Friday, December 25, 2009

Joy To The World!


Merry Christmas!
Our family attended a beautiful midnight mass at our church last night.
I probably didn't get to sleep until 2am. I had started a small freebie by Lizzie Kate and was very determined to get it finished today, and I did. :)
I thought it was so cute with the little sheep on it.
I am not sure if the freebie is still available or not..this freebie was given to me a long time ago from a dear friend.
**Edited to add...I just checked their website..I don't seem to see this freebie chart, but I see lots of other cute freebies there! If you click on this link, it should take you to their adorable freebies :)
Lizzie Kate Freebies

I hope everyone is having an enjoyable evening. We had a wonderful turkey dinner and really enjoyed being together for this very special day.

Raggedystitches,

Monday, December 21, 2009

Baking



My daughter asked me to bake another one of her favorite cookies this morning.
(I still have to roll out more Christmas cookies yet!)
These are called Mexican Wedding Cakes..and are sooo delicious too :)
I have posted the recipe on my recipe blog in case you are interested in making them too.

Now back to baking Christmas cookies!

Raggedystitches,

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Christmas Cookies




I have spent most of my day baking my annual Christmas cookies today.
These cookies are called Powdered-Sugar Cutouts, but our family calls them
"Orange Peel Cookies" :)
Every Christmas time my daughter starts asking for orange peel cookies. She loves to help me cut out the cookies, and to put the sprinkles on. They really are so much fun to make!
A little bit of work, but well worth it.
You do have to refrigerate the dough to let it set up before you can roll it out to start using the cookie cutters.

I have made two double batches of dough (yes, you can double the recipe). I have used up one double batch already and the cookies came out fantastic! They are so delicious!
I packed up a nice big tray of the cookies and after church tonight, I went over to our priests home and surprised them with my cookies . They were delighted! :)
It made me feel so happy that I could do this small gesture of kindness to them, they give so much to us and our wonderful congregation at our church.

I will post the recipe on my recipe blog in case you would like to make these wonderful cookies too. They are a family tradition at our house and I make them every single year. My kids could not imagine a Christmas without them.
They also freeze well in Ziploc freezer bags in case you make too many. :)

You can find the recipe here:
2 Stitchin sisters recipe blog

I have become very interested in cookie molds lately too...
I found that I did have some that I had forgotten that I had! I have two Raggedy Ann molds, and one Angel mold.
I tried the dough in the Raggedy Ann mold and it came out quite cute! :) I brushed food coloring on her to give her a splash of color. :)


May all of your baking days be fun ones,
RaggedyStitches,

The Angels Sang!



I stayed up till 2am last night stitching. I was so determined to finish the project I was working on. This is a piece designed by Little House Needleworks titled "The Angels Sang". I fell in love with it the moment I saw it!
I stitched this on 28 count evenweave "khaki" and used DMC threads.
I can't wait to frame this one..perhaps a white frame with a "washed" look.

Now onto my next project :)
Raggedystitches,

SNOW!


We had some snow fall here in NC. It doesn't happen too often in our area, but when it does, it is such a delight!
My husband is too funny...he told me to go to the front door..there was a visitor!
Then, The crafty guy that he is made a "snow bird" too.
Our daughter went out just for a little bit that night, but it was so cold out there!
We have been keeping Peter Rabbit inside now for days.


I have been staying inside too keeping warm and stitching up my own storm :)
Raggedystitches,

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Fudge


I spent the morning making the most delicious fudge! (It only takes minutes to make!)
I really didn't expect it to come out this wonderful, but it did :)
It was very simple to make, just mixed the ingredients together and popped it in the
microwave. Then, let it set in the refrigerator for hours.
It is soooo delicious!
You can find the recipe on our recipe blog:

2 Stitchin Sisters Recipe Blog

Raggedystitches,

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The "Wishbone"


Our family has little traditions that we do over the years.
I believe this tradition was passed down from my dear Grandmother.
Anytime I cook a chicken or turkey, I make sure I save the wishbone.
I clean them off and let them dry on our windowsill in the kitchen.

When the time comes that I think we might need a wish or two...
We have the children break a wishbone with us. :)
It is something that is fun and we always like to see who will be the "winner" and who will have their wish maybe come true!

We have been doing this tradition for many many years now, since the children were little. I know they may think it silly that they are now older, but I know they would miss it if I stopped doing it!

I found some interesting information about this little tradition of the "wishbone breaking" and thought I would share it with you!


The Wishbone is to bring good luck to the person who comes away with the largest piece of bone in a little tug of war for two. For anyone unfamiliar with this tradition, each person takes hold of one end of the turkey's double-pronged clavicle. They pull until it breaks. The winner gets a wish.

There are several tricks that might help you win the contest.

*

Place your thumb higher up on your half of the wishbone and give a quick snap. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it doesn't.
*

Try using just your first finger alone, or your the first finger and thumb to exert a little extra pressure.

All this competition began at least 2,400 years ago with the Etruscans who lived on the Italian peninsula. The Etruscans believed fowl were fortune tellers because the hen announced she would be laying an egg with a squawk and the rooster told of the coming of a new day with his early morning crowing. A circle was drawn in the dirt and divided into twenty wedges that represented the twenty letters in the Etruscan alphabet. A piece of grain would be placed in each wedge. A hen would then be allowed to peck at the grain. As she ate, a scribe would list the letters in order and those letters would be interpreted by the high priests to answer questions.

When one of these chickens was killed, its collarbone was considered sacred and left under the hot sun to dry. Anyone was permitted to stroke an unbroken bone and make a wish, thus, the name wishbone. The Romans took many of the Etruscan customs as their own and since everyone wanted good fortune, they fought over the bones, breaking them.

It is said that the phrases "I need a lucky break" or "I never get a break" come from being the loser in this tug of chicken bone contest.

The English heard of this superstition from the Romans and called their wishbones merry thoughts after the merry or happy wishes that most people desired. When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock in the New World, they brought along the custom of breaking the wishbone. When they discovered the northeastern woods of North America were filled with turkeys, they changed their custom from the chicken bone to the turkey bone.

Every time you have the privilege of breaking the wishbone or witnessing someone else doing it, just remember that's how they did it way back when.

Raggedystitches,

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

WIP ~ "The Angels Sang"~




My present WIP is a design by LHN. It is called "The Angels Sang"
I am stitching this with DMC threads on 28 count evenweave, color "Khaki".
I fell in love with this design the moment I saw it. I am really hoping I can get it done in time for Christmas!
I am using my Q-snaps and my trusty little gadget The "Help-N-Hand" chart holder.
I have had this gadget for years now and cannot stitch without it! It holds my chart onto my Q-snap and makes stitching so much easier.
I know that Nordic Needle sells this item, and you can see it here:

Help-N-Hand

I also like to use the Help-N-Hand while I am on long road trips (when I am not driving of course!) ;) Makes stitching in the car easier too!


I have decided that I am going to spend this wonderful day stitching.
Raggedystitches,

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Christmas Music



I have been listening to some really beautiful Christmas music.
One of my favorite songs is "Christmas Canon Rock" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
If you haven't heard it yet, you really need to listen to this wonderful Orchestra, they are truly amazing!

I was out at the mall last night with my son.
I was doing a little bit of Christmas shopping and decided to go into the book store.
Of course my feet took me over to the craft/stitching magazines!
I browsed through some of them, but didn't really see anything that caught my eye.
There was one magazine with a plastic covering on it, so I couldn't see what was inside. I wished that I could have..might have been some designs I may have wanted.

I started speaking to a woman next to me, I wish that I had remembered her name.
She was so sweet and kind. We chatted a little bit about crochet and cross stitch.
It is so much fun to meet new people. I had given her my blog address..hope she visits, **waving hello!***

It won't be long and it will be time to make my Christmas cookies!
I cannot wait :) I am sure I will be making some gingerbread men too.
I love this festive time of year!

Raggedystitches,

Every Opening Flower

A new start! Every Opening Flower designed by Brenda Gervais. I am stitching this on 32 count cream Belfast Linen with called for overdyed a...