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.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend, the last weekend of summer.  Football starts on Thursday night and cool weather can not be too far off. Well, fall has come to the valley in the form of Hurricane John, he came up from Baja California and left us rain and rain this past weekend.  Here in Peoria, we got 2.08 inches Saturday night, which might not sound like a lot but.......... we only get 7 inches out here for the whole year.  The one good here is that I have wanted to plant a tree in my back yard but have you ever tried to dig up cement with a shovel, that is as hard as my ground was but after all this rain and more coming this week - we have a hole for my tree.

I am only working one job now, last weekend was my last at Home Depot and now we can start remodeling
the house, catching up with my friends, shopping and of course, running around with Claudia.  We
have all ready started planning on taking some classes on primitive rug making and Joanie and I are
going to take some card making classes.  Claudia and I went to downtown Glendale on Labor Day, some
of the shops were open and all decorated for fall.

Stripes is in the computer room with me, hiding out from the kittens.  The kittens are getting big, Bandit
still loves to eat, Bear has learned that when you say his name, if he rolls over you will pet his stomach.  Special is just "special", she rules all the kittens, you do what she wants or she will bite you and Callie has learned a new trick, wait until Mom is almost asleep and then jump over her and then on top of her.

The Magic of Autumn

It's a glorious day with a sun overhead
And maples off yonder in cardinal red
And elms spilling gold on the floor of the world
And the sumacs ablaze, as the picture's unfurled
Oh poor little genius, known as man
Work us such wonders, as this, if you can!

It's a glorious day, with magic of fall
Working its changes too swift for us all
Now the green turns to gold in the glint of the sun
But not one of us knows how the marvel is done
From the high hat of autumn gay ribbons are tossed
And mane merely calls in the work of the frost.

Here's a performance which dazzles the eye
Here are the illusions no magician dare try
Oh, who can detect it, or who can explain
Or who can equal such legerdemain?

The world is a stage, without curtain or wing
Where Autumn performs for the peasant and king
No velvet topped table he needs for his feat
As he scatters his silver and gold at our feet
We see the scenes change in the glint of the sun
But none of us knows how such wonders are done
--- From the collection of Blanche Phillips
 

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.
It is starting to "cool" off and my favorite time of the year is the Fall. 
The evenings are starting to cool down, and time to go out and see the valley.

This is Country Maiden in Catlin Court
One of our favorite shops

September 16th and 17th - Octoberfest in the Pines
Heber/Overgaard, AZ at the tall timbers Navajo Country Park
off Highway 260 - Specialty handmade Arts & Crafts
Food & Entertainment for all ages.

Farmers Markets & Craft Shows - Every Saturday
Roadrunner Park Market - 7am-11pm
3502 East Cactus Rd. just east of the Hwy 51 off-ramp

Crafter's Corner

Calico Kitten Designs wants to be your place to find everything that you need to make your life just a little bit
more easy for you.  The kittens want to make it the place that you look for recipes (check out all the wonderful new recipes that have been added), patterns for crafts, a newsletter to bring you a laugh or too, links to your favorite websites, ads to help people with their businesses and if you would like to look at some of my crafts and order, thank you.

We have a Quilting Club for quilters started, there are 5 of us, so far and it is called "Calico Kitten Quilting Club".  So if you would like to join us, we would love to have you.  Please email the kittens at admin@calicokittendesigns.com  
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.

Recipes

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.

Cranberry Spice Tea

8 regular tea bags
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
2 cups cranberry juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
water and/or ice to make one gallon

Place tea bags, cinnamon sticks, cloves and boiling water in a one gallon container.  Brew about 8-10
minutes.  Discard tea bags, cinnamon and cloves.  Add sugar and stir till dissolved.  Add juices.
Add enough water to make one gallon.  Pour mixture into a large pot and heat one mug at a time
in the microwave.

White Rice Chicken Salad

In small bowl mix:
3T. tarragon - flavored vinegar
1 T Honey Dijon Mustard
1/4 t. salt & pepper

In large skillet heat 1 T. vegetable oil over high heat.  Add boneless, skinless chicken breast,
cut into 1/4" strips.  Sauté 4-6 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove chicken to bowl, cover.
In same skillet, prepare 6 oz. box of white or wild rice mix-following package directions (use very
hot water - about 20 minutes)  Meanwhile in large bowl combine - 2 large celery chopped, 1 gala apple,
cored and chopped, 1/2 cups toasted pecan pieces, 6 green onions, chop 1/2 cup cranberries.  Add
hot rice, chicken and dressing, mix.  Serve warm or cold.
 

Craft Project

Instructions - Scarecrow:
Base paint scarecrow hurricane light peach. Use several coats for smooth finish. Paint large eyes with black and white at bottom area. Paint large nose triangle with blue. Stipple cheek areas with harvest orange. Paint mouth line and add x’s for stitch line on mouth using black. Tear strip of material about 1 1/4” wide and long enough to tie around brim of hat. Glue. Add some pieces of raffia in band. Glue raffia to inside of hat to hang down to resemble hair. Glue to top of hurricane. Cut another strip of material about 3”-4” wide and length to tie around base of hurricane. Tie on with tails in back. Stuff some raffia inside edge of fabric, sticking up toward face.

Instructions - Crow:
Base paint tapered style hurricane black for crow. Dry. Paint large beak in center front using yellow. Paint 2 black commas on beach for nostrils. Paint white dots for eyes and add black at eye on top area and accent with white dot. Paint yellow feet on bottom of hurricane. Using grey, draw a few feather lines above eyes, under stomach area and on sides to resemble wing lines. Use small strips of fabric to tie around small straw hat. Glue to hurricane.
 

Ads Corner

The two girls want to thank everyone that has placed an ad in my little newsletter. We can't get the two little girls to agree on a special for October yet, they both are sleeping now. So we will let you know the middle of the month what the special will be. Please email Special and Callie at admin@calicokittendesigns.com for details.
I will be sending an email out in the middle of September reminding you about placing
an ad for the October newsletter.

Since 1999 Finch Farm has offered a large online selection of hand crafted kitchen appliance covers and coordinating kitchen accessories including pot holders, place mats and table runners just to name a few.We also offer a nice selection of hand made bag holder dolls and cloth dolls. Select your fabric from our convenient fabric gallery. Custom sizing is available or browse our in stock items for a quick but carefully hand crafted gift from the heart. Secure online ordering. Hand made in the USA Quality at affordable prices http//:www.finchfarms.com for all your gift giving and home decor needs

Have a "hard to buy for" person on your holiday list?  A custom designed basket may be the answer to your shopping quandary.  Casserole Baskets, Wine Baskets or one of many designs of decorator baskets are all available with your choice of trim or handle colors.  See my basic selection at www.carolinaweaver.com and remember, custom designs are a specialty!   Holiday orders must be received by November 21, 2006.

Pre- Grand opening for The Ultimate Dolls, Teddies, & Toys online Mall from September 1^st to the 30^th Advertising special – Buy any advertising and get same free, example buy 1 year banner get 1 yr free = 2 yrs for the price of one. http://dollsgaloremall.the-ultimate-mall.net/   
(this special will also be honored at The Ultimate Mall – http://www.the-ultimate-mall.net/)  
 

Poetry Is The Whisperings Of Angels
 
Come visit PoetryByHardy.com. Over 600 original poems in 30 categories. Be sure to look for the link to 
see how to get your FREE laminated poetry card offer.  http://www.PoetryByHardy.com
 

Well, I hope that you have made it down to this little part, I love talking about
Arizona, sharing this state with everyone. Tigger and Katie have been yelling all night long, Tigger is excited about the fact that football is coming.  He loves it or it is the noise from the games.  I have been trying to teach him how to say "Go Bears" but ...... he doesn't feel the same about them as I do.
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.

Count your blessings, hug your family and friends,
thanks for being a part of Country Chatter
 

Country Chatter
Cindy Kingren
623-210-3511
(after 3 pm - pacific time)
dacarebear@yahoo.com
you can reach the kittens at
admin@calicokittendesigns.com