What’s Inside?
• Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 4
• Winter Bucket List - Page 4
• Triggers - 5
• Save Brick & Mortar Stores - Page 6
• National Quilting Day - Page 6
• Bring on the New Year - Page 8
• Friend Chicken - Page 8
• New Years Resolutions - Page 9
• Cornbread - Page 9
• 10 Books to Fall in Love with Again - Page 9
• Robyn's Nest DIY - Page 10
• Become Inspired - Page 11
• Now I Understand - Page 12
• The Life of a Quilt Show - Page 13
• Great Plains Creative Arts Associaton - Page 13
• Ad Directory by Name & Community - Page 14
Use the Country Register as a Travel Guide on your next adventure!
Index on page 14 by Name & Community Help you find & explore a new shop!
“ 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
www.MoxieMarketingMW.com
• 605-568-0181 • Kelsey Ruzicka • Publisher of this Country Register!
Editor’s Notes - “New Year. New Chapters 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.
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
countryregisternebraska@gmail.com kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com Office: 605-568-0181
Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of Nebraska
The Country Register of Nebraska Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher Produced by Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC PO BOX 2015 • Belle Fourche, SD 57717 605-568-0181 Office
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* Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085, 602-942-8950
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* Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, ads@countryregisteronline.com
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* 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: Kelsey Ruzicka, P.O. Box 2015, Belle Fourche, SD 57717, 605-568-0181, kelsey@moxiemarketingmw.com
* 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
New Year, New Chapter
The Country Register of the Nebraska January/February • Volume 16 Issue 1
The Country Register of Nebraska is published every two months. Copyright 2024.
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 Nebraska.
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Deadline: Ads and articles for the March/April issue is February 7, 2025.
Pouring out Love
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.
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.
Godly—testing my grandparenting Bible study with other grandmas before publication
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?
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.
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
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.
Doing Our Part to Save Brick and Mortar Stores
All Kansas Nebraska Shop Hop
Online shopping has become the norm for consumers, offering countless choices available at the touch of a button, enabling visits to multiple stores without leaving our couch, and allowing purchases in seconds. While there is a time and place for online shopping, it is crucial to recognize the consequences that come along with it. Perhaps the most alarming is not the environmental impact from packaging waste, but rather the local and widespread economic toll of the slow decline of brick-and-mortar stores.
When considering the value of brick-and-mortar shops, we must consider the full impact of more and more closures. Brick-and-mortar stores provide benefits that online shopping simply cannot match. We can touch products, feel the quality, evaluate true colors, test sizes, and assess comfort. At quilting stores, shoppers can engage with experts face-to-face, curate fabrics under real world lighting conditions, and receive advice and inspiration from fellow enthusiasts.
As consumers, we can commit to shop local, shop small businesses, and revive foot traffic so we protect these vital establishments. When shopping in person, take the time to chat with store owners and be ethical. If you walk into a store to try the size, match colors, test a tool or piece of equipment, compare brands in person, you do so at the grace of the business owner who pays employees, rent, and utilities to make that luxury available to you. Most even provide public restrooms! Yes, it’s tempting to go to your computer to find that item at a less expensive price, but ask yourself… Is the discount you receive online worth risking the chance to help a local store through tough economic times? When circumstances require online shopping, consider visiting the website of a brick-and-mortar store.
A shop hop is a PERFECT way to show your support! Not only do you find what you need (and some things you don’t), but you also get to explore new stores, meet new friends, and experience new inspiration. Together we can make memories and help ensure we’ll be able to touch and feel the fabric for years to come! From Shop Hop Inc, and all our stores, thanks for your support and for Hopping!
Shop Hop Inc manages large scale shop hops across the United States and is excited to be bringing the All Kansas Nebraska Shop Hop to Kansas and Nebraska and for their fifth annual event during the months of April and May. For complete details visit AllKansasNebraskaShopHop.com
National Quilting Day March 15, 2025
at International Quilt Museum in Lincoln
The 15th National Quilting Day will be held at the International Quilt Museum at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. The Museum is the home of the largest known public collection of quilts in the world. Quilting Day 2025 is a FREE community event for all ages and includes free Museum admission, demonstrations, lectures, displays and access to the current exhibitions.
This year’s family-friendly event features Cuddle Quilts, our featured community outreach project, “Learn to Quilt” for all ages, Make and Take projects for entire family, Collection Care in Action: Conservation Workroom and the Quilt Exhibitions in the IQM galleries, and Handwork Demonstrations & Display: Come sit and stitch!
Popular lectures will be offered during both morning and afternoon in identical sessions. Come, sit down, relax and enjoy this year’s informative programs:
• 9:30 a.m. & 1:00 p.m. Sandi Gripenstroh – My Quilting Journey
• 10:15 a.m. & 1:45 p.m. Camilo Sanchez – Hanging Exhibitions at the Museum
• 11:00 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Stitching the Future: Tech meets Tradition in Quilting
What's new in the quilting industry? AccuQuilt and Aurifil, as well as local shops: Bernina Sewing Center (Lincoln and Omaha), Cosmic Cow (Lincoln and Seward), Nebraska Quilt Company (Fremont) and Quilt Stitches (Beatrice) will have all the latest machines and products for you to see. Visit the IQM galleries to see the fabulous exhibitions: Color Improvisations 3, Studio Showcase: Judy Kirpich and Karen Schulz, Whimsy II: Quilts of a Feather, Without a Net: Quilted Sculptures by Susan Else and A Golden Age of Quilts, 1870-1940.
Lunch will be available for purchase (cash only) for those who want to spend the entire day at the Museum. Free parking is available in all University parking lots north of the Museum and across 33 rd Street at Hardin Hall (including restricted lots). The International Quilt Museum located at 1523 N. 33 rd Street on the corner of 33 rd Street & Holdrege Street.
With all that is being offered, you will want to be sure to attend National Quilting Day 2024! Updates and additional details will be available on the websites and Facebook pages of sponsoring groups: International Quilt Study Center & Museum: internationalquiltmuseum.org, Lincoln Modern Quilt Guild: lincolnmqg.blogspot.com, Lincoln Quilters Guild: lincolnquiltersguild.org Nebraska State Quilt Guild: nsqg.org and Omaha Modern Quilt Guild: omqg.blogspot.com.
www.AllKansasNebraskaShopHop.com and join our Facebook
www.facebook.com/groups/allkansasnebraskashophop
Bring on the New Year!
By Ann’s Lovin’ Ewe
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!
GAMES
Rummikub The Crew (non competitive) Skyjo Sequence Azul Quirkle Apples to Apples SkipBo Uno
Phase 10
• Pretend you’re a tourist in your town. What have you missed?
• 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.
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
Fried Chicken 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.
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
10 Classical Books to Fall in Love with Again
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
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
Book Paper Heart
The New Year is here! Let’s start a new chapter! I have not done a project with printed text in quite a while. Book pages are popular for craft projects recently, so I’ll give it a try! If you are not inclined to use book pages, you can print off any wordage and use it.
You will Need:
You will need, a heart-shaped form of some material like wood, foam board or even cardboard, I use a 12inch foam board. You will also need a couple different kinds of paper, printed paper or book pages, embellishments, which I used flowers and letter tile pieces (not pictured-I forgot!), twine, scissors, glue, deco podge, and a foam brush or paint brush.
Step One
Lay out your printed pages on your heart so you have an idea of how they will look. Spread a thin layer of deco-podge on the heart surface. Then place the printed pages on the heart as you want them. Smooth out to remove any bubbles. Allow to dry.
Step TWO
Apply another layer of deco-podge all over the surface to seal down any loose edges. Allow to dry again. Trim the paper around the heart. Cut out another heart that is about 1 ½ inches smaller than your larger one. I used corrugated paper. Glue it in the center. Allow to dry.
Step THREE
I glued on a line of paper for my letter tiles and my flower embellishments. I also added twine around the edge of the heart. I used the tiles to spell out “LOVE”.to remove any bubbles. Allow to dry.
Step Four
I punched a couple of holes in the heart to add twine to hang up my heart! And Done!! I hope your next chapter is your best one yet!
So cute!
FINISHED!
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
Belle Williams
She won a $25 Gift Certificate to Calico Cottage
Thank you to everyone who participated!
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
The Life of a Show Quilt
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.
By Marlene Oddie
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.
GREAT PLAINS CREATIVE ARTS ASSOCIATION
WHERE THE ARTS MEET
Great Plains Creative Arts Association (GPCAA) is celebrating 75 years of providing art and craft classes! The annual retreats are for anyone interested in arts, crafts and fun! GPCAA offers excellent opportunities to sharpen old skills, learn new ones and work with people sharing their creative enthusiasm. The classes are in an open lab format for you to spend as much time as you wish on any project or to try several! Start a barn quilt, and while the paint dries, try your hand at weaving a mug rug or designing a fused glass piece. The instructors are great at providing the assistance needed for you to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art whether it involves a traditional skill like quilting or a new craft such as Zipply Art. Lodging and meals included in registration. Join us April 21-25, 2025, at St. Benedict Center in Schuyler. One-day registrations are also available.
For more information on classes offered and registration see their website: https://www.greatplainsart.org Join in the celebration of GPCAA’s 75th Anniversary and receive a free T-shirt with registering early by January 31, 2025.
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.
Marlene Oddie (marlene@kissedquilts.com) is an engineer by education, project manager by profession and now a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA at her quilt shop, KISSed Quilts. She quilts for hire on a Gammill Optimum Plus, but especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a meaningful treasure for the recipient. Fabric, patterns, kits and templates are available at http://www.kissedquilts.com. Follow Marlene’s adventures via http://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts and https://www.instagram.com/marlene.kissedquilts
Great Plains Creative Arts Association WHERE THE ARTS MEET
April 21-25, 2025
ST. BENEDICT CENTER SCHUYLER, NE
Classes offered: for more information greatplainsart.org Providing art and craft classes to the heartland for 75 years
tin art basket weaving book folding quilting barn quilts zipply art jewelry w/metal clay weaving wood carving leather craft copper etching plus lots more
