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Published by For those of us who know that tea and stories are simply better when shared.
Tell Me Over Tea For those of us who know that tea, and stories are simply better when shared. Welcome to Tell Me Over Tea — a cosy storytelling podcast that feels a bit like pulling up a chair at the kitchen table, cuppa in hand, and making space for the stories that shaped us. You’ll hear snippets of real life from women writing their personal stories, reflections from my own notebook (including the letters I write to my Nan), conversations, and simple memories and moments that invite you to pause, smile, and maybe even pick up your pen. At the heart of it all is this: stories connect us. They remind us that we’re not alone in what we’ve lived, felt, or wondered. They build humble bridges between us — one memory, one conversation, one cuppa at a time. So pop the kettle on, get comfy, and join me. Let’s gently collect and share the stories that matter, the ones that connect us, long after the teapot has been emptied. bettymaewrote.substack.com
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Show Notes To celebrate 30 episodes of Tell Me Over Tea, I’m sharing another letter from my Dear Nan series — letters I’ve written to my nan since she died, as a way of processing grief and holding onto our story. This one turns the lens further back, to my nan’s parents — my great-grandparents, known in our family as Big Grandma and Big Grandpa. Piecing together old letters, family memories, and stories passed down from Nan and Grandpa and nan’s sister, I try to build a picture of who they really were: a father who drifted from job to job through the Depression, with a gambling habit, but who also wrote his wife tender letters that reveal a softer side. And a mother — practical, resilient, and shaped by loss from childhood — who raised siblings after being orphaned young, cooked for prisoners, and once talked her way out of more than one hospital stay through sheer stubbornness. It’s a letter about the contradictions that make our family human, and about how much there still is to uncover the more we ask. If this episode has you wanting to write your own letters — to a grandparent, a memory, or just to yourself — I’d love for you to join the Lovely Letters Project , my free pen pal exchange. Details are in the show notes below. In this episode we talk about: * Celebrating 30 episodes with a cup of tea from Sarah at Ettie & Dorrie * The Dear Nan letters and why I write them * Piecing together my great-grandparents’ story from old letters and family memory * A father shaped by the Depression, restlessness, and a gambling problem * A tender letter that revealed an unexpected softness * My great-grandmother’s resilience after losing both parents young * Family stories of home births, illness, and quiet determination * An invitation to join the Lovely Letters Project The tea I sipped throughout this episode was gifted to me by the lovely Sara from Ettie and Dorrie . The tea I brewed today was called: Annette (The Home Blend) and it was a delicious, comforting tea with hints of maple syrup (though the extra addition was actually peach and peach blossom). If you’d like to get some of your own, you can do that here. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, please leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Tell Me Over Tea is a cosy storytelling podcast about the stories that matter — one memory, and cuppa, at a time. Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes MaryAnn spent most of her life believing she simply wasn’t a writer. As a child she froze at the thought of writing from the heart, and by her final year of school she was navigating an unplanned pregnancy and marriage and the HSC. Mary Ann went on to become a mother of five by the age of twenty-five. At that time writing was the last thing on her mind. It wasn’t until grief entered her life — first the loss of her father, then her mother’s cancer diagnosis — that MaryAnn turned to journaling, just to get through. What began as a private coping habit slowly grew into something more: a voice, a practice, and eventually an identity she’d never imagined for herself. In this episode, MaryAnn shares how journaling led her to creative writing classes, poetry, and a manuscript inspired by her mother’s life as a young, unmarried mum. This is a conversation about the winding path to becoming a writer, and how it’s never too late to pick up the pen. Mary Ann also happens to be a part of my Little Life Stories program and it has been an absolute honour to work alongside her as she writes down her memories and shares her childhood stories. She is an inspiration to me, and I hope that Mary Ann’s writing journey also gives you that little spur on to consider picking up a pen and open a fresh blank notebook page and begin recording your own memories.If you’d like some support in doing that, please know that you are most welcome to join Little Life Stories. You can read more about that here . If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, please leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Tell Me Over Tea is a cosy storytelling podcast about the stories that matter — one memory, and cuppa, at a time. Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Pop the kettle on and pull up a chair — this is a Kitchen Table Letters episode, where I read letters sent in by listeners and members of the Betty Mae Wrote community, written in answer to a question I’ve set. This time, the question was simple: What’s something small in your daily life that brings you a quiet kind of joy? In this episode I read four beautiful letters — from Karan, Peggy, Jen, and Kim — each one a small window into an ordinary daily ritual that holds meaning. * Karan’s letter — winding her watch. A daily ritual of winding an analogue watch that can’t be rushed — and how it became a grounding practice after a period of burnout. * Peggy’s letter — the coffee run. A 15-minute drive to grab a takeaway coffee, and the noticing of the world along the way — from the different feel of each day of the week to memories of her mum and sister. * Jen’s letter — an evening (and a morning) at home. Written in two sittings, with candles, a writing lamp, and her dogs nearby — on chatting with her kids, her husband hanging out the washing, and her morning coffee. * Kim’s letter — journaling through it all. Started on a hard 30th birthday, her journals have carried her through divorce, loss, new love, and grandchildren — now lovingly nicknamed “The Book of Grandma” by her granddaughter. Want to write your own Kitchen Table Letter? The Kitchen Table Letters is open to anyone in the Betty Mae Wrote community — Instagram followers, newsletter subscribers, Lovely Letters Project members, Tea and Toast Club members, and podcast listeners alike. Email me: kim@bettymae.com to request the current list of questions, answer as many (or as few) as you like, pop a stamp on it, and post it in. Your letter might just be read on a future episode:) In today’s episode I also mention something utterly beautiful and in perfect keeping with the theme of today’s letters. Jenny of Nordic Stories — photographer and visual story teller, has created Nordic Chapters , a monthly club encouraging everyday photography as a way of noticing and remembering ordinary life and the small things that bring us joy. Jenny is welcoming in new members for September And the doors are opening next week for the brand new chapter. It is such a cosy, delightful space to enter into and as someone who is taking part, I could not think of a more lovely, gentle way of pausing and noticing the life around me. What a beautiful experience! You can read more about Nordic Chapters here, and find Jenny: * Instagram: @nordic_stories * Website: Nordic Stories If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, please leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Tell Me Over Tea is a cosy storytelling podcast about the stories that matter — one memory at a time. Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Nan at 14 Show Notes Episode 27: Dear Nan — A 1930s and 40s Childhood A letter to my Nan about life growing up in the 1930s and 40s in Australia Today’s episode is another of my Dear Nan letters — the series I began after my nan died in 2022, as a way of processing grief, honouring our relationship, and making sure that this beautiful woman was never just a blip on this earth. Because she wasn’t. She was extraordinary. And her story is so worth hearing. In this letter, I write about my nan’s childhood — about growing up in 1930s and 40s Australia, during the Great Depression and World War Two. About a family that moved constantly, from Paddington to Narrabeen to Manly to Mona Vale, chasing the next opportunity, packing up in the middle of the night. About a dad whose gambling was quite possibly the invisible thread running through it all. About a mum who cooked and sewed and embroidered late into the night on Christmas Eve to make sure her children had something to wake up to. My nan never used the words we were poor. But she was. And it took me three years after she left this earth to put the pieces together and really understand what her childhood had been. This episode is also a little reminder of why I do what I do — why I help women write their memories down, why I believe so deeply that every ordinary life is full of stories worth keeping. Because we don’t always know what we’re losing until it’s gone. And the small jigsaw pieces our loved ones give us, if we’re lucky enough to gather them, are more precious than we ever realise at the time. I also have a little chat today about Little Life Stories — my memory writing program — which has just had a bit of a makeover and is now available for $97. More on that in the episode. Oh, and I’m sipping the most beautiful tea throughout — gifted to me by the lovely Sara from Ettie and Dorie . It’s called Dear Dorrie and it’s lemony comfort in a cup! If you love a good quality herbal tea, go and find her. You won’t regret it! Pour yourself a cuppa. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Nan with Felix (left) Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . Oh, and from July on, there will be an extra special little gift waiting for one lucky duck subscriber. A ‘golden ticket’ will be tucked inside one envelope. Who will July’s ticket finder be? ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Sarah’s photo Show Notes Episode 26 Sarah Stamm from Salisbury and Maude: On Creativity, Courage and Making Things That Matter From a childhood surrounded by wool and fabric to a celebrated handmade brand in regional Victoria — this is Sarah's story. Today on Tell Me Over Tea I am sitting down with the lovely Sarah Stamm — the founder and creative director of Salisbury and Maude, a beautiful Australian brand known for its handcrafted artworks, botanical wreaths, quilts, knitting and fine art prints. I found Sarah the way I find most good things — over on Instagram, where all the lovely creators are. And if you haven’t been over to have a look at her work yet, I want you to go the moment this episode is done, because it really is just so gorgeous. What drew me to Sarah wasn’t just the beauty of what she makes — though it truly is stunning. It’s the way she makes it. Everything is bespoke. Every piece is released exclusively through Instagram and Facebook. She doesn’t have a website. She doesn’t take custom orders. There’s a quietness and an intention to the way Sarah works that feels very much at home here on Tell Me Over Tea. Sarah grew up the youngest of four children in Albury, with a mother who could spin, knit, weave and draw — a woman who made something beautiful out of whatever she had, always with joy, never as a chore. That love of making was woven into Sarah early, and it never left her. After more than 25 years in the world of interiors — from Westfield shop fits to magnificent old farmhouses across regional Victoria and New South Wales — something called Sarah back to making things with her own hands. Back to fabric. Back to craft. Back to the slower, more deliberate work of creating something from nothing. And Salisbury and Maude was born — right there in the beautiful little town of Beechworth, where it still lives today. In this episode we go right back to the beginning — to the little girl who painted everything she could get her hands on, to the teacher who let her borrow a Brett Whiteley book from her private library, to the sliding door moment that brought Sarah to Melbourne instead of Perth, and to the day she looked around at a room full of inherited fabric and decided to make her very first quilt. We also talk about the nine weeks she and her husband spent camping across Europe in 2024 — no plan, 8,000 kilometres, and a boot full of the most beautiful, sourced fabrics. And we talk about what it means to make something by hand and stitch a little of yourself into every single piece. This is such a warm and wonderful conversation. I think you’re going to love Sarah. Sarah’s photo A little something from this episode to take with you... “I looked at what I had — not what I didn’t have. And what I had was fabric.” And this, about her quilts: “When you’re feeling lonely or missing home — just wrap yourself in your quilt, and I’ll be close.” Sarah’s photo Where to find Sarah: Instagram & Facebook: @salisburyandmaude (This is the only place you’ll find her — and it’s well worth the visit) If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . Oh, and from July on, there will be an extra special little gift waiting for one lucky duck subscriber. A ‘golden ticket’ will be tucked inside one envelope. Who will July’s ticket finder be? ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 25: Kitchen Table Letters: Windy Harbour, Grandparents & The Cosy Places From Childhood Two letters, one thread — the places that never leave us In today’s episode, I’m sharing two letters from the Kitchen Table Letters series — my project inviting women to answer reflective questions the old-fashioned way, with pen, paper, and a stamp. This episode’s theme is place , and by beautiful coincidence, both letters lead us to the same tender ground: memories of grandparents. First, we hear from Denise , (you can find Denise on Instagram), who takes us to Windy Harbour — her grandparents’ holiday house and a place that has been a constant in her life since childhood, still treasured by her and her own family today. Then, we hear from Kym , (Kym also has a substack), who shares the magic of her childhood holidays spent at her grandparents’ house. Grab a cuppa and settle in for a cosy one. Want to send me a Kitchen Table Letter? Email me at kim@bettymaewrote.com to let me know you’d like to take part, and I’ll send you the questions and all the details. Want a pen pal? Join The Lovely Letters Project, my free snail mail exchange — details are here over oin the website . My mission is to keep letters and storytelling alive and well, and I’d love for you to be part of it. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my memory writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . Oh, and from July on, there will be an extra special little gift waiting for one lucky duck subscriber. A ‘golden ticket’ will be tucked inside one envelope. Who will July’s ticket finder be? ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Written and hosted by Kim, founder of Betty Mae Wrote — a slow-living space for letter writing, memory keeping, and everyday storytelling, from a tin cottage on the Far South Coast of NSW. Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 24: Tess Lehman’s Story - Never Going Back in the Box On coming out, starting over, and learning to be exactly who you are (Trigger warning: this episode contains some swearing. Just so you know what you’re in for — but I promise it’s worth it.) Today I am joined by a woman I found the way I find most good things — scrolling Instagram at some point when I should have been doing something else. Tess Lehman is a photographer based in Newcastle, and her Instagram bio reads: Photos that feel like home. Rebellion and magic. Not your average. And honestly, right there tells you everything you need to know about Tess. She is as real and raw and as down to earth as they come. No bells and whistles. No performance. Just a woman with a big life and a beautiful, honest way of talking about it. What a life it has been. Tess grew up in a big, loud, blustery family on the edge of Inverell in northern New South Wales — one of seven kids, a voracious reader who hid in treehouses with her books so nobody could take them off her, a kid who threw down with her teachers (and won), and a teenager who, at eighteen, packed herself into a Subaru with her best mate and drove to Alice Springs because she knew if she didn’t leave, she never would. From Alice Springs to the mines of northern WA. From Perth to Indonesia to Canada. Selling cars, working bars, laying 90 square metres of turf with three small children watching from the deck. And then, at 33, painting a wall alone at 2 or 3 in the morning, she had a moment. A quiet, enormous, life-changing moment. In this episode, Tess talks about coming out as queer in her 30s, and what it felt like to finally give herself permission to be the person she actually was. She talks about her ADHD diagnosis, and the strange grief of realising that the things you thought were just your personality — both the good bits and the hard bits — were something else entirely. She talks about her photography, and the transformation she witnesses when she turns the lens on women and reflects back to them a version of themselves they’ve never been allowed to see before. And she talks about her precious sister. Her shining, hilarious, enormous-hearted sister, who saw Tess more clearly than almost anyone, and who died — and how you learn to live with that kind of missing. This is a big, beautiful, honest episode. I think …. wait … I know ….. you’re going to love Tess as much as I do. A little something from this episode to take with you... “I am never going back in that box. I’m never going to be quiet. I’m never going to stop saying the things that are true for me.” Tess Lehman Where to find Tess: Instagram: @tessdoes_ and @wishmymothertoldme The Podcast: Wish My Mother Told Me Photography Bookings: www.tessdoes.com If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here:) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing program, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . Oh, and from July on, there will be an extra special little gift waiting for one lucky duck subscriber. A ‘golden ticket’ will be tucked inside one envelope. Who will July’s ticket finder be? ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 23: The Kitchen Table Letters — Nadine’s Letter Today is a very special episode of Tell Me Over Tea, because today the Kitchen Table Letters begins. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know I’ve been talking about this for a little while now — an invitation for you, my listeners, to write me a letter. An actual, old fashioned, hand written, snail mail letter. And I’ll choose some to read here on the podcast. Because stories connect us. And the stories of our lives — the small ones, the quiet ones, the ones we think nobody wants to hear — are all that we leave behind. And having them written down somewhere is one of the most precious gifts we can give to the people who come after us. The very first letter comes from Nadine @rust_emporium , and it is a beautiful one to open this series with. Nadine writes about her mum being handed a bundle of letters — written by her great grandmother Lottie, who lived in Brisbane, to her grandmother Jane, who lived in Oxfordshire — spanning twenty odd years in the late 1880s. Written in copperplate on tissue thin paper, folded into tiny handmade envelopes that would fit in the palm of your hand. Two women who never once met in person, but who treasured each other across vast oceans through the written word alone. And Nadine asks the most beautiful question: what will my descendants think of me? She also shares a quieter, deeply personal story — the day she stepped into a pine forest in Victoria to gather pine cones for her shop window, and how the hush of those trees stopped her completely in her tracks and changed her life. This is an episode about letters and what they carry. About the forest and what it teaches. About slowing down before the world forces you to. And about the small, fleeting, everyday moments. A little reminder from this episode… They never met in person, Lottie and Jane.But they both treasured those pieces of paper until the day they died.And so did every daughter and cousin who came after them. No one is ever disappointed to find letters. Never ever never! Would you like to be part of the Kitchen Table Letters? I would love to read your letter on the podcast. All you need to do is get in touch via the email address in the show notes and I’ll send you a list of prompts to choose from. Write your response by hand, pop it in the post to my address, and your letter might just be read aloud right here on Tell Me Over Tea. You just need to be comfortable with me sharing bits and pieces — on the podcast, in my newsletter, or over on Instagram. If you’d prefer to keep some things private, just let me know and we’ll sort it out. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here 🙂 Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . Oh, and from July on, there will be an extra special little gift waiting for one lucky duck subscriber. A ‘golden ticket’ will be tucked inside one envelope. Who will July’s ticket finder be? ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 22: Thea - A Portrait of my Mum In this solo episode of Tell Me Over Tea, I give my mum, Thea, a little bit of the limelight she so richly deserves — and would almost certainly have hidden from if she were here. Following on from Episode 21, where I shared a letter to my Nan about the grief of losing five of her six children, I felt the pull to tell you more about the first of those children to leave us. My mum. The woman who shaped me more than anyone else in the world, in both her life and in her death. In this episode I wander back through her story — from Manly Hospital in 1954, through a Northern Beaches childhood full of siblings, Sunday school, Bob Dylan and that long, silky brown hair, right through to the weatherboard cottage on 105 acres in Bargo where she finally found the slow, earthy, rooted life she had always craved. Along the way you’ll hear about: * The hippie teenager who became a mother at 18 and never looked back * A Jersey cow named Blossom who was anything but angelic at milking time * Homemade bread, chocolate cake, and the most expensive milk in the Bega Valley * A rooster incident I will not forget * The mum who actually looked forward to school holidays * And the quiet, powerful way she showed us, every single day, that the simple things were everything This one is full of love, laughter, nostalgia and a few tears. So, pour yourself something warm, find a comfy spot, and come and meet my mum. Part two — her cancer, her dying, and the rest of her story — is coming in the next episode. A little reminder from this episode… She never put a name to it.She didn’t talk, talk, talk.She just did. But looking back now I can see so clearly what my mum was doing — living intentionally, choosing presence over things, building a home that felt safe and warm and full, no matter how humble its innards were. She was showing us every single day that homemade bread and a garden and a mum who wanted to be with you — that those things were everything. And they were. Something to do after you listen… This episode is an invitation to write about your own mum — or a motherly figure who shaped you. You don’t have to write the whole story. Start with one small memory. The smell of her kitchen. Something she always said. The way she laughed. Those small details are the ones that matter most, and they are the ones most at risk of being lost. Pick up your pen this week. Write it down. Pleasey. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen — and if you feel inclined, leave a little review. It helps more story-lovers find their way here. Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Back left - Robert, Mum Front left: Christine, Ron Show Notes Episode 22: Dear Nan Too Much Loss In this deeply personal episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I read one of the most difficult letters I’ve ever written to my Nan. This episode contains discussion of child loss, cancer, death, and grief. Please listen with care if these topics feel tender for you. This is a letter about grief, loss, and the unimaginable reality of outliving five of your six children. From the baby she never had the chance to hold, to the adult children she lost over the decades, this episode explores the quiet resilience that carried my Nan through a lifetime of heartbreak. It is a story about motherhood, endurance, and the many ways people learn to live alongside grief. While this is a sad and emotional episode, it is also a tribute to a woman who continued to love, laugh, care for others, and embrace life despite carrying more loss than most of us can imagine.And, as always, there’s a cup of tea beside me while I read. In this episode I’m drinking the beautiful Madi blend from Ettie and Dorrie — a delicious, strong loose leaf black tea that’s perfect for that first morning cuppa or an afternoon pick-me-up. Hand blended by Sara, it’s exactly the kind of comforting tea you want in your hands during a reflective conversation like this. You can find Sara’s beautiful range of teas here: Ettie and Dorrie Tea You can also find her on instagram here: @ettieanddorrie Okey doke, time to pop the kettle on, settle in, and join me. If this episode sparks memories you’d like to capture, I’ve created a free guide called The Five Minute Memory List . It’s a simple, gentle exercise designed to help you gather memories, story ideas, and moments from your life—one list at a time. You’ll find the link here and below in the show notes. If you know someone who might love this kind of conversation, please do pass it along, and if you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here. Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 20: Don’t Throw Away Your Letters In this solo episode of Tell Me Over Tea, I share something that has been sitting on my heart ever since it found its way back into my hands — a letter I wrote to my Aunty Kathleen when I was just six years old. Two short pages in fat, six year old scrawl. And yet, the moment I read it again, the memories I hadn’t visited in decades began surfacing — slowly at first, and then all at once. Flooded! In this episode I read the letter aloud, and then wander through the memories it unlocked — a rogue young horse named Mischief, a little black rabbit called Cindy, the saleyards at Mudgee, a green and white school dress in a sea of brown and white ones, and the strange comfort of a cane sickbay bed when you’re the new girl and everything feels just a little out of sorts. It’s an episode about the power of ordinary letters. The ones we write without any thought of their future value. The ones that sit in shoeboxes and drawers for decades, filled with moments in time waiting to be rediscovered. So pour yourself a cuppa and come and sit with me for a little while. A little reminder from this episode… We don’t write letters thinking about the future. We write them because we’re excited about a horse. Because we have the measles but we’re nearly better. Because there’s a PS about a rabbit that simply can’t wait. And yet, forty, fifty years on, those small unselfconscious moments become something more priceless than we could ever have imagined. Don’t throw away your letters. Pleasey! Something to do after you listen… If you have old letters tucked away somewhere — in a drawer, a shoebox, a box at your mum’s house — go and find them. Read them. See what comes back to you. And if you don’t have old letters, or even if you do — write one this week. It doesn’t have to be long. It doesn’t have to be eloquent. A tiny note with a PS about your rabbit is more than enough. You have no idea what it might mean one day. To the person who receives it. Or to you, if it ever finds its way back home. Come and write letters with us… If this episode has nudged you toward picking up a pen, you’re warmly invited to join The Lovely Letters Project — my free snail mail exchange for women all over the world. With 900+ members across Australia, the US, the UK, Sweden, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Italy, Canada and beyond, it truly is the loveliest little community of letter writers. You can find the link here to sign up — it’s free, and once you’re on the list you’ll hear from me about the monthly exchange. You can choose a permanent pen pal or a fresh new one each month. Either way, I’d love to have you there. And if this episode stirred something in you — a memory, a story, a little nudge to begin writing — you are welcome to grab my free guide, The Five Minute Memory List , to help you make a start. You’ll find it in the welcome letter when you sign up to my newsletter at bettymaewrote.com If you know someone who might love this kind of conversation, please do pass it along, and if you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here. Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 19: Baking Memories, Family Recipes & Finding Comfort in the Kitchen with Kath Vincent In this cosy and memory-filled episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I sit down with baker, recipe writer and storyteller Kath Vincent from Kulinary Adventures of Kath to chat about the deep connection between food, family and memory. Together we wander through childhood kitchens, handwritten recipe cards, pavlovas with perfect peaks, and that beautiful love language of baking for, and with, the people you care about. Kath shares precious memories of baking with her grandmother, the comfort of simple everyday recipes, and the special feeling of holding old family recipes written in familiar handwriting. The conversation also explores Kath’s own writing journey, her cookbooks, and the inspiration behind her much-loved recipe newsletters and baking projects. It’s an episode full of nostalgia, warmth, gentle reflection… and plenty of talk about tea and biscuits. So, make sure you have a cuppa and a bickie handy because you’re going to get hungry, I promise! About Kath Kath Vincent is the creator behind Kulinary Adventures of Kath , where she shares comforting recipes, thoughtful food writing, baking inspiration and beautiful photography. Kath has written several baking books including Everyday Bakes , Cozy Winter Bakes and Baking with Rose . She also writes a free and paid newsletter exploring recipes, food memories and treasured family baking traditions. You can find Kath here: * Kulinary Adventures of Kath * Kath’s Substack Newsletter * Kath on Instagram love love love Kath’s book! A nice little reminder from this episode … Sometimes the recipes we inherit are more than instructions.They’re stories.They’re proof someone was here.A handwritten note in the margin, a smudge of flour on the page, a pavlova made the same way every Christmas… all of it becomes part of the family story we carry forward. Pop the kettle on, slice yourself a piece of cake, and enjoy this beautiful conversation with Kath. And if this conversation stirred something in you—perhaps a memory, a story, or a little nudge to begin writing—you’re warmly invited to grab my free and fun guide to help you make a start. It’s called: The Five Minute Memory List. You can find it in the welcome letter when you sign up to my newsletter. If you’ve already subscribed, and you can’t find your welcome email, please email me and I will send it directly to you. And if you know someone who might need this kind of conversation right now, feel free to pass it along. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here;) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
That’s my mum! Show Notes Episode 18: Dear Nan – Episode 18 | Parenting in The 50s and 60s Growing a tribe of five In this episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I’m sharing a letter to my Nan — written as I reflect on her years as a young mother, raising five children in the 1950s and 60s. This episode is also held within a tender moment of goodbye. My grandpa recently passed away at 95, just days before the anniversary of my Nan’s death. With his passing, it feels like the closing of a chapter — the end of an era that shaped so much of our family story. Through this letter, I return to the house on the hill in North Narrabeen… a place filled with baking days, childhood mischief, community, and the kind of everyday moments that became the legacy of my grandparents. It’s a story of parenting five children in the 1950s and 60s in Sydney, Australia, of changing times, of laughter and chaos, and of the love that holds it all together. Pop the kettle on and join me for this gentle remembering. In this episode, I share: * A personal reflection on loss and the end of an era * Memories of my grandparents’ and earlier years in North Narrabeen * A heartfelt letter exploring motherhood in the 50s and 60s * Family stories filled with humour, mischief, and affection * The contrast between past and present parenting styles * The power of ordinary moments to become lasting memories A gentle invitation: As you listen, notice the memories that surface for you — the small, seemingly ordinary ones. They’re often the doorway into the stories that matter most. Free Resource: I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. A short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You’ll find it linked below. If this conversation stirred something in you—perhaps a memory, a story, or a little nudge to begin writing—you’re warmly invited to join me inside Little Life Stories , my membership for women who want to capture their stories in a supportive, heart-led way. The doors will be opening again next week, so please be sure to subscribe to this newsletter, so you don’t miss a trick when dates are released. And if you know someone who might need this kind of conversation right now, feel free to pass it along. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way here;) Kim x Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨I’ve created a simple and beautiful starting point for your own storytelling: The Five Minute Memory List. It’s a short, exercise (a cuppa’s worth), to help you gather memories and begin. It’s fun and easy peasey and it’s something you can use in your letter writing, journaling and personal life writing. You can grab that by subscribing to my newsletter (you’ll find it in the welcome letter one you’ve signed up) : here ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here . ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
photo credit: Ilona Show Notes Episode 17: Ilona’s Story Creativity, Change, Health & Finding a New Way Forward In this episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I sit down with the wonderful and ever so creative, Ilona to explore a life shaped by creativity, unexpected change, and resilience. Ilona shares her journey from an unlikely beginning in pottery—despite once having no interest in clay—to building a deeply intentional creative business grounded in ethics, sustainability, and community. But her story doesn’t follow a straight line. When chronic illness entered her life, everything shifted. What followed was a period of uncertainty, adaptation, and ultimately, a reimagining of what a creative life could look like. Now, from her home, Ilona supports other quiet creatives in showing up online in a way that feels true to who they are—without the noise, pressure, or performance. This is a conversation about listening to your body, honouring your seasons, and finding new ways to create when life asks you to begin again. So pour yourself a cuppa, settle in, and step into Ilona’s story. Oooh, and for you gardening fanatics, there’s some lovely flower chat too:) photo credit: Ilona In This Episode, We Talk About * Growing up surrounded by creativity and finding her own artistic path * How discovering locally sourced clay led Ilona into pottery * Building a slow, ethical creative business in the Barossa * The physical realities of working as a potter * Navigating chronic illness, including POTS and long-term fatigue * Letting go of a creative identity and finding a new one * The evolution of Instagram and what it means for quiet creatives * Creating and launching a course entirely from bed * Life on a multigenerational property and finding creativity in the garden * The small, everyday ways creativity can still exist in difficult seasons * If this conversation stirred something in you—perhaps a memory, a story, or a little nudge to begin writing—you’re warmly invited to join me inside Little Life Stories , my membership for women who want to capture their stories in a supportive, heart-led way. The doors will be opening again in April, so please be sure to subscribe to this newsletter, so you don’t miss a trick when dates are released. And if you know someone who might need this kind of conversation right now, feel free to pass it along. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way to the kettle;) Kim x — Where to find Ilona - Instagram: @quietcreativesacademy Website: The Quiet Creatives Academy Ilona’s course: The Poppy ( I’ve done it and it’s awesome! ) Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨If you’d like to make a start on writing your life stories, but you don’t feel ready to commit to Little Life Stories just yet, I’ve made a 39 page free guide to help you on your way. It’s called The Memory Cupboard and it’s jam packed with ideas to help you collect those memories and start writing. You can grab that here. ✨ The Tea + Toast Letter Club ! A little moment to pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy spot, and enjoy a letter (and some other goodies) in the mail every month. You can read more about it here ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project (it’[s free!) ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 16: Katie Masters Wild Waters, Ocean Swimming & Finding Home in the Sea In this episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I am joined by Katie Masters for a heartfelt conversation about ocean swimming, friendship, courage, and the deep pull of the sea. After responding to my Substack piece about a place that has your heart , Katie shared her own story — one rooted not in a house or a valley, but in the ocean. Pop the kettle on. This one is fresh and salt-kissed and oh, so inspiring. In this episode, Katie shares her story, and chats about: ✨ Growing up in the Perth Hills and a childhood shaped by swimming pools, dams, and weekend race meets.✨ Walking away from competitive swimming as a teenager when pressure and body image overshadowed the joy.✨ Moving from Pemberton to the coast and finding community through a women’s ocean swimming group.✨ How ocean swimming transformed her relationship with her body, fear, friendship, and belonging.✨ Taking on epic open water swims — including the Port to Pub Swim and the Busselton Jetty Swim — not for podiums, but for connection and courage.✨ Why the sea feels like home, and how immersion in wild water brings calm, clarity, and strength. And, as always, we share a cuppa over our conversation. This is an episode about returning to what you love, finding your people as an adult, and discovering that sometimes home isn’t a house — it’s a horizon. So put the kettle on and join us for this fresh, salt-kissed conversation with the gorgeous Katie Masters. If you enjoyed this episode, follow Tell Me Over Tea wherever you listen, and if you feel inclined, leave a little review — it helps more story-lovers find their way to the kettle;) Kim x — I also have to mention the beautiful tea Katie and I were sipping during our chat. It was kindly gifted to us by the lovely Tanya from Inspirational Tea Co . If you’d like something delicious to brew while you listen (and truly, why wouldn’t you?), Tanya has created a special discount for listeners. Use the code STORIES to receive 15% off your order. A warm mug in your hands, a good story in your ears — that sounds just about perfect to me. Where to find Katie and have a sticky beak at her writing: Instagram: @ wildwatersjournal Substack: Wild Waters Journal Where to find me: ✨I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories, Lovely Letters and the podcast. ✨To find out more about my writing membership, Little Life Stories you can do that here: Little Life Stories ✨If you’d like to make a start on writing your life stories, but you don’t feel ready to commit to Little Life Stories just yet, I’ve made a 39 page free guide to help you on your way. It’s called The Memory Cupboard and it’s jam packed with ideas to help you collect those memories and start writing. You can grab that here. ✨If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join: The Lovely Letters Project ✨Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com ✨Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon (thanks, Lew!) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
All writing occasions must include tea and cake;) Show Notes Episode 15: I Don’t Know Where to Start Writing — and Why That’s Enough Do you ever want to write your life stories, but find yourself thinking: “I don’t know where to start”? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m exploring why that feeling is perfectly normal — and why starting, even in a messy, imperfect way, is enough. I share personal reflections on my own writing practice, the moments of staring at a blank page, and the tiny steps that lead to a story beginning. We talk about: * Why the “perfect starting point” doesn’t exist * How meaningful writing begins in uncertainty * What starting really looks like — one memory, one image, one moment at a time * Why facilitation and support can make the first steps feel lighter * The power of writing alongside a community of like-minded women I also share how Little Life Stories is designed to hold that space for you: a safe, supportive way to start your story with prompts, guidance, and a community that keeps you gently moving forward. Inside Little Life Stories This is the last time Little Life Stories is offered as it currently exists , as a founding member experience. After this week, it will become a separate program and membership. For $385, founding members receive: * A 1:1 Zoom chat with me (up to 1 hour) to help kickstart your story * Six weeks of weekly email content with guided prompts, writing invitations, tips, and encouragement * Short, manageable writing sessions you can do at your own pace * Ongoing email support from me throughout your time in the program * Access to a warm, monthly writing community where women share, encourage, and grow together * A compilation of your gorgeous stories to share with loved ones! You don’t need the whole story. You just need one place to begin. And sometimes, beginning together makes all the difference. 📅 Last chance to join as a founding member: Monday, 2nd February (AEST)🔗 Join here: Little Life Stories Takeaway Starting your story isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about taking the first step, giving yourself permission, and finding the right support to make that step feel lighter. In this episode, I hope you leave feeling encouraged, inspired, and ready to begin — one memory at a time. Kim x Join Little Life Stories TODAY! ✨ Connect with me: Instagram: @bettymaewrote ( I love a good old DM!)Email: kim@bettymaewrote.com ✨ Resources & Links: * If you’d like to start writing your own stories but feel a little overwhelmed, I’ve created a free guide to help you begin: Grab The Memory Cupboard guide here. * Join our Little Life Stories community newsletter for weekly prompts, gentle encouragement, and a space to start gathering your stories. You’ll also keep up to date with when the doors will open again to my Little Life Stories membership: Subscribe here. * I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast. Oh, and of course, the Wild Wood folk too;) * If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join my snail mail exchange for women all over the world: The Lovely Letters Project * Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com * Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 14: Letters from Nan – The Early Years of Married Life and the Creation of Home In this episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I share another heartfelt letter from my Dear Nan series, reflecting on the early years of her marriage and the home she and Grandpa raised their family in. From the joys of newlywed life, to the challenges of family dynamics and work, this episode is a journey through love, resilience, and creating a home. You’ll hear stories about: * Their wedding day on 4th August 1951 at Saint Matthew’s Church, Manly * Their honeymoon in Yowie Bay (and how Felix came along for the ride!) * The Narrabeen House where they raised five children * Grandpa’s early work experiences, from “dunny man” to butcher * How they managed independence, first mortgages, and family challenges * The lessons, love, and legacy woven through everyday life I also share my reflections on listening to my Nan’s stories, discovering new details from Grandpa, and how the memories of home and family have shaped my own life and love of storytelling. Pour yourself a cup of tea, settle in, and join me in gently gathering the stories that matter—one memory at a time. Kim x Resources & Links: * Grab my free guide The Memory Cupboard : a 39-page companion to help you start writing your life stories, organised into four themed shelves to get you unstuck and inspired. Connect with me: Instagram DMs: @bettymaewrote Email: kim@bettymaewrote.com ✨ Extras * If you’d like to start writing your own stories but feel a little overwhelmed, I’ve created a free guide to help you begin: Grab The Memory Cupboard guide here. * Join our Little Life Stories community newsletter for weekly prompts, gentle encouragement, and a space to start gathering your stories. You’ll also keep up to date with when the doors will open again to my Little Life Stories membership: Subscribe here. * I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast. Oh, and of course, the Wild Wood folk too;) * If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join my snail mail exchange for women all over the world: The Lovely Letters Project * Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com * Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 13 - An Artist’s Story: Curbing Perfectionism and Embracing Creativity In this first episode for the brand new year, I sit down with Canberra artist Julia from French Rose Studios for a lovely conversation about creativity, comfort, and becoming a ‘recovering perfectionist.’ Julia shares how her love of art began early, nurtured by a wonderful high school teacher who taught her far more than technique. Through postcards, holiday paintings, and many encouraging nudges, she slowly discovered that art could be a safe place to land – somewhere free from competition, comparison, and the pressure to get everything perfect. You’ll hear Julia talk about finding flow state in her cosy home studio, why watercolour is the perfect medium for learning to let go, and how creativity can calm our busy minds and lower our stress levels. Her story is a gentle reminder that imperfection is not only normal, it’s often where the magic lives. Of course, as with all good chats, there is tea in hand. Julia reminisces about the delightful tea cafés of Lyon, France, where choosing a blend came with timers, patisserie treats, and shelves of loose-leaf possibilities. It’s enough to make any listener want to book a plane ticket and pack a sketchbook. I’m off! This episode also ties beautifully into a fresh start for 2026, with a reminder for listeners to grab my free guide, The Memory Cupboard – a bite-sized workbook designed to help you write those personal life stories in a simple, un-overwhelming way. And in perfect timing, Julia is launching her own beginner’s watercolour course, Nature’s Palette , offering podcast listeners a special discount during launch week. Here are the details for you who would love to learn how to watercolour: Nature’s Palette: Beginner’s Watercolour A self-paced course with lifetime accessUsual price: $168Launch week discount: 15% offUse code: LAUNCH (all capitals)Discounted price: $142.80Available: Jan 6 – Jan 13 Pull up a chair, wrap your hands around a mug, and enjoy a heartfelt story about how creativity helps us feel a little safer in the world. If today’s episode sparked something in you – perhaps a memory, a creative itch, or the desire to try something new – let me know. I’d love to keep the conversation going. If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your reviews help more people discover the joy of storytelling and connection over a cuppa. Thanks for listening, and here’s to more sharing and connecting over stories. Kim x PS I also wanted to mention, again, the delicious tea that Julia and I were sipping during our chat. It was kindly gifted to us by the lovely Tanya from Inspirational Tea Co So, so yummy! If you too would like to enjoy a yummy tea to sip whilst you listen to these podcast episodes, Tanya has created a discount code for my listeners. It will give you 15% off the regular price. How wonderful is that?Please be sure to use the discount code: STORIES to get 15% off. (thanks so much, Tanya!). * You can find Julia online at these places:Instagram & Facebook: @ FrenchRoseStudio s Website: www.frenchrosestudios.com Connect with me Instagram DMs: @bettymaewrote Email: kim@bettymaewrote.com ✨ Extras * If you’d like to start writing your own stories but feel a little overwhelmed, I’ve created a free guide to help you begin: Grab The Memory Cupboard guide here. * * Join our Little Life Stories community newsletter for weekly prompts, gentle encouragement, and a space to start gathering your stories. You’ll also keep up to date with when the doors will open again to my Little Life Stories membership: Subscribe here. * I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast. Oh, and of course, the Wild Wood folk too;) * If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join my snail mail exchange for women all over the world: The Lovely Letters Project * Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com * Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 12: Dear Nan — A Christmas Carol of Sorts In this Christmas-time episode of Tell Me Over Tea , I share a Dear Nan letter I wrote last December — one filled with memory, mess, food, family and love. This letter drifts back into Nan’s kitchen at Christmas: the peeling and chopping, the bossy instructions, the bone-handled butter knives, endless washing up, and the comforting chaos that came with feeding a house full of people. It’s a reflection on how food is so vivid in my memories, and how much connection happened inside that humble little kitchen with the bright yellow bench tops and the constantly filled-with-hot-sudsy water sink. This episode is my invitation to you, to slow down and take a moment for yourself during this Christmas season, to notice what you remember, feel the joy that memories can bring, and hopefully begin writing those memories down before they slip away. In this episode, we explore: * Christmas memories anchored in kitchens, food and family * The chaos and comfort of shared preparation * How traditions are passed down through generations * Why ordinary moments often become the most precious memories * The importance of writing your stories while you still can Mentioned in this episode: My free guide, The Memory Cupboard — a cosy, practical guide to help you gently uncover memories and begin writing them down, one small moment at a time.You’ll find the link in the show notes to download your copy. A little reminder: You don’t need hours, confidence, or a plan to start writing your life stories. Five quiet minutes is enough. One memory is enough. The rest follows. Pop the kettle on, find a comfy spot, and let this Christmas letter carry you somewhere familiar. ✨ Links and Extras * If you’d like to start writing your own stories but feel a little overwhelmed, I’ve created a brand-new free guide to help you begin: Grab The Memory Cupboard guide here. * Join our Little Life Stories community newsletter for weekly prompts, gentle encouragement, and a space to start gathering your stories. You’ll also keep up to date with when the doors will open again to my Little Life Stories membership: Subscribe here. * I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast. Oh, and of course, the Wild Wood folk too;) * If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join my snail mail exchange for women all over the world: The Lovely Letters Project * Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com * Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your reviews help more people discover the joy of storytelling and connection over a cuppa. Thanks for listening, and here’s to more sharing and connecting over stories. A very Merry Christmas to you! Kim x Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
Show Notes Episode 11: The Joy of Connection – Cooking, Conversation, and Community with Mary from Happy Places and Co In this episode, we sit down with Mary, the heart behind Happy Places and Co and a cherished member of Little Life Stories , to explore how food, friendship, and meaningful conversation can bring people together. From her earliest memories in her grandmother’s kitchen to creating vibrant events that nurture connection, Mary shares her story of how a love of cooking and authentic relationships has shaped her life and work. We journey through: * Family foundations of cooking and creativity: Mary recalls her grandmother’s warm, joyful kitchen and her mother’s thrifty, inventive approach to meals. From decorating wedding cakes to stewed apples and toasted jam-and-apple sandwiches, Mary’s childhood was filled with hands-on learning, laughter, and the joy of sharing food. These early experiences shaped not only her love of cooking but also her appreciation for the simple happiness that comes from being around loved ones. * Life lessons from the table: Mary shares how learning to cook while navigating challenges like her mother’s MS diagnosis taught her resilience, problem-solving, and the importance of routine, care, and shared moments at the table. Cooking became a way to connect with her family and honor her roots, and it continues to be a way for her to carry forward the legacy of love and creativity she inherited. * Happy Places and Co: Inspired by a lifetime of positive food experiences and her work connecting people in community, Mary created Happy Places and Co . Her events bring people together over good food, engaging conversation, and shared experiences, emphasising the importance of social wellness, presence, and belonging. * Curating experiences that matter: From the Millionaires Walk in Sorrento to International Women’s Day and Mother’s Day celebrations, Mary carefully plans events that blend activity, conversation, and delicious food. Each gathering is designed to be inclusive, thoughtful, and supportive, helping people form authentic connections that extend beyond the event itself. * Friendship and listening: Mary reflects on the profound impact of her friendship with Cheryl, who taught her the art of genuine listening and the value of deep, meaningful relationships. Cheryl’s influence threads through Mary’s approach to community-building and connection. * The power of community: Mary shares stories from her events and supper clubs, highlighting how simple moments—walking together, sharing a meal, and engaging in guided conversations—can create bonds, spark laughter, and foster lifelong friendships. She emphasises that authentic connections are built through presence, shared stories, and the simple joy of being together. * Practical tips and inspiration: Mary offers insights on hosting, creating beautiful food experiences, and cultivating meaningful connections in your own life, reminding us that the simple act of sharing a meal can nurture the soul. Connect with Mary: * Website: Happy Places and Co * Instagram: @happyplacesandco ✨ Links and Extras * If you’d like to start writing your own stories but feel a little overwhelmed, I’ve created a brand-new free guide to help you begin: Grab The Memory Cupboard guide here. * Join our Little Life Stories community newsletter for weekly prompts, gentle encouragement, and a space to start gathering your stories. You’ll also keep up to date with when the doors will open again to my Little Life Stories membership: Subscribe here. * I write, on Substack, a weekly newsletter, you can subscribe to that here: Betty Mae Wrote newsletter . It’s the space where I share stories (both mine and other people’s) and it’s also a way of keeping up to date with all things Betty Mae Wrote, Little Life Stories and the podcast. Oh, and of course, the Wild Wood folk too;) * If you’d like to get back into the gorgeous slow soothe of letter writing, please know you are always welcome to join my snail mail exchange for women all over the world: The Lovely Letters Project * Or if you simply need a good old sticky beak around the place, please head on over here to the website: www.bettymaewrote.com * Oh and if you’re an Instagram type, be sure to follow me on Instagram: @bettymaewrote If you enjoyed this episode, I’d be so grateful if you could leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Your reviews help more people discover the joy of storytelling and connection over a cuppa. Thanks for listening, and here’s to more sharing and connecting over stories. Kim x Music: Kim on the uke;) Rattling teacups – also Kim Production and Editing: Surprise, surprise, guess who? Yep! Kim again! Art by Lewis Dillon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit bettymaewrote.substack.com
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