Day 3: Of Inspiration & Red Berries

Inspiration is all around, often in the most obscure places and things.  The red berries that I see outside my window have been a source of inspiration and beauty through fall and still they cling to the branch as winter fast approaches.  It's the color red, like a shiny object, that draws me in. 

This is day three of Kim Klassen's 12 Days of Textures.  I used two of the textures for today's photo.  The first, Lily, was multiplied on to the photo and faded a tad.  The  new texture for today, Cosmos, was overlayed on top and faded to 42%.  Do you see that light in the distance?  That's the light coming from creative souls you can find at .....

Day 2: Mom's Recipe Box

One of the happiest holiday memories I hold deep in my soul is baking with my mom and siblings. What fun we had frosting cookies and each other.  Oh my the glorious smells that wafted through the house during the holidays...sugar cookies, gingerbread men, peanut butter blossoms, and many more.  She was a passionate candy maker, too.  Chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, penuche fudge, divinity, peanut brittle, buckeyes, caramels and taffy filled tins. 

As we grew up and moved on with our own lives, we still came together to make candy. By the time each of us arrived the recipe box was open with a stack of recipes at the ready.  We got busy kneading, mixing, dipping, and creating.  Sisters and sister-in-laws came and went as life sent us in various directions, but the tradition continued for those who could make it until my mom became too ill to open her recipe box.

Now when I hold those recipes in my hands and admire the lovely handwriting that was my mom's I can hear the music of her kitchen; the deep, rich sounds of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas, the laughter of the ladies in my life, and for a moment she is right here once again.

*Blowing a kiss to the heavens above*

This is day two of Kim Klassen's 12 Days of Textures.  Each day she's sharing a texture that can be downloaded for free.  Here's your chance to give textures a try on your photography.  Follow the cookie crumb trail here.

Of Buckeyes & Holidays

Here in Ohio we're all about buckeyes. Yep, we gather buckeyes, the nuts from an indigenous tree, and add them to our fall decor.  My family cheers the Buckeyes on every fall Saturday, even through tough times.  And when the holidays roll around...it's time to make... 


It's a tradition in my family to spend a couple hours mixing the creamy peanut butter center, shaping into balls,and then dipping in chocolate leaving a circle on top.  The end result looks just like a buckeye.  

Mmmmmm....buckeye love!

Even if you don't live in Ohio you can give these tasty little treats a try.  They're easy to make and oh my....it's melt-in-your-mouth, peanut butter goodness.

B u c k e y e s

1/2 cup of crunchy or creamy peanut butter

1/4 lb. of butter

3/4 lb (2 2/3 cups) confectioner's sugar

12 ounces of Nestle chocolate chips

A bit less than a 1/4 bar of paraffin

To a large bowl add peanut butter, butter, and confectioner's sugar.  Mix ingredients with your hands until the mixture becomes well blended and creamy, but firm.  Refrigerate for an hour or so. Roll into 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch balls and refrigerate until firm.   

Pour chocolate chips into the top of a double boiler and shave paraffin using a vegetable peeler on top.  Melt chocolate and paraffin until all is smooth.  Using toothpicks dip each ball into the chocolate leaving a circle of the peanut butter middle showing on top. Place buckeyes on parchment or waxed paper and let set until chocolate is no longer sticky to touch.  Do not place in 'fridge to set.

Enjoy! 

PS There IS a difference between horse chestnuts and buckeyes. 

Holiday Shopping & Stuff

There's something going on around here. Little shops are springing up and it's exciting! Last Saturday, MJ and I galivanted about Williams County visiting shops. To give you a bit of background...Williams county lies in the very northwest corner of Ohio bordered by Indiana to the west and Michigan to the north. With a population of less than 38,000 you just know there's room to stretch. The county was hit hard by the economic woes the country faces and as of October 2011 the unemployment rate continues in double digits at 10%. 

So what's a rural area that relied on Detroit to do?

Get creative!  Set up shop! And oh how imaginative entrepeneurs are grabbing on to the possibilities and making them work...

Our first stop was at a holiday shop in West Unity.  You'll hear more about that shop in a later post, so let's travel down the road to Stryker, Ohio and...

The Green Awning

Yep, I've given you a bit of insight into the Green Awning in a previous post,but let me tell you...Kathy & Tom Short do it up right for the holidays.  Everything was bright, cheerful, and beautiful from antiques & old stuff in the window...

to the clove-studded oranges beneath an old stove...

After catching up with old friends and laughing at Kathy's Christmas hat, with a wave we were on way to Bryan and the...

East Mulberry Gift Cottage

What vintage love is found within the whimsical vignettes of Sharon & Gary Gyurnek's shop.  Birds in purses, perched on iron farm implement seats and everywhere creates a natural ambiance that pulls browsers and buyers into Sharon's world.  Look up....

  to find teacups hanging from twiggy branches on soft, silken ribbons.

Look down...

and there it is... a vintage suitcase just waiting to come home with me and be filled with dreams of far away places and crazy adventures.

Across the square sits Special Ocassions,one of my favorite stores in the area.  I'm saving this little gem for another post, so let's hurry out of town and to...

Fox Farms Christmas in the Barn

A clutch of hens and roosters greeted us as we walked toward the big barn.  Just outside the barn, a whimsical arrangement bid welcome and enter

Within the barn everlastings hung in huge bundles, ready to be crafted into wreaths, swags, garlands, and more. 

A loft circled with tiny white lights held more drieds

Karin Fox takes the everlastings and fashions one- of-a-kind-wreaths-and-designs. The Barn is open every Saturday through December 10th.

The Green Awning Gallery

Tom & Kathy Short

106 Defiance Street

Stryker, Ohio  43557

(419) 682-7432

E. Mulberry Gift Cottage

Sharon & Gary Gyurnek

847 E Mulberry Street

Bryan, Ohio  43506

(419) 630-0100

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10-6  Saturday 10-4

Fox Farms

Jerry & Karin Fox

09 319 Rd 750

Edon, Ohio  43518

(419) 272-2278

Open every Saturday through December 10th 10-4

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A December Photo Challenge: 25 photos in 25 days

 December 1 Berries & Bokeh

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I'm not quite finished.  Don't forget about the Holiday Planner under the Gift for You page. You're welcome to download, copy it, print it, and share it anyway and anywhere you like. 

Have a delightful December Day!

December Beauty

    Waking up to a frosty pattern on the window

    Finding a splash of winter beauty on the kitchen window

   
    A sparkle of light added by the sun

   
    Ephemeral art on a wintry cold morning in December

Stay warm my friends!