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The Diary of a Northern Belle

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THE LATEST

Floral Garden Bunting Project: a Wrap-Up on the 2023 Stitch-Along

Fall Floral Embroidery Pattern: Calendula Wreath

“Embroideries From an English Garden” by Carol Andrews โ€“ Book Review

literary inspiration

My New Etsy Shop: Northern Belle Atelier

March 29, 2022      Anne      Leave a Comment

Dear friends, it is with such excitement that I proudly announce the opening of my Etsy shop: Northern Belle Atelier! It’s been months in the making while I figured out what I wanted to do and learned how to develop patterns for my embroidery pieces. I’ve been experimenting a lot, and learning so many new skills. It’s been a great journey, but I am so ready for this new chapter!

 

Welcome to Northern Belle Atelier!

I have opened my shop with 4 downloadable PDF patterns for embroidery, suitable for different skill levels. Each pattern has first been hand-drawn by me, then turned into a lovely booklet full of instructions and photos. Here’s what you can expect when you purchase one of my patterns:

  • The actual pattern (and reverse pattern) to transfer
  • List of the materials & tools you’ll need
  • Thread & Stitch Key to show which colours are used where, with what stitch
  • Stitch tutorials with photos for all the stitches you’ll need in the project (you can also find more in-depth tutorials here on the blog!)
  • A section of info on how to prep your project, including how to bind a hoop, how to start & end your stitches, how to transfer your pattern, etc.
  • Detailed step-by-step instructions with lots of photos to guide you through each part of the pattern
  • Suggestions on how to care for & finish your embroidery

I’ve tried to make the PDFs as detailed as possible, but of course there is so much to say about embroidery that it can fill several books! You’re always welcome to reach out if you have any questions, and you’re also welcome to browse the various sections of my blog, where I’ve written several posts with beginners in mind, and to see samples of my work (and grab some freebies!).

 

The Patterns

Let’s have a peek at some of the designs, shall we?

 

embroidered umbrella with wisteria spilling out of it
Shop this pattern here!

 

If you’ve been following the blog for a bit, this one might strike you as familiar. That’s because I first designed it back in April 2021 after being so inspired by the wonderful novel The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim. I first stitched it with a different colour palette and different lace, and wrote a whole post about it while praising Enchanted April to the skies (read it here).

I revisited the pattern later and decided to try a different palette, which I like even more than the first. The softness of the tones and the delicate lace really evoke the gloriousness of the leisure hours spent in the dreamiest Italian garden by the characters in the book. I hope you’ll love it as much as I do and that you’ll enjoy stitching it if you fancy giving it a go.

The pattern is not too difficult, but I do recommend having some previous knowledge of embroidery. None of the stitches are complicated, but it does feature a lace appliquรฉ and requires you to stitch over other stitches. This can get a little frustrating if it’s your first attempt. Luckily the nature of the wisteria is very forgivable. Little mistakes can be easily covered up with an extra tumbling flower or two. ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

Bonus:

If you want to try stitching wisteria but don’t want to commit to a full pattern just yet, I have a freebie version! A sweet branch of wisteria, perfect for practicing those lazy-daisy stitches. Find it here.

 

mouse holding a strawberry done in redwork
Shop this pattern here!

 

Also available in the shop is this cute mouse offering you a strawberry! I originally designed it for the center of an EPP hexie flower for a friend’s birthday. It was so sweet that I couldn’t resist adding it to the shop.

I stitched my version in redwork, but you could easily customize it! It’s a beginner-friendly pattern, although some might find the small details a bit challenging. It was designed to fit a 3″ hoop so it’s overall pretty small, but you can always make it bigger if you want. Most of it is done in backstitch, so not too hard at all. ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

Visit Northern Belle Atelier on Etsy to see the rest!

I can’t wait to show you what I’m planning next! I have so many ideas, and not enough time haha. While I’m only starting with PDF patterns at the moment, I do hope to add physical goods in the near future. If there’s anything in particular you’d be interested in, please let me know. ๐Ÿ™‚ Any feedback/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

For now, I really love the downloadable PDFs because you get instant access to them after purchase. No extra cost or wait on shipping! Plus, you get to use your own fabric, switch up the colours if you like, or use whatever you already have in your stash. A good win-win for everyone.

 

Freebies!

Before you go, don’t forget to have a look at the freebies section here on the blog! I have a few patterns that you can stitch if you want to practice, and you can download them for free.

  • Wisteria Branch
  • Apple Jelly Jar Bonnet
  • Little pumpkin outline to practice satin stitch

I also send out a free mini pattern per month as part of the Mini-Quilt stitch-along included in my newsletter. You can subscribe here.

 

Alrighty, I think that’s enough info-dump for one post! I hope you have a great week and thank you for taking the time to read my blog today. I look forward to sharing more shop updates with you soon! Feel free to follow along on Instagram.

 

Fondly,

Plans & Projects for 2022

January 3, 2022      Anne      Leave a Comment

Happy New Year! 2022 is here already, waiting to be filled with new plans and projects, fresh inspiration, good books, and lots of embroidery! If youโ€™ve read my last post, then you know how much I love making lists and planning and writing down resolutions.

flat lay featuring a 2022 planner, a lit candle, some markers, pinecones, and dried florals

I used to read the Dear Canada books a lot when I was younger, which are written as a diary from the heroineโ€™s perspective. In Brothers Far From Home, the heroine finds her older sisterโ€™s list of New Year Resolutions, and after dutifully scoffing at it, proceeds to write her own in her journal. It stuck with me that they didnโ€™t just make one resolution, but a whole list of them! I loved the idea so much that I took to it and have been writing my own list in my journal ever since. I make separate sections for actual resolutions, goals, and things Iโ€™d like to try.

Over the years though, Iโ€™ve found that writing down too many resolutions can be very disappointing since itโ€™s hard to stick to them all. I like having the flexibility and the challenge of making more than one, but now I try to focus on fewer and doing them well.

I take a similar approach when it comes to craft projects, although my to-do list is always off the charts. Iโ€™m trying to accept the fact that I have too many ideas and not enough time. So this year I want to prioritize things that really bring me joy and that Iโ€™m inspired to work on. Hereโ€™s a list of plans & projects Iโ€™d love to accomplish this year:

 

Plans & Projects for 2022

 

Finish my 1860โ€™s Ballgown Project

Le Monde Elegant 1867 Victorian fashion plate
November 1867 fashion plate from Le Monde Elรฉgant

Oh, it would be such a dream to finally finish this dress! For those that donโ€™t know, I was in a Costume Studies program at university. Our senior yearโ€™s final project was to re-create a gown from a fashion plate or portrait from the years 1867-69. Mine is based on the plate above. Unfortunately, the semester was cut short due to lockdown at the time, and I never finished the dress. Iโ€™m so close though! All I have left is to cut and sew the bodice, and then add the lace and other decorative finishing touches.

Why then has in been left in a box for nearly two years? Good question. Mainly because Iโ€™ve had inadequate space and equipment to work on it, but also because I justโ€ฆnever felt like it. I intend to change that this year though. The goal is to finish it in time for summer so I can take pretty pictures outside. I really look forward to sharing the final garment with you!

 

Sew More Clothes

Last year I really focused on embroidery, and while I did some light-sewing here and there, I didnโ€™t sew many garments. I have a few skirts and dresses in my WIP pile that I really hope to finish, and I promised Iโ€™d make my mom a new winter skirt, so Iโ€™ll have to get sewing! I also hope to combine embroidery with dressmaking a bit more this year, so I might just need to add a new category for all these projects here on the blog. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Would that be something to interest you?

 

Learn Needlepoint

flat lay showing a box full of embroidery skeins, the Floriography book by Jessica Roux, a cross-stitch pattern, and antique scissors

I donโ€™t need any more hobbies, but I want a new hobby. Although, since needlepoint is so similar to cross-stitch, does it really count as a new hobby? My resolution should really be to finish any and all existing cross-stitches Iโ€™ve already started, but no, Iโ€™ve a fancy to try needlepoint instead. The thing is, Iโ€™ve already started to plan this project and Iโ€™m too excited to start. Iโ€™ll be covering an antique sewing box top with a beautiful Victorian flower design.

I bought the pattern on Etsy, and while the instructions are for cross-stitch, Iโ€™ll be working it in needlepoint instead, to copy the Berlin woolwork style that was so popular in the Victorian era. I received the thread I need for it for Christmas โ€“ pictured above, beautifully packaged by mom โ€“ and will use Aida cloth for fabric. Iโ€™m honestly so excited about this project, I might start it right now!

 

Master the Basics of Crochet

I started learning how to crochet in 2020, but never practice long enough to really achieve anything. I go too long without picking up my hook and yarn, and feel like I need to re-learn the basics every time! This year, I hope to stick to it long enough to complete a nice project or two. I find it extremely relaxing, more so than embroidery, and perfect to do while watching a good movie. If anyone has any great beginner crochet tutorials or books they know of, please drop them below! Iโ€™ve been watching Bella Coco Crochet on Youtube and love her style.

 

Reading List

flat lay showing two books: Jane Austen embroidery and Floriography, as well as some lace, antique scissors, and dried plants
I received these two gorgeous books for Christmas and can’t wait to use them!

Since I shared my top reads of 2021 in my previous post, I thought Iโ€™d also share the top books that are on my TBR for this year! Iโ€™m a very moody reader and never quite know what Iโ€™ll be inclined to pick up next, but Iโ€™ve had these on my radar for many months now:

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

I mainly have the lovely Gracie over at Austens & Alcotts to thank for bumping this one up the list, since she spoke so highly of it and wrote such endearing posts on it. I saw the wonderful Season 1 of the newest TV adaptation and absolutely loved it, but Iโ€™m not sure Iโ€™d be as eager to read the book if I hadnโ€™t been so inspired by Gracieโ€™s words. As it is, I canโ€™t wait to read it and am thinking of ordering myself a copy!

Howardโ€™s End by E.M. Forster

Again, Iโ€™m being heavily influenced by Gracie ๐Ÿ˜‰. This is one of those books that Iโ€™ve seen so many people read and love last year, that I really want to join the party! I saw a film adaptation of it a while back and really enjoyed it. The book blurb definitely sounds like something I would enjoy, and thereโ€™s apparently a delightful mini-series to watch too!

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

Iโ€™m always in the mood for Alcott around this time of year, and although Iโ€™ve a strong inclination to revisit Little Women, Iโ€™d like to read Little Men too! I remembered that I own a copy of it while I was in the middle of something the other day, and since then Iโ€™ve only been thinking about it. If I donโ€™t end up reading it, Iโ€™d at least like to read something new by Alcott. I listened to An Old-Fashioned Girl last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Iโ€™m eager to discover more by this amazing author!

 

***

 

And this concludes my list of plans & projects for 2022! I will probably end up deviating from my list as I always do, but I tried to keep it shorter this year and set goals that are a bit more achievable. Of course, thereโ€™s a lot more I want to do and time does have a tendency to just fly by, but I intend to make good use of what time I am given and seek to cultivate a grateful heart.

Thank you for being here, friends! Iโ€™d love to know about your own resolutions or plans. How would you like to be creative this year? Whatโ€™s on your reading list? Iโ€™d love to chat with you about it!

 

Warmest wishes for the New Year,

2021 Year In Review

January 1, 2022      Anne      Leave a Comment

I love this time of year. After nearly a week of festivities with the family including board games, whipped cream desserts, and general lazing around, I really enjoy sitting down with my journal and next yearโ€™s planner to reflect, wonder, hope, and best of all, resolve. As a to-do list lover and stationery junkie, thereโ€™s nothing I love more than writing down my New Yearโ€™s Resolutions, making plans and setting goals for the year, and writing about my highlights of the past year.

I flip through the pages of my journal and remember with fondness all the memories that were created, and find some comfort knowing that I overcame the more difficult parts. This precious time of introspection never fails to bring me renewed peace and energy. I am thankful for all Iโ€™ve accomplished, and buoyed to try new things and start new projects this year!

 

My Top 9

I thought I’d share with you my top 9 crafty accomplishments of the year! Although I believe it’s important not to value our self-worth entirely on how much we accomplish, I think it beneficial to reflect on how we accomplish different things. Seeking to grow and learn and work with a thankful heart are more important than mindlessly creating content. So, here are the 9 projects/accomplishments I’m most proud of this year!

 

1. Starting This Blog

welcome, read my first post here

This might be what Iโ€™m most proud of in 2021! Despite beating myself up for not launching sooner, Iโ€™m so, so happy to have finally started this blog! It had been on my to-do list for a while, and I was definitely not prepared for how much I didnโ€™t know anything about blogging, but Iโ€™m really proud of how far Iโ€™ve come! Iโ€™ve been blogging steadily for 8 months now, and feel like Iโ€™ve gotten into a pretty good routine. Iโ€™m still learning so much everyday, which keeps things both exciting and frustrating, haha! I love learning new things, but am often unprepared for how long certain tasks take. Nevertheless, here we are, and I canโ€™t wait to see what 2022 has in store for my little corner of the Internet. Thank you all so much for being here, reading my posts and supporting my work! I appreciate it more than you know.

 

2. Discovering English Paper Piecing

finished hexie flowers and basted hexagons, as well as a pile of square fabric scraps, snips, and pins

Ahhhh EPP, what a joy this has been! I had absolutely no idea what EPP was until it started popping on my Instagram often. I finally gave it a try, following this video by the amazing Mollie of Wild Olive, and loved it instantly! Then I decided to turn her monthly Kawaii Crossing house patterns into hexie flowers using the EPP method, and itโ€™s been so much fun! I share them over on my Instagram, and I also wrote a full post on how I make them.

 

3. The Garden Bouquet Project

flat lay view of the finished garden bouquet embroidery framed and surrounded by fresh flowers

When I think back to the month of August, this project is all I remember! I made it for my grandparents and didnโ€™t have that much time to work on it, so I crammed as much embroidering in a day as physically possible and managed to finish it in time for my visit! It turned out just as Iโ€™d envisioned and I couldnโ€™t be more pleased. It was the perfect project to practice new skills and refine old ones. I tried a new stumpwork technique for the currant berries, worked on my long & short stitch for the wild roses, and reverted back to my beloved ribbons to make the lily. I wrote several blog posts on the making of this project, so you can have a look and follow along if youโ€™d like!

  • Introducing the Project (Part 1)
  • Silk Shading Wild Roses (Part 2)
  • Stumpworked Berries (Part 3)
  • Ribbon Lily (Part 4)
  • Easy Yellow Daisies (Part 5)
  • The Final Reveal (Part 6)

 

4. Beaded Blackberry Branch Project

flat lay close-up on beaded blackberries project and plate of blackberries with embroidery notions and dried flowers

Another rather intense, but immensely satisfying project was this beaded branch of blackberries I made last September. Inspired by one of my favourite books, Venetia by Georgette Heyer, I designed a branch of blackberries that I could stitch partly with beadwork. I ended up using a mix of silk shading, ribbonwork, and beadwork, and absolutely love it!

 

5. Practicing Drawing & Making my Own Patterns

embroidered wisteria branch finished view from top

This year, I really tried to focus more on designing my own embroideries, rather than always using someone elseโ€™s pattern. This was a pretty big challenge since drawing doesnโ€™t come naturally to me and it takes me hours to draw a very simple shape. But after several months of pushing myself to pick up my sketchbook and practice, practice, practice, I can definitely see an improvement! Drawing outlines for embroideries doesnโ€™t seem so unattainable anymore, and Iโ€™ve even been able to offer a couple of my own patterns for free here on the blog!

  • Wisteria Branch Pattern
  • Apple Jelly Pattern

Iโ€™m super excited to keep drawing and making my own patterns in 2022!

 

6. Scissor Case with Victorian Embroidery

flat lay view of embroidered scissor case with dried plants, lace, embroidery hoop and red bow

As much as itโ€™s been fun to come up with my own designs, Iโ€™ve always loved using vintage and antique patterns for sewing and embroidery. Earlier this month, I made this scissor case using a Victorian pattern from a Briggs & Co. pattern book, and it was wonderful. I adapted the pattern to fit my project and stitched it on felt really easily. The scissor case ended up being a Christmas present, but Iโ€™ll definitely need to stitch one for myself. A delight to make from start to finish!

 

7. Woodland Scene Embroidery

flat lay showing a woodland scene embroidered in a vine wreath

I tried something completely new and different this month as well, and mixed watercolour and embroidery in this wintery scene. This was one of my most challenging design of which Iโ€™m really proud of, and the addition of the watercolour turned out so well! As much as I love the long & short stitch, it wouldnโ€™t look the same if the whole thing was embroidered. I really loved adding a little paint and will definitely try it again soon! This one was also a Christmas present, and it was so hard to part with!

 

8. Free-Handing Botanicals

dandelion embroidery hoop art against backdrop of real dandelions

If I challenged myself to draw and design more this year, I also challenged myself to try embroidering something without a pattern. I couldnโ€™t believe that these little dandelions turned out decent! Normally, I canโ€™t function without a pattern, without directions, recipes, instructions, etcโ€ฆ I actually like being told what to do in most instances, lol! But anyways, I decided to just free-hand this one and used a bit of crewel wool, and behold, the sunniest dandelions! I havenโ€™t really done anything with this piece yet, but Iโ€™m thinking it would look really cute in a journal or herbarium.

 

9. Mixing Embroidery & Pressed Botanicals

finished embroidery work with black raspberries

For Christmas 2020, I received a gorgeous flower press made by my Dad, and let me tell you it got a lot of use this year! Iโ€™ve been pressing flowers since I was young and like to use them for cardmaking and journaling, but since I love mixing medias with my embroidery, it was only natural that I should try combining pressed leaves and embroidered berries! Not only does it save you some stitching time, but the effect is so beautiful and lifelike! The only thing is that it is very fragile and Iโ€™m not quite sure how to frame or preserve themโ€ฆbut itโ€™s wonderful to work, and Iโ€™ll definitely be making more!

 

Bookish Highlights:

Since my one true love is Reading Books and so much of my work is influenced by literature, I thought Iโ€™d share a few of my favourite books this year! I didnโ€™t read as much as I normally do, but Iโ€™m officially obsessed with audiobooks now. I find that theyโ€™re the perfect source of motivation to work on a repetitive task (like stitching!) and become so absorbed that time just flies.

 

Agatha Christie

I finally, finally, read an Agatha Christie mystery this year, and oh my goodness am I hooked!! Sheโ€™s mainly the reason for my audiobook obsession, because who knew how pleasantly exciting it is to listen to a murder? Apparently a lot. I started with And Then There Were None, which sent chills down my spine, and then quickly plunged into the Hercule Poirot world. Iโ€™ve lost count of how many Iโ€™ve listened to. Theyโ€™re so good, and you can find many of them for free on Youtube! Iโ€™m excited to try a Miss Marple book next.

 

The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

finished wisteria hoop art against book cover of The Enchanted April on iPad

This was probably my top favourite book of 2021. What an utter delight! I wrote a review of it on Goodreads, and I also have a full post on the embroidery project it inspired. Witty, charming and idyllic, Enchanted April is a flower enthusiastโ€™s dream. The beautiful descriptions, the rich landscapes, the psychological portraits, the sweet, sweet endingโ€ฆeverything is perfect! The 90โ€™s movie adaptation is also perfect, and I highly recommend it! I watched it on repeat while working on my Garden Bouquet and I couldnโ€™t have asked for anything better.

 

The Complete World of Beatrix Potter

Can you believe that Iโ€™ve only now read the tales of Beatrix Potter? I know, me neither. But there it is, I didnโ€™t grow up with them. However, better late than never, and I can safely say that I absolutely love the darling stories! Who could resist the cutest bunnies, mischievous cats, silly geese, and other such charming creatures? Not to mention the beautiful and inspiring illustrations! I can definitely understand why sheโ€™s still so admired as an author an artist, and now proudly join the ranks of her fans. The movie Miss Potter starring Renรฉe Zellweger is also heartbreakingly sweet, and I canโ€™t get enough of it. Both film and tales have been a huge source of inspiration for me this year, and Iโ€™m so thankful!

***

And that’s it my friends, those were my top 9 achievements of the year, as well as my favourite literary discoveries! I hope you enjoyed reading my post, and I’d absolutely love to hear from you in the comments. What are you most proud of this year? What inspired you the most? Have you also read some really good books?

I can’t wait to continue sharing my little adventures with you in 2022.

 

Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Fondly,

Rhododendrons & Flower Symbolism in Rebecca

October 25, 2021      Anne      8 Comments

Hello dear friend! This week on the blog, I have another needlework project to show you paired with a favourite classic novel: Rebecca. Written by Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca gets a lot of recognition as the perfect “spooky, gothic book for fall”. It’s definitely a book you don’t want to miss, and while I could praise its various strong points at length, I’m going to be focusing on flower symbolism in this post. Specifically, the importance of the rhododendrons, and the needlework project that captures the essence of Rebecca.

 

du maurier's rebecca: embroidered azaleas

 

I read Rebecca for the first time last fall, in anticipation of the Netflix film release. I absolutely loved it. Really, truly, absolutely loved every page of it. I can definitely understand why itโ€™s recommended so often, and why so many rave about it. Itโ€™s that good.

 

The Book

Set in the 1930โ€™s in England, it follows a newlywed couple as they settle down to their new life together in a country mansion named Manderley. You will hear the name Manderley a lot.  The main character, young Mrs. de Winter, remains oddly anonymous throughout the whole story. You never learn her first name. Her enigmatic husband, Mr. de Winter, is much older than her, and naturally hides many a dark secret. You wonโ€™t know what to really make of him. The housekeeper appears to be cold and uncanny, and constantly refers to Mr. de Winterโ€™s first wife, comparing, belittling, driving the new Mrs. de Winter mad with insecurity and jealousy. Rebecca de Winter tragically died in a boating accident, forever upsetting life at Manderley. Things can never go back to how they were.

 

hardcover copy of du Maurier's Rebecca with pearl necklace and cameo brooch draped over the book

 

Throw in a murder mystery, and you have Jane Eyre meets Agatha Christie, and youโ€™re in for a real treat. The writing style of this book is simply superb. Every single sentence is delectable. The attention to detail is astounding, from flower vases to embroidered handkerchiefs to paintings hanging on the wall.

Everything is important. Everything.

And itโ€™s written in a way that simultaneously delights and gives you chills. Itโ€™s astounding, I tell you. The Netflix movie was cute, but failed to convey the intense, immersive atmosphere that the book delivers.

I am definitely adding my voice to the thousands who already tell you that this is a perfect October read, fulfilling all your spooky-gothic-vibes desires. And I donโ€™t even like โ€œspookyโ€. Itโ€™s just a wonderful book, period, and its dark and gloomy atmosphere is incredibly well-done.

I wrote a review of it on Goodreads as well, so feel free to check it out if you’d like more of my thoughts on it!

 

The Details

As I mentioned earlier, there is an attention to little details that is very particular in this book. Itโ€™s haunting, almost, the way seemingly mundane things are given importance. Among these, flowers often come up; it appears the late Mrs. de Winter had a real knack for decorating, and had fresh flowers put in vases every day.

 

hardcover copy of Rebecca with embroidered azalea project and pearl necklace

 

The beautiful flower descriptions abound in this book, but thereโ€™s one flower in particular that stands out: the rhododendron.

Itโ€™s pretty obvious that flowers (especially rhododendrons) are used symbolically in Rebecca. Many things are used symbolically in Rebecca, in fact. The rhododendrons, flaming red and intrusively imposing, are said to represent Rebecca herself. Indeed, there are many comparisons you can make between Rebecca and the scarlet clusters of rhododendrons.

But what does a rhododendron mean?

 

A Bit of Floriography

If youโ€™ve been around for a bit, you know that I love analyzing flower meanings according to the Language of Flowers, which was extremely popular during the Victorian era. Rebecca was published and set in the 1930โ€™s and I donโ€™t know whether du Maurier would make direct references to it, but since flowers abound in this book and theyโ€™re clearly important, I thought it would be fun to see if we can draw any connections at all between the Language of Flowers and how certain flowers are used in Rebecca.

 

close up of embroidered azaleas over opened copy of Rebecca

 

Yes, there they were, blood-red and luscious, as I had seen them the evening before, great bushes of them, massed beneath the open window, encroaching on to the sweep of the drive itself.

Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca

 

Rhododendrons are everywhere around Manderley, crowding the driveway, encroaching over windows, growing uncontrollably big and red. Theyโ€™re even found inside the house, decorating bowls and vases in the late Mrs. de Winterโ€™s morning-room. Serving as an eternal reminder of Rebeccaโ€™s lingering presence, the flaming red flowers seem to suffocate the main character the same way they suffocate the house.

 

Rhododendron = Danger. Beware.

 

flaming red rhododendron bush
Photo by Sean Valentine from Pexels

This seems an incredibly apt significance for this book. One of the first things Mrs. de Winter (present) notices when she first arrives at Manderley are the crowding bushes of scarlet rhododendrons.

 

[…] on either side of us was a wall of colour, blood-red, reaching far above our heads. We were amongst the rhododendrons. There was something bewildering, even shocking, about the suddenness of their discovery.

 

They warn her of the danger ahead, of the nightmare sheโ€™s about to go through. They bid her beware that all is not as it seems, that Manderley is full of dangerous secrets.

Danger, danger everywhere, written loud and clear in flaming red flower clusters!

It would seem the symbolism of the rhododendrons in Rebecca matches the Language of Flowers very closely. Letโ€™s look at another passage. The book famously opens with the line:

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

The main character recounts her dream, in which Manderley seems suffocated by a host of plants.

A lilac had mated with a copper beech, and to bind them yet more closely to one another the malevolent ivy, always an enemy to grace, had thrown her tendrils about the pair and made them prisoners.

 

The lilac has a few different meanings; โ€œfirst emotions of loveโ€ if purple and โ€œyouthful innocenceโ€ if white. The beech tree stands for “prosperity”, the ivy signifies “fidelity and marriage”, and its tendrils represent an “assiduousness to please”. All seemingly beautiful and positive things, yet interestingly this opening is clearly meant as a bad omen, a foreshadowing of all the terrible things to come.

We learn soon enough that the main character (who is the narrator) is very young, very naรฏve, and very much in love with her new husband. And it is precisely her naรฏve love and desire to please that blind her into paranoid fear and nearly wrecks her marriage. Malevolent ivy indeed! Her assiduousness to please, born of her young love and the prosperity she thought she would have as Mrs. de Winter, are all working against her. Suffocated by the rhododendrons.

The white lilac comes up again, as Manderley prepares for its fancy-dress ball. The gardeners โ€œbring in the rest of the white lilacโ€ as part of the lavish flower arrangements, and once again the main characterโ€™s โ€œyouthful innocenceโ€ cause her quite a lot of trouble with her unfortunate choice of costume for the ball.

Isnโ€™t it interesting?! It all seems to fit so well!

I could probably analyze every flower passage for days as they are so many that are mentioned and seem important, but Iโ€™ll just do one more.

 

Hydrangea = A boaster. Heartlessness.

 

blue hydrangea head
Photo by Rifqi Ramadhan from Pexels

 

Well, if youโ€™ve read the book, you certainly know who that describes.

I noticed for the first time how the hydrangeas were coming into bloom, their blue heads thrusting themselves from the green foliage behind.

 

The hydrangeas appear in the last quarter of the book, replacing the rhododendrons as the months succeed each other. The flaming red clusters make way for the blue heads just as the characters are trying to puzzle out a murder. An important character is at last unmasked, revealed for what they really were: heartless. It would seem the hydrangeas were foreshadowing that too!

I donโ€™t know if du Maurier intentionally referred to the Language of Flowers in her writings, but it certainly was very interesting to analyze the many flowers in Rebecca from that angle! Amazing how the symbolic meanings of floriography lent themselves so well to this book!

 

Needlepainting Project: Azalea Flowers

This needlework project wasnโ€™t stitched with the story in mind since I finished it before reading the book. However, the rhododendrons struck me so much while I read Rebecca that it reminded me of this project. It was my first real needlepainting project, embroidered as part of my Honours project for university.

 

close-up of embroidered azaleas in needlepainting
close-up of embroidered azalea showing needlepainting details

 

I used a feather flower pattern from an 1874 copy of The Young Ladiesโ€™ Journal. The feather strokes created perfect guidelines for needlepainting and I really liked the azalea flowers. Theyโ€™re not flaming red like the rhododendrons in the book, but the contrast of the black background put me in mind of the moody atmosphere in Rebecca.

 

Azalea flowers fall under the rhododendron family, and actually they are mentioned in Rebecca!

On either side of the narrow path stood azaleas and rhododendrons, not blood-coloured like the giants in the drive, but salmon, white, and gold, things of beauty and of grace, drooping their lovely, delicate heads in the soft summer rain.

 

I like to think that my embroidered azaleas are more “things of beauty and of grace” than some dangerous warning, and their colour fits nicely with this passage!

 

Azalea = Temperance

 

A touch of sobriety to a rather tempestuous story, the azaleas serve as a foil to the red rhododendrons, much the same way the two Mrs. de Winter were so different from each other.

 

hardcover copy of Rebecca and azalea embroidery project surrounded by a vintage china teacup and saucer and various jewelry

 

My project seemed to fit this book so well that I couldnโ€™t resist pairing the two and telling you all about it. Iโ€™m planning on detailing my project more at length in a future post (this one is long enough already!) and show you more floriography findings (unrelated to this book). In the meantime, have a look at some other posts featuring floriography and classic novels:

 

lilacs of love inspiration from jane eyre
an introduction to floriography
wisteria embroidery inspired by The Enchanted April

Alright, I think thatโ€™s enough flower talk from me for one day, but before you go, do tell me -do you prefer rhododendrons or hydrangeas? What do you think of Rebecca? I would love to hear any thoughts on it!

I really hope youโ€™ve enjoyed reading this post and if you find flowers and floriography as lovely and interesting as I do, Iโ€™d love to hear from you! Feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly. I wish you all a wonderful week!

 

Fondly,

embroidered flowers inspired by Rebeca
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Beaded Blackberries: Inspired by Regency Fiction

September 22, 2021      Anne      Leave a Comment

Hello dear friend,

Today on the blog, I have something very special to show you: a beaded blackberries embroidery project. Iโ€™ve been planning it out for a long time and it’s inspired by one of my favourite books. It turned out even better than I expected and I have been so looking forward to sharing it with you all! To add to the excitement, my work was also featured on Hannahโ€™s lovely blog The Bohemian Bookworm just yesterday! I highly encourage you to give her a visit. Her blog is full of charming bookish and period drama inspiration (not to mention it now features an amazing book review and embroidery project by yours truly!).

 

needlework inspiration from georgette heyer: venetia's blackberries

 

‘I mean to know you better, Miss Lanyon of Undershaw!’

‘To be sure, it does seem a pity you should not, after such a promising start, but life, you know, is full of disappointments, and that, I must warn you, is likely to prove one of them.'”

Georgette Heyer, Venetia

 

Ahhh, Venetia! What a complete delight of a book you are! (If we take out the parts with Mrs. Scorrier, of course. And Edward Yardley. He is most definitely not delightful.) Iโ€™ve mentioned it on my blog before, in my post called 10 Wonderful Classic Books to Read This Summer (although after revisiting it lately, I have realized that a large portion of it takes place in autumn, soโ€ฆwhat better time to go read it than now?!). I also wrote a full gushy, incoherent essay on it over on Goodreads, if you want more of my fangirling thoughts on it.

 

My Thoughts on Venetia

flat lay view of Venetia book, plate of blackberries, beaded blackberries project, cup of tea and embroidery notions

 

One of Georgette Heyerโ€™s most acclaimed works and a favourite among readers, Venetia is undoubtedly one of my favourite romances of all times. I assure you that you will seldom find a more perfect one. While Heyerโ€™s Regency novels tend to be more comedy than romance, Venetia is certainly more romance than comedy. The signature funny, witty style is there of course, but itโ€™s overall more serious and lyrical than her typical screwball comedy.

Taking place in the countryside of Yorkshire in 1818, the story is rather quiet (despite the passionate romance scalding off the pages) for a Heyer book. Although Venetia does go to London later in the book, this is not your usual romp full of glittering balls and soirรฉes. Itโ€™s a more mature story, with an โ€œolderโ€ heroine (really, sheโ€™s only 25, but most Heyer heroines tend to be 17-20) and everyoneโ€™s favourite seasoned rake, Lord Damerel, kindly christened the Wicked Baron by Venetia and her siblings.

 

โ€œโ€˜[โ€ฆ]your quotations donโ€™t make your advances a whit more acceptable to me โ€“ and they donโ€™t deceive me into thinking you anything but a pestilent, complete knave!โ€™โ€.

 

A Beautiful Romance

There is no doubt that Venetia and Lord Damerel are among Heyerโ€™s best-matched couples, if not the best. Most readers unanimously agree that they are perfect for each other, unlike some other couples. Their romance is ultimately grounded in solid trust and friendship nearly from the start (we shall magnanimously gloss over the aforementioned โ€œadvancesโ€). They laugh together, share inside jokes, understand each other, and best of all, they canโ€™t stop quoting classic literature.

 

โ€˜Item, two lips, indifferent red-โ€™

โ€˜Oh, no, youโ€™re quite out, and have gone to the wrong poet besides! They look like rosebuds filled with snow!โ€™โ€

 

Ahh. Their bond is undeniably strong, and unlike in other Heyer novels, you donโ€™t have to read between the lines to see how attracted they are to each other, and how much in love they soon fall. Itโ€™s palpable in their every interaction. I might make it sound a little spicy, but fear not, this is a clean book. ๐Ÿ˜‰ Orgies may be mentioned now and again, but whatโ€™s to be expected from a novel so bent on referencing ancient Greece and Rome if not to throw in a little orgy (pardon me, a splendid orgy!)?

 

Iโ€™m kidding of course, there are no orgies in this book. Itโ€™s all in good taste, I promise. For all this talk about passionate romance, that isnโ€™t exactly what makes their relationship so good. As mentioned previously, itโ€™s the fact that they are so completely in tune with each other and become such good friends so quickly.

 

The Idyllic Setting

 

Somewhere in the garden a thrush was singing, the joyous sweetness of its note so much in harmony with [Venetiaโ€™s] mood that it seemed a part of her happiness. She was content for some moments to listen, not questioning the source of her happiness; but presently she came to full consciousness, and remembered that she had found a friend.โ€

 

Venetia book copy being held against backdrop of brambles and blackberries

 

I think this is probably the passage that touches me the most in the entire book, and trust me thereโ€™s a lot in there to delight you. But that sweet passage, the opening of Chapter 5, in which she wakes up to the delicious memory that she has found a friend in Lord Damerel is just so pure and heart-melting that I canโ€™t help sighing contentedly.

The imagery conjured up is also very beautiful. Venetia awaking – probably wearing a charmingly embroidered white nightgown โ€“ to the first rays of sunlight on a golden autumn day, a thrush sweetly singing in the gardenโ€ฆVery romantic and period-drama-esque indeed.

 

Embroidery Inspiration

 

flat lay showing venetia book, beaded blackberries project, plate of blackberries, cup of tea, and dried botanicals

 

Georgette Heyerโ€™s books are always lavishly detailed, usually describing peopleโ€™s dress at length, providing a veritable treasure trove of ideas for historical costumers. In Venetia however, I found the setting and romantic tones of the book even more inspiring. I love to create embroideries inspired by classic novels, and the blackberry project came to mind from what is surely the most famous โ€œfirst encounterโ€ scene between the hero and heroine in all GHโ€™s books.

 

โ€˜Fair Fatality, you are the most unusual female I have encountered in all my thirty-eight years!โ€™

โ€˜You canโ€™t think how deeply flattered I am!โ€™ she assured him. โ€˜I daresay my head would be quite turned if I didnโ€™t suspect that amongst so many a dozen or so may have slipped from your memory.โ€™โ€

 

Repeatedly warned by family and friends against the dangerously rakish Lord Damerel, Venetia nevertheless doesnโ€™t scruple to wander about his grounds when she knows he is not at home. Heโ€™s not there, darn it, and his blackberries are going to waste!

 

It came, therefore, as a surprise to Venetia, serenely filling her basket with his blackberries, when she discovered that he was much nearer at hand than anyone had supposed.โ€

 

Venetia book copy and plate of real blackberries

 

Naturally, who should happen upon the charming picture of Venetia in an old dress and straw bonnet quietly picking blackberries but Lord Damerel himself (on his horse, no less)? Actually, he happens upon her as she is trying to disentangle herself from an especially encroaching bramble. He then starts (naturally) to quote classic literature, and after recovering from the shock of being ruthlessly kissed, Venetia starts (naturally) to quote back. I love this unforgettable scene so much, and have associated Venetia with blackberries ever since.

 

The Project: Beaded Blackberries

flat lay close-up on beaded blackberries project and plate of blackberries with embroidery notions and dried flowers

 

Iโ€™ve been dreaming of embroidering my own beaded blackberries after seeing beautiful photos on Pinterest and in the book Embroideries From an English Garden by Carol Andrews. What a perfect project that would always remind me of Venetia!

The design is my own, and I embroidered the piece using different techniques.

 

The Embroidered Leaves

I started by stitching the leaves and branch in needle-painting style, using the long & short stitch. Iโ€™ve talked about this technique before in my post Garden Bouquet Embroidery Part 2: Wild Roses. It was a little faster here because I used two strands for most of it, except for the veins and tiny thorns that border the leavesโ€™ jagged edges. I used very small straight stitches for those.

 

close up of embroidered leaves in long & short stitch
close-up of leaves' tiny thorns being stitched with straight stitches

 

The Ribbon Flowers

Next, I created the flowers with small pieces of ribbon. I wanted them to have the round petals of a real blackberry flower. To do this, I cut out each petal out of a wide piece of ribbon and singed the raw edges with a candle. Then I ran a gathering stitch along the bottom to create a fold, and sewed each petal one by one to form the flower. I later added the center details using embroidery floss.

 

blackberry flowers made with white ribbon pieces gathered together
blackberry flowers close-up showing embroidered center details

I used polyester ribbon which wasnโ€™t the best and it unraveled easily, but the candle flame and a bit of Fray Check glue did the trick. ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

The Beaded Blackberries

And finally, for the blackberries, I knew I wanted to use beads to make them sparkle and shine and look as good as real ones. I also wanted to raise them a little bit, so I decided to do a bit of stumpwork. Stumpwork is raised, or 3D, embroidery, and one of my favourite things to try lately. I used felt and pieces of cotton ball to create the blackberry shape, and then hand-sewed beads one by one to cover the shape entirely.

 

close-up of beaded blackberry in the making; beads are stitch on a padded piece of felt

 

And voilร , beaded blackberries! Iโ€™m immensely pleased with how it turned out! It was a lot of tedious work but I enjoyed it a lot and it certainly paid off. And now Iโ€™m reminded of Damerel and Venetiaโ€™s witty banter and swoon-worthy romance every time I look at my beaded blackberries. It probably didnโ€™t help that I compulsively listened to the audiobook version narrated by Richard Armitage while I worked!

 

close-up view of finished beaded blackberries
beaded blackberry branch, completed

 

A Bit of Floriography (because I can’t resist)

Of course, I was very curious as to the meaning of the blackberry per the Language of Flowers of the Victorians. I have the handy pocketbook reproduction of the dictionary illustrated by Kate Greenaway (which you can see here), and while there was no entry for “blackberry”, there was one for “bramble”.

 

real blackberry branch in nature

 

Bramble = Lowliness. Envy. Remorse.

 

Well! Not exactly the most joyful thing, but in the context of what we know of Damerel’s character at that point in the story, lowliness would seem fitting! When he surprises Venetia tangled up in brambles, all she (and the reader) know of him is his unsavoury reputation as a degenerate hosting wild orgies during hunting season. Low indeed. Remorse definitely comes later as he starts falling in love with Venetia, but there is no sign of envy about him at all.

Very interesting, isn’t it? I would say the bramble’s floriography meaning is pretty spot on in the context of the story! Although floriography hadn’t really caught on yet in society in 1818, (and I’ve never heard that Heyer purposefully included references to it in her books) it’s always nice when the significance proves apt (or somewhat apt) anyways!

 

flat lay photo as seen earlier, with language of flowers dictionary by kate greenaway

 

Don’t forget to visit Hannah over at The Bohemian Bookworm! Iโ€™m very happy and honoured to have been invited to post on her blog and I hope that you enjoyed reading my thoughts on Venetia and seeing my beaded blackberries project. Thank you so much, Hannah, for inviting me on and letting me share my project! ๐Ÿ˜Š

And to conclude, I highly, HIGHLY recommend that you read Venetia (and Georgette Heyer in general) if you havenโ€™t already. You wonโ€™t regret it. It’s such an idyllic experience that you won’t want it to end (if you’ve read the book, you will understand this reference haha!).

Until next time, my friends! I should have the next instalment of the Garden Bouquet up on the blog this Saturday.

 

Fondly,

Beaded blackberries inspired by literature

5 Inspiring Authors to Read Today

August 7, 2021      Anne      2 Comments

Hello friend!

I thought I’d break up the Garden Bouquet project a bit (mainly because I don’t have much new progress to show hahaha!) and post about some inspiring authors this week! If you’ve been following the blog for a bit now, you probably know that I love books and get a lot of stitching inspiration from reading novels. If you’re new here, hello I’m Anne and I’m a bookaholic who loves embroidery. ๐Ÿ˜‰ In any case, welcome to everyone! Today we’re having a lovely little tea party in which we will discuss 5 wonderful authors whose writing is inspiring. These authors craft beautiful worlds where you will want to lose yourself for hours, and emerge with new, fresh inspiration to live and create and find joy.

So pull up a chair, make yourself comfortable, and I will pour you a steaming cup of Earl Grey.

 

Literature inspiration - 5 authors you should read

 

**Click on any book title with a link to read the full review on Goodreads ๐Ÿ™‚

 

1. Lucy Maud Montgomery

โ€œThere is so much in the world for us all if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love it, and the hand to gather it to ourselves-so much in men and women, so much in art and literature, so much everywhere in which to delight, and for which to be thankful.โ€

Anne of the Island

 

stack of l.m. montgomery books with wild goldenrod

Of course, I simply must start this list of inspiring authors with the best of the best, the ultimate authority on all things inspiration โ€“ none other than L.M. Montgomery. Her books exude absolute beauty and loveliness. Have you ever read a book where each sentence was delightful? Each sentence somehow better than the next, so well-crafted yet never forced? Thatโ€™s what Montgomeryโ€™s writing is like.

Descriptive, poetic, and yet utterly compelling in its simplicity, her writing flows naturally from page to page, transporting you to a time and place when life was simpler and people were happy. Famous for her beautiful descriptions of nature, Montgomeryโ€™s books are a complete delight to read and really make you want to learn to see and feel and appreciate nature for yourself (and perhaps attempt a line or two of poetry!). From giving imaginative names to places to describing nature in all its glory in a most loving way, the inspiration breathed into each of her books is endless.

paperback copies of Chronicles of Avonlea and Anne of the Island books surrounded by wildflowers and lace

Her stories are also filled with all the lovely little every day things that make us grateful to be alive. Baking pies, sewing a new dress, going for a walk over sun-drenched meadows, picking apples, the list goes on forever. Full of Edwardian charm and innocence, Montgomeryโ€™s books feature characters as endearing and loveable as her descriptions are, and I guarantee youโ€™ll love it. Thereโ€™s only one book of hers I havenโ€™t liked as much as the others so far, but every single other one Iโ€™ve read was pure gold.

Aside from the most famous Anne of Green Gables series, other titles worthy of note include: The Blue Castle, The Doctorโ€™s Sweetheart & Other Stories, and Chronicles of Avonlea.

 

2. Louisa May Alcott

โ€œHave regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success.โ€

Little Women

 

hardcover copy of little women by alcott surrounded by queen anne's lace and pressed daisies

While weโ€™re on the subject of all things simple and lovely, what could be more inspiring than Little Women? Not only does it have much to teach us in terms of life lessons, but who isnโ€™t inspired to draw, or paint, or write, or sew, or launch their own theatre club with private mailbox after reading the book or watching the movie? Little Women makes me want to craft. To create. To Make Things. Also to find a sweet, loving husband, but thatโ€™s not the topic of this post ๐Ÿ˜‰. Itโ€™s such an inspiring read for so many reasons, and makes me want to be productive and try new things just by following what the four heroines are up to.

open Little Women book with pressed daisies

Alcott definitely has a lovely writing style and Iโ€™ve enjoyed some of her short stories as well, but I find itโ€™s really the subject matter and imparted bits of wisdom that make her writing inspiring. It makes you want to be better (and not just at crafts lol). Reading one of her stories really just makes you want to take action, and I love that.

The Quiet Little Woman is one of my favourites of her short stories so far. It was such a sweet story that brought tears of joy and sadness to my eyes.

 

3. Georgette Heyer

โ€œIt was growing late, and though one might stand on the brink of a deep chasm of disaster, one was still obliged to dress for dinner.โ€

April Lady

 

a few inspiring books by author georgette heyer

As much as I love L.M. Montgomery and Louisa May Alcott, the love I have for Georgette Heyerโ€™s books is just not the same. Probably my favourite author ever, Heyer has been crowned Queen Supreme of the Regency romance novel for her hilariously sublime portrayal of Regency life. Historically accurate yet undeniably escapist, Heyerโ€™s novels are the perfect blend of comedy of manner, romance, and adventure. Ranging from mad romps through London or Bath (as in Frederica or Bath Tangle), to the quiet countryside (Venetia), thereโ€™s something for everyone to delight in. Her witty dialogue is unparalleled, and I warn you, you will laugh out loud at certain passages. ๐Ÿ˜‰

 

Historical Inspiration

 

When I first started reading Heyerโ€™s books, I was really struck by the quantity of fascinating period detail sheโ€™d manage to weave through her stories. It never felt too much or too forced, it was just beautifully illustrated. You can see the glittering ballrooms, the fashionable dresses, the well-dressed gents as clearly as if you were looking at a painting. Itโ€™s amazing. And it never fails to provide ample historical sewing or needlework inspiration. One day, I will recreate Lรฉonieโ€™s presentation gown, or Fredericaโ€™s ball-gown for her sisterโ€™s come-out.

front cover of Georgette Heyer's Frederica surrounded by wildflowers

โ€œWith a Georgette Heyer you don’t buy a book, you buy a world. If its suits you, you settle down forever.โ€

Time Magazine

I havenโ€™t read all her books yet (she wrote over 30 historical romances!), but I already have so many favourites!! All the ones previously mentioned are top favourites: Frederica, Bath Tangle, Venetia, and These Old Shades, in which Lรฉonie appears. And there are so many more!!

 

4. Jen Turano

โ€œ’I can cry at the drop of a hat.’
‘You find hat-dropping distressful?’
‘If it’s a nice hat, and it has dropped in the mud, certainly. I could cry about that for days.'”

A Most Peculiar Circumstance

 

various books by inspiring author Jen Turano

Someone once described Jen Turano as the American Heyer, and she was so right! Jen Turano is a modern-day author who writes fabulously farcical comedies set during the American Gilded Age (often taking place in New York or other such places where socialites dwell). As with Heyer, you enter into a wonderfully glamorous world full of witty repartee and screwball comedy. Her books are much less accurate and plausible than Heyerโ€™s though. The emphasis is really on fun and comedy. Little of what goes on in her novels actually reflects life in 1880 New York, but itโ€™s endlessly diverting and the characters are absolutely charming.

book copy of A Match of Wits by Jen Turano

Iโ€™ll be honest, some of her books were a bit much for me sometimes, but I have such fond memories of the Ladies of Distinction series that I simply had to include her on this list! Even the books that I enjoyed less (usually because they were just a *tad* too silly, and I was probably in the mood for something more serious) still had that wonderfully escapist quality that I find so inspiring. If youโ€™re into historical sewing recreation and you like Victorian-era fashions, Turanoโ€™s books are like a goldmine of inspiration. Think cascading bustles, elegant rows of buttons on bodices, and lacy parasols.

My favourite book so far is A Match of Wits, the fourth book in the Ladies of Distinction series, although the entire series is really good!

 

5. Laura Childs

โ€œPungent, orange-red Assams. Smoky, slightly sweet Ceylon teas. Fragrant Darjeelings from the steep slopes of the Himalayas. There were also sparkling emerald green teas from Japan, gyokos and senchas, that were a touch puckery and a bit of an acquired taste.โ€

Shades of Earl Grey

 

bookcover Death by Darjeeling by inspiring author Laura Childs on iPad surrounded by bone china teacups and wildflowers

And lastly, we will end this list of inspiring authors with Laura Childs, whom I just started reading last year. Specializing in cozy mysteries, Childs has written many murder mystery series, all of which have a theme. Iโ€™ve dabbled in her Tea Shop Mysteries, and they are so sweet and loveable! Those are perhaps not words one would associate with murder mysteries, but the Tea Shop books are as cozy as cozy can get! The puzzles are rather easy to solve, but the ride to the end is really fun, and filled to the brim with delicious tea tidbits, tea recipes, steaming tea pots, and pretty tea cups.

The stories are set in modern-day Charleston, South Carolina, and drip with loveliness, historic district charm, and all things tea. If pretty bone china, soft pastels, and dainty sandwiches are your aesthetic, you will love these books! The main character, Theodosia Browning, owns the Indigo Tea Shop, a picture-perfect spot that always ends up at the center of the action. Featuring delightful characters, intriguing mysteries, and endless cups of tea, these are the books to read for an ultimate cozy experience. As an added bonus, tea recipes are included at the end of each book!

bookcover of the English Breakfast Murder by inspiring author Laura Childs on iPad surrounded by bone china teacups and wildflowers

So put the kettle on, dust out your vintage tea set, and invite a friend or two to sample your freshly-baked lavender-laced scones. These books will get you inspired to bake and cook and drink lots and lots of tea, guaranteed!

Iโ€™ve read the first four books of the Tea Shop Mysteries so far and enjoyed them all, but Iโ€™d say Death by Darjeeling and Shades of Earl Grey were my favourites so far.

stack of books by inspiring author Georgette Heyer with bone china teacup and porcelain figurine of two lovers on a settee

 

Thank you for joining me!

I hope that between dreamy tea parties, Victorian fashions, Regency ballrooms, Louisa May Alcottโ€™s wholesome portrayal of simple life, and Montgomeryโ€™s breathtaking nature descriptions, you will find a little something to inspire you! Whether itโ€™s trying out something new or re-imagining something you already do, may the various inspiration from these authors bring you joy. I hope you enjoyed this post, and Iโ€™d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Have you read any of the books I mentioned? Did you also find them inspiring? What other books/authors would be on your list of inspiring reads?

 

Happy reading my friends!

 

Fondly,

fresh inspiration - 5 authors to read
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~ Diary of a Northern Belle

Northern Belle Atelier is taking a break ๐ŸŒธ๐Ÿ’– Northern Belle Atelier is taking a break ๐ŸŒธ๐Ÿ’–

Today (Feb. 09th) is the last day to place your order for any physical items in my shop (kits, needle minders, or finished works). I will be removing the listings over the weekend. PDF patterns will remain available for now, but they may be taken down at any time (so if you've had your eye on one, I suggest grabbing it before they're gone! ๐Ÿฅฐ).

I will also be tuning off Instagram in the coming days, but you can still reach me via my business emails if you need. My blog will remain up for the time being. ๐Ÿ’•

Thank you ever so much for all the support you've shown my little business since I began sharing my embroidery here! It has meant so much to me to be able to do this, even if just in a small way. ๐Ÿ’–๐Ÿชก Wishing you all some beautiful stitches ahead!

Anne
Xoxo
February Wreath aka "Victorian Valentine" pattern February Wreath aka "Victorian Valentine" pattern from last year ๐Ÿ’–๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŽ€ I love this one so much and it's perfect for Valentine's Day coming up!

Find it in my Etsy shop ๐Ÿ’œ

(Sorry for the shaky video!!)
Needle minders will be leaving my shop soon!! ๐Ÿ’ Needle minders will be leaving my shop soon!! ๐Ÿ’ Snag a cute little fruity needle minder for your next embroidery project before February 9th! All remaining needle minders in my shop are 10% off until then ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ“๐Ÿ’๐Ÿ’›
โœจ๏ธ IMPORTANT UPDATE โœจ๏ธ I will be disconti โœจ๏ธ IMPORTANT UPDATE โœจ๏ธ

I will be discontinuing embroidery kits from my shop very soon, but I still have 2 left of this pretty summer wreath up for grabs!! ๐ŸŒผ๐Ÿ“

I love this design and the kit comes with everything you need to make the project: two pieces of cotton fabric, thread card loaded with DMC floss, two needles, a good quality 6" hoop, and the PDF pattern! All presented in a handy folder to make it easy to keep everything together ๐Ÿค๐Ÿ’›โค๏ธ

Visit my Etsy shop (linked in bio) if you're interested!! They won't be around for long!
Thank you so much for all the love on the Floral G Thank you so much for all the love on the Floral Garden bunting!! ๐Ÿ’–๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒป Following several inquiries from some of you who were missing some or all of the patterns from this project, I've decided to link them in a handy-dandy blog post for easier access! ๐Ÿ’• I've linked it via my bio if you want to have a look and get the patterns! I like to give my subscribers a bit of exclusivity, but since this project has now come to a close, I've decided to make it available to everyone. ๐Ÿฅฐ

I may also have taken that opportunity to write a bit about each flower, the inspiration behind the designs, and of course their meanings according to the Language of Flowers ๐Ÿ˜Š๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒป If that sounds of interest to you, read  the post to find out more! I've also linked some stitch tutorials that may be helpful. 

Happy stitching! ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿชก๐ŸŒผ

Anne
The Floral Garden stitch-along has come to a close The Floral Garden stitch-along has come to a close and the bunting has been sewn and hung! ๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒฟ what a joy it was to work on throughout the year, and I hope you've enjoyed it too! I'm thrilled with the final result ๐Ÿ˜

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments and enthusiasm for this project. I've just sent the final instructions + bunting template to my email subscribers ๐Ÿ’Œ it isn't too late if you'd like to give this project a try - you can sign-up via the link in my bio and receive the links to all 12 floral motifs from last year + the instructions for the bunting!! ๐Ÿ’•

The embroideries are beginner-friendly and perfect if you want to try a bit of needle-painting, and the bunting part is quite easy and quick to put together (compared to last year's mini-quilt haha!) ๐ŸŒท๐Ÿ’•๐ŸŒฟ

Happy stitching!!
Winter Fox ๐ŸฆŠ๐Ÿค๐ŸŒฒ I think this makes the fir Winter Fox ๐ŸฆŠ๐Ÿค๐ŸŒฒ I think this makes the first completed embroidery for 2024! Absolutely loved working on this and love the mix of watercolor with embroidery! Can't get enough of the little pinecones ๐ŸคŽ
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