Friday, October 1, 2010

Friends and Cookies

Good afternoon, dear friends!

The first day of October….aaaaaaahhhhh!  My favorite time of the year…I love the fall and all it brings…such a beautiful time filled with holidays, cozy, candlelit homes, friends & family.

Just a few things to share with you today…

I made a couple of cards yesterday just to have on hand when needed…you never know when a friend might need a little something, do you?

First:

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I love this beautiful collage image from Crafty Secrets’ new “Little Blessings” Creative Scraps…

Little Blessings

…so many sweet & inspirational images in this set…

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…and look at this gorgeous vintage button that was in a collection I bought a while back…such gorgeous detail!

Next:

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Another image from the “Little Blessings” Creative Scraps…this one reminded me so much of cards and images I had in books when I was a little girl…so sweet!

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…just a touch of sparkle on water and roses with Dazzling Diamonds…a bit of framing with platinum Stickles…some lace, ribbon and paper roses…I love to deepen their color & glitz them up with a little “Cherub Pink” Glimmer Mist…

Now, when a friend needs cheering up, what better to take along with a card than some amazing cookies???  These are just the ones to do the trick, my friends—perfect for the first day of Autumn!

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Soft Maple Sugar Cookies!  Oh, my!  These were gone in a flash, I have to tell you!  We love real maple at our house, and these couldn’t have been more mapley delicious!

Here’s the recipe, found in the new Better Homes and Gardens “Christmas Cookies” magazine—I wait for this so very excitedly each & every year"!

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Soft Maple Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup (no Aunt Jemima stuff, now!  Only the real thing, ladies!  Also—I added a bit more—wanted to be sure it was good and mapley!)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/8 tsp. salt

3 egg yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening.  Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough in to 1-inch balls.  Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes (I did 12) or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes (they’re super soft right out of the oven!) Transfer to a wire rack; cool.  (Centers will dip as cookies cool.)  Drizzle with Maple Icing.  Makes about 48 cookies.

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Maple Icing

In a medium bowl, stir together 1/4 cup whipping cream or milk, 1/4 cup melted butter, and 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup.  Whisk in 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar to make an icing of drizzling consistency.

Enjoy!

Well, that’s it for me today…off to finish working on my family album, which I’ll share next time…

Happy Fall!

Julie

21 comments:

  1. Hi Julie!
    Your cards are beautiful...as always! The little bluebird in the birdbath is so darling! I just love the way the glitter adds SO MUCH to the charm of the picture!

    Thanks too for the maple cookie recipe...I can't wait to try them out! LOVE!

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  2. Those cookies look amazing, Julie. I'll have to give that recipe a try.

    Have a lovely weekend.
    xo
    ~Molly

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  3. Beautiful cards, it would be so nice to receieve one of these handmade ones. The cookies look yummy, I might have to try this receipe.
    ann

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  4. Beautiful cards Julie!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Hugs Hanne

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  5. Your cards are beautiful Julie. I always want to have cards on hand but it never fails, at the last minute I'm frantically whipping something up at my work table! The cookies look and sound positively yummy!
    I just had a chance to read your previous post. How blessed you are to have your great-grandmother's diaries...what a wonderful gift. Her story in her own words. Priceless!
    Hope you have a delightful fall weekend~
    Joyce

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  6. Julie,
    We love real maple syrup, too, and the recipe looks wonderful! I must try it. I love the card. That would cheer me up!

    Hugs,
    Suz

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  7. What a lovely cards..and new crafty secrets images..i love it...I love cookies to..hihi.

    Hugs,Willy

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  8. Julie, I was just thinking today how fun it would be to share favorite holiday cookie recipes by making our own recipe card and displaying it on our blogs on a particular day for everyone to visit and copy. Seeing your wonderful cookies today makes me think this would be a GREAT IDEA! You always inspire! Elizabeth

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  9. So much goodness here this morning Julie! Two beautiful cards and some fantastic looking cookies! Wow, those do look good and I have Maple Syrup in my fridge too. I love Elizabeth's idea about a holiday cookie card event! Sounds like fun! My dear friend I would love to get a card from you any time, and with cookies, well that friend that gets this extra special bit of love from you would be very lucky indeed! Have a fabulous weekend! You have gotten mine off to a sweet start! Love and hugs! xxoo

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  10. gorgeous cards! I always love the vintage details you add into your work. Thank you also for the delicious maple cookie recipe - yum! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  11. I can't wait to try those cookies, they sound divine!! :-) Thanks for sharing and enjoy your Fall weekend!

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  12. Tee hee...I just showed this post to my dearly beloved and he said "Where are these in real life? I could go there"...Sounds like I will be making these for him today - he LOVES maple syrup - so much so he has been known to drink it from a glass!.

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  13. Gorgeous cards AND cookies???!!!! You know how to keep me visiting!!! Hope you have a great weekend!!

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  14. Wow Julie! Friends are great, but friends with cookies? Even better! Wishing you a lovely weekend, my friend!

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  15. Ok...making a mental note here...Little Blessings is one of CS that i don't have...I will soooooon...love these images...I get soooo many compliments when I make cards using CS images...yours are beautiful...love the buttons and lace...

    C.O.O.K.I.E.S. look divine!!!

    ~victoria~

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  16. yummy my friend...both your cookis and your card! These cookies are at the top of my must try list.

    Fall hugs to you!!!

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  17. Oh yum! Can't wait make them and eat them!! Thanks so much Julie! Happy Fall to you too!:-)

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  18. Very beautiful..so creative! Love the cookies too..YUMMY! :D

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  19. Julie, I think these cards are some of the prettiest you have ever made! I love the rich colors and the images. So sweet. Thanks for the cookie recipe. You can never have enough good cookie recipes and I look forward to that magazine every year also. Have a nice Sunday! Twyla

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  20. Gorgeous-now I'm inspired and hungry!

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  21. These are such nummy cards--those CS images are beautifully inspiring and you've done them proud! I'd buy this set just for that sweet little ♥bluebird♥! Lovely work!

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