness to it and those hints of flavour. The strongest being the cinnamon. The look and shimmer of this tea are definitely its strengths and out weigh the taste for me. 

Day 14:

I wanted oh so badly to like this tea. I have been wanting to add to my rooibos collection and I have been loving all the different rooibos that I have been trying lately. I love drinking them at night before bed since they are caffeine free. Both the boy and I took one sip of this tea and dumped it. It was SO cinnamon-y. To the point where I felt like I had just had a spoonful of cinnamon (although I have never tried the cinnamon challenge it seemed like an appropriate comparison). 

Day 15: 

Ah. A classic today. It was just what I wanted. Something simple and familiar. This tea to me is just so comforting. A touch of milk and a dash of sugar and I am transported to my grandmother's housing having tea and dipping her cookies in it. 

Day 16: 

In all honesty I didn't try this tea. It smelt wonderful and I am sure I would enjoy it but it being at Mate tea it is a stimulant and I just wasn't feeling something fruity this morning. I like black teas in the mornings, especially in winter. There is just something comforting to me about them and this was not gonna cut it this morning. Then when I was in the mood for something fruity I of course wanted something that wouldn't keep me up all night. I think I am going to save this to ice for hot summer mornings. 

Day 17: 

Cream of Earl Grey is probably my favourite tea. Which is saying a lot. It is the one I most recommend to people.  It is the tea that made me fall in love with David's Tea. It is just so perfect. I drink it on a regular basis and when I stop drinking it for a while and come back to it I fall in love even more. It just has the perfect balance vanilla flavour mixed with earl grey. I cannot do justice to this tea. Just go try it. You can thank me later. 

Day 18:

Another tea that I was not a fan of. I loved the smell of the tea, it was bright and fruity. The actual tea itself was bitter and gross. I didn't end up finishing this tea either. Maybe I burnt the leaves? I might give this another try. Its a white and green tea blend and I usually like blends but I have mostly had white and black tea blends.  I wonder what it was about this tea. 

 Day 19:

This is one of David's cutest teas. It has mini chocolate chips and lip sprinkles in it. It just makes me so happy. I love this tea on its own but its even more delicious as a latte. The black tea mixed with that hint of peppermint and chocolate is delicious. This tea will satisfy your sweet tooth and I love that it combines two of my favourite flavours: peppermint and chocolate. 

You can check out my reviews of Week One and Week Two as well! 

David's Tea Advent Calendar: Week 2

Day 6:

I was exited for this green tea today it was a nice change from all the Christmas-y teas that have been in the calendar lately. I don't drink green teas that often but when I do I remember why I love them and then vow to drink them more then drink too much and get a headache and upset stomach.  This is a nice mid-afternoon tea however. The only probably is that it makes me crave sushi which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The popped rice in this tea is super fun and adds an interesting almost sweetness to the green tea flavour. I might have to make this tea a permeant part of my collection. 

Day 7: 

Another new to me tea. They always pull it down at the store when I say I like fruity teas but its never been something that I committed to trying until today. To be honest, I didn't really like it. The tea has yogurt bits in it which I really didn't like the flavour of in my tea. I felt like I was drinking hot strawberry yogurt which was kind of a turn off. I thought the tart yogurt didn't really complement the tartness of the strawberry either. I don't even thinking icing this tea will save it. 

Day 8: 

I love the Advent Calendar because not only do I get to try teas that I haven't before but I rediscover teas that I love. Mango Madness is one of those teas. I made a large pitcher of iced tea.  I really like how light and fresh this tea is. This tea is more of a summer tea to me then a winter tea but it was a nice surprise in the calendar and has gotten me steeping pitchers of iced tea again to drink all day. 

Day 9: 

The smell of the leaves of this tea reminded me of black liquorice for some reason so we were already off to a bad start ( I am not a fan of liquorice). I took one sip of this tea and then threw out the rest of my mug. It was disgusting. It was like drinking flowers and the what I can only assume to be jasmine was way over powering. I can still taste nothing else. 

Day 10: 

I was happy to see Coffee Cake today after yesterdays tea. Black teas are my favourite and I was starting to miss them. This tea would probably be up there as one of my favourites (it doesn't taste like coffee at all) if it weren't for Red Velvet Cake. To me this is a less spectacular version of Red Velvet Cake. I do like the sweet hints that the cherry and pineapple bring out in the black tea and it makes for an exceptional latte. I was skeptical to try it the first time because of the name. I don't like anything coffee flavoured but this has no coffee flavour at all. 

Day 11: 

This tea is a great tea for before bed. It is calming and relaxing. I love the freshness of the peppermint mixed in with the chamomile. You get a hint of the chamomile first followed by the peppermint cooling after taste. This tea makes me want to cozy up in bed with a good book and then drift off to sleep.  

Day 12:

Another green tea. I was a little weary after the last one but when I opened the tin it was bright and fruity. The smells reminded me of one of David's other teas Green and Fruity (I wonder if that came out before this tea because that would be the perfect name for this one since the other one is a roiboos). Anyways. I really enjoyed this tea it was perfect hot and would probably be lovely iced. I sipped it while studying for finals. I think Genmaicha from Day Six (at the top of this post) is my favourite green tea I've had so far though. 

Are you doing the David's Tea Advent Calendar? Whats your favourite so far? If not, which would you most like to try? 

Jaclyn 

Ps. You can see my review of week one here. 

David's Tea Advent Calendar: Week 1

Day 1: 

I was actually really excited to see White Chocolate Frost as the tea for the first day. It is one of the few on the list that I have yet to try so I was excited to try a new tea. The main flavours that are promised in this tea are mint and white chocolate. I tasted the mint for sure but I didn't really get a white chocolate flavour coming through. The tea also had a thin film of oil across the top which I am assuming is from the melted white chocolate. If you like peppermint teas then you will like this one for sure. It is a bit creamy, again from the white chocolate. I don't think its anything special I do like that its a herbal tea which I can drink at night and is different from other herbal teas I own which are mostly fruity. I think I prefer chocolate mint rooibos.

Day 2: 

The smell of this tea is extremely sweet almost like candy which I was not expecting.  The flakes of coconut in this tea are HUGE like larger then they usually are in David's Teas. There is also almond and apple flavours. The actual steeped tea is a sweater tea for sure and doesn't have that usual earthy rooibos flavour. They must have tweaked their blend from last year's alpine punch because I remember it being overly cinnamon-y which caused my mouth to be very dry. I am not getting that this year. A change for the better for sure! I am actually pleasantly surprised and would consider adding this tea to my collection. Its the perfect tea for cold winter night as its caffeine free.  

Day 3: 

Another tea that I have never tried. They always pull it down for me when I am in the store but something has always held me back from trying. While I love black teas I am not a huge fan of fruits in my black teas. I like to be able to add milk and something about fruit and milk together just doesn't sit well with me. This tea smells wonderful and the blueberry's come through very strongly. However, once steeped I found that blueberry smell did not translate into blueberry taste. Perhaps I will try it iced next time since I usually like fruity teas iced or maybe I should go nuts and add some milk to it. I want to love this tea so badly but theres just something missing. 

 Day 4: 

Forever Nuts is probably one of the best selling teas that David's Tea has and yet I have never jumped on its band wagon. For the longest time I thought it was that I didn't like the almonds in tea but now I have a few favourites that do have almonds so I am not sure what exactly it is that I don't love about this tea.  It has grown on me over the years and I don't mind a cup of it now and again but its not something that I would put into heavy rotation. It sort of tastes like apple pie. I prefer this tea when it is warm rather then first steeped or cooled completely. I have been told its good with spiced rum so perhaps I will have to try that. 

Day 5: 

This is one of my favourite latte teas. The only thing that bothers me about it, is that has an oily layer on top. Probably again from the chocolate. Its not sweet like you would expect a chocolate tea to be and it actually doesn't remind me of any of their more chocolate-y teas. The cinnamon is probably the most dominate flavours of this tea which I don't mind in this case since I dampen it with the milk for the latte. I am not a fan of this tea straight but as a latte its wonderful!  

My Wish List

Top Row: Print. Gloves. Measuring Cups. 

Middle Row: Jawbone Up. Kitchen Aid Mixer. Bracelet. 

Bottom Row: Travel Mug. Candle. Mug. Iphone Case.

David's 24 Days of Tea

The David's Tea Advent Calendar launched today! After much anticipation it has finally hit stores and I am sure it won't stay there long. I can't wait to go pick mine up today. I love how the changed the design of the box this year, it feels more festive then last years design, which was the classic David's turquoise. From the description of teas included on the website it seems that they have taken in suggestions from last year and really have improved the teas offered in the calendar. There seems to be a much bigger focus on the winter and holiday collections then there was last year, which some other favourites and festive flavours from David's in the mix. I wish they would have an exclusive new mystery tea in the calendar as well but it seems like thats not in the cards this year. 

It will be fun waking up every morning in December to a new tea. I had so much fun doing it last year and I am excited for this years as well! Such fun! 

Will you be doing David's 24 days of Tea? 

Jaclyn 

Have tea... will travel

It is no secret that I am a huge tea lover. I constantly have a cup of tea in my hand and I drink a variety of teas throughout the day.  On my way to work or school I usually leave the house with more then one cup of tea (one hot to drink then and one iced for later). Plus I also usually have some extra tea stashed in my purse, just in case.  Drinking loose leaf tea on the go isn't always the easiest thing but having the right accessories helps.

Travel Mugs - For hot teas it is important that you have a well insulated and leak proof mug. It is never pleasant spilling hot tea on yourself in the mornings. The next mug on my wish list is this one from David's Tea. I have heard nothing but good things about the smaller version but always thought it was too small for me, finally they made one in a bigger size!  For iced teas I like these tumblers with a straw, if I am not going to be throwing it in my bag. They come in cute patterns depending on where you buy them from. When I want something spill proof I usually just use a reusable water bottle. 

Filters - Filters are a great way to bring tea with you on the go. I even use them to bring teas when I am going somewhere for a weekend. I fill the fillers up with enough loose leaf for one cup and bring them in a ziplock bag in my purse. All you have to do is add hot water and you're good to go. 

Travel Tea Tins - David's had these travel tea tins (I believe they are on sale now in stores) and they came with 5 single serve filters of the loose leaf tea. The actual tin is great because it is small enough to fit in your purse and keeps the tea fresh.  Once I ran out of the tea that it came with I reused the tin to carry my own pre-made filters rather then using a ziplock bag.

                

Iced Tea

As the weather is heating up and summer is fast approaching I have been loving Iced Teas. I drink tea all day long and that usually includes some iced tea. I usually always have a pitcher of iced tea on hand.  I find herbal teas make the best iced teas but I also have some other favourites as well. They all are on the fruity side because that is my personal preference.  To make my iced tea I brew my tea as normal and if I am going to be drinking it right away I will strain it over ice, if not I will put the entire pitcher in the fridge to drink later. 

Here are my favourite iced teas from David's Tea

What is your favourite iced tea flavour?
Jaclyn

Shop Till You Drop with LouLou Magazine

Last week I attended one of LOULOU's Shop Till You Drop Events. I had never gone to one before and I wasn't sure what to expect. There was a huge LOULOU closet full of the latest trends and many vendors were offering freebies and discounts. There was tea samples from David's Tea and I got to try a bunch of fun lipstick colours from MAC.  I was super excited to get my makeup done by Boujois. The girls did a wonderful job and I now have a long list of new make up to purchase (which I will hopefully be going to grab from Shoppers this week).

I also got a ton of awesome swag and a ton of gift cards and coupons. I am super excited to try all of the new to me products that were in the bag and cannot wait for my first copy of my LOULOU subscription to make it into my mail box.

I had every intention of taking an outfit photo to share by only ended up taking a photo of my shoes...typical me. haha. I my new shoes! Which I am loving and am so happy I decided to get them. I paired them with a white peplum top and a classic tan trench coat. 

 Did anyone else attend a LOULOU event? 

Jaclyn 

Lately

These past few weeks have been crazy! Tons of school work and saying goodbye to class mates for the summer. Here is what I have been loving lately.

Chocolate covered Strawberries

This list of 50 Things First Year Taught Me (fairly accurate and makes me miss first year)

Some delicious tea from David's Tea

A new pair of kitten heels from Aldo Shoes (they are on sale too). 

Board game nights with friends

What have you been loving lately? 

Jaclyn 

Tea Time

Owl. Elephant. Tea for one. Noble Tea Pot. 

Tea Latte

It is no secret that I love tea. I have a cupboard full of David'sTeas and am cannot keep myself from buying the latest tea.  While I drink tea every day (multiple times a day actually) I don't usually have tea lattes and for me they are a treat. They are easy to make and some teas taste better as lattes then others. 

Here is how I usually make my lattes.  

What you'll need: 

Milk

Milk frother 

mug 

your favourite tea (I find black teas work best as lattes)

sweetener if you so choose - I like honey

either a microwave or pot and stove

 boiling water

Direction: 

Steep your tea as your normally would

Warm up milk either on the stove or in the microwave (hint: measure milk using the mug you will be using you will want it about 2/3 full of milk)

Once milk is warmed use frother to create nice and frothy milk 

Add about 1/3 steeped tea to your mug and top off with your frothy milk 

add sweetener if desired  

enjoy!

My red velvet cake tea latte with honey drizzle on top! 

What is your favourite tea latte? 

Jaclyn

David's Tea Earl Grey Cupcakes with Lemon Filling and Honey Buttercream

 

I have a serious addiction to tea. I cannot go by David's Tea without walking into the store and once I am there I have to get some tea and usually buy a sample pack to take home. Its a serious but delicious problem. My tea cupboard is starting to over flow (yes I do have an entire cupboard dedicated to tea. Don't judge.) I also love cupcakes. So I thought it was about time I combine these two loves. And here you have it the love child of tea and cupcakes. My Earl Grey lemon filled honey buttercream topped cupcakes.

For the cake (makes 24):
1 c unsalted butter at room temp
2 c sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 c milk
2 tsp David's Tea Cream of Earl Grey
2 tsp David's Tea Decaf Earl Grey
4 Earl Grey Tea bags
3 C flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking soda

Directions

In small sauce pan on the stove combine milk, loose leaf teas and 2 tea bags. Heat until milk starts to boil. Once milk is boiling remove from heat and let sit for 15-30 mins

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Making sure to beat well after each addition.  Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and tea from remaining 2 tea bags.  Remove tea bags from milk mixture and strain out loose leaf tea. Mix in half of the flour mixture.Then add milk and tea mixture. Finally mix in remaining flour mixture.  

Fill cupcake pans about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in centre of cupcake comes out clean. 

For the Lemon Curd: 

3 eggs

1 c sugar

1/4 c butter, melted

1/2 fresh lemon juice 

zest from 1 lemon 

In a double boiler whisk together eggs and sugar. Add butter, lemon juice and zest. Stir constantly for about 15-20 minutes or until mixture coats back of spoon. (Don't worry if it doesn't thicken up right away. It took a while for mine to thicken before I realized a lot of the water had evaporated from my double boiler...oops)

For the Icing: 

1 c butter at room temp

1/4 c honey 

3-6 c icing sugar 

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add icing sugar cup at a time until you reach your desired sweetness/consistency. Add honey to taste (I used about 1/4 cup but it will depend on the type of honey you are using and how strong you want your flavour to be). 

Assembling the cupcake:

Cut a cone out of each of your cupcakes. Fill with about 1 tbs of lemon curd. Ice cupcakes as desired. 

Notes: I found that this recipe made the perfect amount of lemon curd and icing for the 24 cupcakes. If you like a lot of icing I suggest you double the recipe as it was just enough icing. 

You can use any type of Earl Grey tea you have on hand. I found mixing the 3 different earl greys gave  a stronger tea flavour in the cupcake overall. 

Enjoy! 

Jaclyn