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June is the traditional month for Graduations and Weddings and Fathers. All such happy occasions! It's the time of year when the days are long enough you might get out into the garden after dinner, or go for a walk. We start to think about eating outside, barbecuing, patio furniture and stringing lights in the trees. The beginning of the Summer season. So what a perfect time of year to celebrate the beginning of a marriage and the beginnings of life after preschool, high school or grad school! And of course, to acknowledge Fathers and those who "father" us, be it an uncle, a teacher, a friend.
At Crackerjack, "celebrate" is our middle name! And with all these things to celebrate, including the new babies, the old friends and this year's teachers, we've brought in lots of fun and functional items to tickle your gift-giving fancy. I must admit that trying to find things that men would like to receive is not as easy as shopping for women - I think women generally have a broader range of likes - men seem more specific. But just in is the perfect gift for the "spirited" man on your list - Whiskey Stones. Handmade in Vermont of local soapstone, these are nine stone cubes which you store in the freezer in their own muslin bag. For a non-diluted, but chilled drink of whiskey or other fine spirits, you add three of the stones to about two ounces in a glass. No dilution, no added aroma or taste. Plus they look cool! Also for Dads and lots of Grads, we have a fine selection of pocket knives, some from France - L'aguiole and Nontron - and some from the Southwest. These vary from those that are like jewelry, to stone inlays to humble woods. Paperweights with great quotes or fun images are always good graduation gifts, as is jewelry and journals.
Also new and fresh are brightly colored fabric headbands from an artist in San Francisco. They give the appearance of a hair tie without the bulk of a knot under your hair and have the advantage of easy on, easy off and are very comfortable! Just the thing to perk up a cute outfit! And we've had a lot of new clothing arrivals this past month. You may remember the great linen/tencel fabric from Basic Threads we had last year. It is so comfortable, with the coolness of linen and the bounce of tencel, it is a pleasure to have against your skin. We have great colors this year - aqua, plum, persimmon and fuschia! We have also received our Niche collection for the summer in cream, cobalt and pea pod seasonless rayon crepe. I think some of our customers must have nothing else in their closets - it is addictive! And for a special occasion, or just because you want to feel especially pretty, check out our ever changing selection of Komarov dresses. They are exquisitely feminine and flattering!
So lots of new things from new artists and your favorites, for this new time of year! So come by soon and see for yourself!
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Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Upcoming Events
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The Wallingford Farmers Market resumes on Wednesday May 19, from 3 - 7! Get your fresh flowers, veggies and more!
Many of the Wallingford Center Stores (Crackerjack included!) are offering a 10% Discount on purchases made during the Farmers Market, with evidence of a Market purchase!
What more of an incentive do you need to check out the market and Wallingford Center????
July 17 - Anniversary Sale Begins - Our Annual store-wide sale starts Saturday July 17. Be on the lookout for more details!
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Things to Celebrate!
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June 1 - Dinosaur Day
June 2 - I Love My Dentist Day
June 3 - First U.S. Spacewalk 1965
June 5 -National Trails Day
June 6 -National YoYo Day
June 8 - First Indoor Swimming Pool Built
June 10 -Maurice Sendak's Birthday - author/illustrator of Where The Wild Things Are
June 12 -Wicket World of Croquet Day - such a fun game!
National Peanut Butter Day - check below for my Grandmother's recipe - I compare
all peanut butter cookies to hers, and haven't found one better yet!
June 13 - My son Asher's 22nd - where has the time gone?
Magic Day
June 14 - Flag Day
June 17 - Iceland Independence Day - from Denmark, 1944. Iceland boasts the world's
oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing, established in 930.
Independent for 300 years, Iceland was subsequently ruled by Norway and
Denmark. Limited home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874. Literacy,
longevity and social cohesion are first-rate by world standards.
June 18 - International Picnic Day
June 19 - Juneteenth - the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of
slavery in the U.S., it originated in Galveston, Texas in 1865
May 18 - Rooster Day
National Cheese Souffle Day - one day when I was in high school, I felt like trying
my hand at cooking something I hadn't tried before. So after reviewing what
was in the fridge, I decided to try a cheese souffle. It turned out beautifully. My
mother came home and couldn't believe I had made one and that it turned out
so well - she had always been too intimidated by stories of falling souffles to try
on. An example of ignorance truly being bliss!
June 20 - Fathers Day - break out the Barbeque, mow the lawn for him, get out the hammock!
June 21 - First Day of Summer - at least according to the calendar
June 24 - International Fairy Day - my best friend Melinda and I created an extensive fairy
domain in her back yard around the tree roots and under the bushes - it was
truly magical! We would often remind ourselves that when we grew up and had
children we would tell them just to go outside and play under the trees, that
they didn't need a lot of toys!
June 25- Eric Carle's Birthday - one of my favorite author/illustrators
From A Very Hungry Caterpillar
June 26 - Toothbrush Invented
June 29 - Camera Day - go take some great pictures - and print them!
June 30 - Meteor Day
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School's Out!
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"School's Out for the Summer..." Can't you just hear the music and lyrics in your head? Even now, years out of school myself, the phrase is magical - laden with promise of things to come. Summer evokes images of endless days, days with nothing that has to be done, only what you want to do. Days punctuated only by thunderstorms and the occasional trips to the beach. Going out on my bike to find someone to play with, my mom's only admonition was to come home for lunch. Truly a different era!
As a mom myself, those endless summer days were quantifiable, and had to be reckoned with - a science day camp this week, that week at home, the next at Art and Swim, one week at Boy Scout Camp, one a family vacation. I would sit with all the brochures and a calendar and attempt to map out a summer for my sun that had a nice balance of time at home, and time away, time with friends, and time with family. And then try to coordinate with the friends!
Now I'm back to trying to embrace the "endless days of summer" mindset. This year it's hard - we've had a cold, wet spring. A lot of us are just moving out of winter clothes. I sometimes reach in my closet for what seems appealing on a dismal day only to remind myself that it's June for heavens' sake, and I won't wear something that's wool! Time to pull out the summer clothes despite the weather. I have managed to have bare legs a few times, but my toenails are still naked of polish and have not been in sandals since last year. One can only hope! In the meantime, I visit my garden to see what's new, sit outside when the sun allows, and console myself with store-bought berries!
I know in my bones I will soon be complaining about any amount of heat and humidity we will inevitably receive. So I am also embracing the dreariness as time to organize my closets, putting the warm weather clothes front and center, and dusting off those sandals. Hey! I may even have time today to do my toenails!
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Congratulations to all the Dads and Grads! Thanks to all the Teachers! Best Wishes to all those planning weddings!
And enjoy the beginnings of summer!
Kathleen Koch
Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts
Thank You for your continued patronage of a local independent business and for supporting American handmade!
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My Grandma's Peanut Butter Cookies
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Mix together:
1 c. Peanut Butter
1 c. Brown sugar
1 c. White Sugar
1 c. Shortening
Add and mix well:
2 Eggs
3 c. Flour
1 t. Baking soda
1 t. Vanilla
Pinch salt
Roll into approx. 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet.
Flatten with a fork dipped into flour to create the classic pattern.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes at 300 Degrees until lightly browned and set.
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