A great cabbage leaf makes a good cabbage roll

How to prepare a cabbage roll.

Look at these pictures and follow the steps to make great tasting cabbage rolls.

For this easy cabbage roll recipe you will need a few foil trays, some measuring cups and spoons, and an oven

Makes about 20 medium sized cabbageRolls

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Always keep a few huge whole frozen cabbages from the garden to use when you need them.

Thaw the cabbage and rinse it in lukewarm water.

You will be cutting off a bit of the hardest part of the leaf close to the core to get a nice tender roll.

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For the meat mixture use the following ingredients

Mix them together in a bowl

1 lb lean ground pork

1 lb lean ground beef

1 medium onion minced

1 tsp ground garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp herb de provence - mix herbs found at grocers

1 tbsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup white rice uncooked

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Insert the meat mixture into the thawed cabbage leaf

Pour a tomato sauce made of the following ingredients on top of the cabbage casserole

2 cups tomato juice or vegetable juice

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1 tsp white sugar

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Cover with a layer of foil

Cook these cabbage rolls in an oven preset to 325 Fahrenheit for two hours and serve hot.

A longer cooking time allows the flavour to sponge into the cabbage.

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You can print this recipe here

CabbageRoll Recipe

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Bundt banana chocolate cake

How to bake a bundt banana chocolate cake.

If you like bananas and you like chocolate and you like cake for desert then you will love this banana chocolate cake baked in a bundt pan. If you like chocolate better than banana then you can call this one chocolate banana cake.

How to bake this bundt chocolate banana delight.

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You will need mixing bowls, measuring cups, measuring spoons, oven, electric mixer, bundt pan, cooling rack

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Ingredients

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3/4 cup soft butter

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup sour cream or plain yogourt

3 ripe bananas

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 - 3/4 cups white flour

1/2 cup of cocoa

1 tbsp of baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

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Instructions for preparing the banana chocolate bundt cake

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In a large bowl beat sugar and butter with electric mixer until it becomes well blended

Add one egg and beat.

Add the other egg and beat again

Add Yogourt or Sour Cream and beat again

In a small bowl blend mashed bananas with vanilla and milk

In another bowl mix together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture 1/3 at a time while mixing with electric mixer. Repeat while adding another 1/3 and again for last 1/3

Add banana mixture in the same way 1/2 and mix, 1/2 and mix

Add chocolate chips

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Empty the full mixture into the bundt pan that you have greased

Cook in oven preheated to 350 Fahrenheit for 50 to 60 minutes

Test by inserting toothpick to check if center comes out dry

Let cake cool in pan then transfer to serving plate

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All you can do at this point is Enjoy your chocolate banana bundt cake  

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You can print this banana chocolate cake recipe here

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Frying Eggrolls for 8 people

Great Tasting Eggrolls are easy to make and only take an hour or so to prepare and cook.

There are countless recipes for preparing deep fried egg rolls that taste great. The ingredients for this chinese food recipe are all found in the grocery store or in your garden.

The egg roll dough is commercially made for this particular fried egg roll recipe.

This recipe made 18 large egg rolls or enough to feed 8 people easily.

Serve these alone with plum sauce or as an addition to other chinese foods.

To prepare this recipe you will need a few pots and pans and a deep fryer.

EggRoll Ingredients

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1 pound lean ground beef

3 cups of fresh bean sprouts

1/2 chopped medium onion

1/2 teaspoon garlic

1/2 teaspoon oriental ginger

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon soya sauce

sesame oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/8 cup green pepper

1/8 cup red pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

Prepare ground beef by frying in sesame oil in a pan. Cook until brown, then add vegetables and spices and mix together. Allow vegetable mix to simmer while adding soya sauce. Add the sprouts last to keep them from getting soggy. Drain in strainer and add inside eggroll wrappers. Close wraps with water as per instructions on package.

Deep fry eggrolls in very hot vegetable oil or canalo oil.

Place the prepared Ingredients in the Egg roll wraps and fry them until they are golden brown.

This recipe can be printed by clicking this link

Frying Eggrolls for 8 people

Enjoy

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Honey and Cinnamon

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon

These natural remedies made of Honey and Cinnamon came in an e mail and might interest you.

Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality some honey is always honey. However when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I call "crystallizing". When this happens I loosin the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, off of the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was.

Never boil honey or put in a microwave as this kills the healing enzymes of the honey.

Facts on Honey and Cinnamon

It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases and it is produced all over the planet by busy bees. Honey doesn't produce any side effects.

A list of conditions and diseases that can be cured or prevented by mixtures of honey and cinnamon. Resource - Weekly World News, January 17, 1995.

• Heart diseases - Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It is believed to help reduce cholesterol build up in the arteries. This honey and cinnamon powder also relieves loss of breath, strengthens the heart beat, revitalizes naturally worn out veins and arteries.
• Arthritis - Take twice daily, morning and night, one cup of a mixture of honey and cinnamon. To one cup of hot water add 2 spoons of honey and one small spoon of cinnamon powder. A study at a Coppenhagen University showed that a daily routine like this one has people suffering from chronic pain due to arthritis feeling much better within a week. The study showed that 73 of the 200 people treated were totally releived of pain within one month.
• Bladder Infection - A daily intake of two tablespoons of cinnamon and one teaspoon of honey added to a glass of lukewarm water will destroy germs in the bladder and reduce the possibility of bladder infection.
• Cholesterol - Follow the Arthritis suggestion but take three times daily. For cholesterol you may even try just a spoonful of pure honey on a daily basis.
• Colds - If you want to clear your sinuses, or cure yourself from a chronic cold condition and the cough that comes with it then take 1/4 spoon of cinnamon powder and 1 tablespoon of lukeworm honey three times daily. Add to this a tea made of licoriceRoot and watch as nature heals your cold symptoms.

Similar uses of honey and cinnamon mixtures help relieve or cure

• gas
• indigestion
• influenza

A tea made of honey and cinnamon may slow down the aging process by keeping the skin soft and fresh. This honey cinnamon is a revitalizer and a natural energy drink. A quarter cup three or four times daily is all it takes.

As a powder paste made from 3 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon it removes pimples from the roots. Apply the paste on the pimple before sleep and wash it off in the AM with warm water. Do this daily for two weeks and watch the magic of natural remedies at work.

The same type of honey cinnamon powder paste can be used to cure skin conditions such as eczema and to rid the body of ringworms.


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These are only suggestion and should not be used to replace the treatment of suggestions of professionally trained medical experts. But then again no sane medical expert would drug you if there was a more natural way of healing you.

The best of both approaches is the best approach always.


You can print a copy of these facts on honey and cinnamon here.
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make gum drop cake

gummy good drops

Kids love those little sweet chewy gum drop candies. Put them in a cake and the adults in your house will be eating them up quicker than the kids can.

Follow these simple instructions to make a gumdrop cake.

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You will need pans, oven, mixing bowls, measuring cups and measuring spoons.

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Ingredients

1 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup apple sauce

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup dried raisins

2 cups of baking gumdrops

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup walnuts - optional

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Instructions for preparing your gum drop dough

Mix well all of those ingredients adding them one by one in the order the are given. Beat the eggs before putting them in.

Put mixture in greased loaf pans. To avoid sticking sprinkle a bit of flour on the greased pan.

Cook in oven preheated at 350 degree Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes or until golden in color.

That's it......you now know how to bake a gum drop cake.

The same dough recipe can be used to make gumdrop cookies.

To print this gum drop cake recipe click here.
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Great meat pie with flaky crust

Why buy your meat pies when you can make them yourself. With this meat pie recipe you will have half a dozen pies that will have your family and friends praising your cooking skills.

The pie crust secret is no longer secret.

Check it out. Print it. Pass it on...

Meat pie recipe.

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Recipe for Insomnia Drops

Having problems sleeping.

Get yourself a diffuser and make your own Insomnia Drops essential oil.

Get the recipe here.

Insomnia Drops essential oil.

a bear in my yard

 
 What's This!!!!!Can it be a bear in my yard? I woke up early this morning and brewed up some good coffee and moved over to my new favorite spot in the backyard which is the shed. Isn't it great how these wireless internet things work. So i'm looking over my favorite sites and suddenly i look out the window and....well what do you know....There's a bear in my yard....it must be the aroma of fresh brewed coffee. Or maybe that chicken started laying eggs. Luckily i have the camera and i'm able to catch a few quick pictures of this bear in my yard.

Back to reality....

These yard ornaments are easy to make and can keep you busy for hours. All it takes is a little wood, some simple tools like a jigsaw and a pattern that can be made if you are artistic or purchased if you are not. Then you paint it and you too can be telling people about having a bear in my yard.

If you prefer to have a moose well that's fine. The selection of lawn ornaments that you can adorn you backyard with is limited only by your imagination.

These hand made ornaments are great for special occasions like hollaween or christmas or easter.

But i swear that there was a bear in my yard this morning. I even have the pictures to proove it.

early spring white clusters

Not quite sure what the name of these tiny white clusters are. But they are enjoying the space between the rocks in the small rock garden.

They may be babies breath but i don't think so.

Well what shows up when you need to know? She out of the living room and not overly covered with paint and she has with her the package of seeds that she planted last year and they are babies breath.

Gypsophila to be more precise.

Souffle d'enfant in francais.

That's it for now.....

Go back to the first picture in this early spring in the backyard stuff.

Early Spring Crocuses in Ontario

I'm almost sure that these beautiful early spring blooms are called Crocuses. There was a big clump of these Crocuses blooming in a secluded spot so she transplanted them in three different spots in the backyard.
After a few days and a little water they seem to be taking to the soil.

Those are more of those early spring pesky birds in the backyard.

No eggs yet from the chicken but we are hopeful.

Here's another crocus picture

See the nice white blooms.

early bird

It's the early bird that gets the worm so they say and it is no different in our early spring back yard. It seems that the only thing my other bird feeders is attracting is black bird. These little gems don't eat as much so they are welcome to stay for awhile. At least until those nice little yellow birds start coming around.

I found a few new early blooms.

Leave the early bird alone and have a look at my yellow Daffodil.

Early Spring Birdhouse

I took a paintbrush the other day and put a few dabs of paint on the roof of this hand crafted birdhouse which was purchased a few years ago.

In the winter it is protected from the snow with a plastic bag covering but it never hurts to protect it with a little extra paint.

Click here to see the activity around the early spring birdhouse.

Early Spring Backyard

Sorry but the craft lady is busy painting her living room today so the son is taking pictures in the backyard.

These two fishing buddies always seem to get lucky at this time of year. Today was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, and there was a nice light breeze blowing wind through the yard and over the fishing pond.

The early spring backyard wouldn't be complete without a visit to the bird house.

Click on that link to see the bird house.

First daffodil

the first daffodil of 2009


This yellow daffodil was blooming under the lilac tree so i took a picture.

There was also a crocus so i took another picture.

See the purple crocus.

silk flower arrangement craft sale results

Craft day at the armoury was more of a yard sale day so people were browsing more than buying but inquiring about floral arrangements and courses. The best selling item was homemade fudge.

Ready for the craft sale

I prepared these silk flower vase arrangements for a one day craft sale at a the local armoury. This video shows the many possibilities of arrangements that can be had by mixing these easy to make silk tubing flowers and some leaves or other greenery taken from old floral arrangements that you may have had lying around.

There is no comment in the video. The music is nice and relaxing. Just sit back and relax and enjoy.

Silk flowers ready for the craft sale.

Baking homestyle bread

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Keeping busy
baking homestyle bread
is at the top
of my mother's list.

______________________

She uses one of her Gramma's old fashioned bread recipes which is where she learn to cook bread in the first place.

Baking bread is an art and there is an old wives tale that goes that on a good emotional day your bread will rise better than when your mood is down.

Baking homestyle bread takes patience but the time spent at this bread baking craft more than pays for itself. A home that carries the odor of fermenting yeast and of freshly cooked food is inviting and welcoming.

The following video is a quick tutorial on baking homestyle bread.





Good Luck and be kind to your creation and remember that each bread is unique and is a bit different than the other.

By the way this type of antique bread was once baked in outdoor ovens.

I came across a great website with tons of information on traditional outdoor ovens which i think is worth a look at.

Link here to see traditional woodstoves use in baking homestyle bread.

I have also put a permanent link on the sidebar to that site.

learn how to make a yellow rose

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Learn how to make a Yellow Rose out of silk nylon tubing or nylon stocking material and other easily available flower craft materials.

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The Yellow Rose is a beautiful flower which once grew in it's original color in the Middle East. The newer versions of the Yellow rose however are most likely a product of cross cultivation or hybridization.

This yellow flower has often been associated with warmth and the source of light which is the sun. Depending which cultural background you come from then this color of rose might have positive overtones or negative overtones.

But mostly it is a symbol of joy and and friendship and when it is given as a gift it probably is done so to brighten up someone's day, much like the sun does.

If you are feeling down then maybe the way to brighten up your day is to get busy with this simple craft of creating a silk nylon tubing yellow flower.

Here is a sample which will hopefully keep you busy for a few hours as you learn how to make a yellow rose.

The process of making silk stocking flowers may seem tedious but it is a simple hobby as you will soon discover.

The materials required.

If you are into crafts and hobbies then you most likely have most of the tools necessary for this task.

List of tools

• Scissors
• Plyers
• cutting plyers
• Measuring ruler

List of hobby supplies

• nylon tubing
• wire
• glue
• waxed dental floss
• floral tape
• cotton balls
• decorative leaves

Steps to completing this yellow rose craft

Once you complete this task called " learn how to make a yellow rose " you will have a beautiful branch containing two flowers. One of these will be in full bloom while the other will be in half bloom. To others who wish to go one step further and make a vase which contains the flower which you have created a few steps will show a further product.

Step 1

For this step you will require some wire #24, along with some nylon tubing and dental floss.

Use your plyers to cut the wire into pieces 17cm long. You will need 16 pieces.

Each wire is then folded and the ends are twisted. Use the plyers tighten the twist.

Each of these pieces now needs to be covered with the nylon tubing and secured with a length of waxed dental floss. Pull tight on the line and then cut the excess material.

After a few of these you'll have mastered the technique of making petals for other projects.



Step 2

For this step you will require a green wire # 18 to make the stem. Because you have a full bloom and a half bloom then you will need 2 wires. One wire is cut to approximately 12 cm and the other about 25 cm.

Follow the same directions for each.

Curve on end with some needle nose plyer. This end should look a bit like the eye in a needle and will be used to make a bud.

Use a few cotton balls and pass them in the eye and then use some silk nylon to cover the cotton ball. Secure this with dental floss as you did in step 1. Put a few more thicknesses of nylon stocking material to add bulk. After each thickness secure with floss.

Cut the excess materials and put these aside with the petals.




Step 3

You are now ready to start building the flower. You will use the petals from step one and secure them to the stem from step two.

For this step you will need to have your green floral tape close by.

Again the concept is the same for each so I will only describe the process for the one.

This is for the full bloom yellow rose which uses ten petals. The other 6 are for the half bloom.

Hold the stem in one hand and place a petal close to the bud. At the same time take a second petal and secure it facing the first petal. Close them in on the bud. With the other hand secure the petals to the stem with floss. Add the remaining 8 petals always going towards the right.

If you want you can start to shape the petals into shape as you move along. With each new petal you twist more dental floss to secure it in position.

Use some junk pieces of nylon tubing to form a base on each flower and proceed to cover the stem with flower tape. Your tape should be cut to an angle to start and you should apply enough tension but not too much to rip it apart.

Repeat the same process with the half bloom but this time use only six petals.

Place these aside.

Step 4

A flower is nothing without leaves so you now have to make a choice between using decorative leaves or making silk nylon leaves.

For this "learn to make a yellow rose " craft project I used decorative leaves taken from some old roses we had in the shed.
These rose leaves came with a convenient hole in the center which allowed me to slide it up the stem here I used some more floss to secure it in place and then a drop of glue for better adhesion.

This was the same on both flowers.

To complete both stems simply cover the remaining wire with more floral tape.

Step 5

It's now time to put the half bloom and the full bloom into one piece.

But first you have to make sure that your yellow roses are well formed. So give that a little time. Place the half bloom in place somewhere below the full bloom which is the longer stemmed flower. Use your judgment as to the correct positioning and then secure these two pieces together with more dental floss.

Finally you can go ahead and cover the stem with another layer of floral tape.

That's it unless you prefer to go on to building a floral arrangement with your yellow rose as a part of this design.

Here's what mine looked like.




If anything, by the end of this "learn how to make a yellow rose " project you will have spent a few good hours and you will have found some delight in your creation. Maybe you may have even brightened up your day.

See the printable version of this recipe or craft

learn to make a yellow rose

In order to print this and other recipes please see these instructions

Contact Me

Please use this contact form to contact us with any requests or to be added to our mailing list.
Being on the mailing list allows you to access the printable versions of our recipes and other stuff.

Your e mail address is guaranteed not to be abused by us in any way.





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Testing Google Docs

This is a document made in google docs.


This is just a test to see if i can link up to that page within google.

Test Link


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A flower and a gemstone

There is a flower and a gemstone for each month of the year.

What's in a birth date ?

When you consider that there are over 6 billion people on this planet it would seem silly to think that one day in the year can make any one of those 6000 million special. But everyone is special to someone and a birthday is always a special day.

It has been that way forever most likely. Or at least since the days when someone decided to keep time through the use of calendars.


The calendar that is most commonly used today is called the Gregorian calendar and it is a solar calendar which means that it moves forward along with the cycles of the earth in relation to the sun. One spin of the earth is equal to one day.

This type of solar calendar is also called a civil calendar since it is a good method to tell you when Monday comes around and when it is time to wake up and go to work.

It differs from lunar calendars that work with seasons and which are more likely to be used in almanacs and in planting and sowing cycles.

But the modern day Gregorian calendar is best for telling us or reminding us of coming special dates such as birthdays.

Over time, since the earliest ages in Egypt, Greece, Rome and elsewhere people have used a flower and a gemstone to show appreciation and respect for those they care for.

Many systems have evolved around the theme of a flower and a gemstone but in 1912 a group of people got together and decided which stone best represented each month of the year.

The list that they came up with was as follows:

• January is to a White Carnation and Garnet
• February is to a Violet and an Amethyst
• March is to a Daffodil and an Aquamarine stone
  
• April is to Daisy or Tulip and a Diamond
  
• May is to a Sunflower or Lilly of the Valley and an Emerald gem
  
• June is to a Rose or an Honeysuckle and a Pearl or a Moonstone
  
• July is to a Larkspur and a Ruby
  
• August is to a Lily or a Gladiolus and a Peridot gemstone
  
• September is to a Forget Me Not or a Morning Glory and a Sapphire
  
• October is to a Marigold or Camellia and an Opal or Tourmaline gemstone
  
• November is to a Chrysanthemum and a Yellow Topaz or Citrine
  
• December is to the Holly or the Narcissus flower and a Turquoise gemstone or Blue Topaz
  

Just recently a new gemstone was added to the list for December and that rock is the Tanzanite.

Click on the links for more details on the flower and the gemstone.



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Jane's Cinnamon rolls

photo S.Diddy
The cinnamon roll is a sweet pastry and is sometimes referred to as a bun or a swirl. They are simply delicious and tasty and cooking Jane's cinnamon rolls will fill the house for hours with the wonderful aroma of a country kitchen. As the cinnamon bun is a dough sweetened with spices and sugar then it can easily replace a toast at breakfast.


photo thekitchendesigner

Try these with a cup of hot coffee or dip them in a glass or bowl of milk.

The recipe is simple and well worth the effort.

Preheat Oven 400 F.
Cooking Time 15 to 20 minutes.

Dry yeast 1 pkg.
Warm water 3/4 cup

Put yeast in warm water and let stand till dissolved.

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White sugar 1/4 cup
Salt 3/4 tsp.
Egg 1
Flour 2 -1/2 cups

Put all ingredients in large bowl then add yeast mixture and mix.



Bottom preparation:


Butter 1/4 cup
Cinnamon 1 tbsp.
Brown sugar 1/2 cup

Mix well,and put in bottom of greased bundt pan or cake pan.


photo eston



Roll dough as for pie and roll and slice.
Place over nut mixture and let rise till double in size.



Cook in 400F. oven for 15 to 20 min.


photo clearly ambiguous



Also good with cream cheese icing....mmmmmmmmm Jane's Cinnamon Rolls

To print this recipe please click here Jane's Cinnamon Rolls.

If this is the first time you request a printed recipe you will need to have a gmail account and you will need to contact me - see contact info in side bar - to get access to the printable files.





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February flowers and birthstone

The February flowers and birthstone are the Violet and the Amethyst.

This however varies to some degree according to which system of classification you follow but it holds true by most modern methods.
image by Orbital JoeThe modern system by which gemstones are selected to represent a specific month officially adopted by some Jewelers in 1922 and it has been an accepted method ever since with very few changes. In 2002 a new gemstone was added to the modern system for the month of December and that stone was the Tanzanite.

The Violet is a flower that belongs to the Viola genus. There are over 500 flowers and plants within this Viola genus. Even the name Violet can be somewhat confusing since there are several named Violets such as Sand Violets, Dogtooth Violets, African Violets, only to name a few. The violet flowers are often referred to as a pansies and these are also found under many names including field pansies, dwarf pansies, mountain pansies and others.

Each of these common names also has a scientific name such as the Hookedspur Violet is the Viola Adunca, the Field Pansy is the Viola Arvensis, and the Pohe Hiwa is the Viola Kauaensis.

The Amethyst is the official gemstone for February birthdates according to the "modern system".

The Amethyst gemstone is cut from a Quartz of violet coloration. The name comes from a Greek period from long ago and legend has it that it could be used to prevent intoxication. This legend carried into the Roman civilization. The violet quartz was shaped into drinking vessels and was said to keep one from becoming too drunk. The word "methustos" in Greek language meant intoxicated. When the "a" is added the word amethustos signifies "not drunk".

Since those days and probably long before the Amethyst violet quartz was polished and made into jewelery. It was sometimes carried by soldiers to protect them against arm.
image by My Beadiful DesignSo it would stand to reason that those born in the month of February could be won over by an offering of a beautiful pansy or a full bouquet of selected violets and maybe a small ornament or piece of jewelery made of the violet polished quartz named the Amethyst.

To go the cheap route - it's the thought that counts - you might consider a piece of costume jewelery made of assimilated amethyst along with a hand crafted violet which you can make in your spare time.

Nothing is more sentimental than a thing you make from scratch.

Here's a pattern for a simple Pansy made from the same material used by companies who make nylon stockings. Hence the craft is called "silk nylon stocking flowers".

Click Here : February Flowers and Birthstone (coming soon)



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A white Carnation and a Garnet

A white Carnation and a Garnet gemstone are considered to be appropriate gifts for those who's birthday falls in the month of January.

The Carnation is a member of the Dianthus genus.

However those who have a deep passion for gardening flowers from seeds, bulbs, or otherwise can and do classify this genus into sub categories known has families and species.

The Carnation is only one of several hundred types of flowers within the flower filing system. Other popular names within the Dianthus file include the Sweet William, the Cottage Pink, and many others.

These Dianthus' are perennials that have fragrant blooms and they are great for yards and rock gardens. They are usually started from seed but the can also be propagated from cuttings. They can be started indoors and transplanted to the garden later. Or if one prefers then they can be purchased at most local greenhouses or plant suppliers.

A white Carnation or an arrangement of white Carnations is a popular gift to give to a person who celebrates a birthday in January.

Along with the Carnation, January births are also symbolized by a garnet gemstone.

image by fleurioneThere are several backgrounds that one can use when selecting a stone to go with a certain month or birthdate. For example some people use a traditional system while others use the Ayurvedic system which is an ancient system from India and their are yet others.

In the 1920's a group of jewelers got together and formulated what has come to be known as the "modern system" and it is by this system that a salesperson would likely come up with a choice of gem for anyone inquiring about a gift for a certain month.

The garnet gem is mostly likely named from the Latin word "granatus" which means grain or seed. If so then this would probably be a reference to the red garnet which is said to look like a pomegranate. The garnet however does not only come in red. Garnets can be of any color with the exception of blue.

Jewelers and gem cutters love this gemstone because it is a hard rock but it is easy to shape and it keeps it's shine for a long time. Collectors of gemstones also love the garnet because it is both affordable and beautiful to own.

So for anyone who has a birthday in January there is no better gift to give or receive than a white Carnation and a Garnet.

For those who are into crafts then making a flower arrangement that revolves around the theme of a white carnation and a garnet for a January birthday could be both fun and inexpensive.

Click on the above link for a pattern to make a single white carnation nylon stocking flower(coming soon).





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fuschia

fuschia
Originally uploaded by june2009bug

This Fushia flower was made in March while I was in Texas for a few weeks.It is made of silk nylon tubes,which come in many colors.The flower shown also has a branch of baby's breath made of same fabric,.The leaves are also made of same fabric.

clamatis vase

clamatis vase
Originally uploaded by june2009bug

Made this clematis flower on april 2nd. It is exactly the same color as the one I have growing on my archway in the backyard. It blooms from early July to late August . The clematis is very beautiful and easy to care for,also comes in different colors.

silk stocking flowers - iris - glad

The glad flower represents the August flower. It comes from the Iris family and derives mostly from South Africa. For more specific details click on the glad link.

The Carnation is the January flower. They grow in many colors, very hardy and is one of the oldest growing flowers. It is also called the flower of Love or the Flower of the Gods.

The Lotus is the August flower. It comes in colors of assorted pinks where as the water lily comes in white to yellows. The lotus is an entirely different plant from the water lily. The centre of the flower is quite different.

The bearded Iris is the May flower. It is a very popular flower in many gardens and can be seen in many colors. It takes it's name from the Greek word which means rainbow.