Last day for KOOL YULE!

Ah, those Freeman girls, out for a stroll around the neighborhood with their mid-morning mimosas! They made a stunning appearance at KOOL YULE to brighten our our last day. We are open until 5:00 today and then that 's it for the year. Our Creative Worshop schedule for winter wil be available the last week in December. check for updates on our FB page and peaceinmygarden.com. A rich and happy KOOL YULE to everyone!

WE'LL BE OPNE AN ADDIITONAL WEEKEND

WHAT'S IN STORE AT KOOL YULE

Wondering what in the world you'll find at KOOL YULE? Here's a quick overview!
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend 10:00-5:00

CLICK HERE

Guest Artists: JOHN AND ANITA CAIN from CONFUSIONS

John & Anita Cain have been working in fused glass for about ten years now. They design & produce a wide variety of dishware in our home-based glass studio. Liven up your decor with a bright accent bowl or tray; add some sparkle to your table when you entertain with one of our spoonrests or coaster sets. All items are very reasonably priced ($15 - $40 generally) & make great gifts for any occasion. Custom orders are always welcomed - about two weeks lead time is needed & there is no additional cost.

KRAFT WEEK at KOOL YULE- NOVEMBER 16-20

KRAFT WEEK at KOOL YULE start next week, November 16-20. We have a kraft session for both kids and adults every day next week. Only $25 per session for Kids and $35 for adults.

Get all the info at:  peaceinmygarden.com

GARDEN STAKES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

We have an interesting selection of interesting garden stakes at KL YULE you can use to decorate the outside of your home for the holiday season. Some are overt holdiay stakes with Santa or a snowmen, others are more subtle like these fused glass star stakes. There is also a stake featuring a blue solar star that lights up at night and you don't have to worry about turning if on or off!

KOOL YULE open 10:00-5:00 Fridays Saturdays and Sundays in November and the first week of December.

KOOL YULE Opening DAY

Our opening day has arrived with fresh cool air and comforting warmth, reminding us of people and things that are genuine, playful and beautiful... just what you’ll find at Kool Yule. Experience exciting shopping throughout the gardens and studio. Artists have surprising gift and decor ideas for the holidays... just too Kool to miss!


Karen Skillett and Trish Williams are stocked and ready with unique ideas for Royals fans you'll want to check for sure.


Come and Join us TODAY FROM 4-8 PM!

Guest Artist: LYNN BAXLEY

Lynn Baxley's versatile ceramics will be a feature at KOOL YULE. This year her pieces will bring PEACE and JOY to your holiday celebrations. The cool sprucy green glaze is coordinated in all of this year’s collection, a calm but festive touch for your table. The new platter with handles can also hang on the wall.

Guest Artist: LISA FREEMAN

Presenting new work by Lisa Freeman 

just for Kool Yule!

Something inspirational, something zany something sacred, something beautifully re-purposed. Anyway,you look at its,

it's KOOL!

Opening Night is coming fast. 

Join us for some fun 

Thursday evening, November 5

4:00 - 8:00

Promo video for KOOL YULE

CLICK FOR VIDEO

Joe Andriani has worked at From the Summer's Garden for almost four years as studio assistant.  He is now a senior in high school and is very interested in film-making.  We were inspired by Google's little intro for their new logo and Joe filmed and edited our KOOL YULE promo video again this year.  This kid's got talent that won't end!  Take a look!

Join us for KOOL YULE, our Holiday Sale!

KANSAS CITY NATIVITY

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....I was a printmaking major with an emphasis in screen printing. It still fascinates me today and I recently completed this multi-colored print titled, Kansas City Nativity. You won't have to look too hard to pick out a few familiar landmarks. The Printery House scanned the print for me and printed lithographs with excellent color reproduction. We will have these prints for sale at KOOL YULE this year.

Open every Friday Saturday and Sunday November 6 through December 5.

HYPERTUFA POTS FOR CHRISTMAS

Hypertufa pots make excellent containers for winter plantings and outdoor holiday arrangements.  They also make great holders for Christmas trees that will not blow over.

MAINTAIN YOUR DRIED FLOWER WREATH

 

It is wreath-making time at From the Summer's Garden. We make wreaths from 100% dried flowers and herbs from this summer's garden. We also decorate homemade wreath bases with silks and other real-looking florals to seasonalize the wreaths. These wreaths are made from natural materials which do not last forever. Just as a flower arrangement fades and withers, so do these wreaths. Eventually the best thing to do is to toss out an old wreath and replace with a new one. There are several things you can do to revive and refresh these wreaths:

1. Lay the wreath on a table covered with plastic. Look over the wreath and remove anything that is no longer a thing of beauty- perhaps a leaf has turned brown or a blossom has broken from a stem. Remove anything that does not look good. If what you are removing is small, you will probably not even notice that is is missing. If what you have removed is larger and leaves a hole, replace or touch up areas around the read with new pieces of dried flowers. If they have stems you can simply stick them into the existing wreath. if they are flat blossoms you willed to use a hot glue gun to accomplish this.

2. With the wreath still laying on the plastic surface, go around the wreath "fluffing" or re-postioning to improve the look of the components of the wreath. Be gentle and move slowly. The process is hard on the dried materials and it will make a bit of a mess. That is why you do this on a sheet of plastic for easier clean-up.

3.. Mix a 50/50 solution of liquid fabric softener and warm water and fill up a spray bottle. Carefully lay your wreath face down on a sheet of plastic and liberally spray the back of the wreath and sides, inside and out. Then, overturn the wreath so the front is facing upwards and spray the front- everything on the wreath. Allow the wreath to absorb the moisture overnight and rehang. It may be slightly damp but that is OK.

4. Carefully take the wreath down once a month and spray with a fine mist of just plain water. this will remove air borne dust and refresh the dried materials. You will also reactivate the natural scents of the plant materials this way.

We will have a wide selection of natural and seasonal wreaths at KOOL YULE coming up in November.

FALL STUDIOS AND WORKSHOPS

10HS2-Hypertufa Studio, 9-12  on September 5 /6  The Hypertufa Studio offers a hand-on experience making Steve’s “green” version of HYPERTUFA, a mix of cement, sand, recycled paper fiber and water.  You’ll mix, mold and sculpt concrete and hypertufa into unique and functional garden art including a box planter, a bird puddler, cast leaves, a stepping stoned and a sculpted garden gnome. Most participants take home 4-5 finished projects from this two-day session on Saturday and Sunday mornings.                                     ​21OCW - Collage Stone Creative Workshop   on Thursday evening, September 10   7-9 Create your own Collage Stone in this Thursday evening session.  You'll put together your mold, poor concrete and put together your own composition using odds and wends from our studio along with marbles, coins, keys screws, shells...you name it.  You can even bring stuff you want to preserve as a keepsake and incorporate it into your stone.  This makes a great group activity too!  You'll take it home with you the same evening! ​ ​ SAVE THE DATES!  KOOL YULE Our Holiday Sale KOOL YULE opens  Thursday, November 5th and runs every weekend up to December 6th. Visit from the summersgarden.blogspot.com  for details.

MAKING ELDERBERY JELLY

I usally prefer to make jam because of the thicker consistancy versus jelly.  Jelly is made from just the jiuce of the fruit.  In some cases it is less work and easier to make a jelly than a jam.  Such is the case with Elderberries.  They are tiny purple berries growing in masses on the ends of branches and sort of resemble a large dill seed head.   Jelly made from elderberries is tart and complex, not nearly so candy-tasting as grape jelly.

Elderberries seem to grow all over the place- I think every one of my neighbors has one and most likley it is a volunter since no one seems to know what they are.  Because of all the stemage on these berries, it would take forever to separate them from the stems and make a jam.  Instead, I put the entire seed heads into a po along with crab apples for natural pectin. The fruit is covered with fresh cool water and brought to a boil on the stove.  Boil 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to steep for an hour.

In the meantime, coat a collander with a moistened clean t-shirt and place over a large bowl or pot.  Pour the enitre contents of the pot into the collander and allow the juice to strain through the fabric into the bowl.  Allow to drain overnight.

Compost the fruit mush.  You will need 6 1/2 cups of juice for one batch of jelly.  If you have more than this, it is a good idea to concentrate your juice by simmering it in an open pot to reduce the amount of water in the juice. This also enhances and increases the flavor.  If you are impatient, you can skip this step, though your jelly will be less flavorful.  You will not harm the flavor of your juice as long as you simmer it BEFORE sugar is added.  Once you add sugar, long boiling time will result in a burnt flavor.

To make the jelly:

Measure 6 1/2 cups juice inot your jelly pot along with the juice of 1 lemon and it's rind.  Again, the rind will release more natural pectin into the juice. Slowly bring the mixture to boil and simmer for five minutes. Remove the lemon rind, add 1 package of fruit pectin and stir to dissolve.  Bring the pot to boil again and add 7 cups of sugar again stirring to dissolve.  Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for 5 minutes.  

Shut off the heat, fill your jars, add the lids and place in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool, then label.

MAKE A SAND PAIL CONTAINER

Beach Pail Container

While lolling on the beach this summer, I watched a couple of kids building a sand castle.  They were packing brightly colored plastic pails with damp sand to create circular blocks to build their fortress wall.  It occurred to me that these plastic pails would make excellent molds for planting containers and I found a nice blue one at discount store for under $3.  You can put a wire handle on the container in keeping with the pail idea and kids would love to help you with this project!

What You Need

-Large plastic sand pail- don’t worry about the design on it, look for one of good size                                           that is smaller at the bottom and wider at the top.

- plastic to cover your work surface

-a pair of mud gloves

-baking spray

-cross-cut shredded paper, preferably white office memos

1 bag sand-topping concrete mix

- plastic mix tub or large 5 gallon pail

-heavy wire for the handle and a large nail

-beads for decoration if desired

-and the little shovel that comes with the pail

What You Do

1. Spread out the protective plastic over your work surface and put on gloves.

2. Fill your plastic pail mold three times with shredded paper.  Dump the buckets of paper shred into the mixing tub or large pail.

3. Fill the bucket to the brim with hot water and pour over the paper in the large pail.

4.  With the gloves on, mix n’ mash the paper into a smooth mush.

5.  Add sand-topping concrete mix 1 cup at a time until you end up with a gray clay-like mass that resembles gray hamburger, around 5-6 cups.

6.  Spray the inside of the plastic pail with the none-stick spray and pack the hypertufa into the container from the bottom up.  ¾” is a good thickness for the walls of the container.

7.  Squeeze the rim to round it off and crimp edge with your finger or a stick.  Poke a drainage hole in the bottom as well.

8.  If you’d like to add a handle, poke two holes opposite from one another about 1” down from the top rim of the pail using a large nail.

9.  Allow to cure for three days.  When hard, remove from pail and burnish rough edges with a gloved hand.  

10.  Accessorize and plant up your sand pail container.

Tip:  Use small brads and a hammer to add decoration to the sides.

Rhubarb Lemon Jam

Jammin' time! With the genrous rainfall this spring the rhubarb is happy and so am I. This rhubarb jam has no commerical pecton to thicken it. It uses the natural pectin from 1 lemon's rind and seeds boiled with it and removed before jarring. Home canning is cool but you have to watch it because you can end up spending too much money on the sutff you need to make something. A bit of searching on the the internet, will pay off with oider recipes used by people who had to be self sufficient. 

This one's a keeper:

RHUBARB LEMON JAM
Makes about 5 pints

• 4 pounds rhubarb, trimmed, rinsed, and cut into small chunks
(12 cups)
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 big lemon, halved and juiced, seeds reserved in a cheesecloth pouch or tea ball

DIRECTIONS
1. Sterilize the jars for canning by boiling them and their lids. Place a small plate in the freezer.

2. Place the fruit, sugar, water, and lemon juice, spent halves, and seeds (they provide the necessary pectin) in a large bowl and set aside at room temperature overnight.

3. Pour the contents of the bowl into a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring the jam constantly, for about 15 minutes. 

4. Drop the heat to medium. Hold the jam at a constant simmer, checking frequently to make sure the jam isn’t scorched at the bottom of the pot. After 15 minutes, check to see if your jam has set by placing a small spoonful of jam on the plate from the freezer. The jam is set when it holds its shape on the cool plate. If it seems loose, continue cooking over medium-low heat until set.
5. Remove the seed bag and lemon halves and compost them. Place the jam in sterilized jars, leaving ¼” headspace. Gently tap the bottom of each jar on the counter to release any air bubbles. Using a damp clean towel, wipe the rims of the jars and secure the lids and rings. Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the containers with tongs and let cool on the counter. When the jam is cool, remove the metal rings, check for proper seals, and label with the date and contents. Store in a cool, dark cupboard until ready to use for up to 1 year.

MOKAN Water Garden Society Tour

cascading
sheets of silver water
spill incessantly into the pond

tumbling
beauty before our eyes
beckons us to bathe in radiance

lost in froth
we find ourselves engulfed
by nature’s pulse, shimmering delight

MOKAN Water Garden Society Tour this weekend!

JOIN US IN THE HYPERTUFA STUDIO ,SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNINGS, JUNE 13 & 14

Our first Hypertufa Studio of the summer is coming up next weekend, Saturday and Sunday mornings, June 13 & 14 from 9-12 each day. The Hypertufa Studio offers a hand-on experience making Steve’s “green” version of HYPERTUFA, a mix of cement, sand, recycled paper fiber and water. You’ll mix, mold and sculpt concrete and hypertufa into unique and functional garden art including a box planter, a bird puddler, cast leaves, a stepping stoned and a sculpted garden gnome. Most participants take home 4-5 finished projects from this two-morning session.  
JOIN US! For more info and to enroll visit:
peace in my garden.com.

GARDEN STAKE SALE AND MOSAIC STONE WORKSHOP

Garden Stake Weekend Put a finishing touch in your garden with a select garden stake for 50% off this weekend, Friday through Sunday.  (Premium stakes not included.) Mosaic Stone Workshop All day Saturday, 10:00-5:00, we'll be helping you make your own mosaic stepping stone. Pick your shape, pick your treasures, make your mosaic. You can even bring your own pieces to include in your mosaic stone. $25 BREATH OF FRESH AIR Our Spring Sale OPEN   Friday, Saturday, and Sunday  10:00-5:00.