The Season of Silver and Gold - Shining Silver

The Holiday Season is the time of year when your favorite silver pieces appear after a long year in storage.  You may have Sterling, or you may have silver plated.  Regardless, you are now faced with the task that so many have before them this time of year - shining the silver.  Of course, if you use the silver all the time, the shining is much easier.  Using silver frequently does not allow the tarnish to build up.  But, for the sake of today, let's assume you do not use your silver all the time and treasure it for once-a-year-use - like the Holidays!

The first and strongest tip is to keep rubber away from your silver.  ALL RUBBER.  Don't use rubber gloves, no rubber bands, and whatever you do, do NOT place the items on a rubber mat when drying.  Rubber causes tarnish that is almost impossible to get off. 

OK, that warning aside, let's move on.  You can buy expensive and caustic cleaners that shine well.  But why?  Just get a pair of plastic gloves, open your fridge and take out the baking soda.  Yes, baking soda.  You use baking soda for so many other things, is it any wonder that you can use it to shine silver as well?  Make a paste of the soda and water and work it gently into the silver.  You can use a soft toothbrush to get into the cracks if you wish to take away all of the patena.  Wash gently with soap and water, and allow to dry.  Buffing with a soft cotton cloth is all that is left to do!

Have you seen those electrolyte trays you can buy to clean silver?  If you have had  a sleepless night this time of year, you have seen those magic trays that take all tarnish off.  You can spend the money, or just go into your pantry and pull out the aluminum foil and, you regular table salt.  Lay a sheet of aluminum foil in a glass pan (shiny side up works best).  Place your silver items on the foil.  Add a quart of very hot to near boiling water and a 2 tablespoon of salt.  You will see the tarnish lifting off.  Note:  if you have raised items on your silver and you love the black lines highlighting the decoration, this method will remove all tarnish...ALL TARNISH. 

There you have it!  No chemicals and as the perfect host or hostess, your silver will be shined and beautiful to match your napery and table settings.  Now that you ahve saved all this extra time and don't have to spend hours and hours hand shining your silver, get out there and PARTY!   Happy Holidays Everyone!  :)

More Holiday pictures of Fancy That's Shoppe!

This photo (c) Jamie R Doyle Photography

Holiday Orders for Tea Bread - NOW is the time!

Reminder, we're now taking holiday orders for Tea Bread! Place your order by December 18 and your freshly baked tea bread will be available for pick-up on Saturday December 22. Choose from the following yummy flavors: Lemon Zest, Almond Orange, Cinnamon or Pumpkin!

(Need your order sooner? Just give us three business days notice) 888-323-2TEA.

Starting the Holidays - Some pictures of our Shoppe

As we start to get ready for the Holidays, we thought we would give a sneak peek at our tree!  :)

We wanted to get our Wedding Cake Topper out before the Holidays.  Tucked nicely in the corner, sits our wedding cake topper.....not bad after 12 happy years!  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Don't Tell The Bride - Casting Call!

Fancy That has been asked by the USA Network to help get the word out about this new show!  HURRY!  They want a December wedding!  :)  Details below:

CASTING ENGAGED COUPLES WHO WANT $20,000!


We are casting dynamic couples who are currently engaged, but lack the funds to have a dream wedding. Each episode focuses on one couple’s big day and what it took to make the wedding happen. The bride and groom agree to avoid all communication with each other for two weeks before the ceremony. In exchange, the groom is given $20,000 to plan the entire wedding without the bride’s input. Have no fear; each groom ultimately creates a unique wedding to celebrate his true love!

Casting Requirements:

- Must be over 18 years of age
- Currently engaged
- Willing and able to get legally married in December 2012
- Have a few groomsmen and bridesmaids with big personalities willing to be on the show with you
- No long distance or destination weddings. You must be willing to marry within driving distance of couple’s residence(s).

Please email bride@shedmediaus.com with the following information:

× Bride’s name and Groom’s name
× Bride’s phone number
× Bride’s email
× Bride’s resident city
× Groom’s phone number
× Groom’s email
× Groom’s resident city
× A few sentences about you and why you are an ideal couple for the show
× Wedding status – where you are in the process
× Current photo of bride and groom (make sure we can clearly see you both)

Fancy That's mention in TEA Magazine

Fancy That has been renting vintage china for almost ten years!  We opened a shoppe 18 months ago selling tea related items and whatnot (gifts!  :)  ).  When a piece of vintage china comes back broken, we repurpose it and send the broken china to an artist who makes these wonderful bracelets, necklaces and more!  We're thrilled that our lovely "Tea with Sarah" charm bracelet and a mention of our shoppe made it into the Nov/Dec issue of  "TEA Magazine"! Be sure to pick up a copy (on store shelves very soon!!)

Proper, old-fashion Sugar Mice!

66 days until Christmas!  If you are British, you probably long for the days when you as a child and your mum would go down the street to a Sweet Shoppe and there they would be...the holiday "Sugar Mice" with the string tail.  Nothing said "Holiday" more than the corn syrup, sugar and light flavouring shaped mice with those adorable black eyes.

Sugar mice are a holiday tradition in many British homes - often times placed in the children's stockings or tucked into the decorated tree.  The first child who found the pink mouse got an extra orange!  What fun those days were.

Now popular at fetes (festivals) and bazaars in the EU, Sugar Mice are not easy to come by in the USA.

Well, Fancy That is excited to announce that we have a confirmed order from across the pond, and will have Sugar Mice in our Shoppe for this Holiday Season!  By the way, the first person who finds the sugar mouse in the Christmas Tree when the Shoppe is open wins a free tin of Orange Cookie Tea!  :)  Our trees and decorations go up the first week of November.  So stop by and look for the Sugar Mouse in our Trees!  :)

See you soon!  

Fancy That's Process of Becoming a Tea House - Chronicling the Process

Got Tea?

Over the next six months or so we'll be chronicling the process of becoming a Tea House, or if you prefer, a Tea Room.  It just seems like the next logical step for us, and we're excited about it.  
 
Fancy That started almost ten years ago as a small, woman owned, family run vintage china rental company with a penchant for tea parties :) ...Almost ten years on, our inventory includes pristine mismatched silver plated flatware, beautiful dinner plates, vintage tea cups and saucers and so much more.

In May of 2011, we opened our retail gift shoppe.  So many of our clients and customers wanted to be able to purchase items for tea, we simply had to help out! (grin).  Our Shoppe offers imported British lemon curd, clotted cream, Double Devon cream British jams, French jams, vintage china cups and saucers and many more unique tea related items (like Scottish Clotted Cream Fudge!  YUMMY!).

All of the above has led to our newest and best idea yet...

We want to serve afternoon tea, and we're hoping to do so to coincide with our Tenth Year Anniversary Celebrations starting March 2013!

One little problem.  The cute bungalow we lease is not quite equipped for the whole process. 

So, we have a little bit of work to do, and we thought it would be fun to share the process with everyone here!  So stay tuned as we chronicle the process of Becoming a Tea House - Victorian-Gentility-Style!

Thanks for stopping by!

The Softer Side - Softening Exposed Brick Walls

courtesy of raleighweddingblog.blogspot.com  

The question is simple:  What to do with exposed brick walls and how to soften them!  Abandoning fear of the "harsh, cold brick" is the first step.  Once you pass through your fear, you can begin the decorating!  Art work always works well when softening the walls.  Like the picture above, shine halogen lights directyl into the artwork.  This allows the art work to stand out allowing the brick walls to take a secondary view perspective.

Trendy London Shop from keepcalmandharryon.com

Placing color on the walls either on shelves or with items you love to display (as in the case above, retail items), detracts the eye.  You are immediately drawn to the color and afterward, you notice the wall.  Of course, you may not see the brick at all if you only are focused on the awesome items that are on display!  :)

Kitchen from atticmag.com

Hanging floor to ceiling curtains over an "imaginary" window softens the walls as well.  In the cae of the kitchen above, the stainless backsplash "softens" the brick on either side.  Adding artwork further takes the brick down several tones.  Imagine a wall where you have two panels, a faux fireplace then two more panels - you may never see the brick walls at all!

 Living Room from BrickUnderground.com

Of course there always is the one of the best tricks - glue wainscotting on the wall!  Before attaching the wainscotting, glue the top rail in place then install the entire unit.  From about 36" down there will be no more brick!  This also give the room an early 1900's feel - like you have walked into a Victorian Parlor.  You can also apply lincrusta at the dado level using heavy wallpaper clay.  Once set, a paint technique or a rub that will look like leather will indeed make the walls softer.

Marvimon House  from 100layercake.com

Softening the walls of exposed brick is just a matter of taste.  From the sublime, to the modern, Victoriana to Edwardian, or even a wedding venue as above at the Marvimon House, plants, colors and lighting make the walls less cold which means they will stand out less.

MaryLay Lonneman from cincinnati.com - mktotebags

Defining space - not dividing space, as Mary Kay Lonneman from mktotebags did on her shoppe as pictured above, defines vignettes in wide open areas.  The vignettes create intimacy and intrigue.  Try creating each vignette around a color pallet - pinks, baby blues, smoking room burgundy.  Separate wide open spaces with display shelves - try simple book shelves with wallpaper inside the shelves on the inside back, and then again on the exposed back to the shelf so each side has a point of interest. 

Softening those exposed brick walls is as simple as using your own design esthetic, color, and some unique ways of "hiding" some of the brick!  And don't forget the floor as well.  Adding area rugs, or better, painting the floor with link squares, will add to the softness of the entire space - softening the exposed brick as well. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Fancy That is Having an Open House

Tea Cups

Fancy That is having an Open House this Saturday in our Shoppe and Showroom.  Stop by between 1-4pm and sample some awesome mini scones and lemon tea bread! :)

Also, Miss Jennie will be stopping by our open house to give complimentary readings. A gifted card reader, Miss Jennie has been offering uplifting insight for over 30 years. If this is your "cup of tea", please call or email us to be put on her list (space is limited).

For more information, please ring us up toll free 1-888-323-2832.  Stop by for a little while and say HI!  You can find directions here. We hope to see you tomorrow!

Clotted Cream in the USA at Fancy That's Shoppe

Clotted cream (sometimes called clouted cream) is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow's milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms 'clots' or 'clouts'. It forms an essential part of a cream tea. In the USA, it would be classified as butter since it has over 55% fat content – in most cases, it is 64% of fat content or higher.

Although its origin is uncertain, the cream's production is commonly associated with dairy farms in South West England and in particular the counties of Cornwall and Devon. The current largest commercial producer is Rodda's in Reduth, Cornwall, which produces up to 25 tonnes (25,000 kg; 55,000 lb) of clotted cream each day. In 1998 the term Cornish clotted cream became a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) by European Union directive, as long as the milk is produced in Cornwall and the minimum fat content is 55%.

Whether or not it was brought to England from abroad, it has long been disputed whether clotted cream originated in Devon or Cornwall, and which county makes it the best. There is evidence that the monks of Tavistock Abbey were making clotted cream in the early 1300s. After their Abbey had been ransacked by Vikings in 997 AD, the monks rebuilt it with the help of Ordulf, Earl of Devon. Local workers were drafted in to help with the repairs, and the monks rewarded them with bread, clotted cream and strawberry preserves. The 1658 cook book entitled "The Complete Cook" had a recipe for "clouted cream".

In the 19th century clotted cream was regarded as better nourishment than "raw" cream because that cream was liable to go sour and be difficult to digest, causing illness. An article from 1853 calculates that creating clotted cream will produce 25% more cream than regular methods. In Devon, clotted cream was so common that in the mid-1800s, it was used in the formative processes of butter, instead of churning cream or milk. The butter made in this way had a longer lifespan and was free from any negative flavours added by the churning. It has long been the practice for local residents in South West England, or those on holiday, to send small tins or tubs of clotted cream by post to friends and relations in other parts of the British Isles. Food regulations for perishable goods prohibit it being sent abroad.

We at Fancy That are proud to carry Devon Luxury Clotted Cream (as well as Somerdale Devon Cream) in our shoppe. We cannot ship it to all States, but if you are interested in purchasing some clotted cream, you may ring us up, and we will happily explore the possibility. Or, you can stop by our shoppe in Walpole, Massachusetts where we have Devon Luxury Clotted Cream and Somerdale Devon Cream displayed for your purchase.  Thanks for stopping by!  :)

Vintage Plate, Cup and Party Rental Photos

Fancy That's Shoppe was the site for a wonderful photo shoot by Cara Brostrom of Cara Brostrom Photography - a Boston based photographer.  (All photos courtesy of Cara Brostrom and Wonder Bliss Wedding Photography.)

The vintage china used in the shots are plates, cups and saucers, and vintage flatware in Fancy That's inventory....ready to rent. 

You can view more of the photos from the photoshoot here!

These shots capture the timeless beauty and elegance of the china, the atmosphere the vintage china creates, and the warmth.  Our signature rose (pink!  :)  ) crystal goblets pictured here, while not vintage, add a subtle, sublime color to any table setting. 

Fancy That's Shoppe, as the backdrop for the shoot, appears in a few shots here and there!  Stop by our Showroom and Shoppe in Walpole, MA to a first-hand view of the pristine vintage china - no shabby china or flatware here!  :)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Vintage China Rentals - Vintage Tea Cups and more

Fancy That is the East Coast's original vintage china rental company...bringing joy to celebrations for over nine years!  Established in 2003, Fancy That's collection includes vintage mis matched dinner plates, salad plates and mis matched pristine silver plated flatware from periods including 1840s to 1960.  Nothing "shabby" about Fancy That's elegant table settings.

Our signature pink crystal water or white wine goblets, while not vintage, make such a statement on your table, they simply have to be included.  No matter the colors of your event, adding the pink crystal water goblets underscores the elegant statement you are looking to make!

Whether you are looking to celebrate tea with two close friends, or having a full wedding celebration for up to 300 guests, Fancy That's vintage china rentals are the "go to source" to make your celebration memorable, photographable, and the item of conversation for years to come.   Not having a "tea"?  No problem!  Renting elegant vintage salad plates and dessert forks for your dessert course is a perfect way to incorporate the beauty of timeless elegance, added to your modern reception or celebration.  Fancy That has a certified wedding coordinator on staff to help in your planning, or to talk you through ideas as you plan your event.

What not add some elegance to your next celebration? 

Gift for Mother's Day - Tea At Two at the Commander's Mansion June 7th

Fancy That is excited to announce the expansion of our Tea-At-Two Event Series which up until now has been held only in our shoppe. Fancy That has teamed up with The Commander's Mansion in Watertown, MA and will host a Tea-At-Two Event on June 7, 2012 at the Commander's Mansion in Watertown, MA.

What a great gift for Mother's Day! Tickets to Afternoon Tea and a presentation at the "Commander's Mansion" in Watertown, MA.

Afternoon Tea catered by Bakers' Best of Needham will be followed by local author Katrina Avila Munichiello who will give an encore presentation and reading from her new book "A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time" by Tuttle Publishing. Tickets are $24.

Ring up Fancy That at 1-888-3232-TEA (1-888-323-2832) to purchase your tickets. Tickets are on sale now! Shall we see you at Tea?

Setting a Proper Table - The Butler's Stick

The Butler's Stick is a tool of the highly trained professional. It is a tool that allows you to be certain your table is set accurately. Now ask yourself...what house is complete without a Butler's Stick?

A great resource and instruction of how to set a proper table can be found here. This is also a great resource for the proper way to set a table, even without a Butler's Stick. The McPherson School is, without a doubt, a resource for you when you want to ensure your table is set with the fork in the right position (don't you just hate it when you see one of the wedding photography sites and the spoon and fork are reversed? ugh!)

Video for use of the Butler's Stick can be seen here.

And now, you can see the Butler Stick at Fancy That's Showroom and Shoppe! Simply ask and we can show you the Butler's Stick, how to use one, and where to get one.

Setting a proper table - with The Butler's Stick.

Thanks for stopping by. :)

Sucre Enveloppe - wrapped sugar cubes

OK, you can all say it aloud.....'how adorable are these?' :)

We think so as well. In France, they are called sucre enveloppe. Wrapped Sugar Cubes. Yes, we now carry them in our Shoppe. Individually wrapped sugar cubes imported from France. When you open the cute little package, there are two cubes for your enjoyment. If you are not near our Shoppe in Walpole, MA but would like some of these adorable cubes, ring us toll free 1-888-32-32-TEA and we will take your order! We can ship to any of the lower 48 states in the USA.

Aren't they just the perfect sugar cubes for tea? :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Little Lemon Ladies, Gingerbread Gents, Shortbread Soldiers

Fresh to the shores of the USA from England are Little Lemon Ladies! These lemon cookies have been so hard to find in the USA for years. Now, they are available at Fancy That's Shoppe. Hand baked with butter according to an old English recipe, these cookies have no artificial colors or preservatives. Zesty lemon cookies that love to smile! Also available are Little Lemon Ladies' mates: Gingerbread Gentlemen and Shortbread Soldiers.
If you are in the lower 48 states and would like to order your cookies from Fancy That, just ring us up toll free at 1-888-32-32-TEA.

Tea Pots and Round Napkins

So there we were, with our new display rack that we got from IHR/Boston International, showing off the fine quality cocktail napkins, luncheon napkins and round napkins (rondos) (all from IHR/Boston International), and at the top of the rack, was a pole....just a plain pole. Two days of obsessing over the plain pole brought the most incredible brainstorm....put something on top! (Super Glue makes magic happen! :) ) So, a two cup tea pot (we sell these two cup tea pots in our Shoppe) now adorns the top of the display rack, with a cute little pink bow! How sweet is THAT?

Speaking of round napkins...called rondos....tomorrow a package of beautiful round napkins (rondos) begin their way from Poland to our Shoppe in Walpole, Masachusetts. Yes, you read that right! Polish Round Napkins. Wait until you see the patterns...incredible even if we say so ourselves! So stay tuned! We will be putting images up on Facebook and here.

Rondos...fan shapped when in their package....round napkins when opened (can be used as placemats, elegant lapkins, or even under centerpieces!) from Poland are soon to arrive at Fancy That's Shoppe!

Tea Pots and Round Napkins....does life get any better? Really? (grin)

Napery

Are you looing for a way to display your hosuehold linen? Fine linens? Why not have a tea party? Invite a few guests over, and set out your linens that you rarely use.

Often you hear household linens being referred to as "napery." A little history on the word - back in the 1350s to 1400, the word nape, or a variation of nappe tablecloth was used. Credit now is given to the Anglo-French use of the work "naperie" which simply means napkin. Over time, household linens took the name napery. If you are using your fine napery, you are throwing a party using the fine china and linen.

We at Fancy That like to share our linens with everyone! Parties are only one way we display our napery. We also set our napery in displays throughout the Shoppe. Soon, we will be hosting "Tea At Two Event Series" where we will be having Afternoon Tea and a guest speaker/presentation. We are excited to be showing off our new and exciting napery as well! Please do consider joining us for one of our Tea At Two Events.

In the meantime, break out your linens, dress your tables, invite a few friends over and show them you fine napery! Cheers!

Dress rehearsal for Tea At Two Event Series

We were having some fun today dressing a table for tea. Our up-coming Tea-At-Two Event Series will start with Afternoon Tea, followed by a presentation. You can see the schedule here.

Shall we see you at tea?

Fancy That announces Tea At Two Event Series

Fancy That is excited to announce our Tea-at-Two Event Series! We hope to see you at one (or more!) of the following Afternoon Teas which will be held on select Thursday afternoons at our shoppe. Space is limited, so don't wait to make your reservation! (see important menu and reservation information below). The ticket price is non refundable and must be paid in full at the time reservations are made. Call us at 888-3232-TEA (888.323-2832) to reserve your seats.

(The April Event is sold out. Tickets are available for other dates!)
SOLD OUT - 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2012 / $22 per person - SOLD OUT
Afternoon Tea followed by a book reading and book signing with Katrina Avila Munichiello, Author of A Tea Reader: Living Life One Cup at a Time
This book is a collection of tea-themed essays, which aim to share the ways in which tea has changed our lives, one cup at a time. Books will be available for purchase the day of the event.

2 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2012 / $22 per person
Afternoon Tea followed by a presentation entitled Romance of the Rose by 'The Ultimate Tea Couple', Donna and Ron Lasko. We are thrilled to be hosting Donna and Ron at our shoppe and will have details about this presentation very soon.

2 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2012 / $22 per person
Afternoon Tea followed by a performance entitled: A Tale of Tea and Revolution! Storyteller/ actress, Joan Gatturna performs as Rachel Revere. Rachel tells of the Boston Tea Party, the Midnight Ride and the Siege of Boston through the eyes of a woman who had to keep the home fires burning while her husband fanned the flames of rebellion. (The character of Rachel Revere was developed with the assistance of the staff of the Paul Revere House in Boston.)

2 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2012 / $22 per person
Afternoon Tea followed by a presentation: Why Dickens Still Matter in the 21st Century by Boston University's Professor Natalie McKnight. Why and how Dickens’s popularity persists in the 21st century, in spite of the length of his novels and our culture’s preference for brevity in films, tv and communications is the theme for this celebration of the 200th year of Dickens' birth.

2 p.m. Thursday, December 6, 2012 / $22 per person
Afternoon Tea followed by a presentation entitled Victorian Christmas by 'The Ultimate Tea Couple', Donna and Ron Lasko. We will have details about this presentation very soon.

Afternoon Tea Menu provided by Baker's Best Catering:

The menu for each event will feature three types of tea sandwiches, on assorted crustless breads, from the following list (please note the actual sandwich selection for each event shall be determined by our caterer):

-English cucumber with boursin and watercress
-Turkey with cranberry and brie
-Asparagus with prosciutto and boursin
-Goat cheese with sun dried tomatoes and grilled zucchini
-Brie and apple with chutney
-Ham, smoked gouda and apple chutney
-Turkey with cheddar and cranberry wine spread
-Roast beef with blue cheese spread and watercress
~
Assorted Miniature Scones with English Clotted Cream and Jam
~
Assorted Miniature Pastries*
~
A personal pot of Tea - selection varies per event

Please note that seating is limited to fifteen (15) people per event. Reservations are required. Tickets must be purchased in advance by calling Fancy That toll free 1-888-3232-TEA (1-888-323-2832). Your reservations are not confirmed until payment is made. Tickets are non refundable.

These events will be catered: sorry, there are no substitutions to the menu. If you have food allergies, please ask in advance about ingredients, and we will check with our caterer. Seating will be 'community style' (i.e., four tables of four people). It is possible that parties greater than three may not be seated at the same table. Tea will be served sharply at Two O'clock in the afternoon on the day of each event. We will open our doors at half after One O'clock in the afternoon to offer you opportunity to browse the boutique and get comfortable before Tea time. The presentation will begin after Tea is served.

*pastries/desserts may be from a facility that has processed peanuts and/or tree nuts.

Fancy That in Romantic Living Magazine (from editors of Romantic Homes)

Fancy That is so excited to announce that our "vintage rentals" are in the new (February 2012) edition of "Romantic Living Magazine" (from the editors of Romantic Homes). Turn to page 56 and 57 for some great shots of our vintage rentals! Run out and grab your copy of Romantic Living today :) (available at Walmart, Target and bookstores)

Courtship Tea now for sale at Fancy That's Tea Boutique

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Fancy That is now carrying "Courtship Tea" in our Tea Boutique as a loose tea in tins that are 3 ounces. (Benjamin pictured above does not come with with tea...sorry folks, he is our mascot! :) )

First, I will say, we have a special love for this tea: we served it at our Afternoon Tea wedding reception in 2000. We know first hand how wonderful Courtship Tea is. Blended by Donna and Ron Lasko- the Ultimate Tea Couple in Osterville, Massachusetts- this tea is a unique blend of black teas and flavourings that create a truly smooth tasting afternoon tea (see Donna and Ron's web site)

The inspiration for this Romantic and Elegant blend emanates from Donna and Ron's mission to bring tea and civility into the 21st Century. Now, that is an inspiration we can relate to :)

Can't find Courtship Tea near where you are? We ship to anywhere in the lower 48 States of the USA. Just give us a ring, toll free: 1-888-3232-TEA (888-323-2832). Each 3 oz tin is $14, plus shipping.