What’s Inside?
SECTION ONE
• OREGON SECTION BEGINS - Page 4
• Triggers - Page 5
• 2025 The Year of Dreams- Page 6
• New Years Resolutions - Page 7
• Become Inspired - Page 8
• Recipes from Literature - Page 9
• Shop Hops, Supporting Our Communities -Page 10
• Resolutions Unfullfilled - Page 11
• Professional Services - Page 13
• Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 15
SECTION TWO
• Ad Index for Travel - Page17
• WASHINGTON SECTION BEGINS - Page 18
• The Life of a Show Quilt - Page 19
• Love That Viintage Glass - Page 20
• Bring on the New Year - Page 21
• 80th Anniversary to End of WWII- Page 22
• More Antiques & Vintage Fun in BremertonPage 23
• The Stitches that Bind Us - Page 23
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Editor’s Notes
www.MoxieMarketingMW.com
• 605-568-0181 • Kelsey Ruzicka • Publisher of this Country Register!
New Year. New Pages to Write
The beginning of a new year seems to always find me by surprise. How did we get through 12 months since the last? It seems to go so quickly, especially the older I get. You can see it especially in your children. You blink and the time is gone.
Every year I set intentions, goals and create themes based on words to inspire my thoughts, actions and overall vibes for the year ahead. I write them down in a beautiful journal. At the end of the year, I like to reflect on those and see how far I’ve come on those intentions set.
Publisher of The Country Register of Oregon, Washington & Idaho
I love this, because I love to grow in self, business and spirit. It is important to continue to move in a forward motion, otherwise we are standing still. “Make the most of yourself....for that is all there is of you.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Some years take us by storm it seems. One season leads to another of loss, trial, and tribulation. 2024 was full of that for me in several buckets of my life. But, even in those years. It is what we learn from them. They can shape you more swiftly and soundly than joyful years. They make all the years so full of wonder that much sweeter. So, I don’t look on 2024 with disgust or sadness, I actually think of it as a really big year of growth. A problem always makes for a good story, right?
That is the beauty... isn’t it. Our life story. We get to be here and we are the author. We get to experience the highs and the lows. I choose to find the lessons in the lows and relish the highs. Feeling obsessively grateful for my time here and the life I get to live. “It is not the length of life, but the depth.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
So this year...set your intentions and come what may - be grateful, grow and find joy in the moments. They are fast and what each page of our lives are made of. May your 2025 be full of good stories, laughs and lessons.
Cheers to 2025, Kelsey
countryregisterwaor@gmail.com kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com Office: 605-568-0181
Kelsey Ruzicka
The Country Register of Oregon, Washington & Idaho
Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher
Produced by Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC PO BOX 2015 • Belle Fourche, SD 57717
605-568-0181 Office
SALES: Patty Duncan | countryregisterorwasales@gmail.com | 605-591-2428 www.countryregister.com/oregon www.countryregister.com/washington www.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.
Owners: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
* Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
* Arkansas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, 405-470-2597, lenda@countryregister.com
* California: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 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
* Connecticut: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD 21771, 866-825-2917, Fax 866-261-9641
* Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
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* Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, tcrga@windstream.net
* Idaho: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Illinois: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
* Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
* Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA, 52339, IowaCountryRegister@mchsi.com
* Kansas: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com
* Maine: Deborah Daney, 660 Country Club Road, Sanford, ME 04073, 207-324-7482
* Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* Massachusetts: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211
* Minnesota: Kim & Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, minnesota@countryregister.com
* Missouri: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
* Montana: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
* Nevada (N): Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, P 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: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822
* New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 594, New Market, MD, 21774, info@countryregisteronline.com
* 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, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* North Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950
* North Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, ohiocountryregister@yahoo.com
* Oklahoma: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
* Oregon: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Pennsylvania: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319, Fax 800-609-0278
* Rhode Island: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* South Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 888-942-8950
* South Dakota: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whiterose Way, New Market, MD 21774 443-243, cowprintdesigns@gmail.com
* Texas: Lenda Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, lenda@countryregister.com
* Utah: Available
* Vermont: Michelle Hatch, 20 Chester Street, Chester, NH 03036, 603-571-1822
* Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* Washington: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, PO Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
* Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, jennifer@countryregisterofwisconsin.com
* Wyoming: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
CANADA
* Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0,780-889-3776, countryregab@yahoo.com
* British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711
* Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, countryregister@sasket.net
* Ontario: Harriet Ramos, Box 60, 4338 Innes Rd., Orleans, ON K4A 3W3, 343-882-5812
The Country Register of Washington, Oregon & Idaho January/February 2025 • Issue 1
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.
The Country Register is a United States and Canadian network of independently owned and published specialty newspapers for the consumer who enjoys outstanding shopping, events, day & overnight excursions and specialty classes.
The Country Register of Washington, Oregon & Idaho is published every two months. Copyright 2025.
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 Washington, Oregon & Idaho. Please make checks payable to Moxie Marketing.
Subscription price: 1 year, 6 issues, $24.00. Single copies: $3.00. This paper is furnished free at each advertiser, highway welcome centers, tourism centers, shows, events, and other selected locations throughout Washington, Oregon & Idaho.
Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from an outside source, express the opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoint(s) of the management or 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. Notification regarding any consumer complaints related to merchandise purchased from our advertisers would be appreciated and would assist in our efforts. Copyright © 2025.
SEE OUR AD INDEX ON PAGE 17
Next Deadline: Ads and articles for the March/April 2025 issue are due February 1, 2025.
Online! www.countryregister/oregon & www.countryregister.com/washington
WELCOME TO OREGON STATE
Join us as we explore the state of Oregon and their shops and events. The great state has much to see and offer. And is close to many connecting Washington shops
Welcome to our amazing quilt shop filled with displays, kits & samples to inspire you. Well worth the drive! We have something for everyone! We offer Quilt-cations along with our annual Fall & Spring retreats. We look forward to your visit!
“Spring Quilt Retreat” - 4 days at the Running Y Ranch Resort April 24th-27th, 2025
Be Colourful 4 Day Workshop with Jacqueline de Jonge: May 19th-22nd, 2025
www.taterpatchquilts.com taterpatchquilts.merrill@gmail.com
Monday-Friday 10-4, Saturday 10-2
109 E. Front St., Merrill, OR 97633 (541) 798-5955 Downtown Merrill
Triggers
By Wayne M. Bosman
My wife, Kerri and I have been slowly working on the final step to complete our bittersweet move to the coast, deciding what to do with the house that we lived in in Chapel Hill. Leaving it is not as easy as I thought that it might be. This is the house that we started our life together in. It is almost empty now, but still packed with memories. It’s a small house by modern standards, under 1,000 square feet, but all we needed really. Just enough space to enjoy the things that we really loved and wanted, but not so much space to encourage more “projects” without finishing the last one.
I am sprawling on the last remaining couch now. The one we aren’t sure what to do with. What slows us down in making that sort of decision is memories and the things that trigger them. On the couch with me is a crocheted blanket. A crocheted blanket on this couch was the first thing that Kerri brought here from her old life- that and her sewing basket. I came home from work one day and they were just there. It was the first tentative step toward merging our lives, and I can’t see the blanket on the couch without remembering that day.
This couch was one of the places where we sat and looked out the window at the steady stream of wildlife the overgrown yard attracted. As if on cue, a quartet of does and fawns just wandered into the yard grazing as they come and go. Another trigger to the memories of all of the deer we have watched here.
The kitchen table is still here. We spent countless hours drinking our morning coffee and looking out at the bird feeder and the variety of birds and squirrels that it drew. We enjoyed the regulars, scrambling to figure out what it was when a less common bird stopped in. We hoped and wondered if it would stay. Kerri’s favorite is a mourning dove. Mine is an Eastern towhee. For no obvious reason, seeing them made us feel that it was a special day and all was right with the world.
In the foreground outside the kitchen window are the lantana and the hummingbird feeders. Absolute delight from the first sighting in the spring until their migration in fall. Triggers of more memories that anchor me to this place.
During the pandemic, three of my grandchildren spent one day a week doing their schoolwork in this little house. It was a way to let them out of their own house when so many people were going nowhere at all. Kerri always made their favorite treats appear, and they developed little rituals with tea parties, baking and crafting. The best artwork was suitably framed and displayed. We can keep that to trigger those memories. Those grandchildren are teenagers now with not much time in their expanding lives for grandparents. That is the way of the world, yet one hopes that they don’t forget those special times completely.
The old house was not without its flaws. The woods that nurtured wildlife also prevented us from growing any food that needed sunlight. When something did grow, the squirrels would usually get to it first. It is an old house with all the little issues that brings with it. Old pipes. Old wiring. Still there are all of the memories and things that trigger them. My mom lives in the house that she and my dad acquired in 1946. How many memories and triggers does that house contain? We have been fortunate enough to get to choose where we live. Not everyone gets to. Some of the triggers will have to stay with the house while the memories move with us.
Wayne M. Bosman is a retired auto mechanic in Cape Carteret, NC. His email is wbosman1@gmail.com.
2025 The Year of Dreams
By Janet Young
And so, it begins, another brand-new year. But even though, January’s cold keeps us in the house it gives us an opportunity to dream, to relax, and even to plan perhaps another new adventure in our life. For example, what would you do differently this year? What changes would be necessary to achieve that goal? How can you make this year one of the most incredible years ever!
I know what you are thinking. Because your life is so overwhelmingly busy, you can’t imagine making any changes. But that is exactly the point. This is the time of the year when the activities stop for the most part.
So, what better time than NOW!
To get started determine to set aside time each day in January and February to relax. If that means curled up in a blanket on the couch, or sitting by the fireplace, or just enjoying a nice hot chocolate or a warm cup of tea, you are on your way to unwinding and freeing your mind. As an added bonus, play soft background music, and before long you will be in a comfort zone that allows you to think more clearly, and this is the time to dream about your future.
Do you want to continue going in the direction you have been going? And, there is nothing wrong if you are completely satisfied. Or, do you want to make some changes? This is your time to dream big, or to take baby steps. For by setting the course and striving each day to do something that will ultimately get you to that place, you will eventually realize your dream.
Attention Crafters: Do you dream of having a craft room? If so, is there a spare bedroom or attic or basement that could be transformed into your very own space? If not, is there a nook or small area that you could turn into a place to do your crafting? Already have a craft room? Then perhaps, it is time to think of how you can more efficiently use your space. Through reorganizing how you are storing your supplies, you may discover you have more space to work or to collect more materials.
The choice is yours. Don’t delay. Make 2025 the year of dreams come true.
- © Janet Young is a Certified Tea and Etiquette Consultant, Co-Founder of Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association, and prior owner of Over The Teacup
Quotes from famous authors
‘To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.’ – Ralph Waldo Emerson
‘We are all broken, that’s how the light gets in.’ – Ernest Hemingway
‘Focus more on your desire than on your doubt, and the dream will take care of itself.’ – Mark Twain
‘I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.’
– Maya Angelou
‘How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.’ – Anne Frank
‘The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.’ - Alice Walker
‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.’
- Lewis Carroll
‘Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.’ - Oscar Wilde
‘So many books, so little time.’ - Frank Zappa
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou
Cornbread from Little House on the Prairie
by Laura Ingals Wilder
Ingredients
1 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and eggs; stir into cornmeal mixture just until combined. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add butter, and stir until butter is melted. Stir melted butter into cornbread batter. Pour batter into hot skillet.
Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and cornbread pulls away from sides of skillet.
Invert cornbread onto a wire rack; serve warm.
New Years Resolutions
Go somewhere you have never been
Clean and organize your house
Give one compliment a day
Do random acts of kindness
Read a book a month
Save more
Start a journal
Cook a new recipe
Try a new restaurant
Buy a plant for your house
Don’t buy things you don’t need
Pay off your credit card bill every month
Try a new pattern for a quilt design
Volunteer at a new organization
Turn off your phone one night a week
Call a friend instead of texting them
Donate clothes you don’t need
Send out handwritten letters
Recycle more often
Learn a new skill
Plan a dream vacation
Make time for family
Try a new craft
Stop procrastinating tasks
Go on a short walk every day
Try a guided workout or class
Call your family members more often
Listen to an audiobook while you are working
Become Inspired
By Annice Bradley Rockwell
Quality Quietude
With the bustling holiday season behind us, there is no doubt we may feel a genuine need for a reprieve. And in many cases, that is just what winter provides. As we go outside into our yards during one of the first real snowstorms of the season, we may recognize the unrivaled depth of silence. The trees, the ground, all of nature is blanketed under the secret of snow and our world has been beautifully transformed. This stillness brings with it an opportunity for us to match nature’s quality quietude.
Landscapes of Change
Creating our own interior landscapes of change is one of the joys of country decorating. It is at this time of year after the tree has been taken down and all our decorations have been packed away, we have a clean slate to reinvent our spaces and make them a secret sanctuary to ward off the chill of winter. New arrangements of furniture by the hearth invite intimate conversation and storytelling over a piping hot bowl of beef stew on a cold Sunday evening. A recent purchase of a schoolmaster’s desk in early blue can turn a vacant corner of a room into a colonial vignette complete with a stately Windsor chair, early leatherbound books and a stoneware inkwell with a turkey feather quill. A small country cupboard that was found at a local antique shop can transform a room into a quaint winter retreat when it is filled with antiques like blue-decorated stoneware, early woven rye baskets, redware and antique pewter. Woven textiles in colonial colors like soldier blue or tavern mustard are a wonderful way to change the look of a room. They can be layered beautifully among our favorite pieces to lend the perfect country accent. Antique quilts can also be hung or folded to fit in cupboards to add dimension and style.
Perhaps one of the best investments for winter to create a serene environment would be lighting. Beautiful lighting in the form of stoneware lamps with handcrafted hexagon shades, antique whale oil lamps which come in enticing forms or electrified tin candle lamps which create an inviting, primitive tone are all choices that create a signature country look. The ambiance that lighting can create is something that is a true blessing all winter and beyond.
Blessings
of Time
The quiet of our winter months often provides time to dream and to plan. Sometimes our very best ideas come to us in the months of winter. We have time to spend thinking more deeply about things and often with less distraction, so our ideas have time to incubate and grow.
Another blessing of winter is the chance it gives us to view things in a different perspective. Just as the landscape around us affords us a completely new view of our world, it also gives us a chance to explore the different surroundings which in and of itself is restorative.
This winter, embrace the special moments of stillness. Experience the fresh-fallen snow in a wooded glen to feel the depth of its silence. Take days that are slower-paced and use them to create your own sanctuary to enjoy. And as you gaze out upon the beauty of winter, remember that Her secret is always the promise of the coming spring.
--Annice Bradley Rockwell is an educator and owner of Pomfret Antiques. She is currently working on her book, New England Girl. NewEnglandGirl2012@hotmail.com
Congratulations to the $25 Gift Certificate Winner
Sandy Braun - She won a $25 Gift Certificate to Finally Together Quilt Shop! Thank you to everyone who participated!
www.thecountryregister.com/washington
Almond Tea Cakes
from the Hobbit by John Tolkien
Ingredients
2 cups butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
4 teaspoons almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Filling:
1 large egg white
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Milk
Sliced almonds
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and extract; mix well. Add flour and baking powder (dough will be soft). Chill.
2. For filling, in a small bowl, stir egg white, sugar, almonds and lemon juice. Remove a portion of the dough at a time from the refrigerator. Place 1-in. balls of dough into miniature muffin cups, pressing slightly into sides and bottom. Place 1/2 teaspoon filling into each. Cover with quarter-sized circles of dough.
3. Brush with a little milk and top with an almond. Bake at 350° until golden, 14-16 minutes.
from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ingredients
1 (3- to 4-lb.) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 cups buttermilk
Self-rising flour
Vegetable oil
Directions
1) Soak chicken in buttermilk: Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken in a shallow dish or zip-top plastic bag, and add buttermilk.Cover or seal, and chill at least 2 hours.
2) Dredge in flour: Remove chicken from buttermilk, discarding buttermilk. Dredge chicken in flour.
3) Heat oil: Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a deep skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360°F.
4) Fry chicken in batches: Add chicken, a few pieces at a time; cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover chicken, and cook 9 minutes. Turn chicken; cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 9 minutes, turning chicken the last 3 minutes for even browning, if necessary. Drain on paper towels.
Shop Hops: Supporting our Communities
Shop Hop is a familiar term to many quilters. These unique events benefit quilting and sewing businesses, shoppers, and local communities.
Shop Hops can vary in size from just a few stores to statewide or regional events. They expose customers to new stores and experiences.
Many of us have a “favorite” store. A place that’s convenient, familiar, and that carries the stuff we like. But there is a whole world of new and different fabrics, notions, equipment, and personalities you’re missing out on if you don’t occasionally branch out. A Shop Hop provides quilters with a specific plan to do just that.
In a day when brick and mortar retail locations are dwindling across the nation, a Shop Hop works to promote and support quilting and sewing stores, so we can touch and feel the fabric in person. Most quilters “get this” and understand how important it is to support these places if we want them available in our communities.
Visit Deepwood Museum & Gardens
Visit the Gardens of Deepwood & Take a Museum Home Tour
Many quilters hop with friends, family, or their favorite “quiltsie.” They’re not just shopping –they’re making memories as they travel around an area together. Shop Hoppers not only get
Visit Deepwood for a tranquil getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life! The historic formal gardens and nature trails are open daily from Sunrise-Sunset year-round.
The Victorian home is open for guided museum home tours Wed-Sat at 9am, 10am, 11am, and Noon.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
All Pacific Northwest Shop Hop
to visit sewing stores, they also enjoy traveling through large and small towns, discovering places they may have never visited before.
The towns and cities that hoppers travel through also offer many treasures. Small town main streets still exist and evoke many fond memories. Shop Hoppers also support these towns as they take a break to enjoy lunch or dinner at a quaint restaurant. Someone along for the ride may visit a local antique store or boutique while hoppers are visiting a sewing store.
Hops are also about other kinds of fun. Most offer a reward, like prizes or discounts, for visiting participating shops. And of course, you get to express your creative side when you return home by making something beautiful with the items you picked up along the route.
Whether you hop to enjoy or support your community, we hope that you’ll mark a few days on your calendar to explore the great states of the Pacific Northwst, and all that its sewing industry has to offer. To learn more, visit AllPacificNorthwestShopHop.com and join the Facebook Group Facebook.com/groups/AllPacificNorthwestShopHop.
See our ad on page 22.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Check our website for more information & for any closures: DeepwoodMuseum.org
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Visit Deepwood Museum & Gardens
Visit Deepwood for a tranquil getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life! The historic formal gardens and nature trails are open
The Victorian home is open for guided museum home tours Wed-Sat at 9am, 10am, 11am, and Noon.
Check our website for more information & for any closures: DeepwoodMuseum.org
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Hobbit by J. R. R Tolkien
Photo by Ron Cooper
Resolutions Unfulfilled
By Julie Pirtel
A new year is upon us and it’s overflowing with ambitions and goals. However, if you are like most, your well-intended resolutions from last year (and perhaps the year before) are now in the “I’ll make it happen later” pile.
For those with clutter challenged areas, the situation is even more frustrating. The spaces that were enthusiastically chosen for a makeover are still not functioning and have grown by leaps and bounds.
Unresolved resolutions are evil. They want to make us feel guilty. They lurk around in dark corners of our minds, reminding us as often as possible how we failed to not bring them to fruition. I think it’s time to stop creating them in the first place! Let’s stop the madness this year!!!
First of all, let go of the guilt. It is not your fault that your organizing resolutions went by the wayside. It’s more likely that your goals were too broad and a bit hefty for how busy your life is. With a little bit of foresight and planning, you can make it happen THIS year. Here are some easy steps to get you started.
Assess your spaces. With a notebook and pen, go from room to room and write down the specific areas you want to tackle. Note what is not working in your day-to-day routines and be detailed. For instance, in the bedroom it might be the clothes on the closet shelves are difficult to access or the dresser drawers are too full. Make a separate page for each room.
Once you have determined the problem areas, it’s time to start by choosing just ONE area. I’ve seen many popular organizing shows where the client is encouraged to completely empty out the space (in this case the closet) and only put back what they want to keep. Don’t do it.
While it may feel good to see the closet empty, you will be left with a huge pile to sort through and no energy to complete it. Instead, work on one shelf at a time. One drawer at a time. When you complete it, there will be a sense of accomplishment instead of a bed full of clothing and no place to sleep that night!
PURGE. Now it’s time for some ruthless honesty. The bathroom cupboard that is overflowing with beauty products needs to be cleaned out! The eye shadows and half used mascara need to go (they have a shelf life just like food). Hair products with unfulfilled promises of glorious hair need to be ditched.
When you are in the process of letting go of items, there are a few rules to follow. It doesn’t matter how much it cost. It doesn’t matter who gave it to you. It doesn’t matter if you think you might use it someday. Someday is here and you still haven’t used it! Anything that does not have a purpose in your day-to-day living is no longer welcome to take up space in your valuable cupboard’s real estate.
As you purge, resist the need to find a home for the items you are letting go of. This is your subconscious mind trying to deal with that horrible guilt monster! Giving it to someone else does not justify the “value” you have put on it that has made you unnecessarily keep it.
Don’t give it any more of your time. Choose a charity and “let it go.” (At this point, I sing the song from the movie Frozen to my clients when I am working with them. “Let it go…let it go…it doesn’t serve you any mo – o – ore.” A little comic relief never hurts anybody!) Believe me, releasing your items to the universe to disperse as she sees fit is the best way to go.
Once you have cleared your space of items you no longer need, it’s time to figure out a better way to store them. THIS is the time to look at purchasing organizing solutions. Ignore the desire to accumulate bins, baskets and racks before purging. Many times, the items purchased don’t work out and end up being part of the purge pile!
By using your list and taking one step at a time, you will be amazed at how quickly and efficiently you will accomplish your goals. Even a spare 15 minutes cleaning the kitchen junk drawer is helpful and absolutely satisfying.
Be kind to yourself this year. Get rid of the guilt. Pull up those big girl panties and get it done! You’ve got this. I know you do!
Julie Pirtle lives in Eagle Point, Oregon. She is a Professional Organizer and owner/operator of Clutter Happens. She also works with clients nationally through video consultations. The Clutter Challenged can reach her on Facebook:/clutterhappens or email her directly: clutterhappens@yahoo.com
Find Us Online! www.countryregister/oregon &
of Oregon, Washington & Idaho $24
CALIFORNIA SPOTLIGHT
Professional Services
Road to California
Come and discover the world of quilting at the Road to California Quilter’s Conference & Showcase
January 22-25, 2025
Wednesday – Friday: 9:30 am - 5:30pm
Saturday: 9:30 am - 4:30pm
Ontario Convention Center
2000 E Convention Center Way Ontario, CA 91764
Preview Night: Tuesday January 21, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
By Lydia E. Harris
The new year is a perfect time to turn over a new leaf—a tea leaf, of course. Let’s warm our winter days with favorite tea blends or try new ones. There are many choices: black, green, white, oolong, flavored teas, and herbal tisanes.
With virtually no calories and lots of antioxidants, tea is good for our health. Green tea, which is unfermented, is considered especially beneficial. If you haven’t developed a taste for it, try a flavored green tea such as Bigelow’s Constant Comment.
Besides the health benefits of tea, a tea break reduces stress. The ritual of brewing, sipping, and relaxing with a fragrant cup of tea provides a soothing interlude.
I especially enjoy sharing a cup of tea with others. When my niece stopped by to drop off a family Bible, I asked, “Do you have time for a cup of tea?” She did. A pot of Apricot Sunrise tea (Ahmod Tea) and homemade gingersnaps sweetened our visit.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, a heart-TEA theme and a rosy brew sound inviting. Why not pour out your love to others over a cup of tea?
Guest List
When deciding whom to invite, consider who needs a touch of love. One year my guests included singles—single because of death, divorce or never married. I wanted to extend my love to those who didn’t have a sweetheart. I have also hosted teas for those who needed extra TEAL-C, such as a terminally ill friend, an elderly neighbor, and frazzled moms of preschoolers.
Menu Ideas
The menu can be simple or fancy, depending on time and energy. When I’m in the simplici-TEA mode, I serve only tea and dessert or tea with scones and fresh fruit. Even a full three-course tea doesn’t need to be elaborate: finger sandwiches and fruit, scones and dessert.
My neighbor gave me a tin of Republic of Tea’s Hibiscus Superflower Tea. It’s heart-healthy, caffeine free and brews up a rosy color. Another tea to consider is Harney & Son’s Valentine’s Day tea. It’s a chocolate black tea blended with pink rosebuds.
Do you know someone who needs a touch of love? To put “heart” into teatime, try these ideas for Valentine’s Day or anytime.
From Lydia’s Recipe File: Turkey-and-Cranberry Tea Sandwiches
Make plenty. Guests will gobble them up.
4 slices wheat bread
4 slices white bread
8 slices deli turkey
Jellied cranberry sauce
Mayonnaise
1. Lightly spread wheat bread with jellied cranberry sauce.
2. Top these 4 bread slices with 2 turkey slices on each.
3. Lightly spread the white bread with mayonnaise.
4. With mayonnaise side up, cut out four tiny hearts with ¾-inch cookie cutter, one in each corner of the slice.
5. Place the white bread on the turkey, mayonnaise side down.
You’re a Blessing!
1. Turkey sandwiches with cranberry heart centers. (See recipe.)
Baking, cooking, sharing homemade English muffins
2. Scones cut into medium-sized hearts with a cookie cutter. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with red-colored sugar before baking. Serve with butter and red jam or jelly.
Loyal and loving—to family, friends, and God
Evangelical—leading Bible studies and offering spiritual help to others
3. Rolled sugar cookies, cut into small hearts and filled. Using a ¾-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut out the center of half the cookies. These cookies with cutouts become the top half. Bake the cookies, then put two cookies together with raspberry jam or pink peppermint-flavored frosting. The filling shows through the cut-out heart cookie placed on top.
Souper, caring cook—making me a gallon of Mom’s chicken noodle soup when sick
Singing—adding joy and praise to the lives of others
Industrious—helping in our yard and home
Never giving up—even on hard projects like recovering my chairs
6. Slice cranberry sauce the thickness of the bread. Cut tiny hearts from the cranberry sauce and slip them into the heart-shaped holes cut in the bread.
7. Trim crust and cut into four square sandwiches. Chill until ready to serve.
Makes 16 sandwiches.
Godly—testing my grandparenting Bible study with other grandmas before publication
4. A “heart-TEA” bowl of soup garnished with toast hearts. Toast bread slices, butter and sprinkle with herbs or garlic powder, cut into hearts and place on top of soup.
As I consider these ideas, I’m reminded that “God has poured out His love into our hearts” (Romans 5:5 GNT). Now I’m ready to pour my heart into a teatime for someone who needs love. Will you join me?
Winter Bucket List
Catch snowflakes with your tongue
Try a new hot cocoa recipe
Build a snowman
Go ice skating
Make snow angels
Make a homemade soup on a cold day
Roast chestnuts
Make a new winter quilt
Make New Year's resolutions
Make paper snowflakes
Binge a new TV series
Make a photobook of 2024 memories
Lydia E. Harris is a tea enthusiast and the author of three books for grandparents: GRAND Moments: Devotions Inspired by Grandkids, In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together and Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting, all available at amazon.com.
Join us as we explore the state of Washington and their shops and events. The great state has much to see and offer. And is close to many connecting Oregon shops and events as well!
The Life of a Show Quilt
By Marlene Oddie
Many years ago I designed this ‘inverted’ version of my 1892 Rondure quilt. The blocks are skewed on the golden ratio and was a concept I came up with during the McCall’s Quilt Design Star Challenge in 2011. This version makes a larger quilt and so I opted to make the original version during the contest. The version shown here is the ‘inverted’ version and sat in my design stack for many years. After working on developing a pattern for the original and hosting a class to make it, we worked through the pattern to make it a bit simpler and published it.
One of my testers, Nancy C., made several colorations and ultimately expressed interest in making one of these ‘inverted’ versions. We worked together to curate the Jinny Beyer fabrics, starting with selecting the border print and then choosing colors for the center elements that complement the border. Nancy carefully pieced it. For several years it awaited quilting. When I discovered that the borders had not been cut to symmetrically miter at the corners, I re-did them. It then sat for a while longer.
During Covid, I decided it was finally time to focus on quilting it. I wanted to quilt it for showing in large, juried, international shows so my creative juices needed to be flowing. I almost finished it in late 2021 but ended up coming down with Covid myself. I finally got it back on my quilting table in late 2022 and finished it up.
Nancy named it 24 Karat Rondure—there are 24 electric blue jewels. Now it was time to enter it in various shows. It was juried into all five 2023 AQS shows. Paducah is the only one of their shows that returns judges comments. So I finally got some constructive feedback and was able to correct slight variations in the binding against the printed edge of the border. During 2024 it was juried into Road to California; Mancuso Quilt Fest, South Carolina, Pacific International Quilt Fest, Santa Clara, CA and Quilt Fest Pennsylvania (Best Interpretation of the Theme). It was also displayed at Tri-Cities Kennewick, WA Quilt Show, Minnesota Quilt Show (1 st Place Ribbon), Spring Fling Fronen Steppdecker Odessa, WA Quilt Show (People’s Choice), Lincoln County Fair (Superintendent’s Award) and WSQ Spokane Quilt Show (2nd Place Ribbon).
Grateful to my dear friend Nancy C. for this wonderful collaboration. May this quilt stand to show how I’ve valued our good times together and inspire others to consider design elements that can also be found in nature – the golden ratio.
47th Annual
GREEN RIVER GLASS SHOW & SALE
Saturday, February 22, 2025 9 am- 4 pm
Kent Commons, 525 4th Ave. N, Kent, WA
Selling Early to Mid-20th Century glass, jewelry, art pottery & collectibles. Free glass ID (limit 2 items) Eunique’s Jewelry Restoration & Repair
Admission: $5; proceeds benefitting selected charities.
Presented by Green River Depression-Era Glass Club. For more info call Marcia Jenkins 206-406-7773.
Love That Vintage Glass!
The Green River Glass Show & Sale, a Pacific Northwest tradition for nearly 50 years, is on the horizon, offering a fun, festive and colorful oasis during the year’s darkest season. A celebration of all things glass, it is the only remaining such show in the region.
This year’s show – the Green River Depression-Era Glass Club’s 47th event -- is Feb. 22, 2025 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Kent Commons, located at 525 4th Ave. N in Kent, WA. Admission is $5, with proceeds benefitting selected charities.
The show boasts a wide range of glassware, jewelry, art pottery, china and collectibles for sale from experienced and reputable dealers. For those in the mood to shop, tables will offer glass from America’s finest makers, including companies such as Fostoria, Cambridge, Heisey, Viking, L.E. Smith, Fenton, and Westmoreland.
But according to show chairman Terry Martin, the show is about much more than selling. “Our club’s mission is education and fostering an appreciation for the timeless beauty, creativity and craftsmanship of vintage glass,” Martin said. “Don’t let the club’s name fool you. Our members collect everything from early pattern glass to Depression glass to glass from the mid20th century and much more.
“Collectively, we have an abundance of knowledge, and we want to help people understand the value and history of the glass they own, whether they are an established collector or simply inherited family pieces and don’t know what they have.”
To that end, the club has invited noted glass experts to share their knowledge and expertise with show attendees, including authors Randy and Debbie Coe who will be available to identify glass pieces for show-goers (limit two per attendee), and Lorna Brown Hendrickson of Eunique’s Jewelry Restoration and Repair.
Representatives from local special-interest glass clubs, including the Fenton Finders of Puget Sound and Northwest Heisey Collector’s Club, will join the Green River glass club in displaying samples of glassware collected by their members, providing an interesting contrast of styles, pattern, color, and design.
“Glass really offers something for everyone,” Martin said. “It is amazingly versatile, affordable, and more adaptable to all tastes than people might think, especially young people. “Come out to the show. Make new connections, learn something new, discover a new favorite, or maybe find that unicorn piece you’ve been searching for.”
Martin encourages people interested in glass collecting to consider joining the Green River Depression-Era Glass Club, which meets the first Tuesday of each month, time adjusted seasonally. For more information about the club or show, contact Marcia Jenkins at 206-406-7773. Follow the club on facebook at www.facebook.com/Green-River-Depression-Era-Glass-Club.
Ah, what to do in that wonderful time between holidays of Christmas to February?
Some celebrate Christmas prior to Halloween but yank it all down as soon as the last present is unwrapped. Instead, play the carols, be creative with the leftovers, listen to the music --- drag it on a little at least until Epiphany! Then segue into Valentine’s Day with the joy of the holidays. Christmas may be over, but ideas abound for time with family and friends.
Holiday Decor:
Continue red and white for clean and festive décor with garlands and valentines. The love of Christmas flows to Valentine’s Day! The following links give ideas for taking your decorations into the next season.
AnExtraordinaryDay.net
SimplyBeautifulbyAngela
Get out and Play!
• Ice skating
• Sledding
• Winter Walk
• Try an Escape Room
• Take a dance class
• Have Fun Indoors!
• Play Board Games*
• Serve up an ethnic meal!
• Pretend you’re a tourist in your town. What have you missed?
GAMES
Rummikub
The Crew (non competitive) Skyjo Sequence Azul Quirkle Apples to Apples SkipBo Uno Phase 10
• Enjoy the lights of Christmas once more by driving through your local towns.
• Set up a Cooking contest with family members ala Great Bakeoff
• Go through family photos with your family. Take a few minutes to organize them
• Create a contest with holiday leftovers. Who can make the best meal?
• Freeze some eggnog to put in pancakes in your future.
• Invite friends or neighbors over for a movie marathon (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars)
• Go through your Christmas cards and re-read the notes before recycling cards for gift tags.
By Ann’s Lovin’ Ewe
Consider your Personal Journey Reset
• Drink Water. Splurge on a new water bottle.
• Eat color. Fill your plate with green, orange, red, & yellow.
• Get regular hours of sleep.
• Enjoy walking
• Begin a new daily habit.
• Clear out social media.
• Try a new hobby (Voice lessons, drawing, painting, dancing, fencing?)
• Clean out your closet, donate.
Look forward to something:
• Plan a Trip
• Dream and Strategize about a new house project
• Set a long-desired goal
• Plan a Neighborhood Valentine Party
• Read a Winter Book (see below)
With all these ideas, you’re set for a winter of fun!
© 2025
Read a Winter Book.
Winter Garden, Kristin Hannah Winter Sisters, Robin Oliveira
Winter Solstice, Rosamunde Pilcher
A Week in Winter, Maeve Binchy
The Winter Guest, Pam Jenoff
The Winter People, Jennifer McMahon Stranded in Iceland, Victoria Walker One Perfect Day, Lauraine Snelling Ethan Frome (classic but sad) The Secret of Snow, Viola Shipman Comfort and Joy, Kristin Hannah
80th Anniversary to the End of WWII
Fort Walla Walla Museum plans a new exhibit slated to open November 29th in preparation for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, happening 2025. “Capturing the Pacific” will focus on the Pacific Theater of operations, and Walla Walla’s connection to the war. The Pacific Theater saw the creation of vast technological advancement throughout all arenas, making the battles and skirmishes accomplished during World War II possible. At the end of the war the advancements stuck around, such as the transformation of Walla Walla’s airport.
Through contextualizing what war in the Pacific looked like for those present, and how it was seen at home, the Museum asks visitors to consider their own relationship to technology and news. While Fort Walla Walla Museum continues to ask, “why does history matter?” visitors are encouraged to explore the new exhibit with this question in mind as well. We hope that you might find your own answer.
Fort Walla Walla Museum is located at 755 NE Myra Road, Walla Walla, Washington. The Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through the winter. Admission rates can be found on our website at fwwm.org. Love Fort Walla Walla Museum? Consider membership. Find us on social media, or call (503) 252-7703 for more information.
The Stitches That Bind Us
Over 200 beautiful and unique quilts will be on display at Kitsap Quilters 37th Annual Quilt Show. The quilts will be displayed into twelve categories based on size and technique. And there will be four categories specific to guild’s small groups within the guild: Third Saturday Workshop quilts, innovative/ art quilts, contemporary quilts, and challenge quilts. This year’s challenge quilt theme is “Near the Salish Sea.” Members were challenged to create a piece reflecting how living on the shores of the Salish Sea has inspired their quilting. Some of which may be for sale.
Attendees will be invited to vote for their favorite quilts in the different categories and the winning quilts receive ribbons at the following guild meeting.
Hour-long demonstrations will be held throughout the day and will be presented by members who have specific skills or passions.
The Featured Artist for this year’s show is Pam Whitt. Pam has embraced many techniques offer the years, including appliqué and embroidery, but her current passions are quilts from vintage linens and extraordinary whole cloth free motion quilting. She is a consistent winner of viewer’s choice in numerous different shows in the area and has won first place ribbons over a span of years at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, WA. It will be a special treat to see Pam’s collection of her work that will be on display in her booth at the show.
Pam has presented classes at Sew Expo in The Reuse of Vintage Linens and offers a lecture/trunk show about the use and care of vintage linens that can be booked by guilds. All this, plus there are rumors that she does a stand-up comedy routine!
This Guild’s Raffle Quilt “Rainbow Alaska” be on display at the show. This beauty is made from Edyta Sitar’s pattern of the same name. Tickets are $1 each and the drawing is May 27, 2025. Tickets may also be purchased by visiting the Guild’s website.
Food will be available on site from two highly rated, local food trucks and a seating area will be hosted by the Guild where hot and cold drinks and snacks can be purchased and enjoyed.
More Antique & Vintage Fun in Bremerton
The 27th annual Kitsap Antique Show, in Bremerton, Washington, on the weekend of February 22nd and 23rd will once again bring a fun opportunity to have family heirlooms appraised as well as to visit a wide variety of dealers offering fabulous antiques, wonderful vintage items, and fascinating collectibles.
The Puget Sound Genealogical Society, the show’s long-time host, brings in recognized appraisal experts to offer the public an inexpensive way to have their treasures orally appraised, for just $5 per item. In addition to the popular appraisal area, an extensive sales area attracts antique, vintage, and collectible dealers from Washington and nearby states who help to maintain the show’s focus on high-quality and hard-to-find items.
A key feature of this show is that the dealer sales spaces are significantly larger (12 ft. by 12, 18, or 24 ft.) compared to the spaces typically found at similar events, with reasonable pricing plus numerous free dealer amenities.
The two-day event is held in Presidents’ Hall at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds and Events Center. Admission is just $6 for both days, and plenty of free parking is always available near the hall. For everyone’s convenience, an on-site Heritage Café offers a variety of great food at reasonable prices.
The Kitsap Antique Show began in 1998 as an appraisal show in nearby Port Orchard, Washington, eventually moving to the larger, fairgrounds venue, with the sales area added in 2006. It continues to serve as a vital fundraising event to support the educational and research programs of the Puget Sound Genealogical Society, a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization serving its members as wells as the community. For more information, visit www.AntiqueShowKitsap.com.
Kitsap Quilters 37th Annual Quilt Show
14th & 15th, 2025
County Fairgrounds
artist: Pam Whitt
The show expects to have about ten vendors selling quilting and crafting items, plus there will have a Shopping Boutique where guild members can sell their handmade items and ‘destash’ their studios.
Our guild draws members from across the nature-dominated Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas, located across the Puget Sound from Seattle. Our guild meets in the Scandinavian-themed town of Poulsbo which also has a waterfront aquarium. The show is held in close-by Bremerton, well-known for its military history and Naval attractions.
A bonus is this show is on Valentine’s Day weekend. Local restaurants and tribal casinos will be offering romantic dining and lodging packages and specials. Something for all members of the family! Kitsap Quilters is a non-profit group and uses proceeds from the show to support charity and educational programs. Last year 108 quilts and comfort items were donated to hospice, ER and cancer care facilities.
