Sunday Supplement - on Location with our next Tuesday Tinker

Though the official heat wave of several weeks ago has passed, some of us are still in the hot grip of the summer sun.  Freethinker team member, AltheaP, says that she can't really beat the heat, so she tries to deal with it all by keeping her sense of humor.  On a recent excursion around her hometown of Raleigh, North Carolina, she came across a sign that made her laugh.  She thought she would share it will all of us.  Could there be a better reason to get our oil changed?

Need a summer hat to wear while getting that oil change?  Visit AltheaP's Etsy shop where you can also find hand painted and dyed totes to take to the beach or a lovely scarf to complete your summer evening outfit!

New ETSY Treasury Featuring AUNTMARTHA

For more information, just click on the item photo:

Tuesday Tinker - CircleANaturals

Anne and Paul from CircleANatures specialize in making handmade natural and organic products, but in the near future will be taking the shop in a new direction.

Anne explains, "We are adding a whole new area to our shop. Vintage jewelry and vintage jewelry repair or repurpose items. I love jewelry and am forever looking for interesting pieces. A lot of times, I find great pieces that are missing a crystal, or pieces that are broken that have a ton of potential, and were basically going to be thrown out. I thought, instead of throwing these out, why not offer them for parts or for rebirth? The idea that such beautiful things were headed for the dumpster because they weren't perfect just bothered me. So, we're going to offer a large spectrum of 'perfect items', as well as, pieces that hopefully will fit into someone's vision, and they will give them a new life, or be able to take a piece from them, to give life back to a piece they already own. I can promise there will be lots of cameos, as they are an addiction of mine. I've also recently become drawn to micro mosiacs and have bought several to offer in our shop. They are truly tiny pieces of very intricate art. We think the new items will complement what we already offer and hopefully find a niche among artists looking for supplies that they won't find other places. We want to be the go- to shop for artists looking for inspiration for repurpose and for people who need that one crystal to fix their favorite brooch."

Samples of vintage jewelry and repair parts.

Along with vintage jewelry and supplies you'll also find handmade organic and natural soaps, moisturizers, healing salves, and body creams.

Lilac Soap

Visit CircleANaturals and find something to soothe your soul and bling your fingers, ears, and neck!
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Sunday Supplement - On Location with the Next Tuesday Tinker

This week we asked Anne and Paul from CircleANaturals who live in Steven's Point, Wisconsin, how they beat the heat:

"My least expensive and low calorie way to deal with the heat and humidity of the summer months, is peppermint. We farm, so there's always chores to do whether it's 90 degrees or 10 below zero. I really enjoy the cooling tingle of our peppermint soap after doing chores, and I keep a atomizer with peppermint water in it, to mist myself with when I feel like I'm in the last stages of melting. It's also a natural bug repellent and masks the wonderful aroma of our all natural fertilizer producers (also known as cattle).  I also believe that if it's over 85 degrees, the calories in ice cream evaporate!

I am so blessed to be surrounded with so much peaceful beauty here on our farm. No neighbors or traffic. The first photo is of a truly beautiful sunset we had recently. It was actually raining and I drove the truck down to get clear of the tree line so I could take photos. Like an idiot, I stood in the beam of the headlights and got eaten alive. These will be on new original photo art cards coming out in our Etsy shop. Then we have ones of our new babies. I never get tired of following our chickens around. They have so much personality!"

If you would like to try out the refreshing peppermint soap after a hot day, visit Anne and Paul's CirleANaturals Etsy shop. 
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The Recipe Corner - Almond Delights

Today's Thursday treat comes from WhimseyFish.  An artist with a range of talents. From large jewelry to tiny knitted sweaters. She has wonderful sense of color and texture which is well represented in her cooking.
Enjoy.

Almond Delights
Makes 50

The Cookie:
½ cup Slivered Almonds
1 cup Butter, softened
½ cup Confectioners' Sugar
2 tsp. Almond Extract
1/8 tsp. Salt
2 cups Flour
Chocolate-Almond Filling

1. Bake the almonds for 5 minutes in a 350° oven until they are lightly browned. Let cool, finely chop and set aside.
2. Mix butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add almond extract, salt and flour. Mix well.
3. For each cookie half, roll a rounded ½ tsp. of dough into a ball the size of a marble. Place 1½ inches apart on an ungreased
baking sheet and bake in a 350° oven for 10 to 12 minutes until firm, but not browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Put together 2 cookies with about ½ tsp. of the filling. Don’t skimp, as you want the frosting to ooze out the sides so the nuts have something to stick to.
5. Generously roll the exposed chocolate frosting edge in the chopped almonds.

Chocolate-Almond Filling:
2 tbs. Butter
2 tbs. Heavy Cream
3 oz. Semisweet Chocolate Chips
½ tsp. Almond Extract
1 cup Confectioners' Sugar

1. Bring the butter and cream to a boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
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Tuesday Tinker - MarthaHorman

MarthaHorman sells Original Paintings, Photographs and digital prints of her fine art work.

This is an original limited edition linocut print and it is now for sale in her shop.

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Sunday Supplement - On Location with the Next Tuesday Tinker

We thought it would be fun to create a themed Sunday Supplement for a change of pace.  Since most of the nation is suffering from heat wave after heat wave, we thought we would ask the question of our Etsy Freethinkers members:

How do you beat the heat?

MarthaHorman is a team member who lives in Valley Stream, New York.  While it's not as hot as Texas, it still gets way hot and humid.  Martha's way to beat the heat?  A biggo double dipped ice cream cone!  She said she doesn't do it often, but this being National Ice Cream day and month, we think she has every right.

We hope that you will try Martha's way of beating the heat and while your at it, check out her wonderful paintings, drawings, and photography at her Etsy shop, MarthaHorman.
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The Recipe Corner. Homemade Peach Ice Cream

Your list of ingredients. 

1 pint half and half
1 pint whipping cream
1 14 oz can condensed milk
Fresh peaches.
I use 3 large ripe peaches because I like lots of peach flavor.

Mix all ingredients together except the peaches.
Peel and chop peaches or run through food processor depending on your preference of chunky or smooth ice cream.

Mix the pieces with the milk/cream mixture and freeze according to the instruction on your ice cream freezer.

Find a shady tree on a summer day, sit under the tree and consume.

Visit TextstyleTextures online shop for the linen dress that goes perfect with peach ice-cream, summer days and shady trees.


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Tuesday Tinker - altarspace

altarspace creates original one of a kind journals.  In addition to treating yourself, they make thoughtful gifts. 

Visit her store to see her other journals... and the other lovely things she creates.

Sunday Supplement - On Location with our next Tuesday Tinker

Altar Space just moved to Vermont, a dream in the making for about 6 years.  She knows that all the beauty that now surrounds her will definitely inspire her paintings and craft work.  Not only is she happy about this, so is her bulldog, Pete, who now has a huge yard to play ball in!

Need some spiritual inspiration yourself?  Come visit Altar Space's shop or check out all the great artists that make up our Freethinkers Group!
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The Recipe Corner - Popcorn, Main Course

Popcorn is an economical thing to eat providing you don’t break a tooth on it.  Then it gets expensive. Be careful. Please. 

Cook your popcorn in olive oil. This helps with the illusion that you are eating healthy food.  I pop up a double fistful of popcorn in olive oil and throw into a large shallow bowl. Large and shallow is important for the mixing technique used later on. That and carefully washing your hands.

In the pot you just used, swab out any bits of hull, pour in the amount of olive oil you are going to put on your popcorn (still healthy) and then pour in some more. (oops.)

Crush three giant cloves of garlic into the oil and saute lightly. When the garlic turns lite brown and the house reeks, let it cool a bit. Then pour over popcorn while occasionally digging both hands into popcorn and tossing gently (into the air like the falling autumn leaves. No, no. Don’t do that).

Generously sprinkle Brewers Yeast powder over popcorn till you think you have enough. Yes, we are still keeping with the illusion that we are eating healthy. Then sprinkle in some more.  Yes, folks, Brewers Yeast. It has a very nutty flavor that blends well with the garlic and olive oil. Its available at your local health food store. Give it a try. 

Sprinkle a bit of lawry’s Seasoning Salt. Its got to be Lawry's. I don't know why. The only thing that you could season your popcorn with that would taste better would be a thick cut of rare to medium steak also seasoned with Lawry's. 

You don't have to go too crazy with the salt.  Again. The illusion of health. 

Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese. That's the protein part of the meal. When you think you have sprinkled in enough, sprinkle in some more. 

Push your sleeves up to your elbows and start dredging up the popcorn, grease and powdery stuff. Get the seasonings nicely distributed and call the neighbors over for a taste test. 

I was going to get a glamorous  fashion shot of the finished product but I turned my back on the neighbors for what I swear was no longer than three seconds. When I turned back this is what I found. The empty bowl is testimony to how good it is. 

Recipe compliments of ManicManx.

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Tuesday Tinker - Suwanee

Suwanee has a whole shop full of vintage jewelry.

Click here to check out the treasures in her her shop.
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