Enjoy the Season

 I am doing a quick post to let everyone know all is well at our house. We are busy with getting ready for the holidays. I am usually a very organized person and ready ahead of time but not this year!

I have about 1/2 my holiday decorations up. I think we are getting our tree tomorrow. I have about 3/4 of my shopping done and I am hoping to do some baking with Jack. 

I really need to slow down and make time to spend with those I love. That is what is important to me around the holidays.

Tomorrow will be a fun day! Mark and I are both off work and we are taking his oldest child, Jackie, shopping for her presents. We are also going to lunch. Since Jackie moved out we don't see too much of her so it will be nice to hang out. 

I am making a suggestion to everyone. During this hectic season try to slow down the pace and spend a few extra minutes with one of your loved ones. When we think back on the holidays I don't ever remember the year we didn't have the perfect cookies or all the lights up BUT I do remember the fun times we have all had together baking or getting the tree. 

Enjoy the season!

Cut Out Cookie Success!

We had a potluck dinner at my work this week. I signed up to bring cookies. I have always wanted to be able to make cut out cookies but have never been very successful. I always end up with the dough stuck to the counter, cookie cutters, etc and eventually give up. Well I tried a new recipe off ALLRECIPES.COM and am happy to report I was pretty successful!

We have not dug out all our Christmas stuff yet so I could only find two holiday Christmas cutters but they did the job. I found some great sprinkles at ALDIS that included a silver color. The silver worked great for the stars. OH...I also want to share that I got another jar of sprinkles there that were candy cane shaped and peppermint flavored. I can't wait to try these on my chocolate covered pretzels.

Here is the cookie recipe:

MRS. FIELDS SUGAR COOKIES

2 cups flour

1/4 t. salt

3/4 c. sugar

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

3/4 c. butter

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees

2. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with mixer. Add egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour and salt. Blend just until combined. Do not over mix.

3. Gather dough into a ball and flatten out. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Refrigerate for about an hour until dough is firm.

4. On floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick . Cut dough in desired shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet. ( I used parchment paper on my cookie sheet)

5. Decorate with colored sugars or sprinkles.

6. Bake for 13-15 minutes being careful not to brown. Immediately transfer cookies with a spatula to a cool flat surface.

Now does anyone have a good frosting recipe for sugar cookies?

Mystery Photo

Have you ever downloaded your photos and had one of something you knew you didn't take? Well that is what happened here.

I'm sure this is a photo Jack took of one of his beverage concoctions but I have no clue why he took the photo.

I think I will have to keep this one to put in his scrapbook just to show his beverage creativity!

Jade Update

I have had quite a few questions about what happened with Jade. I am happy to announce Jade has been adopted to a lovely couple. They have a Jack Russell terrier at home so she will have someone to play with.

I snapped this photo before she left. This was her and our older lab, Bear, taking an afternoon nap. She loves to cuddle!

Craft Show Saturday

Saturday was my last craft show of the year. This craft show allowed vendors so I displayed my great Close To My Heart products! It was a fun day because both my nieces went with me to help. Here is a picture of them both in their CTMH aprons waiting for the customers.

Jade

Meet Jade...our newest foster pup. She is a young one. I am guessing about 3-4 months old. Her sister and her both needed a home and her sister got adopted last weekend. Now Jade is staying with us until she finds her forever family. She loves her human and 4 legged relatives at our house. She is going to be a great dog for someone.

Of course Jack asks me at least once a day...can't we keep her? And my response....NO! She is a doll baby but 3 dogs of our own is definitely enough!

Class of the Week

I had SO much fun at the class I taught earlier this week. There were 6 ladies who each made a "desk set" which included an altered composition book, paper clip bookmark, altered clothespin photo holder, coast post it note clipboard and 5 note cards.

Each attendee got to pick which paper pack she wanted to use. I think this added to the fun! I enjoyed seeing how each project came out with the different papers.

Here is Kim showing off her composition book. She chose the Silhouette paper pack.

I asked for suggestions for a class in January and we came up with stamped tiles. I can't wait!