I Need Christmas Recipes and Craft Ideas

[Dexter Morgan]

Every year at Christmas, I make scads of Christmas baked goods, candy,and cookies to give to friends. Each year, I try to make something different, to add to the stuff I do every year. I basically start out with..... cupcakes, dipped pretzels, cookies, and praline pecans every year. Last year, I tried my hand at Stained Glass cookies, those are cool, but they are a nightmare to make. I also made Ande's Mint sandwhich cookies, a good cookie, but very time consuming to make. Last week, I bought a bag of Ande's Mint Creme de Menthe  baking pieces. I think I'm gonna have fun with those.  There are many things to use those for. I've been kicking around the idea of pouring chocolates, but I don't know, if I'm going to have time. I've done that many times ,and it is VERY time consuming. If anybody has recipes to share, it may give me some ideas.

I also am looking for Christmas craft ideas. I need craft ideas that are made from candy/or cookies. Some things would be like things made with candy canes, small wrapped candies,and candies in tubes (like Life Savers etc.).

Another thing I need craft ideas for is pine cones, and nuts in the shell. I've got oodles of pine cones,and need some ideas.

If anybody has any ideas it would be greatly appreciated. 

[Sandy Eggo]

Dex, I have some to share with you, but I keep forgetting and I don't have time right now, but I'll try to remember tonight.

[kimmi]

I will ask around for the directions to this craft or you might be able to google it. I have seen younger grades take the round peppermint candies both red and white and green and white, put them on foil and bake them until they melt into a wreath.  So you need like 6 of the candies in a circle and I'm not sure the heat.  I would think it would need to be pretty high because it is candy.  Then when they cool, you can tie ribbon to it and hand them on the tree. 

Dex I can see you doing the pinecones with peanut butter and bird seed.  That would be right up your alley!  They make nice winter bird feeders.

[Dexter Morgan]

Dex, I have some to share with you, but I keep forgetting and I don't have time right now, but I'll try to remember tonight.

Okay 

[Dexter Morgan]

I will ask around for the directions to this craft or you might be able to google it. I have seen younger grades take the round peppermint candies both red and white and green and white, put them on foil and bake them until they melt into a wreath.  So you need like 6 of the candies in a circle and I'm not sure the heat.  I would think it would need to be pretty high because it is candy.  Then when they cool, you can tie ribbon to it and hand them on the tree. 

Dex I can see you doing the pinecones with peanut butter and bird seed.  That would be right up your alley!  They make nice winter bird feeders.

That wreath ornament sounds neat Kimmi. I never thought about peanut butter pine cones, that is sooo cool. 

[Gryphon]

Heres a few ideas:

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/wtf-are-these/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/white-trash-craftspart-2discarded-cd-ideas/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/

[Sandy Eggo]

One of the crafts that we made one year which was a huge hit is a potpourri burner of sorts. You start with a clear glass vase, similar to this one:



Put the lights in the vase so that the plug in hangs out about a foot? No lights are outside the vase. Then fill it w/potpourri (any color but we used red and green for Christmas) and gently stir it up so that the lights and potpourri is intertwined. Take a small doily. You can buy the nice crocheted ones at Walmart or a craft store really cheap to cover the top of the vase. Secure it w/a decorative ribbon tied in a bow. It looks really pretty when it's finished and plugged in. Plus, it smells great. When the potpourri's smell fades, just change it, but it lasts for a long time this way.

All of the parts of this craft can be found fairly cheap just about anywhere. I went to a little more expense for the potpourri because I wanted it to smell nice.

[Dexter Morgan]

Heres a few ideas:

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/wtf-are-these/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/white-trash-craftspart-2discarded-cd-ideas/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/

  LMAO!!!! Where the hell did you come up with those links?   

[Dexter Morgan]

Heres a few ideas:

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/wtf-are-these/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/white-trash-craftspart-2discarded-cd-ideas/

http://trailerparkbarbie.wordpress.com/2007/11/29/

[Dexter Morgan]

One of the crafts that we made one year which was a huge hit is a potpourri burner of sorts. You start with a clear glass vase, similar to this one:



Put the lights in the vase so that the plug in hangs out about a foot? No lights are outside the vase. Then fill it w/potpourri (any color but we used red and green for Christmas) and gently stir it up so that the lights and potpourri is intertwined. Take a small doily. You can buy the nice crocheted ones at Walmart or a craft store really cheap to cover the top of the vase. Secure it w/a decorative ribbon tied in a bow. It looks really pretty when it's finished and plugged in. Plus, it smells great. When the potpourri's smell fades, just change it, but it lasts for a long time this way.

All of the parts of this craft can be found fairly cheap just about anywhere. I went to a little more expense for the potpourri because I wanted it to smell nice.

I bet that would smell great. I might try that. 

[Gryphon]

    LMAO!!!! Where the hell did you come up with those links?   

my aunt has em on her blog!!

[Dexter Morgan]

my aunt has em on her blog!!

Too funny. 

[tallulahdahling]

I have the absolute BEST fruitcake recipe using eggnog.  It turns out light and fluffy and you can soak it in rum! 

I like to make little individual cakes and give them as presents.

If you're interested in the recipe I'll dig it out.

[Dexter Morgan]

I have the absolute BEST fruitcake recipe using eggnog.  It turns out light and fluffy and you can soak it in rum! 

I like to make little individual cakes and give them as presents.

If you're interested in the recipe I'll dig it out.

Sounds good T. 

[Sandy Eggo]

Two things I love, fruitcake and eggnog.   Not really. Although I've had fruitcake that was really tasty, but never eggnog that got very far past my lips.

I thought of this one for your pine cones Dex. Kids did this one, but I bet you could spruce it up and make a nice holiday decoration for an adult.

You need a large, tree shaped pine cone, glitter, cotton balls or that snowy looking felt, dental floss and a needle, glue (Elmer's is fine), small beads and a small bow or star.

Glue a few cotton balls or felt to the bottom of the pine cone to make it look like snow and it helps the "tree" stand up. You could probably get fancier w/felt and maybe wrapping paper and make it look like a tree skirt.

Put a little dab of glue at the tips of the pine cone and then sprinkle on glitter. We got some of the "white shavings" instead and that looked pretty cool.


You can string the small beads w/the dental floss or you can buy a strand of small holiday beads and use those, then wrap the beads around the pine cone and glue them to the tree.

Use your small bow or star to top off the tree. I bet there's a way to get creative w/that too.