soft sugar cookies

I love soft sugar cookies and we love to use cookie cutters at our house.  Here is my favorite recipe for soft sugar cookies.

1 Cup Butter

2 Cups of Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Cup Sour Cream (or Plain Yogurt)

 About 5 1/2 -  6 Cups of flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and sour cream.  I tried using yogurt instead of sour cream this last time I made them and they were still really yummy.  Combine all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and them slowly add to butter mixture.  Mix until it forms a soft dough and then chill for about 1-2 hours.  I usually break the dough in half and freeze half for another day.  The whole recipe makes about 4 cookie sheets full depending of the size of cookie cutters you use.  

Roll out (not to thin) and cut into shapes.  Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.  I cook them just until the bottom of the cookies start to turn golden.  If you over cook them that will not be as soft.  We usually eat half the pan warm out of the oven with milk but some still last long enough to be frosted.  

 We used chocolate  and sprinkles on these.  I just melted semi sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and then put them in a baggie and cut off one of the corners to squeeze it out.  I know I am a little crazy but I am not a big fan of really sweet frosting but I do love cream cheese frosting with these.  Hope you like them.   

fuzzy fleece headband

You have all seen the cute crocheted or knitted headbands.  Here is my version of something similar if you are like me and still learning to crochet but you are not so great yet.  These are made out of a single layer of fleece and they are very easy.  They could be made even without a sewing a machine.

First measure the head that you are making this for.  For my girls I started with a strip of fleece about 17x3 in.  For an adult, mine were about 20x3 in.  Make sure when you cut the strip that the stretch of the fabric goes around the head.  I then tapered the ends about 4 inches in and then just sew the ends together.  I did use a sewing machine for this but this could easily be hand sewn.  You can then turn it right side out and embellish with a flower, bow, heart, monogram, or whatever you can think of.   Fleece or knit will not fray so I just left the edges unfinished and it turned out great.  I like them because they are light enough to where all day.

1. For the flower I started with a strip about 9x3in.  I then cut 1 inch off to use for the center of the flower.
2. Take the 9x2in strip and fold it into accordion style so that you have 5 layers.
3. Round the top edge with your scissors.
4.  I should look like this when you unfold it.
5.Take a needle and thread and stitch along the bottom and then gather it up into a flower.
6. Connect the two ends to complete the flower.  Use the 1in. strip, tie the end in a knot, and roll it up for the center (use could also use a button).  Stitch it on to the headband.

I made myself a brown and black one. 

And we needed a valentine one.

Some for mom, some for my girls, and a couple for a new little one to be coming soon.

be mine

Valentines Day is not to far off so why not get started with this fun project. I saw this and just had to share. This would dress up any Valentines Dinner and have your family talking.

Thanks to the Girls at the DIY Dish for sharing this fun idea. Not only for Valentines Day but what about other holidays as well. The possibilities are endless. I can't wait to start on mine.



valentine love pillow

This is our family love pillow that we just started around the first of February this year. We wrote this little poem to explain how it works.

This is a little love pillow

And this is what you do,

A simple act of love

For someone that loves you.

Find a secret act to do

Then sneak it on their bed

They will know that they are loved

Even more that words have said.

It is now their turn to pass it on

To someone of their choice

To show the love they have for them

With service as their voice.

Sometimes we find it hard to say

Those simple little three

So show the ones you care about

You love them and they will see.

Our little girls have loved this!!! They are so excited when they see it on their pillow and I love it because it stretches LOVE and Valentine's Day out for many days.

cute valentine hairdo

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. Here is a little fun hairdo that my girls ask for a lot. We have seen many similar styles around on many other blogs. There are many fun hair blogs around if you are looking for new ideas. We posted some of our favorite not to long ago here.

The basic idea of this kind of heart is a pull through ponytail. Instead of pulling the ponytail down through the top you pull it up from the bottom and then divide the hair in two for each side. You can braid the two sides or just twist like the picture below. Then you just secure it at the bottom in a ponytail or bun. Give it a try.