Peppermint Bark

Yum!Melt chocolate, pour in a foil lined and sprayed pan.  Let set til firm.  Melt white chocolate candy melts, add peppermint flavoring and pour over chocolate.  Crush candy canes and sprinkle over wet white chocolate layer.  Let set til firm.  Peel off foil.  Break into pieces.  All done.  Easy.  Delicious.  Diana

Even More Christmas Cookies

I used edible wafer paper for these sweet cookies.  My fav is the Shaun the Sheep cookie!  How funny is he!  I know the grandkids will LOVE him.  (We spent hours watching a Shaun video on vacations this year!)  You can't believe how wonderful edible paper is.  WONDERFUL....... It makes decorating cookies so easy and individual.   Diana

SomeMore Cookies Please

We have a family tradition involving cookies.  Each year we try different recipes for Christmas cookies but the one constant is that we always have a lamb sugar cookie!  It is symbolic of the Lamb of God, our Saviour.This year's cookie is so sweet.  And easy!

I also tried a new holly cookie cutter.  So festive.  Diana

Cookies For Me!

On the day I took these pictures, it was snowing, very appropriate for winter cookies but terrible for picture taking.  Remember when I did a Fabulous Friday on edible cookie transfers from King Arthur Flour?  Well, I became obsessed with them (so unlike me I know).

   Do you know you can make these with just a few purchases on line.......A new printer, edible ink cartridges and edible cookie wafers from Kopy Kake and I was ready to go!  I am going to have to make a bunch of these to make back the set up cost but the possibilities! 

 This snowman for instance.  I used clear piping gel and coarse sugar around the edge.

And how sweet are these little Victorian tots all bundled up for winter.  And wait til you see some of the other cookies I have dancing around in my head!  Diana

Candy Cane Shea Butter Soap

Melt and pour soap is an easy way to make really pretty handmade gifts.  I used a silicon loaf pan and shea butter glycerin melt and pour base.  I divided the block of base into two glass measuring cups.  To one I added red dye and the other I left white.  I melted both and added peppermint scent.  Then I poured alternating layers(allowing the layers to set up until firm in between).  I reheated the soap in the cups when needed.  Once the loaf pan was almost full, I crumbled crushed candy canes down the center of the loaf while the last layer was still wet. 

 This is what it looked like once I removed it from the pan.

 This looks good enough to eat!

The soap set up about 24 hours and then was put into bags that I sealed closed.  I got 9 bars out of my loaf pan but I was really generous when I was slicing.  These smell soooo good.  I think I will set one aside for me!  Diana

Fabulous Friday 9

Sometimes it is the simplest things that make the biggest difference in our projects.  Like when you've stitched a pillow or apron and then turn your almost finished project right side out and you have the three inch unfinished gap you have to slip stitched closed!  Hate it.  Never looks good.  Well, WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS STUFF!!!!It will close up the gap without the tell tale hand stitching.  Just cut a piece the size of the gap and iron in place.  That's it, it's done!  And it does so much more.  Holds ribbon in place for a perfectly straight line for top stitching.  Saves Sunday morning panic when you notice an undone hem.  And it is cheap too!  Less than 5 bucks and the roll will last FOREVER!  Get some...now!  Walmart, Target or your local fabric store.  Diana

Cluck, Cluck

I'm a lucky girl.  I live on a small farm that allows me to keep a little flock of chickens.  They provide me, and many of my friends and family with fresh eggs all year round.  I have noticed that some women must have a gene that draws them to our little feathered friends!  Me and my fellow chicken lovers talk about our "girls" every time we get together.  "How many eggs are you getting?"  "Are you using a light this winter to keep them laying?"  "Did you end up with any roosters in your last batch of chicks?" (I think I got 4!)We just can't seem to get enough of the little ladies!  So when I came across a pattern for these cute little pin cushions in the shape of chubby hens I knew I would have to make a flock of them. 

 Two tiny little log cabin squares are sewn together to form this hen.

 I used scraps of yellow, red and brown fabrics.  They are cut in one inch wide strips (finished size ends up being 1/2 wide).

Here is a shot of her bottom (pardon me!) and the sloppy whip stitch I used to close her up.  I used rice as a filler.  I didn't add the tail (forgot until she was already roosting in her nest and didn't want to disturb her). I got the pattern in Holmes County, Ohio's Amish country from a sweet little quilt shop but you can order it on the designer's web page.  Her pattern doesn't include it I think you could also do this faster paper piecing (if you are good at drawing your own pattern).  But you will need her assembling instructions.....trust me.  Diana

Days Of The Week Quilt

I know, I know, I haven't posted in forever but I have been busy, I promise.  I have been working on a quilt that is sooo sweet.  And I finally finished it today!  I love days of the week ANYTHING.   Towels, underwear.......so I thought how cute it would be if I put together a Days of the Week quilt. 

 The redwork is done on my embroidery machine. 

I can't remember where I got the design.  I know I downloaded it online but I can't find anything in the file that tells me where I got it.  That's what happens when you don't write things down. 

 I machined quilted on the solid squares around the embroidery.

 How fun is this little lady.  She looks so earnest.  Just to be clear, I DON'T wear a dress to do housework but I do like the IDEA of wearing a cute dress everyday.

I also did a cute quilting design on the four square with the embroidery machine too!  This quilt is so cheerful it almost  makes housework look fun......almost.  Diana