19. James Sadler's King Henry VIII Novelty Teapot & Victorian-style Teacup

I bought my Sadler's King Henry VIII teapot in London in 2009. I love it because it reminds me of King Henry VIII and his many wives! As it did not come with matching cups or mugs, I pair it with my one and only Victorian-style teacup.

Here I have brewed Harris Premium Ground Coffee, which is my favourite coffee brand, to be enjoyed with Hafiz Mustafa Turkish Delights, courtesy of our dear friend, Sultan, who had just returned from his holidays in Istanbul.

18. Bone China Teacups By Cha Cult of Germany - Rosa Centifolia Anglica Rubra

I purchased this pair of beautiful bone china teacups and saucer sets from a kiosk at Doha's Villaggio Shopping Mall back in 2011. It's a pity that the seller did not sell a matching teapot and dessert or cake plate.

17. Enameled Bone China Porcelain Tea Sets - Flower & Dancing Butterfly

This bone china porcelain tea set was a gift from my husband, who, like me, fell in love with the set, comprising 1 teapot, 1 sugar bowl, 1 creamer jug, 6 teacups and saucer sets, each with an accompanying teaspoon. I love the beautiful design as well as the fine finish. The 3D flowers and butterflies were hand-painted before each item was enameled for glossy finish.

Enameled Bone China 'Flower & Dancing Butterfly' Tea Set - Gift From My Husband

16. Today's Original Poem From Me - Boundless Love

(Credit and thanks to the owner of this picture)

15. Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatter Triple Spouts Teapot From Paris Disney Land

During our City Break Trip to Paris in April 2013, my daughter Stephany and I did not want to miss visiting Paris Disney Land, because we have visited Disney Land in Anaheim, California as well as Tokyo Disney Land and Disney Sea in Japan. When we were at Paris Disney shops, Stephany insisted in getting this tea set - the Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatter Triple Spouts teapot and also the Mad Hatter Triple Cups tea cup, which she gave it to me as a present later.

Stephany, like her younger sister, Catriona, has been very appreciative and grateful and she shares her sister's kindness and generosity to both of us, their parents. May God continue to bless them with His grace.

14. My Victoria & Albert's Brompton Sugar Bowl & Creamer Set - Gift From My Daughter Catriona

This Victoria & Albert's Brompton sugar bowl and creamer set was a Christmas present given by my younger daughter, Catriona. She bought the set in Hamilton, New Zealand in 2012, when she was spending her summer holidays and her birthday with her cousins there. 

13. Porcelain Ducks From Vantage Porcelain

These 2 lovely ducks are from Vantage Porcelain of Malaysia. I bought them from Margaret's shop at Bormill Road in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia during one of my trips there. Margaret used to be a dealer selling Vantage porcelains. In fact I purchased several porcelain items from her each time I went back there.

12. My Vintage James Kent Old Foley "Chinarita" Tea Cup Mix & Match Vintage Queen Anne Saucer

This is another set That I bought in Dunedin, New Zealand during my 2009 trip there to visit my daughters there. This is a mix-and-match set - the tea cup being a "Chinarita" from James Kent Old Foley collection, whereas the saucer is red and yellow rose from Queen Anne's.

11. Pray For Turkey (Istanbul & Ankara)

My first trip to Istanbul was in July 2012 - just a stop over city tour, while waiting for our next flight to Skopje, Macedonia. As the tour driver drove my family and I from the airport to the major landmarks in Istanbul, I noticed just how beautifl the old city is. We made several stops along the way, and places like the Hagia Sofia Museum  (Ayasofya Müzesi), the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque), the Grand Bazaar, the Tokapi Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Bosphorus Bridge, the Ortaköy Mosque and a few more places which made such impressions on me.

Today, I am saying a prayer for those people who have been hurt and those who have lost someone they love in the recent incidents in Istanbul and Ankara.

(Credit and thanks to the owner of this picture)

10. Royal Albert 'Miranda Kerr' Trio Set - Gift From My Daughter, Catriona For My Wedding Anniversary

Just before she left to start her new job in Yokohama, Japan, my daughter, Catriona (the younger of the 2 siblings), brought me out shopping to Landmark Mall, one of the older shopping malls in the city. She took me to the shop where they sell beautiful crystalwares, porcelain and chinawares from  Royal Albert, Wedgwood, Waterford, Royal Doulton and several more. She chose this light yellow trio set because she said that I don't have any 'yellows' among the collections I have at home! And she chose this one because she knew that I love butterflies!

Both my daughters often give me gifts, whether they are from abroad or the ones they get locally. To me, the act of giving is as much appreciated as the gifts they presented to me. What is even more meaningful is when they give them out of their love and gratitude. May our Almighty God continue to bless them.

9. My First Arabic Coffee & Tea Sets

My daughter, Stephany and I saw this Arabic coffee & tea set at one of the malls in the city, and since I have not acquired any coffee or tea set in the Arabic design, Stephany suggested that I get a set for our home. I chose this one because the sets come together with the special serving tray, and I love the earthy colours, too! The set comes with 1 coffee (qahwa) pot, 1 teapot, 6 demitasse/expresso cups, 6 teacups and 6 saucers and a serving tray.

Having lived in the Middle East for the past 9 years, I have acquired the tastes of the Arabic cardamom tea with milk ('Karak' tea) and also the Arabic cardamon flavoured coffee (qahwa), and grow to like them, especially their 'karak' tea.

8. Tea-For-One Tea Set By Khim

This is a favourite tea-for-one tea set of mine. I bought this set at World Porter Shopping Mall in Yokohama back in 2007.  I learned that this set was designed and made by the very experienced potter, Chua Soo Khim of Sam Mui Kuang Pottery, Singapore. I can still recall how beautifully displayed it was by the shop owner at World Porter Shopping Mall and at that time it was the only set available at the store.

7. Poke It In The Eye!

6. Blind To Colour

Sometimes I can't help wondering why our Almighty Creator created human in many colours. The difference which is only skin deep has caused so much discrimination, violence and pain. With the variety in colours comes prejudice and bigotry, and many a times I moan and sigh "why.....?"

5. Vintage Queen Anne "Fair Lady" Trio Set

This is my first vintage Queen Anne "Fair Lady" Trio set which I also bought in a shop selling vintage and pre-loved stuff in Dunedin, New Zealand in 2011. My daughter, Nara, who was studying in the University of Otago at the time, loved to take me to those shops selling vintage items, esppecially pottery items. I hope some day I will be able to come across more of this Fair Lady collection as I thiink they are lovely and classic to look at. 

4. My Vintage - Royal Albert "Devonshire Lace" Trio

I was on my holidays in New Zealand in 2010, with my daughter, Catriona, who brought me to this shop selling vinatge and used stuff when I came across this vintage Royal Albert Trio set. I immediately fell in love with the lavender flowers, pink roses, brown lace background and the gold trim. I asked the shop assistant if she had more of this set, but she told me that this was the only Devonshire they had in the store. Later my daughter told me that this collection was made between 1927 and 1935, and I was very glad that she asked me to buy the set!

If I happen to come across more of this collection, I will surely buy them, because they are lovely!

3. Coffee Demitasse/Expresso Cups

An anonymous quote goes like this: "Espresso is to Italy what champagne is to France", whereas another says, "Given enough premium gourmet coffee, I could rule the world." Such is the power of coffee. As much as I love drinking tea, I love drinking coffee, too, especially brewed roasted coffee. And as one Stephanie Piro once said, "Behind every successful woman… is a substantial amount of coffee."

I got this pair of vintage-style demitasse cups from a shop at Doha City Centre Shopping Mall. I was made to understand that the main shop is in Al Wakra, on the outskirts of Doha City. I thought the cups look very cute. As they did not come with a matching teapot, I pair them with my 'Butterfly Bloom' Wedgwood teapot whenever I serve black coffee or expresso from them.

2. The Tea Party

"The liberal feminist movement never imagined that women would take seriously the encouragement to become our own heroes and claim life for ourselves, on our terms, no matter who we are. Pro-choice and pro-life, Christian and not, poor and rich, black, white, gay and straight. It is a dream we all hold dear, and it's called the Tea Party." - Tammy Bruce

1. The Teapot With A Story - A Gift From Mama

This teapot has been with me since I was four, a present from my mother, who could not bear to see her first born daughter cry for wanting to have an English teapot from an old crockery shop, in little Simanggang town. Next to the hair salon where my mum had just had her hair permed was this little shop that sold all things crockery, from plain coloured enamel-covered iron basins to lovely flower printed teapots and teacups. As usual, my mum stopped to 'check' out some new stocks of teacups and teapots...and I was following eagerly behind...As I looked at the array of cups and teapots, there was this one teapot that caught my eye. I pulled mum's hand and pointed to the teapot. I told her I wanted it. She asked the lady shopkeeper how much was its price. I remembered clearly till now that she said "six dollar and thirty cents", and with that mum said 'no' to me, because she had run out of cash, because we had spent our money on groceries. I started to cry...my little heart broke when I heard that she could not get that beautiful teapot for me...and at that tender age, I thought that it was the most beautiful teapot I have ever seen. The lady shopkeeper, having known mum for a long time, took the teapot, wrapped it in used newspaper and put it in my mum's rattan shopping basket. "There", she said, "let your little girl have it, and you can pay me the next time you come to get more teacups from me", and mum, not wanting to owe her too much must have given her last remaining 5 dollar note to the lady. "I'll be back tomorrow", she said as she firmly pulled my hand as we walked out of the shop....Ever since that day, that teapot has always been with me till this day. That was my first porcelain teapot! And with a teapot, I learned to love drinking tea......