Wishing you

 a magical Christmas

God bless.

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An amazing card

Card maker Brenda sent me another handmade card that will be part of Christmas decorations for many years to come.  Beautiful!  Isn't it great?  

This looks quite complicated, yet perfectly constructed.

Thank you Brenda!

This is my handmade card, ashamed to be in the same post.

I couldn't find the wallet style cards for gift cards less than 3.99 (waited too long and others are gone).  I took basic card stock, cut it in half at 5.5", then folded for a perfect size to hold the gift cards (and their packaging).  Typed and printed a greeting ( ran out of stickers), tore the edges, glued to the front ,,,,, done.  Envelopes are the basic note card size found in craft stores.  I could have glued all the edges shut and sealed the card inside.

About that lekvar and prune filling.  We made pierogis with that filling along with baked goods.  The stores here all have it along with apricot, berry, and poppy.  The containers are set out at holidays and filled from the store's bakery.  They must purchase large quantities and package for customer's home baking needs.  As the older community passes, less and less is offered since the younger community doesn't bake as much.

Please keep hand sanitizer in your car and be careful.  The flu is spreading wide like the pattern on my leggings.

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Mom's nutroll

Requested by Lisa B

Dough

1/2  cup of milk warmed to 105 - 110 with 1/2 tsp sugar

1 fresh yeast cake (2 oz) finely crumbled

Add crumbled cake to warmed milk, wait for yeast to proof and expand

If using dry yeast instead, add 3 packs (not quick rise) to the warm milk/sugar

Combine -

4 Tbsp sugar (I use 5)

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

1 cup very soft butter

Add  -

6 cups of flour

Easier to blend in butter using hands (I wear latex or nitrile gloves for mixing&kneading

Once blended, knead for 7 minutes

Add to bowl, cover loosely, let rise till doubled

Divide into six, keep covered as each piece is worked

Roll on lightly floured surface into rectangle

Spread 1 cup of nut mixture evenly, leave edge clean to seal, roll, pinch edges shut

Put two on cookie sheet, cover, let rise one hour, bake 350 for 30 minutes

Brush with milk when out of oven

Nut filling

1/4  cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar ( 1 use 1 3/4)

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp honey

Heat the above mixture to blend and melt sugar, then add  ...

2 pounds walnuts, (8 cups whole/pieces), ground fine

Stir to combine 

I add 2 Tbsp maple syrup or omit honey and use 4 Tbsp but not in mom's original

 

Making another batch, this time two will be poppy seed.  Used to make from scratch but buy Solo canned filling now.   

Bolbalki!!!

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Tootsie's new husband

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The project I didn't expect to love this much

This one.  I love it!

OK.  Truth time.

I am having a difficult time.  Crying a lot.  To others I'm just making a face since it's twisted and no tears come.  I just can't stop thinking of bygone days ... my mom, my aunts, my sis, the gatherings.  The regrets.  Things I should have done.  I know this is normal, many experience this especially during holidays.  

My doctor has not updated me on my lung, it's tricky and he needed to speak with a few surgeons.  Still waiting.

Enough.

I want to mention an item that I am planning to order, thought it may interest you too.  I've been looking for a magnetic knife holder and still haven't found one that holds the knives straight.  Mine eventually slide down or sideways.  Then I realized what a great tool for my sewing room this would be.  A short one on wall above ironing board, another next to sewing machine or on cabinet.  Various scissors, the letter opener I use to poke corners, hemostats, sewing gauges, metal clip to hold pattern. 

 

A few of these bars also have a rod for adjustable hooks, hang a pouch of wonder clips, bag of candy, spray bottle, extra glasses, glue stick.  What do you think?

 

Smallest is 10", should be enough, maybe 12".  Keeping my scissors handy will be a great help along with other tools always misplaced.

 'Ya think?

First batch done.

Last weekend before Christmas.

Loads of sick people here!  Be careful.

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If I had any hair left

I would be ripping it out.

What a disaster.

I applied fat pom trim to my finish and it was perfect.  Until the end.  The poms are also the band's top.  Cut an end and the bump bombs.  Gluing before cutting was no help, the material pulls out when touching the glue to it.  Over and over and over.

Tried piecing the affected areas.  The same.  By now, glue is dried on the other three sides.  On the last attempt to add a touch of Tacky to the end pom with a needle, it stuck to the needle and pulled away, raveling ensued on the already glued trim.

This is an example of what happened.

So this tiny remnant of the pom trim, sort of ruffled looking, remained glued.

Not as nice as the original pom, and I haven't decided if I will keep, wet and remove the trim, or make another attempt.  Thinking ... let it be.

The backing fabric is perfect for this finish.  

Good grief.  What a fiasco.  I want to sit and enjoy a snack and soda right now.  But with my lack of saliva ... no chips, Doritos, crackers, pretzels.  Out of ice cream, which is so soothing.  But I'm piggy with no control and it doesn't last long.

Staying home tomorrow (friday).  Making nutrolls.

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