[Badge] Earnings Report

August 14, 2015 Libby Zay

Here are some of the ways you've been earning badges lately:

"I'm running a Yarn Love Camp for my business this week, and I'm sending these out to my campers as a thank-you. They're perfect!" - @yarnloveyarn through Instagram, needlecraft badge

"I completed a full year's worth of commuting 30 miles by bicycle each day five days a week," - Jeremy through Facebook, cyclist badge

"...my job in the [U.S. Air Force] is weather so I got this patch to wear on my vest and it’s perfect!" - Nicole through Etsy, cloudspotter badge

“Patches to commemorate Millie's first year milestones…” - @ginaschlosser through Instagram (pictured above), multiple badges

“I'm keeping my kids home this summer and treating it as a summer camp, with merit badges.” - Rob through Etsy, multiple badges

“Fostered a dog this month. Had a lot of laughs. And occasional frustrations. He went to a wonderful family. I got this badge.” - @lovebasedlifeform through Instagram, wildlife study badge

I love seeing the goals everyone has set! That's my favorite part about this project—it's all what you make of it.

Don't Be Jelly: The Difference Between Jam and Jelly

August 12, 2015 Libby Zay

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between jam and jelly? Here's the deal.

Jam v. Jelly

Jam: made from fruit and sugar; has the texture of “crushed” fruit
Jelly: made from fruit juice; has a gel-like texture and is easy to spread

People often use the words interchangeably (and I noticed Smuckers uses jam incorrectly), but as you can see, there's a difference.

Marmalade, "Butter" and Preserves

Marmalade is just a citrus-based jam, usually containing fruit rind. And if you prefer to say "apple jam" over "apple butter," that's perfectly reasonable—they're the same thing. The word "preserves" is used as the overarching category for all of these fruit spreads.

More Facts About Jam and Jelly

The most popular flavor is grape, followed by strawberry.
Cranberry sauce, a popular Thanksgiving food that comes in a can, is really just cranberry jelly.
The average American eats around 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they turn 18.
In Japan, grass jelly is eaten as a dessert.

Do you prefer jam or jelly, and what's your favorite flavor? I love boysenberry and blackberry jams, and every once in awhile I get a craving for orange marmalade.

Already an expert? Get your pickling/preserving badge (the "Can Can") here.