Happy Christmas, One and All!

Here I am, early on the morning of Christmas Day (early, but not BRIGHT and early, as it is still dark ... and SNOWING outside!)!! I was so VERY slow in getting through with my Christmas cards this year that I wondered if I was EVER going to get to share them with you! BUT, I FINALLY got to the post office with them last Saturday, so I am hopeful that at least SOME of them made it to their destinations before today ...

I think the main reason it took me so long to make these is that I really had NO IDEA what I wanted to do. I ended up resizing and re-doing a card a did a few weeks back ... just changed some of the elements to make it into a 5.25" square card .... Cutting out all those ding-a-ling pinecones was a labor of love, I tell ya ... they were too cute NOT to cut them out, though!

Stamps: Ornamental Pine, Good Greetings
Paper: Baked Brown Sugar, Whisper White, Gold Glimmer DSP
Ink: Early Espresso, Old Olive Blendabilities, White Signo Gel Pen, Whisper White
Accessories: Oval Framelits, Whisper White Embossing Powder, Burlap Ribbon, Old Olive Taffeta Ribbon, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Gold Sequin Trim, 1 1/4" Square Punch, Sponge, Impression Obsession Evergreen Trees Die

I LOVE having the ability to create the inside of my Christmas cards using MDS! My family indulges me when I want to drag them SOMEwhere to take a family photo ... and we couldn't get our doggie, Daisy, to look at the camera when everyone ELSE was. At least we got her in the picture!! (And I kinda hate my daughter because she looks GREAT in EVERY stinkin' hat that she EVER puts on her head ... as does Garrett ... and I just look, well, DUMB in them!!)

MDS Downloads:
Stamps: Bright Christmas II (Holly Jolly Christmas)
Paper: Gold Glimmer DSP, Christmas Jingle DSP
Embellishments: Natural Chevron Ribbon (Point), Celebrations (Label 2), Holly & Jolly Embellishments (trees),
Font: Island of Misfit Toys

And here's a quick little peek at the neighbor gifts we did this year ... Keebler Elf Sunday actually happened last Saturday ... and I didn't get any pictures of the fam making the nearly 1,000 cookies we produced. BUT, I DO like how the bags turned out. And, as is tradition here on my blog, here is the recipe I use for the cookies:


Lucky Pennies

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
3/4 C. (1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened)
1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 C. molasses
1 large egg
granulated sugar (for coating cookies)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the molasses and egg and mix until well blended. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 to 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough out of the bowl, then roll it with your fingertips into balls that are about one-inch in diameter. Roll the balls in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are crinkled and set.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough is used. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month and at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Special note: This is a recipe that does NOT double/triple very well. If you want to make LOTS of them, you should make a separate batch of dough each time.

Materials Used: Cricut, Cricut Very Merry Tags Cartridge, Cherry Cobbler Coredinations Cardstock, Gold Foil DSP, Silver Foil DSP, Gold-Striped Cello Bags, Gold Curling Ribbon


Have the Happiest of Holidays. Here's wishing you love, peace and good health for the upcoming year ... thank you for being part of my life. I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends!!

Christmas Cards, Elves and COOKIES!

As I am busily rushing around TRYING to do all of my last-minute Christmas-y things, I knew I was going to need to stop to wish you all there merriest of holidays! I appreciate all of the kind words, support, encouragement and inspiration that I get from you throughout the year ... you guys are the BEST!!

And without FURTHER adieu ... here is our family Christmas card this year. With that extra week "missing" in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I felt like I was running down to the wire in getting these done (ok ... I guess I actually WAS!)!! I have had a little gift card for the past several years that I have had tacked to my bulletin board ... it had a little pair of skates on it, and I have been THINKING about doing this idea for the past few Christmases. FINALLY got around to it!!

The skates and large snowflake are cut from images on the Cricut Winter Woodland cartridge. Lots of pieces, but I stinkin' LOVE 'em!!

I got the "Winter Wonderland" sheet music just by doing an internet search. This image was actually a little too "short", so I had to copy and paste and extra couple of lines at the bottom to make it the right size!

Stamps:  Gorgeous Grunge (Yes, I HAD to sneak that one in there!)
Paper:  Early Espresso, Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Naturals Ivory, Very Vanilla, Silver Glimmer
Ink:  Early Espresso (to sponge edges of skates)
Accessories:  Cricut Winter Woodland Cartridge, Martha Stewart Snowflake Punch, Burlap Ribbon, Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon, Rhinestone Basics, Script Texture Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug)

Here is the inside of the card, done entire in MDS. I discovered this year that Costco will actually print 5"x5" photos!! That made my job MUCH easier!! I didn't have to print and cut all of them myself! YAY!!!

MDS: More Amore (Long Label); Let It Snow; Jolly Jingles (snowflakes); More Amore (DSP); Font - Cuckoo

Moving on ... every year on the Sunday before Christmas we have what we refer to as "Keebler Elf Sunday" at my house (many of you may recall that I have mentioned that here the past few years). Since we have been in the neighborhood for SO long, our "neighbor gift list" is kinda long ... so we end up baking, bagging and tagging about 1,000 cookies!! Sheesh!!! But, my kids will admit, that they kinda like Keebler Elf Sunday. It's a LOT of work, but it's a good time! LOTS of laughing, watching Christmas movies ... now that the kids are older and spend a lot of their time away at school I think that they appreciate this even more. Makes a mama happy ...

Accessories:  Cricut Very Merry Tags (made with Brilliant Blue and Whisper White cardstock), glittery snowflake ornament (purchased at Target), cello snowflake bag, Whisper White Baker's Twine

The tag on this year's bag of cookies was made using my Cricut and the Very Merry Tags cartridge. And YES ... that card stock IS Brilliant Blue (I seem to be a hoarder and can never get rid of ANYthing!)!! Was glad I had it, though, as it went perfectly with the snowflakes I bought on clearance at Target after Christmas a couple of years ago!!

And for those who are wondering, I AM going to share my "Lucky Penny" recipe with y'all once again this year. I promise if you try them that they will become a family FAVORITE ... and you will be FAMOUS amongst family and friends with whom you share them!!

Lucky Pennies

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/4 t. salt
3/4 C. (1½ sticks unsalted butter, softened)
1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 C. molasses
1 large egg
granulated sugar (for coating cookies)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt. In a separate large bowl, use a wooden spoon to cream the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the molasses and egg and mix until well blended. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 to 2 hours or until firm enough to roll into balls.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a teaspoon to scoop the dough from the bowl and roll the cookies into about 1"-in-diameter balls. Roll the balls in a shallow bowl of granulated sugar. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 6 to 9 minutes or until the cookies are crinkled and set.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all the dough is used. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month and at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.


Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!