Welcome to the "new" Country Chatter
 

Calico Kitten Designs is so happy to welcome Country Chatter Newsletter to our website.
The newsletter is just my way of sharing my part of the world with everyone, and helping people with their businesses. I am hoping to make the world just a little bit better for a couple minutes, to bring a laugh or a smile to your face and just a way of saying thanks.

It has been a long time since the newsletter has been around.  I have missed my friends on the internet and now with the price of gas - what better way to keep in touch with everyone then to start the newsletter again.  You have to agree that the internet is a wonderful thing, I joined Classmate a long time ago and it has bought so many of my friends that I went to High School with back into my life and that is wonderful.

It is hot around here, gas is so high and of course I have one of those awful SUV's but....... I love my SUV and it hauls all my projects from Home Depot home.  I have been remodeling the house and finishing one room at a time, living room is done and on to the Master Bedroom.  I worked in the back yard, planted a garden and tons of plants.  I put in pavers to extend the patio, block wall around the grape vines, put in solar lights and a walkway from my little corner of the world to the patio and have so much more to do - and the heat came and came.  We had a fire about 10 miles from the house, lightning strike from a dry thunderstorm, it is finally under control but there is a huge one up in Crown King - on the way to Prescott.

Claudia and I manage to go out for dinner at least once a month and we really miss shopping and shopping
but ............ the only good thing about the price of gas is that I am staying home and working on the house and doing all kinds of crafts for me.  Speaking of crafts, has anyone ever done a rag rug???  I am pulling down wood floors in the living room and dining room and think that rag rugs will look so "cute" especially in front of the fireplace and I know the kittens will love them to sleep on. So if you have a pattern or instructions or know of a website, please let me know.

But Country Chatter is back!!!!!!!!!!!!  The Kittens and I will be doing a newsletter twice a month, the one in the middle of the month will be just crafts and recipes.

Summer Vacation
by Elisa Renteria

Swimming or reading, Playing tennis or croquet,
All of these are perfect ways, To spend a summer day.

Some people think it's silly, And are fans of winter sports.
Well, they can keep their winter clothes, I'd rather wear some shorts.

It's nice not to got to school, I think all kids agree.
No homework and (my favorite part, No getting up early!

Right now, I think, I am inclined, In an artistic way.
I love to make a scrapbook, On a hot summer's day.

Of course, all the good things in life, Must have an end sometime,
But next year it will come again-Good old summertime!

Activities Around the Valley

This is for my friends who need a little reminder about what is going on around my part of the world.
Well, the heat has hit the Valley and this is the time of the year, when everyone heads up north
to the "High Country" or over to San Diego to "cool" off and only the brave ones go
out in the heat but the nights are soooooo nice.
Time to take a class or two at the Park District or your local craft shop

July 19th and 20th - Arts and Crafts Show - Prescott Courthouse Plaza
Plenty of Free Parking and No Admission - Prescott, AZ

Downtown Glendale and Catlin Court are still open during the summer with new shops and restaurants, be
sure and stop in and say hello.

Crafter's Corner

Calico Kitten Designs will be having their "Grand Re-Opening" in September. 

If you are in the Phoenix area and are interested in any shows, please get in touch with the kittens at
admin@calicokittendesigns.com and they will be more than happy to send you a list of shows.

I would still like to start a Quilting Club for quilters or anyone who would like to give it a try. 
I want to start a mailing list of people who would be interested in doing this.  Each month, you will send to one person on the list, four 5 inch squares of fabric of one theme.   We will do this for 3 months with one theme and then choose another theme for the next 3 months.  At the end of the three months, please design something with your fabric and send me a photo and I will put it in the newsletter with your name and website.  If you are interested in doing this, please email the staff at Admin@calicokittendesigns.com and please put quilts in the message line.

Bear is in charge of link exchanges and was wondering if anyone would like to exchange links with Calico Kitten Designs.
You can get in touch with him at admin@calicokittendesigns.com and he will be more than happy to sent you ours. One small note from Bandit, if you have any EXTRA Pringles (the original favor) he will make sure that you on the front page of the links.

Recipes

Each and every month, there will be a special section for them. 
This month we are featuring desserts

If you would like to have yours in
the next issue of Country Chatter, please email Bandit at admin@calicokittendesigns.com
and he just loves samples.

Oranges and Strawberries

6 oranges, peeled and sectioned
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup rose wine
1/2 cup sugar
2 whole cloves
2 (1-inch) sliced peeled ginger root
1 (2-inch) stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups fresh strawberries

1. Combine all ingredients except oranges and strawberries in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil
2. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes
3. Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl.
4. Add oranges to hot syrup
5.  Cover and chill for several hours.
6. Prior to serving, add strawberries to orange mixture.  Serve fruit and liquid in
individual dessert dishes or prepared pastry shells.
 

Strawberry Cheese Tarts

Makes up to 12, depending on size of cookie cutter.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 to 4 oz. cream cheese
Small jar of strawberry jam
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2.  Mix all above ingredients to make a pastry.  Roll in a ball and chill
for several hours.
3.  Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness, on a floured surface.
Cut circles with a cookie cutter or water glass.
4.  Spoon a teaspoon of strawberry jam in center.  Brush edges with beaten egg.
Put another circle on top and press edges all around together with a fork.
Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.
5.  Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.
Can serve warm.
 

Ads Corner

Callie and Special are in charge of the ads, and they are so different.  Callie is a tomboy and Special is a super girly girl.  We will be offering free ads for August's newsletter. Please email
Special and Callie at admin@calicokittendesigns.com for details.
I will be sending an email out in the middle of July reminding you about placing
an ad for the August newsletter.

 

Well, I hope that you have made it down to this little part, I love talking about
Arizona, sharing this state with everyone.  I want to share a part of my world
with everyone and doing this newsletter is my way of thanking
everyone for being a friend.  Say a prayer for our Armed Forces and pray that
they will be home soon.  Tigger and Katie want to say hello, they share the computer room with me.  We have tried to teach Tigger how to talk and he knows one word - pretty, which he yells all the time. And Tigger would like to know when does the football season start again.

Count your blessings, hug your family and friends,
thanks for being a part of Country Chatter
Have a Wonderful Fourth of July, we will be sitting in my front yard
watching the fireworks over at the Glendale Community College.

Hugs,
Cindy and the Kittens

Country Chatter
Cindy Kingren
623-210-3511
(after 3 pm - pacific time)
dacarebear@yahoo.com