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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Crafting great memories

     Crafting is my passion. I will see a great craft project and have the urge to get out my scissors, the glue and create. That's how I feel about crafting it is a "passion".
     I started crafting, sewing, knitting, etc. at an early age. My favorite aunt was named Loretta but we called her Aunt Rhetta. She was born around 1902 and lived in a little house down a very  steep hill about 2 miles from where I live now. She grew up during a time when  people did not waste anything. She was such a wise woman and knew how to do all sorts of "crafty" things.  What we call crafts today, was a way to survive to them.
     I remember visiting her and Uncle Robert on their small country farm. There would be all sorts of things to do most of them outside (no PSP, laptops or IPods). Especially during the summer we would turn a chore into a great adventure. Aunt Rhetta always had something going on. She would milk cows and make her own butter from a old butter churn she had for years. She could quilt and sew on an old pedal sewing machine. Each summer we'd spend putting  up  fruits and veggies for the winter. She made her own jams and jellies from start to finish from the apple trees and  grapevines from her back yard. She had a hen coop and plenty of  chickens that laid eggs(it's now the IN thing to have chickens).  There was a stone smokehouse  for meats and a  little building for their root crops. To a child this was indeed an adventure to step into the cool little house on the hill. I can remember the cast iron cook stove burning in the kitchen. She would tell Uncle Robert to start a fire early in the morning and from that one fire she would cook, breakfast, lunch and dinner by just adding or banking the fire.
    Why this memory you may ask? I was watching the  Martha Stewart show  and I also was in the process of choosing jars for our first canning of the season. My granddaughter and I will be making  apple jelly and applesauce this weekend. Last years supply is long gone and I have a taste for some homemade applesauce. Isn't it funny how things change but stay the same? Because of my diabetes I will be trying out a sugar free version.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Great vintage finds

I'm back from a long, long, long "vacation". Actually I've been sick  I have diabetes but also serious eye problems. So after several surgeries and laser treatments I can now comfortably sit in front of a computer again. At least for short periods of time, generally no more than 15 minutes at the most. SO this will be quick. I am getting out again and look what I found at my local resale store.  it is a fabric panel with kids printed  the fabric is almost 1 1/2 yards




I also found 4 vintage aprons in a fabric bin. someone took great care of their aprons They were freshly washed and pressed Each apron was in wonderful condition. You'll find them in my Elsy shop along with several vintage trims, and more vintage fabric emailto:www.jackeemaccrafts@etsy.com