B2—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 2,1982
BY PATTY GROSS
Staff Correspondent
“If there are things you
want to do bad enough, you
will do them.”
Charlotte Schaeffer of
Charlesville, Bedford
County, lives by that
statement. Charlotte is
considered by many to be
tops in the craft field. By
popular demand, the leader
of projects in the county
garden club and Bedford
Extension Service
programs, also demon
strates her craft-making
ability in the Bedford
County schools.
“You can do anything you
set your heart to doing,”
admits Charlotte. “Through
doing, I learned and in
creased my knowledge so
that I was able to share with
others.”
Charlotte recently shared
her knowledge with Ex
tension homemakers at an
open house for the holidays.
The Bedford County group
used the theme “Herbs &
Spice and Everything Nice”
to decorate the stone
colonial home of Norma and
Dan Pejack in Hainsburg.
Nearly 400 people, in one
day, toured the house which
dates back to 1805.
The optimistic Charlotte
was one of the chairpersons
for the activity. She says
they stay within their theme
and decorated every room
in the dwelling with greens,
spices, fruits, quilts, old
fashioned crafts and an
tique toys.
For Charlotte the
beautiful decorations come
easy. Her specialty is
feathers. Charlotte explains
that her husband and adult
son and daughter work
together on her projects. “A
family of hunters and
friends come in handy when
you need feathers,” grins
Charlotte.
Charlotte herself is a
hunter of deer and rabbit,
but must depend on others
for the turkey, duck, goose
and pheasants.
The gorgeous colors in the
ringneck make it the
Bedford Comity woman’s
favorite. Charlotte prefers
the birds to be skinned and
then she salt cures the
hides. She uses the tail,
wings and clumps off the
hide to glue onto styrofoam
cones.
Miniature feathered
wreaths and wall hangings
with the beautiful fanned
tails are favorites of her
friends. Charlotte keeps her
scraps cleaned up by
fastening individual
feathers to wire with floral
tape, which turn into wisps
of lovely flowers.
In her most recent wreath
project, Charlotte even
used the feet of a turkey as
an unusual wildlife display.
Hutnesipad
tMetes
Charlotte Schaeffer, right, looks over the Christmas tree
which will soon come down until another festive season. The
Bedford County woman and other Extension homemakers
“Po something with yourself'
Ciaftraalcer
“Christmastime is my
favorite time to make
decorations,” explains
Charlotte. Her home is
filled with feather
creations, but she says they
don’t take all of her time or
money.
In addition to her artistic
talent, she has a great love
for cooking. The orchard on
the 160-acre beef and dairy
farm comes in handy too.
Apple, cherries, peaches,
pears, grapes, blueberries
and chestnuts are other
proud hobbies.
Charlotte says making
displays doesn't have to be
a large investment.
“Feathers are my own
special thing, but not
everyone has access to
them,” admits the
homemaker. “I teach
people to use what they
nave at their disposal.
Everyone can gather
goldenrod or grow spices.
You grow what’s needed or
gather it in the woods.”
Charlotte suggests that if
you want to debut your craft
career in a small way to try
a straw wreath. She goes on
to say that you should make
a cardboard ring and fasten
sections of straw to it with
fishing line. Once com
pleted attach “anything”
urges ethers to be
for highlights. Charlotte
points out that it's beautiful,
easy and inexpensive.
“There are so many things
year round that you can do
Charlotte and Norma decorate the Pejack using the theme “herbs and spice and
home along with other Bedford County women everything nice."
decorated the home of Norma
an open house.
with a straw wreath.
Compromise with what you
have. There is a rule you
should follow: in anything
that you do, mechanics is
Pejack, left, of Rainsburg for
creative
most important,” em
phasizes Charlotte. “If yoi
don’t do a good job ol
putting it together, it won’l
look good for very long.”