Family Cookie Recipe

I thought I'd share with you my family's favorite cookie recipe. This was my great-grandmother Eleanor's recipe for sugar cookies. They've since come to be called "Nonie Cookies" since she was "Grandma Nonie." It is a classic cookie recipe, enjoyed all year long. I like them a little thick, while my Mom likes them thin and crispy. See what you think. Sorry I don't have a picture of these yet. I promised I'd wait for my daughter to make these!


NONIE COOKIES

Mix together 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar and a dash of freshly ground nutmeg. Make a well in the center and add 1 cup shortening, 1 egg, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Mix well.

Roll half the dough on a floured cloth or board. Sprinkle with sugar and roll it in gently. Cut with your favorite cookie cutters. Bake at 350° until lightly brown. Roll and cut remaining dough. You can use colored sugars if desired.

Hear Ye....Hear Ye - It's time to finish your shopping!

Stop by the Cleveland Handmade Last Minute Market on Saturday, December 20th. Click the logo for directions and details.

And the Winner Is.....

A big thank you to all that participated in my first Blog Giveaway! I enjoyed reading all of the destressing suggestions and although I haven't yet, I will be taking them into consideration soon...I promise!
Each entry was assigned a number 1 - 20. The numbers were put in a bowl and mixed up. And the winning number, picked at random is.... #6 which is Theresa from TiLTcreations! I'll be contacting you, TiLT, and your new, vintage Christmas apron will be on its way to you shortly!
Thanks again everyone!

Stop by and visit TiLTcreations shop.

Friday Finds....Here Kitty Kitty

My freaky cat, Magic, is loving the Christmas tree. Every time I try to get her picture she takes off. I'll get it at some point. Wait until I set up the train. She'll really love that.
Here are some fun finds from the EtsyBloggers Street Team.
Top left: ACEO Aqua and Red Cats Original Painting from JenniferHayesArt
Top right: Original 5x7 Photo Sebastian 1 from donnapool
Bottom left: Tres Kitties -Blue and White Porcelain and Pewter Beaded Bracelet from beadedtail
Bottom right: Pure Style. LE ACEO, orange cat on blue and brown background from PurrPrints

Mojo says Merry Christmas!

Handmade for the Holidays

Handmade for the Holidays
A selection of gifts from Cleveland Handmade. Search "ClevelandTeam" on Etsy for more festive gifts of the season!

Oooh Angora!!

Angora is one of my Favorite Fibers! So luxuriously soft and cruelty-free, what could be better? Snow White Headband/Ear Warmers/Neck Cowl now available in my Etsy shop!

Do the Peppermint Twist

I made this pillow a few years ago and it never sold at local shows. I want to make another one now that I'm a little better at what I do. I'll be able to change colors and not have the colors show through. I'll also try to design it so that I can remove the cover to wash it. It was pretty for a first try design and it's now adorning my futon : )

Snowy Saturday

Yay! It's snowing! Time to snuggle up and do some online shopping!
Stop by and browse my Etsy boutique. I'm offering a Free Gift with every purchase!

Giada, Giada, Giada!!

(photo from Food Network)

Anyone who signed up for Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies Newsletter must be pretty disappointed in today's recipe. I know I am. Giada De Laurentiis provided a recipe for Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies that actually calls for a tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough. Blech! Pillsbury must be a sponsor because a coupon pops up when you put your mouse over it. I'm sorry, but I expect more of such a "foodie" site. I know how to boil water too.

The EtsyBloggers Team Blog Carnival topic is Brownies! Now that I can do. December 8th is National Brownie Day. I've been making my Grandmother's recipe for years. I allowed my daughter to tweak it a little this last time by substituting some peanut butter for some of the shortening. It worked and they liked them, but I like the recipe as written.


Easy "Scratch" Brownies
Beat together 1/2 cup shortening and 1 cup of sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 2 eggs and mix well. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix together these dry ingredients then add to the egg mixture... 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 4 tablespoons cocoa powder (more if you want them really chocolatey). Mix well, add a little milk if you've added extra cocoa, or if the batter is too stiff. Add chopped nuts if desired.
Bake in a greased 8" square pan at 350° for approximately 30 minutes (longer if not done in the middle). Test with a toothpick to see if they're done. Bake as for a cake, not the traditional gooey brownie mix type. When cool, dust with powdered sugar.

Twitter

I heard people talking about Twitter, but I avoided going there for a long time. With there being so many social-networking sites and trying to keep up with inventory, Etsy, shows, and every day life, I didn't think I had the time to Twitter. I joined several months ago, and I'm really glad that I did. Because you're limited to 140 characters or less, it's kind of like blogging and texting combined. Yes, there are those that only use it to promote, but I like to chat with friends, see what everyone is up to in different parts of the world, and I do occasionally show a new design or promote a team event. You can do a Twitter search to find people that might share the same interests or location as you. One word of caution, and something that I heard on the news a few weeks ago, is to be careful posting exactly where you'll be and when. You never know.
Have fun Twittering...and click here to follow me.

Have you been to the Virtual Labs?

If you haven't been to Etsy's Virtual Labs, now is your chance. The Virtual Labs are a really cool place to have a lot of fun. Starting on Wednesday, December 3rd, Etsy is hosting an online shopping event like never before. Several big-time magazine and blog gurus will be sharing their Etsy favorites just in time for holiday gift-giving! And, first up to kick-off the festivities is Brett Bara, editor-in-chief of "Crochet Today" magazine! Stop by the tree house at the virtual labs at 7 pm EST on Wednesday, December 3rd. (Get there early so you can get a seat and take a quick tour.) Be there or be square! (get it?? square - as in granny ; )

Upcoming events and special shoppers include BURDA STYLE, WIRED MAGAZINE, EXTREMECRAFT, AMERICAN CRAFT COUNCIL, BROWNSTONER, TEEN VOGUE, and LUCKY MAGAZINE!! Visit The Storque on Etsy for a complete schedule.

Need a Little Christmas?

I'm having a hard time getting in the Christmas spirit. Normally I would be cleaning and decorating, feeling the peacefulness of the snow fall, and be prematurely excited over the coming holiday. So far this year it has been quite stressful. It's difficult for me to relax with my husband being laid-off. I'm afraid to go shopping in case I need the money for bills or groceries.
My kids are wonderful. They bring so much joy to our lives. I love working, which for me is knitting and crocheting. That takes my mind off of things for awhile, but I need to find something else to help me destress. I may dig out my yoga mat later. There's too much ice on the trail for a good run. Maybe Santa will bring me a treadmill some day? Exercise usually helps, as long as I am consistent at it.

So, how about a little Blog Therapy?? And a BLOG GIVEAWAY!!?!
I've never done a blog giveaway, but I have this cool vintage Christmas apron that I showed you in an earlier post. I'm not promoting my shop or asking you to tell me what your favorite item is, or anything like that.

To enter to win this lovely vintage Christmas apron, please give me your advice on the best ways to destress. Leave a comment on this blog and be sure that your comment links back to your blog, or give me a way to contact you if you win. I will pick a winner at random from all the entries on this post on Saturday, December 13th. Thanks for entering...and be sure to tell all your friends to stop by and enter too. And thanks for the blog therapy!