Gingerbread Houses

My boys always make their own gingerbread house with their grandma every Christmas. They’re getting to the point where she just gets all the stuff and they no longer want or require her help for construction!

Little Girl Popcorn Felted Bag

This is the felted bag I made for my niece who turns 3 today. The only major difference being that using the popcorn made most of it end up on what is technically the “inside” of the bag. But once you felt them, you can’t really tell the difference anyway, so I made that the outside and put the I-cord handle on and she’s got herself a cute bag now!

Magnetic Memo Boards

This is one of the things I made for the kids gifts to teachers.

Go to your local sheet metal place and have them cut some pieces custom for you. I had them do, I think, about 9 x 11″. Then you bend back a couple inches on the bottom for it to stand up. Get your glue stick and some complimentary scrapbook papers, hot glue embellishments to a couple of magnet and voila! You’ve got a useful and attractive memo board the person can keep on their desk or work area. Everyone that got ‘em loved ‘em!

Mother Daughter Felted Bags

These are the felted bags I made for my SIL and niece for Christmas. I used the same yarn for each, the only difference is my niece’s bag is smaller and I made her I-cord handled. For my SIL’s bag I lined it and sewed on handled. I hope they have fun having matching bags!

Vicky's Felted Bag

This bag I made for my stepmom. She likes pink and black and I decided to jump into the wide world of lining the bags, hadn’t done that before. The first one turned out OK and I made a couple of mistakes, but this one went great and I think the lining looks fantastic!

I used Cascade yarn in Black and added in Trendsetter yarn in Sorbet (12) and I added some eyelashy stuff at the top. If I can find my “pattern” around here somewhere, I’ll post the dimensions later. I bought handles to put on instead of doing the I-cord. It turned out great and I think the second best of all the felted bags I made for Christmas gifts.

I found my notes. Before washing (which is all I wrote down, ugh!) it was 16″ across the bottom, 10″ high, 13″ across the top. I knit the Trendsetter thru the whole bag then the eyelashy stuff is the top 3″.

Chocolate Thumbprints

This ends up being one of the favorites on the cookie tray by many of my recipients. And it’s also probably the messiest one to make, too!

Chocolate Thumbprints

1/2 C. butter or margarine, softened

2/3 C. sugar

1 egg, separated

2 T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. flour

1/3 C. baking cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C. finely chopped walnuts

Filling:

1/2 C. powdered sugar

1 T. butter or margarine, softened

2 tsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla

unwrapped Hershey kisses

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and chill 1 hour or until firm enough to roll into balls. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, lightly beat egg white. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (or use a cookie scoop); dip in egg white, then roll in nuts. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment. Make an indentation with thumb in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until center is set. Combine the first four filling ingredients in a small bowl; mix until smooth. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon into each warm cookie; gently press a chocolate kiss in the center. Carefully remove from baking sheet to wire racks to cool.

Cream Cheese Finger Cookies

Even being a chocoholic, these cookies are my favorite ones on the plate this year. They are so good with coffee or well, by themselves. They’re just yummy! I don’t have a picture of the finished product for some reason but the dough is such a nice dough, I think that’s why I took a picture of that. Without further ado…

Cream Cheese Finger Cookies

1/2 C. butter (no substitute) softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 C. flour

1 T. sugar

dash salt

1 C. finely chopped pecans

powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, sugar and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in pecans (dough may be crumbly). Shape tablespoonfuls (or use a cookie scoop) into 2-inch logs. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar and cool on wire racks.