Missing persons.....

The police have their missing persons but then, so do I!  lol  If you noticed, I am missing a few "ladies" from my ladies series.  Way back in the middle of October I was commissioned to do these sweet gals.  The first one, #24 (Sharon from Australia) asked me to do her, (it was to be a Christmas gift from her husband) and she promised not to open it before Christmas.  Considering the mail time between Wisconsin and Australia, it wasn't much of a wait because I think it took over 4 weeks just to get to her.  As always, I will show the drawing, the close-up of her pretty eyes, and then the quilt.  

And here is the photo of Sharon that she sent for me to work from:

Next, we have the lovely, Robin who is lady #27.  She also was a Christmas gift and was commissioned by her generous sister, Melinda.







She also was kind enough to allow me to use the original photo so that you could see the resemblance:

So there you have it......2 more beautiful ladies added to the growing list.  I do have two more to show you next time....a wonderful mother and daughter duo, numbers 28 and 29, again from Australia.  Stay tuned........

I am not happy!!!

Do you remember this:



And then remember that I made a slew of them for friends:



Well, how do you think I felt today when a friend mailed me a link to a DIY project that I NEVER approved:

http://www.whatsnewtablet.com/DIYquilts/2012/12/13/happy-winter/

They even used the name I gave it!  And then, on top of that........look how many people posted it on their pinterest as being by DIY:

http://pinterest.com/pin/211176669999200836/

So now what?  I do not have a pinterest account, although I did report this to pinterest!  As far as DIY....I haven't a clue how to handle that mess.  I am really outraged!  I have said on this blog that you may copy my work, but I at least expected that someone would make their own quilt for your own use, not for someone to use my photo to sell to DIY!

Wow, I bet you thought I fell off the face of the earth, huh?  I can't remember a longer stretch ever where I didn't post something!  Actually, it was kind of nice.  I mean, I wasn't sewing anyway, so no big deal, right?  In reality.......I am going NUTS from boredom!!!  Yesterday I took a 3 hour nap and then was up half the night wondering why I couldn't sleep.  Duh!!!  I need to get back on schedule! Only two or three more days!  I'm thinking of taking the tree and decorations down the 26th and beat the rush!  LOL  

So, you wonder what I've been doing?  I went to visit a friend who has Havanese puppies for sale.......and believe it or not, didn't even take one home (probably because they were too little yet.)  My friend even bought a costume for them.....note below: 

Then, I thought maybe it was time to clean out my pantry since I hadn't even looked in the whole thing since 2010.  (Sewing really gives you an excuse for all sorts of things, did you ever notice??  Who has time for mundane things like dumb old pantry cleaning??)  After a half a garbage bin of outdated stuff was dumped, it again looks neat and tidy:

And then it snowed..........and I hate snow!  Don't even ask me why I live in Wisconsin.....hello!!!  You'd think by now I would learn that Wisconsin gets SNOW, right?  BUT, my whole family lives here, so I'm sort of stuck!  Doesn't mean though that I can't stay in and just look at it, right?

So, between all that and going out for some breakfasts (which I rarely do), it's been a quiet few days.  I had my gang of 14 here this past Saturday, we had fun, and tomorrow I will finish off the holiday with a close family dinner and gift opening.  I hope all of you are having a relaxing time too.  Isn't it supposed to be about peace and joy?  That's what I thought!

Fear not though........things will be back to normal before you know it!  Until then, live in the moment and enjoy the spirit of the season!!!

The mail's been great!!!

This time of year the mail is usually fun with all the catalogs and Christmas cards and sale papers, but this past week the mail has been even better for me.  First off, I discovered that I was one of the winners of the giveaway at the Pincushion swap.  This delightful package of fun stuff arrived in the mail.  Next year, I must make one of those hats.......probably with the fabrics shown.  And it will need a bow of some sort, I'm thinking.  I'm sure I can come up with something!!!

Then, I was the recipient of this marvelous creation from my friend, Annie (freezeframe03):





It's a can/water bottle wrap (or in my case, a Diet Pepsi wrap).  I think it'll be marvelous for keeping the ice from melting.  Too cool!  That Annie is so inventive, sometimes I marvel at her creativity.  I sure wish she lived closer.......I can't imagine the fun we would have sewing together.

Next on the list of wonderfulness is the quilt I won from the Little Quilt - Sew, Vote, Swap.  I was lucky enough to win my first pick which is amazing.  Julie made it and it is even better in person:



I'm usually not a red/aqua girl, but the design and stitching was just so perfect, I couldn't pass it up!  Bravo, Julie!!!

Lastly, I got my mug rug from my partner for the Pincushion Swap.  She (Celine - espritpatch) nailed me perfectly by doing something simple, yet striking with my two favorite Christmas colors of red and lime.



And the real plus is that it's small enough to hang on the teeny spot right next to my back door so I see it every time I let Toby outside.

So, that's it.......oh.......almost forgot!  Along with winning the prize for the pincushion swap, the sender (who is a good friend and who has a sweet girl dog named Flossie about Toby's age), sent along a Christmas gift for my "boy".  He just had to put it on to wish you all a Merry Christmas!!



So, in case I'm not back before the big day (I still have a list a mile long and no obligatory sewing to finish), I hope each and every one of you enjoy your holiday to the fullest.  Find peace and joy in the little things and laugh lots!  Thank you so very much for a great year!  My life is much richer for having you in it!

Check these out:

Did you ever see anything so yummy looking?  Take a look at these "Oreo Truffles":



I found the recipe on Pinterest the other day and naturally, I had to run right out and get the ingredients to make them right away.  Incidentally, if you click on the picture, the recipe is right underneath on my Flickr page.  When I tried one, I thought I had died and had gone to heaven!!!  If you like chocolate, these, my friends are for YOU!!!  Not cheap to make though.  I got about 48 of them and I think the total cost was about $11 for the ingredients.  Oh well, it's Christmas!!!

On another note, I am getting along on my list.  I finally have my Christmas cards written and sent (as of this morning), and most of my obligation sewing is done.  I have one more special item to go this week and then I can "fun" sew again!  I finished my second set of birds for the bitty block group:



I was only supposed to make 12, but got carried away!  I seem to do that a lot lately for some crazy reason.  Look here:



I made him....."Happy Winter" a 9 x 14 mini quilt for the Little Quilt, Sew, Vote, Swap group, but then liked him so much that I decided to make more for friends for Christmas:



As of this morning, I have only one left to give away yet.  Hopefully, I'll get to see my friend soon!

I finished the 2nd "I spy" quilt too:



Today, I think I will sort cookies.  It's raining outside, and cold and ugly, so sorting cookies with Christmas carols in the background will be perfect.  Little by little, I am getting done.  Hope you can say the same!  Have a great week, my friends.............now go out and get yourself some oreos, cream cheese and semi sweet chocolate and make that recipe!  You won't be disappointed!!

I need more time.........

I think this is the first time in my whole married life that I haven't had my Christmas cards addressed and ready to go by now.  I just can't seem to catch up lately and I still have a ton of shopping to do yet. I wish I was savvy enough to know how to find everything I'm thinking of buying online....but the shipping might just flip me out!!

Instead, I sit here and try to fill my obligations for the various swaps I joined.  (Think that might be an avoidance issue??  I'm sorta thinking that might be it!!  After all, I always want to hibernate during the holiday season anyway because of all the extra work and this year was no different.......although my baking is done and my house is decorated!)

The bitty block swaps have been going nuts!  Besides, the polaroid side swap that I showed you last time, there is also a December group.......this time birds, and aliens.  You can guess which one I decided to make.  (In double, no less since I mentioned that I'd do 2 groupings.)  I already made the required amount for group 2:

Then, I decided to use some of the million (it seems) blocks that I've acquired since starting that group and make them into doll quilts for both my granddaughter and great niece for Christmas.  I picked out some of the cutest ones and thought an "I spy" type quilts would be fun.  I finished the one for my almost 5 year old great niece yesterday:

I didn't get the rows exactly straight, but I don't think it'll bother her.  I even did a sewn down binding.......horrors......figuring we're dealing with a kid here.......although she is a very responsible and gentle, only child.   It'll be hard to see those darling bitties leave my house!!!  I have become very attached to many of them!

Yesterday, I also started the birds for group 1........needless to say, they are still in process:

Don't be sassy and tell me it looks more like a chicken.  I sort think so too!  I could keep it for another month since "chickens" are coming up.........but I already have plans for a chicken or 24, so this has to pass for a bird.  I'm thinking of calling it a "Love Bird"......thus the heart.  Call me crazy!

Busy, busy, busy!!!

This time of year drives me nuts!  Seems like there is so much to do and shopping to be done, and not knowing what to buy......it just drives me crazy!  It was so much more fun when the kids were little and gave me a list and I stood in line for hours waiting for my turn to get a Cabbage Patch Doll.  And then such joy on the kid's faces when they ripped the paper off those boxes and discovered the strange names of their new "babies".  Eikes those dolls had weird names!  Did you ever notice?  I think they must have had a group of weird people whose jobs it was just to come up with all those goofy combinations.  I think we had a Corina Pethora and a Walter Jacob.  Naturally, they soon were shortened to Corrie and Wally though.  lol  Thank God!  I actually found Corrie in a box full of old Barbie dolls this week.  I wonder if my daughter might still want her?  Probably not!

I haven't accomplished much sewing this week.  I did join a side swap to the Bitty Block group though and had a fun time making polaroid blocks.  I took on 3 groups of 12.  You fussy cut the middle at 2 1/2 inches square and then cut side and top strips of 1 inch, and a bottom of 1 1/2 inches so it looks like a polaroid picture when you're done.







I think everyone had a fun time picking their blocks.  I know I am enjoying deciding when choosing mine from other swappers.

My next project is to start/finish 2 sets of 12 each of bird bitty blocks.  Birds are on the docket for December and I figured as long as I already was sending out a bunch of envelopes, I might as well stick a bird in some for the swappers that decided to join that swap.  I must be nuts!  (No comments from the peanut gallery, please..................)  I'm having company for dinner tonight, I need to grocery shop for stuff for that, get my sewing stuff off the table and groom Toby today too.  Eikes!  Then, in about 30 minutes hubby will be home from his church meeting and want breakfast.......(a ritual on Sundays.)  I suppose I should get a move on!!  You all have a great Sunday!  Relax for me!  Later............

All sorts of.......stuff!!!

So, how you coming with your baking?  All done?  My hubby suggested that I make one more kind....something simple he says to "balance out" the fancy ones.  I told him, he should do it!  He looked at me like I had two heads!  First things first!  My tree is half done in my living room, there are boxes scattered all over, the fabric piles are falling off the dining room table and I have stacks of stuff in our bedroom for Chrismas and haven't a clue what is in some of those bags.  I kind of buy as I go, so to speak..........like all year.  Needless to say, I am in a frenzy!!!  I did get 2 commission lady requests and I HAD to finish them first since the shipping was of the utmost importance!  In fact, I need to go to the post office today again.................I just can't understand how they can be losing so much $$ with me supporting them!!!  This will be the 3rd time this week!

I had a slight accident on Thanksgiving eve.  Every so often, especially when I have a lot on my mind, I will get up in the middle of the night.  Sometimes, it's to go to the bathroom and sometimes it's just for a glass of water.  Most often, especially when I'm really awake, I'll check e-mail while I'm at it.  Well, here's a warning for you...............make sure you know where you're going in the dark.  I crashed into the door frame on my way back to bed in the pitch black of night and looky what happened:



So, after I sopped up the blood and put direct pressure on it, and got out the frozen peas to stop the  swelling for awhile, plus wrapping it up in a paper towel with scotch tape so I wouldn't bleed on the bedcovers, it was almost an hour later that I finally crawled back into bed.  Thankfully, I can still sew!  Thus the stoppage of the decorating of the tree.  I'm right handed..........VERY right handed and the branches would really put me over the edge, I figured!  Eikes!  I'm thinking tomorrow will be soon enough to finish!

In the meantime, I went through some stuff.  For awhile now, since I joined the bitty block committee, I have been saving all the blocks.  Someone once asked what I would do with them.  I thought it was time to take a look.  After all this time, they were in two shoe boxes.  Other than that one stack in the middle, they are all here:



I pulled out some favorites and I think I am going to make the little ones in the family (4 years and 3 years) doll quilts for the stuffed animals I bought them for Christmas.  Here is what I picked for the youngest:

And these will be for the 4 (almost 5) year old:

I did add a lot of the ones I made 'cause I am the granny for one and great aunt for the other and I need to be represented well!  lol

So, that's about it.....other than the next picture.  Don't you find that sometimes life is a joy when you least expect it!!!  Especially when you're cracking eggs and get twins.............



Have a fun week my friends..........I am heading off to the post office now!!

French Silk Pie and Cookie Baking 2012 Segment #5

Before I forget, we're going to start off with my French Silk Pie recipe.  This pie gets rave reviews every time I serve it and is the first pie to be finished on Thanksgiving even though I bring 3 different kinds of pies.  I gave you the pie crust recipe here.  Make the crust and let it cool before making this recipe:

FRENCH SILK PIE

Crust:  Use recipe I provided or use a ready made Pillsbury Pie Crust from a 15 oz package.

Filling:

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces

1 cup butter, softened (do not use margarine..it won't harden)

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 large eggs

Prepare crust and let cool at least 30 minutes before filling.

Melt chocolate in small saucepan or in microwaveable container.  Cool.  In small bowl, beat butter, until fluffy.  Add sugar and mix well, add cooled chocolate, and vanilla.  Blend well and scrape bowl often.

Add eggs one at a time, beating on high speed for 3-4 minutes after each additional egg.  Make sure mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Pour into cooled baked shell.  Refrigerate!!  Enjoy

  

Now for the remainder of the cookies.  Next is my husband's favorite.  (Probably because it was the only kind of cookie his mother ever made.  lol)

SPRITZ

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

2 1/4 cup flour

red and green sugar for decorating

Mix all and force through a cookie press.  Sprinkle colored sugar on top.  Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6-9 minutes at 400 degrees. 

The last cookie recipe is for my daughter's favorite cookie.  I have been making this one since she was born and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without it.  

BON BON COOKIES

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Marchino cherries

Mix all together except cherries.  If the dough is too dry, add 1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk.  Put small amount in palm of hand, and wrap around a drained marchino cherry.  Do all until the dough is finished.  Put on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes.  Dip tops in frosting, and decorate as desired.

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 1/2 Tablespoon cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

food coloring (I always make these pink for some reason)

Here they are in process:

And here they are all done.  You will not get this many from that single recipe.  One batch only makes about 32 cookies, so I usually make a triple batch.  Seems like I'm hiding cherries forever.  lol

Now I need to get sewing, I guess, otherwise I won't have anything to show you.  I hope you enjoyed this little break.  Happy baking!

Cookie Baking 2012 Segment #4

Now that everyone is all full and fat after the USA Thanksgiving holiday, we can continue on the cookie baking marathon.  Today's cookies are easy ones.  I used to make the first ones all the time and not just for the holidays.

GINGER SNAPS

3/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

Cream all and add slowly:

2 1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Roll into small balls and roll into sugar before placing on an ungreased (or parchment topped) cookie sheet, baking at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. 

Your cookies should turn out a bit more crinkly than these pictured.  Duh.....when I was done and noticed that they were still so round and not crinkly like they're supposed to be, I realized that I forgot to add the baking soda.  Hello!!!  Oh well!  They still taste good, so don't tell!  I'm not going to and I bet no one notices.......!  

The next cookies have ALWAYS been my son's favorites.  Thus the name.  (Here's my cleverness taking over again)

MIKE'S MINATURES

1 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornstarch

1 cup flour

Combine all, roll into disk like shape and chill in refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour.  Roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with tiny cutout about 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches in diameter.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees 6-10 minutes.  Frost with frosting.  

Frosting:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 1/2 Tablespoons milk (or cream) plus a bit more if necessary

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Naturally, you have to fancy up the tops after putting on the frosting.  Get yourself some red/green jimmies to do the job.  I had to make a double recipe of these cookies.  Mike wouldn't be happy with me if I didn't.

So there!  We're close to being done.  I have a ton more recipes, but this year, I'm sticking to just 10.  AND.......I think I will need to give you my French Silk Pie recipe too.  It was a huge hit again yesterday for Thanksgiving, just like always!  Happy baking!

Cookie Baking 2012 Segment #3

So, how are we doing?  Are you keeping up with me?  Are we having fun yet?  UGH!!!!!  Today we will add two more kinds to complete the 10 varieties of cookies that I'm making this year.  

When the fall holidays arrive, the Candy Cane Kisses begin to appear on grocery shelves.  These are incredibly yummy!  And amazing when tucked into a cookie!  Surprisingly enough our next cookies are called:

CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 cups butter, at room temp

1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional....I didn't use it)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Candy Cane Kisses, finely chopped

granulated sugar

additional, unwrapped Kisses - get two packages

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make room in either your refrigerator or freezer for your cookie sheet.

In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, extracts and egg.  Beat until creamy (about 2-3 min).  In separate bowl combine dry ingredients, add to wet mixture and beat.  The mixture will be crumbly.  Stir in chopped kisses.

Shape dough into 3/4 to 1 inch balls, roll in granulated sugar.  Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  As soon as they come out of the oven, press an unwrapped Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie and when done immediately put the cookie sheet into the freezer so that the cookies will set quickly.  If you do it fast enough the kisses will keep their shape.......see below:

You notice I had a few disasters!  Funny that they were so random.  My freezer was pretty full though so I really had to squeeze them in. Needless to say that the flopped over ones will not be going into the give-away containers.  LOL

Next, we're going to make my favorites.  These are sort of putzy in the beginning because you have to cut gum drops in preparation.  This is easy by using a scissors dipped into water before each cut.  The recipe says to quarter them, but mine were "honking" sized.....about an inch, so I had to cut a lot!  When you're done cutting, mix them with 2 teaspoons sugar to prevent sticking together.  (This bowl had a double recipe, so don't expect to get so many.)

SPICED GUMDROP SNOWBALLS

2/3 cups butter, room temp

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup spices red and green gumdrops, quartered

1/3 to 1/2 cup nonpareils (available in specialty baking shops)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Use parchment paper lining your cookie sheets, or grease two large cookie sheets.  Beat butter and then in order add sugar, cinnamon, then yolks and vanilla.  Beat in flour and then, by hand, add cut up gumdrops.

Shape dough in 1 inch balls and roll in nonpareils.  Place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.  Press slightly to flatten.  Bake 10 minutes.  Makes 36.

Pretty, huh?  They're just so Christmassy looking!!!  Besides, being so yummy!  I only started making them about 5 years ago and now make a double recipe every year.

So, there you have it.  Another segment of our 2012 cookie baking marathon.  Hope you're having fun!

Christmas Cookie Baking 2012 (Segment #2)

How are you all coming along?  Did you get some ingredients to bake along?  lol  You've no doubt  heard of sew-alongs, but who ever heard of a bake along, huh?  I might start a whole new trend here, who knows?  Incidentally, another hint that I just thought of........I use a hand mixer to mix all my cookie dough.  It saves on the hands and the cleanup since all I have to do is remove the beaters to wash between recipes.  (I have tons of bowls.)

Yesterday someone with a no-reply blogger address asked me if I color my own sugar.  I almost laughed out loud!  While it might be smart to do that financially, I suppose, I have enough trouble with this whole cookie making process at my age without stopping to color my sugar first.  Seriously, I'd probably save lots more $$ if I churned my own butter!!!  You have no idea how I hoard the sale butter in my freezer prior to this process!!!  And YES, I only use butter!

Okay, are you ready for recipe #3?  This is an all time favorite and another one that was handed down through the generations in my family.  These (I guarantee) will melt in your mouth and you will get nothing but rave reviews!  I don't think it would be Christmas here without them:

MOM'S PECAN FINGERS

2 cups butter

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups flour

4 cups finely ground pecans

2 Tablespoons vanilla (yes, tablespoons)

Mix all together and form in little rolls in crescent shape.  Bake 15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet in 350 degree oven.  When still warm, roll in powdered sugar.  Makes 7 or 8 dozen.   

And there they are ready for the freezer.  Now, I must say that this recipe is easily cut in half so unless you plan on eating these for a long time, or have a big family, or LOVE to eat a lot of cookies, perhaps you might want to do that.  One little hint in the preparation is this..............prepare a small cookie sheet or big dinner plate with powdered sugar lining the bottom, and a strainer filled with more powdered sugar so when you remove the cookies from the cookie sheet, you don't have to roll those warm delicate little cookies, you can just transfer them to the sugar lined cookie sheet or dinner plate and sift powdered sugar over the top and put them directly into your container.  I sprinkle more powdered sugar over the top of each layer as I go along though since I want each to get adequate coverage .


Okay......now for cookie #4, which I suppose is really not a cookie, since it's not baked, but something else........don't ask me what???

TING A LINGS or HAYSTACKS

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanuts
1-2 cups chinese noodles

Melt chocolate in glass microwave safe bowl, add rest of ingredients and mix well.  Drop by teaspoons full onto waxed paper or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Allow to dry, or refrigerate until hard.  (Or if you live in a cold climate, plop outside for about an hour to harden.)  These are super easy-peasy and they will satisfy any chocolate lover!

So there you have it!  So far we're at 4 out of 10 now.......(I'm up to #10 though and hopefully I'll be able to finish those today.)  I'm also thinking about making my French silk pie and throwing that in the freezer for Thanksgiving.  I usually don't freeze that pie, but we are having unseasonably warm temps here and it's supposed to go up to 62 degrees on Thursday.........not good for keeping a butter, egg filled, chocolate pie outside in my car's trunk in my sister's driveway until dessert time.  This way, if I take it frozen, it should be perfect by the time we eat it.  Don't you agree????

Cookie Baking 2012 (Segment #1)

Well, here we go!  I've already started so hopefully you all can catch up.  I've decided that this year I am limiting my baking to 10-11 different kinds of Christmas cookies.  In years past, I have made up to 30 different kinds, blessing everyone I knew with tins of goodies, but with the recent writings of unhealthy fats within the past 5-6 years or so, even my kids won't eat my cookies now until Easter.

First, let me fill you in on a secret.  Buy yourself some of this:

It will save you a ton of work.  Using parchment paper means you don't have to wash your cookie sheets in between batches and if you are making lots of the same kinds of cookie, you can even use the same paper.  I wouldn't bake without it!!

For some reason, I always start with an old favorite.  My mother (gone for over 25 years already) passed this simple, easy and yummy recipe down to me and it's been a family delight ever since.  It's called...............(and even though you know how I love to name things.......my dear mother must have started my craziness because wait until you hear the name of these cookies):

RED AND GREEN

1 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

red and green sugar

Mix the butter and sugar together, add the flour.  Form into logs and roll in red or green sugar.  Refrigerate overnight.  Cut into slices and bake in a 400 degree oven 8-9 minutes.

Those were my logs.........and this is a double recipe so don't be worried that you didn't get as many rolls.  I think mine were about 1 inch or maybe a teeny bit under one inch in diameter.

 And here they are cooling on the countertop on aluminum foil.  I always cool cookies that way.  Then, when I pack them away in bins or plastic containers to freeze, I pack from the left to right getting the coolest ones on the bottom first.  (Simple, huh??)  I'm telling you, with the parchment paper, you can probably do 5-6 different kinds of cookies in only 1 day!

Next, I made another favorite that I've been making forever, it seems, and they're pretty too.  I think the recipe has been around for years:

CHERRY NESTS

3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg white (beaten)
1 1/2 cups crushed nuts
candied cherries (halved)

Mix all the top ingredients together and form into balls, dip into beaten egg white and roll in crushed nuts.  Top with half a cherry.  Bake 325 degrees 15-17 minutes  Makes 42

So, here I am forming away.  Note to the far right, my parchment paper on top of my cookie sheet just waiting for those first balls to be placed.

And here they are all done, cooling on the countertop waiting to be packed up for the freezer.

So, there you have it!  The first 2 of probably 10 or so recipes.  I hope you are enjoying this sewing break because it has to be done and there's no time like the present!  Back to sewing next week!