Tealightful began in my basement in 2000, when I was a young mom with a toddler on my hip and another on the way.

The seed was planted years earlier, at age 12, during a trip to England, where tea was a shared daily pause and a natural way to connect. I came home wanting more of that kind of connection in my life.

So I began creating it — at home, with friends, and eventually with others seeking a moment to soften, sip, and connect.