A sweet little Christmas card

 

This sweet card, with its nostalgic farmyard scene, just sold in my Etsy shop, so I thought I would share it with you readers today as well.

This small unused Christmas card by Marian Heath is likely from the 1980s. It features a beautiful scene of a New England farm in winter. The illustration is in shades of white, gray, red, blue, and brown. The central element in the design is a large red barn with cupola and weather vane, along with white trim and a gray shingled roof. A man dressed in green is shoveling snow in front of the barn and waves a red-mittened hand to the man passing by in a horse-drawn sleigh with a wagon full of Christmas trees. Mountains and evergreens may be seen behind the barn. In the distance is another driveway leading to a red barn and house. There are a couple of leafless hardwood trees, including a large tree at the left of the scene. 

Inside the card is a truly meaningful message in a vintage red italic font:

"Christmas again! And may you have the real joys that make the season mean so much; -- warm remembrance, friendly greetings, and hearty good cheer."

Isn't it lovely?  And there are still a few more in the shop.

Santa's Whiskers -- another recipe from Visions of Sugarplums

 

 Lucie commented that she was very intrigued by the recipe for Santa's Whiskers cookies I mentioned in the list from the little Visions of Sugarplums booklet.  So, just for you, Lucie, here it is.  They are the cookies at right, next to the mug, in the photo above.  It seems that the name Santa's Whiskers likely comes from the coconut topping.  

SANTA'S WHISKERS
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon each vanilla and coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
3 cups shredded coconut
1 cup red and/or green candied cherries, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 350º.  

Beat butter, sugar, egg, milk, extracts and salt in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until blended.  (Mixture may appear curdled; don't worry.) On low speed, beat in flour until combined.  Stir in 1 cup coconut and the cherries.  

Place remaining coconut in a bowl.  Drop rounded teaspoons of dough into coconut 1 teaspoon at a time; turn each gently to coat.  Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes or until coconut is toasted and cookies are set.  Cool slightly on the baking sheet on a wire rack before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.  Makes 5 dozen.

Store these in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers.  May be stored at room temperature up to 1 week, in the fridge up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A unique project: transferring a picture to a candle

 

 I've had this idea saved for awhile, and it occurs to me that summer might be a nice time to try it.  This is not the same as what I have pictured at top; that one was made very simply with card stock cutouts and ribbon.  As you will see, the project I'm linking to today does not involve an actual candle, but the flameless type which makes the procedure much safer.

This tutorial is from Diana at Dreams Factory: How to Put a Picture on a Candle.  

The tutorial includes some beautiful printables to create candles for either Christmas 

or Autumn.

Other than the printables, supplies needed include a printer (laser for best results); tissue paper (plus paper tape and card stock to use in the tissue paper printing process); scissors; wax paper; flameless battery-operated WAX candles (not plastic); and a hair dryer or heat gun.

After printing your design of choice on tissue paper following Diana's directions, you then proceed to apply it to the candle using wax paper and a heat gun or hair dryer.  I won't go into detail here; you can read Diana's post for yourself and see just how it's done.

What do you think?  Is this a technique you would attempt?  The result is certainly beautiful!

An adorable Christmas pillow to sew!

 

Okay, so first I have to tell you about this gorgeous Christmas fabric, Santa's Tree Farm by Lisa Audit for Riley Blake Designs.  Then I can tell you about the pillow.  I had in mind to only post about fabrics once a week, but this fabric is too lovely, and is essential to the pillow project, so I have no choice but to post about it. 😃

Here's how Riley Blake Designs describes the fabric: "Grab a mug of cocoa as you peruse the main and coordinating prints of snowy scenes, woodland creatures, snowflakes, plaids, berries and boughs. The cozy palette of sky, green, snowy, forest and Rudolph will have you dreaming of a white Christmas and making all kinds of project plans for those wintry days ahead."

The link in the first paragraph should take you to the storyboard where all of the fabrics are pictured.   (There's also a free quilt pattern, among other goodies.)  They are beautiful!  Here are just a few of my favorites that I took screenshots of.

Here is Berries & Boughs in the Forest color, plus Green Plaid and Sky Snowflakes.

Snowy Plaid and Snowy Snowflakes

This is Berries & Boughs in the Sky color

Now, for the pillow.  It's Santa's Tree Farm Applique Pillow, and it's designed by Sara B. of @SaraBQuilts.  Sara has shared a great tutorial as to how she designed and sewed the pillow.

 
Isn't it sweet?  This is a project I would love to sew!

Pink Lemonade Bars

 

 I mentioned a few days ago that I would try and post the recipe for Pink Lemonade Bars featured in the little cookie booklet Visions of Sugarplums.  To me these would be perfect for a summer cookie tray, but they would be pretty at Christmas time as well.

PINK LEMONADE BARS

Crust:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Topping:
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 Tblsp. freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
5 drops red liquid food coloring

Confectioners sugar for topping

Heat oven to 350º.  Line a 13 x 9 pan with foil, letting foil extend above pan at both ends.  Coat foil with nonstick baking spray.

For crust, beat butter, flour, and confectioners sugar in a large bowl with mixer until blended and crumbly.  Press over bottom of prepared pan.  Bake 15 minutes or until light golden.  Remove from oven but do not turn the oven off.

While crust is baking, make topping.  In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice, flour and baking powder with mixer to combine.  Add food coloring and beat until topping is pink in color.  Pour over the hot crust.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until top is golden and topping has set.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Lift foil by ends to cutting board.  Cut bars in 6 rows lengthwise and 8 crosswise to make 48 bars.  Dust with confectioners sugar.  Makes 48 bars.

(No mention of when to remove the foil.  I think I would do it before cutting the bars, so as not to get shreds of foil mixed in with them.)  

There it is!  Enjoy!

Mistletoe & Holly -- another gorgeous Christmas fabric collection!

 

1950s Christmas card

 Wow, here is more glorious Christmas fabric!  This Mistletoe & Holly collection is from one of my favorite designers, Beverly McCullough, who does so much more than simply designing fabrics.  Visit her at Flamingo Toes for more inspiration for sewing, embroidery, and more -  and to visit her shop.  You are sure to be charmed and inspired.

But on to Mistletoe & Holly!  I will just share a few of my favorites from this collection.

Mistletoe & Holly Forest main yardage

Cloud Snowflakes yardage

Sage Snowflakes yardage

Silver Mistletoe yardage

Sage Floral yardage

Cloud Plaid yardage

 
Aren't they beautiful?  I love the vintage look.  I can think of many projects I would use these fabrics for.  In addition to the yardage, there is a full variety of precuts in this collection and also a good number of panels to make different projects from.

A beautiful Christmas card -- "The Lights of Friendship"

 

This is not a super old card -- it's a Leanin' Tree design, likely from the late 1990s -- but I loved the sentiment and the detail in the artwork.  The cover features an original painting by artist Clayton Nicles.  I'm sure if you double-click on the card image you will be able to see it better.

Look at the lovely details: -- a ball of green yarn and a basket of knitting beside the rocking chair; a teacup and bowl of apples at the ready; the teakettle heating over the fire; a well-worn Bible on the mantel.

The tree is simply trimmed with popcorn strings and clip-on candles. 

Gifts are everywhere including in the pocket of the plaid jacket hanging on a hook at left.

And the dear message: "In every home, in every heart the lights of friendship glow."  Don't you love that?  Somehow in our world and culture today we have gotten away from that.  

I want this sentiment to be true of my heart and home.  Wouldn't you agree?  Let's keep the lights on for friendship!