Thursday, April 26, 2012

Happy Arbor Day Weekend



Arbor Day (the 4th Friday in April) is a state holiday in Nebraska.  Seriously!  The Arbor Day Foundation resides here:  www.arborday.org

But I’m headed to New Hampshire over the Arbor Day weekend to visit my son Tim and his family.  There are LOTS and LOTS of beautiful trees in New Hampshire BTW.  If you’ve never been to New England during foliage season, I suggest you add that to your Bucket List.

I’ll be away from the blogosphere for a few days, enjoying  my grandkids and some quality family time. Happy Arbor Day!  Go hug a tree or two for me J.

Ash Tree image by Karen’s Whimsy:  www.karenswhimsy.com

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Shop Hop Redux - 2





On Tuesday, I made a short “hop” to Seward and Lincoln to complete my little jaunt through quilt shops as part of Nebraska’s 14th Annual Quilt Shop Hop.   It was another beautiful day for a day trip.

First stop:  Seward, NE, population about 6500.  It’s a pretty little town with a lot of civic pride and an old fashioned town square surrounding the Seward County Courthouse.  We began at The Udder Store, a new shop with an eclectic and colorful atmosphere – everything from Civil War reproduction fabrics to bright contemporary art fabrics and lots of embellishments.  The bargain fabrics are in an old wringer-style washing machine, where shoppers reach in and “fish” for bargains.   My little quilt group will take a field trip there in May.  I tell my grandsons quilt guilds are sort of like Girl Scouts for Grannies. 

Next stop: Café on the Square. http://www.sewardcafeonthesquare.com.  A delightful little restaurant where I enjoyed a scrumptious veggie quiche with a blueberry muffin and fresh fruit.  Yumm-o!

Final Stop:  The Cosmic Cow in the historic Havelock section of Lincoln.  This incredible quilt shop is co-owned by Rich O’Hare (talented machine quilter) and his artist/teacher/quilter wife, Roxann.  With thousands of bolts of high quality fabrics, beautifully arranged, it is just impossible to go into that store without buying something.   It’s totally off limits during Lent.


It’s a good thing I was under budget last Saturday, because I made up the gap and then some on Tuesday!  Some of my fabulous finds are pictured above.  My favorite is the colorful city print form the What A World line by Jill McDonald for P&B Textiles.  It reminds me of my daughter’s walk-up flat in the multi-ethnic Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY.  I also bought some pretty little 1800s reproduction prints in anticipation of high demand for “Laura” sunbonnets again this Fall (not pictured).  http://www.etsy.com/listing/77130546/girls-prairie-pioneer-sunbonnet-made-to

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower


Monday, April 23, 2012

Is Your Mom a Bag Lady?







It’s shameless commerce Tuesday, and this week I’m sharing more Mother’s Day gift ideas from my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower.  

This week’s featured items are designed for “bag” ladies.  No, not the street people bag ladies who are down on their luck or suffering from mental illness with no access to treatment.   I mean the bag ladies who like fun and functional bags, totes, and zip pouches.  In my experience, moms and grandmas can never have too many bags, because we always need to be prepared.   We need a place to stow all those little things like phones, wallets, planners, an extra diaper, kid-friendly snacks, beach gear, sunglasses, sunscreen, makeup, etc.  You name it, we stow it, usually in a bag. 

Now I’m not obsessive about collecting bags the way Imelda Marcos was obsessive about collecting shoes, or in the way that I am obsessive about collecting fabric.   I’m just sayin’… bags are really handy—and one is not enough!

So, for any of the “bag ladies” on your Mother’s Day list, I offer a variety of bag, totes, and wallets:  tiny little zip wallets, makeup bags, retro-inspired clutches, and the big mama Gemini bags that hold a ton of stuff for outings to the beach, the park, the zoo, or the gym.  The Gemini bag is also a perfect stow away bag when traveling.  Pack it in a suitcase to fill with souvenirs, or use it as a carryon bag.  To view these bags, check out the scrolling widget at the top of this page, or visit the Bags, Totes & Wallets section of my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=8079636.  Custom orders welcome.

And, a reminder:  10% of my Etsy sales proceeds for the month of April will be donated to Voices of Hope, a shelter that keeps women and children off the streets when forced out of their home due to domestic violence.  

Sewing ….it’s my bag.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower






Sunday, April 22, 2012

Shop Hop Redux Round 1








Round 1 of the Nebraska quilt shop hop is completed!  We drove 260 miles and visited five shops, pictured in order:

Common Threads – Syracuse (love the tangerine and teal paint job and the batik quilt in the window)
Seams to Be – Plattsmouth (HUGE selection)
Needles I – Auburn (like walking into a quilt show---so many sample projects on display!)
Heavenly Treasures – Pawnee City-Hometown of Larry the Cable Guy (yup, it really was a church) 
Quilt Stitches – Beatrice (new shop with a modern vibe and LOTS of hand embroidery options and supplies—probably my favorite shop so far)

Gorgeous weather.  Bright blue skies.  Beautiful purple wildflowers were in full bloom.  And, of course, there was the fabric.  I think I showed REMARKABLE RESTRAINT.  I stayed under budget.  I was sorely tempted but resisted the hand embroidery supplies that were enticing me. 

The final photo shows some of my purchases (the others were for custom orders, so they don’t really “count”).  My favorite find of the day was at Quilt Stitches, where I discovered the fall leaf print with a coordinating small scale geometric print.  The fabric is from the new Leafhaven collection designed by Michele D’Amore for Benartex.  The music fabric is also fun—it will be a gift for a music teacher.  And the fat quarters – what can I say?  One can never have too many polka dots or black and white fabrics.

Round 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, April 24 - -only two more shops- -- The Cosmic Cow and The Udder Store.  Did we save the best for last?  Maybe so.  Stay tuned….

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Friday, April 20, 2012

Nebraska Quilt Shop Hop



I have a full tank of gas, a map, and my cell phone.  I’m psyched and rarin’ to go! This Saturday, April 21, my hubby and I are shop hopping, participating in the 14th Annual Nebraska Shop Hop sponsored by 38 Nebraska Independent Quilt Shop owners.  The hop began April 19 and runs through April 29, with all shops open extended hours to accommodate cross-state hoppers.  (Nebraska is one of those BIG “square states” in the middle of the USA.) There are free patterns and door prize drawings at each store, and end of hop giveaways based on number of shops visited. 

In 2009, we shop hopped across Nebraska en route to Colorado to visit stepdaughter Jenny and her family, visiting several shops in central and western Nebraska.  We racked up over 50 points (83 possible), but no prizes.   Shops way off the beaten path (tiny towns or in the boonies) are worth 3 points.   Shops in bigger towns are worth 2 points, and shops in or near “big cities” are worth a mere 1 point. 

This year, our goal is a modest one --- get to Level 2 (10 or more points), to be eligible for drawings for a $50 gift certificate.  But it’s not really about the prizes ---it’s the adventure and the thrill of the (fabric) hunt, and the chance to meet other fabric lovers.

It’s great fun!  Each shop has its own personality, and we get a chance to visit towns off the beaten path.  I drive.  Hubby navigates.  (My vintage Ford does not have GPS.)  We’ll spend more on gas and snacks than we could possibly win in prizes, but it is worth it.  And I’ll know at the end of the day that I’ve done my  patriotic duty to help speed up the economic recovery –at least within the quilt shop sector of the Nebraska economy.  (I’ll try to limit my new stash acquisitions to $100 or less.) 

Here’s our itinerary for Saturday, April 21 (the Southeast NE loop):

Syracuse – Common Threads (2)
Plattsmouth-Seams to Be (1)
Auburn-Needles I (2)
Pawnee City-Heavenly Treasures (2)
Beatrice –Quilted Stitches (2)

After two days to recuperate, we’ll finish the hop on Tuesday, April 24 (staying close to home):

Seward-The Udder Store (2) - Optional
Lincoln – Cosmic Cow (1)

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Many Happy Returns




Tax season is over.  Whew!  I love my tax clients and tax office coworkers, and I actually enjoy the challenge of tax work (most days), but I am SO-O-O-o-o-o happy to have weekends again. 

At last count, I think I completed 274 tax returns this year,  not counting reviews , amendments, responses to IRS letters, and free over the phone advice and counseling.  

A skeletal crew will remain at our district office to handle stragglers, audits, the October 15 extension deadline filers, pre-season training, and year-round business services and bookkeeping.   But my branch office closes tomorrow, and I am off contract until next December. 

Until July 1, I’m a full-time Etsy entrepreneur … and Grandma.   And I’m lovin’ it!

Photo from NBC33 News.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Monday, April 16, 2012

Mother's Day Gift Ideas





Today is shameless commerce Tuesday, and for the next three Tuesdays I’ll be featuring Mother’s Day gift ideas from my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower.

For  a Betty Crocker type who channels her creativity into her cooking, a pair of oven mitts, cute kitchen towel, or half apron might be a welcome gift.

If, on the other hand, your mom is like me, and tries to minimize her time in the kitchen, then some cheery fabrics might help relieve some of the drudgery of the daily duties of meal preparation and cleanup. 

The photos above feature a recent custom kitchen accessories order, my favorite oven mitts, and a cute retro-inspired half apron.  For other gift ideas, visit the Kitschy Kitchen Stuff section of my Etsy shop.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=10144150


TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Lilacs




Our lilac bush is just beginning to bloom!  I love the color and scent of lilacs.  I also love Pasque flowers (the South Dakota state flower) and tulips.  The Pasque flower photo was taken by my cousin’s wife, Debra Quist.

I decided to consult Wikipedia and E-How to learn a little more about this fragrant flower.   I discovered that there are over 20 species of lilacs, and that the lilac bush is actually part of the olive family. Lilacs are used in aromatherapy, because the scent is considered to be soothing and calming.  Herbalists use lilac tea as a tonic, and to treatment for parasitic intestinal worms, kidney disease, and malaria.

The lilac is also the state flower of New Hampshire, a state near and dear to my heart because my son Tim and his family live there.  I’ll be visiting them April 27-30, 2012.  I love New Hampshire’s state flower almost as much as their state motto:  Live Free or Die. 

While browsing on Etsy, I found several varieties of handmade lilac soap.  Perhaps I’ll buy some as a little reward to myself when I hit 200 Etsy sales, so I can savor the scent after the blooms have faded. 

Do you have a favorite Spring flower?

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower



Friday, April 13, 2012

Red-White Spring Game




When I moved to Nebraska several years ago, a friend jokingly warned me that Husker-ism was the state religion.   He was not far from wrong.  Win or lose, fans wear red, pack Memorial Stadium, tune in by radio or TV, and support their University of Nebraska Huskers football team.  

I love football Saturdays.  Not because I’m a football fan.  No, dare I say it, I’m not really a Husker fan.  There is no traffic, and it is a wonderful time to shop---no lines!  Everyone is either at the game or home watching it on TV or listening on the radio.  There’s no escape from the game, though.  Every office and store has the play-by-play blaring over the sound system---even fabric shops are “tuned in” on game day. 

Today, April 14, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., the pre-football season will kick off with the Red-White Spring Game.  It’s a highly publicized intra-team scrimmage match, played to a capacity crowd, and rebroadcast on TV at 9:30 p.m.   http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/young-husker-i-backs-focus-on-improvement-for-red-white-spring-game-1.2729154

So yesterday I finished a pair of red and white oven mitts, appropriate for tailgating – or Mother’s Day.   The chevron fabric and polka dot lining fabrics are from Ann Kelle’s Remix collection for Robert Kaufman.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/97474295/oven-mitts-red-and-white-chevron-mothers?ref=pr_shop.  My former 4-H leader, Adeline VanHove, would have been proud of my attempt to match the red and white lines at the seams.

Go Big Red (and White)!

Enjoy your weekend.  T minus 4 days until the end of tax season and counting.
TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
  

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Project Linus




Every year, I try to donate at least one child-sized quilt or blanket to Project Linus:  www.projectlinus.org.   This amazing volunteer effort has provided comfort blankies to over 4,000,000 children who are seriously ill or traumatized.   When I co-chaired Quilt Nebraska 2009, we sponsored a Charity Challenge, asking Nebraska State Quilt Guild members to donate a child’s quilt or blanket to Project Linus. 
Sharon at Husker Sew N Vac (www.huskersewvac.com) coordinates a major ingathering of Project Linus donations each Spring.  This year the donation deadline crept up on me (and also happened to coincide with the final “peak” of tax season) so I took a blanket off my cyber-shelves and donated it to this most worthy cause. 

I love the print from the Whimsy collection by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. for Moda Fabrics.  The fabric has a retro feel, and the colors are somewhat subdued, yet cheery.   Each dot has a line drawing, so it could be an I Spy quilt for a bedridden child.  The back side is ultra soft minky plush.  This little quilt’s “cousin” in a rick-rack print from the same fabric line, is still listed in my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations.  You can see it on the scrolling widget in the upper left-hand corner of this blog, or at:  http://img2.etsystatic.com/il_fullxfull.274105366.jpg

Thanks for stopping by!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Sweet Dreams Doll Quilt






This little doll quilt is one I finished over the Easter weekend and donated to the Lincoln Quilters Guild for their live quilt auction fundraiser which will be held in conjunction with the every-other-year quilt show, May 18-20, 2012.  The theme is “Let Your Sparkle Out!” http://www.lincolnquiltersguild.org.      

The pattern is adapted from the Dream Doll Quilt pattern designed by Aneela Hoey of Sherbet Pips fame, and published in an incredible collection of 24 contemporary doll quilt patterns, Pretty in Patchwork Doll Quilts, Cathy Gaubert, ed. (Lark Crafts:  2011).   http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Patchwork-Quilts-Little-Stitch/dp/1600599249.  I changed it up a bit, with only the teddy bear and a 9-patch rather than a 4-patch quilt for the tiny felt doll-sized teddy bear.  I used a charm pack of Aneela Hoey’s  AWalk in the Woods fabrics for most of the patchwork and the scrappy backing. 

Aneela Hoey kindly granted me permission to use this little quilt for the auction.  You can visit her blog at:  http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk

I am still working on a Seascape quilt which may or may not be finished by the May 1 quilt show entry deadline….If not, there’s always 2014. 

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Sweet Dreams Doll Quilt






This little doll quilt is one I finished over the Easter weekend and donated to the Lincoln Quilters Guild for their live quilt auction fundraiser which will be held in conjunction with the every-other-year quilt show, May 18-20, 2012.  The theme is “Let Your Sparkle Out!” http://www.lincolnquiltersguild.org.      

The pattern is adapted from the Dream Doll Quilt pattern designed by Aneela Hoey of Sherbet Pips fame, and published in an incredible collection of 24 contemporary doll quilt patterns, Pretty in Patchwork Doll Quilts, Cathy Gaubert, ed. (Lark Crafts:  2011).   http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Patchwork-Quilts-Little-Stitch/dp/1600599249.  I changed it up a bit, with only the teddy bear and a 9-patch rather than a 4-patch quilt for the tiny felt doll-sized teddy bear.  I used a charm pack of Aneela Hoey’s  AWalk in the Woods fabrics for most of the patchwork and the scrappy backing. 

Aneela Hoey kindly granted me permission to use this little quilt for the auction.  You can visit her blog at:  http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk

I am still working on a Seascape quilt which may or may not be finished by the May 1 quilt show entry deadline….If not, there’s always 2014. 

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Prom




Prom is a time when big girls can play Cinderella. 

My beautiful blonde 17-year-old granddaughter, Erin, will be going to prom in Castle Rock, CO later this month.  Her dress is blue, her favorite color.  So when her mom hinted that Erin really liked the olympian blue silk zipper clutch I had listed in my shop,  and thought it would look nice with her dress, what’s a grandma to do?  Of course, I happily sent it off to her with a cheery note inside.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/89159233/olympian-blue-silk-zip-clutch-prom

I’ll be making more little silk zipper clutches for other prom goers in the next few days.  I received a gorgeous shipment of silk remnants in 14 beautiful colors from Nancy Chadwick of Chad Quilt:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/ChadQuilt.

The larger bag is approximate 4 inches tall, 10 inches long and 2.5 inches at the base.  The petite version is only 3 inches tall, 7.5 inches long, and 2 inches at the base.  Each bag has a fabric bow extending from side to side. ( I’m planning to make some with wider bows.)  All bags are fully lined with cotton print fabrics in coordinating colors.  The zippers are from ZipIt:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/zipit.  The pattern is from KeykaLou Patterns, used with permission:   http://www.etsy.com/shop/keykalou

I never went to prom.  I was voted Most Likely to Succeed in my senior class, but socially I was a wallflower.   I did sew a formal, though --- daisies and dotted swiss (very 1971).  I was South Dakota’s Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow, and formal attire was required at the banquet for all state winners.  That scholarship was a godsend.  It paid for my first two years of college.

Do you have happy prom memories?

TTFN
LeAnn aka  pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Thursday, April 5, 2012

End of Tax Season Survival Kit




It’s crunch time at the tax office.  As soon as the calendar flips to April, procrastinators come out of hiding and head to the tax office with varying degrees of apprehension. 

Stress is high. Time is short.

But I’m ready!  Thanks to my thoughtful hubby who surprised me with a 4-pound can of peanut butter!  I know, peanut butter is not exactly a health food, but it does satisfy my craving for protein, salt, and sweet, all in one smooth and tasty spoonful.   It is my “go to” comfort food during tax season. 

So here’s my end of tax season survival kit (not tax deductible): 

Peanut Butter
Large Spoon
Diet Coke

I’ll eat healthier foods after tax season.  Pinky swear.

Do you have a favorite comfort food?

Oh, and BTW here’s a link to a great little article from Meylah’s blog summarizing some tax deductions for online sellers:  http://meylah.com/meylah/common-tax-write-offs-for-online-sellers.


Happy Easter!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower




Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Bowling Alone

One of my New Year’s Resolutions was to read at least one book per month with redeeming literary value.  I’ve fallen a bit short of that goal during tax season, but I do want to share a very well-researched and thought-provoking non-fiction book that I did finish:  Bowling Alone:  The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam, Simon & Schuster Paperbacks: New York (2000).

My son Jeff, an economic analyst at the Congressional Budget Office with a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, had recommended it.  Professor Putnam teaches Public Policy at Harvard and is a past president of the American Political Science Association.

Baby Boomers like me have witnessed first-hand the decline in civic engagement over the past several decades.   When we were kids, neighbors all knew one another and spent time together.  Our parents were often involved in social clubs or lodges, church groups and PTA.   Even though I grew up on a farm, so my “next-door” neighbor was half a mile away, the residents of Farmington Township had a Community Club that met at a one-room school. There were many young farm families, and also some real life shy and stoic Norwegian bachelor farmers who could have stepped right out of Garrison Keillor’s mythical Lake Wobegon.  Grandparents sometimes lived in a separate house on “the home place” or "across the road."

Community Club gatherings were huge potluck suppers with singing and storytelling.  Adults then played cards—pitch or whist-- while the kids amused themselves playing ball or games.    Every wedding, baptism or funeral was a community event.  When calamity struck, the neighbors rallied around and offered support.  When my mother was hospitalized for several months in 1967-1968, we witnessed a convoy of tractors pulling into our driveway.  The lead neighbor told my dad they had come to help him harvest so he could spend more time at the hospital with my mother.  It’s an act of kindness that left an indelible impression on my brother and me.  

Putnam would say our little farming community had a lot of “social capital.”  We were literally invested in the lives of our neighbors in an inclusive, not exclusive, way.   South Dakota, my home state, still has a relatively high degree of social capital, as do Scandinavian countries.  My daughter once quipped that in South Dakota there aren't six degrees of separation -- it's more like one and a half!  The Deep South (former Confederacy) tends to have the least social capital.  Social capital helps promotes safety, education, community pride, trust, health and efficiency. 

Putnam chronicles the decline in social capital since World War II.  He examines (and rejects) several hypotheses as to why we are less connected with each other.   While there is no single cause in the decline in social capital, Putnam was able to identify several contributing factors.  The largest factor was generational change.  The World War II generation, dubbed by Tom Brokaw (a favorite son of South Dakota) as “the greatest generation,” had an incredibly high level of social capital and patriotism.  They had endured hardships together during the Great Depression, and then banded together during World War II.  Community scrap metal drives, rationing, Civil Defense units and war bond drives helped unite communities in support of the war effort and the soldiers who were fighting and dying for our freedom.   Most of that generation remained engaged in social and civic activities throughout their lives, but others became stay-at-home Archie Bunker types, who spent most of their free time in front of the TV set. 

Another factor that contributed to the decline in social capital is a changing workplace.  We work longer hours, have longer commutes, and have more two-earner households.  We move more often to find or retain work.   Putnam observes that “for people as for plants, frequent repotting disrupts root systems.”

Urban sprawl is also a factor, although civic disengagement is also visible in small towns and rural areas.   My in-town grandparents lived on streets with houses close together.  People sat on front porches, walked on sidewalks, and talked across backyard fences.  Suburbanites are more likely to stay inside their climate controlled homes, or shuttle kids to activities in minivans.  Their focus tends to be on individual, family and material pursuits and less on community engagement.  Parents have long commutes, and fewer evening hours to socialize or become involved in civic organizations.

Yet another factor is our reliance on electronic media for entertainment.  How many hours do we spend in front of the TV, or a video game or computer screen?  I am often amazed to see young adults in a local coffee shop sitting “together” but not talking.  They are sending text messages to others, and not taking time to engage in real time, in person, with their friend across the table who is also texting. 

Although Putnam does an exemplary job of identifying and documenting the problem, he offers only a sketchy outline of potential solutions to help us replenish lost social capital.  We’ve become, in some ways, a nation of loners.  We can’t just reset the clock to the 50s.   We must adapt within the context of the modern world. 

Putnam offers these suggestions to help us reconnect with friends and neighbors and attempt to recreate a sense of community pride and community involvement:  1)  Get kids involved in community service projects; 2)  Develop more family-friendly workplace policies; 3)  Spend less time commuting and create pedestrian-friendly communities; 4)  Increase faith-based community involvement; 5)  Spend less time watching TV and on the computer (guilty as charged!) and spend more time connecting with REAL people;  6) Increase participation in cultural activities; and 7) Increase actual participation in politics.  

This book was not a light read, but it is written in a very readable and conversational style.  I highly recommend it.

Are we creating a new kind of social capital here in the blogosphere?  What do you think?

The book cover design is by Francine Kass.  Cover Illustration by R. Kenton Nelson.  
http://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower



Tuesday, April 3, 2012

High Apple Pie In the Sky Hopes (with Recipes)



Today is shameless commerce Tuesday.  My featured item of the day is a pair of pie print oven mitts with brown polka dot lining (the color of milk chocolate).   The 100% cotton screen print was designed by Elizabeth Caldwell  for Pink Light Design and is part of Robert Kaufman’s Confections fabric line.  The polka dot fabric is from the Ella collection designed by Kathy Brown of The Teacher’s Pet for Red Rooster Fabrics.  You can find these mitts in the scrolling widget on this blog page or in the Kitschy Kitchen Stuff section of my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=10144150

This fun print made me think of my son Tim who LOVES pie.  When he and his family visit, we always go to a little neighborhood restaurant, Stauffer’s Café & Pie Shoppe.   Take a look at this LONG pie menu!  http://www.staufferscafe.com/menu.html.  They were baking pies long before pie became the new cupcake: http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan/15/business/la-fi-pie-20110115,

I don’t make may pies.  I never got the knack of it.  I’ve always thought that whoever coined the phrase “easy as pie” had never struggled with sticky pie crust.  But my mom was the best pie baker in the township.  She used a pie crust recipe which she called Never Fail Pie Crust.  Ha!  Never say never.  But when she made it, the crust was always light a flaky.   Two girls from the little town of Hecla, South Dakota who now run the Four & Twenty Blackbirds pie shop in Brooklyn, NY  use a similar recipe, which they got from their German grandma: http://birdsblack.com

 Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups flour
1 cup lard
1 tsp. salt
1 well beaten egg
5 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. vinegar
½ tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. sugar

Mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.   Cut in lard with a pastry blender.  Combine beaten egg, water and vinegar.  Blend with the flour and lard mixture just until the flour is moistened.  (Don’t overmix!) 

Although I was very active in 4-H for many years, I never entered the annual Lake County 4-H Pie Baking Contest.  But my good friend Jerri Lynn Daniel captured top honors with this recipe for a two-crust pie:

Sour Cream Peach Pie

4 cups of sliced fresh peaches ( or substitute 2 one-pound cans of canned peaches, drained)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
1/8 tsp.salt
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
Spread peaches in pastry-lined pie pan.  Combine the sugar, flour salt, sour cream and milk.  Spread over the peaches.  Cover with top pie crust.  Cut decorative slits (or make a lattice top if you want to show off).  Sprinkle the top crust with a mixture of 2 Tbsp. sugar, ¼ tsp. cinnamon and ¼ tsp. nutmeg.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50-60 minutes or until the crust is a golden brown.

To close on a cheerful note, here’s a fun You Tube link to a young Frank Sinatra singing High Hopes with a group of kids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54yGSDBXdCM&feature=related 

May you always have “high apple pie in the sky hopes.” 

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Sunday, April 1, 2012

April, Come She Will





Yikes!  How can it be April already?!? 

That means it really IS Spring!
And only 17 more days until the end of tax season!

During the month of April, 10% of the sales price of each item sold in my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations, will be donated to Voices of Hope-Lincoln.  My friend, Susan Ugai, is spearheading the fundraising effort, which she calls a Virtual Vendor Showcase. Voices of Hope provides crisis intervention, advocacy and prevention services for domestic violence, sexual assault and incest survivors and their families: http://voicesofhopelincoln.org.

The little April Showers umbrella wallhanging is a 10” x 11” quilt-as-you-go courthouse steps pattern.  A few years ago, I made three little seasonal quilts, including this one, in a Simple Little Quilts class taught by the talented Roxann O’Hare of The Cosmic Cow and The Udder Store.  There’s one for each month. (The other nine were homework.)   A great way to use up scraps!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower