SIMPLY HAVING A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS (CRAFTS) TIME...

A new tradition is in the works! After years of making Christmas crafts with my children, their interest has gone to bigger and better things...and I've found a new one in doing crafts with my sweet little neighbor girls! They are the perfect ages to really get into the making of Christmas goodies! We had them over last year and let their parents have a night out, and so we did that again this year. We packed a lot into one evening:
Cracking pecans with my husband!
Candy sleighs
Pretty simple: hot glue candy canes to a graham cracker, then use Elmer's glue on wrapped candy to glue it to the top of the sleigh for "gifts"! If you want to spend more, you can find chocolate Santas to place behind the sleigh.

CANDY CANE COOKIES
1 c. butter
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
Dash salt
2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. red food coloring
Peppermint Glaze (opt.)
In large mixer bowl beat butter until softened. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, peppermint extract and salt. Beat well. Add flour and beat until well mixed. Divide dough in 1/2. Stir food coloring in one half. Cover each half and chill about 30 minutes or until easily handled. For each cookie, on lightly floured surface, shape a teaspoon of plain dough into a 4" rope; repeat with red dough. Place ropes side by side and twist together. Pinch ends to seal. Form twisted ropes into canes. Place cane 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. If desired, brush with Peppermint Glaze. Yield: 48 cookies.
Painting cardboard pieces for an ornament
Saw these in the newspaper - looked easy but they were kinda tricky - made from paper tubes, paint, and pipe cleaners (chenille sticks for you young'ins)!


Time to go, there's some leftover cookie dough in the fridge calling my name...