May - June 2022 | Page 1
WIll I pick the right pattern, colors, backing? What stitch will I use? What pattern should I work with? How long will this truly take?
How Do You Eat An Elephant?
Whether you are gardening, quilting, struggling with your job, battling bad health, or tackling a project - start with the first step and keep taking the next step, and the next. Soon, you will have eaten the whole elephant and not even remember how you started. It is just important that you start and start small. That feeds to the next steps.
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Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of ND, SD, WY, MT & N. ID What’s Inside? • A Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 4 • I Sew Poem - Page 5 • A Story of Strawberry Pie - Page 6 • DIY Mosquito Tricks - Page 6 • Cowgirl Poet - Page 6 • Tips for Selling Your Art at Craft Shows - Page 7 • Microwave Pressed Flowers - Page 9 • Robin’s Nest DIY - Page 10 • Health Benefits of Gardening- Page 11 • Recognizing Change is Smart Business- Page 13 • Spot the Difference - Page 15 www.MoxieMarketingMW.com • 605-568-0181 • Kelsey Ruzicka • Publisher of this Country Register!
All daunting questions when you think about it all at once. But, just like the quilter finishes with a work of art and the gardener can smile with joy in the bounty of their harvest; you can tackle whatever is in front of you. One bite sized step at a time. When something seems so big and overwhelming you never start or freeze, it is time to break it down into small steps starting right where you are.
It seems lately that I’ve run into many friends, loved ones, acquaintances and strangers that are going through a stage of life where they have a large obstacle in their journey. So, it also seems that maybe this article might be just what a lot of my readers need to hear in this issue.
If you find yourself procrastinating, complaining or stuck, you haven’t gone small enough in the next step. Write the steps down and you finish them. Or write the steps down and cross them off. Our brains like visual reminders of our progress. It is like a sticker on your paper at school. Encourage yourself! Have grace with yourself. We forget this tried and true solution, and often shut down in frustration. Making no progress forward. It is a good reminder for us all. How do you eat an elephant? - One bite at a time.
Editor’s Notes
Gardening and quilting are similar in that there are lots of pieces, steps, patterns and planning that goes into both tasks. Starting a garden or creating a quilt could seem like a daunting task. How will I know what seeds to plant and where? Will I have enough sunlight and water? How do I keep pests and weeds out of my green creation? What will I do with all that I harvest? How do I take all these pieces of fabric and make them into something?
• Volume 12 Issue
Pennsylvania: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319, Fax 800-609-0278
* Utah: Available * Vermont: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822
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* Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, countryregister@sasket.net
Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950*
Illinois: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
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Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
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Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, ohiocountryregister@yahoo.com
Index: See page 14 for advertiser’s index by name and by community as well as upcoming events.
* North Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
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* Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com
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May - June 2022 | Page 3View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, & Northern Idaho Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher Produced by Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC PO BOX 2015 • Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181 www.countryregister.com/nrgpOfficewww.moxiemarketingmw.com Publisher’s contact numbers across the USA & Canada for The Country Register Send $3 to any publisher below to obtain a paper from another area: * Indicates these editions are available on–line at www.countryregister.com.
Rhode Island: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
Next Deadline: Ads and articles for the July/August 2022 issue are due June 7, 2022.
The
* Washington: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
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The Quilting Issue!
New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
Montana: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803
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Maine: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Road, Sanford, ME 04073, 207-324-7482
Idaho (S): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
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* Oklahoma: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
May/June
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Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
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* South Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, jennifer@countryregisterofwisconsin.com
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* Texas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
*CANADAAlberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0,780-889-3776, countryregab@yahoo.com
North Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950
New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, kansas@countryregister.com
Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com
Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, florida@countryregisteronline.com
Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211
* Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
* Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA, 52339, IowaCountryRegister@mchsi.com
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New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
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* Ontario: Harriet Ramos, Box 60, 4338 Innes Rd., Orleans, ON K4A 3W3, 343-882-5812 Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains 2022 3 Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is published every two months. Copyright 2022. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited by law. The Country Register is a registered business trade name. Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC produces The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains.
* Idaho (N): Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
Massachusetts: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
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Subscription price: 1 year, 6 issues, $18.00. Single copies: $3.00. This paper is furnished free at each advertiser, highway welcome centers, tourism centers, shows, events, and other selected locations throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Northern Idaho.
* Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
Connecticut: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD 21771, 866-825-2917, Fax 866-261-9641
* West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
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California: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
* Wyoming: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* South Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950
* British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711
* Arkansas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, 405-470-2597, lenda@countryregister.com
The
* Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, tcrga@windstream.net
Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
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Missouri: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
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Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
Country Register Founder: Barbara Floyd, 602-237-6008, info@countryregister.com, located: Phoenix, AZ USA
New Hampshire: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822
Minnesota: Kim & Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, minnesota@countryregister.com
Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from outside sources, express the opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoints of the management and staff of The Country Register. Such articles that are accepted for publication herein may be edited at the sole discretion of the publisher.Responsibility for products advertised in this newspaper lies with the advertisers themselves. Though The Country Register will not knowingly publish fraudulent materials or fraudulently obtained materials, we are not liable for any damages arising from the purchase or use of products advertised herein.
As the youngest of nine children in the Siemens family, I’ve always enjoyed spending time with my siblings. Now I have more siblings in heaven than on earth. Only two sisters remain. So, when my sister Ruth emailed she was free to stop by for a cup of tea, I welcomed her visit.
4. The mixture will be soft and sticky. Cover the bowl and let the batter rise for one hour in a warm 5.place.While the batter rises, grease a round 1-quart bowl with butter (or grease an 8-inch square pan or large loaf pan).
6. When the mixture has risen to about double in size, stir it down with a spoon and transfer it into the greased bowl or baking pan.
11. Slice the bread and serve it warm with butter. Serves 4 to 6 Tips: If you prefer a soft crust, place the cooled bread in a sealed bag or container. It works well to double the recipe and make two loaves.
7. Cover the batter and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
“All we need is tea,” she said. That meant no pressure for me to prepare anything. But my homemade Easy Batter Bread was already rising and could be part of the menu. I checked my refrigerator and freezer and found homemade corn chowder and a frozen cranberry salad, which meant I had plenty of food for a spontanei-TEA lunch.
8. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
10. When brown, remove the bread from oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. After five minutes, loosen the sides of the bread with a table knife, remove from pan, and place the bread on a rack to cool.
VARIATIONS: For whole wheat bread: substitute 1/2 cup whole wheat flour for white flour. You can also add up to 1/3 cup dried fruit, seeds, or nuts. For raisin bread: Mix in 1/3 cup golden raisins. Sprinkle the top of the bread with a mixture of 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.
A Cup of Tea with Lydia: Celebrating Memories over Tea
By Lydia Harris
Soft center with a crisp, crunchy crust. (From Lydia’s cookbook, In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together, page 97.) Prep time: 10 minutes to mix the batter Rising time: 1 1/2 hours
When we called Abe’s wife, Terry, the most recent widow, we turned on the speaker phone so we could have a three-way conversation. “Ruth came for tea,” I told Terry. “And you’re invited to our tea party.” Terry laughed. “We’ve been remembering Abe, and we wanted to include you.” As we finished our caring, heartfelt conversation, we offered to pray for Terry. She welcomed our prayers. She missed Abe, and so did we. After our good-bye, Ruth commented, “It was obvious that she enjoyed our call.” We had honored her husband and added joy to her day. We couldn’t reach the other two spouses, but we spent time in prayer for them too. Our simple and spontaneous memorial tea comforted us as we shared memories and thanked God for our siblings. Even though Memorial Day is a holiday in May, a memories tea is always in season. Sharing the past doesn’t need to include only the loss of loved ones. Celebrating happy events is also Domeaningful.youhave memories of a special trip, family gathering, or milestone? Why not celebrate it? Invite someone who shared the experience to come for tea. Create a welcoming setting, sip a soothing tea, and recall the joy, fun, surprise, and honor of the memories you share. After a season of less interaction, we all need times of positive sharing to warm our hearts. Inviting a friend or two for tea can hit the spot and renew our spirits and friendships. Let’s make memories today. Perhaps years later, we’ll meet again over a cup of tea and celebrate the memories we created now. Lydia E. Harris is known as “Grandma Tea” by her five grandchildren. She is a tea enthusiast and the author of In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together and Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting. Her books are available on amazon.com
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir it with a fork or wooden spoon until blended.
9. Bake the bread for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake it another 15 minutes.
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1. Place the water in a small bowl; add the yeast and sugar, and stir to dissolve.
As I prepared for our impromptu tea, I thought of my three oldest siblings. Within the past few years, my two brothers in their 90s and my sister in her 80s were promoted to heaven. Covid-19 had prevented us from celebrating their lives with memorial services. Maybe today Ruth and I could have a memorial tea to remember them.
When I set the table with blue-and-white china plates and teacups, I also placed photos of my siblings Nick, Abe, and Helen on the table. Ruth surprised me by bringing her delicious homemade English muffins with raisins. No wonder she said we didn’t need anything but tea! I thanked her and said, “Perhaps today we can have a memorial service for our oldest siblings.” “How will we do that?” she asked. “We’ll share memories about each one and pray for their remaining spouses. Then we can call their spouses and talk with them.” Ruth liked the idea. Our simple lunch was made special with her English muffins and our favorite peach herbal tea. We reminisced about our siblings and the years we had shared with them. We found that “The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Proverbs 10:7).
Baking time: 30 minutes YOU’LL NEED: 1 cup warm water (115 degrees) 2 tsp. yeast 1 T. sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. butter DIRECTIONS:
FROM LYDIA’S RECIPE FILE: EASY BATTER BREAD
May - June 2022 | Page 5View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP I Onesewstich at a time Sewing a new quilt Sewing a new life One patch at a time One IMyIAIAAIMyMyITheAnotherAnotherseampatchthreadtimeebbsby,amatpeaceneedlethreadedheartcalmandserenesewnewquiltnewlifesewandsewfarintothenightnewfounddelightmeetsmyeyessewlifemadeanewsew.....
Sheila Tinkham lives in Ainsworth, NE. She started quilting when she sprained her ankle and fell in love with the process of sewing and the focused peacefulness of making and quilts. Writing is her passion and she has self-published three her Twitter at SheilaTinkham. Sheila Tinkham
I SEW POEM By
on
Please note: our shop is temporarily closed due to a fire. Follow Countryberries on our website or on Facebook. Countryberries LLC Whimsies and necessaries for your country home and garden 330 North Road Deerfield, NH 03037 603-463-7615 www.countryberries.com Like us on Facebook Countryberries Designs This pattern is free for you to use. Please give the artist credit. Not for commercial use. Enlarge this pattern to your desired size. Paint on wood or canvas. You can also appli que in wool or cotton and embroider the details. You can do punchneedle or rug hooking techniques too. Whatever craft you choose, have fun! Designed by Kathy Graham My Little Cabin
poetry books. You can follow
designing
He can tell if a heifer is starting to calve, I swear from a mile away, and see if he needs to go pull the calf by just simply looking that way.
He knows if a coyote or badger is near by watching the tracks in the sand, and see if a staple is loose from a post on the fence that encircles his land.
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By Kerri Habben Bosman
Get Ready for Summer, DIY Mosiquito Tricks
Before I start to prepare the dough, I go to the photograph of Aunt Tootie and Uncle Jack, and I smile at her. I tell this woman whom I’ve never met that I will put extra love into her coffee cakes.
He’s got eyes like an eagle for finding new calves that their mamas have hidden all snug; so why can’t he see the mud on his boots that he’s tracking all over my rug?
Warmer weather in the Midwest means outdoor living. Well, one way to really damper a patio vibe is to be swarmed by mosquitos. They are the pesky reality of outdoor living in the Midwest. They are not just a frustrating sunny mood killer, but can also carry diseases that are dangerous. Mosquitos are comfortable making homes in marshes to woodlands. So, we can expect to find them just about anywhere in the Midwest. Are there truly ways to avoid mosquitos? We found some handy DIY mosquito tips for your patios, gardens, backyards and more.
USE MOSQUITO DUNKS
He can see if a windmill is working or not from his horse on a faraway hill, and tell what direction the wind’s coming from by watching the tail on the mill.
By Kelsey Ruzicka, Publisher
Yvonne Hollenbeck Old Eagle Eye
• Rosemary • Ageratum (Floss Flower)
KEEP VEGETATION NEAT & TIDY Adult mosquitos will hide in tall grasses during the heat of the day. So, keep grass and other foliage trimmed where you sit and play.
Sometimes you can’t eliminate water, such as in low areas of your yard, in rain barrels, or the bottom of self-watering containers. In these cases, add mosquito dunks, which contain a bacteria called Bacillus thuriengensis israelensis, or BTi, to the water. This is a naturally occurring insecticide, available in dunks or pellets, that kills the larval stage of mosquitoes. It’s specific to mosquitoes and black files and does not harm butterflies, bees, fish, frogs or other species.
10 PLANTS FOR THE GARDEN OR FLOWER GARDEN TO REPEL MOSQUITOS
Mosquitos lay eggs in water amounts as little as a bottlecap. So, eliminating or minimizing the standing water near your spaces helps minimize mosquitos near you. Such things like kiddie pools, empty pots, clogged gutters, low spots in the yard are all places where problems can arise. Replacing water in birdbaths every so often, emptying toys, pots and pot saucers after rains.
Flash forward: I made a “major” move with the children for a job. This was my first “orchestrated” move, meaning we drove out as a unit to search for housing, and returned a few months later with all of our possessions. The kids struggled with culture shock, though, so a boomerang move occurred two years later.
Flash forward: I made another “major” move for a job—alone this time. Too bad COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns turned the move into an experiment-in-mentalsurvival rather than a success story. Seeking that which is most familiar and comfortable when confronted by chaos, another boomerang return followed.
• Garlic • Allium • Lemongrass • Lavender
A second didn’t pass before Naomi turned her face upward and thrust out her arms. “Thank you,” she called out with her distinctive style of exuberance. “Your pie is delicious!”
A Story of Strawberry Pie, Coffee Cakes, and Family.
• Petunias
Watch for Yvonne’s new book, to be published later this year!
• Lantana • Scented Geraniums
Moving with Toilet Paper by Jeanette Lukowski
• Monarda (bee balm)
There is nothing so deliciously inspiring as a North Carolina grown strawberry. I know those Florida and California strawberries carry us through the winter. But that first taste on a Carolina spring day surges a pure and simple joy through you, reminding you how alive you truly are. Their season is from mid-April to the end of May. Every year my mother and I would go to a farm stand as soon as the strawberries started, buy a big basket, and eat some sitting in the car before taking them home. She always made the strawberry pie she’d made my whole life. Four years ago I went by myself for the first time. I bought a big basket even though she wasn’t there to help me eat them. I shared them with my neighbors and my best friend. By the next year, I had met and begun sharing a life with my husband, Wayne. That year I bought two baskets, bringing one of them to the grandchildren. Sometimes amid all of the joy in sharing together, a quiet sadness used to arrive that Mom never knew Wayne or any of our family. Or they, her. Yet, I had lived through enough changes to know that we evolve with each one. It is entirely possible that what emerged in me because of my mother’s death was part of what drew Wayne to me and me to him. There are some things I do not need to know on this earth. If I grow too preoccupied with the unknown, there is much present and tangible beauty I will not fully absorb. Something I do know. We receive what we need when we least expect it. It was over a strawberry pie in early May last year that I received this gift once again. The grandchildren who live nearest were over for dinner. For dessert I made my mother’s strawberry pie using North Carolina strawberries. Wayne, Isaac, and Laurel were eating their pieces in the other room, so it was just nine year old Naomi and me at the kitchen table. I told Naomi that this was my mother’s recipe. A confused look passed over her face and she said, “I’ve never met her.” She had seen what Mom crocheted and also her photograph on the piano. Naomi just suddenly realized that with all our family get-togethers, my mother had never been to one of them. I said to her, “well, she died before I met Grampa and all of you.”
GET RID OF STANDING WATER
means I moved thirty-four rolls of toilet paper? Oh my. re-appearing on store shelves in spring 2020, so I paid the hefty ransom the shop owner asked, and I hid it away in the back of the cupboard. preferred, and began to forget all about the toilet paper wastelands we had collec tively experienced that spring. I forgot about them, that is, until it was time to pack for the boomerang-move.
All the theology and contemplation in the world couldn’t have brought me a larger portion of peace. Mom might even have said, “You’re welcome.”
OTHER TIPS
Though, perhaps instead, I should turn my face upward, thrust out my arms, and say, “Thank you! Your coffee cake is delicious.”
Kerri Habben Bosman is a writer in Chapel Hill, NC. She can be reached at 913jeeves@gmail.com.
I will admit it: I’ve moved a bit in my adult life. The first “major” move was moving from my birth-home state to my adoptedhome state as part of a married couple. We were young—and the move was an interesting adventure. We lived in hotels while we searched for more permanent housing which would accept our mid-sized dog.
ANY of my other moves, though: I moved Toilet Paper. Ten mega-rolls in an open package; another six mega-rolls in an unopened package.
© Yvonne Hollenbeck; 2022 Yvonne Hollenbeck, from Clearfield, SD, performs her original poetry throughout the United States, captivating audiences in her wake. She is one of the most published cowgirl poets in the West and is not only a popular banquet and civic entertainer, but also co-writes songs with many western entertainers. Yvonne also pens a weekly column in the “Farmer-Rancher Exchange” and writes articles about life in rural America in various publications throughout the West. For more information, visit https://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com
Repellents, citronella candles and lemon eucalyptus oils are all basic repellents for the patio or to keep those pesky bugs away. Did you know mosquitos are attracted to dark colors? So, out in the garden loose fitting light colors are helpful not just for bugs but for sun! Box fans are good inexpensive way to cool off and keep the bugs at bay on a patio or outdoor space.
As of this writing, Wayne and I and all of our family are eagerly awaiting a visit from his 101 year old mother, his sister, and his brother-in-law. Everyone in our family is coming, which means there will be about 21 of us. I am baking coffee cakes, which Wayne’s Aunt Tootie made his entire life and which are always served at family gatherings. When my sister-in-law gave me the recipe, I was deeply honored to be a part of maintaining this precious tradition.
Sane people would have perhaps donated the treasure-trove of t.p. and other paper products, but I just couldn’t! Those simple items I had taken for granted in my pre-pandemic life had become too valuable to me, based on no availability of
Cowgirl Poet, Quilter, Entertainer
Often times artisans get so caught up in creating the art and preparing for the show, they forget to tell people where they are headed! Create professional business cards to promote your business — matching packaging for your products makes a great impres sion, too. Take advantage of social media and email tools to let your friends, family, and potential customers know when you’ll be showing. Get every email possible. I always have a signup sheet at a show. I often have a giveaway that you are entered to win by put ting your email down. This is a great way to not only communicate, but potentially glean sales after the show. After each show, send welcome emails to anyone who signed up for your list.
Make sure people can tell what you’re selling, both up close and from a distance. Professionally made booth signage with your logo is worth the investment and can increase your sales. Staying branded and consistent to your marketing online and at the booth is a basic and essential part of good marketing success. Practice your booth setup before your first show so you can get a feel for scale and proportion. Try arranging your stock around a focal point, grouping items by size/ price/color, and using display racks, easels, or whatever medium suits your work best. Your display should use a bold but simple color palette to highlight your work without creating visual clutter. Also, be sure to experiment with spotlighting, which can make or break your booth’s stage presence. Your ultimate goal is a booth that feels full, warm, and welcoming, but not overcrowd ed. Don’t distract from your product. A good display is one you don’t notice because it shows off the product so well.
Tips for Selling Your Art At Craft Shows
It’s a common newbie mistake to bring too little stock to sell. Your booth should look full at all times, even at the end of the day. How much to bring? That is probably going
The final and most important component of your booth is . . . you. Smile, minimize your phone time. It is hard sometimes when you feel bored or anxious about customers coming to not dive into your phone. But, folks want to see those eyes and that warm smile. Be warm and open and have natural conversation. There’s no need to be salesy — most people really don’t like that anyway. Think of yourself as an informative hostess to your space.
BOOTH DISPLAY IS AN ALLSTAR GAME
Vendor shows, craft fairs and other events to set up shop and sell your wares are great ways to spread the word about your art. I personally am a sucker for a good vendor or craft fair. I love checking out what others are creating. I also love supporting other artists and artisans in their creative endeavors. But, take it from someone who has gone on the circuit to sell her own art, there are some tips I wished I had known. So, I’ve compiled a list of tips for selling your art this season. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Find out as much info as you can about the show you are headed to. Your booth space costs money and that goes towards your bottom line. So, it is important to find out if the show is well attended and tidbits of information to help you sell.
Visiting their online sites and social media will help you get a feel for the show and its attendance. Asking other vendors their feedback. Attending the show in person is very helpful if possible. It not only helps you understand the layout, but you can look at other sellers in your category.
BRING PLENTY OF STOCK
MINIMIZE YOUR RISK
KEEP A POSITIVE MINDSET
September - October 2021 | Page 7View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP
to take a few shows to figure out. And, you will find out best sellers as you go along. But, keep in mind trends. You will want to notate them as often as you can. It is a good idea to have a notebook. You’ll think of ideas and things to refine each time.
MARKET YOURSELF
SPORTING A PRIME LOCATION
Setting up shops along the way to your show where you can either restock or consign items helps to minimize the risk if the show is slow. Or even setting up a couple small shows on the way to a big show is helpful to make the trip worthwhile.
The craft show business has its ups and downs, but don’t let that affect your enthusiasm for what you’re doing. Keep accurate, thorough records and use those — not your gut feelings — to measure your success and refine your business model as you go along. Don’t read too much meaning into one poor performance. Tracking and refinement using your notes is key!
You won’t always be able to choose which booth you want, but when you can, go for a corner (and pay extra if you have to). The important word to remember is frontage — always choose a wide booth over a deep one, and remember that corners offer twice as much frontage as an interior 10’ x 10’ booth. Booths with maximum frontage give customers a large area to browse your product line without having to enter the booth, which can feel awkward or create unwanted pressure to buy.
Page 8 | September - October 2021 Find us on Facebook | facebook.com/CountryRegisterNorthRockies Follow the Chamber on Facebook for the latest events and happenings in Belle Fourche, SD! Check Out Our Guide!RelocationNEWNorthern gateway 02 0 E DESTINATIONO Black Hills OFFICIALTOTHEVISITOR’S GUIDE PROUDLY PRODUCED IN BELLE FOURCHE BFVM_2.indd 3/30/22 1:13
One of the best things about summer are the blooms. Whether you find yourself picking posies in the woods, grabbing a bundle from the local market or clipping a few blooms from your garden…it is hard to say goodbye to these beauties when they die. Especially, if a particular bloom has a fun memory attached.
Here is a fun way to preserve those blooms using the microwave! Yep, you heard that right. You’ll need your floral (blooms or leaves), paper towels, scissors, and a microwave safe dish. Use scissors to cut the flower as close to the bottom of the bloom as possible. Place the blooms on a paper towel and lay another paper towel on top. Place them inside the microwave and weigh down the flowers with a microwave-safe dish. Make sure the entirety of the flowers are under the weight. Tip: Microwave strength will vary, so use the defrost setting if you have one. If not, microwave your flowers for a minute to start and check the flowers as you go. Heat the flowers until they are dry and appear flat.
Once the flowers are dry, use them right away, or place them between two pieces of wax paper and top with a book to keep them flat until ready to craft.
What Kind of Crafts Can You Do with Pressed Flowers? Pressed flowers in frames are beautiful. Resin art makes neat and unique gifts. Adding them to wrapping paper or handmade cards is a great natural touch.
9. Sandwich and quilt as desired.
Microwave Pressed Flowers
7. Once you’ve made the desired number of blocks, sew them together.
2. Cut the sewn square each way diagonally.
September - October 2021 | Page 9View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP
• (9) 4” squares of various fabrics for the sails • ¼ yard for borders • ½ yard Backing fabric • 1/3 yard Binding fabric
6. Sew the block together in rows, beginning at the top, following the photo. Then, sew the rows together.
Materials Requirements • Light blue (for waves): (3) 5 1/2” squares • Dark blue (for waves): (3) 5 1/2” square s • (6) 3 1/2” and (3) 4” square of blue fabric for boats • (15) 3 1/2” and (7) 4” squares of white fabric
8. For a 3 block table runner, cut (2) pieces of border fabric that are 2 1/2” wide by 12 1/2” and attach to the ends. Then, cut (2) pieces of border fabric that are 2 1/2” x 40” and sew to the top and bottom.
10. Cut (4) strips that are 2 1/2” x width of fabric and join at short ends for binding. Press the strip in half lengthwise. Sew binding to front of quilt. Turn binding to back and hand stitch down.
11. Make and attach a label. You can find more patterns by Sleeping Cat Creations at www.SleepingCatCreations.com, www.CreativeFabrica.com, www.QuiltWoman.com, and www.etsy.com/shop/SleepingCatCreations
© 2022 Patricia Laird, DBA Sleeping Cat Creations
The list goes on!
This is an easy table runner that will bring thoughts of sailing on a summer’s day!
4. On the 4” squares of white fabric, draw a diagonal line on the wrong side.
Summer Sailboats Table Runner
The table runner shown is made from three blocks. You can make it bigger by making more blocks.
1. Pin one each of the light and dark blue 5 1/2” wave fabric squares toget her, right sides together, and sew around ¼” from the perimeter Repeat with the other two 5 1/2” light and dark blue squares.
3. Press open and trim, if needed, to 3 1/2” square. You should have 12 squares.
5. Pin each of the colored (boat and sail) 4” squares to a white 4” square, right sides together, and sew ¼” on either side of the drawn line. Cut apart on the drawn line, press toward the dark fabric, and trim to 3 1/2” square You will have one of each sail color square left over; save for another pro ject.
Patti Laird is an award winning quilter who designs patterns, teaches classes, offers longarm services, makes custom quilts, and hosts quilting retreats in her business, Sleeping Cat Creations. She is also the founder of the International Quilters’ Guild (www.internationalquiltersguild.org)
You will need several or just one large fat quarter (18X21 is what I used), scissors, needle and thread to blend with your fabric, buttons, a small flower pot (I use a four inch pot), a one-fourth inch wooden dowel cut to seven inches, floral foam, artificial moss, glue gun and glue, a four inch diameter circle pattern, marker or pen. You will also need an iron and ironing board (not pictured). Cut out six circles of the againtheninfoldfabric,themhalfandinhalfand press. Using a long piece of thread sew along the curved edge of the folded circles. I went about a fourth of an inch from the raw edge. Gather all six petals on the tread. Pull them tight and sew the ends together to make a circle. Hot glue the button on one side and the wooden dowel stick on the other. Put the floral foam in the pot. You can hot glue it in if you want it to be permanent. Glue the moss on the top to hide the foam. Put the flower in the pot! Very cute! You can be as creative as you want. Have fun “planting” your flowers! Most of the Country Register readers might remember that I don’t quilt but LOVE fat quarters!!
I thought this project was great for summer and uses fat quarters. There are so many colors and patterns to choose from that your fabric “garden” will be beautiful. Give this one a try! will Need Step FOUR Step FINISHED!FIVE
You
: Step One Step Two Step THREE
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GARDENING LENDS TO A HEALTHIER DIET
Home gardeners report that psychological benefits like stress relief are more important to them than cultural ties or economic benefits of gardening, regardless of the type or amount of gardening activities they do. It’s not just the act of gardening; bacteria in soil may also help combat stress. The same bacteria have been noted to act like an antidepressant and establish a strong immune system as well.
RELIEVES STRESS
GARDENING HINDERS DEMENTIA
GARDENING IMPROVES MOOD
GARDENING COUNTS AS EXCERSISE
GARDENING CAN HELP FIGHT CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Hear that?! Activities like carrying planters, digging holes, stretching to reach weeds, and pushing the mower can collectively engage every muscle in your body. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention categorizes gardening as moderate physical activity, and notes that it can burn more than 300 calories an hour, about the same as golfing while walking and carrying clubs. More substantial yard work, like chopping wood or hauling heavy mulch bags, burns more than 400 calories. One study suggests gardening may help offset age-related weight gain. There are other tangible physical benefits, too, like enhancing dexterity and hand strength. Plus, after all that garden work, you’re likely to sleep better.
Gardens do more than add fabulous curb appeal and produce fruits, veggies and herbs. Gardening can improve your health, too. Garden exposes you to environments and activities that help your mind and body function better. Studies around the world have directly linked the impacts of gardening to better quality life, in both urban and rural settings. With benefits for everyone from children to seniors.
It’s not just a physical workout, gardening is also good for your brain, especially as protection against the onset of dementia. Gardening boosts cognitive function, and one study found it could lead to a 36% lower risk of dementia.
You know plants need sunlight, but did you know your body does, too? Like other outdoor leisure activities, gardening can provide a one-two punch of healthy exercise and sun exposure. A moderate amount of time in the sun is the most effective way to get vitamin D, which influences over 1,000 different genes and nearly every tissue in your body and impacts everything from metabolism to your immune system. Vitamin D is linked to positive effects on type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone health, and depression. Your gut may feel the benefits, too, because vitamin D is believed to help regulate gastrointestinal distress. Of course, it’s important to remember to take precautions to safely spend time in the sun.
It’s not always easy making healthy food choices, but gardening may help. Growers of fruits, vegetables, and herbs have the additional benefit of easy access to nutritious food options. Plus, people who grow vegetables are more likely to eat them.
By Kelsey Ruzicka, Publisher
Health Benefits to Gardening
Simply being in nature is good for your wellbeing, and the effects of engaging with it include documented mood boosters. Gardening increases positivity and optimism, and has been linked to fighting depression and other mental illnesses. With all these good vibes, it’s not surprising that spending time in the dirt leads to higher self-esteem for adults and children with behavioral problems.
May - June 2022 | Page 11View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP Visit NeedleTravel.com Makes a great gift! Quilters, Knitters, NeedleArtists: to find shops online for FREE! Or order the 2022 edition of our Travel Guide for only $9.95 Find Your Favorite Shops When You Travel! needletravel.com or 888-737-0847 Facebook Pinterest Twitter
Page 12 | May - June 2022 Find us on Facebook | facebook.com/CountryRegisterNorthRockies CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE! www.thecountryregister.com/nrgp Find past issues, other info and connect with us! Marcia Koerner Won a $25 gift certificate to her favorite shop –Always Your Design in Dell Rapids, SD To enter the next drawing, fill out the form on page 14 or kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.comemail $25 Gift Certificate Winner
A collection of thoughts in rhyme and rhythm. Contact her at BarbaraKalkis01@gmail.com.
… Pastime … Statement … Fun … Fashion … Fundraiser … Cause.” A 1959 Webster’s dictionary defines “craft” but does not list “crafting” because it didn’t formally exist. Today’s online Oxford Dictionary does include “crafting” calling it “a fashionable form of selfexpression.” That definition falls short. Crafting swings from a necessity to a pastime to fashion statement to art to the voice of a cause and back again. You don’t need to be a global corporation to recognize change. One of today’s most significant trends is tutoring school-age children. Working parents increasingly rely on centers to supple ment their children’s education, developing skills and talents in math, science, music, sports and more. It’s time for craft businesses to leverage this trend.
Kid and teen-inspired fabrics, holiday-themed papers, colorful yarns and tools already exist. Common practices of providing kits, instructing online or in-person and creating make-and-take projects are even more rewarding when done for the next-generation artist. It’s not just good business sense, it’s the satisfaction of shaping the future of crafting.
It doesn’t take a historian to understand how quickly trends change. In the first days of the pan demic, making masks was instantly stylish—and vital. No sewing machine? No problem! Videos demonstrated designs using folded bandanas and paper bound by hair bands.
The pandemic actually motivated people to pick up an old craft, explore a new craft, join an online class, rediscover painting or playing the piano.
This is a craft-industry publication. Why mention war? Because the war in Ukraine and its people have ignited another surge in crafting. Crafts have now become our voice. Items in the Ukraine flag colors in sky-blue and sunflower yellow are popping up everywhere.
Families stuck at home due to closures looked to crafting to keep the kids busy and adults connected.
May - June 2022 | Page 13View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP
Joining the trend, I gathered long-forgotten fabric swatches and scrambled to find ¼” wide elastic. I hauled my 40-year-old Singer sewing machine out of the closet, drove to a repair shop and carefully lugged the wrongly-named “portable” into the shop so as not to drop it and smash my feet. It made me realize why I had given up sewing to become queen of single-crochet–light weight hooks and yarn and quickly-made gifts such as potholders. (Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Welcome-to-the-Neighborhood.)
A family-owned company in Wisconsin sells hand-crafted yellow-and-blue candles. My neighbor hood is filled with sunflower pin-wheels. I wear a tole-painted sunflower pin. Digital artists created a screen shot of a field of sunflowers against a clear blue sky for online searches. Another backdrop shows a wind-swept yellow-and-blue flag. Crayoned flags are posted in windows.
©Barbara Kalkis. Barbara is a teacher, marketing consultant and author of Little Ditties for Every Day…
WYOMING’S 5TH ANNUAL COWBOY YARN CRAWL
Recognizing Change Is Smart Business
The scene jolted me. It signaled that one event had transformed the world—and crafting along with it. And when a marketer sees a sign, it’s time to act. And action requires that we change. “Necessity
I received so many tee-shirts from clients that I felt like a walking billboard so I wore them as sleep shirts until my husband bought me an actual floral nightgown with only a small tag sewn inside the neck.
Local yarn stores in Wyoming will be having their 5th annual Cowboy Yarn Crawl. This year’s crawl will be ac tive from May 28 through September 3, 2022. Passports can be picked up at participating stores. Grand prize picked from crawlers who visit all participating stores. Free stitch marker from each store and individual store prizes as well. See more at our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cowboyyarncrawl/.
By Barbara Kalkis
As this historical time has changed us, we have changed the way we craft. Oh yes, the usual reasons for crafting remain and always will. But now, more than ever, crafting has become our voice, our culture and who we are as individuals and a community.
Last year, actors and actresses sported quilted clothing as the fashion industry mirrored the craft ing industry’s historically high pandemic sales revenues.
Crafting as an outlet for our creativity and the pleasure of making something with our hands will always be with us. And the times we live in will continue to influence our concept of crafting. And people will continue to give power to their voices through their crafts.
In the shop there were sewing machines tagged for repair or pick-up crowding shelves on every wall. Meanwhile, women streamed in behind me, wheeling machines on luggage carts. (Why do I never think of these things?!)
Page 14 | May - June 2022 Find us on Facebook | facebook.com/CountryRegisterNorthRockies Advertiser Directory by Name Always Your Design • Dell Rapids, SD 11 Art in the Barn • Sturgis, SD ........................................................ 6 Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce • Belle Fourche, SD ......... 8 Betty’s Quiltery • Rapid City, SD 16 Black Hills Quilt Show • Rapid City, SD cover,2 Black Hills Visitor Center • Rapid City, SD ................................. 12 Creative Closet • Townsend, MT .................................................. 5 Fiber House, The • Sheridan, WY................................................. 5 Heartfelt Quilt Shop • Spearfish, SD 16 Knothole, The • Spearfish, SD 16 NeedleTravel.com ..................................................................... 11 North Country Fiber Fair • Watertown, SD .................................. 5 Nuts & Bolts Fabric Shop • Edgemont, SD ................................ 16 Office Emporium/Gone to Pieces Quilts • Belle Fourche, SD 8 Olive Branch, The • Belle Fourche, SD 8 Quilt Connection • Laramie, WY................................................ 16 Quilt Connection 2 • Buffalo, SD ............................................... 16 Quilters Corner • Faulkton, SD .................................................... 5 Quilter’s Fix, The • Sheridan, WY 11 Quilt Yard, The • Pierre, SD 11 Tri-State Museum & Visitor Center • Belle Fourche SD ................ 8 Wall Drug • Wall, SD ................................................................. 12 Wyoming Shop Hop • Wyoming .............................................. 16 Like The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains on Facebook! Win a $25 Gift Certificate! The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is giving away a $25 Gift Certificate to be used at YOUR FAVORITE SHOP! Just fill out this form and send it to: May - June 2022 OR visit www.moxiemarketingmw.com, click on The Country Register to sign up online CityAddressEmailPhoneName State ____________ Zip Favorite Shop Advertised This is My Favorite Shop Because My Favorite Feature(s) of The Country Register Found This Issue At Are You a: Regular Reader or First Time Reader What stores would like to see in The Country Register? (include town) Entries received by April 7, 2022, with all questions answered will qualify for the drawing. One gift certificate is given away each issue. The Country Register P.O. Box 2015 Belle Fourche, SD 57717 Spot the Answers:Difference 1. Black Scissors Are Gone 2. Cat in Background 3. Stack of Fat Quarter Fabric Added to Right 4. Needle Cushion Added to Right 5. Decal Added to Sewing Machine
May - June 2022 | Page 15View the paper online at www.CountryRegister.com/NRGP Spot the Difference We all have visions of craft rooms or sewing rooms dancing in our heads. What is your dream sewing/craft room? Here is glimpse at one. Can you find the 5 differences in the photo? Find the answers to this spot the difference on page 14.
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