Just where did you get that lovely dress, Eleanor? (A Beauty So Rare post)

Here is another post from Tamera Alexander about her book A Beauty So Rare. This post is about the beautiful dress shown on the front cover of the book. I finished the book last week and enjoyed it very much! I've also enjoyed learning background facts about the book.  It makes the book much more interesting (not that it needed help)!  I hope you have too!

Meet the Woman Behind the Cover Dress

by Tamera Alexander

 

Dear friends,

 

Have you ever wanted to meet the woman who sewed the dress on a novel cover? Then please allow me to introduce you to Beth Schoenherr, the ever-so-talented seamstress who sewed Eleanor Braddock’s dress for the cover of A Beauty So Rare.

 

I’m thrilled that Beth was willing to share about her experience in making the dress, and I love the behind-the-scenes glimpses she shares. I hope you will, too!

 

Tamera: Where did inspiration for the dress for A Beauty So Rare come from (both the style and color)?

 

Beth: The style, of course, was determined by the post–Civil War timing of the story.

 

I believe the cover designer and editors talked about a garden setting and felt pink would look lovely against the backdrop of the green foliage and other flowers, which it does! I then had the fun of finding the right shade of pink to keep it a believable color for the time. Hot pink or neon pink, of course, would never do!

 

Tamera: Um, no. LOL! Not even Adelicia Acklen could have coerced Eleanor into neon pink! ; )

 

Tamera: Have you made dresses for photo shoots before?

Beth: I started doing period costumes for men, women, and children in amateur theater in 1999 and then had opportunities in the following years to progress to working in the costume shop of a professional theater. This is my first costume for a photo shoot, however.

 

Tamera: How cool, Beth. I’m so grateful for your work on this dress. Well done!

 

Tamera: Do you have an appreciation for period clothing? And if yes, what’s your favorite style of women’s dresses from history?

 

Beth: I do enjoy period clothing. I don’t think I can pick one favorite style though. I just enjoy the various and changing silhouettes and fabrics throughout the history of fashion.

 

Tamera: Understandable. I have many "favorites," too!

 

Tamera: What’s the most challenging dress you’ve created for a cover (and what was most challenging about it)? Also, what has been your most challenging sewing project in general?

 

Beth: As I mentioned, this is the first dress I have made for a cover. It has been really fun and exciting to create this dress from scratch and then see it on the cover of this book. A new experience I had when making this dress was the cartridge pleats at the back of the skirt. The pattern called for the front and side pieces of the skirt to be pleated to fit into the waistband and left only a five-inch opening in the back of the waistband. Then I had to fit the 50-inch-wide piece of fabric for the back part of the skirt into that five-inch opening. I thought, “There is no way I’m going to get that much fabric into that little space.” But the cartridge pleats worked fabulously at neatly pleating 50” down to 5”.

The most challenging costume I worked on was a waistcoat designed and then cut out by someone else and given to me to sew. Not a single piece matched up in size to its coordinating piece. There was no extra fabric to work with so I had to just rework the pieces I had while making sure the finished garment would still fit the actor it was designed for. Definitely a “make it work” project!

Finally, probably the most thrilling dress I got to make was the first complete dress for a play at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Many of my costumes prior to that had to be remakes of existing dresses or costumes due to tight budgets. But I was graciously given the opportunity to sew, from start to finish, the schoolteacher dress in Little House on the Prairie: The Musical, which premiered at the Guthrie and then went on to tour nationally. It was so exciting to see the professionally-designed dress come together step-by-step and then to see it on stage.

 

Tamera: Wow, Beth, I bet that was a rewarding experience with Little House on the Prairie: the Musical. Congratulations! I’ve always admired people who know how to sew, and sew well!

 

Thank you for sharing your talent and time with us––and with the cover of my latest novel.

 

~Tamera

www.TameraAlexander.com

 

 

For more "behind the scenes" glimpses from the photo shoot for A Beauty So Rare, visit Tamera's blog.

The Doubter's Prayer by Anne Brontë

My heart echoes the very same cry at times.  What faith Anne must have had, as short as her life was. 

ETERNAL Power, of earth and air!
Unseen, yet seen in all around,
Remote, but dwelling everywhere,
Though silent, heard in every sound.

If e'er thine ear in mercy bent,
When wretched mortals cried to Thee,
And if, indeed, Thy Son was sent,
To save lost sinners such as me:

Then hear me now, while, kneeling here,
I lift to thee my heart and eye,
And all my soul ascends in prayer,
Oh, give me–give me Faith! I cry.

Without some glimmering in my heart,
I could not raise this fervent prayer;
But, oh! a stronger light impart,
And in Thy mercy fix it there.

While Faith is with me, I am blest;
It turns my darkest night to day;
But while I clasp it to my breast,
I often feel it slide away.

Then, cold and dark, my spirit sinks,
To see my light of life depart;
And every fiend of Hell, methinks,
Enjoys the anguish of my heart.

What shall I do, if all my love,
My hopes, my toil, are cast away,
And if there be no God above,
To hear and bless me when I pray?

If this be vain delusion all,
If death be an eternal sleep,
And none can hear my secret call,
Or see the silent tears I weep.

Oh, help me, God! For thou alone
Canst my distracted soul relieve;
Forsake it not: it is thine own,
Though weak, yet longing to believe.

Oh, drive these cruel doubts away;
And make me know, that Thou art God!
A faith, that shines by night and day,
Will lighten every earthly load.

If I believe that Jesus died,
And, waking, rose to reign above;
Then surely Sorrow, Sin, and Pride,
Must yield to Peace, and Hope, and Love.

And all the blessed words He said
Will strength and holy joy impart:
A shield of safety o'er my head,
A spring of comfort in my heart.

Truly Beautiful Book: A Beauty So Rare

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander is the second book in the Belmont Mansion Series.  It is a stand-alone novel and can be read without reading the first book (once you read this one, you'll want to read the first one).  It is set in post-Civil War Nashville.  Eleanor Braddock has come to Nashville to seek care for her father and pursue her passion for cooking.  Marcus Geoffrey arrived in Nashville from Austria, pursuing his passion for horticulture while trying to escape his obligations in his homeland (if only for a short time).

 

It didn’t take me long to really connect with Eleanor’s character, especially being an older, single female considered by most to be plain-looking in an era (or area) where marital status was considered very important by most.  Eleanor has been thrust into the role of caretaker and provider when she should have had someone to provide and care for her.  Eleanor is reliant upon the generosity of her aunt, who is trying to pressure her into joining a society in which she doesn’t feel she belongs. 

 

Upon her arrival in Nashville, Eleanor meets Marcus.  Marcus works on her aunt’s estate with the plants.  He is also an architect. Marcus strives for advancements is several areas of horticulture, something which he could not have accomplished in his homeland.  As Marcus and Eleanor’s lives become entwined, it doesn’t take long for the reader to feel as if she (or he) is one with the story, a silent character witnessing the scenes of the book firsthand. 

 

Mrs. Alexander is a master at weaving the story line, main characters, and sub-characters into altogether to create a novel a person will not soon forget.  Her acute attention to the historical details only increases the charm of the story.  I fell in love with the characters, and found it extremely hard to put the book down even for a second.  If you love romance, and enjoy history, then this book is a must read for you!

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.  My words and opinions are my own.

 

            

A review of The Deeper Life by Daniel Henderson

 

Everyone has unmet and unfulfilled longings in their life.  The goal of The Deeper Life – Satisfying the 8 Vital Longings of Your Soul by Daniel Henderson is to show Christians how to fulfill these longings, using stories and activities to help the reader throughout the book.  This book discusses God, human identity, purpose, things of importance, reasons for our actions, and knowing the truth verses actually living 

Christians how to show what their principles and priorities really are through the way they are living.  The book works as an aid to show how to set goals and make a plan on how those goals are going to be achieved.  The end result is that the reader will have learned how to satisfy the longings through these steps.  The last part of the book includes an appendix with activities to aid the reader in accomplishing all the steps.  These are vital exercises to help the reader put the principles from the book into practice.   

 

I had a hard time getting into this book.  I think the principles and the subjects discussed in the book are very important, but I do not feel that this was the right book for me to get these principles.  It may have been because I was reading the book on my own, and not in a group.  I feel that this would be a very good book to read in a group setting, to give the reader an opportunity to discuss the subjects and principles mentioned with other people.  Reading in a group setting is mentioned in the introduction and may be the way the author intended for the book to be used. 

 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.  My words and opinions are my own. 

Recipes from the author!

So in A Beauty So Rare, Eleanor likes to cook and dreams of opening a restaurant. The following exclusive recipes are from the author of the book, Tamara Alexander. I cannot wait to try them and please let me know of you try them!  Enjoy!

Eleanor Braddock’s Savory Custard

(or Ham and Cheddar Quiche)

From the novel A Beauty So Rare

by Tamera Alexander

Most people think quiche originated in France. Not so. It’s originally a German dish and people referred to them as "savory custards" in the 19th century. Which is accurate since the egg-based mixture forms a luscious-like custard as it bakes.

In my novel, A Beauty So Rare, the second standalone novel in the Belmont Mansion series, the heroine, Eleanor Braddock, is "a cook with a dream." But her dreams don’t quite turn out like she thinks they will. However, her savories always do!

I hope you enjoy this recipe (or "receipt" as recipes were called in the 1800s) from A Beauty So Rare. For more about A Beauty So Rare and for recipes from all my novels, visit www.TameraAlexander.com

Ingredients

1 old-fashioned unbaked pie crust (recipe below)

1 large onion, diced (or sliced if you like larger pieces of onion in your savory)

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound cooked ham diced into cubes (if using bacon, use 8 slices, fried chewy, not too crisp)

8 large eggs

1-1/2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste (I always go heavier on the pepper, personal preference)

1 3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Instructions

Sauté onion in the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Chop the ham into bite-sized pieces (or fry your bacon until chewy, then chop). Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roll out pie crust and press into a deep dish pie plate. A medium-sized iron skillet works wonderfully for making a savory custard (and is what Eleanor used). The crust comes out divine. I just happened to use a pie plate this time.

Whip the eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then mix in the onions, ham (or bacon), and cheese. Pour the mixture into the pie crust. Cover the pie plate (or skillet) lightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes,or until the quiche is set and the crust is golden brown.QUICK BAKING TIPS: The quiche may still seem a littleloose when you first remove it from the oven, but it will firm up nicely once removed from the heat. Also, watchthat lovely crust so the edges don’t get overly brown. I use a silicone pie crust shield if that starts to happen. Those are a fabulous invention (but foil crimped around the edges works just as well).

Remove from the oven and allow the savory custard to restfor 10 to 15 minutes before diving in. It’s so good, and just like Eleanor Braddock would make. It’s also delicious left over and warmed up the next day.

Eleanor Braddock’s Old-Fashioned Pie Crust

(makes two large crusts)

From the novel A Beauty So Rare

by Tamera Alexander

www.TameraAlexander.com

This is a wonderful crust that I’ve been using for years. Eleanor would likely have used lard in place of Crisco (since lard was cheaper than butter in her day), and you may too, if you prefer. Yes, lard is still available on most grocery shelves, although I’m pretty sure I just felt you shudder!

This pie crust "freezes beautifully " as they say in Steel Magnolias (instructions on freezing below), so even though I may need only one pie crust at the moment, I always use this recipe and make a second, and freeze it for later. Makes that next pie (or savory custard) go twice as fast!

1 ½ cups Crisco (or lard)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg

5 tablespoons ice water

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, using a pastry cutter (or two knives will do the job), gradually work the Crisco into the flour for 3 to 4 minutes until it resembles coarse meal. In a smaller bowl,whip the egg and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir gently until allingredients are blended well.

Halve the dough. Form the 2 evenly-sized balls of dough and place each into large sealable plastic bags. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each to about 1/2 inch thickness to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place themin the freezer until you need them. (If you’re using the crusts immediately, it’s still a good idea to let them chill in the freezer for about 15- 20 minutes. They’ll be much easier to work with.)

When you’re ready to roll the dough for your crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes (if it’s frozen). On a well-floured surface, roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. Sprinkle flour overthe top of the dough if it’s too moist. If the dough starts to stick to the countertop, use a metal spatula and gentlyscrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie plate (or iron skillet).

Using a spatula, carefully lift the dough from the surface of the counter into the pie pan. (I sometimes fold my well-floured dough in half and then "unfold" it onto iron skillet. Or you can lop it over your rolling pin. That works well, too.) Gently press the dough against the sides of the pan or skillet, getting it all tucked in. Then crimp the edges in whatever way you prefer. And now, you’re ready for that yummy savory custard filling above, or maybe for a fruit pie.

If you make this recipe (or if you’ve read A Beauty So Rare), I’d love to hear from you. You can write me through my website at http://www.tameraalexander.com/contact.html.

Inspiration for A Beauty So Rare

Here is the fascinating story about the inspiration for this book! 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=rVV1ESQ9Cb8