Knot Just Knit-Wits

Pillowcases
Originally uploaded by cebbtn

By now, I think most bloggy and crafty people are familiar with, or have at least heard about Craft Hope, the incredible program put together by Jade Sims in Texas.  Jade started project one as a charity to an orphanage in Mexico, I think, and had about 35 or so people join her in making little dresses, then she put together a project making dolls for another group of children.  There were the quilts that went to an orphanage in Africa, the sock monkeys for a camp for little burn victims in California, the red scarves for college-bound foster kids, and more projects that you can read about on her Craft Hope site.   As each project has progressed, more and more people have heard about it until it has grown to many many people stitching their love into each and every project, sending hope around the world. 

Project 9 was announced a few weeks ago -  This time benefiting ConKerr Cancer in a quest to bring every child across our country who is hospitilized with cancer a bright and cheerful pillowcase, hopefully putting a smile on those children's faces.  This link shows hospitals, by state, all across the country who are participating already in this program.

A small group of friends and I have decided to jump on board.  Alli, Denise and I have commited to making just 2 pillowcases each, but will certainly be making more if we can.  We know for sure that we can each do two.  Here in Oregon, our cases will be going to the Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland.   If you are in Oregon,  will you join us?  The Knot Just Knit-Wits would love to have your pillowcases join ours in going to those sweet kids at this wonderful hospital.  The Craft Hope deadline for this project is September 15th, which is National Cancer Awareness Day.  Our group will be meeting on September 8th to collect our cases and get them ready to mail off.  If you want to join us, but are in another part of the state, email me and I will get you my address so you can send your cases to the group.  We will then get them to the hospital. 
(paulaniz67 (at) yahoo (dot) com)

To participate in the program, just not with us Knit-Wits, follow the Craft Hope link and the link that shows where your states pillowcases are going.  Stitch some love and hope for these kids.

Simply Peaches

Imagine the smell of sun-ripened peaches wafting around your kitchen, bringing the delights of the orchard right inside.  If you were to close your eyes while this delicious pie is baking, you would be whisked away to a farm in the country.  You would find yourself, bucket in hand, standing on a tall wooden ladder and plucking ripe juicy peaches from between the green leaves of a peach tree.  You have an old tin bucket in your hand that is filling with the sweetness of this summer orchard.  You're wearing a cotton dress and your favorite peach-picking apron.  Life is good!

While I'm away in the orchard, go ahead and bake this pie. 

It's yummy!

Roasted Peach Pie with Butterscotch Sauce

(from August 2010 Better Homes & Gardens)

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tbsp. milk

6 medium peaches

Butterscotch Sauce

1/4 c. unsalted butter

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1 tbsp. light corn syrup

2 tbsp. whipping cream

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Stin in sour cream and milk just until combined.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. (Or up to 2 days)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll to an 11-inch circle, and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate.  Trim crusts even with top of pie tin.  With a lightly floured fork, press sides of crust into pie plate.  Line with a double thickness of foil that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray to prevent pastry from sticking.  Bake 8 minutes.  Remove foil;  bake 5 to 6 minutes more or until crust is golden;  cool.  Reduce oven to 350 degrees.

Cut peaches into thick slices, slicing around the pit.  Add peaches to cooled crusts.  Cover edges of pie with foil.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until peaches are just tender.  Transfer to a wire rack. 

Prepare your butterscotch sauce: 

In a small saucepan, melt 1/4 cup unsalted butter over medium heat.  Stir in 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup.  Bring to a boil and boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Carefully stir in 2 tablespoons whipping cream.  Cool slightly.

While pie is still warm, drizzle with butterscotch sauce.  Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and fresh mint. 

Whimsy Jar Tardiness

Holy Cow!  It's been a month ago since my wonderful Whimsy Jar's came in the mail from my swap partners, Sarah and Jill.  They both sent fantastic and fun jars filled with goodness. 

                                        Look at all this fun stuff!  I've already dug in and used a few things
                                     on a birthday card or two.  Yeah!  Thank you both so much.  You did
                                     such a good job of filling these whimsy jars.  I love them both!

These are the jars that I put together and sent to Sarah and Jill.  These were my first Whimsy Jars and I had such a fun time searching for fun things to go into them.  Hope you liked them, ladies!

Big thanks to Jessica for hosting such a fun swap!

Turn the Page...Tuesday - August

Time for some Turn the Page...Tuesday goodness hosted by Adrienne at Some of a Kind.  Yeah!

I read several good books in July, but chose On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon by Kaye Gibbons as my favorite and the one that I would post about.

From the  cover:
Like America in the mid-nineteenth century, Emma Garnet Tate Lowell is at war with herself.  Born to privilege on a James River plantation, she grows up more and more aware that her family's prosperity is inextricably linked to the institution of slavery.  Bookish and sensitive, young Emma Garnet sets herself against her bumptious, self-made father, Samuel P. Tate, at an early age.  In the company of her mother and adored brother Whately, Emma Garnet manages to survive with her heart and mind intact.
As she tells her story in 1900, she is still prey to her childhood, to the memories of a life that was made bearable in the main by the indomitable family servant Clarice.  Emma Garnet secedes from the control of her domineering father to marry Quincy Lowell, a member of the distinguished Boston family.  Living in Raleigh on the eve of the Civil War, she and Quincy, with Clarice's constant help, create the ideal happy home.
When war destroys the rhythm of their days, Emma Garnet works alongside Quincy, an accomplished surgeon.  Assisting him in the treatment of wounded soldiers, she comes to see war as "a conflict perpetrated by rich men and fought by poor boys against hungry women and babies".  After Appomattox, Emma Garnet sets out to take her exhausted husband home to Boston, where she begins the long journey of her own reconstruction.

Not only does this book deal with the hardness of slavery, but also on the abuse a family experiences at the hands of their father and husband.  The author knows first hand what it is to live with a mental illness and that knowledge makes for some fantastic writing. 

I'm now reading Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert and loving it.  
What are you reading?  Pop over to Adrienne's site and join us for Turn the Page...Tuesday.