Product Information:
Where to Buy: Sugimoto America
Product Description:
“Washi” Green Tea Gift – Genmai Cha features high-quality Japanese green tea packaged in a beautiful Japanese “Washi” canister. “Washi” is traditional Japanese rice paper printed with authentic Japanese patterns. Genmai Cha is a rich, aromatic blend of green tea, roasted brown rice, and matcha. Currently, it is one of Japan’s most popular teas.
Learn more about this product here.
Taster’s Review:
Not too long ago, I reviewed another Washi Green Tea Set from Sugimoto America, that beautiful blue Washi paper covered tin was filled with a delightful Sen Cha tea, and this gorgeous red Washi paper covered tin is filled with Genmai Cha with Matcha tea!
The dry leaf of this Genmai Cha with Matcha looks very much like other teas of this type that I’ve tried. It looks like a Genmaicha: green tea with roasted brown rice – some of which “pops” to look like tiny bits of popcorn. But they’re not bits of popcorn, they’re pieces of popped rice! Very cool. Because this is a “with Matcha” variety of Genmai Cha, the tea has been dusted with a coat of bright, jade green powdered green tea (aka Matcha).
When the tea is steeped (180°F for 1 1/2 minutes are the parameters that I used) the liquid is a somewhat opaque, beautifully bright, pale green color. The aroma is warm and toasty with a grassy tone.
Mmm! This is a really good Genmai cha! The overall flavor is that of roasty-toasty-nutty goodness. It is sweet from the roasty-toasty nutty flavors as well as from the green tea notes. It doesn’t taste overly “grassy” although there are some grass notes to this, I taste more of a lightly buttered, steamed lima bean flavor than that of “grass.”
I really enjoy Genmai cha because it is one of those “cozy” types of teas that I can enjoy later in the afternoon when I need something soothing and relaxing to sip. This tea offers that with the uplifting boost that comes from the energizing Matcha.
What impresses me most about this gift set is not the fabulous Washi paper covered tin – which is MOST impressive, indeed! – but the fact that the beautiful tin is filled with tea. What a lovely gift something like this would make to any tea lover. When you go to some of the expensive tea shops in the mall (you know which one I’m talking about, right?) these types of tins are very costly, and the price of the tin does not include the tea! With this gift, you not only get the beautiful tin but an excellent quality Japanese tea at a price that is probably about half what you’d spend in that expensive shop in the mall for the same type of product. I’m really impressed with the value of this product!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Fresh Brewed Designs Steamy Romance Digital Stamp
Product:
Steamy Romance Digital Stamp
Designer:
Heather Dennis
Where to Buy:
Artist’s Review:
Well, now that I have tried using digital stamps, I’m really loving it. They’re not only simple to use and much easier to store than rubber stamps, they’re also quite economical! This lovely image is just $3.00!
About my project: This is a very simple card, using some left over scrapbook paper (over the years, I’ve amassed a LOT of paper). The kraft cardstock is made from recycled paper and I acquired it from my favorite art supply store, Collage! 
I printed the image on pink vellum and then colored in the image using colored pencils. It’s hard to see in the image, but I also added a few tiny heart-shaped rhinestones to embellish the card a little bit.
It’s a pretty simple design but I’m happy with it. I hope that my SweeTea likes it too!
This was an incredibly fun digital stamp from Freshly Brewed Designs! Perfect for Valentine’s Day, or for any occasion when you want to celebrate your love of tea (or… coffee, I guess). Even if you’re an “old-school” artist/crafter like me, I think you’ll find that you can easily incorporate digital stamps into your repertoire. They’re so versatile and simple to use, once you’ve tried them, you’ll probably wonder “what took me so long?” I know I did!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff Tea-riffic Digital Stamps
About the picture to the left: This is a Valentine Card that I made for a Valentine Card Swap in which I’m participating. It includes a top pocket so I can include a package of tea for the recipient. I used the Tea-riffic Digital Stamps from Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff to create this card. (Please see inside of the card below)
Where to Buy: Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff on Shop Handmade
Product Description:
you get 9 teariffic digital stamps in this set perfect for tea parties or just beacuse, you have animated sugar cubes, 2 tea cups, 2 pretty flourishes and more whimsical deisgns! As a bonus you get a printable tea bag envelope template and SVG file to cut with your Cricut!
Artist’s Review:
OK, I have to be honest, when it comes to art, I’m totally “old-school.” Before today, I have never used digital stamps, so this is all very new to me. I don’t know if I’m even using them right! haha!
That being said, it was a lot of fun – and SO EASY – to use these digital stamps from Lindsay’s Stamp Stuff! And now that I have gotten a taste for using digital stamps, I do think I am going to utilize them more in my art work. It is a lot easier to keep them (no bulky wood blocks cluttering up the art studio!) and as long as I have ink in the printer, I’m good to go!
I printed these on pink vellum because I thought it would work best with my color scheme, and I adhered the vellum to the scrapbook paper using vellum tape. I have learned from experience that you should definitely use vellum tape when you’re adhering vellum, unless you like that “tape can be seen through the vellum” look.
The scrapbook paper I used was from g-c-d studios (item #205 – Rose Circles) and I selected this particular pattern because it was a simple, small pattern that would work well with the teacup. I felt that a more complicated design (or larger design) would have not been as adaptable to the teacup shaped card.
I am very happy with the way these turned out, and these “Tea-riffic” digital stamps are something that I can use again and again – not just for this particular occasion. There are several very cute designs with this set too, not just the teabag tag and sentiment that I used. There is even a Teabag holder with this set that I intend on using at some point in the future to send out teabags to friends.
I hope you’ll have as much fun with these as I did!