Tuesday Recipe: Very Berry Syrup/Sauce

For the past two weekends I have made this amazing sauce that goes sooooo well with pancakes and waffles....and I imagine it would taste equally as good on french toast, cheesecake and....ICE CREAM! I made some changes to it, but I didn't measure anything out, so I will just post it as it is written to make sure it turns out as good for you as it was for me. One change I did make was I did not just use blueberries...use 2 cups of berries of your choice.



INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water, orange juice, and sugar. Stir gently, and bring to a boil.
In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon. Thin sauce with water if it is too thick for your liking.

EtsyBlogger Featured Blogger: LazyTcrochet

As I had mentioned before, I am now a member of EtsyBlogger Street Team. Every month we have a new blog carnival and a new featured blogger. This month LazyTcrochet was the lucky "chosen one" She managed to take a few moments from her busy schedule to answer a few of my questions.

Tricia is the woman behind the needle...er...hooks at LazyTCrochet. She learned the basics from her mom when she was young. "She taught me to chain", says Tricia, "I would just chain for hours!". But things fell to the way side and it wasn't until about 6 years ago when I picked up a book and hook again. It had been a while, but it was just like falling off a bike....everything her mom had taught her came back.

I asked Tricia what her favorite type of fiber to work with and she said, she is especially fond of working with bulky yarns, especially wool, like this wool buttoned cuff.

Tricia finds inspiration for her pieces in textures, colors, and seasons especially. She also says she makes a lot of one-of-a-kind designs and custom work as well.
When I asked her what her favorite piece was, she told me that is was this terra cotta shawl that she made last fall. (Isn't it just beautiful?)


Not only does Tricia sell on Etsy, she attends local holiday shows each year and a few Summer Markets here and there. She is currently working on some bracelets for a local shop and gearing up for the Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival coming up in October.
She says "My blog will have show dates, team links for EtsyBloggersTeam, ClevelandTeam, and ClevelandHandmade.com. I also like to blog recipes and fun stuff at www.LazyTcrochet.Blogspot.com".

Scenic Sunday

The answer to the last Scenic Sunday was Mt. St. Helens...way to go Julie (Gypsy Moon Designs) for guessing it right on! Ok, here is this week's photo:

Saturday: Market Day!

Ok, so I finally got this video to upload! These people are wealthy. They show up at all the markets and any event that has music and they dance....they "dance"...if that is what you want to call it, everywhere...in the grocery store, in their cars...they definately march to the beat of a different drum! LOL!!

Friday Firsts....

Ok, here are this week's new shops just waiting for their first sale....so give a boost for the weekend...make a purchase!


Here's a great revesible headband from Cherry Blossom



Here's a great set of 15 blank note cards from Mamabirds


Here's a great gift bag from CraftsByColleen for only $3.50!

And here is my Friday First purchase....I have always been interested in antique tins....so I figured what better time than the present to start a collection! This tin comes from No Accounting For Taste (love the name!).

Thursday Theme

Ok, back this week a new theme! All entries/comments will be entered to win a small prize! I may have made this one a little tough....Oh, of course...last time's was Popeye!


Cute litte pendant from Squirrelbunny.


This teaching kit from HandPickedDaisy.


Great card from SparklePaw.


This great vintage pearl choker from joyceshafer

Good Luck!!

Blog Carnival: Birthdays

So I am officially a member of Etsy Bloggers Street Team! This month's choices were either Birthdays or Summer. So, I decided to blog about my birthday. Fall is my most favorite time of year. The leaves are changing, there is a certain smell in the air....crisp, cold and the slight smell of the leaves decaying. It is unique, not a bad smell, but almost comforting. I can't really say if Fall is my time of year because of it's beauty or because it's when my birthday is.....I tend to believe that it is the first more so than the latter. I was born October 16, 1973. Yep...you got it right....I told you what YEAR I was born. I'm not really particular about telling people how old I am, really it's not a big deal...just a number really....a state of mind. I was born in Germany....Bitburgh to be more exact. My dad was in he Air Force but I was not born on base, I was born in a German hospital...so I am a naturalized citizen...which means you are all safe, I could never be President of the United States! LOL!!

I am really not into all the fanfare and hoopla....I generally try to pass the day without letting anyone know. I like to lay low and don't really care to be fussed over. I would have to say that the best birthday present ever, came two days early one year.....October 14, 2000. What was that you ask? The day I was married!!

So how do you all celebrate you birthday? Do you make a big deal...or do you like to lay low? What was your BESTEST birthday gift ever?

Tips For Tuesday

So I'm not going to lie....my sales as of late have been less than stellar. So I thought I would open up a discussion of sort to share with you what helps me with sales. Hopefully all of you will feel the need to share with what helps with your sales, because we all know everyone needs all the help they can get in today's economy!

The first thing I have noticed. REFRESH! I have honestly noticed a difference in my sales when I refresh compared to when I do not. Why waste the money you ask? Because by refreshing the items in you shop on a regular basis keeps you toward the "front" of the searches. To be quite honest, I RARELY search more than 10 pages....why would I expect someone else to do the same? Even if you have the best products in the (etsy) world, no one will ever know if you are all the way back on page 50!

The next thing I have noticed that has helped my sales...the Forums. Honestly. Go there make commments, ask questions, post your stuff! GET NOTICED! Sometimes, you need to have thick skin...you will run into rude, unprofessional fellow etsians. But just take it with a grain of salt.....but it really does help to get you noticed.

Now this next piece of advice is sort of along the same lines as the forums....the chat rooms....it did help get my name out there, but not so much as the forums...again...you need to have thick skin here too!

The last piece of advice might not be so practical for some of the sellers with higher priced items. But....donate....whenever you can. If it does nothing else, it gets your name out there. I have donated to tons of charity functions and group giveaways. If you do have higher priced items, consider donating gift certificates.

Easing Back Into Things....

Thanks to everyone wishing me a relaxing weekend. Which I had! I did not get a ton of things accomplished...but I guess that wasn't what this was about. Friday was relaxing...we didn't really do anything...but I guess anything would be relaxing as compared to baking upwards of 30+ loaves a bread in one day! On Saturday we decided to check out "the other" Farmers Market in Missoula, Montana....both markets are held on the same day and the same time. My dilema lies in that My hubby and I live in Stevensville, which is pretty much right smack in the middle between the two. I am at Hamilton Farmers Market every Saturday. Now it is a good sized market and I have been there for a year now and have been established, to a certain degree. Now Missoula Market is HUGE in comparison...but I would have to choose...soap or bread. I would not be able to do both. I am not established there either. I am leaning toward doing my soaps, ect there. I would want to split...Hubby goes to one, I go to the other....but that is just dreaming right now. I would need to make some initial investments...another EZ Up canopy, more tables, another cash box...it all adds up....maybe that is something to shoot for next year. While I was there I got a chance to visit with my good friend Julie from Gypsy Moon Designs. Not only did I get to chat with her for a while...my hubby bought me one of her BEAUTIFUL necklaces....a dragonfly one to boot! So over all it was an awesome weekend, but now it's back to the grind.

Thursday Theme Back Next Week!

I had been so good about blogging daily and fretted about just missing one day! But, did you ever notice that once you miss the first day, the world does not stop spinning, the sun still rises, all is still right with the world. As I had mentioned I am writing for our local paper....I wish I could post a link for you all to check out what I am doing. But, alas, living in the boonies, no can do. Our paper, believe it or not, does have a website...but my stuff is not important enough to make it on their world wide web. Oh well!

So on with the festivities....last week I promised to make a little contest out of this Thursday Theme....and today (at work) I had my co-worker, Gary "draw" the winner.....so Congrats to Harley and Me....(if you asked me I think it's rigged) LOL! OH...do I have a prize for you!

So I PROMISE...I'll be back in full swing next week! I have taken Sunday off from work....AND I'm NOT doing the Market this weekend so I have Friday, Saturday and Sunday off....so I will be laying low for a few days....I'll see you all on Monday.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!!!

So How Do YOU Know......?

So it has suddenly become blaringly apparent that I may have taken on more than I can handle. I think Mr. Moose would have agreed with this statement about 3 or 4 projects ago. But now I am in and there is no way of getting out! My deadline for the online newspaper came and went and that totally slipped my mind. By the way...don't forget to check out their latest edition....just released today...minus my articles. I just yesterday realized that I had not paid rent yet. It was due today. Luckily I have deposit slips for our landlords account and am able to just deposit it directly. Instead of having a monthly deadline writing for an online newspaper....I have begun writing WEEKLY feature stories in our local paper for our Farmer's Market. Which somehow has led me to be involved with a number of other committees that I don't even think that I actually signed up for?

SO....tell me how do YOU know when you have gotten in too deep?

Is it when your house becomes a little dirtier than you would like?
How about when there are no folded towels left in the linen closet...now granted, they are clean...but they are still in the laundry basket.
Is it when you forget things you have NEVER forgotten before...like paying rent?
Is it when things you loved to do before now have become a chore that must be accomplished?
Or is it when you start to notice other things suffering....your business, the fish you forgot to feed...oh, I could go on, but I'll just stop there!