Thursday, November 29, 2012

Christmas Cookies



White Chocolate Cherry Cookies

The first Saturday after Thanksgiving is 'Cookie Day'.  It's the day that my sisters and I all gather at mom's house and bake for the holidays. It's a tradition that I love.  Baking starts early and continues until late in the day. We are now joined by nieces and nephews that join in the baking frenzy. This year I tried a new recipe.... I sorta followed the recipe, when I packed for Cookie Day I did not read through the recipe well. I packed Almond Bark instead of White Chocolate Baking Squares, so I had to adapt....

White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
(From Better Homes and Gardens)

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
(I used white almond bark)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring
2 teaspoons shortening
Christmas sprinkles, nonpareils or edible glitter
2 teaspoons shortening (didn't use since I used Almond Bark)

Preheat oven to 325. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 2/3 cup of the chopped chocolate. (I did not stir in the chopped chocolate, I added a few extra chopped cherries) Stir in almond extract and food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. (I use a small cookie scoop) Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1 1/2" rounds.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

In  small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. (I melted Almond Bark in the microwave...) Dip half of each cookie into chocolate/almond bark. roll dipped edge in Christmas sprinkles. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set.


Festive MandM Cookies, Merry Mice, Nutter Butter Snowmen, and Spritz Cookies
A sampling of just a few of the goodies we made for the Holidays.

In the spirit of Christmas, I am offering 25% off in my ETSY store today thru Sunday!  Woot! Woot!  The coupon code is JINGLE.

Happy quilting and baking!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Cyber Monday Sale Starts today!


In the spirit of Cyber Monday, I am offering 25% off in my ETSY store today thru Tuesday!  Woot! Woot!  The coupon code is JINGLE. It's time to start on those holiday projects, remember we have a couple extra days this year because of how Thanksgiving landed on the calendar!  A couple extra days for baking, shopping, wrapping and quilting!!! The coupon code is good on anything that you order in my shop!

Happy quilting!
I've got a quilt to cut out for a special someone...
 


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Holiday Lane Blog Hop

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
 It's my turn to show you what I did with this fantastic pattern from Jillily Studio!  I find that Blog Hops are a wonderful way to give myself a deadline to get projects done.  I don't know about you, but I need dates and deadlines so that I don't keep putting things off to do down the road.  This blog hop gave me a great opportunity to get some Christmas gifts made.  I loved working on this pattern.   I made one and stuff it as a pillow, but wouldn't it make a fantastic table runner?  My mom hinted that she really would like this, but as a table runner. I meant to make it too, but time got away from me. The Holiday Lane pillow will be wrapped and under our Christmas tree for one lucky family member.  I think she will love it! I would also like to make one for myself in the blue winter Minnesota fabrics that I have been saving for something special.
 
'Holiday Lane'
 I love to do giveaways, so in the spirit of Christmas, I will be giving away a PDF copy of my newest mug mat pattern to two lucky winners!  Follow me for one chance to win (leave a comment that you do), for a second chance to win leave me a sweet comment about anything quilty. Wilson and I will pick a lucky winner on November 30th.

Penguin Mug Rug
(Pattern is available on my Craftsy and Etsy stores)
 
A huge Thank you to Pauline and Madame Samm for a wonderful blog hop to kick off the Holiday season!  I get to share today with these talented quilters....
Apple Avenue Quilting
Hill Valley Quilter
Celtic Thistle Stitches
Quilt Doodle Doodles (You are here!)
Louzeekreativ
Tink's Mom
I Piece 2-Mary
Beaquilter
Ninis Patchwork
Hallbrook Designs

I'm off to have a piece of pumpkin pie....
Happy quilting,

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Success!

 It was a very successful FNSI.  I got a couple of projects done which I am so pleased about. I know I'm posting late about FNSI, but my night rolled into Saturday, so I want to share what I got done along with a couple of things my friend Lynn finished!

Well, there was no throwing a pizza in the oven for my boys Friday night because I was home alone.  Oh my gosh..... home alone! My hubby went to his sister's to work on a car and scope out a hunting spot.  My son was at work!  Just Wilson and I at home! 

My first project on my list was to make a charm square scarf using some pezzy prints in cool colors.  I love how it turned out. Then I was on to cut binding for my Christmas Dash Quilt.

Here I am sewing on the binding.  I'm using a new method I found
on Pat Sloan's blog.  I'll have to share it with you on my blog soon!
  I got halfway done with my binding and then I spent the rest of the night getting ready for my mini quilt retreat with Lynn! I needed one of my studio tables to set upstairs for Saturday, but it was buried under projects and fabric! After a few hours of cleaning, moving and lining up more projects, I was ready for a few hours of sleep.

After making a crock pot full of wild rice soup I was ready to sew with Lynn. We started bright and early Saturday morning. My first project was to finish binding my quilt. I am so pleased with how the binding turned out!
All done and ready to be shipped off to a customer. Note to self- 'Do not list things
on Etsy without the binding done! '

Here's Lynn's quilt she worked on and finished on Saturday.  She finished quilting
and binding this beautiful Christmas quilt!

I spent the rest of the day working on mug rugs.... I'm going to finish them up today.

Lynn made these swiffer pads out of left over polar fleece.
What a great bazaar item!
Of coarse my list was much longer then the time I had to sew this weekend. But the weekend isn't quite done yet.  I'm going to get a little more done today in between loads of laundry.  So here is my revised list... I've added a few more items...
Cut out Katie's Quilt
Make Katie's Quilt
4 mug rugs for mom
1 mug rug for trunk show
bind Christmas Quilt
Pin 'Missouri' Quilt
House blocks
tree blocks
2 charm square scarves
1 charm square scarf
Penguin mug rug
stuff Holiday Lane pillow
make Holiday Lane table runner

Happy quilting,

Friday, November 16, 2012

Big Plans for FNSI


Fabric for a quilt for Katie! I love the colors!
 I am looking forward to FNSI and do I have some big plans!  My FNSI will spill over into Saturday! Sounds like fun doesn't it!

So here's my plan.... on my way home from work I need to stop at the store and stock up on caffeine.... pick up some yummy snacks and pick up some batting.  When I get home I'm going to throw a pizza in the oven for my family, then I'm going to lock myself in my sewing room to sew binding on a Christmas quilt. (I'll make sure to grab Wilson before I shut the door!) I'm going to cut fabric for Katie's quilt (shhhhhhh it's a gift...) After that, I'm going to turn my upstairs into a mini quilt retreat for Saturday.

Love this pattern! I got it from Missouri Quilt Company.
  My calendar has been circled for about 6 weeks now with "Quilt with Lynn" in bright red ink! I can't wait, a full day of fun with my best friend! I've know Lynn since high school! We've celebrated 'up's' together and held each other up during 'down's'. She's my fifth sister. When our kids were small, we would get together for tea and crafting days, zoo visits, trips to Mc Donalds, then our kids started to dictate and change our calendars with sports, music, band etc. Our lives got crazy! Now our babies are 18... our calendars are freeing up again. With mixed feelings I have free evenings and weekends again. But this Saturday is a mini quilt retreat with Lynn! We both have lists of things to do. I'm looking forward to seeing her projects. 
The building continues, and also some landscaping...


So here is my To-do list

Cut out Katie's Quilt
Make Katie's Quilt
4 mug rugs for mom
1 mug rug for trunk show
bind Christmas Quilt
Pin 'Missouri' Quilt
House blocks
tree blocks
2 charm square scarves

My list is sorta big... but Christmas is coming and I have big plans.

Happy quilting!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Let's Get Acquainted!

Plum and June have put together this fun blog hop so that newer bloggers can get to know each other!  I have to first apologize for the late posting... life is crazy here.  Which is usual more often than not....

Now onto introductions!  For those of you who are new to my blog.  My name is Cindy and I have been quilting for a long time.... 30+ years and sewing even a tad longer than that.  I have always enjoyed sewing and quilting. So much so, that I started to design quilt patterns. Quilt Doodle Designs started as a few sketches in a notebook one afternoon while getting ready for a quilt retreat. With the encouragement of family and friends these ideas have blossomed into a line of quilt patterns that can be enjoyed by both beginner and experience quilters. I have been designing ever since. I am an active quilt blogger and keep up a website where my patterns are offered. As I work on my designs I am kept company by my loyal companion, Wilson.

Tis the time of year that I love to make mug mats.... let me share with you a few of my designs... they are quick and easy.  Make a wonderful gift when paired up with a mug or candle. My patterns can be found on Etsy, Craftsy and my website.  Quilt Doodle Patterns can also be found in a quilt store near you!
Frosty Mug Rug

The Grinch

Snowman Mug Rug
I hope that my designs are enjoyed as much as I have enjoyed making them. I strive to provide fun, whimsical patterns for both the beginner and experienced quilter. It’s time to ignore the phone, kids, housework etc. and take some time for yourself and create. Nothing is more relaxing to me then a cup of hot coffee and the hum of a sewing machine in the company of fellow quilters.

Happy quilting and perfect stitches to you!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

One Gift Done!




Little Black Dress Charm Pack
Santa's workshop is officially open for business! I have all sorts of fun ideas to work on and I sure hope I can find the time to get it all done. I haven't made out my to-do list yet, I'm mentally storing it all up in my head right now.... which I'm sure is a mistake. I really should write it all out, then I could have a sense of accomplishment as I cross things off the list....... Ok.... I'll put together a list when I'm done with this post.

Let me tell you about the first Christmas gift that I have completed.  I found this cute pattern at Moda's Bake Shop... It's a Charm Square Scarf, a 30 minute gift. And you know, it took me about 30 minutes to make and then I took another hour to rave and pat myself of the back about it! It's a wonderful pattern.  If you need some quick gifts, this is a good one!  It uses 1 charm pack and about a 1/3 yard of flannel for the backing.

My charm squares all sewn together on the flannel backing, all ready to sew.

Isn't it beautiful!  It looks like something my sister-in-law would love! 
Shhhhhh! Don't tell Tammy this is one of her gifts!
I was so excited about how my scarf turned out, that I ordered two more charm packs!  Another 'Little Black Dress' from Moda and this one....
1 Moda Charm pack in Tapestry by Fig Tree & Co.
This fabric will make a perfect scarf for my mom-in-law.
Don't have a charm pack on hand.... the Charm Square Scarf would be cute using coordinating fabrics from your stash! Well I must get back to santa's workshop and make out that list!

Happy quilting,