Hi Friends!

Just wanted to post an update on what we've been doing with our Tea for a Cause Donations!

As you may or may not know, last year we trapped a total of 7 cats just outside of our home. With the help of the rescue we volunteer with, we were able to get all of those 7 cats spayed/neutered, and 6 of them homed into loving families (mama cat was returned to her environment and is still cared for).

Just when we thought we did our part on controlling the feral/stray cat issue on our block, in February a new little guy showed up at our house who appeared to be just under a year old. I knew in my heart when I saw him that he had to be saved and that he COULD be saved seeing as he was still young and not completely feral. 

After weeks of earning his trust, I was able to trap our little friend. I spent over a month socializing kitty to help him find his forever home. During this time, someone near and dear to us saw him and fell in love. They knew he was "the one".

Before taking him to his new furever home, he was taken to our local area SPCA for all vaccinations and neuter, as no cat/kitten should be adopted out otherwise. Upon his neuter surgery, the veterinarian found that he had an umbilical hernia that was about the size of a fist. This is a very significant size, and can be very dangerous if not corrected. Without question, we agreed to taking care of the expenses for this surgery. We wanted what was best for kitty, and we didn't want his new family to have to worry about this unexpected medical expense (Roughly $125).

We are happy to say that all went well with surgery, and "Moon" has since gone home with his new family. He is making leaps and bounds getting comfortable with being an indoor kitty, and allowing his humans to love and care for him. 

I cannot say it enough times to PLEASE spay and neuter your animals. It makes a huge difference in controlling the amount of homeless animals out there! No domesticated animal should be left to fend for itself outdoors, and they certainly shouldn't be bringing more innocent lives into the world that can't be cared for either. 

Thank you all so much for continuing to support our Tea for a Cause, so we can help pets such as Moon get the care that they deserve! 

Happy Tails Moon!!

We've kept very busy this fall, and we were able to make some nice donations thanks to your support of our Detoxic Avenger blend and your kind donations.  We were able to donate $50 each to two families on Paws 4 A Cure, a $50 donation to the Volunteer Auxiliary for Animal Shelters, and a small $10 donation to Noah's Ark Rescue Project and Sanctuary.

While it may not seem like a lot we can assure you for every donation made to a non-profit, every little bit adds up in the end and helps far more than you realize! So having said that, never feel like a donation you make to any organization you support is too small! Thanks again for your kindness and compassion. We truly have the best customers! <3

Please check out our limited edition advent calendar on our online store. We'll be taking 20% of all sales made from this item to purchase pet supplies for The Volunteer Auxiliary for Animal Shelters to donate just in time for the holidays! 

THE WICKEDLY TALENTED LADIES OF MACABRE MERCH: SIX QUESTIONS FOR THE BEAUTY AND BRAINS BEHIND THE KILLER SHOP, BRUTALITEAS

BRUTALITEAS IS SHOP THAT MAKES UNIQUE AND QUALITY LOOSE LEAF TEA BLENDS WITH NAMES THAT PARODY HORROR MOVIES,  METAL, ROCK, AND ALTERNATIVE BANDS. IT’S RUN BY THE LOVELY COURTNEY AND HER HUSBAND ADAM. WE LOVE BRUTALITEAS FOR THEIR GREAT PACKAGING DESIGN, THEIR PASSION AND CREATIVITY, AND THEIR KILLER SELECTION OF DELICIOUS TASTING BLENDS (SERIOUSLY, IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK FROM THEIR MANY INCREDIBLE FLAVORS…AND ALSO IMPOSSIBLE TO GO WRONG WITH WHATEVER YOU PICK). 

1. WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?
For years, I worked with loose-leaf tea in a retail setting. I fell in love with tea and coming up with my own blends — as well as introducing tea to others and seeing their excitement for the product. I absolutely disliked the retail world and ended up leaving my retail job to start another job. A couple of years went by, and I really missed working with tea. So I decided I would just start my own business (like it’s really that simple!).
Before BrutaliTeas was created by myself and my other half, Adam, I started a small Etsy shop for loose leaf tea blends called The Bee’s Teas. Years later, a friend was joking around with us and told us we should start a line of teas with brutal names. We brushed it off at first because it seemed so silly. But then one day we were like, “Why not?” So Adam starting coming up with names, and I started coming up with blends. Six months later we launched our website with 25 flavors, and we now have about 60!  It blows our mind how supportive and excited people are for our teas, and we appreciate that more than our customers will ever know!

2. WHEN AND HOW DID YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH HORROR?
I didn’t start to appreciate horror until I was a young adult. I remember watching horror movies as a kid in the 80s and hating them. For some reason, the only movie I could watch over and over (without peeking through my fingers) as a youngster was The Toxic Avenger! Years later, I started re-watching a lot of 70s & 80s horror through adult eyes…and fell in love! Not sure what it is about horror movies, but they speak to me in some way — especially the ones that seem a little too realistic. Those are the very best!!


3. WHERE DOES INSPIRATION FOR YOUR PRODUCTS COME FROM? WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE?
We both have been huge fans of music all of our lives, particularly metal, rock, and alternative. We both spent a number of years street teaming for bands in different states, and Adam has been doing live band photography for many years. It only made sense to get our inspiration from those we admire most! I’m the horror fan in the house, so it was my idea to tap into that as an inspiration as well!

4. WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS, AND WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART?
The best part is seeing an idea you have come to fruition…and others appreciating it. There’s really no other feeling like it. It really gives you a sense of accomplishment. We love going to vending events and meeting so many awesome new people and seeing them laugh and get a kick out of our products. It’s a good feeling to give someone a little smile in their day.

The hardest part is that YOU are solely responsible for your business’s success or failure. Everything relies completely on your efforts. Owning a business is not always as glamorous as people may think. There are a lot of countless hours, blood, sweat, and tears that go into keeping it going. It’s definitely not for the weak at heart! While it can be a heavy weight on your shoulders, the advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages.

5. TELL ME WHY YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS? IS IT ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO SUPPORT FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESS (IF SO, WHY)?

I think it’s important for people to support all small business — whether it’s female-owned, male-owned, or co-owned. When you support small business, you are truly supporting someone’s dream and playing a part in his or her success. Your support is truly a gift in the eyes of a small business owner, and you will always be appreciated by the small businesses that you support.

6. HOW CAN PEOPLE FOLLOW/INTERACT WITH YOU ON SOCIAL AND PURCHASE YOUR PRODUCTS? AND IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD OR PROMOTE?

We are most active on Facebook and Instagram @brutaliteas. We love interacting with our customers, just as we would our friends! Our products can be found at www.brutaliteas.com.