Gingerbread People

The kids arrived last evening.
This morning we made "the kind of cookies that Santa likes" - decorated sugar cookies with lots of colors.
We also made gingerbread boys and girls. The kids rolled the dough and cut their guys. After the cookies cooled, they decorated them..........lots of creativity went into this job!!!!!

Merry Christmas to all!!!!!!!!!! Go to sleep so Santa will come.

Baking Blitz

Christmas is coming.....you can tell by the Christmas tree. I made this when Ashley was young. She hung one ornament a day - leaving the star until Christmas Eve. I don't always remember to keep it up to date without little ones to remind me!!! Stollen - this is made from a recipe that has been handed down in the Kuhlman Family. I have made some adjustments to it when you couldn't get cakes of yeast......and for the last 4 years have made 7 loaves!!!!!
Two are in the mail to Florida along with some special cookies for Great-Grandpa Kuhlman.
We enjoy it toasted for breakfast - it smells so good - and tastes good too. There are red and green cherries, pecans, coconut, almonds and golden raisins in this potato based sweet bread.


The cookie baking frenzy has started. These are Aunt Susie's recipe for Vanilla Horns.....not in a horn shape as I make a roll and slice them - much easier!!!

Rosette cookies are made with a batter and only two at a time.........takes awhile, but crispy and yummy.

These are tools that are needed for the next cookie - Springerle......

You roll out the dough and press the boards into the dough. It must sit overnight on a board, then baked in the morning with anise seed on the cookie sheet.

This is what the springerles look like sitting on the dining room table. Luckily, Mango showed no interest in playing with them!!!

Melting Moments are also a favorite here.......These are done with a ceramic cookie press dipped in sugar.......

Are you hungry yet?

I have a couple more to make yet. Spritz cookies are also a favorite and I got a new cookie press - sure hope it works!

Also on the adgenda are roll out sugar cookies. Allison wants to help with these because they are Santa's favorites!! So those will be made when they come this weekend.

First Big Snowstorm of the Season

I began snowing last evening - and just like the weatherman forecasted - we got 10 inches!!!!

It was still coming down when John started blasting with his snow blower.
This first picture is out the front door - literally - stick the camera out the door and click!! This is out the back door - upstairs.

This is also out the back door - just looking the other way.

It really is beautiful....if you don't have to go anywhere.....I would like to be with friends celebrating the 50th birthday of my friend Cindy this evening. Happy Birthday Cindy!!!!

And I would like to be in Frankenmuth to visit with a friend.....One of Johns' college roomates died Thursday...the first of the "group."

Due to this weather....we are going nowhere........

There was really a blast coming from the snow blower.......as you can see!!

When you get in the front porch area, it's tight - and blowing all around!!!

Still....the little birds must be fed.

Bead

I've just returned from another visit to Polka Dots, a bead store in Old Town.


It is a fantastic place - lost of unique gifts and beads, beads, beads, beads.......
You can buy beads to take home, make something and Kristin will help you finish it off.
I have made a couple bracelets and earrings - one fantastic Christmas set!- and a special necklace to wear to the wedding that goes with my dress.


This visit I made something for a gift exchange and this necklace.
The large bead was given to me by the Japanese ladies is the house block exchange - see previous posts.

In the new year, I hope to take a couple workshops at the store so I can do things for myself.......just what a need....a new hobby!!!!

Chicago School of Fusing

While at National Quilting Association convention last June, I took a class with a professor from the Chicago School of Fusing - Laura Wasilowski.


The first project was the flower garden.


Second project was to construct your own fabric by fusing - and the ice cream cone was started. We get ice cream every day after lunch at the market nearby.


Lastly I started the house.......and then added the other houses that I had constructed using Laura's line of fabric. That wall hanging, Laura's Houses, is now finished.


The other two are ready for machine quilting.......and maybe a little embroidery accents. Laura gave us some of her hand dyed floss - and it should be used!!

WOW!!! Two posts in one day!!!!!!!!

The Elves have been busy!!!

It's been a long time since I posted and the elves have been busy!!
The wedding quilt has returned from the machine quilter and I have bound and put a label on it. Thanks to my block exchange friends for helping with this one. It is wrapped (in a bag) and is ready - three weeks early!!!

The flower girl dress is ready for Allison. I will put the hem in after Christmas - there will be time for that. I want to make sure it is just right!!

The pillow and basket are ready for two beautiful children to carry down the aisle.

I have also done some personal sewing. I have had this collection of Christmas fabrics for many years - finally did something with them!!

This wall hanging is in the hall to the bedrooms.

With some leftover pieces, I made a couple hot pads for my co-workers.

Now to make a stocking for Andrew. Last year I threw a little fleece one together - he was just a baby. He will be 17 months old at Christmas - and time for one of his own for Santa to fill. It will be done later today.

I have also done most of my Christmas shopping.......

The tree was put up before John drove his parents' car to Florida and I put the ornaments on while he was gone - also all the inside lights.

We finally had a good day to get outside lights up last weekend and didn't freeze.

Christmas cards are the next project. We got a family picture at Thanksgiving. We have sent picture cards since Ashley was a little one - now we have her little ones on our card, too.

Christmas baking is yet to come - stollen from Great-Grandma Kuhlmans' recipe and a few kinds of cookies. I will be sure to have some sugar cookies for children to decorate when they come - Santa likes those the best!!!

A Day in my Sewing Room

I have enjoyed a day to myself - in my sewing room - being creative.

First I made 2 sets of aprons to go in the silent auction at the next quilt show. It all started because a friend wanted a pattern for a kid apron. Alexander and Allison have aprons that they use here for kitchen and art activities. I shared an apron with her to get the pattern and then I got started on my own. On my design wall have been five houses I made from Laura Wasilewski fabrics and one house made in her fusing class last summer. I decided to put them together and call it Laura's Houses. It is ready for machine quilting.

I had a block left over from a block exchange - occasionally you get one that is an inch too small - and it just doesn't fit in the quilt. Now it is on the wall in the back hall.

With a few leftover strips from the binding and the backing, I have a small hot pad.

All this and I'm making progress on the flower girl dress for Allison. She tried on the top when here for Thanksgiving - I made a little adjustment and am ready to add the skirt.

I finished knitting a shawl in case her arms get cold. She was worried about that because the wedding is December 29 and that is winter!!!

It feels good to create - I want more time to do just that.........maybe in the new year!!!!!!!!!