Fiber Artist with a Tea Heart

I am very excited today to share with you tea artwork made by my friend Karen. I know Karen from our local Wu-Wo tea group. Her fabric art is full of color, texture, depth (literal and figurative), and heart. Karen customized these three pieces, and I'm so happy with the results! Keep reading to see the inspiration behind them. 

Karen, the artist

This is the first piece made. Karen invested a lot of time reading through this blog and finding visual cues to my tea life. She glowed like a child with a happy secret when she unveiled the piece.  Did I recognize it?  Slowly, awareness dawned. Yes - I knew this!  Study it for yourself, and then look carefully at the header on this blog.  This artwork is modeled after that exquisite tea leaf set. I was really taken with the attention to detail and the color variation that mirrors the photo. This artwork represents my passion for tea.

This second piece was done after my completion of a women's leadership program, where I learned to lead writing circles (and much more!). Karen designed the colors to pair well with the color of my living room walls. This artwork represents the sacred feminine and my my personal growth. 

The third objet d'art is absolutely inspired.  I knew the general idea, and yet I was completely blown away when Karen presented this to me.  She re-created a photo from my experience in Rwanda.  Go here to see the photo inspiration.  The white on white is so accurate - she even captures the bubbles in the tea! The fabric in the lower left is a souvenir I brought home from Rwanda.  This artwork is all heart. 

Finally, I want to share the three-dimensional aspect of this artwork. I love that the frames are painted and become part of the piece. It's like the art is reaching out to engage with me.

Find more information on Karen's fiber art here.  If you would like an introduction, let me know and I'll connect you!

Some Days, It's All About Color

I spent a long time admiring this camellia - so long, my tea went cold. I set the Chaxi ("tea stage" literally, meaning a beautiful, intentional setting for drinking of tea) in, perhaps, a non-traditional way, but that color had me in its thrall!

What colors are calling to you these days?

Vintage Linen Inspiration

A friend recently sent me this gift of vintage linens.  Pure delight! They inspire me to make everyday things beautiful. I want to know more of the woman behind these articles. Who is/was she that so artfully and skillfully embroidered this cloth? 

Did she enjoy tea? How old is/was she? What's her name and where did she live? 

These linens bring to mind my own grandmother's hands. I am fortunate to have some pieces made by her, including an embroidered bed quilt. I remember learning to embroider with Grandma as my guide. I am a little nostalgic and sad that I didn't keep up that skill. 

Look at the great detail and lovely color selection of this flower basket. Who taught this woman her handicraft? Did she teach others? 

Did she work alone or with sisters or friends? I may never know the answers, but I take a moment to send my gratitude and respect to the woman whose mind, heart and hands so carefully worked these into beauty.

Red and Black Currants and Chimney Cake

I've mentioned that Oregon is berry heaven, right?  At the Farmer's Market last weekend, I was surprised and delighted to find currants, red and black.  I've been eating them out of hand all week and enjoying their tart, but distinct flavors. 

The black currants are plumper.  To me, they have a mild anise flavor in addition to the berry tartness. It's unexpected in a berry, and I like it. The red currants are bright pops of pucker with a finish of sweetness. They're just so cute!

I was also pleased to find this chimney cake, or Kürtőskalács. I had only learned of their existence a few days before, but the baker was sold out. What good fortune, to find these being sold at my neighborhood Farmer's Market! They're fun and delicious. It's a sweet yeast bread, not really a cake, and makes a beautiful display. They're cooked on a rolling pin device.

What summer treasures have you discovered lately?

Berries, Old and New

Gooseberries

I went berry picking last weekend, something I love to do.  I thought of my grandmothers as I moved through the bushes and vines. I remembered my mom and paternal grandmother picking wild blackberries; the chiggers were awful but grandma was determined! Fortunately, no chiggers here. I recalled summer mornings with my maternal grandmother, making jam in her farmhouse kitchen before the heat of the day crept in.

Gooseberries are an old-fashioned fruit, the plump globes are tart until they ripen a little, but green is when they're best for jam. They're naturally high in pectin so they gel up without any additives. Here's the recipe I used. Gooseberry pie also happens to be one of my step dad's favorite treats. I just wish I were closer to make him one!

The bushes were easy pickin', so heavy with fruit that I brought home far more than I'll need.  Thankfully, they freeze well.

At the same farm, I was introduced to tayberries, a cross between a raspberry and a blackberry. They're a relatively "new" fruit, developed in 1979 in Scotland and named after the River Tay. This berry manages to have properties of both fruits, yet be its own thing.  I've been eating them out of hand all week and also made a batch of jam. They're delicious!

The gooseberry jam turns this pretty soft pink color, and the tayberry jam a deep purple-red. I'm grateful to live near berry farms, Oregon being one of the country's biggest producers, and I love traditions like this that keep family alive in my heart.

To Market in Kigali - A Place of Color, Texture and Treasures

  

During our time in Kigali (capital of Rwanda), we had the fun experience of visiting a local market. I didn't catch the name of it, but it's a place where locals shop (not just for tourists). As markets go, this was pretty tame. The folks were eager to sell to you, but they didn't hassle or touch. A "no thank you" and a smile allowed us passage through.

Many treasures to be found here, from handmade baskets, wood carvings, clothing and shoes, fruits and vegetables, and the highlight for me: fabrics! I could have spent hours looking at all the bold and beautiful patterns. You can even have an item custom-sewn on the spot (on a treadle machine, perfect for these conditions because it doesn't require electricity). I'm thinking of my grandmother and how she would have loved these fabrics and being with these women.

As much as I would have loved to bring home a suitcase full, I limited myself to these two choices.

Baskets and other beautiful woven crafts are other treasures to be found.

These photos are a little dark because the hallways are narrow (barely room for one to pass), with goods overflowing on each side. It would easy to spend hours - or days - wandering through.

Negotiations on price are the norm. Though I managed to bargain a little (not my strength), I'm certain I still paid tourist prices for things, and I was content to do so. 

One of my most precious souvenirs, packed in my  heart, is the colorful experience of meeting people who have very little and who are very happy. 

Tea Alchemy: Butterfly Pea Herbal Infusion

A friend generously shared with me this butterfly pea tea,  a treasure she brought back from Thailand. It's a fun tisane with a bit of fascination.  I thought it would be good for this month of magic!  

To start, the tea brews up in this lovely cobalt blue color.  The taste is, well, a bit legumey but not unpleasant.  Just an unusual flavor for my Westernized taste buds.    

Presto/Chango....When you add a little citrus (in my case, lemon juice), magic ensues!  The herbal tea transforms from the cobalt blue to this lovely aubergine color.  I also preferred the flavor of the brew with a splash of lemon. 

Butterfly Pea herbal tea is known botanically as Clitoria ternatea.  It has been used for Ayurevedic medicine for a very long time and is also used in Southeast Asian cooking as a food coloring.

Have you ever seen this magic herb brewed into tea?

Matcha Jelly Roll

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day...a matcha jelly roll!  Not only is it pretty, but it also tastes (gently) of matcha.  This was my first-ever attempt at a jelly roll, so it's a little messy, but I was pleased overall.

I used this recipe.  It worked pretty well.  I agree that you need to sift the flour three times!  Not only does it add air to the flour, but it also ensures your matcha is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

Pre-sift

Post-sift

I had a tear along the side of the roll, but it remained intact overall and worked out OK.  I also thought the cake was a little dry. Next time, I will wrap it in a moist towel (instead of leaving it in its parchment paper). If you have jelly roll tips, will you share them?  Thank you!

DIY Bangle Bracelets

While I was home for the holidays, I did a craft project with my niece, her friend, and their dolls.  :-)  Some grownups got to play, too.  We made bangle bracelets out of floral wire, wrapped in fabric.  Here are the directions.  My niece is 6 and if someone helped her with the wire and the ties, she was very capable of (and happy to) do her own fabric wrapping.

And we made some bracelets for the dolls.  ;-)  These were actually the hardest because the doll hands are inflexible.

I made a few for myself, too.  I found that using floral wire is easier than an old hanger as it's much more bendable.  The color combinations are endless.  Fat quarters work really well for this project, and it's a great scraps buster too!  Thanks to the folks who put out the tutorial!

Vintage Embroidered Tea Tablecloth

I received this vintage embroidered tea tablecloth as a Christmas gift.  I love it!  There is a vignette on each corner, with crocheted-edge lacing all around. 

I enjoy thinking of the woman (I assume) who did the beautiful needlework.  Did she make this for use in her home or as a gift?  What drew her to these colors?  How long did it take her to complete?  Did she ever prick her finger?  My questions go on and on...what a story I can imagine!

   

It was very fun to find things I owned to accent the tablecloth.  It became a table setting full of memories.  I pulled out a tea tin that the DH and I had purchased (full of jasmine tea) on our honeymoon in San Francisco.  :-)  The candlesticks are from a potter in New Mexico. 

Orange is a Happy Color

Orange helps me to smile and so it shows up often in my life. 

Above:  In my new Beehive teacup (now in the office to battle the dull grey cube)

Below:  Glads from the garden

And how perfect this new table runner (from a very generous friend), the red-orange and gold
blending in happy tones