It's turning out to be a very merry Christmas :)

The warmth and joy of Christmas is truly healing for the heart and soul. The last several years have really been a struggle (to put it mildly) for me, personally, and at several points along the way, I believed that joy would forever be gone.  This Christmas season just might be the first I have really felt content/happy/hopeful since I was a teenager.

When I was little, my Gramma would make divinity and fudge, my other Gramma would make hartshorn sugar cookies (it's an incredibly yummy German cookie), Mom would make shortbread and other cookies, and I always made the no bake chocolate/peanut butter fudge cookies and cinnamon rolls - all of which are still highly requested.

But. . . having lost any semblance of hope, I stopped doing much cooking and baking altogether.  However, feeling that fire reigniting deep somewhere in the recesses of my heart where I thought Love had died, I found myself wanting to make Christmas goodies again, so Mom and I spent a couple days making cookies, and today I made some good, old fashioned Rock Candy. It has really been soul soothing. I never used to like rock candy, but I must say these are quite tasty.

For flavors we have Bubble Gum (Oh. My. Goodness!!!), Pineapple (these are sinfully addictive - I think they're my favorite), Cinnamon (very traditional), and Raspberry (because apparently other people like it).

These are the Raspberry flavored (in bags)
And the Bubble Gum flavored (not in bags).
Heads up - I now understand why blue is used to color raspberry flavored foods.
Believe it or not, I used two different dyes - one red, one pink.
Yeah - I can't tell the difference, either.
These were in molds, and about half the mixture was poured into a pan and broken into pieces, as is traditional.

Just package them in clear cellophane and tie with a shiny tie or ribbon. This is so easy it might be a new tradition!  On Tuesday I will be icing the rest of my snowflake cookies, and on Christmas Eve Mom and I will be making Divinity - woohoo! 

If you don't have much time, need some easy little gifties, or just want something homemade that is easy *and* tasty, then you NEED to try this Rock Candy recipe.  They're pretty, too!  I know, I know, corn syrup is the devil, BUT it can help with a cough, too ;).

For the recipe:

1 1/2 cups Karo syrup

1 cup water

3 3/4 cups sugar

1 pinch of salt (just trust me)

1 dram of flavor oil

Food coloring, optional

(For fruity flavors, you can add a teaspoon of citric acid with the flavoring)

Combine syrup, water, sugar, and salt. Over medium high heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan (make sure the bottom is in the syrup but not touching the bottom of the pan)). Stop stirring and let the mixture boil until it reaches the hard crack stage on the thermometer (300° - 310°F, around 25 minutes). While you're waiting, line a large jelly-roll pan (or whatever pan you have) with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Once the syrup has reached the hard crack stage, remove from heat.  Let sit for about a minute. Add flavor oil and food coloring.

When it's cool, lift out foil and break candy into pieces (or unmold).

Some people like to coat them with powdered sugar. In our dry, winter climate, I find it completely unnecessary. In my opinion, the powdered sugar makes them sticky and takes away from the natural beauty of the candy.

Eat, share, and enjoy, and if I don't see you before - Merry Christmas!

--Sarah

More Goodies for Crafties!

Aren't these just the cutest?!

As happens with most knitters/crocheters, the hat came from a need - my niece needed a hat that wouldn't fall off. Aunt Sarah to the rescue! As my brother put it, "that hat is ridiculously cute."A basic hat pattern with a flower embellishment and ear covers and voila! Cuteness! An exact pattern to follow at a later date, but anyone who knows their way around a crochet hook or knitting needle should be able to replicate it or something similar with no problems.

The hat should fit about six months of age.  My niece is not quite that old yet, but it will do.

The other item is for me :D. It's a very simple ear warmer, headband style with a flower embellishment, and yes, I will get this pattern to you as well!

Decoration Inspiration

Yes, with my mom!

Gold with glass and crystal ornaments and nativity under the tree.

More gold ribbon, white lights, and a bit more color with playful stockings.

This is an elegant but very sentimental tree decorated with a silver bow and ornaments given by family members.

My cat was "helping".

Old style cotton tree in white and silver and a nativity to remind us of the reason for the season.

My tree, decorated simply with a red and gold bow, some holly, and faux ice.

Another very simple idea. A red bow on garland over the faux fireplace. Little, red stockings, too!

Snowflake Cookies!

My mom and I had cookie making day (a couple, actually). These were not the creme da la creme, but I won't be making the really pretty ones until closer to Christmas, and y'all need to be making your cookies now!

If you hadn't figured it out by now, when preparing for gatherings, it's *always* a good idea to do as much as you can ahead of time - especially at Christmas. Just making your cookies, stick them (un-iced) in the freezer, then decorate them closer to the day they will be presented.

For these you can use your favorite cutout recipe.  For the icing there are several options.  You could use royal icing, candy coating, your favorite homemade icing. . . or. . . as I did in this case. . . cheat a little and use icing from a can.  Hey, after all that baking and cleanup, I'd had about enough.  Besides, these were the cookies that came out imperfect (from me being in a hurry). I'll do better on the ones that get taken to parties.

I got two cans of vanilla buttercream icing and dyed one light blue.  Spread that over your snowflakes. I put white icing in a plastic sandwich bag, cut the tip off, and piped it out for the decorations. They would be pretty sprinkled with decorating sugar, too.

My recipe:

1 cup butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour

*Note: there is no baking soda or powder in the recipe.  That is how they keep their shape so well, but you could add a teaspoon of each if you like a lighter cookie.

Cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the sugar, salt, vanilla, almond, and eggs.  Beat until fluffy. Using a dough hook, add the flour one cup at a time.   Once the dough is mixed, refrigerate for two hours.

Heat oven tto 375°.

Roll dough out in portions to 1/8 inch. Cut out. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for ten minutes. Re-roll your scraps.

I got 5 1/2 dozen large snowflakes from this recipe. It leaves plenty of room for extra flour so no dough gets wasted with re-rolling.

Eat and enjoy! :D

Mom's snowflakes

More of Mom's cookies. Good times! :D

Cutest Baby Mittens Pattern (crochet)

I made these for my niece, Helena.  They are so adorable, and I cannot *wait* to see them on her.  (Hey, it's everything under my sun. You're going to see a variety show here.) 

And I made another pair for someone else's coming baby boy in camp (minus the ruffle).

The great thing about them is they are really easy, and the ties are work well to secure them in place (store bought mittens don't always like to stay on). 

If there are terms or abbreviations you are unfamiliar with in the pattern, use YouTube or Google to see a tutorial. The mittens as shown were made with "G" hook and cotton yarn, and are slightly bigger than 0-3 months. 

Enjoy! :D

For the pattern: 0-3 months, using an "E" or "F" hook

Make a magic ring. 6 sc in ring. Join with slip stitch. Row 1. Ch one, turn.

Row 2: 2 sc in each sc. 12 stitches.  Join with slip stitch. Ch 1, turn.

Row 3: *1 sc in (each) next 2 stitches. 2 sc in next stitch. *Repeat from * to * to end of row. Close with slip stitch. 16 stitches. Chain one, turn.

Row 4: *1 sc in (each) first three stitches. 2 sc in 4th stitch.* Repeat from * to * to end of row. Join with slip stitch. 20 stitches.

Rows 5: *sc in each stitch. Join with slip stitch. 20 stitches, turn.* repeat from * to * through row 10.

Row 11: Chain 2. *Hdc in next stitch, chain one, skip a stitch, hdc in next stitch* repeat from * to * to end of row. Join last chain to beginning of row with slip stitch. 20 stitches. Chain 2, turn.

Row 12: dc in each stitch. Join with slip stitch.

Row 13: *chain 3. Skip a stitch. Slip stitch in next stitch* Repeat from * to * to end of row. Fasten off.

For the ties: Chain 50. Fasten off. Weave chain into mittens in row 11. Tie into a bow.

That's it, all finished!

This is my own pattern, but you are more than welcome to use it and sell the mittens you make.  If you post the pattern, just please link back to this page. Many thanks and happy crocheting!

--Sarah

Modified Star Stitch (crochet)

Since picking up crochet again (after about a ten year hiatus), I noticed something quite lacking about my collection - a case for my hooks. The case I'm going to demonstrate for you today is very sturdy, can be easily customizable, and works up reasonably quickly.

You can fold it

Or roll it

The star stitch creates a very nice, thick pattern that is great for all sorts of projects. Generally it works with an odd number of stitches plus three or multiples of (2+1) plus 3. This is worked slightly differently than other star stitches because with each star cluster, one stitch of the base number of stitches is lost. Therefore, the star isn't completed until the next row with clusters of half double crochets. 

I used an "I" hook since I crochet much looser than the average crocheter (apparently, by the patterns I've used anyway), but an "H" would work quite nicely. You'll want the pattern to allow for all the different sizes of hooks to go through - snug enough for the small hooks to not fall through but large enough to hold the larger hooks as well.

For the pattern: okay, here's where you might get frustrated with me. I can't remember how many stitches I used to start. I think it was 78. I know for sure the pattern works with a start of 64 stitches.  I made it that way the first time but ended up starting over because I wanted a larger case. You'll just have to check after your first row. If the stitches work out right, continue to the next row.  If not, you'll need to rip out the row and add (or subtract) the number of stitches it will take to make the stitch work. It's not as difficult as it sounds, even for a beginner.

Okay.

Chain 78 (or however long you want it to be).

Row 1: pull up a loop in (each) the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chains. There should be a total of 6 loops on your hook. Yarn over, and pull the yarn through all 6 loops (see below).

Row 1: pull up a loop in (each) the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth chains. There should be a total of 6 loops on your hook.

Yarn over, and pull the yarn through all 6 loops.

Close the star by chaining 1.

*Pull up a loop in the middle of the star just created, another loop in the last stitch of the last star (reuse the last chain stitch), and another loop in (each) the next three stitches. Again, there should be six total loops on your hook.  Yarn over and pull through all six loops.*
Repeat from * to *  the end of the row. Half double crochet in the last stitch. I modified mine (see below) to make a fuller, thicker stitch. Chain two, turn.

 

For the half double crochet, I also pulled a loop through the star before yarning over. I don't know if this is a stitch that is used or what it would be called. I just like that it fills it in nicely, not leaving an awkward gap.

Row 2:
Half double crochet in first stitch, then clusters of three half double crochets in the center of each star. One more half double crochet at the very end (so, clusters of three in each star, plus one extra half double crochet at the beginning of the row, and another at the end of the row. Chain 2, turn.

Row 3:
Pull up a loop in the second chain from hook and in the next four stitches. Again, you should have 6 total loops on your hook.  Yarn over and pull through all six loops. Chain one. *Pull a loop through the star you just created, another through the last stitch (reusing the last stitch), and another in (each) the next three stitches. Yarn over and pull through all six loops.* Repeat from * to * until the end of the row. One half double crochet at the end of the row. Chain 2, turn.

Rows 4+ (you determine the number. Mine ended up being 17, ending on the star clusters): Repeat rows 2 and 3.
Finish off, weave in ends.  

For the tie, I chained 80 and did a slip stitch back into each chain. Just a chain seemed a bit flimsy in comparison to the case, but a full single crochet didn't exactly work, either. A slip stitch made the chain nice and sturdy, keeping with the rest of the pattern. I just slipped it through a stitch on the edge and called done. You could attach yours.  I didn't find it necessary.

Stick your hooks through as above. I left room to grow or to attach a pouch to keep scissors and notions.

I hope you like it! :D 

And if I've made any mistakes, I know someone out there will let me know! ;)

Cheers!

- Sarah