Allen Montague, author and artist
"The Southern Palette"

Allen Montague is a Raleigh resident and North Carolina native who is an accomplished inventor speaker, chef, writer and fine art painter and teacher. His work can be found in galleries and private collections from coast to coast. Early in his career, he was represented by and cataloged in the international art auction house of Sotheby's in New York. He then went on to open galleries and publish hundreds of open- and limited-edition prints of his work.

In the last ten, years Allen has combined his talent for painting and his love for cooking and writing to not only publish his first book "Monet’s to Béarnaise," but to host and produce a widely viewed talk cooking and art television show. More recently, Allen has been tapped by one of the world’s largest paint and art supply manufacturers to produce a line of Allen Montague The Southern Palette paints, art supplies, finger painting kit and videos. Allen has joined with Music Academy South to bring you Allen Montague Academy of Fine Art in Wake Forest, NC to bring the finest in music and art instruction to this area.

Allen is a loyal spokesperson for Tea Party on a Tray and offers two books for TPOT: "The Little Nutcracker--A Christmas Story" and "The Southern Palette's Guide to Tea Party Etiquette." Please visit Allen at www.allenmontague.com


Earlene Grey
Poetess

Earlene Grey has been an aficionado of a good cup of tea for 50 years. It is only natural then, that her poetry would guide the reader into a world that is enhanced by a good cuppa. Mrs. Grey's original tea poetry approaches life from an Edwardian perspective, bringing a different focus to today's modern culture. Although the subjects vary, the intent remains the same--to enlighten, to calm and to soothe the soul. So sit down, have a cup of tea and savor Mrs. Grey's poetry.

Mrs. Grey has composed poetry exclusively for Tea Party on a Tray: "The Wisdom of Tea," with illustration by Susan Laird "Wiggles and Giggles" for the children's tea parties. Entering the world of Earlene Grey, if only for a moment, presents each individual with new opportunities to view life differently and gives new meaning to the word teatime. www.earlenegrey.com


Gail Gastelu (Lady Gayle), publisher
The Tea House Times

Gail Gastelu is founder and publisher of The Tea House Times, a bi-monthly publication for afternoon tea lovers available in tea rooms and by subscriptions. Gail shares her passion for afternoon tea and finds ways to help women relax and rejuvenate. Gail writes for several other publications promoting and sharing worldwide passions for afternoon tea. She also works hard to help tea room owners find resources, marketing ideas, quality advertising avenues and through The Tea House Times, offers numerous ways for tea room owners to communicate with customers to promote their passion for afternoon tea as well.

Gail is a gracious supporter of Tea Party on a Tray. www.teahousetimes.com


Lady Dawnya Sasse
Tea Radio and Tea Events

Dawnya Sasse was raised on the road, the child of musicians and quickly gained from a young age, a unique and creative perspective on entertaining. In 1988 Dawnya began traveling to Great Britain, leading tours throughout the United Kingdom. Her passion for Britain and her love of all things theatrical, led her to the creation of Tea Events in the 1990s.

In 1997, Dawnya traveled to Cape Cod, Massachusetts for extensive tea consulting. She enjoyed personal training with Donna and Ron Lasko (New England's Tea Couple). Ms. Sasse went on to study with Pearl Dexter - publisher of Tea - A Magazine and nationally acclaimed tea author James Norwood Pratt, Edward Brahma of the London Brahma Tea Museum among a variety of other tea authorities.

In 2003 Dawnya launched the first online tea training course www.startateabusiness.comallowing students from all over the world to receive tea training from the comfort of their own home (currently she has taught students in almost every state in the union and 10 foreign countries.) In 2004 she authored the first complete children's tea party training program entitled Start A Children's Tea Party Business TM. (www.childrensteaparty.com). 2005 found Lady Dawnya busy mixing her passion for history and tea in a new training system entitled www.VictorianDays.comand launching the first internet radio station devoted soley to tea (www.TeaRadio.com). While also producing a series of exciting tea seminars now available on CD.

In 2006 Dawnya kept busy coordinating the first tea business cruise for students of tea around the U.S. and Canada (www.TeaCruise.com) and preparing to relocate and expand the Tea Events headquarters from Bend, Oregon to Washington, Kansas. Lady Dawnya spent the first seven years of her tea career working full time as the owner and manager of Tea Events teahouse in Bend, Oregon. In the summer of 2004 she sold the teahouse in order to provide tea related education full-time.

She is a past president of The Ladies Tea Guild - Bend, Oregon Chapter (www.Glily.com) and a regular contributing tea author to such periodicals as Bustle, The Gilded Lily,The Country Register, The Tea House Times and TeaDigest.org. Her picture and tea house have been featured in various tea related guides such as Teatime in the Northwest. She is the Artistic Director and creator of Victorian Days - A Girl's Camp (www.VictorianDays.com) and a regular speaker on a variety of tea, etiquette and historical topics.

In her spare time Dawnya enjoys pouring tea for good friends, chasing her cat (Mister) and relaxing with her husband of 16 years. But- a business owner's work is never done and so Lady Dawnya continues to pursue advanced tea education in order to bring her clients "extraordinary tea business training."