Big news in my family -- my sister, Julie just bought a store that specializes in cherry products in Traverse City, Michigan! Dried cherries, jellies, jams, sauces, etc. It's called Benjamin Twiggs (click on the link to go to the online store). As of today she owns it! This is a big venture and I'm so proud of her for taking it on. I have no doubt that she will be a huge success. I mentioned a few days ago that I am loading up on anything cherry -- I will be making some cards to sell in her store.
In honor of my sister's new store I am giving away this Hero Arts cherry stamp.
Here's a card I made with this stamp.....
Leave me a post here and I will draw the winner on Friday night. Want to increase your chances of winning? I will enter your name MORE THAN ONCE in the drawing if you do one of these things:
1. Go to the store site and tell me the thing there that looks most yummy to you. (ONE extra entry) I saw some cherry fudge topping that looks so sinful! :-)
2. Tell me your favorite cherry recipe (with cherries in it or cherry flavored) - TWO extra entries
Update: Some of you are doing both 1 and 2! That'll get you three entries! Woohoo!
Good luck!
Update: Here is a picture her friend sent me of Julie in her new store (she is the one on the right). Doesn't she look super happy? I LOVE that. She really deserves it.
Congratulations Julie!!! So awesome! :)
Posted by: Ginger | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Congrats to your sis! I also love cherries. I use the dried cherries when I make granola bars, and also in brownies-YUM!
Posted by: jenny | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 09:27 AM
Jana I have to post a comment because (1) I didn't know your sister's name was Julie - cool! and (2) Traverse City is just south of our cottage in Michigan. We LOVE Michigan cherries. Ok, to answer your questions: being a java girl, I'd gravitate toward the cherry coffee - sounds yummy; and my favorite cherry recipe? a very simple cherry pie (with extra almond extract)
Posted by: Julie | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Congratulations to your sister Julie! Love the name of the store!
Posted by: Stéphanie Pouliot | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM
Jana, I love your card ideas. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Debbie | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:20 AM
Congratulations to your sister! 1. I have never heard of Cherry Butter, but it sounds good - and I have always loved Cherry Preserves (which I haven't even seen for several years). 2. Scones made with dried cherries. Hope her store does really well.
(And I hope I win the cherry stamp! :0)
Swedie
Posted by: Swedie | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:27 AM
I forgot to mention: When I was a kid we had cherry trees in our back yard, and I used to love to pick the sour cherries and eat them. I still love sour cherries!
Posted by: Swedie | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:31 AM
How exciting for your sister. Eons ago when I was in high school our band went to Traverse City to participate in a Cherry Festival--it was fun. The store is full of yummy looking stuff, but you can't beat chocolate covered cherries in my book.
The town I live in now has a Cherry Festival each May and my favorite recipe is a Cherry Brisket taco that one of the churches in town makes for the festival. Brisket slow cooked and this delicious cherry sauce to go on it YUM!
Posted by: Terry | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Congrats to your sis, what a great store!!!! The toppings all sound great and I would say my favorite cherry recipe is just plain old cherry pie just out of the oven and add ice cream!!!!
Posted by: CINDY | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:46 AM
what a cute stamp!
good luck to your sister!
tara
Posted by: tara pollard pakosta | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:49 AM
First, super cute card there...if I win I may have to scraplift the idea! :) Can't tell ya what I'd like to try the most...the cherry butter, cherry pancake sauce and the blueberry fosters all sound fantastically yummy. My recipe really isn't a recipe - I just like to add dried cherries and cranberries to thick oatmeal in the winter. Yum.
Posted by: Yolanda S | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:51 AM
The best of luck to your sister. I think that is a wonderful venture. Who doesn't like fresh and dried cherries. My mouth is watering at the thought.
Posted by: Sharon in NE | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 11:20 AM
What a cute card, Jana!
I remember my mom buying fruit flavored syrups for waffles and pancakes & was excited to see that her store offers cherry syrup.
I love adding dried cherries to my salads, especially when I use a balsamic dressing -- the sweet and sour combination is fantastic!
Posted by: heidi | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Great store! I like the sound of the Cherry concentrate...you could do all sorts of things with it but I would probably just drink it straight!
Posted by: Ange | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I would love to try that cherryaki marinade and the cherry honey mustard, though there's nothing ever wrong with fudge....
My favorite cherry recipe is to take lots of lice, plenty of lime slices, good vodka and some marischino cherry juice (not the actual cherries, just the juice and make a killer cherry limeade.
Not actually too fond of the cherries themselves-spent too many summers picking the (what seemed like 10 millon) off the cherry tree-it was always my job!
Posted by: Mel | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Cute stamp and love the store, what a neat idea! My husband is crazy about cherries! I have never seen chery butter before, will have to show him later! Have a great day :)
Posted by: hannah | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Well, of course, the cherry cordials and cherry cashew bark look absolutely divine - but I should probably say the Cherry Poppyseed Vinaigrette (much healthier!) It all looks great and the gift baskets are beautiful. Good luck to your sister on her new venture.
Posted by: Jan | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Cute stamp. I love cherries too.
Good luck to Julie and her store. The Mango Cherry Avocado Salad looks yummy.
My favorite cherry recipe is good old cherry pie, warm with ice cream. I also love cherries fresh from the farmer's market.
Posted by: CathyR | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM
Yum!!! That Cherry Salsa sounds great!
One of the main things I look forward to at Thanksgiving is my aunties cherry cobbler. Only a couple more months to wait!
Posted by: Kay Drenth | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I'm a chocoholic so to me the most yummy thing are the cherry chocolates!!!!!!!!
I love baking oatmeal cookies it asks for raisins but one day I was out of them and the next close enough thing I had were dried cherries! Since then I use them all the time. I also love DQ's cherry dipped cones!!!
congratulations toyour sister!!!!1
Posted by: Tere A | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:33 PM
hi!congratulations about your sister. 1.)i want to try cherry coffee and 2.)we don't get much cherries here but i'd say jams. :)
Posted by: jeanie | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 12:38 PM
The card is so cute. :) Thanks for posting such great ideas!
1. The cherry cordials look absolutely YUMMY. I love the cherry/chocolate combo.
2. I am all about the cherry pie this time of year. Mmmmmm...
Posted by: Gretchyn | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 01:06 PM
Congrats to your sister. I bet she will have so much fun doing this. I just love your card and would love to be the lucky stamper to win this sweet cherry stamp.
Thanks for a chance.
Posted by: StampinCathy | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 01:15 PM
Such an adorable card and the name of that store is so sweet..stuck in my mind for sure. How fun...conrats to your sister. What a fun adventure for her.
Melissa
Posted by: Melissa | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 01:31 PM
The chocolate cherries sounded wonderful but doesn't anything with chocolate on it? Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Posted by: tammy g | Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 01:45 PM