Rustic Star Project

Welcome to Day 2 to the Countdown to Christmas. This project was published in the Country Sampler's Christmas (2015). I bought Christmas craft magazines at thrift. This is the first of a few projects I have bookmarked as crapht attempts. 

"Top a country Christmas tree with a primitive star crafted from bundled-together sticks or grapevines." 

The only instruction is the text above. 

I harvested my homegrown grapevines. 

Grapevines are pliable but it was like wresting with an octopus to coax them into a star shape. I used zip ties to affix the vines while they dried. 

There you have it, my attempt at Rustic Star. Let's call it Wonky Star. ⚝ Next year, I hope to have more grapevines to work with. 

Continuing on with Butterick Pattern of the Day from 1991. 

Recipe is from Jingle Bells and Pastry Shells (1968) by Alma Smith Payne. Dust cover image above.

KOLACHE
Czechoslovakian Fruit Buns

Basic Sweet Dough
4-1/2 to 5 cups sifted flour
2 envelopes dry active yeast
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs

To one-half recipe listed above, add 1 egg, 1 tsp. grated lemon rind, and 1/2 tsp. mace. 

After 2nd rising, form into shapes and place on greased baking sheet 2" apart. Let rise again until light and almost doubled in size. Press thumb into center of each and fill cavity with marmalade, jam, or poppyseed filling. Bake preheated oven 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack, sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Poppy Seed Filling

1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon rind, grated
1 tbsp. candied fruit
1/4 cup seedless raisins
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. currant jelly

Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan. Boil two minutes, stirring to avoid scorching. Cool, and fill dough cavities. Bake as described above. 

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What I am listening to: Acoustic Christmas (2000)

Sharing this YouTube video of Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson. 

Countdown to Christmas Day 1

The Countdown to Christmas begins! There will be excerpts of holiday recipes and thrift shop rescued CDs of Christmas music. 

The cross-stitched image above is Wire Whimsy Snow Angel. I swear I picked up that partially completed kit, then put it down. When I got home he was in my stack of sewing patterns purchased at thrift. 

Candy Cane Express is one of the specialty sewing patterns I have offered for sale. 

Mrs. Claus sewing cabinet ornament was offered at online auction. 

I will share recipes from holiday publications. Day 1 recipe is from Norman Rockwell's Christmas Book from 1977.  

ROAST GOOSE WITH POTATO STUFFING

Singe, remove pinfeathers, wash and scrub a goose in hot soapsuds; then draw (which is removing inside contents). Wash in cold water and wipe. Stuff, truss, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay six thin strips fat salt pork over breast. Place on rack in drip-pan, put in hot oven and bake two hours. Baste every fifteen minutes with fat in pan. Remove pork last half-hour of cooking. Place on platter, cut string, and remove string and skewers. Garnish with watercress and bright red cranberries, and place potato apples between pieces of watercress. Serve with apple sauce. 

POTATO STUFFING

2 cups hot mashed potato
1-1/4 cups soft stale bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped fat salt pork
1 finely chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sage

Add to potato, bread crumbs, butter, egg, salt, and sage; then add pork and onion. 

Each day will feature a Christmas CD. What I am listening to Sounds of the Season 1998. Spice Girls! 

On certain days I will attempt to recreate crapht items from the 2015 Country Sampler's Christmas magazine. One craft I won't be re-creating is this gutted clock with Christmas scene. 

Join me each day until Christmas for this 2024 celebration! 

PS: I have been posting these Countdowns for awhile. Below are links to previous years Day 1 Countdowns. 

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012
2011

Happy Thanksgiving

 A thrift shop cornucopia. This lovely ceramic was snapped up righty quick. 

An observation regarding Christmas ornaments. Seems those old glass bulb ornaments (the ones that break easily) go for high dollars on auction sites.  

The last three months of the year beginning in October are the worst for finding secondhand items. I mean the fun stuff that I like to pick up. First, there is Halloween and all of those costumes. Then begins the slide to Christmas and holiday decorations. I have done well in purchasing lights and ornaments at thrift. One section of the yard was decorated for under $20. Some items I had in my Christmas collection from years past. These will be highlighted on my Candy Cane Lane post in the Countdown to Christmas. 

Another reason why it is the worst time of year for thrifting is that people who wouldn't normally buy thrift will shop secondhand to save money on Christmas presents. 

Half day off at thrift the day before Thanksgiving meant I added ceramic Hawaiian girl for $1. Even though I have dismantled my tiki room cubicle from work, the tiki mugs went to another location. She has joined the tiki pictures in my art gallery room. 

Posting a pic from 1993 of my beloved parents at a harvest festival. 

Countdown to Christmas begins in just a few days! 

Holiday Decorating is in Full Swing

A project that has been evolving as I roll out the holiday decorations is the Ornament Valance. A pre-peek on this new-to-me decoration. 

Ornaments that seem to get lost in the decorated tree really shine on this valance. I took a spring pressure curtain rod to hang the ornaments. I will continue to work on this as I unpack the 8 or so boxes dedicated to this holiday. The Countdown to Christmas begins in less than 2 weeks. 

Seller update: An eBay listing session included this Little Darlings dress pattern from 1982. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186798920639

Another eBay seller milestone - There is always a sense of accomplishment when you hit a seller listing goal. This is the first time I have over 2,700 active listings on eBay. Woo hoo! 💥💫💃 Next listing goal is 3,000 active. 

Another milestone - over 900 buyers have left feedback. Awesome! 

Another pattern 1982 from my last sewing pattern session. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186794319406

Pre-Thanksgiving baking starts soon! My cookie press is waiting to go for Spritz cookies in various colors and sprinkles.

Prepping the Countdown Posts

Because I have been at the Countdown to Christmas for quite a few years now, I have a nice archive of images to post. 

Sharing a recipe for Christmas Fudge, in all of its messy glory. I am making a batch for Thanksgiving.  Post update - half batch of the fudge shown below. 

The 1963 version of Tami - wish I still had that Barbie case. 

And a fun image from year's past - Christmas Dino. 

Pattern of the Day is from 1969 Simplicity 8532. One of the images I have kept from the cut patterns that I sent back to the Great Thrift Shop Beyond. 

My thrifting focus has been my usual items to sell on eBay, and buying outdoor decorations for the upcoming Candy Cane Lane post scheduled for Wednesday, December 4th. 

Sneak peek at Candy Cane Lane.🍬The red tree was a thrift shop rescue, claiming to be "prelit" but the lit had left a long time ago. I will cut out the non-working lights and replace them with new-to-me ones. 

Almost all of the Countdown posts are complete. October is when I queue up each day's post. It is going to be a momentous Countdown this year! 

Kitty Cats and College Classes

On the thrifting front, I was able to pick up 60 sewing patterns from the 80s/90s. These two patterns have lept into my personal collection. I have two beloved kitties of my own, Lucky and Susie. 

Lucky is the little grey peeking out beneath the shed door. 

Susie, otherwise known as Miss Hiss, hisses whenever she is displeased. 

College classes have finally posted for Los Rios Community College. My declaration as a dance major was all for naught, even though Tap Dancing is listed in the course catalog, it is not offered at any of the campuses.😒

On the flip side, the drawing and composition class I thought I would have to take in person at a different campus, is offered fully online through Sacramento City College. Sweeeet. While I would enjoy an in-person class, online saves time and gas and allows for remote study. Here is hoping I can register for that class before it closes. 

Novemberness

Lead-off image is a peacock jewelry picture that was offered for sale at hospice thrift. 

I see so many things at thrift that are interesting, but rather than buy everything I see, I capture the image. 

I was going to jettison my eBay listings of CDs and books but decided to keep them on the boards. Fifty CDs just joined the active listings. I only concentrate on a few categories so there is no need to limit myself. Other than books and crocheted blankets, the items I list are easily stored. The next six months will be good ones for sales. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186756854433

Queued up listing sessions include Boy Scout memorabilia, a Lot of lanyards, and a Lot of holey cashmere sweaters. A certain type of crafter loves those types of sweaters. I sell my worn-out ones and buy new retail ones. The lot listed below sold the next day. 💰

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186759762571

If you have any inclination to sell items online, NOW is the time to list them. 

There are few things I have discovered since my retirement 5 months ago. What I have done is continued working for myself on eBay (2,600 active listings). I have taken up tap dancing (which is a blast). I have spent more time gardening, a delight being outside. 

What I haven't done is read a book, work on puzzles, or travel extensively (on my bucket list). Quilting, an activity meant to keep me home and inside, has fallen by the wayside. I have been giving away the fabric I have accumulated. There will be sewing projects, just a select few. 

Countdown to Christmas is one month away. I have spent a lot of time preparing those posts. Including completed crafts from holiday magazines adds to the time commitment. Ending the post with a Christmas tree picture offered at thrift.