Magnolia Christmas Calendar Shutter No 8

Hello, welcome to Magnolia’s annual Christmas Calendar hosted by the Design Team.
I am sure you are already inspired by all the wonderful creations the girls and Alberto came up with in the past few days. Weren’t they all stunning???!!

We crafters like the idea of something handmade to give to our neighbors, teachers, friends and family for Christmas, that’s why we love so much or card making hobby and we spent a fair amount of time and money pursuing the addiction awh.. I meant the hobby . I also know that many of you like to bake, especially during this time of the year. I can only imagine what kinds of different cookies you all have made this year. Well, here is an idea to combine both… crafting and giving your baked goods the deserved, ready to be gifted wrapping.

Altered tins are always great to give, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and you can get them for free if you can reuse some from you’re your foods you have purchased already or even from your Prima flowers. I got this container at a while back Michaels for about 50 cents in the clearance section. It has an nice big size and I thought it was perfect to give some homemade cookies away or even add some gifts as stamps, dies or flowers ect. I usually purchase those kind of things throughout the year and store in my closet to alter as I need them.

When you alter a tin, it is nice to create a band around the tin first, mine is not very wide as you can see, next I build up the area with plastic snowflakes and a paper doily where I am going to be able to glue down my flowers and other embellishments without smudging the acetate or run into the problem that the band would not slide off the tin after I am finished. Keep in mind that if the tin is used for food, that you can wash it out after you altered it with your decorations. (speaking of ribbons added around your tin or papers)

Anyways… you know how this works leave me a comment on my Magnolia only blog here  and I will draw a winner for a “yummy” Magnolia candy. It will be shipped to your home with warm Christmas wishes by Magnolia Rubberstamps in the next days!

And if you like… have a look at cookie recipe I post at the bottom of this posting – it is my families favorite for this year.. I think I have made already 4 batches so far – more coming up this weekend.

I would like to thank you in the name of Magnolia for your business this year! Stay tuned for more exciting and cute releases in 2013, you will be able to find the entire line as papers and dies and and and that goes along with each new release at Sir Stampalot. Your destination for all your Magnolia needs!

Stamps: Tilda with cookie tray
Sentiment: Crafty Sentiment Designs – those circle ones are just sooo cute! Thank you Suzette!
Dies: Magnolia Tag, Magnolia swirl
Embellishments: plastic snowflakes, paper doily cookie tin – Paula Deen (Hobby Supply store), Gingham ribbon,

My favorite 2012 Christmas Cookie Recipe:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.

Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonful between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)

have a bowl ready with remaining cinnamon sugar and add your cookies into the bowl to cover them with the powder sugar, remove and serve.