PRODUCT REVIEW: Squeezmo

Product Information:

Where to Buy:  Squeezmo

Product Description:

Squeezmo™ is the modern solution to an old problem: soggy, drippy, unsightly tea bags.

Rather than allowing a mucky brown tea bag to spoil that nice saucer or throw it away after a single use, place a bag of your favorite variety in Squeezmo, press and pour the excess back into the cup.

There’s no waste and no mess. Now, one tea bag can brew multiple cups.

Product Review:

I was apprehensive about reviewing this product, mostly because I prefer to drink loose leaf tea as opposed to tea brewed from tea bags.  In addition, the flexible Squeezmo looks and feels a lot like plastic and I don’t generally like to use plastic items when brewing tea.   However, it isn’t plastic, it’s silicone.  Although to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t really tell you what the difference between silicone and plastic is (or even if there IS a difference).

Additionally, I am not particularly fond of tea gadgets, I prefer to keep it as simple as possible.  Generally, I don’t see the use of gadgetry to add to the simplicity of tea; rather, I see it as added complication.

BUT… this gadget is an exception!  Yes, despite my original misgivings about this device and my reservations about gadgets, I am finding this particular gadget – the Squeezmo – to be quite useful, helpful and enhancing to the pleasure of a simple cup of tea!  Who’dathunkit?

On the occasions when I brew tea from a teabag (I’d estimate that I brew 1 teabag every other day, with loose leaf tea filling in the rest of my daily tea consumption), I do not squeeze the teabag.  I know that tea drinkers are somewhat divided on this issue:  some choose to give their teabags a squeeze in an effort to extract all the liquid and additional flavor from the teabag, while others (and I) believe that in so doing, additional tannins are also extracted and bitterness can result.

So, even though I’ve now this nifty gadget that promotes the squeezing of the teabag, I don’t use it for that purpose.  What I do use it for is placement of the teabag after I’ve finished steeping my tea.  That’s always been a troublesome issue for me.  I can’t toss it directly into the garbage because it’s hot and it is likely to melt the trash bag … and what a mess that would be.  So, it ends up being placed on a saucer or in a bowl, making more mess in my kitchen (which really doesn’t NEED more mess).  Not to mention the mess that is made from the trail of tea drips from cup to aforementioned saucer.  Mess, mess, mess.

But this flexible, bright orange Squeezmo helps me with the mess!  I can place my hot teabag into the Squeezmo without dripping tea all over my counter and without having an unsightly teabag on a saucer or bowl.  After the teabag cools, I simply drop it into the trashcan and empty the additional tea that’s accumulated at the bottom of the Squeezmo into my teacup.

This is a no mess, no fuss kind of gadget that I don’t mind using!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Floppy Latte Designs Tea Time Digital Stamps

Products:

Tea Time Digital Stamps

Designer:

Jessica Leigh Gill

Where to Buy:

Stitchy Bear Stamps

The stamps I used are available for purchase here and here

Artist’s Review:

I am creating an altered book for a friend, and for the first spread in the book, I used these two digital stamps from Floppy Latte Designs at Stitchy Bear Stamps. 

To create my spread (you can get a sneak peek of it below), I first created my collage/mixed media background using patterned paper, vintage text, gesso, Golden Acrylic Paints and Lumiere paints … and a whole lot of layers!  Then I let it dry overnight.

I printed the two images onto vellum paper, and then I colored in the images using colored pencils.  Then I tore around the edges of the images, and adhered them to my dried background.  I then chose a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and embellished with ribbon, fabric flowers, sequins and brads.

Not the best photo, sorry - but I assure you it looks much better in person.

It was a pretty simple collage, really, but I’m really happy with the way it turned out.  The photo doesn’t reveal how sparkly the collage really is (from the Lumiere paints).  I just hope that my friend that I’m sending this book to will enjoy the book as much as I am enjoying creating it… and how much I am enjoying using these digital stamps.  They add the perfect touch to my project, don’t you think?

PRODUCT REVIEW: Lemon Curd from Heavenly Tea Gatherings

Where to Buy:  Cupboard of Blessings

Product Description:

Complete your heavenly scones with my deliciously “sweet and tart” lemon curd. Freshly made with eggs, sugar, water, butter, lemon puree and tapioca starch, my lemon curds are always a winner!

Taster’s Review:

In my review of Heavenly Tea Gathering’s Organic Scone Mix, I compared the flaky, tender texture of the prepared scones to my grandmother’s pie crust.  Well, this Lemon Curd from Heavenly Tea Gathering is almost (almost!) as good as my gramma’s lemon meringue pie filling!  Put the two together, and you have the most delectable tea-time treat imaginable!

This lemon curd is sweet with just the right amount of lemon-y tartness.  The lemon flavor is bright and sunny but doesn’t come off as pucker-y.  The curd is very custard-like, just like the smooth filling of a lemon meringue pie.

Sweet, silky … perfect!

I have tasted a LOT of lemon curd, but I can honestly say that this one is the best I’ve ever tried.  I love the creamy, custard consistency – I could eat it right out of the jar!  Yeah – it’s that good!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Organic Scone Mix from Heavenly Tea Gatherings

Where to Buy:  Cupboard of Blessings

Product Description:

Finally…an organic scone mix that bakes scones reminiscent of traditional English scones, a cross between a biscuit and a piece of cake.  Satisfying and healthy.  Our quality ingredients include a whole wheat pastry flour that captures its unique texture and flavor through a special milling process. This wonderful flour is the key ingredient that gives our scones a wonderful crumb and palate pleasing taste that is…HEAVENLY!

~  Certified Organic ~

~ 27 oz. Versatile Mix makes 2 recipes ~

~ Delectable Recipe Booklet  ~

Taster’s Review:

I love freshly baked scones, and because of that I’ve tried a LOT of scone mixes over the years.  But, I can honestly say that I’ve not tried one as delicious as this!

These scones are amazing!

They are simple enough to prepare – just measure out the right amount of mix (two batches can be made from 1 package), and add butter, cream, egg and vanilla.  This results in a dense moist scone that is flaky and tender and delicious.  The best way I can think of to describe these scones is that if my beloved gramma made her pie crust into scones – this is what they would taste like!

Not only are these scones delicious, but they are probably the most economical scones mix I’ve found in a long time!   Each package makes 2 batches of 10 – 12 scones (depending upon how large you make your scones) and costs just $5.75 – which is what I’ve found to be about the average cost of a typical ONE batch scone mix.  In fact, I’ve found (and paid for!) scone mixes that cost even more for jut one batch.  This package gives you double the product for just about the same price.

Generally, I like my scones with clotted cream (or, in a pinch, some butter will do), however, the butter added during preparations give these tea-time treats a very buttery-rich flavor; I don’t think they need more!  But some lemon curd (or fruit spread) would be nice.  (Heavenly Tea Gatherings also offers a delicious lemon curd that I shall be reviewing very soon!)

Serve these scones at your next tea party and your guests will be begging you for the recipe!  Nobody has to know that it came from a mix!  YUMMY!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Alice Patchwork from Tainted Sweets & MyGrafico

Designer:  Tainted Sweets

Where to Buy:  MyGrafico

Product Description:

Alice in Wonderland Patchwork!
Nine seperate 8×8 cute and colorful Alice in Wonderland squares!
Great for quilts, wall art, glass blocks and so much more!

Artist’s Review:

When I received this Alice Patchwork set created by Tainted Sweets, I was thrilled!  I love Alice in Wonderland, and this was such an adorable interpretation.

After giving it some thought, I knew just what I wanted to do!  I decided to make a greeting card set with them.  The graphics are large (8×8), so, I had to adjust the size on them.  I used the image of the Mad Hatter, The Dormouse, and the Teapot/Teacups for a set of three.

I printed the adjusted squares onto cardstock which I then cut out.  I ran my Krylon Gold Leafing pen around the edges of the square, and then I layered the square onto some coordinating scrapbook paper that I had on hand.  I used some foam mounting tape for the printed images to give the card a little dimension, and added a few rhinestones to each card for some sparkle.

These were a lot of fun to make, and I really like how they turned out.  I will be sending these out to some on-line Tea Friends, but, I think a full set (using all 9 images!) would make a great gift for someone special!

MyGrafico is a great website – loaded with tons of images.  Check them out for your next artsy project!