For a little while now the idea of a gift box product has been running around the Bristol Vintage HQ. Towards the end of last year, I had an idea to create gift boxes containing a beautiful vintage cup and saucer and a packet of high quality tea or coffee. After a little discussion and quite a lot of investigation I am really pleased to be able to say that our Etsy shop is now open and we have officially launched the moments of joy gift boxes.
I thought a blog post would be a great way to explain the thinking behind the gift box and to talk about the elements found within.
The name moments of joy came from really thinking about how both Natalie and I find small moments in our day to help to ground us and check in with ourselves. Like many people we live busy lives and juggle many things not to mention throwing into the mix a pandemic, home working plus homeschooling and it’s no wonder that we, like thousands of others, have found ourselves getting a little frazzled at times over the past year.
I love a good self help book, and my insta feed has been full of talk of self care and self love, so I knew that this would be one way to combat the frazzle but I also knew that being very busy didn’t leave an awful lot of time for self. Early on in lock-down number one of 2020 I made a concerted effort to take some time out for myself each day, I did this by making a ritual of tea drinking early in the morning and late in the evening and it’s something I’ve kept up.
Having a multitude of beautiful vintage china teacups at hand definitely has helped to elevate these moments and so before my household is awake each morning I make myself a breakfast tea or coffee (depending on mood and energy levels) sit down and enjoy my brew. This is not a rushed cup that I barely notice myself drinking, this is sitting down with a beautiful cup and saucer and giving myself 15 to 20 minutes of quiet time before the day demands its thing of me. Then at the end of the day I repeat this process, again using a beautiful vintage cup and saucer. I run myself a warm bubbly bath to soak away the day and brew myself chamomile and lavender tea, light a candle and relax.
The vintage cup and saucer for me signify other worlds and other times they are items, just like all of the vintage crockery in our vast collection, that were once someone else’s best. used for important family events and brought out with pride – I love this idea. In my moments of 
manageable self love and self care I don’t want to slurp from a mug (I need the mug full at 11 o’clock!) instead I create for myself a slow ritual, sometimes with music, sometimes not, sometimes with meditation, sometimes not, but I always make sure to savor and enjoy these moments at the beginning and the end of my day.
It is our hope that a moments of joy gift box will provide you or someone you love with those same moments of joy in the day, a few moments of peace and quiet and some totally doable self care.
Lisa
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