On day one I did what a lot of people did: cooked warm meals, watched the snow storm pile on inches of the white stuff, cleaned some cabinets, caught up on laundry and spent way too much time on Facebook.

By the second day I decided cleaning out closets was too boring when I’d discovered a craft project in the linen cabinet — a crazy quilt banner that was never finished. I love crazy quilts. They have so many different fabrics and patterns; and all the different embroidery stitches are fascinating.

This one was a family hand-me-down from my great aunt, via my mom. No one seemed to know who started this project, but it’s been around for years. I’ve got a pretty creative imagination and, after examining the stitches, have ventured a guess it was the project of someone in a hurry. The stitches are a bit large but even, so she was experienced with a needle.

The embroidery is done with crewel yarn. I used to embroider with crewel yarn 30 years ago!!!

I knew immediately I wanted to finish the banner with a few minor repairs, not adding any more embroidery to the unadorned seams.  So I dug into my sewing stash and found muslin for the backing, low loft batting, and black, wide, single-fold bias tape.

I used the tape for the binding around all the edges, and the rod sleeve to hang it with using a small dowel rod.

I decided to hang it in the hall right outside my bedroom door so I can admire it every time I walk down the hall. (If ever I wanted, I could use it as a table-top quilt or a buffet banner, without the dowel rod.) It will remind me that some unknown relative of long ago liked crazy quilts as much as I do! Now if only I knew who started it!

{Note from Amy: This really is a perfect family heirloom for my mum. Check out the crazy-quilt vest and skirt she made years ago.}

I remember my Grandma’s wonderful Cinnamon Apples. They were sweet and cinnamony (and yes, that is a word in MY vocabulary) and very RED. I’ve seen them sold in jars at the grocery store… someone must have stolen Grandma’s idea!

Peel, core and slice into thin pieces, putting into a microwavable dish that has a lid. Add a very small amount of water to aide in steaming. Microwave 3-4 minutes on high. Stir and microwave a couple more minutes.

Drain off liquid and while apples are still hot sprinkle with Cinnamon Imperials (aka Red Hots), toss lightly so the candy comes into contact with fruit.

Cover and let sit for an hour or so. The candy will melt. Gently stir. Can be served warm-ish or refrigerated.

I really like them with pork chops!

{Note from Amy: These really are like candies apples without the losing a tooth on them. And so so easy! My kinda cookin’.}

The other day I was reading the latest issue of Bird & Blooms and found a nifty little recipe for Bird Cupcakes and made up a batch to give as gifts to a couple of bird-loving people, and some for myself. It was super easy and I am looking forward to the birds finding this tasty treat.

(Attracting birds to the back yard is not only for my entertainment, but also for my two indoor cats!)

Bird Cupcakes

1 c. shortening

2 c. chunky peanut butter

5 c. cornmeal

nuts, birdseed or dried berries

Melt shortening and peanut butter in large saucepan over low heat. Mix in cornmeal. Fill lined cupcake tins and top with nuts, birdseed or berries. Cool in refrigerator. To give as a gift, arrange on a plate or stack them and then wrap with cellophane; attach a recipe card so the recipient can make more.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

{Note from Amy: I love that every critter in my Mom’s house gets treated so well… from kids, to cats, to birds!}

I have made my own necktie skirt, but my obession didn’t stop there!

I have made pillow tops out of ties to give as gifts, a wall hanging out of men’s ties for a church fundraiser auction, and a couple of framed pieces (one for Amy and one for me).

I even made a vest out of the scraps. Sorry, I don’t have a pattern, I just create as I go.

I still have a bunch of ties and have decided to make a Christmas tree skirt out of them this year.

So if you are wanting to dabble in the fiber arts using men’s neckties, don’t be shy about asking for freebies from the male population. I’ve seen ties at garage and estate sales and in thrift shops. Go ahead – Tie one on!

{I have always loved my mom’s tie art. Namely because she hand-sews each seam with a different decorative stitch, and they’re so amazing! I love to study them. My other favorite thing is that the wall hanging Mom gave me incorporates three generations of men in my family: my great-grandfather, grandfather, and Dad. What a cool piece of family history!}

{Added: And for your musical entertainment, my mom is as resourceful with ties as Joseph with his Little Overcoat!}

Paw-Paw’s Famous BBQ Seasoning

2 parts BBQ Seasoning (try 1/4 cup)

1 part of the following: (try 2 Tbls. each)

Garlic Powder

Onion Powder

Ground Celery Seed

Poultry Seasoning

Ground Marjoram

Ground Thyme

Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix everything up together.

Then I use a funnel to fill my recycled seasoning containers. I’ve also bought little glass shakers (from Bed Bath & Beyond or The Container Store). I’ve given it as office Christmas gifts, birthday gifts, thank you gifts, and just because gifts. I’ve even been asked for refills from a recipient!

{Note from Amy: Paw-Paw is only half the grandparent name fun. My grandmother’s name is Hazel, so we call her Hay-Hay. Hay-Hay and Paw-Paw. We like it.:)}

We just had our first Pizza Party and Craft Social, and it was so much fun we want to do it again! We all brought some money to cover the costs of food and crafts. I had the local pizzeria deliver more than what we could eat, and after gorging ourselves we began working on our projects.

First we made several of Amy’s Covered Button Magnets. There was lots of laughter and silliness when we discovered how strong the magnets were. One of the ladies laughed so hard she had tears rolling down her cheeks!

Another even decided to make 4 buttons to embellish a blouse.

Then we forged right ahead to making Tattered Flowers, which is a link I found on Amy’s Felt Flowers post. Several of the gals have been noticing these kind of brooches in stores so they were very eager to make one of their own.

Then it was time to have dessert! It was a whole evening of fellowship!

I have come to realize that what my widow friends really enjoy is spending time together visiting. I think maybe a lot of us that have lost the experience of just socializing – we are too busy e-mailing and texting and Facebooking in our hurry-up lives! Sometimes just spending time being together is so meaningful. So a Craft Social fits the bill with lots of talking and laughing.

So the next time you want to have a girls’ night, how about planning a party make it a Craft Social? You could make Christmas gifts or stationery or jewelry or decorative flower pots or fleece throws or learn to crochet a scarf – the possibilties are endless!

{Note from Amy: “Why does Amy’s mom hang out with old ladies?” you may be asking after reading this. Well, growing up, my brothers and I were the primary beneficiaries of my mom’s thoughtfulness and consideration. Now, we share Mom with the world(;))… she’s the administrator of a funeral home. She has a gift for making people relax and feel at home — and even smile — when they walk in the door for the hardest thing they’ll ever have to plan. And on top of that, she does fun stuff like organizing this monthly widows’ gathering. I’m really proud of her!}

Supplies:

• Tumbled Marble tiles
• Bumpers
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Clean old wash cloth
• Clear Spray

Just go to the home & garden store (I like Lowe’s) and pick up the tumbled marble tiles and bumpers (and clear spray, if you don’t have any). Be sure you have some rubbing alcohol, or get that, too. I spent on $3.98 on the tiles (9, which means you will end up with 2 sets of 4 and one left over) but the bumpers are the expense…$9.92 for the little buggers. Don’t get the felt kind, get the clear rubber – they grip better and are water-proof. Maybe you can find them at Dollar General or Wal-Mart a little cheaper.

The weather was so nice I took my project outside and enjoyed robins hopping around while I crafted. Have a glass of iced tea! (It was too early for a margarita.)

Pour a little rubbing alcohol on a tile and wipe clean (this removes the dust), do this two times on both sides of each tile. Let dry thoroughly. (I talked on the phone with a friend and sipped my iced tea while the robins kept hopping through the flowerbed.) Sometimes I get out the stamp pad and a large stamp, and stamp a design on the tiles, but this time I opted for the plain and simple look. Or you can paint a little design.

After your embellishment has dried, apply the bumpers on the bottoms. Place a bumper near each of the four corners and stick one in the middle. Don’t ask me why I put one in the middle, I just do it to distribute weight (AND because I like the number 5). Apply a very light coat of clear spray on the topside. And you’re done!

For gift giving I stack 4 coasters and tie up with raffia or ribbon and slip it into a small gift bag

P.S. I told Amy recently that I am going to try to avoid doing another post about spray painting something…but the darned stuff snuck in anyway. I can’t help it! I LOVE paint in a can!!!

{Note from Amy: Mom introduced me to this project a few years ago, and I’ve had a stack in my gift closet every since. They’re a great go-to for a last-minute present, and always a hit! And heed the rubber bumper advice… with felt the coasters stick to wet glasses, and falling stone tiles are a bad thing.}

In one of our houses the large laundry room was in the basement and it had lots of room for a wooden dinette table. It became the play dough table. Besides tubs of dough, we kept a shoebox full of cookie cutters and gadgets and a wooden rolling pin. Amy and her little friends would spend a lot of time making all sorts of girlie things. The boys, not being crafters by nature, usually made rolls and sometimes brought in the plastic army “guys” and the plastic cowboys and indian “guys.” Guys – that’s what Amy’s younger brother called them.

In these pictures I got a little carried away with the red food coloring, but it sure is a pretty color! But I have a good excuse! I was in the middle of making dinner (lasagne and chocolate cake if you must know) when a couple came over to show us her new motorcyle. Isn’t that distraction enough?

I still have that old recipe card even tho I don’t have kids around who want to play with play dough…maybe some day. Maybe the house next door will be sold to a family and I can have kids come over for a little play dough time.

Play Dough

• 1 c. all purpose flour
• 1/4 c. salt
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 Tbl. oil
• food coloring

Mix together in a small saucepan, stir over low heat until it thickens and comes together in a ball. Cool a few minutes before playing! Store in airtight container (my favorite are icing tubs).

{Note from Amy: Oooh! I love this color! Raspberry, I’d call it. This would’ve been a hit on my pretend cooking shows… my favorite play dough game. So Mum, whatcha gonna do with this batch?}

After

Over 36 years ago I bought a wicker clothes hamper right after we got married. It started out being a salmon pink. I’m not a pink person so I painted it yellow and covered the lid with a piece of oil cloth. Oil cloth is a plastic coated material…like the plastic table cloths your grandma (or great-grandma) used to have. Get the picture?

Before

A few years passed and I got over my yellow craze and went with neutral: cream fabric on the lid and cream paint.

While the kids were growing up the hamper was a favorite hiding place when playing hide and go seek on rainy or cold winter days. It’s hard to believe any one of them were small enough to get into it!

A few years ago I looked around for a new hamper but quickly realized they don’t make them 1) sturdy enough or 2) big enough for a week of laundry, so I’ve kept my old relic.

I often put my foot on it while applying lotion to my legs, and the cats sometimes sit on it so they can visit with me while I’m brushing my teeth or applying make-up.

It needed a new look so I went looking for fabric that would hide dirt and the random cat hair, found a multi colored piece. The new color of paint is called “Caramel Latte,” Krylon’s spray line of brushed metallic spray paint. (You may have noticed in previous posts I am becoming the queen of spray painting stuff.)

I still love my old hamper!

{Note from Amy: I never appreciated this hamper till this very moment. Mom, when you’re done with it, can I have it? And I’m just sure I could still fit in it.;) }

Interestingly, the most frequent visitor was (and still is) my cat, Heidi.

But wait, I digress. Back to the blue birdbath. It’s color made me want MORE dark marine blue in my yard. So I painted a neat old wrought iron table I found in an antique garden shop that was painted a bland white and showing it’s years. I love the way it provides a contrast to my brown patio chairs.

Then I painted a piece of garden art – a hoop with a bird perched on it, only painting the bird. I have a lot of pink and white flowers so the blue accents compliment the flowers (and weeds) quite nicely.

Maybe your accent color will be purple or yellow or orange! Paint a flower pot or a watering can. Once my husband even painted a long-handled lug wrench and stuck it in the ground.

(Note from Amy: I’m pretty sure you can’t go overboard with this one, Mom. Need more cobalt! And Dad’s lug wrench is pretty cute… particularly because only a man could turn a car tool into yard art. I’m pretty sure it’s his version of a yard art flower.)