Red-and-White Holiday

I started holiday baking over the weekend. This year I am going to make fudge for my friends and neighbors. We have a pretty close-knit group of neighbors, about seven families, and we all exchange little gifts every year. My mom has a great recipe for fudge that I am going to use — I will post that, and photos, when I do it, probably sometime this week. It's so nice and easy, and really, who doesn't like lovely, smooth, chocolately fudge? Even I do, and I am not a huge chocolate fan. But fudge I love.

These little berry-buttons, above, are my mom's raspberry thumbprint cookies, making their national debut in this month's Hallmark magazine (and that link will take you to the recipe). They are a standard part of my mom's awesome Christmas-cookie plate. She makes plates for all of us kids and her local friends, and even ships lots of cookies to peeps back home. Though we drizzle these thumbprints with icing, the editors didn't like the way the iced cookies were photographing, but unless your cookies are going to be in a magazine, I would highly suggest adding the frosty drizzle. Deliciousness! And so perfectly red and white.

In other red-and-white news, I have an embroidery project out right now in the current issue of Holiday Decorating Ideas by CraftStylish. This is a version of a traditional Hungarian folk-art design and I think it is so simple and sweet. Done entirely in three strands of dark red embroidery floss, this design can be completed with only two stitches — backstitch, and lazy daisy (both are explained in the article). If you are a beginning embroiderer, I highly recommend starting with a project like this! It is so, so much fun, and will give you lots of confidence to tackle more complicated color-and-stitch combinations. You can find the magazine at most craft and fabric stores, or just click on the link above. It will include the template and an illustrated tutorial for this project, along with many other wonderful wintry things to make.

Like the crocheted pillowcase edging here, which was created by my amazing friend Linda Permann! Look at some of these other recent sewing and crochet projects she has out there in magazines right now, too. That cupcake teapot cozy? Genius! And the darling gingerbread mobile is by the incredibly talented Kayte Terry, whose book, Complete Embellishing, will give you countless ideas and very thorough technique tutorials for embellishing all sorts of clothes and accessories — Kayte is a former visual manager for Anthropologie, and her aesthetic is so lovely and sophisticated in that perfectly rustic way I love. Isn't this cardigan from the book just gorgeous? I love the woolly ruffle. Yummy.

Isn't it a great time to be a crafter? There is so much out there for us to make. I LOVE IT.

Now. The auction! I am loving this auction stuff!!! Thank you so much to everyone who bid yesterday — you are awesome! But I want to update you on some stuff and answer some questions that came in yesterday.

Firstly, in order to go to the eBay auctions for each doll, just click on her name in yesterday's post. All of them together are here. :-)

Secondly, about international shipping for the auction: So, I wasn't going to do this, because I was worried about the time crunch before Christmas, and not being able to get to the P.O. to ship overseas, but I got a lot of email about it yesterday so I'm reversing this decision. Although I ship all of my domestic packages on-line (where you print out the labels from the computer and the postperson comes directly to the house to pick the package up), I never ship international on-line because, although it is much more convenient, it is more expensive than taking it directly to the P.O. I ship enough overseas packages every week that this just doesn't make sense for me, so I take them all in myself. BUT, if you are overseas, and you would like to bid on the dolls, and either pay a higher shipping fee to get it quickly or wait until our weather makes it safe to drive, that is totally cool with me! Please bid! Thank you!!!

And thirdly, I was talking to my friend Shelly on the phone last night and she said that she didn't realize, from looking at the photos of the dolls, that they all have braided hair twisted up on top of their heads. So I thought I would mention that the hair on all of them is the same, but you just can't really tell that from the photos of the brunettes, because their hair is so dark. But they all actually have the same twisty-braid hairdos as Ingrid and Devon. Don't you wish you could do your hair like that? You CAN??? You lucky!!!!!

Comments

[bili]

Ваш блог - один из любимых!

[Kristine]

Oh, those berry-buttons are adorable!! merry Christmas.

[cindy k]

oh boy, you're a creative rockstar and now your mom will be, too. the fudge sounds divine, the cookies look sublime, and the sheets are so pretty.

[notreallylois]

Oh, Alicia! I so want to live at your house.

[cheriwan]

I could almost eat that picture...you have me craving my mom's now! She did Berry and Marmalade. And the pillows are divine! I need to get off my knitting and start embroidering here soon.
I'm at work, but dreaming of home in the snow and baking, so thanks for giving me a slice of it! Stay cozy with all the posies over there this week, I guess we're gonna get more snow soon!
XOXO

[Gemma]

Wowie! Your cookies look superb and I may have to add them to my dressed up snickerdoodles and cherry pistachio biscotti! I think they would all look very beautiful together:) I also love, love, love the embroidery patterns. I did some little holiday guest towels, all in read with simple outline/stem stitched motifs and they look great...if I do say so myself!

[Wende]

Hey Darlin'

I've been thinking about you in this icy cold. It's super chilly out here on the coast. Sophie was playing in the snow on Sunday and looked more like a snowman than a dog when she was done! Fun.

Happy Holidays. I'll drop you a note with a dream I had about you and Andy very soon. It was interesting.

[nicole]

i want to make each and everything photographed...beautiful!

[Puanani]

I love wooly ruffles! That sweater is calling out my name, really, really loudly.

[Anna]

The mailman brought your book today!! *cheering*

I promised myself the book would be a christmas gift to be opened on christmas eve, but don't know if I can wait...

Christmas greetings from Finland!

[Megan]

Yes, all the craftiness out there is so wonderful and inspiring. I love that I am able to re-learn and teach my daughter some of these traditions. Thanks for all the links.

[kelly]

Not crazy about chocolate, but love fudge? Me, too! As I recall, you are also a fellow fan of vanilla. Mmmm.

My theory: fudge is really more sugar than chocolate. Appeals to sweets lovin' (vs. chocolate lovin') girls like us.

In fact, I may have to make some now... mmm...

[Katy]

I bought that issue of Holiday Decorating Ideas for your embroidery pattern. It's a great pattern, and I love redwork! You should do more embroidery design.

[heather]

Are you willing to share the frosting recipe for the cookies? They look divine, and I'd love to make them!

[Eileen T]

Oh Thumbprint Cookies! I miss those. We used to make cookies at holidays, Russian Tea Cakes, Gingersnaps, Toffee and the best Peanut Butter Fudge, but rarely so now - I think we are brainwashed that this is bad for us? Poor excuse, and I did cave in and make fruitcake last week...Hmmm, where did I put those cookie sheets....?

[linda]

thanks for the shout-out. i was flattered that our pillows were...in bed together. haha. good luck with your auction- the dolls are so very lovely.

[SooDarwin]

Thanks for your email to me re the goats.....you would have loved seeing the story on the first goat, she is now the proud mother of at least two beautiful kids.
The English girl has visited the family who received that first goat and continues to keep in touch with the family. Nice to make a positive difference in someone's life and no better time than now. x

[Betsy]

I love the sheets! Not that I need another project right now, but still..And I do wish I could fix my hair like your dolls' hair..

[Troy Louise]

Oh, yummy. I have that magazine opened to those cookies & plan to make them tomorrow after work. Love the sheets - may have to try that too. Thanks for the warm ideas.

[Jenipher]

Those cookies look awesome (and i'm usually a chocolate only gal). Love the way you make simple things like cookies still look poetic.

I also love that you wrote to me personally. I truly appreciate it!! It's just one more reason why i find you so inspiring. (You actually take the time to write and speak to all of us)

Thanks again! Have an amazing holiday!

Smiles,

Jenipher

[Jo]

I now have a project for PDX's Artic Blast - my pillow cases are calling my name :)
I also NEED that sweater. Seriously. NEED.

[Fer]

So much eye candy - thank you! :o)

[Esther]

I love the pillow and sheets, so simple yet sweet. In fact I love all the crafts you have on your blog, today's post and all the rest. You're so talented!

[Sierra]

Thumbprint cookies are an all time favorite. They look delicious.

[Sara]

I made your thumbprint cookies (from the magazine) on Sunday and they were perfect. My 4 year-old was so proud to use the raspberry jam he helped preserve in July, and told everyone "I made these cookies two ways... first the jam, and then the cookies!"

We dusted them with powdered sugar, and they were the hit of the cookie trays I delivered to my neighbors this afternoon. Thank you!