Erik HOMEMADE Coffee-Break eZine

Subscription Drive and NEW Conest!

Now through February 28th, 2010, get your free supscription to the Erik Homemade(R) Coffee Break eZine via the FEEDBURNER(tm) subscription form (to the left) and your email address will be entered to win one of 3 winter sticker embellishment packages!

Your subscription is free! Open to US residents over the age of 21. Three winners will be chosen at random. Click on the CURRENT CONTEST Page for complete information. Good Luck!

Thursday's Thought

"The greatest oak was once a little nut that held its ground" --Unknown

1001 Things to be Thankful For book review

 

1001 Things to be Thankful For, Published by Hallmark Cards, Inc

Most all of us have a list, at least a mental list, of who and what we are thankful for. Especially at this time of year, we enjoy ruminating exactly what we are grateful for. It is no wonder, then, that we found this sweet little book at our local Hallmark(tm) store--while picking out Thanksgiving cards to send to those we love far away, and whom we are thankful for.

1001 Things to be Thankful For really made us think a little deeper. Some things to be thankful for are so obvious: loving family, a roof over our heads, food on the table...but this book takes it one step farther and recognizes the little, often overlooked things that make daily life bearable or recalls a memory tucked so far back that just the very idea makes us smile!

Published by Hallmark(tm) Gift Books, each "thing" in the book is numbered, some with a beautiful Hallmark(tm) photos, others just a mention...some make you ponder, some make you think "it's been so long"; each "thing" a jog of the memory or a jog of a smile. Everyone will surely enjoy a glance (or a read!) of this book! Who would resist #234 fresh-squeezed lemonade or #623 housework burns 250 calories per hour? There are far too many (1001 to be exact!) to list them here!

Full of quotes, facts, and little thoughts, 1001 Things to be Thankful For would be wonderful given to your favorite holiday hostess this year! Get a copy for yourself, for your own guests to enjoy...how wonderful to pass around the table and read aloud after Thanksgiving dinner...making memories that will give you even more things to be thankful for...then you can add to the list (#1002, #1003...)...but who really is counting?! 

Look for 1001 Things to be Thankful For with the gift books at you local Hallmark(tm) Gold Crown store or retailer or visit www.hallmark.com for more information.

Howling Gourds craft project

What could be more fun for Halloween than a chorus of bellowing gourds howling at the top of their lungs? Make these jolly fellows out of dollar store gourds, then embellish them with a little sequin glitz...vary the size of the wiggle eyes for interesting gazes!

For each gourd you will need

1 plastic covered, foam filled gourd (we found ours at the dollar store)
small sequins, we chose black
glass rocaille beads, that fit onto sequin pins
sequin pins
black water based gloss paint
wiggle eyes in varying sizes
pencil, hobby knife, tacky craft glue

Referring to photograph, use a pencil to draw two circle for the eye sockets and one larger circle for mouth, taking care to space eye sockets far enough apart to get two rows of sequins around the holes. With hobby knife, pierce skin, about 1/2-inch below the surface and cut around the line. Carefully peel up plastic skin and discard.

Thursday's Thought

Raise the song of Harvest Home! --Henry Alford

Scarecrow Band, Vala's Pumpkin Patch
Gretna, Nebraska, October 2008

Great Big Pumpkin quilt block

With NO seams to align, this Great Big Pumpkin is a match to last year's Lopsided Pumpkin block! This block is equal to two of last year's block stacked top-to-bottom!

This simple pattern was originally handed out to the folks who rode buses from Sew What! quilt shop for the annual Pumpkin Patch Run shop-hop the week-end of October 23rd, 2009. As usual, Erik had a lot of fun with his bus group of 18 ladies! For this pumpkin, Erik used fabric from Moda Fabrics' Fall Back in Time group by Sandy Gervais. This block is for a runner pattern Erik will share on this site!

To print a copy of Erik's sampler block handout from the shop-hop bus ride, click here;Download Erik's Great Big Pumpkin block

For more information about the Pumpkin Patch Run shop-hop, visit www.pumpkinpatchshophop.wordpress.com

If you would like a copy of last year's Lopsided Pumpkin block, look in the PROJECTS QUILTING Category on the left side of the screen. 

Candy Spiders recipe

 

Creepy, crawly little devils that are sure to spook even the heartiest of your guests this Halloween! But not to worry--these spiders taste really good themselves! Enjoy them alone, or use them to decorate a festive cake or cupcakes!

Ingredients

1 10oz package bright green candy wafers
1 3oz can rice noodles, found in the Chinese food aisle
3/4 cup shredded coconut
about 75 red hot cinnamon candies, 2 for each candy

wax paper, 2 forks

In a large bowl, melt candy wafers according to package directions. When candy wafers are completely melted, gently fold in coconut and rice noodles; make sure that the coconut and rice noodles are well covered with the bright green candy coating.

Thursday's Thought

"Where flowers bloom so does hope" --Lady Bird Johnson

Black-Eyed Susans, Ohio, 2009

 

Awareness Ribbon Lollipops

 
Make these lollipops from any color candy wafers to suit the cause! They are easy to make and turn out beautifully. Pass them out at a charity event or use them to thank the hard-working volunteers. Make them plain or fancy, like we did; the fun is giving them away! We used pink candy for Breast Cancer Awareness...

You will need

1 lb candy wafers-we chose pink for Breast Cancer Awareness
decorating sugar, in a suitable color, optional
12 lollipop sticks
Awareness Ribbon candy mold (#0233 from Make 'n Mold)

Follow the instructions on both the candy mold and the candy wafers package to make the lollipops.

Before we poured our melted candy wafers into the mold, we first used a teaspoon to sprinkle the decorating sugar along the inside recess of the ribbons. A couple of gentle taps was all it took to get the sugar to evenly distibute itself along the deepest ridge of the mold.

Pink Tea recipe

 
A delicious drink for a get-together to show your support...serve it on ice or hot. Refreshing or warm, everyone will know you care...perfect for a pink tea party!

Ingredients

4 cups water
5 tablespoons sugar
4 tea bags (we used white tea)
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
3 tablespoons lemon juice

ice cubes, for iced tea
lemon wedges and dried cranberries, for garnish, if desired

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, heat water and sugar stirring constanly with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved; do not boil.

Our New Winner!

 

Congratulations to Lily S of Southgate, Michigan who sent her postcard in and won her own copy of Mini-Mart a la Carte cookbook, by C Rouser and V Traig! A big thank you to all who entered!

Check back again for more details on our upcoming contest!