As the grapes are getting ripe, I thought this would be a good time put on a recipe for homemade grape juice. Granted it's not really a "craft project," but it's still a do-it-yourself sort of thing. And it sure tastes good!
Making your own grape juice at home produces one of the tastiest beverages around. As an added bonus, if you grow your own grapes, you know exactly what’s going into them.
Ingredients
Grapes
Potatoes masher
Colander
Cheesecloth
Two large pans
Method
Choose your grapes. My personal favorites for juice are concords, but any sweet grapes will do. Sort the grapes, weeding out the bad ones and placing the good ones in the colander. When the grapes are sorted, wash them well.
Dump the grapes into one of the pans and completely crush them with the potato masher. Placing the colander over the second pan, dump the mashed grapes into the colander letting the juice strain into the pan beneath. Use the potato masher to increase the amount of juice that is squished from the grapes.
Set the colander full of grapes aside, but don’t discard them yet. Rinse the first pan clean, then cover it with two layers of cheesecloth. Use a rubber band to secure them to the pan. Pour the pan of juice through the cheesecloth. This will catch any large particles that may have worked their way through the holes in the colander. (At this point, I usually can’t resist sampling the juice, as it is at its sweetest point.)
Set the cloth covered juice pan aside. Dump the remaining mashed grapes from the colander into the empty pan and cook them on a stovetop at low temperature. Allow the grape mash to simmer and bubble for ten minutes, periodically crushing it with the potato masher. After ten minutes, more juice should have seeped from the grapes. Dump the entire pan of hot grapes onto the cheesecloth and allow the juice to drain through it, mixing with the juice below. The resulting product is a much tastier and healthier juice than is found in most stores today.
Friday, September 18, 2009
This week I decided that it is definitely never too early to start making a Halloween costume. At this rate, I'll be lucky if my family's costumes are done by Halloween, let alone anyone else's. Weaving is a slow business to begin with, but it seems to get even slower when I'm never there to push the shuttle through the strings. And as for the civil war gown, sewing with a pattern is certainly a new experience. There are a lot of pieces that I'm not sure are entirely necessary, but I'm committed to sewing my first pattern exactly as it is. Next time, I'll rework to my liking.
Well, onto this week's craft project. The gourds are getting nice and ripe, in fact we've harvested a few already. A lot of people who purchase them ask what to do with them after the season is over. There are two answers. They can either be fed to a local band of ravenous cows who will happily devour every squash, pumpkin, and gourd they can get their teeth onto, or the gourds can be dried. This week's project involves making birdhouses from dried gourds.
A dried gourd can make a cozy house for some lucky bird and it can make an attractive decoration for a yard as well.
You will need:
Dried gourds
A dremel, drill, or jackknife
Paint
Acrylic sealer
Eyehooks
The best type of gourd to use as a birdhouse is actually called a birdhouse gourd. They dry easily, have a sturdy shell, and are roomy enough for a bird to enjoy. That said, one need not limit themselves only to birdhouse gourds. A gourd birdhouse is as much decorative as it is functional and there are many gourds that lend themselves well to this project. Goosenecks, apple gourds, caveman’s club, and others all work well as birdhouses. You should select one that meets your fancy.
First, you will need a gourd. If you have one dried from last year, it makes the task easier. Gourds are best dried by letting them get hit with the frost for several cool nights, just be sure not to let them get too wet. They can also be dried indoors, but require a very dry area. Birdhouses can also be made from fresh gourds, but will sometimes become distorted as they dry.
To begin, scrape off the gourd’s flaking outer skin. Using the dremel, drill, or jackknife, cut a hole about an inch and a half in diameter in the lower half of the gourd. Pull out the “guts” through this hole. In a dried gourd, guts have usually hardened and may have to be broken into small pieces to come out through the hole. Be careful not to break the hole when pulling out the guts.
When the inside of the gourd is empty, paint the outside with any design you choose. Using the hole as the center of a flower is always fun. After the paint has dried, spray it with a clear acrylic sealer to make it weatherproof.
Turn the gourd upside-down and drill 3 holes in the bottom. This will allow for drainage should any rain come in the hole. Carefully screw an eyehook into the top of the gourd somewhere near the stem. This is usually where’s the gourd’s shell is thickest and allows for the strongest hold.
Loop a piece of string through the eyehook, hang the gourd from a tree branch and wait for the birds to move in come spring. It’s good to have the houses out several months before spring. Birds don’t actually claim a house until spring, but they’re searching for good nestingsights well before.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Well, this week I learned that it is possible to weave without a loom. I just tied two board above and below a windowsill and voila! an instant weaving loom. I'm using it to weave my brother's Halloween costume. Never too early to start. I usually make costumes for rental in October, so my own family's costumes have to be done earlier. I also decided to make this week, my first week sewing with a pattern. I usually make own patterns to sew from scratch, but this week I was in Jo-Anne fabrics (my favorite store in the world) and they were having a pattern sale. I'm a sucker for any type of period garb, so when I saw a pattern for a full-hooped civil war era gown, I couldn't resist. If nothing else, I just want to experiment and see what it's like to work with a premade pattern. It should be fun.
Now onto this week's craft project. We have loads of wild catnip growing in the cow pasture. My cats love rolling in it, so I thought I'd make a few sachets they could play with in the house. If nothing else, it'll give them something to do when they get cabin fever this winter. They're quick and easy to make and will bring new life to almost any cat.
Even older cats appear young and spry when there is catnip in the air! You can create catnip toys completely at home – growing the plant, drying it out, and handmaking playthings for your kitty.
Catnip is easily air-dried. Just harvest a few leaves and spread them out in a dry place for about a week. When the leaves feel crispy to the touch, they are ready to be used.
What You’ll Need
Dried catnip
Fabric scraps
Thin ribbon
Cotton/stuffing
Needle and thread colored to match ribbon
Instructions
Cut a circle of fabric 5 inches in diameter. It doesn’t have to be a perfect circle, just something in a general circular shape. Lay a few dried catnip leaves in the center of the circle, then place a cotton ball on the leaves. (These can also be made without the cotton, but will require a lot more catnip to fill up the sachet. Also, the sachets tend to lose some of their bounce without the cotton, and the cats love the bounce so I always add cotton.)
Pull the sides of the fabric up around the catnip leaves and the cotton, forming a little sack. Tie the sack together with a 7-inch piece of ribbon. Leave the ends of the ribbon long, as cats love to play with these.
With the needle and thread, run two stitches all the way through the ribbon and sachet to secure it all. Tie off the thread ends at the back of the sachet.
Throw the toy into a room with a cat and watch it go wild!
A heavy book is all that is necessary to create beautifully pressed flowers.
Pressing flowers is a fun pastime that requires relatively little effort on the preserver’s part. Not only is the process very enjoyable, but the flowers can be used in a variety of projects such as note cards and stationary. Most any type of flower or leaf can be pressed, but flowers with thick centers such as sunflowers or Echinacea do not turn out as well. On the other hand, flowers like pansies are so easy it’s incredible.
Flower presses are readily available, but not necessary to successfully press flowers. A telephone book, encyclopedia or other heavy book will work just as well. I have a large Audubon book that I press all my flowers in and as it’s bigger than most flower presses, I can press many flowers at one time.
It is best to pick flowers on a dry day to avoid extra moisture accumulation. To begin, lay a sheet of paper in the open encyclopedia (or whatever large book you might be using), to protect the book’s pages. Arrange the flowers on the paper, placing them carefully to avoid overlapping edges. The emphasis here is to imagine what it will like when it is pressed. Petals that end up folded during pressing will remain folded forever. Place another sheet of paper over the flowers and carefully close the book.
One heavy book is usually enough to successfully press flowers, particularly if the flowers are being pressed near the back of the book, so most of the book’s weight is pressing on them. However, it never hurts to place a few additional books on top to ensure enough weight. Flowers are usually fully pressed within a week, though a few may take longer. If you are unsure, it is always better to leave the flowers a little longer. It won’t harm to blossoms no matter how long they sit in the press.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Well, it's Labor Day weekend, the official end of summer, though I have a feeling it won't actually feel like the end of summer for quite some time. A cooler summer usually means a very nice fall. The Ring of Fire is this weekend too, so we'll all be heading up to my grandmother's to watch it. We live right next door to her, but her house is higher up on the hill, so there's a clear view of the lake from her house. This year, however, the corn across the road is extra tall due to all the rain. Not sure how much of the ring we'll be able to see this year.
Labor Day is usually the last big summer picnic for people, so this week's project is something to do with all those extra shells if you happen to have clams this holiday. Clamshells make great tea lights. The shells are thick and sturdy and they usually sit well all by themselves. If they're made with beeswax, they'll usually burn 10-20 minutes depending on the size of the shells.
These little candles will burn brightly for 10-20 minutes. They’re a great way to use clamshells left over from summer cookouts.
You will need:
Empty clamshells halves
Beeswax or another type of wax
Double boiler or two pans
Wicking
Newspaper
To begin, cover your work area with newspapers, as this is a messy crafts. Soak the clamshells in warm water, then vigorously scrub them out to remove any clam residue. When the shells have dried, place them on a flat surface to see how well they set. Most of them will lean forward a bit, but try to use the flattest shells as they will hold more wax.
I always use beeswax for these candles as it is the longest burning and it is easy to wick once it begins to cool. However, other waxes can be substituted for beeswax.
Melt beeswax in a double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, this can be easily done by placing a pan of water beneath the pan with the wax. Melting wax this way is a safety method, as it keeps the heat from directly hitting the wax. Beeswax is highly flammable so do not leave it unattended even for a minute. If it begins to smoke, remove the pan from the heat immediately.
It is best to melt the wax on a low temperature. It may take a bit longer, but it also reduces the risk of wax fires. Do not cover the wax when melting it, but keep a lid handy in case the wax does catch fire. The lid can be used to quickly smother the flames.
Once the wax has completely melted, remove it from the burner and let it cool for 1.5 minutes. If you wish to add color, now is the time to do so. You can also add scent after the color, but it is usually not necessary with beeswax as it bears a natural honey scent.
Measure a length of wicking 1 inch for each shell candle you have. i.e. 12 candles is a 12 inch wick. Dip the wick into the wax, completely covering it, then set aside and let it cool.
Fill each clamshell to the brim with beeswax, taking care not to overflow it. While the beeswax is cooling, cut the wax covered wicking into 1 inch sections.
When beeswax cools, the bottom and the sides are the first to harden. Watch the shells carefully and when the wax at the edges has hardened about 2 millimeters from the edge, place a piece of one-inch wick into the liquid center. Let go and the wick should stand on its own. Repeat with the remaining shell candles.
After 4 hours, the candles should be cooled completely. At that point, they can be lit or saved for another special occasion.
Dream catchers are both beautiful and functional. When hung above one’s place of sleep, they are said to protect a person from nightmares.
You will need:
A wooden or metal hoop
Roughly 3 yards of yarn or leather string
1 yard of white string for the interior
Beads
Feathers
Dream catchers are a craft originating with the Ojibway Native American tribe. They were often woven for newborns by grandparents, to protect the children from nightmares. While the traditional dream catcher is Native American, the concept of objects to protect a sleeper from bad dreams in universal. Many cultures throughout the world have their own ways prevent bad dreams.
The Native American dream catcher consists of a hoop, within which is woven a “web,” and feathers dangling off the ends. This dream catcher is hung over one’s bed. Good dreams pass through the center hole in the web, trickling down the feathers into the sleeper’s head. Bad dreams get stuck in the web and disintegrate when they are touched by the first rays of the morning light.
To begin making a dream catcher, you will need to start with a hoop. Traditional dream catchers were made with wooden hoops (willow often works well due to it’s suppleness), but today, many dream catchers are made on metal hoops. Craft shop carry ready made metal hoops, but a cheaper solution is to fashion a hoop out of bailing wire (one of my favorite crafting mediums), or another strong wire.
Once you have your hoop, it is time to wrap the edges. (If you are using a wooden hoop, and prefer to have the wood showing, skip this step). Many dream catchers are wrapped with leather, but yarn can be just as attractive, particularly for a child’s dream catcher as the bright colors available in yarn can be quite appealing. To achieve a leather look, I often use strips of Avola (a suede like material) as an inexpensive alternative to real leather. Wrap the entire hoop in your chosen wrapping, tying off the end in a loop.
To begin the web, tie a piece of white string to the top of the hoop. Pull it a couple inches to the right (or left if you’re a lefty). This will form a space between the string and the hoop. Pull the string over the top of the hoop dropping down behind the hoop, then through the space. Pull taut. Repeat until you reach the last space.
The last space should be about half the size of the others. Instead of pulling the string through the space, this time, pull it through the center of the first loop you made. Continue on with the third, fourth, and so on. A star-like pattern will begin to form.
When you near the center of the web, slip a single bead onto string, but continue weaving the center of the loops as normal. The bead will fall into place on it’s own. Some people like to have beads covering the webs of their dream catchers, but traditionally only one bead was used. This bead represented the spider of the web.
When you reach the middle, tie off the string. There will be a small hole in the center of the web; this is where the good dreams crawl through.
Tie three pieces of string to three feathers, sliding a few beads down each shaft. Tie these three feathers to the bottom of the dream catcher. You can add a few feathers to the top of the dream catcher as well, or wherever else you desire.
Hang your dream catcher above your sleeping place and enjoy.
