My series, "Women of the Drifting Anchor Ranch," follows the time period from 1861 through 1880. It's a fascinating time. My characters move through the American Civil War as they make an exodus from the east to the west of America. They forge raging rivers, they face the hostilities of nature, but they keep moving forward, even when putting one foot in front of the other seems impossible.
These remarkable people knew how to adapt their lives for the circumstances that they faced. Below is an example of those abilities.
CHRISTMAS TREE GARLAND
Tools necessary:
1. A sharp sewing needle
2. Heavy duty thread (or double regular thread)
3. Popcorn
4. Cranberries
Thread the needle, and then put popcorn, cranberry, popcorn, cranberry. (You can vary the pattern and put two popcorns and one cranberry, or any variety you wish). When you run out of thread, or make the garland as long as you wish tie a knot in the end.
CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENT
Tools necessary:
Blank sheets of paper
Scissors
Thread, twine, or string
1. Take a piece of blank paper, fold it in half several times.
2. Carefully cut different shapes at the crease of the folded paper
3. Unfold one time, cut some triangles, or diamonds on the new fold
4. Unfold again, cut more shapes
5. Make a hole at the top of the snowflake. Thread the yarn through, tie a knot on the end. Hang on your tree
5. Open your snowflake,
