Christmas Cookie Trays

20 Tuesday Dec 2011

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We delivered the first two cookie trays of the season to business associates yesterday. That was fun!
On the tray: Scottish Shortbread, Polish Nutrolls, Springerli, Dutch Speculaas, German Gingerbread Boys, Spritz Trees, Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies, Sugar Plum Pies, Russian Tea Cakes, Peppermint Sticks, and a Snow Globe Cookie.

I have been baking these same Christmas recipes for at least 20 years, except for the Snow Globe cookie which is new this year. We’re not done baking yet so other trays will have a different assortment. Cookies yet to be made: Viennese Sacher Bites, Chocolate Hazelnut Crescents, Dutch Fruit Bar, Rum Raisin Diamonds, Peppermint Patty Bars, Cherry Stars, Orange Frosted Brazil Nut Bars and Italian Fig Cookies. We probably won’t be done with the baking till the New Year.

Sugary Gingerbread Houses

17 Saturday Dec 2011

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There is nothing as sweet as decorating tiny gingerbread houses with my little granddaughter!

Chloe decorates a gingerbread house


My 18 year old son also decorated one, as did my daughter-in-law. Such fun!

We used Wilton’s Gingerbread Mini Village Kit, purchased from JoAnn Fabrics for less than $10. The kit includes detailed instructions, prebaked gingerbread to construct all five houses, cardboard for the bases, icing mix, candies, decorating bag and tips for piping icing. We did not use the enclosed decorating bags and tips because I already had those.

To make the kit with a child, I recommend at least two hours just for construction of the houses. It took a while to mix the icing, cut all the gingerbread pieces apart and “glue” the houses together. You can also construct the houses ahead of time so the child can start adding candy immediately.
We will definitely do this again next year!

Gingerbread Village

Firefly Lamp!

05 Monday Dec 2011

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Months ago my nightstand touch lamp finally burned out so I’ve been using a flashlight. I had used that lamp on my nightstand for about 14 years and hated to part with it. It’s fairly annoying to use a flashlight as a lamp every night. Really!

Today I took a cheap candlestick, a string of white Christmas lights and the old glass lamp shade, and made a new lamp. Not shown here are two coat hangers to fashion a frame for the top of the candlestick – much thanks to my son Noah. Also not shown are two pieces of artificial vine with flowers.

Pieces used for the lamp: candlestick, Christmas lights, glass lamp shade

The coat hanger frame was secured to top of the candlestick using pliers. The string of lights was wrapped up the candlestick and around the coat hanger frame at the top. I used pink paint to cover the orange flowers on the lampshade so it would match the pink flower vine better. Also painted green on some of the leaves.

I call it my Firefly Lamp. The “fireflies” give the perfect amount of light.

Firefly Lamp

Birthday!

03 Saturday Dec 2011

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The day was splendid with brightness. First in the smiles of my family gathered around, then in the candles on the cake. I am grateful to have reached the beginning of my 54th year. I am joyful that one of my sons shares my birthday and is beginning his 30th year on the same day.

I’ve never understood why people hide their age. Every year is a gift from God and I’m glad for every one of them. Life is very, very good.

Candles on my 53rd Birthday Cake

Snowglobe Cookies

28 Monday Nov 2011

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I finished making Julia Usher’s Snow Globe cookies, as featured in her book. They were a lot of work but so worth it! The cookies are amazing! They’re delicious too; the whole house is scented with their buttery goodness.

Snow Globe cookie

Thanksgiving Salad with Stuffing Croutons and Cranberry Dressing

27 Sunday Nov 2011

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Today’s lunch was Thanksgiving Salad. What a refreshing way to have Thanksgiving leftovers! Salad ingredients were cold Thanksgiving dinner leftovers: Turkey, Bell Pepper Rings, Stuffing, Cranberries, Parmesan Crusted Pumpkin Wedge and Green Bean Casserole.

To make Stuffing Croutons, I baked leftover stuffing on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes.
For the dressing, I combined equal amounts of leftover Cranberry Orange Relish and Pomegranate Salad Dressing. Thinly sliced cranberries were used for the garnish.

Thanksgiving Salad dressing ingredients


The Thanksgiving Salad was delicious!

Autumn Soup

26 Saturday Nov 2011

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With the weather turning cold, soup is especially welcome. My son Isaiah made a delicious soup to start off our Thanksgiving feast. Today I enjoyed his leftover Pumpkin Squash Soup.
To garnish, I cut bits of mini red, yellow and orange peppers to look like leaves.

Red, Orange and Yellow Bell Pepper Leaves


To make the tree, three small scoops of Creme Fraiche were picked up with the tip of the knife and placed on the surface of the soup. Then I drew a toothpick through the cream to form the tree roots and branches. The grass is a scattering of chives. The pepper leaves didn’t float as well as I hoped but they still looked lovely lying on the soup with a dusting of paprika.

Pumpkin Squash Soup

Orange! Yellow! Amber!

25 Friday Nov 2011

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The clean crystal and Thanksgiving dishes haven’t even been put away and they’re already sharing the table with crafts. I got a new bead order from Fire Mountain Gems and Beads for All Sparkled Up Etsy projects. Warm ambers, juicy oranges and sunny yellow! These are colors I rarely use so it was really exciting to get something new.  I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on such great colors for years.

Amber, orange and yellow beads.

Funny how our tastes change over the years.  My favorite colors are still aqua, pale shell pink and creamy pearl. But lately I’ve been on an orange kick. I love the visual tang!

 

Projects!

07 Monday Nov 2011

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Oh my goodness, I’ve got more projects going than can fit in one lifetime!  Whole notebooks of ideas and a filing cabinet of files.  0_0  Probably enough for at least several brand lines, numerous book series, inventions and more.

I’m sure I’m not the only person with this many leads. How do others reach completion? I’d love to hear how you all prioritize creative pursuits.

Bead Plans

31 Monday Oct 2011

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I’ve been busy writing notes and drawing sketches for items for the All Sparkled Up Etsy shop. So many items! And many beads to put on the items and more ways to sparkle something up. I am grateful to have lovely and promising things to think about. :) What we fill our minds with is a choice. Tonight I choose this pretty box.

Beads to use for the Etsy shop