Merry Christmastime!
It's been a hectic time of year for all of us! I am just as guilty as everyone of rushing around since Thanksgiving doing the shopping, crafting, cleaning, decorating, wrapping things. Unfortunately, we've also had a few sad events sandwiched in there like family funerals, illnesses and mishaps. I'm glad we're all making it to the holidays intact.



I am marathon baking right now. These are some of my Hubby's favorites. The Bohemian Crescent cookies. I just got done with 5 dozen of those little buggers.
Quite a bit of work with all the hand shaping and powdering them twice with confectioner's sugar... But, they're FABULOUS. So, here's the recipe. ENJOY!

BOHEMIAN CRESCENT COOKIES
2 C softened butter
1 C confectioner's sugar
2 tsp real vanilla extract
4 C flour
(More confectioner's sugar to taste- to pat on the cookies. But of course, the more the merrier!)

Cream butter. Add sugar, vanilla and flour. Cover bowl and chill dough for 30 minutes. Pinch off small rounds of dough (about 1 inch balls.) Dip fingers into flour and shape dough into small crescents. Flatten out slightly. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes until bottom edge is just beginning to golden. Remove to cooling racks. Pat entire cookie with confectioner's sugar once while warm, and again when cooled.

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Meanwhile, I also made some faux cutout cookies and had them in the shop in town. They were so cute! I did them up on little plates with a doily.



They were made from clay, frosted, decorated and will last forever! No calories at all!!! LOL



They have fooled more than one unsuspecting friend. We gave some to the boys' teachers, and Mom and Kayla are getting some too. Shhhh, don't tell!



They look really cute on my antique breadboard with a fly screen over top. Also on my little stand over by the hoosier. Those faux cupcakes are ones I made last year. The whole thing looks super cute!





I am trying to get the rest of the baking done today, then frosting tomorrow. Going over to Mom's to wrap all the boys' gifts later on tonight. Best to do it out of the house entirely for NO PEEKING!

So a few more packages to wrap, a few cookies to frost, then I'm ready. Bring on the Christmas CHEER!

Of course, my presents for Mom and Kayla are the ones I most want to look extra special. I wrap those first, before I run out of steam and just start slapping sticky bows on everything! LOL

Here are a few of their gifts... I went with a fuschia and green thing this year for the gals. Found some awesome paper. I always tie a little frippery or ornament on the packages, too. And real ribbon on most of them.



Here is one gift that I made for Kayla. She is always searching for a notecard frantically. "I never have any cute notecards." she'll say. I wanted to solve that for her! I searched around for lots of adorable note cards, tied each variety up with fancy yarns and ribbons, stuck them all in an adorable lined basket and then frou-frou'd it up a bit with her initial. I sure hope she likes it :)



It was really fun finding her some funky, fresh cards and putting the whole thing together. She'll never be at a loss again when it's time to dash off a quick Thank-You or How-Do-You-Do! Cute pens tucked in alongside, and she's all set.

Perhaps I'll share another cookie recipe if I have time inbetween frosting :)
Happy Holidays to all!