Some know it as the season of light. Others, the season of giving. But for many of you, it’s the season of citrus and fruitcake. You’re probably already compiling ingredient spreadsheets and collecting addresses for the lucky ducks who will get a family fruitcake, right? But what’s that you say? You’re not making the candied citrus peels from scratch? Well, why not?!
Okay, so you might be saying, MaryJane, I’ll be darned if I’m going to give myself one extra project when I can just buy them at the store. But have another look at that candied peel lining store shelves right around now. Doesn’t it look a little bright? Doesn’t it seem a little soggy? Doesn’t it taste a bit … fake? In a blindfolded test, I’ll bet you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish it from a gummy bear …
Chances are, cabin fever hasn’t set in quite yet …
But we can all use a little inspiration to get outside on a chilly day, right?
Even better … a winter’s night.
Well, here’s a super COOL idea:
ICE LANTERNS
These crystalline cuties, which traditionally hail from the world’s most wintery northern latitudes, are a good way to spark your appreciation of the season’s stark beauty or light a pathway that invites guests into your home.
Ice lanterns have the lavish look of blown glass, but they’re a snap to make.
I like the way they transform the outdoors into a winter wonderland—even in the absence of snow.
Depending on the sizes and shape of lanterns you’d like to create, choose from a variety of flexible plastic containers to freeze them in, such as:
You’ll also need:
Here’s how you do it:
Looking for a little whimsy,
a bit of charm,
and a bushel of inspiration?
Feast your eyes on the fantastic felt work of Salley Mavor …
Salley, an accomplished fiber artist and author living in Falmouth, Massachusetts, says she has always been fascinated with “little things” and needlework.
“Manipulating materials in my hands with a needle and thread was so much more satisfying than …
I love my country.
If you missed last night’s televised interfaith prayer vigil in Newtown, Connecticut, do what it takes to find a copy. The service, held in the high school auditorium, was about an hour and a half long. It was a model of right and good for you and me, the whole world, to see.
Newtown’s selectwoman, first responders, Connecticut’s governor, our president, the leaders from all the different faiths in Newtown—Bahai, Methodist, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Islamic, Jewish, Congregational … who spoke, prayed, sang, hugged, cried … Under an unimaginable burden, Newtown is showing us how to come together.
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
