Teaspoons & Petals with Alexis Siemons (photo by Love Me Do)
Over the next few weeks I hope to bring you a really fun update series from some of our past teachers and let you know a little about what they are up to. Sort of like a "Where are they now" but without the rehab and jail time. WE HOPE! Just kidding. Truth is that most of these talented ladies are still very much in touch with NOF, so we really just wanted to updated our friends and former/future students (yes fellas we haven't had a male instructor yet). We would love to work with you talented guys out there! Email us hello@newoldfshnd.com So, first up on our teacher updates.. we have the lovely Alexis Siemons of Teaspoons & Petals.
We enjoyed working with Alexis so very much. She is passionate about tea and super knowledgeable. She really made our job very easy, because she was prepared, professional and very open to our ideas. We try to surprise each of our teachers with a little unexpected gift for their class, and for Alexis we picked cute little hinged glass jars with chalkboard paint on them. I really enjoyed watching the students pick from the beautiful assortment (pictured above) that Alexis brought for them and filling the jars to take home. I think everyone left delighted with so much excitement for their new hobby ( and thoroughly caffeinated too). Here is a really casual interview we did with Alexis recently:
NOF: What was your favorite thing about the workshop you collaborated on with The New Old Fashioned?
Alexis: Ah, do I have to pick just one? That's difficult since I loved so many aspects of the workshop. My favorite thing about my tea infused workshop collaboration with The New Old Fashioned was sharing tea infused snacks that offered a new way in which to enjoy tea. And that NOF transformed the space into a beautiful room that inspired such a creative afternoon.
NOF: Why do you love instructing and sharing your passion, as opposed to just working on your craft and creating only the finished product to market? Why share your knowledge?
Alexis: Tea is meant to be shared, so it lends itself to workshops and classes. Also, the interest in and love for the steeped leaf is growing at a rapid pace in the US and my hope is that I can help educate people about their tea experience to make it the very best it can be. I love the moment when a guest of my workshop learns how to properly brew tea (paying attention to water temperature and steep time) and then reaches out to me after the class to let me know how much they are enjoying their teas now.
NOF: What are some of the things you would like to learn how to do? (crafts, hobbies, anything at all)?
Alexis: I really would love to learn how to sew, speak Italian, cook Persian dishes (I'm really excited by the flavors of that cuisine)....and continue practicing embroidery.
NOF : What are you working on right now that you are most excited about? (writing a book, selling new products, or working on a big project or event)?
ALEXIS : I'm getting ready to release my first issue of with tea, a self-printed quarterly journal of seasonal tea-infused recipes and stories. Each journal will be wrapped in a vintage handkerchief to help set the tone and scene for enjoying a cup of tea while reading the recipes.
Thank you Alexis for taking the time out of your very busy schedule to catch up with us!
Visit Alexis' website at http://www.teaspoonsandpetals.com/ or follow her on Instagram at @teaspoonsandpetals