Hand Made Holiday Ideas - and a Kahlua Recipe

2011 being our fifth year of a largely hand made Christmas, I'm building quite a store of easy-peasy, make-at-home (or in some cases on the go) gifts for friends and family.

Here's the first one completed this year, a winter scarf (which still needs blocking, thus the slight wonkiness, hehe) knitted from Caron Dazzleaire...

Other projects this year include some small counted cross-stitch pieces, boxes of springerle cookies (check out my favorite stag mold below), and of course home made Kahlua (which I'll get to in a minute!)

Have someone on your list who's short on time to cook? Soup mixes are a great idea - layer beans and spices in an attractive jar, tie a ribbon around it with a recipe, and instant (well, OK almost instant, it does have to cook) dinner. This works well with cookie mixes too. :)

Another idea is scented trivets. Instructions are easy to find online, but it basically involves sewing together two pieces of cotton fabric in such a way as to create strips, or pockets, filling with a mixture of rice and spices, then sewing up the last edge. These smell soooooo good when you place a hot dish or teapot on top.

Remember old fashioned pomanders? They make wonderful gifts - oranges and apples studded with cloves. My grandmother always had a couple tucked away in her linen closet.

How about coupons - for babysitting, for car washing, for house cleaning? When my daughter was little, an evening out with hubby was soooooo appreciated, as was any help I could get with the house.

One year my husband - a musician - composed a song for me and recorded it. It was a beautiful acoustic guitar piece, which I still treasure.

Sooooo many ideas....

Including, as promised, this one. My homemade kahlua recipe. Delicious, and fun to collect the bottles and make homemade labels too. I use old vinegar bottles (thoroughly washed of course), old maple syrup bottles, old screw-top wine or liquor bottles, etc. Here's the recipe (can be doubled or tripled):

3 c. sugar
3 c. water
3 Tbsp. instant coffee (not freeze dried)
3 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 quart vodka

Simmer water, sugar and coffee for 1 hour, being careful not to let it boil. Cool, then add the rest. Pour into bottles, dividing the vanilla bean as best you can. Keeps for several weeks.

Enjoy!

Do you have favorite handmade gifts? Please share...

And with the time we're not spending at the mall, let's make time to enjoy the season; mix up some old fashioned cocoa, pop some popcorn, watch an old movie...make snow angels if you're blessed with snow, make cookies with your kids, cuddle your furkids (or if you have room, adopt another), sing carols, host a holiday potluck, visit friends and loved ones, and tell them how much they're loved and appreciated.

Wishing you all the blessings of this most *magical* season!

♥ Carolee

Of Summer Bliss and Sew Many Blessings

Has it really been over a week since I've popped my head in here?? I'll blame a crazy-busy schedule, some long overdue commissions, and a very warm summer - which has been beckoning me to spend a bit of time in the kitchen, finding new and creative meals which do NOT involve heating up the oven. ;)

I know many of you are in the same boat, especially in this latest heat wave, so if you have any nutritious and cool summer recipes to share, please do! My entire culinary repertoire of late has been smoothies and salads, hehe. More on that in a minute.

First, I want to share the latest commissions - the first a large sewing chest similar to an angel chest painted this past winter. This one is mice in shades of blue...

I had almost as much fun choosing the embellishments for the top as I did with the painting.

Another one of these sewing mice chests is in progress too (in a different palette) and will be up for grabs on Etsy very soon - hopefully along with a few prints, which are expected to arrive any day now!

Here's a sample of a limited edition print which will be available soon in an 8" x 10"...

I may need to keep one of these for myself. ;)

Then there's this teapot - sooooooo much fun! If you're wondering about the "Zzzzzz", it's because this piece is being sent to another artist, who will add a sleeping dormouse soft sculpture. How adorable is that?!

Work is also in progress for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering, and excitement is building! I'll be posing more about this fabulous event very soon!

Finally, I have to share that a collector is offering a couple of pieces of my early work on eBay with a very low opening bid. These are tea trays painted around 2005, and you can find them by clicking here.

Now, back to *summer*! Lots of sunlight in the studio, and plenty of cookouts and casual get-togethers with friends; good company, good food, good wine, good music (well, OK, cheapish wine, but still not bad, hehe). Bliss. :)

Now about those recipe ideas. Please do share, and I'll share one with you too. This smoothie recipe has become a bit of a morning ritual for me, and is soooooo healthy (yes, I've turned over a new leaf - no more cakes and cookies from breakfast, hehe)...If you try it, do let me know what you think. The recipe is kind of vague, because I never measure...

Summer Smoothie

A cup or so of frozen fruit (tropical blend, mixed berries, etc)

A couple of good spoonfuls organic, lowfat or fat free vanilla yogurt (I use Stoneyfield Farms)

A combination almond, soy or 2% milk (I use vanilla almond milk) and fruit juice (cranberry, a tropical blend, etc) - enough to barely cover the fruit and yogurt in the blender

A few shakes of cinnamon

A tiny drizzle of vanilla extract

A tablespoon of honey

Blend until smooth, and enjoy!


That's about it for now. I'll be back very soon with that new sewing chest and details about the prints.

Until then, have a happy and *creative* week!

♥ Carolee

Recipes, Spells and Potions....

I'm not sure what's up with my kitchen obsession these days - maybe a longing for autumn? It is, after all, the season of comfort foods, the season of the harvest...

Whatever it is, it's certainly making it's way into the work this week...

This is the most recent offering, listed on eBay now - an old fashioned recipe box. I love the little place on top to set the recipe card while you're working. Even in the age of internet recipes, where everything can be found with a click or two, and printed out, I have to admit I still love my hand written cards. Nothing beats recipes passed on from friends, or handed down through generations.

In fact, I should really share a couple of them here, perhaps as we get a little closer to autumn? I have an amazing pumpkin pie from scratch recipe. Once you try it, you'll never use canned pumpkin again.... Oh - and cider-baked butternut squash soup - sooooooooo good! (Note to self - must share favorite autumn recipes!)

Speaking of which, the latest work in progress is for recipes of a different sort, hehe - a new "Spells and Potions" chest. There's still quite a bit to be done on this one - painting, decoupage and the addition of some antique hardware. Here's a sneak peek...

I'd like to say it will be finished tomorrow, but I'm afraid tomorrow will find me down in Bryn Mawr with John, for a visit to the cardiac surgeon. Some major challenges ahead on that front, but I know we'll make it through.

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and kind words, for the thoughts and prayers - they're much appreciated! I'll keep you posted as much as I'm able these next weeks and months, but between this latest challenge, all the works in progress, the commission schedule and the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering, I'm likely to be working every minute God sends. ;)

That's about it for now...I'm off to the Land of Nod now, determined to get more than four hours sleep for the first time in days. I can go along like that for ages, then just hit a wall and absolutely crave a good eight hours!

Until next time,
~ Carolee

Summer Fun with Halloween and Christmas, and Thoughts on Creating Mindfully

What's that, you say?

Summer and Halloween and Christmas don't go together?

Well, I suppose not in the real world, but this is most definitely NOT the real world (as my commuting, office working husband is ever so fond of reminding me, hehe)...

In this world, holidays are inspiration and cause for celebration 365 days a year!

Take this piece (a sneak peek at tomorrow night's PFATT Marketplace offering!)...It was created "mindfully" (something I've been experimenting with lately). You can click on it to make it larger:

(UPDATE- SOLD)

To explain the whole "mindful" thing, a couple of years ago I purchased a book called "Knitting for Peace". It's basically all about the tradition of charity knitting, and was the first time I'd read about creating something while meditating or praying for the person who will be receiving it. I was hooked. (I've completed two prayer shawls now and am working on a third)

And it got me thinking - if I can do this with knitting, why not with art?

I mean, sure - I think about my subject. And I try to set the right mood while I'm painting...I brew tea, I light candles, I play inspiring music. But it's not usually a conscious meditation.

So what would happen if I were deliberately mindful of the feeling I'm trying to convey with a piece? If I'm wishing, praying, meditating - whatever you want to call it - for a specific intention as I paint? What would it do for the art? What would it do for the recipient? Would it make the piece more special to them, more treasured? What would it do for me? Would it feel like even more of a blessing to create it, to send it out into the world?

It's of course a positive way to create anything, whether we're painting, cooking, gardening - whatever. And I think it does improve both the process and the outcome - not to mention doing wonders for the soul as we create.

So this piece was created with peace in mind. With the blessings of the season, and a world without turmoil. Peace, serenity, beauty...those things were the focus, and I hope I succeeded in conveying them. :)

TODAY'S piece is another story entirely, and the focus is just on whimsy and fun: "Double, double toil and trouble, Fire burn and cauldron bubble"....a magical, whimsical Halloween footstool....Stay tuned.

I'm going have another go at mindful creating over the weekend though, with a piece about the blessings of hearth and home, and perhaps another about cats. I'll try to post the progress. :)

That's about all that's going on, except for the boring, mundane stuff like grocery shopping, which I'm also doing this weekend.

Oh! And cooking, which is NOT so boring and mundane. I'll be doing a bit of that this weekend too. In fact, I'll leave you with one of my favorite summer recipes, a very simple fruit salad. Soooooooooo simple you don't even have to measure:

cantelope pieces
fresh blueberies
a good squeeze or two of fresh lemon
finely chopped fresh mint

That's it - mix it up in a bowl - instant, refreshing summer side salad or light desssert. ;)

I'm off now!! Back again soon....

♥ Carolee

Wicked Good Recipes

In response to several requests, I thought I'd pop in and leave you the recipe for those Swedish pancakes I mentioned....

But first, I have to share this recipe box, listed now on eBay.


A bit of painting, a bit of decoupage, and a bit of antique hardware....


SUCH fun, this one!

Now here's that recipe as promised. It's traditionally served with lingonberry butter, but lingonberries being just a wee bit thin here in Pennsylvania, we substitute strawberries or mixed berries and roll these up like thick crepes. If you try these, do let me know you liked them!

Swedish Pancakes

2 large eggs
2 c. milk
1 c. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
pinch of baking powder

Pam, or other non-stick spray

fresh berries
strawberry or boysenberry flavored syrup

Whisk the eggs and milk together vigorously until well combined. Add the flour, sugar and baking powder and whisk some more. Lightly coat a non-stick skillet (I use a crepe pan) with Pam and preheat for two to three minutes over medium heat. Pour enough batter into the pan for one pancake. These will be a little thicker than a crepe, but much thinner than a regular pancake. Cook the pancake intil golden brown on the underside and almost set on top. Flip over using a large spatula and cook the opposite side for a few seconds. Turn onto a plate, roll up with berries in the center, drizzle with berry flavored syrup and enjoy. :)

♥ Carolee