My story of The Country Register

By Kristel Lewis, Publisher

   In May of 2005, I was doing some ad sales for a local specialty paper focused on parenting. My “main job” was being a stay-at-home mom. I had a 9-month-old son and I was looking for a job that I could do from home. My brother is the publisher of a weekly newspaper in a smaller town in Kansas and I had talked with him about how it would be fun to do a specialty paper focused on arts and crafts. One day he called me and said he was talking with a guy at the press association conference, whose wife published a paper on specialty shops called The Country Register. Her life had gotten too busy and she was looking to sell the paper since it was not receiving the attention it deserved.

   My college degrees and background are in sports administration and I knew nothing about publishing a paper or journalism. But I was very good with computers and detail work of making past reports and forms “look nice” and I did have a brother who could help me with the publishing software (and much more advice) so I contacted Amy Hanson about purchasing The Country Register. It was a whirlwind after that and in June of 2005 I took over The Country Register and the August/September 2005 issue was the first I printed.

   Amy had originally started The Country Register in Kansas with the April/May issue in 1997 so the Kansas paper just started its 12th year of publication. Since taking over the paper almost three years ago, I have had the opportunity to visit many great shops I would have never step foot in if it were not for The Country Register. My house is decorated with items that are not only nice, quality items, but they have a memory to go with them of the shop I bought them from. And since taking over the paper I have been able to grow The Country Register to include many new advertisers and have a large group of loyal advertisers that are in every issue.

   The Country Register has been a perfect combination for me to be able to stay at home with my boys (one more added since having the paper) and also help our family financially. I am always busy with either family or work and this paper is truly a family affair! I always say that life happens and I am just trying to keep up! Mike, my husband, mainly helps by keeping the boys busy during my “crunch time” but also helps me with deliveries. My mom and in-laws also help by watching the boys to give me some work time and making deliveries when the papers print. And my cats keep me company during my late-night working hours of which sometimes I become too acquainted.

   But it is all worth it in the end, because I am able to be home during this precious time in my boys’ lives and also work doing something that is truly enjoyable and worthwhile. I believe The Country Register really works! It works for the readers to find new shops and to know what is going on with their usual favorite shops, and it works for the shops to let people know they are there and to have something free and of good quality and content to offer to their customers. I enjoy using The Country Register and I hope you do too!

These are two of my favorite recipes that are all about ease because I don’t have time for much else!

Peanut Butter Dip-Great snack for kids and kids at heart

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 small vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup cool whip

Mix together and serve with graham crackers, fruit or just eat with a spoon

Picante Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in rings

16 oz jar picante sauce

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp mustard

Put chicken in slow cooker with bell pepper rings over the top. Combine picante sauce, brown sugar and mustard and spoon over top of chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. I usually serve with rice and/or tortilla chips.

 

Past Shop Features

If you would like to receive the past articles on any of the following shops, please email me at countryregister@sbcglobal.net

Happy Crafters Quilt Shop, Osawatomie (FM08)

Joyce Blaske, cover art (FM08)

Charlotte's Sew Natural, Newton (D07J08)

Rustic Treasures, St Marys (D07J08)

Sarah's Enchanted Cottage, Holton (ON07)

The Button Hole, McPherson (ON07)

Cottage Lane Pumpkin Patch (ON07)

Lil' Red Hen Quilt Shop, Paola (AS07)

Republic County Shops (AS07)

Jim Stukey, cover art (AS07)

Clark Pharmacy, Cimmarron (JJ07)

Country Dumplings Quilt Shop (JJ07)

Highway 9 shops (JJ07)

Kansas Troubles Quilters, cover art (JJ07)

Westmoreland shops (AM07)

Old Czech Country (AM07)

Needle Nest, Louisburg (FM07)

The Woodward (FM07)

Yarns Sold and Told, Salina (FM07)

Something Else!, Olathe (FM07)

Lindy's Vintage Attic, Larned (D06J07)

Sunflower Quilt Shop, Hiawatha (D06J07)

J and I's Gifts & Ceramics, Abilene (D06J07)

Burlington shops (ON06)

Lillie's Classic Quilts, Independence (ON06)

Locust Street Marketplace, Lawrence (ON06)

Yoder shops (ON06)

Elsie Grace's, Frankfort (AS06)

Hen Feathers, Wichita (AS06)

Abilene Downtown Antique Mall, Abilene (JJ06)

Garnett shops (JJ06)

Blackberry Mercantile, Oak Hill (JJ06)

Gove City Yarns, Gove (AM06)

Ottawa shops (AM06)

Rural Rooster, McPherson (AM06)

Homemade Happiness, Salina (FM06)

Quilters' Paradise, Baldwin City (FM06)

Phyllis Shanks, cover art (FM06)

Country Bumpkins, Wichita (D05J06)

Needle in a Haystack, Severy (D05J06)

Charlotte's Daughters, Baldwin City (D05J06)

Karen Jacks, cover art (D05J06)

Katy Depot, Council Grove (ON05)

Quilts & QuiltRacks, Hillsboro (ON05)

Sisters & Co, Paxico (ON05)

The Sunflower Seed, Topeka (ON05)

Eye of an Eagle Gallery, Wichita (AS05)

Impressions Everlasting, Hays (AS05)

Mercantile shops in Barnes, Blue Rapids and Oak Hill (AS05)

Stitching Traditions, Topeka (AS05)

Petals, Pansies and Panes, cover art (AS05)