Writer's Life: Research and falling in love!

I have been doing a lot of work on my newest book, lately.  Last Monday, I sat all day at the local library, deep in the maps and castles of Wales.

Next to me was a pile of books, helping me try and get into the mind-set of the time period and location that I have chosen for this work.

In the following time, this last week, my newest world and characters have occupied a good deal of my thoughts.

Here are some clues: Pookas, Twylyth Teg, Curses, Prosthetic Legs, Kelpies and an Alternate History South Wales & London!

#Writerslife #Teaandembroidery #Diaryofacountrylady #researchingwelshfairytales

Tea & Embroidery: Finished! (one at least...)

This coming week, my nephew will turn twelve years old.  And for him, I have worked to created this special pillow case (which I will be mailing to him early next week).

It was a bit of a collaborative effort, coming up with this design.  For, making a hand embroidered pillowcase for a boy takes more thought, I have found.  And so, it was with some suggestion and help from my Sister-in-Love that we decided on the final design.  (Though, the font I've used for his initials he doesn't know about, and I know he will love!)

So, follow my journey, from concept to finished project:

This is my original drawning up of the pattern.

Close to being done, letting standing out as I had wished in a beautiful royal blue.

And, here is the final picture of the pillowcase.  I shall be taking it now, and folding it to put into a padded envelope to send off to my nephew!

Happy Birthday, Nick!

#Teaandembroidery #Embroideryhoopart #Diaryofacountrylady 

Tea & Embroidery: Current, Ongoing and Upcoming Projects. 1/19/2015

One of the fun new things that I've been playing with is this pencil that I've found!  I can create my own designs with it, using tracing paper and an iron.

Here is one of the first designs I made with it.  I'm still working on the finishing the actual design, but I love it!

I am planning this one to be a series.  Here are the two that will accompany it, eventually.

This is a design I'm working on for a friend of my Mother's.

And of course, the most fun!  Present making!  This is for my Nephew's 12th Birthday at the end of this month!  It's almost finished!

His brother will receive his for his 11th birthday in June.

My final (for now, of course) ongoing project, is one that will take a while.  I am making, eventually, a dress.  It's a medieval styled dress, with these really dramatic spoon sleeves.  And, being myself, I thought it would look really beautiful to do some embroidery along the edges of the sleeves..... I'm not even half way done with the first sleeve, but it is looking incredible!

I will keep you all posted on the different projects, as I make progress on them!

Tea & Embroidery: Christmas Presents! 1/19/2015

For Christmas this year, I made stockings for myself and for my roommates.  I am also currently working on one for a friend.  I had gotten a wonderfully simple pattern for stockings that only uses 2 Fat Quarters of fabric, and it has been fun mixing and matching fabrics together and doing raised satin stitch monograms!
Here are a few pictures of my stocking.  I don't have pictures of theirs yet.

These were the first two stockings that I made.  They were for my Mother, who loves birds!

Here is my stocking and the one I'm working on for my friend:

Tea & Embroidery: A New Twist On An Old Classic 10/1/2014

I saw this idea originally on Pinterest, only they were using plain patterned fabric as wall/art treatments.
This gave me an idea, to take that idea and to give it a new twist.  Why not take the pretty patterned fabric and add embroidery to it.  I'm trying to come up with collections of sizes and pieces that go together.  Soon, I shall have the first fall collection put together.
Here are a few examples of some of the pieces I've completed thus far for the fall collection.

 10" Embroidery Hoop Art: Deer underneath a tree

 10" Embroidery Hoop Art: Fanciful Fall tree with blossom

4" Embroidery Hoop Art: A green leaf on a cream background

8" Embroidery Hoop Art: Deer on and Orange Pattern Background

Tea & Embroidery: Totoro Fun Continues 8/23/2014

So, after my first attempt at the Totoro pattern...

Who is now named Geraldo and he looks a little scared if you ask me....
I am in the process of making five more Totoros, and have finished a sixth!  Of course, I made the most fun one first...

My Totoro/Doctor Who mash-up!  He will eventually gain a matching Fez, with a red tassel... But I have to get the tassel first.

One final detail, that I added, was a Tardis 'tattoo' on his back.

The others, which are still in production are more traditional Totoros, though in a variety of different colors.  Here are some pictures of the process of these Totoros!

 All sorts of fun colors!  From the royal blue Doctor Who Totoro to aqua, tan, and purple

 And one that has aqua zig-zags on it's body.  It's the designer Totoro...

 This guy is one of my favorites, and is going to be my own personal Totoro.

 Roly Polys!  Minus ears, hands and tail, almost finished with them!

And here is Geraldo with the gang.

  Wave to the fans, Geraldo!

Tea & Embroidery: Time Off Fun! 8/20/2014

I have a week or so off, it being the end of our summer season here in the camping world.  And, with all this time on my hands, I've decided to attempt a new creative project.  It is sort of related to needlework, because there is some decent hand sewing involved.

I love the films of Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki and the films of Studio Ghibli.  So, while I was browsing on pinterest I came across a DIY pattern from http://www.cheekandstitch.com of one of Hayao's most beloved characters. Totoro, from "My Neighbor Totoro" from 1988.

After some minor communication issues between my computer and my printer, I was able to print out the pattern and get started.

So, I made the first one as a test run, and I learned several things from it.

In my first attempt, I attached the stomach panel the wrong way, which made the attachment of the eyes harder, for they were higher up. 

I also found out that I prefer to attach the ears after sewing the body together, rather than during.  But over-all I was pleased with my results from the initial round.

Here was my finished results:

His name has been decided upon as Geraldo and he will be going to live with my friend Pam, who fell in love with him at first sight.

Tea & Embroidery: Kareesa Wilson's Vanilla Bars 8/20/2014

In my search for things to try, I came across my recipe for Kareesa's Vanilla Bars.  While ambling through the local supermarket I came across Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix and a light bulb went off.

These are truly delicious!  I was so glad that I made them again, in a format that I can eat now.

The recipe is quite simple, there are not very many ingredients.  And the results are fantastic!

Delicious and flaky, rich and sweet.  Perfect with a nice cup of coffee.

Tea & Embroidery: Final Day of Fun 8/20/2014

So, yesterday was Sunday.  Mother and I traveled to St. Germaine to attend church at the St. Germaine Evangelical Free Church.

Afterward, we drove down to the trail head and took our bikes along the Vilas County Bike Trails.

we rode about four miles before stopping at the park for a picnic lunch.

It was a gorgeous day for a bike ride!  The sun was out, the sky was full of fluffy little clouds and it was not too hot.  In fact, it was in the low 70's with a nice gentle breeze.

It was a wonderful day to be out in the sunshine, riding my new bicycle.  And I will definitely return to these trails in the future.  It was a wonderful visit with my mother and we fully enjoyed ourselves.

Tea & Embroidery: My Mother, Tea & Me 8/16/2014

It has been a whirlwind week!
The last week of camp is over, and now I am in recovery mode.  Which means, spending time with my Mother, adventuring in the Northwoods and drinking tea while eating scones.

After spending a week cooking alongside of me at Camp, we now have a few days to just spend together.  Today we took a jaunt to Tomahawk to discover the Ben Franklin store there.  Then we traveled northwards, to Minocqua where we stopped at Kobe Sushi for lunch! Yum!  Seaweed Salad, Crunchy Vegetable Rolls, Hot Sushi Rice, and the Red Dragon roll for me.  All accompanied by Rose Green Tea and Jasmine Tea. It was gorgeous.

We stopped quick for some supplies, so that I could attempt a new recipe when we got home.  Homemade Masala Chai.  I've had the recipe for two years, and this was my first attempt.

It was delicious!  Rich and spicy, with a peppery kick.... Definitely will make it again.
We drank it with some scones, a new recipe.... well, actually it is a recipe that I have made before, but it is one that I have tried to alter in a different way this time.  It is the same recipe that I used to base my Buckwheat Oatmeal Gluten Free Scones off of, only this time I made them with just the Oatmeal and Currants in them.  Definitely a will do again, they were moist and full of the Currant-y goodness that I loved in my non-gluten-free days...

They were delicious the first time around with Pear Marmalade and the second time with Orange Marmalade...  I love having tea with my mother.  It gives me all the excuses that I need to try these recipes that have been sitting in my "want to make" list for weeks and sometimes months to years...

We ended the evening in a classic way: We watched "An Affair to Remember" followed (of course) by "Sleepless in Seattle."

"The winter must be cold for those who have no warm memories." ~Terry McKay "An Affair to Remember"

Tea & Embroidery: A Gift of Thanks, For My Mother 8/10/2014

So, this last month marked my Mother's 60th birthday.  Working in the camping field, this is the busiest time of the year for us and I was unable to join the rest of my family for the celebration.  So, I wanted to do something special for my mother.  So, I set out to make for her an embroidered pillowcase.

Being a July birthday, she loves flowers, and her name is Susan.  One of her favorite flowers is the Black Eyed Susan.  So, that was where I began.  I found a pattern that resembled the flowers and added her full monogram to it.  Today, with only a little bit of a deadline on my shoulders, I finished it. (She is coming to volunteer at the camp with me, and arrives tomorrow!)

I made this for you because I love you.  You are my Mommy, and I am so incredibly proud of you!  You have found your own two feet again and you show me everyday your love and support.  You have always encouraged my artistic leanings, and fostered my curiosity and my love of reading and writing.  So all of this I wanted to give back to you.  And maybe in doing so, take you back in time a little.  So, here is to you, Mommy!  Happy Birthday!  I love you!