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Monday, October 4, 2021

A Little Free Paper Craft and Some Pecan Lore

Since I'm in-between employment, I've been making a lot of digital tags for my Etsy shop. I decided to print out my new favorites and make some cute "Mason Jar" decorations. I drink out of canning jars of all shapes and sizes and use them for storing foods and small items. And they make such cute rustic vases!

MerryNeedle on Etsy - Mason Jar Digital Tags
 
It was wonderful to sit on the bed with the dogs and cut out my "scraps" while a sweet OLD Hallmark movie played! Oh yes, the movies are silly and syrupy, but I find them to be a nice background to crafting! Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, it doesn't matter. I like to link the entire end of the year together and enjoy all of it, zusammen! But the NEW Hallmarks are not to my taste at all! They seem kind of trashy!
 

I have a link to a special set of these silly little tags just for my bloggie readers! It's at the bottom of the post. The ones for bloggie frens are not in the Etsy shoppe, but are just for you to enjoy, if fussy-cutting and glueing is fun for you!  

I went "running" with my buddy, my dear hubby. I gathered some rare jujubes, which are tasty but are mostly a big seed. They are falling off like a rain of dried plums! I don't know if they are visible, but like most things in the desert, the branches have HUGE thorns.
 

Then it was time to go check if the pecan groves have begun to change leaf colors. It's still too early.
 
 
The pecans are still ripening, still in their husks. I gathered several fallen pecans still in the husk (they are no good for eating if they fall when unripe), because they are a surefire cure for ringworm! 
 
 
Sometimes I take in litters of kittens that need bottle-feeding, and many times, these poor things have ringworm. There are pharmaceuticals to combat ringworm, but I feel the green husk juice is more effective. It does stain the skin and fur, but the quickness of the cure is worth it. It eventually fades, usually before the kittens are ready for their "furever homes." I have the green pecans I picked up stored in the freezer for future use.
 
I have heard that green pecan leaves are also effective, but I haven't tried that. 

Did you know that it's LUCKY if a pecan "beans" you right on the noggin? It is!
 

There was a roadside shrine among the trees. These are common here, and are called descansos. They are protected by law when placed along a public highway or roadway, and many are very elaborate. They are placed at the sites of fatal accidents. I try to drive very carefully, and the descansos remind me of how important it is to continue to do so.


I'm just about to start a fun crafting project where I take a Dollar Tree hanging "witch" and hopefully elevate its appearance somewhat! I hope to pop in later this week with a "before" and "after" post. I like the Norwegian "kitchen witches" and hope this will bring those funny witches to mind. I do not like "scary" things, but I do love kitschy funny ones!

I hope you are all doing well this first full week of October, bloggie friends! Anything special planned this week?


Kind regards,

Holly, the Olde Dame
 
USE THE LINKS or they won't print correctly!




Link to the "Autumn" Jars:

AUTUMN JARS

Link to the "Winter" Jars:

WINTER JARS

36 comments :

  1. Interesting facts about pecans. Also about the descansos. Here in Canada people put up plain white crosses where fatal accidents have happened but rarely are they as decorated as the one you pictured. I always wonder how the accident happened especially when the cross is on a straight stretch of road.

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    1. I think distracted driving and drunk driving, either perp or victim, is the reason for a lot of those wrecks. And animals wandering across the road.

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  2. Dear Holly, it is so interesting to see how different the world is in another part of the world, how we experience different things - but also similar ones. You will soon be picking pecan nuts - here the hazel and walnuts are "ripe".
    Cutting paper out is fun - in Victorian time they did stick whole folding screens with that and lacquered it - I always intend to do that too, but then there are so many other things to do.. I wish you a beautiful week! Britta

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    1. Now I want to research about those screens. That sounds like a fantastic project to make!

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  3. I did not know pecan trees can grow in your area. I grew up with three giant trees in our yard. I felt like a slave being made to pick up pecans for daddy to crack and us to shell.. now i wish i had a pecan tree. or did until IBS will not let me eat nuts. those jars are adorable. you have so many talents. thus the merry needle name.

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    1. Some day I might post about the misery my father's pecan groves caused me! And the world's largest pecan grove in the world is right here in Las Cruces, New Mexico, right in the desert!

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  4. I did not know those highway memorials (descansos) were protected by law. Here too, then, probably.
    Your crafting work is always such a delight!!
    Oh and all that info on pecan/ringworm is new to me also...interesting.

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    1. New Mexico passed a law about the descansos! Ghost Bikes are also considered a type of descanso and are protected, too!

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  5. We have plain white crosses where fatal accidents have happened and some are very decorated. I do not agree with the idea. They can be distracting to drivers and I would not want the memory of my loved ones last minute marked I would prefer to mark their happiest time or day. But I think I am the only one who feels that way.
    I will print some of these out what a wonderful gift.
    I rarely watch Hallmark but my daughter loves them.
    Cathy

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    1. Sadly, the shrines are so common that I don't think they are particularly eye-catching to locals, but out-of-towners might get distracted. We have Ghost Bikes, too. I know what you mean about marking the sad place in a loved one's life, but I have grown to love the descansos.

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  6. No plans for the week, other than try and get some garden clean up done. And watering since not much chance of rain for still another week.

    We have those memorials too, not quite so fancy usually - a small cross and some flowers. They are allowed to remain as long as they are well off the road and where they shouldn't cause more accidents by distraction. I had no idea about the green pecans and ringworm.

    Thank you for the tags!

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    1. Garden cleanup is right around the corner for us, too. I have seen the plainer roadside shrines in other states, too. As you say, the little white crosses. Let me know if the tags don't print right for you! I can always zip and send them.

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  7. What an absolutely lovely post. It made me want to give you a big hug, sit down and have a cup of tea and some cookies, and talk awhile.

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  8. I enjoyed your lovely jaunt through the desert to see the lovely trees and other things...so much to learn here...the pecan husks and ringworms...who'da thunk it? And jeepers, now I want a glass of iced tea in a mason jar. I have many and used to drink from them, but haven't in a while. Love your jar tag ideas too. You are very clever and crafty! Glad you are making good use of your in between jobs time. It helps make the time go faster, and before you know it you'll be back to work, hopefully doing something you LOVE. Praying for you, dear friend. And thank you for praying for our Shannon. She came home from the hospital last night, but has a long ways to go before she is healed...but praise God, she is much better than originally feared. God IS so good!! Thank you again for your kind prayers. (((hugs)))

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    1. Pam, be sure and use a straw when drinking from the Mason Jars, especially with your neck! Keeps the pressure and flexing off of those muscles and I guess the vertebrae, too...such good news about Shannon...

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    2. Thank you for sharing the lovely jar tags/decorations. They are soooooo pretty! I did not know much of the info you shared about the pecans. And how wonderful of you to take in litters of kittens to help them find homes. Hugs to you! There are many memorials/crosses along the highway as we travel back and forth. My heart goes out to the family or friends who decorate the places. I cant wait to see your glammed up witch when you get through!

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    3. I am getting pretty old for the bottle-fed kittens. Well, the bottle-feeding part is easy. It's when they get mobile and can run out the room that gives me trouble, so small and so fast!

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  9. Your mushroom, deer and turkey jar tags are so lovely and thank you for sharing the jar designs. How wonderful you are to take in litters of kittens and then to find them homes. I did not know that much about pecans! It is sad to see the crosses along the highway. Wishing you lovely autumn days

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    1. I read on your post that at least the worst of the blazing days are past?...still hot, though...hang on, autumn is coming for real!

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  10. Never have heard of jujubes. What do they taste like? What fun tags. Thanks for sharing! Janice

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  11. We have roadside memorials here. How sorry I feel for the families.

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    1. I know, Joanne. The families are so sad, yet the shrines help them. That particular shrine made me really shocked because there it is, in the middle of the prettiest drive in our area.

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  12. My mom had a Norwegian witch hanging in our kitchen all year. You just brought back special memories. Thank You for that!
    Love, Carla

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  13. I have never heard of jujubes either....they look large for "seeds"....Now you have me curious as to what they taste like. I did not know of the pecan lore...nor its healing properties...but, then again, there are no pecan trees in these parts LOL. Our leaves have essentially all turned and many are gone...I believe last weekend was the peek of their glory. Fun printables...I do enjoy playing with paper goods from time to time. ~Robin~

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    1. Pecans don't like cold weather, that's for sure! The jujubes are tasty, like a freeze-dried apple. They are bone dry. I should probably wash them but I just wipe the dust off and eat them! Sometimes you can find them in Asian markets.

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  14. You have THE BEST POSTS!!! Did not know that about green pecans. I rescued a tiny kitten from the middle of the highway in 2005. He was very sickly and had ringworm which the vet treated. Named him Bickett, after the highway where I found him. He was my special boy for 13 yeaars. Your little jar tags are just lovely! Thank you for the free download. Hope I will know how to do it. Can't wait to see your "after" version of the witch. You are so creative.

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    1. How kind of you to have rescued little Bickett! My son rescued my Morgus from the highway, and he was a little sickly kitten, too. He is still not completely well but no vet has been able to figure out exactly what's wrong. But he loves life and is very active.

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  15. The pecan trees sure are pretty all standing in rows. I LOVE a good pecan pie and recently had my fill of one. I always think it's so nice when I see a road shrine. A dear friend got into a car accident, and after her death there was a road shrine at the location of the accident. It made me think about her whenever I passed it. You have been busy making these mason jar decorations. They are so creative and cute, Holly. I also love mason jars. So many things we can use them for. I'd love to see your Dollar Tree hanging witch. It sounds delightful. The Dollar Store has so many wonderful holiday decorations for Christmas. I've been wanting to check the one out up here.

    Have a blessed rest of the week, Holly.

    ~Sheri


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    1. I am of course sad at the shrines, but happy that they bring a feeling of calm to the families and friends. Gosh I love pecan pie, too! I love it TOO much, in fact!

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  16. I love your cute little mason jar art. I don't have a printer that works, but maybe I'll mosey next door and use my daughter's sometime. :) I agree with you about the Hallmark movies. They do seem to be getting trashier. I enjoy watching some of that syrupy sweet stuff during the holiday season. God bless you and your hubby! :)

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    1. I know, why is Hallmark allowing itself to get trashy? I worked for Hallmark way back in the day. The heyday, I guess.

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  17. So cute...

    Hallmark movies always were nice. I too, don't care for some of the tacks, which the "Woke Crap" has forced them to take.

    But I love the holiday sets..... More than the story line.

    Never knew that, about a ringworm cure!!!!!!!

    🎃 😊 🍁 🌰 🌻 🍂 🎃

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  18. I love your tags~ And I've had many a thing hit me on the head, but never a pecan. I don't even know of any pecan trees near here. Might have to go wandering around and see if I find any.

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