A quick canning tutorial

     I just got back from Mamaw and Pop's farm (this is what the kids call my parents).  While I was there we picked buckets full of peppers and some okra from the garden.  Pop and I decided to can the peppers and okra.  Mamaw would usually be part of the canning process too, but she is recuperating from surgery after a bad fall left her with a broken wrist. 
     Canning peppers and okra are some of the easiest to do.  I thought I would share the process with you.

Fresh peppers out of the garden. Bell peppers, banana peppers, and jalapeno

     Pop and I picked the peppers, washed them and removed the seeds and membrane of the pepper.  My oldest daughter Alanna helped me cut them into bite size pieces.  We then washed the canning jars since they had been stored awhile. After the jars were washed we filled them with the cut peppers, it helps if you place a folded cup towel on the table or counter and tap the jar on top of the folded cup towel to help shift the peppers tightly into the jar.
     My youngest daughter Andella did most of the tapping, she is 10 years old and that part was entertaining to her.  You keep filling the jars and tapping until you reach with in one inch of the top and then gently push the peppers so they are tight in the jar without crushing them.

     While you are filling the jars bring to a boil cider vinegar, (the kind you buy at the grocery in gallon jugs for under $2.00).  You will need approx. the same amount of liquid per total jar contents that you have.  (For example we made 11 quarts and used a little over 2 gallons of vinegar.)  Add to the top of each filled quart jar 2 Tbsp. of canning salt, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder or a clove of garlic, and 1 tsp. of fresh dried dill (Mamaw dries hers from the garden).  When the vinegar comes to a boil fill the jar to the top with the vinegar allowing it time to fill the spaces in the jar.  Then the BIG TRICK... put one jar at a time into the microwave for approx. 1 minute until the liquid boils in the jar (watch the first one and make a note of when the liquid boils as microwaves vary). Pull out of the microwave (CAREFULLY, CONTENTS ARE HOT) put a new canning lid and a good canning ring that is free of rust and not bent and tighten as tight as possible by hand.  Please note you can use canning jars a hundred times, canning rings several times, but you should only use lids once.  Turn upside down for 2 hours.  Wait one week before eatting, they will last up to 6 months if you haven't already enjoyed them.  Refrigerate after opening.

After filling with hot vinegar turn upside down to help seal the jar

Finished product, the one in the front has okra and peppers

These are so pretty and great on salads, this is a mild version.  They could be hotter if more jalapeno's were used or if you leave in the seeds it increases the heat factor.

A recap of ingredience per quart of peppers:
Enough peppers to fill jar
2 Tbsp. of canning salt
1/2 tsp of garlic powder or a clove of garlic
1 tsp. of dried dill


You could add onion, or okra if desired.


ENJOY!

As seen in Bead Trends Magazine

 

 

Once again I am so excited that I have beads in a popular bead magazine.  I love Bead Trends Magazine, it is one of my favorite magazines.  It is so full of beautiful designs, I have a stack of them and always enjoy looking at the photos and being inspired.  The best thing about the magazine is that in the back they list the resources for the pieces featured.  Lucky me... one of my customers Shannon Chomanczuk, had several of her pieces included in the July, 2012 issue.  Two of them featured my pottery beads. Shannon has a great eye for design, and you can see her lovely pieces in her shop For My Sweet Daughter or follow her on her blog . 
This is the beautiful piece Shannon created with my focal bead.  I love the rich colors.  I have this bead in many colors and textures in my Etsy shop, and they are curved to hug your wrist.

She also created this fun necklace with beads and leather, my little copper link was used as part of the clasp.  I adore turquoise, browns and coppers together.  Shannon made a stunning focal Fleur de Lis by etching copper. The fun multi-strand porcelain bar is by Round Rabbit Extra and the glass lampwork bead is by Nollys folly.

The photo above shows some of my copper links that Shannon used in her design.  Congrats and thanks again Shannon for giving me credit for the pottery beads used in your wonderful designs.

Featured in Jewelry Stringing Magazine

I am so excited to finally see the Summer 2012 issue of Jewelry Stringing Magazine.  One of my fantastic customers Brenda Morris Jarrett made a wonderful bracelet with one of my rust red cuff beads and it is on page 40 of the magazine. Thank you Brenda for giving me credit as the artist of this bead.  The issue is full of fun bracelet designs as well as mixed media pieces.

My rust red cuff bead made into a wonderful bracelet by Brenda Morris Jarrett

The beautiful butterfly piece is made by Cindy Cima Edwards.

On the bottom is the bracelet made with my bead by Brenda Morris Jarrett

 

 

Here is a bracelet in chocolate and cherry also by Cindy Cima Edwards

 

Cindy Cima Edwards who was featured in the Summer 2012 Jewelry Stringing magazine on the cover with her Rustic Butterfly Necklace also made the bracelet above.  The bracelet is called wisdom and was made with one my chocolate cherry beads as the focal bead.  I hope you enjoy these beautiful pieces.

Gone Fishing

I had a great Memorial day weekend with my extended family, and it was my 29th Birthday again. My daddy had just been fishing and caught a huge catfish with his good friend.  The grand kids call my daddy "POP" (on the Right), and we call his friend "Daddy Gray".  They have been fishing buddies for years and my family and I spent many summers on the lake with his family.  Always enjoying good company and lots to eat.

This weekend Daddy fried some of the catfish and we had onion rings made from the onions we pulled from the garden that morning and my momma makes the best hush puppies with little tiny bits of jalopenas cut up inside of them,  wow it was delicious.

We also got to play lots of 42 dominos, a game I love and have been playings since I was a little girl.  The domino playing always comes with plenty of laughter, boasting and teasing but all in good fun.

I just designed a little fish bead and made a fishing bracelet.  I brought it down to show my daddy since he loves fishing he thought it was pretty cool.  I made the little red and white beads look like fishing bobbers and made the chain out of fishing swivels from the sporting goods store.  I had a small piece of multi-gray and blue cord that finished it off perfect.  I love had it turned out,  it brings back memories of all the time I spent as a kid fishing with my family.  I hope you enjoyed Memorial day weekend, it is a nice time to reflect back and be thankful.

Tutorial for toggle bar

I have just made a new style of clasp out of pottery with the option of the designer making their own bar to match their design.  The toggle is made of pottery and there are lots of ways to make a handcrafted bar for the toggle out of the wire but here is one example.  With step by step instructions.

Cut about a 8-9 inch piece of wire that is heavier in gauge, about 16 gauge is good.

Slide a bead (this one is 8mm) on to the wire at about a third of the way.

Fold the wire on either side of the bead as in photo.

With your round nose pliers pinch in the wire below the bead.

Here you can see how the wire should look.

Place your round nose pliers about a half inch from your bead.

Bend the wire to form a hook.

Take your round nose pliers and wrap wire forming a loop.  Trim the short wire to be even with your loop

After the loop is formed hold the loop with flat nose pliers and use needle nose pliers to wrap the tail end of the wire around your toggle bar.  Cut off any extra wire.

Here is the finished piece, add a jump ring to the other hole to attach to your design.

The wire toggle bar finished.

Capture a Moment to create something beautiful and Enjoy!

The pottery pieces are available in my Etsy shop.
 

Perfect for Summer

Spring is here and everything is blooming in Texas.  It is the perfect time for casual wear.  I made a few pendants out of some of my beads and leather.  The designs while simple will look great with boots and jeans or a cute sun dress. I usually don't have the time to make completed pieces but this was a fun diversion from my everyday duties of throwing mud.  One of the pendants features my shabby chic bird series that has been really popular. The little birds and flowers are such a sweet sign of Spring.

I love sunflowers, and this sunflower pendants turned out really nice.  I made some tiny dragonfly beads to accent the sunflower pendants.  I may have to add these as a new bead option soon. 

The carved flower pendant was accented with some beads from my stash.  I like the look of the double jump rings and leather. I left the leather long so it can be tied to different lengths to vary the look.

Hope

Spring is in full bloom here in Texas.  We have mild Winters compared to most of the USA but I always enjoy when Spring returns and the flowers bloom with the hope of a new year.  I photographed the plant my sister gave me for Easter and added this lovely quote about Hope. Capturing the fleeting moment that this flower has to share its beauty.  I am thankful to take them time and enjoy the small gifts that we receive.

One of my customers Sharyl, shared with me that she is using my pottery pieces in a new line she is making called Hope.  She has used my pottery pieces to make earrings and bracelets to help raise funds and awareness for those with rare disorders and illness.  Her sister has a rare autoimmune disorder. Hope for a cure and hope for a better tomorrow are essential for fighting adversity.  What a beautiful way to raise awareness and give to those in need. 

Coral Flat Rectangle Beads

Captured Moments curved bracelet bead in Caribbean Blue

I love how Sharyl used my turquoise bead with the bright orange ribbon in this wrap cuff.

A bracelet I donated to The Global Genes Project that supports and raises awareness of rare diseases and disorders.  The Global Genes Project (GGP) volunteer team is collecting blue jean/denim inspired bracelets for families living with rare disease, the campaign is called “7,000 Bracelets for Hope".
  You can donate a bracelet to them.