Happy Holidays to you and yours.
(Image from Dover Publishing.)
At this busy time of year....
Stress: The confusion created when one's mind overrides the body's basic desire to choke the living daylights out of some jerk who desperately deserves it.
In times of great stress or adversity, it's always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.
I still love cranberries! I love to make cranberry bread, cranberry sauce, cranberry salsa, frozen cranberry martinis, and sugared cranberries. Here are two of my favorite cranberry recipes. I hope you enjoy them!
Sugared Cranberries (from Cooking Light December 2003)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries, washed and picked
3/4 cup superfine sugar
Combine granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat, stir until sugar dissolves. Simmer (do not boil), and remove from heat, let cool slightly. You do not want the cranberries to pop. 
Stir in cranberries, pour into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl. . Place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, roll to coat with sugar. Spread the sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature until dry. Store in an air tight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.
They look so pretty in a holiday bowl. They pop in your mouth, and are a surprising sweet treat. The contrast between the sweet, candy like shell and the tart, juicy berry is nice. These are great to put out when entertaining, to use as a unique gift, or serve at a cocktail party.
Cranberry Salsa 
1 bag cranberries, washed and chopped
3 green onions, chopped
½ cup (or more) cilantro leaves, chopped
2 limes, juiced
½ - ¾ cup sugar
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
Mix together gently. Serve with corn chips, crackers, or tortilla rolls. Also works well with roast turkey or pork tenderloin.
To make spicier, add more jalapeno
Let sit in refrigerator 1 – 2 hours.
Can be made a day ahead, add cilantro before serving.
I hope you enjoy these recipes. What are your favorite holiday recipes?
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
-- Josh Billings
Winter is here, and I said that we are usually closed when the weather is too cold. So, I was wrong. We do sometimes have to be open on some of the colder days. Tomorrow may be chilly, but Kerry and I will be there. Our strategy is that we will crank up our little space heaters, and wear our warmest sweaters. Thankfully, the orders are still coming in, and we do need to put in a few hours.
So, we will do our best to warm up the little place. You should stop by, too. We are running a special on non-jewelry items, 15% off. What a deal! We also have our drop in to make art time tomorrow. Come in and make a gift of your own. Drop-in workshops. Make your own gift each Tuesday and Friday from 9:00 - 11:30, December projects include Gypsy bracelets, large journals, Gypsy journals or glass ornaments.
Brave the cold, we promise it won't be too bad! Also, we are the perfect place to look for that special gift you still need.
See you tomorrow!
Key Fob - $5
What's more, they are handmade. Stop by the studio Tuesday or Thursday to pick one up.
When it's 32 degrees (or below) we generally don't have the studio open. This little building doesn't have enough heat to keep us (or you) warm.
You may ask, why buy handmade for the holidays? Why buy handmade for gifts? Why buy handmade for yourself?
Amid the hustle and bustle of the season, with company coming, and special dinners and parties to host, with shopping to do and baking, too, we have both been so busy. You have too, I'd bet. We can help you out, we hope. With affordable, handcrafted gifts, check out the specials at the studio. And if you want to make your own handcrafted gift, we can help you do that, too.
We've planned a special sale item every week. (Purchases must be made at the studio for special prices to apply.) This week:
Stone pendants on a leather necklace, only $10. Mix and match to create your own combination.
Do you want to make a gift to give? Join us for Drop-in workshops.Come to the studio to make a gift for someone special. We are open on December 2, 5, 9, 12, 16 and 19; 9:00 – 11:30am. Come make Gypsy Bracelets, Collage Journals, Glass Ornaments, or Gypsy Journals. Other projects may be available, just ask.
During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary
act.
- George Orwell
Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.
-Henry David Thoreau
Come to the studio Friday, November 21 and Tuesday November 25; 9:00 am - 11:30 am for our November Earring Sale. All earrings on sale for $12 a pair. Great deal!
Looking for more affordable, unique gifts? We have tons of gifts under $20! Key rings, Wristlets, Pouches, Candles, Mini-Journals, Kids Drawstring Backpacks, Headbands, and jewelry, too. Don’t miss our Holiday One of a Kind jewelry line for your Holiday parties and our Littlest Miracles Collection for the younger ladies in your life.
Shop with us: December 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, and 19; from 9:00am – 11:30
As we were getting ready for our art sale, Kerry and I spent some time working on displaying our jewelry. It is always a challenge for us, as we have a functional studio, where we not only 
make jewelry, store jewelry, but also display it in a fashion that is appealing to visitors. Our old stand-by is a converted drawing table. When we renovated the studio three years ago, we had my mom's old drawing table. We covered it with batting and then a solid material. We then used upholstery tacks and satin ribbon to make loops. We hang our necklaces and bracelets from the loops. Last year we removed the base of the table and mounted the table top on the wall, it now is a handy display place, as well as an attractive piece of wall decor. 
Looking for some new display techniques, we came up with some creative ideas that gave our pieces a fresh look. Our next idea was to use mini clothespins and clips to hang carded earrings from yarn strung on our bakers rack.
We used the clip idea several times around the studio. Here is another shot where we used the clips to hang earrings from a wire frame.
Some of our ideas would even work with your jewelry at home. Here we used an old photo display stand to hold earring cards, but you could hang bracelets and necklaces from the rings, or hang french hook earrings over the wires. 
This earring display is a favorite of mine because our friend Lisa gave us this...
Our last jewelry display was a gift from Kerry's dad. He made several wooden display stand for us, using a wooden base with dowels, and beautifuly stained, this stand is perfect for displaying our pendants.
What are you doing for National Arts and Humanities Month? Have you visited a gallery recently? Do you have tickets to see a play or a concert? Have you supported your local artisan?
Look for our friend Christiane Robinson in the Friday's Boulder Daily Camera. Her beautiful pendants, Aspengold Artisan Jewelry, will be featured in the fashion column.
Congratulations Christiane!
Today, I would like you to introduce you to Linda Brookover. Linda is a repeat artist at our annual fall art sale. She does double duty as the artisan of The Light Idea, offering delightful lamps, and Boutique Unique, with her high quality fabric handbags.
With The Light Idea, Linda makes beautiful lampshades! She finds adorable lamps and matches them with the perfect shade which she embellishes with fringe, ribbons, tassles and beads. These creations are quite the focal point in a bedroom or on an end table. Her eye for combining texture and color is fantastic. These lamps evoke a sense of softness, femininity, and style. This year she will also offer us a line of fabulous nightlights. These are mineature, wall versions of her elaborate lamps. Each embellished with rich looking fringes and beads, the perfect accessory for your bedroom or bathroom.
Sandy Robinson of Sandyland Pottery is today's featured artist. Sandy is also a repeat artist at our annual event. We were charmed by Sandy's whimsical work from the moment we saw it. When asked about her craft, she says, "I call it functional eco-art! It's hand-painted pottery with a unique twist." She finds the pieces of white and light colored pottery at antique shops and thrift stores, she then gives them new life by painting her magic on them with special paint, then re-firing them so the colors are permanent and dishwasher safe.
Hope Swenson, owner of Mod Dot Textiles, is another local artist we found on Etsy. She creates fashion accessories, children's clothes, and home goods using designer fabric and trims. She uses bold colors and patterns in stunning combinations. From her full sized women's purses (left) and wallets, to her little cell phone bags (see green bag below right) to her adorable girls dresses, we love her work!
We found the textile art of Tiffany Shively and her sister (tomorrow's post) while looking for local artists on Etsy. Looking to add a variety of mediums to our fall art sale, we were drawn to Tiffany's use of bright colors and patterns as well as her eye for combination. Plus, she has something for everyone, as she says she offers, "accessories for everyone from birth to 102!" For the little ones she offers baby boutique items like blankets, bibs, burp cloths and onesies and for the rest of us she has beautifully crafted and stylish headbands.
Her love for sewing and the name of her business came from her German grandmother, a quilter, who called Tiffany "sniklefritz," and thus bebe Sniklefritz was born. A true Colorado native, Tiffany has been sewing and designing since she was a little girl, making stylish clothes for her barbies. Her craft has come a long way! Now her craft is all about expressing yourself with modern and chic textiles using original and unique designs. She makes hip accessories for the little ones and their moms.
Tiffany tells us she is inspired by bold and modern prints, and looks for unique ways to mix and match prints and bright colors. She strives to create a unique product that is different from the run of the mill baby gift. With her attention to detail and quality crafted items, we think that she has done just that!
In addition to being an talented textile artist, Tiffany is also a full time mom and part time attorney. And, after their father suffered a brain injury in 2006, Tiffany and her sister are committed to spreading awareness and supporting Brain Injury survivors by donating a portion of their net proceeds to Hospice of Boulder County and the Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund.
We hope you enjoy Tiffany's beautiful craft. You can view her work on her etsy site and see it in person at our sale this weekend.
Kerry discovered Christiane Robinson's beautiful pendants and we couldn't resist inviting her to participate in our fall art sale. Her work is amazing!
Elizabeth Hagen will be offering her hand tinted, color and black and white photograps at this year's art sale. This is Elizabeth's third year with us. We introduced you to her last year in this blog. Since that time, she has expanded her horizons a bit. Kerry and I were drawn to Elizabeth's black and white photos which she brings to life with her hand painting skills. She revitalizes a skill from the days when photos were only black and white, and the only color had to be added by hand. Using photos from her worldwide travels and her local finds, she captures the essence of the landscapes and history in film. Since last year's art sale, she has expanded her repertoire to include numerous color and black and white photos of botanics, local sights and hot air balloons. 
Her black and white photos are printed on canvas or matte and hand painted with oil paints, adding color and texture. She uses other photos on note cards, thus offering her work in a wide variety of formats and prices.
Elizabeth's background as an economics major with experience in the mortgage banking industry is a far cry from her artistic calling now. As she says, "Good thing I got out when I did!" She says she was always interested in black and white photography but when she took a hand tinting class 15 years ago it, "renewed my passion and inspired me to try something different with my photos."
Elizabeth says this about her artistic process, " I may decide to paint a particular photo to bring out particular characteristics of the image. For example, one of my favorite photos is of the buildings in Venice with water and gondolas in the forefront. As Venice was built on water, the buildings have been through incredible wear and yet they are beautifully built and have wonderful detail. I use the black and white photo to give the old feel of Venice and add layers of color to the buildings to bring out the detail of the worn walls. "
You can find more of Elizabeth's work at our art studio next Friday and Saturday at our annual art sale or on her website.
We hope you enjoy her work as much as we do!
Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.
~Carol Bishop Hipps
Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot
October Art Sale--
