Crafting through the Holidays

Saturday I turned up the heat on the holiday spirit. Not only did I complete the rest of myChristmas shopping, but Kate, Carly and I decided to do a Cookies and Cocktails party...complete with sequenced Santa hats (don't tell me the real Santa doesn't have one). We researched some cute cookie ideas, cocktail ideas, and Kate made some delicious cookie dough. We gathered on the chilly December Saturday night and after some super yum dinner, courtesy of Carlos, and a couple of cocktails, we got to work! We had sugar and gingerbread cookie dough and a ton of cookie cutters, we made a TON of christmas cookies--I think we each went home with 2 dozen, at least. Here are some highlights of the evening...

I had to crop Kate's apron. But it was red, green and white and therefore festive.

We googled this idea for melting snowmen cookies. Easy peasy with marshmallows as heads. Well, I suppose I should say easy peasy in the loosest sense of the word. Here's what they should have looked like:

Those were Carly's of course. And below are mine. I thought it would look more realistic if I smushed their heads down. But then the red frosting for eyes just got a little too creepy.

Some sweet sparkle hats...thank you Target for doing your part to bedazzle our wardrobe and closet.

And a cookie cocktail party and holiday party just isn't complete without a signature cocktail courtesy of Emril Lagasse. Poinsettia Cocktail? 1 part champagne, 1 part vodka, 2 parts cranberry juice, pomegranate seeds and lemon for garnish. Kudos Emril, you really outdid yourself with that one. Two thumbs up.

And then some action shots of rolling out the dough...

And then the cookie decorating madness really commenced. I think we were decorating for a good 2 hours. Maybe not, I have no sense of time.

And of course, no cookie decorating is complete without a "J for Julie!" but I couldn't fit that on my stocking so a "J!" will have to do.

Two craft projects in two months documented. CHECK. Now just have to find a craft to keep the craft bug going through 2012!