I can be a bit “Bah Humbug” about Christmas, however, by the time the 1st December rolls around, I am equally and reluctantly as festive as the next person.
Having decided this year that I was going to “Treat” myselfmore to the odd gift throughout my weight loss journey, instead of going out for dinner, I would buy myself the odd pamper session or piece of clothing for each milestone reached.
Well, this was a big one, 2 stone down and feeling fantastic, so instead of reaching for the nearest Afternoon Tea venue, I have instead decided to treat myself to the most beautiful tea set I have seen in a long while. I did actually have myself a mini tea party to satisfy my selfish desires to christen the use of this gorgeous tea pot and matching cups. It was rude not to ; )
The Golden Carp tea set designed by British Ceramic Designer, Alison Appleton.
I first set eyes on this beautiful tea set whilst researching the upcoming Home Show at Earls Court in January 2013, spotting herbeautiful website whilst browsing the stall holders planning to be there.
Her online catalogue is the most ornate and unique tea and coffee pots I have ever seen, having been selling her work for over 15 years, her love of tea mixed with her creativity simply shows from the very first page on her website.
The Golden Carp collection was inspired by Parisian tea salons and it’s porcelain teapot and matching gaiwans (small Japanese inspired tea bowls to drink from) are decorated with beautiful carp and lotus flowers. It’s the prettiest aqua green/blue colour with a gold lid on the teapot, which also houses an integral stainless steel tea filter inside.
Each Alison Appleton tea set has its own story. The Golden Carp is the pot of good fortune. The lotus leaf symbolised prosperity as it emerges from the mud into a beautiful bloom, the carp symbolises strength of purpose and the gold signifies wealth.
This teapot is a perfect pourer, so important for a tea lover to have a teapot that doesn’t drip onto your finest white linen as you serve your guests. In fact, a friend once told me that there is a reason you find so many teapots in charity shops and at car boot sales, because they drip when they pour and nobody wants a dripping teapot. It’s so true, I tried to beat this theory, but she was right and in my opinion you just can’t bet your very own brand new, ornate teapot to enjoy showing off to your friends when you have them round for afternoon tea!
The Golden Carp teapot is available to buy online directly at £55 and the matching Golden Carp Gaiwans (tea cups) are priced at £24 for a set of four.
Each purchase also comes with a few samples from a selection of aromatic loose leaf teas, mine being an Earl Grey and a Darjeeling Second Flush to enjoy with my new investment.
It’s great to see that Alison supports some of my favourite tea brands too, such as Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate, Fortnum and Mason, Teahorse and The Rare Tea Company, she has superb taste, even if I do say so myself.She just needs to meet the fabulous Kandula Tea ladies for a full set ; )
Not only do they offer this beautiful tea set, Alison has designed many other tea, coffee, mug & picnic sets, having worked hard to have them stocked in department stores such as John Lewis, Harrods, Marks & Spencers and many more besides. Some of the other collections include “Darcy”(a stunning black clay that looks like cast iron, but much lighter to hold), “Camellia”(a classic white teapot), “Emperor’s Bird” (inspired by the tale of the Emperor and the Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen) and “Woodland” (a porcelain 900ml teapot with a wooden handle and inspired by enchanted forests).
All of these sets would make gorgeous Christmas presents for a tea lover, or if you need Xmas Gift Inspiration for anybody who loves afternoon tea, here is a lady who can help you.
Each tea set also comes in a stunning gift box, in a different style & colour for each design, packed snugly into a large boxes, one for the teapot and one for the cups.
You can also catch Alison Appleton at various upcoming trade and retail shows:
1/12/12 – Hope Street Winter Arts and Crafts Fair-Liverpool
6/12/12- Wentworth Hall Christmas Fair- Sheffield
9-8/12/12- Winter Arts Market- St Georges Hall- Liverpool
13/12/12- Wentworth Hall Christmas Fair- Sheffield
13-15/01/13 – Home Show at Earls Court – London
http://www.alisonappleton.com
Alison Appleton has in fact, after a fantastic chat about afternoon tea, also kindly offered to give away this exact Golden Carp tea set to one extremely lucky reader of The Secluded Tea Party.
This is going to make a superb and very exciting Christmas gift for yourself or for a tea loving friend or family member…
To gain a chance of winning this stunning teapot and set of 4 gaiwans with some beautiful loose leaf tea thrown in for good measure, simply complete the following steps:
Sign up to the Alison Appleton Mailing List Here. (Compulsory)
Sign up to The Secluded Tea Party Mailing List Here. (Compulsory)
Follow me @thesecludedtea & @AlisonAppleton on Twitter for an additional entry. (Optional)
“Like” The Secluded Tea Party on Facebook for an additional entry. (Optional)
“Like” Alison Appleton Design on Facebook for an additional entry. (Optional)
Simply leave a blog comment below for each entry step you take (See Ts & Cs below)
Good luck!
Miss Sue Flay
x
x
Miss Sue Flay’s competition terms and conditions:
Entrants not meeting the above requirements will be deemed invalid and therefore not included in the draw. Signing up to both Mailing Lists is a compulsory action and the additional entry requirements are optional, giving you additional chances to win, however they will be deemed invalid if the entrant has not completed these compulsory requirements.
Entrants must leave a separate comment below (on this blog post) for each step completed.
The competition will run from 8am on Monday 3rd December 2012, through to midnight Sunday 16th December 2012. I will contact the winner within a week of the competition ending. If the winner doesn’t respond or accept the prize within 2 weeks of notification, we reserve the right to draw a new winner. With regret, the competition is open to UK residents only.
Congratulations on reaching such a fabulous milestone, that is very well done. And good to mark it buy treating yourself too 🙂
Thank you so much, it is a lovely tea set, I’m having a tremendous amount of fun playing with it hehe. Hope you are well my lovely? Xxx
Wow a great give away I love fish and drinking tea x Signed upto Alison Appleton Mailing List
I have signed up to the Secluded Teaparty Mailing List. I love drinking tea and fish are my favourite pet so Having fish on cups is my dream.
I have liked the Secluded Tea Party : ) and I also like drinking tea and fish x
I have liked Alison Appleton Design and I like tea and Fish also : )
What a gorgeous set, as are all the others too.
And wowee – well done on your journey too, superstar!
I’ve now liked and followed and subscribed all of the above so now I just need to keep my fingers crossed x
Fab prize, and congrats on the weight loss too
Joined the alison appleton mailing list
Also signed up to your mailing list
Following you on twitter
following alison appleby on twitter too
‘like’ you on facebook
‘like’ alison appleby on facebook
Done to all the steps! fingers crossed! 😀 Rosie x
Joined up to Alison Appleton mailing list 🙂
Joined up to The Secluded Tea Party mailing list 🙂
Liked Alison Appleton’s facebook page 🙂
I already liked The Secluded Tea Party FB page ages ago 🙂
Am already follow The Secluded Tea Party on Twitter – am now following Alison Appleton on Twitter 🙂
Fabulous prize!
Joined the alison appleton mailing list
Signed up to your mailing list 🙂
Am following you on twitter
Also following Alison on twitter
Have liked you on fb
Have also liked Alison on FB!
joined TSP mailing list
joined Alison Appleton mailing list
followed both on twitter (I already followed TSP!)
Like both FB pages (already like TSP though!)
Joined Alisons mailing list
Following Alison on twitter
liked Alison on Facebook
Am on your mailing list already 🙂
Like you on Facebook (like you in real life too!) x
Haha I like you in Real life too missy ; ) xx
Follow you on twitter x
Fabulous prize!!
Have joined your mailing list 🙂
Allison Mitchell
Have joined Alison Appleton’s mailing list 🙂
Allison Mitchell
Like you on Facebook – but don’t do twitter, sorry
Allison Mitchell
Like Alison Appleton on facebook
Allison Mitchell
Firstly, congrats on the 2 stone weight loss – that is utterly fab!
What a beautiful giveaway.
I have signed up to her mailing list – such lovely things!
Claire x
Signed up to your mailing list (can’t believe I hadn’t already!!)
Claire
Following both of you on Twitter!
Already like you on Facebook!
Have liked Alison on Facebook. Fingers crossed 😉
x
I joined the Alison Appleton Mailing List
I joined the Secluded Tea Party Mailing List
I’m following @thesecludedtea & @AlisonAppleton on Twitter (@PaigeBrown5)
Did all that and exhausted. Interior Designer needs a cuppa!
Good luck lovely entrants hehe… It’s a gorgeous set, so keep your pinkies crossed.
I’ve signed up to the mailing list
I’ve subscribed to your mailing list, although I probably was subscribed!
I liked Alison Appleton on Facebook
I already like The Secluded Tea Party in Facebook (and I vote that you remove CAPTCHA)
I love the Alison Appleton website and have signed up for lovely newsletters 🙂
I had no hesitations in signing up for The Secluded Tea Party lovely newsletters!
I have already ‘liked’ The Secluded Tea Party on Facebook; very much!
I am delighted to like Alsion Appleton on Facebook 🙂
Beautiful set! I must get a more fancy set than the horrible one I currently own bought from Ikea 😉
I have liked, signed up, followed everywhere 🙂 x
Right, first mailing list joined (Alison’s) – ruddy marvellous.
Ooh second mailing list joined (the lovely Miss Sue Flay’s!). Done!
Now I’m really LIKING Alison Appleton’s lovely Facebook page.
After that, it’s Twitter and we’ll have conquered the world!
Gorgeous teapot set….what a heavenly way to enjoy Afternoon Tea. x x x
Thanks for all your entries lovely people. Keep your eyes peeled on your email inbox… the lucky winner will be randomly picked later today. Miss Sue Flay : )
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