2009 Cookie Swap Recipes Posted

Yay - FINALLY, the recipes have been posted.......they are next to the cookie photo in the 12/23 post. Thank you all for your interest. I apologize for having taken so long but I got through it..............enjoy!!!!

I have 3 major Stamp & Scrap 2010 Year goals:
- use what I have or donate/sell it............
- finish projects I start or have started or don't start.............be realistic of my time. Stay focused
- organize and prioritize more efficient use of my "awake" time
and yours? Do these sound familiar?

Now I have really got to get back to my Leadership Swaps and SU Event this coming Sunday as well as preparing for the New Year Day luncheon at our home............tootles....................

Thank you all blog friends!!!!

OMG

OMG - I think I am going to scream..................I have been trying to upload the recipes to the 12/23 post. Everything is all set but I have been unable to link the photos - not sure if it is Blogspot or me.........probably me.....but it won't get done today.......sorry about that. I'll try again tom. Thanks for your patience.

Like My Picture?

See my new added cartoon photo on the top right side of my blog? I found this cartoon of me and thought it would be appropriate for my blog. Yes, and I am a minature Bear Collector, too.

A Holiday Card from Hawaii

I wanted to share this with all of you. It's a fabulous card I got in the mail from a blog friend last week: Eunice. I am so glad she posted the card details on her blog December 25. (http://www.astarforchiemi.blogspot.com/) Check out her site for some other fun and creative ideas. This is such a fun and fabulous card. I absolutely love it. And, that is her real dog (not a stuffed toy - isn't he cute?). It is extremely rearding to have a great blog friend who is so kind and thoughtful............THANK YOU EUNICE!!!

So I start to follow the card instructions to "pull" and LOOK what happens!!!! How exciting is this!!!!

See the printed "pull" tab:

Pull open the photo section to reveal a message (in of course, my favorite color):

The card opens up to reveal a second message. There's room on the sides for a handwritten message which Eunice has done so here on her card.

Top view with card folded:

And here's anther over view:

Thank you for stopping by today...............stay tuned for recipes from 12/23 to be posted.

2009 Family Xmas Cookie Swap

This is the 2nd Family Xmas Cookie Swap. Many Moms and their kids participated in making these cookies. Here's mine on a huge red platter. Note: some of the cookies are missing.........hmmm.....who was muching on them. Each cookie to be swapped was prepackaged with a recipe. White decorated shopping bags were handed to each participant to hold their stash (forgot to take a photo of that!). I have attached the recipe for each cookie this time. Should there be any questions, please let me know.

Important info: for the Cookies posted on 12/23, Thank you for all your comments and interest in receiving the recipes. I will try to provide the recipes (have to figure out what is the most efficient way) for all to enjoy on my blog or have them individually sent via e-mail to those who have inquiry..............any ideas? Please let me know.

Cookie #1: Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies made by my Grand Niece: Marissa - age 9. She stamped the cookie and colored it in with Chocolate Chip Stampin' Up pens

Cookie #2: Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies - I made these.

Cookie #3: Potato Chip Cookies made by my Niece Nannette

Cookie #4: Sugar Cookies made by my Grand Niece Lauren - age 7. She actually scooped and rolled over 80 cookies in the sanding color sugar herself. We didn't have a stamp for these cookies, so she personally drew them with a Stampin' Write Pen herself.

Cookie #5: Peppermint Melt aways made by Kevin - my brother-in-law. Note: there are additional isntructions in the back of the recipe as follows:
racks to cool

For the Frosting:

3. In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, extract and food coloring (if desired): beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cookies: sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in airtight container.

Cookie #6: Saltine Toffee made by Jack & Emma (twins age 6) with their Mom. Ooops....just realized the recipe is folded in half.......access the full recipe at http://candy.about.com/od/toffeerecipes/r/saltine_toffee.htm

Cookie #7 Snicker doodles made by Laura - age 8? with her Mom Tina . Laura is an very experienced baker at her young age.

Cookies #8 (left photo): 2nd Version of Snicker doodles. I forgot to take photos of the cookies out of the bag. Made by Kyoko/Hana (Hana age 8)

Cookies #9 (right photo): Mexican Wedding Cookies made by Kat who is visiting from Hong Kong - missing recipe. Glad she was able to participate in this event.

This was the craft project for the kids: it is a foam Gingerbread house. The finished project size is 4" x 4" x 5-1/2". These kits were pre-cut and simple to make. The kids also decorated cookies with cookie writers

Thank you for stopping by today...............we all love cookies!!!! HUGs

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Happy Holidays to you all.........here's my tree at Thanksgiving with all the lights on..........quite a chore! Great exercise going up and down that ladder. I have to put them on every year and take them off..........there are about 1200 little bulbs on this 10 foot tree! Looks great but considered naked!

And, here is the tree with 800+ small little ornaments that have been created by myself or friends through the last 30+ years......most are red and teddy bears.........this job takes about 4 hours to complete. I just stand back and take a deep breath! It can only get done while listening to Holiday music and humming along..............

And look who is on top of the tree: it's the Muffy Angel..........does anyone remember this collectible bear? I added lights inside the dress (shielded by aluminum foil, of course. Otherwise she may catch on fire!) Picture is out of focus because I had to zoom in at max.

Talk about last minute gift wrapping.........pillow boxes with initials..........inside: cash!!! The best!!!

Well, I do hope everyone had a good time today whether you are with friend and family or by yourself........sometimes peace and quiet is so wonderful...............it certainly was hectic but I wouldn't have it any other way.............."live like there's no tom".............on to 2010!!!

For the Holidays

This is what I consider a easy card to make. (not my typical style) I made a few of these for a swap and also used them to send out this year. Did you get one? Ooops, sorry, I didn't have your address. Finished card size is 4-1/4" x 5-1/2".

Here's a close up of the message:

The SU Exclusive Big Shot Sizzlits Merry Details snowflake die fits perfectly on top of the Jumbo Snowflake Punch. Pop with a dimensional!

So here's what you will need:
(1) 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", score in half, Very Vanilla CS
(1) 5-1/4" x 4" Real Red CS
(1) 5" x 3-3/4" Kraft CS
(1) Real Red Punched Jumbo Snowflake
(1) Very Vanilla Snowflake from the Merry Details die
(1) 6" long Sleigh Bell Ribbon
(1) 2-1/2" x 2" Real Red CS for message back
(1) 2-1/4" x 1-3/4" Very Vanilla CS for message

See how I stamped the image using the Soft Suede ink and sponges the edges, too (clean fingers with the binder clip as the assistant!)

Secure ribbon to the top pieces. Pop the back of the snowflake and the Real Red CS with dimensionals:

Prepare message by using the Stampin' Write Real Red and Soft Suede Pens:

Sponge around the Very Vanilla CS and position on top of the Real Read CS:

Remove the adhesive from the dimensionals and place on card - you are done!!!! Easy!!! You may even have time to make some before guests arrive...............well, maybe...............
Supplies:

• Stamps: Sweet Season
• CS: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Kraft
• Ink: Soft Suede
• Accys: Jumbo Snowflake Punch, SU Exclusive Big Shot Sizzlits Merry Details Die, Sleigh Bells Ribbon, Real Red and Soft Suede Stampin' Write Pens, Stampin Sponge, Dimensionals.

Happy Holidays to you. If you are blogging, then you are Xtra Crazy not to enjoy the holidays and relax..........thank you for stopping by today............tom is the BIG DAY!!!!!

Cookie Swap

12/31 UPDATE: Finally - the recipes are all attached. I had a little trouble uploading all the recipes and ended up doing them one at a time. Oh well, I know you all will enjoy them and start soem baking for friends and family. Thatthought warms my heart. A happy New Year to All.

12/30/09 UPDATE: trying to upload the recipes attached next to the photo. Am having technical difficulties but will keep trying.............

Ya think I had some fun lately? Yup, I really did. Altho I have dairy allergies, I sure enjoy this event. If you haven't guessed, this is a annual Cookie Swap last weekend. This year, we all got recipe boxes to decorate and also hold our recipes. Wow - there were 16 participants and waaay more cookies than we could count.....see all the cookies.....hope I can name them all. My completed recipe box here:

Here's the cute little Gingerbread Boy in the corner. I decided to put the invitation on the inside of the lid.

I made Rice Krispi Sushi - I also made a box for the receipes:

Poppyseed Cookies

Cranberry Lemon Cookies

Chocolate Crackles

Chocolate Black Pepper Cookies

Pecan Tarts

Ice Box Cookies

Glutten Free Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Sesame Coconut Cookies

Rum Balls

Candy Bark

Chocolate Capaccino Cookies

Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies

Crunchy P-Nut Butter Balls

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

Death by Caramel Bars

Jill's No Bake Cookies

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

Carmel Bars (oops, no recipe)

Chocolate Pecan Brownie Cupcakes

New York Style Black & Whites

Flourless P-Nut Butter Cookies

Peppermint capped Chocolate Meranges (oops, no recipe here, too)

This was the MOST fun time to spend with friends. If you have never participated in a cookie exchange, start one of your own and soon you will have a box full of recipes that you have tried, too. I love this annual activity and look forward to it every year.

Happy Holidays to all of you!!!! After seeing all these fabulous cookies, you may need something to drink.