CountryRegisterDJ 14

Transcription

Page 2 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
The Country Register of Kansas
From My Desk...
to yours
Welcome to...
The Country Register
of Kansas
Cindy Baldwin, Publisher/Editor
988 9th Ave • McPherson, KS 67460
phone: 866-966-9815 • fax: 620-241-1909
email: [email protected]
www.countryregister.com/kansas
We’re on Facebook
Office Administrative Assistant: Lonnie Capps
Advertising Sales Representative: Beve Anderson, South Central
316-258-3416 • 316-866-2872 • [email protected]
The Country Register began in Arizona, in the fall of 1988, to provide effective,
affordable advertising for shops, shows, and other experiences enjoyed by a
kindred readership. Since then the paper has spread to many other areas, all of
which are listed below. Look for the paper in your travels.
Publishers’ Contact Numbers Across the
USA & Canada for The Country Register
Send $3 to any publisher below to obtain a paper from their area.
For live links to emails & individual websites go to
www.countryregister.com and click on PUBLISHERS.
• Indicates these editions are available to view online
The Country Register Founder: Barbara Floyd, 602-321-6511, [email protected], located
in Phoenix, AZ
USA
• Indicates the State has a web-viewable version of The Country Register.
• Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
• Arkansas: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597
The Country Register • Kansas
By Cindy Baldwin
This issue of The Country Register always puts me
in the holiday mood. This is probably a good thing as
I am notorius for getting a late start on decorating and
gift buying. And, by late I mean the week or two before
Christmas, which is when I usually get going on my holiday to-do list. So, I really enjoyed Susan Springer’s story about her Christmas tree
that didn’t get put away until the summer. My Nativity set made it to the mantel the
week before Christmas -- and we enjoyed the birth of the Christ Child well into summer. I could certainly relate to her Christmas tree experience as I thought to myself
more than once, “You really should put the nativity away,” and then let it sit there.
I hope you are looking forward to what the season will bring, whether that’s getting together with family, enjoying letters and cards from far-flung friends, programs
at church and school or maybe just snuggling up with a warm blanket, a cup of tea
and watching a favorite Christmas movie on television. With a houseful of little
grandsons -- all of whom are very active -- I expect our family Christmas celebration
will be a lively one. While you’re enjoying all the holiday activities from Christmas
to New Year’s, please take time to reflect on why we celebrate this time of year.
Our Country Register advertisers are also gearing up for the holiday season. Many
of them are having open houses, special sales and promotions. Please stop in and see
some of the amazing things they have to offer -- and support these independantly
owned businesses. Without your patronage, they wouldn’t be able to provide you with
a unique shopping experience -- in your own hometown or in a neighboring one or as
you travel. Small businesses appreciate your business.
I’ve also recently enjoyed visiting with Country Register readers by phone, email
and even in person. A first for me this past month was speaking to the members of
the McPherson Quilt Guild about how the paper was put together and answering their
questions about what goes in to publishing The Country Register of Kansas. It was
a very nice evening as I also learned from them what parts of the paper they most
enjoy. And, I took another road trip, always a fun time talking with our shop owners
and having them show me their businesses. See the story on page 13.
So, until next time... Have a wonderful holiday season and stay warm!
• California: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
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Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
Connecticut: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760
Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, 706-340-1049, 678-641-7728,
Idaho (N): Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson ST, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
• Idaho (S) WA & E. OR: Barbara Stillman, Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085,
602-942-8950
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Illinois: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597
Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA, 52339, 641-751-2619
Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, 866-966-9815
Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
Maine: Gail Hageman, 221 Winslow Rd, Albion, ME 04910, 207-437-2663
Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
• Massachusetts-RI: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760
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Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211
Minnesota: Kim and Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, 763-754-1661
Missouri: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597
Montana: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson ST, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085,
602-942-8950
Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803,
New Hampshire: Kathleen Graham, 330 North Road, Deerfield, NH, 03037, 603-463-3703,
New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman & Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
North Dakota: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson ST, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028,
Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009 ,937-652-1157, Fax 937-484-89637
Oklahoma: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597
Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P.O. Box 84345, Phoenix, AZ, 85071, 602-942-8950
Pennsylvania: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
Rhode Island: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760
S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman & Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
South Dakota: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson ST, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
Texas: Lenda Williams, P.O. Bo 32581, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 405-470-2597
Utah: Daniel & Stacy Tueller, 153 S 2050 W, Provo UT 84601, 801-592-8498
Vermont: Chris & Kelley Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
DJ 14-15
The Country Register of Kansas
Subscriptions
- $18
The Country Register is distributed as a complimentary gift from its advertisers. We encourage
you to stop by your favorite shop to pick up each new issue. However, for the convenience of those
who are not able to get to a shop, we do offer postal delivery for $18 per year to cover the cost of
postage and handling. Or if you want a certain issue mailed, send $3 & circle which issue -
Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/Jul, Aug/Sep, Oct/Nov
NAME________________________________________________
ADDRESS____________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Send this form (or a copy) along with your payment of $18 to:
The Country Register 988 9th Ave McPherson KS 67460
• WA & E. OR & S. ID : Barbara Stillman & Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085,
602-942-8950
• West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
• Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426
• Wyoming: Dee Sleep, 132 W. Hudson ST, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
CANADA
• Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0,780-889-3776
• British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0, 1-800-784-6711,
• Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441,
OnOurOur
Cover...
cover art is a painting by Karen Cruden. Read more about Ms. Cruden on
page 27.
Every effort is made to have an error-free paper, however,
mistakes do occur. Please double check dates, times, and
locations with a phone call before traveling a great distance.
The Country Register of Kansas Vol. 17 No. 3 Dec/Jan. 2014-15
The Country Register is published every two months. Copyright © 2014
Reproduction or use of articles or graphic content
without permission is prohibited.
The Country Register of Kansas is licensed by The Country Register with exclusive rights to
publish in the state of Kansas using logos and graphics owned by The Country Register.
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 3
Contents • Advertisers Map
The Country Register is FREE to you
courtesy of the advertisers!
Please let them know if you enjoy the paper & thank them!
Where is The Country Register available?
• Advertisers’ businesses • State-owned tourist information centers
• Some locally-operated visitor centers
• Most Lawrence grocery stores • Other various locations
by
City Index
• Number to LEFT of each city is the city’s # on map below
• Coordinates AFTER city will help locate that city on map below
(accuracy not guaranteed, please check official map before traveling)
• Page numbers are that city’s ad locations in The Country Register
# on
map, City, Map coordinates, Pg #
# on
map, City, Map coordinates, Pg #
78 Leavenworth B-10…pg 19
80 Leoti D-2…pg 7
82 Lincoln C-6…pg 5
87 Manhattan C-8…pg 23
88 Mankato B-6…pg 4
89 Marion D-7…pg 6
91 McPherson D-6…pg 10
172 Meade F-2...pg 8
176 Minneapolis C-6...pg 5
97 Newton D-7…pg 10
164 Oakley B-2...pg 7
100 Oberlin B-3…pg 7
102 Osawatomie D-10…pg 18
105 Ottawa C-9…pg 18
106 Overbrook C-9…pg 21
107 Overland Park C-10…pg 19
109 Paola C-10…pg 18
173 Plains F-2...pg 8
113 Pleasantview D-6…pg 9
120 Salina C-6…pg 5
121 Scandia B-6…pg 25
171 Scott City D2...pg 7
123 Severy E-8…pg 13
126 Spring Hill C-10…pg 18
180 Sylvia D-6...pg 9
129 Topeka C-9…pg 21
159 Troy A10 pg 20
140Valley Falls B-9…pg 14-15
141 WaKeeney C-4…pg 7
142 Wamego C-8…pg 23
145 Wellington F-7…pg 12
146 Westmoreland B-8…pg 22
148 Wichita E-7…pg 11
149 Winchester B-9…pg 20
150 Winfield F-7…pg 12
1 Abilene C-7…pg 6
2 Agenda A-6…pg 25
3 Alden D-5…pg 9
174 Alta Vista C-8...pg 23
8 Arkansas City F-7…pg 12
179 Arma E-10...pg 17
161Atlanta E-8.. pg 12
11 Baldwin City C-9…pg 21
12 Barnes A-7…pg 24
13 Belleville A-6…pg 25
15 Bennington C-6…pg 5
16 Blue Rapids A-8…pg 22
17 Bonner Springs C-10…pg 19
19 Burlingame C-9…pg 21
20 Burlington D-9…pg 18
165 Chanute E-9...pg 17
22 Chapman C-7…pg 24
25 Clay Center B-7…pg
28 Colby B-2…pg 7
34 Concordia B-6…pg 25
35 Conway Springs F-6…pg 12
36 Copeland E-3…pg 8
40Derby E-7…pg 12
42Downs B-5…pg 4
162 Edna F-9...pg 16
48 Frankfort A-8…pg 22
51 Garnett D-10…pg 17
60 Hiawatha A-9…pg 20
61 Hillsboro D-7…pg 6
63 Holton B-9…pg 20
64 Home A-8…pg 22
65 Humboldt D-9…pg 17
66 Hutchinson D-6…pg 9
69 Junction City C-7…pg 24
72 Kiowa F-5…pg 5
73 La Crosse C-4...pg 7
A
B
1
2
3
100
Goodland
Goodland p
28
p
p
153
C
100
p
28 154
156
141
153
44
30
52
103
156
141
30
183
83
D
83
283
76
173
LiberalLiberal
p
p
172
160
281
50
72
81
15
15
p
96
400
114
92
160
p
p
p
p
75
75 158
142 119 142 119
127
87
Topeka
Topeka
176
176
77
77
129
82
129
15
69
15
77 17
174
1 22 1 22
11
120
120
46
106
Salina Salina
77
106
77
19
19
105
37
135 83 135 83 59
5637 56
59
91
56
3
114
10
p
180
24
Dodge
Dodge
City City
9
Hiawatha
147
Hiawatha
147
p
87
3
68
p
96
p
89
50 156
155
35
35
7
7
21
35
145
21
161
p
p
150
8
145
45
20
35
161
160
54
123
123
99
99
160
20
11124
46
126
105
109
p
p
102
51
p
102
153
51
92
54
43
150
8
50
45
156
75
97
97
113 66 113 66
50 151
151
43
180
70
70
148
148
23Wichita
40023Wichita
40
40
92
72
56
107
17
p pp p
77
p
91
89
61
68 15561
City
158 127
p101
p
53
281
36
172
173
p
160
76
8
122
12260
60
90 64 90 64
143
143
159
3888 13 38
159
13
36 121 39121 39 12
9
9
1612 48 16 48
2
2
144
144
26
157
34 27 34 27 26
9
99
157
9
99
63
6398
14
78
98
116
78
116
152
152
25
146
Kansas
24
25
146
24 93
140 149140
93
149
82
75
E
103
7
Belleville
Belleville
14
42
183
Hays
Hays
53
36
Map Index:
City numbers = white number in black box
# Highway numbers = black in white box
p Information Centers with papers = black triangles
#
p44 p
70 p 70 p
171
24
If you miss the deadline, contact us and we might be able to squeeze you in!
73
283
75
Ad deadline for the FEB/MARCH 2015 issue is JAN. 6!
81
160
80 171
Targeted, Effective, Affordable Advertising that works!
169 36 88
42
Other things of interest:
~~Event Calendar is on pg 27~~
Quilting Project, pg 17
• Drawing Entry Form & Last Issue Winners, pg 6
Recipes and other projects throughout
advertising in this issue
Scott City One Stop Shop Hop
Quilt & Stitch Expo of Pueblo, CO
Heartland Shop “Strip Tease” Shop Hop
Oklahoma City Winter Quilt Show
An Affair of the Heart
Shop Hop to KC & Missouri Star Quilt Co.
Paducah American Quilter’s Society Quilt Show
6
169
Shop News from Around the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Piecing Life Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Building Harmony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Random Acts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Cooking With the Oldies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
The Knitting Savant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Back Porch Break . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Road Trip: Severy and Edna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Quilting With Barbara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
In This Land of Little Rain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Your Cup of Tea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
The Dropped Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Essential Oils: Hyssop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Kit ‘n Kaboodle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Become Inspired: Decorating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Prescription for Adventure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Town and Country Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Christmas Presence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using Milk Paints for Your Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
A Cup of Tea With Lydia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Upcoming, Events, Shop
Hops & Quilt Shows:
5
112
27
80
F
112
154
52
27
4
Some of the articles in this issue are:
marked with a p
on the map, map
coordinates also
listed)
Abilene C-7
Atchison B-9
Belle Plaine E-7
Belleville B-6
Colby B-2
Goodland B-1
Greensburg E-4
Hays C-4
Hesston D-7
Lawrence C-9
Liberal F-2
Marysville B-8
Osawatomie D-10
Oskaloosa B-9
Ottawa C-9
Topeka C-9
Wilson C-5
• Online www.countryregister.com/kansas
Advertisers
What’s Inside?
Towns with
Information
Centers that
distribute
The Country
Register
(Each town is
75
65
59 65
165
170
165
47
59
170
179
110
67
67
175
175
Independence
Independence
162
400
162
110
400
Page 4 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Downs • Mankato
Shop News:
JM Sewing Center moves to new location
Quilting Bee owner retiring, shop to close
HOLTON, Kan. -- JM Sewing Center has moved to a bigger and brighter store on
the west side of the Holton square. The store’s new address is 405 New York Ave.
“The move has increased our showroom space to just under 2,000 square feet and
will allow us to have classroom space as well,” owner Michelle Maddock said. “We are
very excited.”
JM Sewing Center is the area Janome Sewing Machine dealer and has recently
added Elna sewing machines to its lines. Michelle and Jerry Maddock invite you to stop
by and see their new store.
SALINA, Kan. – Sherril Bieberly, owner of The Quilting Bee in Salina, has announced her retirement and closing of the shop.
The Quilting Bee has been a fixture on Salina’s Santa Fe St. for 34 years. Sherril is
the third owner. The store was first opened in a small room in an embroidery shop by
Coleta Johnson, who soon moved it to a new location a few doors north of the current
location. Shirley Wolf purchased the store, moved it to its present location and operated
it for 15 years. Sherril has owned The Quilting Bee for 14 years and has made it into a
destination shop for many quilters in the region. She has been an active participant in
several shop hop groups including the Central Kansas Shop Hop group.
“I’ve loved every minute of it,” she said of her experience at The Quilting Bee. “It’s
something I’ve always wanted to do – work with fabric and sewing. I haven’t regretted
it for a minute. Many of my customers are almost like family.”
But, every experience comes to an end, and Sherril is looking forward to retirement and doing some of those projects that have been put on hold. She is also looking
forward to traveling with her husband and having more time to visit grandchildren in
Nebraska.
Sherril has not set a definite closing date for the shop and intends to stay open until
the merchandise is sold. However, she cautions her customers not to wait too long to
come in as the inventory is moving quickly. Always known for various fun promotions,
Sherril has some contests and sales that will be ongoing until the store closes. She is
also open to visiting with anyone who might be interested in purchasing the shop.
Stuff ‘n Such closing in Downs
DOWNS, Kan. – One of the most eclectic stores in Kansas will be closing its doors
by the end of the year.
Majean Schneider, owner of Stuff ‘N Such in Downs, Kan., has announced that she
will be retiring and closing the shop. She is now having a going out of business sale
with all merchandise discounted. Fixtures and antique furniture used in store displays
are also for sale. She does plan on continuing renting the adjoining apartments for reunions, retreats and those staying in Downs.
The store, located at 801 Morgan Ave. has been a popular stop for quilters over the
years, but also carries apparel, accessories, home décor, gift items, cards, children’s
items and much more, making it one of the more unexpected small-town shopping experiences in rural Kansas.
Majean and her late husband had a floor covering business in the building when he
passed away. She then used the space to open a fashion fabric store, which also stocked
gifts and cards. She eventually transitioned the fabric to quality quilting cottons and
added apparel and home décor to the mix. The shop has been active in several shop hop
groups over the years and Majean has been one of Downs’ biggest boosters promoting
downtown businesses and community events.
“The word bittersweet has been used a lot lately when I talk about retirement,” Majean said. “I have no big plans, but I will find out what kind of quilting I like to do now
that I don’t have to think just about what will sell in the shop. I hope to travel some and
am looking forward to the birth of twin granddaughters this spring in Texas.”
She said she will miss her customers, many of whom live in far-flung places, but
whom have become friends over the years.
“I’ve told them they can come by the house. I’ll answer the door,” Majean said.
Enjoy your retirement, Majean. Visit the shop website and Facebook page for updated sale information.
New quilt/gift shop opens in La Crosse
La Crosse, Kan. – West-central Kansas has a new quilt shop.
Debbie Likins and her husband recently retired from their construction business in
the eastern United States and moved back to Debbie’s native Kansas where they have
opened A Quilt Corral, a quilt and gift shop with a distinctly western theme.
Candice Nuss, a reader who recently visited the shop, wrote this of her experience:
“They have expanded the previous shop with a “country” theme with leather saddles
and worn leather boots among the completed quilts hanging on the walls, the fabric,
quilting tools and supplies. Along with the quilting inventory, the shop has unique,
handmade gifts from the region including Tin Man Quilt Blocks, Dr. Witts’ photography, wheat weaving, magnetic jewelry and mosaic glass by Nancy. I found Debbie to be
very friendly and very informative about quilting.”
The shop will offer classes and longarm quilting services. Debbie is an experienced
longarm quilter and is looking forward to sharing what the shop has to offer with quilters in the region.
A Quilt Corral is located at 812 N. Main in LaCrosse. Hours are Tuesday-Thursday
10-5:30, Friday 10-6 and Saturday 10-2. Closed Sunday and Monday. Phone: 352-2667108. For more information see the store’s website at www.aquiltcorral.com. The shop
is also on Facebook.
Threadworks 1 adds Brother dealership
CHANUTE, Kan. – Brenda Flowers, owner of Threadworks 1 in Chanute has recently been awarded a Brother sewing machine dealership. Threadworks 1 is located at
313 E. Main, Chanute, Kan.
The store has offered quilting fabrics and notions, screen printing and custom embroidery and is now pleased to be the Brother dealership for southeast Kansas with
models for sewing, embroidery and quilting. The shop also carries Skacel yarns.
Threadworks 1 is open Monday-Saturday, closed Sundays. Call or stop by to learn
about specials and financing options. Phone: (620) 431-7700.
Picket Fence Quilt Company now in Crossroads Shopping
Center
WICHITA, Kan. -- Picket Fence Quilt Company recently moved to a new location in the Crossroads Shopping Center at 7011 W. Central, at the intersection of Central
and Ridge. Owner Lisa Johnson invites you to come and see the new store.
Party Time With Lesley... Appetizers for the Holidays
BACON CHEESE BALLS
4 oz. mozzarella cheese 4 oz. cheddar cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. onion powder
1 cup bacon bits
Grate cheeses and combine with cream cheese. Add onion powder and half the
bacon bits. Mix well. Shape into small balls. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill. Reshape
if necessary and roll in the remaining bacon bits. Yield: 10-15 balls
BACON BITES
Pineapple chunks or canned water chestnuts (Soak chestnuts in Worcestershire sauce.)
Bacon slices. Pre-cook in microwave for 2-3 minutes.
Wooden toothpicks
Wrap half a bacon slice around each pineapple or water chestnut piece. Secure with
a toothpick. Place in microwave or oven until bacon is crisp. Serve with honey mustard or your favorite sauce
© 2014 Lesley R Nuttall is the author of Secrets of Party Planning. She lives
with her husband of 50 years in Dryden, ON Canada.
Decorate with Antique Toys at
Christmas
by Mary Dessoie
For Christmas, some children got toys for being good little girls and boys. That
is why toys are so much a part of the holiday season decorating Christmas cards and
Christmas trees — train sets, teddy bears and hobby horses, toy drums, toy soldiers,
sleds, trucks and all sorts of dolls.
Toys represent innocence and fun. They make us feel good, even loved. They make
us smile. Because they evoke such nostalgia, old toys are among the most sought-after
and are often the most expensive collectibles on the antiques market.
It is a lovely idea to decorate for the holidays using old toys, placing them on the
mantel or book shelves, in the china closet, even on the dining table or including them
among the wrapped packages under the tree.
It is not necessary to pay a fortune for them if you shop around. If you check out the
advertisers in this publication, you will undoubtedly find some good deals on vintage
and antique toys. I particularly like the handmade toys — trucks, boats, rag dolls —
many from the 1930s when money was tight or from rural families living far from fancy
department stores.
If you can, however, go out and shop at your nearest antique mall or auction house
and treat yourself to one classic old toy for your yearly Christmas decorating scheme.
Before you know it, you shall have an investment-quality collection to pass down to
your family. That is, of course, if they’ve been good little girls and boys.
Mary Dessoie covers a variety of topics in the field of antiques and collectibles. She
founded the Butter Pat Patter Association for beginner and advanced collectors of butter pats, miniature plates that were introduced in the mid-1800s for individual servings
of butter. A subscription to The Patter newsletter is $22 and includes a mint-condition
Royal Doulton butter pat. Royal Doulton, located in the Staffordshire area of England,
is known throughout the world as one of the leading manufacturers of fine china. Subscribers will also receive ten issues of The Patter.
Bennington • Lincoln • Minneapolis • Salina
Piecing Life Together
Being a Mother Elephant
by Barbara Polston
Elephants are pregnant for 22 months, almost two years! I’m
anticipating the arrival of a “baby,” an arrival that has been anticipated for well over 22 months. I think I know how an expectant
elephant must feel!
I’m pleased to announce that my first book, Quilting with
Doilies: Inspirations, Techniques, and Projects, will be released
by Schiffer Books in Spring 2015.
When I approached my publisher with the book concept, I
had about half the quilts and projects featured in it done. Offered
a contract, I had nine months to have all the projects completed.
The manuscript needed to be written and photographs taken.
Although not a “spreadsheet organized” kind of person, I created
one for each project to track it from concept through completion,
including manuscript and photography. All my other quilting
projects came to a screeching halt as I worked feverishly to meet
my submission deadline.
Then, the waiting began. First, I was notified that my submission was complete and acceptable. One hurdle accomplished. A
bit later, we debated about, and I finally approved, a book cover.
Recently, I reviewed and corrected what is called the “galley,”
just the written words that will appear in the book. Next, I’ll approve them again with pictures and illustrations added.
A quilting friend recently enjoyed the release of her second
book. A reader published a review on Amazon, calling the book
“a waste of money.” She was crushed, as I would be, to read a
review so negative. If folks understood how an author’s heart and
soul and blood, sweat and tears go into birthing a book, I have to
believe that they would hesitate before being so negative.
No, I did not receive an advance for writing the book. Quilt
book authors receive royalty payments based on sales. If you divide my anticipated royalties by the number of hours invested, I
think that I’ll have earned a few pennies per hour.
Why do it then? I believe I have valuable things to share — a
point of view about vintage doilies, my favorite go-to quilting
techniques, and projects that are fun to make and enjoy. Each
project is introduced with an inspiration, a snippet of my life and
the people I love. I hope my book is well received. Just like the
mother elephant, I’m looking forward to the birth!
Barbara Polston is the author of Quilting with Doilies: Inspiration, Techniques,
and Projects (Schiffer Books, 2015) and
an award-winning quiltmaker. You can see
Barbara’s quilts, join her on Facebook or
book her class and lecture offerings at www.
barbarapolston.com. She was inducted into
Arizona Quilters Hall of Fame in September
2013. Barbara, who has lived in Phoenix,
Arizona, for over 28 years, is calmly quilting
in Studio Narnia. ©Barbara Polston, Phoenix, AZ, September
2014
In this issue of The Country Register, we will give away one $50 gift certificates. IUse
your gift certificate to go shopping at your favorite Country Register advertiser. The
winner will be announced in the next issue. Deadline for entry is
Jan. 15, 2015. (Names are not sold, given away or used for any other purpose.)
Drawing Entry Form
Name_______________________________Phone_____________________
Address, City ST___________________________________________________________
E-mail address: ________________________________________________________________
If I win, I would like my $50 Gift Certificate from: (list a current advertiser from this paper)
_______________________________________________________________________
I enjoy visiting the above chosen shop because_____________________________________
I picked up this issue of The Country Register at____________________________________
Do you tell the shops you saw their ad in the paper?
Always
Sometimes
Never
Comments and/or Suggestions about The Country Register? Please include a note.
To enter, complete this form and mail to:
The Country Register, 988 9th Ave, McPherson, KS 67460
Want to save a stamp?
Just email the above information to: [email protected]
OR enter on the website at www.countryregister.com/kansas
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 5
Page 6 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Abilene • Hillsboro • Marion
Building Harmony . . .
Christmas 2014 An Andolini Christmas
By Jeff Cappis
Last year we had a typical Christmas. The snow covered the ground in a smooth
white blanket, the air was crisp and the stars were out in all their glory. As an added
bonus, you could read a newspaper by the moonlight, so, the forest was well lit. It was a
good night to build a fire (in the fireplace this time), and look at the view out our living
room windows.
Our neighbors from down the road, Alfonso and Helena Andolini, had come by for
a visit. They were a much older couple, but much more adept at drinking wine. There
was the usual talk about the weather and our families, but the talk somehow turned to
Christmases past. It was here we really found out more about them.
Alfonso and Helena are immigrants
from Italy. They stepped off the boat
(well, actually a Boeing 707) back in
1970. With only a few hundred dollars
and a little English, they set out to build
a new life. The only valuable possessions they had were a gold necklace and
a pocket watch: presents they had given
each other on their wedding day.
They both worked odd jobs and got
a one bedroom apartment. Times were
hard, but these were resilient young
people who knew how to stretch a buck.
After rent and groceries, however, there
never was much left in the well.
The first Christmas was particularly
hard. They were away from their families. Still they had each other. Alfonso worked out
a deal with the local grocer for a frozen turkey and Helena was determined to make the
best dinner they had ever had.
Alfonso puzzled over what to get her for Christmas. The light over the dining room
table was a single bulb hanging from an electrical wire. Helena always wanted a nice
light fixture over the table. While out strolling one day, she spotted a fixture in a shop
that reminded her of the one her mother had. Alfonso decided he needed to get her that
fixture.
But how? He had no money. All he had was the pocket watch. He reasoned that it
was worth at least as much as the light fixture. He could pawn it, give Helena a good
Christmas, then get the watch back by working part time at the grocery store.
That’s what he did. On his lunch hour the next day, he went to the pawn shop and
made his deal. Now all he had to do was remember where the shop with the fixture was.
Oops.
A few days later, Helena was cleaning the apartment when she noticed his watch
wasn’t in its usual spot. She looked high and low for it, but all she found in its place
was a pawn ticket. Helena was a smart woman. She realized he had pawned his only
valuable possession to buy her a Christmas present. Knowing what it meant to him, she
couldn’t let that happen.
She reasoned that her necklace was probably worth as much as his pocket watch, so
she decided to pawn it to buy him his watch back, then get the necklace back by working part time at the grocery store. That’s what she did.
On Christmas morning they flipped a coin to see who got to open their present first.
Alfonso won. Helena handed him a small box. He pulled off the ribbon and inside found
his pocket watch! He was over joyed to have it back.
“I saw your pawn ticket,” she said. “I couldn’t bear to think of you without it.” He
smiled and with a tear, kissed her gently.
Now it was her turn. Alfonso handed her a big present. Excited, she quickly pulled
the ribbons off, ripped the paper and opened the box. In it she didn’t find a grand light
fixture. All that was in it was a single gold necklace.
“I saw your pawn ticket too,” he said.
That night, under a single light bulb hanging from an electrical wire, they had the
best turkey dinner ever. They both had a good laugh too, over how much trouble they’d
gone to, giving each other things they already had.
And they still have them to this day: a watch, a necklace and each other.
Merry Christmas from Harmony Acres.
And the Winner Is ....
The December 2014-January 2015 Issue’s $50 gift certificate drawing has been
won by Shari Paynter of Tonganoxie. This was the first time Shari had entered the
contest and the Oct/Nov ’14 Issue of The Country Register of Kansas was also the
first issue Shari had picked up. She enjoyed it because of her love of crafts and reading about other country crafts in the state of Kansas. Her gift certificate will be used
at Craft-ee Crafters Craft Mall in Topeka, which Shari loves for their homemade
crafts and dips.
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 7
Colby • La Crosse • Leoti • Oakley • Oberlin •Scott City • Wakeeney
Six Things to do with Holiday Leftovers
Do you enjoy a traditional feast for the holidays but loathe the idea of eating it for
days on end? Here are six creative ideas for using up leftovers before you reach the
point of tossing them out.
• Make TV dinners -- Fill microwavable containers with a helping of everything
from the table. Pop in the freezer for future lunchboxes.
• Soup thickener -- Freeze ½ cup portions of mashed potatoes and save to add to
soups as a thickening agent.
• Potato pancakes -- Mix mashed potatoes with enough flour, eggs, minced onion and
milk to form a thick batter and fry. Serve with bacon and top with ketchup rather than
syrup.
• Shepherd’s Pie -- Make a casserole for the freezer. Layer vegetables on the bottom, meat chopped fine on top of that and a layer of the mashed potatoes next. Top with
bread crumbs and cheese.
• Make baby food -- Puree leftovers and freeze in ice cube trays for individual servings of baby food.
• Share -- Have an elderly neighbor that visited family for the holidays? Take her a
plate of food. Leftover turkey and dressing is welcome no matter what your age.
Page 8 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Copeland • Kiowa • Meade • Plains •
Random Acts
Weary Travelersw available at amazon.com.
by Maranda K. Jones
book includes her reader-acclaimed articles from the last decade.
“Attention all passengers: Flight 1223 from Denver to Seattle has been delayed. We apologize for the inconvenience.”
This was not what we wanted to hear after riding the hotel shuttle to the Denver International Airport. This was not the best news after we had been standing
in line for over an hour at
the airline counter, just to
check-in. Our flight had
been delayed three hours,
which meant we would
miss our connection from
SeaTac to Eugene. We
were all excited to celebrate Christmas with my
sister and brother-in-law at
their home in Oregon. We
were anxious to fly during
such a busy time of year,
knowing other families
would be making the same
journeys across the country. We were at the airlines’ mercy and had to make the
most out of this inconvenient situation.
“Inconvenience” is not the best word to describe what my family was feeling
however. The look on my avid traveling father’s face read, “Expected, but nonetheless annoyed.” My mom’s face said, “Disappointed and tired.” My husband’s
face showed obvious signs of aggravation. The expression on my face only
added to their dismal outlook on the day, for I could not stop smiling.
I was smiling because our plans had changed…out of my control, yet in my
favor.
Although we were originally headed to Seattle with a short layover, our time
there had been extended. My best friend Mel lives near Seattle, and anytime we
are in the same time zone, we make an effort to see one another. We loved the
idea of meeting at the airport, if only for a quick exchange of words and a hug.
But, with increased airport security, we decided a hello and a high five between
flights simply did not make sense. I would just call her when we landed instead.
Then a call came over the intercom again, and it was our turn to approach
the counter to discuss travel options. The airline could put us on an early flight
the next morning or we could fly standby. We decided to take control of the
situation, as much as we could, and opted to rent a car in Seattle and drive to
Eugene.
Finding a rental car was not easy, but we had four cell phones and three
hours at our disposal. Several companies had cars, but charged an extremely
expensive drop-off fee for not returning it to the pick-up site. Two companies
were not available, our roadside assistance service was experiencing a heavy
volume of calls, but finally, with much frustration, we located one company
that had one car available in downtown Seattle. We would be charged a normal
rental rate, we were welcome to drop it off in another location, and we had the
reservation…if we could get there before closing time.
I called Mel and asked her to take us downtown as soon as we landed. One
o’clock was our scheduled arrival time, but she worried that I had told her
mountain time, so she was there waiting when we touched down. The timing
was perfect. I walked out of baggage claim just as she drove by waving at us.
We loaded up our bags and ourselves cheerfully chatting as we drove through
the lines of traffic, unaware of the less-than-enthused passengers in the backseat. At one point, I turned around to see nothing but foreheads peering over the
suitcases in the back of Mel’s Chevy Cavalier. This only made us laugh harder as we
followed the printed directions to the rental car company.
We arrived within minutes of the doors locking for the day, and adrenaline
kicked in as we prepared for our drive on the interstate. With a sigh of relief and
a key in hand, we were finally moving at our own pace. We told Mel goodbye
in the parking lot, after snapping a few pictures, of course, which still make me
laugh this many years later. She and I are in our height of glory, five feet tall and
on cloud nine, grinning from ear to ear that we had shared yet another memorable day together.
Before we left, she handed me a printed map, complete with drawings and
comments she had added, to help us complete the next leg of our journey.
Just like old Scrooge, some people need convinced that every moment is
worthy of celebration.
“Bah! Humbug!” comes to mind when I see the picture of Mom, Dad and
Chris -- the picture that tells the inconvenient side of the story. The story of
tired, weary travelers in search of rest, ready to rejoice, reminds me of a much
greater account told in the scriptures. Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to
praise and glorify God. The birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, is worthy of celebration every moment. Merry Christmas!
© 2014 Maranda K. Jones
Maranda Jones’ new book Random Acts is now available at amazon.com.
The book includes her reader-acclaimed articles from the last decade.
Alden • Hutchinson • Pleasantview • Sylvia
Have an Antiques-Filled Christmas!
Double Duty Decorations
by Mary Dessoie
The Christmas shopping season is officially open, but if you want to include antiques in your gift giving, it’s best to get a head start.
Antiques are unique—there’s no stock in the back—so you’re going to have to do
some hunting. While you are out there looking for those special pieces, like fine old estate jewelry, fashion accessories, art glass, china or collectibles, don’t forget to keep an
eye open for those inexpensive stocking stuffers such as butter pats!
In fact, instead of a stocking, you may want to stuff a basket, box, grab bag or bowl
with an array of neat little, inexpensive things all individually wrapped.
Antiques can also make classy go-withs to complement new items from the mall.
Include an old scent bottle with some new perfume. Drop a vintage fountain pen into
that new briefcase or clip it to the ribbon when you wrap up a New Year 2013 calendar
or appointment book.
A decanter or a couple of special shot glasses or old cocktail glasses can be a smart
addition to a gift of liquor. With a gift of wine, you could also add an old wine salver (a
table coaster for the bottle) available in silver or crystal—something few people think to
buy for themselves.
Inexpensive costume jewelry can be used to brighten up gift wrapping. Just attach a
fanciful pin or earrings to the bow. For a little girl, attach the jewels to a stuffed animal,
or pile them into a little box to make a treasure chest of colorful playthings.
Speaking of playthings, auctions and the antique shops are full of old toys—trains,
cars, trucks, dolls children’s books—and they’re not just for kids. Lots of grown-ups
would enjoy finding a neat little toy under the tree to put up on the bookshelf or mantel.
It makes them feel like a kid again. And what could cheer anyone up more than that?
The advertisers in this paper are sure to have just what you need for those special
folks on your Christmas shopping list. Merry Christmas!
Mary Dessoie covers a variety of topics in the field of antiques and collectibles. She
founded the Butter Pat Patter Association for beginner and advanced collectors of butter pats, miniature plates that were introduced in the mid-1800s for individual servings
of butter. A subscription to The Patter newsletter is $22 and includes a mint-condition
Royal Doulton butter pat. Royal Doulton, located in the Staffordshire area of England,
is known throughout the world as one of the leading manufacturers of fine china. Subscribers will also receive ten issues of The Patter. Sample copies are available by sending $4.00 and a LSSAE (70 cents). Those who would like to start their subscriptions
immediately and receive their Royal Doulton pat by return mail can send a check or
money order payable to Mary Dessoie, 7950 E. Keats Ave., No. 178, Mesa, AZ 852095025.
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 9
A Thanksgiving tablescape is fun to create and will really invite family
and friends to your holiday table. Since food is a primary focus at Thanksgiving, you will want your centerpiece to reflect that, not overwhelm it. I want my
centerpiece to look good, but I’m no
Martha Stewart, so I need something
simple! A favorite creation of mine
is to place pinecones in a shallow
wooden bowl, nestle a glass bowl
in the middle and float a candle in
the glass bowl. You could also put
a glass hurricane in the middle and
put a pillar candle inside. Here’s
the best part: after Thanksgiving,
change the color of the candle to red
or green and it’s a Christmas centerpiece! ©Susan Tipsord 2014
Page 10 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
McPherson • Newton
Cooking With the Oldies
The Knitting Savant . . .
by Barbara Floyd
One Stitch At A Time
Panna Cotta, a special dessert
One of my favorite desserts when dining out has been Crème Brûlée, (French
pronunciation: [ kʁɛm bʁy.le]), also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity
cream. It is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a layer of hard caramel. It is normally served at room temperature and the custard base, made with eggs, is
traditionally flavored with vanilla. In spite of all the other flavorings it can be done with,
I prefer the traditional version. Now, I don’t have this dessert often, but I am tempted by it; but not tempted to
make it at home. It is offered frequently on good dessert menus. Interestingly enough,
there is another dessert, Panna Cotta, that rates right up there for me these days with
Crème Brûlée but does not seem to be as well known except to the Italians. It was a
great surprise to find both desserts on the same menu this past summer at the culinary
school cafe at Walla Walla Community College in Walla Walla, Wash., where I had several delightful lunches. It was not a hard decision to select the Panna Cotta
To be honest with you, I did not grow up knowing anything about either of these
desserts. The French and Italian cuisine was not a part of Minnesota cooking. When my
mom made custard we called it custard or pudding, or it came in the form of a custard
pie, sometimes with bananas or, my favorite, coconut, but always homemade. During
the WWII years, we had Eagle Brand Pudding, made with sweetened condensed milk.
My mom raised chickens which made eggs easily accessible those lean years. So last
year, when my granddaughter, Hannah Skalleberg, (then 17) said she was going to make
Panna Cotta for a family-friends evening affair where she was teaching us all how to
do visual journaling, I tasted my first Panna Cotta. It was served to us in china tea cups
with an optional fruit sauce, and since then I have had it molded and turned out on a
plate. It is best eaten freshly made and “set.” It is a good dessert to make for company,
because you will probably not have any leftovers. It does not show up in home kitchens
often; so it will be well appreciated and is very fun and easy to make
Panna Cotta means “cooked cream” in Italian and consists of a lightly sweetened
cream mixture that is set with a small amount of gelatin. The gelatin allows the cream
to thicken without needing to use eggs or starches, like many other types of custard do.
Only a very small amount of gelatin is used, just enough to hold the cream together
without giving the dish a tough or jello-like texture. The result is a dessert that has an
exceptionally light and silky taste. Panna Cottas can be flavored with a whole variety
of different ingredients such as fresh berry sauces, which gives a nice flavor and color
contrast, but my favorite is grated lemon rind and a thin lemon sauce. For simplicity and
less calories, garnish with a few fresh berries and some grated lemon rind. If you don’t want to fuss with taking the Panna Cotta out of the mold to serve, you
can leave it right in the ramekin, or other small individual serving dishes, perhaps some
antique ones. It looks great in the very popular, small, individual glass serving goblets
with a small spoon. You will be the hit at your next luncheon for the ladies for sure...just don’t tell them
how simple Panna Cotta is to make. Panna Cotta
Total time: 40 minutes, plus chilling time -- Servings: 8 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon powdered clear gelatin
2.5 cups heavy cream
1.5 cups whole milk
5 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract 1. Lightly oil insides of 8 serving ramekins or dessert dishes and set aside. (Half cup
servings). (You can delete the oil if serving in the dish). Half fill a large bowl with ice
and add enough water to make an ice bath and set aside. 2. Place recipe water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top, stir to distribute
and soften 3 minutes. 3. In saucepan, combine cream, milk and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer over
medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in softened gelatin and
the vanilla.
4. Set the saucepan in the ice bath, (making sure no water goes into pan) and whisk
until the mixture is lukewarm. There should be no grit from undissolved gelatin or sugar
when rubbing mixture on your fingers). 5. Ladle mixture into oiled serving dish or cup or goblet and chill at least 4 hours or
overnight. If keeping longer, cover with plastic wrap. Preparing more than 24 hours in
advance will result in firmer set and you may not like it as well. 6. Release from mold if desired about 10 minutes before serving by running a thinbladed knife around edge, dip the mold into a bowl of hot tap water and carefully invert
onto a serving plate. Garnish and enjoy!
Barbara Floyd, Founder of The Country Register, The Antique Register (of Arizona) and Love of Junk, Walla Walla’s
Vintage Market, resides a good part of the year in Arizona,
which has been home for over 50 years. Cooking, entertaining, reading, traveling -- probably in that order -- are her
favorite past times. She can be reached at [email protected]. Enter the Cookbook Drawing on the homepage of www.countryregister.com to possibly win a cookbook
from Barbara’s downsized cookbook collection.
By Andrea Springer
It’s time to celebrate another trip around the sun, ending one year and beginning
another. Media pieces about New Year’s resolutions are plentiful this time of year, giving us a reason to pause and think of things we’d like to accomplish in 2015. Ask most
knitters, and they can probably tell you about a few items on their knitting “bucket list.”
Some of us believe in the saying, “Go ‘big’ or go home.” However, we often go “big”,
get overwhelmed by “big,” and then “big” gets stuffed in a bag in the back of the closet.
So much for resolutions.
More often than not, we need resolutions to accomplish the small victories that
make “big” victories possible. We may need a goal to finish a project already on the
needles or to learn a new technique so we can knit a pattern that inspires us. Sometimes
we need to be reminded that our finished objects don’t spring forth fully formed from
our imaginations. We create them one stitch, one row, one block at a time. Once we
know what we want to accomplish and our purpose for accomplishing it, we can break
it down into manageable pieces. It’s like eating the elephant. We do it one bite at a time.
There are periods when the springs of our creativity run deep and cold, spilling
over at a rate that we can barely contain all that rushes forth. Then there are days when
we can’t seem to scratch an idea out of anywhere. Having knitting goals has gotten me
through creative dry spells. When I’m not inspired by anything in my stash, library or
workbasket, I go back to my bucket list. Over the years, I’ve checked off lace, steeks,
socks, brioche and a few other things that looked daunting at first glance. I’ve built up
skills I’m able to apply to other projects and, at the same time, gaining a deeper understanding of my purpose and process when it comes to making things.
So think about your own knitting “bucket list.” Think big and then, if need be, break
it down into manageable steps. Do you have an unfinished object that needs attention,
but you’re stuck? Set a goal to find someone who can sit down and help you get past the
hurdle. Do you love the look of sock yarns on the skein but are intimidated by the very
idea of turning a heel? Sign up for a sock knitting class at your LYS or find a private instructor. Are your knitting skills rusty, but you want to make something for a new grandchild on the way? Find a basic instruction book and start with a simple hat. Start where
you’re at and knit with love and purpose. Stitch by stitch, row by row, what you see in
your mind’s eye will start to appear and you’ll be crossing another item off for 2015.
Andrea Springer blogs at www.knittingsavant.com where
she helps folks remember that they have everything they need to
be successful in knitting and in life. You can share comments or
ideas with her at [email protected] or follow Knitting
Savant on Facebook and Twitter.
Wichita
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 11
Page 12 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Arkansas City • Atlanta • Conway Springs • Derby • Wellington • Winfield
Back Porch Break
Angel Tree Christmas
by Nancy Parker Brummett
Angel Tree is a project of Prison Fellowship that enables prisoners to give Christmas gifts to their children simply by filling out a
form giving the child’s name, address and “wishes.”
Participating churches, banks and civic groups
then write the names and wishes on paper angels to
hang on a tree. Volunteers take the angels, buy the
gifts suggested and return the wrapped packages to
the sponsoring organization for delivery to the kids.
My husband and I coordinated the project at our
church one memorable year. By December 23, only
one family hadn’t been located, and gifts for 74 kids
had been purchased and delivered. At last, I could
turn my full attention to our own family Christmas.
But then my husband called to say that last family had just been located. I have to admit my first reaction was resentment. Hadn’t we dedicated enough
time already?
Realizing it was too late to recruit someone else
to buy the gifts, I looked in my checkbook and saw
I had $95 left. I hopped in the car and went to buy
two gifts each (a toy and a practical gift) for the six kids in this prisoner’s family.
When I got to the closest five-and-dime, I noticed a big sign on
the window that read: “All toys 25% off!” That would help. Once
inside, I wandered aimlessly for a while, picking up first one toy
and then another. All I knew were the names and ages of the kids.
No hints had been given.
Finally, in exasperation, I bowed my head and prayed, “Lord, I
don’t know these children, and I don’t know what they like or need.
But you do, Lord. Please show me what to buy.”
From that moment it was as if my cart had wings. I found a
helicopter for 1-year-old Jacob and a toy telephone for 2-year-old
Jessica. Jenna, 5, probably needed to learn to tie and button to get
ready for kindergarten, so the clown doll to dress seemed the perfect
choice for her. Ninja Turtles would delight Jonathan, 6, and Joshua,
7. I chose the two least violent-looking ones. I might have ques
tioned my choice of the Etch-A-Sketch for 11-year-old Joseph, but
somehow it seemed right.
Did the Lord know of an artistic talent that
needed nurturing? Now, for the practical gifts. My
cart seemed pulled to the opposite side of the store,
where I saw a huge display of warm woolen hats and
gloves -- all on sale. Of course! Why hadn’t I thought
of that? I quickly matched up a set for each child.
As I waited in the checkout line, I began to realize what had just happened.
When the clerk rang up the total, $92.63, I could
barely see the check I was writing through the tears
in my eyes. After lugging my awkward packages to
the parking lot, I just sat in the car and let the tears
roll down my face. I knew that no matter what else
happened the next two days, I had just had Christmas.
Nancy Parker Brummett is an author and freelance writer in
Colorado Springs, CO. “Like” her author page on Facebook, or to
learn more about her life and work, visit www.nancyparkerbrummett.com.
Now Available! The Hope of Glory A Devotional Guide for
Older Adults
by Back Porch
Break columnist
Nancy Parker
Brummett. Order
print or ebook
from Amazon.
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 13
Road Trip - Severy, Edna
Severy
Edna
The Quilter's Patch
Edna
Road Trip: Destination Severy and Edna
I’m continuing the trend of looking for unique “big” feel stores in small places that
has taken me to the road the past few issues starting with Alta Vista last spring, Barnes
in late summer, and this issue’s trip to the US 400 corridor town of Severy and – just a
few miles off the highway – Edna. This road trip was a little unconventional as I did it
in two legs – several months apart!
My visit to Edna was in July as we drove through the area after attending a wedding
in Tulsa. My Severy adventure was this month. Not the typical way I usually do a road
trip, but an adventure none-the-less.
So get a cup of coffee or tea, set back and relax and come with me on a road trip.
First stop: Severy.
Itchin’ to Stitch • 1590 20th, Severy • (620) 736.2040
Turn off the highway headed toward Severy and you’ll see the sign for Itchin’ to
Stitch, located on the access road just south of the highway. Wanda Nusz has been
helping people scratch that itch to stitch for eight years in her bright, airy shop, which
she built to get the longarm
machine out of her home’s
basement.
“(Having it in my house)
wasn’t handy for customers or for me, so we built
the building as the business grew,” Wanda said.
“I thought, as long as I’m
going to be there all day
quilting, I might as well
have fabric and all the rest.”
The longarm quilting
machine still has its place
in the back of the shop, but
the shelves of fabric and the
dozens of samples displayed on
walls, tables and antiques have
now taken center stage. It can be
a surprise to first time visitors to
find a shop like Itchin’ to Stitch,
as they often think, “in the middle
of nowhere.”
Wanda laughingly said she
prefers to think of the shop as
being in the “middle of somewhere.” After all, she noted,
her customers who come from
a distance get to travel through
the Flint Hills to get to her shop
– a scenic drive well worth the
trip. Many of her customers first
became acquainted with the shop
as a stop on the Central Kansas
Shop Hop, which she has
participated in for five or
six years.
The shop carries a
variety of fabric, batting,
quilt backing, notions
and patterns. Fabric
selection tends to the
more traditional including Kansas Troubles and
Civil War prints. Wanda
also carries a selection of
wild life prints that is not
typically found in other
area shops. She carries
Itchin' to Stitch
Severy
Needle In a Haystack
Severy
by Cindy Baldwin
quality cottons with price
range points from $5.99
to $12.99. When ordering fabric, she considers
current trends and what
she thinks her customers
would like.
“When I started, I
ordered what I liked, but
realized that others didn’t
always like what I liked.
Now, when I buy fabric,
I try to get outside the
box and buy a variety of
fabrics. But, quilters will
tell you that each quilt shop owner reflects some of their own tastes in what we stock.
We can be buying from the same line, but choose different fabrics.”
The important thing is to keep the fabric fresh and current. Samples provide inspiration for those who have trouble picking out fabric, and Wanda is happy to help those
who need a little help with putting colors and patterns together.
The shop offers classes, often taught by outside teachers, that draw a regular group
of students from as far away as Wichita. The spacious workroom can accommodate 12
-15. The retreats held twice a year have become very popular – so popular Wanda no
longer has to advertise them – they fill with repeat attendees and by word of mouth.
For those interested in quilting services, Wanda keeps the long arm machine busy.
She is typically six to eight weeks out on completed quilts and tries to keep it that way;
not accepting quilts if she can’t get to them within that time period.
A seamstress since she was young, Wanda made her first quilt shortly after she was
married in 1972 – a fairly simple pattern with big squares. But, she made more as her
children arrived and it just snowballed from there. She has found the shop to be a great
way to combine her love of quilting with her love of people. She really enjoys visiting
with her customers, many of which have become friends. Stop by, say hello and scratch
your quilting itch.
Store hours are:Tuesday-Friday 9:30-5, Saturday 9:30-4
Needle In a Haystack • 207 Q Rd., Severy • (620)736-2942
Two miles west of the Severy turn off, right on Highway 400, is Needle in a Haystack. This quilt shop may be as well known for its unique
signage as it is for it’s shelves of fabric and friendly service.
Travelers on the road can’t miss the tall “silo” topped by a
haystack with a needle and thread sticking out of the side.
The one-of-a-kind structure was conceived and built by
original owner Lois Klepper’s husband.
“He worked with the rural water district and when they had
trouble getting a billboard approved under the federal signage
rules, he
came up
with this.
The tube
is a water
tower
and he
added the
haystack and needle at the top. The
“thread” is actually a thick cord,”
owner Cynthia Washburn said. “It
does attract a lot of attention.”
The day I stopped in at the
Needle In a Haystack offers shopping beyond fabric.
See Road Trip page 16
Page 14 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Valley Falls
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 15
Page 16 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Road Trip • Edna
From Road Trip pg 13
shop, Cynthia was home recovering from surgery, but Evonnie, who is one of the women who help staff the store, warmly greeted me as I walked through the door. She was
helping another customer with
some quilt decisions and encouraged me to check out the store.
Needle In a Haystack is one
of the older, continuously operated quilt shops in the state, helping quilters for over 20 years.
Cynthia has owned the shop for
seven years after working in
the shop as a teacher. The shop
reflects both Lois Klepper’s and
Cynthia’s personalities.
“Lois always had vendors and
consignment booths along the
walls of the shop,” Cynthia said.
“I’ve continued that, but have been gradually taking over some of the space for more
fabric and sewing machine display areas.”
Her husband’s love of garage sales can also be seen in the number of antiques and
collectibles, tools, license plates and similar things filling the booth space.
“Husbands really enjoy it. They can look at the tools and other “manly” things while
their wives shop for fabric,” Cynthia said.
That’s good, the shopping experience could take awhile as ladies browse through the
shelves of fabric and look at the number of samples hung throughout the shop. Cynthia said she tries to pay attention to trends when ordering fabric, while maintaining an
eclectic mix for her customers. She confesses to a weakness for batiks, evidenced by
the number of bolts in stock. The shop also carries traditional and civil war prints, baby
flannels, and a lot of solids. The Downton Abbey fabric line can be found in the shop,
with the latest release just arrived.
The shop carries a wide variety of patterns, books, notions, thread and tools for the
quilter. They also are a Brother and Elna sewing machine representative.
Cynthia said the shop draws regular customers from a wide area and has a group
of about 50 quilters who regularly participate in the shop’s Needle Club, a “lecture,
demonstration, get motivated” session held once a month. Attendees, who often drive an
hour or more, get to see the latest in techniques and tools. It’s also a great time to socialize. The shop has Block of the Month clubs, often having three going at any one time,
and a variety of classes offered throughout the year.
Cynthia enjoys designing and much of her work can be seen throughout the shop.
She typically does three or four quilts a year plus lots of smaller projects that aren’t
found anywhere else. Quilting is a creative outlet for her – she has taught music and
also has a degree in Home Economics – and she finds she really enjoys the artwork
involved in the designing process.
There have been a lot of changes in quilting over the years from improved dyes and
fabrics to new tools that make complicated traditional patterns easier to accomplish. The
Internet has changed how quilters acquire patterns and skills with You Tube tutorials
and Pinterest posts giving people new skills and ideas, Cynthia said.
The Internet has also opened up Needle In a Haystack’s inventory to the world. She
has shipped fabric to Australia, Canada – and Wichita.
“People search on the Internet for a particular fabric and when they find it, they
order it,” she said. “I’ve had people tell me that we are living up to our name as they
found a particular fabric on our website just like finding a needle in a haystack.”
Located just an hour from Wichita, the shop is a great place to stop, stretch your legs
and get some inspiration as you travel. I know I found it a nice warm, friendly place to
stop on a cold day.
Hours: Open seven days a week Monday-Saturday 9-5, Sunday 1-5.
Website: www.needlenahaystack.com
The Quilter’s Patch • 119 N. Marks, Edna • (620)922-3129
It’s a short side trip (about 20 Miles) for travelers on Highway 400 to visit The
Quilter’s Patch in Edna, located just east of Coffeyville and about five miles north of the
Oklahoma border. I took that trip in July on my Row by Row quest and found another
quilt shop jewel in an unexpected place.
Edna is a town of just over 400 people in southern Labette County. When I walked
through the door, I found a shop that would hold its own in a much larger city.
Friends Sharon
Bozman, Louise
Riley and Marla
Yarbrough opened
the shop in February 2011. Sharon, a
native of Edna, had
recently moved back
into the community
at the time when the
idea to open a quilt
shop was first discussed.
“We were talking
among ourselves
about how it would
be nice to have a quilt
shop in the area and
The owners of The Quilter's Patch, Sharon, Marla and Louise.
Also pictured, third from left, is Cindy Baldwin, Country Register said ‘let’s go for it,”
Sharon said. “We
publisher, on her visit to the shop.
decided to open it in
Edna because we all lived here and it would be convenient for us. Everybody said we
were crazy, but it is working.”
Working it is. They started on a shoestring. The ladies opened in one room of their
present building with an inventory purchased from Needl Network, which had closed its
store in Parsons. They soon found business increasing, more fabric was purchased and
they moved into the next room – and then into the next room – and then they converted
the building’s garage into a classroom/workroom and filled it.
The shop has grown into a full-service quilt shop with over 2,000 bolts of fabric,
along with notions, patterns and books. The ladies stock a wide variety of fabric, including western prints, Civil War, batiks, Kansas Troubles and over 200 bolts of flannel.
They also carry batting and have over 50 bolts of 108”-wide backing fabric.
“We try to hit everyone’s taste, and our goal is to keep fresh fabric coming in so
our stock isn’t dated,” Sharon said. “I feel like we have some unique pieces and a nice
selection.”
The ladies have developed some fun promotions to keep things interesting for their
customers. One of the more popular is the year-long color of the month sale. A list is
posted in January listing the featured color for each month – November’s color is gray,
for example. Any fabric that has the color of the month in it – even just a dot – qualifies
for 15% off. There is also a “bring your own bag” promotion. With the first purchase,
a customer is given one of the shop’s reusable bags. Each time the customer brings the
bag back in, she can choose a free fat quarter from a special basket. That’s proved to be
very popular as the shop has only had to buy one box of plastic, throw-away bags since
they opened. An ongoing Finish the Bolt sale is just what it sounds like.
The shop is testimony to the fact that if you have quality fabric and friendly service
people will find you, no matter how small the town or how far off a major highway you
are. Regular customers drive an hour or more to visit the shop and they have found local
quilt guilds have been very supportive of the shop and appreciate that they are there.
“When we started the shop, we believed that every customer is important whether
they come in to
buy a skein of
floss or a quilt’sworth of material.
We allow people
to look and take
the time they
need without
bothering them,
but we are there
to help if they
need advice or
have a question.
We’re just downhome country
girls trying to offer something that
people want. It’s
been a good past
time. We enjoy
Show floor at A Quilter's Patch and, bottom, classroom.
what we do, we
enjoy the fabric
and passing joy
on to our customers,” Sharon said.
I had a
wonderful time
visiting with Sharon, Louise and
Marla and think
you will find A
Quilter’s Patch a
fun trip.
Hours:
Monday-Friday
10-5, Saturday
20-4
Arma• Chanute •Garnett • Humblodt
A Quilter’s Calendar - Pieced
and Appliqued
Editor’s note : We are pleased to bring our readers another quilt designed by one
of our advertising shop owners. For this series, we are featuring the Quilter’s Calendar
designed by Chris Campbell, owner of Chris’ Corner Quilt Shop in Ottawa. This quilt
utilizes both piecing and applique techniques. A color version of each block and the
completed quilt can be viewed on our website www.countryregister.com/kansas. Go to
the current issue tab and click quilt projects. This is the last installment. The individual
blocks representing each month and piecing instructions for the border used around
each block can be found online.
Chris designed this quilt as a Block of the Month for her shop. Using very traditional patterns with updated techniques, quilt makers are encouraged to use their own
creativity in color selection and interpretation of the designs. For example, while it’s
apparent that the quilt represents a calendar, and most of the patterns and appliques are
representative of a particular month, some have special meaning. In this issue the setting
and finishing instructions are given. We hope you have enjoyed making this quilt. If you
have completed the quilt, please send a picture to The Country Register of Kansas either
by mail or a digital photo by email. Both email and mail addresses can be found on page
2 of this issue of the paper.
Sashings & Stars:
Fabric Required: 2 ½ yards for sashings, inner border, outer border and binding.
Fat Quarter for small stars in sashing (you may use the same fabric as our large star
points in the blocks – you will have enough if you have been cutting carefully.)
Cutting:
From the LENGTH of the sashing fabric cut (3) 2 ½” wide strips. Sub-cut into (17)
2 ½” x 12 ½” sashing strips.
From the star fabric cut (6) 2 ½” squares and (48) 1 ½” squares.
Piecing:
Use (7) of the 2 ½” x 12 ½” to put star points on both ends in this manner:
Lay a 1 ½” square of star fabric on one corner of a 2 ½” x 12 ½” strip and sew corner to corner. Cut away from the stitching and press the star point. Repeat on the adjacent corner with another 1 ½” square star fabric. Repeat this procedure on the other end
of all seven strips. We will call this S2.
On the remaining (10) 2 ½” x 12 ½” strips do this same technique on one end only,
so that there are two star points on that end. We will call this S1.
The blocks are set three across and four down, with sashing between rows 1 & 2, 2
& 3, 3 & 4.
Row one starts with the January block, then a S1 with star points pointing down, the
February block, S1 with star points pointing down, and the March block.
The sashing row between all rows is as follows: (from left to right): S1 with star
points on the right, 2 ½” square, S2, 2 ½” square and S1 with star points on left.
Setting Instructions – Approximate finished size 58” x 74”
The blocks set three across and four down, with the 2” sashing and stars setting as
given with the first block in the series, should measure 40 ½” x 54 ½” including seam
allowances. Measure your top through the center (not on the sides) horizontally and vertically to verify size.
Inner Accent Border: From the LENGTH of the sashing fabric cut (4) 2 ½” strips.
Cut (2) of these strips 54 ½” long (or your vertical measurement) and sew onto each
side of the top. Press. Measure horizontally, through the center (this will no include the
side borders you just added), and cut (2) strips that length (in “perfect quilt world” that
would be 44 ½”). Add these strips to the top and bottom. Press.
Pieced Border: Through the year you have kept the cutaways from your large star
points. These (96) half square triangles should all be squared up to 2 ½”. You will need
(10) additional 2 ½” half squares. Make these using 2.0 Thangles to complete the pieced
border.
Experiment with design possibilities, setting these half squares together. You could
do a ribbon effect, a dog tooth effect, or flying geese effect. You will also need to experiment with the corners and turning the design around them in a pleasing manner.
Again, in “perfect quilt world” this would be perfectly balanced – however, in my quilts
that never happens.
(29) half squares are needed on each side, and (24) each on top and bottom – total
(106). The quilt should now measure 48 ½” x 62 ½”.
Second Accent Border: Cut (4) 2 ½” strips from the LENGTH of sashing fabric.
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 17
Measure again vertically through the quilt and cut (2) strips that length (62 ½” in PQW)
Sew these to the right and left side.
Measure horizontally, and cut (2) strips that length (52 ½” in PQW) sew that to the
top and bottom.
Outer Border: This border has (12) 4” Variable Stars blocks placed in the upper
left and lower right corners, the remainder of the border is the light background fabric.
Cut:
From the background fabric used as the large star points (48) 1 ½” x 1 ½”; (48) 1
½” x 2 ½”
From the focal fabric used as the large star points: (12) 2 ½” x 2 ½”; (96) 1 ½” x 1
½”
Piecing: Using the (96) 1 ½” x 1 ½” focal and the (48) 1 ½” x 2 ½” background,
make (48) flying geese units using the quick corner method as shown in the diagram.
(insert diagrams)
Piece these Flying Geese units with the 2 ½” squares of focal and 1 ½” squares of
light to make (12) 4 ½” (unfinished) Variable Star blocks.
Cut (6) 4 ½” x wof (width of fabric) strips of background.
Left Border: Measure the vertical center of the quilt (62 ½” in PQW) subtract 8 ½”
from that measurement. Sew (2) 4 ½” strips together, along the 4 ½” side to make one
long strip, cut to that length. Sew (2) of the 4 ½” Variable Star Blocks to the top of the
strip, and sew onto the left side of the quilt, with the star blocks at the top. Press.
Right Side: Using the same vertical measurement as for the left border, subtract 12
½” and make a strip
that length, with (3)
of the Variable Star
blocks on one end.
Sew onto the right
side, with the stars at
the bottom. Press.
Top: Measure
horizontally through
the center (58 ½” in
PQW). Subtract 16
½” from that measurement, and make
a strip that length.
Add (4) Variable Star
blocks to one end.
Sew onto the top of
the quilt, with the
stars on the left.
Bottom: Using
the same horizontal measurement,
subtract 12 ½” and
make a border strip
that length. Add the
remaining (3) Variable Star blocks and
sew onto the bottom
with the blocks on the
right side.
Finish your quilt using your favorite
methods, and be sure to sign and date
your masterpiece!!
Page 18 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Burlington • Osawatomie • Ottawa • Paola • Spring Hill
Quilting With Barbara . . .
Have a craft exchange to ease your
holiday gift buying rush
By Barbara Conquest
Folk wisdom tells us that time seems to pass more quickly as one ages, and I’m
beginning to think that, like most folk wisdom, there is a kernel of truth in there somewhere. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago that we wrapped our fragile Christmas decorations carefully before putting them away and taking down the tree?
Much of the rush to accomplish the impossible (an immaculate house, to-die-for
Christmas baking and the perfect present for everyone on our list) is pushed on us by
commercial interests, of course. When we lived in the city, the department stores were
displaying Halloween and Christmas items simultaneously, and the strains of “holiday
music” drifted through the air while shoppers picked up treats for the little ghosts and
goblins, who would appear at their doors October 31. (In fact, I have seen fully decorated trees in stores as early as September, along with back-to-school). In our small town,
commercialism isn’t nearly as blatant, but even here we are beginning to plan Christmas
events and get-togethers because time is marching on at an increasing rate.
If one feels obligated to have a stock of hostess, emergency and “small” gifts on
hand (who doesn’t?) and time is galloping past, there must be ways to lessen the stress,
save time and add enjoyment to Christmas preparations. Many of us have participated
in Christmas cookie exchanges, where each member of a defined group makes enough
cookies of one kind to provide a pre-set number -- usually a dozen -- to each member of
the group, and in return receives the same number of cookies from other members, resulting in a variety of goodies for everybody. Economy of scale applies here. It is more
efficient to make one huge batch of the same kind of cookie than to make several small
batches of different kinds.
Why shouldn’t quilters and crafters use the same process with hand-made “gifty”
items instead of cookies? One person in the group might be a whiz at making a particular type of unique ornament, while others might specialize in such items as fast “tenminute” table runners, sewn coasters, Christmas-print kitchen towels or fancy seasonal
pot-holders. Festive, reusable, gift bags made by one member could be used by all. If
a number of group members, say 10, wanted to book a day to get together, they could
spend that day working on their specialty projects, trade at the end of the day and everyone would go home with nine different projects that someone else had made in addition
to their own. Add a pot luck lunch, or perhaps a celebratory grand finale with wine and
cheese, and you have the recipe for an enjoyable, productive day spent with friends.
How about that?
What’s more, you can grin to yourself and feel a little smug as you watch other
people coping with crowds and cheesy canned Christmas music as they hurriedly search
for the elusive one-of-a-kind gifts you already have stashed away at home!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Barbara Conquest writes her column from Blue Sky Quilting in Tofield, AB. © Barbara Conquest.
Countryberries
Designs
Wool
Applique
Belsnickle
This pattern is free for
you to use. Please give
the artist credit. Not for
commercial use. Enlarge
this pattern to your desired size. This pattern
was designed as a wool
applique with embroidered details. It can
also be painted, embroidered, needlepunched
or hooked.
Have fun!
Designed by Kathy Graham
Countryberries LLC
Whimsies and necessaries for your country home and garden
330 North Road Deerfield, NH 03037
603-463-7615 www.countryberries.com
email us at [email protected] to get on our email list
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 19
Bonner Springs • Leavenworth • Lee’s Summit, MO • Overland Park
Your Cup of Tea
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree!
by Susan Springer
‘Tis the season for joyous merriment in decorating
— or so I am led to believe by all the media marketers.
The Christmas tree is definitely a priority, so the
hubby and I hiked up the drop-down stairs in our garage
that lead to our attic. We brought down all the accoutrements for decorating the realistic (at the time) artificial
tree I bought at 70% off retail the previous year.
Our little heart ornament, with the year of our marriage, was the first to be placed in the heart of the tree
and then the madness began. Every single ornament
we had somehow landed on a branch in all its glory. It
was our magnum opus that year in the tree-decorating department, and we were
über pleased with ourselves. The season passed; Christmas came and went. We
would find ourselves parked in our easy chairs, often hoisting an espresso to our
lips.
Looking in the direction of the decorated tree, I would say, “We should
probably take the tree down today.”
To which the hubby responded, “Okay,” and the word rang like a gong
throughout the land, followed by his “I’ll get to it.”
Winter came and went. Spring soon arrived and still we were looking at the
fully decorated tree in our living room. Every Sunday, we would be enjoying it
and then giggle, knowing we were derelicts in the matter. Still, neither wanted
to make the effort to dismantle the prized ornaments and put the thing away for
the season. I would joke about throwing a sheet over the tree and having hidden
pneumatic lifts that would gently raise the tree into the attic.
Easter arrived, and I had my traditional Easter basket display on our enormous dining room table. A co-worker dropped by the house, and her head
swung immediately to the fully decorated tree in our living room and simply
said an emphatic “Oh wow!” and then burst into laughter. We, too, thought it
hilarious at the time.
After she left, I looked in the direction of the ‘I’ll get to it guy’ while picking through my Easter candy and said, “Oh, boy -- I think it’s time we did
something about the tree before summer gets here.”
We did not ‘get to it’ for another few weeks and then, finally, succumbed to
the peer pressure to put the Christmas tree to rest in the attic for the next season.
Putting up the tree was never quite the same thereafter. I guess I got enough of
the tree to last a lifetime because I have not put up the Christmas tree in the last
eight years -- may she Rest in Peace.
There is freedom in jumping off the bandwagon for seasonal decorating. But
then again maybe next Christmas ‘I’ll get to it.’
Susan Salisbury Springer is a freelance home economist who has a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Family & Consumer Sciences and is affiliated with several professional organizations. Copyright 2014 by Susan S. Springer. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Contact Ms. Springer at [email protected].
Page 20 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Hiawatha • Holton • Troy • Winchester • Nebraska City, NE
The Dropped Stitch
by Sharon Greve
Saint Nick To The Rescue
T’was the night before Christmas and all around me
lay unfinished knitting gifts still not under the tree.
The stockings were not hung by the chimney with care,
because the heels and toes had not a stitch there.
All the children were nestled all snug in their beds
with visions of my hand-knitted hats for their heads.
Dad, too, was asleep so he was no help at all,
and the sweater for him was sadly way too small.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I dropped my knitting to see what was the matter.
A pile of yarn and needles lay around my feet,
a reminder of unworked rows, delaying my peek.
Then out on the lawn I heard such a noise.
I feared it would awake Dad and the boys.
Even though I was tired with feet not moving quick,
I had no doubts it had to be St. Nick
As I untangled the pile of yarn from my feet
and turned around, sure enough, St. Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in red and white wool from head to
toe
as his clothes were hand knit from above to below.
Wearing a colorful Fair Isle sweater on his back,
he set down toys stuffed in a jumbo Aran knit pack.
The scarf around his neck could have measured a mile
and the socks peeking over his boot tops were Argyle.
Decked out with cabled mittens and hat with pompon,
his rosy-cheeked face gave a smile and a yawn.
As I stared in wonderment from head to toe,
he proudly exclaimed, “Yes, I knitted every row.”
Desperately, I pushed him onto a chair,
placing needles and yarn for a mitten pair.
He began knitting with a twinkle in his eye,
while I gave out a relieved heavy sigh.
Like magic his needles clicked until almost three,
as my finished projects were now under the tree.
With a wink and a wave, he was in his sleigh,
and we both happily welcomed Christmas Day.
But I heard him exclaim in the light of the moon,
“Next year, start knitting by the middle of June.”
© 2014 Sharon Greve. Contact [email protected]
No reprint without permission.
Something for Everyone
One of my favorite times of Thanksgiving is that period when dinner is over and
we are lingering over the table, enjoying dessert and coffee and reminiscing about
Thanksgivings past. Pecan pie and pumpkin pie are a given, but I like to throw in a
different dessert every year for those who may not be pie lovers. My mother-in-law,
Clarine, always made an Italian Cream cake on holidays and it was just delicious. I
think this will please the non-pie people at your house, too. Enjoy! ©Susan Tipsord
2014
Italian Cream Cake
1 stick butter, softened
1 t. baking soda
½ c. shortening
1 c. buttermilk
2 c. sugar
1 c. chopped nuts
5 eggs, separated
1 sm. can coconut
2 c. flour
1 t. vanilla
Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Add 5 egg yolks and beat. In separate bowl,
mix flour and baking soda. Add buttermilk and mix well. Add flour mixture to butter
mixture and beat. Add coconut, nuts and vanilla. In separate bowl, beat 5 egg whites
until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter. Pour into greased and floured 9 x
13 pan. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Cool completely.
Italian Cream Cake Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 lb. (3 ¾ c.) powdered sugar
¼ c. margarine, softened
Chopped nuts and coconut (optional)
1 t. vanilla
Beat cream cheese and margarine together. Stir in vanilla. Beat in powdered
sugar; add nuts and/or coconut, if desired. Spread on cooled cake.
Baldwin City • Burlingame • Overbrook • Topeka
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 21
Using Essential Oils...
Hyssop essential oil provides many
benefits
Hyssopus officinalis
By Wanda Headrick
Recently I was asked, “What is hyssop essential oil used for?” When the discussion was finished, I realized the many benefits of hyssop essential oil and thought others
would be interested in knowing about its uses also.
Hyssop essential oil comes from a small aromatic, perennial shrub that has a woody
base and slender herbaceous stems with purplish-blue flowers. It is native to southern
Europe and has been cultivated as a culinary herb and for medicinal uses for hundreds
of years. Hyssop essential oil is steam distilled from the leaves and flowering tops of
Hyssopus officinalis. The aroma from Hyssop is considered to be warm, sweet and penetrating.
Hyssop flowers and leaves have been highly valued since antiquity for their therapeutic properties. It was one of the bitter herbs mentioned in the Old Testament (Psalms
51:7):” Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean,” which may refer to the plant’s general cleansing effect in connection with plagues, leprosy and chest ailments. It was also
on a twig of hyssop that a vinegar-filled sponge was handed to Jesus on the cross. Hippocrates prescribed hyssop for bronchitis and pleurisy. It was commonly used throughout the Middle Ages for warding off lice, wound healing, inflammation and disease of
the chest and lungs.
Today, hyssop essential oil is used in low doses as a topical application: massage,
compress, bath, liniment or by inhalation: direct inhalation, diffuser, vaporizer or steam
inhalation. It is considered a cleansing oil and is often used for healing purposes and to
cleanse the environment for those who meditate.
Hyssop essential oil should not be used during pregnancy or on individuals who
have epilepsy or high blood pressure. It should be used in low dosage, as it is very potent.
Properties of hyssop essential oil include: antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, diuretic, expectorant, sedative, stimulant and others.
Hyssop essential oil is considered to have a healing effect on the skin by helping to
form scar tissue and dispense bruises. Problem conditions like dermatitis and eczema
may also respond to blends using hyssop essential oil. It also has the effect of promoting alertness and clarity. Emotionally it is considered to bring deep feelings into focus.
Very effective on respiratory issues and viral infections, hyssop essential oil is good to
clear the lungs and ease chest tightness experienced from colds, coughs, sore throats,
influenza, bronchitis and asthma. It is also helpful to ease the effects of rheumatism,
arthritis and gout.
Always dilute hyssop essential oil in a fixed “carrier” oil. There are many different
fixed oils that can be used, but most people have easy access to almond, grapeseed or
olive. Some fixed “carrier” oils like emu oil also have specific anti-inflammatory properties and can enhance the anti-inflammatory effects of hyssop and other essential oils.
Clear the Air
Sweet Orange50 drops
Peppermint Essential Oil
10 drops
Lavender Essential Oil 20 drops
Hyssop Essential Oil 10 drops
Rosemary Essential Oil
20 drops
Cedarwood Virginia Essential Oil
40 drops
Blend the above pure essential oils together in a dark glass or metal bottle with a
tight fitting lid. It is best to use a glass bottle with a euro dropper insert. The euro dropper insert allows you to use the blend 1 drop at a time.
To use for clearing the air in your home or environment: Add 12-20 drops to a
room humidifier, or 3-12 drops to a diffuser. You can also boil a pan of water on the
stove, turn it off and then add 12-20 drops to the water. The steam will dissipate the es
sential oils through the room. The number of drops of the essential oil blend you use
can be adjusted to fit your personal liking.
Wanda Headrick, owner of Flinthills Aromatherapy,
draws on her extensive knowledge of essential oils to share
non-chemical remedies to keep readers and their homes
healthy. To purchase Pure Essential Oils and other supplies
go to
www.flinthillsaromatherapy.com Or
email: [email protected]
She can be reached by phone at l 620-394-2250.
Page 22 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Blue Rapids • Frankfort •Home • Westmoreland
Kit ’n Kaboodle . . .
Advent
Peggy Sanders
What do you do to prepare for Christmas? Or, for that matter, the winter? I had a
Dutch friend who used to wash the interior walls of her house every fall as part of her
housecleaning routine. In this country, we tend to repaint every few years to spruce
things up instead of washing walls. When I start de-cluttering, it seems to be a prelude
to Christmas in our house and, though I don’t know why, I can count on it. We have
lived in this house since December 1974. Since we’ve not moved and have no plans to
do so, we have accumulated a lot. My weakness is books especially on South Dakota
history. Our sons will have a great collection some day, as the volumes increase every
year. They are the one thing I do not purge.
What really got me started with my deep cleaning this year was an essay, which
was read at the funeral of an old friend. She had lots of stuff. When she passed away, it
took her extended family a week to just weed through it and skim off the dross. Perhaps
this reminder will nudge each of us toward paring down our “stuff.”
Stuff
When we come into this world, we don’t have any stuff, but come naked. And we
are a little angry about being disturbed and taken from such a nice warm place.
Our parents knew we were not going to come with any stuff; yet they put us in a
special room to hold stuff. As we grew older, we got a lot more stuff and needed dressers and closets and places to store our stuff and now we had more places to keep stuff.
When we got to be teenagers, we got jobs and had money so we could get more
stuff. And we got a lot of stuff. Some of our stuff by that time was old, too small, or
broken, so we got rid of some stuff, but quickly replaced it with more stuff. Then we
got married and brought our stuff together with another person’s and got a lot more
stuff.
As I grew older, I got better and better jobs and promotions, and boy, could I buy
stuff. When I retired from the office, the gang at work gave me stuff to remember them
by.
Oh, I had some of the most beautiful stuff. And I even used banks and things to
store some more of the stuff. I had stuff in the garage, the bedroom, the living room,
dining room and lots of places.
I gave my kids stuff and then got more stuff. My kids and even their kids
gave me more stuff, and we found lots of occasions to celebrate by giving even
more stuff.
Then one day, much to my surprise, I died and I didn’t need any more stuff
-- and now, someone else has to get rid of all my stuff!!!! -- Anonymous.
May this be the year you give more than you receive.
Peggy Sanders is a national award-winning selfsyndicated columnist and author. Visit her website at
www.peggysanders.com .
Decorating, Entertaining and
Living in the Early American Style
Become Inspired!:
Home for the Holidays
As the month of November approaches my thoughts tend to turn
toward planning for the holidays. This always involves the joy and excitement of decorating the interior of my home for the season to come.
An atmosphere of holiday warmth will provide special comfort during
a season that too often seems marked by a frenzied pace. Spending time
at home to prepare for the traditional festivities leaves me feeling truly
fulfilled and at peace.
A New England Christmas
To capture the sense of wonder and excitement that a New England
Christmas can bring, I enjoy venturing out to village candlelight shopping events, town strolls and my favorite antique shops. The beauty of
this spectacular season is vibrantly expressed through carefully created
displays, seasonal décor and, of course, the splendor of Christmas lighting that always seems to entice me. New England village roads lined
with luminary candles on a cold December night with quaint shops all
open and aglow are the perfect setting for a country shopper’s delight.
Ever-Thankful
The holiday season brings with it a true sense of joy. From the
gatherings with family and friends to enjoy a home-cooked meal, to the
festive, local shopping events that inevitably seem to inspire us, there is
always something to be for which to be grateful. This holiday season
take time to break away from the hurried days and experience the joy
that comes from sharing the truest gifts of the season -- peace, wonder
and gratitude.
Annice Bradley Rockwell is an educator and owner of Pomfret Antiques. She is currently working on her book, New England Girl. [email protected] .Robin Rock is the owner of Milltown
Primitives. www.milltownprimitvesshop.com
Alta Vista • Manhattan • Wamego
Prescription for Adventure . . .
Who’s Trailing You?
By Naomi Gaede Penner
When I asked what he thought of his father’s job as a handler of bomb-sniffing
dogs, the 12-year old said proudly, “I want to be just like him.” That was my take-away
after I’d interviewed the man.
The 8-year-olds’ brown eyes were enthusiastically determined. He took a gulp of air
as he ran past me after his dad, a muscled ex-Marine. “I do this every night. I’m going
to be strong like him.” I kept walking as the sun settled over the Rocky Mountains – and
I kept smiling.
“My dad and I fixed that.” “We’re going to the shooting range.” “Everyone else
is leaving for the weekend, but I’m staying
home with dad.” These weren’t unusual
comments from the teenager. He thought
his father was the best.
“We have to interview someone for
speech class,” said the middle-school student. “I want to do it on you.” She was a
social and inquisitive child with a warm
heart. She’d accompanied me on visits to
a rehabilitation with my therapy-dog-intraining, flipped and sugared deep-fried
spicy pumpkin doughnut drops in my
kitchen, and divulged things that were
Grant’s arms around Aaron’s neck.
“only for our family, but you’re part of our
family.” For some reason, she liked hanging around me.
“Send me to Grandma Leppke,” I pleaded. Our family had just moved from the
Kansas wheat fields to Alaska tundra, and I wasn’t happy about it. The small living
room was crowded with boxes; one of which my five-year-old body fit nicely inside. I
longed to return to the Peabody farm and follow Grandma with the tin can bucket she’d
made me for gathering eggs. I wanted to sit beside her on the bench seat when she drove
the bulky-fendered truck to the wheat co-op – and we’d share a tall, glass bottle of Nesbitt’s orange pop. I imagined watching her milk cows and then squirt milk across the
room to a loud, meowing cat crouched in the barn corner. I yearned to shadow her.
Gifts From Your Kitchen
Have some ladies on your Christmas list? Women from 9-99 love bath
and body products and would surely welcome a homemade gift from your
kitchen! This recipe for a peppermint sugar scrub is from one of my favorite
blogs, Mommy Musings. The creator used peppermint, but you can customize
your scrub to use your favorite scent. The selection of essential oils is amazing and you are sure to find something you like. Sugar scrubs are a wonderful
way to exfoliate all that winter skin, leaving it luxuriously soft and smelling
wonderful! ©Susan Tipsord 2014
Peppermint Sugar Scrub
2 c. white sugar
¼ c. coconut oil (you may use more for a thinner scrub)
food coloring (optional), Essential oil of your choice
Mix sugar and oil until desired consistency is reached. Add food coloring, if desired, and peppermint oil. Add essential oil a drop or two at a time, until desired scent
is reached. One recipe will fill 2 half-pint jars. Place a sticker and a bow on your jar
and your gift is ready!
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 23
In a Career Guidance class I taught, I asked the students, “Who is your role model
for growing older? The students looked at me blankly. Most of them were in their 20s.
What would older have to do with them now? I prodded them to reflect on whom they
wanted to follow, emulate and learn from – and why. Grading those papers was like
reading mini-stories – some funny, some sad.
I am curious about the choices people make, and I’ve thought about the people who
have inspired, informally taught, and challenged me. Each month, in the neighborhood
newsletter I edit, I interview a homeowner for the “Interesting and Inspiring People”
column. In most cases, these people’s lives are like patterns to copy, instructional manuals to follow or kites to chase after.
Looking ahead, whom are you following? What is it about them that holds your attention and compels you to trail after them when they disappear over a hill?
Looking behind, who is following you? What kinds of ripples are in your wake?
Kansas-born Naomi Gaede-Penner, who was transplanted to Alaska, and now resides in Colorado, is the author of four Alaska, non-fiction Prescription for Adventure
books, including “From Kansas Wheat Fields to Alaska
Tundra: a Mennonite Family Finds Home.” Find her on
Facebook (Prescription for Adventure) or www.prescriptionforadventure.com. Order books from her website, or
call 303.506.6181. In Kansas, purchase them at Faith & Life
(Newton), The Bookshelf (McPherson), or Kansas Originals
(1-70 at Wilson.)
Page 24 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Barnes • Chapman • Junction City
Nuttier Than a Fruitcake
Town and Country Cooking
by René Groom
No-Risk Bisque
By Janette Hess
Cold nights call for hot soups. This winter, curl up with a steaming mug of creamy
bisque. The term “bisque” was once reserved for soups with a seafood base, but current
usage applies it to most any smooth-textured soup.
Rich Mushroom Bisque is for mushroom lovers only. Try it, and you’ll wonder how
that white, canned concoction can even be labeled mushroom soup! Dark and surprisingly meaty tasting, Rich Mushroom Bisque can double as a sauce for grilled steaks or
as a base for beef stroganoff. Don’t be timid about experimenting with the leftovers, if
there are any.
Butternut Squash Bisque is a perennial favorite. Despite its elegant taste and look,
it is surprisingly simple to make. Soups featuring roasted red peppers also are currently
very popular, especially in fine restaurants. This month’s Smokey Pepper Bisque recipe
allows you to bring the elegance – and flavor – home!
Rich Mushroom Bisqu
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound fresh white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
¼ cup sherry (optional)
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 cups beef broth
1½ cups water
¾ cup light cream (“half and half”)
1 to 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
½ teaspoon black pepper
In medium pot, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Stir in fresh mushrooms and chopped carrot. Cook an
additional 10 minutes, or until mushrooms release their liquid. Add sherry, dried mushrooms, garlic, paprika, marjoram, broth and water. Cover and slowly simmer until carrots and dried mushrooms are soft, about an hour. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Using food processor or blender, process mixture until very smooth. Return to pot. Add
cream and heat through, taking care not to boil. Whisk in 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese
along with black pepper. Taste and add more blue cheese, if needed, keeping in mind
that blue cheese can be very salty. Makes approximately 6 servings. If desired, garnish
with fresh chives and a swirl of cream.
Serving suggestion: If a chunky mushroom soup is desired, sauté an additional ½
pound of fresh mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter. Add to soup before serving.
Butternut Squash Bisque
1 medium butternut squash (2 to 2 ½ pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
2½ cups chicken stock
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
3-4 drops hot pepper sauce
½ cup light cream (“half and half”)
Salt to taste
Prepare squash by carefully slicing lengthwise and removing seeds. Wrap each
half in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Roast in 375 degree oven for approximately 1 hour, or until squash is very soft. Remove from oven. When cool enough to
handle, scoop out flesh and set aside.
In medium pot, melt butter over medium heat; add olive oil and onion. Slowly cook
and stir until onion is very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Add squash, stock, pepper and thyme.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Using food
processor or blender, process mixture until very smooth. Return to pot. Add cream and
heat through, taking care not to boil. Adjust salt, if necessary. Makes approximately 6
cups soup.
Smokey Pepper Bisque
3 large, red bell peppers
OR jarred equivalent of roasted red peppers, cleaned, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup diced shallot
1 medium carrot, finely grated
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, finely grated
2 ounces cream cheese
1½ teaspoons dried basil
Salt to taste
Cut, seed and quarter peppers. Lay skin side up on rimmed baking sheet. Broil until
skins are blistered and blackened. Quickly remove from oven and wrap in aluminum
foil. When cool, peel away loosened skins and discard. Refrigerate until needed, up to
three days in advance.
In medium pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté
until soft and fragrant. Add peppers, grated carrot and garlic. Simmer until vegetables
are completely softened. Add paprika and flour. Stir to combine. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Using food processor, regular
blender or immersion blender, process mixture until very smooth. Return to pot. Add
cream cheese and basil; whisk to combine. Heat through but do not boil. Add salt, if
necessary. Makes approximately 4 cups soup.
A trained journalist, Janette Hess focuses her writing on interesting
people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local Extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.
Whether one truly likes fruitcake or not, it has made its way into even the modern
Christmas traditions. Here in the United States, the mail order fruitcakes date back to
1913, made by some well-known American bakers of fruit cake such as Collin Street
Bakery in Corsicana, Texas, and Claxton Bakery in Claxton, Georgia.
Both Collin Street and Claxton are Southern companies with access to inexpensive
nuts, for which the expression “nutty as a fruitcake” was derived in 1935. It leads one
to wonder if the fruitcake has ever gotten the respect here in the United States that it
demands from other countries.
There is a version of the fruitcake in every country in the world. Once believed to
be a bread that celebrated harvest and abundance, this European cake would be served
at weddings and other special events. Here in America, the fruitcake has fallen on hard
times and been ridiculed by such comedians as Johnny Carson, who famously stated,
“There really is only one fruitcake in the world, passed from family to family.” Insulting the traditional cake even more, since 1995, Manitou Springs, Colorado,
has hosted the Great Fruitcake Toss on the first Saturday of every January. “We encourage the use of recycled fruitcakes,” says Leslie Lewis of the Manitou Springs Chamber
of Commerce. The all-time Great Fruitcake Toss record is 1,420 feet, which was set in
January 2007 by a group of eight Boeing engineers who built the “Omega 380,” a mock
artillery piece fueled by compressed air pumped by an exercise bike.
If prepared in the traditional way using alcohol, the fruitcake’s shelf life is unmatched, as demonstrated in 2003 when Comedian Jay Leno sampled a fruitcake held in
the Ford family since 1878. The key, they say, is to wrap the cake in an alchohol-soaked
linen cloth.
Still today, commercial fruit cakes are often sold from catalogs by charities as fund
raisers. Perhaps this is the year that your family tries to help the fruitcake make a legitimate comeback here in the United States.
René Groom is a freelance writer and public speaker.. She and her husband, Tom,
make their home in Prosser, WA. She is the mom of four amazing men. Some of her stories can be found at www.adventureswithdusty.blogspot.com.
Agenda • Belleville • Concordia • Scandia
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 25
Christmas Presence
Using Milk Paints for Your Projects
Eighteen years ago I was in a crowded washroom with my grandmother, who was
then 89 and used a cane. As we carefully wended our way through the different directions of lines to exit, another grandmotherly lady suddenly stopped right in the middle
of the aisle and cast a quick glance at my grandmother.
She then bit into her lower lip so as not to cry, but her eyes were already brimming.
She reached out, clutched my free hand within both of hers and placed it tightly between her breasts, close to her heart. “Oh, my little Mama,” she whispered, her voice cracking. And then a contented
smile spread across her face. Before we were channeled back into our respective lines, all I had time to utter was
a woefully inadequate “I’m sorry.” After all, there were women all around us with more
pressing matters to tend. I did have time to look into her eyes. I hope that my gaze back to her reflected some
compassion and not just shock at this powerfully true moment in a women’s bathroom. I am grateful not to fully understand this lady’s emotion since I am blessed that my
mother and I still walk this earthly road together, side-by-side, supporting each other in
such a beautifully simple and yet increasingly complex world. At this time of year, as the light lessens and festive spirits ignite, I am both filled
with joy and awash in wistfulness. I treasure the giving and the fellowship. Whatever
greeting is extended or holiday is celebrated, what we offer one another is a timeless
hope for peace on earth and goodwill to all. Would that it were so. I wish that kindness could be a daily offering not just one that
people remember for a little while in December.
I’ve thought of our moment in the women’s washroom often over the years, which
brings me to the wistful part. I, too, have certain scenes that, if I let them, could inspire
such a reaction: an older man wearing just the right type of plaid shirt; an old woman in
a wheelchair, holding a handbag the way my aunt and grandmother did; a thin man with
a cane and a gentle warmth in his eyes; or an older, bent-over man you knew was once
tall and strong. The family they evoke would be, at the youngest, 101, and at the oldest, 112. They
all lived long lives that many never had the chance to live. Their precious love remains.
There is everything to say thank you for and nothing to grieve. But even if I am fortunate enough to live to the ages they did, I will always miss them.
I see the ‘us of yesterday’ in them even as I know that others around us see themselves of the past in Mom and me.
If I could return to the lady in the washroom again, I wouldn’t say a word. I’d pull
my grandmother in and together we’d create an island of honesty and joy. Let the crowd
grumble around us. We’d move apart, of course. But in that moment all that was good
and true would fully breathe. There would be more Christmas spirit than in all the shopping malls combined. Our greatest present then was the presence of our loved ones. By remembering, we
draw strength that bolsters us today and creates a legacy into the future. Our greatest
present today is treasuring each other’s presence.
Kerri Habben is a writer, photographer and historian living in Raleigh, NC. An
avid crocheter and knitter, she learned these skills from her grandmother and mother.
She donates many of her yarn creations to those in need. A published writer for nearly
twenty years, Kerri is currently gathering a decade of essays into a book. She can be
reached at [email protected].
Fall has a way of turning all of our attention inward. All the energies that we had
been putting into keeping the outside of our homes maintained are now redirected inside
to those projects that have taken a back seat to more pressing things in the yard and garden.
For some of us, that will include painting projects that we have put off and put off.
With many of us putting more thought into providing a healthy environment for our
families and ourselves, attention has turned to a simpler time and simpler paint process
-- a return to the milk paint.
Milk paint has stood the test of time and can be made easily at home by mixing
skim milk (room temp) and a water soluble lime available at any hardware or home supply store. Pigment may be added.
Milk paint has been around for a long time. It is reported that some monoliths have
proven to be colored with milk-based paints. It was only after the Civil War in 1868 that
commercial oil-based paints were mass-produced, changing the paint scheme. While oil
paints were used a long time before that, they, too, were mixed by using more unstable
oils like olive, etc., and their drying time and affect were equally unstable, which led
most to stick with the traditional milk paint for their painting projects. Yet, it was the
green-movement in the mid-1970s that brought milk paint back into popularity.
So if you are looking at doing some painting projects this winter, go ahead and
shake it up a little -- literally. Grab your handy mason jar and try your hand at some old
fashioned Milk Paint.
by Kerri Habben Republic County
See What We Have to
Offer In
Agenda • Belleville
& Scandia
by René Groom
René Groom is a freelance writer and public speaker who loves to share her adventures, misadventures and the amazing people she meets down life’s dusty trails. She
and her husband, Tom, make their home in Prosser, WA. She is the mom of four amazing
men. Some of her stories can be found at www.adventureswithdusty.blogspot.com.
Editor’s note: Want to try Milk Paint but unsure about mixing in pigments? Several of
our Country Register of Kansas advertising shops carry Milk Paint. Check out the beautiful
look you can get for your next project with Milk Paint and get tips for best results from the
store personnel. They’ll be glad to help you.
Page 26 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Colorado • Internet
kick off the season.
If you’d like to warm someone’s life with tea and love this Christmas, the “Twelve
Teas of Christmas” card makes it easy to do so. Then you may hear someone singing,
“On the twelve days of Christmas my true love gave to me, a card and a cup of hot tea!”
Sipping once, sipping twice, sipping tea is extra nice. Won’t you join me?
Lydia E. Harris holds a Master of Arts degree in home economics and is blessed
with five grandchildren aged preschool to high school. She is known as “Grandma Tea”
and authored Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting (AMG Publishers). In it, you’ll
find ideas to celebrate Christmas and other occasions with grandkids and ways to pass
on a legacy of faith.
From Lydia’s Recipe File:
“Twelve Teas of Christmas”
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . .” As we near the holiday
season, a partridge in a pear tree might not be the perfect gift, but tea is!
For all your tea-loving family and friends, try this TEA-riffic idea: Give the
“Twelve Teas of Christmas,” which is both a card and a gift. It’s simple and inexpensive
to make and will create a dozen days of tea-sipping pleasure for those receiving it. All
you need are a variety of teas and manila file folders.
Supplies to Gather
Purchase twelve different teas that come individually wrapped in pretty foil packages. It’s easy to gather a nice variety by buying boxes of assorted herbal blends and
ones with regular teas. Purchase as many boxes as needed for the number of cards you
want to make. Include teas with and without caffeine and Christmas blends.
Look for holiday teas in stores and online. My preschool-aged granddaughter loves
Sugar Plum Spice herbal tea. She calls it “princess tea” because of the fairy pictured on
the box. I like Twining’s Christmas Tea, a black tea with a soothing aroma and spicy
taste of cinnamon and cloves. Earl Grey, peppermint and Constant Comment are also
favorites.
Select standard-sized plain or colored file
folders, one for each card. Cut off the tab from
the edge to make the sides even. If you wish, use
decorative scissors to create fancy edges. Print
“Twelve Teas of Christmas” horizontally on the
outside of each folder. Inside, write your greeting on the upper part, and tape the teabags on the
lower half. Make three rows with four teabags in
each row. Or design the card vertically and arrange four rows with three teabags in each row.
Use your creativi-TEA to embellish the folders
with stickers, artwork, ribbon or fabric.
Extra Ideas
Add meaning to your card by including a favorite saying, poem or Bible verse,
such as: “My cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5 niv) or “God has poured out his love into our
hearts” (Romans 5:5 niv).
For a simple idea to hold the tea, buy small ceramic holiday loaf pans found in craft
stores and fill each with an assortment of twelve teas.
You could also include a treat to enjoy with the tea. One December I gave a local
friend twelve teas and twelve treats for her birthday. I packaged a variety of sweets she
could freeze and enjoy later with tea. For out-of-town friends, you could purchase packaged shortbread or other treats.
Another gift idea for tea enthusiasts is Emilie Barnes’ book, The Twelve Teas of
Christmas, which brims with plans for festive holiday teatimes. Or consider Tom
Hegg’s touching book, A Cup of Christmas Tea.
When to Give
The Twelve Days of Christmas run from December 26 to January 6, which is known
as Epiphany. This holiday is associated with the wise men visiting the Christ child and
bringing gifts to honor Him. So you could give your gift to enjoy after Christmas. Or
give it mid-December to count down to Christmas Day or even on December first to
Cranberry Shortcake with Butter-Rum Sauce
The sweet butter-rum sauce complements the tart cranberries in the shortcake. Delicious with a cuppa’ tea.
Mix together:
3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Mix in:
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup melted shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fold in:
2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen berries, thawed
Bake in a greased 9-x-13-inch baking pan at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or
until shortcake tests done. Serve shortcake warm with butter-rum sauce. Serves twelve
to fifteen.
Butter-Rum Sauce
Combine in saucepan:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup butter
Cook and stir until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove from heat
and stir in:
1 teaspoon rum extract (or to taste)
Serve warm with shortcake.
Calendar of Events • Shop Hop
Thanksgiving Word Scramble
Calendar of Events
See Key below.
Thanksgiving is just passed, but this is still a fun word scramble. How much about Thanksgiving do you know?
##
Scrambled
Word
Description
01.cnoar
fruit of an oak
02.pecrie
set of instructions for making or preparing a food dish
03.yukter
large mainly domesticated game bird native to North America
04.veftorsel
food remaining after the rest has been used or consumed
05.efsta
large meal, typically one in celebration of something
06.scnrebreria
small, red, acid berry used in cooking
07.aletchlotb a cloth spread over a table
08.kmppinu
large rounded orange-yellow fruit
09.rransdnpgaet
parents of your parents
10.rmkstdicu the meaty lower leg of a turkey
11.avhsrte
the process or period of gathering in crops
12.iesbwhon forked bone in front of the breastbone in a turkey
13.lartpte
large plate in an oval or circular in shape, used for serving food
14.eenertieccp
decorative piece or display placed in the middle of a dining table
15.ratgitued
quality of being thankful
16. tfgfinus
seasoned bread crumbs used to stuff a turkey
17.evetasbleg plant, or part of a plant, used as food
18.yoldhia
day of festivity or recreation when no work is done
19.tsstleer
person who moves to a new place with the intention to stay there
20.cevacr
cut (cooked meat) into slices for eating
1. acorn, 2. recipe, 3. turkey, 4. leftovers, 5. feast, 6. cranberries, 7. tablecloth, 8. pumpkin, 9.
grandparents,
10. drumstick, 11. harvest, 12. wishbone, 13. platter, 14. centerpiece, 15. gratitude,
16. stuffing, 17. vegetables, 18. holiday, 19 .settlers, 20. carve
Our Cover Artist... Karen Cruden
Karen Cruden, from Latham,
New York, draws on her love of the
“little things” in life as a major inspiration for her art. This combined
with her style of folk art and you
have Karen’s whimsical and sometimes humorous spirit of art.
She grew up with the love of art
all around her. Her dad was an accomplished artist who instilled this
love in Karen’s heart.
Karen’s parents started Art Colonie, a school for the arts, when
Karen was quite young. Through
Cover artist Karen Cruden
the years, Karen also taught classes
there, taught art in public schools
and offered private lessons. Karen now runs Art Colonie School of Art. “We seem to
inspire each other”, says Karen of the children. “I find myself looking at the world
through their imaginations.” With much of her inspiration coming from the innocence
and carefree spirits of the children she has taught, she also draws from “words people
say, a look in an old book and certainly the events that surround all our lives”.
When one views Karen’s art, a feeling of warmth and cheer abound. The imaginative process of blending heart and artful hand allows Karen to bring to you a warm feeling of delight. It is Karen’s hope that through her paintings “you find laughter, hope and
love in my collection of life’s little moments that I have created for you!”
Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015 • page 27
When making a road trip, always call ahead to
confirm times and dates. We make every attempt
to provide accurate information, but there are
instances when things change. Always check
weather conditions and travel safe.
November 2014
28…Day after Thanksgiving Savings, Family Home Treasures, Home, p. 22
December 2014
Nov. 28-Dec. 21…12 Days of Christmas, 4 weekends…daily specials, Needle in a Haystack, Severy, p. 13
6…Visit with Santa, Family Home Treasures, Home, p. 22
6…Ugly Sweater Day, Elsie Grace’s, Frankfort, p. 22
6…Post Card Party, Sew What Quilt Shop, Marion, p. 6
7…Holiday Open House, Rock Creek Valley Museum, Westmoreland, p. 22
12…Holiday Open House, Quilter’s Yard, Junction City, p. 24
13…Old Fashioned Christmas on the Oregon Trail, Westmoreland, p. 22
13…Annual Pajama Party, Elsie Grace’s, Frankfort, p. 22
13…Christmas Celebration & Open House, Aunt Sadie’s Quilt Shop, Winchester, p. 20
18, 19, & 21…A Tuna Christmas, Brown Grand Theatre, Concordia, p. 25
20…Elsie Grace’s Free Mitten Day, Frankfort, p. 22
21…Stitcher’s Sunday, Fabric Recycles, Lee’s Summit, p. 19
26, 27, 31…Year End Sale, Sew What Quilt Shop, Marion, p. 6
26-31…Holiday Sale, Needle in a Haystack, Severy, p. 13
January 2015
8-10…Oklahoma City Winter Quilt Show, p. 28
8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31…Heartland Strip Tease Shop Hop, Various, p. 27
18…Stitcher’s Sunday, Fabric Recycles, Lee’s Summit, p. 19
22-February 1…”Celebrate Kansas” Shop Hop, Various
23-25…Vintage Compass Workshop, Quilter’s Yard, Junction City, p. 24
24…Visit Your Local Quilt Shop Day
31…Post Card Party, Sew What Quilt Shop, Marion, p. 6
1…Super Fat Quarter Sale, Country Fabrics, Garnett, p. 17
5-8…Quilt Retreat, Quilts & Crafts, Wamego, p. 23
6-8…An Afair of the Heart, Oklahoma City, p. 28
20-21…Scott City Shop Hop, p. 7
February 2015
April 2015
10-11…Quilt & Stitch Expo of Pueblo, CO, p. 26
21-25…Quilter’s Motor Trip to Paducah American Quilter’s Society Quilt Show p. 27
Page 28 • Dec. 2014-Jan. 2015
Oklahoma

CountryRegisterDJ 14

Transcription

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