On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!

Tea today, is Earl Grey Lavender. It resembles the taste of the classic blend, with a note of citrus, and has a light sweet aroma. Tomorrow is May Day, and I thought what better way to begin the celebration, with a few flowers from the garden, mixed with a bouquet that my husband bought for our anniversary.

Tips: This is a good time of year to celebrate the flowers around us. I am sure no matter what part of the world you are in, you have some of nature’s bounty blooming close by that would be inspiring. Why not capture those beautiful flowers, colors, and shapes?

Here are some ideas for embroidering flowers with perle cotton, cotton floss, and silk embroidery ribbon. These are all sampler examples that I used when I taught my class the Embroidery Corner.

Here are some ideas for creating ribbonwork flowers: a brooch, a lariat, and a scarf, all using satin ribbons.

Here are a few more ideas: a collaged and embroidered brooch, a French beaded wire floral wreath, and a ribbonwork brooch.

Looking for more inspiration? Here are a few books and classes of mine that you might be interested in:

• Hand Embroidery Dictionary
• Ribbonwork Flowers
• Hand Embroidery Basics and Beyond

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.