Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Christmas Recipes & Cards

This was the scene in my kitchen last Wednesday.....I finally got to make some cookies and candies!!! I had previously made some cut-out cookies - a lost art....I've learned! Why doesn't anyone make these anymore??? They are the best....well....I shouldn't be so quick with that statement! After buying a variety of cookies at a bake sale....I don't understand how people can ruin cut-out cookies - BUT THEY CAN!!!!

I know it's a little late to be sharing cookie recipes....but what can I say? My life is a lot less stressed now and I have a little time to share with you! These cookies are good for any time of the year - especially the cut-out cookies. I make these for Valentines Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving too!

So - to save the poor souls out there that have crumby cut-out recipes.....and out of the goodness of my heart....and for all those poor children that have never had the fabulous pleasure of getting themselves and everything else covered with frosting and sprinkles - here's my recipe:

Kelly's Cut-Out Cookies

11/2 c powdered sugar
1 cut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Mix in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Put dough in a gallon ziplock bag, flattened out and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (I usually refrigerate over night). Preheat oven to 375. Break off chunks of dough and squeeze in your hands until it is workable - on a floured surface, roll out to about 3/16" and cut with cookie cutters (see tip below). Bake 6-7 minutes untile edges are light brown. Cool and frost.

Here's where the cheating comes in....I LOVE cream cheese frosting...so I buy a can at the grocery story and use that for my cookies.

TIP: Here's how I think people ruin their cut-out cookies....they work too much flour into them when they are rolling and re-rolling them out....this is very important. Try not to roll them out more than twice - this will make sure that you are working as little flour into them as possible.

ANOTHER TIP: I always double the batch - I've only listed a single batch above - double everything. If you don't - this recipe is so small, you won't get many cookies.

I know - I know...I don't have any pictures of my cut-out cookies - that's because I made them on an earlier day and they are ALL GONE!!!!

















Here's a picture of my Andes Chocolate Cookies - these are my daughter's favorites! I've listed the recipe below.


















Andes Chocolate Cookies

3/4 c butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 T water
2 c chocolate chips (12 oz bag)
2 eggs
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Andes Mints

In your microwave, melt together 1st four ingredients - I do this on 50% so the chocolate doesn't burn. Stir. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in dry ingredients, except the mints. Refrigerate 1 hour. Roll into balls. Place on cookies sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. As soon as you get them off the cookie sheet, put 1/2 a mint on each cookie. Wait a couple minutes and then swirl the mint on top of the cookie with the back of a spoon.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Snowman Soup Poem

I had several requests for the snowman soup poem that I posted in my daughters' teacher gift...so here it is:

"Was told you've been good this year,
Always good to hear it.
With freezing weather drawing near,
You'll need to warm the spirit.
So here's a little snowman soup,
Complete with stirring stick.
Just add hot water, sip it slow,
It's sure to do the trick!"

Thursday, December 20, 2007

And ANOTHER ONE!!!!

Here's a snowglobe I made for my neice for Christmas. She was up north when I had a little fun figuring these out and she told me she wanted one for Christmas....my first one didn't turn out too good. I had some trouble getting the acetate cut in a circle that would fit in the glass ornament....and being up north, I had limited supplies, so I got it figured out when I got home. She's going to love it!

There is a complete tutorial on SCS in the Holiday Showcase gallery.


Another Christmas Gift!

I made this for my daugher's teacher - I also included a gift card with it.

Flip Book Christmas Present!

I made this for my FAVORITE nephew for Christmas!!!! I'm going to do a class on this one soon!!! I promise!!!





Friday, December 14, 2007

Valentine Cards!!!!

OK - so I should be working on my Christmas cards!!! LOL But.....I got my new Preview Brochure stamp set and I just HAD to play last night!!!!!

This stamp set is called Happy Hearts Day - it will be in the new Spring/Summer catalog coming out later this month.....and I MUST say....the anticipation is killing me!!!! The heck with the Christmas presents - I WANT MY NEW CATTY!!!

So anywhoo.....here's what I came up with....the left side of this card is simply folded back - so it makes it a trifold. I used Perfect Plum and Pale Plum cardstock:

















This card uses the Dotted Background stamp - I love that background stamp!!! Real Red & Gable Green cardstock and both the small and large Tag Punch.

















I used the Whimsey Jumbo wheel for the background here and the Key Tag Punch to punch out the saying area at the bottom - so when you open the card the butterfly is on the inside....don't you LOVE that effect??? I also used the White Gel Pen to color in the butterfly.

















YES - this is SU ribbon - it's from one of the Ribbon Originals packs!!! And the little flower on the background is a stamp from the Little Pieces stamp set.














And last, but definately not least....this is my FAVORITE!!!! I know...I know....it's the same color as the card above - but don't you LOVE those colors together??? It's Apricot Appeal and Tempting Turquoise! And you HAVE to love the use of the Round Tab Punch at the bottom!!!!!! The "Happy Birthday" on that layer is from the Circle of Friendship stamp set - one of my fav's! I popped up the flower with a Dimensional too.






I used an Aqua Painter and Watercolor Crayons to color in all the big areas, i.e. the elephant and mouse heart. I LOVE my Aqua Painter and Watercolor Crayons - you get a much smoother coverage when coloring in bigger areas! For all the small stuff - I used markers.

Monday, December 10, 2007

More fabulous cards!

Here's a few more of my favorites - by some VERY talented stampers!