The Cookie Exchange

I know it feels like a lot of work in the middle of December,
but this year's Christmas Cookie exchange saved me!

The idea (though it may never work like this)
12 friends
12 DOZEN cookies EACH, pre packaged for you to take home

You take home 144 cookies (12 different types) and make plates for your neighbors!

How fun is that!

This year I made

Orange Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
½ cup butter (1 cube)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp. vanilla
3 tsp. grated orange rind
½ package semisweet chocolate chips
½ tsp soda
2/3 cup flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cup whole oats
½ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in order. Spoon into 1 inch dough balls onto an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. *Remember these are not your normal cake-like cookie, they are a lacey looking cookie that will be pretty flat.

Makes around 2 dozen.

Changing Pad-the smaller version

OK, so if you are loving the quilts...but want to make 2 for the same amount of fabric...try the changing pads!
I did mine 18X25 and then sewed in some grosgrain ribbon.

EASY, BREEZY, BEAUTIFUL!

Your First Quilt-tutorial

You will need:

8 coordinating fabrics in the following sizes:

1 yard of the back of the quilt fabric

1/4 yard each of the 6 stripe fabrics

1/4 yard binding fabric

1 yard muslin

1 yard batting (or a 35X35 inch piece)

Decide which order you want your stripes.  Cut them out in different widths:

STRIPES:

3X35

5X35

4X35

6X35

3X35

4X35

sometimes I change the size or order a little if I like one fabric more than another.  It is easiest to cut the widths first and then cut the length all at the same time.  (I cut mine on the folded at 17.5)

cut your binding fabrics

3  pieces of: 2 inches X the length of the fabric (cut one more piece if you arent putting inserts: see quilt below to see insert)

2 pieces of 2 X 9 (for the inserts if you want to do them)

Main fabric, Muslin & Batting
35X35 of each.
(it is easiest for me to lay out one of my fabrics on the batting and cut around it to make sure it is the right size)

Iron your pieces (ESPECIALLY your main fabric and muslin)

layer your main fabric on the bottom, then your batting, then your muslin and try to smooth out all the wrinkles

lay out all your stripes.  If you still have a little fold line left over after ironing, it will help you line them up.  just eyeball the distance between each one.  Make sure to leave a little extra room at the top and bottom because your binding will take an inch of the white space.

Pin them down through all 4 layers

Now you can sew your stripes leaving a quarter inch seam allowance.  NOTE:  I was advised to buy a "walking foot" to make this quilt.  It did help...but I believe you may make this quilt with your normal foot as long as your batting isnt really really thick.

cut your binding into the right size.  2 inches X 37 inches on all 4 sides
(if using the inserts, cut 37 inches on 2 of your strips.  Then use the left over 7 inches and sew it to the inserts, and then cut the last strip in half and sew those pieces to the other side of the insert.  You should have enough to make 4-37" long pieces. 

Iron your binding fabrics in half.  (if using inserts, first iron the seams down, then iron in half)

Pin your binding around the quilt by folding it around the quilt.

If you use the inserts, you can decide where to put those ones.  I have done it so that the inserts are along the stripe sides and one is high on one side and low on the other side. 

FOR THE CORNERS: every strip that you pin down should go under on one end and over at the other end.  Where it goes under the binding, you can sew it straight down, where it goes over the following binding, fold the raw edge under.  I hope you are not too confused...look at the quilt corners to understand.

sew the binding down using 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Now, go wash your quilt normally in the wash and then dry.  Then trim all of the millions of long strings.

WA LA...Your FIRST QUILT!  You should be so proud and one little muffin is going to be So excited!

May I suggest for your first quilt...

When I had baby Jane, my friend Kathy sent me this beautiful quilt.

 I loved it so much, and I thought it was the most thoughtful thing in the world that she would take the time to make me a quilt!  I wanted to make one...but have NEVER attempted to QUILT before..so I just left it hanging on Jane's wall...dreaming of becoming a quilter one day.

The other day I decided to stop dreaming and to start quilting.  So, I went to the fabric store...picked out 8 coordinating fabrics....and DID IT!  So...below are the 2 quilts I made:

I think for me, the hardest part was finding 8 coordinating fabrics.  It is easy if you buy online and can stick with one designer's collection, but our quilt shop only carries a couple from each. 

To make this quilt, You will need:

1 yard pretty fabric, 1 yard batting, 1 yard white muslin or white kona cotton, a quarter yard binding fabric (for the edge) and then 6 quarter yard pieces for the stripes.  (NOT fat quarters.  regular old quarter yards)

You pretty much just layer the cute fabric, batting, & muslin.  lay out the stripes.  Pin like crazy.  sew.  pin on the binding.  sew.  then wash to get frayed edges, and trim long strings. 

If you want an ACTUAL TUTORIAL...

PLEASE post a comment below and I will do one in the next week or 2.

A sweet baby gift.  and if you find cute an enough fabrics...maybe a cute YOU gift!

Question:

Does the post office still mail
brown paper packages tied up with string?



Answer: yes

Elle's Valentines

Elle's Valentines my way.

Elle's valentines the right way...with her special touch.
We spent an hour looking at princesses online...and this was the winner. (I think its because of her beautiful long hair)

Cookies on a Stick Valentines

Well, because I am on the cookie on a stick kick...I thought Id tell you how to do them.

First, I searched the internet for a good sturdy recipe, and this is the best I found.  They are SO yummy, but they taste a little more like a butter cookie, or shortbread than a sugar cookie...but I really love them.

Michelle Bommarito’s Sugar Cookies For Sticks

3 c. all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks butter, unsalted, softened (8 oz)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg 1/2 t. kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of almond extract

Sift together the flour and baking powder. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the egg, salt and both extracts.
Slowly add flour mixture (1 cup at a time) and stir until incorporated
Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface to approximately 5/8″ thick. Cut the cookies into shapes and place the cut cookie shape on a parchment lined cookie; Poke a stick into cookies.
Bake the cookies for approximately 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown in color. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Royal Icing
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
5 T meringue powder or 1/4 cup pasteurized egg whites
Ice cold water according to desired consistency and 1 teaspoon vanilla
Stir together, using as much water as needed for desired consistency

So, once my cookies while my cookies were baking...Miranda gave me the most brilliant idea.  Make my design on parchment paper first...so I wouldnt have to freehand the batman symbol.

So, I melted chocolate chips...and piped the chocolate onto the parchment.  You could use royal icing in colors if you wanted a different color.  I happened to need dark. I put mine in the fridge to harden.

 

Then, I first piped around each cookie, filled them in with yellow icing and stuck my symbol right in the middle.

 

Wa La...Robbie's batman Valentines.  Then of course I googled "batman valentine" and found this vintage picture.  He loved it! 

So, here are 2 dozen batmans on a stick! 

and with the left over dough I did some of my own valentines!  These were fun...but, I have no idea how to do polkadots.  They kept making stringy points.

Happy Valentines Day! 

 

Birthday headband

Here is my b-day gift for my sister Em. I hope it goes with her rock style!

My cute cousin Caroline has a business selling these headbands, clips and other things called "Vintage Blooms" and she is going to do a give away here in a week or so...so stay tuned!