Social Distancing, Day 1

Well as of last night I am not currently employed. I am not sure if I am over or under reacting at any given time to the events that are unfolding hourly around the world and here at home. I want to stay home and do my part but it has for me like many other people been a double edge sword. Fighting an invisible enemy, one who doesn't seem to care about your age, social status, ability to fight, nor your undesired ability to be a carrier with out knowing. I have tried to reconcile and make sense of things and trust what I cannot see. Hope that our provincial, and our federal governments can and will assist us going forward into the unknown.

My last day for now at Murchie's was yesterday as I said, I tried to keep myself as safe as possible and sewed a few face masks to wear when others were in the store. I will say it does give me a bit of comfort but not the invincibility I was craving. I am happy to be home and devastated not to be at work at the same time. I have been afraid to sit and write not wanting to add to the overwhelming information and misinformation that is all around us.  But I think now I am going to continue to write my blog again, about happy things and about all the things that are good, and beautiful around me.

My new outfit for "social distancing" arrived today, hope it adds some cheer to your tea time and for the neighborhood walk I am planning on taking daily. For now I leave with you this, laugh often, rest, and make tea.
I promise to share more now that I seem to have a lot of free time on my hands...
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Decorating My Life and Home In Mixtiles...

Today I am sharing a bit about Mixtiles, which are these lovely photo tiles that I have been ordering for my home and as gifts since last May. I am absolutely thrilled with how these have turned out and usually I have printed images of people in my life, this was the first time I printed some of my morning tea photos...

I spent my Saturday night hanging up 12 new Mixtiles these are simply amazing. I started taking self care time after my mother passed away ten years ago. Getting up 30 mins earlier then my family, making myself a cup of tea, lighting a candle and taking down from the shelf, one of my tea cups and saucers to drink from. When I started this routine, it felt like a big production to go to for just myself but it has become the springboard of my day. I began photographing my morning tea sessions for myself to document that I could make this important time for myself. This morning tea time has sustained me and become such a huge part of who I am and how I express myself.

 I printed 12 recent morning memoment’s using the app for #Mixtiles and created a gallery I am proud to hang Mixtiles in my home. Memories of beauty, strength, creativity and art each reminding me of how beautiful I can choose to make my life and start my day. It is one thing to capture a moment with your camera it is an entirely different experience to hold it in your hands and hang it on your walls. 

I still cant believe how easy these were to put up, they also arrived very quickly! If you would like to order some for yourself, click here for the Mixtiles Website
If you want to follow my morning tea photos on Instagram you can find me at @teawithkaren .
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Mug Rug Sunday...

My Aunt Margot, made me this lovely mug rug in the spring and I had it on my table yesterday. Mug rugs are wonderful little placemats not much larger than coasters or can be as large as you would like, their purpose is to give you a pretty place to put your mug or teacup and perhaps a light lovely snack.
My aunt is a quilter and hers is really special to me, it has pockets you can slip a tea bag into as well.

These are lovely gifts to make and give and fun to pick up at craft fairs. They are great for scrap busting as well. Here are some of my favorite free patterns incase you wish to make your own.

This one from love to sew.com 

This is a great tutorial and pattern idea The sewing loft blog 

Beyond Sock Monkeys has a great tutorial as well. Click here to see this very simple quilting project. 

I hope you have a lovely Sunday! Happy Sewing! Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a tea time craft idea. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

NANOWRIMO Starts today!

Today is the start of National Novel Writing Month and it is time to be brave, pick up the pencil and start writing. Okay you can type it too but sometimes its easier to get the ideas down on paper first.  This is the third year I am participating.

Something making it more special this year is that my son the reluctant reader is also participating! His classroom teacher and Education Assistant sent home his NaNoWriMo goal sheet, I want one too now!
When I told him I was doing it as well, he said "Why did you not sit down and plan your novel with me? We could do it together. " I love his faith in me!
I plan to at least attempt to write each day.

I am planning on attending at least one Nanowrimo event and this one is put on by my sisters in crime chapter! Space is limited so if you are local and you want to come email morganticharlotte@gmail.com 

At work today I put together a small display for Nanowrimo! Our Book Lover's gift set, $19.95 has No 10 tea, Murchie's Tea Bag Rest, Library Tea, Editors Blend, some festive napkins and a great tea tin! I also love the book mugs
I am off to write, wondering if these words count towards my writing goal?
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a look at this years Nanowrimo launch.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Baking From The Heart and Family History...

Recently I have started to get back to baking, something I so enjoy but had truly stopped doing regularly. Encouraged by a good friend to start up again with some of my most favorite recipes, I picked my Gramie Gibson's Cocoa Czechoslovakian Cookies, though growing up we called them Chocolate Checks.  These are a thumbprint cookie that has a bitter sweet chocolate outer shell cookie and a tart raspberry filling. Though my sisters make it with strawberry, my go to is always raspberry.

We used to have these cookies at Christmas, Gramie would bake and freeze them in Quebec (then later from Ontario), then ship them 3,000 miles to us. They are my dads favorite. When she passed away I got the recipe card from her box and it is one I treasure. If I could ask her about any of her recipes this would be the one.  While I was making this batch up for the photos, I ran out of raspberry jam and used peanut butter instead. While the raspberry jam is my go to, I still enjoyed the peanut butter center as well. 

I did not grow up near either set of my grandparents but they did come and visit us. My paternal grandmother was an amazing cook and award winning baker. Having this recipe and making it reminds me of her, of the fun holiday times we did get to spend together . My Gramie passed away 18 years ago this coming January. My oldest son was 5 days old when she passed. It was a long while before I could bring myself to make these. This is the second time in a month I have made them and each time I do I feel just a little bit closer to my Gramie.

Gramie's Cocoa Czechoslovakian Cookies
3/4 cups Soft Butter
2/3 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Cocoa
3/4 Tablespoon Vanilla
9 oz Flour

Raspberry Jam
Icing Sugar for dusting
In a mixing bowl cream your butter and sugar. Add the cocoa and vanilla slowly add the flour until incorporated.  Roll out into small balls, place them on a lined cookie sheet,  then use your thumb to press down in the center.  Bake at 325 F for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and then re dent with your thumb.
Spoon raspberry Jam into the center of the cookies one after another then with a fine strainer dust the cookies with icing sugar.

Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a cookie recipe today. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Reluctant Reader And Captain Underpants

Friday the 19th was a non school day for my Reluctant Reader. With my new work schedule I was still lucky enough to have the day off. We spent the morning creating a "Captain Underpants Plush" for my Reluctant Reader.  Last year if you may remember my youngest son finally found some books to love. I call him the reluctant reader because like most boys his age, I have found, they are just not motivated to read. I remember my grandfather telling my mother that it really did not matter what they read as long as they were reading. He did not care if it was comic books or the back of the cereal box, as long as it was meaningful to them the love of reading would follow. For Alex, that I have found to be true.

It all started for us when Alex found a Captain Underpants plus online but it was sold out. We decided to make our own and we used felt, my sewing machine, trusty glue gun and a sharpie marker. I had forgotten to buy stuffing and we improvised and used toilet paper, hey it happens.

I was more than a little impressed about how well it actually turned out.

I drew out the shape of the body on a piece of regular paper and cut it out, then I cut out arms with hands. I wish I had sewing pipe cleaners into the arms but it was an after thought, next time I will.

I did not stuff the arms either, I likely should have.  I was thrilled with how easy this came together.

I used paper to create the underpants first and then cut out the felt, I measured and sewed the underpants, and then drew on the details. Once they were sewn and drawn we put them on and I secured them with a bit of hot glue.

The cape was easy to make we used two different reds one dark color for the main part of the cape and cut out circles with a lighter red and glued them on the cape. We cut out a mouth, drew on the teeth and glued that and brown eyes into place.

In the end what was once just pieces of felt became a superhero and a new best reading friend. 
Even though Alex is my youngest son, my older boys did not discover the joy of this cheeky and very well written series.
Thank you for joining me for a cup of tea and a reluctant reader craft experiment. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

A Cookie You Must Try Making! Beth's Foolproof Madeline Cookies!

Two months to Christmas and I thought I would take today to share a holiday recipe with you. I love baking and I had not made these cookies in more than 20 years. What held me back was not having a pan. In September though one of my local Facebook groups I was gifted a Madeleine pan. I was so excited to have the pan and went to look for my recipe and could not find it. I did however find and love this youtube tutorial from Entertaining with Beth and mine turned out spectacular! 

One of the things I love about these cookies is how soft and cake like they turned out to be. Her recipe was spot on and I loved making these.

Truly the secret to making these is really in refrigerating the dough overnight and using a small scoop to fill your tray.

These are best enjoyed with a great friend and a great cup of tea.
To find the tutorial on youtube please click here.
I cut and pasted her recipe for you to enjoy! Watch the video though it is amazing!

BETH’S FOOLPROOF MADELEINE RECIPE

Makes 18 cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 (7.5 ml) tsp orange zest

3 eggs

2/3 cup (130 g) sugar

1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder

1 cup (120 g) flour

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt

1 tbsp (7 g) powdered sugar

6 tbsp (60 ml) melted butter

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350F/(176C).

Whisk together dry ingredients add to the egg mixture gently, until just combined. Then add melted butter.

Beat eggs with sugar until pale yellow. Add zest.

Refrigerate the batter at least 1 hour! Or overnight. This is really critical for getting the “hump” of a Madeleine, the traditional mark of this classic French cookie.

Lightly coat a non-stick, Madeleine pan with baking spray using this technique. Spray the baking spray into a small bowl and with a pastry brush lightly grease each well.

Bake 7-8 mins until slightly golden around edges and centers look set and slight hump has appeared. Allow to cool slightly and remove from the tin and allow to cool.

Spoon 1 tbsp (15 ml) of batter into the center of the well and don’t touch it. It will spread out by itself and keep a more uniform shape that way.

Once cooled completely and dust with powdered sugar and serve!

These are best eaten the day they are made. Batter can be made 2 days ahead of time.

Thank you for joining me here today for a cup of tea and a great holiday cookie recipe! I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Witches Brew Craft Idea...

If you know me at all you know I love witches! Reading about them, writing about them, hosting witches tea parties and creating witch themed tea items, like the Witches Brew Loose Tea Potion Holder I made for myself.

I found this fun craft at Michaels the craft store and waited for my 40% off coupon. The holder was $19.99 in Canada.  I used a dollar store bottle of black acrylic paint and a foam paint brush to paint the bamboo structure. I let it dry and then I filled it with 5 of my favorite murchies loose leaf teas.

I was very happy to lend it to a young friend for her witches tea party this year as well. Looks pretty cute on her windowsill.

 Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a fun witches tea time craft. Sending you love from the tea shop!
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Long Lost Kitchen Witch...

Years ago, in the house on Fernwood that no longer stands, my mother had a Kitchen Witch hanging in our kitchen. When I was 8,  I was obsessed with it. When I was 11,  we moved and she got lost in that move, even though we only moved with in the neighborhood. I have missed her for many years. I looked for her in every thrift store and yard sale since and yet never finding her. I looked on Ebay and never could afford the $80+ to bring her home.   Eight years ago when my mom passed away, I renewed my hands on search to replace her.

In September I found her! At the bottom of a bin of Halloween items at a thrift store I found my kitchen witch. She was perfect in every way, only missing her head scarf. I quickly paid the $2.99 for her and carried her triumphantly home.
My search began for the perfect fabric to make a head scarf from and though I have many scraps in my possession none felt quite right.

 On October 12th, my friend Anna and I went out to the fabric store which is about 40 minutes from where I live. On a table in a basket of "candies" for $1.25 I found what I thought would be the perfect head scarf. I was thrilled when I got home and saw that I was right.

Saturday night I plugged in the hot glue gun, and I got the scissors out cutting the fabric I felt a renewed sense of joy. A tiny dab of glue on her head near here hair and I tucked the head scarf into place. A dab more under her chin on the fabric and she was whole again, and for a moment, so was I.

 I only need a bit of clear fishing line to finish her off and hang her in my kitchen with pride.  I do think I shall name her Nora...
Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a visit with my kitchen witch. I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Update...

As you may have noticed I have been absent from my daily blogs now for quite some time. I have missed writing and reading as often as I have in the past few years but so much has been changing over the last few months and I wanted to share a bit of that with you.

In September I started working for Murchie's a tea company that has been in Canada since 1894. I love it. I am thrilled to announce that as of November 1st I will be working full time. It has been more than 12 years since I have been employed full time and I am both nervous and excited. I do love my new job so much and it is a joy to go to work each day.

I have gone from reading one book a day to maybe one a week. This has been really hard for me as there are so many wonderful books on my to be read pile. I worry that I wont get through it all but I know that I will and that these amazing books are waiting for me. I do feel bad that I won't be achieving my goal of reading 150 books before the end of the year, I am however at 90 and that is something I am proud of. 

I have been working on a few projects and doing some things that I have not done in a long time. From baking my grandmothers special cookie recipe, to crafting, painting, writing and now painting furniture. I have let myself give up things I loved and enjoyed over the last few years but I am slowly getting back to the the things that bring me joy as much as reading has over the last few years. As I write this I am sitting on the very chair my son helped me re-paint. It is very comfortable.

I want to thank each and everyone of you who stops by and who have emailed to ask how things are going. I will writing from time to time and I hope more often than not.
Thank you for joining me today for a cup of tea and a quick update. I will be back with more again soon.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Projects I have been working on...

Thank you for joining me today. I wanted to update you on how things are going in my life. What has been on my mind, my table and in my hands to read. This summer has gone by so quickly and I have done some major changing over that past few months. I have been taking charge of my own mental health in very positive ways. I started seeing a therapist and that has really begun to help me feel and become a much happier and healthier person.  I have learned so much about myself so far and I am looking forward to continuing on this path. One of the things that has been missing from my life for a while now is creativity. Something I thrive on, something I need and something my ADHD mind craves. I had been denying it, and stifflening it. With the help of my therapist and some amazing friends, I have some truly great projects to report on that I have started, continue to do and am really proud of.

The biggest project I have taken on in years is my bench project. I had a friend move away this summer and she left me her Victorian Bench ends she purchased in England and did not have time to make nor space to take with her. So for several weeks I worked with friends on this bench, sanding the cast iron ends, priming and repainting them, selecting wood, staining and with the help of some very good friends, cutting and putting the bench together. I am almost done with this project too. We have two more boards to stain, cut and drill, then I will be bringing my bench home. My dear friends Jen and Mike have allowed me the space to explore, build and work on my project and with their guiding hands and the help of friends I have seen this project come to life.

I am also into painting and creating new pieces from old, such as painting  this chair, covering it with fabric I have had for years, waiting to have the right moment to use it. This project is slightly on going as well as I need to finish painting and sewing a throw pillow as well. My dear BFF Angela and I recovered the seat last week. 

Painting projects are piling up here, with the side of the road find of the perfect dresser for my room. I will be painting this one in the coming weeks and I am thrilled with this find, I have washed and sanded it and await the right moment to paint it with some lovely grey and blue paint colors I found.

Sunday's Craigslist free find!

Completed project, I even sent this image to the lady who I got the cabinet from and she responded with "Okay how much to you want for it, I want it back!" I told her sorry it's not for sale!

My nieces from Montreal came this summer and stayed with me for a week. We put this puzzle together over that week and it was so hard for me, not being a patient crafter, I was amazed at the patience of my nieces but also my boys, and friends Anna and Spencer who all with the leadership of my niece Cadence turned 1000 pieces of cardboard into this amazing work of art. I managed to modge podge, fame and hang it in a place of honor a few weeks back. I am truly impressed each time I see it.

I also began painting again, at the encouragement of a true friend, I have rediscovered a love of painting. Small dollar store canvas are quickly transformed into calming pieces of art that I truly enjoy. Painting at the beach is such a wonderful and freeing experience.

Painting for me has been the most satisfying, painting from memory, photos, or just letting the brush guide me has truly helped my creative mind.

I even have tried my hand at watercolor, a very different experience for me.

Do not worry I have been reading too, but not as fast or voraciously as I have. I just finished Bailey Cattrell's Marigolds For Malice, will share the review shortly. I have also continued my passion for collecting teacups and using them.

I even took my sewing machine out and finished projects that have been waiting for me for more than two years. I made Halloween themed throw pillows that make me smile!

Creating a new reading space undercover for myself, now that the tea tent is closed for the season...

That is pretty much my project update...

Today is the 8th year anniversary of my mother's death. It was sudden and shocking to me at the time, still is to me today. My mother was only 56. Many things have happened since her passing and today I want to remember her and celebrate her memory. Yesterday I was with my 10 year old son and we were walking to the Indigo books to get his book he ordered and he said out loud with a large sigh "This is my favorite store" I turned to him and said "That would make your Nanna very proud", normally I would have let that moment pass but I didn't I embraced it, and it felt good. Not sad, good.

Thank you for joining me here for a cup of tea and a look at what I have been working on while not blogging, I promise to share more and as regularly as I can. A new month, a new job and a new outlook, pretty much working on improving me.
I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com