Debriefing for Christmas 2018

So I promised to share my thoughts from the post-Christmas debriefing I completed on Rudolph Day.  I use a form (which I've had for awhile) from Organized Christmas.  Before I share, though, take a look at the Christmas room above.  Isn't it lovely?  I especially love the coffee pot and cups on the little round table.  And the tree is so pretty also, not to mention that absolutely gorgeous fireplace!

I always like to look back on the Christmas just past and see how well everything worked, or where improvement is needed.  As mentioned, I use the five simple questions from a form available at Organized Christmas.  It looks like this:

1.  What worked this holiday season?  What changes did you make to create simpler, less stressful holidays?  

There were a lot of decorations that I did not take time to put up.  I didn't get any of our own ornaments out of the attic, but used vintage ones found in clearing out my childhood home.  It was actually enjoyable to use those old ornaments; it made for a very pretty tree and it kept things much simpler.

I also worked to get all of our Nevada packages sent out relatively early in the month, and did them all using Click'n'Ship and carrier pickup.  That in itself reduces so much stress!

2.  What was the worst aspect of preparing for the holidays this year?  How can you avoid this problem in the future?

* I committed myself to an activity that, in retrospect, I should not have done.  I ended up getting way too stressed over something I should not have taken on.  Next year I won't get involved.

* I didn't plan carefully enough with gifts for several of the local grands, and ended up doing some very last-minute shopping.  It all worked out well, but obviously I must plan much better next year.

3.  Were you satisfied with your family's level of giving and/or spiritual observances?  How could next year's holidays more closely reflect your family's values?

I was quite satisfied with our family's level of giving, and satisfied too with the spiritual aspect of our Christmas celebrating.  There are certain activities I'm  not sure about for next year, though.

4.  How well did your household function this year?  Were you calm and cozy, or stressed and strung out?  What improvements could be made next year?

In general I felt pretty calm and cozy.  I did get just a bit stressed when I saw that I wasn't going to make the December 1 deadline for handmade gifts, but when my sweet husband saw how much it meant to me to craft a few simple gifts, he relaxed the customary deadline and told me to take all the time I needed.  I finished these mid-month, by the way.  The problem was that I hadn't even begun to plan these gifts until November.  So obviously, improvements would include starting to plan for any handmade gifts much earlier.

A scarf for grandson Nathan

5.  Honesty time: how did your holidays go?  Did you experience the magic, the expectancy, and the sparkle of the season?  If not, what changes could you make to recapture the joy?

In general, we had a wonderful season!  I took great joy in making a few gifts.  I tried several new recipes and enjoyed every moment.  I loved decorating the tree, even though I did it mostly by myself, with vintage memories from my childhood.  I posted in both of my blogs every day in December -- partly as a gift to my readers, but as a gift to myself as well.  I managed to get out and walk many days in November and December, which I'm sure lifted my spirits and lowered my stress level a great deal.  I even sewed a new tree skirt out of some wonderful fabric our daughter had gifted me with!

So ... there you have it:  my debriefing for Christmas 2018.  Have you done an exercise like this?  It can only help with planning for next year! 

With my Christmas notebook on Rudolph Day

Yes, I actually did something Christmas-related on January's Rudolph Day!  Well, not on the actual day which would have been Friday -- that was way too busy of a day.  I did this work on Thursday.

But before I talk about that -- isn't this the niftiest vintage scene featuring an old coal stove?  I found it in some old Christmas cards I am going through to list and sell on Etsy.  This pretty scene just caught my eye.

The sheer curtains, the sleeping kitten, the sprigs of holly decorating the finial atop the stove, the candles and ornament in the window, the braided rug and wooden bucket filled with berries -- oh, I just love it all!  Even those little oval silhouettes on the wall remind me of my grandmother's front room.

Anyway, for Rudolph Day I was able to spend some good quality time with my Christmas notebook.  The first thing I did is a given for me after Christmas: I took a fresh sheet of Christmas-themed computer paper and listed down everything that we gave for Christmas gifts.  Of course, I had already made a list,  on plain notebook paper, but some things changed with the actual gift-giving:   I couldn't locate a source for a particular gift, I changed my mind, etc. etc.  I had started this list the previous  January, and inevitably in the intervening months, my list had been scribbled on, crossed out, and so on.  So that there will be no confusion next year and I don't give someone a duplicate book, game or whatever, I make a nice, neat list.  It gets filed in the back of my notebook in a section titled Christmas past.

Then I take a fresh piece of lined notebook paper and start a new list for the coming Christmas.  Some things are going to stay the same, pretty much.  We always give my husband's boss and his family a big gift basket full of treats, for example.  We usually give my mother-in-law a jar of homemade hot cocoa mix, some homemade bran muffins, and a bag of clementines. Other gifts, like a science center membership for one family, a gift card for another, etc. will be the same again next year, so I've made sure to write those down.   I have already purchased a couple of items for next Christmas, so I've written those down as well.

I also took a fresh sheet of notebook paper and started listing ideas for 2019 birthdays.  I just jot down each person's birthday and their name, and I do this in order of where the months fall in the year.  We don't have any birthdays (other than my own) until March, so I start there.  I already have a few birthday ideas, having seen how certain Christmas gifts were received. 

Elsewhere in the notebook, I also like to note any new recipes we tried and how we liked them.  And I make a note of any new decorations we added, where we put them, and where I will be storing them. So I've done that.

Then later on in the day, I sat down with my Christmas debriefing form from Organized Christmas.  I like to use this each year to evaluate how the holiday season went and what needs to change in the coming year.   I don't always find the time for this exercise, but this year I did, and the results will be a blog post for another day!

How was your Rudolph Day?  Did you observe it in any way?

The actual 2018 baking list

 Back again to give an update as to what baking and kitchen-gift-making actually got done for Christmas 2018.    Mr. T made several batches of cookies, as he always enjoys helping out!

🎄 A double batch of Whipped Shortbread Cookies (pictured at top of post)

🎄 A double batch of Chocolate Mint Crisps


🎄 A double batch of Sacher Torte Cookies


🎄  A double batch of Secret Spice Cookies


🎄  A double batch of Eggnog Log Cookies

🎄 A double batch of Chocolate Spritz

and then single batches of

🎄 Almond Shortbread Thumbprints -- some with apricot and some with raspberry

🎄  Lemon Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

🎄 No-Bake Cookies

For candy, I made:

🎄 Arlene’s Easy Fudge (I used peanut butter chips instead of the butterscotch along with the chocolate -- and wow!)

🎄  Heavenly Delight

🎄  Special Holiday Fudge

🎄  Chocolate-Dipped Orange Slices



And for other kitchen gifts:

🎄 Christmas Granola

🎄  Cinnamon Pretzels

That is pretty much it.  I didn't do all the baking or make all of the kitchen gifts that I had planned, but I was very pleased with what did get done.  Baking in my Christmas kitchen is such a delight for me!

Next year's Christmas stamps -- check!

Yes, you read that right -- I have that item all checked off!

December is over, and I'm popping back into the Christmas kitchen this week.  I have lots to share, but for today I just want to share something I've done for the second year now: ordered my Christmas stamps online for the coming holiday.

Last year, I ordered the Christmas Carols stamps and so that's what I used for 2018's cards.  There are only a few of them left now.

 As cards arrived from others, though, I kept seeing these bird stamps that I liked even more.  I decided that I would order some for Christmas 2019.

So I did.  Just a short time ago I ordered 3 sets of the Birds in Winter stamps and one set of the Global Mail Poinsettia stamps, which I like even better than the Succulents I bought for international mail last year.

Aren't they pretty?

The stamps arrived today.  What a relief to know that my Christmas stamps are all bought and paid for and that I have designs I truly like rather than settling for what the post office has available in December. 

If you've never tried doing this, I highly recommend it.  Just go to usps.com and take a look at what's available.  I'm so happy to have this task off my list already!

Cozy flannel wrapped wreath

Photo by Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods

I've had my eye on this project for awhile: Flannel Wrapped Wreath from Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods.  It looks to me like a door decoration that would work all winter long.

Besides, who doesn't love plaid flannel?

I'm really thinking maybe this will be the year I can get one of these made.  I have loads of plaid flannel scraps, plus a couple of old shirts I cut up to repurpose.  I wouldn't dare say for sure, but I think that a foam wreath form might work as well as the straw base that Sarah used.  The straw would likely be less expensive, though.  I just took a quick peek at Joann.com and I see that the straw wreaths are cheaper by a couple of dollars at least.  So for that reason, and for ease of pinning, the straw would be the very best choice unless you happen to have a foam one on hand.

If you visit Sadie Seasongoods, you will also see some other plaid flannel projects, including a table runner.  I really want to make one of those ... it also would be perfect all winter.  Have fun with these ideas!  I hope to!

Festive Cheese Log

This photo is of a similar cheese log and is from Taste of Home.

Here's a favorite recipe of mine that would be great for New Year's Eve or anytime you're asked to bring an appetizer.  It travels well and you only need bring along a cheese spreader and a box of crackers!

I found this recipe in Ken Haedrich's Home for the Holidays years ago and have modified it somewhat.  The little bit of jalapeno flavor is very nice, but the jalapenos can be omitted if you don't have them or don't care for them.  This takes a bit of time to put together, since you need to take time to toast the nuts, but I still consider it easy and quick.  And there is nothing like the convenience of making an appetizer ahead to pull out of the fridge when needed.  Here's the recipe:

FESTIVE CHEESE LOGS

2 cups pecan or walnut pieces
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces grated sharp Cheddar cheese
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (or use a couple tablespoons of dried parsley flakes if you must)
2 tablespoons finely minced onions (the dried will work; use 2 tsp.)
1 or 2 minced garlic cloves (optional)
1/4 cup minced pickled jalapeño peppers (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Toast the nuts: Spread them on an ungreased baking sheet and place them in a 350º oven for 7 to 10 minutes until nicely toasted. Watch them carefully. When they’re done, transfer them onto a large plate and let them cool.

Put the three cheeses in a large mixing bowl and work them with the back of a wooden spoon until blended. Add the remaining ingredients (except the nuts), and mix them with a spoon or your hands until everything is evenly blended.

Chop the nuts with a hand chopper and work 1 cup of them into the cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

When the 15 minutes are up, put a large piece of wax paper on your work counter. Spread the nuts on the wax paper.  (If you happen to have more fresh parsley, that also looks pretty mixed in with the nuts, so you might like to chop a bit more and add to the chopped nuts.) Divide the cheese mixture into two portions and place one portion on top of the nut-covered wax paper. Using your hands, shape the cheese mixture into a log, rolling and pressing it into the nuts as you shape. Wrap it in plastic wrap and follow the same procedure to make a second cheese log from the remaining cheese mixture. (If you prefer to make a cheese ball, scoop the entire cheese mixture onto the nut-covered wax paper and shape it into a large ball, again rolling and pressing it into the chopped nuts as you shape.) Wrap the cheese ball or logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 2 cheese logs.

This recipe has been a family favorite for years, and it always goes over well at events I take it to. It's nice because you can make it well ahead of time and keep in the fridge until you're almost ready to use it. Just pick up a box or two of crackers and you're all set. I took this to a gathering in early December and took along the snowflake-shaped Ritz® crackers to accompany it. I like to make the logs rather than a cheese ball because they stay neater looking -- just slice and serve.

A fun project using old Christmas cards

Still looking for ways to repurpose some of your old Christmas cards?  Or do you need a project to keep the kids or grandkids busy or even to calm yourself? 

Here's an idea I plan to try: Mason Jar Ring Shadowbox from Kimberly at Serendipity Refined.

Photo by Kimberly at Serendipity Refined

I've made ornaments with mason jar lids before -- see the ornament at the top of the post -- but Kimberly's is several cuts (literally) above mine.  You might  say she has "refined" the basic idea.  She adds a number of delightful little extras, not the least of which is a circle of clear acetate or transparency film to hold everything in place and make it look even more shadowbox-like.  Head on over to Serendipity Refined to get the details.  This is a project which looks to me as if it could be addictive!

Microwave Eggnog Fudge

Photo by Blair at The Seasoned Mom

Okay, if you're like me, you're probably more than ready to be done with candy making of any type for the season.  But what if you're invited to a get-together for New Year's Eve and need to bring something sweet?  This easy microwave fudge uses only basic ingredients (it does not call for eggnog, but uses spices and flavorings instead) and is fast, fast, fast. 

The recipe is by Blair at The Seasoned Mom, and you can find it here: Microwave Eggnog Fudge. 

I would be likely to leave out the rum flavoring myself, even though it's a signature flavor of eggnog, because I just don't care for boozy flavors.  With other eggnog-flavored recipes that I have, I find that nutmeg and real vanilla work just fine.  In this case, cinnamon is also called for and I think it would be good.


Blair gives a basic 3-ingredient recipe with specifics for the eggnog fudge, but also details how this can be made with varying kinds of chips and mix-ins to create other fudge flavors. 

Although I have not yet tried her recipe, I have tried a chocolate variation of a similar recipe: Arlene’s Easy Fudge, and it is absolutely fantastic.  So if you are more of a chocolate mood, go for that one.

Even if you aren't in need of a fast fudge recipe right now, you will want to file these away for next year!  Pinterest might make a good repository if you don't quite trust your memory.

Thinking about putting away your Christmas wrappings?

I'm thinking about it.  Only thinking, at this point.  I may do just a bit of after-Christmas shopping if I find something I need in the clearance at the supermarket or other stores.  And then, of course, I will add any gift-wrapping supplies to my stash and will attempt to get it organized before storing.  Tags are something I often need, as I prefer not to use the stick-on ones.  Sometimes I can't resist, though -- there are such pretty ones out there!

In sifting through my saved ideas for my December Daily posts  here in the Christmas kitchen, I found some wonderful free printable gift tags.

This post: Ultimate guide to free printable gift tags from Melissa at The Inspired Room, is definitely the ultimate.  It is a 2016 post so I went through it to see if all of the links still work.  I found only a few which did not, and most of those can still be accessed by going to the home page of the particular blogger and searching the freebies. 

In one such search I discovered these Printable gift tags from The DIY Mommy,  in some of the most luscious colors imaginable.  If you need tags for next year, you will want to check out these ideas.

Or, you could just do as I have done and make tags out of Christmas cards (like the ones illustrating this post) from previous years.  I'm finding that these tags are handy to tuck into a Christmas card or an Etsy order as a little added gift.  Over on my other blog, I'm going to be reminding people about how to make these, not that it needs a lot of explanation.

Have fun with these tag ideas!

The day after Christmas

... and I'm still in the kitchen! 

These Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies were on my baking list, but I hadn't gotten them baked.  I was actually just going to skip it when I remembered a cookie tray I planned to make for a friend who'll have a houseful of 20-somethings starting tomorrow.  The house was chilly and I thought baking was not a bad way to warm it up.

One thing I was reminded of about these cookies, though -- my usual trick of replacing all-purpose flour with the Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour just doesn't work well with this recipe.  They spread out too much -- a fact that I would have known if I had followed my grandmother's good advice of baking a test cookie.  Be that as it may, these cookies will still go on the cookie tray even though imperfect.

I also made a crockpot full of chicken soup for friends who had planned to drop by today, but they ended up rescheduling to tomorrow.  The soup will go in the fridge until then.

So, I also promised to give a bit of an update on our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day doings.  Let's see.

Christmas Eve -- Mr. T worked that day.  I took a cookie tray to our neighbors across the street, and another to my walking partner and her hubby.  She was unable to get away for a walk that day but we took time for a cup of tea and a half-hour visit. 

On Christmas Eve, we usually have two of our local granddaughters over for supper (our traditional Christmas Eve Soup) and have our Christmas with them at that time.  This year, all that changed because of some travel plans and so we have rescheduled to early January.  That meant our own Christmas Eve looked different, and that's okay.  We had leftovers for supper, actually! 

After supper, we took time to open some of the lovely cards I received in a swap with my friends at the Christmas Friends craft forum.  It was my hubby's idea to brew some Candy Cane Lane to sip while I opened the cards and we both admired them.  The creativity of some people is downright amazing!  I had also received a link to a Cracker Barrel YouTube video featuring their gorgeous fireplace.  We admired the cards and sipped our tea in front of a snapping, crackling fire as seen on my tablet.  Just plain fun!

Christmas Day -- we began with this delicious Hearty Breakfast Egg Bake along with sourdough rye bread (from our neighbor Walter) and some clementines. 

Then Mr. T headed out to drop off some cookies and a card for his mother, and a large gift basket for his boss and family.  I accomplished a lot of gift wrapping while he was gone.  Upon his return, we delivered another neighborhood cookie tray and I finished the wrapping.

Around 3 pm we headed over to our daughter's (about 15 minutes away) for a delicious Christmas dinner of roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans, tossed salad with apples, craisins and homemade cranberry vinaigrette, and some amazing Parker House rolls.

After dinner the men and kids played games or tried out Christmas gifts while Carrie and I cleaned up the kitchen.  Then we opened gifts and just had such an enjoyable time together.  After awhile we brought out dessert, which was (you guessed it) a cookie tray, plus Eggnog Logs and Chocolate Spritz made by 14-year-old Sam, and Buckeyes made by 10-year-old Josiah.  Julia (12) helped Sam with the Eggnog Logs by imprinting the frosting with fork lines for "bark".  We enjoyed eggnog along with the cookies.

Then Mr. T and I returned home and watched the "Christmas Story" episode from Season 1 of the Andy Griffith Show.  We didn't have time for a movie, but this TV show episode gave the same flavor in less time. 

And that was our very nice Christmas!  I'm still savoring the season, though, even though the big day is over.

Merry Christmas!

Mr. T and I had a very merry Christmas and we hope that all of my readers and our friends did also.  We have much to celebrate in the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I will be back here tomorrow to report in more detail about our Christmas Day and evening.  But tomorrow is a work day for my hubby, so we are headed off to bed.

Merry Christmas, one and all!

Lemon Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

Photo from Redbook Magazine

I promised that I would share the recipe for these lemon thumbprint cookies, new to our cookie trays this year.  I had seen a photo of these fabulous-looking cookies on Instagram, posted by @rachelmaebakes.  I messaged Rachel (who has a home baking business) and asked if she would be willing to share the recipe.

Rachel kindly sent me the link to the recipe, and I will share it with all of you: Lemon Thumbprint Cookies.  Mr. T baked a batch on Friday and oh, are these delicious!  Rachel makes her own homemade lemon curd for these and I'm sure it is fantastic, but I used the purchased lemon curd.  I got the Bonne Maman brand at Wal*Mart, and it was only 3.99 (or less; I can't remember) for a good-sized jar that will fill 2 batches of cookies, I think.  I used 1/2 teaspoon of lemon curd in each cookie, which doesn't sound like much but really, it is just the right amount. 

These are much easier than they look, so I hope you will try baking a batch!

Just 2 more days. How's it going at your house?

Here's what's been happening here.  Friday, Mr. T had part of the day off and spent time baking cookies.  He baked some delicious lemon thumbprint cookies -- maybe I can share the recipe tomorrow.  He also baked sacher torte cookies but did not fill them with jam or top them with chocolate due to time constraints as we were having guests that night.  On Friday I made a batch of Heavenly Delight (chocolate peanut butter fudge).

 Saturday found Mr. T too busy with other concerns to do much that was Christmasy during the day.  I, however, sent off the last of the Christmas cards and filled and glazed the sacher torte cookies.  In the late afternoon, a rat-a-tat-tat at the door announced the arrival of our neighbor Walter, bearing a fresh round loaf of his famous sourdough rye bread, plus a dish full of cookies and candies made by his wife Nancy.  That evening, we wrapped our gifts for the church gift exchange the next day.

Today, Sunday, has been a flurry of Christmasy activity.  And the day's not over yet!

This morning we prepared a cookie tray and some hearty appetizer snacks for an early lunch at church.  Then there was church, complete with a mini Christmas play (well done by the kids), nice music and singing and a wonderful message from Luke 2.  After our snack time we enjoyed our gift exchange (we had previously drawn names).  Then we all went out for a time of Christmas caroling to older folks in the community.  On the way home, Mr. T and I stopped at Marshalls, on the trail of a last minute gift or two.  We found a couple of things but need just a bit more.

He is now off on a work errand and when he gets back, we will try and track down a last elusive couple of gifts.  After supper, we plan to enjoy some Candy Cane Lane tea and I will open my Christmas cards from a card exchange I participated in.  He enjoys seeing the creativity of the various ladies in the cards that they made.  If there's any time left, we will likely wrap a few gifts.

How are preparations coming at your house?

Festive little loaves of quick breads or fruitcake

 The very first kitchen gifts I ever gave, even before I had a kitchen of my own, were little loaves of a holiday gift cake.  Ever since, I've always loved giving little loaves of bread or cake as kitchen gifts and have tried many recipes over the years.   At one point I discovered a formula to know how many little loaves could be made from a recipe that makes a standard 9x5x3-inch loaf.  It's so comforting to have that information so as not to grease more pans than will be needed, or to realize at the last minute that there aren't enough pans and have to find a substitute. 

So I wrote it down in one of my handwritten cookbooks: "To make small nut breads from a recipe that makes a 9x5x3-inch loaf, you can use six 4x2x1 1/2-inch pans.  Bake the little loaves for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean." 

I just now realized that another place I should put this information is my Christmas notebook, the place where most of my kitchen gift recipes reside.

I thought I would share with you links to some of the good recipes I've used for gift loaves over the years.
Little Apricot Fruitcakes have been a favorite of many people.

Christmas Fruit Bread and Last Minute Fruitcakes, which use  homemade candied cherries and pineapple, are other ideas.  I will look on my other blog and see what else I can add.

And then there are fun ideas for packaging gift breads.  Happy baking and gifting!

A vintage poem -- "A Little Bit of Christmas"

I recently found this poem, by Garnett Ann Schultz, in a 1957 Christmas Ideals magazine.  I was sure my readers would enjoy it, also.

A Little Bit of Christmas

Just a little bit of Christmas 
and the whole world seems to glow
With a special sort of laughter
that we love and treasure so --
Nothing more than just some holly
or a wreath upon the door
And it fills our hearts with Christmas 
and the season we adore.

Just a little bit of giving
and we know a warmth and pride,
There's a feeling of contentment,
ever growing deep inside --
It is such a pleasant custom
as we tie each package bright
And, however small the present,
it's the thought that brings delight.

Just a little bit of praying
and how very sure we are
That we've found God ever loving,
 and we've seen that wondrous star.
There are angel voices singing
and their music fills the air
With a little bit of Christmas
being scattered everywhere.

Just a little bit of knowing
of the meaning of this day
And a little real believing
in the words we kneel and pray,
Just a little bit of sharing,
all the faith it might impart
Just a little bit of Christmas 
puts a peace in every heart.
~ Garnett Ann Schultz

Lovely, I thought.  Hope you enjoy it too.

How to make your own breakfast sausage, quickly and easily

I mentioned in the recipe for the breakfast cups a few days ago that I had made my own bulk turkey breakfast sausage. In case some are interested, I thought I would share how I did it.  I've been using this recipe for years with pork, and decided to try it with turkey.

HOMEMADE BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 pound either ground turkey or ground pork

In a bowl, combine water and seasonings.  Add ground meat and mix very well. 

This can be formed into patties and cooked immediately, for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or it may be crumbled and used in any recipe that calls for bulk breakfast sausage. 

I hope you'll enjoy this yummy breakfast sausage as much as we do!

An easy reversible Christmas tree skirt

A few years ago, my Nevada daughter sent me the gorgeous fabric you see above.  You can read about this fabulous gift, and why I was so thrilled with it,  here: A gift with possibilities.  I knew that whatever I chose to use it for, it should be a project that would showcase the beautiful illustrations.

Last year after Christmas I decided that I would like to make a Christmas tree skirt from this fabric.  As is typical with me, however, I forgot all about it until it was time to put the Christmas tree up this December.

I wanted to make the skirt reversible as I thought a double layer of fabric would look nicer and hold its shape better, though I doubt I will ever use the other side.  Here is the fabric I chose for the reverse side:                       ⬅

I looked a bit in some Christmas books and online and sort of cobbled together an easy technique for making the tree skirt.

First, I obviously had to make my fabrics into large circles.  I had just done something fairly similar when cutting a circle for the top part of a chef's hat, so it was familiar.  I folded my first fabric from top to bottom, then from left to right to form a square, and pressed it well.  I measured from the corner to one edge of the folded square (where the arrow is pointing above).  This measurement was just over 18 inches, so I decided to work with 18 inches. 

I worked my way around the square with a yardstick, measuring and marking 18 inches from the right corner all around the square, using a water-soluble marker.  Then I connected the dots to form a curved line, and cut on that line.

(There are other ways this measuring can be done; Gooseberry Patch suggests using a string of your desired length and tacking it to the folded corner with a thumbtack to hold it taut while you move the other end of the string along and make your markings.  Sort of like a compass you used to make curved lines in Geometry class back in the day.)

I then unfolded the resulting large circle and used the folds that I'd pressed in to help me eyeball the center of the circle.  I then used the lid of a large glitter container -- 2 inches or more -- any round object of similar size would do -- to draw a circle in the very center.  This would be the hole for the tree trunk.  Then I cut along one of the folds to this circle and cut out the circle.

I placed my cut fabric circle face down on the backing fabric, which I had laid out face up -- so that the right sides of the two fabrics faced one another.  Then I used the cut circle as a pattern to cut a matching shape from the backing fabric.

Putting the skirt together was easy.  I pinned the two circles together well and stitched all the way around the cut edges using a 1/2 inch seam allowance and leaving a 6-inch opening to turn the tree skirt right side out.   I trimmed the seam allowance of the small circle down a bit and carefully clipped into the curved edge, not going through the stitching.  I also snipped off the corners of the tree skirt where the curved and straight edges of the bottom formed right angles.

Then I turned the tree skirt right side out (making sure to poke out the corners to make them nice and square) and carefully pressed it, then hand-stitched the 6-inch opening closed.  I had actually planned to topstitch around the entire tree skirt, stitching up the opening in the process, but I decided that topstitching might detract from the fabric design, and I just didn't want to do that. 

So I pressed it well one last time and arranged it around the base of the Christmas tree, covering the stand and just overlapping the edges as desired.  It actually took far longer to write about making the skirt than it did to do the project.  I would say it took maybe an hour and a half from start to finish.

And there you have it -- my Holly Pond Hill Christmas tree skirt.  I love it!

 

An idea to consider for Christmas breakfast

Photo from Taste of Home

As I mentioned yesterday, most of the ladies brought food to the Christmas brunch this past Saturday.  I decided early on to take a cranberry coffeecake, but had been uncertain what to bring for an egg dish -- we were keeping it to easy-to-eat foods that might require only the use of fingers or a fork.

One day while walking with my friend, we were talking about Christmas breakfast,  and she mentioned a recipe she had tried and liked, made in a 13x9 pan.  When she brought me a copy of the recipe the next day, she had also clipped to it this recipe: Amazing Muffin Cups.

Instantly I knew what I would bring to the brunch.  These are so good!  There's a hash brown crust and then an egg filling made with sausage, cheese and chopped red pepper.  I left out the chives because I didn't have any, but it certainly would help to add a Christmasy touch.   Using some red and some green pepper would achieve the same effect.

The recipe calls for link sausages, cut up, but I made my own bulk sausage using ground turkey and then cooked it prior to using in the egg filling.

I doubled the batch to make 24 muffin cups for the brunch, though in retrospect 12 would have been plenty.  There was SO much food there.  So many choices!

This is a delicious recipe that I'm likely to make again and again.  If you're looking for something a little different for Christmas breakfast, may I suggest Amazing Muffin Cups?