BOUQUET ARCHIVES

These are tidbits that I would like to share with you each month.
They may be a quote, a story, a recipe, a poem, a bit of news, just for you, as well as my schedule.
Please let me now if you enjoy these, and I’ll continue with them.

OCTOBER, 2006

The beauty of Autumn is all around me in my New England home. Along with the beauty of the fall foliage for serenity and inspiration, I also enjoy the delicious beauty of the fruits of spring blossoms, most especially apple blossoms. These delicate spring time blossoms have become a wonderful variety of apples. What a wonderful way to celebrate fall than with Mom’s Apple pie! Actually, this is not Mom’s apple pie, but rather her recipe for the pie crust. This recipe is over 100 years old and was given to my Mother by a pastry chef when my Mother was a cook in a Retirement facility. “Mamie” was one of the residents and enjoyed coming into the kitchen every now and then to make a treat for her friends in the home. This recipe makes a foolproof, flaky and delicious piecrust. You can add any filling of your choice for a really delicious pie. I hope you enjoy it!

Mamie’s Pie Crust Recipe
From Ourania Samaras and “Mamie”, Manchester New Hampshire
It is a foolproof recipe and makes a very flaky and delicious pie crust.
I hope you enjoy it. Faye Labanaris

Makes 4 - 9” pie crusts. Cut recipe in half for just one pie.
5 cups flour
2 ½ cups Crisco sticks
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk

1. Cut Crisco into flour and salt with a pastry cutter until it is in small pieces.
2. Add milk and handle just enough to hold together. (Too much handling makes the crust tough)
3. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill about 1 hour. Hint: I like to remove the dough from the bowl and wrap in piece of plastic wrap before chilling.) Mold the dough in the shape of a flat ball.
4. Flour a pastry cloth lightly ( or use a clean linen dish towel) and roll out to the desired thickness.
5. Dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. It also can be frozen.

No matter what pie filling you use, you will always make a delicious pie with this wonderfully flaky crust!

Enjoy!

NOVEMBER, 2006

This month can be a sad month with the passing of a beautiful season of spring, summer flowers and the spectacular fall foliage in New England with a long cold winter ahead. But on the bright side of things, it is a time to rest and reflect on all the good and happy times we’ve had this past year. Be thankful for family and friends that enrich our lives with their individual personalities and their support. Be thankful for all the wonderful fabric out there for us to enrich our fabric collections and quilt making. Let’s drink a toast to our blessings one and all and be thankful are quilters!

Hot Spiced Percolator Punch
From Carole Evans, Dover NH

Makes about 12 servings

1 can (12 oz.) unsweetened frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1 can (12 oz.) frozen cranberry juice concentrate
7 cups of water
¼ cup brown sugar
2 Tsp whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks

1. Place the juice concentrates, water and brown sugar in an electric percolator.
2. Tie the cinnamon and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth before placing in the percolator basket.
3. Turn the percolator on and let it run its full cycle.

If you do not have a percolator, combine all the ingredients in a pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the spice bag after the punch is hot and to your taste. Enjoy!

Note: If you are not using concentrated juices, you may substitute 40 oz. of regular pineapple and 40 oz. of regular cranberry juice, but the flavor may not be as full bodied.

DECEMBER, 2007

Holiday greetings to one and all!

This month I do not have a recipe to share with you, but rather offer a sneak preview of what the future will bring.  During this busy holiday season, I can’t help but think of ribbons. Not in the way you might think, with lots of packages to gift wrap, but in a flowery way. I am in the final stages of completing the manuscript of my latest book with AQS, which is due on the editor’s desk Jan 2. It is a revision of my first book Blossoms by the Sea, which tells the life story of Celia Thaxter and her garden,  has been out of print for over 10 years The revison will contain lots and lots of ribbon flowers and a wonderful grand finale chapter of ribbon roses. Every ribbon I see wants to become a flower. I am excited about this project and share this news with you as a gift to come. The book is due to be released fall ’08. I will have information about the book closer to its release date.

In the meantime, I have a busy December ahead of me, trying to do baking and shopping in stolen moments away from working at the computer and preparing the sample displays for the book. I won’t complain as I am keeping the final result in mind.

I wish you a wonderful holiday season. Take it at a slower pace,
enjoy the moments and save those pretty ribbons!!

JANUARY, 2007

New Year’s Greetings to You!

******************************************************************

With the holiday season behind us, I enjoy the promise of a new beginning offered with the new year. It’s fun to feel you have clean slate and can begin fresh.

Don’t worry about old unfinished projects. You probably didn’t finish them for a good reason, either you didn’t like the technique or the color selection of the fabrics used. Leave them for someone else to finish someday, they’ll love your work. I hope this little tidbit will free you up to pursue your new projects.

As you read this, my manuscript for More Blossoms by the Sea is on my editor’s desk, and she is now working on it. I am excited about this revised edition, despite all the hard work involved. I can hardly wait to see it in print. With this now behind me, I am already working on a new project, another book that has been in the works for a few years. It will be quite a collection of projects with a variety of techniques, but I can’t tell you any more about it without letting the cat out of the bag.

I hope you have a new project of have fun with. There are so many wonderful fabrics and books for us to choose from. Treat yourself to the gift of doing whatever you want this year – at least for the month of January! Enjoy yourself, you are special.

FEBRUARY, 2007

This is a Month for Thoughts of Love.
Love of a special person, love of fabric, love of quilting, the list goes on.

Treat yourself this month to a love of chocolate. It has been proven that dark chocolate is beneficial to a healthy heart, so do take good care of yourself and enjoy this chocolate treat. I came across this wonderful recipe in a magazine and am impressed how easy, and more important, how utterly delicious it is.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa bittersweet Baking Chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Coating: 1/3 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
Or ¾ cup finely chopped almonds or pecans

1. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add butter and stir until melted.
2. Add chocolate to saucepan. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a shallow bowl.
4. Cool, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least two hours.
5. Roll mixture into 1” balls. Roll each ball in coating of your choice.

ENJOY!!!

MARCH, 2007

March is the month of contrasts, in like a lion, out like a lamb with the promise of Spring to come.
I can’t help but think of green during this month. Especially coming from snow country,

I crave the fresh greenish of Spring.
My first quilt teacher over 25 tears ago, gave us advice on fabric selection that I have not forgotten.
"When you see green, buy green!  Even if only a quarter yard."
You can never have too many greens in your fabric collection. The fabric manufacturers change
the dye lots of greens on a regular basis and you need to stockpile the many shades available.

 It’s a difficult assignment, but I know you can do it!
Enjoy the journey of fabric pursuit!

APRIL, 2007

April came upon me faster than I realized. I am trying to play beat the clock and losing. What do you do when that happens to you. I try and catch my breath and smell the roses, but we have snow on the ground still and that is not possible. So the next best thing is too take a break and play with fabric, stitch a few stitches, or just dream of a new project. That is sure to relax you.

I am spending the month of April immersed in and guiding two Quilt Ventures quilt tours.  The first to Pennsylvania finds me shopping for fabrics at wonderful bargain prices in Lancaster County . Many new yards will come home with me and shelves will soon be bursting. Then onto the AQS quilt show in Paducah , where I shall be teaching there this year. The quilt show is wonderful with so many quilts to inspire new projects. And you know I just might have to buy some more fabric here too.  

I hope your time does not escape you too fast. Just relax and enjoy a bit of each day, in any way!

MAY, 2007

In New England, May means finally the end of winter. Spring comes with a bang, and I find myself outdoors in the garden more than in the house doing paperwork and quilting.

It’s a great escape!

I love the promise of Spring and new beginnings everywhere. I can change small plants around in the garden easier now than later when they have deep roots. I love weeding and seeing the satisfaction of a clean space. Weeding is a wonderfully mindless process and very consuming, especially the first weeding of the season. I should take a lesson from the garden and begin a slow weeding process of cluttering possessions in my home, studio and closet. A little bit at a time and clearing will be seen! 

Enjoy your spring rituals and take time to smell the flowers and enjoy the sunshine.

JUNE, 2007

June is busting out all over!!!

How true where I live. I just can’t seem to keep up with everything.
There so much to see blooming and, of course, new planting in the garden.
A garden shop is like a fabric shop, so many wonderful things to choose from. 
After a long winter it feels good to put your fingers in the dirt. I am trying to use my gloves!

June is the month of roses and MY BIRTHDAY! As a special treat to you this month, I offer my book Applique Rose Garden for $20 with no shipping charges. Just write "Happy Birthday" on the order form when you send it in to me. Enjoy these wonderful album patterns from vintage quilts.

JULY, 2007

A wish for a great summer to one and all.
Enjoy each day and relax in the sunshine (with sunscreen, of course).

I am off to the Big Island of Hawaii for Quilt Hawaii ’07 in Kona. It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it. The islander’s laid back attitude is actually very relaxing and non stressful. I try and keep that attitude with me on the mainland, but do pick it up again once I’m ‘on island’.

So Aloha! And enjoy!

AUGUST, 2007

I hope this month finds you enjoy the days of summer. I find myself enjoying all aspects of quilting this month.

First, I’ll attend the 20th anniversary the celebration of the New England Quilt Museum , Lowell, M A , on
August 1st. I remember attending the opening when I was just a guild member and had no idea about what the future held for me, except that I loved being a quilter and was very proud of our new museum.  I will next enjoy being a teacher and sharing techniques and a lecture with students at the Lowell Quilt Festival later that week.

Then I went on to being a vendor at the Bayberry Quilt Show on Cape Cod . Now I look at things from a consumer’s point of view and offer my books and ribbons for sale. Finally, I become a student again at the American Quilters Society Quilt Exposition at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, TN, at the end of the month. It’s fun and relaxing to just sit back and learn a new thing or two. In between my quilting events this month, I am at home working as an author on two new books!

I wouldn’t change a thing about this month! What a blessing to be a quilter!

I hope you have a great month also!
Enjoy your blessings!

SEPTEMBER, 2007

Although January 1 is officially the start of a new year, I always feel September is a new beginning. I can still feel the excitement of the first day of school with new pencils and clean pads of paper. As a quilter that excitement is translated into new projects and new pieces of fabric.
I am very busy this month putting finishing touches on projects
for my newest book --- Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden.
It is due to be released by AQS in the Spring of ‘08.

NOVEMBER, 2007

I tend to work best under pressure. At the moment I am in the home stretch of completing a myriad of ribbon projects for my newest book, Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden. The project content of the book was changed a few months ago from fabric and ribbon to completely ribbon. I am being stretched with delightful ribbon treasures resulting.

While enjoying this creative process, I shall be most thankful when the looming deadline results in a clean sewing table in my family room. I shall be thankful not to crack under the pressure of deadlines. Working hard makes the rest period afterward all the more sweeter.

 To you and your families, a Happy Thanksgiving.

DECEMBER, 2007

Holiday greetings to you and your family.
May you find time to relax and enjoy this season.
I share with you this delicious recipe for Fruited Shortbread Bars.
The name of it should be If you can only bake one thing , THIS IS IT!

Makes a 9” square pan

Combine in a mixer at low speed:

1 c. flour
¼ c. sugar
½ c. butter
Press into an ungreased 9” square pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.

Combine and beat at medium speed for 2 minutes:

¾ c. sugar
½ c. flour
2 eggs
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp vanilla

Stir in:

¾ c. chopped dates
½ c. flaked coconut
½ c. pecans
½ c. drained maraschino cherries

Pour over the hot crust and return to oven.

Bake at 350 degrees 25 – 30 minutes until the top is lightly brown and the filling is set.

This is very rich and a small piece will make anyone happy!

Enjoy!

JANUARY, 2008

New Year’s Greetings to you!

My wish for you this new year is to enjoy each day!  I love the promise of a new beginning offered with the new year. It’s fun to feel so free with the idea of a clean slate. Begin new projects as a treat to yourself.

Don’t worry about old unfinished projects. You probably didn’t finish them for a good reason, either you didn’t like the technique or the color selection of the fabrics used. Leave them for someone else to finish someday, they’ll love your work. I hope this little tidbit will free you up to pursue your new projects. 

I hope you have a new project of have fun with. There are so many wonderful fabrics and books for us to choose from.  Treat yourself to the gift of doing whatever you want this year – at least for the month of January!

Enjoy yourself, you are special.

FEBRUARY, 2008

What a beginning for February ’08 – Superbowl Sunday -Go Pats! And Super Tuesday! – what a race! I’ll be glad when it is over and we can relax a bit. Take a minute and look back to Feb ’07 bouquet and do enjoy trying the Truffles recipe. They are too delicious for words!

I am looking forward to going to Virginia the end of Feb with our first Quilt Ventures tour to that state, and it promises to be fun. I am taking a couple of machine classes at the Mancuso’s Mid- Atlantic Quilt Festival.  As a hand appliqué lover, I find machine classes a challenge, and I always learn something. I wish you a great month of chocolate and fun also!

March, 2008

Well, March has certainly arrived in like a lion today with yet another snow storm in New Hampshire. I am ready for springtime flowers!

To celebrate the coming of Spring with you, I offer you my book, Garden View Applique, at a special price of $15 which includes postage anywhere in the USA. This book is full of vintage album patterns from the 1800’s, as well as directions for ribbon flowers.  Please send check or money order, with your e-mail address, to Faye Labanaris, 80 Mt. Vernon St., Dover NH 03820. Sorry no credit cards charges can be accepted. Enjoy working up a new spring quilt.

May, 2008

At last it is May after a very long, cold and snowy winter here in New Hampshire.

I have just returned from our Quilt Ventures tour to Paducah and the AQS Quilt show. The Dogwood, Redbuds and Azaleas were in peak bloom. I don’t ever remember seeing them so beautiful. The quilts at the show were wonderful!  A visit to the “backroom” at Hancock’s Fabrics also was a beautiful sight to behold. Lots and lots of wonderful fabric bundles – full collection packets, neatly packed and tied with a bow were just piled high on counters and very tempting! I quickly gave in to temptation and purchased at least a half dozen of these bundles. While I do not know what I will do with them just yet, they give me a feeling of excitement and the promise of things to come. Just like a packet of mixed flower seeds will give beauty, although you are not quite sure of what will develop. For now I am content to just enjoy the full collections of each of the fabric packets.

Isn’t that part of the excitement of being a quilter, the hope and promise of things to come!

RETURN TO FAYE'S HOME PAGE