Sue Runyon Designs

New Items: tatted hearts

2012-01-25T16:13:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to design a pretty tatted heart motif for a while. I've looked for patterns and was never satisfied with the ones available for a simple, small heart. This past week I finally got around to it and after much trial and error (see photo #3), I think I succeeded. I started with an open design, but then realized I wanted to stabilize it so added the traditional "cloverleaf" tatting design in the center.

Set of 3 tatted red heart motifs $4.50

Set of 3 tatted pink and white heart motifs $4.50

the ones that didn't work

Woodcarving

2012-01-07T08:47:00.000-06:00

My son, Caleb, with his 2011 Santa ornament from Uncle Steven

In today's post I wanted to show off some wood carving done by my Dad and my brother. They've been doing it for a while now and are getting pretty good. Every year my brother, Steve Cotton, carves my son a tree ornament for Christmas. Caleb has several now. The photo above is the latest. My dad, Glenn Cotton, carved the wooden cross pendants this year for us. I'm trying to decide what type of necklace cord I want on them. And the final item is a Santa wood cutter hauling home a Christmas tree. My brother carves a Santa of some sort for my mom every year and this is the one for this year. I keep trying to get my brother to open up an on-line shop for his carvings, but he's busy being the voice of the Thundering Herd for Marshall University.

Carved wooden cross pendants by my dad

Carved Santa the tree cutter by my brother Steven

detail of Santa the tree cutter

back of Santa the tree cutter

2011-12-31T10:34:00.001-06:00

Receive 10% off your order of $50 or more. Use Discount Code THANKS10 at checkout on my website.

Have a safe and happy New Year from Sue Runyon Designs.

Merry Christmas !

2011-12-25T06:00:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas to you and yours from Sue Runyon Designs.

I wanted to show you our Nativity set. It's a Fisher-Price one that my best friend got for my little guy on his first Christmas. As will happen at our house, a few strange creatures have come to pay their respects to baby Jesus. And I do realize that Joseph was a carpenter and not a shepherd, but the research and development department at Fisher-Price is a little bit confused. We'll pray for them.

Blessings,
Sue

Follow by e-mail

2011-12-19T12:17:00.000-06:00

Did you know you can receive my latest blog posts right in your e-mail inbox? Just enter your e-mail into that little field at the top of the right column and submit it. Every new post will go right to your inbox.

Sue

Butterhorn rolls recipe

2011-12-06T20:08:00.000-06:00

My Grandmother, Phebe Cotton, made these for special occasions. The family always looked forward to them. They are rich with butter and are a little bit sweet. They make the best turkey sandwiches the day after Thanksgiving with a little mayo and some cranberry sauce. I started making them when we were first married and now my husband and son think they cannot have a major holiday without them. Frankly, they are kind of a pain to make as they only ever raised quickly for my grandmother in her overheated kitchen.

BUTTERHORNS

Servings: 36
Yield: 3 dozen

Notes: These may take quite a while to raise since the dough is very rich with butter. Grandma Cotton kept her kitchen HOT and that helped. Find a very warm place for them to rise and they'll do much better.

1 cup milk, scalded (bring just to boil in saucepan and remove from heat)
1/2 cup cold butter
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon salt
1 package yeast
4 1/2 cups bread flour, or more or less as needed
1/4 cup butter, at room temperature for forming rolls

1.    Cool scaled milk by adding the butter to it and set aside. Beat the eggs and add the sugar to the eggs. Add salt. Add the yeast to the cooled milk and butter making sure first that the liquid is not too hot or cold for the yeast. Add yeast mixture to the egg mixture. Add flour until dough is firm enough to pull away from the sides of the bowl.

2.    Knead dough and form it into three equal balls and let raise in a greased bowl. Roll the balls around in the grease so they will separate.

3.    When very light, roll or pat balls into 1/2 inch thick circles. You should not need to flour the surface as the dough is very buttery and shouldn't stick. Spead each circle with butter. Cut each circle into 12 pie shaped wedges (or only 8 for 2 dozen larger butterhorns). Stretch each wedge out and roll from base to point. Place on a greased baking sheet with point tucked underneath. Sprinkle each with sugar if desired.

4.    When light and fluffy, bake at 375 degrees on the top rack of most ovens.

first rising of dough--keep it very warm

dough patted down, spread with butter and cut into wedges to roll up

Dragonflies dressed up

2011-12-02T14:00:00.000-06:00

You may find this maroon dragonfly ornament in my shop a little oddly colored, but it was inspired by my family's trip to Cambodia. Below you'll see a photo we took while in the ancient city of Angkor.

Maroon/burgundy dragonfly ornament copper $12 each or 3 for $24.

Dragonfly ornaments

Put your orders in early

2011-11-29T18:04:00.000-06:00

My orders from today

This year there is a lot of emphasis on buying items made in your own country, buying local and buying handmade. All of these things support your economy better than buying mass produced items from other countries.

Remember, however, to buy early. The guy at the farmers market with the local honey will probably sell out early. Your local bookstore may not have time to re-order an out of stock book if you wait too long. And artisans from all over the country are more than happy to make custom items for you, but most cannot do it at the last moment. Quality handmade items take time.

I am blessed to be able to have on-line storefronts on my own website, on Etsy.com and on Artfire.com. I know from experience over the last few years that me and my fellow artisans with on-line shops get a spate of last minute requests that we have to turn down. If you place your custom requests now you still have time for most of them to make some very special items for you. If you wait another week or two you may miss out on some fabulous gifts.

And if you are unsure where to start finding incredible handmade items on-line, I know dozens of wonderful artisans I can direct you to. Just ask!

Happy Thanksiving from Sue Runyon Designs

2011-11-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas cactus. Except . . . well, they always seem to bloom at Thanksgiving for me. So maybe they should be called Thanksgiving cactus. I've never been able to keep one for long as we are always moving and I end up giving them away, but we found this one at the local plant nursery this year. It was in bud and we didn't know what color it would be, but it's a lovely pale apricot color and we are enjoying it.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

I Thessalonians 5:16

Sue

$50 Gift Certificate Give-a-way

2011-11-22T17:39:00.001-06:00

On Cyber Monday, November 28, I will be giving away a $50 Sue Runyon Designs Gift Certificate to one of my e-mail newsletter subscribers.

If you are already one of my subscribers you are entered to win and you don't need to do a thing. As always, my e-mail newsletter subscribers are automatically entered in ALL of my give-a-ways.

To become a subscriber sign up here.

Newsletters are sent by e-mail no more than 6 times per year and you can opt out at any time.

Best Wishes,
Sue

NEW Items: Natural lavender filled linen sachets with hand tatted motifs

2011-11-15T20:07:00.000-06:00

I see beautiful lavender filled linen sachets for sale and always wonder what happens when the lavender scent eventually goes away or it gets dusty or dirty? So I designed these with removable cotton mesh inserts. You can remove the insert and add drops of essential oil to refresh the scent. Covers can be washed on delicate and then pressed with a hot iron. Materials are all natural, and high quality. These are in my shop in plenty of time for Christmas shopping. They make excellent hostess gifts, teacher gifts, secret Santa gifts and stocking stuffers.

Natural/purple Set of 2 for $17.50

Inserts are removable for refreshing with essential oil or laundering the covers
The lavender is very fragrant. The rose has a mild and pleasant scent and you can add the essential oil of your choice to it.

Natural/Ivory Set of 2 for $17.50

Natural/White Set of 2 for $17.50

White/Black Set of 2 for $17.50

White/Lavender Set of 2 for $17.50

Sue

Thank you to our Veterans!

2011-11-11T18:34:00.000-06:00

from Pensacola Air Show today

Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun;
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun! (Give 'er the gun!)
Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame. Hey!
Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

1939 by Robert MacArthur Crawford

from Pensacola Airshow today

It's a Lego Christmas !

2011-11-08T17:06:00.000-06:00

Since my son, Caleb, was born, we've been collecting some ornaments for his special little tree each Christmas. We try to find something that relates to his current interests or where we've been during that year. This year his favorite thing has been Legos and a Lego Star Wars game on his Wii game system. This past weekend I gave him the "Ultimate Lego Christmas Ornament Challenge." He was up for it.

My Lego Christmas penguin with Caleb's Lego Star Wars canister

I had to give it a try too. There may be more in the works, but this is my Lego Christmas penguin and Caleb's Lego Star Wars game "canister." Apparently the canister has some sort of function in the game that I don't understand, but which is very is important. I think my penguin has something of an Angry Birds look to it, but that's all in keeping with the year 2011 anyway. These will be glued together and a hanging string added to make permanent ornaments. I'll probably write the year on them with a permanent marker.

My Dr. Who tardis police box time machine

We've enjoyed watching the series Dr. Who on BBC this year so above is my version of Dr. Who's police box time machine the Tardis.

Sue

UMC World Bazaar and Benefit

2011-10-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all those who came out to the UMC World Bazaar and Benefit in Niceville on Saturday and to the organizers. I was swamped for a little while there. Turned out to be a great show.

Spiral post earrings: more selection than before!

2011-10-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

I've been making more of my spiral gemstone earrings in various gemstones and metals. I've also been trying out my new camera for the photos. I'm starting to get the hang of using it--I think.

Opalescent glass gold filled $15

Red agate gold filled orange $15

Strawberry quatz sterling $13

Tiger eye gold filled $15

Unakite green & coral copper $10

Yellow jade and copper $10

New Items: tatted linen sachets

2011-10-05T18:10:00.000-05:00

Coming soon to my on-line shops:

I'm working on these linen sachets to have ready for Christmas. They are filled with either very aromatic lavender or rose petals. I didn't photograph the backs this time, but they have cotton mesh inserts that contain the botanicals that can be removed in order to refresh them with drops of essential oils to keep them forever and so that the sachets can be washed without washing the botanicals.

I am also making these in white and natural linen (these are in ivory linen though the ivory didn't photograph well in artificial light this time) and in different colors of tatting. This is just the first batch that has been completed.

Sue

My Studio: packing and shipping

2011-09-28T09:39:00.001-05:00

When you work from home sometimes space can be limited. Since we moved from Utah to Florida, I no longer have a large basement studio space so I'm thankful that I have a decent sized office space to work in. I'll show you more photos another time, but I wanted to show you my packaging/shipping/receiving station today.

My Shipping and Receiving station in my home studio

The quilt on the wall is one that my mom made and I hand quilted. The colors look nice in this room. It is called "Peppermint and Sassafrass." The rug is one my husband purchased while stationed in Turkey. The picture on the wall to the left is one we purchased in South Korea when we lived there and it shows plum blossoms and has a Bible verse (I Thess 5:16-18) written in Korean.

Notice the bed risers that I've used to increase the height of the table

It is such a luxury to have one clear flat surface to pack outgoing orders and to unpack supply orders on. I raised the table up to waist level with inexpensive bed risers. I placed small pieces of non-slip mat in the top of the bed risers to keep them from sliding around. When I do a show I use this table and the bed risers so it does double duty then. It's a 5 ft folding table so it's easy to take with me. On the table I keep a paper cutter to trim down the shipping labels/postage that I print off of my computer to fit on my small jewelry packages. I also have a postage meter, some customs slips for International orders, business cards, packaging tape and a few other supplies. On the metal shelf unit to the right I keep all of my tissue paper, boxes, padded envelopes, jewelry boxes, pouches and everything else I need for shipping. Inventory fits underneath so it's handy to ship as well as some boxes that are packed with lights, tablecloths and display items for shows.

We tend to move a lot so I've never bothered to invest in permanent office or studio furniture. This will have to do until my husband retires and we stop moving. It is very functional. I hope you enjoyed the mini tour.

Sue

New Items: tiny post earrings

2011-09-21T15:19:00.001-05:00

I've been making these teeny, tiny post earrings. They are all made from pearls or gemstone beads that range from 3.5-4.5mm in size and are all wire wrapped by me with either copper, sterling silver or gold filled wire. Tiny earrings are perfect for young girls, ladies who prefer the dainty look in earrings and second piercings. The pearl styles especially are suitable for bridesmaids. Pictured are a few that I already have listed in my shops and I'm in the process of photographing and listing more.

New Camera/Old Camera and Soapmaking

2011-09-15T16:34:00.001-05:00

I just got a new camera! I've been using a little, cheap old point and shoot to take all my jewelry pictures for years. I've maxed out its few capabilities and need to move on. I admit I don't enjoy photography and don't understand it very well. I've been playing with my new Samsung NX100 and have just barely begun to understand what all those little icons are for in the menu. This is probably not the go-to camera for the "Photography for Dummies" crowd, but I'll see what I can do. The manual claims to be in English, but I don't believe it.

These are some before and after photos using my old and new cameras and taking photos of the handmade soap that I just made for my family. Photographing small sparkly objects like jewelry is gonna take some more study. All of these are completely unedited and taken on automatic without a tripod in somewhat dim light during a rainstorm . . . and . . . I don't think I held the camera very steady.

Old

New. The new camera can be set for square format

Old

New. Much truer color--same type of soap as above.

Old. All the soaps look kind of grey.


New. You can see the subtle color differences in the soap.

New. My soaps curing on the windowsill.

New

About the soap:
For more information on how I make my homemade soap, read this blog post I did a while back. My soaps aren't particularly colorful or pretty. I like a big, chunky, hand-cut, rustic bar with natural ingredients.

These are the types of soaps that I just finished making. These should last us a while:

* honey oatmeal (last photo)
* lavender with bentonite clay marbled (photo 5&6)
* sandalwood/patchouli with red Morrocan clay marbled (second photo)
* cedarwood/lime leaf with green French clay marbled (second photo)
* Caleb's sensitive skin shampoo bar with neem, green tea and calendula (top photo)
* grapefruit/hybiscus with poppyseeds (photo 5&6)
* vanilla bean spice swirled (photos 3&4)

New Items: A little cloisonne for interest

2011-08-24T17:15:00.000-05:00

I love the look of cloisonne with pearls. Don't you?

Slender pearl necklace with mauve cloisonne and jade

Green pearl and cloisonne pendant necklace

pearl and black onyx slender bracelet

Cloisonne and gemstone triple strand necklace set with earrings

slender blue cloisonne and pearl bracelet

Buy Handmade in the USA

2011-08-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

I'm a part of this great group of artists and craftswomen called the Military Circle of Friends. I met them all through Etsy.com and have come to know them pretty well over the past two or three years. They are all military spouses or are retired from active duty. They all make the most amazing handmade items. This is a talented bunch of ladies!

You can "like" the group on Facebook with the link above to get a full list of on-line shop links and occasional updates on sales, items, auctions, give-a-ways and more.

Here are just a handful of the shops:

If you know any military spouses you know how hard it is for them to build a career as they follow their active duty military spouse from station to station. Home businesses help spouses with career continuity and support the US economy. Keep these shops in mind for your fall and holiday purchases and go browse the other shops in the Military Circle of Friends by clicking the links in the left side column on the Facebook page.

Sue

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2011-08-13T12:31:00.000-05:00

Take $4.00 off your order when you purchase any two pairs of earrings. Use the coupon code EARRINGS4 at checkout on my website.

If you would like to order off my Etsy or Artfire sites instead, e-mail me.

More Landscaping Update

2011-06-12T16:32:00.000-05:00

Well, we're rushing around getting ready for the movers to come tomorrow, but I wanted to put up a few last photos to remind myself of some of the landscaping we've done since last summer. We wanted to do much more, but then found out we were moving. I would have liked to till up the garden area and really plant it, but just had time to clear out the brush, pruned up the blackberries and raspberries and put in a few heirloom tomatoes and a compost bin.


BEFORE garden area

AFTER garden area

AFTER garden area with compost bin

Last Fall front flower bed after a lot of work

Last Fall side flower bed after a lot of work

This Spring flower bed after some plantings and mulch

The plantings don't really show in these photos since they are small, but I hope to come back someday and photograph them when they are bigger. You can't really see the hardy roses I put in or all the starts of flowers my friend, Marie, gave me. You can just see in the side yard how well the irises seem to be doing since I transplanted them from other places in the yard last fall.

Landscaping Update: The SCARY SLOPE

2011-06-08T18:56:00.000-05:00

Before

I wish I had gotten better "BEFORE" pictures, but this is a photo of what we have come to call

"THE SCARY SLOPE."

It came with the house in Utah we bought last summer. The photo above is after my husband lit into it with a machete. Imagine what it looked like creeping over the sidewalk before that. Most of the slope is hidden behind the trees. Notice you can see a small part of the random rock pile, the stray redish scalloped concrete tree surround pieces in the foreground and the volunteer sumac leaning over the sidewalk. Then call your attention to the tangle of crown vetch cascading down the slope covering over frightening hummocks of overgrown trailing cottoneaster bushes. Now imagine lots of little scampering sounds coming from somewhere deep inside the tangle with the cat from across the street acting as a frequent sentinel and pouncing on things periodically. One of the first things the adjacent neighbor told us when we met him was that he wouldn't mind if we did something with that slope.

All spring I've been spending hours working my way into that mess with loppers and thinning it out. It was just a tangle of long snakey cottoneaster tendrils. Imagine my surprise when I eventually discovered there was some pretty rock terracing under some of it.

After. See my neighbor's house? He's pleased he doesn't have to view that tangle anymore.

This slope really needed some sort of feature to make it interesting. Since my husband wouldn't buy me the huge and expensive natural stone obelisk that I've been admiring at the stone yard, I decided to recycle that heap of rocks and scalloped tree surrounds into terracing for a pathway that would meander up the slope and through an opening in the rose of sharon hedge into the front yard. My son liked taking this secret shortcut when coming home from school even before the trail was built. Here is the new trail (yes, there were that many rocks heaped up on the slope in a pile). The steps are covered in landscape fabric and mulch to keep them looking nice.

The rose of sharon hedge at the top is just starting to leaf out. It will be bloom from late July through frost.

The concept for the landscaping here is to keep it "meadowy" and to incorporate a few plants that will look well in late summer and fall. My friend let me "shop" for plants in her verdant yard. Alongside the trail I've put in several white daisies and a couple of purple aster plants that I'm hoping will naturalize into the grass. I still need to find a bush that will give me nice autumn color and winter berries for the birds for the left side. We planted two dwarf apple trees to shade the slope (and very likely feed the deer).

One of two new dwarf apple trees. The crown vetch is difficult to get rid of, but now that we can actually reach it with a trimmer it will help.

"Secret" entrance through the hedge.

Once the daisies and asters take hold and start to spread there will be flowers along the path softening the hard edges.

Like I mentioned most of these materials were recycled from my own yard. The cost has been $26 for two small bare root apple trees, $5 in mulch purchased from the landfill where they chip up tree branches and trimmings that people drop off, $13 for landscape/weed fabric and $6 for pins to hold the fabric down. And did I mention the MANY hours of hard work?

Totally worth it ☺

We'll be moving soon so it may be years before I see how it all turns out with the plants growing. I'm glad I took the time though.

Sue

Household Hint: Preserving Memories--School Art

2011-06-06T11:30:00.000-05:00

It's the end of the school year once again. My son, Caleb finished up 4th grade. The last week of school he brought home armloads of artwork and projects from the year. Sure, we're saving some of it, but we're moving soon and we're doing the pre-move purge. As much as we like them, the 2 1/2 ft long fish with glitter and the "parade float" made from a shoebox and Legos must go. The memories can be preserved with photos. We went outside this morning and snapped photos of him with his artwork. Now that we have lasting documentation he's happy to let some of them go. Later we'll scan some of his schoolwork papers and save them as files on the computer.

Progress Report on the Landscaping

2011-05-19T17:09:00.000-05:00

When we bought our home in Utah last summer this flower bed by the front steps was a slope of dirt and weeds. We'll be moving soon and I won't get a chance to see how all of my hard work looks once it's had a chance to fill in, but I thought I'd show some photo updates.

How it looks now all terraced and with new perennial plants. The Alberta spruce is a dwarf variety that should only get to be about 5 ft tall. There is another set further back on the other side of the front steps as well. The carpet phlox in the upper portion should gently cascade over the top of the rocks

In progress last autumn. I hauled rocks from elsewhere on the property in to terrace the bed.

Hoping these flowers fill in nicely this summer. The purple and yellow flowers will complement the house color.

Composting: easier than you might think

2011-05-16T12:41:00.000-05:00

If you read gardening books, articles and websites today they'll almost always lead you to believe that composting is an art and science for those who are willing to put in the time, space, money and effort. They make you think that the rest of us are better off buying it in big plastic bags at the garden center. What they are not telling you is that your great grandma did just fine with her composting by tossing scraps and yard waste in pile in the corner of her garden or yard. When she needed some compost, she dug down a little until she found the layer where the compost was ready and used it.

My very simple and cheap compost bin. I planted morning glory seeds around the outside, but they are not up yet.

Great grandma didn't have a $150 black plastic bin that spins, she didn't have a two or three bin system with compost in various states of readiness, she didn't buy special worms, she didn't worry about getting just the right combination of "brown" and "green" materials to compost and she didn't worry about keeping the moisture level of her pile or the temperature at optimum levels. She didn't run her leaves through a shredder before adding them to get them in the right size pieces. Wonder of wonders, she still got great compost for her garden for FREE! She didn't even have to haul it home. She didn't put her potato peelings into a plastic bag to haul to her trash can to set out on the curb getting smelly in the sun and then sitting in a landfill not composting for decades.

We moved into the house we live in in Utah late last summer. I didn't take time to build a compost bin then so I just picked a spot in the garden area and tossed my kitchen scraps in a heap every day. We just have three people in our family so we don't create all that many scraps. Even with all the fruit peelings from canning, pumpkins from carving, daily coffee grounds, egg shells and tea bags and everything else I just had a small pile by spring. Even in frigid Utah temps and utter neglect it continued to break down into nice black compost.

Above you'll see a photo of the inexpensive, easy compost bin I just built. It wasn't really necessary that I have a bin at all, but it does help to keep stray dogs and magpies out. The magpies tend to scratch through it for earthworms and spread the pile out. It also keeps light weight things like dry leaves from blowing out. Simple containment is nice.

To build this bin I reused a metal fence post that I found on the property to anchor it and keep it from blowing away in our high winds. I then staked it in three places with some plant stakes I had. A couple of inexpensive pieces of rebar from the building supply would work just as well. I purchased a roll of 3'x10' 1/2" grid wire from the building supply, gently unrolled it easing it out of it's tight roll, looped it into a circle and used a few plastic zip ties to fasten the ends together. Then I put the wire part over the fence post and staked a plant stake on the other side to secure it in between the two. I used some other plant stakes to pin the other sides down. $16 in materials for this bin that is sturdy and plenty big enough for us.

As I mentioned, there are very few "rules" of composting that you truly have to follow. Here are some common sense things to think about:

1) keep animal products and greasy food out of your compost. Animal products will smell nasty and anything fatty or greasy will keep things from composting properly.

2) don't keep your pile too damp or put too many "wet" or "green" things in it. This will produce a compost that smells like manure and attracts insects. You don't want that. You want compost that smells like good, rich dirt. Layering in "brown" things like dried leaves, corn husks or shredded newspaper will keep this from happening.

3) light and ventilation will keep nasty things like fungus gnats and flies out of your pile. Those black plastic bins are pretty good for dry climates, but an open bin can be better for other places.

4) stirring the pile will help everything break down faster, but if you only have one bin it will mix the nearly done and just added things together which will keep you from using the compost. For a one bin system you can stir it all up well in the early autumn and then just layer things in the rest of the year. In spring you can dig down to find the layers of completed compost.

5) if your pile is very dry it won't break down. This is only really a problem in very dry climates or sheltered areas.

6) consider above factors when siteing your bin. Mine is at the edge of a wooded area to keep it partly shaded so it won't dry out too much and partly sunny so it won't stay too damp. It's about 30 ft from the kitchen door so taking scraps out is easy and right by the garden for convenience.

We'll be moving soon so we didn't till up the garden space. I couldn't resist planting some heirloom tomatoes for the next residents anyway. These concrete scalloped edging pieces were around trees all over the property I removed them and re-used them here.

Bountiful Baskets: second time around

2011-05-14T10:10:00.000-05:00

I recently told you about Bountiful Baskets a produce buying co-op that is in several western states and is growing all the time. I participated for the second and, sadly, last time since we are moving soon. I had to share what I got in my basket.

All for a contribution of $15 plus a $1.50 handling fee. Organic baskets are available for $10 more.

My basket contained:

1 head green leaf lettuce
7 ears sweet corn
3 large artichokes
2 green peppers
2 cucumbers
8 onions
13 organic roma tomatoes
3lb bag of pink lady apples.
3 mangoes
1 pineapple
1 canteloupe
1 pint blackberries

I still have some bananas (they came green), a few slices of watermelon, one apple and some potatoes left from last time. With a family of three, participating once every two weeks is plenty for us. I'm sad I'm moving somewhere they don't have Bountiful Baskets. No, it's not nearly as good as going to the local farmers market, but since the farmers markets here in Utah don't start up until the end of July and are generally finished before the end of September, this works beautifully for the rest of the year.

Gift Certificate Winner

2011-05-03T18:43:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Sue A of New Jersey for winning my $10 Gift Certificate give-a-way. Enjoy!

If you would like to be entered in the next gift certificate give-a-way, simply sign up to be a newsletter subscriber in the box in the right column of this blog. My subscribers are automatically entered in all give-a-ways.

Sue

Bountiful Baskets: save money on produce

2011-04-30T10:01:00.000-05:00

A little while ago I learned about this incredible produce co-op program that takes place every week in several Western States. Bountiful Baskets is a volunteer run organization. Members sign into their free, no-contract, accounts on-line early in the week and contribute money to pool together. Bountiful Baskets then buys produce from the same warehouses that grocery stores purchase their produce from. Early on Saturday mornings members arrive at a pick-up site in their communities to pick up their basket of produce. Take a look at the picture below. This is what I received for my $15 contribution!

What I got in my Bountiful Basket this week!

My basket contained:

two crowns of brocolli
1 head of cauliflower
7 red potatoes
1 cucumber
8 ears of sweet corn
1 bunch of spinach
two containers of strawberries
1 watermelon
1 pineapple
1 bunch of bananas
3 apples
2 grapefruit

My contribution was $15 plus $1.50 in handling charges and a one-time basket fee of $3 since it was my first time participating. If you want organic produce, it is available for a contribution of $25. They also have some options each week of other things to buy like bread, tortillas, oriental produce, a box of peaches, etc.

Sounds good, right? Is there a catch? Well--yes--you don't get to choose what will be in your basket or how much. You get what you get. However, if you look at what I got you'll see that they pick items that most people generally enjoy. Yes, once in a while they will throw in something a little more exotic, but they know from experience what their members usually enjoy and that's mostly what they purchase. You will receive about half fruit and half vegetables. And, if you don't show up in the 20 minute pick-up window you will forfeit your basket--no refunds for no-shows since they already spent your money. You can have someone else pick up your basket if you can't make it or it will be donated.

I tried for several weeks to participate, but all the sites in my area were full. This is getting to be a popular program and it's spreading across the west. They just opened a new site near me so I was able to get in. Each site has a volunteer coordinator and many participants show up an hour early to prepare baskets and help distribute. I arrived on time at 7:30 AM at a local car dealership that allows Bountiful Baskets to use their service area on Saturday mornings and this is what it looked like:

Each person receives TWO of these baskets--one fruit--one veggie

These were mine. You must transfer them to your own basket to take home

You can participate only on the weeks you wish and you can buy more than one basket or share your basket with a friend

This is a great way to get more fruits and veggies in your diet and save money at the same time. My pick up site also just happens to be close to the Great Harvest Bread Company. After I pick up my basket I can swing in there for some fresh baked rolls to enjoy on a Saturday morning!

Sue

Recipe: Cherry Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-04-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

Although I don't enjoy cooking very much I do like to bake. I enjoy coming up with variations on some of my favorite baking recipes. I concocted these yesterday and I think they may be my very best idea yet!

CHERRY ALMOND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries, whole
1 package of SLICED almond pieces (not slivered)

Mix ingredients together and drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheet. Press ends of 3-4 sliced almond pieces into the top of each dough ball (make sure they are anchored so they don't fall off later). Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

As a shortcut you could mix the almond slices right into the batter, but I like them on top as garnish. You could also just press one whole almond into the top before baking.

I always make a double batch. The texture actually improves when you freeze them so you might as well make a double batch while you are at it.

I'm giving away a Gift Certificate!

2011-04-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

On May 1st I'm giving away a Sue Runyon Designs gift certificate to one of my wonderful newsletter subscribers. The amount is currently set at $10, but I'm getting close to having 100 subscribers. If I reach that goal by May 1st the gift certificate amount will go up to $20.

Note that this is not for my Facebook Fans, my Twitter Followers or anyone except my newsletter subscribers. As always, they are my Preferred Customers and are automatically entered in all give-a-ways. If you are already a subscriber you are already entered in this and all future give-a-ways. Pretty good deal isn't it?

I send out just six newsletters a year and never abuse the privilege.

To subscribe, use the form in the right side column of this blog. Or enter here.

I've switched newsletter service providers and you'll now be receiving my newsletter in full color with photos right in the text--no more having to click links to see photos of what I'm working on. Those few subscribers who still have dial-up internet will be able to view a plain text version.

Thanks so much to all my loyal customers. I really appreciate you!

Sue

The best necklace chains and cords

2011-04-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

When it comes to necklace chains and cords I'm very particular. They MUST be comfortable to wear! I stock a selection of high quality chains and cords and plenty of pendants in my on-line shop:

Necklace chains, cords and pendants

Also look for my magnetic converter clasps which change hard to work clasps into easy to fasten magnetic ones. These are very strong.

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2011-04-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

Normally $13.50. This week $11.50.

Baroque pearl and carved jade brass bookmark

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2011-03-31T15:20:00.000-05:00


Fancy jasper and amethyst memory wire bracelet set

Normally $23.50. This week $13.50.

NEW items!

2011-03-24T14:01:00.000-05:00

Want a little drama that is not too much for simple summer styles?

Gorgeous iridescent glass or gemstone teardrop earrings set off with black wire

Simple iridescent glass teardrop earrings with sterling silver or gold filled wire

New Items!

2011-03-05T14:50:00.000-06:00

I've been making more of my popular Capstone bracelets. I will be listing a few of them in each of my on-line venues. I concentrate on a color theme for each one.

Foolish Friday

2011-03-04T08:35:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock!

Who's there ?

Baby owl.

Baby owl who?

Baby owl see you as soon as you open up !

This is a photo my husband took of our son, Caleb, and our guide with a little girl and a little owl at Bantey Srei Temple in Cambodia in 2007.

Foolish Friday

2011-02-25T11:02:00.000-06:00

Knock, Knock!

Who's there?

Thermos.

Thermos who?

Thermos be a better knock-knock joke than this !

My husband took this photo this week. It makes me laugh.

Foolish Friday

2011-02-18T09:00:00.000-06:00

Knock knock !

Who's there ?

Argue.

Argue who ?

Argue going to let me in or not !

My son Caleb at the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in Utah last weekend.

My husband and son saw approximately 25 bald eagles on their visit.

New Item

2011-02-16T14:54:00.000-06:00

Hand tatted black butterflies with blue Swarovski crystals

These go SO well with all the black and white prints that are the IN thing for Spring!

NEW items!

2011-02-07T12:59:00.000-06:00

6 pastel butterflies $4.75

6 black butterflies $4.75

When I'm not making jewelry, I enjoy tatting by hand. I'm adding a few tatted items in my shops. These butterflies are perfect for spring and can be used for card crafting, scrapbooking, decorating clothing and for party supplies and hair clips. I'll also be adding some tatted jewelry so check back soon!

Foolish Friday

2011-02-04T17:02:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !

Who's there ?

Genoa.

Genoa who ?

Genoa any good knock knock jokes ?

Picture of a flying machine Caleb drew. I might have it upside down . . .

Copper earrings $10 every day!

2011-02-01T11:02:00.000-06:00

Foolish Friday

2011-01-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !
Who's there ?
Lionel.
Lionel who ?
Lionel bite you if you put your head in its mouth !

Lion origami that Caleb made

How To: Make a window fan shade

2011-01-26T14:46:00.000-06:00

My son has one of those half moon shaped windows in his room. Custom blinds for these things are very expensive. The best option I found was something called a Redi Shade you can buy at Lowes or other places for 20 something dollars and cut to size, but it comes in basic white and needs to be stuck down with velcro. This window is better uncovered in winter so that light and warmth come into the room, but in summer the sun just beats in due to a western exposure. I wanted something I can remove in winter and replace in summer without dealing with adhesive velcro strips.

This window is 22 inches high and 46 inches wide so it's not a perfect semi-circle. And the arch is something like 6 ft so I knew I needed a long piece of paper to make a fan for it. Rolls of wall paper were not wide enough. I went to a teaching supply store and got a roll of 48 inch by 12 ft paper that is used to cover bulletin boards. This one has a cloud design, but they had many colors and patterns. This cost about $8.50. It also comes in different sized rolls both larger and smaller.

At a building supply store I bought two wooden slats 1 1/2 inches wide by 2 ft long for $1 each and painted them to match. These attach to the ends of the fan to weigh it down and hold it in place in the window. These were cut to just under 22 inches and I drilled a hole in one end for a ribbon to go through later.

The roll of paper is long and wants to roll back up so you need to weigh it down to work with it. I cut 5 inches off the width so that when folded in half it would be just under the 22 inches (height of the window).

I found I couldn't work on a tabletop to fold the 12 foot roll in half (so that the finished fan would be double sided) because it kept wanting to roll up. I needed a long stretch of floor to work.

Live and learn: it would have been MUCH easier to work with a single thickness instead of double. Also, I should have used double sided tape and sealed all three open edges before trying to fold it into a fan. If I did it again I would definitely not fold it, but only use one layer of paper.

I used my quilting ruler and a bone folder to impress guide lines every 2 inches so that I could fold it evenly. This took a long time! I didn't want to use a pencil since I wanted this to be double sided.

I used white glue to stick the wooden slats to the ends of the fan.

I used a hole punch and stick on hole reinforcements to make a path to string ribbon through to gather the fan. The ribbon also went through the holes that I drilled in the wooden slats.

Foolish Friday

2011-01-21T08:08:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !

Who's there ?

Sadie.

Sadie who ?

Sadie Pledge of Allegiance.

I'm volunteering for the art docent program at my son's elementary school. The kids just completed this project in the style of Henri Rousseau making "naive" art pieces that demonstrate foreground, middle ground and background.

Have you seen these?

2011-01-19T09:00:00.000-06:00

I guess I'm behind the times, but I didn't know about these little things until we had an energy audit done by the gas company recently. They are little foam pads that you place inside the outlets on your exterior walls to insulate them. I just purchased a pack of 6 for $1.97 at Lowes. The energy auditor said they would pay for themselves in no time with energy savings. Find them with the weather striping and insulating supplies at your hardware store. They also have them to fit light switch plates.

The exterior walls of your home should be completely filled with insulation, but the outlet box itself takes up most of the wall space leaving very little insulation between it and the outside wall. Also, if you have sheet insulation instead of blow-in insulation in the exterior walls it's very likely the installer didn't get the little spaces around the outlet filled in very well. On a cold day feel the outlet cover and then the wall beside it. If there is even a little difference in the temperature you are loosing heat (or air conditioning) through the outlet. On the day we had our energy audit, despite the fact we have nice blown-in insulation in the walls, there was nearly a 10 degree difference in the temperature of the outlet and the wall right next to it. All these little "holes in the envelope" suck the warmth right out of your home through conductivity even if they aren't drafty. Most rooms have at least one outlet on every exterior wall. Some of my rooms have several.

These inexpensive foam pads can help quite a bit and only take a minute to install. Who doesn't want to save money on their heating and cooling bills for years to come?

Just remove the outlet cover with a regular screw driver, place the foam pad inside and replace the cover. You will normally just install these in exterior walls unless you know that wiring for interior wall outlets goes through an uninsulated attic space (through a garage or above attic insulation) which can conduct heat or cold temps through the conduits to your outlet.

While you are at it, be sure and check the insulation on your attic hatch. You can loose 10% of heat in your home through a non (or poorly) insulated attic hatch. That's a lot of money and it's an easy fix anyone can make for $5-10.

NEW items!

2011-01-18T15:26:00.000-06:00

The color of these beads is truly beautiful and would be amazing on anyone with cocoa/chocolate skin color, but pretty on anyone with cool skin tones as well.

Cocoa Rose necklace

Cocoa Rose bracelet

Link both pieces together to form a longer necklace!

NEW item!

2011-01-17T09:00:00.000-06:00

When I was in Beijing, I went to the outdoor market and haggled for several carved jade pendants. This adorable Chinese dog pendant with carved clouds over it is one of them. I got the pearls in the same trip at the pearl market. I think this is a stunning piece and perfect for any dog lover.

Chinese carved jade dog pendant necklace with large lustrous pearls

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2011-01-15T13:45:00.000-06:00

Red Berries Earrings

Normally $13.50. This week $9.50.

Foolish Friday

2011-01-14T08:44:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Shell.

Shell Who ?

Shell be comin' 'round the mountain when she comes . . .

Caleb's origami shell

Organizing: Great way to save your paint

2011-01-13T15:13:00.000-06:00

This is a tip I learned from my brother who is a house painter by trade. When he is done painting for a client he pours some of the the leftover paint into a plastic water bottle, puts a little water on top (for water based paints) to seal the paint and keep it from drying out and replaces the lid. His clients can easily pour off a little paint for touch ups. They love it.

I've done almost the same thing re-using a 50 oz Seventh Generation laundry soap bottle. The labels are easy to remove and I'm left with a sturdy bottle that will hold a little less than half a gallon. It has a wide mouth to make it easy to pour the paint in (I didn't even need a funnel) and to stir it later. It has a removable pour spout which should be very convenient when I need the paint again. Like most detergent bottles it has slits around the bottom of the pour spout so the excess paint will drain back into the bottle when it's poured. I poured in a little water to seal the top like my brother does.

Label the bottle very clearly. You can dab a little of the paint on so you can see the color just like they do at the paint store. Then be sure and label it with the brand of paint, the exact type of paint base it is and the exact formula for tinting the paint in case you ever need more. Be sure and get all those details right because one brand's Interior Satin will not be the same as another brand's and each brand has it's standard and premium and various other bases that are all different and will tint differently.

I can now store all those half-used up gallons of paint in less than half the space I did before and they are all ready when I need them.

New Items!

2011-01-10T14:39:00.000-06:00

Matching 18 inch peacock baroque freshwater pearl necklace set and 8" bracelet. Hand-knotted by me on a double strand of black silk thread. Beautiful iridescence!

Peacock pearl bracelet


Peacock pearl necklace set

I have used the same style clasp on both the necklace and bracelet so that you can link them together to make a long necklace if you choose.

Foolish Friday

2011-01-07T15:25:00.000-06:00

Knock knock !
Who's there ?

Plane.

Plane who ?
Plane dumb won't save you !

Caleb says this is his drawing of a plane that has never been seen before.

Pretty Pendants

2011-01-04T18:08:00.000-06:00

Pendants Chains and Clasps

How I spent my Christmas vacation

2010-12-30T12:30:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas !

2010-12-25T08:33:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Sue Runyon Designs. God Bless you and your family!

My brother lives near the Blenko glass factory. Each year he sends me something from there. This is what came this year.

Foolish Friday

2010-12-24T09:00:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Amory!
Amory who?
Amory Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Caleb 2009

Our tree this year

2010-12-23T09:00:00.000-06:00

White spruce that my husband and son cut at a tree farm this year. A lot of it had to be trimmed so that it wouldn't hit the ceiling at it was 14 ft when they brought it in. I like a tree with open branches. We collect trinkets from our travels around the world to use as ornaments on our tree. I thought I'd photograph a few this year.

ornaments from Peru

Ornaments from Alaska and Hawaii

Ornaments from Cambodia

Homemade ornaments, from Asia, ornaments with special meaning & Caleb with his own small tree and ornament collection

This year for Christmas

2010-12-22T13:28:00.000-06:00

Dancing butterflies copper handcrafted necklace

This year for Christmas

2010-12-21T09:11:00.000-06:00

candy cane and copper ornament $4.75

This year for Christmas

2010-12-20T13:34:00.000-06:00

Hand tatted cranberry color ornament with jade bead $5.00

Foolish Friday

2010-12-10T21:03:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !

Who's there ?

Lionel.

Lionel who?

Lionel get you no where. Better tell the truth !

My son, Caleb, went on a field trip on the bus this week and sat by a little boy who told him about all the different types of aliens he's seen in his backyard (ahem). Caleb couldn't wait to get home and draw them.

Treat the Birds

2010-12-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

House finch enjoying our homemade bird treats

In cold winter months birds need extra fats in their diet to help keep them warm. These homemade bird treats are a great way to give them the nutrition they need and I whenever I've made these the birds have really loved it.

Caleb and I made these the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and we're seeing more and more types of birds every day: two types of juncos, house finches, magpies, a downy woodpecker, rufus sided tohees, scrub jays, vireos, flickers, chickadees and a couple new types that we haven't looked up yet.

These make great Christmas gifts if you want to give a little something to your neighbors.

My little mad scientist in his bathrobe mixing bird treats. I'm not entirely sure why the 3D glasses were necessary.

HOMEMADE BIRD TREATS

1 1/2 lbs beef lard (cooking oil section of the grocery store)
2 1/2 lbs peanut butter (one large jar)
2 1/2 lbs corn meal (can find 2 1/2 lb boxes--often in the Mexican food aisle)
2 1/2 lbs corn grits (or substitute part bird seed mix)
plastic sandwich bags or waxed paper

Melt the lard on high and then turn down to medium. Add peanut butter and melt it. Mix in corn meal and corn grits (or part bird seed). This will resemble no-bake cookie mixture.

Fill plastic sandwich bags up to 1 1/2 inches from the top, seal them and lay flat on a cookie sheet and place in refrigerator to solidify. Store in frig or freezer. This size fits pretty well in most of those little black cages for suet cakes you can buy for birds--you may have to trim the edges a bit, but then you just put the trimmings in the cage too.

OR

Line a baking pan with waxed paper and fill to about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch deep. Put in refrigerator to solidfy and then cut into pieces to fit into a suet cage. Store in frig or freezer.

Yield 9 lbs (5-6 large cakes). Can be doubled, but then you may need to divide it to stir.

Downy woodpecker

Magpie--they are so big they have trouble getting to the feeder cage, but they are determined!

Chickadee who thinks he's a bat.

Foolish Friday

2010-12-03T10:07:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !
Who's there ?
Ammonia.
Ammonia who ?
Ammonia little kid !


Caleb's drawing "Attack of the 50 foot caterpillar." Notice he put a bracket with 80 ft marked on the mushroom so you can compare it to the caterpillar. I'm not really sure what the thing is that the caterpillar is attacking. I think it might be an elephant. I believe he got the scale right.

Icicle Enchantment

2010-12-01T11:17:00.000-06:00

View out of our side window toward the Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island. My son, Caleb, is delighted with the icicles.

Icicle earrings

Sunrise Thanksgiving morning view from the front of our house. No, nothing was on fire :-) .


Snowball pendant - I also have matching earrings

NEW item

2010-11-27T14:58:00.000-06:00

Did you ever need a necklace that can handle most accessorizing situations? You can get multiple looks with just this one set. Stash this in your desk at work for those days you left the house without time for jewelry. Necklace comes with all these pendants which you can also wear with other bead strands, cords or chains.


Necklace comes with all these pendants or wear it alone.

Coral convertible necklace--FOUR looks in one necklace!


Or wear the pendants with my Perfect Black Necklace Cord for THREE more looks!

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-11-26T10:06:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Sarah.

Sarah who ?

Sarah doctor in the house ?

Caleb's (age 9) picture he drew this week of a house with a lot going on. I don't think I can explain it all, but there is a lion with a dog house, a laser zapping ants on the ground, a tree on fire, electricity arcing between antennae connected to the door knob and I have no idea what else. Caleb wants to be a mad scientist. You might need a doctor at this house! Maybe we shouldn't have let him watch "Despicable Me" and "Igor."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING !

2010-11-25T09:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Sue Runyon Designs!

Remember you can save 15% on all orders $50 or more by using the discount code HAPPY15 now through Dec 10!

Sue

My Sale Starts NOW!

2010-11-22T13:06:00.000-06:00

Receive 15% off your purchase of $50 or more. Use the coupon code:

HAPPY15

at checkout on My Website, my Etsy Shop or my Artfire Shop.

Oriental and Asian themed items are extremely fashionable right now. I have many to choose from. These are just a few:

Carnelian Dragon necklace set

Celadon and Coral necklace

Copper and blue china bird earrings

Cinnabar and amazonite bracelet

Bookmark pearl and jade

Metalsmithing part 2

2010-11-20T13:59:00.000-06:00

This week I finished the last of 8, two hour metalsmithing classes. It was all new to me. I've never held a soldering torch or worked with some of the machinery and tools used in class before. It was great to learn a little about it and I'm thinking of ways to incorporate what I have learned into my designs.

I missed one class, but these two projects are the only ones that I managed to (almost) complete in 7 weeks. There is a lot to learn. I have new respect for metalwork. I'm definitely going to get set up to drill holes in metal. I think that one skill will open up a whole new world of possibilities for my designs. As for the soldering torch . . . maybe not quite yet.

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-11-19T12:48:00.000-06:00

Knock knock !
Who’s there ?
Scott.
Scott who ?
Scott nothing to do with you!

Drawing my son, Caleb did for a project in school this week on the book Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. The little spirals in the ocean are vortices by the way.

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2010-11-16T10:32:00.000-06:00

Three copper and crackled glass dragonfly ornaments in your choice of colors for the price of two!

Find a listing for Buy 2 Get 3 on my Website, my Etsy Shop or my Artfire Shop.

Foolish Friday

2010-11-12T10:14:00.000-06:00

Knock Knock !
Who's there ?

Europe.

Europe who ?
Europe'ning the door too slow, hurry up !

Caleb's drawing of a dragon--the thing under it's tail is a gemstone at the entrance to it's cave in case you were wondering.

What I made in my marathon class

2010-11-07T10:54:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took a class on learning to set stones in wire wrapped settings. The class was 11 1/2 hours long. Exhausting. I came away having made this pendant. I love the crazy lace agate stone and chose a simple setting for it so that the stone is the star of the piece.

I'm looking forward to using my newly learned skills in my upcoming designs.

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-11-05T08:55:00.000-05:00

Knock! Knock !
Who's there ?
Wevill.
Wevill who ?
Wevill Wevill Rock you !

My son, Caleb's, drawing of a bug he made this week (it's not a wevill).

Try these for Thanksgiving !

2010-11-03T10:45:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is sneaking up on us. Have you started getting ready? Are you hosting this year?

Find these perfect Thanksgiving stemware charms at my website, my Etsy Shop or my Artfire Store. Links are in the side column.

Other items you might like for yourself or your hostess on Thanksgiving Day:

Copper acorn bracelet set

Copper Leaves earrings with pink freshwater pearls

Gemstone carved leaf pendant necklace with red agate

Foolish Friday

2010-10-29T09:22:00.000-05:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Snake.

Snake Who ?

Snake a run for it !

Yep, this is my front door and Caleb's Halloween project. He's a nine year old boy so he enjoyed creating this snake wreath tremendously. Martha Stewart Living magazine pictured one with black snakes, but we wanted something a little more cheerful. The paint chips underneath are colors I'm considering painting my front door--feel free to leave a comment.

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2010-10-28T14:48:00.000-05:00


Red Agate "Caramel" and black wire earrings.

Normally $13.00. This week $10.00.

Find these on my website, my Etsy Store or my Artifire Shop. Links are at the right.

First Snow !

2010-10-25T12:26:00.000-05:00

I just had to share this picture taken from my front porch this morning. We had a rainy and blustery night and woke up to this. We've just had a few flakes down here in the valley, but it's coming.

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-10-22T11:06:00.000-05:00

Knock knock !
Who's there ?
Mice.
Mice who ?
Mice to meet you !

Your eyes do not deceive you. There are little white mice going up my stair rail. I brought home a bag of white "squishy" rubber mice from the Halloween store (where I went to get rubber snakes--more on that in another post). I put them on the mantle for my son to discover. He "decorated" the bathroom sink with them and then his dad moved them to his bathroom. They've been roaming our house en masse ever since. I think we have a new October tradition.

Update on Gardening

2010-10-20T15:33:00.000-05:00

Those of you who have been following my blog know that we moved from Nevada to Utah this summer. We purchased a house that needs some work and which has an overgrown/neglected yard. We are slowly making the changes and repairs we want to make. Many aren't worth photographing. A lot of light fixtures have been or are in the process of being changed or changed out. We're getting odds and ends of things done. The garage has been mostly organized and now my husband can actually park his truck in there for the winter. Some pictures are finally getting put on the walls, shelves have been added, all the closets and guest room have been painted and a bunch of yard work has been done. This week the energy audit guy is coming to inspect the house and give us advice.

Here are a few changes I have pictures of from my flower bed project. I'm afraid they aren't very spectacular as they are mostly pictures of dirt.

Before. Front door area.

After. This was all grass and weeds. Now it's waiting for spring planting. I put some bulbs in too. This bed wraps around two sides of the house--see following pictures.

After. Terraced and waiting for spring planting.

Waiting for spring planting. Once plants are in I will mulch it all. This was all grass and weeds and lumps of decomposing landscape fabric and mulch, roots and construction rubble.

I dug up sad looking irises from too shady places in the yard and replanted them here. I hope they look perkier in the spring.


I dug up this black edging and recycled it from other places and greatly increased the size of the flower beds. We're trying to get rid of some of the grass. This bed was half grass and mostly weeds and rocks. Now it's rich with compost and ready for spring planting. This bed will get herbs since it's close to the back door and kitchen. The sickly mum and coral bells were there already.

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-10-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Knock, Knock !
Who's there ?
Wire.
Wire who ?
Wire you asking ?

Beautiful drawing by our Compassion International Sponsor child in Thailand--a 9 year old girl.

Foolish Friday

2010-10-08T09:53:00.000-05:00

Here's a Knock Knock joke in French for a change ☺

Toc-toc !
Qui est là ?
“S”
“S” qui ?
“S”cargot !

My crazy son last week.

Metalsmithing

2010-10-07T14:45:00.000-05:00

I've started taking a metalsmithing class to further my education on techniques for my designs. I'm not sure how much of it will make it's way into my jewelry line as the equipment is mostly very expensive and some of it is a bit scary and requires having a workshop space that's not easy to burn down. However, it is very interesting.

Copper ring after my first class. The strip of gold paper was what I used to measure my finger and I was given a flat strip of copper to begin with and had to solder it with a torch.


My ring after my second class all filed, sanded and buffed.

Next week I begin a project using a coping saw to cut out sheets of metal into a design and then will be using an overlay solder technique to sandwich pieces together. I'm thinking of doing a gingko leaf design.

Foolish Friday

2010-10-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Candy.

Candy who?

Candy cow jump over the moon ?

My son, Caleb's origami rocket. It did look a lot better, but it got played with.

Eco Friendly Laundry part 2: Bleaching and Boosters

2010-09-30T12:08:00.000-05:00

This is the second in my series on Eco Friendly Laundry. You can find my first post here:

Eco Friendly Laundry part 1: Washing

As I mentioned last time, I've been making my own non toxic cleaners or buying earth friendly versions for years, but I've never managed to convert many others even though I've touted the benefits of how much better my products work than those old toxic standbys. So last time I started using scare tactics.
Not my usual style, but, hey, I'm not making this stuff up! This week we continue on that frightening journey by talking about bleaches and laundry boosters.

So let's start with a few basic facts (which aren't necessarily all related, but you'll get the idea):

According to a 15 year study given at the Toronto Indoor Air Conference in 1990, women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work outside the home.

Indoor air quality is usually 25-100% worse than outdoor air quality.

Many of the chemicals in your indoor air can build up in your body over time.

Nearly a quarter of all calls to poison control centers are about chlorine bleach.

Chlorine bleach has been linked to reproductive and immune disorders.

Chlorine bleach fumes make respiratory conditions such as asthma worse (no surprise there to anyone who's ever smelled bleach).

Chlorine bleach is corrosive. That's no surprise either, but it's not much good for your washer, your plumbing or the elastic in your undies. And it's definitely not a good idea for skin. I used to clean the educational building at our church which housed a day care center. The counters where they changed the babies' diapers by law had to be sprayed with bleach solution after every use. They were Formica and the surface was pitted and worn from the bleach and very hard to clean. Constant bleach use will make many surfaces more porous (so why do they put it in surface cleaners?).

Chlorine bleach is not a chemical that is normally found in nature. It is an unstable substance that mixes readily with other substances to form some pretty nasty chemical by products.

We all know that chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia produces a highly toxic gas, but not many of us know that chlorine bleach mixed with anything acidic (vinegar, wine, etc) also produces toxic gas. If you've been bleaching the puddle the dog left on the tile to disinfect, it's really not a good thing.

Chlorine bleach mixed with some substances can form highly toxic dioxin, a carcinogenic chemical, which takes years to break down in the environment. From my research, it is unclear if this can happen in a household environment, but it can happen in the paper bleaching industry--a good reason to buy unbleached paper products.

Chlorine bleach mixed with certain organic materials can produce chloroform. Also, seems like this one can happen in the manufacturing of bleached paper and yet there are conflicting reports as to whether it can happen in the home.

Chlorine is used to make mustard gas. Some reports say that mixing it with dish detergent in the home can make a form of mustard gas.

and finally, the one that the bleach industry really doesn't want you to know about . . . .

Chlorine bleach causes many fabrics to turn yellow.

Yeah, I'm not making that up. Google it.

GASP!

So how are we supposed to keep our whites white and our colors bright? Well, die-hard environmentalists will tell you to hang your whites on a clothes line and let the sun bleach it while keeping your brights in the shade, but I know not everyone will do that, let's explore some alternatives.

Let's ignore the whole bleach issue at first and talk about just plain getting your clothes really clean. And therein lies the problem. Why not just use a really good laundry soap that gets your clothes clean and fresh instead of having to first treat for stains, then wash and bleach and soften and "perfume"? Good point, right? Well, in a perfect world that would work. In a perfect world your water will be nice and soft, you'd have the best washer on the market, your kids wouldn't play in the grass on their knees and no one in your family would spill or sweat, and all of your clothes would have the same fiber content and dyes would be stable, and . . . . you get the picture. Laundry product makers just can't make any one product that works for all those variables. They really try, which is why the big commercial brands have crazy things like optical brighteners in them which fool the eye into thinking that your t-shirt is brighter and whiter than it really is. I'd personally rather have a t-shirt that is actually clean than one that just looks like it is. I'd rather have a t-shirt that smells nice simply because it lacks bad odors rather than one that smells nice because it has synthetic fragrance on it.

To get something really clean you first must consider the type of water you have. Is it soft or hard water? Most people have hard water. If you have hard water (and really even if you don't) you want to use a laundry booster. Laundry boosters condition your water so that your laundry soap just works so much better. Even if you have soft water laundry boosters are helpful in lifting stains and getting out smells.

Baking soda aka bicarbonate of soda can be found naturally although most of the stuff we buy is man made. Find it in the baking aisle of the grocery store. We all know it's great at removing odors and safe since you can even use it to brush your teeth. This is the mildest of the laundry boosters you can buy. It's alkaline, but mild enough to handle without gloves.

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral compound which has been mined and used by people for thousands of years. My family recently toured the ruins of borax mines in Death Valley California where they would haul the borax out with wagons hitched to a team of 20 mules--thus the brand name of "20 Mule Team Borax." Borax is more alkaline than baking soda and care should be taken to keep it off your skin and away from children. Because it's stronger it is also really good at killing germs, softening your water and removing stains. I use it in some of my stronger homemade cleaning solutions. Use according to package directions. Borax makes a great toilet bowl cleaner by the way.

Washing soda aka soda ash (not to be confused with washing powder) is also a naturally occurring mineral compound or it can be man made. It is a very alkaline compound which is so strong that it can also be used to strip wax off of floors and is great at getting out petroleum based stains. If you have a grease monkey in your family this might be the perfect booster for you. Once again, avoid getting it on your skin and keep it away from children. It can be found in the laundry aisle at most grocery stores and used according to package directions.

Before you rush out to buy a laundry booster, keep reading.

~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~ ~:~

But what about bleach? Well, we already know that chlorine bleach is not the answer so let's talk about oxygen bleach. I know, it sounds just plain silly to think that oxygen could clean anything. But some oxygen bleach is really using hydrogen peroxide to whiten. You know-it's the stuff they use to lighten hair and whiten teeth. OK, now it's making sense right? That's really very much a simplification of the explanation. You wouldn't want to pour liquid hydrogen peroxide on your colored clothing for instance. I'm no chemist (though I am married to one), so let's avoid the chemistry lesson and suffice it to say that most oxygen bleaches have been formulated to be color safe (check the label).

There are different types and brands of oxygen bleaches in both liquid and powder form. I like to keep things simple so I use a product that mixes a laundry booster like those mentioned above with hydrogen peroxide to make a great combination product. The one I use is Oxiclean. It's readily available and I can buy a 15 lb box of it at Costco which lasts me a good long time. You can also go to their website and print off coupons. Once again, it's a alkaline product and should be kept away from children.

How well does it work? Well, some of you know that I take TaeKwonDo. Our uniforms are white and made of a fabric that is very hard to get stains out of once it gets dirty. TaeKwonDo is not exactly a clean sport. We do wrestling and grappling moves on a not too clean floor, we do outdoor demonstrations and we sweat a lot. When the TaeKwonDo Master hands out uniforms he lets everyone know to not use chlorine bleach on them because bleach will cause them to disintegrate rapidly. The result of that is that most of the students run around in dingy grey uniforms. I use Oxiclean on mine and on my son's and ours stay nice and white. The difference is very noticeable.

So, now you have options. You can use a booster and a oxygen bleach or a combination product depending on your needs.

Please note that certain delicate fabrics such as some silks and wools should be washed with only the mildest of laundry soaps and these stronger additives should not be used on them.

Next time we'll delve into the wild and wacky work of stain removal.

Sue

TODAY'S SPECIAL

2010-09-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

SPIRAL post gemstone earrings regularly $10-14 each. NOW $4 off of two pairs ($2 each pair). Refund given on your Paypal after purchase.

moss agate

amazonite

black onyx

new jade

tigereye

turquoise

blue howlite

Find these on My Website or in my Etsy Shop.

Foolish Friday

2010-09-24T08:35:00.000-05:00

Knock Knock !
Who's there ?
Dewey.
Dewey who ?
Dewey have to go to school today ?

This is a time machine by my son Caleb 9/10. He is determined that he will make one some day.

Eco Friendly Laundry part 1: Washing

2010-09-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

For years I have been giving away my recipes and tips for eco friendly and money saving cleaning products to anyone who wants them. In fact, I offer my best ones on my website for all to share. But in all this time I haven't had many converts that I know of. I can personally vouch for how inexpensive and easy they are to make and how wonderful they are to use and how they surprisingly work better than all those nasty smelling, harsh expensive, commercial products I bought for years. But I've always just touted the benefits.

What I have failed to do all these years is the fire and brimstone preaching equivalent of gaining converts. I've never bothered to use the scare tactics of harsh reality. And truthfully, that's not my style and I don't really want to start now. But there are a few facts that you ought to know about the products that you are bringing into your home and using in your own personal environment, on your garments, on your bedding and towels and dinner napkins and everything else in your home that you and your family are in nearly constant contact with day in and day out.

This is the first in a five part series on Eco Friendly Laundry.

I must admit that I don't make my own laundry detergent. It's not quite as easy to do as making some other products if you like liquid detergents though it is possible. Dry laundry soap is easier to make, but me and my machine prefer liquid so I buy it. Read on for my recommendation.

FACT: Did you know that makers of laundry soap, softeners, bleaching agents, household cleaners, etc are NOT required by law to disclose what their products contain? Nope, they aren't. They may list some of the ingredients on the bottle, but they don't have to fully disclose what's in there. Sometimes they are protecting their secret recipes. Sometimes they just don't want you to know. Most eco-friendly brands voluntarily list ALL of the ingredients.

LAUNDRY SOAP vs. LAUNDRY DETERGENT:

Most commercial laundry cleaning products are DETERGENTS. Detergents by definition are petroleum based. Petroleum based products are slow to biodegrade. SOAPS on the other hand are plant based. They biodegrade much more quickly. Eco friendly laundry cleaning products are generally soap.

The used water that drains from your washer doesn't just go to the treatment plant to be treated and then returned to the system. Waste water treatment is not a closed system. Some water is released back into the environment and the treatments used cannot break down many of the chemicals used in making laundry detergents. They are released into an eco system that is not designed to deal with them. The water that is not released back into the environment does go right back to you and all your neighbors.

Eco-friendly brands contain highly effective plant based enzymes or ethanol instead solvents for removing stains. Solvents are harsh on the eco-system (your family is part of the eco-system). Traditional detergents also usually contain synthetic fragrances many of which have been proven harmful to marine life or have been found to be carcinogenic. The big commercial brands are heavy on surfactants some of which can mimic hormones in the bloodstream or can damage the immune system.

SIDE NOTE: Thankfully, the use of phosphates in laundry detergents has been banned for some time, but they are still used in some of your other cleaning products such as dishwasher detergent. Phosphates are basically fertilizer which end up in waterways causing excess growth of algae and water plants which deplete the oxygen and kill fish and wildlife. Phosphates are so bad that several states are now adopting a voluntary ban on them in dishwasher detergents as well.

I know you aren't ingesting your laundry detergent, but putting anything on or against your skin can cause it to enter your bloodstream if the particles are small enough. That's why applying a muscle rub like Aspercreme topically can ease the pain of the underlying muscles by sending the asprin it contains right to the effected muscles. That's why taking a nice hot bath with Epsom salts can almost magically sooth sore muscles. The magnesium in the salts enters your bloodstream. Sure, you can also take a magnesium supplement, but soaking in a bath of magnesium salts gives your skin direct contact all over your body and works much faster than ingesting the magnesium. Any residue left from your laundry products is on your clothes, your towels, your bedding, the air you breathe and some of it can certainly can enter your body.

Got your attention now?

BUT . . .

You've been using the same detergent for years and you know how it works, you like how it smells, you can pick it up while you shop for groceries . . . .

OR . . .

You buy whatever is on sale or you have a coupon for and those swishy eco-friendly products are more expensive and there are never any sales or coupons.

OR . . .

How can these things even clean well if they are so "gentle" to the environment?

To the first and last argument, I say just give it a try. When I tried it I was very pleasantly surprised because even though I was using less of the concentrated formula and it was unscented my clothes looked and even smelled cleaner. The brand I buy is available in almost every grocery store chain.

To those worried about your budget, take a look at the number of loads that the expensive little bottle of eco friendly detergent will wash. Compare price per load rather than price per container. And go on-line and you'll very likely find a coupon to print off. My favorite brand has an on-line coupon club. If your sale brand still comes out ahead in the price department consider if those few cents per load are worth it.

And what is my favorite brand? For years I have been using Seventh Generation. It's one of the most available brands out there so you're sure to be able to find it. I liked it so well from the start that I admit I haven't tried many other brands. It works equally as well on delicates as it does on dirty gardening clothes and my sweaty TaeKwonDo uniform so it's the only thing I buy. It comes in liquid and powder and does go on sale sometimes.

I did also try the Costco brand of eco-friendly detergent. The price was nice but I was highly disappointed to discover it contained a lot of synthetic fragrance.

P.S. I also use Seventh Generation dishwashing liquid. They also have a wonderful Blog and if you become their friend on their Facebook Page you'll receive an update every time there is a new post.

Check in next time for the second post in the five part series which will be on bleaches.

Featured Artist: Joy of JoyfulHandKnits

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

Joy and her husband Pat last spring on their 33rd wedding anniversary

I'd like to introduce you to Joy who is a team mate of mine on the Christian Artist Street Team on Etsy. Joy has a great Etsy shop called JoyfulHandKnits and I love to browse her latest handcrafted creations. Joy specializes in handknit cable beanies, ruffled scarves, socks (I can personally vouch for the socks ☺ ), little girl's ponchos and more.

Ruffle Scarf - Mohair Wool Blend - Turquoise Red Green Blue Yellow

Handspun Knitted Cable Beanie Hat -Tuscan Delight

Little Girl's Poncho - Lightweight Cotton in Pistachio Green

Hand Knit Socks, Wool Blend - Dusty Aqua

Wool - Soy Knitted Cable Beanie Hat - A Beautiful Pink Rose

Be sure and visit Joy's shop. She's now taking custom order requests for Christmas and she's even looking into making special Christmas ornaments that are knitted--be sure and check back (if you can get them before I do).

Autumn Inspiration

2010-09-18T18:04:00.000-05:00

All these items and more are available on-line at suerunyondesigns.com or in my Etsy Shop.

Sue

Foolish Friday

2010-09-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Daisy.

Daisy Who ?

Daisy that you are in, but I don't believe them.

hummingbird drawn by my son, Caleb 09-12-10 to send to our Compassion International sponsor child in Thailand

Organizing: do you have a kid kit?

2010-09-15T15:51:00.000-05:00

Do you have young kids or grandkids who you take to the park, walk around the neighborhood with, walk to school or go anywhere outside with?

When I started taking my son to the park I realized that I needed a lightweight "kit" that would fit in a small pouch that I could "grab and go" and would contain all those little items that I inevitably needed and never had.

Years later and I'm still grabbing it as we head out the door. And it doesn't come in handy just for us. I'm always handing out wipes, tissues, bandages and things to other moms who need them. Even when I need to take a tote bag with other items, this just gets thrown in.

Any "hands free" wristlet, small shoulder bag or belt pack will work. It's especially good if it's weather proof.

My kit contains:

a pack of tissues
bandages
neosporin
lip balm
travel size sunscreen
a small memo pad
pen
business cards
a few coins and a couple of dollar bills
individually packaged wet wipes
small pill box for pain reliever (in case of headache)

and it's big enough for my keys, cell phone, Ipod or sunglasses

I still use my kit when I walk my son to and from school twice a day and he's 9. It's much more convenient than taking my purse. My pouch converts from a small shoulder bag to fit around my waist by latching the strap on a different way.

Today I chaperoned my son's field trip and, sure enough, he had a nosebleed and I had the tissues and wet wipes right there. Then another girl scraped her knee and I was prepared for that too. I even had a pen handy for checking off the list of kids getting on the bus to make sure we had everyone and I had wet wipes to clean hands before the sack lunch at the park.

My son (in blue) and other kids enjoying their field trip to the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area

New Items!

2010-09-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

Beautiful new pieces in turquoise and copper. Turquoise really pops with fall colors!

Find these in my Etsy.com Shop.

Foolish Friday

2010-09-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Knock Knock !

Who's There ?

Repeat.

Repeat who ?

Who Who Who !

My son's recent drawing of a hummingbird he is sending to the little girl in Peru we sponsor through Compassion International who likes hummingbirds.