12 Days of Cookies: Cut-out Cookie Tree

A bit ago, my friend Natasha of Houseful of Nicholes asked who wanted to participate in the 12 Days of Cookies, and inside I was like oh yes I do want to join in because how fun is this, but on-line I was like yeah, if you need someone I'll do it. Because I'm all casual like that!

Instantly, I knew what I was going to make: a Christmas Tree.

I did this quite a few years ago and thought it was really pretty cute and it looks harder to make than it is. And if you can make yummy cookies that impress people, well, why not?

Last time I made the cookies, I printed a star graphic and then enlarged it a few sizes and shrunk it a few sizes. I carefully cut out all the stars, placed them on the rolled out cut-out cookie dough, and used a knife to cut them out. It is truly how I planned to do it this time as well. But as luck would have it, on Friday I accidentally came across a holiday sale and I found a set of 10 star cookie cutters on sale for one whole dollar. Yep I snapped those cookie cutters up and thought the universe must be looking out for me! (though if you don't have a set, you try the print, shrink/enlarge, cut method too).

I told the kids what I was planning to do and instantly I had quite a few helpers - in my house, the kids love to roll out dough and decorate cookies. The mixing, baking, cooling part? That's not much fun so it gets left for me, which I don't mind at all!

So I mixed the best cut-out cookie dough I know. The recipe came from my friend Melodee and ever since she shared it with me, I've never used another! After mixing, I wrapped the dough in plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge. This dough, I've found, works best when it's just slightly cold. If it's too cold, it cracks and if it's too warm it's too sticky. I find just under an hour in the fridge is perfect and if it has to stay in longer, I just let it sit at room temperature until it softens.

Anyway, I pulled it out of the fridge and had some kids very eager to roll it out! I handed them some dough, a rolling pin, and a stack of cookie cutters. Be careful cutting them out, I warned, we need two cookie of each size so you have to pay attention!

So we carefully cut them out, placed on the cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and I was in charge of baking them. Which is good, because these cookies go from done to burned very quickly. I don't even leave them on the pan when I take them out of the oven - I move them to cooling racks right away!

Somehow, we managed to get two of all sizes (and three of one, but we'll call the extra a test cookie to make sure they were yummy!)

Now truthfully, this is where I stop for the day. After the cookies are cooled, I put them in a storage container and stop for the day. Yes, a two day cookie - not because they need to be, but because it's better for me to do it that way! If you don't have two days, do it in one. If you only have smaller chunks of time, split it up!

Day two of cookies is frosting day! Another thing the kids like to do. I whip up the frosting, fill bags, and let them go. We used a royal icing and outline the cookie and then fill it in. The kids do a great job at this because even if they don't, we just spread the frosting out a little bit with a spatula and call it a day!

Then it's time to let the cookies sit so the frosting gets hard. Alright, another confession, we never wait quite long enough because we are eager to move on to the next step, and it's okay! Because the next step is the most fun.

Starting withe largest size cookie, put a dollop of frosting in the middle, and stack on the cookie that is the same size. Turn it so that the points of the star are not right on top of each other. Put a dollop of frosting and place the next larges cookie on top. Dollop of frosting, cookie, lather, rinse, repeat, until all the cookies are placed.

Now step back. You have a gorgeous cut-out cookie Christmas tree. That isn't any more wok than traditional cut-out cookies. In fact, it's probably a bit of less work because you don't need to decorate them fancy - just top with green icing and you are good to go!

We also made one extra of the tiniest star and decorated it with sprinkles so it could be our tree topper! It looks lovely I think. And every one will be oohing and aahing over your cookies!

Cut-Out Cookies


1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1/2 t salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in rest of ingredients.
Flatten into a disc and chill for at least one hour.
Bake 6-8 minutes at 400 degrees.

*You'll need to double the recipe to make a tree the size of mine


Royal Icing
2 pounds powdered sugar
5 Tablespoon meringue powder
1/2-3/4 cups water
2-3 teaspoon of vanilla
Food coloring (if desired)


Mix the vanilla into half the water.
Put the sugar and meringue powder into a mixing bowl and mix it at low speed.
Slowly add the water/vanilla mix.
Then add as much of the water as you need to get the frosting to a honey-like consistency.
Add food coloring (if desired).
Continue to mix for a few minutes, until it can form soft peaks.

I find this is a bit thinner than other recipes, but I like it that way much better! I even sometimes add a bit more water to thin it out just a bit more.

Bake. Frost. Eat. Enjoy =)

Farmer's Field ...

So not too long ago I was knitting up a washcloth and the pattern and I just were not getting along. I wasn't home so I couldn't just pull up another pattern. So, I had to get creative, and thus this washcloth came into being

I really like how it turned out. Today, I pulled it out to photograph it. And also thought about weaving in teh ends, but alas, the ends are still there for you all to see =)

My oldest was hanging out with me and we decided we needed to come up with a name. We weren't really coming up with anything all that great. And as I was photographing, I realized what it reminded me of

As the daughter of a farmer, every spring it was a big deal to see who could spot the plants coming up in the fields first. I'm pretty sure only one year did I spot some sprouts before my dad - he was pretty good at it and spotted them first for sure. And when I turned the washcloth just so, it reminded me of the fields, freshly plowed and planted, and us anxiously awaiting to see the sprouts come up. So Farmer's Field it is. I wrote down the pattern (Okay, okay, I had to start knitting a second one because it is a million times easier for me to write what I am doing as I do it as opposed to looking back and seeing what I did!) So without further ado, I present to you, my first free pattern!

Farmer's Field

Supplies:
1 skein Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn
US Size 7 needle

Cast on 38 stitches


Knit 4 rows

row 1: k4, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k4
row 2: k6, (p2, k2) 6 times, p2, k6
row 3: k5, (p2, k2) 7 times, p1, k4
row 4: k5, (p2, k2) 7 times, p1, k4
row 5: k6, (p2, k2) 6 times, p2, k6
row 6: k4, (p2, k2) 7 times, p2, k4
row 7: k4, p1, (k2, p2), 7 times, k5
row 8: k4, p1, (k2, p2) 7 times, k5

Repeat rows 1-8 6 times

Knit 4 rows. Bind off. Weave in ends.

Enjoy! And if you do make any, will you please come back and share with me?

Doll Pins

One of my most favorite crafts that I've made this year so far are these doll pins. I first saw the idea over at Angry Chicken and instantly fell in love with them! Then I saw them over at SouleMama and fell even more in love with them!
Yes, I have made quite a few of these for Christmas already. I have not yet made any fancy accessories (like the blanket, sleeping bag, or apron to hold them in, but I still might. I haven't decided!) and they were fun and easy to make. My 8 year old helped me out as well.
So, even though it's not an original idea by me, I'm going to show you how I made them in case you want to give some as gifts this year as well.

First, order the dolls. I bought mine from Casey's Wood Product but I've been told Dick Blick sotres carry them as might some other craft stores locally that you can buy them from.

1. Assemble supplies:

Doll pins
scissors
fabric scraps (or buy fat quarters from the local fabric store. These usually run 1-2 dollars each and one will help dress up quite a few dolls!)
ribbon (optional)
glue stick
tacky glue (optional)
fray check (optional)

2. Pick out fabric for doll and cut to size. I wish I could give you measurements, but I didn't measure. I eyeballed and cut as I went. I am not even beneath admitting that I cut some of the fabric as I wrapped it around the doll, even with glue on it already!

My shirt and skirt ready to go for this girl ...
(The optional step here is to apply fray check to your fabric squares if you are worried about that. I did not use it for this doll. In fact the only time I used it, was when I purposefully frayed one edge for a decorative touch and didn't want it to fray further)

3. Apply glue to both pin and fabric. A plain old glue stick works fine for this step.


4. Wrap fabric around the doll. It doesn't matter if you put the top on first or the bottom on first ... it kind of depends on what look you are trying to achieve or what is easiest for you. I found it was easier to put the top on first because you can line it very straight with the top edge and that helps put the skirt on. However, if you put the skirt on first and it is a little crooked, well the top will hang over it and hide it anyway! So either way, you win in my opinion! LOL!


5. Get creative ... make a dress instead ... like this one (which, by the way, is the one I purposefully frayed the bottom of)


Add ribbons as belts. Cut the edges with pinking shears as a decorative touch. Really, you can't do anything wrong.
Here are mine so far ... my girls love them all and even my little guy keeps stealing them to play with!


Although, you might notice, they are faceless so far. I haven't added the faces yet. I'm very nervous to do so. In the future I will add the face first before "dressing" them, in case the face gets messed up a bit. I bought the pens to draw the faces on (a permanent fine marker works best so I've read). When I get brave enough to color in faces, I will take photographs again. My son (who will be 2 next week and no, I can't believe he will be 2 already!!) is quite concerned about their missing faces. Sometimes when playing with them he pauses, looks at me and says "eyes? eyes?" and looks at the empty face. LOL!

Anyway, one idea that I believe anyone can do and it will make a great gift. Trust me. These are going to a relative, but all three of my children are jealous she is getting them Of course, they don't know I'm making them some for Christmas morning as well! But they will find out soon enough! =)

Rerun: The E-bay "It"

This was originally posted on December 9, 2006 ...


Two gifts made tonight ... I am going to be participating in 2 grab bag gift exchanges. I love exchanges but yet they are hard to buy for because you aren't quite sure who exactly is getting your gift so it's hard to personalize it.
I was trying to figure out what to give ... gift certificates seem to be the best idea because most people can find some use for them. I joked with dh that it was too bad they didn't make e-bay ones, and lo and behold, paypal does give gift certificates! So that clinched it - I'm giving "it" for Christmas this year and a 25 dollar gift certificate to help pay for whatever "it" is! =)


Added now -
This might be a great way to add a little flare to a gift certificate you might want to give. It was pretty easy to make as well ... I just got some of the crayola model magic and some wire. I simply shaped the clay (the t with the curve was the hardest part). You can see most of where I used the wire (between the dot of the i and the i, and to put the i and t together). I also used the wire to attach the cross part of the t (although it's hidden). I'm not sure if they would have stayed stuck together without the wire through them, but I had plenty of wire left to do this.

Anyway, although the gift certificate is not handmade, the little it adds a nice personal touch to the certificate. I will say my it was a hit last year and if I hadn't already used it, I would do it again! LOL!

So, if you are looking for a quick, easy gift ... I suggest this one!