COUNTRY CHRISTMAS - Part II

Ornaments! If you read my bio, you know the story … I make ornaments every year for my family. There was one year I didn’t make them, for a reason I do NOT remember and I’ve not heard the end of it!

Most of the ornaments I've made have lasted for years, but a few haven’t. The ginger bread boys molded (yuck) and the crepe paper angels got squashed. One year I made tiny stockings from shiny gold lamé, stuffed them with cotton and then topped them off with “coal”; actually, I didn’t have any real coal, so I spray painted kitty litter black. (My mama was known for “make do” and “necessity is the mother of invention” and I got that gene).

 This year, I’m making little puzzle piece wreaths for my co-workers. You can see those on the CAT’S CHRISTMAS, Country Style page. I’ve posted a new photograph of my lighted jeweled Christmas tree picture on that page because it’s a better shot.
 How do you spell yummy? Check out my recipe on the CAT FOOD page for Peanut Butter Cups.


 I’ve added a picture of the Raggedy Country Prints wreath I made for my front door; it’s on the CAT’S CHRISTMAS, Country Style page. Take a peek at the page CAT FUR to KITTEN BRITCHES where you’ll find a picture of the appliqued T Shirt I made for grand daughter, Joy; not a new creation, but I just found the photo.


Celebrate with your family and start some new traditions such as these: cut down your own tree! Read “Twas the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve while sipping some of hot punch (you’ll find a simple, yet elegant and tasty recipe at my CAT FOOD page).

On Christmas morn, read the real story of Christmas out of the Message Bible® in Matthew 1:18 - 2:23. Some other nice traditions: line your paths, porch and sidewalks with luminarias .. (see below) .. these are those “little brown paper bags" in which you’ve placed 2 – 3 inches of sand and a votive candle (if you can’t find any dry sand in your yard, use clay-style cat litter).


If your family is a died-in-the-wool-we-don’t-open-presents-until-Christmas-morning, why not give a little. Let everyone open a single special gift on Christmas Eve (hint: make ornaments for this purpose) or make jammies and nighties for everyone in a warm, delicious RED flannel. Maybe everyone can have a pair of Christmas socks or a pretty mug or a special picture frame .. you get the idea. Make some new traditions this year, but don’t forget the old ones.


Have a warm, Country Christmas.

© 2010 Cat Brennan
© 2010 Aunt Cat's Place


I got  this picture at Wikipedia®. This is the FIRST time
I have EVER quoted that site source, but this particular 
photo is excellent. With the picture, Wikipedia® has a
good article regarding the use and legends of the
simple luminaria, or farolito as it is sometimes called.

COUNTRY CHRISTMAS PART I

Advent: that wonderful and miraculous time of year when the Christian world counts down to the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Most of us know that it wasn’t snowing that night when Mary gave birth in a lowly stable. And, most of us know that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th. To that, I say, “So what”?? We do know exactly when former presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were born and we don’t celebrate their births on those days.

Loving all things Christmas is strong in my family and among most of my friends. What joy we all get in giving gifts (and some of us will even admit to liking the receiving part too!).

 Many of the women in my family make our gifts for one another; it gives us so much joy and pleasure. Hopefully, the receiver of our labors of love share in that happiness.

Check out the CAT'S CHRISTMAS, Country Style page, please. I promised to show you the Advent calendar I designed and made for my gal pal in Colorado. I am taking orders for Advent calendars for next year; contact me here or by email for particulars. I’ve come up with some other designs that I think you’ll like.

Hope you enjoy the Lighted Jeweled Christmas Tree picture I’ve put on that page, also (come for a visit and you can see it lit). It hangs in my entry way every year and is made from old jewelry. If you have a stash of old costume jewelry you “just can’t throw out or give away”, make yourself one of these beauties! Or, contact me, and we’ll negotiate.

Soon, I’ll add some Christmas ornaments that I think you’ll like.

Nestle in with a good cup of hot chocolate and stay warm. It’s that time of year. Until next time, have a wonderful Country Christmas no matter where you call home.

© 2010 Cat Brennan


© 2010 Aunt Cat’s Place

COUNTRY PUMPKINS

There’s a slight chill in the air and these last few mornings have produced frost on the pumpkins.


Check out the wee pumpkins I made with a small amount of fabric, a bit of stuffing and some odds and ends; specifically, a few twigs and silk leaves, an upholstery needle and upholstery thread, crochet thread or dental floss; needless to say, a glue gun should a always be near by.


I constructed different sizes simply by making larger or smaller tubes of fabric, gathered, stuffed and closed.

I found a similar pumpkin with directions on a Martha Stewart web page. No need for me to “reinvent the wheel”. Unlike Martha, mine were made with twigs for the pumpkin stems. Some ting-ting will add realistic-like vine to your pumpkins.


I display my pumpkins from mid-October through the long Thanksgiving weekend. Nestled outside my front door, the brightly colored pumpkins tumble out of a bushel basket, accompanied by a little yarn “Navajo” girl. A mini scarecrow stands guard nearby.

You’ll find my pumpkins pictured on my CAT FUR TO KITTEN BRITCHES page above. Just click on the link and enjoy!


As far as the “real” pumpkin fruit is concerned, I did freeze approximately 10 cups of pumpkin puree. I froze it in 8 ounce portions so it’s ready for a variety of recipes.


After roasting, the pumpkin seeds make tasty, healthy snacks. Thoroughly rinse the seeds, being careful to remove all the membrane. Let them air dry for 2 or 3 days by placing them in a single layer on a clean dish towel (no need to waste paper towels). Next, toss the raw seeds with a small amount of olive oil, garlic and onion powder, and some seasoning salt. Roast on a shallow pan (jelly roll style or a cookie sheet with sides) at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes. Choose your own seasoning or roast them bare-naked.


May your life be as fully stuffed with blessings this season of Thanksgiving as my pumpkins are stuffed with cotton.

© 2010 Cat Brennan

Country Yarn

Yarn is one of those items in your Craft Cache that has so many uses; remember REDUCE - REUSE - RECYCLE, and I love the word RE-PURPOSE. Be sure to save any yarn have left from a project; it doesn't take up a lot of space and  you'll find so many things to do with it; for instance ...
In my yarn stash, I have baby, sport weight and white fuzzy angora yarns for making my Ojo Christmas Angel Ornaments. I do use yarn for 'regular' crochet work, and so much more.
Head on over to my CAT FUR to KITTEN BRITCHES PAGE where you'll see a receiving blanket I made.. it's double thickness flannel with a crocheted edge; Hot Pink Yarn, worsted weight, no less.

"A Good Yarn"© is the second book in a series by Debbie Macomber, whom you may recognize as one one of my most favorite authors.  The set is called the Blossom Street Series. Debbie is known for  her knitting, to say the least, and she KNOWS YARN. . . I digress...

Leftover colors of like-weight yarn will make up into granny squares for a beautiful afghan (contrary to some youngsters with whom I'm familiar, that word is NOT aff-a gan and it's also NOT aff-ri-can).  Work the granny squares together with some nice black yarn; black just seems to be THE COLOR for granny square coverlets.

Consider crocheting solid squares from different colors of yarn, again using like-weight, for some down-home coasters.

Quickly ID your luggage at the airport carousel with yarn!  Make LARGE pom poms of your favorite color, multi colors or whatever you actually have in the yarn leftover bag.  Attach to your luggage with strong string, a tie-wrap or garden strength twist tie wire.

Replace ribbon on gifts and packages with YARN! Red, green or the two together takes care of all your Christmas presents, pastels  are sweet for baby gifts, white for weddings or baby dedications, green for March birthdays, red for February and tie up the July occasions with Red, White and Blue.

Do you have any really neat ideas for re-using or re-purposing yarn?  Email me with your ideas and I'll share the best with everyone.

May your life be blessed with good reading and good crafting in the country.

© 2010 Cat Brennan

Country Sneeze

This isn't new, but worthy of repetition ... I copied it from a recently received email .. enjoy

THE SNEEZE



"They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-two students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With their rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and Moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would NOT pray during the commencements, not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it.

The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling. They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and was silent for just a moment, and then, it happened.

All 92 students, every single one of them, suddenly SNEEZED!!!!

The student on stage simply looked at the audience and said,

'GOD BLESS YOU'

And he walked off the stage...

The audience exploded into applause. This graduating class had found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future with or without the court's approval.

Isn't this a wonderful story? Pass it on to all your friends.........and

GOD BLESS YOU!!!!

This is a true story; it happened at the University of Maryland".

I honestly don't know if this a true story, or not. I did not check it out on Snopes ® .. to my way of thinking, if it isn't true, it should be. And whether it is true or not, it's still a good story!
Point taken ... game ... set ... match!
© 20010 Cat Brennan

This Little Piggy . . .

Have you seen the price of bacon these days? Certainly gives pause when hearing the expression that “you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear” .. In my not-so-humble opinion, the sow’s ear IS the silk purse.

At the supermarket, these days, most of the time, you don’t even buy a pound (16 oz) of bacon anymore. No sir-ree! Most of the cured and sliced pig is packaged into 12 ounce portions. This last trip to the market, the least expensive selection was priced at two for six dollars. And that was the “I-never-heard-of-that-brand-before brand” – not a lot of lean meat showing on the few and strangely irregular slices peeking through the little lift-up-the-flap window. Look at it this way .. calculator out and in hand: that 12 ounce package at three dollars would make it four dollars a pound. Not bad. But wait! When the bacon is cooked, you are left with something like 20% food and 80% cooked-off grease. Unless you use and consume all of that grease, you have just paid four dollars for three point two ounces of meat, making that 12 ounce package of bacon actually cost ten dollars or thirteen dollars and thirty three cents pound. Filet mignon, yes! Lobster, definitely. But bacon??? I don’t think so. On the other hand, what are you actually paying if you choose The Brand bacon at $11 or $12 a package (still 12 oz)???

Back in the 1900’s, I’m guessing in the thirties or forties, my dad had a farm where he raised hogs, among other things. He told me one time that when he got a nickel (5¢) a pound, he felt rich.

So the little ‘ditty’ has changed and goes something like this:

(Old: This little piggy went to market)
   This little piggy went shopping at the exclusive organic food boutique,(Old: This little piggy stayed at home)
   This little piggy stayed at his castle lounging by the pool,(Old: This little had roast beef)
   This little piggy had Sushi,
(Old: And this little piggy had none)
   This little piggy is on a diet of Perrier and black Russian caviar.
(Old: And this little piggy went wee-wee-wee all the way home).
   And this little piggy went oui oui oui all the way to his maison in Paris.

This country gal loves to cook with her bacon, and for those few times when “ya just gotta have it” .. and can’t bring yourself to use the already-cooked-and-chopped-up-in-a-package variety, try this sweet little trick.

Purchase the bacon, bring it home and freeze it solid – no cheating! When you’re ready to use it, remove from the freezer. Unwrap and discard the outer cardboard packaging (if it comes that way). Cut a small slit in the plastic wrapping and microwave on high for ONE minute. Remove from the plastic and cut into small pieces going across the bacon. The easiest way to cut it is with a pair of kitchen scissors, but a good, sharp knife will work with the nearly frozen bacon. Continue with regular cooking method from here.

If you only need a half a package, after the one minute in the microwave, cut the entire package in half, wrap the unused portion in freezer-safe wrap, label and freeze (no, it won’t harm it as the bacon has not been completely thawed). Or, you can cook the entire package and freeze what you don’t need at this time.

Since my dad is mentioned earlier, I thought you might enjoy a little bit more of his wonderful, cantankerous, generous and always fun personality. This man was and still is my hero. Since my folks were adults during the GREAT DEPRESSION, they learned how to live on less than . . . and they passed so much wisdom on to their three daughters.

Daddy often bought bent, dented, and no-more-label canned goods; no, not exclusively, but if something was a bargain, he bought it! We always had an excess of canned goods and never did without.

He always bought what was on sale and we were blessed to be raised with a variety of foods … I still refuse to eat Scrambled Beef Brains and Rocky Mountain Oysters, but I do have a broad range of food tastes.

Once, my mom had to explain that just because Daddy kept a lot of postage stamps in his desk, he did NOT get them on sale at the post office….big surprise to me as I thought he got everything at a bargain!

One time, Daddy bought a batch of small cans that had no labels. They turned out to be “people food” but my mom was concerned that they could have been cat food, but she dutifully opened them. She was relieved to discover edible food for her family instead of cat food.

I admit to shopping the same way. If the can does not have any sign of liquid on the outside and is not “bulging” it’s safe. Why not save forty or fifty cents on a bent can?

Easter with all its Promises is just around the corner. Have a Blessed time in your House of Worship and please remember why we celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Christ.

Have a wonderful Country Week as we watch and hope for Spring-like weather.        © 2010 Cat Brennan

The Lord's Prayer: Andrea Bocelli with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir ♫

If you've read my profile, you know that my absolute favorite tenor on the planet is Andrea Bocelli; all others pale by comparison. Some of you may have seen him as a professional tutor on one of television's "music reality" shows a few years ago. You may also know this talented man is blind.  I will even go so far as to say that Bocelli is to his genre of music as Ray Charles was to his.  Please, click on this link and listen to the clip. I believe you will be blessed; while you're at it, check out that organ!  Country + music blessings your way!  ©Cat Brennan

The Lord's Prayer