Happy Easter

Scented Stones:   Mix 1/2 cup plain flour with 1/2 cup salt.  Add 2/3 cup boiling water and 1/4 tsp. essential oil.  Mix well.  Divide into sections and add a color of food coloring to each section as desired.  Shape into balls.  (Mine were about 1/2" to 1".)  Allow to dry completely on wire rack.  No baking required.  Mine didn't quite turn out smooth, but they look pretty and smell great added into a basket of potpourri.  If giving as a gift or selling, put them in a circle of tulle and tie with ribbon.  Of course they needed a poem so add the one that follows!

Scented Stones by shirleyt@craftmallusa.com These stones make a nice sachet. . . Tuck in a drawer for a nice scent. Or sit them out in a bowl all day For the perfect decorator's accent.

Tip:  Use pastel colors and shape into Easter egg shapes for Easter.  Note:  My plastic bowl still smells and is now a craft bowl, so don't use a good one!  Another Tip:  Mine were a bit mushy.  Next time I will cut the water back to 1/2 cup.  The alum in next recipe may make a difference.

More Scented Stones:   Here is another recipe that I haven't tried yet.  If you make these using either recipe please let us know how they turned out.  Thanks!

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup salt
1/4 tsp. alum
1 Tbsp. essential oil or fragrance oil
2/3 cup boiling water
Food coloring

Mix dry ingredients together.  Combine oil and boiling water and add to dry ingredients.  Divide dough into parts and add a few drops of food coloring to each part.  A couple drops will give a nice pastel color.  Add more for darker colors.  You may also mix colors.  Knead until color is blended in.  Roll about 1/8 tsp. of dough (or whatever size you like) into a small ball.   Continue rolling balls until finished.  Dry for several days on a wire rack or aluminum foil covered cookie sheet.

Set them out in a bowl or basket.   Do not let them come in contact with wood or clothes as they could stain.  Scent lasts up to 8 months.

"Cute as Buttons" Shirt:  Glue or sew large buttons onto a tee shirt, vest, jacket, etc.  Across the top write "My grandchildren are cute as buttons."  Write name of a grandchild under each button.  You can also decorate each button with lace around the edge or draw around them with dimensional paint to look like flowers.  Draw a stem on each with green dimensional paint.

Coffee Stir Spoons:   Someone on a bulletin board at craftnetvillage.com (a great board!) asked for a poem to go with coffee stir spoons.  These are the plastic spoons dipped in chocolate to use for stirring coffee.  I wrote and posted the following poem.  If anyone has any special ideas for recipes for these spoons please e-mail me.  Thanks!

Coffee Zip Spoons
by shirleyt@craftmallusa.com

Is your coffee a little dull?
Still stuck in the morning lull?
Then try this yummy spoon dip
For coffee full of zing & zip!

Things My Mother Taught Me:  Remember some of these phrases coming from our mothers.   The funny part is that now I find myself saying some of them!!  Click here to print out for Mother's Day or any day you want to share a good laugh with your Mom.

Things My Mother Taught Me
Author Unknown

My Mother taught me LOGIC...
"If you fall off that swing and break your neck, you can't go to the store with me."

My Mother taught me MEDICINE...
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they're going to freeze that way."

My Mother taught me TO THINK AHEAD...
"If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job!"

My Mother taught me ESP...
"Put your sweater on; don't you think that I know when you're cold?"

My Mother taught me TO MEET A CHALLENGE...
"What were you thinking?  Answer me when I talk to you...Don't talk back to me!"

My Mother taught me HUMOR...
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

My Mother taught me how to BECOME AN ADULT...
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.

My mother taught me ABOUT SEX...
"How do you think you got here?"

My mother taught me about GENETICS...
"You are just like your father!"

My mother taught me about my ROOTS...
"Do you think you were born in a barn?"

My mother taught me about the WISDOM of AGE...
"When you get to be my age, you will understand."

My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION...
"Just wait until your father gets home."

My mother taught me about RECEIVING...
You are going to get it when we get home.

And the all time favorite thing my mother taught me -  JUSTICE...
"One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like YOU..
Then you'll see what it's like."

Condemned Sign:   One day, quite exasperated, while the kids were at school, I wrote this little ditty, made up signs, signed them "Love, Mom" and put them on their doors.  Of course I locked the doors for added effect!  This poem could probably be painted or decoupaged onto wood and sold.  Leave a space for someone to sign with a Sharpie pen or leave it blank so that even a secretary could put it on her bosses door anonymously!

Condemned -- Hazardous Area! by shirleyt@craftmallusa.com Upon entering, one had to wear a hard hat. It was dangerous tripping over this and that! Didn't want to be responsible for injuries, So locked it up, and threw away the keys!

The Garden:   It is that time of year for garden planting and the following is one that should be planted every year!  To give as a gift, print Planting Package Label and Planting Instructions.  Trim and fold instructions so that it can be stacked neatly with squash, peas, lettuce and turnip seed packages.  Print & trim label and place on top of seeds and folded instruction sheet.  Tie with raffia.

Old Age Jelly Beans:  There are usually lots of left over jelly beans this time of year. Put several jelly beans in a Ziploc baggie and add this list for a delightful laugh.

Old Age Pills

Always Remember (The Jelly Bean Prayer):  Put jelly beans in a Ziploc baggie with following poem. 

Always Remember
Printed from www.craftsayings.com

Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made,
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins that were made,
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for the hour of sorrow,
Pink is for the new tomorrow.

Peanut Butter Easter Eggs:   Homemade and yummy!

1/4 pound butter, softened
18 ounce jar of peanut butter
1 pound confectioner's sugar
1 package semisweet chocolate chips

Mix together everything except the chocolate chips.   Shape into eggs. Let dry overnight. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip shaped eggs into melted chocolate. 

Easter Story Cookies:   Tell the story of Easter to your children as you bake these unusual cookies!  Click here for recipe with scriptures.   Click here to print recipe without scriptures.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

Make Easter Story Cookies on the evening before Easter.  Keep your Bible handy to follow along as you make the cookies.

Important:  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Step 1: Place the pecans in a Ziploc baggie and beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces.   Remember:   After Jesus was arrested He was beaten and taunted by the Roman soldiers.

Step 2: Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Remember:  When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink.

Step 3: Add egg whites to vinegar.  Remember: Eggs represent life.   Jesus gave His life to give us life.

Step 4:  Add the pinch of salt into the bowl.  Remember: Jesus's followers shed many salty tears and had to swallow the bitterness of their own sin.

Step 5:  So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar.  Remember:  The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.  He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Step 6:  Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.  Remember:  The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Step 7: Fold in broken nuts.  Drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet.  Remember: Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Step 8: Put the cookie sheet in the preheated oven.  Close the door and turn the oven OFF.  Seal the oven door with a piece of tape.  Remember:  Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Step 9:   Go to bed.  Remember:  You may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.  Jesus's followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

Step 10:  On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.  Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.  The cookies are hollow.   Remember:   On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Easter Egg Nests: The following recipe came from Debbie's Country Cookin.  Debbie has some delicious recipes and invites you to join at http://members.aol.com/cntrycookn/index.html or subscribe by e-mail at DebbiesCountryCookin-subscribe@onelist.com   You'll be glad you did!

Easter Egg Nests

1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 drops yellow food color
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups flaked coconut
36 jelly beans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar, egg, vanilla, and food color until well blended. Beat in the flour until smooth, then fold in the coconut.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheets. Flour your thumb, then press an indentation into the center of each cookie to create a nest. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven and gently push 2 jelly beans into each nest. Let the nests cool slightly on the cookie sheets, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers.

Yields: about 18 small nests

San Francisco Herb Co.:  I asked for recipes and tips on preparing rice pads, dream pillows, scented trivets, etc. and received the ideas that follow.  All are great and appreciated.  I also found the motherlode at http://www.sfherb.com!!!  They have lots of recipes AND they sell those hard to find ingredients at reasonable prices.  A sample recipe follows.  Be sure to visit their site!   It's teriffic!!

TRIVET MIX (HOT PAD FILLER)

6 cups Coriander-Whole (Spices)....... 13-3/4 oz
2 cups Cellulose Fiber Fixative............ 8 oz
2 cups Cinnamon Chips - Small cut...... 6-1/2 oz
1 cup Allspice (Jamaican) Whole........ 3-1/4 oz
1 cup Cloves - Whole................... 3-1/4 oz
1 cup Ginger Root Pieces................... 4 oz
OIL: Cider Spice

Mix dry ingredients in a paper bag and add about 1/4 oz. oil (a little more if a stronger scent is desired) and shake.  Fill wide-mouth jars 3/4 full, cover tightly and store in a cool dark place for at least four weeks to cure (let scents mingle and mellow).  Check fragrance occasionally to see if more scent is needed.  Fill cloth trivets (ideas follow) and place a hot tea kettle on it for a wonderful spicy aroma.  NOTE:  Ingredients at very reasonable prices and more recipes available at http://www.sfherb.com.

Scented Trivets:   Cut squares from two pieces of fabric as large as you like (approx. 8" to 12") and sew or serge three sides together.  Sew lines across it for four tunnels.  Of course the side open should access the four tunnels so that they can be filled.

Place long grain rice in freezer 24 to 48 hours to kill any bugs or eggs.  Mix rice, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, dried orange peel and cinnamon essential oil.  (Potpourri oil may be used in place of essential oil, but more will be needed.)  Mix ingredients well and let them age for about a week in an air tight container.  Fill the trivet with the scented rice and tie a raffia bow around the trivet with a cinnamon stick inserted into the bow.  You can also add Velcro at one end of the tunnels so that they can be emptied, washed and resented/refilled. 

Another recipe for filler instead of rice:  Mix - 1 cup cinnamon chips (cut small), 1 cup anise seeds, 1 cup whole cloves, 1 cup nutmeg pieces, 1 cup allspice berries, 1 cup rosemary needles.  Age and fill in same manner.

Scented Hot/Cold Pads for Achy Muscles, Bumps & Bruises:  These are made similar to trivets above.  One recommended size is 24" x 6" with four separate tunnels.  Wheat from local grain elevator, flax seeds from bulk health food stores, buckwheat hulls, field corn and rice are all ingredients mentioned as fillers.  (Also check out San Francisco Herb Co.) A good size to lay on back is 16" x 12" with four tunnels. Scent them by adding whole cloves, allspice, cinnamon and/or scented oil to your base and letting it cure, tightly covered for a couple of weeks.  Make a slip cover for easy washing.  Use either hot or cold.   Microwave approximately 1 minute for small bags and 2 or more minutes for larger bags.  For cold use, place in freezer for about 1/2 hour.  Cold flax "dream" pillows are great for sore, tired eyes.  Note:  Label with ingredients for people with allergies!

Heat is good for aches, but ice is always recommended on swelling.  Attach this poem as a reminder.  Note:  As I recently found out from a chiropracter, some back aches are caused by inflamation and need ice, so when in doubt check with your doctor.

Hot or Cold?
by shirleyt@craftmallusa.com

Hot is okay
when you're achin'.
But always use ice
on an inflamation.

Scented Coasters:   Myrna, a 4-H leader for the beginner Pee Wee's, recently helped her group make scented rice coasters for their parents. They mixed and aged rice with essential oil as described above.  Then they glued fabric squares together with a low temp glue gun.     To decorate they cut out and glued on fabric shapes, then outlined the shapes with dimensional paint.  If the children had been older they would have embroidered around outside edge using a blanket stitch.  Myrna is a teacher in the process of starting her own business developing and publishing curriculum based teaching units for teachers in the 4 western provinces of Canada. You can e-mail Myrna for further information regarding her business.

A Special Tea Bag
by Cindy Welch

This tea bag is a special blend
to ease your lonely heart,
and let you know you have a friend
whenever we're apart.

It really isn't just to use
it's meant to give away,
so find someone who has the blues
and brighten up their day.

A Craftsman's Song:  Please be sure to support crafters so that the following song will not come true! 

A Craftsman's Song
by shirleyt@craftmallusa.com

I can make it customized,
Special for you
And perfectly sized. . .
If only it paid.

Handmade with pride in the U.S.A.
No imports here,
Doing my part, but hey. . .
If only it paid.

With my handwork I'm in heaven.
Don't want to go work
at 7-11. . .
If only it paid.

Much more fun than slinging fries.
Doing what I love
And giving good buys. . .
If only it paid.

One day they'll come but I won't be here.
I'll be busy commuting
After many a tear. . .
But now I get paid.

"No more fine craftsmanship," they'll whine with woe.
"Only cheap imports!
Where did all the craftsmen go?
If only I'd paid!"