Thanksgiving Preparations

When it is possible for the Thanksgiving holiday, Christopher and I like to invite our family and friends to a homestead cabin in the mountains. It is usually brisk and beautiful with changing colors all around. There is a fireplace outside and inside. We get the fire going in both places for people to gather around the warmth being offered. Each year we are able to do this, we plan a potluck and assign items to bring. Christopher and I are not turkey fans, so we usually plan to have chicken or ham. However, we aren't opposed to anyone bringing turkey for the turkey fans.

This year I thought I would make my own cloth napkins. A dear friend of mine gave me a pattern for napkins. It is amazing. I have spent several days washing, cutting, ironing, and sewing fabric. I was even able to purchase fabric at 60% off. Although I'm on a mini vacation and not working on them for a few days, I have no doubt that I will finish them by next week.

I like to bring beautiful tablecloths and a gift for each family that joins us. This year, to be sure my napkins are not accidentally thrown away, I am planning to bring a beautiful basket to put the used napkins in. That way I can take them home, wash them, and store them away for next year.

I love to hear what people enjoy most during the holidays. What traditions do you have for the holiday? What new traditions would you like to start?

Hugs,
Jenni

"Find Your Happy Place"

I have several projects in the works, but I recently finished this painting. It all started as a sketch. I wasn't sure that it would even become a finished painting. Then last week I was looking through my sketches, and I decided to give it a chance to become something more. This time I would take on the painting with gouache on watercolor paper. It took me awhile for the color palette to come to me. I wanted something that conveyed a place you might be happy. I know for myself that my trailer is my escape and it makes me incredibly happy. So the above image is my final painting. Prints, cards, and postcards will soon be available on my website (www.everythingjenni.com). I'm also trying to incorporate the trailer in a necklace. My hope is that when you see this little trailer you think of your happy place.

Hugs,
Jenni

July - A Tough But Productive Month

Every July begins with my memories of my daddy going into the hospital due to a stroke. That is followed by the date of his birth/death. (He died on his birthday.) Just as I am recovering mentally and emotionally from this, my grandmother's birthday comes along. I often reflect on how I wish I had spent more time with her doing things that I loved. She was a whiz at anything she tried. Whether she was cooking, sewing, or crocheting, grandma was all in. Everything had to be perfect. As this very emotional month winds down, I decided to share with you a few of the activities that I conquered in honor of my grandma. I began the month making my delicious butter. I finished a granny square blanket.

It truly is relaxing to feel the yarn run through my fingers. Then I jumped into canning a strawberry jam.

Although I don't think it is beautiful in presentation, it certainly is mouthwatering. That was followed by a batch of scrumptious cheese.

It is so incredible that it is hard to keep stocked. After all of this yummy goodness, I decided to use up my material supply in the craft room. I have begun working on a English Paper Piecing quilt.

It is the perfect on the go sewing project. I can take a small sewing kit, and work while we travel. Everything is done by hand to piece the quilt top together. It will take awhile, but it is definitely worth the time. Next I began making my mama's divine apple sauce.

Again, this is another treat that is hard to keep stocked. We have a couple of spoonfuls with every dinner. My most recent endeavor was my version of my daddy's salsa.

However, this time I made it mild so that I could share with others. This is my all-time favorite condiment. I literally put it on everything. This week I will be tackling a blueberry jam or a blueberry butter. I haven't quite decided yet. They are both delicious, but I'm not sure which one I want just yet. The ingredients have been purchased, but I haven't made up my mind. I'm thinking about making a video on how to make the blueberry dish. You will have to tune in next time to find out what I do. Until then, I sending out happy thoughts for you.

Hugs,
Jenni

Oh so pretty dutch oven!

As many of you know, I have been looking for a delicious, no fuss, bread recipe. After trial and error, I discovered that I was running low on patience. Every recipe I tried was too dense. I even gave it multiple attempts with slight variations, but I was not satisfied.

One of the owners of the Village Kitchen Shoppe in my quaint downtown recommended the Sullivan Street No Knead Bread recipe. I was so excited to go home and try it. Based on her description, I had all of the ingredients and I was ready to go. However, when I looked up the recipe online I discovered that I needed a 6-7 quart dutch oven. Darn it! Of course that is the one thing I did not have. I began the search for a dutch oven. After countless hours and numerous websites, I found one to order with free shipping. It was even cheaper than going down to the store to get it. The downside to this is that I had to wait a week for it to arrive. Dang, that patience thing was really becoming a bother.

A week passed and the plain brown box arrived on my doorstep. I quickly rushed in and tore it open. I washed it, and then I pulled out the recipe. As I read the recipe over, I discovered that you had to prepare the dough and let it sit for about 12 hours. Okay, more patience. At this point, I mix up my ingredients and then the waiting begins again. After my 12 hours had passed, I went back to reviewing the recipe. A few more steps and then I had to wait again for 1-2 hours for the dough to double in size.

But wait! It says that you are supposed to heat the empty dutch oven for 30 minutes at 450 to 500 degrees prior to adding the dough for baking. However, my instruction booklet for my dutch oven says to "never" heat it empty. What to do! While my dough was rising I began the search for more information on the Internet. I found a few recipes for no knead bread that used a cold dutch oven and a cold oven. Unfortunately, these were recipes with a more dense look to them. Well shoot! I decided to wing it. I did not preheat my oven or my dutch oven. I let my dough finish rising and then I added it to my dutch oven. I turned the heat to 450 degrees and placed it inside with the lid on. I baked it for about 40 minutes, and then I removed the lid and baked it for about 10-15 minutes longer. When I took it out, it looked great and smelled even better. Alas, I was unsure how it would feel and taste.

I waited again for it to cool. This is the proper method. Ugh! Awhile later I decided to dive in. I cut myself a slice and found it to be light and airy with a slightly harder crust. It reminded me of sourdough. I grabbed some of my homemade butter and slathered it on. Oh my goodness! It was delicious. I was so proud that I devoured another slice. When Christopher came home, he smelled the bread and had to taste it. Luckily, he was in full agreement with me. It was the best yet. I will be repeating this recipe every week. It was great alone, as a sandwich bread, and especially, as French toast. I hope you will give bread making a try and let me know how you do.

Hugs,
Jenni

Campfire Silliness

Do you ever find yourself in a moment where you want to just be silly? Campfires lend themselves to silliness. You can have a group of people sitting around the campfire or just two people and the silliness tends to find its way in. I have sat at too many campfires to count and had some very deep heart to heart discussions, but I've also shared in the crazy, silly, belly laughing fun.

From the time I was a little girl until now, I have silly campfire memories. On our family vacation each year my mom and her friends would get up and sing the song, "Peanut Butter and Jelly." It left everyone in stitches. Jokes are another common silly campfire topic. It lightens the mood and brings out the people you had no idea were comedians.

On our last camping trip we sat around the fire quiet and contemplative. Of course I couldn't let that last. I asked everyone to make a silly face as I snapped a photo. We shared a few laughs over the photos and then I shared with everyone that I would be posting it to my blog. That brought even more laughs and then I told them I was serious. Shocked faces all around (except for Christopher who knew that I absolutely would share it with all of you). Here are our silly campfire faces.

Me - "That had onions!"

Christopher - "I'm still hungry."

Yvonne - "I think I heard lions and tigers and bears... oh my."

Cat - "Watch me roll my tongue. Oops, not quite."

Me and Biscuit - "Mommy, please stop embarrassing me."

What fun campfire things do you do? Do you sing songs, tell stories, make jokes, or sit quietly? I'd love to hear all about your campfire adventures. And the next time you are sitting around a campfire, be sure to pull out your camera and catch the silliness.

Hugs,
Jenni

Love Notes Postcard Project

I have been so inspired lately to create new art pieces. Generally, I am spending at least part of my day wrapped up in music and painting. I couldn't be happier.

Although I don't need to add anything to my plate, I have done just that. A dear woman across the continent, Jennifer Belthoff, hosts a "Love Notes Postcard Project" every few months. It is this amazing postcard swap where you are paired up with a partner anywhere in the world. The idea is that you are given a prompt each week. You send your partner a postcard with your response to the prompt. I have participated twice before with less than stellar results. However, this time around I have been moved to create original postcards to send to my "love note partner." I think there is something completely moving about sharing your personal thoughts, and in my case my art, with a complete stranger. It has been downright invigorating for me. Let me share my process with you.

Here is how I create a postcard for this beautiful person:

• On Sunday, I receive my prompt. I begin thinking about what it is that I want to say in my writing.
• By Monday, I begin sketching ideas of how I can express my words through imagery.
• On Tuesday, I begin painting my words, and this process usually takes a few days to allow for drying times.
• Either Thursday or Friday, depending on the drying process, I add my writing to the back of my postcard and send it off to my partner.
• Then I spend my weekend waiting in anticipation for my partner to post that she has received my postcard. It is incredibly difficult to create an original piece of art and then just send it through the mail with no special packaging to protect it. You are never sure how it will arrive. Will it be as beautiful as you remember? Will the post office have stamped over your image? There are so many variables involved that you can't possible worry about them. You slide the postcard into that mail slot and pray that the recipient receives it just as you intended.
• By the end of the project, it is my hope to have gained a new friend. I think this time I have been lucky enough to be blessed with a truly beautiful person who shares her own thoughts with me as well.

This week I encourage you to pick up a postcard that speaks to you and send it to an unsuspecting person in your life. I guarantee that the surprise will bring a smile to their face and possibly start a trend of sending happy thoughts to those you care about. Be sure to let me know if you decide to take on this challenge and bring unexpected smiles to beautiful people in your life.

Hugs,
Jenni

My New Website is Here!

My new website is up at http://www.everythingjenni.com. Biscuit surfs my site daily with his morning coffee and treat. Okay, I have owned the domain name for my website for at least one year now. I have been so busy and I was never confident enough to put it together. About two weeks ago I decided it was time to stop dilly dallying. I logged into my account and created a website. I have done this numerous times in the past for other people, but when it is for yourself it is entirely different. I found myself always questioning what I was doing. "Did I say the right thing? Did I post the right picture? Maybe I should just wait to put up a website.” Days later, I finally finished the webpage. I sat in front of my computer; a feeling of accomplishment mixed with fear ran through my body. It was time to publish the new website. I slowly placed my cursor over the “Publish” button, closed my eyes, and pressed down. Now I had done it. I put myself out there and there was no turning back. Although I may always continue to improve my website, I felt it was important to finally get something up for people to see. I’m sure time will bring changes to the website, but I can honestly tell you that I am happy to finally have jumped in and done it. So now that I have, be sure to stop by my website. More importantly, don’t forget to share it with your friends.

Hugs,
Jenni

Jumping in With Both Feet

It has been awhile since I painted on a canvas. Recently, I decided to test out one of my whimsical girls on a canvas. Sometimes I find that I have to throw caution to the wind and dive in. If I sit and ponder all of the things that could go wrong then I would never start. So this past week, I dove head first into painting on a canvas. It took some getting used to, but I'm loving where it is headed. I look at her sweet face and I think about how she is lost in her thoughts. We are getting a glimpse into her soul when we look at those eyes. She lets the chilly wind blow through her hair while she walks through the enchanted forest. She seems to be inviting us in to hear her tale. That tale will continue as I work through this painting. Watch for updates to see where she leads me.

Hugs,
Jenni

Loving the Process

With the new year, I have been actively painting and creating. I am absolutely loving the process. When I am not busy camping or helping family I get up, have a cup of coffee, and sit down to paint. I spend my morning watching the sun cross the sky and creating new sketches or painting my drawings. It is a meditative process and I have found that I have grown as a person through this time. I focus on what matters most to me while I let the rest of the world just melt away. It has been truly healing. I'm currently working on a new girl. She is lovely and I just know that you are going to love her. Keep an eye out for an update of when she is going to be available.

Hugs,
Jenni

Forty Year Reflection

As I take this road into my forties, I sit back and reflect on life. I have experienced life lessons, belly laughs, and painful tears. Celebrating my fortieth morning at Twisted Sage yesterday, I felt it only appropriate to share this meditative moment with you. This birthday has brought me to a place where I can look back on the lessons I've learned and be grateful that there was a lesson I learned. The lessons weren't always happy moments, but they all taught me to be a better person. I can recall many full belly laughs that brought joyful tears to my eyes and induced fits of coughing. I've shared moments like this with friends and family. However, I have experienced more loss than I would ever want for a woman my age. The hardest part of celebrating a milestone birthday for me was the absence of my daddy. Without him here to tell me how proud he is of me, I find that I am missing a piece of my heart. That is not to say that I don't fully appreciate the wonderful people who are here to tell me, but it is not the same. I am proud that I can now remember my daddy and often cry about it, but I can also know that he is watching over me and so proud of the woman, wife, and daughter I have become in my forty years here. I hope to have many more years to share with all of you. There isn't a moment of my forty years that I would change. I have been blessed by all of those that have touched my life. So let me say, "thank you." "Thank you for believing in me, thank you for sharing a piece of yourself with me, and most of all, thank you for loving me just the way that I am.

Hugs,
Jenni

"Little Red Valentine" Painting

Do you remember the story of "Little Red Riding Hood?" I always loved how she trots off through the forest to see her grandmother. Well my "Little Red Valentine" is not off to see grandmother, but she is off to deliver Valentines. I have finished my sweetheart. She is so precious. I love her. My cards are printed and now available for sale. I will be selling one card with an envelope for $2.00, but I'm also putting together a package of six cards with envelopes for $9.00. If you are interested, please send me an email at jcburgan@gmail.com to work out the details.

I hope y'all love her as much as I do. She brings a smile to my face and makes me thinking of the smiles she will bring to others.

Hugs,
Jenni

Little Red Valentine Sneak Peek

The sneak peek that I promised is here. I have been working on my new Valentine image. Much like my "Winter Wonderland" painting, the style is whimsical. I will have the entire painting done tomorrow. It has been fun creating this beautiful little girl. I am planning to create Valentine's Day cards and small prints this year. If you are interested in ordering a print or a set of cards, please let me know. Once I have finished the painting I will be posting the items for sale in my Etsy shop. Have I held you in suspense long enough? Here is my "Little Red Valentine" sneak peek.

I hope you enjoy this work in progress. She has so much of my heart in her. I love her beautiful blue eyes. I think you are going to love the completed painting.

Hugs,
Jenni