Christkindlmarkt

 

On Christmas Eve we went to Chicago

to visit the Christkindlmarkt.

 

 

I have been lucky enough to visit many

Christmas Markets in many European countries.

 

 

It doesn't have all the charm of being in

Europe but it is still worth a visit.

 

 

You can eat brats and currywurst and

pretzels and gluhwein and lebkuchen.

 

 

And you can shop.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

To our American Homestead

friends all over the world.

Our wish to you this holiday

season and all through the year,

 

Peace On Earth

Cookie Press

 

For as long as I can remember we have

made Swedish Spritz cookies for Christmas.

You need a cookie press to make them.

I think I was always so fascinated by them

because you could make so many shapes.

 

I assumed everyone had a cookie press and

made these wonderful cookies.  I remember

when I was in high school, I would bring them

to parties at Christmas.  People thought they

were the Italian cookies from the bakery and

when I told them I made them, they would

look at me in wonder.

 

I can still remember when I was in grammar

school and went to my friend Terry's house

and her Mom made these cookies by using the

star tip and making them into long straws.

I couldn't wait to get home and try that

myself.  I'm still making them this way...

 

 

Whenever I see an old cookie press at

an antique store or yard sale I buy it.

I have tried the new types but they just

aren't as good.

Today I made a batch of Spritz for this year.

Just remember you can't eat them the first

day or they taste like flour, the flavor has

to develop, give it 24 hours.  I look forward

to tomorrow!

 

 

Building the Empire

The Fall 2012 Collection

 

 

The American Homestead Fall 2012

Collection that debuted at International

Quilt Market in Houston is finally on the

American Homestead website.

 

Honestly the past 8 months are a blur.

Between running a business, traveling

the world, writing a book and well,

just living, sometimes there are not

enough hours in the day to get it all done.

 

But, the new page is up, better late than

never.  I couldn't get the background to

happen but at least the important info

is there.

http://www.americanhomesteaddesign.com/Fall-2012-Collection.html

 

Enjoy!

 



Me Time ~ December 18, 2012

 

I'm finally back home for a bit and

finally made it back to Me Time.

 

 

The Quilt Shoppe in Anderson,

Indiana has a tree with many

of my feltwork ornaments on it.

 

 

I love how they are displayed

with a little tag that tells you

the name of the pattern, this

really helps customers ID the

pattern they want.

 

 

You can find The Quilt Shoppe on

Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/tqsanderson

 

 

We are still celebrating my

birthday ~ today with

Orange Juice Cake ~ delicious!

 

 

And some presents ~ fun!

 

 

Someone worked with this

knitting tool.

 

 

Another person was making pillows

as Christmas presents.

 

 

Oh and look at this little wool

piece someone is working on.

Perfect for the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elle's Kitchen: Parmesan Panko Potato Balls

 

I saw this recipe in a magazine the other day

and decided to make them.  Mr. Wonderful &

I are home from another adventure and we are

having fun getting back to everyday life.  This

evening we had a leisurely dinner that stretched

out over much of the evening.  We started with

this as our appetizer. then had a salad course

and later the entree all while watching Revenge

on Netflix.  There's no place like home...

 

 

Ingredients:

 

2/3 cup Panko (breadcrumbs)

2/3 cup grated parmesan

1 tbls. Italian Herb Seasoning

1 1/2 teas. Garlic Salt

1/8 teas. Crushed Red Pepper

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 pounds very small yellow potatoes

Olive oil cooking spray

 

Warm Marinara or Pesto for dipping

 

Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a baking sheet with foil.

 

Stir together Panko, parmesan, Italian

Herbs, Garlic Salt and Red Pepper in

a bowl.

 

Place flour and eggs in separate bowls.

 

 

Place potatoes on foil and spray with Olive

Oil spray.  Roll each potato in flour, then egg

and then breadcrumb mix.  Make sure to coat

well with each step.

 

Place back on foil and spray again.  Bake for

35 to 40 minutes or til lightly browned and

tender when pierced with a fork.  Coat with

cooking spray twice during cooking.

 

 

Serve with a marinara or pesto sauce

for dipping.  I used the Hunt's Fire-roasted

Tomatoes and puree them in a blender then

adda bit of basil in a tube.

 

 

 

They were pretty good but next time I

think I would scoop a bit of the potato

out with a melon baller and add some

Chevre or an herbed cream cheese with

a bit or bacon or roasted red pepper.  It

needed a bit more zing...

 

 

 

 

Okay, This Is Thrilling!

 

This came in the mail today.

When the return address label reads,

Barbara Brackman, the famous quilt

historian, a bit of a zing goes up the spine...

 

When I was at Quilt Market in October I

had a chance to look through the galleys

so I knew it was good.  It felt like I was

looking through a scrapbook (no pun intended)

of old friends and good times.  Quilters

from all over the world participated in a

block of the week.  We all learned about

Civil War history and quilting and many

friendships were forged all around the globe.

 

 

And two of my blocks were selected

to be part of the book ~ yeah!

 

 

Rosebud ~ page 32

 

 

Railroad Crossing ~ page 76

 

 

A group of us sent blocks to Becky

and a sampler quilt was made as a

gift to Barbara as a token of thanks.

 

(My block is the 4th row down,

the 3rd from the left, with a white

pinwheel in the center.)

 

I made the blocks and blogged about

them every Sunday for all of 2011.

Even as I was traveling the world I

carried what I called the Brackman Bag

filled with fabric, thread & needle, a

small ruler, rotary cutter and mat.  I

hand sewed these blocks in some pretty

remote spots around the globe.  I wish

I was doing that good a job with this

year's Grandmother's Choice BOW, but

I will catch up~ life can get a bit busy...

 

So go out and get your copy of the

Civil War Sampler ~ I'm sure you

will enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

Under the Sea

 

 

Mr. Wonderful gave me an underwater

camera for my birthday and I have been

playing with it all week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So it's good-bye to bikinis and flip-flops

and back to coats and scarfs...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chichen Itza

 

Temple of Kukulkan

 

Since the "2012 Phenomenon" suggests the

Maya Calendar is saying December 21 is going

to be the end of the world as we know it, I figured

I better high-tail it over there before it was too late.

 

 

Great Ball Court

 

You must drive for a few hours from Cancun

through miles upon miles of vegetation, not

farming, just wilderness, to reach Chichen Itza.

 

 

The glyphs in the Ball Court are very

well preserved and interesting.

 

 

The Skull Platform

 

This is where the heads of the sacrificial

victims were placed.  So after your team won

over at the Ball Court, you would end up here.

Yup, only the best were sacrificed.  That would

alter my competitive spirit...

 

 

Temple of the Warrior

 

Chicken Itza has 1.2 million visitors per year.

 

 

Group of a Thousand Columns

 

In 2007, El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan)

was named as one of the New 7 Wonders

of the World.

 

 

And...

 

 

...then there is shopping.