By
Maureen Hardegree
January usually finds me cleaning out closets
and drawers. To curb my tendency to create clutter, I resolve to
reorganize every year, from the towels and sheets in the hall
linen closet to the overflowing crafting supplies that threaten
to take over my office. If you’re like me, rather than racking
your brain figuring out a better
 place
to store the scrap calico fabric and half-empty bag of polyester
fiber fill peeking out of the drawer in the guest room, you,
too, might prefer to turn some of your crafting clutter into
sachets.
If
you don’t have fabric scraps, you can still make these sachets.
You can buy some fabric from your favorite craft store, or
you can re-purpose that blouse, skirt, or sundress hanging in
your closet. You know the one — the sundress that is so outdated
you fear the fashion police will conduct a raid. Who says
sachets have to be fashion forward? You can cut that “fashion
don’t” into scentsational sachets.
Materials:
Fabric
scraps (woven is preferable to knit)
Fiber fill
(poly or cotton)
Essential
oil, perfume, or fragrance room spray
100-percent cosmetic cotton rounds
Thread
(Match color to fabric.)
Tools:
Needle
Sewing
machine (optional)
Sharp
scissors (so you can cut the fabric easily)
Pinking
shears (optional)
5x7-inch
note card or ruler
Pencil or
dressmaker’s chalk
Iron
1. IRON:
Determine what fabric you’re going to use, and IRON it before
marking the wrong side of the fabric with a pencil or
dressmaker’s chalk. If your fabric is extra wrinkly, use the
steam setting.
2. MARK:
Turn fabric wrong side up, and outline the edge of your 5x7-inch
note card along the fabric with chalk. It doesn’t matter if your
note card goes with or against the grain. This sachet will be
hidden by linens or underwear. You can use a ruler to mark the
lines, but the note card method is easier. Outline your note
card a second time, leaving space between the rectangles. The
space between is to help those of us who can’t cut straight have
a better shot at creating a straight line through trimming. You
need two pieces to form one sachet.
3. CUT:
Before cutting, decide if you prefer the somewhat decorative
pinked edge. If so, cut along marked lines with pinking shears.
If you prefer the straight-edge look, cut along marked lines
with a regular-bladed pair of scissors.
 4.
SEW: For the pinked-edge look, place wrong sides of the fabric
pieces together. Starting 2/3 of the way down one of the 7-inch
sides, reverse stitch to secure thread; then sew, lining the
points of your pinked edge along the 3/8-inch seam allowance.
When you are close to the corner, stop with your needle in the
fabric, pivot the material and continue to sew, leaving a
3/8-inch seam allowance. Treat each corner in the same manner.
When you get to the side where you started, stop stitching 1/3
of the way down in order to leave an opening through which you
can fill your sachet.
For the
straight sides, you can either machine or hand sew. Place the
right sides of the fabric pieces together. Thread your needle
for hand sewing. Starting 2/3 of the way down one of the 7-inch
sides, whipstitch the edges together all the way around the
rectangle until you reach 1/3 of the way down the 7-inch side
where you began. Make sure you leave an opening large
enough that you can fill your sachet once you turn it right side
out. If you are machine sewing, use a 3/8-inch seam allowance
and pivot corners as described in the pinked-edge instructions.
Clip corners. Turn right side out so that the pretty side of the
fabric is showing and your stitches are unseen.
5. SCENT
AND FILL: Wearing gloves to protect your skin, take one cotton
round and apply the fragrance. If you’re using essential oil,
three drops is sufficient. If you’re using perfume or fragrance
room spray, saturate cotton round. Set aside. Partially stuff
sachet with fiber fill. Add damp, fragrant, cotton round. Cover
with additional fiber fill.
6.
STITCH:
For the pinked-edge sachet,
place
sachet  on
machine, lining up the seam with the half-finished seam. Reverse
stitch, then sew the opening closed. Reverse stitch to secure.
Clip threads.
For the
hand-sewn or machine-sewn, straight-edged sachet, hand stitch
the opening closed. Hide thread knot in seam allowance. Line up
seam folds and whipstitch along the edge. Knot and clip threads.
Push knot under seam.
7. PLACE:
Place your finished
sachet on a shelf in your linen closet under
your towels or in your pajama drawer for sweet New Year dreams.
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Dips & Salsas
Cream Cheese and Salsa Dip
Contributed by
Debra Holland
One of the easiest dips is to
take a block of cream cheese, place it on a flat dish with
rounded edges, and pour a jar of salsa over it. Tastes
great with tortilla chips.
Game
Day Bean Dip
Contributed by
Pam Payne
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped, red bell
pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 (15-ounce) cans refried
beans
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 teaspoons chopped
jalapeños (if desired)
1 cup salsa (mild or hot,
depending on tastes)
1 cup each shredded Cheddar
and Monterey Jack cheeses, mixed together
2 cups guacamole
1/2 to 1 cup sour cream
Brown onion and pepper in
butter until soft (3-5 minutes). Add refried beans, ground
cumin, and chopped jalapeños, and cook 2-3 minutes until heated
through. Spread bean mixture into 11 x 8 baking dish, and
refrigerate for two hours (or overnight).
When ready to serve, layer
salsa, cheese, and guacamole over bean mixture, then dab on sour
cream. Or you can decorate with the sour cream by putting it
into a plastic sandwich bag and snipping one corner. You can
make this look like a football field for the big-game snack by
drawing yard lines across the dip.
ROTEL Dip
Contributed by
Priscilla
Kissinger
Melt one block of Velveeta
cheese. Add one can of chili without beans and one medium jar of
salsa (or a can of ROTEL chilies). Stir and keep heated. Enjoy
with tortilla chips.
Guacamole
2 large, ripe avocados
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
sauce
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Peel the avocados and remove
the pits. Blend the avocado and all other ingredients in a food
processor. Cover and chill for several hours. For a chunkier
guacamole, or if you don’t have a food processor, mash the
avocado with a fork and stir in the rest of the ingredients.
Serve with corn chips, pita wedges, raw veggies, etc. Also makes
a great spread for crackers.
Debbie’s Salsa
This is the best salsa recipe
ever.
3 medium-sized hot-house
tomatoes
1 green pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bundle of green onions,
chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1 can petite, diced tomatoes
1/2 can of tomato puree
(Crushed tomatoes also work.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic (or
more, if you like garlic)
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeños
(optional!)
In a blender, blend the
tomatoes. Once blended, add the cilantro and blend in
blender. Put tomatoes and cilantro blend in large mixing bowl,
and add chopped pepper, onions and green onions. Add all the
other ingredients. Stir until mixed. Enjoy!
Anastasia’s Salsa
Six red, ripe Roma tomatoes,
diced
2 heaping tablespoons chopped,
fresh cilantro
3 fresh scallions/chives,
chopped, including green stems
1 can pre-chopped black olives
2 tablespoons lemon juice or
vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin
olive oil
1 small can or jar mild green
chilies, sliced finely
In a nonmetal bowl, combine
all ingredients well. Let stand at least one hour to allow
flavors to mix and juices to draw from the vegetables. Serve
with sturdy chips (Green Mountain Gringo or Bearitos are good
options), guacamole (recipe below) and a dish of sour cream.
Fresh and delicious!
Guacamole Guatemalan
This is so quick and easy,
you’ll never buy expensive, prepackaged guacamole again. If you
make it too long beforehand, the avocado will discolor a bit,
but it won’t affect the flavor. Peel, pit and mash four ripe
avocados. Mix in 6 to 8 ounces of sour cream, 1 can sliced black
olives (drained), 1 to 1 1/2 cups Tostitos salsa, and 1 teaspoon
Spike seasoning. Salt to taste and enjoy! (Remember, anything
with dairy products should be refrigerated for storage.)
For metric conversions of the measurements above, consult any
of the following sites:
http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/blconv.htm
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/recipes/conversion.htm
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions.htm
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