From the Garden: Herb Cleansing Bundles

 

Clearing your environment by burning herbs

Smoke cleansing is an ancient practice found in many cultures and faiths. Early written records of smoke cleansing come from the ancient Hindu texts written in Sanskrit. In the ancient world herbs were burned to create sweet-smelling smoke in their temples, homes and in the presence of illness. 

In New England local plant materials can be combined into a Smoke Cleansing Bundle.

Sage: Cleansing - Lavender: Calm - Rosemary: Clarity, memory, Cedar: Stress relief


More information: blog.mountainroseherbs.com/smoke-cleansing

Available at the

Annisquam Sewing Circle Christmas Fair

Saturday, December 7, 8:00 to noon

Annisquam Village Hall

34 Leonard St., Gloucester 01930

 

Annisquam Sewing Circle

 

What to do with all those knitting needles???

 

If you are not new to knitting you, most likely, have a collection of needles. My collection was in a canister that I had to dump out every time I needed to select a different size. 

If you would like the pattern please send an email to AnnisquamCreations@gmail.com with Needle Case pattern in the subject line.

Suzanne

More Before and After Images of Studio Space...

It is rewarding to see the Before and After photos.

It was nearly impossible to go up the stairs to my Studio. 

The stairs had become shelves!

<

The Before photos

The ironing board was piled high with non-iorning items!

The floor was fast disappearing!

Everywhere I looked there was STUFF!

Altho' the Storage Shelves were somewhat organized they too needed editing. The bins of yarn were hard to get to and needed sorting as were the bins of fabric.

On to the After photos! 

We worked on this space for two days and now I love my Studio again.

This is the wall of Storage Shelves and the yarn to the left of it where I can see each bin by color. The fabrics are to the left of the yarn, also sorted by color and drastically reduced in amount. Maybe I will be able to use all of the yarn and fabric!

My work table was clear and ready to use!

The shelves on the right under the table now have my box of most-used tool: pins, Needles, etc. The top shelf has Unfinished Projects. The bottom shelf has one bin of upcoming sewing projects on the left, in the right items of clothing that need attention.

At the End of the Day...

The back of my SUV was filled with bags of fabric, yarn and craft items to take to the thrift store, Second Glance where the proceeds with help fund our food pantry. Aslo bagged were fabric crapes that no longer are allowed in the trash pick up but are recycle by Second Glance.

We made an appointment at Second Glance to drop off the items at 2:00 pm the same day.

I still have a few more things to do but the bulk of the work in done.

I was able to gift wrap an item this morning, put the remaining supplies back in their respective places and get on with the day. 

Thank you, Katharine at Blue Ribbon Services!

 

 

 

 

 PS: I am going to add a short step ladder to reach those items on the top shelves :)

 

 

#annisquam

#annisquamcreations

#blueribbonservices 

#annisquamherbfarm

#annisquamartsandcraftsshow

Annisquam Creations Studio Makeover

 

When is it time to call a Professional Organizer?

My Studio had become unmanageable.I did not want go in the room. The stair were filling with more stuff. It was time for action. Katharine at Blue Ribbon Services came to guide me in the process. Making decisions to get rib of things is never easy, at least for me. i might need that someday. Well, it was tme to move things along. We have a wonderful organization here that has a thrift store. the proceeds help fund the food panty. a Win-Win.

#annisquam #annisquamcreations #professionalorganizer #BlueRibbonServices

Holy Toledo!!!

What a Mess!!!

My workspace became cluttered with an excessive amount of fabric, yarn, unfinished projects and ironing. Materials were accumulating faster than I could organize or use, leading to a chaotic environment that became imposible to work in. 

 

The best path forward was to call my Professional Organizer, Katharine at Blue Ribbon Services. Exhausting as it was to make so many decisions, Katharine made the process manageable.

 

1. The first step was to take a few items out of the room to give us a space to work. 
2. Then on to the supply wall. Many of the supplies were already sorted and labeled but needed to be reviewed and culled. 
3. The next step was to locate items that would be used and moved out within the next couple of months. They were set aside.
   
4. Next the crates were put back on the shelves with the heaviest on the floor, the most often needed at eye level, and the items that were only used once or twice a year on the top shelf. 

What a difference! 

The Storage Shelves

Before

After

Now comes the hard part - 

 

How much fabric to keep and what to send to our wonderful  thrift store, Second Glance, that supports the food pantry. The fabrics were nearly all sorted by color in bins altho' there were some that had been put in a pile across the room. There were also piles under the work desk that needed to be addressed. If you are a sewer or crafter and have a stash of fabric you can understand how difficult this step is. How much white fabric does a body need??? The first day I could not begin to look at those so the lid went back on. Eventually we went through all the fabrics and, with Katharine's help, bags and bags of fabric were added to the donate pile. 

Next was the yarn - Again, much of the yarn was sorted in bins by color but there was far too much. I would not live long enough to use it all! All the acrylic was bagged and put aside for a local crafter who is always looking for yarn. Along the way little bits were culled and colors I would never use added to the bag for Second Glance and was labeled Crafts.

The projects on the work table that needed finishing were gathered up and put in a bin. Garments that needed to be hemmed of repaired were put in another on. With all the space that had been cleared below the work table there was now a place for these projects plus the storage box with pins, needles and tools. A promise to myself to finish there projects before starting another has been made. 

 

Katharine, Blue Ribbon Services, is going to check in with me to see how I am doing with that.

 

#AnnisquamCreations

#Knitting

#Sewing
#Organizing

#ProfessionalOrganizer

#BlueRibbonServices

Halloween is Approaching

 

Blank Note Card for Halloween

For those moments when only your own words will do, these 5.5" x 4.25" folding, blank note cards offer the perfect canvas to express yourself. Part of a unique series, each card is crafted to let you convey your message, no matter the occasion.

• Premium Quality: Printed on 64-pound cardstock, these cards have a luxurious feel and a professional finish, making each message feel special.
• Convenient & Elegant: Each 5.5" x 4.25" card comes with a self-sealing envelope for easy, mess-free mailing.

Say exactly what you want with these versatile blank cards, perfect for any heartfelt note or quick thank-you.

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At the Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show 2024

Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show

Before the opening of the

2024 Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show

Each Season has it function here at the Annisquam Herb Farm, home of Annisquam Creations. In the Spring it is all about the gardens that are the source of raspberries, Concord grapes and figs for the preservers that are made in the Summer and Fall. Summer is for family and friends gathering and celebrating the warm weather and sunshine and tending the gardens. Fall the interests turn to Unfinished Projects - knitting, sewing and the ever present required maintenance. Winter is for reading, trying new recipes, more knitting and planning the gardens. The offerings at the Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show reflect all of these.

I have participated in this Show many years and have made friends with a few of the vendors that show up year after year with wonderful items to tempt one. Each year my items vary but include the preserves that fly off my table. this year there with over fifty new blank note cards to chose from plus hats from A Bee in Your Bonnet Collection.

What will next year bring?

PS: From Spring to October you will find some of the items at the Annisquam Exchange!

#annisquam
#annisquamcreations
#annisquamartsandcraftsshow
#annisquamexchange

Note Card - A Nod to Alexander Calder

 

A Nod to Alexander Calder

Blank note card -

• 5.5” x 4.25” 65 lb. Card stock with self sealing envelop
• $4 each
  
• Available at the:
•  Annisquam Exchange
• Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show. 
• Click on links for days & times.
• Order yt email:
• AnnnisquamCreation@gmail.com 
• Pay via Venmo or PayPal

Note Card - Annisquam Light & Beach

image

description

Annisquam Light & Beach

Blank note card -

• 5.5” x 4.25” 65 lb. Card stock with self sealing envelop
• $4 each
  
• Available at the:
•  Annisquam Exchange
• Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show. 
• Click on links for days & times.
• Order yt email:
• AnnnisquamCreation@gmail.com 
• Pay via Venmo or PayPal
  

Blank Note Card - A nod to A. Calder

A Nod to A. Calder

• 4.25" 5.5" 
• Blank note card 
• $4 with self sealing envelop 
• Premium Cardstock, 65 lb
  
  Available at: 
• Annisquam Exchange 62 Leonard St., Gloucester MA. 01930 
• Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show
  Annisquam Village Hall October 12 -13, 2024 
• www.instagram.com/annisquamcreations/

Blank note Card - Ballooons

Joyfilled Balloons

• 4.25" 5.5" Blank note card $4
• with self sealing envelop
• Premium Cardstock, 65 lb
• 
  
  
  
  Available at:

 Annisquam Exchange
62 Leonard St., Gloucester MA. 01930

Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show
Annisquam Village Hall
October 12 -13, 2024

www.instagram.com/annisquamcreations/

New Greeting Cards at the Exchange

Blank Notes by Annisquam Creations

Blank notes are 5.5" x 4.25 or 4.25" x 5.5" with envelope, $4 each

Bookshelf - Blank Note - The design wraps around to the back of the card

Celebrate - Pink - Blank Note also available in Blue

Figs in Time - Blank Note

Historic Buildings of Annisquam - Blank Note

Friendship Quilt - Blank Note

Friendship Quilt - Blank Note

 

From the poem "A Rainy Day" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow - Blank Note

Remember to Dance - Blank Note

 

 

 

 

at the

Annisquam Exchange, 32 Leonard St., Gloucester MA  01930 

Hours: Wednesday - Friday 10am - 4pm, Saturday 10am - 2pm

Until the Weekend of October 12 - 13, 2024 

when the Exchange will be open during the

Annisquam Arts & Crafts Show.

For more information:

Facebook.com/AnnisquamExchange/   Instagram.com/The Exchange 01930

Annisquam Exchange website  info.annisquamexchange@gmail.com

 

DIY Preserving Made Easy - Raspberriy

Putting up delicious Raspberry Preserves for home, gifts and craft fairs

Every spring I begin to think about the Annisquam Sewing Circle Christmas Fair. Each member is asked to donate items for the Gourmet Foods Table. Preserves are always some of the first items to sell out. This year I am hoping for a bumper crop of raspberries from our ever bearing variety. Ever Bearing Raspberries can have two crops each year. I have chosen to only have the late season crop by pruning the plants in the spring. By pruning then there will be more raspberries in late summer. Our plants came from Corliss Brothers in Ipswich, Massachusetts, a wonderful nursery nearby. My suggestion is to plant the first year about half the number you think you would like. They will spread every year which will give you plenty of plants as the years go by.

I found the best recipe in America's Test Kitchen's Foolproof Preserving: A Guide to Small Batch Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Condiments & More. The recipe is well laid out, easy to follow including beautiful photographs. The results - fabulous. A must have on your cookbook shelf! I have never made the raspberry preserve from frozen berries. Others have tried with good results. Of course there are many other recipes in this book. I will add a post on DIY Orange Marmalade soon.

You may have some of these items or be able to purchase them locally. If not here are some links to those items on Amazon.

Other items I have found super helpful:

• Small digital scales - I have the OXO Good Grips 5-lb Food Scale. Easy to read. It is very helpful to have the tear option on the scale. I was able to buy one locally a number of years ago.
  
• Preserving kit - There are a number on the market. I have had the Norpro Canning Tools for years & am very happy with it. The pieces I find indispensable are: the jar lifter, the magnetic lid lifter and the extra wide mouth funnel which fits the opening in the preserving jars perfectly.
• Eight ounce Preserving Jars - I prefer the plain jars that are easier to add a label to but are not always available. Also ask your family and friends to save the jars for you. Then you will only need to buy the lids and perhaps the bands next time! Lids only.
  
• Ladle - You may have a favorite ladle on hand. This one with the pouring spouts for right and left-handed cooks would be handy.
  

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

One-of-a-Kind, Andean Style Hat Sold!

The story of Grace's Andean style hats 

My dear friend, Grace Murray knit over 400 hats and gave them all away to friends and to local  organizations. 

It all started with a trip one weekend to a yarn store in Maine where she bought a book with a knit hat on the cover. The book told the story of the author's travels and of collecting the knit designs on the Andes. The next weekend she went back to the store in Maine and bought enough yarn for one hat. Shortly after that she and her husband, David were on their sailboat, stuck in the fog in a harbor in Maine where Dave read the instructions as Grace knit the edging for her first hat. She was hooked. Dave helped Grace layout different patterns for special hats depicting a sailboat or another design personalizing many of the following hats.

When Grace could no longer knit she gave me her patterns, the book that started it all and the left over yarn. In her memory I started to knit my version of the Andean hat. All were sold at the Annisquam Arts and Crafts Show or the Annisquam Sewing Circle Christmas Fair.

The sailboat hat was custom made for a member of the Annisquam Village as a result of the Auction shown in the video.

 AA&CS Auction of Hat

What to Add to Your Wardrobe?

 The word from Paris!

Will it be Ballet Flats or a Cardigan or perhaps the 2024 version of the Culotte?

Wouldn't it be great to have someone join you to assist in reviewing your wardrobe, help get rid of the items so should never wear again and organize what you have left? I have a number of items in my closet that i take out because I like the idea of them. But after trying them on back into the closet they go. I justify that decision by saying to myself, "Once I loose some weight, or have a tan...?" or some other reason.

 

As a "petite" myself there are a lot of trends that do not work for me: wide shouldered jackets, billowy pants and large scale prints. The question is, "What works?"

A bulky sweater with a turtleneck jersey goes well with a slim cut trouser or jeans. A well fitting jacket color coordinated with a spot of color using a long scarf. Keep the bottom garment trim and express your self with the top. A vest in an interesting fabric or design over a turtleneck jersey works well from fall to spring, first alone and then as a layer. Tall boots with slim jeans and your bulky sweater give a younger look. 

Find your colors and build your closet around them. That allows you the flexibility to make several combination with fewer clothes. When I am shopping I look at the color, touch the fabric, try on the garment before I look at the price tag. 

 

No matter what the cost, it is not a bargain unless you love it.

 

Many Moons

Calendar - Guide to Planting

Some of us consult the current calendar for the cycles of the moon before planting our seeds.

This beautiful calendar was published in 1617.

Article by John Kenny

... despite the distractions of the modern economy and commerce, many farmers can still be found walking their fields after dark, listening to the ripening of fruit in the full moonlight or the hidden scuffling of creatures among the coops in the emptiness of a new moon.

 

https://risdmuseum.org/node/1179371

From Rhode Island School of Design Newsletter

Hans Hofer, publisher
German, 1540–1617
Farmer's Calendar, 1617
Woodcut with hand coloring on paper
Plate: 29 × 17.1 cm (11 × 6 3/4 in.)
Museum Works of Art Fund 52.286

What is trending in women’s wear?

Culottes!!!

These loose, flowing pants are both comfortable and chic, making them a popular choice for many women. In 2024, we will see an increase in the popularity of culottes, with many women choosing to abandon traditional pants in favor of these bolder silhouettes.

Watch for them at the Annisquam Arts & Crafts 2024 Show in October!

https://medium.com/@fashion.lux/fashion-trends-of-2024-a-detailed-analysis-448963ee49d6#