Check another item off the holiday list, hand surgery!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday, our Christmas is put away, due to the fact of surgery 2 days ago. Ok, the bandages are off, as of this morning, I am wearing a bandaid and brace, (not pictured) and am exercising my fingers by blogging! Can't do much else, but I am catching up on my Google Reader!

Christmas is a fond memory, the family party went well, excepting the major gastritis attack following cleanup, I lost 6 lbs in 8 hours! Not exactly a smart way to diet, I checked to be sure no one else had any bad experiences. None reported, so it was definately my own delicate constitution. I have sworn off sweets and baked goods, and if I never eat sausages again, I will be fine. My Banket recipe was tried by a few, and most said they liked it! I will include it below, for any curious lurkers...

Well we have had 3 babies born into our family this past month, one girl, Zora for my side of the family, and 2 baby boys, on hubby's side born a week apart,


Jack and Andrew. I am glad I started making baby blankets and taggies etc. I have a nice stash of baby gifts as they are needed.

A busy but happy time, though quiet around our house, hope the New Year we ring in tonight brings with it lots more biz opportunities for us all. Here is the Banket Recipe, as written by my mom for a cook book in the 70's, "Christmas is a Warm Cookie", The Children's Board of Lakewood Hospsital, Lakewood Ohio 1979

Banket - Dutch Almond Pastry

as it comes out of the oven
and arranged into an initial, M

Crust
1 C Butter
1C Margarine
4 c flour

1 C ice water

Filling
1lb. almond paste (found in a can)
2 c sugar
3eggs
1t lemon extract
1/2 t almond extract

1 beaten egg
2T milk

Crust: cut butter and margarine into flour; add ice water till it makes a soft dough. Roll up into 4 balls and wrap individually in waxed paper. Chill overnight.

Filling: Put all filling ingredients in a mixer bowl and beat till smooth. Chill overnight.

Roll each ball on a floured board to about 8x13". Cut lengthwise into 2 equal strips. Divide filling into 8 parts. Make a cylinder of each part and place down the center of each strip of dough. Fold over the ends, and then the long sides, moistening 1 side to seal, before pressing closed. Place with seam down on greased cookie sheet. Brush top with mixture of beaten egg and milk. Bake at 425; 10 minutes. Prick holes on top for air and return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes then loosen from cookie sheet.

When ready to serve, cut in 1" slices. Yield: 7-8 dozen.

Best to keep in freezer if not serving with a day or two.

Watch for giveways soon!

Christmas Cards are done and gone!

Here is my Christmas Card this year, saved money and bought the cards at half price, the pics I created with Publisher, and took to a drug store to reproduce. I wrote a newsletter on a half sheet to explain the pics. You need a magnifiying glass, but that is ok, you see less gray hair and wrinkles right? A week and counting, hope to blog again before Christmas. There should be some good stories by then!

On to the next item on the list, the family Christmas Party! Hubby and I are the hosts, as it cycles around his 5 brothers every year. Pictured here is most of the family, none of the babies made this event. Our extended family is too big to host at home, so we are meeting in a city park cabin, with kitchenette, fireplaces and tvs. We can watch the game, eat and visit and let the kids and babies roam the large space, and not worry about the breakables! It is so nice that we can still get together, all but one brother live in town, and with all of our kids having their babies, it is important to keep the traditions. I chose a menu based on my Dutch heritage and hubbies Irish heritage. So of course we are having sausages, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. I am making a Dutch Christmas treat, Banket, which is a pastry with almond filling. My sis calls it Dutch Twinkies, but it is way richer and after eating alot as a kid, not something I seek out. We make it in the shape of the person's initial. We also give chocolate in initials, if we can get to the import store. Should be alot of fun!

One more Cleveland Team Show tomorrow night, got to finish a few more items, and hopefully get them up on the etsy site. I get to rest my hands after Christmas, as I am having carpel tunnel surgery on my right hand, a few days after Christmas and eventually my left. I have worn them out over the years, playing piano, sewing, tennis, sports, saxophone, of course typing on the computer...I will be glad to end the pain and numbness. Anyone out there in craftland have this surgery, what should I expect? I will be anxious to learn more, so far most people say it is worth it. I will hate not being able to work with my hands, but maybe I"ll get a few more years out of them?

Holiday Show

Holiday Open House, in Bay Village, details here: some of my friends from It Takes A Village and others:
CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSESaturday, December 6th 10am-3pmFeaturing the following artists:
Premier Designs Jewelry
Winsome Expressions
Pauline’s Fine Chocolates
Jane Godfray & Peggy Joyce
Scottie Boy Knits
“The 4Rs” - Recycle, Repurpose, Renew and Redo
Pure Imagination*
Shop for unique, affordable gifts in the comfort of our holiday
home with friends! Holiday goodies too!
Pic from Y Craft Show
Premier Designs Jewelry features affordable, high fashion designs with a lifetime guarantee.
Winsome Expressions creates beautiful, one-of-a kind clothing that is reasonable for 18” dolls.
Pauline’s Fine Chocolates—custom design your own box of delicious chocolates.
Jane and Peggy are known for their creative beaded items and gifts.
Scottie Boy Knits by Nancy Popovich—fabulous hand-knitted scarves and mobius.
The 4Rs feature hostess, baby and child gifts, vintage and upcycled, and collage desk setsPure Imagination featuring custom jean jackets and extraordinary holiday scrapbooking gifts!

*Several additional crafters will be joining us—Burpie Buddies and Bay Village Natural Honey!!*
All guests will be entered into drawings for special prizes!
Children are always welcome!
Where?
The Lyles Holiday Home
23021 Lincolnshire Drive in Bay Village
(Conveniently located off I 90 via the Columbia Rd exit). Head north to Lake Rd. Turn right on Lake Rd and go approximately 1 mile to the second street past the Clague Rd. intersection which is Sandalwood. Turn right—Sandalwood ends at Lincolnshire and the Lyles home which is a colonial blue ranch with beige heart shutters. Phone 440-331-3186 for more information!

Please forward to your friends, if you live anywhere in the Cleveland area. Lots of christmas cookies and refreshments, and a leisurely way to shop and meet the artists. Our version of a trunk show.
Hope you posted on the Blog Giveway Dec 3rd. I have one gift to send, to LazyT who is a member of our Cleveland Etsy Team. She bravely posted, and I owe her a small hostess gift. You never know when a posting will yield something exciting, am I right?
I'll report on the open house in my next posting, till then, my friends, I am in my sewing room!