Sweet Treats - We Have A Winner...

Homemade Caramels - LOTS of Them!

Handsome and I taste-tested these delicious caramels (made by our younger daughter-in-law) recently, and she shared the recipe with me. So, I decided to make a batch on Saturday.

Ingredients For Homemade Caramels

I pulled out the ingredients (I had enough for four - eventual - batches), grabbed the recipe and got to mixing. I read the recipe out loud to Handsome before I started - reading 238º as the top temperature for the mix, and somewhere in the process, told myself 258º.

He called it "cognitive dissonance". I really saw 258º when I looked back at the recipe. So my first batch was a hot, hard mess. It made a delightful "thud" when it had cooled off enough so I could throw it in the garbage.

Cooling Caramel

I sat down, had a cup of tea and regrouped. Then, I started my second batch, repeating 238º to myself the whole time. I wasn't making that mistake again! The batch was beautiful when I poured it onto the cookie sheet.

Cutting and Wrapping Caramels

I started cutting the caramels with a kitchen scissors, but (thankfully) decided to try a pizza cutter. It cut like a dream and made quick work of the task of making bite-sized pieces. I wrapped them in parchment paper I'd cut into squares.

My British Tins For Storage

I grabbed two of my favorite British tins, which were quickly filled with tasty caramels. I've already shared some of them (the recipe makes quite a large batch), and will have more for sweet snacks here at the farmhouse, too.

Caramel Recipe From Meaningful Eats

 

This is the recipe our daughter-in-law shared with me. I looked it up and found it on Meaningful Eats blog (HERE).

What I learned from making (both) batches: 1) Start cutting caramels when they're still warmer than you think they should be. Makes it easier toward the end. 2) Use a pizza cutter. I started with a kitchen scissors, but the pizza cutter was SO much easier! 3) Don't be a perfectionist when you cut them. It will make you nuts. 4) Have your beautiful granddaughters (or your kiddos) around to help wrap them. 5) I need a digital candy thermometer for accuracy. 

 

I do know that I'll be making more of these in the future...after I get that digital thermometer. yummm

 

 

 

Time to name the winners of my Ninth Blog Anniversary Giveaway!   I drew three numbers (via Random Number Generator) initially  and the winner EVERY time was   LESLEY UK!!! (24, 2 and 15) You were meant to win, kiddo!   I decided to give away two more gifts, so I drew another number My second winner is  (11)
DANICE G!   The last number (and winner) is (7)   LINNY!    CONGRATULATIONS! Thanks again to everyone who entered.  Let me know which pincushion design you'd like. I'll make them this week.

I'm Getting There...

Winter Penny Mat Project

I completed the hexagon portion of the mat. I've stitched all the pennies and attached the back piece of ivory wool to the front. The next stage is to stitch the border pennies to prepare for attaching them to the main body. I'm getting closer by the minute!

 

Speaking of getting closer...The giveaway for my Ninth Blog Anniversary will be ending soon. If you haven't entered yet, you can still get in under the wire. Click HERE to go to the entry page.

Circles...

Stitching Pennies

This is my newest needlework project. It's called "Winter Penny Mat" from Primitive Gatherings. The colors coordinate with the colors in our living room rug, and is another project toward our color scheme for the farmhouse.

 

Primitive Gatherings "Winter Penny Mat" Project

 

This is the pattern image of the finished mat. It will be a generous 15" when completed. As you can see from my photographs, this piece requires stitching many wool penny combinations to create this beautiful mat.

Making Pennies

There are a variety of 1-1/2" circles of wool in shades and patterns of greys and tans. Each one is topped with a smaller circle in ivory wool. There are forty four sets of each combination for a total of eighty eight pennies that will need to be stitched down.

Ready To Stitch Pennies

These eighty eight circles cover the main hexagon, so once these are stitched down to the base fabric, the next step will be to work the outside circles around the edge. 

Relaxing Pennies

As I write this, I have already completed fifteen sets (30 of 88 circles), stitched in variations of the blanket stitch. I'll continue to joyfully "needle dance" in the coming days, peppered among my other projects and commitments. Don't worry. I'm having so much fun with this that it will go quickly.

In case you've missed my post about my Ninth Blog Anniversary Giveaway, click HERE to enter. You can enter daily, but you can only enter on that post for your entry to count. Then, after that, all you have to do to get back to that post to enter again, is click on this image (at the top of my sidebar).

Good Luck!

Warehouse Tour...

Tour Guide - Lisa Bongean's Son

I spent the day at Primitive Gatherings' monthly Sit & Sew yesterday. In conversation about the warehouse, I mentioned to Lisa that I'd never seen her warehouse before (I'm the newest group member), so she asked her son (who works for her) to give me the tour. My girlfriend, Kathy D. and her friend, Jody, joined us.

The warehouse adjoins her office area (where we meet monthly), so out one door and in the next one. I'm only going to share a few photos, but believe me when I say I'm not surprised she's a "big dog" in the primitive/wool/quilting industry. She does everything on a huge scale...and the lady knows what she's doing.

Primitive Gatherings Valdani Room

This is the Valdani Room. Every color, every count, boxed, kitted, impressive. (This was only half of the room!)

Primitive Gatherings Signature Fabric Lines

There are actually rows and rows of bolts of Primitive Gatherings' fabrics. These are all fabrics that Lisa designed. Once pulled from this area, they are either kitted or installed in her shop, a few miles from the warehouse.

Primitive Gatherings Hand Dyed Wools

In addition to these finished and ready-to-sell wools, there are facilities on-site to hand dye all the Primitive Gatherings' wools. Bolts of the raw materials are rolled and lined up, waiting for the dyers.

There are multiple washing machines and driers in the warehouse for preparing and felling all the wools. Once they're dyed, they're washed again to make sure no dyes bleed into finished projects. Nice touch, right?

The website and shop also offer Swatch Books. You, too, can have samples of all the colors (and textures) available through the shop. In fact, you can special order your favorite colors in your favorite textures, too! The loose leaf binders are available for $30 each. (I bought one to bring home with me today.)

Primitive Gatherings Kitting Room and Supervisor

The last area I'll share with you from the tour is the Kitting Room. This light-filled space is in the front of the warehouse. With all the blocks of the month, classes, and stocking the shop, there's a large area dedicated to creating the kits.

Lisa's son pointed out the "supervisor" up in the corner. Wouldn't you like to have Captain Jack Sparrow making sure you don't miss a kit component? Really. If I lived closer, I might apply to work for Lisa!

I hope you've enjoyed this quick, little tour. There were many more areas, like the packaging room, shipping area, wholesale section, and even a show booth staging and stocking area. It's a quilter's dream place...our own Fantasy Island!

I took many more photos, but I wanted to make sure I didn't divulge any proprietary information. Lisa was kind enough to allow me to take these photos, so I asked her to approve each image for this post. Be sure to visit yourself if you ever have the chance.

Before I close, I want to remind you about my Ninth Blog Anniversary Giveaway. To enter, click on the top button on my sidebar to go to the post. You can learn about the giveaway, and enter once a day to win!

Blog Anniversary Month...

  March is the anniversary month for Brynwood Needleworks' blog. 2018 marks my NINTH Anniversary of writing my (almost) daily posts.   Since I first began sharing my creative life with you I have written 3246 blog posts and there have been almost  1 million views.  Not bad, considering I conceived my blog to be a joyful journal that only I would read.  

You've left messages for me on so many beautiful days, and helped me over the sad ones, too. Only once did I miss writing every day. That was when I took a week off to grieve Fezzik's passing, and then, you completely overwhelmed me with your love and support. Over 100 messages were left on that one post alone. I was speechless, and ever so grateful for your outpouring and shared grief. Thank you again for that.

We've shared lots of events, projects and musings together, so I'd like to do a little something to return the favor.

Brynwood Needleworks Handcrafted Pincushions/Sachets

To celebrate #9, I'm going to give away (at least) one of my handcrafted pincushions.
Winner may choose from my Wooly Acorn, Strawberry or Corgi!
and
may choose from crushed walnut shells, lavender or rice filling.

Leave a comment ON THIS POST (only).
Deadline to enter is April 1 (No fooling!), 2018 at 11 pm. 
I will draw a name from the comments (using the Random Number Generator),
and post the winner's name on Monday, April 2.
You may only enter once per day. 

***You may enter if you live outside the US, but the winner will be responsible for any VAT fees or duties.

Thank you again for being a Brynwood friend.
Good Luck!!