Reading Tea Leaves and Coffee – Letter U

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We have been talking about reading tea leaves for almost a month now.

But how does one read coffee?

Reading coffee grounds is the same concept than reading tea leaves. You drink the coffee and read the grounds left on the
bottom of the cup. Reading coffee cream is different. while you can now use any colorful or decorated cup, with a handle,
and are no longer in need of a saucer, I prefer to use two specific tools – a special cup, I dedicate only for the purpose
of reading coffee cream, and  a teaspoon that is only used for the purpose of placing the “Wolke”, the cream cloud into the  center of the cup.
The process is rather simple. Gently place the heavy cream into the center of the cup that is filled with black coffee and DO NOT STIR! Allow the cloud take shape in front of your eyes, and notices where it travels, does it travel closer to the handle (representing you and now), or does it travel farther away from the handle (representing others, and another time). If the cloud travels in a clockwise direction, your reading concerns your future, counter-clockwise it represents the past.

The symbols are the same as for tea leaf reading, and should be read as such. For those of you who are vegan or can not
use dairy in their diet, you can substitute full-fat coconut cream for the heavy cream. (this is not the time to think
about your diet).

Now it is time for our symbols.

Letter U:

An Ugly Face: Unpleasant news

Umbrella: Depends on if it is open or closed: An open umbrella speaks literally about bad weather while a close umbrella speaks about a situation – this situation is not pleasant, but can be avoided if you pay attention beginning right now.

Unicorn: You might find yourself in the middle of unwanted drama

Urn: Check your health – unless there is a symbol indicating another person, then check their health

Interesting, isn’t it?

To brew the coffee for coffee cream readings, I prefer to use the over the cup cone dripping method. It is individual
and gives me time to clear my mind of distractions before reading the cream.

Oishii Pour Over Coffee Dripper Available on Amazon

My favorite cone is the Oishii Pour Over Coffee Dripper. I love the fact that it does not allow any grounds to come through, despite the fact that it does not need an extra paper filter. So it is good for the reduction of garbage and makes a smooth cup of coffee. It is easy to clean – just rinse and wipe – and is small enough to store out of the way. Very stable, it sits comfortably upon a regular size mug as well as a wide mouthed, smaller cup. Great for the fresh cup of coffee in the morning, or to take with you in an office, that does not have a coffee machine (there is supposed be to such a thing, I have heard – the horror).

(Disclaimer: I received the above-mentioned Oishii Pour Over Coffee Dripper for free in return for an unbiased, and honest review)

A To Z Blogging Challenge: Tea Leaf Reading Dictionary “B”

 

Before I am starting with the letter B today, I wanted to share with you 22 Facts about Tea Leaf Reading:

22 Facts About Tea Leaf Reading

1. Tasseography is also known as tasseomancy and tassology
2. Tasseography works not only with tea leaves, but also with coffee grounds or wine sediments
3. A skilled reader or diviner will combine the knowledge of standard symbolism with intuitive skills to come to a complete and comprehensive reading.
4. While many readers prefer white or solid colored cups for reading tea leaves, some use specific cups, with special designs. Three examples of these are Zodiac cups, Playing Card cups and symbol cups.
5. Due to the healing powers of various arts, Tasseomancy is a natural extension of the Healing Arts, and Kitchen Witchcraft
6. Turkish coffee ground reading can never be read by the one asking questions, but must be read by someone else.
7. You can use any loose leaf tea for reading tea leaves. It does not have to be black tea, it can also be that of an herbal variety.
8. Some traditions prefer to swirl the tea leaves, others are taught not to swirl – either way creates an accurate readings, and is entirely up to the practitioner, their background and who taught them.
9. Tea leaf readings are a short term reading – most readings see only into the future for about 1 year.
10. An overwhelming negative reading usually is the manifestation of the person’s deep-rooted worries and fears, and should be read as that.
11. One theory is that this form of divination is a form of psychometry – the psychic ability to read inanimate objects through clairvoyance.

• Tea leave reading was introduced to Europe in the 1600 after tea became a very popular drink.
• It is best to avoid very large tea leaves for reading, like gunpowder green tea, because they will cover the inside of the cup, and not create spaces and forms to interpret
• You can sweeten your tea for the tea leaf reading as you usually would, just avoid using cream, because it will clump up the tea leaves.
• Speaking of cream – a form of Tasseography used particularly in an area of Germany called “Ostfriesland”, is reading the cream “cloud” during their tea ritual. Only a special tea is used for this type of reading and ritual, as well as a special “cream spoon”. You can also read the cream cloud by adding it in coffee.
• There is such a thing as tea leaf reading cards.
• The only liquid that needs to be left in the cup for the reading is about one teaspoon full. The rest is drunk by the person read for.
• If you do choose to swirl your tea, do it three times, counter-clockwise
• The initial impressions are usually the most correct ones
• The handle is an important part of reading tea leaves – it indicates details such as timeframe, if a situation is leaving or entering someone’s life, and represents the person the reading is done for.
• You should never read more than one time a day for yourself, actually most people should not read more often than once a week for themselves, in order to not get your readings confused and being contradicting what you read before
• The more specific your question is, the more likely you will get a clear answer. Both the reader and the diviner should concentrate on the question in unison.

 

And now it is time to continue with our dictionary:

Letter B:

 

Badger: If you are not married, you will have a long life filled with happiness, as a single person. If you are married, you will regret that you have not made the decision to have stayed single.

Basket: Family, a new person or animal to take care off. Living in a family unit. You have taken on the role as a caregiver, or will do so in the near future.

Bat: (the animal) Pay attention to those in your care, as this is not a good omen regarding your household. Prevent any misfortune by tending to them now. Make sure you let those you love, know how much you care for them, while you have a chance.

Bear: a long period of travel, most likely toward North or colder climates.

Birds: our winged friends tend to bring good news, by themselves news will arrive soon, if they are sitting in a row, these new will take some time to unfold. Birds in a cage however means that there are obstacles you have to remove first in order option those good news you are longing for.

Boat: a boat in itself brings the news of impending friends arrival, if seen with rough seas, trouble is coming your way.

Bouquet: one of the luckiest symbols: great friends, success, happy marriage. Reunions with long lost friends and the reversal of estranged relationships are very likely to appear.

Bridge: there is an opportunity on its way! If you are about to travel your journey will be favorable.

Building: something or someone is about to be removed out of your life. Or you are removing yourself from a situation. This does not always mean negative. Sometimes we have to let go off a situation, person or circumstance to move forward. Now would be that time.

Bull: a rather negative symbol. Watch out for potential trouble to keep it under control

Bush:  You are about to receive an invitation that will excite you.

Butterfly: butterfly are creatures of a passing pleasure, but rather inconstant and flighty. So if you are flirting with someone at the moment, it is not meant to become anything more. Save yourself some heartache and move on.

 

Book Review: Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes That Will Impress

(Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This post contains affiliate links, see Disclosure page for details)
Book Review: Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes That Will Impress and Bring Out the Home Barista In Everyone: The Home Barista Series: Volume 1 (Delicious DIY Coffee Recipes … In Everyone:The Home Barista Series)

Author: Cut To The Chase Media

Genre: Cooking, Beverages

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The unusual recipes absolutely sparked by attention, especially with ingredients like Nutella and KitKat, which – for a chocolate lover and coffee addict like me, is like a dream come true.
At 22 recipes, this book is way too short, though. From a cookbook, I expect a few more recipes. Also, while some people might like the fact that it has no fluff, it does not even contain any information about the Author, and barely an introduction.

Overall the concept and the recipes are great, and well thought through, but because it was so short, I was somewhat disappointed.

You also may like:

B130 DeskPro Coffee Maker
 my personal favorite machine, when I want a quick cup of coffee.

Friday Gratitude: Family, Friends and Favorites

 

This blog post  contains affiliate links. See my disclosure page for more information

Do you have an attitude of gratitude? If you do, congratulations. If you are still wondering how to get one, and you own your own blog, I suggest partaking in the many wonderful blog hops that foster weekly listing of gratitude. Just check out the following list of blog hops that happen every week, connect with us, via their link and post your very own list!

Lexa Cain’s Celebrate The Small Things

Thankful Thursdays by Pepi Smart Dog

Thankful Thursday Link Up

What am I grateful for this week?

I am grateful for having such supportive and well-behaved children. Both of them are kind, loving and self-disciplined individuals who are slowly growing toward adulthood. I am proud to be their mother.

I am grateful for my husband, who work hard to make sure that no matter what happens, everyone is taken care off. He was not given anything by anyone, rather often neglected as the youngest in his needs and pursuits, yet he is the one with a thriving family. That is a testimony to his strength and commitment to us.

Dog Drinking Coffee Poster

I am grateful for all of the friends I have had along the way. The friends who were there to laugh and cry along with me, some of whom are far away, as we have moved and traveled not only throughout this great country, but also overseas. We made connections as far as Europe and as close as Las Vegas, and we cherish every single one of them. Oh, and I should not forget to mention those who I count as friends, even though we never met in person – from a Wedding Organizer in Dubai to a Kindle Publishing Writer in India.

My New Favorite Blanket “Millie Throw In Sky” by Joss and Main

I am grateful for my favorite things: coffee, thumbprint cookies, enthusiastic dog licks, vegan chocolate peanut butter, hiking shoes, flannel bed sheets, soft blankets, and books, always books.

What and who are you grateful for this week? Share in the comment section below, post your own blog post, and link up with us, or write it in your journal. Whatever you choose to do, be grateful!

Blessings!

Claudia

This blog post is also a part of the following blog hops:

No Rules Weekend Blog Party

Inspire me Wednesdays

Be Inspired! 

Coffee, Cookies And WordPress

My Blood Type Is Coffee

Welcome to Weekend Coffee Share, the wonderful little blog hop where we all get together and share whatever we want to talk about over a cup of coffee. If you were here today, I would offer you some more thumbprint cookies. Store bought, sorry. It has been a somewhat crazy week.

You might be wondering why I am back at WordPress. The short version of this is, that Wix was not what it was cracked up to be. I will write more about my thoughts on Wix in a few days, but let me tell you they are not the best.

So, I am going to make the best of this blog format for right now. And guess what, I already feel better, less stressed, and more focused. Sometimes taking an action away from what you thought was a good idea can be freeing. No reason to try to make something that does not work, work. All that does is cause stress. Something I really do not need more off. I am sure you can relate.

There is a lot to do this week, I have three books to read and review, two products to review (once they arrive), organize this space a little better to make it work for me right now, until I switch over to WordPress.org ( I am not in a hurry, this time, I am going to make sure I took the time to learn everything I need to make this transition smooth, instead of listening to pure recommendations), work on some more designs for Redbubble and Zazzle, and create a few new freebies for you guys. I also have tons of content that I am working on, that I want to share with you, some of it related to making money online, others a little more personal about living with allergies and chronic illness. I am hoping you will stop back here to check those posts out over the next few weeks.

Until I have moved all of the content back from Wix to here, I am expecting to post almost twice a day, fresh content once, the other, those articles I had on the other site. Then, hopefully by the end of this month, everything will be back to normal.

But enough about me, how was your week? I hope your weather was as pleasant as it had been here in Las Vegas. I really enjoyed the warmth of over 75 degrees, even if the mornings are still really cold. The dogs enjoyed the weather as well.

My Dog Gwen Waiting for Me To Take Her Out

Have a great week, and see you next weekend for more coffee talk!

Blessings,

Claudia

Planning, Goals, Progress and Coffee

Flowers In Blue by Claudia H. Blanton

If you were coming over for coffee, I would greet you with a hug and some chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven. It has been a while since I posted on this blog, but I have been pretty busy. The fact that my computer has a nasty virus did not help either.

December is usually my busiest month, not only do both of my children have birthdays, and of course, there are the holidays, but it is the time where business picks up, and also the time to plan for the next year.

Which is exactly what I am working on this weekend: Goal and Action Plan for 2016.

I don’t believe in New Years resolutions. Of course, they can be beneficial, but why wait until a particular time to make a change? Yet I do plan the year, but not in a resolution kind of way.

There are overall goals to work out – that has to be the first step, never forgetting that there has to be a why, a reason behind each goal, otherwise, I am fully aware that I will not follow through on it.

Willpower can carry you far, reasons will carry you further.

Then there are the monthly goals – smaller steps that together build the picture of a successful year. Those are flexible, meaning, I can adjust those goals throughout the year to fit the progress I am actually making. The trick is to set these goals high, but not so high that they are not attainable. Otherwise,  the frustration of not reaching them will keep me from going further.

Next are tangible action steps. I ask myself, what do I need to learn to make this happen? How much time am I willing to invest into this goal? What do I need to do to see progress? Those answers will be based on the overall goal and the monthly  goals.

This leaves me with a framework for the entire year.

Another Bright Day By Claudia H. Blanton

What I am questioning this year is about how public I should make these goals, and when. I have seen many bloggers and marketing experts, who put all of their goals and their achievements out there – that is wonderful, as it motivates me. But being an artist first, a creative, who might not see monetary results in such a profound way every month – while other months soar – I am not sure, I am going to do that yet. What do you think? How public do you make your goals?

If you were here with me, I would tell you that another year end practice I enjoy and intend to employ this year:

Expressing my thanks to those who inspired me.

Now, some of these people – some of whom are famous, some are very successful might never respond to my email, Facebook message or tweet, but some might (hey, I have had Brendan Brazer, the creator of Vega, and the author of Thrive, acknowledge my tweet the other day, where I was praising his mission, products and words), but that is not the point. It does not matter how successful you are, I am sure that it can not be a bad thing to hear something positive from someone who learned from you, or was inspired by you. Spreading a little kindness through expressing gratitude at the end of the year – and throughout the year benefits the receiver as much as the giver. It simply feels good all around.

So these are the questions I have for you this week:

Do you plan your year? Do you make resolutions? If you do, what steps do you take to allow yourself a better chance of success? And, how public do you make these goals and plans?

I am looking forward to hearing from you!

I hope you enjoyed the cookies. I enjoyed your company as always

Much love

Claudia

 

 

This blog post is a part of the following blog hops

Celebrate The Small Things

Weekend Coffee Share

Thankful Thursdays

Thankful Thursdays 2

No Rules Weekend

 

Disclaimer: The above blog post contains affiliate links.

 

Gratitude, Coffee And Staying Motivated

Coffee Poster

Welcome to our weekly coffee share session. I am always looking forward to seeing you. Come on in, the  coffee is hot and fresh, but I also got tea, and some vegan cranberry chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, if you want some. Help yourself.

If you were here with me I would greet you with a smile, and tell you how grateful I am to have a quiet home at the moment. Half of the family is doing their own thing, so the noise level is way down. My head is grateful too, as I need space to think, quiet company and one on one conversations, rather than music or television in the background. Makes it easier to focus on what is important. You would probably notice my gratitude journal on my table. Do you write in a gratitude journal on a regular basis? Today I mentioned my family, the cool breezes of the last few days, the great lunch I had yesterday with my hubby, and of course, coffee.

Never Quit

If you were here with me, I would ask you if you are working on your dreams and goals, and how you stay motivated. Is it easy for you to stay on track with your goals, or do you have to drag yourself to take the necessary steps? If you are dragging, I would ask you what your reasons behind your goals are. A great why helps to pull you along, even when the day is tough.

What is your biggest, most outrages dream? I would share it with you – owning a home in  Hollywood Hills is mine – and hope you would share your dream with me. No dreams are too big, too outrageous if you are willing to work for them. I am. Are you? What are you doing right now to make them happen?

As you can tell, I love helping others reach their goals and dreams. A part of me is always going to be a motivational life coach, even if I have given up my practice a few years ago (it has been that long already? Wow, time flies when you’re having fun). Maybe that is the reason why I love helping other designers, creatives and writers succeed. It’s my thing, I guess.

What are you currently reading? Are you reading something that can help you along in your career, or business? Gary Vaynerchuck’s Crush It is currently on my Kindle. I am a fan of Gary’s videos, if you have not heard about him, I suggest you check him out. Very motivational.

I am glad you stopped by and we had a chance to talk. If you get a moment, check out all of the other participants of the Weekend Coffee Share and those who post as a part of the Celebrate The Small Things Blog hop. They would appreciate your visit.

See you next week – oh, but please feel free to drop by anytime. I always have something to share!

Blessings

Claudia

 

Hey, I Designed You A Mug – Now Fill It With This

So you purchased yourself a designer mug, supporting independent artists with your choice. Good for you. We, the creatives behind these designs thank you. But now what? It is a specialty mug, so just pouring in some darn old coffee from the grocery store would not be fitting. No way. These cups ask for something special.

No worries, I did the work for you and found some really wonderful coffees and teas you should fill that special mug with.

Jacobs Kronung Coffee
This coffee is tradition and perfection in a cup. There is simply not a better roast out there, that does not cost you an arm, a leg and your first born. I grew up on this stuff, and it is the standard by which I hold each other coffee. Sorry, Starbucks, your coffee taste like pee water compared to this.

JO – Organic Fair Trade Coffee, Medium Roast
My favorite of the Fair Trade Coffee’s out there. Stick with the medium roast of this brand for best results. While it is not as fine and sophisticated in flavor as the before mentioned German coffee, it is still the best I could find so far in its category. And while drinking it, you can really feel good about yourself for being a responsible consumer (again).

Teekanne Rosehip and Hibiscus Tea
I simply love this tea, its tart, refreshing taste, even if you drink it as a hot cup of tea (which I prefer.)  It is my go to cup with a few cookies as part of a quick afternoon break. It tastes fruity and light, though I recommend to add your favorite sweetener, on its own it can be surprisingly sour.

Teavana Pineapple Berry Blue Loose-Leaf Tea
No list that includes teas is complete without having a pineapple flavored addition to it. At least that is my opinion. Hey, don’t knock it until you tried it, this tea is hot and cold a wonderful treat. Cheaper than a Hawaiian vacation.

Moonstruck Classic Hot Cocoa
Wintertime is hot chocolate time, and I prefer the classic, no fancy added flavored version of hot chocolates. This creamy, deep flavored, elegant milk chocolate cocoa mix does the trick here. It is a wonderful way to wind down a busy holiday day, and no December evening would be complete without it. I would recommend to get extra. Especially if you are a chocoholic like I am.

Now savor that hot (or cold) stuff!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

 Disclaimer: The above post contains affiliate links.

Best of Zazzle – Quote Edition # 2

Being surrounded by quotes can help you stay inspired and motivated. Sometimes the wisdom of those before us, give us an extra boost to reach for our own dreams.  I have collected some mugs that feature such inspiring words. Enjoy!

Attitude

Believe

Sparkle

Growth – Rumi Quote

Henry Ford Quote

As always, thank you for supporting independent artists with your purchase!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

Let me tell you about this dog… – A Weekend Coffee Share Post

 

Coffee Time 

 

If we were having coffee this weekend, I would welcome you, and tell you that I am relieved that my friend’s dog is okay. I was worried about the puppy all day yesterday because she is still so little (and cute), but she seems to be fine now. I would also use this as the major excuse, why I did not get as much work done yesterday, as I had planned to.

I would then make you a coffee in my new French Press. Never owned one before, always went for the traditional machines or the espresso machines, but I decided to try it anyway. Can you taste the difference between this one and a standard coffee machine? I am sorry I can’t. But they take away less space, so when I send my daughter off to college, she will get one of those.

We are having chocolate oatmeal cranberry cookies today (vegan). I am hungry, haven’t had much of a chance to eat, because I had to catch up on yesterday’s slacking, so excuse my manners if I shove a few extra cookies into my mouth. I hope you don’t mind. No worries, there are plenty, I made extra. The apple pie in the fridge (also vegan) is not for us, though, it is for the above-mentioned friend, who could really use a treat right now – and can’t bake worth a darn. Sorry, but being a friend means you know their strength and their weaknesses, and embrace them both.

I would tell you, that I would have three things on my agenda today that are a must:
1. Visit the blogs on my list I did not get to read yesterday
2. Write as much as content for the two holiday projects I have coming up (they are kind of secret, so I have to show you, but I can not let the cat out of the bag over the internet yet)
3. Write the outline for the script I have in my head. It isn’t a complicated script, but it was originally a story idea, that just would translate better on screen than it would in a book. Simply because it has a lot of physical action.

Once I wrote the outline, I will be able to define it better, and present you a short synopsis. Still working out all of the plot holes in my head, which are the size of a Florida sinkhole at the moment.

What are your plans for the day, the weekend? Any special projects you have in place, or something that did not go as planned, but worked  out at the end? Why not add your thoughts and plans to the linky  right here.  (Via Part Time Monster)

I hope you enjoyed your stay, and will join in again next weekend. I am always baking something – I can’t help myself – so always come hungry!

Blessings!

Claudia