Holiday meanderings...

I hope everyone is having a wonderful December. We are still in a deep freeze here in Nebraska. Still have ugly snow that has been plowed up with the dirt and refuses to melt. But it's warm and cozy INside..

I've been so busy the past week, as I am sure all of you have been as well. But it's the best time of the year in spite of being comatose once my head hits the pillow at night. I just finished making a huge amount of coconut-butter creams. They are time intense but worth it. I don't dare even try one yet, because once I eat that first one, there is no turning back.

I have made chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, tea cakes, and I've decorated dozens of cookies...

My little hand towels even got finished...

And last night, Sophie and I had our second annual Gingerbread House decorate-off. :-)

Sophie absolutely LOVES doing anything creative, and she has always loved helping out in the kitchen, something my own girls never really enjoyed, but both turned out to be good cooks, despite.

She had more icing on her and candy in her tummy than ended up on the house, I think, so into the tub for a good dunking. She didn't have time to get her hair combed out before mom was here to pick her up..but she did a lovely job on her house. Sophie, I loved our evening together, even though you left ME with all the mess! :-)

I cannot remember where I got the idea, but I needed some votive holders and decided I didn't like spending $30 each for them, so I put my own together...two VERY inexpensive pieces.

I scrubbed off the labels with an eraser and then used alcohol to get rid of any residue.

Gotta have Super Glue...

They came out sparkly clean after washing and using alcohol...

Glue top to base...

Ta-Da! About $2 each, and you can use them for candies or anything.

I guess that's it for now. More baking to do..