Tea & Embroidery: Afternoon Tea with Friends 7/10/2014

Today my friend Annamarie has come over for dinner and a movie.  And since it was such a beautiful summer day (literally 75 and sunny!) I thought afternoon tea would be a great meal starting point.

So, I made chicken salad to be eaten off of Croissants, and cucumber sandwiches on pumpernickel bread.

Refreshing and delicious!

I added red grapes, walnuts & golden raisins to this batch of chicken salad.

And for desert, Almond Danish Puff (again) because it is so delicious and such a crowd pleaser!

We also had some Black Cherries & Mt. Reinier Cherries and Red Grapes.

There were some beautiful yellow Asiatic lillies blooming outside, so I picked a few and put them on the kitchen table.

We had a fun time watching the musical "Cats" (her first time), and eating our yummy meal.

It was a pretty perfect day.

Tea & Embroidery: Raised Satin Stitch 6/29/2014

Today I began a new adventure within Embroidery.  I have attempted, and decently suceeded in performing the raised (or padded) satin stitch.  On my new embroidery project, I am doing a monogram.  And I have wanted to attempt this stitch on my last two pillowcases.... So, I began!

Now, I say that I decently succeeded at this because it looks nice from a distance.  For the first time, I am very proud of my work.  However, I also know that with practice will come better form.  More consistent edges.  It won't be a little rough.

I look forward to continuing to post pictures of this project as it progresses.  And of sharing various recipes and tea experiences with you.  Enjoy, and take comfort and joy in the little things...

A newly learned embroidery stitch, a new type of tea, or if you aren't a tea drinker a good cup of coffee.  The sunlight on the grass through the trees, rest after a long day's work... I could continue, but I'd rather go to bed myself.

Tea & Embroidery: Gluten Free Scones! 6/26/2014

French Cafe Radio playing in the background.  The oven up to temp.  Mixing dry ingredients together in a bowl.  I pick up my pastry knife and begin to cut the cold butter into my oats and buckwheat...

  

Even though I have made this recipe before, every time I experiment with Gluten Free baking, I have a sense of nervous anticipation and excitement as I place my pans into the oven.  

I love to experiment, and recently choosing to follow the gluten free diet I have had ample opportunity to experiment. Today's experiment is oatmeal buckwheat scones with golden raisins, craisins, pecans & white chocolate chips.

They turned out lovely, and just as delicious as the previous times!

Now to read my new book that I picked up at the library this morning.

Buckwheat Oatmeal Scones:

1 Cup All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

1/2 Cup Buckwheat Flour

1/2 Cup Gluten Free Oats

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1/4 Cup Butter

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Preheat Oven to 400

Mix together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.  Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives worked in a scissor fashion.  Mix until flour/butter mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix in eggs & heavy cream until mixture is rather wet.  If it is too dry, your scones will crumble apart as you try to eat them.  Don't forget to add your favorite tiddly-bits to these.  My personal favorites are Golden Raisins, Craisins, Pecans & White Chocolate Chips!

Portion dough out onto a greased cookie sheet.  I like to plop the dough onto the sheet, rather than forming the scones with a rolling pin and cutter for this recipe.

Makes approx. 6-8 scones (depending on how big you make them)

Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until they begin to brown and smell delicious!

Eat warm with Clotted Cream and jam, or cold or however you want to!

I hope that you enjoy!

Tea & Embroidery: Tea, Embroidery & Danish Puff! 6/26/2014

My newest project: A pillow case with a border of leaves and flowers.

 I originally started with the flower being pink.  I have since changed it to yellow, more Chrysanthemum or Marigold like.

Here is the updated color palette!

My new apple blossom tea cup, with my apple blossom tea pot.  Also a bowl of black cherries.

 This morning's culinary creation: Danish Puff! YUMMY!

 Tea and Danish Puff with embroidery.  What a great way to spend my day off.

Want a piece?

Enjoying some quiet time on my day off.  A little embroidery, a little baking.  A little later I plan on attempting another baking extravaganza.  Perhaps some scones will follow yet today...

Tea & Embroidery: Let's Get Up To Date! 6/26/2014

A pillow case, being embroidered for my Niece for her birthday.

The second pillow case I embroidered for my Niece for her birthday.

A better view of the second pillow case's design.

Tea and Embroidery: Where It All Began 6/26/2014

This blog is going to follow my embroidery projects as well as photographing my collection of tea cups and tea pots and various tea cakes, scones, etc...

I started playing with embroidery last fall.  It all began with a set of cape patterns that I purchased around Halloween last year.  But no, I have to go further back than that.  I thoroughly enjoy costuming, creating characters, etc.

Early last fall I was in the office of the camp where I work and one of the ladies turned to me and said, "Lois, you know what you should do?"

Ummm.... No, but I bet you are going to tell me.  She went on to say that I should do a photo shoot in the woods this last winter wearing a red cape.  The contrast of the red against the snow.

I said to her, "But Jean, I don't have a red cape......yet...." And that started it all.

I had decided that I wanted to embroider a cape (which I have yet to do) for my niece, but somehow it turned into embroidering on the red cape that I had just made.  And so, I hope that you enjoy following along with my adventures.  And that I can inspire you to pick up a camera, a needle and thread or a spatula and whisk and get out there and create something!

After some deliberation...

After a good deal of deliberation, I have decided to combine this blog with my other Blog, Tea And Embroidery.
Therefore, you may see some posts which are dated to some time this last year as I transfer them over to this blog.  I thank you for you understanding and hope, if you have not seen them yet, that you will enjoy the little things that make my life happy!