Tea Staining and Japanese Patterns

In pursuit of expanding my crochet ability, I've started trying to learn how to read Japanese patterns. Instead of written out patterns like [ 1sc, 1st inc, dc 5 times in same st...ect], they're more visual and rely on knowing symbols. I don't have them all memorized yet, but I think I know the basic ones down enough to make simple things, like this triple tiered flower.

I also tea stained it. I tried to get a gradient, so instead of soaking the whole thing in tea, I "painted" on the tea to the second and third tier. I tried to get the third tier to be the darkest, but it didn't quite work out well. BUT  the first tier is still mostly white, so that's good enough for me. 

And I made a leaf! I'll be honest, I didn't quite understand all of the pattern, especially around where the stem is, but I mean, it still looks okay and that's what matters. As for what I'm going to do with it, I'm thinking of patching it onto a bow or something like that. Or onto a cardigan, that'd be nice, right?