My DH carried on the majority of the holiday cookie-baking tradition this year. He did a fine job mixing the dough and added his own improvisational flare with the butter cream frosting, colored sugars and sprinkles.
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| Roll-out cookies. |
These are the roll-out variety… complete with Christmas-themed trees, reindeer, candy canes, stars and snowmen. Because of my vast collection of cookies cutters (been collecting for years!), we also add the doggies, kitties, bunnies, sheep, birds, pigs and other animals to the medley to make it more fun and festive. We like to give tins of cookies away to family, friends and neighbors.
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| Frosted and decorated roll-out cookies. |
After the baking, I stole some time for a bit of improv patchwork—for the pure joy feeling the fabric glide through my fingers… passing beneath the needle of the sewing machine… unconcerned with achieving an exact 1/4 inch… or not. Very low key… it was wonderful.
Begin by dumping the "Red" box of fabric pieces onto the table...
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| From my "red" box. |
interject a few contrasting bits… do a little improv cutting and piecing...
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| Improvisational piecing. |
then top off the quilt sandwich with a sampling of easy, go-to-favorite free-motion filler patterns.
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| Free-motion quilting filler designs. |
I have a recipient in mind for this handmade gift.
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| Improvisational patchwork. |
The other cookie recipe that re-appears at our house during the holidays is kolacki (or kolacky). The hunt for the
Solo brand pastry filling is always unpredictable here in Tennessee, but we were able to score poppy seed, apricot and the last can of almond this year.
This is the perfect accompaniment to improv patchwork—a hot cup of tea (in my ceramic Quiltfest mug) and homemade Christmas cookies. So, Cheers to 2014 and Welcome to 2015. I hope it is happy and bright.
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| Kolacki and roll-out Christmas cookies. |
