Mariella Hunt

The Tearoom

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  • 3 Hobbies I’m Learning In 2022

    3 Hobbies I’m Learning In 2022


    While I did not make any resolutions this year, I did choose activities and pastimes to focus on. Previous years have seen me dedicated to writing, rewriting and editing the same story. While none of this work was a waste—the practice helped my writing style to improve—it left little room for other hobbies.

    In 2022 I have allowed myself some breathing room to explore other things. While I will continue to write (it’s my passion), I won’t be spending as much time on it.

    One week into the new year, I have found enjoyment in hobbies that I have long wanted to try. Some of these hobbies include:

    Baking

    When I’m baking, I feel nostalgic. Baking has been a well-loved activity for centuries. Our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents—go all the way back—have been involved with baking in some way. If they didn’t do the baking, they enjoyed the results, a homemade cake or loaf of bread.

    I have not gotten to the homemade bread phase, though I want to. However, I have memorized the recipe to make sugar cookies that my family loves. Nighttime is the best time to bake, especially in the winter. I’ll make a batch of twelve cookies and there are only three left half an hour later.

    Watercolor

    I admit it: Part of my desire to learn watercolor stems from the trend it’s picking up on the web. With the virus, people are looking for things they can do with their hands—away from screens.

    Of all the hobbies I’m taking up, watercolor is the most frustrating because it’s hard to pin down. It is poetry in color, a freestyle poem or a strict sonnet that cannot be modified without losing what it is.

    It’s also the activity I have least experience in, which means I’ll be practicing for a while before I like my work. I am happy to report that I can paint a loose flower. Hopefully by the end of the year I’ll create a still-life of a flower vase.

    Piano

    During the month of December I did not practice piano at all. Despite this, I forgot nothing of what I learned during a summer of practice sessions. Unlike with watercolors, I have enough experience with the piano that it isn’t a frightening prospect to sit down and play. Rather, it’s satisfying to note my improvement.

    I have been practicing Christmas songs such as O Christmas Tree and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. This particular songbook used to be difficult for me; now the notes are not such strangers.

    I’m not confident enough to record myself playing for Instagram, but maybe one day that will change.

    Maybe you didn’t set resolutions either; which hobbies are you hoping to sharpen during the new year? Are they activities you have done before, or are you a newbie? Comment and let me know!

    And remember—you can do it!

  • 3 Creative Ideas For Your Bullet Journal

    3 Creative Ideas For Your Bullet Journal


    2022 is here! I am grateful for a new year; it provides a fresh start and motivation to set goals. I have to admit that I’m also ready to prepare for autumn again, learning new Christmas cookie recipes meanwhile.

    If you keep a bullet journal and are new to it (like me), setting up a fresh one can seem daunting. Those images on Pinterest with flawless, straight lines and Shakespearian calligraphy can be dispiriting. Setting up a calendar by hand takes practice and calligraphy is a literal art form; you won’t get there in a day.

    Bullet journaling shouldn’t be a source of envy. When opening your new dot-grid journal, make sure you’re not out to copy others. It should be a source of inspiration, a promise that you’re about to chronicle your year while expressing your own creativity.

    Look forward to what you can do, rather than comparing yourself to others.

    If you want a colorful bullet journal but are not an artist by nature, here are some ideas for you to make it look creative anyway.

    1- Stickers, Stickers, Stickers!

    With the rise of bullet journaling came a rise in beautiful, detailed stickers. They can fill in that blank space on your journal page, giving it a splash of color alongside your to-dos and journal entries. There are even ways for you to print your own stickers, if you can’t find anything that suits you.

    For Christmas my mom got me The Antiquarian Sticker Book, and as I page through it, I get the sense that I’m scrolling the vintage art category on Pinterest. For old souls, this collection of stickers is a real treasure. You have an entire alphabet to choose from, flowers, old-fashioned magazine sketches, and more!

    2- Recycle Old Books

    A lot of bookworms cringe at the thought of using an old book for scrapbooking, but here’s the thing. I have asthma and can’t read books with an overwhelming smell. However, I still can’t resist grabbing someone’s old poetry collection at a yard sale!

    A page I inserted into my own BuJo!

    I’m more likely to read the poetry if its pages are scattered in my journal. Those books will get fresh life if you learn how to tape them into your BuJo as additional pages. The poets who wrote the pieces you’re taping will thank you for having found their work used it to grace your memories.

    The book itself? I can’t imagine it’ll complain much. The alternative is becoming a decoration or gathering dust in an attic.

    3- Delightfully Minimal

    If you don’t want clutter in your BuJo but seek elegance, you can opt for a minimalist layout. Using really good pens, you can make the pages in your bullet journal gorgeous by showing off your handwriting.

    I might try this myself sometime—but I want to work on my handwriting. A goal of mine is to have an old-fashioned, elegant hand that would make a grocery list look great!

    Isn’t this minimalist spread gorgeous? Source

    These are only three ideas to get you started on your BuJo for the year. I’ll be searching the web for more inspiration and BuJo hacks as I work on my second bullet journal.

    Do you keep a bullet journal? If so, what’s your ‘style’? If not, what’s stopping you?

  • My Resolution For 2022

    My Resolution For 2022


    If I had to pick a word to savor in 2022, it would be slow.

    Does that sound odd to you? By slow I mean to pause and hear the silence—to stop measuring my life by what I have not done yet and what I mean to do—to read a book without caring about the Goodreads challenge—to read a poem and taste each word because poetry is watercolor in writing.

    I am older now than when my dreams and goals sprang to life; they have changed and matured with me. I’ve written dozens of drafts and none of them are published. I sped through them, and the books I was reading, and the moments I shared with others. Even though I keep diaries, I will live with the nagging feeling that I missed something.

    If I only read 10 books in 2022, that’s fine by me. I’m at 99 books for 2021 and I’m practicing now: I don’t care to read a 100th.

    I’m learning new things that take time, such as baking cookies (you can’t speed through baking!) and watercolor (it forces you to wait for the water to dry). In my bullet journal, each day will have a page of its own and I will happily doodle, write poetry, and express myself in ways I never did before. Maybe I’ll finish my TBR list; maybe not.

    Slow. Gentle. Attentive. Contemplative. Patient. Patient.

    What is your word for this new year?

  • Series: Romance on the Orient Express


    I’ve been quiet lately! A terrible case of Blogger’s Block meant I was at a loss for what to post. I know now to be careful with my projects in order to avoid burnout. Thankfully, the winter months are coming—and I tend to be most inspired when it is chilly out!

    I have been enjoying the Romance on the Orient Express series. Aren’t the covers lovely? The Orient Express has such a rich history. Agatha Christie’s excellent mystery book made it more famous still. The four authors of this series have switched the theme to something more heartwarming—love.

    So far I have read two of the four books and not been disappointed. They’re not very long, but they make me wish there were more pages! Characters are vibrant and funny, the love stories are clean, and both of the books I read have had happy endings.

    Song of Salzburg by Jen Geigle Johnson was the most recent I finished. Freya’s adventure in Salzburg attending music school—and falling in love!—was a breath of fresh air. The world-renowned Salzburg Maestro rarely takes students; as a result, little is known about him. When he calls in all of his pupils for in-person lessons except her, Freya begins to wonder if there is something wrong with her. In time she will find out that she knew him all along.

    Wrong Train to Paris by Jennifer Moore was great fun! Julia Weston wants to prove to her overprotective father that she is a responsible, grown-up woman, capable of going on trips by herself. She fails at this when she boards the wrong train, missing the Orient. She finds herself somewhere in the country rather than Paris. Doesn’t this sound terrifying? Thank goodness for happy endings—some mistakes become our greatest memories.

    I’ve been reading the series out of order but, happily, you don’t need to begin at book one to enjoy the others. You can choose any of them and still become lost in the story. I’ll post proper reviews of each book when I’ve finished them all. For now, I am lost in the Orient Express for the chilly months!

    Which of these covers do you think most lovely? I can’t decide—they’re perfect for the breathtaking tales they contain!

  • Mice & Pumpkin


    A mouse would probably give its pumpkin whiskers, but this doodle is simple enough.

  • Book Review: The Butterfly Conspiracy by Vivian Conroy


    The Butterfly Conspiracy is a historical mystery with the undertone of an adventure novel.

    Miss Merula Merriweather is different from other girls. She has an unconventional family life, not knowing what became of her real parents or who they were. She isn’t the prettiest of ladies, relying on a spotless reputation to secure her future. She puts that spotless future in danger by pursuing her passion: zoology.

    Merula has a special interest in butterflies. Her uncle allows her to use the greenhouse as a place to raise imported creatures from their cocoons. She has an impressive collection of butterflies, but one of them—the largest—is her pride and joy. She has raised it and seen it hatch, and makes the decision to let it out during a zoological lecture.

    When Merula’s prize butterfly lands on a wealthy woman’s arm, the woman dies immediately. Blame is placed on the insect, which is killed by the butler. It was heartbreaking to read about Merula’s butterfly being disposed of mercilessly, but under the circumstances, what else could they think to do?

    Lord Raven Royston was present during the scene at the lecture. He knows that Merula’s butterfly was not the cause of the death, and he wants to bring justice. He helps her rescue the last cocoon of her butterfly species, escaping a greenhouse that has been set on fire. He introduces her to a chemist friend who collects bizarre creatures such as scorpions and giant spiders. When it becomes clear that police are after her, he gives her shelter at the home he hasn’t visited in twenty years.

    Merula and Raven are a great team. She isn’t the fainting sort—after all, she worked with insects for fun—and does well under pressure. He is a deep thinker and willing to try explanations that seem absurd. Together, they work out what happened to the woman. If the butterfly did not kill her, and Merula insists it isn’t venomous, what did?

    Rarely do I come across a book and realize from the blurb alone that I need to read it. This was the case with The Butterfly Conspiracy; I cheated my October reading list in order to devour the mystery. The characters are very well developed, the mystery seamless, and the ending satisfying.

    There is even an air of steampunk to the world described here—I was waiting for the mechanic creatures to come out!

    I had already found a great mystery series in the Lady Hardcastle books, but now I will be looking out for these books too. If you want to try a new mystery series, or if you like visits back in time, The Butterfly Conspiracy is a great book!

  • House After Rain


    House After Rain, Mariella Hunt
  • What I’m Reading In October

    What I’m Reading In October


    October is my favorite month. Halloween is a fantastic time; we’re allowed to immerse ourselves in ancient legends, dress up as our favorite creatures, and binge on leftover candy.

    There is so much more to October—leaves fall and make the grass into a golden carpet, while the air is filled with the aroma of fireplace hearths.

    The cold weather makes October a perfect time for reading. While September has warm days left over from summer, October is the beginning of our land’s slumber.

    Have you chosen your reading list yet? I made a list of books I wanted to read in September and came through with almost all of them (I’m struggling with Stonehenge).

    I’ve made a new list for October. Here it is!

    Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

    Last year I read the Green Gables series for the first time, all eight books in perfect order. It was worth the wait; if I had read these books earlier in life, I might not have appreciated the themes of love, poetry, and hope that Montgomery wove into the stories.

    I don’t know if I can dedicate myself to the full series again. However, I will be reading Anne of Green Gables, because I need that redhead in my life as the world outside becomes crisp!

    Dr. Mütter’s Marvels by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz

    Medicine in the eighteenth century is a fascinating, terrifying thing. What was considered a cure could only make you sicker; the solution to an ailment would make said ailment worse.

    Dr. Mütter’s Marvels is the biography of a doctor who had to go through with the worst procedures in order to progress in his career. His work left behind a museum of oddities that makes the skin crawl.

    Isn’t this a perfect Halloween read?

    Charles Dickens’ Ghost Stories

    A Christmas Carol is a ghost story that everybody in the world has read, heard, or seen. What a lot of people don’t know is that Dickens wrote other ghost stories. I am sure they’re all just as good!

    This collection has all twenty of Charles Dickens’ ghost stories in one volume—or, in my case, eBook. Dickens being my favorite author, I am eager to explore more of his spooky prose, meeting more characters.

    Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

    I’ve resolved to read a classic and an old favorite every month. Wuthering Heights is a great choice for the darkening days of October.

    I have a nice, cloth-bound copy of Wuthering Heights I got when I first read and enjoyed the story. This will be my chance to smell the pages of that book and meet the characters once more.

    I admit that part of my interest in reading Wuthering Heights is because it is mentioned in my favorite September read, The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood. Isn’t it wonderful when a classic is referenced in another book?

    Death Around The Bend by T. E. Kinsey

    Lady Hardcastle has become my new obsession. I was looking for a series to obsess over; I found it in these clever mystery books. After the amazing way T. E. Kinsey ended the previous book (what a great use of spiritualism to solve a mystery!) I am ready for Lady Hardcastle and Flo’s next adventure.

    In the previous book, Lady Hardcastle purchased a car which she intends to drive on her own. Surely this will create great comic moments. Lady Hardcastle on her feet is good enough; imagine her driving in a motor vehicle—without a chauffeur!

    What are you reading this month? Do you arrange your to-read pile based on the seasons, or do you prefer to read on a whim? It’s a bit of both for me; I have some spooky options as well as classics in this list.

    I’d love to hear your thoughts!

  • Sunflower


  • 5 Intriguing Facts About Bram Stoker

    5 Intriguing Facts About Bram Stoker


    If you’ve noticed that my blog’s been a bit slow, I have a good reason. I said that I would be reading Dracula in September. Dracula has long been my favorite book, though it had been a while since my last read. I had forgotten a lot of the details that make it great.

    I decided to reread it after almost a decade, and felt as if I were opening a new book. When a long time passes between rereads, you forget enough about a story for surprises become fresh as ever.

    I finished two days ago and have been mulling over how well-written it is. ‘Composed’ in the form of letters and diary entries, it pulls you in. Being told from the viewpoint of the frightened heroes, it helps you share in the fright.

    Here are five intriguing facts about Bram Stoker, creator of the most famous vampire in history.

    He Wrote Other Books

    I admit sheepishly to having been surprised when, surfing on Amazon, I found other books that Bram Stoker had written. Dracula overshadows them, but I am excited to explore some of his other titles.

    These include The Jewel of Seven Stars, which is a book about a mummy’s curse, and The Lair of the White Worm, about a giant white worm that can turn itself into a woman.

    Portrait of Bram Stoker

    He Was A Sickly Child

    Bram Stoker suffered from a mysterious illness when he was a child that left him bedridden for long periods of time. Not much is known about this illness, but it seemed to clear up when he was seven years old.

    One has to wonder if some of the horror stories Bram Stoker came up with originated during these periods he spent bedbound.

    He Worked At Dublin Castle

    Bram Stoker worked at Dublin Castle as a clerk during his time at university. When I learned this, I wondered how much this job would have influenced his descriptions of Castle Dracula later on.

    After all, is this not the writer’s dream? Especially a writer of Gothic fiction! I can’t imagine that time in a castle wouldn’t have molded the stories he would pen.

    Dublin Castle (Source)

    Dracula Was Inspired By A Dream

    Any author knows that dreams can give us the most bizarre ideas for stories. Whatever we come up with in the waking hours doesn’t stand a chance against what we do in slumber.

    Bram Stoker claimed that his most famous book, Dracula, was inspired by a blood-sucker in a dream. He blamed the dream on a ‘too-generous helping of dressed crab at supper.’ Fans of gothic and horror literature can be thankful that the crab supper was so generous!

    He Was Walt Whitman’s Fan

    Bram Stoker sent fan mail to Walt Whitman. He was impressed by Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, which he came across during his college years. The collection of poetry was controversial for its experimental style; this seems to have been the reason why Stoker was impressed by it.

    In 1872 he wrote Whitman a 2000-word letter expressing his enthusiasm for Leaves of Grass and hoping that one day the two of them could be friends. They met three times after this, forming a friendship based on common interest in philosophy, theater, and literature.

    Bram Stoker was a fascinating man, just the person to write a novel enthralling as Dracula. There is much more to be known about him, so I will be doing my research—if I’m not lost in one of his other novels!

    On a side note, I have been writing again! It’s a historical romance, and I wrote 11k in about 2 days without meaning to. If there are any more pauses between posts, the reason is that I am writing a work of my own that I hope will have fans one day.

    Forgive these pauses; I hope that one day you’ll read Tessa’s story and enjoy it as much as I love writing it!

  • Excerpts From Sketchbook #1

    Excerpts From Sketchbook #1


    I’ve been doing a bit of everything.

    I am participating in a challenge—100 days of drawing—and for some reason I really enjoy drawing animals.

    Here is an unusual blog post—a few glimpses into my sketchbook!

    Happy weekend!

    Mouse sheltering under a leaf! I don’t color all of them.
    Mouse is cold. He found a candle for warmth. He should be careful or he’ll singe his whiskers!
    Mouse has a friend, Rabbit, who has a balloon—I still don’t know what color it should be.
    This is my personal favorite—some poppies. I’m afraid to color them & ruin them!
  • How to Identify a Changeling

    How to Identify a Changeling


    This week I finished reading The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood. It’s one of my favorite books; I loved its rich, creepy setting. I also appreciated that the ending allowed us to wonder if there might have been magic involved after all.

    Because Changelings are the subject of this fantastic book, I decided to do a little digging into the topic myself. They have long fascinated me; I even tried to write about a Changeling. The character did not provide much aside from comic relief in the long run, but I remain fond of that story, the first one I took seriously.

    If you’ve never heard about Changelings, you’re missing out on a great deal of fun! In many books they cause chaos and tragedy. One thing is for sure: They always bring magic with them.

    Here are some characteristics that were once attributed to Changelings.

    Is It My Kid?

    A Changeling is a fairy child that was put in place of a human infant. Most legends say that it was done because fairies were unable to nourish their own children into strong adults. To compensate, they would give their offspring to unsuspecting humans. In turn, the human babies would be used by Changelings as servants.

    Some attributes might give away the identity of a Changeling. The child left in place by the fairies may have red eyes and voracious appetites, losing their tempers if neglected for a moment. Disruptive children were sometimes called Changelings and kept in isolation.

    Spirit of the Night, John Atkinson Grimshaw

    An Aversion To Iron

    Superstitious people believed iron could ward off fairies. You might find a pair of scissors hanging at a window to keep out dark spirits. Parents did this hoping that the iron would keep their children safe.

    If a family member showed Changeling traits—a strange appetite or delight for destruction—the suspicious parent would crick them into grabbing some iron scissors. Iron would burn a Changeling, revealing their identity at once.

    Scissors could also be placed over the door to a house. If the suspected Changeling felt apprehension going through the door, they would have to be removed.

    How, though?

    Study for The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania, Joseph Noel Paton

    Leave Eggshells About

    Many stories claim these odious creatures have a strange reaction to eggshells. One could dispose of a suspected Changeling by leaving eggshells by the hearth. The Changelings found these eggshells hilarious. They would reveal themselves; your intruder will show himself by means of madness and laughter.

    GotIreland.com tells this story about eggshells:

    The old man told him that most likely the boy had been taken by the “Daoine Sith,” and they had left a “Sibhreach” in his place. Distraught, the father wondered if he’d ever see his son again. The old man instructed him to take several broken eggshells and fill them with water, then place them carefully around the hearth in the boy’s room. He did so, and within no time, the boy was jumping from his bed in a fit of laughter shouting, “I’ve been alive 800 years and have never seen the likes of this!” Hearing that, the father pushed the Changeling into the fire, and it shot up the chimney. The real boy was spit out from the Faerie mound nearby at that very moment, and the father and son were soon after reunited (taken from: J. F. Campbell, Popular Tales of the West Highlands, 1901).

    Folklore shows how our ancestors explained strange phenomena and the bizarre ways in which they solved problems. Changelings make for good stories; The Hidden People was a fantastic novel and did the legend great justice!

    While we now have more dignified explanations for strange behavior (and we don’t leave eggshells on the floor), it’s fulfilling to know the beliefs of those who came before us.

    What is your favorite creature from mythology? I would love to know!