I don't quite remember when I fell in love with tea but I do remember the most special moments of me drinking tea. I was eighteen years old and I went to live with my biological mother for four months. I had just met her months earlier and it was awkward for both of us. She and her ex-husband lived a very quiet life in Boulder, Colorado. He was a professor at one of the universities and she was a housewife. After years of drug addiction and being in and out of jail, she deserved the break. I was homeless so she and her husband agreed to let me come live with them. Each evening my mother and I would find a spot in the living room with a cup of tea and a book.

Now, years later, I'm a self proclaimed tea expert. I start each day with a wonderful English Breakfast tea to get me going. As the day progresses, who knows what wonderful tea I will crown queen. But for sure, I have at least three cups of tea a day. And yes, when I can, I have tea everyday at about 3:00 P. M. I love to invite my friends over for tea and cupcakes and so far everyone thinks it’s a delightful experience. I am always in search of the best blend of tea. Yes, I’m a tea snob, I prefer loose tea but I do like some bags also. I have learned not to judge a book by it’s cover. Some bags can be quite nice. And yes again, any Diva knows, what you drink your tea out of is very important.

Tea for me is a way of life. It's wellness for the mind body and spirit. Here, I will explore every expect of tea possible, with a high concentration on wellness. I will review the best teas, the best places to have tea, the best ways to brew tea, the best tea accessories, what tea goes best with what foods, and the list goes on and on. I plan to share my passion for tea with you. And I've been told, nothing I do is ever boring so be prepared to go on this tea journey with me.





RLT Collection Tea Ball Frosted Clear Beads!

Mint Medley by The Persimmon Tree Tea Company

About This Tea:

Until recently I had never drank Peppermint Tea made with loose leaves. And Honestly, I will probably never go back. The freshness of loose Peppermint Tea cannot be denied. When I open the can of Mint Medley, From The Persimmon Tree Tea Company, I feel as if I stepped into a garden of peppermint leaves. It is a perfect blend of organic peppermint and spearmint leaves grown in the US.

Mint Medley has become a favorite and I find myself reaching for this tea tin almost everyday. It is great for on-going nausea. The health benefits and endless. It relieves muscle aches, headaches, migraines, stress. And now that it feels like someone is sitting on my chest and I have a mean cough, I'm sure it will help to relieve some of this congestion in my chest. Mint Medley has been in my tea cup more than any tea as of late. It has really helped with my winter cough, congestion related to this bout of pneumonia. You can read my full review on The Persimmon Tree Tea Company Mint Teas.


RLT Collection AIDS Awareness Tea Ball!




Welcome to my world of books! As an pre-teen books changed my world. I fell in love with the writers of the Harlem Renaissance period and the more I read the more I wanted to read. The fiction of this period was powerful and empowering all at the same time. It spoke to my own degradation and gave me hope for a better tomorrow. It gave me purpose for my own life and the courage to fight the good fight and never surrender.

I love to read! Inside a book I escape into someone else's life. There is something wonderful about turning to the next page of a wonderful story. Something intoxicating about the smell of the book and the story it brings to life. Reading brings me joy, and these days with my health in the balance, I find solace in my books.

I spent hours in my bedroom sequestered with the door closed reading the classics from the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes, Larsen, Hurston, Wright and Baldwin. Books became my escape and my salvation. The fiction of this period was powerful and empowering all at the same time. It gave me purpose for my own life and the courage to fight the good fight and never surrender.

Reading is the one thing that the pain of my life could never take away from me. It was the thing that helped to make it better. And even today, living with AIDS, books continue to be the safest place for me. It’s the one thing that belongs to me that AIDS cannot take away from me.The RLTReads book club will be books that I choose. It’s me sharing a part of me with you that has nothing to do with AIDS. It’s actually in spite of AIDS.

The RLTReads book club will be books that I choose. It’s me sharing a part of me with you that has nothing to do with AIDS. It’s actually in spite of AIDS. I have read hundreds of books from many different genres and I will pick the best of my reads over the years. I warn you, it will not be exclusively white or black, male or female, fiction or non fiction, it will be all of them.

I’m so excited and I’m grateful to everyone who wants to be a part of this venture. We already have 110 Book Club Members. You can email me @ RLTReads@raelewisthornton.com. The Twitter hashtag is #RLTReads. We can make this book club as wonderful as we want to make it. Who says that Oprah has to have the only ownership to a wonderful book club?

This Month We are Reading In My Fathers House by E Lynn Harris


Read along and join our discussion July 19th at 7 pm CST







For more Tea with Rae "Vlogs" Click here to visit her youtube channel

Thursday, November 29, 2012

RLT Collection is Evolving! #GrowingRLTCollection

Taken For Heart and Sole Magazine
I've been asked over and again to design necklaces for RLT Collection While I'm certainly capable, I didn't want to take away from my absolute gift and expertise of bracelets; but time has a way of changing things. 

 I had already decided to add 3-5 one of a kind necklaces s to my Fall/Winter Collection (Going to the photographer this week) *fingers crossed*  The necklaces will be simple but drawing from the gemstones in each collection. I am also introducing a line of Pearl Necklaces- Integrity. Yes Pearls stand for integrity. 
In the meantime, I was asked to design an AIDS Awareness Necklace for an organization who wanted to give them as gifts. In the past, I've designed an AIDS Awareness Bracelet for them and being a great customer, I didn't want to turn them down.

 Well, RLT Collection is evolving! I loved the necklace design I created for them so much, I decided to add a similar one to my collection. 

 With the Fall/Winter Bracelet Collections I'm drawing on the metaphysical meaning of gemstones so I decided to start with my AIDS Awareness Necklace.

Introducing Spiritual AIDS Awareness Necklace. There are two designs. One with a little bling and one with a lot of bling. 
 So Let Me Explain What They Mean!

Red is the color of HIV/AIDS Awareness! Red is the color of power, and for sure, it is the color of blood; which has a strong symbolism of life and vitality. It brings focus to the essence of life and living with emphasis on survival.

Coral will give strength and willingness to meet challenges and critical situations. Coral is also good for spiritual balance in jewelry.

Quartz is the most powerful, versatile multi-purpose healing stone, particularly regarding self esteem.

Quartz will not allow you to wallow in self-pity over from those things you can not change! t amplifies the energy of all other stones and increases your emotional energy.

This stone amplifies prayers, wishes and positive visualizations. Quartz keeps you in touch with your spiritual side, and reminds you that you are a spiritual being, having a human experience.
RLT has combined these natural elements to gain the metaphysical properties of Coral and Quart Gemstones.. This necklace has a red Coral chuck pendent. Each Coral chuck is different and has natural inclusions.

For the ultimate Diva, it is paired with an red pave' crystal ADS Awareness ribbon, encamped in sterling silver. They both dangle from a leather cord.

The back closes with a black crystal claps and a perfect, faceted 10 mm round Quartz Gemstone. RLT combines sterling silver, copper and gold filled metals in this design.  Check them out HERE!

 I've done my best to keep both necklaces affordable, but don't forget that Sterling Silver is at a high price point right now. And some of the other jewelry designers that make these type of necklaces like Sundance charge from  $150-$495 for a creation similar. I hope that you will support my necklace venture. I've been wearing the Diva Necklace since I made it on Monday. Bling Baby!
at 8:35 AM
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