Aldi for tea? Low budget finds for high end tea time.

Aldi's Spring Tea Time collection inspired my first trip to Aldi this week. 

An Afternoon Tea table outfitted by Aldi? 

To my surprise, the answer is "yes", and, like Garth Brook, I found I, too, have tea friends in low budget places.

Today, I paid my first ever trip to Aldi, a discount store that emphasizes bargain prices over upscale aesthetics and its own private labels over name brands. I've also come to learn, it has weekly "Aldi Finds" featuring seasonal and limited-time offers: this week, it's "Spring Tea Time".  

Toile teacups with scalloped saucers, sold as a set of two for the low price of $9.99.

It was time to pay a visit to my neighborhood Aldi.

As expected, there's a warehouse ambiance. The "Aldi Finds" are located on a few center aisles filled with a hodgepodge of items including children's toys, holiday decorations, garden supplies, home decor and, what I came for- an assortment of tea serving ware that were both pretty and pretty cheap.

While the display is a bit haphazard - a mix of thrift and dollar store friendly chaos - I was charmed by the Spring Tea Time collection. There were two styles, a blue toile and solid cream accented with a pink bow.

There are teapots, tea cups, plates and tiered trays (although, in our particular store, I did not see any evidence of the latter). There's also gold and silver toned teaspoons, table runners and other tea accoutrements to complement the tea serving ware.

I purchased the blue and white teacups with scalloped saucers, which come in a set of two, for $9.99.

A little Aldi backstory. . . 

I've seen these stores in various spots in our locale for quite a while, but never thought to patronize. Now that I have, I was curious about their origins.

According to a January 2026 Food & Wine article, Aldi’s story begins in Essen, Germany, in 1913, when Theo Albrecht opened a small baked‑goods shop. A year later, his wife, Anna, opened a grocery store focused on value. Their sons, Karl and Theo, took over after World War II, building the business around a limited product selection, minimal overhead, and low prices.

Rapid expansion followed. In 1961, the brothers split the company—reportedly over a disagreement about selling cigarettes—forming Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd. Today, they operate independently. Aldi Süd runs all Aldi stores in the U.S., where it arrived in 1976. Aldi Nord, meanwhile, has owned Trader Joe’s since 1979.

Aldi Finds, found in the stores' center aisles, feature seasonal and limited-time merchandise weekly.

Which brings us to Aldi in my neighborhood. Less than a year in its location, I drove by several times, but never stopped in. 

It took a Spring Tea Time to entice me, and I'm glad it did. 

𝅘𝅥𝅯'𝅘𝅥𝅯'  Cause I've got friends in low budget places
Where warm scones rise and Earl Grey chases my blue toile away
And I'll be okay
Yes, I'm quite big on social graces
Think I'll look through a bunch more battered cases
Center aisle of Aldi places  𝅘𝅥𝅯'𝅘𝅥𝅯'

Easter Egg Decorating! The history, family traditions and collectibles.

 

Beautiful hand-painted eggs, along with other Easter knick-knacks, add color & charm to holiday decor.

Easter Egg Decorating!

Easter weekend, for many of us, brings back memories of boiling a dozen or more fresh eggs in a large dutch oven, filling coffee cups full of water and food coloring and setting aside wax crayons and wire ladles in preparation of some hardboiled decorating. As a kid, I remember this as one of the highlights of the holiday and continued the tradition of not only dunking eggs - but hunting for them, too - with our own children.

As our kids got older, I took to decorating a few myself.

Although, I no longer dip and dunk with eggs at Easter, I still decorate with them. Eggs are popular accent pieces this time of year, and while most of us have at least a vague understanding of their connection with the holiday, I thought I'd dig a little further.  

A 2025 article in The Pioneer Woman explained the tradition of Easter eggs.

The connection has its roots in both Christian and pre-Christian customs. In many ancient cultures, eggs symbolized new life and fertility, representing the arrival of spring. Early Christians adopted this symbolism.

During Lent, a period of fasting before Easter, eggs were historically not to be eaten, so they were often hard-boiled and stored for later consumption.

Over time, this tradition evolved, leading to modern Easter egg hunts, and the decorated Easter eggs we use today.

The Easter kids table before the hunt.

Annual egg hunt & kite flying when the kids were young & we weren't grey.

That being said, I don't put all my decorative eggs in one basket. For the holiday, I have them spread throughout the house in various displays, starting with a hand-painted assortment for my tablescape centerpiece.

Last year, I was gifted delightful dozen of floral faux eggs from my talented friend, Carol D. She painted tiny flowers on each and they add a bit of color and a lot of charm to the table. 

While much of my collection is seasonal, there are some that are on display all year, including marble eggs in antique silver cups and two tiny Halcyon Days special edition eggs. The former, my husband, Chris, bought fifty years ago in a vintage shop while touring England as a teen. The latter, also from Chris, were birthday presents to me roughly twenty years ago. Those, too, have a history in England.

Ruby Faberge Egg flanked by two Halcyon Days enameled eggs.

Per their website, Halcyon Days was founded in 1950 as an emporium of antique gifts in Mayfair, London. The art of enameling on copper had nearly vanished when Halcyon Days set out to revive this artisan craft, breathing new life into a centuries-old tradition. By 1970, the company had established its own production facility, laying the foundation for the expansion of its offerings. Still operating, last year it celebrated 75 years in business. 

These lilliputian eggs are constructed with two halves - hinged or twist tops. Latest limited edition Easter egg is $455 - perhaps, a bit too eggs-travagant? (oh, come on, you knew I'd throw in at least one awful egg pun 😉). 

Matilda lays no golden eggs, but adorably contributes to the holiday decor.

Then there's the adorable porch goose who lays no golden eggs, but still contributes to the seasonal decor.  Matilda greets guests this weekend in her bunny garb.

Whether you are celebrating the season with eggs that are real or faux, edible or decorative or a combination of both, we wish you all a happy holiday!

For more Easter decor, including some festive napkin folding instructions (bunnies, roses) check out our blog: Polished Holiday Tablescapes - Creative Napkins and Shining Silver. 

The New Boardroom: Designated home space for puzzles, games and more!

Elevate your game night experience with upscale furnishings and games that are both fun and pretty.

 

A folding card table, mismatched chairs and a Monopoly board with a torn cover are no longer satisfactory for the trending game room. While a designated place in the home to congregate with friends and family over cards or Clue is nothing new, the attention to style in such space is growing in popularity with furnishings such as coffee tables with built in chess boards, thoughtfully curated games on bookshelves and puzzles that double as decorative items. 

Get ready to up the game for your game room.

This month, a New York Times article featured homeowners who are not only carving out space for fun and games, but with an emphasis on sophistication and comfort. These rooms provide a sanctuary from the fast-paced digital world.  As Roxy Owens, owner of home decor company Society Social, explains, "When things feel uncertain, there's a tendency to revisit the things that brought us happiness. For so many people, that's games."

In:  Games and books in attractive display

Out:  Torn covers and cluttered collection of board games.

Society Social recently launched a limited-edition furniture collection for the modern game room which includes gaming chairs, retro rockers and a checkmate game table. The latter is made of solid Mahogony in an updated Queen Anne style featuring cabriole legs and a removable top which reveals storage space for favorite games. At the price of $3, 695, it's already sold out. 

Vintage game space: Family room with card tables.

Mahjong, which is also on the rise, pairs perfectly with a well-appointed game room. Meghan Jett Trottier, founder of "Oh My Mahjong" which sells pretty mahjong tile collections starting at $400, worked with an interior designer on her home game space. She notes the game can be an outlet for creative visual expression, knowing women who use their collection of mahjong sets to display "tilescapes" - the mahjong version of tablescapes.

Trending: Classic games in attractive packaging.

Millennials I know well, my children and my niece, are great game enthusiasts and regularly host game nights at their respective homes. In fact, my niece registered for WS Game Company's attractive book-style collection of classic games for her upcoming wedding, including a family favorite, Risk. These look great on the bookshelf, of course, but can also add a touch of refinement to a neglected end table, curio cabinet or, for all you Risk fans, any European country you plan to overtake.

Another game night enthusiast is Meghan Markle, who hosted a Mahjong party with close friend (the "Maj Squad") on her Netflix series, "With Love Meghan". Having the show filmed in a rental house, however, makes it hard to discern if the Duchess of Sussex has her own well-appointed game room at her nearby Montecito mansion.

Gaming on a budget: Pinochle tablescape in kitchen.

I am behind this game room trend, but with a slightly more limited budget. I am in favor of a well-set pinochle table (see BTS blog from Apri, 2020: April Tablescape is in the cards) and a refresh on well-worn game boxes. 

Tea shops and world domination, keep Australia. . 

. . . but let me savor Earl Grey

And, less you think this trend has nothing to do with tea, I offer up a game in my own collection "Prosperitea". It, too, is not only a fun game to play, but adds a bit of elegance to my living room hutch. And, while the goal of the game is to be the "most prestigious tea shop", it has all the components of a Risk-infused competition (take Australia, but leave me the Earl Grey).

Wherever you gather for friends or family gaming, we know, the best addition is a fun time - that and having a successful Australia strategy with a cup of your favorite tea.

Let the games, and steeping, begin!