Bittersweet and the little soap company

Summer Strawberry Jam

I'm trying to begin summer bucket list projects early so that I can fit them in at a more leisurely pace. After all it's summer!

Atop the list, making homemade strawberry jam. I prefer jam recipes that don't contain pectin or citric acid.  

I created the small jar labels in a round format if you want to make summer jam and label your jars.

Download Strawberryjamlabelround

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. In a wide bowl, crush strawberries in batches until you have 4 cups of mashed berry. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, mix together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to high, and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 220 degrees F (105 degrees C). Transfer to hot sterile jars, leaving 1/4 to 1/2 inch head-space, and seal. Process in a water bath. If the jam is going to be eaten right away, don't bother with processing, and just refrigerate.

Footnotes

• To test for jelling
• Place three plates in a freezer... after about 10 minutes of boiling place a tsp of the liquid of the jam onto the cold plate. Return to freezer for a minute. Run your finger through the jam on the plate... if it doesn't try to run back together (if you can make a line through it with your finger) it's ready to be canned

Prairie Quilt

If you've traveled over to Calico Petals then you already know I started putting together a new coverlet for the old iron bed.

The rows aren't lined up perfect and it's not exactly a quilters dream.

That's okay.

I hand picked some of my favorite fabrics including linen and only have three more rows to add to make it the size I want. It's pretty big. I never measure until I get started. Then I place the piece on the bed and decide the length and width. I wanted it to be long. It is long and it will hang over the top of the bed too.

I named it "Prairie Quilt" because the squares of calico remind me of the dresses worn on Little House on the Prairie!

I'm going to make and sew together coordinating binding for the edges and line it with wool batting. The back will be made from muslin since I have an extra bolt and I'm quite fond of the cotton fabric. I might tie it in silk embroidery thread after quilting it, not sure yet.

Then I'm going to sew some new pillow cases to go with the new coverlet.

I'm going to make some handmade linen sheets one of these days and now that I'm in the mood for some summer sewing I really want to make some little shift dresses in linen. I have a simple pattern. The choice of fabric will take the dress to many different places.

Packing orders this morning and anxious to finish the 36 squares on the prairie quilt.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 

 

pretty little coin purse

 
I'm adding this pretty little coin purse to the list of handmade holiday gifts.

Honestly, I don't know of anyone that wouldn't love to have one of these adorable coin pouches.

You can whip up several in no time once you get going!

 
 You could stuff some $ inside and give it to your favorite niece before she heads to college.

Or simply present it on it's own wrapped in pretty paper and ribbon.

Annekata has put together a wonderful tutorial  for making the money pouch. Annekata hand sews her pouch, but I used the sewing machine to construct the one above.

There are other interesting tutorials I think you will enjoy on her blog. She does a wonderful job explaining things. I love that Garbo hat!

Not much is needed for this purse project.

 I also found this source for clasps. You can pick which ones suit your desired coin purse needs.

If you're considering making more than one, which you probably are I would recommend purchasing the clasps at your local craft store. I purchased the one I used to make there and they were on sale and half the price. Allowing you to make more and a more affordable alternative.

 Busy Bittersweet late summer beginning to kick in as it always does!

Holiday soap manufacturing in full swing now and finally time to wrap the bars that have been curing.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

 

making cloth napkins

 
I have been wanting to make pretty cloth napkins for awhile. 

Not too big, not too small, not too fancy cloth napkins, maybe 16 x16 or so.

I prefer mitered corners and oh how I wish I had a serger, but since I don't I'll trim them with some kind of fancy bernina trim.

Oh, I did not have time to add tutorial, but found this wonderful one.

Enjoy caring and sharing days.

Warmly,

Jill 00 (two hugs are better than one)

Peace, Love and the Joy of Baking on New Year's Day

 
UPDATE: These were really, really, really good!  
Ringing in the New Year with some Satruday baking! Saturdays are usually spent tending to the studio and customers so when given the time off in January a vacation filled with baking brings joy to to my world. I used to make apple dumplings a lot. It's been years since I've made them and with the arrival of a shiny new apple peeler I'm excited to make a batch.

I searched high and low for a good recipe. Most are made with refrigerated biscuit dough and I kind of have a pet peeve about refrigerated biscuit dough.

I found this recipe that seems to be very similar to the one I used to make. I always made caramel sauce to go with the dumplings. The sauce reminds me of the old fashioned caramel frosting my Mom used to top applesauce cake with, yummy!

I am going to add a cinnamon brown sugar butter mix before wrapping the apple with dough for a sweeter version of this recipe.

Studio is closed now through January, but will open briefly to accommodate a customer that is out of face creme and soap. We can't have that!

It's turned frigid and winter like. The cooking continues later today when Lennis makes his tasty chili. He puts mushrooms in the sauce, delicious!

Several good books await some winter reading in between the baking.

I hope this new year brings exciting things to you and yours.

Enjoy caring and sharing winter days.

Happily,

Jill 00

Two hugs are better than one

Beginnings

The beginnings of staging a twig Christmas tree. Can you see the little ginkgo leave attached to the branch? Lennis insisted this branch needed to be trimmed from the tree. So it seemed right to recycle the limb into the twig Christmas tree.

 Did you know the Ginkgo tree is one of the oldest living trees?

As you can see, the twig tree needs some more pine branches. I'll be trimming some  pine stems and branches from our very large white pines. They will also generously give me enough branches to make garland. I love you white pine! When we planted the pines they were a foot tall and we paid $1 for each. Now they are over 75 feet and serve as a privacy fence along our property. I love you white pine! 

Hot and heavy into displays and that assembly soap wrap line is moving at full speed!

I wanted to show you my flea market find filled with holiday soap and little boxes.

"What we need is lots of soap!"

Enjoy caring and sharing Autumn days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

Just Sitting

After an extended Monday morning and afternoon stay standing in long lines at the KCI airport, systems down, Patrick boarded the plane for Chicago and then, off to England, Heathrow.

I slept in a bit this morning. It's a  rainy cloudy Tuesday, and it felt nice to sleep in. It's quiet too. 

I'm in the midst of so many different Bittersweet projects at the moment, but mostly stuff just sitting.

I'm working on new business card designs for Bittersweet.

I finally decided on this one.

 

 

I chose new fabrics for Bittersweet Summer line.

I love this strawberry fabric! I'm making little bags to hold the strawberry sachets out of this fabric. I also thought that it would make cute summer totes.

This fabric caught my eye too. I like the birds and the calico petals.

Again, great Summer totes!

Then, this one, I really really like this one too! I'm thinking pinnie's for this one.

My weakness for textiles is never ending, and I most often get overwhelmed with all of the choices available.

I'm also easily taken thinking about what I'll make out of each print. I have a system now that seems to work wonderfully.

I first purchase the fabric prints I really like, regardless of knowing what I'll make, then I lay each swatch onto the table, labeling each one in my head with what it will be used for.

For instance, pinnie stack, little bag stack, tea towel stack, tissue pouch stack, bunting stack, tote stack,  etc. This way I have a good fit for each and every piece of fabric, and I'm usually pleased with the marriage of the two.

Off to work with the stuff just taking a seat.

Enjoy caring and sharing Summer days.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

 

Do the flowers talk?

In the Garden Mermaid book the flowers will certainly talk.

Each time Garden Mermaid swims along the shore the Camellia's shout out to her, "please choose me Garden Mermaid", knowing what an honor it is to have been chosen by such a beautiful sea creature.

The Gerber's converse with the peonies, and the lily's converse with the pale pink roses.

Miss Rose is a bit stuffy. Garden Mermaid doesn't quite understand why Miss Rose has such sharp razor like stems. Garden Mermaid gracefully finds a clam shell and glides it down Miss Rose's stem to remove the sharp pointy edges allowing her to place the rose inside her fin so she won't get cut.

Enjoy a caring and sharing day.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than none)

Visions Of Pot Holders Danced In My Head

Not just any old pot holder though. These are stylish and so cute! Support de pot, let's say!

The cherry fabric will be perfect for making some of the little handy kitchen helpers. I'm going to wrap contrasting trim from different fabrics around the sides.

The only problem.. This project will be exclusive for home and not for shop so...  

First I need to make those holiday best sellers so that I can make some $$. I need quite a bit of $$, since I've been spending so much on manufacturing supplies. Yes, "the ever ending put it in, take it out." For those of you that have had a shop before, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Today's schedule is busy. Make more "infamous brown sugar lip balm", more little holiday boxes, bath salt bags using the damask silk with the tiny rosebuds, "Velvet Spice" and "Cranberry Spice" room sprays, and  that list goes on. I made "Velvet Spice" soap yesterday. I completely understand why it's so popular, it smells yummy! I'm gearing up for those holiday shoppers. I will put the entire collection on the web site soon. It will be non stop for me from now until Christmas Eve. Then... Rest, lot's of it! Until then, don't even know what that word means?

It's things that make my life more interesting.

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)

 

Delightful!

Aren't these fabric covered boxes delightful? I am planning on making some soon. I believe I fancy  them as much as the little bags.

I also love these fabrics as well. The pillows! What can I say, but oh I do love the color selection and all of the different sizes and shapes.

I discovered them at http://www.flappergirlfabrics.com/ideasprojects1.html

You must check out the aprons!

I love the photos! What wonderful ideas too!

GS tomorrow and Saturday..  I haven't even priced any of the stuff. It will probably be a late night.

My friend Julie told me a funny gs story.

She and her family were having a gs a few years ago. When they awoke the morning of the sale, they woke to a  heavy fog throughout their neighborhood. The were hustling to get all their stuff set out to sell. Julie opened the door and..... People were suddenly appearing from nowhere. She said it was like  "Night of the living dead"? People were stumbling over one another and scurrying to get to see all the stuff.

OK, not that funny when I told it. Julie told it much better.

I bet there are tons of garage sale stories out there.

They are things that make our life a little more interesting...

Happily,

Jill 00 (Two hugs are better than one)