Veteran’s Day
November 11, 2009 in Books, Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting Today we honor our Veteran’s and we have the perfect quilt to make for a special Veteran in your life. It is actually called “Veteran’s Lap Quilt” and can be found in our newest book called “I Care with Quilts.”
This book was created because the most giving and caring people on the planet are quilt makers. Quilters are always looking for opportunities through their craft to support people who are in need or lend a hand to support a cause that is near and dear to their heart.
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Harvest Table Decor
November 4, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting
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A Good Day to Celebrate!
October 27, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Recipes, Staff October 27 is Caramel Apple Day and there is no better way to celebrate than with some yummy caramel apples. We've had the privilege of sampling Jackie's apples on a few occasions and we can attest to their deliciousness!
Caramel Apple Recipe
6-8 Small to medium clean, tart, apples (Apples from the store usually have a waxy finish that needs to be washed clean. Dry very well; caramel will not stick to a wet apple.)
Craft sticks for handles
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
2 cups brown sugar
¼ cup Karo syrup
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook on medium heat-- a too hot burner will scorch easily. Stir mixture constantly, scraping the bottom often. Do not walk away from the cooking caramel!! If you use a candy thermometer heat to 240 degrees or when tested in cold water to firm ball stage. When mixture hits the right temperature, add 1 tsp real vanilla stirring quickly.
Dip clean apples in caramel and place on parchment paper. The apples will not stick to parchment paper which is a very good thing. You will have a little caramel left in the bottom of the pan that you can not dip into so I drizzle this caramel over the already carameled apples for a little extra goodness.
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BOO!
October 24, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Scrapbooking Don’t be scared – all you need are paper-mache letters, shadow boxes, and fabric or scrapbook papers to create this whimsical Halloween décor. Display on a shelf or table for a unique Halloween accent.
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Mad Hatter Vintage Flea Market
October 9, 2009 in Creativity, Decorating, Friendship, QuiltingI got to attend my friends Flea Market Sale this last weekend and it was so magical! Gladys and Celia (mother and daughter) are both so cute and have such a magic touch when it comes to turning their flea market finds into true vintage treasures.
Even though it was their first event they had an enormous turnout to the Five Mile Grange which was decked from top to bottom with antique linens, jewelry, furnishings, seasonal decorations, mirrors, vases, pillows, signs and so much more. Everywhere you looked your eyes were delighted by sparkles and glitter and twinkling lights.
All seventeen of their hand picked vendors wore fun hats and were all just so darling – just like all their wares.
My other good friend Lynn prepared delicious homemade soups, tarts and scones to keep our tummies happy while we shopped. So yummy- The pumpkin soup was delish! I can’t wait until their next event!
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Countdown to Halloween!
October 5, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays We’re counting down to Halloween with weekly project ideas and this fun project is one that older kids will enjoy making. Light up your steps or walkway with grinning ghosts, cats, and jacks’. Tin buckets (or clean tin cans!) are pierced with hammer and nails, then painted for daytime fun.
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Fright Night is Near!
October 1, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting
Only 31 days until Halloween! Fright Night has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love the cast of characters that includes jack-o’-lanterns, playful ghosts, haunted houses, cats and bats. The spooky frights and fun-loving delights of the holiday make decorating for Halloween especially fun and with my new Spooky Town Fabric Collection for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, you’ll be able to scare up some great decorations and costumes in just a few hours.
The collection includes pillow, apron, placemat, and treat bag panels as well as a great collection of glittery and ghostly coordinates. The panels make for fast sewing and we turned one of the pillow panels into a great door banner. So, sew up some fun before the bewitching time is here!
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Sunny, the big fluffy Puppy
September 26, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Pets, Quilting, Staff
Carolyn and her husband recently adopted a darling apricot-colored Labradoodle. While leafing through a magazine one day, Carolyn came across a photo of a woman sitting on the steps and a fluffy, soulful, floppy-eared dog had his head in her lap.
That’s all it took, she was hooked. Once they determined that the dog was a labradoodle, Carolyn’s husband, Nick, went on the hunt for their new puppy and they had the joy of being involved with their puppy from birth.
All their dogs of the past have been named after bears—Grizzly, Kodiak, Bear—so keeping with tradition Sunny is a nickname for Sun Bear.
He sure has the sunny disposition that goes along with his name. So sunny in fact, he charms himself out of being in trouble every time he unrolls the toilet paper or sticks his head in a trash can looking for goodies to chew.
Carolyn loves him to death, and when he’s done some kind of dirty deed, she laughs and says, “It’s a good thing he’s so cute!” I used to say that about my son when he was a toddler too!
Sunny has been an inspiration for all of us so we designed a dog bed, blankie, and even a pillow with his name on it featuring one of my new fabric collections for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores---appropriately named “Junkyard Dogs!”
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First Day of Fall is here
September 21, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Friendship, Home, Well-Being
There’s always a period of mourning as you anticipate the ending of another summer. Don’t they go faster every year that passes? Probably the best distraction from this mourning is enjoying the most beautiful season of all - which is Fall.
A great way to commemorate the Equinox event (Sept 22) is a Hunting and Gathering adventure walk. It is almost time for putting out your Autumn décor which is always enhanced by a potpourri of natural elements. Pick a crisp, sunny day to invite your walking buddy to head out to a nearby park.
With large baskets on your arms, start gathering pretty leaves, pinecones, acorns, twigs or anything else nature leaves on the ground for you. While sipping on some hot, orange spice tea, get inspired to start your Fall decorating with your hand picked elements from Nature.
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Hens only – No Noisy Roosters Allowed!
September 16, 2009 in Creativity, Friendship, Staff You probably weren’t aware that this is National Chicken Month, were you?
Normally, I probably wouldn’t think to acknowledge such a thing. But since we have our own Chicken Lady on staff, we must honor the chicken. All of us here at the studio benefit from regular deliveries of fresh organic eggs from Kathy’s flock.
Raising chickens for 18 years now, she has a brood of 27 and just loves these girls and all their personalities. Since she welcomes new hens into the flock every year, she has a system of creating fashionable colored leg bands to identify what year they joined the clan. This year two of her chicks did turn out to be roosters! (Yikes!) Each time a rooster makes their way into the batch, she says a little prayer in hopes that it will be the first rooster in history that doesn’t crow. Although she has inquired, the vet told her that you just can’t “de-crow” a rooster.
The hens all have names like “Strawberry” and “Silky” based on their colors and markings. One of her eldest (who is a little more full figured) has earned the name “Queen Mum” and naturally she is the grand dame and self appointed role model to the other chicks. (sounds a bit like a DIVA to me) The four golden hens that pal around in a pack are nicknamed “The Blonde Bombshells.”
Because of the growing interest in eating organic foods, Kathy recently interviewed her chicks about the eggs they produce. The response was positive...
“It’s not a bad job. About once a day I spend 10 minutes in hard labor, and give a big SQUAWK when the blessed event is complete. Then I have the rest of the day off to jabber with the girls and sun myself.”
Not a bad deal since Kathy keeps them well fed along with extra treats of cracked corn, wheat kernels and yummy kitchen scraps. These chickens are well loved and doted on by Kathy and we sure do love the eggs!
