Very Merry Cookie Wreath

At one point early this morning whilst up with my sick 3 month old baby. I started thinking about how it is time to do our Christmas Caroling. See every year we make goodies for friends and go out Christmas Caroling. We always did this when I was growing up with my family. In fact we did it every year until I was married. So naturally I would want to carry this tradition on with my little family.

Well I got online to try and find something unique that we could hand out this year rather than the normal Handmade candies, Christmas Cookies, and Popcorn Balls. And I found this Very Merry Cookie Wreath on the Nestle verybestbaking.com website. Ding Dong we found a winner. So I am now going to make a trip to Costco this weekend to get frozen cookie dough and will be making these on Monday so that we can do some Carloing for FHE in the evening. Anyway here is the directions. If you make one I would love to know how yours turns out!

Ingredients
•1 package (16.5 oz.) NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough

•1 container (16 oz.) prepared vanilla frosting

•Green food coloring

•14- x 17-inch piece of cardboard for base, covered in foil or parchment paper or large flat platter

•NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Morsels (such as Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, Premier White)

•Assorted NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Holiday Candies (WONKA® Gobstoppers Snowballs, NERDS® OR SPREE®)

•Decorator sprinkles, candies and sugars

•20-inch strip of strawberry fruit-flavored snack in 3-foot rolls

Directions
PREPARE cookies following package directions. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

COMBINE frosting and food coloring in small bowl to shade of green desired.

SPREAD heaping teaspoons of frosting on flat sides of cookies.

ARRANGE 15 cookies on the base or platter in a 12-inch circle to form outer ring of wreath.

ARRANGE 12 cookies inside the outer ring of cookies, forming inside ring of wreath. Adhered cookies can be moved to create more space.

ARRANGE remaining 13 cookies on base ring for a second layer.

DECORATE with remaining frosting, morsels, candies, sprinkles and sugars as desired. Attach bow to top of wreath.

TO MAKE BOW:
CUT four 5-inch strips from fruit snack roll. Peel off paper baking. Cut a small “V” on end of two strips. Form loops with remaining two strips; pinch ends together. Place loops on top of strips. Pinch all together to make bow!

Snowmen Handprint Ornament

found the idea here... i painted nathans hand white and pressed against the side of an ornament. painted each finger to look like a snowman and attached the following poem...

these aren't just five snowman, as anyone can see.

they're made from my handprint, which is a part of me.

now each year when you trim the tree, you'll look back and recall

christmas of 2009, when my hand was just this small.

Christmas wreath

Check out this adorable wreath. It was so easy to make. I still havnt put the finishing touches on but you get the idea. I just took a wire hanger apart and strung christmas bulbs on it then closed it back up. So easy. The wreath in the tutorial is way cuter than mine so check it out.
http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2008/12/no-wire-hangers-well-maybe-just-one.html

Wooden Baby Block Picture Ornament

i don't remember where i saw this idea, so i can't link to it. but if anyone knows, please share so i can give credit where credits due! this idea is great, easy, fast and inexpensive. you probably have the supplies sitting around your house right now! i did, and i probably have enough to make HUNDREDS of these! they're wooden baby block picture ornaments.

supplies:

mod podge

scrapbook paper

wooden baby block (i got the whole alphabet in 1 box at the dollar tree)

hammer and nail (optional, depends if you have muscles)

screw eyes (CHEAP)

wallet size picture of your baby :)

sandpaper and ribbon (not included in picture, sorry)

step 1: depending on how many sides you want to cover, you need to cut that many pieces of scrapbook paper. so trace your block onto the paper, and cut it out. also cut your childs picture to the size you want it.

like so...

step 2: using the mod podge, apply a thin layer to whatever sides you're cover and place your scrapbook paper on it. it doesn't matter if your measurements aren't exact. you'll be getting rid of the excess during the next step.

mod podge your picture on too

step 3: using sandpaper, gently sand all the corners. this will even up any larger squares of scrapbook paper

step 4: apply another layer of modge podge to all sides of the block to seal everything on

step 5: once modge podge has dried (few minutes), use a nail to make the hole where you want to put your screw eye.

step 6: pull out the nail and replace with the screw eye

step 7: string ribbon through the eye and tada... you're all done! ready to adorn the tree!

*OPTIONAL* i believe the blog i saw this on also used diamond glaze on the side of the block with the picture. it gave that side of the block a clear glass type finish. i have NEVER found diamond glaze at any craft store! they advertise the product on there websites, but everytime i go to purchase it, its never there! and i check EVERYTIME i go. but anyways, that's an option.

Salt Dough Christmas Decorations

These are way fun with the children!

What you will need:

1/2 cup Salt

1 cup Flour

1/2 cup Water

How to make it:

1. Preheat over to 250 degrees F
   
2. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until dough is formed
3. Knead dough on floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone, DO NOT ass too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.
4. Roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick with a rolling pin which has been dusted with flour.
5. Use cookie cutters to cut out the shapes you want.
6. Use a toothpick to make a hole towards the top of the shape for the string to hang the decoration.
7. Place all shapes onto an ungreased cookie sheet and place into the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 2 hours.
9. Remove from over and cool completely.
10. Paint the decorations, sprinkle with glitter ow whatever you would like.
11. When paint is dry thread ribbon through the hole and hang on your tree.

LOVELY!